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Writer's pictureJaime Wuillermin

The Heritage Assisted Living welcomes a new resident


THG/Jaime Wuillermin. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940. Above, left: RN Wellness Director Kristen Domenico (left), Activity Director Jessica McClaren (back) and resident Anne Heft

The Heritage Assisted Living is located at 45 US-206 in Hammonton. The facility offers assisted living services to residents originally living in Hammonton, Vineland, Buena Vista Township, Berlin, Winslow, Shamong and other areas of New Jersey. Recently the Heritage has welcomed a new four-legged resident named Tara. Tara is a seven-year-old chocolate Labrador Retriever who has made her way into the hearts of the residents and staff of the Heritage Assisted Living facility.


The facility had been discussing the idea of having a dog for some time and Tara came to them from a local family that needed to relocate out of country and could not bring her along, according to Jessica McClaren, Heritage Assisted Living Activity Director.


The brown lab was welcomed by the staff and residents immediately. Her loud bark lets everyone know when someone arrives and beware of keys jingling because that is a sound that sends Tara into alert mode.


Tara has made herself right at home within the facility and has three beds in different areas (main office, wellness director’s office and activity center) to take a rest during her busy day. She knows not to enter the dining area while residents are eating.


Tara has been a great comfort to the dementia residents when they are overwhelmed.

“She has been a positive influence on the residents with dementia. If we see someone is kind of upset, we bring her up there and it changes them,” Kristin Domenico, RN, Wellness Director at the Heritage, said.


There are about 80 residents currently at the Heritage Assisted Living and they all get visited by Tara throughout the day, according to McClaren.


The staff has noticed that since the arrival of Tara more residents have been out of their rooms and more active in the facility looking for the interaction with the loveable lab, Domenico said.


In addition to a caring living space and numerous activities, the Heritage now provides its residents with additional comfort in the form of a four-legged friend who loves them all unconditionally.


For more information and a virtual tour on the Heritage Assisted Living facility please visit their website at https://heritageassistedlivingnj.com/ .

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