A CERTAIN special four-footed furry visitor to the Frank Whiddon Masonic Homes and Wingham Hospital has been badly missed by residents and patients.
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Lucy, a 13-year-old sheltie, became seriously ill six months ago and could no longer continue her five-year-long duties as a Delta pet therapy dog.
So loved by residents, patients and staff is she, that both groups made her ‘get well’ cards!
Lucy has recovered from her illness, however at her advanced age she is deaf and partially blind and her duties now are just to stay at home and sleep at will.
The other half of Lucy’s Volunteer Pet Therapy Team is Brenda Driscoll, her owner, who missed the special visits to the aged care facility so much that she deliberately added to her household a dog who could continue in Lucy’s special path.
Enter Flame, a nine-year-old sheltie, who made her very first visit to the facility on Wednesday, August 12.
And she’s the perfect Delta therapy dog – bombproof. While on her first visit she underwent a ‘trial by fire’- testing of (piercingly loud) fire alarm equipment and fire drills were taking place. While most dogs would turn tail and attempt to escape, Flame just stood there and wagged her tail.
Brenda and Flame were welcomed by the residents and staff with literally open arms. Kisses were exchanged, both of the doggy and human variety.
“It’s so nice to have Brenda back. We certainly all missed her and Lucy,” director of care services Leonie Burke said.
Activities officer Sigrid Jonsson was overjoyed to see Brenda back accompanied by Flame. “This would have to be the one of the most enjoyable and interactive activities with our clients,” she said.
And there is no doubt about the enjoyment the doggy visitors bring, when you see smiles instantly grace faces and eyes light up, both in patients and staff.
Brenda is similarly glad to be back. “I feel a lot of satisfaction at seeing the response from the residents,” she said, adding that she was elated at how Flame handled her first visit.
“It was the best visit ever, given it was her first visit and with what she had to contend with!” Brenda said.
Brenda and Lucy became a Volunteer Pet Therapy Team in 2009 after seeing a call for volunteers from Monica Rouse in the Wingham Chronicle.
The team regularly visited Wingham Hospital since then, and Brenda was instrumental in having the program instituted at Wingham Court Nursing Home (as the Whiddon Group was then known).
Lucy ‘unofficially’ occasionally visited Wingham Court when Brenda and husband Mark took Lucy to visit their daughter, who was a resident of the nursing home.
It was then that Brenda first approached Wingham Court, and in 2014, the program was finally able to start taking place, with sponsorship from the Whiddon Group Ladies Auxiliary.
Now, the Whiddon Group Homes have two additional Volunteer Delta Therapy Teams, Peter Amos and her border collie Dylan, and Narelle Relf from Gloucester with her dog, who visit once every four weeks each.
If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Delta Therapy Team with your dog, visit www.deltasociety.com.au.