Walter Reed Hospital: the veterans
Hi, I feel badly for them, the ones in WRH, they are really needing help but for some reason, they aren't getting it fast enough. I wish there was something I could do, they offer a volunteer program, but it's to answer phones, I really don't have any medical training to help them. I feel lost. Any suggestions?
http://www.walterreed.amedd.army.mil/garrison/sites/directorates/dca_acs_volunteer.asp
Originally posted by Jim Reaper
Just visiting and talking to them goes a long way...
NO!!! MY GOD MAN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOURE SUGGESTING!!!
seriously, after some time of hearing about her soul switching and self sainting/crucifixion their post-traumatic stress disorder will likely worsen exponentially. you're inviting disaster.
Originally posted by Schecter
NO!!! MY GOD MAN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOURE SUGGESTING!!!seriously, after some time of hearing about her soul switching and self sainting/crucifixion their post-traumatic stress disorder will likely worsen exponentially. you're inviting disaster.
About 12 guys from my unit went through there... Being a grunt is an unappreciated endeavor. Not that it matters... Lose an arm and your other problems shrink to nothing.
Originally posted by Jim Reaper
About 12 guys from my unit went through there... Being a grunt is an unappreciated endeavor. Not that it matters... Lose an arm and your other problems shrink to nothing.
I agree War veterans are not respected. It's quite wrong. The injured should be taken care of better for the rest of their lives it won't make up for what happened to them though. Respect man.
Originally posted by Jim Reaper
About 12 guys from my unit went through there... Being a grunt is an unappreciated endeavor. Not that it matters... Lose an arm and your other problems shrink to nothing.
did you have a chance to see the condition of the place, and if so what were your impressions. i ask since all the info i get on the topic is media-based. fox news making it out to be club med and msnbc making it out to be guantanimo for american wounded.
Originally posted by Schecter
i was just joking of course, though she certainly wouldnt help much since all her conversations are self-centered and nonsensical.did you have a chance to see the condition of the place, and if so what were your impressions. i ask since all the info i get on the topic is media-based. fox news making it out to be club med and msnbc making it out to be guantanimo for american wounded.
I got ya... No, i just know what some of the guys told me about it through correspondence, and usually
it was this place sucks i wanna go home, but that's to be expected. Anything fox news reports is probably garbage, but everyone knows that, or should.
Volunteering is great, but the lack of volunteers is the least of WRH’s worries.
WRH has had a lot of controversy these past years…neglect, inadequate care (mental/health), et cetera. Monthly about 20+ soldiers leave Iraq because of mental problems. Most of the “veterans” are sent to Walter Reed, but unfortunately Walter Reed lacks a PostTraumatic Stress Disorder Ward/Program/Treatment Center, which I feel is a disgrace and mind boggling; as war affects the mind, body, and soul, and also last FOREVER. I don't understand how there is no Treatment Center or Ward specifically for PTSD; War is nothing new to the US. We had/have soldiers with PTSD from Desert Storm, Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the many other wars we fought. Didn't we learn anything from HISTORY damnittt.
Hopefully, the firing of the WRH Commanding General Major Gen.Weightman, the resignation of Secretary of the Army Harvey, and the resignation of Lt. Gen. Kiley (the head honchos of WRH) will benefit the suffering/neglected veterans and the way the hospital is run from here on out. And hopefully this will also benefit all Veteran Hospitals throughout the US, as VA care is poor throughout PERIOD.
I don't know if any of you get or read Newsweek, but they have written many articles about the poor care at WRH and of suffering Veterans. One article in particular that comes to mind is the story of Marine Jonathan Schulze. (which still makes me cry to this day.)
I think Volunteering is great, but hopefully WRH gives these Veterans great mental/health care, on top of great volunteer work. (we can only hope).
🙁
Originally posted by Fade and Remain
WRH has had a lot of controversy these past years…neglect, inadequate care (mental/health), et cetera. Monthly about 20+ soldiers leave Iraq because of mental problems. Most of the “veterans” are sent to Walter Reed, but unfortunately Walter Reed lacks a PostTraumatic Stress Disorder Ward/Program/Treatment Center, which I feel is a disgrace and mind boggling; as war affects the mind, body, and soul, and also last FOREVER. I don't understand how there is no Treatment Center or Ward specifically for PTSD; War is nothing new to the US. We had/have soldiers with PTSD from Desert Storm, Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the many other wars we fought. Didn't we learn anything from HISTORY damnittt.
to be fair, we live in a society that has not yet incorporated proper mental health care into any of its sectors, not exclusively in Veterans Hospitals.
tragic though it is
Originally posted by inimalist
to be fair, we live in a society that has not yet incorporated proper mental health care into any of its sectors, not exclusively in Veterans Hospitals.tragic though it is
Do you mean private and community hospitals??? Well I have worked for 3 Community Hospitals and a Mental Health Hospital, all had excellent mental health programs, outpatient services, *qualified* doctors, et cetera. I believe it is the VA Hospitals that are the least prepared for mental or health issues of their patients and now the case loads of new veterans monthly being admitted to the already overwhelming-understaffed facilities 🙁 .....and I feel the veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are the ones being ignored and shoved a side because they don't necessarily have wounds one can see.
