THE FIVE SENSES OF PATIENT ABUSE

 

THE FIVE SENSES OF PATIENT ABUSE

Many people genuinely allow in their hearts and minds time to ask aloud, "Why does God allow suffering?" Often with a tinge of blame rather than mere inquiry. After all, He created the universe in seven days. Never fully appreciating His mercy and grace or how significant our independent will is or the power of our choice. What is God's grace and mercy? "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD (Genesis 6:8)." Grace found in Genests 6:8 is in Blue Letter Bible Lexicon Strong's H2580 - "ḥēn" meaninng "favour, acceptance". What a joy that the imperfect can find acceptance-from Old French accepter ("to accept") + the suffix -ance, ultimately tracing back to the Latin acceptare ("to take or receive willingly"), a frequentative of accipere ("to take, receive"), meaning "to take towards oneself". It entered English around the early 1500s, evolving from earlier forms like acception, meaning the act or fact of being accepted, a willingness to receive-from a perfect, Holy God. No matter what I've done, I can find favor in the "eyes of the LORD" if I admit I have sinned, repent of my sins and follow Him. Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, and Luke 9:23, "And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." What of God's mercy? Is it only shown to the "rich and famous and beautiful ones"? "But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. (Genesis 39:21)" No matter your condition, your situation, or your circumstance, you will find God's mercy. As from Genesis 39:21, mercy is in Blue Letter Bible Lexicon Strong's H2617 - "ḥeseḏ" meaning "goodness, kindness, faithfulness". God isn't nice, He is kind. He is good. He is faithful. What can separate me from His Love? Perfect, complete and effectual Love? In Romans 8:35-49, Paul writes, 

"35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I have God's perfect assurance that no matter the state, circumstance, condition, op situation, God is there with me! In fact, in Matthew 28:20, Jesus said, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." I love the "Amen" touch in this scripture! You will find it in Blue Letter Bible  Lexicon Strong's G281 - "amēn" meaning:

• "at the beginning of a discourse - surely, truly, of a truth
• at the end - so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled. It was a custom, which passed over from the synagogues to the Christian assemblies, that when he who had read or discoursed, had offered up solemn prayer to God, the others responded Amen, and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own."

Make it your own in 2026!

As a stroke survivor, I live in a world with two oceans. One wider and longer than the other. In one ocean, the focus, the smaller of the two, is "healing the sick" and the other ocean, larger and deeper, is "managing the condition". There are distinct differences between healing a person and managing a condition. Dr. AI agrees, 

• "Management is primarily about lessening symptoms, preventing a disease from worsening, and relieving associated stress. It is often the approach for chronic conditions like diabetes or arthritis that may not have a permanent resolution.
• Healing focuses on the "whole person"—mind, body, and spirit—aiming for a state of integrity and balance. It is considered a transformative process that can occur even if a physical disease remains."

Tom A Hutchinson, Nora Hutchinson, and Antonia Arnaert in "Whole person care: encompassing the two faces of medicine" write, "Curing is an action carried out by the health care practitioner to eradicate disease or correct a problem, while healing is a process leading to a greater sense of integrity and wholeness in response to an injury or disease that occurs within the patient, which can be facilitated by the health care practitioner. The roles of the patient and of the health care practitioner in curing versus healing are not just different, they are diametrically opposed.

The goal of the patient in the curing mode is survival. This is not limited to physical survival; rather it extends to survival of all that the patient has learned to identify as himself, including physical appearance, lifestyle, relationships and everything else that makes up a life. In other words, the goal is to avoid change. Healing, on the other hand, comes from the acceptance of change. This acceptance allows the patient to grow to a new sense of himself as a person (perhaps with disease) with a new experience of integrity and wholeness that is different than the old status quo."

