Case Scenario.
Roque Santa is a 37-year-old man living alone in a one bedroomed community housing project in Bronx, New York. He can’t afford a balanced diet and sometimes eats in soup kitchens. He suffers from stage 2 prostate cancer, is HIV positive, has a mild stroke, and a recurring skin rash. He is covered under the Medicaid program which gives him the chance to visit a doctor twice a week. He is currently taking ARV drugs and undergoing chemotherapy and physiotherapy. He walks with a crutch for support but needs no special attention when having his baths. On 13th June, his counselor found him heavily overdosed on painkillers, possibly trying to kill himself. This was diagnosed as a possible depression.
The external organizations that can help with his recovery include Medicaid, a nursing home, a gym instructor, a physiotherapist, a counselor, a chemotherapist, and a psychiatrist. Roque needs counseling to enable him to cope with his HIV positive status and take medication. He also needs the pharmacist to prescribe and monitor his drug intake, they will also advise on if he should change medication. The chemotherapist who treats him once a month should explain to him his chances of recovery to reassure him in addition to developing a less strenuous treatment schedule. He needs to be moved into a home with better care and a balanced diet. The home should also provide him with a group of friends that he can always talk to. Here, he should be put on mandatory physiotherapy. A swimming instructor is important in helping him get a recreational way to manage his mild stroke. The swimming can also provide him with an enjoyable escape and give him some purpose. He also needs a psychiatrist to help him with his depression. Finally, his Medicaid scheme is important in paying for his medical expenses.