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Every Saturday two costumed golden retrievers bring joy to Sun City care facility

For about 13 years, Sheila Joyce and her golden retrievers have been visiting residents at a senior care facility in Sun City. They're visits, she said, that are full of memories.

It's a weekly visit full of smiles, laughter and lots (AND LOTS) of loving pets for 7-year-old Willow and 6-year-old Charlie.

The two golden retrievers, adopted from Arizona Golden Rescue, are the furkids of Sheila Joyce, a Valley woman with a big heart. Even through an email exchange, it's easy to see where Willow and Charlie get their kind nature from, something residents at a senior care facility in Sun City have come to enjoy.

For about 13 years, Sheila Joyce and her goldens have been visiting the care facility. They go every Saturday, Sheila said.

Sheila and her pups are regulars at the facility's Alzheimer's building and the health care building where they visit, as Sheila refers to them, all of their friends. Before Willow and Charlie there was Bear, Sandy, McKenna, Holly Lujah and Tessa.

It started with Bear and Sandy when they were first receiving obedience training. Sheila said the people she was training with had a certified therapy dog and would visit a senior care facility. Seeing that Sheila was interested in doing that too, they helped Bear and Sandy pass the therapy dog test.

It all unfolded into something beautiful from there.

"I have always called it a God Thing as each thing fell into place and was on the road not knowing the end result," Sheila said.

Sheila said when she started the visits she felt like it was honoring her father, who had just passed away and loved dogs so much.

"As we began the visits, I fell in love with the people we would see each week and I was completely blown away by the profound effect my dogs were having on our friends," she said. "Our friends who are not even suppose to remember much anymore are so happy to see them and laugh and chat and tell the dogs their troubles and almost always they remember their names."

Sheila recalled a time when one of her goldens, Holly, met a new resident at the facility. She remembered how the man's daughter was visiting and was "obviously so very sad" because he couldn't communicate.

"When Holly came over she put her head in his lap and I rested his hand on top of her head. It was that familiar feel of fur. His hand began to move slightly to pet her and it was not a conscious thing," she said, "and then soon you could see his eyes get a spark in them and pretty soon he was petting that beautiful dog fur. His daughter was crying because for that moment her dad was back."

Sheila said a resident of the facility could be very frantic and confused, but as soon as they see Charlie or Willow they "change the channel."

"They snap out of it and you can see the anxiety wash away as they stroke the dogs and talk to them," Sheila said.

But it's not just a change in the residents that's noticeable.

"All of my goldens have had this wild streak at home and the second we walk through the doors they would change," she said. "They will walk up and wag and put their head on someone's lap and just smile."

And the golden fur, smiling faces and wagging tails are hard to miss at the Sun City facility, especially since Willow and Charlie almost always wear precious outfits. "Rufferee," Christmas, cowboys, Easter bunnies, "crazy" New Years attire, you name it, and Charlie and Willow have probably worn the costume.

Sheila said her daughters were in dance and she still has all of the recital costumes, which she can grab pieces from.

On Saturday, Sheila and her furkids borrowed a bridal gown and tuxedo from a friend, which was perfect for the royal wedding.

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"Usually when we visit our friends it is just a happy time with beautiful Willow and Charlie as they are dressed up in some outfit or bandana or hat," Sheila said. "It is a happy time with laughter and conversation and promises to see them next week!"

And it's always a "see you next week," because it doesn't look like Sheila will be changing her Saturday plans any time soon. Every visit, she said, is full of memories.

"Over the years there are so many memories of precious friends and then the next new friends and then the next. Each room is full of memories," Sheila said.

They're memories she cherishes right along with all of her beautiful furbabies.

"Five of my goldens have passed away that have done hundreds of visits. I always think of the amazing greeting they got when they entered heaven," she said. "They gave and give so much love and then they get it back."

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