So often people express an interest in volunteering with their pet and are surprised to learn that the focus is first on the patient or client, then the handler and then the animal.
Yes we want to share our love for our pet with others and receive the rewards of volunteering, but it is what the patient or client gains that is most critical.
Volunteers sometimes place all of their attention and effort onto their animal and forget why they got into this activity in the first place: to provide the health benefits of being with an animal, to bring enrichment and a bright spot of fun and enjoyable experiences to those visited, and when working with a physical therapy animal, the goal of a measurable benefit to the patient.
When attending a workshop for potential Delta Society animal assisted therapy pairs, a great deal of time is spent learning about the different types of facilities one may visit, the types of patients / clients encountered, how to relate to various challenges and situations and personalities, the responsibility of being part of an overall care team and understanding why the rules and regulations of each facility are important to follow.
A nursing home or long-term care facility is very different from a hospice environment and extremely different from working with at-risk or children with multiple challenges.
Most facilities integrate the animal programs into other complementary efforts to provide all-encompassing, beneficial services to their clients. Animal-assisted therapy teams do not work in a vacuum and the more they understand about the other therapies offered and the goals of the particular facility they visit the more they can offer.
Many of us in the therapy world consider ourselves “professional volunteers” because we take very seriously our role and realize that each and every facility is unique and has expectations of each team that vary depending on the patients’ needs and the team’s strengths.
Understanding what environment and population is best suited for both the animal and handler and the needs of each facility are essential to making that perfect match.
A well trained and suitable animal, a caring and knowledgeable handler and a facility that puts its patients or clients first make the perfect equation for a successful animal assisted therapy environment.
And remember that from the facility’s point of view, animal assisted therapy volunteers are there to provide an essential service and be a part of a larger team, all in the best interests of the patient or client. Lisa Browder, Complementary Therapies Manager of Nathan Adelson Hospice says, “The value of animal assisted therapy is not only about the animals; but it‘s always all about the patients.”
If you found this article of interest, you may enjoy reading these prior columns:
The healing power of pets
http://wwww.examiner.com/x-9149-Las-Vegas-Therapy-Dogs-Examiner~y2009m5d10-The-healing-power-of-pets-top-ten-health-benefits-to-having-a-pet
What do animal assisted therapy dogs really do?
http://wwww.examiner.com/x-9149-Las-Vegas-Therapy-Dogs-Examiner~y2009m5d2-What-do-animal-assisted-therapy-dogs-actually-do
The-human-is-as-important-as-the-pet-in-a-successful-animal-assisted-therapy-team
http://wwww.examiner.com/x-9149-Las-Vegas-Therapy-Dogs-Examiner~y2009m9d7-The-human-is-as-important-as-the-pet-in-a-successful-animal-assisted-therapy-team
How to evaluate a new facility for visiting
http://wwww.examiner.com/x-9149-Las-Vegas-Therapy-Dogs-Examiner~y2009m7d25-How-to-evaluate-a-new-facility-as-an-animal-assisted-therapy-pair
One dog, one child: integrating animal assisted therapy into an overall care plan
http://wwww.examiner.com/x-9149-Las-Vegas-Therapy-Dogs-Examiner~y2009m6d15-One-dog-one-child-How-animal-assisted-therapy-can-be-integrated-into-an-overall-care-plan
What makes a team suitable for therapy work?
http://wwww.examiner.com/x-9149-Las-Vegas-Therapy-Dogs-Examiner~y2009m6d1-What-makes-a-team-suitable-for-animal-assisted-therapy-work
How to be a responsible therapy team
http://wwww.examiner.com/x-9149-Las-Vegas-Therapy-Dogs-Examiner~y2009m5d26-How-to-be-a-responsible-animal-assisted-therapy-partner-with-your-pet
How to ease into a new assignment
http://wwww.examiner.com/x-9149-Las-Vegas-Therapy-Dogs-Examiner~y2009m5d19-Why-is-that-d-dog-here-How-to-ease-into-a-new-animal-assisted-therapy-assignment
Choosing the right environment for you and your pet
http://wwww.examiner.com/x-9149-Las-Vegas-Therapy-Dogs-Examiner~y2009m5d11-Tails-from-the-field-choosing-the-right-volunteer-environment-for-you-and-your-pet
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