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A Nursing-Home-Storysubmitted by Pat of Warren Ohio
Lori's father was 85 and in the last stages of cancer. His needs had gone beyond what she could provide at home. After checking him into a convalescent home, she was distraught. Besides the senseless waiting and movement from one station to another, she saw an impersonal bureaucracy full of competent but cold administrators, nurses and doctors who seemed either bothered, bored or burned out, transform her dad from Joe Fleming into Case No.02-8341. She couldn't bear thinking of entrusting the last days of her father's life to people who didn't seem to care. So she made it a point to get the name of every person she could who might work with her father and she sent each of them a personally addressed envelope with a carnation attached. It contained pictures of her dad getting married, posing with his five children, and standing in front of his shoe repair shop -- and this note: This is my dad, Joe Fleming, the father of five children who love him very much and already miss him. He's a very good man who fought for his country and worked hard for his family. I know you have many patients, but I have only one father and I only ask you to treat him as you would want others to treat your father. Thank you. During every visit she made a point to smile at and talk to everyone she could, and say, This is my dad, Joe Fleming. Within a week, Lori could tell by the way they looked at her father that he was no longer in the hands of strangers. But she was surprised when a woman who she had not met came up to her and said, Are you Joe Fleming's daughter? When Lori said yes, the woman said, I'm Jan, the administrator of the home. I just want to thank you for treating everyone so kindly and personally. We've never had someone who took the time to treat the staff as people. Thanks, you've transformed the atmosphere here. By the way, how's your dad doing? The original author of this article is Michael Josephson
A Nursing-Home-Story
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