Our Founder & DIRECTOR
Dr. Blake Randell
Committed to Upholding our Guiding Principles of
Uniqueness, Innovation, Kindness, & Compassion
His inspiration is, and will continue to be, his grandfather Robert Randell, who founded the Irving and Phyllis Millstein Foundation for Animal Welfare in 2018 when he was 88 years old.
He often told him “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” which (according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary) means that “It is worth doing something because one might succeed even though success is not certain” while he was completing his Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program.
He started saying it to himself while he was completing his OTD program during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after his grandfather unfortunately passed away as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 when he was 91 years old, he began saying it to others as well.
He can still remember, and will never forget, "Tilly" (a pseudonym) who experienced a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) that he evaluated during one of his "Level 2 Fieldwork" rotations as if it was yesterday. Tilly could only respond "Yes" or "No" (by nodding her head up and down or shaking her head side to side, respectively) to his questions; however, she "Couldn’t stop crying”, which is why she was reassigned to the acute psychiatric unit where he was assigned.
He first asked Tilly if she lives alone and she responded "No". He then asked her if she lives with a family member or friend and she responded "No" again. And he then asked if she lives with a cat or a dog and she gasped (out of astonishment) before responding "Yes" then finally stopped crying.
He was the first person to find out that Tilly had a cat after it had already been a few days since she was admitted to the hospital. He told her case manager right away, and they said they would call the animal control office of the police department to relinquish her cat to the nearest animal shelter. He quickly told them that they should not do that because she will lose her motivation to go back home if her cat is not there. They thought he was kidding and laughed and, once they realized that he was serious, they told him to tell Tilly to “Just rip off the band-aid” and "Stop worrying about her cat". They thought this would help her to focus on regaining her independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) and return home.
However, to the surprise (or even shock) of what seemed like everyone else on her case, Tilly refused to participate in anymore occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and other services. She ended up being recommended for discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF). And he later found out that Tilly's cat was euthanized at the animal shelter as her cat must've lost her will to live as well.
He believed (and still believes) that this heartbreaking, and gut-wrenching, situation could have been prevented. So, he felt ethically, and morally, obligated to start pioneering the role of occupational therapy in this instrumental activity of daily living (or “IADL”) among older adults and disabled adults since it is clearly often forgotten, or even neglected, to be addressed among those who serve these vulnerable populations. Since 2023, he has been creating and providing services which would have prevented Tilly from relinquishing her cat who meant absolutely everything to her. And he has been dedicated to preventing others in similar circumstances from relinquishing their cats and/or dogs who also mean absolutely everything to them.
He often told him “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” which (according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary) means that “It is worth doing something because one might succeed even though success is not certain” while he was completing his Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program.
He started saying it to himself while he was completing his OTD program during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after his grandfather unfortunately passed away as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 when he was 91 years old, he began saying it to others as well.
He can still remember, and will never forget, "Tilly" (a pseudonym) who experienced a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) that he evaluated during one of his "Level 2 Fieldwork" rotations as if it was yesterday. Tilly could only respond "Yes" or "No" (by nodding her head up and down or shaking her head side to side, respectively) to his questions; however, she "Couldn’t stop crying”, which is why she was reassigned to the acute psychiatric unit where he was assigned.
He first asked Tilly if she lives alone and she responded "No". He then asked her if she lives with a family member or friend and she responded "No" again. And he then asked if she lives with a cat or a dog and she gasped (out of astonishment) before responding "Yes" then finally stopped crying.
He was the first person to find out that Tilly had a cat after it had already been a few days since she was admitted to the hospital. He told her case manager right away, and they said they would call the animal control office of the police department to relinquish her cat to the nearest animal shelter. He quickly told them that they should not do that because she will lose her motivation to go back home if her cat is not there. They thought he was kidding and laughed and, once they realized that he was serious, they told him to tell Tilly to “Just rip off the band-aid” and "Stop worrying about her cat". They thought this would help her to focus on regaining her independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) and return home.
However, to the surprise (or even shock) of what seemed like everyone else on her case, Tilly refused to participate in anymore occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and other services. She ended up being recommended for discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF). And he later found out that Tilly's cat was euthanized at the animal shelter as her cat must've lost her will to live as well.
