U.K. Nursing Home Uses TikTok to Show How Life-Changing Therapy Dogs Have Been for Their Senior Residents

Growing old scares many people. It's not just your body that starts to become less mobile, but your mind starts to function slower as well. It's a legit phobia to have. As you get older, however, it becomes less and less of a fear and more of something you embrace. It might be a shaky journey for some, but it is the inevitable. To make it a more optimistic time for aging seniors, it has been proven that interactions with loving animals can help. The most common are trained therapy dogs. 

Therapy dogs are trained on how to act appropriately in settings such as schools, hospitals, and nursing homes. Unlike any old pet dog, these dogs know not jump on anyone when they get excited, they don't steal anybody's food, they are gentle with the people they interact with, they know not to enter an area with too much zealous in case there are medical machinery around, etc. They are also trained to show love and affection to help patients with their mental health. In fact, that is their main function. To visit a person who might be struggling and enrich their life. 

Redwalls Nursing Home in the U.K. is viral on TikTok for posting all about the activities they do with their senior patients—especially when the therapy dogs come to visit. 

95-Year-Old War Vet & Therapy Dog

In their TikTok videos you can see their senior patients come alive when the dog comes into the room. They'll be sitting immobile wrapped in a blanket, looking like they're ready for a nap, but the second the spot the therapy dog, the blanket comes off and they're all smiles reaching to pet them and cuddle. Some even become very attached to the visiting therapy dogs, like one 95-year-old war vet who loves the golden retriever therapy dog named Charlie. When this dog is in for the day, these two are inseparable.  

Dog Obsessed Resident Meets Tiny Dog

Pt. 2

You can also see through the videos the relationships these senior residents build with these therapy dogs. For example, you can see one resident meeting one of their regular therapy dog visitors the first time and it's easy pets and slow hellos. Then you see the next few videos of them meeting, and the dog is up dancing with her and she's holding the sweet pup and cuddling. It's a beautiful thing to see. 

89-Year-Old Comes Alive

Loki the Huge Leonberger Dog

Loki pt. 2

There's also a very large Leonberger dog named Loki who comes to visit. It's unclear if he's an actually trained therapy dog, but he is one of the resident's family dog and he is allowed visits. He's a very good boy and everyone there enjoys seeing him. Even though he is just a puppy and huge for his size, he is still very gentle and sweet with all the seniors. 

 

It's not just dogs who come to the aid of these nursing home patients. They also have animal visitors like rats, snakes, snails, giant bugs, turtles, and more. And these patients love to see them! 

Turtles, Rats, Snakes, & Snails