Let me make this plain, I am human, hear me roar! I am God's anointed. I am diseased. It is chronic. I believe there is a cure. Newton's Third Law of Motion: "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction". I believe in God's Kingdom eveery disease has a cure. I seek the cure.  A pioneering Black chemist, Dr. Alice Ball, developed the first effective treatment for leprosy (Hansen's disease) in 1915 by creating the injectable "Ball Method," a revolutionary injectable form of chaulmoogra oil that helped countless people before antibiotics, though her work was initially credited to her male supervisor until decades later. Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is a chronic bacterial infection (*Mycobacterium leprae/*lepromatosis) affecting the skin, nerves, eyes, and nose, causing skin patches, nerve damage (loss of feeling, weakness), and facial lumps, but it's curable with Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) antibiotics and isn't easily spread. Spread happens via respiratory droplets from close, prolonged contact, and while rare in many places, it's a neglected tropical disease (NTD) with about 200,000 new cases yearly, treatable, and often carries significant social stigma. "Leprosy" in the Bible, primarily from the Hebrew tzaraat, refers to a range of skin afflictions, molds, or ritual uncleanness, not solely modern Hansen's Disease, causing exclusion from the community as a sign of impurity or divine punishment (e.g., King Uzziah, Miriam). In the New Testament, Jesus miraculously heals "lepers," demonstrating divine power, often with instant healing rather than Levitical rituals, highlighting spiritual cleansing alongside physical restoration. 

In the Bible, "leprosy" (Hebrew: tzaraat) symbolizes spiritual impurity, sin, separation from God, and social exclusion, representing a deep, corrupting defilement that required ritual cleansing to restore wholeness and reintegrate into the community, though the biblical affliction wasn't always modern Hansen's disease but a broader term for skin ailments and uncleanness. It marked people as "unclean," forcing them to live apart, signifying how sin separates individuals from God's holy presence and community life, with healing representing divine restoration and grace. "One leper returned to give thanks" refers to the biblical story in Luke 17:11-19 where Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one, a Samaritan, comes back to praise God and thank Jesus, leading Jesus to tell him, "Your faith has made you whole," highlighting that gratitude leads to deeper spiritual wholeness beyond physical healing. I want to be the stranger who runs back to "give God glory" for healing me of chronic stroke.

A chronic stroke refers to the long-term phase of recovery, starting about six months after the initial event, where ongoing challenges like fatigue, weakness, spasticity, pain, emotional changes (depression/anxiety), speech/swallowing issues (dysphagia/aphasia), and cognitive deficits persist, but significant recovery is still possible through continued neuroplasticity-driven rehabilitation, including specialized therapies and home exercises, focusing on retraining the brain to adapt and regain function years after the stroke.  Stroke treatment focuses on quickly restoring blood flow for ischemic strokes (clots) with clot-busters (tPA) or clot removal (thrombectomy) within hours, while hemorrhagic strokes (bleeding) require controlling the bleed with medication or surgery, with all cases needing immediate emergency care and followed by crucial rehabilitation (physical, occupational, speech therapy) to regain function and manage long-term effects.  Dollars spent on stroke rehabilitation vary widely but are substantial, with studies showing mean costs around $70,000 for inpatient and $27,000 for outpatient rehabilitation, though this doesn't include long-term or indirect costs like lost productivity, which can push total lifetime costs over $100,000-$200,000 per person, with significant societal economic burdens globally. Costs depend on stroke severity, location, and type, with inpatient care being a major expense, while long-term costs involve ongoing outpatient therapy, medications, and potential caregiving. The cost of stroke in the U.S. is massive, totaling around $56.2 billion annually (2019-2020), encompassing healthcare, medications, and lost workdays, with individual lifetime costs averaging over $100,000, including care, rehab, and lost wages, making it a huge economic burden alongside its severe personal impact. Some analyses show direct healthcare costs ($35B) are dwarfed by indirect costs (lost productivity/premature death) totaling over $100 billion. 

The Center for Diease Control (CDC) put out fscts regarding stroke. That's funny! I have a disease. Should I blame them? The CDC says, "Stroke risk increases with age, but strokes can—and do—occur at any age." In the United States in 2022, 1 in 6 deaths (17.5%) from cardiovascular disease was due to stroke. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke.2 Every 3 minutes and 14 seconds, someone dies of stroke in this country. About 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes, in which blood flow to the brain is blocked. Investment in "stroke research" (cerebrovascular disease) comes from major non-profits like the American Heart Association (AHA), which has invested over $6.1 billion since 1949, and government bodies like the NIH's NINDS, funding breakthroughs in understanding and treating stroke, with significant ongoing annual commitments. Total US medical R&D exceeds $245 billion annually, with substantial portions from industry, federal agencies (NIH), and foundations, all contributing to heart and brain health research, though specific "stroke research" dollar figures vary by source and year. 

