Spending time with a furry friend can provide a fresh perspective and brighten someone’s day.  It has been found that visiting with animals can help people feel less lonely and depressed.  Therapy dogs are often associated with their visits to retirement communities.  At Carolina Meadows, where residents are anything but retiring, therapy dogs are also used in a very different way.  Residents are training therapy dogs to visit with area children who may not otherwise be exposed to friendly dogs in a safe setting.  Says Mary Pettis, Carolina Meadows resident, “My dog, Casey, gets very excited before visits and especially loves visiting the children. It is nice to see the children bloom as they understand that these dogs will not hurt them.”  The pet therapy program from Carolina Meadows has been visiting with children from the Orange County Family Resource Centers to show the children how to interact with animals in a way that can enhance both their lives.  Says Lisa Gamache, Human Resources Director at Carolina Meadows, “This program is an educational program that trains children to safely interact with dogs thereby helping them to overcome pre-existing fears.”  For more information about the pet therapy training at Carolina Meadows call Lisa Gamache at (919)370-7158.  The next class begins on November 7.

   About Carolina Meadows: Founded in 1983, Carolina Meadows is a nationally accredited, not-for-profit continuing care retirement community residing on 170 acres in a beautiful country setting, only minutes from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

   Contact:
   Stacy Atkins
   Marketing Director
   (919) 370 - 7160
   stacy@carolinameadows.net