Holland Hospital - Healthy Life Winter 2006

Dogs That Heal

If you see children in a Holland Hospital waiting room petting, climbing over or just lying on top of a big black bear of a dog, don't be alarmed. It's Emma, and she's just doing her job.

Emma, a 130-pound Newfoundland, is one of 17 dogs that visit patients through Holland Hospital's Pet Therapy program. While they may seem out of place in a hospital, the dogs have an important job to do: they can aid recovery by lowering patients' anxiety and making them feel good, says Jillian Mead, who oversees the program and schedules the daily canine visits.

Gentle giant Emma never fails to evoke smiles. With her are, left, Jillian Mead, Healing Environment coordinator, and Emma’s owner, Char Nash, RN.

"Patients always react with a smile when we enter their rooms. It's immediate," Mead says.

Dian Williams, at Holland Hospital for an infected finger, visits with Mindy, a sheltie.

The dogs have been certified through Therapy Dogs Inc., which registers pet therapy programs throughout the country. Char Nash, a registered nurse in Holland Hospital's Boven Birth Center (and Emma's owner), is the Holland area's only certified "tester/observer" for the organization. She figures she has certified about 35 dogs ranging from Newfoundlands to rottweiler/Labrador mixes (Della) to Jack Russell terriers (Kato) – and everything in between. "Any breed works fine as long as the dog is well-mannered," she says.

Once an owner has sent in the proper paperwork (see below), Nash tests the dog for basic obedience, friendly demeanor and steadiness under such stresses as sudden loud noises, rolling hospital carts and hugs from strangers. Dogs must pass three observations before being certified as a pet therapy dog.

Then, it is up to the dog owners to set up a hospital visiting schedule with Mead. On a typical visit, Mead escorts the dog and owner to a patient care floor, consults with nurses to find out which patients might welcome a canine visit, and – always – asks a patient's permission before entering his or her room with the dog.

Proven benefits
The physiological benefits of therapy dogs were confirmed by research conducted at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center. The study of 76 heart failure patients showed that a visit by a dog and volunteer (usually the owner) significantly reduced patients' levels of epinephrine, a hormone the body makes when under stress, and lowered heart and lung pressure by 10 percent and 5 percent, respectively. (Interestingly, a visit by a volunteer without a dog actually raised both pressure levels.) The results were announced last fall at an American Heart Association meeting. Studies reported by the Mayo Clinic have shown similar results.

Elijah Montelongo, an 11-month-old patient, is entertained by "Nurse" Della.

Cindy Seafort has witnessed the positive effects of pet therapy since having her sheltie, Mindy, certified. She describes a recent visit to a patient with advanced Alzheimer's disease. "She was just staring blankly into space," Seafort recalls.

Then Mindy went to her side. "The most gorgeous smile spread across her face. Her granddaughter says she hadn't done that in a long time," Seafort says. "Mindy just knew to stand still and let the woman touch her face."

Surgery patient David Lestlow gets some TLC from Kato, a Jack Russell terrier.

The dogs' presence can have a calming effect on nervous patients, notes Nash. When she and Emma visit the Emergency Department, they'll sometimes stay by a child's side or accompany a young patient to X-ray. "It takes theirmind off of what's going on," Nash says.

At other times, Emma will provide a needed distraction for young siblings in waiting rooms. "They play with her and lie on her and climb over her. They just love her," Nash says.

The Healing Environment
Pet Therapy is just one aspect of Holland Hospital's "Healing Environment," a collection of programs that operate under the philosophy that the mind and spirit play an important part in the body's healing process. It is a movement spreading within hospitals across the country, says David Blauw, senior chaplain and director of Spiritual Care Services at Holland Hospital, who initiated the hospital's Healing Environment program five years ago.

"The vast majority of people in our culture find these familiar things delightful, and that's the impetus behind the Healing Environment programs: to bring delight to the people we care for," he says. Other Healing Environment programs include:

• Music to Heal By – live musical performances, as well as a CD lending library;
• Art for the Soul – volunteers make rounds with an art cart filled with supplies for   patient use, and art is exhibited throughout the hospital;
• Massage Therapy – available to patients by appointment;
• Healing Nature – live greenery throughout the hospital, and a healing garden   coming this spring;
• C.A.R.E. Channel – coming soon, soothing imagery and music for patients
  and visitors.

PET THERAPY 101

To qualify as a Pet Therapy dog, Fido must pass a few tests. He or she:

• should be well-mannered and friendly.
• should not display aggression toward people or other animals.
• must be at least 1 year old before applying.
• must pass three "observations" which test for basic obedience.
• must have a veterinarian's signature.

Pet owners begin the certification process by applying to Therapy Dogs Inc. For an application or for more information, contact Char Nash at (616) 394-3324 or charna@hollandhospital.org.

Volunteers Are Always Welcome!
For more information, contact Jillian Mead, Healing Environment coordinator, at (616) 494-4212 or jillian@hollandhospital.org, or go online to the Healing Environment.

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