Even Your Pet May Volunteer
Your pet is welcome to visit at The Hebrew Home at Riverdale!
Pet visits have proven to be therapeutic and enjoyable for residents, pets and owners. Our residents are always alert for visits by animals, and react with enthusiasm and love. Pets have proven themselves to be valuable companions to people, and we want to continue fostering these relationships. Currently we are inviting dogs to participate in our “Pet Pals” program.
We have three different programs which all require the following prior to the first visit.
• Veterinary documentation for your pet must be current and on file in
the Volunteer Services Department.
• The Volunteer Services Department must interview the pet and owner;
unfortunately, not all pets are appropriate for visiting in a nursing
home. The dog will be observed for responses to various situations
they may encounter in the neighborhoods:
- noise
- petting
- unpredictable movements
- comfort with wheelchairs and walkers
- unfamiliar smells.
Dogs who are considered appropriate for Hebrew Home visits will receive
a bandanna identifying them as “official” pets.
Please decide which is the best program for your pet:
1. Pets and People Together
The owner and dog go through all the procedures as described above, but the owner also registers as a volunteer and accompanies the dog on his/her scheduled visits.
2. Pets Alone
Once the dog is accepted into this program, he/she is accompanied on the visits and the activities with a member of our regular Therapeutic Staff. Tuesday visits into our weekly activity schedules and the dog becomes an active member of the Therapeutic Activities Program.
3. Pet Visitors
If you and your pet will be visiting your relative only, everything above is required, but the owner need not be registered.
Thank you for your interest in our Pet Pals program! We hope that your visits with your pet are rewarding and enriching.
For further information, please contact the Volunteer Services Department, at (718) 581-1404.
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