Treasure House has seen a number of new residents come through its doors recently — but one named Murphy got a different kind of attention.
Murphy is a 5-year-old Labrador Retriever, a fully trained service dog who is coming to Treasure House and will be helping with various needs — including pet therapy. Residents will also assist with taking care of Murphy, including grooming, feeding and walking.
Murphy’s presence will continue to make Treasure House feel like home for its residents. Treasure House is a supportive living community for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A strong emphasis on independence, respect, and community integration provides an optimal environment for residents to live, work, and enjoy recreational activities while being part of a larger family.
Lauri Tanner, CEO of Treasure House, was Murphy’s owner in St. Louis for some time before moving to Arizona. She was thrilled to be able to bring Murphy to Glendale and is already seeing an impact from the four-legged friend.
“The residents here at Treasure House are so happy to have Murphy in their lives,” Tanner said. “Our focus is on providing our residents with an opportunity to live independent, full lives. Taking care of a pet is a wonderful opportunity for them to learn cognitive and emotional skills, and Murphy provides them with an outlet for their feelings of love and affection.”
Treasure House is the first and only Arizona living community applying this unique individualized approach blending support for independence with community building. Each resident has their own studio apartment and enjoys a community family room, game room, patio, recreation area, and family-style kitchen.
Treasure House’s programming allows residents to cultivate independence by providing employment opportunities, social interaction, health and wellness support and life skills. Residents also enjoy a robust calendar of events that includes fitness, volunteering, community events, music, theater, arts, game nights, sports opportunities, and pursuit of individual hobbies and interests.
Treasure House resident Kate said that adding Murphy to the mix has been a wonderful addition to the community that’s growing within Treasure House’s walls.
“Murphy just makes us more calm because he helps us relax,” Kate said. “Having him at Treasure House keeps me from missing my pets from home so much. We all like to take him for walks and he’s very well behaved. I look forward to seeing him every morning.”
Treasure House specializes in developing individualized strategies and supports for young adults with cognitive disabilities with emphasis and expertise in the areas of learning, memory, concentration and decision-making. The residence serves individuals in their 20s and 30s who no longer receive federally mandated educational services and who want to build productive, meaningful and connected lives. The house seeks to maintain a capacity of 29 residents and will be accepting applications for admissions enrolling new residents on an ongoing basis.