Most treatment is rehabilitation and emphasis of care in the first six months. But what if you are still breathing a day after month six. Behind the curtain, our Grand Prize: more rehabilitation. Hopefully, you outlive your therapist. All of the innovations from research, I wasn't offered in my six first six months. Imagine if the focus was curing and not management. My nuerosurgeon blocked me after my last essay, "ME, MYSELF AND I: PROMOTING WORKPLACE VIOLENCE OVER PATIENT ABUSE", so its time to get the rest of the industry pissed! Innovations in acute stroke care focus on faster, more precise reperfusion, using AI for rapid imaging analysis, new devices for mechanical clot removal, and extended treatment windows with "tissue clock" imaging; alongside advanced pharma (like tenecteplase), personalized rehab (VNS), and improved systems of care (mobile stroke units, telemedicine) to boost outcomes and reach more patients, even years post-stroke. Innovations like anti-inflammatory drugs, access to hyperbaric oxygen tanks, Edward Tobinick, M.D - Pioneers In Stroke Recovery, stem cell therapy or accupuncture. Better to try an innovation than stick with the old tried and true rehabilitation. As acute stroke becomes chronic stroke, innovation preferred! Noone wants to hear, "You had a stroke. Live with it. We'll teach you!" 

The cost for Tobinick's treatment (Perispinal Etanercept or PSE) involves initial consultation fees (around $500) plus the cost of medication (etanercept, ~$440/vial, plus administration) and potentially higher associated costs for pre-treatment evaluations, with total expenses varying greatly based on the number of treatments and clinic fees, as it's a specialized, off-label therapy. In the U.S., stem cell therapy for stroke varies widely in cost, generally ranging from a few thousand dollars for simpler treatments (like blood-derived) to $10,000–$50,000 or more for more complex procedures using bone marrow or fat, depending on cell type, invasiveness, physician expertise, and if hospitalization/follow-ups are included. These are often considered experimental, so insurance rarely covers them, and costs can include consultations, cell harvesting, administration, and potential repeated treatments. Imagine hearing, "You had stroke. Let us try to heal you. Will thou be healed?" "Will thou be healed?" (or "Wilt thou be made whole?") is a famous question Jesus asks a long-suffering man at the Pool of Bethesda in the Bible's Gospel of John (John 5:6). It's a pivotal moment in Christian teaching, not just asking about physical cure, but inviting a deeper spiritual decision: do you want to be made complete, to accept God's healing power and change your life, even if it means letting go of old limitations, habits, or excuses, and stepping into the wholeness God offers through faith in Him.

My desire to conquer chronic stroke has been limited by my inability to defend myself in patient abuse incidents. One phone call. Stymied by wife, family, friends, and others. I was told by thr leader of a D. C. government don't ask them for help, ask your neighbor. Some say it didn't happen. Some clearly state "It's a family matter. I don't want to get involved. Others warn if you pursue your defense, you may lose your wife and family and they might put you back in the Medicaid ward of the home, never ro be seen again. "They gonna put y'all back in chains!" Still others say, "Why can't you be grateful that your wife is taking care of you and let God handle it. You could lose everything!" It's not enough that I loss my voice, my ability to walk, and "to give God praise" with my show and live-streaming network, my father died and I couldn't eulogize him. My mother had to come to my deathbed to receive my comfort in her mourning. You forget, We are the head, heart, hands and vitality of the Ltvtng God on earth. Who is to live for, speak by the Holy Word, give worship to the Living God but us? Justice delayed is justice denied. Let justice rain down for all those who suffer, suffered, or will suffer the injustice of patient abuse in silence forevermore. Amen!

