Carmarthenshire Therapy Dogs from Golden Grove have been getting involved with Play in Hospital Week, making multiple visits to Glangwili Hospital.
The therapy dogs at the charitable organisations have been making visits to many of the wards at Glangwili, including the Cilgerran Ward to play with the children at the hospital.
They visited the hospital during Play in Hospital Week, which occurred last week nationwide, and is managed by Starlight and National Association of Health Play Specialists.
The 2022 week focused on ‘Play for resilience and good mental health.’
The therapy dogs scheme, which has been running since it started in 2015, works independently, visiting visiting referrals including some of Hywel Dda Health Board’s hospital wards.
This has included the paediatric Cilgerran Ward at Glangwili, as well as the cardiology-focused Towy Ward during Play in Hospital Week.
Although independent, the therapy dogs scheme is run from its base, just south of Golden Grove.
The volunteers and their dogs are recruited by the scheme, assessed and DBS checked, and they are noticeable by their branded clothing and matching dog coats.
One of the volunteers will now be regularly visiting Cilgerran and Towy wards at Glangwili Hopsital.
The aim is for more volunteers to join the team to allow them to visit more hospital wards across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
These volunteers are supporting people in care home settings, hospitals and schools across Carmarthenshire and surrounding counties, bringing comfort, and reducing loneliness and isolation.
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Karen Thomas, head of therapeutic play said: “Play Week was a great way to raise awareness of the importance of therapeutic play in patient recovery.
“Having the dogs and the volunteers visit is a great benefit to our patients and our staff. We’ve seen a great response from patients who are often more reserved.”
Sue Smith from Carmarthen Therapy Dogs said: “The benefits have been positive.
“As a service, we make sure we always have staff member with us during a visit at all times and we believe that apart from the service user, the staff of hospital wards are one of the lateral beneficiaries of a dog visit.”
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