Maria can’t single out a single thing Americares Free Clinics have done to improve her health. There are too many, she says, and they are all connected – a web of support that extends into many parts of her life and health. She can name the result, though: Happiness.
Maria, like many patients at our Americares clinics, struggled to balance controlling her diabetes while caring for her family and paying her bills. Maria came to her appointments and tried her best, but it was obvious there was something missing.
That all changed when Maria began to meet with Josh Rodriguez, R.D., the health coach at Americares Free Clinics. Rodriguez, fluent in English and Maria’s native Spanish, used his motivational interviewing skills to discover the missing piece. Motivational Interviewing is a process that helps patients embrace change by finding their own sense of meaning. Rodriguez asked Maria, “What do you want to be healthy for?” and carefully listened to her answer.
Her two grandchildren, Maria said, a boy and girl in their early teenage years. With her husband working as a handyman, Maria had quit working to be the fulltime caregiver to the pair.
That information was the key for Rodriguez. He told Maria she could be there more for her grandchildren if she improved her diet, stuck to her medication schedule and moved more – not a lot, just more. Maria did just that and, little by little, she had more energy. That fueled her motivation. And her grandchildren noticed – they were invested, too, in seeing their grandmother happier, more alert. “When I wasn’t feeling well recently, my grandson asked what I had eaten and searched on the computer,” she says. She knows she’s setting an example for them, caring for her health by practicing good habits, including regular appointments at Americares Free Clinics. They now accompany her on walks.
When Americares Free Clinics brought in a volunteer psychologist who offered an 8-week course on stress reduction, Maria had the confidence to sign up. The experience boosted every aspect of her care. Lower stress meant better sleep and, importantly, increased compliance across the board – with medication adherence, exercise and diet.
Maria credits Americares Free Clinics for these changes. “The most helpful thing is they tell me what to do and how to do it – everything from medicine to lifestyle changes,” she says. With that information, she can make choices confidently. “I’m in control,” says Maria.
Maria has regained her vigor and optimism. Her diabetes and hypertension are in healthy ranges. She sleeps restfully at night, rising at 6 a.m. feeling alert and is active all day. Says Maria, “It feels fantastic to be healthy.”
