Visiting St Joseph's Home has become a monthly affair for our volunteers and rescued dogs, including special needs dogs, Harper and Sida. We hope that our regular visits will bring comfort and joy to the residents at this home, who are generally elderly who have lost some of their mental capacity. Pet therapy (or animal-assisted therapy) is known for its significant benefits to patients’ healing and rehabilitation, especially in terms of lifting their spirits, thus reducing depression, encourages communication and socialization, and it also helps to improve motor skills and joint movements.
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| Ollie & Lassy bringing joy from the table top |
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| Residents were gifted with photo frames of themselves with our dogs |
It has been a year and a half since we embarked on this pet therapy program, and we are heartened to know that the residents and staff would look forward to our visits on the first Saturday of each month!
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| Aunty Alice absolutely loves dogs - seen her squishing River |
Some of the residents, such as Aunty Alice, adore dogs as much as we do, or maybe even more. She would simply let them sit on her lap, and hold and pat them till it’s time for us to leave!
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| Special needs dog, Harper, is also a volunteer animal-assisted therapy dog |
During our last visit in December 2019, we had a simple Christmas celebration with the residents. The volunteers brought along snacks to distribute and a kind friend also sponsored 80 bottles of Dove body soap as requested by the home. We also printed and framed photographs of the residents as gifts for them. It is an indescribable feeling to see how our presence and these simple gifts can bring immense joy to the residents.
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| Volunteer, Syn Hwei & her dog, Lassy, making their rounds in the wards |
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| Aunty Alice has the most number of photo frames - seen here admiring the photos with River |
We love how meaningful our Saturday mornings have become. It makes waking up early all worthwhile!
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| Ollie in a manger |
Written by Shi Hua
