Lolita Harper Silverado Senior Living home has...

Lolita Harper

Silverado Senior Living home has acquired its own happy ending.

It is at the attractive Costa Mesa senior community where the

“tail of happiness” lives, which is what residents have dubbed the

ever-wagging appendage on their new dog, Willi.

The lustrous greyhound was adopted from a rescue center after he

was retired from the racing circuit. Although the former track star’s

claim to fame was his striking speed, it is his mellow demeanor that

keeps him a popular favorite at Silverado.

This week, Willi could be found in a typical spot: relaxing on a

special pillow in the foyer of the main lobby, lapping up the

attention from the loving residents. His tail was, of course,

wagging, but the rest of him was peaceful as he lay on his padded

throne.

Resident Velma Scott had taken painstaking efforts to look

beautiful for her visit with Willi. Each hair was in its perfect

place and a striking shade of red lined her lips. Despite her lovely

appearance, she suspected she would not be the center of attention.

“Everybody will be looking at you and they won’t look at me,”

Scott said while nuzzling Willi’s head. “Ah, nice doggie.”

The majority of the patients at Silverado Senior Living home

suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, director Michelle

Egerber said.

Willi has been at the home about three weeks and is blending in

perfectly, she added.

Patti Struthers, the family ambassador at Silverado, said Willi

has been a wonderful addition to the home. His presence livens up the

atmosphere and fosters relationships between the residents.

“He breaks the ice,” Struthers said. “When two people are petting

him they get to talking, and the whole place is more sociable.”

It certainly seemed to be the case Wednesday morning. The main

lobby of the home was bubbling with excitement as a handful of

residents gathered around to spend time with their new pet.

Side conversations started up, and soon the entire hall was

buzzing with excited stories about Willi and other topics of

interest. Scott shared a comedic story about her relationship with

her husband, in which she illustrated her wit and humor despite her

debilitating disease.

“I sure knew how to pick ‘em when I was a girl,” she said.

Resident Elmer Reynolds said Willi was “just beautiful.” Reynolds

sat in a chair in the foyer and stared lovingly at the sleek

greyhound, while Willi enjoyed a treat for good behavior. Reynolds

patted Willi on the head and offered another cracker for the dog to

munch on.

“Sweet boy,” Reynolds cooed.

* LOLITA HARPER covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.