Montpelier, VT -- (SBWire) -- 04/16/2013 --Burlington, Vermont’s Ethan Allen Residence is proving researchers right in their assessment that animals can have a profound impact on health and happiness for seniors. It almost seems as though the wonderful support staff, beautiful surroundings and fantastic amenities are secondary consideration to their residents that get daily love from Cooper, a Chihuahua and Poodle mix.

Cooper comes to work with his owner at Ethan Allen Residence, and has become a symbol of the love, support and comfort that residents feel at the Vermont center for independent living. The unofficial mascot has become a highly therapeutic friend at one of the state’s best senior living communities. Ethan Allen Residence is a level III Residential Care Home with only 30 rooms total, and a high staff-to-resident ratio that is made special by beautiful surroundings, rooms and extensive amenities.

As researchers have shown that pets improve health and happiness, Cooper is one more special standout at an intimate facility that treats residents as individuals while supporting their needs with customized care plans. According to Ethan Allen staffer and Cooper’s owner Lori Leclair, Cooper helps improve cognition among the residents, many of whom are experiencing the frustrations of memory loss.

“We don’t know for sure why pets have such a profound impact on healing, health and happiness,” said Leclair. “Ultimately, all that matters is that he helps the residents stay happy, healthy and looking forward to every new day, which is what we all strive to do at Ethan Allen.”

As a gem among Vermont retirement communities, Ethan Allen Residence provides an intimate and engaging community where all of the needs of each resident are met, including laundry, meals, housekeeping, memory care, and medication management to name just a few. Since 1987, they have served hundreds of wonderful residents and developed an unsurpassed reputation of dignity and compassion.

The customized and comprehensive care plans include complete nursing assessments, medication management, fulfillment of prescribed treatments and much more. Residents keep their own local primary care physician, and communication with doctors and families is an ongoing priority. Residents are also assisted with medical appointment scheduling and transportation escorting.

With independence, safety and compassion prioritized, the assisted living Vermont residents can enjoy the many amenities, spacious rooms and beautiful surroundings at their leisure. A wide variety of Vermont senior housing activities and opportunities are far too numerous to mention individually. However, an on-site activities director maintains a full activities calendar weekly with weekends flexible for family visits.

Set in a quiet residential street in the “New” North End, Ethan Allen Residence is minutes away from shopping, walking trails, and downtown Burlington, Vermont – one of America’s most livable cities. While the staff provides an overflow of TLC, Cooper is on hand most days to show everyone how it is done. For more information, please visit http://www.ethanallenresidence.com/

About Ethan Allen Residence
The Burlington, Vermont level III Residential Care Home provides just 30 rooms, an extensive staff, and an overflow of amenities and activities to provide an intimate and engaging community where all needs are met. These include laundry, meals, housekeeping, memory care, and medication management among others. Since 1987, they have served hundreds of wonderful residents and developed an unsurpassed reputation of dignity and compassion.