By Mauricio Lopez, Brandman Centers for Senior Care PACE, Marketing Director
A few months ago, my 92-year-old father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. December 10, 2024, he peacefully passed away, surrounded by his loving family. My siblings and I were shocked. Here was a man who devoted his entire life to providing for his family, nurturing and fostering an environment of hard work, keeping us safe, and making sure food was always on the table. This is not to mention, all of the extracurricular activities he attended for myself and my siblings. In retrospect, I believe all of the major societal contributions my father made definitely should have earned him a special award for Hardworking Man Who Left a Strong Legacy. Now, he was suddenly gone.
Honestly, all seniors 55+ who have devoted their lives to serving others should be admired, treated with dignity and respect. They should also be catered to when diagnosed with a chronic health condition such as osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, dementia, cancer, heart disease or pulmonary disease. At Brandman Centers for Senior Care PACE (BCSC), we make sure each and every participant we serve receives this treatment. The confluence of our organization’s culture, mission, vision and core values dictate how we operate when it comes to helping and serving seniors, especially those who are vulnerable and frail.
Our mission at BCSC PACE, is to provide high-quality health care and supportive services, and enhance the well-being of elders, their family caregivers, and the community. This means we embrace and foster a community of dedicated individuals who are empathetic and strong listeners who place participants first. When it comes to listening, I am reminded of an article I read on an airplane, about listening. The article stated that the average person in the U.S. spends 55% of each hour talking, and 45% of each hour listening. This translates to 32 minutes of talking and 28 minutes of listening. Of those 28 minutes of listening, only 25% of it is effective. Surprisingly, that amounts to 7 minutes of the time we spend each hour listening to others.
Individuals with chronic health conditions never asked for them, and it is our job at PACE to help and support those afflicted with the conditions. For instance, our dedicated nurses and providers are compassionate and empathetic towards participants ensuring that frail and vulnerable individuals receive the highest quality of care, so they can enjoy a high quality of life. Once again, a team effort approach is crucial, and providing high quality, coordinated care to each participant is the cornerstone of what we do.
Those who receive accolades for outstanding accomplishments, PACE participants and my dad are very similar. Chronic health conditions one might experience later in life shouldn’t negate all of the positive historical contributions they made to society over their lifetime. On the contrary, their contributions should be celebrated and they have clearly earned the right to be treated with dignity and respect for the strong legacy they leave behind.
For more information about PACE, visit www.brandmanseniorcare.org or call 844.952.7223.
