Eileen Nagle sees her family in video chats and guided tours, but that hasn’t made up for the lack of warm hugs during the nine months following the pandemic that led her nursing home to close its doors to visitors.
Enter Zeus.
“Zeus is a friendly, very happy little snowball,” said Nagle, 79, after the bichon frieze paid a visit to his room at the Hebrew House in Riverdale, overlooking the Hudson River in the Bronx . “Petting and playing with dogs breaks the day and makes you forget about yourself for a while.”
Hebrew Home has had a pet therapy program for 20 years; the little Zeus and the soft giant Marley the Great Dane are the current dildos of residence. Now, the activities department is expanding the canine body with two new recruits in training to provide residents with affectionate physical contact that has become so scarce and precious in the coronavirus era.
“It’s encouraging that Zeus is coming to visit me, especially with COVID and that I’m restricted to my room,” Jeff Philipson, 80, said as he ran his fingers through Zeus ’silky white coat as the dog went to bed. . “I talk on the phone every day with my daughter and son, but that’s as good as it can get for now.”
When the pandemic closed in March, canine therapy was suspended along with most other activities at the residence.
“I decided we needed to revitalize the pet visitation program, as outside visitation is not allowed,” said Daniel Reingold, founder of the pet therapy program and president and CEO of RiverSpring Health, a non-pet operator. for-profit Hebrew Home, 103. “They have been on the floor bringing happiness and unconditional love to both residents and staff.”
Dogs belong to staff members who take them to work every day. But the program does not allow any dogs.
“It has to be a combination of the right owner, the right dog and the right temperament,” said Reingold, whose rescue dog, Kida, is one of the new recruits. “Dogs need to be evaluated, follow basic orders and be able to deal with wheelchairs, lifts, medicine carts and all the other things that will be found on a floor.”
Cats are also used in the pet therapy program, but only robotic ones. Hebrew Home has numerous realistic animatronic cats purring and meowing as residents grab them around and pet their fur. “Cats are especially soothing for people with dementia,” said Catherine Farrell, director of therapeutic activities, chief dog handler and owner of Marley.
“The love for an animal is amazing,” Farrell said. “It releases endorphins, lowers blood pressure, reduces anxiety. For people who had animals in their life story, seeing dogs triggers memories and opens up communication. “
While Farrell has to stay 6 feet away from residents and wear a face mask and a plastic shield, Marley can tilt her head to the beds as they caress her.
“Breaking the social barrier away is really important,” Farrell said. “It’s one of the only ways they can touch another living thing and get satisfaction with that physical connection.”
But it’s not just about petting a dog, said Olivia Cohen, a dog handler and assistant director of the therapeutic activities program. For some residents, interaction can break down barriers and open up communication and emotional expression, he said.
Cohen remembers a woman who struggled with anxiety and had trouble coping with the new environment when she moved home. “Nothing would happen to help her,” Cohen said. “But when I brought the dog to him, his full effect changed from crying to having his face lit up and telling stories about his own experiences.”
For resident Elizabeth Pagan, visits to the dogs are a welcome respite from the isolation she has endured since she was restricted to FaceTime visits with her children, grandchildren and the Ruby terrier-basset mix.
“It means a lot to me, it makes me feel good when I pet the dogs,” said Pagan, who is recovering from a stroke. “My favorite is Marley. It gives me a lot of comfort. “
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