Pet Therapy

Pet therapy, also known as animal-assisted therapy, can provide significant emotional and physical benefits for patients in hospice care. Interacting with trained therapy animals—typically dogs—can offer comfort, reduce anxiety, alleviate feelings of loneliness, and even help manage pain by triggering the release of endorphins. For patients facing the end of life, these visits often create moments of joy, companionship, and calm, especially when verbal communication becomes difficult. Pet therapy works by matching certified animals and handlers with patients based on need and preference. Sessions are typically brief and gentle, allowing patients to pet, hold, or simply sit with the animal in a soothing, nonjudgmental environment. This form of therapy supports overall well-being and can help foster a sense of peace and dignity in a patient’s final days.

Child Play

Play therapy is a developmentally appropriate and effective approach to help children cope with grief, offering them a safe and supportive space to express feelings they may not yet have the words to articulate. Through guided play, which may include drawing, storytelling, role-playing, or using dolls and figurines, children can explore complex emotions like sadness, anger, confusion, and fear. The therapeutic setting is designed to be non-threatening and child-centered, allowing kids to process loss at their own pace. Play therapy helps children build emotional resilience, develop coping strategies, and restore a sense of control and security during a time of upheaval. Ultimately, it aims to promote healing, understanding, and emotional well-being by meeting children where they are—through play.