A Dog Walks Into A Nursing Home Summary

In A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home, Sue Halpern writes about her experience training her Labradoodle Pransky for animal assisted therapy. Pransky is about seven years old when the process starts. Halpern thought it would be a good idea because her husband was working more, her daughter was in school, and Pransky is very bored sitting at home all day. The audience senses Halpern’s enthusiasm transition into apprehension when she learns the extent of the training during the six weeks needed to become a therapy dog. She works with the dog right up until the time of the test, and they end up passing the test, much to Halpern’s delight. Then they start going to County Nursing Home for weekly visits on Tuesday mornings.
Halpern is unsure what to expect as she begins her time there, but comes to find out that every person there has a past and a future. The residents are all still living and they are not dead (even though sometimes people assume that they are). They have different personalities and characteristics that make them unique. Once she has been there a while, Halpern comes to
They have different themed activities, clothes shopping in the activities room (where residents can go in and try on clothes and keep for free), and the staff are like family. When Halpern talks with the director of the program, he tells her that his goal is to make the place feel as much like home as he possibly can and thanks her for bringing the dog. I was also very impressed with Halpern’s description of the staff and how they interact with the residents. Everyone from the nurses to the maintenance people are involved and are always willing to lend a helping hand whenever needed, and they try to make the place feel and look as homey as they could. I also saw the dignity in how these residents are treated, both from Halpern and especially from