Pet Therapy
Sutter Center for Integrative Holistic Health
Research has shown that when people interact with animals, especially animals that they love, this can have a profound effect on their blood pressure, heart rate, and overall well-being; this effect is often more profound than relaxation training or meditation; interaction with pets has also been shown to improve survival after a heart attack. Pet therapy is now used in hospitals and other health care settings to help patients to relax and reduce the anxiety that is often associated with being ill. At Sutter Medical Center, we have 2 facility dogs that are trained by Canine companions to specifically work with inpatient children who are ill.
Our first pet therapy visits started in the February 2002. All our SMCS pet handlers are community volunteers, who have successfully completed training and are members of the Delta Society/Pet Partners program.
Some of the hospital departments receiving the benefits of pet therapy visitation are:
- High Risk Maternity
- Oncology
- STCC
- ICU
- Neurology
- Medical Surgical
- Emergency
Other non-acute Sutter facilities that have also received pet therapy visitation are:
- Sutter Oaks Midtown
- Sutter Senior Care
- Sutter Center for Psychiatry
The visits delivered are not only for the benefit of the patients, but the staff as well! The animals act as stress relief for the staff. Nurses stop to chat and pet for a bit, doctors, too. Confined patients can be dealing with pain, fear, worry, loneliness, and even boredom. The animal visitors are a pleasant break in their routine. Interaction is not only between pet and patient, but the handler, as well. Many touching conversations occur during these calm, petting sessions, ranging from what type of dog they owned, to home and family. The dogs don't ask about medical conditions, or come in to poke and prod; they simply show up as an unexpected surprise to brighten an otherwise routine day of uncertainty. Our staff and handlers often notice instant changes in the patient's demeanor and overall mood. Smiles, a sense of calm, and sometimes a little excitement is seen when the dogs enter the room, and start doing tricks, or slip quietly into bed. Studies have shown that hospital patients who interact with visiting animals have lower blood pressure, less anxiety, and shorter recovery times than other patients. The other plus is the mood enhancer for staff members, the rewarding feeling for the handlers, and finally...the fun for the dogs!