SOOTHING
PAWS
®
Pet Therapy Is Worth Barking About
at Chilton Medical Center
P
et therapy can have many physical and emotional
benefits for hospital patients, including reduced
blood pressure. Atlantic Health System's pet therapy
program, Soothing Paws®, has approximately 85
pet therapy teams in total, including one at Chilton
Medical Center in Pompton Plains. Comprised of
a hospital volunteer and his or her trained dog, Soothing Paws
therapy teams make a difference in the lives of patients and
hospital staff by providing stress relief when it’s needed most.
In addition to scheduled rounds at each hospital in Atlantic
Health System, visits by therapy teams are available for most
patients, as well as their families and other visitors, by request at
Chilton Medical Center. Teams visit most areas within these
sites, including the emergency departments, intensive care units
(ICU), surgical waiting rooms, cancer units and the medical
and surgical units.
“We’re constantly stopped in the halls so patients, families and
hospital employees can kneel down, pet and talk to our dogs,”
says Mildred Kowalski, PhD, RN, a nurse researcher who
manages the Soothing Paws Program. “Because our dogs are
so gentle and loving, they provide immediate and enduring
comfort. It’s an absolutely amazing form of therapy.”
Each therapy team goes through extensive training by licensed
organizations. All of the therapy animals are at least one year of
age, readily perform basic obedience skills, and have the necessary
temperament. In addition, they have current rabies and distemper
vaccinations and a town license.
The pups are so popular they even have their own trading
cards, which are handed out (along with hand sanitizer) following
each and every therapy encounter. How popular is Soothing
Paws? In 2017, dog-handler teams averaged 200 visits per month
to patients in need of smiles across all medical centers in the
system.
“The program is a huge success and continues to grow in
popularity since it began in 2007,” says Kowalski. “We’re always
looking for new dogs, so consider joining the program if you
have a loving pet. It’s a very rewarding way to volunteer.” v
For more information, visit atlantichealth.org/pettherapy.
Supplement to wayne magazine