Good Communication Works! (Follow-Up to Last Blog)

Greetings!

A quick update to share that appropriate communication and follow-up bring positive results!  After last week’s wounded warrior accident at Walter Reed, calls were made, and today we received word that the construction contractor in charge of the open pipe has been advised to do routine safety checks.  Any noted construction hazards will be clearly marked to avoid future accidents.  Even though this sounds like simple common sense (it definitely is!), we believe it is also demonstration and affirmation of good communication, persistence, and sound follow-up.

Also, the service member is recovering well from the additional injury from falling into the open pipe, and that is excellent news. 

When in Doubt – Reach Out!  Let’s keep working together to lead and act by example, using sound communication from beginning to resolution!

Linda & the VCG Team

Communication and An Accident...

Most things in life that go well are generally simple concepts well-communicated.  In fact, good communication may well be the key to anything related to people, relationships, and good quality of life.

Walter Reed National Naval Medical Center is a world-class hospital and recovery center in Bethesda, Maryland. Our wounded warriors and their family caregivers reside here for many months and years as they heal.  Our veterans come here for routine and specialty medical care.  Warrior Caregivers live here and learn to adapt and to communicate; reaching out for education, information, and support. 

Good communication in life is key, and even more so when warriors are in recovery.  Slight change in perspective now.  Below see an uncovered pipe at Walter Reed.  This isn’t a pipe opening at the edge of a field.  It’s in the middle of the parking lot.  Was this opening marked?  How long was it there?  Was this potential hazard reported?  Did anyone communicate this potential problem? 

Well, no.  Silence.  Not until one of the wounded warriors fell into it last week while walking through the parking lot.  Pretty good shock to the system, don’t you think?  The injured service member was seen at the emergency room, and thankfully did not break a leg, though the incident left bad scrapes and bruises on that previously injured leg.  And, as most of you know, that description covers a nearly four-hour wait in the ER, an X-ray, and a tetanus shot.  The caregiver and wounded warrior leadership were contacted and this avoidable injury was documented.  If only reasonable communication had been used to avert this incident in the first place. 

The next day calls were made (good communication) and the property authorities were contacted and asked to fix or mark the pipe opening so others were not hurt.  But then, silence reigned again.  In the week since this occurred, neither the service member nor the caregiver has been contacted for follow-up.  

Finally, ask yourself how any able-bodied worker at this elite medical facility could view warriors and veterans day in, day out, in wheelchairs, on crutches, with canes, some with very visible amputations and injuries and leave this hazard in place?  It all boils down to good solid communication.

Let’s make a commitment to reach out and communicate well – it may become contagious!

Leadership: Do They Know?

Good morning,

Here’s a question for you that we have been asked no less than 11 times in the last two weeks:  “Do you feel the leadership (DoD, VA, service branches, Caregiver Coordinators) truly understand what Caregivers experience?”

This is a volatile question, to which I give no answer, but listen for the occasion that elicited the comment.  There is great frustration by Caregivers that we hear often, and I think it boils down to this:  Leadership is shielded from the family caregiver experience.  We believe there are good leaders who care, but there are many surrounding them who keep controversy from their bosses.  Is this good?  In our opinion, no.  For without real observed examples, the leader is not leading with the right information.  And, can you fix something if you don’t know it is happening?  No.

Daily living essentials matter.  For a month recently, there was no hot water at one of the residence barracks at Walter Reed.  For a month.  Despite many mentions of this problem at group meetings, it wasn’t until the problem was quietly researched that progress was made.  The contractor, subcontractor, and sub-subcontractor were contacted to ensure the event was reported appropriately to maintenance and afterward, the resultant mixing valve issue was solved.  See, once they knew, proper process was followed and problem resolved. Hot water is pretty necessary for health and hygiene, wouldn’t you say?

Invisible Injuries are still invisible.  A caregiver at a recent VA appointment was asked “Why aren’t you looking for a job?  He’s doing so much better,”.  She then explained the severe lack of short term memory for her husband that nearly resulted in a home fire catastrophe the previous week.  Better yes, but good enough to leave unattended and take on a job?  No.  The doctor doesn’t live with your veteran 24/7 – you do.  See that the record reflects the reality of your experience.

We suggest this to you.  Respectfully note and bring real-life caregiving challenges to your appointments and town hall meetings.  Unless leadership know about them, they cannot research situations or make changes.  And, if they are not amenable, or there are repercussions, there is help.  We must collectively raise the visibility of caregiver experiences to bring about positive change.  Share your Caregiver challenges (and wins) in order to make it real.  Together, let’s help leadership to lead!

Linda 

A Time of Wonder

Hi friends,

Recently I have shared some holiday celebrations with wounded warriors from Walter Reed. In just the last three months, these families have experienced a move to a new facility, an earthquake, a hurricane, continued recovery, and now the holiday season is upon us. While many of us go to holiday parties, I challenge you to consider our incredible Warriors during this holiday season.  Such scenes of simple joy in families who have endured heavy challenges this year deserve recognition.

Consider a young soldier with a serious neurosurgery two days out grinning from ear to ear as the British ambassador greets him, completely unselfconciously and proudly introducing his girlfriend.  Picture children lined up to “play” the Australian instrument, a didgeridoo that I swear is where the “Droid” sound derives!  Consider multiple service members in wheel chairs in full dress uniforms with small babies and toddlers clamoring to tug at their ears, mouths, and medals while dignitaries deliver toasts to their valor.  They’re focused on their child… Picture a Christmas party in the Warrior Café and the loud sound of a zillion conversations and cheers over raffle drawings for generous gift donations.  Relish in the group hug of families and friends who didn’t know each other until recently, joined in the common goal of support and healing.  My personal favorite is when these courageous men and women readily demonstrate they are truly shining human beings we would do well to emulate.

Why am I writing about this?  Because I have the privilege of new friends, new experiences, and new appreciation for our Warriors this year and especially … wait for it … their Caregivers.  Last year, many of these same warriors and caregivers were in vastly different medical phases.  Yes, many, many warriors and families spend multiple Christmas celebrations and New Year entries at the hospital.  Progress is often slow, but it IS progress! 

Caregivers, we salute you today and everyday.  It is a special time of year, and we are making steady progress with raising awareness of what you manage on a daily basis.  Make it a very good week!

Blessings and care,

Linda

WarriorCare and VeteranCare - Caregivers Need Your Support

Greetings, friends,


I'd like to draw your attention to the upcoming move of the medical facilities from Walter Reed to the new Bethesda and Ft. Belvoir facilities later this month.  This week we met with a number of families who are dealing with grueling recoveries, financial situations, emotional upheaval, and now have a difficult relocation to manage. 


While new improved quarters are looked forward to, the preparations and the communication over the move has been challenging for these families.  As many of you will remember from the early days of wounded recovery, your focus was on your service member.  So too is theirs.  Please keep these Caregivers (or NMA's, Non-Medical Attendants) in your thoughts and prayers while this is experience is still raw and fresh in their minds. While change is inevitable in this case, it is also frightening and disconcerting to the injured service member - and an added burden to the Caregiver.


Thankfully, Caregivers continue to support Caregivers, and if communication and education is accomplished on the DoD side of the continuum of care, entering the huge VA system of care is somewhat smoother.  We are working hard to provide help to Wounded Warrior families at Walter Reed, and you've probably noticed that VCG is attracting active duty families to our ranks as well as veterans. Our goal is to divide VCG into a sister entity called WarriorCare to address these two major phases of care in the near future. Thank you for welcoming all in our midst, for our goal is to educate, advocate, coordinate, and navigate the various phases of the continuum of care with you.


Linda