I am the founder of a volunteer program which brings dogs to an elderly care facility!

First off, I just want to say thank you for doing what you do. It warms my heart when I see people going out of their way to help better the lives of the elderly. It's such a lonely and hard time to be alive. That being said, how excited are the people you bring these dogs to? How often do they get to do this?

They're excited, but often they forget that I'm coming. I go every Saturday with the pups.

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However I'm there multiple times a week. Generally 3-4. My grandma is living there.

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Thanks for the kind words!

Nicely done! You are bringing joy to lots of people, and you should feel good about that.

Memory care is a tough gig. Having to introduce yourself and your dog over and over can be exhausting, but it makes a huge difference. Even for the caregivers.

Don't be afraid to give yourself a break, too. Therapy dog teams (owners and dogs) can get burnt out, so take a break when you need it.

Thank you!

And I'm not afraid of taking breaks, but thank you for your concern. I fear missing moments and time with my grandma.

You're a good person and a great granddaughter

Thank you!!

Keep it going- my family had history of dementia and pets bring smiles when we don't think it's possible.

Thank you! And that's the plan!

Please come to my place of work. They need the lift

Where are you based? I'm in southern NH

What are the benefits of elderly people spending time with animals? What do you think of the robotic dogs that some facilities usr?

Some benefits: The residents tended to connect with myself/ the trainer better, initiating interactions, a lot of them retained focus for longer, as well as becoming grounded through touch. What I found to be most interesting is that residents would start reliving their past, calling the dogs different names, and talking about needing to go feed the animals.

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The robotic dogs, even stuffed animals, are beneficial in the sense that there is little to no upkeep, however it's a very solitary interaction, so no conversation is made. Also robotic animals are much less expensive than paying a therapy/ service animal and trainer to come in.

Wait, there are actually robotic dogs?

Yeah there are

Do any of the residents at the facility ever ask about cats?

Yes, and I sometimes bring my cat in. When I am home (I'm currently at work) I will post a link of my cat there! His name is buddy, he is very stupid.

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I attempted to allow cats to participate, but the trainer is not certified and has not experience with cats.

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Also, cats are kind of assholes, and difficult to train.

Yes I have had mine for 12 years and I have up trying to control him long ago

Yeah. Nothing against them, I love cats. But they're not like dogs in their eagerness to please.

Some are. A good friend has a cat that does wellness visits to the hospital. It took a few interviews with the staff that were only used to dogs for her to be approved. She's a very affectionate tabby that isn't spooked by spasms or sudden movements.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-2jEv4OKlEWh98HZFeLJRJPLeAfsRx5C?usp=sharing

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Theres Buddy! I didn't feel comfortable showing him with residents because I don't have consent, but there he is. He gets carried around in bags.

How does insurance work for something like this?

No insurance was needed. However the dog trainer did bring in her copies of insurance proving that her dog is therapy certified.

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I drafted and distributed 3 waivers-

1. The facility to sign, acknowledging the risk and allowing me to bring in un-certified animals. As well as taking photos.
2. Whoever had power of attorney for residents. They read and signed, this was mostly so I could release and distribute photos, as well as talking about the stories.
3. Owners of the dog participants, allowing for transport, photos, and food.

(The plan is for me to go on to law school, so this was a good learning experience!)

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All vaccination paperwork was also required, understandably so.

Wow, I'm amazed the facility allows this.

I just see liability everywhere.

Honestly I was as shocked as you are.

What are the requirements of the dogs to pass muster?

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My dog is a big calm lab mix who loves company but I feel like health and safety could make this tough where I live.

Calmness, even temperament, not biting/ growling.

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We were not allowed to bring in animals when food was being served. Also all the dogs were generally clean- ish before going in.

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I really was lucky in matching with this facility, AND with the group of dogs, AND the dog trainer (I actually took music lessons from her through 7 years).

