Grand Blanc Twp.-Tara Acquisti doesn’t look like your average hospital patient visitor. She walks on four legs, is furry, and wears a harness. When she enters Genesys Regional Medical Center on a recent Tuesday morning, she barks, announcing her arrival to anyone who hasn’t already noticed her.
Tara is a 7-year-old yellow labrador retriever and pet therapy dog owned by Audrey Acquisti of Ortonville. Tara doesn’t bring flowers, cards or balloons, but she is a welcome distraction to many patients.
‘I wanted to do this because I love dogs and I know the pleasure they give,? says Acquisti, who was volunteering at the Michigan Humane Society five years ago when she learned about pet therapy, a service offered by various health care facilities in which dogs visit with patients.
Acquisti and her two dogs, Tara and Hogan, entered a pet therapy certification program through Therapy Dog International and once certified, began visiting hospice and nursing home patients. In February, Acquisti and the dogs joined the new pet therapy program at Genesys, the only hospital in the area with the program and one of only 15 hospitals in Michigan offering it.
‘The purpose of the program is to relieve anxiety for patients,? says Cindy Ficorelli, Genesys marketing associate. ‘Studies show that interaction with dogs contributes to good health by lowering a patient’s blood pressure, elevating their mood, and improving social interaction. The dogs are a welcome distraction for patients who are sick, anxious and vulnerable. These visitors take their mind off their illness.?
When Acquisti, Tara and Hogan began at Genesys, they visited patients on the oncology unit. But after Hogan died nearly two months ago from cancer, Acquisti decided to take a break from that floor.
Now, she and Tara are on their way to the cardiac unit. The lab causes a sensation as she walks through waiting rooms, wagging her tail.
‘She loves doing this,? says Acquisti, 48. ‘She thrives on the attention.?
Tara gets plenty of attention before she has even reached the patients. Other visitors and staff members smile and stop to pet her. One man asks the dog if she wants a treat and Acquisti pulls one out of a pocket. Another man approaches and begins telling Acquisti about a yellow lab he had.
‘Everyone has a story to tell about their dogs,? Acquisti says later.
Patients are notified by staff when a pet therapy dog will be visiting and if they want to see the dog, can place a paw magnet on their door. Today, the paw magnets can’t be found, so nurses ask patients if they are interested.
One nurse leans into a room and says, ‘The dog doctor is here. Do you want to see her??
Gene DeBolt, a Grand Blanc resident hospitalized with severe edema, does.
‘She can see me and bring my blood pressure down,? says DeBolt, who show visitors pictures of his own dogs.
Verne Luft, an Owosso resident having cardiac testing done, also welcomes Tara, inviting the dog up on the hospital bed. She obliges, laying next to him and leaning her head back to be rubbed.
‘This is great,? he says. ‘It makes me feel better.?
Acquisti spends 15-20 minutes with each receptive patient. Tara’s last visit is with Lela Hon, a 96-year-old Owosso resident with congestive heart failure. She smiles and pets Tara and talks about the dogs she has owned in her many years, including a lab, Chow, Bichon Frise, and a dog that was part Schnauzer.
‘I like the smiles and the conversation and seeing people make a connection with Tara,? says Acquisti, who works full-time for a mortgage company in Lansing, but tries to volunteer with pet therapy every Sunday for two or three hours. ‘Every time I come to the hospital more and more people ask me how to become certified.?
Genesys started the pet therapy program last fall with one dog, owned by Mary Jane Grunden, director of volunteer services. They now have 19 therapy dogs in the program, always accompanied by an owner who has been through a sixteen-week training program with their animal.
The dogs, of all sizes and breeds, must pass a ‘good citizen test? in order to become certified. Ficorelli says they must demonstrate good manners; be comfortable at all times around crowds, noise, distractions, wheelchairs and walkers; and learn to ‘leave it? if they find anything on the floor. They must also learn to sit politely for a stranger, walk nicely and calmly on a leash, sit and stand on command, come when called and behave politely at all times. The owner, also trained an certified, never leaves the dog alone or off a leash. After the training, Grunden conducts an interview with the dog and owner to see how excitable the dog may be, how he/she will react to new situations and how the owner handles the dog.
Dogs are not permitted in the intensive care unit, but are allowed to visit any other patient area.
‘People are very receptive,? says Ficorelli. ‘The dogs make patients very happy and the staff welcomes the animals. It’s a good distraction for patients who are not well.?
Acquisti says the dogs help people forget their problems, but she has seen it jog memories, too, such as the time an Alzheimer’s patient recalled that she had once had a dog and began talking to Acquisti about it.
‘It’s rewarding,? Acquisti says simply.
For more information on the pet therapy program, call Mary Jane Grunden, director of Genesys volunteer services at (810) 606-5100.