By Joan Blumenfeld, MS, LPC
| Bromley & Joan Blumenfeld |
Bromley is a working dog, all nine-and-a-half pounds of him! He’s a four-year-old Maltese with the disposition of an angel, genetically programmed to be a lap dog.
Bromley came into my life, a tiny white ball of fur, when he was only eleven weeks old. I wanted him to be the kind of dog I could take with me anywhere. By the time he was just a bit over a year old, he had earned his American Kennel Club Good Citizen Certificate and become a Delta Society Pet Therapy Partner.
Bromley and I have a genuine professional partnership. We work together with cognitively and physically challenged elders. Bromley gives unstintingly of his unconditional love, acceptance and physical warmth. He works the room, going from lap to lap, while I tease out meaningful conversations from people who often find it hard to express themselves. Bromley is much cuter than I am but I’m the better driver, so we make a good team!
The very first client Bromley visited fell madly in love with him. She was a 75-year-old woman who had experienced a mild stroke and was very isolated socially. She was eager to share her considerable knowledge of dogs with me, declared herself to be his “Grandma,” and for years after was proud of her special relationship to Bromley.
We also work at several assisted living facilities with groups of people who have varying degrees of dementia, from mild to severe. Bromley is the star! He touches their hearts and makes them smile! And not incidentally, he is a guaranteed catalyst for stimulating thoughtful questions and conversations.
During one of our recent visits, a member of the group asked me what sorts of games Bromley liked. I told them about his love for playing tug-of-war with old socks and hide-and-seek around the coffee table. Then I asked them what they played when they were young and the next hour was spent in lively reminiscing about their childhood games: Red Light, Giant Steps, and Hopscotch. One favorite was “A My Name is Alice, and My Husband’s Name is Allan,” which they used to play while bouncing a ball to the rhythm of the ditty; the group went from A-Z, filling in the blanks, with almost everyone participating enthusiastically
Most of the people we work with have severe memory loss but when they are told the little white dog is coming for a visit, they remember exactly who it is.
PEARL OF WISDOM
People with dementia “live in the moment.” Love, acceptance and fun in that moment are great gifts!
Joan Blumenfeld, MS, LPC is a Geriatric Care Manager practicing in Fairfield County, Connecticut. For information see her web at www.joanblumenfled.com . © Joan Blumenfeld 2011.
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