Day 344
4/25/23
Lilly brightened some lives at Walker Senior Residence and then Ranger headed over to Mercy Hospital. Both Goldens love what they do and their connections are incredibly heartwarming.
When Ranger and I checked in, down in the Volunteer Services Office, he was ready to go! With his bandana and Hospital I. D. tag, we set off! Our first stop is always the Security Monitoring Area. This morning, we were stopped outside the locked unit by a very friendly custodian. After he got a little "Ranger Love," I turned to figure out the code to enter. I needn't have bothered. As I looked at the instructions for entry (by phone), the door suddenly unlocked and we were in!
This facility is incredible! There are TV monitors galore and every part of the hospital is under surveillance! I had to laugh about that when they told me they had been monitoring Ranger's course ever since he entered the building. When we arrived at their locked door, they knew we were there and released the lock for us to magically enter!
Every single person we talked to at Mercy today had a dog of their own. After sharing some love with my Therapy Dog, the phones came out and it was "picture time" as they shared pictures of their beloved pups. We saw every type of dog imaginable and then some! One person (Our janitor buddy outside of Security) had a litter of pups who were adorable beyond description. He even told me I could have one! So tempting...
My friend, Charlean, who runs Old Barkers Farm for Senior Dogs, has been such an inspiration to me! Even though I know in my heart that I could never take on senior pups and say good-bye so soon, I still have a dream. This dream, crazy as it may sound, is because I know it would be a perfect Nirvana for so many two-legged and four-legged alike.
My dream: Attached to a senior residence (Walker has a vacant lot right outside of Memory Care!), I dream of building an annex for senior dogs. Fully staffed with care-givers for people and pups, the residents would be able to enter the annex to spend quality time with the senior dogs living there. I picture a central square that would look like a beautiful park. There, the human seniors could sit on benches and staff could facilitate visits with the four-legged variety.
I always say, if I win the lottery, that is what I would do! First of all...I suppose I would need to buy a ticket! So for now, I love dogs and my Senior Friends, and dream of a day when I can provide the opportunity for bonding between the two for more than a few precious minutes each week!
