The cart idea started with the Carle Experience department providing socialization and an improved hospital stay experience during the pandemic, but the idea evolved and Volunteer Services began organizing volunteers to manage the comfort carts. “It seems like a natural fit,” Eric Toliver, director, Auxiliary and Volunteer Services, said. The focus is on patients in orthopedic rehab, surgery and the medical-surgical area of the hospital where patients have longer experiences at the hospital.
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Vivacious volunteer Wendy Barnes retired after 30 years of being a high school science and health teacher in Danville and as a volunteer, she looks forward to meeting patients and sharing something from the Comfort Cart when she volunteers two times every other week. “Maybe I can bring comfort and a smile to someone,” she said.
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“I am blessed. I grew up in the same town Mahatma Gandhi was born in. I received much from God and I want to give it back,” Joshi said.
While the Comfort Cart program is new at Carle Foundation Hospital, Carle BroMenn Medical Center in Normal has had a similar patient support program for about a year. Called the ABC (Activity Box of Care) Initiative. The volunteer goes into a patient room with a menu of items that includes decks of cards, coloring pages, ear plugs, eye glasses for reading and phone chargers. The patient may choose from the list and the volunteer retrieves the items from an ABC tub in a secure area nearby. It is also noted what items are available from the patient gift store.
“It seems to be very successful as the patients appreciate the items as well as having a volunteer to talk with during the stay,” Sue Sebring, manager of Volunteer Services at Carle BroMenn Medical Center, said. Patients in addiction recovery, emergency, intensive care, medical oncology and pediatric infusion are among areas where patients benefit from the ABC items.
Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer for these programs or others, may reach out to Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@carle.com. Individual volunteers must complete an application and participate in a background check before being an active volunteer.
Categories: Culture of Quality, Community
Tags: BroMenn, Carle, Center, Foundation, Hospital, Medical, Services, Volunteer