Nathan Adelson Hospice Pet Therapy
(Las Vegas) – With colder weather striking Las Vegas, Nathan Adelson Hospice’s Pet Therapy Program is once again helping its furry friends in local animal shelters. The Pet Therapy Program, which comprises 18 dogs, announced today it is holding its “4th Annual Dog Bed & Blanket Drive” to help keep animals warm this season.
From Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, 2015, community members are invited to donate new or gently used items at all the Nathan Adelson Hospice locations. The donations will then be delivered to the shelters throughout the two months. Items being collected include: dog beds; blankets; towels; and unopened dog food. Donations can be dropped off at any of the Nathan Adelson Hospice locations: 4141 Swenson St., Las Vegas; in the MountainView Medical Office Building, 3150 N. Tenaya Way (near Cheyenne), Suite 350, Las Vegas; 2270 E. Commercial Rd., Suite A/B in Pahrump; and 1201 Nevada State Drive in Henderson.
Lisa Browder, manager of the Complementary Therapies Program for Nathan Adelson Hospice, said more than 4,500 items were donated to local shelters over the last three winter seasons thanks to the generous collections received.
“As the colder weather enters Southern Nevada, we’re always worried about the well-being of the dogs and cats in the shelters,” Browder said. “Our program has several loving pet therapists, so we are happy to do our share in helping these homeless animals.”
The Pet Therapy Program is under the Bonnie Schreck Memorial Complementary Therapies Program, which was created in 1999 as a means by which the hospice could provide a greater range of valuable therapies to patients. Patients and loved ones are able to request various therapies and techniques, such as pet therapy, reiki, reflexology, massage, and aromatherapy, to help ease discomfort by providing a calming and soothing environment. The goal is to provide the most effective, innovative and compassionate care possible. The Pet Therapy Program’s innovative technique to improve the quality of life for hospice patients has been one of the most successful thus far. It has been shown that spending time with a friendly animal can lift depression, lower blood pressure and respiratory rates, and bring comfort.
Nathan Adelson Hospice, the trusted partner in hospice and palliative care for 36 years, is the largest non-profit hospice in Southern Nevada, caring for an average of 300 patients daily. In 1978, Nathan Adelson Hospice began providing home care hospice service in Southern Nevada with the mission to offer patients and their loved ones comprehensive end-of-life care and to influence better care for all in the community. In 1983, Nathan Adelson Hospice opened an in-patient hospice in Las Vegas, and today the hospice is recognized as a national model for superior hospice care.
The mission of the hospice is to be the Hospice of Choice, the Employer of Preference and a Training Center of Excellence. Its vision is simple: no one should end the journey of life alone, afraid or in pain. The hospice also is home to The Center for Compassionate Care, a non-profit counseling agency providing individual, group and family counseling services to address grief, loss and issues related to surviving life-threatening illnesses. For more information and to donate, visit www.nah.org.
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