Therapy Dog Cooper cheers up patients at Morningside Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in the Bronx

Yesterday therapy team members Lou and Diane Bonita got a call that Lou’s mom, Connie, was out of sorts. Today they decided to pay Connie a visit where she is at Morningside Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in the Bronx. To help cheer Connie up, they brought along their therapy dog, Cooper.

Interesting that Connie spent her entire life being afraid of and not liking dogs but she now loves to have Cooper’s head on her lap as she pets him and he gives her wet kisses. How a little loving from a therapy dog can change a person!

During their visit, a social worker named Paula walked in as Lou, Diane and Cooper were visiting with Connie. The social worker was so excited to see a therapy dog! She asked Lou and Diane if they would bring Cooper along with her so Cooper could visit Paula’s other patients.

Lou and Diane brought Cooper along with Paula, visiting more patients. From individual rooms, to the lunch room, to the recreation area, Cooper brought smiles, laughter, giggles and lots of love to all.

One older women, who was blind, was thrilled to be able to pet Cooper from his head down to his furry tail. Every time Cooper walked by she could sense that he was in the area and asked if she could pet him again. She thanked Lou and Diane with such compassion and love and then asked if they could please come by every day!

A man who could only speak with a vibrator at his throat wanted to pet Cooper. After petting Cooper, he put the vibrator to his throat and said what a beautiful dog Cooper was and thanked Lou and Diane for the visit. That brought tears to their eyes.

Those patients who love dogs were thrilled to be able to spend some time with Cooper, petting and hugging him. Others, who  were apprehensive about having Cooper there,  were gently encouraged to pet him. All replied with how beautiful and soft his fur was and how lovable he was. Cooper brought such big smiles to their faces.

Paula thanked Lou and Diane for having Cooper visit repeatedly and requested that whenever they visit Connie, to please bring Cooper to visit her and then to also have him revisit all the new friends he made on Paula’s floor.