Joy is the therapy pet in-training for the Hospice Care Plus Compassionate Care Center.
We’re happy to introduce you to the newest member of the Hospice Care Plus family: Joy, a golden retriever, was born on Tuesday, September 6, to proud parents Zach and Tillie (also golden retrievers). Zach and Tillie’s human is a Madison County resident who trains therapy pets. She has donated her services to train both therapy pets that have served full-time at the Compassionate Care Center since 2008: Annie and Coco.
Thus far, the trainer has always chosen rescue pets to train for us: strays or dogs at animal shelters who pass her initial screening as potential therapy pets. Annie was an abandoned mixed-breed (mostly Golden Retriever). The trainer felt she had great potential as a therapy pet, and offered to donate months of room, board, and training. Annie joined the staff at the Compassionate Care Center before it even opened its doors. She served as therapy pet until her retirement in 2011, and is considered by our staff and hundreds of patients and families to have been the quintessential therapy pet: compassionate, tender, attentive, with a mysterious ability to know when she was needed most.
Finding another therapy pet as gifted as Annie proved to be a challenge. Several began the training process, but were not able to complete it for various reasons. Then, Coco came along. A rescued, chocolate Labrador Retriever, Coco was obedient and pleasant. She served as our therapy pet until her retirement in 2014.
Since that time, the trainer has attempted to train multiple rescues who, in the end, just weren’t up to the task. Then, months ago, she came to us with an incredibly generous (and brilliant) idea: since our best therapy pet so far was a golden retriever, what if she bred her two goldens, Zach and Tillie, and selected the most promising therapy-puppy for us? We were thrilled. Not having a therapy pet at the Compassionate Care Center made it feel like something special was missing. Plus, the trainer’s willingness to donate the puppy plus room, board, and training for a full year meant that it would affordable for us.
At some point soon, Joy will begin making periodic visits to the Compassionate Care Center. The visits will increase in frequency as she gets older. The trainer estimates that Joy will begin living full-time at the Center when she’s around 12 months old. She’ll have one or two close friends (some of our staff) who will take her home for two- and three-day periods every week or so, so that she can rest and play.
Once she begins her therapy-pet work at the Center, she’ll do what both Annie and Coco did for patients, families, and staff: visit rooms; rest her head on the bed so patients can reach her; comfort anyone who seems a little down; make rounds with Dr. Budeiri, our chief medical director; and take care of our staff, who always enjoy a good cuddle. She may also make appearances when we speak or have information booths in the community.
Watch the Hospice Care Plus Facebook page for more news and updates about Joy, and join us in welcoming her to our hospice family!
Hospice Care Plus empowers those we serve to enjoy the highest quality of life, respecting their values, beliefs, needs, and goals through specialized care, education, resources, and grief support.
Our Service Area:
Our Home Hospice and Home Palliative Care programs serve you, wherever you call home, in the Kentucky counties of Estill, Jackson, Lee, Madison, Owsley, and Rockcastle.
Our inpatient care facility, the Compassionate Care Center, and administrative offices are located in Richmond, Kentucky.
Recent News:
Rockin’ Derby Eve Benefit Friday May 2
News & Events

Join our Volunteer Team: Feb. 25!
Hospice Care Plus is hosting a training for new volunteers on Sat., Feb. 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at our Compassionate Care Center in Richmond. The training is for individuals who would like to help provide care and support to individuals, caregivers, and families. It’s open to adults and teens age 14 and…

Lemetta Dause Bowling Tourney Feb. 5
The 6th annual Lemetta Dause Memorial Bowling Tournament is set for Sunday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. at Galaxy Bowling Center in Richmond. The tournament is organized by the Madison County Bowling Association and the Madison County Women’s Bowling Association in memory of Mrs. Dause, who was cared for by Hospice Care Plus. All proceeds…

2016 Staff Award Winners
At our annual dinner on Tuesday, December 13, we were proud to honor several staff members for outstanding performance and for length of service. Please join us in congratulating the following staff members on their well-deserved awards. 2016 Award Winners Synergy Award: Hospice Home Program Nursing Assistants (Chelsea Shearer, Christal Isaacs, Connie Kates, Dianna Moore, Felicia…

2016 Above & Beyond Award Winners
Hospice Care Plus presented four Above and Beyond awards at its 2016 annual dinner on December 13. This year’s recipients are: Hogg Rentals, Berea Madison County EMS, Richmond Marcum and Wallace Memorial Hospital, Irvine Rockcastle Pediatrics, Mt. Vernon The awards are given each year to civic groups, non-profits, churches, businesses or other organizations that go…