Volunteer Spotlight: Nancy Kelso and Coco Chanel

Nancy Kelso, a pet therapy volunteer, and her adorable Havanese, Coco Chanel, kick off our new volunteer and staff spotlight series. Kelso and Coco chatted about their background, their favorite memories from volunteering at the Dementia Care and Education Campus, and the importance of volunteerism.

Kelso and Coco first met three years ago when Coco’s previous owner passed away. Kelso and her husband were originally hesitant to take Coco in, but they fell in love with her at first sight and flew to California to retrieve her. Coco quickly transitioned from being “an inside dog her whole life” to being a therapy dog — a natural. According to Kelso, Coco’s dog trainer said, “she needs to be a therapy dog. She's just so gentle and sweet, calm." Coco went from having almost no socialization to being a therapy dog who is incredible at helping and comforting others.

“[Coco is] a people's dog. When I take her on walks, she doesn't know what other animals are, what the other dogs are. She doesn't know what a bird is, or a squirrel,” Kelso said. “She doesn't chase, she just looks at them. Every other dog I've ever had chased squirrels and rabbits and birds. She just looks and carries on. She loves people. That's the only other animal she's interested in.”

Kelso and Coco became acquainted with Hospice of the Valley’s Dementia Care and Education Campus because “the person who helped train … and vetted Coco to be a therapy dog” was already a volunteer at Hospice of the Valley. Kelso originally thought that she wouldn’t be able to volunteer with dementia patients, as she “thought there would be too much sadness.” However, during their visits, Kelso never feels sad. She says, “When I come here, we are both joyful. I'm so happy because Coco's so happy. She was meant for this. And it is the joy. I never feel sad when I'm here, ever. And I don't think Coco does either.”

Pet therapy volunteer Nancy Kelso with her pet Coco Chanel.

Volunteering to visit people living with dementia can be incredibly fulfilling and full of joy for both parties. People with dementia are just like anyone else - they just need some extra assistance in their lives. They experience such happiness when Coco comes to visit. Kelso sees the light in peoples' eyes when she walks into a room. “They want to hug and pet her — it just brightens everyone, and it makes me happy."

There is scientific proof that interactions between dogs and people with dementia actually improve quality of life. According to research conducted by BMC Psychiatry, dog therapy can contribute to "slightly higher physical activity," relieve "sundown syndrome" (a condition that can cause pacing, paranoia and confusion), improve short-term memory and eating habits, and decrease loneliness.

Nancy's unwavering dedication to volunteering at the Dementia Campus, along with Coco's gentle temperament and natural ability to bring joy, exemplifies the beauty of human-animal interactions with patients with dementia. There exist boundless opportunities for joy and empathy.

Hospice of the Valley's Dementia Care and Education Campus eagerly welcomes new volunteers who would like to make the difference in the lives of people living with dementia. Learn more about our volunteer opportunities.

Written by the ASU Cronkite Agency