YOUR HOSPITAL
6
q
lifeand health
IF
you’ve been a patient at Halifax
Regional Hospital (HRH) lately,
you may have already experienced
the latest addition in a long line of
special touches ofered by the HRH
Auxiliary: the Care Cart.
Te Care Cart is a cart loaded with
therapeutic distractions ofered free of
charge to patients and their families.
“We are very excited about this
program,” says Rev. Jeaux Simmons,
coordinator of the auxiliary’s vol-
unteer services. “Te concept fts
in perfectly with Halifax Regional’s
commitment to the Planetree phi-
losophy of person-centered care.
Patients and their families have been
most receptive.”
Something for everyone
For people needing something to
occupy their time, the cart has plenty
of puzzles and activity sheets, includ-
ing crosswords, Sudoku, anagrams,
word jumbles, cryptograms, pocket
puzzle books, coloring sheets and
crayons, connect-the-dots chal-
lenges, and mazes.
Te cart also includes:
w
book-
marks with secular or spiritual
messages for children and adults
w
booklets of scripture donated by
the HRH pastoral care services de-
partment
w
emery boards
w
pencils
and pens
w
dolls and stufed animals
for children and seniors
w
fnger
labyrinths and stress relief stones for
calming worried nerves.
Volunteers will also be ofering
CareNotes, easy-to-read, educational
Comfort
comes
to you
booklets that cover a variety of top-
ics, such as easing stress and anxiety,
dealing with cancer, and caregiving.
“Our Care Cart volunteers also
serve as an extra set of eyes, hands
and legs,” Simmons says. “If someone
needs an extra blanket or pillow, we
can get it for them. If their water glass
or eyeglasses are out of reach, we can
assist with that. We have also been
working with our environmental ser-
vices department, which has encour-
aged us to contact them if the room
needs attention.
“Another opportunity we will take
while in the rooms is to help patients
and their families understand how
the televisions work, and we will also
introduce them to both the C.A.R.E.
channel and the patient education
channel. And we can help them un-
derstand some of the other programs
we provide, such as our open-chart
policy and our Care Partner pro-
gram. But most importantly, we will
be ofering another compassionate
heart, ready to listen.”
You can help
For more than 50 years, volun-
teers with Halifax Regional Health
System have been adding a special
dimension to care. Te men and
women who comprise the auxiliary
are dedicated to helping patients and
residents, their families, visitors, and
staf members—and do so in numer-
ous ways. Te Care Cart comple-
ments other patient-friendly services
the group already ofers, such as
welcome balloons, freshly baked
cookies and pet visitation.
“We are actively seeking addi-
tional volunteers,” Simmons says.
“Our role is constantly expanding as
we dive further into patient-centered
activities. And we have something
for everyone’s interests.”
Tere are opportunities available
escorting patients, helping with
patient registration, sewing, music,
baking cookies, working in the
Wishing Well Gif Shop, manning
the information desk, helping with
fundraising events and working
with hospice patients—to name a
few.
To learn more about volunteering
at Halifax Regional Hospital, visit
www.hrhs.org and click on
“Volunteering.” Applications
may be submitted online.
HRH Auxiliary’s Care Cart
brings comfort to patients
Thank you to our volunteers.
Halifax Regional Health System celebrates
National Volunteer Week, April 10–16. The ofcers of the Halifax Regional
Hospital Auxiliary are (from left, seated) Tay Bost, president; Mary Kathryn
Coleman, corresponding secretary; (from left, standing) Jan Lee, vice president;
Rev. Larry Davis, treasurer; and Doris Brandon, recording secretary.