Therapeutic Companionship with Our Community Pets
Our pet therapy program is designed to improve the quality of life of our residents, providing both emotional and physical benefits. Residents interact with our community pets through Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and casual daily contact. This regular interaction helps to:
- Relieve stress and anxiety
- Provide a source of comfort
- Encourage companionship
- Create mental stimulation
These emotional benefits can be a catalyst leading to lower blood pressure as well as respiratory and heart rates.
During warm weather, our residents particularly enjoy a ride on our handicapped-accessible, horse-drawn wagon. The team of draft horses and mules is made available for our use through the generosity of Stephen Gazdick, Healthwin chief financial officer. We also appreciate the generosity of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County that provided a grant for the construction of the custom wagon.