Saline County Senior Services understands the importance of pets for older citizens

Charles Rankin, Salina Journal
·4 min read
Rosie Walter, director of the Saline County Department of Senior Services, works with Agnes, an Aussiedoodle who is being trained to be a therapy dog at the senior center. Senior services is using programs involving pets to help older people in the community.
Rosie Walter, director of the Saline County Department of Senior Services, works with Agnes, an Aussiedoodle who is being trained to be a therapy dog at the senior center. Senior services is using programs involving pets to help older people in the community.

Two programs by the Saline County Department of Senior Services, one that began in August 2020 and another that is hoping to be coming soon, are looking at the importance of pets and animals in the lives of older people in the community.

The first is the Meals on Wheels Healthcare and Food for Pets program, which started delivering food and providing services in April 2021 and currently assists 60 pets from 43 pet owners.

Senior Services realized quickly that something needed to be done when it discovered a particular issue with its Meals on Wheels (M.O.W.) program, some of the customers were sharing their delivered food with their pets.

Rosie Walters, the director of senior services, said volunteers that were delivering meals brought this to her attention.

"It made sense," Walters said, of why the M.O.W. customers were sharing their food. "What are they going to do? They're homebound, don't (necessarily) have friends or family to help them (get pet food)."

Walters said that not only did this mean their pets were getting food that didn't necessarily meet the needs of the animal, but it also meant that the customers who rely on this service weren't eating all the food that was provided for them.

This pet program, one of only five in the country, has also benefited the community by giving more people who are eligible the incentive to join M.O.W.

"People have gotten on Meals on Wheels just so they could (get) the pet program," Walters said. "We've probably added 19 (new customers)."

The program began with some funding from sources like the Greater Salina Community Foundation and expanded after Meals on Wheels America offered Saline County Senior Services a $20,000 grant to grow the program and build community partners.

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Partners in the community and beyond

The center is partnering with a couple of different organizations and groups for this service. One of these two is Atherton Veterinary Clinic in Abilene.

"They're providing all the pet food at their cost," Walters said. "It's good, quality food too...You have different people that need (things like) diabetic food or low fiber food for their pets."

These different kinds of specialty foods are only available at veterinary offices, so Walters said this partnership is crucial for the program.

Another partner is the Friends of the Salina Animal Shelter. Walters said this organization is helping support the program by offering pet owners in the program with limited healthcare services.

"They'll go and pick up the pet, take them to the shelter to get them trimmed or get their shots and bring them back to the owner when their finished," Walters said.

A new friendly sight and guest at the Senior Center

Agnes, an Aussiedoodle that is training to be a therapy dog, sits at Rosie Walter's desk at the Saline County Senior Center. The county department of senior services is using programs like the Meals on Wheels Healthcare and Food for Pets to assist older people in the community.
Agnes, an Aussiedoodle that is training to be a therapy dog, sits at Rosie Walter's desk at the Saline County Senior Center. The county department of senior services is using programs like the Meals on Wheels Healthcare and Food for Pets to assist older people in the community.

Another way that senior services is looking to assist its patrons is with a new companion that Walters has brought to the Senior Center, Agnes.

An Aussiedoodle, Agnes is just over four months old and in the process of being trained to act as a sort of therapy dog at the center.

"I've done mutt school with her and she passed that," Walters said. "We're getting ready to start first grade tomorrow night."

Walters said the purpose of having a dog on site at the center is that many people in older populations can feel disconnected, especially when they come to the senior center.

"(They might feel like) they're forced to come in here and they don't know how to socialize and connect with other people," she said. "A dog connects people."

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Walters, who loves pets and is the official owner of Agnes, said she got the idea from a friend who works at a senior-living facility that has a therapy dog of its own.

"I have seen the way that people will flock to that dog," Walters said. "It's a way for her to join people together, who aren't focused on each other, but focused on the dog."

Agnes is young and has a lot to learn, but Walters said she is already getting used to being at the senior center.

"I'll take her everywhere I go (here)," Walters said. "I'm not going to let her on the main floor just yet, but (she'll get there)."

One of the services at the senior center is lunch Mondays to Fridays each week and that is something that will take Agnes some training before she gets to it, particularly because there is food available and people love giving dogs attention, and food.

"They would feed her too, no matter what I did or told them," Walters said. "She has to learn not to accept (food) from anyone down there."

This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Saline County Senior Services helps older citizens, and their pets