Nursing Home Has Own Golden Retriever Puppy To Help Cheer Up Residents

Aug 14, 2021

Whenever you’re feeling down, it’s never a bad idea to watch a sweet video of an adorable animal, whether it be a cuddly kitten, a fuzzy bear cub or a precious puppy. For a retirement and assisted living facility in Scotland, South Dakota, the residents are able to do more than just watch videos of pups — they’re able to interact with one! A golden retriever puppy by the name of Gracie has become a regular at the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, a retirement community for elderly folks in the area.

While the years 2020 and 2021 have been met with their fair share of challenges and difficulties, some senior residents have found light at the end of the tunnel. Their living facility’s newest pet has been a beacon of hope and has given plenty of the residents a reason to smile. With her constantly smiling face and upbeat attitude, Gracie has easily become one of the best parts of the day for a handful of residents at the nursing home.

Living away from your loved ones can be challenging, especially during unprecedented times, which was exactly why Gracie was introduced to those living at the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, assisted by her owner who works at the nursing home. She was only 3 months old when she first began making regular visits to the retirement facility back in March 2021, and has since become one of the most beloved guests to date, cheering up as many residents as possible along the way.

Back in March 2021, PEOPLE reported that Gracie was a great companion for “those in their golden years of adulthood.” She was brought to the living facility by her owner Pam Stewart, the social services manager of the location in Scotland, South Dakota. The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society posted about the center’s new pet during the same month, and explained that Gracie’s role is to “bring happiness and joy to residents and staff.” Based on this sweet video of the golden retriever and the facility’s residents, it appears that Gracie is doing a fantastic job.

In the video, the golden retriever puppy was seen cuddling up with a handful of residents at the nursing home and making sure to give everyone she came in contact with plenty of love and affection. It seemed like she was a big fan of everyone she met, and the feeling was mutual on the residents’ end, as they never shied away from embracing the happy dog in a sweet embrace or playing with her.

PEOPLE reported that Gracie is always accompanied around the facility by a staff member to ensure that both the puppy and her human friends stay safe. She typically visits around 30 senior citizens each day she accompanies Stewart to work. The residents had previously been faced with sadness back in November 2020, when their facility dog, Hope, passed away. 

“We’ve seen a lot of changes since she’s come,” Stewart told Good Morning America. “We’ve seen a lot of smiles, cuddles. It’s giving them a lot to talk about versus what they’ve seen in the world.” It’s evident that Gracie has become a beam of sunshine for the nursing home residents.

What do you think about this golden retriever puppy cheering up the residents of the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your friends and family, too!