In a nutshell, "Yes!"
The term "therapy dog" is a loosely defined term, and is more accurately call AAA/T - Animal Assisted Activity/Therapy. There is no standardization of the training or required certification done with the dogs whose owner's wish to call them "therapy dogs." Many facilities, though, require some sort of certified training to allow a dog on the site. The two most popular training/certification programs are Therapy Dog International and the Delta Society, both established therapy dog organization.
I see the effects of such "pet therapy" every day. My elderly mother lives with us. At 85, and in the mid stages of Alzheimer's, she can't remember my dog's names -- she just calls them "Blackie" and "Brownie." They are central to her day's activities -- what little she is still able to do. We have long since stopped asking her not to feed them at the table -- she can't resist. At least they are patient and just stare at her as she eats, waiting for the little pieces she tosses them. My golden retriever loves to be petted, and will lay his head on her lap -- something she just adores. And of course, she can't help but pet him. Seeing the dogs getting excited and happy, such as at their supper time, makes her happy and smile, too.
My golden retriever is a registered AAA/T dog with the local group "Paws and Think." He, along with my son as his handler, have been certified through them for a number of years now, and my son takes him to different venues when his schedule permits. Going out with a dog to adult day centers and nursing homes is not the way an average teenager spends his time, but even a teenager can see the value in what he is doing. He calls it "Fuzz Therapy." The look on people's faces makes it worthwhile.
Not every dog is cut out to be a therapy dog, though. For a while, I taught a therapy dog class, and it never ceased to amaze me what the general public thought would make a good therapy dog. They brought in fearful dogs, afraid of strangers, aggressive dogs who would growl and snap, or over-friendly, bouncy dogs who could be a real danger to elderly or infirm people.
What makes a good therapy dog? We would like to see a calm demeanor, an openly friendly attitude towards people and other animals, and one that likes to be touched. Not all dogs fit into that category! A good basis for seeing if your dog might be a good candidate would be to take AKC's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, now open to all dogs. Most therapy dog programs consider that to be a good starting point.
If you are interested in doing therapy dog work, and feel your dog is a good candidate, you can contact a variety of organizations locally. They include:
Indiana Therapy Dog International Testing (select Indiana)
Faith in Action, People & Pets Together
First United Methodist Church WAGS
Comforting Creatures - Northern IN
VI Paws, Monroe County Humane Assoc.
Remember, too, that AAA/T dogs are not the same as Service Dogs for the handicapped. That's an entirely different type of dog, requiring a great deal of specialized training. I'll write more on Service Dogs at another time.
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