Benefits of Dog Therapy at Sherwood House

Black dog looking at camera wearing a white bandana

At Sherwood House in Duncan BC, we value the joy and love that pets bring into our lives. As we age, it is more difficult to take care of pets of our own, but we still want our residents to be able to connect and spend time with our furry friends. This is why we schedule an ongoing Dog Therapy program for the residents of our community. These Pet therapy sessions are not only fun, but are also beneficial to our residents’ health and wellbeing. 

Woman in chair sitting beside black dog

Benefits of Pet Therapy 

Pet therapy is a great form of compassionate care that has been popularized over the years, primarily on school campuses and across communities. The research on pet therapy’s effect on our aging population is remarkable. Pet therapy has been shown to decrease stress and anxiety.  By providing connection and comfort through animals, pet therapy is extremely beneficial for feelings of stress and anxiety. Some studies even show positive results on mental functioning through pet therapy. Playing with animals is also a fun way to increase mobility as we age. 

Our Dog Therapy Program 

Our Dog Therapy program has been a big hit in our tight-knit community. Every Friday morning, residents are invited to come to play with our Saint John’s Ambulance Therapy Dog. She is a lovely Labrador, Border Collie mix who absolutely loves people and greets everyone as they walk by. Her friendly and calm demeanour never fails to put a smile on residents’ faces. Our amazing activity coordinator, Ardelle decided to combine dog therapy with a friendship circle group to create an engaging activity for everyone. Residents enjoy a cup of coffee while they chat and enjoy visiting time with the dog.

 After so many years of Covid isolation, socialization is more important than ever, and we value the need for connectedness. We love this activity so much and look forward to carrying on the fun!

Woman leaning down to pet black dog

Choosing To Stay Young At Sherwood House

Residents dancing to live music

In our independent living community here at Sherwood House in Duncan, BC, we don’t think of ourselves as old folks. Our dedicated and caring staff don’t call our community members old folks. They are residents who live here, not old folks. Our residents are artists, writers, photographers and learners, exploring and learning new things throughout life. Aging is inevitable, but growing old is a choice. Here at Sherwood, we take care of the day-to-day chores, like cooking, cleaning and more, so time can be spent doing what we love. 

Our resident, Janet Lancey wrote a beautiful piece about the label old. In Janet’s words, “age is not a number, and it has nothing to do with appearance or status. It is Indeed how you choose to lead your life”.  

Do you think of old folks when you hear about Zumba dance? Not usually, but here at Sherwood, we make Zumba a regular activity. If Dance isn’t your thing, no problem. Janet emphasizes the importance of grasping opportunities to keep growing learning, and helping others gain better lives. Here at Sherwood, this is extremely important to us. We host an array of activities for each and every resident’s interest and ability. From book clubs to exercise classes to creative craft days, we encourage residents to grow skills and spark joy. 

Janet explains that no matter her age, she wants to be around people who choose to stay interested in life. We encourage our residents to live spirited, fun-filled lives. Entertainment is one of our specialties and our activity coordinator always has something fun planned! Our charismatic living community understands the value of social engagement. 

We want you to feel at home, and we plan social regular events like games nights, birthday parties, live music events and more! “Even as our aging bodies betray us, and we can no longer be physically strong, we can still be vibrant and full of life” Janet states, “old isn’t my age, and I choose to stay young”. At Sherwood, we understand the challenges that come with aging, but our caring staff and dedicated community ensure that these challenges do not come in between the enjoyment of our lives.