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Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Belinda Johnson and her gentle canine giant, Gizmo, have been creating smiles in Rockford’s hospitals, skilled nursing homes, assisted livings and other community residential facilities for three years. So when Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care expanded into Rockford in 2016, Johnson saw another opportunity for Gizmo to relieve some of the stress and loneliness often brought on by a life-limiting illness.
Johnson and Gizmo, a 150-lb. Newfoundland dog, along with Belinda’s mother, Iris Edwards, began volunteering with Agrace, a nonprofit, community-supported agency that brings hospice and palliative care to residents of the greater Rockford area, as well as rural communities across the stateline region. Every other week Johnson and Edwards take Gizmo, a trained therapy dog, to spend time with people who live in a nursing home in Rockford while also receiving hospice care visits from Agrace.
For these patients, animal-assisted therapy improves mental and physical health. Research has shown that the simple act of petting an animal causes the human brain to release serotonin and other mood-elevating hormones. Pets can decrease anxiety, provide comfort, reduce pain and can even lower the blood pressure of the people they visit.
Newfoundland dogs like Gizmo are well known for their exceptional size, but also their calm dispositions—an asset when visiting people who are frail or bedbound. Johnson explains, “Gizmo has an amazing effect on people; they just gravitate toward him. I knew volunteering with Agrace would give us an opportunity to give great joy to our community,” said Johnson.
“As Agrace increases the number of patients we serve, Gizmo could use a colleague—or two,” says Hilary Messerschmidt, volunteer coordinator for Agrace. “We’re looking for volunteers in and around Rockford to make pet visits. And we also need people who would simply like to make companionship visits to Agrace patients receiving hospice or palliative care. They spend time in our patients’ homes or in long-term care centers in Rockford and other local communities. Whether you go there to read, share a hobby, do a little housekeeping or just be a good listener, it’s a chance to serve your neighbors in some of the toughest times of their life.”
Anyone interested in brightening the lives of Agrace patients can learn about Agrace’s volunteer opportunities by calling (800) 553-4289 or visiting agrace.org/volunteer.
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