Twenty handmade quilts have been donated to the Southern Coos Hospital & Health Center Swing Bed Program to give to patients for comfort care.
All 20 of the intricately designed quilts were made by former SCHHC admitting clerk Janelle Jones and her daughter Autumn.
Janelle and Autumn started donating quilts in 2016 while Janelle was still worked at SCHHC. Since then, they have donated a total of 165 quilts.
It takes a few days to a few weeks to create a quilt and Janelle said Autumn has been on board since the start.
“We do it because we love to quilt,” Janelle said. “We can feel it comfort patients and it makes them feel at home. It makes us happy to spread the joy.”
SCHHC operates its Swing Bed program to offer patients the option to rest and rehabilitate close to home, according to Karen Stafford, LPN, SCHHC Case Manager and Discharge Planner.
The focus is on fostering optimal health and independence for each patient.
As part of the program, an activity plan is developed from a total patient assessment based on past and current interests, activities, skills, medical limitations, and cognitive and emotional functioning.
This is designed to maximize a patient’s recovery and create an outstanding experience for them and their family.
Families and significant others are encouraged to visit and participate in the patient’s activities and weekly multidisciplinary bedside rounds.
The colorful quilts fit perfectly into patient plans. A cozy quilt placed on their bed helps a patient feel more at home, which is important since they may be at the hospital for an extended stay until they are able to go home.
What’s more, patients don’t have to leave the quilt at the hospital when they are discharged – it is given to them to keep.
“The patients absolutely love the quilts,” said Deb Steele, SCHHC Patient Activities Coordinator.
Steele said each patient who is part of the SCHHC Swing Bed program is given a handmade quilt, a tradition that has been honored since the program was established at the hospital. Several volunteers and employees have made quilts for this purpose. Dozens of them have been given away to patients.
“We recently had a lady who had been here several days and her cat was at home,” Steele said. “Knowing she wouldn’t be able to have her beloved pet where she was going, we gave her one of the quilts that had cats on it, and it made her so happy she cried. She said that made her whole day and you could tell just that nice, beautiful quilt was perfect.”
Steele said another patient who has been in the Swing Bed Program for some time was also happy to receive a quilt.
“He really was appreciative and thought it was so nice that we gave him one,” Steele said.
“Giving the quilts is actually a treat for us because there is not one person in the Swing Bed Program who isn’t thrilled about getting one of these handmade quilts,” Steele added.
“It brings the patients joy instead of thinking about being sick.”
The goal at Southern Coos Hospital & Health Center is to provide each patient with education and resources to keep them safe during their recovery and as they are transitioned to care at home.
For more information about the Swing Bed Program at Southern Coos Hospital & Health Center, call 541-347-2426 or visit the website at www.southerncoos.org.
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