"I once had a new inpatient on my unit, and it was an elderly man who seemed to be having a hard time being away from home. I noticed he didn't have any friends or family coming to visit, so when I was doing my regular patient care rounds, I spent a few extra minutes engaging him in conversation. He opened up about being worried because he had a cat at home and hadn't expected to be admitted. He didn't have anyone to check on his house or his cat, and it was causing him a lot of distress. I found out that he actually lived just a few blocks from my own house, and I offered to check on his cat each day and feed and water her while he was receiving care. His neighbor had a spare key, so she would let me in once or twice a day to check on his cat and make sure all was well in his house while he was away. This really provided him with relief, and he was able to focus on his treatment and care so that he could regain the strength to return home. We kept in touch, and I would bring him meals and run errands for him from time to time for about two years before he passed. I actually adopted his cat when he passed, and I've had her ever since!"
