Hide and Seek

Intervention Summary

Goals: Gait training
Patient task: Patient walks around the room searching for facility dog
Dog task: Dog is “hidden” in various locations around therapy gym
Scale: Assistive devices, difficulty of hiding place
Equipment needed: None

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Intervention Overview

Have your patient play a fun game of Hide and Seek with your facility dog! Hide your dog throughout the therapy gym — behind doors, under the mat table, maybe even under a sheet! Your patient is tasked with scanning the environment to search for the dog, and then walk around the gym to find them.

Patient Instructions

• Start with patient closing their eyes so they can’t see where the dog gets hidden

• Patient has to scan environment and walk around gym until they find the dog

Dog’s Role

• Dog hidden in various locations (e.g., behind a door, under mat table, behind a chair, inside car simulator, etc.)

• Interaction level: passive

Scaling

Make it easier:

• Dog hides in more obvious locations

• Use patient’s usual assistive device

Make it harder:

• Dog hides in more difficult locations, or in places that require patient to walk more

• Perform without assistive device

Additional Notes

• For patients with neglect, try to always place dog on patient’s side of neglect to challenge their environment scanning towards impaired side