NOTE: The names of the residents referred to in in this article are fictitious.

The plan was made over a week ago to visit three bed-ridden people at The Lakewood Meridian. When we arrived, we were told two of them had passed away. One was still there, a man named "Mike," who is in hospice care.

Mike was in his room in a wheel chair. Wheel chairs are not easy for Jewel, and I had to hold her fanny on his lap because she almost slid off. She is a long-backed dog, and cannot curl up on laps like other small dogs. She was not as antsy as she sometimes gets on wheelchair laps. For about fifteen minutes, Mike and I had a nice discussion about dogs he has owned and his Colorado land. He seemed to enjoy having Jewel on his lap. He pet her and played a little with her ears. I told him goodbye and we went on to visit somebody else at the Meridian.

The next visit was with a woman named "Elizabeth," who really loves dogs, and Jewel seemed to sense it right away. Jewel has sat on her lap before. She likes to give Elizabeth kisses, although I try to discourage it. She told me about having dogs of all kinds, usually whatever kind showed up at the house. Jewel and I spent about ten minutes with Elizabeth in a common area of the facility.

The Activity Director, Anne, led us to one other woman who has some trouble communicating. I can't remember her name, but she was not interested in having Jewel on her lap, but appeared interested in petting her. I bent over and held the dog while Anne and I talked with the lady for about five minutes.

I attached a photo of Jewel and "Elizabeth."