St. John’s Dog Days of Summer
If you find yourself at St. John’s Meadows on a Thursday morning you might run into a group of friendly pups and their owners. The owners: St. John’s residents and employees. This group of humans and furry companions take part in a biweekly program called “Pets on the Patio.”
Starting in the Spring of 2024, “Pets on the Patio” has allowed residents and their pets from St. John’s Meadows and Brickstone by St. John’s to interact and get to know one another. Ruth and Al Balkin, parents to Buddy, have been attending the program since its inception.
“It’s really great isn’t it,” continues Al, “meeting our neighbors and their dogs.”
This program is also open to residents who do not own a pet, which works out perfectly for assisted living residents at St. John’s Meadows Hawthorne.
“Thursdays are like pet therapy,” says St. John’s Community Life Specialist Michael Noble-Rosema.
St. John’s Meadows Resident Margo Ellis shares the sentiment and says, “it is a nice way to start the day.”
“We look forward to it,” she says in reference to her corgi Chivon. Ellis also mentions that she enjoys seeing the pets of employees and that she and her resident peers like to “spoil” the dogs with treats when they visit. “We are like their grandparents.”
“Pets on the Patio” alternates between the Hawthrone and Briarwood Patios at St. John’s Meadows and is open to any pet-loving resident, employee, and visitor.