A Haven RN called a patient’s phone again and again, unable to get in touch with him. Knowing the patient was nearing end of life, the RN decided to drive out to the patient’s home, which was in a very rural area with no cell service.
Haven associates learned that this patient and his wife depended on their landline for all communication and they didn’t have funds to turn the landline on, leaving them disconnected from assistance. They could not call anyone or get in touch with Haven if they needed anything or if an emergency situation arose. Seeing the seriousness of the situation, the RN called Lake City Social Worker Jennie Lyons and said he had the money on him and wanted to reconnect the couple’s landline. He paid the reconnection fee immediately and was reimbursed by the Make a Difference Fund.
Because of the RN’s quick action, the patient and his wife were able to access the help they needed. “It turns out, the patient died very shortly thereafter,” said Jennie. “They were able to call us for a nurse to be present when the patient died. That made a huge difference. Instead of the spouse being alone when her husband passed, someone at Haven was able to be present because they were able to make the call. Otherwise, someone would have had to leave the house and walk to a neighbor’s house to make a phone call.”
The Make a Difference Fund was able to provide this patient and his wife with peace of mind in his final days, knowing that a Haven associate would be accessible in their time of need.
Jennie said in her time caring for patients, she has realized that healthy people take many small things for granted, like taking a child to the movies or even making a phone call when we need help. “Some patients and families don’t have these luxuries,” said Jennie. “That’s what the Make a Difference Fund is here for. It helps out our patients and families and gives them a sense of hope and peace, and often joy.”