Tomah Memorial Hospice Touch is seeking volunteers for its new therapy-dog program.
According to hospice volunteer coordinator Jolene Frantz, LPN, the new program is designed to provide volunteer visits by registered therapy dogs and their owner to people of all ages receiving hospice care.
“This program will provide care for the purpose of love, support, comfort and animal companionship,” Frantz said.
Bolunteers should have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with many different populations, according to a press release prepared by Tomah Memorial Hospice Touch.
“The potential therapy dogs must be at least a year old and be very calm, gentle, polite, and interact appropriately and comfortably with unfamiliar people in unfamiliar settings,” Frantz said.
All potential therapy dogs and their handlers will be screened before being accepted into a special training program, which will be held from Nov. 10–12 at no cost to the volunteer.
“This is a unique and very rewarding volunteer opportunity that we hope others will want to be a part of,” Frantz added.
Volunteers should contact Frantz at (608) 374-0250 by Thursday, Oct. 5.
