Partnership brings furry friends to seniors’ residence
Smiles abound at River Ridge Seniors Village as staff and residents describe their new companions, all of whom are of the furry variety.
Two rabbits and four cats made River Ridge, a Park Place residence, their home earlier this month when facility staff joined together with local rescue organizations, Bunny Run Rabbit Rescue and the Southern Alberta Humane Society.
“I thought it would be so good for everybody,” Jodi Thorimbert, director of care at River Ridge, told the News. “We’ve been locked down for two years now and I was just looking at anything to boost their spirits.”
Thorimbert came up with the idea of fostering the animals after reading about a seniors’ residence in Ontario which had done the same, to great success. She reached out and worked with staff at Bunny Run Rabbit Rescue and SAHS to find animals who would be the right fit for the environment and who would react well to residents. The rabbits, Marmalade and Odin, are docile and used to being held. The cats, Ma, Malory, Cheryl and Doc, are all calm and friendly.
Despite being at River Ridge for only a few weeks, the animals are settling in well and already staff report seeing a positive impact on residents.
“We find our cats sitting on residents’ beds. We find residents we’d never expect, in the animals’ rooms, just sitting in their company. It’s just so calming for them,” Thorimbert said. “We even had a resident at our resident council meeting say she feels like it’s lowering her blood pressure, just to sit and watch them (and) to pet them, she feels like it makes her blood pressure go down. Whether it does or not, the fact she believes it’s making a difference is all that matters.”
Recreation specialist Isaac Wells has also seen a change since the animals arrived.
“It’s brought joy to the building,” Wells said. “When one of us take the pet to the resident, you can see the joy coming. It brings them back to a time when they had their own (pets), especially in Alberta and Saskatchewan. It’s a farming community, everybody had cats and rabbits.”
The animals can even help calm residents who struggle with behaviour linked to Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“The therapy value for Alzheimer’s and dementia (patients) is just fabulous,” he said. “You see such a calming factor.”
Marguerite Lemire is one of many residents who enjoys spending time with the animals, especially Marmalade and Odin, who sit on her lap and listen as she sings to them. Lemire used to raise rabbits and is a self-proclaimed animal lover.
“He’s so cute,” Lemire said, while Marmalade sat on her lap.
Throughout the duration of speaking with Lemire, Marmalade never made a move to leave. When saying goodbye to the pair, Lemire smiled and said, “I enjoyed talking to you and showing off my bunny.”
Not only do residents love the animals, so do staff and their families.
“I also find there’s a new bond between my staff and the residents because now they share that love and caring for the animals,” Thorimbert said. “It has been a tremendous asset for us. With limited visitation, this has given us a whole new thing to focus — a positive.”
Officials with the rescue organizations are also pleased with the arrangement, and hope it will be made permanent.
“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” De Seaton, president of the Southern Alberta Humane Society, said. “We put ourselves in the place of somebody put into the care home who’s loved animals their whole life, then suddenly they have no animal. It would be heartbreaking ... So for them to do this for residents, it’s amazing.
“I think it just gives them happiness and lets them show their empathy. It gives them something else — a little bit more to look forward to every day.”
Amanda Hennessey, president and foster co-ordinator for Bunny Run Rabbit Rescue, hopes the partnership with River Ridge will raise awareness about adoption and the benefit of an animal’s presence.
“We thought it would be a great opportunity,” Hennessey told the News. “We know animals can be great therapy ... It gives you something to care about, and bunnies are so full of personality ... even if you’re watching them, they can bring a smile to your face.”
Seaton, Hennessey and Thorimbert hope other local seniors’ care facilities would consider fostering or adopting animals, for the benefit of both the animals and the facility residents.
“I think its a win-win for everybody. We’re helping (the animals) find a good home (and) they’re pretty loved.,” said Thorimbert.