MISS ABBY VISITS YORK MANOR

In July Miss Abby had her first visit to York Manor Nursing Home as part of the nursing home visitation program. We arrived and met up with the other dogs, in the end there were six dogs, and proceeded to visit the Residents who call this home.  All of the other doggies had visited this facility before but this was Abby's first time so we were a bit nervous if she would behave in that environment.  The Activity Director met us in the greeting area and she was our "tour guide" for the evening.  The first room we visited was a large common room with a TV and several sofas and chairs. Some of the residents arrived with walkers and a few in wheel chairs others were already seated when we arrived.  Abby met a few nice ladies BEFORE discovering the bird cage in the corner that was a safe home for about 3 resident birds! Need we say more?  Abby was more interested in the birds than visiting with the folks who came out to see the doggies. Finally one of the workers put the night sheet over the cage but Abby knew they were there so we had to move along to another room.  We moved from room to room and all of the people were so glad to see the canine visitors. Many of the Residents told us stories of dogs they once owned and they were very interested in Abby and wanted to know all about her....everyone always comments on her one glass eye.  Abby became more and more comfortable and by the second or third room we visited, she was rubbing up against the wheel chair to let people pat her. She even travelled on the elevator to the second floor to visit one lady who could not make it to the common area but who had requested to see some of the dogs when they visited.  When we entered her room, she had a few pictures of herself in much earlier years but in every picture was a dog!  We will make sure to visit her each time we are there.  She invited the dogs to get up on her bed and one of the smaller dogs was placed on her bed and she said we could just leave it with her and she would take care of it!  The nursing home visitation was a big hit and a nice activity for Abby (and us). We will be visiting next month as well.  Until next time....