Meet Lawton, the new staff member with Eastern Plumas Healthcare. Lawton is a little over a year old and started his career as a trained guide dog for the blind, but due to his chronic urge to lay around, he made a career switch April 24 to become the therapy dog at EPHC’s Portola and Loyalton skilled nursing facilities after his predecessor, Cider, passed away a year ago. Welcome to EPHC, Lawton! Photo by Lauren Westmoreland
LSNF resident Jarmila Kresta hugs Lawton on his first day in Loyalton, and residents look forward to many more. “The residents just adore him,” said EPHC staff member Debbie Gilmer. “He goes back and forth between the Portola SNF and Loyalton SNF with me, because I’m his person. The best thing is not only how mellow Lawton is, but also the fact that he just seems to know who really needs to be with him the most — he just wanders into various rooms, visiting and getting loved on, before he’ll just settle down and nap.” Photo submitted by Debbie Gilmer