Furry friend brings laughter, cheer to seniors
Rusty is ‘top dog’ at Trinity Place “ By Katie Scarvey
Ted Goins, who was a nursing home administrator before becoming president and CEO of Lutheran Ser- vices Carolinas (LSC) 15 years ago. Goins changed his mind aſt er a conversation with William H. T omas. In 1996, T omas wrote Life Worth Living: How
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Someone You Love Can Still Enjoy Life in a Nurs- ing Home (Vanderwyk & Burnham, 1996). In it he describes Eden Alternative, a program and philosophy
hen I fi rst heard the idea of dogs in nursing homes, I thought, ‘No way,’ ” said
T e dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made his greatest giſt s the com- monest (Martin Luther).
that seeks to deinstitutional- ize nursing homes so resi- dents may live fuller, richer lives. One of the program’s articles of faith is that dogs are good for residents. Aſt er reading the book,
Goins led the way in imple-
menting Eden Alternative values in LSC homes, which now welcome furry—and sometimes feathered and fi nned—friends. Currently, LSC’s top dog is Rusty, who lives at Trinity
Place, which off ers skilled nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living services in Albemarle, N.C. Rusty came to Trinity Place aſt er its previous dog,
Heidi, “leſt to pursue other interests,” said administra- tor Courtney Adams. Social worker Lisa Clayton knew of some available dogs at the local Humane Society and arranged for Rusty to come for a trial visit. It didn’t take long for everyone to realize that Rusty,
who was about a year old, would be an excellent fi t. Calm and wise beyond his years, Rusty slipped seam- lessly into the world of Trinity Place and into the hearts of its staff and residents. He loves to greet people with his paws on the counter of the front desk, occasionally displacing Jena Miller, Trinity Place’s two-legged receptionist. With a gentle nuzzle and the
Increasingly, science backs up the idea that dogs do make us feel bet- ter. Interacting with dogs can help reduce stress, according to research from Kean University School of Nursing, Atlanta. Audine Page (top) and Sarah Blalock (right) pet Rusty.
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wag of a tail, Rusty creates a sense of normalcy and makes Trinity Place feel like a home and not an institution. “He’s an icebreaker,” Miller said. “When people come in, he makes them feel comfortable. He connects people to us right away. Every- body loves Rusty.” Inside most of the time, Rusty
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LUTHERAN SERVICES CAROLINAS
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