Visits from pets can mean so much

Pets are part of the family for so many people and having them near can be calming and reassuring for Phyllis Tuckwell patients. When a patient comes to stay on our In-Patient Unit, their pets are welcome to visit them there. Some are brought in to see their owners for few hours, while others stay overnight. Our nursing team love to see them and get to know them all by name. Being able to stroke and cuddle their pets means so much to our patients.

And it’s not just our in-patients who can enjoy these pet visits. Our gorgeous little Pets as Therapy (PAT) dogs, Tiggy and Mabel, often come along to our Living Well sessions, to see our patients there. Tiggy and her owner Jane, and Mabel and her owner Lisa, visit our Beacon Centre on alternate Fridays, so one of them is there every week. Pets are a really important part of life for many people, but some of our patients are no longer able to manage caring for a pet of their own. Being able to stroke and interact with Tiggy and Mabel means so much to them, and the dogs really enjoy the attention, too!