Like the concierge at the finest hotel, Justine was here to anticipate and meet all of my mother's needs. Upon arrival at St. Joseph's my mom was totally unresponsive. She stayed that way for what seemed like days but was not that long.
When Justine returned for her second shift, she showed genuine excitement about my mom's improvement. At that moment, I wondered if every patient (and their families) thought that they were Justine's favorite.
Justine was compassionate and sensitive. Justine never talked down to Mom. Others would walk in and ask me how Mom was doing. Justine spoke directly to Mom with a tone that showed compassion and respect.
Justine never rushed Mom, she was patient. She stood by and guided Mom as she figured out how to get out of bed and move to a chair. Justine watched patiently and made sure Mom was safe.
Justine was extremely thoughtful. "Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help." That's Justine's mantra. Mom was cold. Justine brought a heated blanket!
Justine was our voice of reason. Our family struggled with the "next step" decision prior to discharge. Two options were presented and neither seemed quite right to us. It was Justine who explained that these were suggestions. We could modify them to find what works best for us.