Hello Fellow TDS volunteers

Many thanks to the volunteers who made time on Sunday 19 Apr. We had a very good visit with our friends at Ward 66A . The patients were very pleased to see us and our dogs again. It was the highlight of the week for them, and it seemed almost like a reunion of good friends.

As is our usual practice, besides interacting in the ward, some of the patients took a stroll at the void deck with the dogs. It was a good time of exercising their leg muscles and chatting with our volunteers.

Those who opted to remain in the ward were not left out. They interacted with the volunteers and enjoyed the companionship of our dogs, and were also entertained by tricks performed by Stallion and McMug.

We also brought 2 of our dog-loving friends, Mdm Theresa and Mdm Tan, over from Ward 66B. Mdm Theresa was very happy to hold one of our small dogs in her lap the whole time, while Mdm Tan enjoyed the company of our volunteers.

We had a spontaneous singing session with some of the volunteers, like Lishan and Dad Mr Shum, singing enthusiastically along with the patients dialect and mandarin songs.

We missed 2 of our faithful volunteers, Janelle who was unwell and Evangeline who had to attend to an urgent matter. We hope to see both of you in action soon at upcoming visits.

My sincere thanks to the dedicated volunteers who took time to visit our friends at Ward 66A despite the heavy rain and commitments during the school holidays:

1. Charlie and Mabel Ho, with Stallion/GSD and Silky/Golden Retriever
2. Lillie Tien and daughters with Ollie / Poodle
3. Tricia Tan with Freo/Silky Terrier
4. Bian Yuwei with Rafa/Mini Schnauzer
5. Chen Zhaoyang with Cookie/Shetland Sheepdog
6. Shen Lishan and Dad Shum Chin Yang with McMug/JRT
7. Mak Mun San and friend Jane Oh with Flash / Welsh Springer Spaniel
8. Lyn Woodruff with Elvis / Beagle
9. Doris Boo with Bambi/Silky Terrier
10. John Chua and sister Yan Tai with Micky / Maltese
11. Ellen Eberhard, human volunteer
11. Elaine and mum Soo Fen with Polar/Samoyed

Thank you for bringing warmth and the gift of friendship to others. I look forward to more fulfilling visits and the opportunity to enrich the lives of the patients at Ward 66A.

cheers
Soo Fen

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Visit on  11 April  2009- Bethany Methodist Nursing Home (BMNH)

Hi TDS Volunteers,

We had yet another great session at BMNH on Saturday 11 April 2009.
It was a nice warm afternoon with a good turnout of Volunteers and their pooches, as well as our wonderful regular Helping Hands.

Our Helping Hands and mighty Healing Paws for the afternoon included;

1. Charlie and Mabel Ho with Stallion (German Shepherd) and Silky (Golden Retriever)
2. Soo Fen and daughter Emily Lui with Polar (Samoyed)
3. Pearly Cheong and Joshua Koh with Caleb and Sam (both Burnese Mountain Dog)
4. Lena with Sammi (Chihuahua)
5. Michelle with Yaki (Mini Dachshund)
6. Stella with Tilly (Shitzu)
7. Janice Ho and friend Sharon with Zechy (Labrador)
8. Zhao Yang with Cookie (Shetland Sheepdog) on their first visit.
9. Rebecca Kwan with Cocoa (Maltese)
10. Kunshun - Helping Hand
11. Wen Chin - Helping Hand
12. Pei Yun - from St Nicholas Girls and friend Su-An from Nanyang Secondary (Both were there as Observers as part of their school curriculum).

Hope of Praise was filled with a lot of chatter, laughter, happily fed canines who would to anything to get to enjoy their doggie treats from the resident's open palms. Some of the residents came down with their brightly coloured plastic party hats which brought radiance and colours to the Hall and was a topic of conversation.

We heard the loud barks obediently displayed by Stallion and Polar upon giving the 'Speak' command afterwhich they were happily treated to some dog nibbles.

In my earlier visits, one of the residents by the name of Richard who occassionally loves to correspond through writing was too happy to do so this week and asked for pen and paper from Kushun. He then happily corresponded with us through words and writing as we spoke and asked him questions. It was brilliant to see the initiative he had and he was all smiles as his face brightly lit up after each written response and acknowledgement. This goes to show that pet therapy does bring the inner warmth of love and trust, just as much as the unconditional love that our very own pets provide us.