He believed (and still believes) that this heartbreaking, and gut-wrenching, situation could have been prevented. So, he felt ethically, and morally, obligated to start pioneering the role of occupational therapy in this instrumental activity of daily living (or “IADL”) among older adults and disabled adults since it is clearly often forgotten, or even neglected, to be addressed among those who serve these vulnerable populations. Since 2023, he has been creating and providing services which would have prevented Tilly from relinquishing her cat who meant absolutely everything to her. And he has been dedicated to preventing others in similar circumstances from relinquishing their cats and/or dogs who also mean absolutely everything to them.
Our ASSISTANT Director
Damaris Jacques
Committed to Upholding our Guiding Principles of
Purposefulness & Determination
After moving out-of-state after graduating from college, she started volunteering for an animal rescue. At the time, she was unable to have a cat of her own, so she decided that the next best thing was taking care of shelter cats. It was through the animal rescue that she was introduced to Violet (also a pseudonym), who was an older woman residing in an assisted living facility with dementia and schizoaffective disorder with frequent auditory and visual hallucinations. She also had increasingly limited functional mobility due to progressively worsening osteoarthritis in both her upper and lower extremities.
Violet desperately needed help taking care of her two cats, Artichoke and Ollie, who she affectionately referred to as “The boys”. While she was initially just going to help Violet with administering insulin to Artichoke (to help manage his diabetes) and other important tasks relating to him and Ollie, she started to keep Violet company and they slowly, but surely, became friends through their mutual love of cats.
During the year or so she spent with Violet, she knew it was obvious that Artichoke and Ollie meant the world to her. Following every discharge from the hospital which kept increasing in frequency and duration, Violet would come home and announce to the boys, “It’s okay, I’m back.” Ollie would play the role of nurse and follow Violet around her apartment, only to leave her side when he knew Damaris had arrived and was staying to watch over Violet. Artichoke would sit on her couch and stare at Violet while loudly purring, as if to say, “I’m so happy you’re home.”
In addition to taking care of the boys during hospital stays, she also visited Violet in the hospital on a weekly basis and brought her pictures and videos of Artichoke and Ollie. These seemingly simple things were precious moments that lifted Violet’s spirits, and encouraged her follow her doctors’ orders so she could return home to her boys. During one particularly long hospital stay, one of her nurses was trying to connect with Violet in a meaningful way. Upon learning that Violet had cats, the nurse (who was equally obsessed with her own cat) started to share her own cat-related stories, which always brightened Violet’s otherwise dull days.
She would go on to adopt the boys - with admiration and without hesitation - after Violet sadly passed away in November 2023. Her experience with Violet and her love for cats and dogs (as well as all other animals) led her to connect with Dr. Blake Randell, and she is so excited to continue to advocate for older adults and their furry best friends who are in similar situations.
Our supervisor of ARTS
Jasper Cross
Committed to Upholding our Guiding Principles of
Meaningfulness & Expression
He first met Dr. Blake Randell while he was taking his course in Spring 2024. One of his assignments was to draw around a half a dozen portraits of pets and then hand-deliver them to residents of independent and assisted living facilities. Most (if not all) of those who received them were immediately brought to tears, and that was the moment that he and Dr. Blake Randell realized (as they too were brought to tears) how important and valuable incorporating art into this service is. Taking care of his cats has always been the "catalyst" for reminding him that he needs to take care of himself, such as (and especially) reminding him to take breaks from studying to play with his two, oftentimes rambunctious cats. But he wasn't quite sure if, or how, he'd ever be able to combine his two biggest passions in his life - his love for art and his love for animals - in a meaningful and thoughtful way.
In large part due to the unconditional love of his cats, he has overcome many difficult, what at first he perceived to be impossible-to-overcome obstacles in his life. He loves to see how much joy and fulfillment someone's pet can bring to their life. And he is incredibly proud and happy that, through his drawings, he can give them a happy memory that is much more expressive than a photograph. Each cat or dog that he draws is as unique as they are, and he hopes to bring all of their 'perfect imperfections' to life on paper in a way that makes their caretakers smile knowing how much we appreciate them as well. He has seen, and experienced, how pets can dramatically improve the health and wellbeing of older adults and disabled adults who are dedicated to, and passionate about, taking care of them. And he is looking forward to finding new, and exciting ways, of portraying others' pets in various art forms.
