As the founder of Edwards Elder Law, Stephanie M. Edwards has spent years providing seniors and their families with the legal services needed to address immediate care concerns, proactively plan for the future, and cope during times of crisis. During that time, she has listened as innumerable clients expressed concern about what would happen to their cat or dog if they lost the ability to care for their beloved furry family. Too often, this concern led seniors to give up their pets before it was necessary or to avoid adopting altogether. Understanding the “nurturing power of pets, especially for those of us who live alone,” Edwards launched Caregivers PAWS Connection, Inc in 2020.
The mission of this Pinellas County based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is “to educate the public on the healing and nurturing power of animals for family-member caregivers and their senior loved one and to provide resources that allow caregivers and their senior loved ones to care for their current pet or to adopt new ones.” Seniors often face more challenges than younger pet owners. Agerelated conditions as well as illnesses or accidents can lead to physical or cognitive impairment. In addition, seniors can lack the financial resources or the social network necessary to take care of their pets. Caregiver PAWS Connection offers possible solutions for residents of Pinellas County.
Resource Directory
Sometimes a senior may just need some short-term support or a little extra help. Perhaps they are recovering from an illness or accident, and it’s difficult to walk their puppy, empty the litter box, or open up a can of pet food. Maybe driving is a hardship, and they don’t want their furry family to miss a veterinarian visit or a trip to the groomer. To help address a wide variety of these many temporary needs, Caregiver PAWS Connection is putting together a directory of resources for Pinellas County residents. With the help of a generous grant from AARP Tampa Bay, the goal is to have this directory online at www.caregiverpaws.org by early 2022.
Furry Godparent Program
The real heart of Caregiver PAWS Connection, Inc. is the Furry Godparent Program (FGP). Inspired by a sweet kitty named Laurel, FGP’s goal is to help find homes for the cats and dogs who potentially find themselves homeless because their senior owner is no longer able to care for them. Laurel was lucky. With the help of a few “godmothers,” she found a new home, but not every senior has such a network. FGP aims to fill that gap. When seniors are no longer able to care for their pets, FGP and its partner, the Friends of Strays no-kill animal shelter, find loving situations for the beloved pets. Currently FGP is a pilot program offered through a partnering group of Pinellas County senior retirement communities and churches. There’s no cost to the partnering retirement communities or churches. They simply need to provide a willing volunteer FGP coordinator. FGP’s goal is to add more senior communities and congregations as partners in 2022.
For information, email [email protected] or call (727) 371-1741.
