Stories, the congressman and the approaching rally
Our story circle tonight was small, but it was a start. We want to do this again next month and hear more stories from more people. I believe this is the best place for us to start learning what we can do in the community to make people’s health care experience better.
I listened to Rep. Heath Shuler’s radio town hall this afternoon, and I wasn’t terribly impressed. He had a lot of excuses why we shouldn’t pass reform now, but they were just excuses.
I don’t know why he isn’t for getting it done when hundreds of people die every day from lack of care.
Now, I’ll agree that the current bill isn’t perfect, but we’ve adjusted Medicare along the way and it’s a good system. We need to get something passed now that will give people access to care. We can tweak it as we go along.
Rep. Shuler said he wanted to scrap the current bill and start over, but he offered no specifics on what he would like to see in a new bill.
He kept repeating that we need to control waste, fraud and abuse, but he offered no statistics to tell us how big the problem might be, and he never mentioned that the private sector is rife with those same problems– especially the abuse part.
I’m not saying I don’t support Rep. Shuler, but he offered very little information in his two hours on the air today. I was hoping for more.
Our health care rally is just two days away and we’re getting a lot of attention and help. The Asheville chapter of the NAACP is on board as a cosponsor of the rally and I’ve been fielding calls for the last two days from people who plan to come with friends and family.
I’m hoping for a real crowd so we can show our legislators that most of us want access to quality health care for all Americans.
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a peer support program for people with one or more serious or chronic medical issues or disabilities.
We aim to reduce isolation and fear among people who have conditions, including psychiatric illness, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mild dementia or other cognitive disorder or disability, thereby reducing depression and complications as people learn to improve self-management of their medical conditions.
Patient Pals help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration. They can help people develop a list of questions to ask the doctor and then accompany the person to the doctor to make sure all the questions are answered, taking notes to be sure the person understands the doctor’s answers.
Our trained volunteers also accompany their “Pals” to art exhibits, movies and walks outdoors, meet for coffee, call to check in and more.
Our Pals have experienced weight loss, improvement in diabetes, HIV, psoriasis, depression and more, just because they have someone who cares about them. Some relationships develop into longer-term friendships; other Pals move on to more independent lives.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.
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