Exceptional Patient Experience - Animal-Assisted Therapy

Exceptional Patient Experience – Animal-Assisted Therapy

“I wonder where we’re going today,” Louie thinks. “Swimming? Walking in the park?”

“Time to get out of the car, Louie,” Dave says. “We’re here.”

“Oh boy! Today is the day I get to work with Frank,” thinks Louie, an up-for-anything, nine-year-old golden retriever.

Frank is paralyzed from the waist down and is in therapy at Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital Ozaukee to regain strength, muscle control and to learn to walk again.

This past spring, Frank took a new step in his road to recovery when his therapist suggested he try Animal-Assisted Therapy – an innovative approach that helps brighten Frank’s spirits, facilitates patients reaching therapy goals more readily and makes therapy sessions seem to go by faster.

Louie helps Frank as he practices standing, balancing and beginning to walk again. Louie is glad to help out by having Frank bend down low or lean forward to brush his fur, pet his head or offer him treats, all while making Frank’s trunk and leg muscles work hard at getting stronger.

Louie was born to be a therapy dog. This golden-haired brute’s calm demeanor, complemented by years of training, make him a perfect match for Columbia St. Mary’s Animal-Assisted Therapy program.

Louie was helped by obedience training when he was just a mere pup and, in his vast nine years, has gone through much more intensive training to become a therapy dog. After a two-hour test for behavior, obedience and temperament, Louie was officially certified as a therapy dog.

Following that certificate, Louie and Dave, Louie’s handler, completed extensive one-on-one training with Columbia St. Mary’s program director and certified animal-assisted therapist.

“Animal-Assisted Therapy focuses on the needs of each patient by utilizing specially trained dogs not only to offer comfort but to help build muscle strength, develop movement control and even work on language and cognitive skills,” explains Laura Hey, occupational therapist and director of the Animal-Assisted Therapy program at Columbia St. Mary’s.

Although Frank is one of Louie’s favorite patients, Louie spreads his affection to other patients as well.

On a typical visit, Louie first stops in the waiting areas where family and friends await news about their loved ones and then visits patients in their hospital rooms or perhaps, in the chemotherapy infusion department. His presence brightens their spirits, helps alleviate stress and can ultimately help patients heal faster.

Animal-Assisted Therapy is funded by donors to Columbia St. Mary’s Foundation.

To give online to any of the CSM Programs mentioned on this page, click here.