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Here's something that will shock nobody... a new study reveals that therapy dogs in children’s hospitals significantly uplift the spirits of both patients and staff.
The researchers from Japan report that the most profound impacts take place in palliative care — easing suffering among patients with serious or terminal conditions.
A considerable majority of the new study, approximately 73 percent, indicated that therapy dogs were “very often” or “always” beneficial during terminal phases. Similarly, these respondents confirmed that full-time “hospital facility dogs” (HFDs) consistently assisted in gaining patient cooperation.
The majority of participants also claimed that these animals alleviated their workload and supported children struggling with schedule alterations. Additionally, they observed that children became more expressive and communicative following their interactions with the dogs.
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