Every rescue dog wants to find their forever home, and Ruth is no exception. The three-year-old rescue has moved into a senior living center to work as a therapy dog for residents. And make no mistake, it looks as if she’s excited to get started.
The Liberty Park Senior Living Facility in the Arkansas city of Jonesboro announced the arrival of the Great Dane via Facebook earlier this week, according to KAIT. They explained that they worked with the Northeast Arkansas Humane Society and Jonesboro Animal Control to bring her to the center.
Making Friends Already
“She’s a bit underweight right now but otherwise healthy!” they wrote on Facebook, “She’s incredibly calm and will be a fantastic companion to all of our wonderful LP residents! They immediately fell in love with her!”.
Executive Director for Liberty Park, Laura Courtois, said that they adopted Ruth after dogs from the rescue made a couple of visits to the center and proved very popular with residents: “They enjoyed it so much that we thought it would be great if we had one onsite full-time with us”.
She said that the residents “love” Ruth, who’s already been a calming influence and provided companionship during her short time at the center.
Introducing Dogs at Senior Living Centers
There are a number of benefits to being a dog parent or spending time with dogs for older people. Seniors who are dog parents tend to have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol when compared to seniors without pets. Meanwhile, being a dog parent also reduces the risk of heart attack. It even increases the chances of survival when heart attacks do happen.
Animals can even benefit people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. They can help people with dementia to interact and reduce some of the effects of the condition too. Research has shown that pet therapy for people with Alzheimer’s can even improve nutrition.
While there are things to be wary of – dogs might prove a tripping hazard for some older people – furry friends can make the stay in senior living facilities much more enjoyable, for humans and canines alike.
