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Nursing-home residents love ... Hanging out with their 4-legged friend
By JoAnn Jones
HOWLAND
Veronica Veselich, a resident of Shepherd of the Valley-Howland, breaks into a wide grin as she walks down the hall and sees Phoebe.
“Are you coming in to see me?” she asks. “You did come to see me. I know you did.”
Her daughter? No. Granddaughter? No. Neighbor? No.
Phoebe is a 5-year old Boxer and a certified therapy dog belonging to Lynne Walters of Vienna. She has been hanging around Shepherd of the Valley every Tuesday for almost two years.
And the residents love her.
“She raises people’s spirits, makes them laugh, and gives hugs and kisses,” Walters said. “The residents call her over and pet her. I get lots of stories about their own dogs. I’ll ask one or two questions, and they just start talking away.”
Walters, who has taught music to students in kindergarten and in first and second grades at Howland Glen Primary School for 35 years, began taking Phoebe to Shepherd of the Valley when a retired teacher friend was a resident there.
“The response has been wonderful,” she said. “Phoebe has group visits in the lobby, and she’ll go into the rooms of those who can’t get up. Residents will wake up from a deep sleep and say, ‘Phoebe’s here.’ Or one may not be doing much, but when she sees Phoebe, she breaks into a big smile and hugs her. Their whole demeanor changes when they see her.”
Walters told a story of a man who had been unresponsive for several days.
“When Phoebe walked into his room,” Walters said, “he woke up and petted her. But that was his last responsiveness. He passed the next day.”
“I’ve always admired therapy dogs,” Walters said. “My dad loved them when he was in a nursing home. He’s been gone for 10 years, and I’ve always thought he sent Phoebe to me.”
“I’ve had Boxers before Phoebe,” said Walters, who adopted Phoebe as a rescue dog two years ago, “but never as calm as she is. Boxers are good family dogs even though they are high energy. Phoebe is lower energy and controllable. My sister had a Golden Retriever that was a therapy dog, and my family said Phoebe was really calm and would make a good one, too. That was when I decided I’d like to do that.”
“I went to PetsMart in Niles and signed up first for obedience classes,” she said. “Lori Wilkoff, who works there, led me through everything. The American Kennel Club has a test for dogs called the Canine Good Citizen Test that is part of the requirements for Therapy Dogs International. Not only was Phoebe trained, but I was trained, too. We passed that test.”
“Then we went to Ashtabula Hospital for TDI,” she continued, “because they have an educational unit. She had to get used to seeing crutches and wheelchairs, she had to pass by food, and she wasn’t allowed to show any aggressive traits. Boxers would lick you to death if they could.”
Certified in four months by Therapy Dogs International, which was founded in 1976 and completely reorganized in 1989, Phoebe cheers up the residents with her various holiday costumes and the photos Walters takes of her. Phoebe’s recent costume consisted of rabbit ears, while Walters donned an Easter sweater.
“I try to do special things when I come,” Walters said. “For Phoebe’s birthday a few months ago, we brought balloons and ice cream, and she wore a silly birthday-cake hat. I bought her a crown she wore for the Royal Wedding, and she was a reindeer for Christmas in July. She’s even been a Christmas tree and a yellow submarine. That’s part of her training — putting up with the costumes.”
Traci Luther, activity director at Shepherd of the Valley-Howland, said the residents “just brighten up” when they see Phoebe.
“It makes their whole day,” Luther said. “Even family members … when we evaluate what our residents like, will say something like ‘Make sure Mother gets to see the dog.’ People look forward to seeing her, especially when they’re sick. Some won’t do anything else but respond to Phoebe.”
The website for Therapy Dogs International states that “studies have shown that holding or petting an animal will cause a lowering of blood pressure, the release of strain and tension, and can draw out a person from loneliness and depression.”
The site also gives information to volunteers who want to train their pets to become therapy dogs, citing the organization’s goals as uniting and increasing the number of therapy dogs and giving them “the recognition they deserve.”
Phoebe has also traveled to Howland Glen with Walters to read with the students.
“She’s been surrounded by kids,” Walters said, “and she just sits there. Therapy dogs are trained to just sit and take whatever people do.”
“Phoebe just loves being with people,” she added. “It’s a great way to give back.”
“It is so amazingly rewarding, it’s just beyond words,” Walters said with a smile. “For the residents, for the staff and for Phoebe. It’s a whole other part of my life I never thought I’d have.”
As a resident using a walker and one using a wheelchair call out to Phoebe and stop to pet her, Walters smiles again as she watches them pet Phoebe. “That’s why I’m here.”