Business & Tech

Northwest Community Hospital Expanding Animal-Assisted Therapy

Northwest Community Hospital plans to expand animal-assisted therapy.

Northwest Community Hospital is recruiting additional dogs and volunteer owners to expand is animal-assisted therapy program.

The Arlington Heights hospital started the program in 2007. A press release from the hospital states that animal-assisted therapy is a proven method of improving a patient’s physical health by providing a higher level of emotional comfort while serving as a diversion from illness.

The program has grown to 60 dog and handler teams that make hospital-wide visits. A loving dog can assist in reducing a patient’s stress, pain, anxiety and loneliness. Interaction between patients and pets can raise a person’s spirits and improve their physical well-being by lowering blood pressure and accelerating recovery times, the press release states.

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“The animals provide a dimension of care that is unlike any other therapy,” Diane Colville, manager of Animal Assisted Therapy at NCH, stated in the press release. “Patients simply love the dogs. Our teams have made more than 35,000 patient visits in nearly four years.”

A team consists of a dog and its handler, who must be the owner of the pet and at least 18 years old. Therapy dogs can be any breed, but must be in good health, obedient, enjoy people and get along with other dogs, the press release states.

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Volunteers need to complete an application.

Qualifying dogs will go through a two-hour temperament and obedience evaluation by professional dog trainers on Saturday, Aug. 6.

Teams that pass will attend a 2½-day training course at the hospital that includes mock and trainer-supervised patient visits, and a briefing on hospital policies and infection control practices. The training – held Oct. 7 (evening only), Oct. 8 and Oct. 9 – will prepare teams for hospital visits. There are modest fees to help offset the costs of the temperament evaluation and training, the press release states.

For more details on NCH’s Animal-Assisted Therapy program and to download an application, visit the hospital’s website at www.nch.org/animalassist. Sponsorships are available to support the dog and handler teams.


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