Byline: Susan Nest

Once a week, a little girl, her grandmother and a dog visit residents at Coleman House, a senior care residence, in Northboro.

Zoe Wolfus, 4, of Shrewsbury, is following in the footsteps of her grandmother, Shirley Pierce of Shrewsbury.

"Shirley's

Coleman House is an assisted living facility, which specializes in memory loss, according to Brenda Warren, who is a nurse there.

Zoe, Pierce and Frankie, who is a therapy dog, visit patients who have been diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

"I think I get more out of it than they do," Pierce said. "Many times, I've left here crying."

Zoe, who is a prekindergarten student at Lilliput Early Childhood Center, in Shrewsbury, began to accompany Pierce and Frankie to Coleman House approximately six months ago.

"She knew I came with the dog and she asked if she could come with me," Pierce said. "She was quiet when she came (at first). She sat in my lap and just watched. Then she started singing. Now, she asks when Thursday's going to come."

Zoe, who calls the female residents "the girls," is serious about volunteering, even to the point of turning down a trip to a fair with her parents.

"She said she couldn't go because she had to go to Coleman House," Pierce said.

It's obvious that Zoe, Pierce and Frankie each have special qualities they share with the patients and staff at Coleman House during their weekly, hour-long visits.

Zoe helps serve cookies, sings and talks to each resident.

"We call her princess," said Snyder, who said Warren brought her a crown.

Recently, Zoe sang to the residents, "Goodnight Sweetheart" - complete with the "do-do-do-dos," "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," and an ABC rhyme she learned "when I was littler; I was just 3."

She said the best part about coming to Coleman House is "being a volunteer and giving cookies to Frankie."

Frankie, a chocolate Labrador, who wears a tag that identifies him as a therapy dog, received his training through Therapy Dog International, at Shrewsbury Nursing Home.

To qualify as a therapy dog, he had to learn to ride an elevator, be on a leash and not pull, have his ear and tail touched by a trainer and not turn, and be gentle, according to Pierce.

He can charm even those who are initially afraid of dogs.

"We have one of the staff, Raquel Conti, who was afraid of dogs," Snyder said. "She came to the door and we told her to pat (Frankie). When (Pierce and Zoe) were leaving, we couldn't find him. He was sitting in her lap. We both were crying."

Snyder said everybody likes Frankie.

"He comes running down the corridor (at Coleman House) and runs in this room (where the residents are)," Snyder said.

Frankie has formed a special attachment with resident Maria D'Amici, who feeds Frankie cookies.

"He goes looking for Maria if she's not here," Pierce said.

Frankie puts his all into the visits.

"He'll go home today and he's done," Pierce said. "He'll nap for the rest of the day."

ART: PHOTO

PHOTOG: Record photo/SUSAN NEST

CUTLINE: Zoe Wolfus, 3, of Shrewsbury, and Natalie Sroga of Northboro, visit at Coleman House.