thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Sept 21, 2012 13:58:18 GMT -5
No. I don't do any research or anything. I just spout off totally unfounded ideas.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Sept 21, 2012 14:00:56 GMT -5
I don't think they're stupid, either.
The level of compassion on this thread is certainly underwhelming.
I think a part of it is learned. I work with some very intelligent people who grew up very poor, with ten kids crammed into a rural shack. They grew up without much food and what they did get was not necessarily a balanced diet. They didn't get a chance to learn about proper nutrition in high school because they dropped out as soon as they could to work to support themselves and/or their families.
I think part of it is also hopelessness. Middle class women get down in the dumps they can go work off some of that stress at the gym and then have a nice glass of wine with dinner - maybe even treat herself to the new sushi restaurant. A lower class working woman is probably working a couple low paying job prior to coming home to work her third job - taking care of her family. She can't treat herself to a nice mani pedi or a massage. Drinking some beer or eating half a box of ice cream isn't free, but it's probably the only type of treat she can afford.
Poor people who have grown up in poor circumstances can't imagine themselves at a point in the future where they will have enough money to retire. They look ahead and see a bleak life of work until they die. Living to 80 when you have no money must be a completely desolate prospect - why WOULD they try to take care of themselves so they can live that long?
It's the same type problem social workers have when they try to work with gang members. They don't expect to live past 30, so talking to them about their future is an alien concept to them.
Maybe I'm the only person here who actually knows poor people? Because it seems like everyone else is eager to sterotype poor women as fat, lazy, and ignorant. Work 16 hours waiting tables or cleaning offices and see if that's something fat lazy women could do.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Sept 21, 2012 14:02:56 GMT -5
Well, I certainly don't know any poor people. I mean, they serve me and stuff - but I don't hang out with them. What if it rubs off or something?! I don't need that.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Sept 21, 2012 14:03:38 GMT -5
We're also assuming that it's only the lower classes who are "fat, lazy and ignorant."
I see plenty of middle class young women who are morbidly obese. Drug addiction is not limited to the lower classes, they just tend not to get arrested for their use. I'll agree that smoking is more likely in the poor, though.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Sept 21, 2012 14:05:56 GMT -5
I don't think they're stupid, either. The level of compassion on this thread is certainly underwhelming. I think a part of it is learned. I work with some very intelligent people who grew up very poor, with ten kids crammed into a rural shack. They grew up without much food and what they did get was not necessarily a balanced diet. They didn't get a chance to learn about proper nutrition in high school because they dropped out as soon as they could to work to support themselves and/or their families. I think part of it is also hopelessness. Middle class women get down in the dumps they can go work off some of that stress at the gym and then have a nice glass of wine with dinner - maybe even treat herself to the new sushi restaurant. A lower class working woman is probably working a couple low paying job prior to coming home to work her third job - taking care of her family. She can't treat herself to a nice mani pedi or a massage. Drinking some beer or eating half a box of ice cream isn't free, but it's probably the only type of treat she can afford. Poor people who have grown up in poor circumstances can't imagine themselves at a point in the future where they will have enough money to retire. They look ahead and see a bleak life of work until they die. Living to 80 when you have no money must be a completely desolate prospect - why WOULD they try to take care of themselves so they can live that long? It's the same type problem social workers have when they try to work with gang members. They don't expect to live past 30, so talking to them about their future is an alien concept to them. Maybe I'm the only person here who actually knows poor people? Because it seems like everyone else is eager to sterotype poor women as fat, lazy, and ignorant. Work 16 hours waiting tables or cleaning offices and see if that's something fat lazy women could do. I think your assessment of the situation is entirely correct. I didn't see anyone say that poor women were fat and lazy though - maybe I missed it. I saw that they are depressed, don't take care of themselves, lost all hope, etc. But I didn't see fat and lazy ETA: I did see one comment about honey boo boo (or whatever her name is) which is actually the last person I would picture when thinking about a poor working class female - Rosanne Connor maybe but definitely not honey boo boo...
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Sept 21, 2012 15:14:46 GMT -5
I think Happyhoix hit the nail on the head.
