Frankie - Bayview's Lifeline... kitty rescue OR who rescued who Seattle, WA
Last edited Sun Jun 7, 2015, 06:51 PM - Edit history (1)
http://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ars/story/frankie-bayviews-lifeline901
Frankie resides at Bayview Retirement Community's Health Center in Queen Anne, Seattle. Frankie was rescued after his owner passed away. He was at a facility in Kingston when we saw his photo and adoption information online. He was 2 and a half years old when he came to live with us at Bayview. At first he was quite scared and shy. He stayed in the office for the first few weeks. Then he gradually became a "regular" at activity programs. Later on, he started exploring the halls and began visiting residents in their rooms. Several times he has done vigils with the dying of his own accord.
As seen in the photo, Frankie initiated a vigil with this gentleman, visiting him up to 6 times per day until his passing. The resident was missing his own cat, so Frankie provided an available substitute. Towards the end of his journey, Frankie sat on the resident's chest and put his arms around him. The family of the resident said that having Frankie there really eased his pain.
Frankie is more than just a cat at Bayview Retirement Community. He has taught us about peace, joy, and living in the now. He moves quietly but his impact is bigger than life.
Lynn Arntuffus
Seattle, WA
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Kitties have also saved troubled marriages! They can be peacemakers.
And it's extremely beneficial to both the residents and the pets. I've seen this kind of program work in numerous places - many elderly people who are in assisted care facilities are lonely. 
I spent time at a great retirement community in NC with my grandmother. They instituted a program called "Noah's Oasis" for those in the part of the community that provided nursing care and could no longer have their own pets. Residents there could "rent" a bird - who was fed and cared for daily - so all the resident had to do was enjoy it. 
Some halls had resident cats and there were two dogs (both rescue) on the last hall where my grandmother lived. They were very popular and provided company and comfort for those living there - and also for visitors like me. They spent a lot of time in my grandmother's room - since I brought dog cookies, LOL, and later they installed a dog treat dispenser in the hallway. I was so glad to see this program succeed so well and I've seen it happening more and more in retirement facilities... 
It's really rewarding for everyone involved.
