| |
Canine caring for long-term patients
|
|
|
Dogs Chloe, 2, (right) and Misty,
1 ½, (left), who along with their owner, RBC's
Carol Ivey volunteer with the St. John's Ambulance Dog
Therapy Program. Here, the pooches visit with patient,
Ivy Leppard at the Soldiers Memorial Hospital, Orillia,
Ontario.
|
For the past year, RBC's Carol Ivey and her dogs, Misty and
Chloe, have been bringing joy to patients in the Soldiers
Memorial Hospital in Orillia, Ontario.
Carol and her dogs are enrolled in the St. John's Ambulance
Dog Therapy Program. Every two weeks, Carol brings the two
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels to visit patients in the long-term
care ward.
"We usually spend two hours in the hospital, but it's
never enough," says Carol. "It takes us a long time
just to get past the entrance, because everyone who sees the
dogs, wants to pet them."
Carol became involved in the program at the encouragement
of her partner, Don Ratcliffe. Before being assigned to a
hospital, the dogs were trained to interact with strangers,
and especially to remain still while being petted.
Chloe, two years old, and Misty, one and a half years old,
have very different characteristics: Chloe is more playful
and curious, while Misty is shy, yet enjoys curling up and
cuddling with people.
"It is heartbreaking, yet so rewarding, when you see
the patients' eyes light up at the sight of the dogs,"
says Carol. "The patients plead with us to let the dogs
stay with them at the end of our visits. For some, this is
the only visit they get."
|
|
