Healing Harley: Rescued greyhound comforts Alzheimer's patients

A tall black and tan brindled greyhound trotted through the halls of the DeKalb County Rehab & Nursing Center on Tuesday afternoon. Some of the residents ignored him. Some watched him detachedly, and others reached out their hands as he loped by. The dog is Harley, and like the patients, he lives in the Alzheimer's disease unit at the county nursing home. Harley is not a certified therapy dog, unit director Deb Greiner said, but his presence is therapeutic to many of the unit's 38 residents. &#8220It's neat to see how much an animal brings out the person who's in there,” she said. &#8220There's often so much left that we miss.” Petting an animal can lower blood pressure and reduce pain, Greiner said. People who have lost much of the ability to take care of themselves get a sense of independence by caring for the dog. Some late-stage dementia patients who have lost the ability to connect with people can still talk to the dog, and he makes family visits easier by providing a topic of conversation. &#8220One woman in the late stages of Alzheimer's would talk to the dog in lieu of talking to her family,” she said. &#8220The family would come to visit, and she would tell the dog, ‘Tell them I'm fine.' She answered their questions to the dog instead of to them directly.” While Greiner was talking, her own dog, Honey, an Old English mastiff, shambled around her office. An elderly woman with a walker entered the room. She ignored Greiner's greeting and began to rub Honey's head. &#8220Honey bunny, Honey bunny, Honey bunny,” she cooed. After a moment, she walked back out. &#8220Some people follow the dogs in here and sit down with them on the (dog) bed, which is a whole range of motion they wouldn't normally get,” Greiner said. &#8220It can be exercise without thinking too much about it.” Harley has his flaws. He tends to steal food within his reach, and not every resident adores him, Greiner said. But even if the interaction is yelling at Harley to get away from their snack, it's still interaction with the outside world the patient wouldn't have had otherwise. &#8220We don't care what the interaction is, we're just happy if they're engaged,” she said. The greyhound rescue organization that saved Harley when his racing career ended hesitated at first about adopting him out to an organization, Greiner said. But the organization had a difficult time placing him with a family because he has terrible separation anxiety and can't be left alone. &#8220That's perfect for here, because we're here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Greiner said. Animals are part of a strategy to make the unit feel more like a home, Greiner said. Staff and visitors often bring their pets by, and a pony began making monthly visits this month. &#8220We had the idea to take the residents out just two at a time to see the horse,” she said. &#8220But they were having none of that. Every person in here was out there petting the horse, brushing the horse, feeding the horse, talking about the horse.” The animals are particularly comforting to the many residents with a farming background, who were around animals all their lives, Greiner said. &#8220Harley's not always Harley,” Greiner said. &#8220Sometimes he's George or whatever, and we just go with whatever name they're using, for whatever dog he reminds them of.” The animals that visit or stay at the nursing home have to be carefully chosen based on temperament and ability to obey, and have to pass regular veterinary exams. Staff members also have to accept that caring for the animal is part of their job responsibilities. &#8220But when you see that smile on a patient's face, and you see them interacting, it makes all the time you've spent on that animal worth it,” Greiner said. Dana Herra can be reached at dherra@daily-chronicle.com.