I asked an elderly, immobile patient at Our Lady of the Rosary Health Center of the Saint Joseph Health System to view several images on a iPad. Once the patient viewed the images, I asked her to express her thoughts, feelings, and experiences with me. Below are the images I showed the patient, along with the patient’s responses:
– Patient felt comfortable seeing this image. The patient associated this image with the final destination and a place where the patient can go for help and relief from suffering. Patient was happy to see this image and felt a sense of satisfaction.
– Patient did not like this image primarily due to the fact that the patient felt that buses were uncomfortable and even dangerous. Patient has tried to take buses to places in the past but has not had good experiences with them. The patient expressed that, due to the patient’s immobility (wheelchair), buses present a huge challenge and sometimes cannot accommodate the patient in an immobile condition.
– The patient was elderly and did not have a smart phone. The patient was entirely unfamiliar with this image and was not interested in learning more about it.
– The patient found this image to be fairly neutral. The patient has used taxis in the past, but for transportation to a health center. The patient also cited the cost of taking a taxi as a reason for avoiding this method of transportation.
– The patient felt best upon viewing this image. The patient expressed that this is her favorite method of transportation. While the patient cannot drive, the patient consistently has the help of family members who help the patient get to places, including health centers.
The patient was accompanied by a younger family member who facilitated the patient’s response to the above images. It was interesting to see how favorably the patient felt upon seeing the health center building, associating the picture of the building with help and healing.