Visiting Program
Hi Everyone:
My name is Towanda Strong and I am new to this group.
I am 8 months post op and loving life.
I want to put together a volunteer “visiting program” for my
surgeon’s group of patients. I contacted Barbara Thompson and
she suggested I ask people here for some advise.
And, if the group moderators can direct me to a better place to
get info, that would be gratefully appreciated as well.
My vision is this…
We post-ops volunteer to visit those new post-op patients while
they are in the hospital to bridge the gap between the hospital
stay and the initial stages of recovery. It can be a long few weeks
in the beginning and some don’t have the family/friends support
that can be vital. And I have seen some get lost in that time. I
began visiting those I met in my “group” and found it did make a
difference. So I thought…heck…this needs to become part of their
program! So I am putting together such a program now. Each
volunteer would visit those patients that wanted some post-op
contact and bring along a “packet” of sorts with reminder info
and some “gifts” just to say welcome and “you can do this” sort
of support material.
If anyone in OSSG has experience with something similar or
has any input or ideas I can incorporate into such a program I
would appreciate anything you have to offer.
Thanks in advance.
Towanda Strong
“We are such tender and fragile beings, yet such strong
warriors.”
June 24th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Hi Towanda!
My surgeon does that.
Out from his post op patients we have a “buddy program” that goes and visit
those new patients while being in the hospital.
We have a moderator that is in charge of the schedule. They are seen twice a day
by different persons.
We wear a badge that identifies us as volunteers from my surgeon’s program.
Patients show a lot of excitement meeting us as post-ops and hearing our success
stories.
In order to comply with the HIPPA law, we avoid making questions that could
violate their confidentiality. Also, we never give any advise that could be
understood as medical. In these days it is quite easy to get in trouble. We tell
them our stories and show them our before pictures.
We enforce the importance of following the program in order to succeed. We
invite them to come to our support group meetings in order to stay focused.
When I had my surgery, 2 years ago, it was really meaningful meeting my buddy at
the hospital. I won’t forget that, as she was an inspiration.
Keep your plan going, it really makes a difference. Not only you are helping
others, you are helping yourself to keep your focus.
Love,
Helen 11/12/02
-200# (at goal)
towandastrong4 <towandastrong4@…
Hi Everyone:
My name is Towanda Strong and I am new to this group.
I am 8 months post op and loving life.
I want to put together a volunteer “visiting program” for my
surgeon’s group of patients. I contacted Barbara Thompson and
she suggested I ask people here for some advise.
And, if the group moderators can direct me to a better place to
get info, that would be gratefully appreciated as well.
My vision is this…
We post-ops volunteer to visit those new post-op patients while
they are in the hospital to bridge the gap between the hospital
stay and the initial stages of recovery. It can be a long few weeks
in the beginning and some don’t have the family/friends support
that can be vital. And I have seen some get lost in that time. I
began visiting those I met in my “group” and found it did make a
difference. So I thought…heck…this needs to become part of their
program! So I am putting together such a program now. Each
volunteer would visit those patients that wanted some post-op
contact and bring along a “packet” of sorts with reminder info
and some “gifts” just to say welcome and “you can do this” sort
of support material.
If anyone in OSSG has experience with something similar or
has any input or ideas I can incorporate into such a program I
would appreciate anything you have to offer.
Thanks in advance.
Towanda Strong
“We are such tender and fragile beings, yet such strong
warriors.”