Alright, so I have huge dreams of running a senior and special needs dog sanctuary. I've drafted out all sorts of things (ideas, plans for structures to build, security, etc) and I've thought of ways to help benefit my community with it and aside from doing things like having kids come read to the dogs (always rotating dogs to avoid stress and also only allowing dogs on leashes who are well mannered), having dogs go to local schools and events, and registering the well tempered ones as therapy dogs. I gotta know, because bringing therapy dogs to local retirement homes was part of my plan, how hard was it to set this whole thing up? Was the process expensive or anything?

It's not expeinsive but it is a lot of networking, and waivers. You need a dog trainer and a facility, and I knew a dog trainer AND my grandma was just put in a facility so I had all of the networking done going in.

How do you make sure that any residents or staff who have allergies or phobias, or are simply uncomfortable, are not exposed to the dogs?

What precautions do you take to prevent the spread of MRSA, along with other zoonotic diseases?

Good question, surprised no one has asked yet!

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So there were required health forms we had to have. But that's only rabies, kennel cough ex.

We'd give a dog a once over before we went in. It was also recommended, though not required,that dogs were groomed (however this was more to allow residents to brush dogs).

Paws were clean before going inside.

The dogs were only allowed to pee/ poop outdoors, never inside near people.

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Immune compromised patients were either transported in hospitals, or had masks on.

Allergies were handled with the frequent vacuuming, and wipe downs of surfaces.

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As for phobias, it was customary for the dog trainer or myself to ask if a resident was comfortable to say hi to the dogs.

This is an awesome project! What brought you to such a compassionate and thoughtful program? What’s you’re favorite breed to work with? Good luck with this project. Thank you for bringing joy to all those you work with.

I had/ have severe depression, and regardless of what my emotions were my dog always made me feel a little better. I don't have a favorite breed! I'm a proud owner of 2 mutts. And half the dogs were mutts as well :)

Size wise the smaller dogs were a hit, so that people could hold them.

Thanks for the support and kind words!

What you did/do is really lovely. You've inspired me to get back into volunteering again. Seniors are often neglected and feel very isolated in assisted living. Thanks for doing something so nice for others and thanks for sharing it with us. I hope the doggies enjoy doing visits, too!

Thank you! And do is correct, it's on going. Volunteer with elderly! They are amazing, and sadly forgotten.

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The dogs do enjoy it! I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing them if they weren't :)

TheT

I love the middle picture the dog looks really interested!

What was she talking about?

That's one of my absolute favorite residents. She was talking about cats!

You aren't feeding the elderly to the dogs, are you?

Nope! Or vice- versa

Has this program reached any colleges in the form of any club or organization?

No, unfortunately. I'm going to college in Boston, and there's assisted living facilities, however I dont have anyone I know in the city I could borrow dogs from. And the dog trainer, who made this all happen, living 1.5 hours out of Boston.

Interesting, where’d you find this trainer? Implementing something similar down here in Florida would be amazing for the elderly.

She was my flute teacher for 7 years. 3,4 years ago she chose to certify her dog. And then she started participating in 2 non profits working to screen dogs for being certified.

This is so cool. I used to take my mini doxie in to a local test home and the residents loved her. One lady Pearl was bed bound and in the hospital unit. She had a number of strokes non verbal and was defiantly the most high needs resident but she became so much more animated and engaged with my wee carpet wrecker. She'd have her sitting on her bed proud as punch as we wheeled her around around like the Captain of a Spanish Galleon with her trusty sidekick.

We also had a fire one time as in an actual fire and she was fairly distressed even though an evacuation would have been easily managed. She was obviously a very caring lady and had been one of those take charge people and she sure as shit was determined to make sure my dog was going with her. No dog left behind!

I think it must be so hard for these people who are so used to being the ones everyone else has always relied on to be the sensible adult to have the tables turned and now they are reliant on others to care for them to have something like an animal to look after. It makes them feel like their old competent selves I guess. Don't worry Pearl I'll look after you but I need your help now too. Can I put you in charge of Pippen? I know you will look after her.

I miss Pearl.

I loved reading that. I hope you still go see Pearl. Thank you!

