TELL Magazine: October - November 2019

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One therapy that I’ve encountered in the past couple of years, that seems to have a very positive and placating effect on many people, is the use of therapy dogs. When I first encountered the therapy dogs, my immediate thought was, ‘how are they able to let the dogs in to see sick people? Isn’t there a health concern in that regard?’ I wasn’t questioning what they were doing, or should this be happening, but feeling concerned for the health of susceptible patients. After all, we are in the high care section of a nursing home (well that’s where I first encountered this therapy). When I saw the reaction to the dogs of the majority of patients, I was pleasantly amazed to see how interactive they were. It was like a ray of sunshine entered, what could otherwise be a rather dispirited environment. Many reached out to pat the dogs, or talk to them, and the dogs seemed to know when it was time to move on to the next patient. 18 One of the nurses took me to see an elderly lady who had recently had a stroke, and she told me that the lady spends much of her day sleeping or staring at the wall, even when her family come to visit. The nurse said that when the therapy dogs come along, it’s like a different person in that bed; someone who eagerly awaits her turn to interact with the dogs, smiling and laughing a little when they are around. Unfortunately, the downside is that the day after they have visited, she reverts back to her original behaviour, not wanting to interact with anyone. The dogs visiting the nursing home that day were not accompanied by humans; they simply wandered from area to area (yes, I know, they have been trained to do that). However, most of the programs in operation have a team, that is, a human and a dog, who visit different wards in hospitals or homes, bringing an additional dimension to the patient’s healing. Both the human and the dog are trained to offer a presence which will help patients in various ways. Perhaps it’s simply the presence of the team (okay, the dog) that makes the patients smile. Or perhaps the dogs make them feel a bit more relaxed, more comfortable, and therefore less stressed. Other benefits can include lowering of blood pressure, improving recovery time, and providing motivation to move about more and exercise for longer. The potential benefits can help patients across a wide range of ailments and circumstances, from children having dental procedures, to patients undergoing cancer treatment, people with dementia, people with anxiety, veterans with PTSD, and the list goes on. Professor Dale Needham, Medical Director of the Critical Care Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Program at the John Hopkins School of Medicine says; "Doctors and nurses have traditionally been of the mindset that if we just give patients the 'right' medication, their psychological status will improve ... In fact, we probably need to give less medicine and rely more on nonpharmaceutical interventions, such as music therapy, relaxation training, and animal-assisted therapy to help improve patients' psychological status." As soon as I included that quote, I realised that I will probably bear the brunt of some rather strong criticism from some medical professionals, inquiring why I am ignoring the importance of medicine in treating patients. Let me be very clear - by quoting Professor Needham, I am not saying ‘let’s all just listen to some music, do some yoga, get a dog or two to come visit, and all will be just fine and dandy.’ I am, however, supporting his theory that there is definitely a role for multiple types of therapies in the care of a patient, and without a doubt, medicine, along with related aids, is probably the single most important of them.
Non-pharmaceutical therapies that are already in practice, or currently being trialled, focus on improving the mood, rehabilitation rate, and overall well-being of the patient, in support of medicine and other traditional treatment mechanisms. Dr Megan Hosey, Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, at the same university as Dr Needham (John Hopkins School of Medicine) says, “The data from a psychological perspective shows that building motivation to become more active, for example, is a way dogs can help patients. Once you have a dog in the room staring up at you expecting a treat or a pat, it’s hard for a patient to avoid engaging”. In research done at the same hospital, they note that in other cases, a dog may simply sit on a patient’s lap, providing a calm, affectionate presence that has been shown to improve mood and pain ratings. I couldn’t give you an exact figure as to how often I see a therapy dog when I visit hospitals or nursing homes, but I do see them quite often. Of course, that doesn’t account for the possibility that they may be visiting that location on a different floor, or at a different time to when I am there. What is very clear to me though is the effect I can see and feel, including the overall mood and demeanour of the residents or patients, during or after a visit. The work they do, and the positive effect that therapy dogs have on patients and families, give those weighing up the decision as to whether or not to have them visit, a clearer and more measured task. Many hospitals, nursing homes, and aged-care facilities put in place very stringent rules to ensure that the animals are clean and healthy, that their behaviour is suited to the surroundings they work in, and that their vaccinations are up to date. After all, they do have a duty of care to uphold the hygiene standards of their institutions, and provide a highly sanitised environment. This approach allows a win-win for all involved. Our Emanuel community has a number of volunteers that assist with dog therapy and hospital visits, and I’d like to mention one such team. Viv Lewin works with Marley at Delta Society, providing many hours of loving care and attention to patients each week. The patients and staff are always happy to see Marley (and Viv of course!) Not only do they do an amazing job, but they also find it to be very rewarding - just ask Viv. It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the contribution that Viv and Robert Lewin have made to Emanuel Synagogue. Their generous donation has allowed our synagogue to sponsor a therapy team, through the Red Bandana Club that the Delta Society operates. If you would also like to sponsor a team through the Red Bandana Club, please contact me. As a pastoral carer, and on a personal note, I hope to see more therapy dogs and volunteers bring smiles and comfort to patients and residents, as they carry out their very important care duties. The Lost Princess TEXT STUDY Weekly on Thursday evenings at 7.15pm Cantor George Mordecai presents a new series of classes. Initially we will study The Lost Princess, a deeply insightful story from Rabbi Nahman, with music and meditation. Email: gmordecai@emanuel.org.au IHEALING THE WORLD 19
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TELL Magazine: October - November 2019

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