28 seconds of calm: How a therapy dog helped a Veteran in crisis

For 28 seconds, the emergency department stood still.

Honey arrived on four quiet paws.

She simply climbed onto a Veteran’s hospital bed and stayed by his side.

A therapy dog wearing a blue bandanna is lying on a shiny wood floor in a room with chairs along the walls and large windows in the background. The dog is facing the camera. — Honey, a therapy dog volunteer at the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System helps Veterans connect with the care they need, providing comfort when they need it most.

Moments earlier, a young Veteran in the emergency department was struggling to remain calm, making it difficult for clinicians to provide the care he urgently needed. Barbara and Honey, a volunteer therapy dog team at West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System, were asked to help.

Within 28 seconds, Barbara watched the Veteran’s heart rate decrease and his blood pressure come down. As Honey rested quietly beside him, the Veteran began talking about his military service. His anxiety eased, and clinicians were able to provide the care he needed.

For Barbara, it was another reminder that sometimes the smallest gestures can make the biggest difference.

For her father

Barbara began volunteering to honor her father, a Navy Veteran. Growing up with dogs, she saw firsthand the comfort and companionship they brought him throughout his life.

A therapy dog wearing a blue bandanna sits on the floor next to a person standing in a hallway. The person is holding the dog’s leash and is wearing a red shirt and light-colored pants. The setting appears to be a medical facility with sliding glass doors, medical equipment, and wood flooring visible. — Volunteer Barbara Romano with therapy dog Honey in front of the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System, ready to help Veterans feel calmer and more connected to care.

“I saw how having dogs around helped,” Barbara said.

Today, she and Honey share that same warmth with Veterans receiving care at Thomas H. Corey VA Medical Center.

Their visits are part of a larger effort to make Veterans feel more at ease while receiving care. Research has shown that therapy dog visits can help reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, improve mood and encourage social interaction, benefits that have led hospitals and healthcare organizations, including VA, to incorporate therapy dog programs into patient care. Honey’s visits reflect the calming connection researchers continue to study.

Therapy dogs are not a replacement for medical treatment. They complement the work of healthcare teams by helping create moments of trust and connection.

Across the medical center, volunteer dog teams visit inpatient units, clinics and waiting areas. Sometimes they spark conversations. Sometimes they provide a welcome distraction. Sometimes they simply sit quietly beside a Veteran.

For Barbara, every visit is also a tribute to her father.

“I saw what dogs did for my dad,” she said. “Now Honey and I have the opportunity to give that same comfort to other Veterans.”

Small moments can change everything

Sometimes, changing someone’s day doesn’t require many words.

Sometimes, it only takes 28 seconds of quiet company.

Author: Nikki Verbeck