Generational poverty is a huge problem in my hometown. The successful people, by and large, go to college and settle down somewhere else. The less-successful people hook up, have kids, and raise them in the manner they were raised (as it's all they know). This usually involves substandard hygiene/healthcare, poor diets, smoking/drinking/drug use at a young age.
It's also a lot harder to kick those bad habits and relearn new ones as an adult. If you start smoking at 12 or 13 (MIL and FIL both did) you're going to have a hell of a harder time quitting than if you start in your twenties. Same with drinking. Same with eating fatty foods.
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Sept 21, 2012 15:18:15 GMT -5
They do a lot of rural work here and are running into the same situation. It isn't as simple as riding into town and providing health care. They are finding that even with the offer of free health care many people don't show up. Mich's mentioned several times that her dental school has a dental clinic on wheels that will do FREE dental screenings/cleanings for low income students and all teh parents have to do is sign the consent form. Less than 10% of the parents turn it in. We are not rural the way you would think of it. We have a huge amount of people who work seasonal work and just scrape by. there are 2 clinics in the county. They take all insurance but aren't free if you don't have insurance just cheaper than most Dr's offices. The dentist's are only there twice a week and getting an appointment is very, very hard. A friend of my son's mom is a Dr there and she says it is a zoo of people coming in and begging to see someone.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Sept 21, 2012 15:38:56 GMT -5
That's what Mich said her dental school is trying to figure out and that's what the medical center I work for is trying to figure out. If all you have to do is sign a form or show up WHY aren't people taking advantage of it? There are lots of variables to it, the problem is getting all of them to fit together so you can come up with a solution. Drama....this has got a whole bunch of highly educated people befuddled. If you go into the literature, about 30% of Medicaid recipients utilize their FREE dental Medicaid benefits....and mostly when they're driven to a dentist in pain. The literature also gives a bunch of reasons why, but the dental van eliminates most of those reasons. I've been out in the van on occasion and helped out. I really feel for those kids, some of them come in with mouths that are in desperate need of a LOT of restorative work, and these kids are only about 7 years old. And I suspect that the only reason why we see the kids we do is because the kids are in pain. All that the dental van requires is a signed permission slip, we request no information about the family whatsoever. The dental van is not sponsored by the government, but a bunch of charities.....and McDonalds is a major one, and the staff is the university's dental staff. Actually, I have an idea as to why these services are not utilized....but you are going to have to wait for the publication, as it is my thesis.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Sept 21, 2012 15:47:44 GMT -5
Come on, you can at least give us your thesis statement or something.
In my case, I went without being seen by a dentist from the age of 12, until I was in the military at 19. My mom missed an appointment for one of her kids, and that got us booted by the dentist that accepted Medicaid in our hometown. He was the only one that did, so if he won't see you, you go without. I don't remember why we missed the appointment, something came up at work, or with one of the kids. I'd have to ask my mom. I'm sure we weren't the only family that qualified for the benefit, but missed an appointment due to schedule conflicts or whatever and were booted.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Sept 21, 2012 17:09:28 GMT -5
Come on, you can at least give us your thesis statement or something. Nope, because it has the potential to set Medicaid on its ear and change the Medicaid paradigm. First round of stats that I have done bears this out. One of the primary reason why dentists do not accept Medicaid is because recipients miss too many scheduled appointments. When dentists accept Medicaid, the dentist is receiving roughly 1/4 of what your treatment costs him, so a missed appointment costs him even more than if you are a normal paying patient. He's taken a loss and now has an empty slot in his calendar. Even now, dentists may charge you for a missed appointment or delete you as a patient when you have insurance, or pay out of pocket. I've heard of some Medicaid dentists charging a refundable deposit when you schedule an appointment, and returning it when you show. Interesting concept, I understand why they do it, but defeats the purpose.
