Originally published in Pet Partners Newsletter, Vol. 9, No. 4, 1999
by Liz Teal
Most of us who have been visiting for a while have "war stories," many involving potentially dangerous situations that could have easily been avoided with better training (hindsight is always 20/20), more information, or greater mindfulness. The last issue on difficult facilities prompted a number of questions about dealing with difficult clients. Here are samples of the most common ones.
Question:
I was visiting a nursing home with my dog when a resident blocked my way in the hallway. She began yelling at me and my partner to the point that I was afraid to pass them. The staff was nearby at the nurses' station but offered no assistance. It turned into a yelling match. What should I have done?
Answer:
Turned around and left. Then locate the human service professional that is your on-site contact and arrange for better supervision, either immediately or for your next visit. Why and how this resident came to be in the hall must be addressed within the staff of the facility.
Question:
While visiting with my dog, a resident grabbed my dog's collar and refused to let go. The therapist and I both tried to free her hand, but to no avail. I was very afraid for my partner as the resident began to twist the collar! Luckily her grip slipped and I was able to free my teammate. What should we have done, and what can we do in the future to prevent this from reoccurring?
Answer:
This is a very common scenario and is actually very easy to manage. Always carry a second collar and leash. If the collar gets grabbed, put on the second collar and leash, unbuckle/snap the first and excuse yourself and your teammate. The therapist can then deal with the client and you can retrieve your collar and leash later. This is a good example of why visiting with choke collars, while allowed, is ill-advised.
Question:
I was accompanying a volunteer and her cat on a visit and one of the residents kicked the volunteer on the shin. The volunteer yelped in pain and the cat then appeared to be quite shaken. The client had no apparent knowledge that he had injured the woman, but was very aware that the cat looked "spooky." The volunteer insisted that both she and the cat were fine. What should we have done?
Answer:
Believe what your gut tells you, and what your eyes see. Stop the visit immediately and check out the volunteer's injury. Even if it appears to be fine, fill out an accident report. Although the handler should know her partner well enough to know when the animal is capable of performing, the client's perceptions must always be accepted as their truth. If the client FEELS that the cat is spooky, then for him it is, and the therapeutic value has been effectively voided, at least for this visit. Ask the staff to make notes on this client's charts that he is a spastic kicker and have volunteers approach from the side or over a table in the future.
Question:
On my fourth visit to a particular client, when it came time to say good-bye, the client became agitated and refused to give up my bunny. As I tried to take the basket away, her grip got tighter and tighter. She started to rock back and forth chanting "Mine, MINE, MINE!" The therapist did little to assist me, mostly saying, and a little too happily for my taste at that moment, "She's showing attachment!" Luckily my bunny is very stable, and although she got tense, she hunkered very low in her basket and stayed there. Fifteen minutes later the client relaxed; twenty minutes later we were able to leave. The therapist was oblivious to our discomfort, even after it was over. She was excited about our next visit! I never want another visit like that! What should I do?
Answer:
Patiently explain to the therapist that you cannot put your partner at risk like that again. When a client is experiencing a breakthrough, or finally making progress, the therapist sometimes can be focused only on them. Your job, however, remains to put the welfare of your partner first. This must be impressed upon staff, and it must be made clear that without support, you can not continue to visit. Next time, the therapist could hold the client's hands, physically supporting the interaction, preventing a repeat incident.
Even the best-run facilities have off days, personnel changes, and always the possibility of new residents or clients. Volunteers should always ask the human service personnel about the residents and be very specific: "Does anyone have a spastic grip?" "Which ones have violent / aggressive episodes?" and "Does anyone have trouble sharing or disengaging from objects or activities?" While these three questions may not prevent all complications, they will circumvent most of them. Be a bore, ask staff again (nicely) next visit, "Has anyone developed a spastic grip," etc. With repetition, everyone will learn that these are critical issues to ensure successful visits.
