Reaching out to seniors in need

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

With a county shelter-in-place order going into effect in early March, Salinas Valley Health was concerned about the effect it would have on vulnerable people in the community. One of the first efforts staff participating in the Community and Staff Support Project (CSSP) embarked on was making phone calls to check on elderly people and others at-risk. Here is how one Salinas Valley Health employee describes the impact of that work:

“I was just going down my list, asking our patients how they’re doing,” says Olga Morales, a redeployed Community Health Advocate with the Salinas Valley Health Salinas Valley Health Mobile Clinic. “Simple questions like do you have support at home, all the medication you need and enough food on hand. The older woman on the other end of this particular call hesitated and then replied, “No, I don’t have much food.”

Olga shared her conversation with Ihovana Aquirre, RN at Salinas Valley Health. As they often do, members of the patient experience team go above and beyond to achieve excellence. Therefore, Ihovana didn’t just see an opportunity to deliver a bag of groceries. With social distancing in mind, Ihovana carried the items into the kitchen and when she pulled open the refrigerator door, she found something even she didn’t expect.

“There was absolutely nothing in the fridge. Not one thing,” said Ihovana. “During the next couple of days I was able to pick-up and deliver eggs, bread, peanut butter and other staples. It felt good knowing this sweet, 89-year-old woman had the nutrition she needed and that we facilitated a long term, reliable meal delivery solution.”

Salinas Valley Health article: Read more about this story here