Walter the ‘Paramount Pug’ brings joy to nursing home residents
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
Sir Walter the “Paramount Pug” is a friend to residents at Paramount Senior Living in Peters Township.
Photos: Jon Andreassi/The Almanac
Residents at Paramount Senior Living visit with Walter the pug, pictured in the center.
At Paramount Senior Living in Peters Township, a four-legged friend has become an honorary neighbor among the residents.
That would be Sir Walter, the “Paramount Pug.” The 7-month-old pup belongs to Sarah Ward, the facility’s activities director. Ward began bringing Walter around earlier this year, much to the delight of residents.
“We just kind of brought him. I was like, ‘Hey, everybody, here’s my puppy!’ And he just is perfect,” Ward said.
Walter has his routines with different residents. He can be playful, be raring for a walk or content to simply lie in someone’s lap for a while.
“He just brings joy to them,” Ward said. “A lot of them will sit back and start remembering when they had dogs.”
Resident Patricia Christner is one of the fans of Walter’s visits, and both get their daily exercise whenever he comes around.
“Walter and I go for a walk in the morning, and he loves running through the grass, and I run after him. I really enjoy him,” Christner said.
Clara Hayes is a big animal lover, and is always willing to take Walter off of Ward’s hands when she gets too busy with her duties as activities director.
“Sometimes when (Ward) gets very crowded or anxious and she sees me, she’ll say, ‘Will you you walk or just keep Walter for a while?’ That’s the delight of my day,” Hayes said.
Walter is not just a joy for the residents at Paramount Senior Living, located at 240 Cedar Hill Drive.
Walter has been helpful in keeping families close, according to Ward.
“He also is just so great to foster relationships between family members that come in as well. It’s just a way for people to spend time together,” she said.
Marilyn Sherman’s great-grandchildren are always happy to visit with Walter.
“They made pictures of Walter and put them on the refrigerator. They were excited,” Sherman said. “I love it.”
Some residents, however, do not necessarily have family to come spend time with them. Ward explained that Walter fills a void for them.
“He’s definitely a comfort for a lot of them. Some of them are very lonely,” Ward said. “To sit and be able to hold Walter for an hour is huge.”