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Peace Of Mind
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Post by Peace Of Mind on Sept 21, 2012 18:23:05 GMT -5
I think choices have to do with it, just like anything else. But the problem is much much more complex than anyone thought. Like my workplace found it isn't solely due to lack of access to affordable healthcare because when they come in with it, hardly anyone takes the offer. The question is why? Fear? Many fear doctors and the dentist. Or maybe they have no way to get there.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Sept 21, 2012 18:39:24 GMT -5
I think choices have to do with it, just like anything else. But the problem is much much more complex than anyone thought. Like my workplace found it isn't solely due to lack of access to affordable healthcare because when they come in with it, hardly anyone takes the offer. The question is why? Fear? Many fear doctors and the dentist. Or maybe they have no way to get there. We have taken the ability to get an appointment (access) and transportation out of the question and there is STILL a 10% response rate of consent forms being signed. As these are children, many who have never been to a dentist in the first place, they have nothing to fear - and in my observations, I have seen very few fearful children come into the van....I've been on about a dozen van trips and have seen maybe 3 scared kids out of about 200 or so. Only one was in bad shape, but this kid's mouth was in such a mess that the dentist spent the entire afternoon restoring what he could restore and pulling what he could not. Fortunately, all baby teeth but unless he changes his hygiene, chances are his permanent teeth are going to be just as bad when they come in. We have also taken cost, paperwork and the need to take time off from work out of the equation as well. Those children who have a signed consent to treat form on file are scheduled to be taken out of class, usually during their 'free' time. I have no idea as to how this is scheduled, it is done by the admins in the school, who deliver the child to the van at their slotted time.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2012 19:49:47 GMT -5
I've had friends who had to go on Medcaid for the kids for awhile. They said the difference in the care is marked. There are LOTS more questions you have to answer, lots more lectures you have to sit through, more preventative screenings, and ultimately a greater edge of if you aren't doing the parenting thing 'right'... they might just call and report you.
Another example, when I student taught I had a Kindergartener once who had black teeth, not just from lack of care, but at that age signifying deficient nutrition, maybe even heavy metal toxin?? ... He should have gone to a dentist.. but if he did, would they have called children and youth for somthing like that? Should they? Maybe. I just don't know.
I think sometimes people do question whether or not its worth it. ?? Maybe. They don't want to chance getting 'on the radar'.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2012 19:50:45 GMT -5
Also, the parents themselves most likely never had routine care, and so don't understand the benefits of it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2012 19:56:07 GMT -5
Medicaid does not cover dental in CA for adults. The only thing they will pay for is extractions.
I called the local tribal office that has the only dentist in the county that is inexpensive (as in under $100 for a quick appt) and they have a 2 year waiting list to get scheduled for an appointment.
I think a lot of parents are fearful of dentists, so they don't want to make their kids go through what they remember were bad dental experiences. They see "dentist" and think "ewww" or "ouch" and don't sign. It isn't good parenting, but I think it does happen. People are also likely embarassed about not being able to fund the care themselves and when they sign they know they are admitting they need your help. Many people, as witnessed here, will never accept "welfare."
I SIGNED the forms for both kids to see a dentist when the dental van came here to our area. The reason I happily signed is because there were NO local dentists that would take Medicaid. However, both of my kids had their teeth "sealed" when we had insurance, and neither have ever had a single dental issue, other than DS's braces.
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jaya3300
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Post by jaya3300 on Sept 21, 2012 20:20:13 GMT -5
I've worked with the staff of a mobile dental truck before in an urban setting. What I've noticed is that parents don't access these services for the following reasons 1. they don't want to take their children out of school 2. they can't take the time off work to take their children to the dental appointments 3. the flyer, permission form, etc is in english which is not their primary language 4. they're ashamed to seek help 5. they're afraid to seek help 6. they don't believe that dental care is important 7. they're not aware that the service is offered
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Sept 21, 2012 20:34:03 GMT -5
I've worked with the staff of a mobile dental truck before in an urban setting. What I've noticed is that parents don't access these services for the following reasons 1. they don't want to take their children out of school 2. they can't take the time off work to take their children to the dental appointments 3. the flyer, permission form, etc is in english which is not their primary language 4. they're ashamed to seek help 5. they're afraid to seek help 6. they don't believe that dental care is important 7. they're not aware that the service is offered One school I worked at also had it's own way of deciding who need it. they only sent home permission slips to the students who were on the free and reduced lunch lists. Some people for various reason wouldn't sign up for it. More than a few students I knew had parents in jail so on one to sign for them. Some didn't want to report what they made probably because it isn't legal. And they also had a large number of students who were here illegally. I don't know if they could read English but even if they could I doubt they would have taken the chance of being deported. The woman I know who runs the clinic did say that missed appointments is one of their biggest problems. Their answer to it is to double book all appointments. The problem is that some days people have to wait for hours to be seen, especially for the dentist. So some people who can't wait just leave before being seen. Others cancel because they are day/temp workers and don't know if they are going to be called for work until right before work calls them to work that day. So some days they only have a quarter of the scheduled appointments show up and others all of them show up plus extras that just walk in.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2012 20:40:17 GMT -5
I also had foster kids in my class sometimes who couldn't go on a field trip, for instance, without a permision slip signed by their biological parent, which could be difficult to track down... not sure if that is every an issue?