In large part due to the unconditional love of his cats, he has overcome many difficult, what at first he perceived to be impossible-to-overcome obstacles in his life. He loves to see how much joy and fulfillment someone's pet can bring to their life. And he is incredibly proud and happy that, through his drawings, he can give them a happy memory that is much more expressive than a photograph. Each cat or dog that he draws is as unique as they are, and he hopes to bring all of their 'perfect imperfections' to life on paper in a way that makes their caretakers smile knowing how much we appreciate them as well. He has seen, and experienced, how pets can dramatically improve the health and wellbeing of older adults and disabled adults who are dedicated to, and passionate about, taking care of them. And he is looking forward to finding new, and exciting ways, of portraying others' pets in various art forms.
Our Supervisor of CRAFTS
Shawna Bishop
Committed to Upholding our Guiding Principles of
Gratefulness & Appreciation
She first met Dr. Blake Randell during an incredibly stressful time in her life. She unexpectedly had heart surgery only two weeks after she adopted her dog from her local animal shelter. Her social worker quickly got in touch with him, and then he and one of his volunteers met at her bedside to discuss how they could help her dog who was (hopefully) temporarily taken back to the same animal shelter. She fell in love with her dog as soon as she met him and she desperately wanted to keep him. Although, she was very concerned that she was going to be left with no other option but to keep him at the animal shelter and surrender him. And she felt overwhelmed by the increasingly likelihood that she would lose her dog who was, by far, her biggest motivation for returning home.
So, she and Dr. Blake Randell came up with a plan to make sure that she and her dog could stay together. After she was discharged from the hospital, they picked up her dog from the animal shelter and she told him "You're never going back here again!" on their way out. They made sure he went out on a nice, long walk everyday to ensure that she would follow all her doctor's orders including not lifting more than 10 pounds considering that he weighs almost 90 pounds. They took him to the veterinarian on her behalf and delivered food and supplies for him because she also wasn't allowed to return to driving yet.
She is now able to take care of her dog on her own again, and she is so excited for this opportunity to help others by doing crafts within the comfort of their and their pets' homes. She and Dr. Blake Randell collaborate with each other (sometimes while on a walk with her dog) to brainstorm how to 'grade up' or 'grade down' crafts for clients in order to create a challenging, yet rewarding, experience for them while also accommodating their physical, cognitive, and mental health conditions.
So, she and Dr. Blake Randell came up with a plan to make sure that she and her dog could stay together. After she was discharged from the hospital, they picked up her dog from the animal shelter and she told him "You're never going back here again!" on their way out. They made sure he went out on a nice, long walk everyday to ensure that she would follow all her doctor's orders including not lifting more than 10 pounds considering that he weighs almost 90 pounds. They took him to the veterinarian on her behalf and delivered food and supplies for him because she also wasn't allowed to return to driving yet.
She is now able to take care of her dog on her own again, and she is so excited for this opportunity to help others by doing crafts within the comfort of their and their pets' homes. She and Dr. Blake Randell collaborate with each other (sometimes while on a walk with her dog) to brainstorm how to 'grade up' or 'grade down' crafts for clients in order to create a challenging, yet rewarding, experience for them while also accommodating their physical, cognitive, and mental health conditions.
Our Manager oF Engagement
TBD
Committed to Upholding our Guiding Principles of
Happiness and Satisfaction
We are looking for someone for this new and exciting role!
This person will be responsible for establishing, and maintaining, relationships with our clients. They will be expected to call or text them (according to their preference) at least once a week or every other week. This person will also be responsible for creating and sharing stories, including pictures, on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. And they will also be responsible for recruiting donors, sponsors, and volunteers so that we can continue providing interventions for low-income or very-low income (including formerly homeless) older adults and disabled adults in the greater Burlington area.
If you are interested in this position, please get in touch with us by sending us an email to info@aginginplacewithpets.com.
This person will be responsible for establishing, and maintaining, relationships with our clients. They will be expected to call or text them (according to their preference) at least once a week or every other week. This person will also be responsible for creating and sharing stories, including pictures, on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. And they will also be responsible for recruiting donors, sponsors, and volunteers so that we can continue providing interventions for low-income or very-low income (including formerly homeless) older adults and disabled adults in the greater Burlington area.
If you are interested in this position, please get in touch with us by sending us an email to info@aginginplacewithpets.com.