July 31, 2002

Hospice House pet will provide 'love on a leash'

Zrimecs sell family silverware set to purchase special Pal for new facility

By LISA PERKINS
Herald staff writer
       Many of us have a special friend, but the Munson Hospice House will have a special Pal.
      Pal, a 12-week-old English Golden Retriever, will be a Hospice pet, thanks to the generosity of Judy and Jay Zrimec, vice president of public affairs at Munson Healthcare.
      "He'll live in the Hospice House and spend time brightening the days of the patients and their families," said Judy, who chose Pal from a litter of eight pups at Magnum Kennels in Manton. The bright-eyed pup has a pure white coat, instead of the reddish golden hue of the typical Golden Retriever.
      "From day one, when we decided to get the dog, I said a prayer, 'Please help me pick the one who will give the most comfort to people,'" said Judy, who literally sold her family's silverware set to purchase Pal.
      "The silver had been passed down through the family, so I asked both of my daughter-in-laws if they would want the silver set and both said 'no thanks'," Judy said. "Well it's been under the bed for 34 years, so we decided to sell it and get Pal."
      Before choosing Pal, the Zrimecs visited the Hospice House of Northwest Ohio in Perrysburg, which has two dogs on site. "It's a beautiful facility and the dogs play a big role in the lives of the patients," Judy noted.
      The benefits that come from interactions between animals and people have been known for a long time. However, bringing that same positive physical, mental, and emotional impact to hospice patients is a relatively new idea. It requires a special effort from both the animals and the hospice staff to make it work.
      "It's not just about showing the dogs, it's almost like love on a leash," said Kay Muller, of Hospice and Palliative Care. "It's allowing the patients and their family members to pet the dogs, to reminisce about the pets they've had in the past, and to have positive interaction."
      Dogs considered for the hospice program face strict criteria. They must be good-natured and social, calm, tolerant, and friendly. They must be able to deal with a reasonable amount of stress, accepting such things as loud noises, sudden yelling, and quick movements. They must also be comfortable with the medical equipment and clinical devices used in hospice care settings.
      Pal is already training for the day when he'll be brightening the lives of Hospice patients and their families. The Zrimec's will raise the pup until the Hospice House is up and running sometime next year.
      "He's been to his first class, sort of puppy pre-school," said Judy. "He plays appropriately with others and travels beautifully. Before he begins at the Hospice House, we'll take him to the children's unit at Munson Medical Center and, perhaps, to some schools so he can interact with children. Possibly to TBA's health care program where he can get used to wheelchairs."
      The entire Hospice House campaign has received widespread community support and Pal's involvement is no different, according to Judy. "We've received support and advice from so many great people, including Pal's trainer Sam Jones, Invisible Fence, and veterinarian Marianne Jossens-Wick," she noted.
      Community support has moved the fundraising campaign for the Hospice House nearer to its goal. As of July 1, the campaign has raised $1.52 million, or 61 percent of the goal of $2.5 million. The Hospice House will be a 9,600 square-foot home that will serve eight families. It will feature a chapel, a tub room, a meditation garden, a community room, and a kitchen where families are encouraged to prepare and share meals. Families will have access to their loved ones 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
      To learn more about the Hospice House, call the Munson Healthcare Regional Foundation at 935-7689.