歡迎來到今天的VOA慢速專區。
今天為大家帶來一則關於疫情的文章。
Over the last nine months, Eileen Nagle has kept in touch with her family through video calls and drive-by visits.
在過去的九個月裡，艾琳·內格爾一直通過視頻電話和駕車拜訪與家人保持聯繫。
But the 79-year-old misses human contact and warm hugs since the coronavirus crisis led her nursing home to close to visitors.
但自從新冠病毒危機導致她的養老院禁止訪客以來，79歲的她懷念人類接觸和溫暖的擁抱。
Enter Zeus.
宙斯來了。
"Zeus is a friendly little snowball, very happy,"
「宙斯是一個友好的小雪球，非常歡快，」
Nagle said after the small white dog visited her room at the Hebrew Home in The Bronx, New York City.
內格爾在這隻小白狗參觀了她在紐約布朗克斯「希伯來之家」的房間後說。
"Petting and playing with the dogs breaks up the day and gets you to forget about yourself for a while," Nagle added.
內格爾補充說：「撫摸狗狗並與它們玩耍可以讓你放鬆一天，也能讓你在一段時間內忘掉自己。」
The Hebrew Home has had a pet therapy program for 20 years.
「希伯來之家」的寵物治療項目已經進行了20年。
Little Zeus and a much bigger dog, Marley the Great Dane, are the current program members.
小宙斯和一隻大得多的狗大丹犬馬利，是目前的項目成員。
The activities department is adding two new dogs to the program.
活動部門正在為這個項目增加兩隻新的狗狗。
The hope is to give residents more playful and loving contact with the animals.
希望能讓居民們與動物們有更多有趣和充滿愛意的接觸。
"It's uplifting to have Zeus come and visit me, especially with COVID and being restricted to my room," said 80-year-old Jeff Philipson.
80歲的傑夫·菲利普森說：「宙斯來看我，真是令人振奮，尤其是在新冠病毒感染的情況下，他只能呆在我的房間裡。」
He smiled as he ran his hand through Zeus' soft white fur as the dog played on his bed.
當宙斯在他的床上玩耍時，他微笑著用手撫摸著它柔軟的白色毛髮。
"I talk on the phone every day with my daughter and my son, but that's as good as it can get for now."
「我每天都和我的女兒和兒子通電話，但現在也只能這樣了。」
When the pandemic lockdown began in March, dog therapy was suspended.
當3月份大流行封鎖開始時，狗狗治療暫停了。
So were most other activities at the nursing home.
養老院的其他活動也是如此。
But Daniel Reingold decided to bring it back.
但丹尼爾·萊因戈爾德決定恢復活動。
He is chief of RiverSpring Health, the nonprofit operator of Hebrew Home.
他是「河泉健康」的負責人，「希伯來之家」的非營利運營者。
He also is founder of the pet therapy program.
他也是寵物治療項目的創始人。
"We needed to re-energize the pet visiting program since there's no outside visitation allowed," he said.
他說：「我們需要為寵物探訪計劃重新注入活力，因為這裡不允許外出。」
"They've been on the floors bringing happiness and unconditional love to residents and staff alike."
「他們一直在各個樓層為居民和工作人員帶來幸福和無條件的愛。」
The dogs belong to staff members who bring them to work each day.
這些狗屬於每天帶它們去上班的員工。
The program does not permit just any dog to take part.
不是任何一隻狗都可以參加這個項目。
"It has to be a combination of the right owner, right dog and right temperament," said Reingold.
「它必須是合適的主人、合適的狗和合適的性情的結合，」萊因戈爾德說。
His own rescue dog, Kida, is one of the two new members of the pet therapy program.
他自己的救援犬基達是寵物治療項目的兩名新成員之一。
Reingold explains that the dogs must be able to follow simple commands and behave well around machines and medical equipment.
萊因戈爾德解釋說，狗必須能夠服從簡單的命令，在機器和醫療設備周圍表現良好。
Cats are also used in the pet therapy program — but only robotic ones.
貓也被用於寵物治療項目，但只用於機器人。
The Hebrew Home has several lifelike robotic cats that make noises as residents hold and pet them.
希伯萊之家有幾隻栩栩如生的機器貓，當人們抱著它們撫摸它們時，它們就會發出聲音。
Catherine Farrell is director of therapeutic activities at the Hebrew Home.
凱薩琳·法雷爾是「希伯來之家」治療活動的負責人。
She is also owner of program dog Marley.
她也是項目犬馬利的主人。
"The love of an animal is incredible," Farrell said.
「對動物的愛是不可思議的，」法雷爾說。
"For people here who had animals in their life history, seeing dogs triggers memories and opens communication."
「對於生活中有過動物經歷的人來說，看到狗狗會觸發記憶，開啟交流。」
Farrell has to stay two meters away from residents and wear a face mask and plastic covering.
法雷爾必須與養老院的老人保持兩米的距離，並戴上口罩和塑料罩子。
But Marley can rest his head on residents' beds as they pet him.
但是當老人撫摸它的時候，馬利可以把頭放在他們的床上。
"To break through the social distancing barrier is really important," Farrell said.
法雷爾說：「打破社交距離的障礙真的很重要。」
For Hebrew Home resident Elizabeth Pagan, dog visits are a welcome break from months of isolation.
對於住在希伯來的伊莉莎白·佩根來說，狗狗的來訪是擺脫幾個月與世隔絕的好機會。
She has been restricted to FaceTime calls with her children, grandchildren and her own dog, Ruby.
她只能與孩子、孫子和自己的狗魯比進行視頻通話。
"It means a lot to me, makes me feel good when I pet the dogs," said Pagan.
佩根說：「這對我意義重大，當我撫摸狗狗的時候，令我感覺舒服。」
"My favorite is Marley. He gives me a lot of comfort."
「我最喜歡的是馬利。他給了我很多安慰。「
I'm Ashley Thompson.
阿什利·湯普森為您播報。
這裡是 美國之音 頻道