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Hounds
Help Hearts
NHS Heart Hospital Prescribes Dogs for Coronary Patients |
Dogs
Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, has teamed
up with leading cardiac rehabilitation experts at Harefield
Hospital to help patients in their final phase of coronary
recovery. The recovery programme, Hounds Help Hearts, is a
UK first and encourages post coronary patients to walk dogs
as part of their recovery.
The
Cardiac Rehabilitation team at Harefield Hospital
aim to improve the physical, social and psychological
well being of people after a cardiac event. Among
recommendations for an ongoing healthy lifestyle patients
are being introduced to Dogs Trust Harefield where
they can help staff, canine residents and themselves
by walking some of the 150 dogs in their care. The
charity hopes that heart hospitals UK wide will follow
suit. |
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Hounds
Help Hearts is part of a wider initiative to promote The
Dog Prescription – a research document that highlights
the ways dogs can improve human health. Dogs Trust is urging
GPs all over the UK to prescribe a daily dose of dog with
The Dog Prescription after research highlights the health
benefits of dog ownership for both children and adults.
CASE
STUDY: Michael Knepper, 64, joined the cardiac rehabilitation
programme at Harefield Hospital this summer after major
heart surgery.
“My
father had a heart attack when he was 47, so I have
always known that I may have some risks when it comes
to my heart health.
Hounds Help Hearts is a great idea. Walking outside
is good and walking in the countryside is even better
and I like the idea that you can complete a course
and use the markers to see how far you have gone.
Rather than walking for hours, you can stop and then
judge how far you have gone. I have two dogs myself
and I know that the dog is like having someone who
will encourage you and quite often put a smile on
your face.
It is the Western way that we have our jobs and we
do not have time for anything else. People join gyms
for a new year’s resolution and then they last
for three months. With cardiac rehab you have to change
your mindset and walking a dog is a great way to do
that.” |
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