A E T N A S T I L L S E L L I N G L O N G - T E R M I N S U R A N C E Thank you for an intelligent profile of long-term insurance and the various options now available ("Private Insur- ers Float Experimental Policies to Help Pay for Long-Term Care," in News Watch, GN, March-April 1986). Ms. Corliss and I were pleased to talk with your reporter about Aetna Life Insurance and Annuity Company's long-term indemnity policy. I am con- cerned, however, about possible con- fusion surrounding the marketing of this plan.

We did not mean to convey (as the article says) that Aetna has closed sales for the remainder of 1986. We contin- ue to offer the policy through Aetna agents and the Worldwide Insurance Network in Colorado, Arizona, South Dakota, California, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, and Florida.

MICAELA WOODBRIDGE Corporate Communications, Aetna

O N D O R I S S C H W A R T Z I just finished reading the article in the May-June issue of GN about Doris Schwartz. I enjoyed the article very much, and you seem to be right on tar- get when you say "extraordinary." From the article she seems to be a very warm, personable, and sensitive wom- an who knows what is really impor- tant; certainly she has her values and priorities in proper order. What a priv- ilege for those of you who have the honor of knowing her personally and working with her directly. I wish her only the best!

After having worked 12 years in community health here in St. Louis, I am now working with our retired and elderly sisters here at our Mother- h o u s e . . . a n d I am enjoying it. Our li- brary subscribes to Geriatric Nursing, and I never miss reading it. I like it very much and each issue has some- thing in it I find applicable to my job; often I find myself encouraging others who work with the older s isters~ either in our nursing home section or on our ambulatory care division--to read certain articles that I feel would

be helpful to them in their efforts to meet the needs of those they are caring for. Thank you.

SR. KATHLEEN MALONEY St. Louis, Missottri

YOU WORK FOR ME I have been in geriatric nursing for sev- en years and I love it. The field is so rewarding to me, and the patients give so much and ask for so little in return. This work fulfills a need in me that I have been unable to fulfill in any other field. Please print this; I feel it may open some eyes.

As I lie here helplessly waitingfor you to clean up the mess I've made, my mind goes back to the days when I couM do those things that are second nature to you--walking, talking, being able to hear and see well, going to the bathroom and pulling my own pants ltp and down.

I visualize in my mind my first prom, a high school football game, my first slow dance, nO,first kiss, my wed- ding day, my first child. 1 remember a walk in the park on a sunny day; the wind gently blew the leaves of trees and the birds chirped softly.

I 'm ahnost asleep when you appear You quickly flop me on my side and hastily wipe my botton with a coM rag. You pull the dirty pad out, put the clean pad down, and all the while you tell me what a mess I've made and that I should be ashamed of myself

Well, of course I 'm ashamed of my- self Don't you know that I would love to be able to go to the bathroom by my- self?Don't you know that even though I can "t make my needs known, I can hear and understand what you are saying? Don't you know that you work for me; that I feed you and your children? Don "t you know that i f I were not old and un- able to care for myself you would not have a job?

Do you realize that i f you don't die young you die old? Care for me as you wouM want to be cared for. My grand- children might be working for you someday.

