Through a generous grant via the United Health Foundation and in cooperation with KC Care Clinic, CHC of Wyandotte County’s Community Health Worker initiative seeks to improve health across Wyandotte County. From time to time, we want to showcase some of the success stories from our health workers:

“My patient is Arabic, she is seventy six years old. She came to USA few months ago. She lives with her  son and his family. I wanted to know more of my patient and about her health conditions. One day I decided to have a home visit. When I went for a home visit I noticed that my patient is in a wheelchair. She is blind and disabled. For a few seconds I was a little bit nervous how will I be able to help her since she does not speak the same language, Nepali like I do. The family just arrived to the USA and they do not speak English at all. Inside the home I was being seated in their living room. I was looking around and observing things around me. The son had four daughters. Two of them were in Kindergarten, two of them in middle school.  The wife came towards me from the kitchen bringing a glass of juice and some biscuit. I was juggling my purse to get a note and a pen to write. I kept aside my note and pen and I got the juice offered to me by the wife. She gave me a big smile as I thanked her for the hospitality.

When I saw the joy and hopefulness that the family had towards me that I will be their help and support, this encouraged me and it came from deep down in my heart. In my heart I told myself that even if this family is very challenging for me to work with them. I will do my best and help them in any way possible. I went towards where my patient was in the room. She was lying on her bed. I then used Cyracom for interpreter and began to do her assessment. My patient told me that she was very confused as for where she needs to go to have her regular checkups. She was running out of medicine and needed immediate medical assistance. My patient is a diabetic and has many other health problems. The family also needed to know the resources where to navigate for food pantries near their home address, help them to call for taxi for reservation to take the patient to the appointments, to set up several appointments like dental services, eye appointments, physical therapy, and to teach the family how to make appointments over the phone.

I listed all my patient’s needs and the families’ needs on our service plan where we write the patient’s needs and how we will work together to meet the goals. It took an hour and forty minutes for this home visit. I began to get a clearer picture of how I will be able to help the patient and her family. I told the family that I will visit them again, in the meanwhile, I will be working and will make phone calls to set up the appointments for the patient. I then left the house and came to my office. I began to call to schedule  the patient’s appointments. First I set up her primary care physician at KU Refugee Clinic.  I then called and reserved a taxi for her.  I called the family and talked to the son and told him about his mom’s appointments and the time and date the taxi will pick them up. To assure that the son and the patient will not be alone to their first appointment I told the son that I will meet them at the clinic and I will be there for the appointment. The son was so happy and thanked me.

Now my patient has made almost all her appointments. Sometimes she had missed a couple of appointments due to miscommunication. But I worked with the family and rescheduled her appointments. Recently, I went for a home visit and saw the family. They were so happy to see me. The wife who was working at the kitchen said something so loud to me.  I was shocked to know that she is working on her English and she spoke to me. Yes, my heart was overjoyed when I heard her say I LOVE YOU.  This made my day. The family offered me lunch to eat with them. Unfortunately, I already had my lunch before the home visit and was full. The wife then told me that I should one day come to their home for a lunch. She said it so sweetly that I agreed to set a date and have lunch with them. I am so thankful to serve them and in return I am being loved!”

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Roshni Biswa serves Wyandotte County’s English and Nepali speaking communities.