THIS IS WHAT THE STATE SURVEYORS DON'T SEEM TO KNOW - LONG-TERM PATIENT FOCUS GROUP

The FOCUS GROUP – FEB. 27, 2018.

REPUBLISHED

---Today we had a focus group for the long-term residents. I am glad that we had an opportunity to speak our minds. I would like to see us have more groups like this. I don’t think we even scratched the surface as to what we could have said. In my own case…I would have done better if I had more time.

WHAT I MEANT TO CONVEY:

---A woman mentioned that she enjoyed the groups that she goes to. I followed her statement with the fact that we should actually have more groups to learn different things. My answer was NOT to the point.

---I meant to say that we should have many more groups that convey SELF- KNOWLEDGE and SELF-WORTH. We should have more groups concerned with REAL REHABILITATION as I see it. We should be concerned with teaching the resident/patient how to know him/her-self. Since we are concerned with sending people into the society/community, it behooves us to equip those individuals with REASONs TO SAY NO. We do NOT WANT folks to fall into the same addictive patterns…so he becomes re-addicted. We need to teach those who are on this track to learn GREATER SELF-WORTH so they are able to say NO to things that re-addict them and cause them to re-enter the addiction system ...and mean it. If we get to the root cause before this happens, we may nip in the bud and keep the RESIDENT/PATIENT from having to deal with another malady stemming from the same root cause that was responsible for his/her entering the system this time. The root cause is usually much the same in each case.

Promotes Independence

---Or, it may be very worthwhile to help the patient discover what it is that really  gives him/her fulfillment. Then we could help him/her to actually learn to implement meeting those needs he has discovered. We would be doing a great service NOT only to the patient who learns this skill, but to the people who are his victim, so to speak. If he doesn't find something productive, he'll wander from pillar to post trying to find something to fill all the extra time that he seems to have, all the while, looking for these VERY ANSWERS and cause some kind of ruckus. In the long run, we could teach the Resident/Patient how to get his/her needs met...and NOT rely on the system or others to do things that he is able to do for himself. If we are able to teach folks to be self-reliant, in this way we promote independence. And...to boot, he will be much happier!

 -– With love and understanding and some SELF-KNOWLEDGE, we hope to teach the Resident/Patient how to make better and more LIFE AFFIRMING DECISIONS. MORE LATER…

---This Is What I CONVEYED To The People From The State In April 2021.  I Am NOT Sure What They Took Away. A REPRINT!