I would like to also take this opportunity to thank all of you who have spared your 2nd Saturday afternoons each month to come down and visit BMNH. It has been great getting to know you and seeing all the great things you and your lovable canines have accomplished during each visit. This is evident from the resident's eagerness to get ready and come down earlier than our scheduled visit time each month and requests from some of the residents to stay on longer than the half hour session before the 2nd batch of residents join in.

Moving forward, I will be passing the Team Lead batton back to the good hands of Charlie whom you will hear from more frequently. I am not sure whether my bulging belly may have been noticable to many of you who have been visiting Bethany regularly, but I'm expecting and will be heading back home to Australia from June onwards in preparation for a new addition to my family in August.

Cocoa and I have had many fond moments and made many friends since joining TDS. We will definitely miss our visits to Bethany and our involvement with TDS. Monthly weekend visits to Bethany and the other TDS homes that we visit has become an occassion so familiar to Cocoa that she's all prepped up and full of smiles...ever so ready to leave home for the trip to our designated home visit. A weekend routine where she looks forward to and knows precisely the whereabouts of the Halls without any guidance upon reaching our destination. The comfort and bond she feels on the laps and arms of the residents who sometimes refuse to let her go...even as we wheel them all the way back to their wards are only just one of the many things I will miss seeing.

It will probably be some time before Cocoa and I will be able to get back into action again, but meanwhile, I do hope you will continue to support TDS in your regular visits...bringing your love and companionship to our friends at Bethany. For those of you who have not managed to drop by at Bethany for some time, I do hope we'll see you and your pooches again soon!

OUR NEXT VISIT
Please note that as next month's visit falls on Saturday 9th May, which is Vesak Day and a Public Holiday, there will not be any visit to Bethany Home.

BMNH visit will commence again on Saturday 13th June 2009, 3pm - 4pm

Finally, Thanks to Sian Ann, Jeslyn and all the staff at Bethany for your support!

If we can, hopefully Cocoa and I can make one more visit in June 09. Otherwise, I wish all of you good health, good luck, best wishes, love and happiness always.

With Love,
Rebecca and 'lil Cocoa

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Visit on 10 April 2009 - Thong Teck Home for Senior Citizens (TTHSC)

--- April Visit Postponed  ---

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Visit on 3 April  2009 - Asian Women's Welfare Association Special School for Children (AWWA)

Hi everyone

Once again it was a funfilled,excited and noisy day for the kids at AWWA. You can just see the joy on the children's faces which always makes my day and I'm sure the other volunteers feel the same, that's why we always come back.....!!:o)


Corrine and Flapper made great progress with the some of the children who were scared of us before. This visit they came up and wanted to walk and pat Flapper.

Another wonderful sight was to see the children playing with Stallion. They were throwing the dumbbell for him to fetch and weren't afraid of him at all. They were also full of happy giggles when Charlie asked Stallion to "speak"

Many thanks to all the volunteers who made time for our little buddies at AWWA.


The volunteers who made a difference in the childrens life today were-

1. Alicia with Diva and Magic (Labrador)
2. Melinda with Chewy( Catalan Sheepdog) and Cleo (Long haired Daschund)
3. Corrinne Choo with Flapper (Labrador)
4. Lynn Woodruf with Elvis (Beagle)
5. Charlie with Stallion (GSD) & Silky (Labrador Retriever)

Achievements for today are-

Cognitive / Communication / Socialisation Therapy
- encourage the children to remember the names of the dogs, talk about themselves .
- provide stimulation, conversation and companionship.
-asked them to name the body parts of the dogs

Motor / Physical / Sensory Therapy
- encourage therapy exercise by walking with the dog, throwing ball and dumbbell.
- encouraged the children to feed the dogs by helping them to open their palms( most of these children have clenched fists)

Please take note that our next visit is cancelled due it being Good Friday (Public Holiday)

We need YOUR SUPPORT to make a difference to the
patients / residents. Please check the website www.tdspore.org for details


A MILLION THANKS AND BLESSINGS TO OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS!!!

Have a great week

Melinda