UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital has installed The C.A.R.E. Channel on TVs in patient rooms. C.A.R.E. stands for Continuous Ambient Relaxation Environment, which describes the therapeutic environment provided to patients who use this program, through nature imagery paired with soothing instrumental music.
There are many benefits to The C.A.R.E. Channel for patients, visitors, and hospital team members. It cuts through the sometimes-loud hospital setting to promote relaxation and improve restfulness, reduce anxiety, enhance pain management protocols and support and comfort during the full 24-hour cycle with distinct day and nighttime programming. For hospital employees, The C.A.R.E. Channel can reduce stress by extending this care to patients during the hours between clinical interventions when the nurse is not in the room.
Another aspect of C.A.R.E. Channel is guided imagery, which helps bring about physiological and emotional responses that can accelerate the healing process. Guided imagery exercises are specifically produced for hospitals and are accessible to patients of diverse diagnoses and levels of acuity. Specialty programs are also available for labor and delivery, pre- and post-procedure, cancer treatments, heart wellness and pediatrics. Additionally, evening programs are available to promote sleep and rest.
The C.A.R.E. Channel, The C.A.R.E. Channel with Guided Imagery and The C.A.R.E Channel with Spanish content is available to St. Luke’s patients. C.A.R.E. Programming is also available after the hospital stay through a streaming option, which gives patients the option to access the channel through a personal device by accessing a private link.
