Charleston Archives

The Dog Days of Summer: Meet the NHC Therapy Dogs

AdamsPlace, Anderson, Anniston, Athens, Bluffton, Bristol, Buckley, Cavette Hill, Charleston, Chattanooga, Clinton, Colonial Hill, Columbia, Cookeville, Desloge, Dickson, Epsom, Fort Oglethorpe, Franklin, Ft Sanders, Garden City, Glasgow, Greenville, Greenwood, Heartland ALF, Heartland Independent, Hendersonville, Holston, Holyoke, John Adams, Johnson City, Joplin, Kennett, Kingsport, Knoxville, Lake St. Charles, Lakeshore Heartland, Laurens, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg, Lexington, Longmeadow, Macon, Maple Leaf, Maryland Heights, Mauldin, Maury Regional, McMinnville, Meadows ALF, Meadows Independent, Milan, Moulton, Murfreesboro, NHC Place Anniston, NHC Place at the Trace, NHC Place at the Trace ALF, NHC Place Cool Springs, NHC Place Cool Springs ALF, NHC Place Farragut, NHC Place Farragut ALF, NHC Place Sumner, NHC Place Sumner ALF, North Augusta, Oak Ridge, Oakwood, Osage Beach, Palmettos of Bluffton, Palmettos of Charleston, Palmettos of Garden City, Palmettos of Mauldin, Palmettos of Parklane, Parklane, Parkwood, Pulaski, Richland Place, Rossville, Scott, Sequatchie, Smithville, Somerville, Sparta, Springfield, Springfield Rehabilitation, St. Charles, Sumter, The Meadows, Town and Country, Tullahoma, Villa Crest, Villa Crest ALF, Villages of Jackson Creek, Villages of Jackson Creek Memory Care, Villages of St. Peters, Villages of St. Peters Memory Care, West Meade Place, West Plains

You might see Dodger offering cuddles and play time at Villages of Jackson Creek

We work hard to celebrate all of the amazing patients, partners, and family members who make up our centers. But there’s another group you may not know about that brings love, friendship, and wellness to our NHC community: the NHC dogs.

Whether patients are visiting us for a short stay or living full-time in one of our long-term care centers, these furry friends help patients feel at home and remind them that they’re not alone. It’s no surprise, then, that therapy dogs are proven to reduce depression and anxiety for many of the people who interact with them.

Mia is always willing to visit patients who need a friend at NHC Cookeville

Beyond the emotional benefits, did you know that dogs can also help people heal faster from an injury or illness? Some of the dogs you might see around your center are “facility therapy dogs” or “animal assisted therapy dogs.” These dogs are trained to work with a physical or occupational therapist to help patients with a variety of exercises, movements, and tasks.

We even find that our “therapeutic visitation dogs” — who are mostly there to offer emotional support — bring a playful energy that encourages patients who are able to be more active and engaged.

Millie Wigglebottom helped NHC McMinnville patients celebrate the Fourth of July

It’s not uncommon to find a patient who’s hesitant to mingle with their peers coming out of their room to join the fun when one of our dog friends arrives for a visit. And if they’re unable to leave their bed, our visitation dogs are always willing to drop by their room for some one-on-one attention and cuddles.

Keep an eye out for a friendly therapy dog the next time you visit one of our centers, and don’t be afraid to give them some love!

NHC Celebrates 50 Years of Caring

AdamsPlace, Anderson, Anniston, Athens, Bluffton, Bristol, Buckley, Cavette Hill, Charleston, Chattanooga, Clinton, Colonial Hill, Columbia, Cookeville, Desloge, Dickson, Epsom, Fort Oglethorpe, Franklin, Ft Sanders, Garden City, Glasgow, Greenville, Greenwood, Heartland ALF, Heartland Independent, Hendersonville, Holston, Holyoke, John Adams, Johnson City, Joplin, Kennett, Kingsport, Knoxville, Lake St. Charles, Lakeshore Heartland, Laurens, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg, Lexington, Longmeadow, Macon, Maple Leaf, Maryland Heights, Mauldin, Maury Regional, McMinnville, Meadows ALF, Meadows Independent, Milan, Moulton, Murfreesboro, NHC Place Anniston, NHC Place at the Trace, NHC Place at the Trace ALF, NHC Place Cool Springs, NHC Place Cool Springs ALF, NHC Place Farragut, NHC Place Farragut ALF, NHC Place Sumner, NHC Place Sumner ALF, North Augusta, Oak Ridge, Oakwood, Osage Beach, Palmettos of Bluffton, Palmettos of Charleston, Palmettos of Garden City, Palmettos of Mauldin, Palmettos of Parklane, Parklane, Parkwood, Pulaski, Richland Place, Rossville, Scott, Sequatchie, Smithville, Somerville, Sparta, Springfield, Springfield Rehabilitation, St. Charles, Sumter, The Meadows, Town and Country, Tullahoma, Villa Crest, Villa Crest ALF, Villages of Jackson Creek, Villages of Jackson Creek Memory Care, Villages of St. Peters, Villages of St. Peters Memory Care, West Meade Place, West Plains

NHC is proudly celebrating its 50^th anniversary. Since 1971, NHC has developed a comprehensive continuum of care to continue to meet the healthcare needs of seniors in communities across ten states.

Dr. Carl Adams founded NHC in 1971 with a vision to create high quality healthcare specifically for seniors starting with 14 skilled nursing centers. Dr. Adams dreamed to create a campus concept that offered in-house services for seniors as they age with different needs much like the continuing care retirement communities today. Now with nearly 14,000 NHC partners (employees) across ten states, NHC provides care to thousands of seniors each day.

“Our key to success over the past 50 years is bringing talents from all different disciplines together to deliver the best quality care for our patients, residents, and their families,” said Steve Flatt, chief executive officer of NHC. “As a leader in senior care, NHC has developed the most comprehensive continuum of care. We provide skilled nursing, rehabilitation, long-term care, home care, assisted living, memory care, hospice, and inpatient geriatric psychiatric services. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide care in a better way for the past 50 years.”

Please take a moment to view this short message from Steve Flatt reflecting on NHC’s 50 years of caring.