Anne and Rick Vidito share a moment in the new cuddle beds at the QEII’s palliative care unit. The beds, funded through the QEII Foundation, expand in width to accommodate patients and their loved ones. QEII FOUNDATION
QEII palliative care unit offering cuddle beds for closeness when most needed
Patients and their loved ones staying at the QEII Health Sciences Centre’s palliative care unit at the Victoria General site now have a unique opportunity.
They can use new specialized hospital beds specifically designed to improve end-of-life care.
Funded through the Palliative Care Fund at the QEII Foundation, four cuddle beds were added to the unit this past April. These beds can expand in width to accommodate two people who wish to lie together
As health services manager of Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone Palliative Care Programs, Eric Newson says the cuddle beds have been a welcome addition to the unit for patients unable to receive care at home.
“Although we’re quite flexible with family visitors and allowing people to stay overnight, for the most part, we only used sleep cots that we set up in the corner of the patient’s room,’’ he says.
“It’s quite common for a spouse or other family member to want to stay overnight with their loved one when they are at end-of-life. If they must be in hospital, it’s nice to be able to offer this option."
He says the QEII Foundation also allowed for the purchase of four air mattresses to go along with the cuddle beds to make patients as comfortable as possible. At the touch of a button, Eric says the beds can expand into a double bed and can be turned back into a standard bed for easier patient care during the day.
“It really brings a smile to people’s faces, and it feels a lot more like a home and not a hospital,’’ shares Eric.
Nursing staff were educated on how to use the beds and mattresses, which were strategically placed in four private rooms in the 12-bed unit. They have been used on a number of occasions during the past few months, both by spouses and children who want to lie in bed with their loved one.
Eric hopes more beds will be added to the unit in the future.
“It is, for some people, the last place they’re going to stay so we want to make it as comfortable as possible,’’ he adds.
Feedback has been positive and Eric highly recommends the beds to other facilities trying to make their inpatient units more family centred. He’s grateful to the QEII Foundation for its support of the cuddle beds and community donors who made them possible.
“We couldn’t have done this without the QEII Foundation,” he says. “We are so lucky to have the generous donors that donate to the Palliative Care Fund.’’
Rick Vidito, 67, has been a patient in the QEII’s palliative care unit since mid-May. Diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2019, he had a football-sized tumour removed at that time, but in 2022, the cancer returned and has since metastasized.
He has had 30 rounds of oral chemotherapy and 10 rounds of radiation therapy. Despite being given only a couple of weeks to live prior to entering palliative care, he continues to defy the odds by doing surprisingly well under the circumstances.
Rick and his wife, Anne, have been married for 31 years and have two daughters and one grandson. They’ve endured a lot together since cancer struck their close-knit family, and have been able to continue to share a comfortable and loving relationship despite his hospitalization due, in part, to the cuddle bed.
Anne remembers the first night she stayed in the unit with her husband, which she admits wasn’t a great experience.
“The first night that I stayed, I slept on a cot that wasn’t very comfortable. But when the nurses told me that his bed could open up so that I could sleep in the same bed as him, I was surprised and absolutely willing to try it,’’ Anne recalls.
“We tried it, and it was great. In fact, the first night I slept all night; something I hadn’t done in months.”
After being a couple for so many years, Anne says the cuddle bed has been a great source of comfort for both her and Rick. Although it’s been a long and difficult journey, Anne says the palliative care team has done everything possible to make their stay as positive as possible, not only in terms of the cuddle bed, but in everything they do.
“These nurses are angels. They’re so full of compassion and caring and treat the patients so well. It’s a wonderful floor. Everyone is so pleasant and happy all the time. It’s nice.’’
