Meet Beau, Mercy Health’s newest four-legged team member

This week, Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center (SRMC) announced patients and staff would be welcoming a new source of comfort and joy – Therapy Dog Beau. 

Beau is certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and has joined Behavioral Health Nurse Practitioner Nancy Schmelzer to bring emotional support and a calming presence to the hospital environment. He’ll accompany Nancy as she visits patients and staff across the hospital.

“I have always wanted to work with people utilizing a therapy animal, and I am very excited about this opportunity,” says Schmelzer. “Dogs are compassionate and accepting; they always seem to understand when someone needs just a little more support. I hope having Beau alongside me will bring fun, kindness and emotional support, so patients and staff feel calmer and more secure. Therapy dogs also help with loneliness, improve mood and outlook, as well as enhance socialization for both patients and the staff, creating a more comforting hospital environment.”

Beau’s work will be similar to that of Henry, a therapy dog who already supports patients in the Acute Rehabilitation Center. Both dogs’ roles are to offer comfort and foster a more welcoming atmosphere. Therapy animals have long been shown to offer meaningful health benefits in clinical settings. This can help reduce anxiety, ease feelings of isolation, and contribute to an overall sense of well-being for patients and staff alike. By bringing a gentle, nonjudgmental presence into hospital spaces, therapy dogs like Beau can help create a calmer, more emotionally supportive environment that complements traditional medical care.

According to Mercy Health’s press release, Beau’s presence at SRMC is a reflection of their ongoing commitment to holistic care and helps recognize how emotional well-being plays an important part in the healing process.