The Oregon Caregiver FALL/WINTER 2022 www.ohca.com 8 FEATURE “I have a resident who is blind. His world is pretty small, so for him to be able to hold a little dog and feel connected to something, that’s huge. I can only imagine how losing your sight makes you feel so unconnected. Even something as simple as petting the dog makes him feel part of everything,” McDonald said. “If you loved animals before you came to a community like this, you never stop loving them. If you have a connection with them, if they give you a sense of comfort, that’s still real. You have an animal that you’re able to stroke and talk to and they give you unconditional love.” It’s the love from animals that brought so many residents joy and additional companionship during the difficult days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when visitors were restricted at long term care communities in Oregon for over half a year. At Marquis Companies, engaging residents was more important than ever during the pandemic. The pressure put a strain on many life enrichment professionals, forcing them to think outside the box. “Activity directors had to get really creative about engagement with animals and creating that feeling of being connected to them. We did all kinds of wonderful things, such as streaming dog shows and live zoo cams from around the world. They would put those up on big screens when they were able to bring residents together in groups,” said Lynne Jensen, the recreational activities consultant at Marquis Companies. As the point person for activity directors company-wide, Jensen saw a variety of » FEATURE, CONT. social and rarely left their rooms, went out to see the goats or took the dogs out for walks. “I think the residents have that ingrained need to nurture something. It’s having the feeling of contentment to have a warm, living thing next to you, that is soaking up your attention.” –Raeann McDonald, Executive Director, Willamette Retirement Community Tuffy, the dog, works his magic at Willamette Lutheran. A miniature pony brought smiles to staff and residents at a Plaza Regency building in Las Vegas.
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