Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I tune on my hospital room television to view The C.A.R.E. Channel?

Look on the “Patient Information” flyer that you were given upon admission. If you don’t have the flyer, ask your nurse.

Besides The C.A.R.E. Channel, what else can I do to help create a stress-free environment?

With or without The C.A.R.E. Channel, whether you are a patient or family member, being active in creating and maintaining a healing environment in the hospital or at home will improve your situation. Here are some suggestions:

1. Provide a quiet or restful environment, minimizing sounds that are distracting or frightening. At home, this may include providing alternative activities for your younger children, being aware of the impact of noise, radio, and television on the environment. This is not to mean that television should not be watched. Rather, it means that when television is no longer appropriate (few of us want it on 24 hours a day), the environment is tended to.
2. Use music that is either preferred by your loved one or otherwise soothing and comforting will mask outside noises, as well as reduce stress. You can play artists featured on The C.A.R.E. Channel on a personal CD or digital music player.
3. Ask the nurse to shut the door to the room whenever possible to help reduce the noise from the hallway. If you are in semi-private room and the roommate is noisy or has too many visitors, request that the nurse handle the situation. And certainly be considerate of the situation in the difficult situation of a semiprivate room.
4. Bring a plant or favorite photograph of a nature scene and put it by the bedside. Also, if the stay is lengthy, bring personal items – photographs or pillows, for instance -- to make the room feel more personal. Ask the nurse to make sure objects you bring in are appropriate.
5. Try to position the bed to face a window or the outdoors.

Being aware of the environment at home and in the hospital is a most loving way of improving a difficult situation. These are only a few suggestions, but each will help you care and be cared for.