By Frances Ford, LCSW-R 

When a patient faces financial stress there are often straight forward ways to help. But sometimes a patient’s financial need is complex and doesn’t fit into any traditional form of financial assistance. These are the situations where social workers shine, as they have the skills to investigate a patient’s entire story and consider out of the box ways to provide support.  

I had the opportunity to work with a patient who faced a challenging and unique predicament. He was quite ill and required hospitalization to complete treatment. The medical team was very concerned and wanted him to be admitted as soon as possible. The patient was hesitant to go to the hospital because he had a bird that was very important to him. He spoke openly that he had a limited social circle, and his bird was like family to him. Due to having limited social supports, it was proving impossible to find someone to care for his bird. Although acquaintances may have considered watching a dog or cat, they weren’t comfortable caring for a bird. The patient also didn’t know of any organizations that would house a bird and regardless, he could not afford to pay for boarding. He expressed that his limited finances were always a stressor but were causing him extreme distress knowing he couldn’t afford to board his bird. The patient was very forthcoming that he would not go into the hospital if it meant risking his bird’s life.  

When I first reached out to this patient, I stopped myself from listing all the reasons hospitalization was important. Instead, I allowed him space to share why his bird was so important. I let him know I appreciated that ensuring the safety of his bird was non-negotiable. I validated that limited social supports and finances made finding a place for his bird a real challenge. It was only after building his trust, that he allowed me to find a temporary home for his bird. While it took persistence and research, I eventually connected with a local avian rescue. I explained the situation to the rescue, and they opened their arms to my patient’s bird. Typically, they would charge a boarding fee but were willing to make an exception. Concerned that the bird would need to stay for an extended period due to the patient’s complex health needs, I inquired if our cancer center’s foundation, The NYOH Community Care Foundation, would donate to the rescue to help with the cost of boarding. Despite this not fitting into any traditional financial assistance category, the Foundation was very willing to donate. This meant a great deal to the patient, as it exemplified how much NYOH valued what mattered to him. Once the bird made it to the rescue, the patient was able to complete his treatment in-patient.  

The patient eventually transitioned to long-term care and decided it was in the best interest of his bird to be adopted. He trusted me to help the bird find a new home, so he could peacefully acclimate to long-term care. The avian rescue worked with me and the patient to find a good home for the bird. The rescue often commented how much they appreciated our desire to assist the patient and do what we could to support them as well.   

I share this story because financial stress is layered and complex. It is always part of a patient’s larger story and finances are intertwined into almost all parts of a patient’s life. In this case, the patient’s limited finances needed to be understood within the context of what mattered most to him. To assist him, he needed to trust I would respect what he valued. It was only then that I was able to think outside the box, access help, and utilize funds through the NYOH Community Care Foundation. In being able to tell the patient’s entire story, multiple organizations came together to support this patient and ultimately get him, and his bird, connected to the care they needed.