Published on May 15, 2009

Wags Makes a Difference for Patients, Families and Staff

In just seven short months, the new Wags animal-assisted therapy program has logged more than 5,600 patient visits and created a new environment of care at Palos Community Hospital. But more importantly, the 25 Wags dogs and volunteers have helped make a difference in not only the health but the well-being of the patients they have visited.

Wags was launched here in November as the result of research demonstrating that patients can experience reduced stress and anxiety when they participate in animal-assisted therapy. A visit from a friendly and affectionate pet can provide patients with an opportunity to focus on something other than their illness or injuries. Taking their minds off their discomfort can help make a hospital stay a bit less worrisome and frightening, and a bit more comforting, which in turn can help speed recovery.

"Patients experience a sense of calm and don't feel as lonely when visited by a dog," explains Sister Anna Doyle, director of Pastoral Care. "This has been shown to help lower blood pressure and open the lines of communication with nurses, and in some cases, it even stimulates patients' desires to improve their health and return home."

Patients and staff involved in the program describe a variety of experiences that provide evidence of Wags' powerful influence. "This is the most wonderful thing," says one patient after a recent Wags visit. "It brightens my day, and makes me want to go home and see my dogs." Another patient recalls, "I have been visited by two dogs, and the comfort and unconditional love they give is just wonderful."

Like any type of nurturing physical or emotional contact, the unconditional love of an animal can actually have a positive impact on brain chemistry. As many staff and Wags volunteers have witnessed, patients often are happier and more cheerful after a visit. A more positive mood helps boost self-esteem and motivation, facilitate communication, and helps the patient become more receptive to care.

It's almost as if the animal's positive energy is contagious, even for nurses. "After seeing the pets, it brightens my mood and increases my adrenaline," one nurse says, "which directly affects my care towards patients." And the patients' reactions helps boost everyone's mood. "When I asked a patient if she wanted to participate in the Wags program, she cried," recalls another nurse. "She was so happy that the hospital would provide not only health care, but also for her mental health and well-being. I was extremely touched by her reaction."

Patients' families also appreciate the gift of a Wags visit. Nancy Glavin, clinical nurse manager on 3C (Oncology), recalls the day a volunteer team visited a patient who was receiving Comfort Care. At times, the man was not aware of his surroundings, so "we asked the family if they thought he would like a Wags visit," Glavin says. "The family said he had owned dogs his whole life and that a visit would be appreciated. One of the Wags volunteers and the therapy dog visited that day when the patient was awake. The dog was able to sit on the patient's bed, and the patient talked to the dog for a long time, recalling his own dogs and what they had meant to him."

Wags is just one more way Palos Community Hospital provides quality holistic care, not just for patients but for families as well. "Given the positive experiences by patients, visitors and staff, we hope that we will continue to have volunteer and dog teams join our program so we can extend this service to all appropriate units," explains Jill Beechler, co-coordinator of Wags. "We are fortunate to have found dedicated volunteers who have wonderful dogs that have a lot of love to share."

If you would like to volunteer for the Wags program, please call (708) 923-5593.