Halloween is a time to dress up as favorite characters, decorate houses in spooky garb and dish out as much candy as children can handle. For the young patients at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, the holiday means a chance to take part in the festivities just like everyone outside the hospital grounds.
On Tuesday, the medical center’s Child Life department coordinated a trick-or-treating event around the hospital garden, bringing together volunteers and staff to provide patients with dress-up opportunities. Along with donning various costumes, the young patients were able to play games and pet therapy animals like dogs and a mini-horse.
“Our department is basically responsible for helping children have normalcy while they’re getting treatment,” UCLA Health Child Life Specialist Laila Ramji said. “It’s developmentally appropriate and it’s totally normal for them to experience Halloween outside of the hospital, so we’re bringing Halloween into the hospital for the patients and their families.”
For patients unable to make it down to the garden, medical center staff also organizes “reverse trick-or-treating,” where rooms are decorated for the occasion and staff members bring goodies to the patients directly.
“It’s something that says to the kids that we see you, we respect you, we know who you are … it’s really important to feel normal … feel like a kid, or a teenager,” Ramji said.
Part of the festivities were the therapy pets, provided by the UCLA People-Animal Connection (PAC) program. PAC Manager Jennifer Dobkin has been leading patient visits for both the Santa Monica location and the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and she says that feedback from patients and families is “that this is the best thing that happens to them when they’re in the hospital.”
“[It’s great] seeing a warm, non-judgmental animal come into the room that just wants to hang out and provide comfort and joy,” Dobkin said.
Along with multiple therapy dogs, PAC collaborated with Mini Therapy Horses for the trick-or-treating, with the mini-horse Blue Moon dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Blue Moon visits with patients, along with other groups like veterans across the area.
“It’s about making that connection with the horse and the patient, or the person who’s going through trauma [or] crisis … this horse is incredible at feeling what other people are going through … she just connects with people in a way that’s very magical,” said Mini Therapy Horses Founder Victoria Nodiff-Netanel, who added that she is “very proud” to be part of the Halloween event.