How did you figure out that this is something you wanted to spend time on?

My grandma was moved into the facility this takes part in, and I asked around about bringing in my dog/ cat, and the facility was really interested! After taking in my cat in a couple times, you could see how much the residents interacted when there was an animal present, and how they readily engaged.

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I also couldn't imagine living without seeing any animals, ever.

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As said in another comment:

- My dog, her name is patty. I have a slew of psychological issues, and she always managed to make me feel just a little bit better.

-The dog trainer. I took music lessons from her for 7 years. She has always been so loving, patient, kind and empathetic. She has shown me how to be better, and there is no one in this world I could have shared this project with!

Are these dogs certified in dog therapy? In what state is this program being held?

None of them are certified. Southern NH.

Is this a full time job? Where does your funding come from?

Just volunteering, once a week, all day saturday.

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Funding comes from family, all it is is gas $$ for transport. Which is huge.

What are some of the less common tasks the dogs are trained for?

I don't know if this qualifies as "less common" but walking next to wheelchairs/ walkers. Also peeing a lot before going in.

Oh, peeing a lot is interesting! That makes sense, but wouldn't have thought of it!

Theres this 30 lbs mutt. Small little chunk, but pees minimum of 4 times before going in. As well as needs a 30 minute pee break!

Could you maybe train dogs from shelters to do this? So the elderly profit but the dogs get some much needed attention too?

I tried to do this but the shelter only wanted me to bring them to one location, and I needed 2 (one for screening, one for the participating) so for me it wasn't an option, unfortunately. It was my first thought.

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Additionally just for practicality sake, I was fearful of having shelter animals indoors, in a carpeted facility just in case of an accident

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Also at the start of all this I was 17, and would be unable to transport shelter animals as a minor.

Can i work for ya?

Uhh, I work a shitty retail job, and I'm not a manager. But if you'd like to make $9/h and sell jeans apply to Levi's!

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This is all volunteer based, no money. I don't think I'd be comfortably taking money for this.

But in all seriousness, you can volunteer with the elderly, or dogs!

Any particularly heartwarming stories you've heard/seen that you're comfortable with sharing (identifying details omitted)?

One lady wanted to take one of the dogs to lay down and take a nap in her bed with. However I personally was not comfortable with that, she settled for walking a lap or two with the dog.

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I have 2 shitzu esc dogs. One is 30 lbs, one is 9 lbs. I get yelled at, frequently, for not taking care of, and withholding food from "their" (being possessed by the residents) dogs! It's really hard to keep a straight face, but it is funny, however sad.

I’m impressed with how you’re able to deal with all of this at a fairly young age. Fantastic job with your program.

:)

What was the most challenging problem you encountered while getting everything set up?

Driving! I am a horrid driver, I hate driving, and I have zero directional skills. I would need to pick up/ drop off every dog. I once drove to mass, 30 minutes out of my way, because I clicked the wrong street address.

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Littleton, MA instead of Hollis, NH.

What do you do to prevent the spread of superbugs between patients? Therapy Dogs are proven vectors for communicable disease in hospitals.

Because these dogs are not therapy dogs, they come only once a week. This decreases the likely hood they carry illnesses, and they are groomed frequently.

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It's also not a hospital, it's an assisted living facility. All critical care patients are transported to the hospital.

Do you know if anything like this exists in the Los Angeles area? I’ve been looking for volunteer opportunities and this sounds so incredible.

I don't know, my apologies. I'm based in NH. But I HIGHLY suggest volunteering at shelters, or at nursing homes. Regardless of if you bring an animal, a lot of the elderly are really lonely.

If you yourself would like to start one:

Steps:

1. Find a facility that would allow animals to visit that are NOT certified. Draft waivers (or pm for mine)
2. Find a dog trainer that would be interested in volunteering, you would need them to supervise every visit.
3. Find dogs! Meet first with the trainer and the dogs! Draft waivers for owners (or pm for mine)
4. Before you visit, if you want to take photos you MUST have explicit, written consent from whoever has power of attorney!
5. Go! Bring treats

I know you mentioned cats just now, and how dogs are expensive.

