Why did you want to bring therapy dogs into your facility?
The LightBridge Hospice Community Foundation is committed to enhancing the lives of seriously ill patients and their families throughout San Diego County (California). Pet therapy is just one of the many innovative and therapeutic integrative therapy programs we offer to our patients.
While we know that animals can bring tremendous joy and companionship, research has also shown that interactions with therapy animals can help decrease feelings of isolation and depression, reduce anxiety, ease the perception of pain, and support overall physical and emotional well-being.
For patients and families experiencing one of life’s most vulnerable and tender times, the simple presence of a loving, gentle dog can provide comfort, connection, and a welcome moment of happiness. We believe that therapy dogs can support the mind, body, and spirit – and sometimes a wagging tail is exactly what someone needs.
How long have you had therapy dog visits at your facility?
While LightBridge Hospice Community Foundation is a foundation that supports the work of LightBridge Hospice and Palliative Care rather than a physical facility, our care teams serve patients wherever they call home. This may be a private residence, assisted living community, long-term care facility, or hospital.
This month marks the beginning of our 21st year as a foundation, and we have had a pet therapy program since the very beginning. It has consistently been one of our most popular and frequently requested programs by patients and families because it truly makes a difference.
Did you run into any complications when starting a therapy dog program?
One of our biggest challenges is simply geography. San Diego County encompasses nearly 4,500 square miles, stretching from the Mexican border and the coastal communities north to Camp Pendleton, as well as into the more rural eastern areas, including Fallbrook and Alpine. Because our patients live throughout the county, it can sometimes be difficult to find dog therapy teams who are able to travel to the far reaches of our service area.
Another challenge is that death and dying can still be an uncomfortable or unfamiliar subject in our society. I have found that some therapy teams understandably gravitate toward visits that they expect to be happy, uplifting, and easy, such as working with school-aged children.
But hospice has taught me that some of the most meaningful moments happen amid life’s most difficult ones.
When I began working with LightBridge more than 10 years ago, I thought hospice was going to be depressing and sad. Instead, I discovered how incredibly rewarding it can be to become a new friend in someone’s final chapter to bring joy, comfort, connection, and love during such a profound and meaningful time.
I have learned so much from our patients and their families, and so much about myself. Therapy dog teams have the same opportunity to make a profound difference simply by showing up, sitting beside someone, and offering the unconditional companionship that only an animal can provide.
How long are visits and how many dogs do you have visiting at a time?
We typically request visits of approximately 40 minutes to one hour. Most often, one therapy dog team visits a patient at a time, which allows the patient and family to have a more personal and meaningful interaction.
When a visit takes place at a facility, the therapy dog team will often spend time with our patient first and then use the remaining time to visit residents in common areas. This allows the team to spread the love around and bring a little extra companionship and happiness to others who may also benefit from a visit.
For special events, fundraisers, and community gatherings, we have had three or four therapy dogs attend together, which is always a wonderful experience!
Do you have a specific therapy dog visit that touched you?
There are so many touching stories to share, but two immediately come to mind.
One of our therapy dog teams visited a patient with Alzheimer’s disease twice a month for more than a year. Over that time, the patient and her dog developed a very special bond, and the therapy dog team also became close with the patient’s family, who attended each visit at the facility where their loved one lived.
After the patient passed away, her family invited the therapy dog team to join them at both the graveside service and the celebration of life at their local synagogue. The fact that this relationship had become such an important part of their lives and that the family wanted the dog to be there to say goodbye was incredibly touching.
Another particularly meaningful relationship is with an Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) Member whose own mother received hospice care through LightBridge before she passed away. When I first met her, she shared that she was very familiar with working with seniors because she had regularly brought her dog to the facility where her mother lived, both to visit her mom and to bring some happiness to the other residents.
She has since become an incredible partner to LightBridge, visiting multiple patients, and her dog is amazing as well. She is exceptionally well-trained and has an entire repertoire of adorable and truly impressive tricks!
One day, I casually mentioned our bi-weekly bereavement ceremony, when LightBridge staff come together in our office to remember the patients we have recently lost. Without hesitation, she offered to bring her dog to the ceremony and provide pet therapy for our staff.
It was such a thoughtful gesture, and her dog brought smiles and brightened the day for everyone. It was a beautiful reminder that therapy animals don’t just touch the lives of patients and families, they can also provide comfort and connection to the people who care for them.
These are just two examples of the wonderful work ATD teams have done for our patients, families, and staff. We are incredibly grateful for our relationship with ATD and look forward to continuing this partnership and bringing the comfort, companionship, and unconditional love of therapy dogs to even more people.
If you’re interested in learning more about the work we do, please visit LBHCF.org.
With gratitude for all you do,
Beth Solomon Marino
Director of Development and Program Management
LightBridge Hospice Community Foundation
