Robert was in pain. He recently suffered a very serious stroke that left him without the use of half his body. Sitting in a wheelchair was impossible, thus his means of moving from one place to another was by a gurney.
At the time Robert had his stroke, he was living in an assisted care facility. SonBridge learned of Robert’s situation, when his social worker called SonBridge Dental in distress, “We need help for one of our patients. I have called all the other offices in town and not one is willing to try and help.”
Lorinda, the dental clinic manager who received the call, told the social worker that she would brainstorm with the clinic staff on a way to help Robert. Once they came to a solution, Lorinda called the social worker with her plan. This stunned the social worker, as she did not anticipate that the clinic would, "even bother to return the call."
After reviewing the facility, clinical staff resources, and possible limiting factors, the clinic scheduled Robert for an appointment. It moved the social worker to t
ears when she learned how willing the clinic would accommodate Robert in his condition.
The transportation, dental appointment, and floor plan would all accommodate a gurney. It took several appointments for Robert to receive his full necessary treatment. During these appointments, friendships developed between Robert and the clinic staff as his gruff demeanor softened.
When COVID-19 arrived, the clinic was still able to see Robert, albeit less frequently. He had one more appointment left to complete his care. Just when things were nearly completed, the clinic received a phone call before Robert’s final appointment to learn that he passed away.
Lorinda reflected on this experience saying, “Although providing his care required extra efforts, patience, and energy, along with a readjustment to our facilities, it seems SonBridge dental Clinic was the one who has grown in patience, longevity, and abilities. Proper perspective is something so empowering. You just need to be willing to try, serve, and fail in order to succeed.”
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