Dogs Can Be A Hospice Volunteer
Research tells us that animals offer great therapeutic value. We’ve seen the benefits first hand with our patients. Dogs with loving hearts and owners with a passion for helping others make up the Centrica Hospice Therapy Dog Teams. Did you know that even you and your dog can become a hospice care volunteer as a certified therapy dog team too? What a wonderful way to give back to your community.
Physical Benefits Of Pet Therapy.
Pet therapy in hospice care can be beneficial for many reasons including both emotional and physical support. The physical benefits of pet therapy in hospice care have been found as:
- lowers blood pressure
- improves cardiovascular health
- releases endorphins that have a calming effect
- diminishes overall physical pain
- the act of petting produces an automatic relaxation response, reducing the amount of medication some people may need
Emotional Benefits of Pet Therapy
There is a special type of bond a person can have with a four-legged friend. Research has shown a wide variety of benefits to patients improving their social and emotional wellness with the help of pet therapy in hospice care.
- reduced feelings of loneliness
- reduced feelings of anxiety and depression
- increased overall outlook on life and circumstances
How You Can Become Part Of The Pet Therapy Team.
Are you interested in hospice care volunteer work with your best friend? You can work together to provide animal assisted therapy in palliative care for your community. There are opportunities to become certified Therapy Dog Teams. We work with Alliance Therapy Dogs and Therapy Dogs Inc.to certify dogs and provide training to their owners.
To get started, Simply call us at 269-345-0273. You and your dog can really make a difference in someone’s life in helping people at the end of their life.
Getting Started With Volunteering
The first step is to complete an application online or call us at 269-345-0273. Our volunteer coordinators will contact you to begin the process of becoming a Centrica Care Volunteer.
Our Mission is to guide and support individuals and their caregivers coping with illness, aging, dying, and loss by providing compassionate medical, emotional, spiritual, and personal care.
