During the fall of 2022, Associate Public Guardian Susan Mitchell in Omaha identified the potential benefit of therapeutic visitation dogs for her wards residing in residential facilities such as nursing homes. Several of APG Mitchell’s wards lived in the same facility, who did not have a therapy dog. Pet therapy is a low-stimulation activity that can result in reduced anxiety, pain, fatigue, fear, isolation, stress, and loneliness. APG Mitchell worked with the facility to get her dog, Buddy, approved as a therapy dog for the facility.

The Office of Public Guardian’s Associate Public Guardians work hard to identify solutions to some of the toughest life problems faced by their wards. This is just one example of how our staff go above and beyond daily to meet people’s needs.

Photo: APG Mitchell’s dog, Buddy, poses with a resident of an Omaha area nursing home, after Buddy became an approved therapy dog for the facility.