The Comfy Project
❤️
My wish for the COMFY Project is to provide orientation and guidance for when visiting hospitals. Whether it be as a patient or visitor to find the COMFY within the hospital. Helping people find their way well within the hospital.
This idea came about after my experience in hospital. The dedication of the staff at the hospitals inspired me to think how I can support them in continuing better care and transform my hospital experience into one that can help others. As an inpatient in hospital for 5 weeks I would often wake in the early hours of the morning in distress. When the nurse came to see me, I would express my reasons for my distress. Usually there was a significant emotional component that understandably the nurse was unable to address. This left me with no practical way to resolve the issue which at times escalated my experience and would have an ongoing negative impact on my general health and wellbeing. The idea of the project is to provide real-time support and usable information that can be accessed by patients independently on the mobile phone or computer.
COMFY is intended to inform the patient of a wider range of health and well-being related services available, to orientate and support their experience, reduce stress and anxiety relevant to being in a hospital environment. As an additional benefit, the aim would “fill the gap” when medical and allied health staff are not able to provide psycho-social support for the patient.
Here are some COMFY scenarios I envision:
Orientation
Often even for doctors, finding your way around the hospital and system can be a maze and confusing. Imagine you arrive at the hospital keen to visit your loved one. At the entrance there is a google hospital maps app you download and it shows you where to turn and walk to get to the ward. When you arrive on the ward there’s a beautiful welcome card with a painted bunch of flowers on the table reading ‘Please make yourself Comfy’ indicating what services specific to your ward there are including where you can make yourself a cuppa and garden areas where you can sit in the sun and fresh air. There’s access to a ward Ipad where there are videos and meditations for each of the topics below.
Early morning waking/ problem sleeping
You wake at 3am in a sweat from a nightmare, you reach for the buzzer and the nurse attends to you and apologizes they are busy with an emergency but are able to offer an ipad where there’s a soothing meditation to help with sleep. You press the image on the screen that says “ Having problem sleeping? ” and begin to hear a caring voice express their understanding of your wish to get back to sleep and what might be helpful to try is to ensure your pain is ok and if the mind is active to begin to tune into the comfy parts of the body…and so it begins…
Fatigue
You feel so tired but wired and mention it to your friend who’s with you and suggests to look at the fatigue help checklist to find one that you haven’t done for the day and give it a try. ✓Water intake so far for today ✓Place a Do not disturb sign on the door saying ‘Having a nap’ Come back at 3pm’ ✓Walk or Exercises in bed ✓Guided Meditation ✓Arrange for someone to talk to ✓Choice of energy dense foods available to order Pain The volunteer reflexologists have an appointment calender that you click on and see that there is an available spot later in the day. You make an appointment for them to visit you and look forward to having a pamper and relaxing massage.
Emotional overwhelm
It’s the middle of the day and your friends and family are at work. You don’t know what to do to settle the overwhelm. The feelings and thoughts are not familiar to you. You recall that the welcome card with the painted flowers on your table has a counsellors phone line and you make a call. Nausea You have taken an anti-nausea tablet and still feel sickly. There is nothing else that the doctor can offer at this stage until your next medication is due. Sitting beside your table is an unopened Nausea care package. You open it and find some dried ginger sweet, peppermint tea, a link to a soothing relaxing music soundtrack and breathing exercises for nausea. You make yourself a cup of tea with the hot water from your thermos and listen to some music and start to feel relaxed enough to try a breathing exercise.
For Carers
Over the last week your loved one has been visiting everyday and is looking like they need some TLC. The Carer’s care package on your app allows you to send them a email card showing your appreciation and love. You also think that getting in touch with the local carer’s group at the hospital might be helpful and forward the link of their number.
This is a snippet of the many scenarios of additional support that can be provided that further the vision of a very comfortable hospital experience. I would love to hear any ideas you have and please consider a paid subscription to letters I write to support the COMFY project. With your help, I hope to apply for funding and grants for pilots to begin in hospitals in Perth. May the COMFY movement gather in creating holistic hospital experiences ❤️.
