We started our last full day in Birmingham by taking taxis to a nursing home. As soon as we arrived, I immediately felt how homey the building itself was. From the outside, it looked like any other intimate cottage, but just a little larger to house many residents. It was also beautifully surrounded by nature with gated outside areas that have animals of cute shops that appeal to the generation the nursing home is serving. These shops and restaurant-like places serve as mini escapes for the residents of the nursing home to have privacy with their visiting family members or significant other.
The nursing home director educated us before we were taken on a tour and able to interact with the nursing home patients. She told us that there is residential nursing where people will voluntarily choose to come due to their care needs. Since they choose to live there, they must be able to fund their stay and care at the nursing home under the NHS. On the other hand, she informed us about nursing care. This applies to older individuals that they require personal care and assistance in hoisting themselves up. She stated that skilled nursing care is usually needed for older adults after they have had a trip to the hospital. Before they are discharged, these patients are then assessed and evaluated by NHS workers. If they score high enough on the National Health Service’s standardized scale based upon what level of care the individual needs, the NHS will fully pay for the individual’s necessary care in a nursing home. This process and system the UK has in place fully provides and protects one of the most vulnerable populations in society. In the United States, every older adult, regardless of level of care needed to complete activities of daily living must pay out-of-pocket for nursing home costs. These costs have dramatically risen over the past couple of years due to demand and inflation, so geriatric patients who may require high levels of care pay almost the same amount as some university students. Debt in the older phases of life only creates more stress and strain on the older adult, so the U.S. must implement a system to relieve this crisis.
After visiting the nursing home and saying our goodbyes to the residents I got to have conversations with, we went back to Seacole for our last two lectures at BCU. Our first presenter was Annalise who is a medical feminist anthropologist. I have never even heard of this job title, but I absolutely love that these jobs exist. The U.S. should integrate this role into our women’s healthcare research to advance the care and education of women’s health. Annalise was the first lecturer we had that did not have as strong of a British accent, because she is from Michigan. I like how she started off her presentation by relating to us and then she went into the complex topic of endometriosis. Endometriosis was only ever something I have heard of, but never really understood. Her presentation made me learn so much that I hope to take into my clinical settings, especially in Magee Women’s Hospital back home. Annalise informed us that nearly every one in ten people are affected by endometriosis in the United Kingdom. This was an unbelievable statistic to me, because I was completely unaware of the large impact it has on so many women and girls in society. She told us why this diagnosis has been taboo for so long. Endometriosis used to be called “Career Women’s Disease” which created a demeaning and sexist way to view such a terrible disease. It used to portrayed as a disease women would get if they did not marry and have kids when society thought they should even though there was no guidance or medical knowledge behind this reasoning whatsoever. In turn, medical professionals would recommend to their patients experiencing the symptoms of endometriosis to get pregnant to relieve the condition. It is absolutely inhumane that medical professionals would suggest something that could harm the women even more or simply dismiss her symptoms and label her as overdramatic and hysterical. This created distrust and prolonged suffering for women who were afraid of being dismissed. To combat these issues Annalise works towards de-stigmatizing all things pertaining to women’s health. She quoted a Doctor who professionally stated what endometriosis is: “the full effect of the disease is not fully recognized and goes far beyond the pelvis.” New evidence has showed that endometriosis is not just gynecological and can lead to other health conditions like arthritis.
Annalise then went into the long list of symptoms patients who have endometriosis may show. She concluded by stating that there must be more research to come up with a better way of effectively preventing and diagnosing it. After listening to her presentation and the FGM presentation, my interest in women’s health only grew. I am excited to use their incredible information in my future education and work. I will also have to tell my cousin, Allie, who is a Midwife and NP that I am thinking I want to be just like her. 😊
So long, Seacole!