But then again those hospitals I worked at were in a semi-big city. I would imagine maybe smaller towns don't have the same benefits/programs/treatments as bigger cities.
It's a bad situation all around huh 😕
Originally posted by Czarina_Czarina
the volunteering positions online is only to answer phones, etc.and regarding mental health or PTSD, are you thinking along the lines of COS (church of scientology)?
Church of scientology... 😑 ????? What about COS? I'm not familiar with this term?? What is it??? confused1
Originally posted by Fade and Remain
Do you mean private and community hospitals??? Well I have worked for 3 Community Hospitals and a Mental Health Hospital, all had excellent mental health programs, outpatient services, *qualified* doctors, et cetera. I believe it is the VA Hospitals that are the least prepared for mental or health issues of their patients and now the case loads of new veterans monthly being admitted to the already overwhelming-understaffed facilities 🙁 .....and I feel the veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are the ones being ignored and shoved a side because they don't necessarily have wounds one can see.But then again those hospitals I worked at were in a semi-big city. I would imagine maybe smaller towns don't have the same benefits/programs/treatments as bigger cities.
It's a bad situation all around huh 😕
You missunderstand
The quality is there, and there are effective treatments, just, and this is only from where I live and my experiences, a) there are HUGE waiting lists for outpaitent or grouphomes b) most psychiatrists aren't taking new paitents c) almost no integration of the main medical system with the mental health profession d) massive stigma still existing for people who recieve any sort of psychological care.
What sort of mental health services did the community hospitals you worked for provide? Around here, someone goes to the ER threatening suicide, the doctors scoff at them and the on staff nurse hurries them off.
Originally posted by inimalist
You missunderstandThe quality is there, and there are effective treatments, just, and this is only from where I live and my experiences, a) there are HUGE waiting lists for outpaitent or grouphomes b) most psychiatrists aren't taking new paitents c) almost no integration of the main medical system with the mental health profession d) massive stigma still existing for people who recieve any sort of psychological care.
What sort of mental health services did the community hospitals you worked for provide? Around here, someone goes to the ER threatening suicide, the doctors scoff at them and the on staff nurse hurries them off.
That is horrible... Do you live in a small town?
Well I don’t want to get off topic, but there were many programs, treatments, and care offered to “community” patients with mental issues. First off, patients were medically cleared before mental “treatment” began. Now, what they actually offered was up to the patient’s needs: Voluntary and involuntary psychiatric assessments, adult care, recreation therapy, group and individual therapy, conservatorship, medication management, ward milieu management, et cetera. For most patient’s after their hold expired were offered outpatient treatment; board and care (if needed), long-term locked down “treatment,” et cetera. None of community hospital’s patients left the mental ward without some type of mental care. There were over 80+ mental programs, outpatient care facilities, etc., available after hospitalization – they even found care for patient's if they lived in a rural area.
You know what, there was one thing that absolutely bothered me about C.H. mental ward patients; about 60% of the admits were drug-related, meaning they were on a narcotic or drug of choice (alcohol included) when they “lost it” or they had/have been on drugs for a substantial amount of time to have it damage the brain, thinking, logic, et cetera. I have never done drugs, but for something to actually affect someone sooo bad like that I just don’t see the attraction to it... I guess that is where the “massive stigma” comes to play (drug abuse and mental illness maybe?)…
Back to topic, WRH might get their share of drug-related mental patient’s, but great care is great care. Everyone deserves great medical care. I don’t see many people rushing over to Iraq to help/fight, especially people of power. Medically, it doesn’t matter whether the war is right or wrong, there are still men and women over there fighting who will eventually need medical/mental care and let’s not forget the veterans from our previous wars that still need attention and care…So what exactly did the “US government” expect medical-wise?? Why is it such a shock that the VA hospitals are being overcrowded, overwhelmed, and understaffed? As an American, I am confused and heartbroken that this is *STILL* happening with health care of veterans (civilian care sometimes isn’t so great either though don’t get me wrong). 😕