Thank you to St John of God Bendigo Hospital for agreeing to share your Dogs Connect journey and to ABC News Victoria for coming to see how our program is offering a sustainable solution for Hospitals to combat trauma management, wellbeing and mental health of frontline workers and caregivers.
See here how Rosie the wellbeing dog is settling in
We first ran a pilot program with the Hospital late last year. The results found that all staff felt a visit from a wellbeing dog increased happiness and reduced stress.
Following the coronavirus outbreak this year, the psychological pressure on healthcare workers has only intensified, especially most recently in Victoria.
“Having a wellbeing dog that is a part of the hospital’s trauma-informed approach helps to manage anxiety and strengthen mental health support for healthcare workers.” Grant Shannon Dogs Connect Founder said.
Michele Stares the CEO of St John of God Bendigo Hospital, responsible for hiring Rosie as a permanent member of the Hospital workforce agrees.
“[The program] helps assist us in supporting the wellbeing of our caregivers by providing strategies to minimise stress and manage mental health.”
Watch us on ABC News above or read the article in full here.