I also didn't realize the parent needed to be there for the appointment... that can be a challenge of its own.
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KaraBoo
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Post by KaraBoo on Sept 21, 2012 23:21:50 GMT -5
We (DH and I) dealt with this concept (not accessing care when needed/available) a lot when his kids were living with their mom. DH was ordered in the custody agreement to have medical and dental insurance on his kids (he would have done it anyway, but it was legally written into the decree as is standard).
We had really good insurance at the time (still do, just not as good as 7-9 years ago) and their mom still refused to take them to the dentist and would only take them to the ER instead of regular doctor visits. She claimed it was too expensive. We offered to pay for half of the appointments (which is also ordered in the decree - our co-pay was only $25 at the time) and all of their medicines. We found out later, she had all of them signed up for Medicaid so she didn't have to pay a dime. We received a nasty letter from the state talking about how we were "required" to have insurance on them and they would be contacting DH's employer to have it corrected immediately. No need - we had it the whole time.
Her rational was the ER couldn't legally turn her and the kids away if they couldn't pay, so she would take them there and then not pay the bill. She never bothered with dental care until we begged her to take them in. We set it up with our pediatric dentist so the bills would be sent to us, she just needed to get the kids to the appointments. She claimed it was too far away from her - 9 miles, 18 miles round trip. She took them to a different dentist instead who wanted to knock the two oldest out (put them to sleep) to repair the damage - 16 cavities between the 2 - 9 in the oldest, 7 in the other - and insisted on payment up-front to the tune of $1,000. She claimed taking the kids to multiple appointments were too stressful for the kids and she wouldn't allow it to happen.
In the mean time, we'd buy the kids toothbrushes and toothpaste every weekend they were with us because they didn't have one at home. Every weekend. Every weekend, they'd come to our house and tell us they needed to take their toothbrush home and a tube of toothpaste as there was none at their mom's house. Every weekend the items were lost or misplaced or just flat missing.
I really don't think she knows how to properly take care of personal hygiene. I don't think she has the knowledge herself to pass down to her own kids. If she did, she wouldn't have complained to us that the school sent home a bar of soap and a note with step-son when he was only in 3rd grade. She wouldn't have complained about oldest step-daughter's dry skin that has disappeared with regular showers. If she had more knowledge, she wouldn't make outlandish claims that the nasal spray prescribed by the doctor was "being sprayed DIRECTLY onto her son's brain and needed to be discontinued IMMEDIATELY!!"
I really think it is generational as I have heard her mother make similarly outlandish claims - like if CPS is called, the parents will never see their children again (told to DH in an attempt to bully him into believing that if CPS did take the kids away from his ex-wife, he'd never see them again either even though they hadn't lived together for several years at that point). I have heard the grand-mother make claims that because she believed her daughter was/is learning disabled, then that automatically meant her kids would be as well and it is all the school's fault for not fixing the problem.
I don't have an answer for how to fix the problem as a whole in society. In our case, we asked for and received custody of the kids so they are now receiving the proper health-care and have a different world view presented to them besides just what their mom was teaching them. It is still a struggle though.....
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2012 23:30:31 GMT -5
Did anyone read the Immortal Life of Hennrietta Lacks? It was such a social commentary to watch the children try to understand the science behind what happend to the mother's cells... and to see their conspiracy theories on Johns Hopkins... to understand the impact of generational poverty and lack of education...