DEBBIE KARNES, LVN Garland, TX

Advertisers Index

ADVERTISERS

No, Page

2 Squibb, Convatec, NJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

8 Squibb, Convatec, NJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271

10 Squibb, Convatec, NJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

5 Dundee Healthcare Products, NJ ... 251

6 Good Books, PA ............................. 256

7 Grant Airmass Corporation, CT ...... 270

1 Halbrand, Inc., OH . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover II, 225

16 Halbrand, Inc., OH .......................... 262

Hollister, Inc., IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

15 Laclede Professional Products, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

13 Mead Johnson Nutritional Division, IN .............................. Cover IV

9 N/R Laboratories, OH .................... 281

11 J.T. Posey Company, CA ............... 279

4 Fred Sammons, Inc., IL .................. 235

3 Ssndoz Pharmaceuticals, NJ ......... 229

12 Whitestone Products, NJ ......... Cover III

2'72 Geriatric Nursin~ Septernbcr/Octobcr 1986

LETTERS AdvertisersIndex

ADVERTISERS

9 N/R Laboratories, OH 281

4 Fred Sammons, Inc., IL 235

12 Whitestone Products, NJ ......... Cover III

1 Halbrand, Inc., OH Cover II, 225

Page

3 Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, NJ ......... 229

7 Grant Airmass Corporation, CT ...... 270

6 Good Books, PA 256

Hollister, Inc., IL 236

2 Squibb, Convatec, NJ 226

5 Dundee Healthcare Products, NJ ... 251

8 Squibb, Convatec, NJ 271

11 J.T. Posey Company, CA 279

13 Mead Johnson NutritionalDivision, IN Cover IV

15 Laclede ProfessionalProducts, CA 275

16 Halbrand, Inc., OH 262

10 Squibb, Convatec, NJ 277

No.be helpful to them in their efforts tomeet the needs ofthose they are caringfor. Thank you.

SR. KATHLEEN MALONEYSt. Louis. Missouri

YOU WORK FOR MEI have been in geriatric nursing for sev­en years and I love it. The field is sorewarding to me, and the patients giveso much and ask for so little in return.This work fulfills a need in me that Ihave been unable to fulfill in any otherfield. Please print this; I feel it mayopen some eyes.

As [ lie here helplessly waiting/or youto clean up the mess I've made, mymind goes back to the days when [could do those things that are secondnature to you-walking, talking, beingable to hear and see well, going to thebathroom andpullingmy own pants upand down.

[ visualize in my mind my firstprom, a high schoo/football game, myfirst slow dance, myfirst kiss, my wed­ding day, Iny first child. [ remember awalk in the park on a sunny day; thewindgently blew the leaves o/trees andthe birds chirped softly.

I'm almost asleep when you appear.You qUickly flop me on my side andhastily wipe my botton with a cold rag.You pull the dirty padout, put the cleanpad down, and all the while you tell mewhat a mess I've made and that [should be as/wined o/myself

Well, o/course I'm ashamed ofmy­self Don't you know that [would loveto be able to go to the bathroom by my­self!Don't you know that e~'en though [can't makemy needs known, [ can hearand understand what you are saying?Don't you know that you work/or me;that [feedyou andyourchildren?Don'tyou know that iffwere not old and un­able to care for myselfyou would nothave a job?

Do you realize that ifyou don't dieyoung you die old? Carefor me as youIvould want to be caredfor. My grand­children might be working for yOIlsomeday.

DEBBIE KARNES. LVNGarland. TX

AETNA STILL SELLINGLONG-TERM INSURANCEThank you for an intelligent profile oflong-term insurance and the variousoptions now available ("Private Insur­ers Float Experimental Policies toHelp Pay for Long-Term Care," inNews Watch, GN, March-April 1986).Ms. Corliss and I were pleased to talkwith your reporter about Aetna LifeInsurance and Annuity Company'slong-term indemnity policy. I am con­cerned, however, about possible con­fusion surrounding the marketing ofthis plan.

We did not mean to convey (as thearticle says) that Aetna has closed salesfor the remainder of 1986. We contin­ue to offer the policy through Aetnaagents and the Worldwide InsuranceNetwork in Colorado, Arizona, SouthDakota, California, Michigan, Ohio,Illinois, Kentucky, and Florida.

MICAELA WOODBRIDGECorporate Communications, Aetna

ON DORIS SCHWARTZIjust finished reading the article in theMay-June issue of GN about DorisSchwartz. I enjoyed the article verymuch, and you seem to be right on tar­get when you say "extraordinary."From the article she seems to be a verywarm, personable, and sensitive wom­an who knows what is really impor­tant; certainly she has her values andpriorities in proper order. What a priv­ilege for those of you who have thehonor of knowing her personally andworking with her directly. I wish heronly the best!

After having worked 12 years incommunity health here in St. Louis, Iam now working with our retired andelderly sisters here at our Mother­house ...and I am enjoying it. Our li­brary subscribes to Geriatric Nursing,and I never miss reading it. I like itvery much and each issue has some­thing in it I find applicable to my job;often I find myselfencouraging otherswho work with the older sisters­either in our nursing home section oron our ambulatory care division-toread certain articles that I feel would

:z72 Geriatric NursinR September/October t 986