Eileen Nagle sees her household in video chats and drive-by visits, but that hasn’t created up for the lack of warm hugs in the nine months considering the fact that the pandemic led her nursing property to shut its doors to guests.
Enter Zeus.
“Zeus is a friendly little snowball, very happy,” stated Nagle, 79, immediately after the peppy bichon frise paid a check out to her space at Hebrew Home at Riverdale, overlooking the Hudson River in the Bronx. “Petting and playing with the dogs breaks up the day and gets you to forget about yourself for a while.”
Hebrew Home has had a pet therapy system for 20 years tiny Zeus and gentle giant Marley the Great Dane are the existing snugglers in residence. Now, the activities division is expanding the canine corps with two new recruits in instruction to give residents more of the affectionate physical make contact with that has come to be so scarce and valuable in the coronavirus era.
“It’s uplifting to have Zeus come and visit me, especially with COVID and being restricted to my room,” stated 80-year-old Jeff Philipson, beaming as he ran his fingers by means of Zeus’ silky white fur even though the dog clambered on his bed. “I talk on the phone every day with my daughter and my son, but that’s as good as it can get for now.”
When the pandemic lockdown started in March, dog therapy was suspended along with most other activities at the nursing property.
“I decided we needed to re-energize the pet visiting program since there’s no outside visitation allowed,” stated Daniel Reingold, founder of the pet therapy system and president and CEO of RiverSpring Health, nonprofit operator of 103-year-old Hebrew Home. “They’ve been on the floors bringing happiness and unconditional love to residents and staff alike.”
The dogs belong to employees members who bring them to work each and every day. But the system does not permit just any dog.
“It has to be a combination of the right owner, right dog and right temperament,” stated Reingold, whose personal rescue dog, Kida, is 1 of the new recruits. “The dogs have to be assessed, follow basic commands and be able to cope with wheelchairs, elevators, medication carts and all the other things they’ll encounter on a floor.”
Cats are also made use of in the pet therapy system — but only robotic ones. Hebrew Home has a lot of lifelike animatronic cats that purr and meow as residents hold them in their laps and stroke their fur. “The cats are especially soothing to people with dementia,” stated Catherine Farrell, director of therapeutic activities, major dog handler and owner of Marley.
“The love of an animal is incredible,” Farrell stated. “It releases endorphins, reduces blood pressure, reduces anxiety. For people here who had animals in their life history, seeing dogs triggers memories and opens communication.”
While Farrell has to stay 6 feet away from residents and put on a face mask and plastic shield, Marley can plop his head on their beds as they pet him.
“To break through the social distancing barrier is really important,” Farrell stated. “It’s one of the only ways they’re able to touch another living being and gain satisfaction from that physical connection.”
But it is not just about petting a dog, stated Olivia Cohen, dog handler and assistant director of the therapeutic activities system. For some residents, the interaction can break down barriers and open communication and emotional expression, she stated.
Cohen recalls 1 lady who was struggling with anxiousness and possessing problems coping with the new atmosphere when she moved into the property. “Nothing would get through to her to help her,” Cohen stated. “But when I brought the dog to her, her complete affect changed from crying to having her face light up and telling stories about her own experiences.”
For resident Elizabeth Pagan, dog visits are a welcome respite from the isolation she has endured considering the fact that she’s been restricted to FaceTime visits with her kids, grandchildren and terrier-dachshund mix Ruby.
“It means a lot to me, makes me feel good when I pet the dogs,” stated Pagan, who’s recovering from a stroke. “My favorite is Marley. He gives me a lot of comfort.”