JenniferSherbo

Community Service

I was unable to go to the service event for MLK however instead of not doing anything I took it upon myself to volunteer somewhere. I wanted my involvement to deal with something that I really enjoyed and had an interest in. I decided that I would go and volunteer at a nursing home with a good friend of mine while she brought in her dogs for animal therapy. Animal therapy might sound like a bunch of crap but it really isn't. The elderly people always enjoy our visits, and continually ask for us to come back. When Judy and I went into the home everyone already knew that we would be coming. Many were standing in the hall waiting for us while others couldn't leave the room but were still interested in us coming. The thing about animal therapy is that it gives elderly people the chance to have a conversation, not only with us (humans) but with animals. Animals are such non-judgemental characters that it is easier for an elderly person to bond with them. Also these visits give each resident of the nursing home a chance to tell someone about their past animals, or why they are there, or about their family. One would be amazed at all you would find out if you brought in a dog into a room. An amazing story that Judy and I always talk about when people don't believe that animal therapy doesn't work. Judy visited a nursing home where a woman had been in a coma for almost a year. Now the workers at the home thought it would be pointless for her to go in the room but her dog was determined to visit so she went in, and this huge German Shepard stood on his back legs and put his head on her hand for at least 25mins. Judy finally left and as she did so a tear came down this womans face. Now some might saw that it was her time to come out of the coma but a day later she awoke. Weird right? But anyway on the Monday that I went it was like any other day. We went into each room making sure to spend time with those that loved to tell stories...although they are the same story each time. But it was fun we saw many people and I think that each person looks forward to our visits.