Pet therapy has long been seen as a benefit in the medical field. However, Morgantown Care and Rehab Center takes this concept further. Morgantown Care and Rehab Center not only welcomes visiting pets, but we currently have added a few furry residents to our home, such as Gidget the dog who entertains elders with her love and compassionate personality. Many days she can be found curled up in bed or getting a belly rub from an elder, while unconsciously fulfilling the elder’s need to nurture, relieve stress, or combat depression.
Miss Blue Bell the cat won the hearts of elders when she began visiting the front porch daily. It was at this time that we knew that she had found a home. After some much needed nurturing, Blue Bell found her home on the front porch of Morgantown Care and Rehab Center where elders are able to visit her on the porch and watch her play from the lobby.
Lilly, a Shih Tzu/Poodle mix, has become one rotten puppy since her first visit to Morgantown Care and Rehab Center. Lilly is the puppy of Stakeholder Debbie Amos. Lilly visits whenever Debbie is working and is spoiled rotten by our elders.
A beautiful fish tank in the lobby has become a gathering spot for elders. Chaplain Derek Cain has done a wonderful job tending to the tank to ensure that the elders have a relaxing spot to watch the fish while visiting with each other.
While these pets are residents of Morgantown Care and Rehab Center, we have others who have made frequent visits. From an elder’s personal pet to those that belong to stakeholders, each have brought a smile to the elder’s faces and found a way to combat the plagues that are common with aging.