Dogs

e residents are gaining praise and popularity.

JENNIFER FRIER JEWISH NEWS INTERN

Ida Katchan, Lillian Braunstein, Lena
Wein, Rachel Newman and Asti.

Rose Hirsch with Asti

2 1/2-year-old
Maxie gets close to Fleis-
chman Residence, her tail
starts to wag.
Once a month, Maxie, a
golden retriever, and her own-
er Sherrill Platt visit Fleis-
chman as volunteers for the
Animal Welfare Society of
Southeastern Michigan's Pet-
A-Pet, a pet therapy program
for nursing home residents and
hospital patients.
Established in 1987, Pet-A-
Pet was founded on the theory
that seniors and patients once

enjoyed pets in their everyday
lives and would appreciate the
chance to have them around
again. Research also has shown
the presence of animals relieves
loneliness, boredom and de-
pression.
"People love the dogs and re-
ally appreciate them coming
here," said Rose Kaufman, a
Fleischman resident.
Barbara Moehlman brings
Desi, a black Labrador re-
triever, to Fleischman because
she believes it helps some of
the senior citizens open up

and express themselves.
Ms. Moehlman remembers
one occasion when a woman,
who was petting Desi, had a
tear rolling down her cheek.
The woman told Ms. Moehlman
that she was happy to have the
dogs around because growing
up she always wanted a dog.
Ms. Platt, Pet-A-Pet coordi-
nator for Fleischman Residence,
loves to see residents' reactions
to the four-legged guests.
"You see their eyes light up,"
Ms. Platt said.
Fleischman resident Bernice
Walters considers herself a dog
lover. Maxie, she says, is her fa-
vorite.
"Whenever the dogs come to
visit, I feel as if I'm seeing a
friend," she said.
Some two years ago, Myrna
Katz, program director at Fleis-
chman, was looking for a group
to bring pets to the West Bloom-
field residence when she found
Pet-A-Pet.
"It's an opportunity to wrap
your arms around something
that's warm and fuzzy and they
really thrive on it," Ms. Katz

said. "We have people here who
haven't participated in anything
else but come down here be-
cause they love these dogs."
Pet-A-Pet gets the same pos-
itive response when a another
group of pets and owners visit
Sinai Hospital's physical med-
icine and rehabilitation de-
partment every month.
"A lot of patients have been

"It's an opportunity
to wrap your arms
around something
that's warm and
fuzzy."

— Myrna Katz

through traumatic bodily
changes and it's the beginning
of their trying to adjust," said
Elizabeth Liles, a recreation
therapist at Sinai. "The pro-
gram helps people break
through denial and get through
the sadness." ❑