My Apologies...David Farrell!

---David Farrell was easy to trackdown on the Internet. I had many facts of his career incorrect. He is not a doctor and was a pre-cursor to Lumetra being here. But, he has been to Laguna Honda Hospital. He came a few times in the early 2000's and had much to do with culture change and seeing people differently in a much more humane way than was being practiced to myself and other residents/patients at the times. He gave a top of the line presentation.

---I was president of the resident council , but had truly had never heard of him. He spoke of the advantages to patients of having the same nurse who would know your routine and your moods, etc. It was about forming relationships and friendships who can speak with accuracy about you as he/she knows you very well. I, and most others were on a rotating schedule of nurses that was thought to slow the burnout rate of the nurses. He actually proved that nurses who had a rapport with their patients would benefit from the interaction. CONSISTENT CARE was definitely adopted as ''best it could'' at the time by Laguna Honda.

---He spoke of how we had to start seeing nursing facilities differently, also. He said we are used to seeing NH's in a trickle down manner. We see how now staff happiness is set to trickle down to the resident being as it is that the resident is the lowest man on the totem pole. I found by observance how easily we agreed to this scenario. It seemed that this is the one in place...therefore it must be correct. What he said next didn't make a whole lot of sense to a whole lot of people who were present. We have to begin to see everything upside down. Happiness trickles from the resident...NOT to the resident. My comment at the time was, ''well goodluck with that one. You will never get them to buy into that.''

---I apologize to David Farrell for NOT getting it sooner...what was meant on that day. That is the same door we have been knocking on for years at LHH. The mindset of LHH is changing. It it quickly becoming a waystation...releasing ill-prepared residents back to the community. I hope that the message that you gave to us back then is more palatable to the next and new generation coming up. It will. It has to be. Truth always wins...doesn't it?. Patient Happiness should be the top priority in the design of any clinic or hospital or the like. Patient's do better in that environment. People should ONLY be employed at these places who have a heartfelt understanding of this concept.
.
I reserve the right to make changes at will to content - Paul H.