HOSPITALS FOCUS ON WELLNESS PROGRAMS USE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PATIENT CARE.

Byline: Lisa Van Proyen Correspondent

A bright-eyed and bushy-tailed 94-pound sheep dog nemed George makes his weekly rounds with other dogs at Sherman Oaks Hospital to cheer up patients.

Nearby, at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, workers wheel around a humor cart filled with stress-relieving books and videotapes for patients. A healing labyrinth garden is also nearby for hospital workers and patients' families to take a meditative walk.

And at West Hills Hospital, expectant mothers make use of The Pregnant Gym, consisting of aerobic classes and workout equipment contoured especially for them.

All of these hospital programs in the San Fernando Valley are designed to focus on wellness, rather than waiting for an illness to reach the critical care stage.

``It's our responsibility to not just deal with the body but give a holistic approach to care. A lot of that has to do with teaching people before they get sick,'' said Judy Pierson, vice president of business development at Northridge Hospital Medical Center.

As part of its Healing Arts Program at Northridge Hospital, Dr. Jay Udani teaches ``The Art of Forgiveness,'' educating people how to handle anger and resentment in themselves and others to better their physical, mental and emotional health.

Udani is an internist trained in integrative medicine, which promotes the body's natural healing abilities through the use of both alternative and traditional Western medicines. He helped start the hospital's integrative medicine program, performing acupuncture on patients, educating them about good nutritional sense, counseling them about their pain, and identifying cancer and cardiac risks.

``We look at their sleep pattern, social situation, any herbs and medicines they're taking and make a diagnosis,'' he said. ``I look at the person as a whole.''

Like other area hospitals, Northridge also provides traditional CPR classes, wellness fairs and other free or low-cost classes.

``By providing free or low-cost educational classes, this gives the community a chance to discover treatable illnesses in their earliest stages,'' said Kate Preston, a Northridge Hospital spokeswoman.

At Sherman Oaks Hospital and Health Center, several dogs sit in patients' laps, lick faces or merely keep them company as part of the pet therapy program there.

``He reminds me of our dog that we used to have,'' one patient in the hospital's Transitional Care Unit, Lillian Wilk, 86, said as George the sheep dog gazed up at her. ``It's a wonderful medicine that gives the person something else to think about besides their illness.''

Nurses and doctors say they see results.

``It boosts the patients' immune system by raising their spirit and making them emotionally well,'' said Dr. Dale Brent at Sherman Oaks Hospital.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo: (color) Joy Krauthammer, 54, receives acupuncture treatment for stress from Dr. Jay Udani, Integrative Medicine Program director at Northridge Hospital.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer