When planning care, don't forget the pets
Hospice service meets needs of all
Sometimes the best ideas for a new service come from a personal experience.
"When I worked for another hospice, I had a patient whose dachshund was as much a part of the family as a child," recalls Delana Taylor McNac, director of spiritual care at Hospice of Green Country in Tulsa, OK. Because McNac had been a veterinarian with a private practice before she became a hospice chaplain, she was aptly attuned to the importance of the dog to the patient. "The little dog greeted hospice staff at the door, then sat next to the patient throughout the visit. When the spouse, who was the primary caregiver, began to decline mentally, and the patient needed a higher level of care, the hospice social worker looked for a nursing home that would allow the pet to stay with the patient," she explains.
Before the social worker had the opportunity to find a place, the adult children stepped in and placed the patient in a nursing home, placed the spouse in a different assisted living home, and took the dog to stay with one of their families. "The patient went into a deep depression and withdrew from everyone," says McNac. "The last time I saw him, he was lying on his bed in the dark, talking to no one, and petting an imaginary dog."
This experience, combined with her love of animals and her past experience as a veterinarian, led McNac to talk to management at Hospice of Green Country about developing a program that would make it possible for pets to stay with hospice patients throughout their hospice care.
"I would guess that 60% to 75% of our patients have a pet, and many of those homes have more than one pet," says McNac. Even though the pet is an important part of the patient's life, it can be a challenge for a patient or the family caregiver to continue caring for the pet. McNac developed Pet Peace of Mind to meet this challenge and to address the needs of hospice patients' pets.
"Initially, I thought we would be providing adoption services for pets whose owners did not make plans for a home for the pet after the owner died, but I was surprised to find that about 90% of our patients have already made those plans," says McNac. Arrangements with local pet rescue organizations help match pets with families if the patient has not made other arrangements, she adds.
The most valuable services provided by Pet Peace of Mind are providing food, transporting the pet to and from veterinary or grooming services, walking dogs, and providing foster families. Foster families care for the pet if the patient is admitted to a nursing home, but they bring the pet to visit on a regular basis, she explains.
During the admission visit, the presence of pets is noted, and the significance of the pet to the family is assessed. "Every patient is told about the pet service and asked if they want help with keeping their pet healthy and well fed," says McNac. "Sometimes the family has been unable to take the pet to the veterinarian on a regular basis for shots or basic care, so they are thankful that the pet can receive the care."
Donations support the program
"We keep a food pantry that is stocked through donations," says McNac. The food is donated to the hospice program from rescue organizations or pet food companies, or is purchased with cash donations. "We want to feed the pet the same or sometimes higher-quality food than they have been eating."
If a veterinarian has seen the pet, the Pet Peace of Mind volunteers take the pet to that veterinarian to ensure continuity of care. "We don't ask the veterinarian to donate services, but we do explain who we are, and we get permission forms from the patient to allow us to take the pet to the veterinarian and authorize treatment or obtain medications," explains McNac. The veterinarian charges are paid in cash with donations to the pet program, but McNac says most veterinarians discount their fees.
Volunteers staff the program, says McNac. "It is very easy to recruit volunteers for this program, and it is a good way to use volunteers in hospice care," she says. "Most of the volunteers came to the agency as a result of media coverage of the program."
Although setting up the program will differ from hospice to hospice, McNac recommends having a consulting veterinarian. "Because I was a veterinarian with my own practice, I can assess a pet's condition and make judgments about the level of veterinary care the pet may need," she explains. One reason the veterinary community is so willing to work with her program is the knowledge that the pets won't come in for unnecessary visits, she adds.
Funding is through donations and grants, including the Banfield Charitable Trust, which has taken on Pet Peace of Mind as one of its projects, says McNac. "The trust not only offers funding to start a program but also provides a guidebook that I've written that describes how to set up a program," she says.
Although most staff members appreciated the value of the service, there were some nonpet people who didn't "get it," says McNac. Inservice education to explain the program and then seeing what the program meant to their patients eventually gained support from everyone, she points out. "Now, all of our staff members know to learn the pet's name and to carry dog biscuits."
Need More Information?
For more information about setting up a pet hospice program, contact:
Delana Taylor McNac, Director of Spiritual Care, Hospice of Green Country, 2121 S. Columbia Ave., Suite 200, Tulsa, OK 74114. Telephone: (918) 747-2273. E-mail: [email protected].
For free information about setting up and funding a Pet Peace of Mind program, go to www.banfieldcharitabletrust.org. On the top navigational bar, under the "Programs" tab, select "Pet Peace of Mind."
For stories about Pet Peace of Mind clients, products that are available, and other tips or suggestions about setting up a Pet Peace of Mind program, go to petpeace.blogspot.com to see Delana Taylor McNac's blog on hospice pet services.
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