Elsa’s Journey – From Rescue Dog To Brooklyn House Residents’ Favourite Pooch
For many of the residents at Brooklyn House Care Home, a visit from their very own ‘therapy’ dog, Elsa, is a highlight – and the popular pup really is one of the family.
Rescue Dog Finds New Friends at Brooklyn House
Eight years’ ago, Brooklyn’s Wellbeing Co-ordinator, Catrina, was looking for a puppy and decided she’d like to adopt a rescue dog. A visit to the local shelter brought her face to face with a tiny, black-furred mutt, just four months’ old – and it was love at first sight. Named Elsa, she found her new home with Catrina and over the years, her captivating personality has endeared her to a new audience – the residents at Brooklyn House in Attleborough.
Now 8 years’ old, Elsa’s unique three-breed mix - Terrier, Lhasa Aspso and Toy Poodle (“… a real Heinz 57”, laughs Catrina) - brings lots of great personality traits to the fore. Sociability is one of them, but Elsa’s also as happy indoors as she is outdoors and loves to be included.
Residents Remember Working Dogs and Family Pets
Brooklyn House is situated in Norfolk where much of the land has always been dedicated to farming. Because Elsa is part terrier, some of the residents who worked on farms remember a time when terriers were also part of the workforce. Naturally, one resident asked, “Is she a good ratter”? Although she’s wouldn’t have made it onto the force’s canine unit, Gordon, an ex-dog handler for the police, is one of Elsa’s biggest fans and claims that “… she’s always ready to go out on the beat”!
Catrina said: “Elsa brings so much joy to our residents. Firstly, she’s the perfect size to snuggle onto a lap and her soft fur is very strokable. Also, many of the residents used to have dogs and interacting with Elsa triggers memories and stories being shared, some going all the way back to their childhoods. The interaction around memories is a positive activity for residents with dementia and sometimes people who find it hard to speak suddenly find that words are tumbling out.”
Brooklyn House’s Favourite ‘Golden Oldie’
Generally, though, the comments are around Elsa’s looks, with resident Judith exclaiming how beautiful she is. Judges at Attleborough’s community dog show certainly agreed, awarding Elsa 2nd prize in the ‘Golden Oldie’ category – a fitting accolade for our bright-eyed, bushy tailed Brooklyn babe!
Our Modern Care Home in Norfolk
For more information about our modern care home in Norfolk, please visit Brooklyn House's homepage. Here you can learn what typical day-to-day life as a resident looks like, as well as explore some of the home’s fantastic facilities and services. You can also find information on our other care homes, as well as similar articles and celebrations, by exploring our site. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to learn more.
