Institutional Homelessness
“I will not leave you orphaned.”
--A promise from the Holy One to us
This week we are addressing the subject of homelessness in our society. We are exploring the subject through a number of different lenses, attempting to paint a picture and offer an insight about how we can help homeless folk when they feel orphaned.
Today, let’s turn to a familiar picture. It is easy for us to picture an institution where people live, some for a short stay (hospitalization) and some for extended stays (refugee camps, prisons, nursing homes). Not only are the patients we serve experiencing illness, they are also experiencing a type of homelessness. It is almost impossible to enjoy a meal, experience some resting and reading, or even sleep without being interrupted.
You see, friends, home is a place we can rest, where we can be renewed and refreshed. Each interruption, while needed or required, can heighten the feeling of homelessness.
One thing to keep in mind is that a patient may come to us believing they are going to experience homelessness! Every attempt we make to “Treat People Better” is a way of helping them to have an “at home” moment when their anticipated feeling was “homelessness.” Treating people better is one way of letting the patient know that they are not orphaned.
--Ben Keckler
11.02.10
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