Service animals are trained to assist people with disability which can be very helpful for elderly since most of them do need assistance 24/7. One good thing about service animals is they never invade your privacy as a person making the elderly somewhat independent but at the same time, they provide much needed assistance. Service animals—more particularly, service dogs are most popular with blind people or those who are visually impaired. They act as a signal for the person they are assisting, making it easier to walk around town and go about their daily chores.
Service animals, in general, can also be trained to perform tasks for seniors who can no longer do these tasks on their own.  Basically, there are three types of service animals:  guide, hearing and service animals—the latter be other than for blind and deaf people. The most suitable animal for service work are dogs since they are easier to train and they relate better to people but other equally flexible animals can be trained too such as monkeys and miniature horses.
Do note that not all animals can be considered as service animals. They have to be trained first, some were trained for years before given certification. With that said, disabled seniors or those who need service animals, take note that a puppy or baby monkey won’t do you any good. You need to contact training facilities or organizations if you are interested in acquiring one. Seniors should also consult their health care provider to help them in choosing the best service animal to use. Your first step to having a service dog is contacting your local government and get a list of government-recognized training facilities in your area. Also, you must be able to establish the fact that you are indeed disabled. For this, you will need your doctor’s referral. Some of the health conditions that are given service animals are:  blindness, deafness, epilepsy, mental conditions and paralysis.
Having a service animal gives you rights that are not enjoyed by other pet owners. In America, service dogs are allowed to enter all business establishments—even restaurants, which normally won’t allow pets in the area. Aside from that, it is a violation of the law if someone questions you and your dog, especially if they work for or own the establishment itself otherwise, they will be asked to pay for damages brought forth by the act. To avoid being asked all the time, equip your service animal with vest made especially for them. This way, they will be recognized by the establishment you are about to enter.