PATIENT CARE
PATIENT’S BEST FRIEND Meet Peru, a golden retriever who serves as Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation White Oak’s facility dog. ERU is trained by Canine Companions, an organization that places service dogs with people who have disabilities, to support her handler, rehabilitation psychologist Heather Tropiano, Psy.D.
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Q: What is a facility dog?
Q: What is your typical day like?
A: Facility dogs like me help patients work toward specific treatment goals.
long have you been working Q: How Adventist with HealthCare Rehab? A: I became an official member of the inpatient rehab team on Sept. 21, 2020, after a year of acclimating to the hospital environment. Now, Dr. Tropiano has set goals for me, and we are measuring my success in helping patients heal.
you learn how Q: Hto owhelpdidpatients?
A: I engaged in extensive, focused training for two weeks to learn more than 40 commands. During that time, Dr. Tropiano and I also learned how to work with one another and the best ways to utilize my abilities in a rehabilitation setting.
A: Dr. Tropiano and I check into Rehab White Oak in the morning. I practice my “push” command by summoning the elevator to the sixth floor, where I work. Dr. Tropiano plans my schedule. On a recent day, I started by spending 30 minutes playing ring toss with a patient while Dr. Tropiano assessed their progress. Next, I helped another patient use their stroke-affected hand to string beads. At lunch, I go for a long walk around the hospital campus and complete a quick 5- to 10-minute training session on a new command. In the afternoon, I join Dr. Tropiano to help a patient who is having a hard time adjusting to a spinal cord injury. I am commanded to visit while the patient talks about adjusting to their new condition. I provide comfort in ways that humans sometimes cannot. Before getting into the car to go home, I am rewarded with a few rounds of fetch outside!
Read more about how facility dogs help patients heal here at AHCYou.com/W22Dogs.
A FEW OF THE 40 COMMANDS THAT PERU USES IN THERAPY “Get” Pick up an item in your mouth. “Give” Let go of an item when a person’s hand is on it or near it. “Hold” Clutch and keep an item in your mouth.
“Up” Raise front paws up and place them on a surface.
“Push” Shove an indicated item with your nose.
“Here” Return or go to your handler or patient.
“Tug” Pull at an item with your mouth.
“Jump” Place all four paws on a surface.
“Visit” Rest head in patient’s lap.
AHCYOU.COM/W22
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