By Richard Dagenais, SAPA Communications Specialist
Maureen Murphy loves competition.
The 25-year-old forward for the Montreal Victoire of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) also loves making a difference in peoples’ lives.
She has help: Enter her loveable dachshund, Bean.
Every Tuesday, between practices, games and team travel, Ms. Murphy and Bean make time to visit residents at Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre.
Many residents are playing bingo on Tuesdays when Ms. Murphy and Bean are visiting, but Ruth Miller doesn’t mind interrupting her game, “I’m happy to stop bingo, and why not, they’re special visitors.”
Ms. Murphy, who grew up in Buffalo, N.Y., says it’s important for her to get involved in the community outside the rink.
That’s music to the ears of Patti Derstenfeld, Coordinator of Volunteer Services at Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre. She says the time and energy given by volunteers like Ms. Murphy are invaluable to the well-being of residents.
“When volunteers such as Maureen give their time and energy to volunteer in our centre, it reminds our residents that they matter, that someone is interested in what they have to say and wants to spend time with them.”
Patti Derstenfeld, Coordinator of Volunteer Services, Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre
That’s worth everything.
After the 2023-24 season, Ms. Murphy was honoured with the PWHL Hockey for All Award for her leadership and positive change in the community.
Along with her professional hockey commitments, she is completing a law degree and is scheduled to graduate from Northeastern University in May, 2027.
Most residents are excited when they see Bean and they often talk about the dogs or cats they have at home, or used to have in their lives, explains Ms. Murphy. “Mostly, there are a lot of smiles when we visit, which is the point of pet therapy.”
Ms. Derstenfeld says the visits by Ms. Murphy and her dog bring warmth and brighten up the residents’ day. “Having a dog along for the visit adds a level of normalization to the clinical long-term care environment for staff, family and residents alike, who will often approach and want to engage with them both. You can see by all the smiles that it creates a happy feeling on the unit.”
Ms. Murphy says that when she or her father bring their family dog to visit her 92-year-old grandmother, who lives in a long-term care residence in New Hampshire, it brightens her day. “I hope someone is doing this for my grandmother.”
Ms. Miller enjoys spending time with Ms. Murphy and the dog she brings. One recent day, Ms. Murphy visited with Cody, a teammate`s dog, to Ms. Miller’s delight. “I feel good just to look at his little face. He’s so soft and he doesn’t move away from you when you pet him, it’s like holding a baby.”
Ms. Murphy points out that anyone with a dog can get in touch with volunteer services and, once their animal undergoes a temperament test, they can give a little of their time to people living in long-term care residences.
Ms. Murphy says: “It’s given my life a lot of purpose outside the rink.”
Anyone interested in doing volunteer visits with their dog can email Ms. Derstenfeld at patti.derstenfeld@ssss.gouv.qc.ca