September 2010 - Bailey

J U LY 2 0 0 6
S E P T E M B E R 2 010
Bailey-Boushay House is owned
and operated by Virginia Mason
Medical Center.
homefront
End-of-life care
for people at
Bailey-Boushay House
without AIDS
nn and Mr. X had little in common, except the way they died.
She was a lifelong Seattle resident with Down syndrome who’d worked in a sheltered workshop for
30 years. He was a renowned Chinese professional basketball player who emigrated to the U.S. in 2003.
Both were in their mid-50s when diagnosed with terminal cancer (of the bile ducts for her, of the lung
for him). Both came to Bailey-Boushay House for end-of-life care.
And both lived here longer and with a higher quality of life than their families imagined possible. >
Above: Nancy knows her sister Ann (right) felt safe, happy and loved as a member of the Bailey-Boushay community before her death
from cancer at age 56.
continued from page 1
A place where everyone gets
special assistance
When beds are not needed by patients with AIDS, BBH
provides dignified and compassionate end-of-life care to
people in the wider community.
Their complex illnesses — such as cancer, Huntington’s
disease and ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) —
require skilled nursing to manage pain and maintain comfort.
“Bailey-Boushay House is often the only place that can
meet their special needs,” says Brian Knowles, executive
director.
Ann’s sister Nancy explained to the BBH admissions
coordinator that Ann would need special assistance. “Everybody here does,” she was told. “We’re glad to have her.”
The staff’s willingness to educate themselves about
Ann’s needs touched and reassured Nancy.
At Bailey-Boushay House, says Nancy, Ann was able
to have “a complete life — friends, community, familiar
routines she enjoyed.”
She loved eating, and enjoyed the fish tank, Hannah
Montana, watching The Wizard of Oz (a DVD gift from her
BBH neighbor Tim), giving hugs and working in the
art room.
“Everyone at BBH was open to learning how to support
her, to be funny with her and to keep her involved,”
says Nancy.
“At Bailey-Boushay House, Ann was able
to have a complete life — friends, community,
familiar routines she enjoyed.”
Joining a healing community
Ann was terrified when she was moved into Bailey-Boushay
in September 2009. Slowly she began to trust the staff and
found joy in working with BBH’s artist-in-residence.
Despite medical expectations, Ann rallied. She gained
weight and didn’t need pain medication. By the time she
was discharged in November 2009, Ann felt at home in the
BBH community.
After later complications led to a lengthy hospitalization,
Nancy asked Ann if she wanted to return to Bailey-Boushay
House.
“Yes,” Ann said, “I want to go back to my apartment
and my staff.”
“She was warmly welcomed back,” Nancy says. “It
wasn’t only that she was getting the best medical care.
They all knew her and loved her and put up with her occasional demands.”
Below: A joyful reunion
in June of those who
loved and supported
Mr. X before his death
from cancer: (from left)
Chinese translator, Yang
Zeng; wife, Hua; social
worker, Chrissy Parker;
and spiritual care
coordinator, Jill Spruce.
Finding ways to listen, learn
and communicate
“Ann couldn’t really articulate her pain,” says Jill Marotta,
RN, director of nursing. So nurses watched closely to
recognize changes, adjusting her pain medication every
few hours.
NA NCY, A N N’S SISTER
Peace of mind for loved ones
“I couldn’t always be here,” says Nancy, who lives in
Virginia. “But I always knew she was completely safe at
Bailey-Boushay.”
Ann died at Bailey-Boushay July 12, and she is missed.
“Most people don’t have 40 friends around when they’re
dying,” says Nancy. “Bailey-Boushay was a godsend for us,
because Ann ended up in a place where she was loved.”
“
r. X” was the affectionate nickname everyone
at BBH used for resident Qian Xiang.
Speaking through an interpreter, his widow, Zeng Hua Fa,
says Bailey-Boushay “maybe is a human being’s heaven —
it’s the best place to go.”
She and her husband spoke no English, yet their needs
and wishes were understood and their options were clearly
explained to them, she says, even when their interpreter was
not on duty.
“We just feel when one foot crosses into Bailey-Boushay
House,” she says, “you don’t need to ask for anything. They
understand what you need.”
Respecting family and cultural context
At first Hua felt “useless” at BBH. Because in China a wife is
supposed to take care of her ailing husband day and night.
She was also deeply hurt by her husband’s cross words.
She came to believe that the care at BBH was “seven
times better than [he could get] at home.” And nurse Eric
helped her understand the debilitating “pain, anxiety and
anger” her husband was experiencing.
“He touched my heart and comforted me and made
me understand and change my attitude,” she says, “and
I love[d] my husband again very well.”
Listening to dreams and
asking how to help
Despite excruciating nerve pain in his neck and spinal
cord, Mr. X remained focused on his life goal — to become
a U.S. citizen.
With the help of his social worker, he completed the
remaining paperwork and was sworn in a month before his
death. To celebrate, BBH staff and volunteers decorated
his room with stars and gave him a surprise party.
Above: Dennis, who has ALS, gets a wheelchair assist before joining a lunch
group led by occupational therapist Angela Brock. Getting dressed and
spending time with others can help people feel less like patients and more
like themselves. These experiences were shared by Ann and Mr. X as they
lived out their days at Bailey-Boushay,
“Getting his citizenship,” says Hua, “was the highlight of
my husband’s whole life.”
A respectful blending of east and west
When Mr. X passed away, BBH spiritual coordinator Jill
Spruce conducted a bedside ceremony for a small group of
family, friends and staff.