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 22, 2012 8:01:07 GMT -5
That was an amazing book.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2012 8:25:00 GMT -5
Two of the three are physically addicting, the fast food is just plain good tasting. (answer to post #12 ) I disagree on fast food. I'm not a food snob- will eat pretty much anything but organ meats if it's put in front of me and I'm hungry- but am finding it easier and easier to pass up fast food and junk food. I know that the sandwiches and meats will be too salty, there will be too much tasteless, textureless bread, an inevitable mayonnaise-based dressing and no good green vegetables to give it crunch. Cookies and pastries will leave a greasy film in my mouth and have a chemical aftertaste. I've lost 15 lbs, in the last 2 years, partly from stepping up my exercise but also from eating less food, with a lower portion of fats and refined sugars, and more whole grains and vegetables. And when I do eat stuff that's bad for me, it's good quality- DH's home cooking, for example. But to get back to the OP- it doesn't surprise me I'd heard this from life actuaries at my previous company. There's been a continuous trend in improving mortality and now they're seeing it taper off. They blamed it on changing lifestyles, and this is in the insured population, which is a little better off financially than the general population. One thing I'd like to see is more education in cooking healthy food. Example: last night DH put together a wonderful soup in half an hour. Leftover chicken that he'd roasted last week, combined with chopped vegetables and a broth made earlier from things most people throw away (ends of vegetables, chicken and beef bones stored in the freezer). Heck, it was faster than a detour through the Drive-Through at McD's. If you're brought up on fast food and microwave pizza and no one around can teach you to cook, you live on fast food and microwave pizza. Dealing with stress on a budget doesn't have to involve gluttony. Get an interesting book from the library, rent a Red Box movie for $1, call a friend. Finally, on the dental care: I think there's still a perception that baby teeth don't matter because they're going to fall out anyway. There's still so much we need to do to educate people.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 22, 2012 9:12:23 GMT -5
Or someone always bailing them out at the last minute so they feel no real consequences of their actions. Have you ever found that when those who screw up really pay for their screw up, it doesn't happen again? I do. Finding myself and my belongings out on the street after blowing my rent money on a new dress would be a real eye opener.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Sept 22, 2012 10:20:37 GMT -5
I've worked with the staff of a mobile dental truck before in an urban setting. What I've noticed is that parents don't access these services for the following reasons 1. they don't want to take their children out of school 2. they can't take the time off work to take their children to the dental appointments 3. the flyer, permission form, etc is in english which is not their primary language 4. they're ashamed to seek help 5. they're afraid to seek help 6. they don't believe that dental care is important 7. they're not aware that the service is offered The mobile van sponsored by the university that I went out on went directly to the schools. The children are taken out of their free period of school for care. So kids don' miss school and parents don't miss work. Permission form is in several languages. The consent to treat form is in the package of papers that the kids take home from school, then they do a separate form a couple of weeks before the van is due to arrive. The form can be returned and no one other than the dental people would know the difference. As we are bound by HIPAA, nothing is discussed with the school, other than which students we need. As the students also sign up to receive free lunch, how ashamed could they be? The van deliberately chooses schools where >80% receives free lunch. Oh, and we publicize quite well. There are radio spots, TV spots, there are blurbs in papers. We have staff showing at open house before school starts talking about the services. Still, a 10% consent return rate.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Sept 22, 2012 10:27:23 GMT -5
Or someone always bailing them out at the last minute so they feel no real consequences of their actions. Have you ever found that when those who screw up really pay for their screw up, it doesn't happen again? I do. Finding myself and my belongings out on the street after blowing my rent money on a new dress would be a real eye opener. Yes, that's what I'm saying. For most of us we learned the consequences when we blew our money. We got it. However for some, and I've seen it happen over and over again, they just don't get it. Can't help but believe it's a brain malfunction of some kind. I have an ex relative, who had a decent job, made decent money, but blew every cent he made. He was constantly getting evicted for not paying his rent. And it was always, "Someone else's fault." He simply could not put together that he was the problem. I've seen employees come to work, sucking on a huge breakfast soda, and then spend the day complaining about stomach issues. Or another one who is constantly at the doctor's office with bronchitis, yet continues to smoke 2 packs of cigarettes a day. My stepbrother is like this. He's a roofer and from March through October, he works his ass off and makes really, REALLY good money. But he blows every penny he has on stupid stuff (like buying $20/lb steaks for huge barbecues he has weekly with his friends), boats that get repossessed, vehicles, ATVs and other expensive toys. Oh, and both he and his SO are also 2 pack/day each smokers. His SO does work, but her salary during his down period is not sufficient to pay for everything.
