ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) – Therapy animals wander the halls of Sentara RMH Medical Center to help patients feel comforted amid medical treatment and diagnoses.
Hospitals help people in need find medical treatment, and Sentara RMH understands this treatment can be stressful for patients and their families. The hospital has a volunteer therapy animal program where handlers can bring their certified therapy dog in and help leave a lasting impact on people.
Dan Lynn is a volunteer handler who helps Sentara RMH patients with his trusty companions, Loki and Yannis. The two furballs are Bernese Mountain Dog puppies who are large in stature and have a “big heart,” as Lynn put it.
“The Bernese have really soft, gentle dispositions, which makes them an ideal therapy dog,” Lynn said.
Loki and Yannis are both younger than three years old. With that, Lynn said they are still playful and excited like puppies but understand when it’s time to help people. He said their demeanor changes based on their environment, even if they are puppies at heart.
“These dogs are excited by being here; they’re rambunctious a little bit,” Lynn said. “Once they get on the floor, they calm down. That’s amazing to me. There’s no command from me, they just know.”
Crystal Collins, volunteer coordinator for Sentara RMH, helps the teams of therapy animals on the floor. She works with handlers to ensure the animals can do what they do best — comfort people — all while managing behind-the-scenes logistics. Collins said many of the handlers are retired, and this allows them to mix their love of animals with helping people from all stages of life.
“This is one way they want to help out in the hospital by making patients happy,” Collins said. “They want to share their love of their dogs with patients and employees here at the hospital.”
While Collins works with therapy animals in a professional capacity, she has also had personal experience with them. She said therapy animals have personally made her life better when a loved one made a miraculous recovery after having just a few moments with a therapy dog. Her dad was in the hospital and two therapy dogs came to visit him. After the visit, Collins said, her father made a “remarkable turnaround” days after the dogs visited. Now, she feels even more connected to therapy animals, especially when they come to visit her during working hours, she said.
People who are in the hospital typically have a medical reason to be there. Whether it is an emergency surgery or a well-needed checkup, Collins and Lynn said a therapy dog can leave a huge impact on someone who isn’t having the best day. Whether they got bad news, are getting ready for a procedure or have a loved one in need of medical assistance, the two said any therapy animal could be beneficial to patient care.
“I can’t change a lot of things that’s going on out there, but what I can do is help bring some happiness and joy when I do visit,” Lynn said. “Whether it’s a hospice patient, someone in a nursing home or someone here — especially a child. When you bring them into a child’s room in the hospital, things change.”
Lynn said any bad news is tough on the patient and their loved ones, but a therapy dog can help eliminate the pain, even if it is for a few moments.
“Hard to be in a bad mood when you’re petting a dog,” Lynn said.
Lynn explained any dog can become a therapy animal if they have the right credentials. There are several tests and certifications an animal can have to be registered as a therapy animal. He said anyone who wants to leave a lasting impact on folks through their love of animals should consider becoming a therapy animal handler, calling it “one of the best decisions” he’s ever made.
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