“Her family’s unique combination of Buddhist background
and Christian teaching was very important to Hua,” Jill says.
She and Mr. X felt at home at BBH, Hua says. “We felt
we melted into American culture because of the respect for
our culture.”
BBH Celebrates Pride
On June 27, Bailey-Boushay House again took part in the annual
parade celebrating Seattle Pride. Here are a few observations from
Gretchen Gerhardt, recreation therapist:
This year I had an opportunity I never anticipated having. I was able to
march in the parade with my partner and dog, alongside my co-workers,
patients, outpatient clients and volunteers. It was a privilege to march
as a part of Bailey-Boushay House. It is obvious how much love and
respect the community holds for this organization. As we marched,
parade viewers thanked us for what we do here at BBH. I must admit,
there was more than one occasion where my eyes welled up with tears.
It was a fulfilling experience in so many ways; I can only begin to
explain it. It reinforces how proud I am to be affiliated with such an
amazing and vital organization. And it was definitely fun.
Electronic Medical Record
Comes to Bailey-Boushay House
EMRs help make care safer for patients
Earlier this year, Bailey-Boushay House (BBH) embarked
on the transition to an electronic medical record (EMR).
The goal is to capture information vital to clients’ care in one
secure place. This means better, more complete medical
records, greater understanding of the complex issues facing
our clients and an integrated place for all members of the
care team to share information. It also means BBH will be
poised to face ongoing national health care changes.
The software BBH has chosen — Vision by Health MedX
— was designed especially for long term care providers.
Implementation will be complete by the end of 2010. At that
time, Bailey-Boushay House will be one of the few long term
care providers in Washington to implement EMR, and the
first to include social workers as part of the care team entering, updating and managing information.
Electronic medical records make care safer for patients.
The record automatically checks for medication allergies
and potential interactions. Entry of certain information is
required, so facts deemed important to know about a patient,
his or her condition, and any other details cannot be overlooked. Standard processes for completing tasks mean
everyone will collect necessary information in the same
ways, ensuring accuracy and efficiency because the information only needs to be entered once. EMRs also standardize documentation, increase real-time feedback to clinicians,
increase medication safety (because more information is
available at the click of a button) and
decrease ordering time. The program will also interface with BBH’s
partner pharmacy, Kelley-Ross, and
will later feature an external physician portal.
The software is secure and customizable for each user based on
his or her role. This means a BaileyBoushay team member may have a
home page that looks different from
another team member’s page.
This customization extends to the
information team members are
able to see — based on job duties, BBH staff members have
different elements viewable to them. A social worker has
different things he or she needs to see to do their job than
someone who works in the dietary department. All this
information is captured in the medical record.
“The electronic medical record allows us to better
serve our clients and patients by taking advantage of the
collaborative spirit of Bailey-Boushay House,” says executive
director Brian Knowles. “As our community’s needs change,
different features can be added or taken away, so it really
readies us for the future and the ways health care will
continue to transform.”
homefront
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 4636
SEATTLE, WA
Operated by Virginia Mason Medical Center
2720 East Madison Street
Seattle, WA 98112
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
INSIDE:
Listening with Open Hearts
upcoming
An annual memorial gathering will be held at
Bailey-Boushay House Monday, Nov. 1, at 6:30 p.m.
Families and friends are invited to join us for a time of
special memories of loved ones who have died. Light
refreshments will be provided, and there will be time
for sharing and remembering.
applause
Thank you to all the volunteers and staff members
who participated in and contributed to the success
of the BBH/Virginia Mason contingent in the 2010
Pride Parade. Special thanks to VM staff members
Isaac Phillips, Communications; Michele McCoy,
Dermatology; Mike Meany, Parking and Commuter
Services; and Carolyn Haas, Administration.
Thank you to local non-profit Teens In Public
Service (TIPS) for sending us summer intern
Deepak Sharma.
Kudos to volunteer Terry Anne Johnson for her
work supporting BBH Volunteer Office administration.
We are all travelers
“
in the wilderness of this world,
and the best we can find in our travels is
an honest friend.”
– ROBE RT LOU I S STE V E NSON
Editor .............................................................. Jenny Rose Ryan
Contributors ................................Ellie David, Jenny Rose Ryan
Graphic Design .....................................................Dean Driskell
Photography................................................ Paul Joseph Brown
Homefront is published by the Virginia Mason Foundation. For
placement of stories or information of community interest, please
contact: Bailey-Boushay House, 2720 East Madison Street, Seattle,
WA 98112, (206) 322-5300, www.bailey-boushay.org.
Bailey-Boushay House does not discriminate against qualified persons in
admissions, services or employment on the basis of age, disability, national
origin, sex, sexual orientation or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or
federal law. These laws include, but are not necessarily limited to, Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Civil Rights Act, the Americans With
Disabilities Act, the Washington State Laws Against Discrimination, and the
City of Seattle’s Anti-Discrimination Ordinances.
Printed on recycled paper. Copyright 2010 VMMC FORM 95574 (09-10).
And thank you to volunteer Lucy Wolf for her
preparation of a satisfaction survey for use with BBH
clients and residents.
In addition, we are sincerely grateful to the
following organizations and individuals for
recent gifts to BBH:
Bank of America
Bank of America Foundation
Citrix Systems, Inc.
City of Seattle
Emerald Services, Inc.
Employee’s Community Fund of
The Boeing Company
LEVYfi lms
Mercer
Microsoft Matching Gifts Program
NBBJ
Pride Foundation
Rite Aid Foundation
Sasco
State of Washington
Teutsch Partners, LLC
United Way of King County
Wells Fargo Community Support Campaign