Claire Cardillo
Nursing Student
University of Florida
SPECIALITY PUBLIC HEALTH
Through our public health work with unique patient populations, we were able to work with the elderly and patients who had disabilities. Through our experiences with with the elderly, as pictured to the left, I was able to learn how old the people of Grenada live to be. Many of the people I met were well over eighty years old, and I feel that some of the reason they live so long is their joy for life. Although they do not have access to the kind of health care that we have, they are so happy and just have a passion for living. They are also very involved in their own medical plans. I think sometimes that is somewhat lacking in our own culture.
Working with these patients made me realize that although it is important to treat physical ailments, we should also focus on the overall wellbeing of our patients. When working with the elderly or those with disabilities, we must realize that at a certain point we cannot completely cure them. Although modern medicine has made many advances, this is not one of them. However, we can give them the best possible care and evaluate their mental well being and their feelings about their treatment plans. By allowing patients to be as involved in the healthcare team as the other health care professionals are, you will be able to provide them with the best care.