animal therapy

ANGELS of Unconditional Love

By Jamie Jacobs

My mother and I were sitting in a patient waiting room at Northwest Community Hospital, Arlington Heights, IL, solemn and deep in serious thought. My father was in a hospital bed recovering from surgery. We had gone through a rough few days. Our saddened spirits were immediately lifted when June Lash, appeared in the doorway with ‘Mel’, an adorable Shih Tzu. Mel and June are one of over 60 teams of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) dogs and their handlers. Magically, our mood took a dramatic turn from grief, worry and shock to smiling, feeling uplifted and happy. Later that evening as we made our way through the hospital corridors to leave, we met two more teams of dogs visiting the hospital’s residents and spreading joy. I observed that each time the dog teams appeared, a miracle transformation took place. Silent, quiet people going about their business, deep in their own worlds began smiling, expressing joy out loud, interacting with others in the room - and basically coming alive. The presence of these dogs in an otherwise serious and sterile environment had an immediate and profound effect on everyone.

The Animal Assisted Therapy dog program utilizes the human-animal bond to bring comfort to patients and serve as a diversion from their illness. As a patient’s loved one, I too felt the healing benefits - as did my mother. They had a magic effect on everyone. Visits from these four-legged angels aid in reducing stress, pain, anxiety, blood pressure and loneliness, which in turn can help the healing process.

AAT was designed to help patients achieve a higher level of physical and emotional comfort. Diane Colville, Manager of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation at NCH began the pilot program in August 2007 with 14 therapy teams on selected patient floors. Now this successful program has expanded to over 60 teams, hospital-wide. Over 20,000 patient visits have been documented and that doesn’t include all the other people who benefited in hallways, waiting areas and elevators.

Teams consist of specially trained volunteer handlers and their registered therapy dog. Dog and handlers teams are recruited from the nearby area and are extensively screened and tested for temperament and obedience by highly experienced dog trainers. They undergo veterinary screening with stringent health criteria and an intensive hospital-based training program. They must pass a 12-hour professional training boot camp with Midwest Canine Academy and then an ‘internship’ of three supervised site visits in order to earn their NCH Photo ID badge. These are no ordinary dogs!

Eligible patients at NCH receive free visits upon request on most inpatient and many outpatient units. Since these services are voluntary and provided at no cost to patients, Ellyn Zimmerman compiled a book as a means of documenting the success stories and helping to defray costs. “Animal-Assisted Therapy True Stories” is an inspiration and true testimony to the benefits of AAT, with each dog’s biography, photo and heartwarming stories. An excerpt is printed below with permission.

Working in a Hospice Setting
A Story with Dusty
‘A woman had just been placed in Hospice Care because she was terminally ill. Her husband and the chaplain were in the room with her. As Dusty and I approached the room, the woman’s husband told us his wife was a dog lover and had been involved in animal-assisted therapy years ago; but she was now unconscious. She probably would not know Dusty was even there. I gently suggested we put Dusty on the bed next to his wife since we never really know what people are able to sense. So after putting Dusty on the bed and placing the woman’s hand on her back, I began telling her about Dusty. The woman was moaning a bit and was moving her head side-to-side when she suddenly turned her head toward Dusty, opened her eyes, looked directly at Dusty and said, ‘Oh, hello there puppy.” The woman then closed her eyes and started the moaning sounds again. Her husband was shocked because his wife had not spoken a word in weeks. The husband thanks me profusely for that little moment of seeing his wife smile again - if only for a brief time.”

Reprinted by permission from “Animal-Assisted Therapy True Stories” copyright 2009. Available at NCH Gift Shop for $13 by calling Ellyn Zimmerman at (847) 259-7932 or email at ellynzimmerman@sbcglobal.net.

The AAT dogs provide comfort and a loving outlet for patients to express their love, concerns and dreams. Dogs give of their love, unconditionally, and change the mood and lives of those in which they come in contact. It is easy to become consumed with the pain, loss and sadness that naturally exist in a hospital setting. This burst of energy and unconditional love propels you into a place of hope and joy – even if only temporarily.

Jamie Jacobs is publisher of
The Guide to Health, Wellness &
Creative Living in Southeast
Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.

© 2010 The Guide to Health, Wellness and Creative Living
Web Designer: Dzineline Graphic Studio