Therapy Dog Visits Seniors
May 18, 2020
Most nursing homes and assisted living facilities are not allowing visitors, to help protect a vulnerable population from the coronavirus. Those that offer pet therapy are finding it tricky to deliver under the restriction, but one facility is getting creative to allow a special four-legged friend.
Therapy dog Baby has been coming to Island City Assisted Living for 6 and a half years now bringing the therapy to the residents through their windows while she can’t go inside.
“Baby is just a real, just a sweet soul.”
Eight-year-old baby has been through her share of storms.
“She has been through a lot with the loss of her eyes and she has hearing loss as well. She’s a cancer survivor and she’s had some other issues”
But for the last six and a half years, Baby and her mom Pat are bringing nothing but joy and sunshine to the residents of Island City.
“She looks forward to it, we’re here every week”
“She’s our elf at Christmas time, our fireworks on the Fourth of July. She’s our St. Valentine on Valentine’s day so she’s always here” said resident Stephanie Hall.
When the senior care facilities closed to all visitors because of coronavirus, Pat knew they had to find a way for Baby to still make her visits.
“We created a way where we can just go to the windows and keep everyone safe”
The seniors at the facility, grateful for every visit.
“Everybody loves her, yeah they do, she’s a sweetheart”
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]
Students Get Therapy Dog
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]
Therapy Dogtor
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]
Therapy Dog Pups
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]
Puppy Cams
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]
Pet Committee
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]