BECKY IN THE NEWS

 

 

Here is the photo the Columbian Newspaper ran on Thanksgiving day of Becky visiting one of her favorite people at a local nursing home.

 

Here's the story that went with the picture taken at the nursing home!

CANINE COUNSELOR VISITING POOCHES CHEER RESIDENTS OF CARE FACILITIES Thursday, November 25, 1999 DANIEL YEE, Columbian staff writer

Becky Richardson enters a small room, where 10 people in wheelchairs sit in a wagon circle.    

As banjo music softly plays from a radio in the corner, she sizes things up and makes a quick turn around the feet of a woman wearing colorful Eeyore slippers.    

Becky is a therapist ---- and a dog.    

"I love that color," says Mary Jamieson, the lady with the slippers, of the 9-year-old golden retriever. "I think she's beautiful. I never miss her if I get the chance. We sure like the pets; it makes our day."    

On Thursdays, Becky and her masters, Scott and Michael Richardson of Vancouver, visit the Heritage House and Rehabilitation Center in Vancouver. They're part of Pet Therapy, a Southwest Washington Humane Society program that uses the dogs of 15 volunteers to provide relief and distraction to residents of health care facilities in Vancouver, Battle Ground and the Camas-Washougal area.    

Besides Skippy, the center's in-house dog, Pet Therapy dogs come twice a week to visit Heritage House's 43 residents.

"There's nothing like an animal to bring a smile," said Joyce Ingebritson, activity director for the center. "(Residents) benefit extremely. It reduces stress and brings smiles to faces. You get a reaction from people who wouldn't normally react. They'll reach out and touch when they aren't able to or won't for anybody else."    

With tail wagging high in the air, Becky, who is leashed and guided by Scott, trots through the center's white halls. She is confident and eager to meet her clientele. She wears an official, laminated photo ID clipped to her collar.    

"Becky pretty much has got it figured out which residents really like her," Scott Richardson said. "Dogs sense dog people."    

Scott and Michael discovered the loneliness factor of some care center residents when Michael's mother was placed in a nursing home six years ago and they decided to bring Becky along to cheer her up.    

"Quite a circle of residents really enjoyed it; most people there at one time in their life had an animal," Scott said, adding that soon the couple began to regularly make the rounds of Michael's mother's nursing home. "We thought it's only a couple of hours a week. These people, some don't get any visitors all week it's the high point of the week for them."    

The Richardson family has participated in the humane society's program for a year and a half. Their two other golden retrievers provide specialized therapeutic services. Earnie, raised with Scott and Michael's grandkids, loves children and befriends preschoolers and other youth; and Peggy Sue, the most timid of the dog trio, likes the quiet atmosphere of foster care centers that only have two or three residents.    

"Come again!" waves Florence, who wears a colorful rainbow of wooden beads around her neck, from the hallway of Heritage House.    

Cassy Holcomb, volunteer coordinator for the humane society, interviews all prospective human and canine volunteers. As representatives of the society, participating dogs must be neutered, reflecting the society's position on preventing the stray animal population from exploding.    

In addition, the animals must be friendly and calm around strangers. Participants are allowed to chose which facility their pets visit.    

"It's a benefit for residents,'' said Holcomb. "But it's also nice for caregivers and it's nice for families they know the facility cares to participate in the program. It provides stress relief for families. When you have somebody in the facility, it's a real emotional (time), it's difficult to do (family) visits."    

And on top of all that, she adds, "Just to see these people smile is nice."

To send me mail click on Earnie in his fancy hat.