At Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, that job falls to Vandy—a black Labrador retriever who works on our recreational therapy team.
The sweet-natured pup works with recreational therapists to help patients meet specific rehabilitation goals. Her presence alone can lift spirits.
Vandy’s handlers work with physical, occupational and speech-language therapists on a variety of tasks to help patients improve fine and gross motor skills, mobility and endurance as well as cognitive function and emotional well-being.
She encourages patients to walk a little farther and sit up independently. She helps patients practice their speech by giving her verbal commands and improve hand strength by brushing her or throwing her a ball. She even plays cards!
Vandy is the first animal-assisted intervention dog in Michigan trained by PAWS With a Cause, a national non-profit organization based in Wayland, Michigan.
Why animal-assisted therapy?
Working with Vandy provides several benefits.
Physical
- Decreases heart rate and blood pressure, pain
- Improves fine motor skills and gross motor skills, standing balance and wheelchair mobility, endurance
Emotional
- Decreases anxiety and stress, depression and isolation
- Increases self-esteem and feelings of acceptance
Cognitive
- Increases attention skills
- Provides mental stimulation
- Encourages verbal interaction, sequencing, problem-solvin
Meet Vandy
Vandy lives with her primary handler and spends her free time going for walks in the neighborhood, playing in the yard and relaxing.
- Favorite treat: Peanut butter off a spoon.
- Favorite trick: “Guess Which Hand the Treat Is In”
- Favorite place to nap: Underneath the hammock in her backyard after work.
- Favorite thing to do off-duty: Take long walks and meet other neighborhood dogs.
- What makes her happy: Dancing around and between people’s legs.
- Pet peeve: When people touch her ticklish paws.
- Bedtime routine: After having her teeth and hair brushed, she’s tucked in with her favorite plaid blanket.
