It was 2 a.m. when a senior was found wandering the streets in
Reston. Hospital staff found no identification on the patient, who was
suffering from a medical form of dementia. A day or two later, she was
identified and a fellow parishioner at St. John Neumann Church in Reston found
out about her predicament. Assisted living looked like the only possible
outcome.
That’s when Susan Infeld, the parish nurse, got a call asking if
she could intervene.
“She was a senior who lived alone and had a medical condition
that she was not treating,” said Infeld. “I was brought in because she was no
longer able to take care of herself and so we needed to find out who her power
of attorney was. It turned out to be a former neighbor of hers.”
For the next nine months, Infeld worked with the former neighbor
and the patient’s primary care physician. Acting in a supervisory role, she
helped the patient keep track of her medication and checked on follow-through. The
parish community brought meals and provided emotional support.
“We were able in that nine-month period of time to bring her back
to where she no longer needed supervision and was able to self-manage her own
life,” said Infeld, whose position is part of a larger health and wellness
ministry at the parish.
When people aren’t sure where to go or how to find help for their
medical needs, they often turn to one of the places they trust most: their
parish. Whether they make referrals to a nonprofit organization such as
Catholic Charities, or like Infeld, walk alongside patients in their journeys,
parish staff can sometimes be an invaluable support for those without
resources.
“The privilege of being with people at the best and worst times
of their life opened my eyes to the opportunity to really serve God,” said
Infeld.
Parish nurses
Faith community nurses such as Infeld serve as health educators,
advocates and counselors, according to the Catholic Health Association. Sometimes
part-time staff but usually unpaid volunteers, they do not provide individual
medical treatment or invasive care. Instead, they have specialized training to
help parishioners make educated choices and navigate a complicated health care
system. These nurses — who serve at a handful of diocesan parishes — organize
flu shot clinics, offer blood pressure or vision screenings, and help those
without medical care find a primary care provider.
They offer services to all parishioners, not just those in financial
need. But for someone without reliable transportation, getting a blood pressure
screening after Sunday Mass might be their only opportunity.
Virginia Mullin,
the parish nurse and a longtime parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Church in
Falls Church, recently worked with a pharmacy to offer a flu shot clinic
after Mass. Of the 40 people who were vaccinated, five needed a free shot.
“It’s no fuss, no bother,” said Mullin. “We don’t embarrass
anybody.”
When someone comes to her with a complicated medical problem and
does not have insurance, she refers them to the nearby Culmore Clinic. St.
Anthony and other local faith communities helped found the nonprofit
organization a decade ago to serve uninsured people in the Bailey’s Crossroads
area.
“What I do is very small, but I hope it gets me to heaven,” said
Mullin, 82.
Dental care
Henry Flores, a parishioner of Holy Family Church in Dale City, had a
lot of pain in his teeth. Fifty-one years old and diabetic, he knew he had to do
something about the decay — but also knew there was no way he could pay a
dentist’s bill.
Flores decided to ask his parish where he could find help. It was
a natural choice to approach them because a health van provided by Sentara
Northern Virginia Medical Center visits every Thursday to provide medical care
to the uninsured. A counselor from Catholic Charities comes once a week. And
social ministries director Maddie Lupo often makes announcements in the
bulletin or after Mass when parishioners need baby items, wheelchairs or
crutches.
Holy Family sent him to Dr. Joseph Cavallo, a Woodbridge dentist
and parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Church in Alexandria. Flores paid a small,
one-time fee and made two visits.
“He gave me antibiotics and the next time he extracted the
tooth,” said Flores, speaking in Spanish through an interpreter.
His 72-year-old mother, Berta, also visited Cavallo. While the
service helped, she says she still needs dentures. That’s not a service
Cavallo’s office can supply because they have to be made by a medical lab.
Flores said he’ll find a way to help his mom. In the meantime,
he’s happy to be out of pain. “I feel very, very good.”
Cavallo has worked with Holy Family for about a decade to treat
parishioners who could not otherwise obtain dental care.
“Fr. Jack O’Hara, who’s been a friend of mine for 30 years, gave
me a call,” said Cavallo of Holy Family’s parochial vicar. “He said, ‘hey, we
have people calling our parish with toothaches, people calling our parish
needing dental treatment. Can you help us out?’ ”
Cavallo initally set aside one Wednesday a month to treat patients
screened in advance. Each pays a
one-time fee of $40 and from there “basically I’ll provide whatever it takes to
get them out of pain,” Cavallo said.
The demand grew: currently, Cavallo sees about 10 patients a
month and this year he has donated $25,000 to $30,000 worth of services. Holy
Family only sends him parishioners in the greatest need.
“We’re just touching the surface,” said Cavallo. “We’re sending
people away because we just don’t have the time that’s needed to treat
everybody.”
According to the American Dental Association, one in five adults
with low income say their mouth and teeth are in poor condition; as many as 42
percent have difficulty biting and chewing. Nearly a quarter even cut back on
social activities because of the condition of their mouth and teeth.
Cavallo says he’s made many phone calls over the years to other
dentists because he hates to turn people away.
“I think my contribution is just one little grain of sand along
the beach,” he said. “I would encourage anybody — a dentist, nurse, physician,
to help me out and contribute some more little grains of sand. If we all
contribute, I think we can make this world a better place.”
For more information on how
the Diocese of Arlington is observing World Day of the Poor Nov. 19, go to
arlingtondiocese.org/2017worlddayofthepoor.