What about kittens? My job had a wellness event where the local cat shelter brought in fully vaccinated kittens in a closed room, and staff that liked kittens/disregarded their allergies, could play with them for an hour. The event was free, the shelter person spoke about how pets relieve stress, and staff were just delighted. I also think two people walked away, ready to become fosters.

Kittens are difficult because they tend to bite and scratch. Skin, especially skin on the hands and face, gets really thin with age. And it gets progressively more difficult to regenerate cells. And that's without adding in poor circulation from diabetes.

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Also bladder control.

What or Who inspired you to start this journey?

My dog, her name is patty. I have a slew of psychological issues, and she always managed to make me feel just a little bit better.

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My grandmother. She is 89, and has dementia. She loves dogs, and when we moved her into assisted living she would miss them.

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The dog trainer. I took music lessons from her for 7 years. She has always been so loving, patient, kind and empathetic. She has shown me how to be better, and there is no one in this world I could have shared this project with!

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I just really love dogs.

Have you read “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande? There is a section that talks about a very similar project and the incredible benefits it has on the elderly at their care facility, I think you’d like it. Great work

I haven't, but I'll look into it!

How are you funded?

All the volunteering is free (just me and the dog trainer).

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Only cost is transport $, which my parents pay for.

Would you be interested in donations to cover the cost of transportation? I bet a GoFundMe or Patreon with pictures of the dogs would be a big hit!

Also, as a part-time college counselor, this is exactly the kind of extracurricular that shines on a college resume. Let me know if you'd like any advice on how to weave this experience into your application!

No, but thank you!! My parents are really lovely and they agreed to cover the costs of transport. And I already was accepted into college. Simmons class of '23. I forgot to put it on my application. Thank you!

This is is so inspiring and wonderful. I’ve worked with elderly patients with TBIs and other cognitive disorders and they respond so well to animals. Can you go into a little more detail about the process? How I would go about doing it in my own city.

Steps:

1. Find a facility that would allow animals to visit that are NOT certified. Draft waivers (or pm for mine)

2. Find a dog trainer that would be interested in volunteering, you would need them to supervise every visit.

3. Find dogs! Meet first with the trainer and the dogs! Draft waivers for owners (or pm for mine)

4. Before you visit, if you want to take photos you MUST have explicit, written consent from whoever has power of attorney!

5. Go! Bring treats

Where are you located? I’d love to have you come out to our facilities!

Southern NH!

I visited my grandma for the first time in 6 years and was shocked to discover her mental sharpness was fading. She was repeating herself and struggling very hard to remember very much at all. I decided to get her a puppy to help stimulate her during the day as she is otherwise alone for the most part aside from occasional visits from her sister. 1 week later and the improvement in her cognitive abilities is breathtaking!

Have you experienced anything like this?

No, unfortunately.

Do you bring old dogs together with old people?

Yes! They're often the most mellow pups and love to be pet and give their full attention to the elderly.

I‘m really interested in the logistics and business side of this since I dream of starting my own charity for the elderly someday!

• How do you transport the dogs to the facility? I pitched a business for a dog café some months back and was shot down due to the transportation issue so I‘d love to hear how you were able to solve this problem.

• How are you able to secure funding and volunteers for the program?

Thanks so much and good luck with your program! If I lived in the US, I would have definitely volunteered :)

1. All funding is transport costs! My family agreed to cover it which is huge.
2. Volunteers is 2 people. Myself and the dog trainer.

To start!

1. Find a facility that would allow animals to visit that are NOT certified. Draft waivers (or pm for mine)
2. Find a dog trainer that would be interested in volunteering, you would need them to supervise every visit.
3. Find dogs! Meet first with the trainer and the dogs! Draft waivers for owners (or pm for mine)
4. Before you visit, if you want to take photos you MUST have explicit, written consent from whoever has power of attorney!
5. Go! Bring treats

Thank you!

