OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE


For Assistance and Prevention, Take a Look at These Best Friends


By Sara Wildberger I


n 2021, service dogs were part of a pilot program at Benton House Senior Liv- ing that involved educating the dogs to


sniff out people who might be COVID-posi- tive. The program was a success and gained lots of attention, including an Argentum Best of the Best award. But some see this as just the beginning of


the many benefits service dogs can bring to senior living. Dogs already are being used to detect low blood sugar in people with diabe- tes, to warn people with seizure disorders, and to get help when there’s a fall or injury. The benefits extend beyond these to help in many ways on the well-being spectrum. In fact, the COVID detection dogs ended up staying on at the community, becoming, as CEO Mike Allard said, “part of the family.” Jennifer Arnold, the founder of Canine


Assistants (canineassistants.org), and teacher of the dogs in the COVID project, talks here about what dogs can do, how they learn, and how they can assist in emergencies. This in- terview has been edited for length and clarity.


Q. Was Benton House the first experience of your group with senior living? A. They were the first placed as full-time employees, but we’ve now worked with communities on the East Coast and some on the West. And it has been a wonderful experience for us. In times when COVID numbers have gone down, what we’ve seen


is that dogs are tremendously valuable anyway. There should be a dog in every community in this country.


Q. What are some of those benefits you’ve seen? A. They’re stimulating, for one thing. I think that the value of that cannot be overstated, particularly when you’re talking about a population who often requires stimulation to really get moving, mentally and physically. I also think they provide a very comfort-


ing connection to nature that people of all ages—especially in this country—miss. We’re just not in nature as we used to be, and I think that creates all kinds of anxiety and stress. The fact that the dogs bring na- ture to us is really positive. My son said the other day that he thinks


maybe the greatest things that dogs do for people is that dogs are innately hopeful creatures. They assume the next minute’s going to be great, even if this minute isn’t. And I think they share that hope with us, and that starts to change how you feel. And they like us. They like us so much


that it is really difficult not to like yourself when in the presence of an adoring dog. We know they have all kinds of physical


benefits. We know that touching a dog with whom you establish a quick relationship re- leases oxytocin in you and in the dog. They can optimize blood pressure. They lower cortisol levels and other stress hormones.


Change Agent Profile


Jennifer Arnold Founder


Canine Assistants


In senior living, having a dog there makes it feel like home. Even if the dog comes in with muddy paws—it’s just so normal. I think a little dog hair on your clothes is very therapeutic.


Q. It looks like the use of service dogs is really going up. Are you seeing this? A. We’re seeing more with all age ranges. There are more assistance dogs being placed with people who are older. Dogs don’t look at being older as an illness, which is nice. Neither do they look at aging as a disability, which I think is positive. They don’t care what your age is or what your body is capable of doing. If they love you, you are perfection. They can help pick things up if it’s hard


for you to lean over. They can help with balance. They can go for help if you need it. Those are just the physical tasks.


Dogs don’t look at being older as an illness, which is nice. Neither do they look at aging as a disability, which I think is positive. They don’t care what your age is or what your body is capable of doing. If they love you, you are perfection.


36 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE MAY/JUNE 2022


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