| Mass Violence in Yountville |
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by Timothy Gieseke MD, CMD In about 2010, I was asked by my esteemed colleague, Dr. Denise Rettenmaier, to help with their implementation of the POLST Form. The Yountville Veterans Home is located in Napa in a setting of exquisite natural beauty. Blended into this home are facilities and staffing similar to what you would find in small acute hospitals. Like many of you, I was shocked to hear real time of the tragic act of violence in process there, but also glad to hear from our colleague who was safe having found shelter in her locked office. Our hearts go out to Denise, her colleagues, and the Yountville community. While we wish situations like this were rare, they are becoming increasingly common. Our nursing home familles have seen various disasters in the last year, as such we will feature a talk on “Disaster Preparedness” by Jocelyn Montgomery, RN during our upcoming annual meeting. One of our BOD members, Dr. Pat Bach, who is a fantastic clinical psychologist, sent us important information applicable to this crisis and others. While the target for this information and their resources is veterans, the PTSD Consultation Program (https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/consult/index.asp) and Suicide Risk Management Program (https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn19/consult/) are available to all providers who serve veterans. Here are the important links: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/types/disasters/mass_violence_help.asp |