About Your Stay at Cottage Health

Bring:

• A list of your medicines, including doses and times. Do not bring the actual medications.
• A list of your allergies (including medications, food and latex) and allergic reactions.
• Completed advance directive. Here are links to the advance directive form and the registration form. You can also get these forms directly from our hospitals:
  • Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital: 805-687-7444
  • Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital: 805-967-3411
  • Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital: 805-682-7111
  • Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital: 805-688-6431
• Any forms provided by your doctor.
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, comb and other sundries.
• Hearing aids, glasses or contact lenses (with cases/containers) and supplies.
• Robe, non-skid slippers and loose-fitting clothes.
• Your photo identification, insurance and/or Medicare cards, required forms or deposits.
• Any assistive devices (cane, walker, etc.). Please label with your name, address and phone number.
• The hospital maintains a fireproof safe for the safekeeping of money and valuables. The hospital is not liable for the loss of or damage to any money, jewelry, documents or other articles that are not placed in the safe.

Leave at home:

• All jewelry, including rings, bracelets, and body piercings.
• Any electrical appliances, including computers and hair dryers
• Money and credit cards. (Cottage Health cannot assume responsibility for lost or damaged property).
• Due to the allergy risk, latex balloons are not permitted; however, Mylar balloons are allowed.

Our number one goal is to provide you with a safe and high-quality care experience. Our physicians and staff are dedicated to meeting your needs.

You can help assure your safety by partnering with your care team in the ways outlined in this section.

Clean Routine: Helping You Heal

Good hygiene is an important protection against germs. Your care team will be offering a daily bath and oral care four times a day in order to prevent infection and reduce the risk of pneumonia.

Hand Hygiene

Hand hygiene is the single most important practice to reduce the spread of infection. Proper handwashing is vital to protecting our patients. It takes at least 15 seconds of cleaning hands (with hand sanitizer or soap and water) to effectively kill bacteria and viruses. Always use soap and water to wash hands before eating, after using the restroom and when hands are visibly soiled.

Our staff members will wash their hands (or use a hand sanitizer) each time before they care for you. Don’t be afraid to ask your caregivers if they have washed their hands.

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital offer room service-style meals for our patients. We try to balance your culinary tastes and nutritional needs with any modified diet your physician may have prescribed. To learn more about diet, please visit our comprehensive Food and Nutrition page.

Room service is available at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital daily from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

In addition, visitor meals can be delivered to your room at a nominal cost. Please contact your nurse if you would like to order food for a guest.

Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital patient meals are delivered between:
Breakfast: 8–9:15 a.m.
Lunch: Noon–1:15 p.m.
Dinner: 6–6:45 p.m.

Clinical Nutrition

Registered dietitians (RDs) are important members of our clinical team, administering nutrition therapy in our hospitals and outpatient clinics. A culinary RD works in food services to ensure the highest quality meals for our patients. Feel free to contact a dietitian if you have any questions about nutrition.

Your physician may order laboratory tests throughout your stay. Quite often, these will require daily blood draws, many of which will be done between 5 and 7 a.m. This ensures your physicians have the results as early as possible and can make the appropriate adjustments to your care.