Volunteer Therapy Dog and Handler Provide Emotional Support
Sherry Terlau’s warm smile and conversations, coupled with Molly’s wagging tail and gentle presence, helps patients know they are not alone. At least twice a month, Terlau and therapy dog Molly, a seven-year-old Goldendoodle, visit long-term care facilities in the Northern Kentucky region.
“I like to volunteer because I love people, especially the elderly,” Terlau said. “They don’t get as many visitors, and I just love to see them smile.”
Terlau and Molly have been a team since Molly was eight weeks old.
“I was interested in volunteering with Bluegrass Care Navigators because they were taking care of my mom,” Terlau said. “I wanted to give back to them because I wouldn’t have been able to take care of my mom otherwise and honor her wish to die at home.”
Molly started training to be a therapy dog at six months and completed her Good Canine Citizen testing and therapy dog testing at one year. In October of 2022, Molly became a certified Hope dog and is trained to provide comfort and emotional support during a crisis, such as a school shooting or natural disaster.
“One of the benefits of being a volunteer with a dog, is that it really has a tendency to calm the patient down,” Terlau said.
She shared an encounter with a patient who was extremely agitated. Terlau and the health care team put Molly where the patient could see her. The patient started petting Molly, crying happy tears and visibly calmed.
“Dogs are able to do things that people can’t do,” Terlau said. “Having her gives me more confidence, so in some ways, she’s my therapy dog, too.”
Hospice volunteers are a valuable part of the patient care team. Volunteers work with a clinical team of a doctor, nurse, aide, chaplain and social worker. Because they spend time with the patient, volunteers who provide direct patient care can often give the team valuable feedback about issues that may arise during their visits.
Medicare-certified hospice programs require providers to use volunteers for at least five percent of their patient care hours. Volunteers are required to undergo training to gain understanding of the goals for hospice care and their role and function as a volunteer.
If you are a therapy dog handler or have another special skill that could help a hospice patient, we could use your talents! Learn more about volunteering at Bluegrass Care Navigators on our website www.bgcarenav.org/volunteer.
