New addition to Barone Care Center brings smiles

Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Ivy, Barone Care Center’s newest family member, gives a big kiss to resident Helen McHugh Brauer while restorative nursing assistant Annie Cadarella holds the puppy. According to staff, Brauer looks forward to her interactions with Ivy, as do several of the other people who live there.
Photo by Kelly Key | Daily Mail

Barone Care Center has a new family member. The nine week old Toy Australian Shepherd, Ivy, joined the residents and staff at the center last week as a way to bring even more life and love to the facility for dementia patients. Already, she seems to be a good fit.

Administrator Melissa Cornell is a firm believer of bringing as much life into the facility as they can. Since the residents seem to really enjoy the birds they brought in a few months ago, Cornell started researching possible additions. “I started to think, well why not a domesticated animal. So I started my research on the different types of dogs for our environment. I didn’t want a large dog, I have German Shepherds, but we can’t have a 75 pound dog in a facility with dementia patients.”

Cornell was in no big hurry. She knew she wanted to find the perfect fit and says she found it through a kennel owner near Mountain Grove. “I told them what I was looking for and she said she had the perfect little baby girl for us.” Full grown, Ivy should weigh in at around 15 pounds. “Ivy is only nine weeks old. She has survived her first week here at the center and is getting more outgoing every day. She’s doing really well.”

Ivy leaves the center in the evenings and goes home with Cornell, but she is back bright and early each day to spread her cheer. Since she is not allowed in the center during meals, Ivy gets to take a break in the courtyard. “Even watching her in the courtyard is something the residents seem to enjoy.”

“I haven’t met any resistance from any of the clients yet, but I did have one gentleman ask why we had a dog here. He said he had one at home, but that it seemed pretty odd to have one here. I just really want to make this more like a home and I think we have made good strides toward that with Ivy.”

After only one week in the center, Ivy has already had some success. “I have one client who holds her hands and arms contracted against her chest. When I put the puppy on her lap she opened her arms and her hands and started to pet Ivy.”

“Our patients here have dementia,” Cornell continued. “They are locked in their minds. They can’t express themselves and we have some that get a little upset sometimes. One lady got upset last week and she had a hold of a staff member’s arm and was squeezing. You could see she was just confused. I put Ivy on her lap and she let go of the staff member. Her facial expression changed from very angry to something positive. If we can do that, then we all win.”

As Ivy ages and grows accustomed to the care center, Cornell expects she will be right at home.

“That’s the goal. This is her home. We just really wanted to bring more life into the facility and I think she really brings that. We will continue to move forward and eventually start implementing Ivy into some of our programs.”

Activities Director Matt Harper added that, “She’s so loving and does like to be held. Ivy brings a lot of smiles to their faces and they just love her.”

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