Group helps to keep seniors at home with their dogs

Kris Trotter knows that dogs can sometimes be the only reason that people get out of the house for a walk — or out of bed in the morning.

"We know how important dogs are to us," said the Saint John dog lover.

"And if you can imagine being a senior, sometimes that dog is the most important thing that you have in your home and in your life."

So what happens when a person is no longer physically able to take a dog for a walk or carry a bag of dog food up a flight of stairs?

Trotter is determined to make sure the answer isn't to give up the dog.

She, along with a group of volunteers, has set up the Saint John chapter of ElderDog, a charitable organization dedicated to keeping dogs at home with their senior companions.

The local chapter — called a "pawd" in dogspeak — is now officially up and running with more than a dozen volunteers. Its aim is the same as the national organization — to keep seniors and their dogs together as long as possible.

Founder Ardra Cole is a university professor. Her research on caregiving and seniors helped highlight the important role that dogs play in seniors' lives.

She also had experience with animal-assisted therapy with seniors who were nearing the end of their lives.

All that led her to start ElderDog Canada.

She says not everyone has regular contact and support from family members.

"Those people who are lonely — isolated — often their canine companion is their best friend, their only support," Cole explained.

"And sometimes, they just have a little trouble taking care of their dog, who means so much, and without whom, their life would not be as full and rich."

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified those issues for a lot of seniors, she said.

"The pandemic has really shone a light on isolation and what that might mean for seniors, and how important it is for them to be able to keep their companions."

That's where volunteers with ElderDog can help. They can pitch in with those things aging owners can no longer manage — walks, grooming, vet appointments, even picking up food. Their motto is: help keep love in the home.

Saint John 'pawd'

Trotter describes herself as the "hardest-core" dog lover in a family of dog lovers.

She said she's had a dog from the day she was born and can't imagine life without one. And she knows that someday, she may need help to keep a dog. That's why she got involved with ElderDog.

"The relationship is as important — sometimes more important — as relationships with people. Seniors often have lost a spouse, or their friends may have passed away or moved away, and families may be busy," explained Trotter.

"So the dog is the companion; the reason to get up in the morning."

It can also be the driving force behind regular exercise, she says.

Dogs keep seniors active by forcing them to go on daily walks. They also "give them love and hope," says Trotter.

"Research shows that many seniors are isolated and lonely," she said.

"And so if they have dogs, the dog gives them exercise and purpose and company and optimism and sticking around for that bond."

She said it's often not for lack of love that seniors give up their dogs. They're just not able to keep up with the dog's needs.

Volunteers with ElderDog, who are all screened and vetted by the national organization, can take over some of those responsibilities, said Trotter.

And if the senior has to be admitted to hospital for any reason, volunteers will foster the dog until the owner is back at home. If the person has to be admitted into long-term care, or dies, volunteers will also make sure the dog finds another home.

Although a dozen volunteers are ready to help in the Saint John area, the chapter is still waiting for senior clients to be approved.

Trotter said seniors have to be legitimately in need of the service. For example, a 70-year-old who doesn't have time to take his dog for a walk because he's training for a marathon wouldn't qualify, but a 40-year-old with multiple sclerosis likely would, she said. Every application is evaluated on its own merits.

Anyone looking for more information about the Saint John chapter of ElderDog can check out the group's Facebook page or find details through the national organization's website.