This Lent Discover God's Love In A Retreat - St. Augustine Catholic

Heavenly
Tails
Terry Wilmot
By Elizabeth Dorsey-Culkeen
Deacon Joe Johnson and his dog Jake share some tender loving care
with All Saints Nursing Home resident Hazel Goodwin.
Anovel form of therapy is being
dispensed with the wag of a tail
at All Saints Catholic Nursing
Home and Rehabilitation Center in Jacksonville.
To the residents and staff, visits
by Deacon Joseph Johnson and his retired
champion Cardigan Welsh Corgi Jake are,
in this case, just what the doctor ordered.
While Deacon Joe conducts communion
service in the chapel, Jake waits
patiently for his opportunity to meet and
greet his friends throughout All Saints.
Afterwards, Deacon Joe clips on the leash
and Jake is off to spread his own special
form of treatment in exchange for pats,
scratches and love from his admirers. Jake
and Joe travel the halls stopping along the
way to say hello to all.
The benefits of interaction with pets are
many. Visits with therapy-pets encourage
reminiscences and social interaction, and
result in stress relief and incidental physiotherapy.
Medical studies suggest that blood
pressure may be lowered and hospital stays
shortened when patients have access to
pets. Often, a visit with a pet can be the
high point in a shut-in’s day, bringing
happiness and a sense of well being.
Due to complications from diabetes,
walking for Deacon Johnson is difficult.
His son thought that a dog and daily
walks might be the medicine his father
needed. He adopted Jake and the
infamous partnership of the Deacon and
the dog was born.
Deacon Johnson, who was ordained in
1988 in the Diocese of Cleveland, remembers
a patient in the Lodi (Ohio)
Hospital who hadn’t spoken in days.
Shortly after a visit from Jake, the patient
began to speak again, asking when the dog
would be coming back. The Deacon is
still in awe over the occurrence.
Deacon Joe Johnson and his wife, Joan,
moved to Jacksonville three years ago.
Deacon Joe assists at Sacred Heart Parish
and All Saints Nursing Home, where he
conducts a communion service three days
a week.
The residents of All Saints look
forward to the visits from Jake so much,
that if Deacon Joe doesn’t bring him,
people stop and ask where their little
friend is. It still amazes the deacon when a
resident, who is unable to remember
where the chapel is located, remembers to
ask when Jake will be coming in again.
Yvette Bybak, the activities director at
All Saints, often brings her dog, Topsy, to
work with her. Between Topsy and Jake,
the residents are able to spend time with
the pets regularly.
The nursing home visits aren’t the only
job “assigned” to Jake. The first grade at
Sacred Heart School has a special class
every year on pet care and responsibility
“taught” by Jake and his master. Deacon
Joe teaches the children that feeding, exercising
and caring for a pet are enormous
responsibilities. Enormous, even when the
pet is as agreeable as Jake.
Jake has been involved with his own
brand of pet therapy for over six years. In
addition to the visits at the nursing home
and the school, Jake often accompanies
Deacon Joe on communion calls to
Sacred Heart’s shut-ins.
At age 13, Jake is slowing down a bit
but still seems to enjoy his calling. He is a
gentle soul who asks so very little and
gives so very much in return. A pat on the
head or a nice little scratch behind the ear
and the rewards are bountiful for all God’s
creatures, great and small.
Elizabeth Dorsey-Culkeen is a Jacksonvillebased
freelance writer and member of San
Juan del Rio Parish in Jacksonville.
ST. AUGUSTINE CATHOLIC • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2001 19