To help caregivers cope with everyday stressful situations, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center adopted a therapy dog.
- Shiloh is part of the “Buckeye Paws” program, which aims to provide moral support to caregivers through the presence of companion animals.
He’s a little golden retriever named Shiloh, and at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, he plays a vital role in boosting the morale of the medical staff!
Part of the “Buckeye Paws” program which aims to help staff decompress after high stress situations through therapy dogs, Shiloh quickly became the hospital’s mascot. Then social networks when Shari Dunaway, a neurologist employed by the establishment, shared a snapshot of the little golden retriever and his new recruit badge.
My hospital hired an employee whose only job is to go around saying hi to other employees while they work pic.twitter.com/WWXNeEiWne
— Shari Dunaway, MD (@ShariDunawayMD) November 20, 2020
“My hospital has recruited an employee whose only job is to greet employees when they work”commented Dr. Dunaway.
Quickly becoming viral, its publication of November 20 was liked nearly 18,000 times.
An anti-stress program
Deployed in Ohio at multiple healthcare facilities since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Buckeye Paws program is a therapy program for teachers, caregivers and students to help them cope with the stress and anxiety generated by their professions, delivered as part of the Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) program of the medical center. Buckeye Paws dogs are certified by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) and the program follows ATD guidelines.
Shiloh is therefore not the only dog to share his joie de vivre with caregivers. Other faithful companions named Brienne, Ellie and Radar, also come to bring comfort to caregivers.
Shiloh, one of our #BuckeyePaws pups, has become an Instagram sensation! Here’s a behind-the-scenes shot of his pawfect pose for his #OSUWexMed Picture badge ID. ???? ❤️ ???? pic.twitter.com/2tZIuGyLbR
— The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center ???? (@OSUWexMed) November 28, 2020
The latter give it back to them. Shiloh “is very well rewarded and remunerated for his work”, says Dr. Dunaway. In addition to daily scratches and caresses, the dog receives “free treats for life, he is housed, groomed, fed, groomed”says the hospital.
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