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Remote Area Medical (RAM) Clinics provide patients with free, quality care. Whether it’s dental, vision, and medical care or other resources to help people improve their health. Recently at the RAM Clinic in Clinton, Tennessee therapy dogs were one of the resources available to patients.
Dogs from Human-Animal Bond in Tennessee (H.A.B.I.T.) attended the clinic on Saturday Nov. 2, walking around providing comfort to patients as they waited to receive care.
The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine runs the H.A.B.I.T. program. Their aim is to “foster pet visitation to nursing homes, assisted-living residences, retirement centers, mental health centers, residences for children with special needs, rehabilitation facilities, hospital settings, and other facilities.”
Darlene and Marshall: A Volunteer Duo Making a Difference
The group of volunteers bring their medically and behaviorally screened animals to facilities to promote the bond between people and animals. Dogs, cats, and rabbits can be H.A.B.I.T. volunteers.
H.A.B.I.T. volunteer Darlene brought her therapy dog, Marshall, to the RAM Clinic to greet patients and comfort them while they waited for services. Marshall has been working as a therapy dog for nearly five years — about half of his life. Though Marshall has been a therapy dog for years, this was their first time at a RAM Clinic.
“We go to places that H.A.B.I.T. sends us, and we provide therapy for people. It’s just exciting and [patients] get excited when they see him and it keeps them calm. So that’s why [H.A.B.I.T.] wanted us to come here,” Darlene said.
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A Pawsitive Impact
Trained therapy dogs like Marshall have been proven to help with mental health through reducing anxiety, helping with stress management, and decreasing depression. “Studies have found that short-term, unstructured interactions with a therapy dog can significantly reduce self-reported anxiety and distress levels,” according to the National Institutes of Health.
Marshall’s first RAM Clinic was a success — patients and volunteers alike stopped to say hi and pet him. While Marshall was making his rounds through the clinic. Other RAM Volunteers were hard at work serving 310 patients more than $275,000 in free healthcare.
Along with attending the RAM Clinic, Darlene and Marshall visit a nursing home and a children’s hospital every week. She shared how her experiences bringing Marshall to visit people is rewarding not only for her, but for the patients as well.
“He’s really good with kids, so we thoroughly enjoy it — my heart explodes,” Darlene said.
Darlene is training her four-year-old schnauzer to be a therapy dog as well. Once she is leash trained, she will be ready to join Marshall in reducing stress and bringing joy to patients all over the Knoxville area.
“I have another one, she’s a schnauzer, she’s a rescue. I’m trying to groom her to be another therapy dog. She’s really good with people but I’m having to teach her to walk on the leash. She’s just not a leash dog yet,” Darlene said.
Bringing Comfort to Patients Through Pet Therapy
Marshall was one of two dogs from H.A.B.I.T. that attended the clinic in Clinton, greeting and comforting patients as they awaited treatment.
RAM aims to help patients take care of all aspects of their health — including mental health. Programs, like H.A.B.I.T., that aim to reduce anxiety and stress are a great reminder of the connection between physical and mental health.
Click here to read our blog on the importance of mental well-being for tips on reducing stress and anxiety.
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