BOOK REVIEW
MEDICAL-RELIGIOUS PARTNERSHIPS COLLABORATE TO IMPROVE HEALTH JULIE TROCCHIO, BSN, MS
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In recent years, we have seen health care change s if we hadn’t known, COVID-19 revealed that the oldest among us are the most vulnerable. from focusing mostly on acute problems to caring Seniors with chronic illness got sick, very sick for chronic illnesses. This means individuals have and died from COVID. Seniors living in nursing more of a role in and responsibility for their own homes represented about 40% of U.S. deaths from care. But patients, especially seniors, need help to the virus. Their lives were in jeopardy, the quality learn what they need to know about their medical conditions and how to manage of their lives suffered. their health. Health care organizaDid it have to be this way? Can tions and their clinicians cannot we better serve our seniors with do this by themselves. This book chronic illness? Can we offer altersuggests that faith communities natives to nursing homes? Can we and those in health care working help caregivers keep their loved together can provide that help. ones at home? Why should congregations Building Healthy Communities of people of faith get involved in through Medical-Religious Parthealth education? The authors say nerships is a practical book by a that faith communities (parishes, psychologist and two physicians, synagogues, mosques) have trewith commentaries by a chaplain, mendous potential to meet health intern and pastor, that offers posneeds of seniors because they sible answers. have the community resources Medical Religious Partnerships and communication networks describes relationships between that hospitals and other providheath systems and faith congreers don’t necessarily have. “No gations formed to meet many of BUILDING HEALTHY community institutions are better the difficult challenges of an aging COMMUNITIES THROUGH suited to serve as partners for hossociety. It is rich with program ex- MEDICAL-RELIGIOUS pitals … Congregations can be inamples and resources for provid- PARTNERSHIPS viting, encouraging, and informing services to seniors and their W. DANIEL HALE, PHD; RICHARD BENNETT, MD; AND PANAGIS ing, empowering people to take caregivers. proactive steps in the care of their In the foreword, Patricia Fo- GALIATSATOS, MD bodies, minds and souls.” sarelli, MD, DMin, says that in her Johns Hopkins University Press, Large numbers of older adults, experience, “people often perish Baltimore, 3rd Edition 2018, 280 pgs. many with chronic conditions, before their time because of lack gather regularly with their faith of accurate information about potential and existing health threats, or their lack congregation. Leaders in these environments of trust in medical institutions …” This book ad- know their congregations’ traditions and values dresses both problems: how to bring important and have the trust of their members. Most have health and resource information to those who excellent facilities, parking, and equipment for need it and how to have that information come programs and human capital such as retirees and from trusted sources that are deeply rooted in the other potential volunteers. The book opens with a story about a Presbytecommunity — religious congregations.
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