Animal Assisted Activities at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System
At Sarasota Memorial, we believe in the power of animal interaction.
Studies have long shown the invaluable role of animals in supporting healing. Research has shown that pet therapy can produce physiological and psychological benefits, including reduced blood pressure and stress, as well as help promote a positive outlook on life, better outcomes in the healing and rehabilitation process and improved socialization skills.
Our animal assisted activities program has helped patients for more than 20 years. Pets first began visiting patients in the hospital’s inpatient rehabilitation unit in 1997 to help those recovering from complex conditions who might be in the hospital for several weeks. Since then, the program has continued to expand.
The animal assisted activities program is currently available at the Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota Campus (Rehab, Pediatrics and Cancer Institute units), Sarasota Memorial Hospital - Venice Campus, as well as the Sarasota Memorial Nursing and Rehabilitation Center off Clark Road.