Many of our patients are judged on the choices they make. Living in poverty makes them even more susceptible to judgment, particularly by those who don’t live in poverty. In this day and age of calls for cutting Planned Parenthood funding and other programs that benefit so many of the folks for whom we provide care, here is a fantastic use of time:
Spent is a poverty simulator. Go to their site, and see what choices you might make, particularly when all the choices are tough ones. And see how your own vulnerabilities increase as you work your way through the site. I can completely see working through the simulation at a team meeting, as we seek to better understand the lives of our patients and increase our capacity to provide patient-centered care.
FYI, Spent is a project of Urban Ministries of Durham, and the site also gives you the opportunity to make a donation to their programs.
(Hat tip: PCAR)