Healthy Living Newsletter
Pet Therapy...providing a new leash on life for hospital patients
The popular Animal Assisted Therapy makes for dog-gone good service at Mercy Hospital!
Every patient appreciates receiving a visitor during a hospital stay. It appears, that’s especially true when the visitor has four legs, fur and a wagging tail.
Tracy Glenn and her chocolate lab Duce of Clyde Township have been making regular visits to patients at Mercy Hospital for over a year. What started out as a research study into the effects of Animal Assisted Therapy for cancer patients has been met with so much enthusiasm by patients, Tracy and Duce now make regular visits to the hospital.
 |
| Photo Caption: Donning volunteer badges, Tracy Glenn and certified Pet Therapy, Inc., chocolate Labrador Duce visit the fourth floor at Mercy Hospital . What started out as a six-month research study has resulted in Tracy and Duce offering Animal Assisted Therapy to patients at Mercy for more than a year. |
Pet therapy, as an alternative form of treatment, has been utilized across hospitals and healthcare settings for more than 40 years. Although hard research is limited on the clinical affects of utilizing pets as a way to reduce blood pressure, heart rate and stress; anecdotal accounts are bountiful. And, it appears that animals have a comforting, reassuring affect on people that decreases anxiety and depression, lessons feelings of loneliness and isolation, and aids socialization and acceptance between people.
As a double transplant patient herself, Tracy knew all this to be true. “I’ve always loved dogs,” comments Tracy, “and when I received my kidney and pancreas transplants, pet therapy was used as a form of treatment while I was in the hospital. It was a wonderful experience, and it helped in my healing. When I returned home and became well again, I knew I wanted to be the handler for a pet therapy dog myself.”
Although providing pets as visitors in a hospital setting is unusual in the area, it is not uncommon across the United States. Many healthcare institutions have developed pet therapy programs for patients, finding that the comfort the program brings to patients has an overwhelmingly positive effect.
To help in determining the benefits, Mary Lynn Zaremba, RN, MSN, a Pulmonary Medicine Case Manager/Clinical Admissions Coordinator with Mercy Hospital decided to embark upon an ambitious research study to complete her thesis as part of her Master of Science in Nursing degree.
“Many may ask about the benefits and risks associated with offering Animal Assisted Therapy as a form of treatment for hospital patients,” comments Mary Lynn. “ So, I wanted to research this phenomenon myself through my hypothesis which in part included improving physical outcomes of patients, such as blood pressure, heart rate and pain.”
With the help of Tracy and Duce, Mary Lynn began her investigation. The first step was to obtain agreement that there would be no risk in introducing Duce into the clinical setting at Mercy Hospital. “I spoke with hospital administration, and our area’s leading expert on infectious diseases,” explains Mary Lynn. “Each of my inquiries was greeted positively, with interest and enthusiasm.”
Dogs that are considered as therapy pets, such as Duce, undergo training before being introduced in a hospital setting. They must be certified by an organization called Therapy Dogs International, Inc. (TDI). The New Jersey-based TDI has been in existence for 30 years. The dog’s health records must be completed and signed by a licensed veterinarian, and they must pass the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Test. In addition to meeting these requirements, Duce is also insured through his handler Tracy.
“The biggest issue I’ve faced with bringing Duce into a clinical setting is questions of cleanliness,” says Tracy, who also suffers from an immunosuppression disorder. “Prior to any visit to the hospital, Duce is bathed extensively and sprayed with a special coating to keep his dander and fur down. The safety of patients and the well-being of Duce are always my number one priorities.”
Throughout the six-month study, Duce’s presence was greeted with interest by the cancer patients involved in the study.
“Overall, we introduced 45 cancer patients to the study,” explains Mary Lynn. “Thirty patients received visits by Duce, and 15 patients agreed to participate in the control group for the study, receiving no visit. Patients in the experimental group showed significantly better results with blood pressure, pain, amount of fun and even better sexual health than those in the control group. The results were overwhelming; the presence of a pet during a hospitalization for cancer treatment had a very positive therapeutic result on patients.”
Although both Tracy and Mary Lynn were pleased with the results of the research study, it is the smiles on the faces of patients, their family members and even staff that is all the proof they need that pet therapy is a wonderful addition to the therapeutic care provided at Mercy Hospital.
“As soon as I step off the elevator,” explains Tracy, “Duce is greeted with bright-eyed, joyful smiles. Visitors often follow me down the hall, requesting that Duce visit their loved one.”
As a volunteer, Tracy and Duce look forward to their bimonthly visits to Mercy Hospital.
“Our visits are sometime greeted with mixed results,” she explains. “When I pop my head into a patient’s door and ask would he/she like to be visited by the pet therapy dog, some ask, Why? Not everyone is a pet lover and we respect that. On the other hand, more often than not, patients will ask, can Duce hop up on the bed?”
During an average visit, Tracy and Duce may spend anywhere from five to thirty minutes with a patient. “It’s all depends on the needs of the patient,” says Tracy. “Often times, patients will talk to Duce about their lives, fears and concerns. More often than not, most of the patients say they had a pet growing up and it brings them comfort to be around Duce.”
Tracy is also keenly aware of how comfortable Duce is. “I know when things are becoming stressful for Duce,” she explains. “I watch him very closely for signs he’s getting tired and needs a break. When that happens, we say our good-byes.”
Twice a month, Tracy and Duce make a visit to Mercy Hospital’s third and fourth level patient care floors. “Staff identify patients who could truly benefit from a visit from Duce,” explains Tracy. “Other times we simply walk the hall and wait to be invited into a patient’s room. We are always careful not to disturb patients who won’t favor a visit, have allergies or other clinical issues that restrict the presence of a dog.”
“Overall the affects of this program have been outstanding,” concludes Mary Lynn. “It has not only had a positive affect on patients, but on staff as well. Studies show that therapy pets can even help reduce the stress of staff in a clinical setting.”
Tracy has made it her ambition to bring more Therapy Pets to the community. She is currently working with other volunteers in the Detroit-area to train more pets and handlers to have them available to provide this therapeutic service.
For pet owners who would like more details about the national Pet Therapy program, information will be available at the St. Clair Kennel Club Dog Show, planned for September 16 and 17, at Goodells County Park. You can also visit www.therapydogs.com; or call toll-free 1 (877) 843-7364.
Pet-loving patients at Mercy Hospital can anticipate visits from Duce and Tracy every other Tuesday afternoon.
|
