A man with chronic mental illness came to the CRC after living on the street for 3 days. This older gentleman went into great detail of his past work and accomplishments prior to his bout with mental illness. April established a strong relationship with this patient. He was requesting hospital admission but through compassion and care, April established a relationship with this patient and got to the core of his issue. He had defecated on himself and was too embarrassed to tell anyone to come to his boarding home for fear of ridicule. April sprang into action and showered this man; spending time scrubbing him in the shower in the CRC (crisis response center) until he felt comfortable. For example, she asked if he wanted conditioner for his hair, he said "what's that?" She explained it will make his hair soft - he smiled and said "thank you, I would like that".
April gave this gentleman clean clothes, shoes, and undergarments and provided him with a Depends and explained their use - he took it reluctantly. When she finished, he said "I can go home now" and thanked her. When April told me the story, she was tearful knowing that it's the small things that can change a life. This man was living on the street because he had no resources to help him and was embarrassed by a condition he could not control. If anyone made a difference, it was April, who took the time to explore what this man's needs were and met them in a kind and compassionate manner.