Paws & Play Doggy Digest 2020 issue #1

The Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department

Issue 1 2020

Paws & Play Response to COVID-19

Professor, Amos and Moby remained essential members of the Child Life and Creative Art Therapy Department during the COVID-19 pandemic, working with their child life and creative arts therapist handlers to support patients, families, and staff across the Mount Sinai Health System. While continuing to design innovative AAT programming for patients and families, special consideration was given to the needs of Mount Sinai staff and the ways in which Paws & Play could offer additional therapeutic support. With hopes of expanding offerings to staff in an impactful way, the Paws & Play Program implemented several new staff initiatives. Paws & Play expanded clinical reach to include locations across the system, including Mount Sinai campuses in Brooklyn, Queens, Mount Sinai West, and Mount Sinai Morningside. All three facility dogs conducted weekly sessions in the field hospital assembled in central park to respond to the influx of COVID-19 patients in New York City.

Lastly, Professor, Amos and Moby continue to partner with the Office of Well-being and Resilience to offer daily staff support sessions at various respite stations located throughout the Hospital.

Patient Spotlight– Ollie and Amos

Happy Gotcha Day Moby!

Ollie, 15, and Amos first met each other when Ollie was admitted to P2 in 2019 for chemotherapy. “Amos is the best part of being in the hospital,” explained Ollie, whose favorite thing about Amos is his floppy ears. Ollie, who also spends time with Professor in the outpatient clinic, helped run a Kid Zone TV show, “Dog Talk,” starring Professor, Amos and Moby. Our facility dogs help make hard days in the hospital a lot brighter, according to Ollie.

On March 18th, we celebrated one year of Moby spreading joy, happiness, and wellness to Mount Sinai staff, faculty, and trainees at the Mount Sinai Health System.

We are very proud to be pioneers in the field of research on the impact that Moby has everyday with our Sinai community.

www.mountsinai.org/pawsandplay

Instagram @MountSinai_PawsandPlay

Robot Animal Assisted Therapy Programming

The Paws & Play facility dog program is ensuring that pediatric patients with COVID-19 continue to receive all the therapeutic benefits of engaging with their four-legged best friends. Pediatric patients with COVID-19 are virtually interacting with Professor and Amos using various technologies, including “FaceTime“ and our innovative child life robots. The Paws & Play team continues to have tremendous success in facilitating virtual therapeutic sessions, including procedural support, play and community building. In addition to seeing COVID-19 patients in this way, these interventions have expanded our reach to make it possible for all pediatric patients to receive AAT services, regardless of isolation status.

Happy 3 Year Anniversary to Our Paws & Play Program!

On March 27, Paws & Play celebrated its three year anniversary.

Over the past three years, the Paws & Play team has grown to three full time facility dogs working across the Mount Sinai Health System. We are proud to be driving two IRB approved research studies looking at the impact of animal assisted therapy on patients, families, staff, students and trainees.

Our program leads in Animal Assisted Therapy practices. Our staff has presented at five national conferences to disseminate best practice in the field. We send our deepest thanks and gratitude to all of our generous donors, who make this innovative program possible.

Dog Talk on KZTV Professor, Amos, and Moby have made their debut on KZTV with the weekly addition of “Dog Talk”. This show features fun facts, trivia, and art based activities for patients and families to engage in regardless of isolation status during hospitalization. Patients can assist in live production of the show and submit new weekly show ideas!

We are grateful to our partners!

Paws & Play is generously supported by PetSmart Charities® and the Mount Sinai Auxiliary Board.

Paws & Play: Care for Clinical Teams is generously supported by the Gertrude Feil Charitable Trust, The RLichter Charity for Dogs, and EnCourage Kids Foundation