"I feel compelled to share two stories from my pet therapy shift today [...].
A few weeks ago, a new client started attending the adult day program on saturdays. She was sitting in the corner by herself and the staff mentioned she liked dogs. Over the last few weeks, Jules and the client have been inseparable. Jules just sits with her for about 30 - 45 mins while she talks to her and pets her. I heard this morning from staff that these visits have made a significant impact on the clients behaviour in the program. It sounded like she initially presented as quite challenging - and may not have been the best fit - and now with the morning visits from Jules she is much calmer and able to go on with the day. Jules absolutely adores her and sitting with her and getting a massage.
The second instance involved a man we had been visiting on the 1st floor for a while. He was having a difficult time this morning (yelling and raising his voice) and sitting in an open area. Day program staff asked if Jules could meet with him on the way out and sit with him for a while. I got out and realized we knew him and he immediately deescalated when seeing the dog. He greeted her and was smiling and we were able to walk him back towards his room.
I’ve always heard about the effects of pet therapy and I never doubted them, but experiencing this today really allowed me to appreciate the impact that the time with our animals has on people."
