A wonderful surprise… I used James’ Thursday visiting time at the nursing home to evaluate a new Bright Spot therapy dog team in an effort to catch up on the growing number of applications piling up in our file. The dog being evaluated was a tiny Shih Tzu/Poodle mix named Max. As part of Max’s evaluation, I took him into the activities room where about 30 residents were gathered in a circle around the room to begin an exercise class. As we walked into the room, a voice called out from the circle: Hi… Hi… there you are, you’re the lady that visits me with James! I looked over in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Constance calling to me. And, sitting next to her was her daughter with her adorable little dog sitting in her lap. As Max started to work his way around the room, greeting and interacting with the residents, I went over to talk with Constance. She was so excited to see me. Where’s James? Why didn’t you bring him to see me? Then, she turned to her daughter, saying, Look, this is my daughter, Betty. She brings her dog to visit me.
What is so surprising – and truly amazing – is that this individual with Alzheimer’s disease was able to recognize me, associate me with my dog, and remember his name even though he was not present. Up until now, Constance had not recognized her daughter and claimed that her daughter never visited. All the while Constance spoke, her focus was on my dog James and on Betty’s dog.
A Chat with Constance’s daughter… The week before this happened, I ran into Betty in the nursing home lobby as James and I were leaving. She asked me how her mother had been when I visited. I wasn’t able to wake her, I said, so we weren’t able to visit.
I’m sorry to hear that, replied Betty. My mother enjoys your visits so much. That’s all she talks about. She told me that the nursing home had called her that morning saying that her mother was extremely agitated. She thought perhaps they had medicated her and that’s why she was in such a deep sleep. I could see the sadness in Betty’s eyes and the worry on her drawn face. She went on to tell me how hard it has been for her trying to do everything see can for her mother, when all the while her mother has no idea who she is. I’ve watched and seen how she responds to James – and she knows who you are because James is your dog. I’ve starting bringing in my dog to visit – and now I don’t ever come without her. I see this is the way I can make a connection with my mother. And, now, through the connection with Betty’s dog, Constance knows that her daughter is visiting… bringing her dog to see me.
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