Hurray! I finally got a response from the coordinator from PAWS Ministry!
I was very happy to hear that she "knew" my dog would be absolutely wonderful but I have to go into the nursing home with an experienced member for my first several visits as an extension of my Temperament Testing so they can "observe my family and pet" (although I think it would probably just be me and Cayman) in the actual nursing home environment. She understands my dilemma with working full time and the weekend being my only true family time. She is in the same position. Part of the reason that they do the ministry on Saturdays, she explained in her email, is so families can be involved. The groups that go to the hospitals go during the week. They have obtained a lot of those people because they work full time and the week days do not work for them. She would say it would be OK for me to go into the nursing homes on my own on Sundays but only after I have had a couple of group visits. She went on to say that she doesn't want to discourage me but she has an obligation as a church leader to control the group since it their insurance policy at stake every time they enter a nursing home with an animal, which I completely understand. She highly encourages people to attend in addition to group visits and has many people that go on opposite days of their group visit for various reasons from work schedules, children extracurricular activities to personality conflict with another animal. She said she has no problem with that as long as she knows the foundation is there for a strong ministry member, which I feel I could be. She stated that they can only find that out by meeting and spending time with me and Cayman.
She went on to stating that she is willing to work with people on an individual basis for Testing since quite a few people have a conflict with the date but would definitely need me to take part in at least (2) group visits prior to going on my own. She says that the testing starts at 10 am and ends between 11 am and 12 pm depending on how many people show up on Saturdays, which is the same exact time as my daughter's music class, and she usually meets people up at their church in Cape Coral when she works with them on an individual basis. I was happy to hear that she can meet most Saturday or Sunday afternoons, which might work out just fine if I can go the group visits after Shaylee's class after all.
So this may be even more possible than I originally imagined!
Therapy dogs spread happiness, love, and cheer to people who otherwise might be lonely, sad or slow to heal. This is the journey of Cayman, a longhair miniature dachshund and his journey and experiences visiting becoming a therapy dog.
Did you know that pet visits often spark good memories of a person's own pets? Dogs often can reach people and children who have withdrawn from the world. It's been suggested by science that petting a dog can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and stress, and promote healing.
Guestbook- PLEASE Sign!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Just dropping in to say hi! Cayman is a cutie! Congrats on the Paws Ministry.
Wow! I hope this works for you. So inspiring.
Post a Comment