Inside the Clinic: The Non-Medical, Medical Issue
Top o’ the morning to you, dearest Community!
Yes, I know, it has been a while! I cannot believe October is here and sweater weather is upon us!
As we all tend to hunker down in the cooler months, Culmore Clinic nevertheless remains open to its patients with three onsite primary care sessions per week and one telemedicine session each Thursday. We continue to have counseling sessions and diabetes education and nutrition consults virtually, and there are physical therapy sessions onsite every other week. There really is a LOT of work that goes into making each of these sessions run smoothly each week and I want to give a loud shout out to Lisa Hornstein, our amazing Administrative Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator for making it happen!
A new service we have started recently is offering social work counseling through our new volunteer, Sophia Miller. Sophia comes to us with a wealth of experience as a medical social worker in New York, New Mexico, and Virginia and we feel so lucky to have her!
Sophia shared a patient story with me that illustrates the many “social determinants of health” – the non-medical issues that impact health – which can be barriers to our patients obtaining and maintaining optimal health. Sophia wrote this about a patient, “SG” as an example of some of the real fears and sources of anxiety that impact so many of our patients every day:
“SG is 66 years-old and has been diagnosed with anxiety, essential hypertension, obesity, prediabetes and hyperlipidemia. She is from Nicaragua, lives in a house with three other roommates but has a very limited social network here in the United Stated. She speaks with her family in Nicaragua, two to three times a week, which is a source of great stress due to their current political and social climate. She worries about their safety constantly. SG’s immigration status is also a great source of distress, as the process was started by her brother, who died before the process was complete. As such, she lives in constant fear of being arrested and deported, and it creates moments of panic when she is traveling out in the community.
SG currently works in housekeeping, but her probability of advancement is limited, as she is also afraid of taking English as a second language classes, for fear of being “found out” and deported. Her anxiety and depression, also creates moment of weepiness at work, which creates another source of worry of being fired, due to moments of weakness.
SG’s health and ability to maintain mental wellness and stability, are all-interrelated with the struggles that she faces daily. Her legal status is a constant source of stress, which I find is dominant in many of the patients we care for. Until some of their determinants are addressed, the impact will be reflected in their health and mental wellness.
Despite having some knowledge of the ability of medication to assist with her anxiety and moments of panic, the patient has decided to refrain from using such due to her fears of “becoming addicted” and the fear of feeling the need to hyperalert at all times; once again, the fear of being deported: 'The medication might make me drowsy, and I won’t be as aware as I need to be.'
SG was referred for legal assistance and is also seeing a clinician on a regular basis.”
The work Sophia does is critical in the primary and preventative care that a clinic like ours offers. All of us can identify to some degree with the impact that negative forces such as stress, fear, financial worries can have on our health, not to mention all the other barriers to accessing care such as not having a job that readily allows you to take time off to see the doctor or no one to take care of your wee’uns during the day so you can take an hour off.
That’s why it fills my heart with joy when I hear about the kind and welcoming interactions our staff has with our patients at The Clinic. It is reflected on our patients’ faces as they leave smiling…and in the voices of our staff as they pack up for the day and bid their adieus!! This is surely a work and a mission that brings a deep happiness to us all!
Warmly,
Anne-Lise