Feb. 25, 2026 — Meet Emma! After Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of New England's therapy dog retired last year, the hospital began searching for a four-legged friend to bring joy to patients. In the fall of 2025, Emma began visiting the hospital.
“Visits from therapy dogs break up the typical day-to-day routine of inpatient rehabilitation,” said Katharine “KC” DeMott, director of therapy operations. “They bring a sense of home to patients who are missing their family and pets back home. Learning about the pets patients have at home creates a stronger sense of community and opens the door for meaningful conversations and connections between our staff and patients.”
Emma can be incorporated into therapy sessions in different ways to add variety and support patient goals. For example, patients with upper extremity strength deficits may be encouraged to pet Emma with their weak arm, while patients with balance deficits may be encouraged to reach outside their base of support to pet her on the head.
DeMott added that sometimes patients and staff simply need to be around Emma. “Emma's endless positive energy alone can lift people's spirits,” she said. “Ultimately, the goal of her visits is to bring some positivity and lightness to rehabilitation for both patients and staff.”
As a new therapy dog, Emma is still settling into a routine. She gets especially excited when meeting patients for the first time and is often exhausted by the end of her one-hour visit. Emma is currently working on improving her endurance for longer visits.
Currently, Emma's visits take place in a family room where patients can come to interact with her. In the future, DeMott hopes to offer in-room visits by request and work toward incorporating a therapy dog in more patient therapy sessions. With each visit, Emma continues to make a meaningful impact as she grows into her role at the hospital.