Village of St. Edward at Wadsworth brings pets and farm animals to meet seniors

WADSWORTH — Wadsworth seniors got to see animals like a horse, ponies, ferrets and chickens from the comfort of their home at the Village of St. Edward at Wadsworth on Friday. The animals and their handlers walked up and down the hall of the facility for seniors to pet and take pictures of. Caring Therapy Canines also brought in several dogs to greet the seniors. "Our residents love animals," Resident Life Enrichment Director Janice Brooks said. "We did this last year, and they wanted to do it again this year. You can see how it made the residents happy." Administrator Bethany Collingwood said many of the animals are owned by staff at the Village of St. Edward. "We are so fortunate to have staff that has the resources to bring in all the animals," she said. "We're very blessed as far as that is concerned." Seniors in the memory care section of the facility expressed a lot of joy from seeing the animals, Brooks said. "It makes me happy," she said. "This is why we do what we do. They get to live their best life, and we do really try. We have such a hardworking team, and we do what we have to do. It is about them, and that is why we are here." Brooks coordinates a lot of pet visits for residents outside of Friday's pet parade. "The residents perk up so much when the animals come," Collingwood said. "(Usually), it is a dog coming, even cats coming to visit, just to sit on their laps. It means a lot to the residents." It is beneficial for seniors to have interactions with animals, Brooks said. "Animals in general are very good for calming residents," she said. "They have that connection with the animals, and it just brings a sense of calm for them." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.