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Post by BeenThere...DoneThat... on Sept 22, 2012 10:29:25 GMT -5
<<< There's been a continuous trend in improving mortality and now they're seeing it taper off. >>> ...bingo... I figure this is just part of a cycle... ...still, analyzing something to death can be fun...
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Sept 22, 2012 10:57:31 GMT -5
I also had foster kids in my class sometimes who couldn't go on a field trip, for instance, without a permision slip signed by their biological parent, which could be difficult to track down... not sure if that is every an issue? I also didn't realize the parent needed to be there for the appointment... that can be a challenge of its own. They don't, just a signed consent form.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Sept 22, 2012 11:04:38 GMT -5
So, no one here thinks it's a brain malfunction? The fact that they really just don't get it, makes me think it is. No. Claiming it is a brain malfunction is a cop out. I think years of being raised like this and not being taught any different assumes that this is the norm. If your parents lost their teeth at 30, why should you be any different? If your parents had a 'feast or famine' mentality, what have you learned? Years and years of ingrained behavior cannot be discarded by a few training sessions.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Sept 22, 2012 11:05:33 GMT -5
So, no one here thinks it's a brain malfunction? The fact that they really just don't get it, makes me think it is. I think some people are predispositioned emotionally/mentally to accept things the way they are... the descent into homelessness/extreme poverty/extreme illness isn't always something that happens over night. I think someone misses the first payment - and something happens - they get a nasty gram or a fee and they worry about it abit but do nothing. And then it happens again and again... and they just accept that that's their new "Normal". Maybe they stabilize for a while but they are bit further down the road to ultimate disaster... and they are ok with that - they accept it as the 'way it is'. Rinse and Repeat, over and over - and just 'accepting the new normal' at each level. Eventually they find themselves at or near the bottom or with very few not so good choices availalbe. I see this with 'health' among my friends (we're rapidly approaching 50) - they seem to accept the 'reality' that they are 50 pounds or more overweight - that their bodies ache, that they don't sleep well, that they have more heartburn and more medications to take. They don't have any energy to do stuff either. It's been a slow progressive descent over years. And they seem to accept that that's the way it is. They do nothing to change their future or their present. I'm a very firm believer in choice. We almost always have a choice on the things that happen in our lives (not everything but many things). The real power is that we ALWAYS have a choice on how we respond to things that happen in life. I don't think many people share this belief.
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Sept 22, 2012 11:09:48 GMT -5
I've worked with the staff of a mobile dental truck before in an urban setting. What I've noticed is that parents don't access these services for the following reasons 1. they don't want to take their children out of school 2. they can't take the time off work to take their children to the dental appointments 3. the flyer, permission form, etc is in english which is not their primary language 4. they're ashamed to seek help 5. they're afraid to seek help 6. they don't believe that dental care is important 7. they're not aware that the service is offered The mobile van sponsored by the university that I went out on went directly to the schools. The children are taken out of their free period of school for care. So kids don' miss school and parents don't miss work. Permission form is in several languages. The consent to treat form is in the package of papers that the kids take home from school, then they do a separate form a couple of weeks before the van is due to arrive. The form can be returned and no one other than the dental people would know the difference. As we are bound by HIPAA, nothing is discussed with the school, other than which students we need. As the students also sign up to receive free lunch, how ashamed could they be? The van deliberately chooses schools where >80% receives free lunch. Oh, and we publicize quite well. There are radio spots, TV spots, there are blurbs in papers. We have staff showing at open house before school starts talking about the services. Still, a 10% consent return rate. This would likely raise all kinds of constitutional rights issues, but maybe there should be a consent section on the emergency contact form that requires the parent to *opt out* rather than opt in for a visit to the dental van (or any health care service the school might arrange). The school should obviously broadcast the new consent section loudly and obviously, and a few parents will still miss the news, but that way nearly every kid will get a visit to the van and no one will know which ones really needed it (financially and/or medically). I also wonder whether legislation might help. My kids get vision, hearing, and scoliosis hearings in school by law. Why not add dental screenings to the list? As I said above, the stigma is removed if every kid is getting the same treatment, kwim?
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