This idea came about after my experience in hospital. The dedication of the staff at the hospitals inspired me to think how I can support them in continuing better care and transform my hospital experience into one that can help others. As an inpatient in hospital for 5 weeks I would often wake in the early hours of the morning in distress. When the nurse came to see me, I would express my reasons for my distress. Usually there was a significant emotional component that understandably the nurse was unable to address. This left me with no practical way to resolve the issue which at times escalated my experience and would have an ongoing negative impact on my general health and wellbeing. The idea of the project is to provide real-time support and usable information that can be accessed by patients independently on the mobile phone or computer.
COMFY is intended to inform the patient of a wider range of health and well-being related services available, to orientate and support their experience, reduce stress and anxiety relevant to being in a hospital environment. As an additional benefit, the aim would “fill the gap” when medical and allied health staff are not able to provide psycho-social support for the patient.
Here are some COMFY scenarios I envision:
Orientation
Often even for doctors, finding your way around the hospital and system can be a maze and confusing. Imagine you arrive at the hospital keen to visit your loved one. At the entrance there is a google hospital maps app you download and it shows you where to turn and walk to get to the ward. When you arrive on the ward there’s a beautiful welcome card with a painted bunch of flowers on the table reading ‘Please make yourself Comfy’ indicating what services specific to your ward there are including where you can make yourself a cuppa and garden areas where you can sit in the sun and fresh air. There’s access to a ward Ipad where there are videos and meditations for each of the topics below.
Early morning waking/ problem sleeping
You wake at 3am in a sweat from a nightmare, you reach for the buzzer and the nurse attends to you and apologizes they are busy with an emergency but are able to offer an ipad where there’s a soothing meditation to help with sleep. You press the image on the screen that says “ Having problem sleeping? ” and begin to hear a caring voice express their understanding of your wish to get back to sleep and what might be helpful to try is to ensure your pain is ok and if the mind is active to begin to tune into the comfy parts of the body…and so it begins…
Fatigue
You feel so tired but wired and mention it to your friend who’s with you and suggests to look at the fatigue help checklist to find one that you haven’t done for the day and give it a try. ✓Water intake so far for today ✓Place a Do not disturb sign on the door saying ‘Having a nap’ Come back at 3pm’ ✓Walk or Exercises in bed ✓Guided Meditation ✓Arrange for someone to talk to ✓Choice of energy dense foods available to order Pain The volunteer reflexologists have an appointment calender that you click on and see that there is an available spot later in the day. You make an appointment for them to visit you and look forward to having a pamper and relaxing massage.
Emotional overwhelm
It’s the middle of the day and your friends and family are at work. You don’t know what to do to settle the overwhelm. The feelings and thoughts are not familiar to you. You recall that the welcome card with the painted flowers on your table has a counsellors phone line and you make a call. Nausea You have taken an anti-nausea tablet and still feel sickly. There is nothing else that the doctor can offer at this stage until your next medication is due. Sitting beside your table is an unopened Nausea care package. You open it and find some dried ginger sweet, peppermint tea, a link to a soothing relaxing music soundtrack and breathing exercises for nausea. You make yourself a cup of tea with the hot water from your thermos and listen to some music and start to feel relaxed enough to try a breathing exercise.
For Carers
Over the last week your loved one has been visiting everyday and is looking like they need some TLC. The Carer’s care package on your app allows you to send them a email card showing your appreciation and love. You also think that getting in touch with the local carer’s group at the hospital might be helpful and forward the link of their number.
This is a snippet of the many scenarios of additional support that can be provided that further the vision of a very comfortable hospital experience. I would love to hear any ideas you have and please consider a paid subscription to letters I write to support the COMFY project. With your help, I hope to apply for funding and grants for pilots to begin in hospitals in Perth. May the COMFY movement gather in creating holistic hospital experiences ❤️.