by Dennis Dalman
When Anita Trutwin and Leo walk into a room to visit hospice patients who are in end-of-life care, those people almost always liven up and smile, even when they are feeling weak or groggy.
Leo is a trained therapy dog, a 5-year-old black labrador mix that Trutwin obtained four years ago at a humane-society shelter in Chaska.
“I just wanted him as a family pet,” Trutwin said. “But long before I got him, I was always interested in doing pet therapy.”
Anita (Erkens) Trutwin, a special-education teacher in Buffalo, grew up in St. Stephen and graduated from Sartell High School in 1992.
Thanks in large part to the St. Croix Hospice office in Sartell, Trutwin’s wish to do volunteer dog therapy came true, and Leo is one heckuva happy dog who loves his job.
“Leo makes my job easy,” said Trutwin in an interview with the Newsleaders. “People open up quickly. With Leo in the room, he helps facilitate conversation without that awkward getting-to-know-you business. When the patients see Leo, they smile, they brighten up, and there’s excitement in the room as everyone interacts.”
Leo is always excited to visit patients. He visits them regularly, knows how to “shake hands,” when to lie down and makes quiet grumbling noises to get his treats.
St. Croix Hospice coordinated and set up Trutwin’s and Leo’s volunteer job at the Annandale Care Center.
Pet therapy is just one of the services coordinated by St. Croix Hospice for hospice-care patients and their families. The organization has branch offices in 10 Midwestern states, and its Sartell branch coordinates services for 11 central Minnesota counties.
Trutwin started the dog therapy volunteerism seven months ago. It’s a nice change of pace from her intensive teaching job. As a teacher, she is busy making classroom plans and goals for the coming weeks, the coming year.
“What’s nice about my work with hospice is I can celebrate the present, the here and now,” she said. “To be present in the ‘now’ rather than planning for the future. The patient, patients’ family members, Leo and I get to spend quality time together. And that’s a gift for me as well.”
Some of the patients, those who are not bed-bound, can go outside for a walk with Trutwin, Leo and family visitors.
“Leo provides so much comfort and emotional support,” Trutwin said. “He loves the job, and so do I.”
Anita and husband Josh have two sons – Ben, a freshman at Concordia College, Moorhead, which is where Anita earned a degree in psychology; and Alex, a freshman at Annandale High School.
St. Croix Hospice
Now in its 15th year, St. Croix Hospice is a nationally renowned, award-winning agency that has more than 65 branches in 10 Midwest states, including the one in Sartell. Its compassionate, trained staff provides physical, emotional and spiritual support to patients and loved ones 24 hours a day all year round. The agency also offers specialty-care programs and bereavement support for patients, families and caregivers.
There are very few out-of-pocket costs for patients, many of whom receive coverage through Medicare, Medicaid or Veterans Administration benefits.
Emily Bruna is director of branch support for St. Croix Hospice from her office in Oakdale.
“We have many hundreds of volunteers,” Bruna said during an interview with the Newsleaders. “All of them are unique and visit patients in whatever places they call home. We also have administrative volunteers to support the clinical team.”
Volunteers, Bruna noted, spend time with patients doing a variety of activities: playing board games or cards, reading aloud, enjoying conversations and – not to forget – visits from therapy dogs.
There are volunteers for military veterans, as well as a 13-month bereavement support program.
St. Croix’s 60-plus branch offices are located in the following states: Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
The Sartell branch, which opened in 2011, is located at 2330 Troop Drive, Suite 102. It services the following counties: Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pope, Todd and Wright. The number of the Sartell branch is 320-252-2803.
To learn more about the agency and its programs, visit www.stcroixhospice.com.
People can also learn about volunteer opportunities by visiting www.stcroixhospice.com/volunteer.
Anita Trutwin and best buddy Leo enjoy the visits they make to patients in end-of-life hospice care. The patients always look forward to the visits. Leo is quite the social ice-breaker and facilitates conversation among patients and family members.
