Hi Fellow Volunteers,
Our visit to BHID is always a journey full of smiles, . happiness and handshakes coming from the cheerful residents. It certainly makes us appreciate the simple things in life more ... live well... laugh often ... love much. Truly appreciate the following volunteers who came, gave and shared with them the unconditional love of their therapy dogs. Thank you.
Yolanda Chin with Chewbacca / Labrador
Jelyn Kho with Fluffy / Shih Tzu
Lok Tin Chan, hubby Steven and daughter Adeline with Bobby / Shih Tzu
Fiona Yeo with JJ & MeiMei / JRT
WaiMun (Marjory's sister-in-law) with Snowball / Pyreanean Mountain Dog
Samantha Yue with Zakuza / Shih Tzu
Mabel Ho with Silky / Golden Retriever
Charlie Ho with Stallion / GSD
We had an observer, Jessie Tang, who has shown great interest in our PAT activities. I believe she will bring her dog Bagel / Golden Retriever to our assessor for temperament assessment. I hope she and her dog will join our team in the next month visit.
Steven handed the photos, that were taken from previous visits, to the residents. They were very happy to receive them and showed the photos around how good-looking they look! Thank you Steven. Since they were so happy receiving the photos, I take the opportunity to screen the pre-production version of 2009 X'mas Visit DVD. Imagine how happy they were sitting in front of the TV set smiling and clapping in seeing themselves on TV .... BHID celebrities!
We did not do the PAT activities as I mentioned in my last report as I need to have a list of names of the residents whom BHID can provide. We hope to do it in June visit. Inday please take note.
I read a message that was sent to me. You may have seen the same message I believe it's true in life and I wish to share it with you. I quote:
Question: What is it that makes me better?
Answer: Whatever makes you ..............
more compassionate,
more sensible,
more detached,
more loving
more humanitarian
more responsible,
more ethical
Once again, my heartfelt thanks to those who came to bring joy, love and happiness to the residents. Please keep up the good work and I hope to see more of you at the next visit.
Warmest regards,
Charlie Ho
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Visit on 23 April 2010 - MINDSville
-- Report in progress --
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Visit on 18 April 2010 - Ward 66A Institute of Mental Health (IMH)
Hi everyone
We were all warmly welcomed into Ward 66A on Sunday 18 April 3 pm. It was so good to be able to catch up with our friends at IMH again, to bring laughter and cheer to the ladies.
After many months of not being to bring them for a walk with the dogs (since the H1N1 outbreak and subsequent concerns), we were finally able to resume this favourite activity. Five dogs (Silky, Prince, Zechy, McMug and Chewbacca) along with their handlers accompanied 5 patients for a leisurely walk around the peaceful environs of IMH. It was a really pleasureable walk, with an opportunity for our volunteers to chat and joke with the patients and get to know them. Such socialisation therapy was helpful to give the patients a chance to communicate and interact with others. The walk also gave them a chance to stretch their legs and exercise for a full 20 minutes, something they don't often get to do! This forms part of the physical therapy that our well-trained, easy-to-handle dogs provide.
The remaining dogs and volunteers stayed at the ward and had their own fun as they catered to the needs of the less mobile. They also had a chance to stroke the small dogs which rested on their laps, and laugh at the antics of our in-house comedian -- the ever-present Stallion!
Many thanks to the following who made the day such an enjoyable one for our IMH friends:
1. Charlie Ho with Stallion/GSD
2. Mabel Ho with Silky/Golden Retriever
3. Tricia Tan with Freo/Silky Terrier
4. Linnette Heng with Toby/Toy Poodle
5. Janice Gan and friend with Prince/Golden Retriever
6. Emily Lui and mum Soo fen with Polar/Samoyed
7. Janice with Zechy/Labrador
8. Shum Chee Yang with McMug/JRT
9. Yolanda Chew with Chewbacca/Labrador
We also had the company of observers Joyce, Sannica and her mother and son. Hope to see them in action soon!
Over the years, we have observed the patients warming up to our dogs and volunteers and enjoying every visit. I believe the therapy our dogs provide has made a significant difference to their well-being. We look forward to more volunteers joining us at IMH.
cheers
Soo Fen
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Visit on 16 April 2010 - Sunshine Welfare Action Mission Home (SWAMI)
Hi Fellow Volunteers,
There was a great fun of activity going on at this month visit. Novartis was at SWAMI Home celebrating their Community Partnership Day. A large group of about 15 staff from Ciba Vision of Novartis were there befriending the elderly and celebrating birthday joy and happiness with the residents. When people believe in a good cause, they would put in extraordinary effort in and contributed to its success. This was examplified in so many ways during our PAT session ... both TDS human / canine volunteers & Novartis staff.
