David is a fairly new addition to the TH family and to the Grand Stand area. He has been with 3 West less than a year, but his impact on our unit has been a positive one. His work ethic and positive disposition have elevated the unit's morale during hectic days.
In April we admitted a 90-year-old gentleman who fell at home and fractured his hip. He had been living by himself with no immediate family on record. He was up until this unfortunate incident, independent; still driving and maintaining a house at a nearby subdivision.
Admiringly, this gentleman is unfazed by the situation and is eager to get back in the swing of things. Obviously, two days after major surgery, it had been a bit of a challenge for him. He expressed his concern to our staff about his mail piling up at home. He also had run out of batteries for his hearing aids, something he desperately needs since he is so hard of hearing.
With an April thunderstorm bearing down on the Strand, David drove to the patient's house and picked up his mail. Along the way, David stopped by a store to buy a set of hearing aid batteries.
That night we noticed how much more energetic this patient had become. With a heap of mail in front of him, he appeared content to have gotten an important part of his life back. Watching his favorite news program with his hearing aid on while opening three days worth of mail, made him feel like he was back on track again!
At times we forget the value of providing our patients with the slight resemblance of their daily routine while infirmed and in this case, immobilized in a hospital bed. David's act of kindness reminds us that the emotional well-being of our patients is also important in their recovery!