Therapy dog finds way to visit seniors during coronavirus

Most nursing homes and assisted living facilities are not allowing visitors, to help protect a vulnerable population from the coronavirus.

MANY NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTEDLIVING FACILITIES ARE NOTALLOWING VISITORS --TO PROTECT A VULNERABLEPOPULATION FROM THE CORONAVIRUS.SOME OFFER PET THERAPY TO LOWERSTRESS... BUT THAT CAN BE TRICKYTO DO... WITHNEW RESTRICTIONS.FOX 47'S CHRISTIANA FORD HAS THESTORY OF HOW ONE LOCAL FACILITYIS GETTINGCREATIVE... TO ALLOW AFOUR-LEGGED FRIEND TO KEEPVISITING."THERAPY DOG BABY HAS BEENCOMING TO ISLAND CITY ASSISTEDLIVING FOR 6 AND A HALF YEARSNOWBRINGING THERAPY TO THERESIDENTS THROUGH THEIR WINDOWSWHILE SHE CAN'T GO INSIDE" "BABYIS JUST A REAL, JUST A SWEETSOUL."EIGHT YEAR OLD BABY HAS BEENTHROUGH HER SHARE OF STORMS."SHE HAS BEEN THROUGH ALOT WITHTHE LOSS OF HER EYES AND SHE HASHEARING LOSS AS WELL.

SHE'S ACANCER SURVIVOR AND SHE'S HADSOME OTHER ISSUES"BUT FOR THE LAST SIX AND HALFYEARS BABY AND HER MOM PAT AREBRINGING NOTHING BUT JOY ANDSUNSHINE TO THE RESIDENTS OFISLAND CITY ASSISTED LIVING."SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO IT, WE'REHERE EVERY WEEK""SHE'S OUR ELF AT CHRISTMASTIME, OUR FIREWORKS ON THE FORTHOF JULY.SHE'S OUR ST.V ALENTINEON VALENTINES DAY SO SHE'SALWAYS HERE"SO WHEN THE SENIOR CAREFACILITIES CLOSED TO ALLVISITORS BECAUSE OFCORONAVIRUS-- PAT KNEWTHEY HAD TO FIND A WAY FOR BABYTO STILL MAKE HER VISITS."WE CREATED A WAY WHERE WE CANJUST GO TO THE WINDOWS AND KEEPEVERYONE SAFE""HEY BABY " SHE SAYS WHILEKNOCING ON THE WINDOW""WE MISS YOU AND WE LOVE YOU"SENIORS LIKE ELLEN"WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HAVE ANYONEHERE"GRATEFUL FOR EVERY VISIT."EVERYBODY LOVES HER, YEAH THEYDO, SHE'S A SWEETHART""SHE BRINGS SOMETHING SPECIAL TOISLAND CITY ASSISTED LIVING."THERAPUTIC TOO."LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE WHENTHEY'RE AROUND, THE RELEASE OFOXYTOCIN FOR OURPHYSICAL HEALTHY, MENTAL HEALTH,IT REDUCES BORDEM, DEPRESSION,ANXIETY""SHE'S JUST GOT A HEART TO LOVEAND COMFORT"REPORTING IN THE ISLAND CITY,CHRISTIANA FORD,"PRETTY SOON WE'LL BE ABLE TOHAVE HER IN HERE"CF FOX 47.IN MARCH, THE CENTERS FORMEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICESANNOUNCED A BAN ON VISITORS ANDNON- ESSENTIAL HEALTH CAREPERSONNEL... TO HELPSTOP THE SPREAD OF THECORONAVIRUS.UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP'STHREE-PHASE PLAN TO REOPENAMERICA... NURSINGHOMES WOULD BE AMONG THE LAST TOHAVE RESTRICTIONS LIFTED.