More to explore at the Hospice House

In my last post I barked about exploring the new Hospice House. I had rounds to make on my patients, so I didn't get to explore it all at once. Since then, I've visited every room, and I like what I sniff!

The biggest room in the House is the Living Room. There are big, comfy couches where I can curl up in someone's lap, along with a gas log fireplace that will be wonderful in the winter.

A piano sits on one wall, and a cafe table is against the other. It might be a nice place to have a cup of coffee, but it's too tall for me to sneak crumbs from! I really must speak to the management about that.

Speaking of crumbs, there is a beautiful dining room next to the living room. It seats six people for big dinners or light lunches. My friends in wheelchairs and walkers can get there easily, and there's plenty of room for me under the table where the good stuff drops. Hooray!

Also off of the living room are the Sunroom and Screened Porch. The Sunroom is full of big windows that let in the light. You can rest on the sofa or read a magazine. The view is pretty nice, too—it's just right for dozing and watching butterflies, birds, and the occasional squirrel. Both rooms have nice sitting areas and those tall cafe tables for snacking or relaxing.

The Screened Porch is more shady than the Sunroom. A nice breeze comes through the windows and makes little wind chimes ring. You can hear the birds chirping and playing on the lawn, too, and you can see more squirrels! I think it's one of the nicest places in the House.

(The weather has been just right for enjoying the Sunroom and Screened Porch, but the heavy pollen this spring has made the Screened Porch less popular. Our patients and staff with allergies have been very unhappy lately. Even I don't like it—if I stay out too long, I'm afraid my fur will turn yellow! But once the pollen improves, I'm sure we'll all be out there more often.)

I hear there are plans for the outside areas, too. A short sidewalk already leads away from the Screened Porch, but I overheard my coworkers talking about expanding it into a wheelchair walk for the patients and a nice gazebo for sitting outside. I approve of the gazebo plans, because that could mean more games of fetch for me! I'm sure there will be more work on that throughout the summer.

If you're not feeling sunny, you might take a seat in the Library. The Library is full of books and kids' activities. A desk area is provided, along with a small TV. There's a special table and chairs for the little ones, perfect for coloring or putting together a puzzle. Mom or Dad can stay nearby in the big recliner. It's a good place to get your mind off of things.

For more privacy, try the Meditation Room. If you want peace and quiet, there's no better place. When a local pastor comes, or a family needs to talk, the Meditation Room is the place to go. Sometimes I can hear soft music coming from under the door. It smells pretty good in there, too.









Last but not least is the Spa/Salon. While each patient room has a private bathroom, it can take a lot of effort for a bed-bound person to get into the shower. Sponge baths may be necessary, but they aren't much fun. Instead, the person can roll into the Spa and have a real bath in our padded, adjustable "tub." Imagine having a shallow bathtub on a gurney. It raises up and down like a hospital bed, allowing the person to simply slide into it or be gently lifted. We make the person comfortable and add warm water— bubbles are optional!

For the "Salon" part of the Spa/Salon, we have a real salon station! Our patients can have a shampoo, shave, or makeup application, just like at a barber or beauty shop. Our nurse aides do a great job every day with personal care, and volunteer hairdressers, makeup artists and manicurists are welcomed!

I hope you enjoyed seeing more of our Hospice House. Bark atcha later!

Dog's-eye view of the new House

Monday afternoon I was working, minding my own business, when my coworkers began bundling up one of my patients. I thought maybe they were going to move him to another room or something, so I went to visit another patient. But that person was packing up, too! I tried to tell them to stop acting so strangely, but they ignored me. I was quite annoyed and went to have a nice lie-down in my fluffy bed.

One at a time, each patient was wheeled out the front door and past the admin building. This really got me going -- I mean, if they're going on walks, why don't I get to go, too?! I love walks! I don't scrub in the grass or track muddy paw prints into the house, like some dogs. I'm pretty sure that's against our Housekeeping policies, anyway.

My coworkers came back, but the patients didn't. I scuttled around, hoping to find out more, but no one had a moment to explain what was going on. Finally, I overheard two nurses talking about the "new House." What! That big new building next to the admin office -- that's a new Hospice House? I didn't think there was anything wrong with this one! The patients all liked it, and I have my own bed and doggy door and fenced yard and... Then they started turning lights out on me! I knew then that this was a big deal.

At last, they walked me over to the new House. I thought about the patch of woods that used to be in its spot; you used to catch a whiff of rabbits from there, or the occasional groundhog. Today, there were all-new smells: new carpet, potpourri, and the patients' dinners cooking in the new kitchen... Yummy!

The front door opened. This place was HUGE! The ceiling seemed very high over my head, and the hallways were enormous. I bet my friends in wheelchairs can go wherever they want in here! A quick sniff let me know there wasn't anybody in the living room or sunroom. I followed my nose down the hall, looking for where my patients had gone. I breathed in my surroundings: big, airy rooms; fresh air-conditioning; good-smelling soap; and someone's peanut butter crackers in their handbag... I tried not to get distracted.

The nurses' station buzzed with cheerful voices. I made a left toward the perfumey scent of one of my favorite patients. What a room! It made her room at the old House look like my dog bed. She was fast asleep under the covers, smiling. She had pushed down the quilt on her bed, one flap falling where I could see the pattern. It was decorated with moose, bears, and other animals. Hey! I thought indignantly, why not a dog?

I wasn't indignant for long, because there was too much to take in. The TV chattered quietly to itself on its wall mount. It was bigger than I am, nose to tail! I noticed the remote next to her hand, so I used one paw to mash the "Mute" button. Then I could hear the ceiling fan whispering overhead, in time with the soft hum of a small fridge. I also noticed a microwave, a big nice chair that looked like it folded out to a bed, and a bay window for sitting in the sun! My favorite!

I could smell water and tile from one door. It sounded echoey, so I figure it was a private bathroom. It had a pull-door so I couldn't get inside to see. I'll have to inspect that later to make sure it's up to par! A piney scent at the other door told me it was a big closet. As much as I loved the old House, I had to admit, I was pretty impressed with this place. It was big and beautiful, and it seemed like, well, home.

I nudged the door closed and trotted back toward the nurses' station. In my hurry, I had missed a small dining area with coffee and snacks. It was a bright, sunny area with flowers and... Oh my!

It was the fancy picture from when I was nominated in 2009 for the American Kennel Club's Award for Canine Excellence. I blushed under my fur! That cinched it. Home is where your portrait hangs!

I explored other parts of the house afterward... More on that next time! See you again soon!