Whether it’s through our world class Smith Level I Shock Trauma Center, our Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center, Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center or a wide variety of additional health care resources, healing has always been what Eskenazi Health has been about for more than 160 years.
Highly-skilled doctors, nurses and many others provide the great care our patients receive at Eskenazi Health, although some of our patients request and receive a boost in their healing, and that comes from our furry, four-legged friends.
The Eskenazi Health Pet Therapy program is comprised of a number of therapy dogs that are specially trained to provide affection and comfort to the patients, visitors and staff at Eskenazi Health. In addition to hospitals, therapy dogs may work in retirement homes, doctor offices nursing homes, disaster areas, schools, or as a part of a hospice program. Our therapy dogs not only provide affection and comfort, they have also proven to lower blood pressure and heart rate; reduce stress, pain, anxiety and loneliness; and provide mental stimulation and human socialization.
Eskenazi Health therapy dogs enthusiastically offer comfort and enjoyment to people who may have physical or emotional needs, or just need a boost from a friendly dog whose intent is to improve the overall quality of life by enhancing a person’s emotional well-being. Patients can hold or pet the dogs, and they may also lie on the bed with patients. Unlike service dogs, which are primarily used for deaf or blind individuals, therapy dogs are trained to bring comfort to everyone they encounter.
Our therapy dogs are evaluated and certified enabling them to go with their handler into a variety of settings, including medical facilities like Eskenazi Health. Therapy dogs provide to those they serve pleasant distractions from procedures or boredom, an increase in comfort, less anxiety and a few minutes of joy.
One of the unique aspects of the Eskenazi Health Pet Therapy program is the Lisa K. Humke Canine Therapy Garden, which is situated outside at the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital.
At Eskenazi Health, we recognize the animal and human bond gives our patients the motivation and the peace they need to support the healing process, and the Lisa K. Humke Canine Therapy Garden was built specifically for our patients, therapy certified dogs and volunteer teams. The Eskenazi Health Pet Therapy team is excited to provide this beautiful patient-focused area allowing our therapy dogs and volunteers the freedom to be outside while enhancing Eskenazi Health’s outstanding, holistic patient care.
The garden is named for Lisa K. Humke, who had a love for all things canine. While the garden represents the program goals, it also remembers our furry founder, Bonnie, Eskenazi Health’s first pet therapy dog.
When in the garden, patients can enjoy the outdoors in Bonnie’s Courtyard, visit and sit with family in Ruby’s Family Pet Visitation, work on their Frisbee game in the Fetch Lawn named in remembrance of Maude Glore’s beloved pets Boris, Susie, BooBoo, Barnaby, Zoe, Kallie, and walk up to a mile on the Circuit Path. In addition to patient focused areas, the garden’s agility area helps stimulate the therapy dogs while providing restorative opportunities for observers.
Patients in the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital can request a visit from a certified therapy dog any time the dogs are in the building. Nurses can arrange visits for patients who they feel could benefit from interaction with a dog. Therapy dogs have also visited Eskenazi Health Center sites.
Patients who would like to request a visit while in the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital should speak with their nurse or call Eskenazi Health Pet Therapy at 317-880-8565. To learn more about the pet therapy program, please visit https://www.eskenazihealth.edu/programs/pet-therapy.
Nydia Nunez-Estrada M.D.
Family Medicine Specialist at Eskenazi Health Center North Arlington