The song of a parakeet welcomes visitors from the entrance and sets the tone: animals are welcome in the Saint-Joseph Village care home. Starting with the employees who over the years have been assigned a real role in the structure.
Fury colleague
In the Canine family, I would like Jockair. A 10-year-old black-haired Labrador, very calm and independent, sometimes called “Vacuum Cleaner”.
“When we grill at lunchtime, we know not to feed him too much in the evening,” smiles Antoine Renaudin, director of Village Saint-Joseph, to illustrate his little name. Jockair is his dog, but also the oldest dog in the establishment.
“We got him when he was 18 months old. He is a reformed guide dog because his rear end is too strong, so he is perfectly trained. “So instead of leaving him alone at home, the director has brought him to his workplace every day for about ten years.
On the caregivers’ table, Jockair also has his photo. “It is a unifying element in the team. He created a good dynamic and in the end he became one of our colleagues. » He is certainly not very good at giving injections. But he makes up for it by providing real support to the residents: “We don’t have therapeutic activities with the dog. But some take care of it, others caress it…”
A schedule even for animals
“The very first animal we had was twelve years ago. A nurse came with her dog. “If this doggy is no longer there today, it is he who opened the way for the three daily present dogs in the establishment. For Jocker is accompanied by Tokyo, the HR dog: a 20-month-old floating coat, a little more excited, but very diligent in his work. There is also Nasquat, a Labrador guide dog for the blind, who supports one of the care staff at night. And more recently, Dan, the establishment’s brand new cat.
Their essential presence still requires some logistics: “Each animal has its own mutual insurance and insurance. “And they follow the same rules as the employees: “Before, the dogs lived here 24 hours a day, but over time they became overstimulated and it was not “So now they arrive and go to their workplace at the same time as their masters. “Except the cat, who has to live here, but he has a very tall cat tree , so he can be quiet when he wants to.
Aging well
Staff animals are not the only ones accepted at Village Saint-Joseph. The Aging Well Act, announced in March, which requires nursing homes to welcome residents’ animals, hasn’t really changed anything for them: their companions have always been accepted. “Contrary to what we think, we have very few inquiries. People who arrive here are often no longer able to care for their animals and have already passed the baton to their families. »
To date, the establishment has never welcomed a resident’s animal. But he still defined a few rules in anticipation. To be accepted, the animal must be declared, its vaccinations up to date and be compatible with life in the community: “I cannot take the risk of one of them biting a caregiver and thinking it is attacking its master, e.g. . “So if future residents want it, the Canine family can expand.
Attention, friendly dog at the Saint-Léon pharmacy in Nancy
In this pharmacy, there are five of them who take care of the patients. One of them is a bit hairier than the others, her name is Ghana and she is a Rhodesian Ridgeback.
Full colleague
“I’ve been taking her since she was very little,” smiles Carole Thiebault, manager of the Saint-Léon pharmacy. It is important to me that she is not alone. “In six years, Ghana has become familiar with the team, which has only brought benefits. As if a bit calm: “If we are stressed, for example, we just snuggle up to her. » Or security: “When I’m on duty until 11 p.m., I can have real contact with the patients and not just settle for the window, because I know she’s there.” It is reassuring. »
“The kids love it!” »
Ghana was immediately accepted, and today customers still ask about her: “She’s a bit like the mascot at the pharmacy. »
This large, calm and reassuring dog knows how to do it. Well installed in the director’s office, she pops into the pharmacy knowing she’s useful: “Whenever there’s a person in trouble, she comes to see them, licks them and puts their head on their knee to reassure her. “Once she even supported a patient during a vaccination. “And the children love it!”
Lisa Romanello