As you can tell, I don't concern myself with such cares. "But, Ken, I sit on the front pew in church. Don't you believe God will take care of your abusers better than you can?" God will discipline His children in Heaven and Earth but does not alleviate our responsibility to execute justice in the land. God and human justice both involve fairness and law, but divine justice is seen as perfect, eternal, and rooted in God's holy nature, while human justice is limited, evolving, and flawed, often focusing on legal rules, whereas God's justice encompasses inherent moral principles, mercy, and ultimately aims for restoration and perfect equity, though interpretations vary across faiths, often contrasting human fallibility with divine omniscience. The Bible clearly states that God requires humanity, especially His people, to "do justice," reflecting His own character, by seeking fairness, correcting oppression, and caring for the vulnerable, though the execution of ultimate judgment (like capital punishment) is often delegated to governmental powers, not individuals, while also emphasizing personal righteousness and leaving final judgment to God. Key verses like Micah 6:8 and Isaiah 1:17 command people to "do justice," "love kindness," and "walk humbly," showing it's a core aspect of faith. You are entitled to your day in court!

Patient abuse is any intentional act or failure to act by a caregiver that causes harm, suffering, or unreasonable risk to a patient's physical, mental, or financial well-being, including physical assault, sexual abuse, verbal insults, emotional threats, neglect (withholding care), financial exploitation, or improper use of restraints/medication. It can occur in any care setting (hospitals, homes, facilities) and involves a breach of trust by someone in a position of care, affecting vulnerable individuals of any age. In D.C., a vulnerable adult (patient) is someone 18 or older with physical or mental conditions (like illness, disability, or age-related frailty) that significantly impair their ability to provide for their own care, protect themselves from harm, or manage their own affairs, making them susceptible to abuse, neglect, or exploitation. This definition is key in abuse/neglect laws, covering those who can't independently meet daily needs or safeguard their interests. However, patient abuse can happen to anyone.

Patient abuse is a significant issue, especially for older adults, with statistics showing high rates of neglect, verbal/physical abuse, and financial exploitation, often underreported due to fear or inability to speak out; studies highlight issues in long-term care, revealing prevalence of neglect (20-64%), verbal abuse (22%), and physical restraint (22%), while also noting increasing violence against healthcare workers, impacting staff well-being and costing hospitals billions annually. Unreported patient abuse is a pervasive issue in healthcare, with studies consistently showing that the majority of incidents are never disclosed to authorities. Estimates suggest that up to 93% of elder abuse cases go unreported each year. Imagine telling someone you loved and cherised for twenty yeats that you were srxually assaulted in your hospital room and their response is "There is nothing we can do abour it, You can't come home. I don't want to falsely accuse the nurses. I'm sorry it happened but you will be alright." On the last night you had your full, before chronic stroke took it away. Imagine the feeling when you tell a ductor who's visiting your room and he responds, "There's nothing I can do about that!" Smiles and leaves the room. The strong have to turn to the Lord. I will not allow this psychological warfare defeat me. You can take my body but not my mind! God saved my mind.

Patient abuse is devastating. I have been more blessed than others have died from patient abuse. I would have died and all that would be said is, "He died of a stroke!" "Who's gonna beloeve you over the doctor and nurses?" Remember, the abused patient has been prosecuted in the courts of public opinion long before he or she has had their day in court. People place elderly loved ones in care homes, sometimes perceived as "bad," due to overwhelming caregiver burnout, financial strain, or the elderly person's complex medical needs (like dementia) that require 24/7 supervision a family can't provide. While some homes are poorly run due to profit motives or understaffing, others are chosen as the best option when home care fails, family is distant, or the senior refuses help but is unsafe alone, despite cultural stigmas or guilt associated with placement. Elderly people are often left in bed in hospitals due to a combination of factors, including hospital staffing shortages, fear of lawsuits from falls, logistical challenges with discharge (nowhere to go), patient weakness/pain, and systems that unintentionally promote immobility, leading to significant muscle loss (deconditioning) and increased disability, making them more frail, even though movement is crucial for recovery. Finding a lawyer who isn't cowardly is difficult and no one truly cares for your loved one like you. No one. This is why we need to follow the five senses of caring for our loved ones no matter the inpatient facility.

