Animals provide healing touch for patients

Patients at Baptist Hospital East can now benefit from animal-assisted therapy/activities or a visit from their own pet while they are recovering from surgery or illness.

The hospital has teamed with w.a.g.s. - Pet Therapy of Kentucky, Inc. to provide animal-assisted therapy (AAT)/activities to patients. Specially-trained animals and their trainers can meet with patients in their rooms or an alternate visitation site on the unit for one-on-one therapy/activities. Patients will also be allowed to have visits from their own pets within specific guidelines.

Animals provide both physical and emotional interaction with patients that is beneficial. Just petting an animal can lower a patient’s blood pressure. Visiting with animals can help people feel less lonely, less depressed - and a welcome distraction from pain.

Many patients who see a therapy animal or their own pet while they are in the hospital almost immediately begin to smile and and say they feel better.

Patients or family members can request AAT/activities or visits from pets through the nursing staff, who will notify the appropriate persons and receive permission for the visit. A doctor’s permission will be needed for some patients because of their condition.

Initially, visitation will be limited to dogs and cats.

All of the w.a.g.s. animals are well-trained and have gone through vigorous testing to ensure that their temperament is appropriate to provide animal assisted activities/therapy for patients. The major goal with this project is to meet the psychosocial needs of our patients as well as to enhance the quality of care provided in a holistic healthcare setting.