Residents, Patients and Teammates receive Puppy Love

This year Forefront Living sweetened Valentine’s Day in an unusual way for its patients and residents. They were showered with an abundance of puppy love!

A trio of Vizsla puppies, all from the same litter, visited residents of Presbyterian Village North (PVN) on Friday, February 11, to spread puppy love to those who have been intermittently affected by COVID-19 social restrictions.

All decked out in matching sweaters, harnesses, leashes and Valentine’s Day scarves, Hamilton, Sergeant Bevo and Holmes cuddled, played and wiggled their way around approximately 60 assisted living residents. Teammates escorted the puppies handing out homemade valentines from Sergeant Bevo’s owner, a six-year-old boy who incorporated his puppy’s paw prints into his designs. Girl Scout cookies with homemade valentines from a local Girl Scout and roses donated by Forefront Living sweetened the experience even more.

The residents enjoyed their dose of puppy love and have asked to bring the pack of puppies back for more visits so they can watch them grow up.

“It was really fun to watch the resident’s and patient’s eyes light up when the puppies entered the room,” David Keaton, Forefront Living teammate said. “Experiencing a little puppy love was a special perk for the teammates as well.”

The day before his trip to PVN, one of the puppies paid a special visit to patients and their families at the T. Boone Pickens Hospice Center (TBPHC).

Together with music therapist, Kathleen Montes, those who expressed interest in spending time with a furry friend, received a visit from the two-month-old puppy. The puppy kisses provided a fun distraction and bright spot for six patients and their families. Each person visited received a long-stemmed red rose and photos with the puppy to commemorate the occasion.

Click here to watch local news coverage of “Project Puppy Love”.