When Lee first came to Maitri, he was so frail and thin that he could barely support his own weight, so he depended on a wheelchair.
He was 40 lbs underweight and his blood sugar was over 500, the average adult’s blood sugar is usually between 100 and 120. Understandably, he was miserable and was reluctant to seek or receive help. On top of that, Lee struggled with a language barrier.
It took teamwork from our persistent, non-judgmental and compassionate clinical staff to get him in the habit of taking his medications on time, eating well, and communicating his needs — our clinical team made arrangements for interpreters and we had a dedicated iPad for him with translation applications.
Now, Lee is at a healthy weight, his blood sugar has normalized and his mood has made a 180-degree turn. He participates in art class, movie nights and socializes in the dining room during meals.
Most importantly, he has come back to his love of plants and flowers. He revives Maitri’s temperamental orchids and lovingly arranges flowers that have been donated to us by thoughtful community members.