Do you wear a cape?

No! I wear a lot of tie dye, and lots of double denim. I wear tie dye because it's easily recognizable to residents, and that they can remember me as the dog person

What is it called? They have a program like that where my girlfriend works. She does geriatric rehabilitation.

Hm, I don't think I have a name for it. However the place I'm based at is assisted living primarily in memory care. In southern NH.

Ah, that's very far from me. Would have been awesome if you were running it where she is! Anyway, great job with everything you've accomplished!

Thanks!

Please tell the girlfriend thank you for all that she does.

Hi,

How did you come about doing what you do?

My grandma was moved into the facility this takes part in, and I asked around about bringing in my dog/ cat, and the facility was really interested! After taking in my cat in a couple times, you could see how much the residents interacted when there was an animal present, and how they readily engaged.

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I couldn't imagine living without seeing any animals, ever.

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As said in another comment, some big influences:

1. My dog, her name is patty. I have a slew of psychological issues, and she always managed to make me feel just a little bit better.
2. The dog trainer. I took music lessons from her for 7 years. She has always been so loving, patient, kind and empathetic. She has shown me how to be better, and there is no one in this world I could have shared this project with!
3. the dog trainer

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TL/RD I love dogs. I enjoy elderly people. And I like volunteering. It's the happy love child.

What's the nitty-gritty of the paperwork behind-the-scenes? is there any kind of cash flow, did you register as a non-profit? or is it strictly just volunteer and it happens and no money exchanged, no donations accepted, etc?

I drafted and distributed 3 waivers-

1. The facility to sign, acknowledging the risk and allowing me to bring in un-certified animals. As well as taking photos.
2. Whoever had power of attorney for residents. They read and signed, this was mostly so I could release and distribute photos, as well as talking about the stories.
3. Owners of the dog participants, allowing for transport, photos, and food.

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There is zero cash flow. Because of this, and because it's strictly volunteer base I didn't feel the need to register as non-profit. All of the money involved is the gas for transport, which my parents covered.

???this is great.?? I wish my nona had doggos to pet when she was on the decline.???

my??/?????? question: ??how did you start this and are you looking to expand your program to other areas????????????. if not how would you recomend someone else doing the same int heir community??????????????????????????????????????????????

Thank you!

I started this because I love dogs, and I love old people, because I know a dog trainer, and my grandmother is in an assisted living facility!

Next year I will unfortunately be 1.5- 2 hours away from where I'm at right now, because of college. And to start anew my freshman year of college in a new city would be a lot. But when I'm home I'll keep doing it!

Steps:

1. Find a facility that would allow animals to visit that are NOT certified. Draft waivers (or pm for mine)
2. Find a dog trainer that would be interested in volunteering, you would need them to supervise every visit.
3. Find dogs! Meet first with the trainer and the dogs! Draft waivers for owners (or pm for mine)
4. Before you visit, if you want to take photos you MUST have explicit, written consent from whoever has power of attorney!
5. Go! Bring treats

Do you bring pit bulls to the elderly care facility?

If one replied I would have!

Which doggo is the goodest boi?

All. But Lucy (black lab/ border collie) is especially sweet. And Skylar (a little shitzu) likes licking faces and people love that.

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Also the dog trainer's pup is amazing. Knows all of the tricks.

Ever had a dog gnaw on a patients leg?

Nope! We had no biting or growling. Any dogs who would be prone to that would be screened out in the first screening session (there were 2)

One dog jumped, but only on me and it was pretty infrequent.

Forgot to say this earlier, but in doing so they would have automatically been kicked out of this program.

Do you support PETA?

NOPE! Not even a little bit.

Dont you think its irrisponsible to allow dangerous animals like dogs near the elderly?

No. These dogs have been people's pets for years (youngest is 4.5). They were screened twice by a certified trainer. Every visit was supervised by a dog trainer.

Why are white people obsessed with dogs?

Uhh, I'm half white. Other half is chinese, if you're wondering.

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But 100% obsessed with dogs