Yay! Smokey and Jeff have found a home! And a great one at that! Smokey and Jeff are now official residents of Signature HealthCARE of Putnam County. Smokey is a two-year-old handsome gray male kitty, and Jeff is an adorable nine-month-old male yellow tabby. Both kitties were at the Cookeville/Putnam County Animal Shelter for several months waiting to be adopted. Thanks to the dedicated team of volunteers who work each day in the cat/kitten area at the animal shelter, both Smokey and Jeff were socialized daily, so that their transition to their new home at Signature HealthCARE was a smooth one!
Both kitties are very playful and provide lots of entertainment for the elders. The kitties have free reign to visit those on the lower floor of the building. The upper floor has its own greeter–a much loved pooch!
While visiting the facility, it was clear to see that both the elders and staff enjoy having the kitties there – and the kitties are having a ball. Both kitties are very friendly and approach the elders or visitors easily, eager for a scratch behind the ears and happy to begin purring.
Signature HealthCARE CEO Lee Rooney explains that, “[a] good percentage of our elders had pets in their homes, and having pets in this setting helps to create a home-like environment. The pets in our facility have been well-received. They are entertaining and help to eliminate loneliness and boredom. In some cases, they illicit emotions and speech from non-verbal residents. All elders are monitored for pet allergies or those who prefer not to be visited by Smokey and Jeff.”
Thanks to CEO Lee Rooney and the Signature HealthCARE staff for understanding the immense value of having pets (they have birds and fish, too), in their facility! It is a win-win for all as both the pets and the elders are blessed.