Sit. Stay. Heal: the Role of Animal-Assisted Therapy in a Cancer Hospital

Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is becoming increasingly accepted as a modality to assist in improving cancer hospital inpatients’ psychosocial health. Unique barriers for AAT programs exist in oncology health settings ranging from infection control to legal concerns and beyond. This poster will provide best practices for AAT programs in oncology settings from an LCSW and Physician Assistant who are both full-time professional employees and animal-assisted therapy volunteers at a cancer hospital.

Laura Walther-Broussard, LCSW, OSW-C, has been a Social Work Counselor at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX since 2003. She provides psychosocial /therapeutic counseling for cancer patients and their loved ones, completes psychosocial assessments to determine coping strategies/links with appropriate community resources, and participates in a multi-disciplinary team to address patient issues and ensure continuity of care. She has been a Social Worker for 16 years in various disciplines. Since 2008 she has been an animal-assisted therapy volunteer for Caring Critters in Houston, TX providing animal-assisted physical therapy and counseling to inpatients at MD Anderson Cancer Center.