Our Dogs Lift Spirits
IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS
“It’s clear based on the behavior of dogs that they in fact sense pain and the emotional state of the people they meet; therapy dogs interact with patients in ways that humans cannot.”
Pedia Manor
Program Description
Roxy Therapy Dogs’ visits to Pedia Manor group homes provide a fun, welcome distraction to medically fragile children with chronic health issues. The excitement begins the moment our teams arrive. Many children reside in these homes long-term so they really look forward to our weekly visits as a special treat and a positive distraction. Working alongside the skilled, compassionate pediatric caregivers, Roxy volunteer teams set out to make each child’s day as comfortable and as enjoyable as possible.
As each child’s situation at Pedia Manor is unique, our therapy teams visit children individually and cater the visit to the individual needs and wishes of every child. Some children are able to get up and play with the dogs while some are content to sit on a volunteer's lap. Others are ventilator and/or feeding tube-dependent and reply upon Pedia Manor’s skilled pediatric caregivers for help with movement. The dogs will lay patiently while the staff reposition the children to help them pet the dogs.
No matter what illnesses or conditions these children suffer from, they always manage to give our teams a smile and let them know how much they love our visits.
Benefits to the Children
Slower heart rate
Lower anxiety
Increased oxytocin (feel-good hormone) levels
Improved social skills
Location
Pedia Manor has two houses in Pipersville and three in Quakertown.
Director
Phyllis Mikolaj, Director of Roxy Pediatric Comfort Program at Pedia Manor
“I cannot communicate how blessed we are to have the dogs visiting our children. Even some of our most medically compromised children, who rarely respond to most stimuli, have been seen smiling and calming during their interactions with the dogs. Your volunteers have hearts of gold.”
