Hospice Therapy Dogs Visit Patients

This article from The Bolingbrook Sun describes the role of hospice therapy dogs in calming patients and providing a friendly vistor.

Patty Kaplan, a registered nurse, founded Paws 4 Therapy Inc. with the hopes that the program could assist the patients in acute care. She is the director of the program at Edward.

By 2007, the hospital had one of the largest animal-assisted therapy programs in the country. More than 100 dog and handler teams visit patients daily at bedside.

"I think the biggest thing is that it serves as a diversion from their illness," she said. "It's calming, and for those patients that are lonely it may be the only visitors they get."

"It's a piece of home."