It’s no secret that hospice and end-of-life is incredibly difficult and stressful for both patients and families. It’s also no secret that dogs are great companions and proven to relieve stress.
UpliftedCare has taken these two pieces of information and melded them together for its pet therapy program, Tails of Joy, which provides visits with trained therapy dogs to hospice patients.
Though this program was one of the many things impacted by COVID-19 — and the organization is still working within the perimeters of certain restrictions regarding the pandemic — therapy dogs are happy to be returning to “work.”
Jeff Palmateer, UpliftedCare volunteer and owner/handler of Bandit, a black lab whose been a therapy dog for six years, said that his dog is always happy and willing to put on his therapy vest for visits.
“As soon as I got him, I could tell that he was smart enough and this is what he needed to do,” he said of Bandit, who graduated a week early from a training class.
Katie Canada, director of community relations and development at UpliftedCare, said that Tails of Joy has had all different breeds and sizes of dogs in order to cater to the patients’ preferences. Of a former therapy dog, Canada recalls the handler saying that he was a completely different dog when not wearing the vest.
“And when you put his uniform on, he is like, ‘It’s time to go to work,’” she said.
Palmateer says this is the same of Bandit, who is rambunctious and “a bully” to his sister lab when at home, but is a professional at work.
<strong>Heartwarming and heart-wrenching</strong>
Palmateer and Bandit have been longtime volunteers at the Manteno Veterans Home and have a standing appointment with patients every Friday morning. The volunteer said that he has all sorts of stories, some he likes to share and some he prefers to hold onto, that come from pet therapy.
“It can be quite a rollercoaster,” he said. “I’ve been with veterans when they’ve passed away … to me, it’s an honor to be there with them.”
He shared that, in addition to working with hospice patients, he and Bandit have visited with schools experiencing the loss of a student.
He also told the story of, on several occasions, visiting a hospice patient who is nearly comatose who hasn’t respond to their family members in weeks. When given the opportunity to touch the dog, Palmateer recalls one patient having smiled and one being able to actually pet Bandit.
“It’s very rewarding, but, emotionally, it can be very trying on you,” he said.
Canada said that the program is a great stress reliever for patients and families alike, especially patients dealing with anxiety.
“I mean, what is more comforting than Bandit?” she said.
Pet therapy — along with music and massage therapies — is a complimentary service to UpliftedCare patients.
<strong>Volunteer requirements</strong>
Palmateer shared that the program is more difficult than it might seem, as the training is extensive.
“There’s quite a bit more to it than what people think,” he said. “Most people think, ‘Oh, I just bring my dog in, [the patients] get it pet it and that’s it.”
In order to volunteer, the dogs are trained through Bright and Beautiful in an 8-week course that meets once per week for about two hours per session. The dog must be at least a year old to participate.
Because of working in hospitals and with equipment, dogs are trained to behave properly around that environment. With this, the owners are trained on HIPAA information.
The bulk of the class is obedience so that the dogs do not jump on patients or pick things up off of the patient’s floor.
Because Riverside’s therapy dog program also works with Bright and Beautiful, dogs that are trained to volunteer with UpliftedCare also are able to volunteer with Riverside Healthcare.
At the end of the eight weeks, the dogs must take a test in order to pass training. While there is no minimum time requirement for volunteers, the organization asks they participate when able.
Handlers have the ability to schedule visits with patients in order for their schedules to align.
Tails of Joy, which was founded in 2013, currently has six teams, or six sets of handlers and dogs.
“We had over 20 pre-pandemic and we are always looking for more,” Canada said.
<strong>The Grief Center</strong>
Separate from hospice care is UpliftedCare’s Grief Center, located at 3115 N. 1000West Road, Bourbonnais, which provides counseling and therapy for individuals experiencing grief.
Canada shared a new program at the facility is “Pets & People: Grief Support for Pet Loss,” an open support group for those grieving the loss of a pet. This will run from 11 a.m. to noon on the first Wednesday of every month, May 4 through July 6.
For more information or to register as a volunteer, or for a therapy program, call 815-939-4141.
Separate from hospice care is Uplifted Care’s Grief Center, located at 3115 N. 1000West Road, Bourbonnais, which provides counseling and therapy for individuals experiencing grief. Through different rooms — such as an art therapy room, music and yoga room, teen room, counseling rooms and more — there are different methods used to process grief.
This extends to the outdoor garden near the facility’s parking lot, which is designed to signify the path of grief. What starts as a rough and gravely walkway becomes a labyrinth before turning into a memorial brickway. The path concludes with walking over a bridge to smooth pavement.
On the other side of the garden is a tribute wall that honors veterans, both living and deceased. The brickway in front of the wall features a brick honoring “King Midas,” a former service dog. His owner’s remembrance of service is on the wall behind the brick.
To schedule grief counseling appointments, call 815-939-4141.