Pet Care Added to End-of-Life Services
The Oregonian published an article at the end of last month about the evolving world of end-of-life services and hospice care. Apparently, the most recent addition to such services is pet care.
Many elderly and hospice patients will admit to the healing power a loving animal can provide. The reality of circumstances, however, is that a person who is being cared for can hardly be expected to adequately care for sometimes even the most basic needs of an animal.
That’s why Pet Peace of Mind, a national grant program by the Banfield Charitable Trust, has begun providing hospice services with the ability to allow more patients to keep their animals. Their program includes step-by-step instructions on pet care, training for program managers, and $5,000 seed money.
Providence Hospice in Portland and Mount Hood Hospice in Sandy received grant monies and have begun offering pet care to its hospice patients. Now, hospice volunteers simply sign up for pet care, committing to walking dogs, changing litter boxes, or feeding pets.
As North Americans grow more comfortable with the events surrounding death, more and more services like these will continue to evolve in order to aid those confronted with this very natural fact of life. Valley of Life aims to offer some of these useful services through its online memorial service, resources center, and ebooks.
[photo: Ed Yourdon]
Tags: hospice care, pet care, Pet Peace of Mind, The Oregonian, Valley of Life
