Care Assistance Partners Program

Family, friends and significant others are an important part of the healing process. The Care Assistance Partners Program is our way of making sure you have the 24/7 support of a loved one while you’re in one of our hospitals because we know that can be invaluable at such a challenging time.

Having a familiar face with you in the hospital can be comforting and calming. Your Care Assistance Partner can:

Improve your overall hospital experience.
Help you safely transition home from the hospital.
Provide you physical, emotional and spiritual support throughout your care journey.
Serve as the point person for communication between your healthcare team and other family members and loved ones.
Help you navigate difficult conversations with your care team.
Take notes on important information about medication or other care points to remember later.

You can choose someone you feel comfortable with, maybe a family member or other loved one. This person, after a brief explanation of what to expect from your nurse, can stay in your hospital room 24 hours a day if they want. Once you choose a care assistance partner, your nurse will make note of it in your medical file.

Because your safety is our top priority, we created guidelines to help you make the best choice. Care Assistance Partners:

Must be at least 18 years old.
Agree to provide physical, emotional, social and spiritual support as needed.
Should be responsible, willing and physically able to support you. They should not need any medical care themselves at this time.
Should know your condition, past medical history, personal life, habits and routines.
Must follow our infection prevention policies, including passing any health screening needed to enter the hospital, using personal protective equipment if necessary, following hand hygiene practices, and properly disposing of dirty protective items.
Must follow Hartford HealthCare’s Patient Bill of Rights and Mutual Care Mutual Respect acknowledgement.
Must respect the privacy of other patients and maintain a quiet, calm environment of healing.

Once you are in one of our hospitals, talk to your nurse about designating a Care Assistance Partner. Please note that requests from patients in our behavioral health and intensive care units are considered on a case-by-case basis.