TDS volunteers faithfully focussed very much on communication and motor skills therapy..... lots of walking exercise including petting and touching our dogs, helping the elderly to maintain mental agility by encouraging them to talk about themselves. Our PAT session objectives were achieved through the following dedicated A* volunteers:
Alicia Isreal with Diva and Magic / Labrador Retriever
Corrinne Choo and friend with Flapper/ Labrador, Pica / Shih Tzu & Maggie / Miniature Pinscher
Brian & Serene Toh with DoDo & MoMo / Dachschund
Linette Heng and mum with Toby / Toy Poodle
Melinda Ann Michael with Chewy / Catacan Sheepdog and Cleo / Dachschund
Radha Nagesh - Helping Hand
Mabel Ho with Silky / Golden Retriever
Charlie Ho with Stallion / GSD
Our star performers Melinda with Chewy and Corrinne with Flapper performed tricks & obedience skills to entertain the delighted residents including Novartis staff. In return they earned yummy treats plus lots of pats from the residents. So, with food motivation, our k9 clowns can do old tricks and bring joy and laughter.
Our upcoming Friday visit is to-morrow at MindSville and on Saturday, April 24th is at BHID. Please check out our website: www.tdspore.org for the latest updates.
Warmest regards
Charlie Ho
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Visit on 10 April 2010- Bethany Methodist Nursing Home (BMNH)
Hi everyone
We had a jolly good time on Saturday 10 April sharing the joy of our canine friends with residents of Bethany Methodist Nursing Home. For those who have been regular, and have built up warm relationships with individual residents, it was a good time of re-acquainting ourselves with their stories of the past. Whilst some residents fed treats to the big dogs, others were happy to have the small ones, Jappy and Casey, simply rest on their laps.
For the record, the following faithful volunteers made a HUGE difference that day:
1. Charlie Ho with Stallion/GSD
2. Serene Huang with Jappy/Shih Tzu
3. Pearly and Joshua Koh with Grace/Border Collie, Samuel and Caleb/Bernese Mountain Dogs
4. Mandy Cheng with Casey/Maltese X
5. WeiQin (human volunteer)
6. Soo Fen with Polar/Samoyed
We also welcomed observers Beatrice, Steven and Diana, and hope they will join the team very soon.
Many thanks also to Pearly and Joshua who went the extra mile to visit the bed-bound patients in the wards with their trio. This was done after the 1-hour visit in the Hall of Praise, which means they did extra duty!!
Those who have been regular will understand that it takes time to get to know the residents, to help them get familiar with us and open up to us. So, for this to happen, we will need volunteers who are committed to making time on the second Saturday of each month.
We looking forward to seeing more volunteers, as we have been invited to 'adopt' specific individual residents at BMNH so that we can better meet their needs, and to visit the bed-bound patients in the wards. We have plans and great ideas of what we can do, but we will not be able to carry them out unless we get more committed volunteers onboard!
Hope to see many of you at our next weekend visit to IMH on Sunday 18 April, 3 pm. Check our website for details if you haven't received the email from Lishan, home i/c for IMH.
cheers
Soo Fen
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Visit on 9 April 2010 - Thong Teck Home for Senior Citizens (TTHSC)
Hi, Fellow Volunteers,
As a saying, I quote " a friend is someone who fills our lives with beauty, joy and grace" .... you are a special group of friends who know what a difference dog makes ... it always brings joy and laughter to the elderly we visit. Your power of touch, a sweet smile, a kind word, a listening ear and a smallest act of caring, all of which you have turned a life around. My heartfelt thanks to the following volunteers who brave the afternoon heat to bring joy and comfort to the old folks at TTHSC, especially those who had to take leave from work.
Corrinne Choo with Flapper / Labrador, Pica / Shih Tzu & Maggie / Miniature Pinscher
Linette Heng , mum & auntie with Toby / Toy Poodle
Gwen Wong with Chou Chou / Chow Chow
Evelyn Yip & Francis with Cash / Corgi
Ang Lay Hui with Hayden / CKCS
Melinda Ann Michael with Chewy / Catalan Sheepdog & Cleo / Datschund
Radha Nagesh - Helping Hand
Doris Chang - Helping Hand
Charlie Ho with Silky / Golden Retriever & Stallion / GSD
A warm welcome to Linette Heng, her mum & auntie, and her dog, Toby, doing PAT session for the first time. They interacted very well with the old folks. I hope they enjoyed and are inspired by the experience enough to return for more, not only to TTHSC but to other TDS adopted homes.
I feel that some of the old folks can move around slowly with some help from TTHSC staff, therefore, walking a dog will increase gross motor skills. I hope we can encourage the residents to take the dog for a walking exercise at a slow pace with help from TTHSC staff in the garden the next time we visit. By copy of this message I am asking Bryan to arrange and help out.
Our upcoming Friday visit is to SWAMI Home. I trust you have received my reminder about the visit. You can also check out the details from our website.
Have a happy and blessed week ahead.
Warmest regards
Charlie Ho
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Visit on 2 April 2010 - Asian Women's Welfare Association Special School for Children (AWWA)
-- April Visit Cancelled --
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