The five senses of patient abuse. Remember when Mom handled the church picnic. She was ever so busy but she had a seeming GPS monitor on you. She knew where you went, who you talked to, and if you were hungry. She was a living, breathing radar. Now things have slowed down. She doesn't remember as well. She hugged your neighbor and thought he was your brother. She hurts herself making tea. She remembers some things and some key things she's forgotten. She use to "Sweat to the Oldies" now, she needs a cane to get around. She was once young but now, she's "young at heart". You and your husband can't take care of five children and a mother in early dementia. You begin looking for her last home, You see the brochures. Mature women providing care. A swimming pool filled with elderly residents, Doctors on-site. A Mediteranean diet served breakfast, lunch and dinner. A quiet reading area available on the manicured lawn with old Hickory trees sprinkled about. There is even a picture of an elderly couple being married in the dining hall! Wakeup, there is much you can do with Google images! Remember, hospital or home, use your five senses.

You must always be a visible force, questioning and inspecting things on the first day and the last. Remember, its okay to question staff and patients and residents. Investigate, Investigate, Investigate! You have left your prized cargo in their port. You must always check if its all there-physical, spiritual, emotioal, psychological, mental, etc. Investigate etymology means "to trace out, search after". You are not trying to make a "citizen arrest". A citizen's arrest is when a private person detains someone believed to have committed a crime, allowed under specific, limited circumstances defined by state law, generally involving witnessing a felony or serious offense and using reasonable force until police arrive. While rooted in common law, these laws vary significantly, often requiring the act to be for a felony (even if not in presence) or a public offense in view, with the key being immediate handover to police to avoid charges like false imprisonment. Police often advise against them due to high risks of error, injury, and legal liability for the citizen. You are merely protecting your most precious cargo.

Sight. Look beyond the brochure. Watch how staff ealk each other and with patients and residents. Watch the number of staff. Watch if they keep the site clean. Watch how long they spend with patients. Watch how everyone and everything functions. Watch behavior adjustments when staff change. Watch if their politeness is actual or theatrical. Watch the room to see if everything is in "good or better" condition. Watch how food and medicine are deliveed. Watch to see if your loved one is experiencing unexplained discomfort or bruising on the body. Watch purses and jewelry boxes to determine if all items are accounted. Watch closets to mske certain that all items are accounted. Watch duration between a "call for assistance" and the answer by staff. Watch the food to make certain that it is nutritious and of high quality. Watch what data is placed in the medical records.

Hearing. There is a difference between "at" and "to". "Listen to" is the standard and most common form, meaning to pay active attention to a sound or message (e.g., "Listen to the music"), while "listen at" is much rarer, usually meaning to eavesdrop from a specific location. You don't have to eavesdrop your loved one. Talk to them. Find out how they are doing physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically, financially, medically. etc, Don't just visit to gossip. Find out what's going on-right and wrong. Listen for communications between staff and doctor, staff and management, staff and staff, staff and patients and residents. Listen for the compliments and complaints of other residents. Listen to the news to determine good and bad media. Listen for the insights of staff.

Smelling. This goes back to cleanliness of the patient/resident and property. Ensuring cleanliness of patients/residents and their property involves diligent personal hygiene (bathing, grooming, clean clothes) and a sanitary environment (routinely cleaned rooms, common areas, high-touch surfaces, proper waste disposal), crucial for health, comfort, and dignity, often requiring staff assistance in care settings to prevent infections and neglect. Smell everybody and everything. Any out-of-sort must be addressed.

Touch. The patient/resident and items of property. The patient/resident will thank you. Human touch offers profound benefits, releasing oxytocin, reducing stress hormones (cortisol), lowering blood pressure/heart rate, and boosting mood-regulating chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, leading to less anxiety/depression, better bonding, stronger immunity, and pain relief, crucial from infancy for development to adulthood for overall well-being. Going years, months, days without touch is disorienting and debilitating.

Taste. Taste a small portion reiceved by the patient/resident to determine quality, nutrition, and appropiateness. Tasting patients' food, especially in care settings, improves their patient experience, encourages nutritional intake by making food more appealing (even just a whiff or a small taste), helps personalize diets (e.g., adding flavor for those with reduced taste), aids in managing conditions like cancer-related taste changes, and offers emotional/spiritual comfort, linking food to positive memories and quality of life, particularly in end-of-life care or for the elderly. If it doesn't taste good to you, imagine how the patient/resident feels.

The five senses reduces patient abuse.