The experience shows that the most important thing for dying or terminally ill people is to find comfort and peace. Animal contact offers basal stimulation (regular and quiet breathing, warm fur) with its relaxing and comforting effect, reduces stress and increases well-being. It often is the patient’s wish to see animals again, and people suffering from dementia suddenly remember the dog they had once. All these positive effects meet the main goal of palliative care: enabling people to lead a dignified life until the end.
The Vienna Social Fund (Fonds Soziales Wien – FSW), based in Vienna takes care of people with difficulties, disabilities and illness. It also has a mobile palliative care team including qualified nursing staff, doctors, graduate social workers, physiotherapists and psychologists trained to care for dying or terminally ill people in their domestic environment. Specially trained volunteers offer additional support through hospice care. They support patients and their relatives in organisational questions and spend time on walks or reading to them.
In May 2018, the FSW-mobile palliative and hospice team implemented a new and unique offer for its patients: in cooperation with the dogs team of the ‘Worker’s Samaritan Federation’ (ArbeiterSamariter-Bund Österreichs – Gruppe Favoriten – ASB Favoriten), it is possible to be visited in the domestic environment by specially trained and accompanied therapy companion dogs. This additional support has a direct and strong effect on the quality of life and well-being of the affected people. Due to basal stimulation, it is possible to see physical improvements such as a lowering of the heart rate and reduced stress. This has a relaxing and comforting effect, and increases well-being while anxiety and pain experiences are reduced. Moreover, the relatives benefit by the offer too, as it promotes verbal as well as non-verbal communication.