Part of what makes MSBI so unique is that our employees, regardless of discipline or role, create genuine connections with patients and take care of them even beyond their basic medical needs. We recently discharged a very special person who touched the hearts and souls of so many of our colleagues. I am inspired by the way so many of you cared for this patient as if he is family.
This patient’s story is complicated. He is developmentally delayed and needs full-time care. Both he and his father, who was also his sole caretaker, contracted COVID-19 early on in the pandemic’s arrival in our region. His father did not recover, which left his son orphaned and anxious about being taken from the only home he has ever known.
Early on, Rachael Holbreich, MD, the psychiatry intern serving on 9 Silver, helped staff connect with him.
“Because he mainly expresses himself with non-verbal cues, it became apparent that the staff needed to adapt to better understand and communicate with him. I tried to set an example that he was a kind and loving person who does express his needs. This demonstrated that we can work with him and help him transition during this difficult time,” said Dr. Holbreich.
The staff quickly learned to understand our very special patient and took every step to help him heal, adopt him as their family, and find a new, stable home environment that met his needs.
When I say every step, I mean it:
- Our social workers and physicians accompanied him to many group home interviews and oversaw his care until we could get him a new guardian. Our staff helped fit him for hearing aids, framed photos of his family in his room, and danced and made music with him.
- Our psychiatry and music therapy teams regularly came to check in with him.
- Denise Green, PCA on 9 Silver, would let him help with the linen to keep him busy. He loves the singer Selena, and she would play Selena videos for him on available workstations.
- Fanny Castillo on our environmental services team would take him on walks through the unit. “He didn’t always understand what we were saying, but we always had a good time,” said Fanny.
- Vivian Frimpomaa on our food services team also took incredible care of him. He preferred to eat his meal in the hallway, and she would help set up his table and put the condiments he liked directly on his food. She paid special attention to the menu items he liked.
- It is impossible to name everyone who cared for him during his time with us, but it was a labor of love and based on teamwork across many different disciplines.
One of my favorite stories is that Alicia Tennenbaum, LCSW, our Senior Director of Social Work, advocated and got an expedited hearing to appoint him a guardian. She coordinated with the guardian to go to the patient’s home to gather some belongings like his stuffed animals to bring him comfort. His father had put a mechanism on the door to keep him from wandering out, and the guardian got locked inside the house. He had to climb the out the window and down the fire escape to get out. It was worth it. Having a few items from his home comforted our very special patient during this transitional time.
This new guardian cares deeply about him, and we recently discharged him to a group home in Queens. Paul Guzman, 9 Silver PCA, took the day off for his discharge so he could accompany him to his new home to ensure that he felt comfortable with the transition. Mr. Guzman has since traveled two hours each way to visit him multiple times and plans to continue twice a week. They have a special connection.
“When he got a certain look, I knew I needed to sit right next to him and just be there. Sometimes he needs to sit quietly near someone he trusts,” said Mr. Guzman. He is regularly in touch with the caretakers at the group home where he now lives.
“It was unexpected love. I will always be there for him,” he said.
Some of the other staff members have also checked in with him via FaceTime.
“I checked in with his new community, and he is doing very well. I’m thankful; he now has a community. We have improved his life in so many ways,” Ms. Tennenbaum said.
This is because of your extraordinary teamwork and compassion.
I am in awe of the compassionate, connected care you provide to our patients each and every day.