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More residents of the local nursing home are enjoying companionship in the form of robotic therapy pets.
A menagerie of new pups and kitties have joined the therapy pets already donated to Crowne Health Care, with almost a dozen now in place with residents.

“We’ve had such a great response to the article and Facebook posts about the new program,” said Sandra Medley of Crowne.

“Patricia Harrell, Hannah Qualls, Deborah Reyers and Brie Foster of Restore Therapy donated several pets to us, along with other donors including Barbara Walker and Rhonda Ingram.”

The pets have realistic fur and respond to touch and voices with movement and sound, mimicking a live dog or cat.

After reading about Crowne’s program and learning of the benefits the robotic therapy pets have brought to many individuals experiencing forms of dementia, the Greenville Civitans decided to step up to the plate, too.

“I was a special guest of the Civitans recently. They donated three of the pets and told me to just call if we needed anymore,” Medley said.

Each of the donated pets is “adopted” by a resident, complete with an adoption certificate. Medley says that in a time of increased isolation for the residents due to COVID-19, the pets have truly been a bless-
ing.

“Our residents brush their pets, they feed them, talk to them, truly treat them like a real puppy or cat. It makes such a difference,” Medley said.

“The pets help decrease loneliness for our residents, so the anxiety and agitation and keep them engaged. And they are fun for all of us.”

For those interested in donating a robotic therapy pet to the nursing home, a visit to Amazon.
com and a search for “Joy For All robotic pets” will provide information 0n the pets.