Residents of West Vancouver’s Amica seniors home welcomed a horde of furry visitors on Sunday, as the care facility kicked off its inaugural Doggy Days of Summer event.
The event, featuring a dog talent show, photo booth, a grooming section, and a spread complete with chef-made dog biscuits, ran throughout the afternoon and welcomed the canine companions of locals in the area.
Designed to celebrate Amica’s status as a pet-friendly facility, the event highlighted the importance of allowing seniors to continue enjoying the comfort and joy having pets brings.
“Imagine having to give up your best friend in order for you to get the care and support that you need? That’s what a lot of seniors experience when they have pets,” said Amica’s community relations director, Celeste Lee.
"So often seniors have to either wait out their pet's life and abandon their own care, or find another home for their pet and be brokenhearted when they can't take them with them to their new residence. Knowing that we are accessible that way and open brings joy to a lot of lives," she said.
As residents came together to cheer on their favourite contenders for best dressed, biggest, smallest, and best trick at the dog show on Sunday, Lee said she was reminded how such companionship can impact a resident’s quality of life.
“At the end of the day, one of the residents approached me and she said she had been having a very gloomy day until the event. She said it turned her perspective and her world totally in the other direction,” she said.
The senior woman has been suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s and, aware at this stage of the disease she is facing, has been feeling quite desolate.
“It was very touching,” Lee said.
With families permitted to bring in their pets when visiting a resident, even those who don't own their own cats or dogs are able to experience the benefits as they care for and interact with those of their neighbours.
“Having pets around is helpful for bonding among the community, and can be a connector for the residents who have trouble socializing,” said Lee.
“Whether it’s because you’re shy or because you have a form of dementia, and you may not remember who you have met, having pets in the residence opens a different door. The resident can talk to the pet, and then the person becomes de facto in communication.”
Those hoping to bring their furry friends will be able to add to the facility’s small but beloved roster of pets, with a cat and a dog, named Sadie, already residents.
So long as the owner is able to arrange for the care of, or care for themselves, their own pet, then they are permitted to have them in their suite, said Lee. Whether rabbit or rottweiler, it has a place at Amica.
With so much joy among residents on Sunday, Lee said Amica is looking to make the Doggy Days of Summer event a regular fixture on the summertime calendar.
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
