When Cedric was released from the hospital following a
6-month stay due to major surgery and complications, he needed a place to
recover and set all of his follow-up care appointments. Cedric was without a
home at the time.
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| Denise McDaniel with Jorge at Pathway Recuperative Care |
At National Health Foundation’s Pathway Recuperative Care
program, Cedric found a place to recover from his health issues and more;
Denise McDaniel, LVN, the Medical Coordinator at Pathway Recuperative Care’s Los Angeles location, treated him with love and kindness.
“At Pathway Recuperative Care, our nursing staff provides
medical oversight which means we keep a close watch on their health to ensure
they are healing appropriately and that all of their follow-up medical
appointments are set and met,” shared Kelly Bruno, President and CEO of
National Health Foundation (NHF), “more importantly, we care. We care deeply
that our clients have an interruption in homelessness and if this triggers a
desire to be connected with services to find their way into a permanent and
stable housing situation, we walk that journey with them as well. But it is our
exceptional nursing staff that is on the front line of delivering that
life-changing care.”
For Denise and her counterpart at Pathway Recuperative
Care’s San Gabriel Valley location, Tammy Grimes, LVN, a typical day involves caring for
numerous clients while working with social workers and support staff as stable
housing is secured.
“I get so excited when we have arranged for housing for a
client. It gives them the opportunity to focus on something other than where
they will lay their head each night,” shared Tammy. For Denise, the joy of
seeing the smile on an individual’s face when they receive housing is the
favorite part of her job.
Working with individuals who are without a home has brought
Denise and Tammy face to face with the most common misconceptions about this
population, “I see people fearing those without a home and that is something I
would love to change,” shared Denise. For Tammy, the notion that everyone who
is without a home is on drugs or alcohol is far from the truth, “ The truth is
everyone has a story and they are all different.”
Denise is inspired by her clients’ tenacity, “I’m always
humbled by the people I work with. They are willing to try and start over from
scratch.” Tammy’s thoughts turn to the fundamental need for housing, “Living
conditions make treating and coping with health issues more difficult. Health
cannot be a priority if the individual is focused on their safety and where
they will sleep at night. Mortality is higher living on the street.” Both
nurses have one wish for their clients: Stable housing in a community that is
safe and loving.
For Bruno, having exceptional staff working with clients has
raised the bar of what compassionate care looks like, “On behalf of all of us
at NHF, I salute our nurses and thank them for delivering far more than health.
Through their compassion, strength and the love for what they do, they deliver
a deep caring that is life-changing and inspiring to us all.”
