We’re doing something different today.
I have some special people that I’d like you to meet. I want to introduce you to the Deweys. You may be familiar with some of them. There’s Who Dewey, What Dewey, When Dewey, Where Dewey, Why Dewey, and their cousin How.
In my work and as you may imagine I’m often fielding questions about what’s happening with the patient or their loved one. We Patient Advocates are often the Explainers. We’re sources of straight information and we are coaches. I can connect you to the Deweys, in fact I often say that I help you to ‘Meet the Deweys’.
Meet, as in meet a challenge situation. Problemsolve, with you. We meet and solve the needs of aging, Solo Aging, navigating our wacky healthcare system, and all the PIE-stuff I talk so much about. Read about my PIE method here.
And now, please meet our friends, the Deweys:
Who Dewey. Who Dewey is very social but not for social’s sake. Knowing the right people to Who means knowing people who can help you succeed in your aging journey or the challenge before you. Who is getting on up there in years, but he is constantly building his Community, “bringing people on to his team”, he will tell you. Who calls his team a MicroBoard as do I.
What Dewey – What is the pragmatic Dewey. What has you looking at lots of what, such as what’s what, and what’s needed. He sizes up situations, for what is needed or what may be handy, and he will tell you to go after it. What Dewey takes Who with him when he attends to legal matters: the will, advance directives and such. Sometimes it takes both Who and What to figure out the designations, like for your agent or proxy with Power of Attorney – the one who will speak for you if you are unable to speak for yourself. They have each selected their agents with HCPOA (Healthcare Power of Attorney) and FPOA (Financial or sometimes called “Durable” Power of Attorney), plus alternates. They also put their heads together on naming beneficiaries. Who and What Dewey both know it is important to remind each other to revisit their ‘documents and designations’ as they call them from time to time. or when something changes. In your aging journey have you ever needed to ask “What Dewey do?”
When Dewey- Next meet When. She is the strategist of the family, plotting out things brought up by What. You will often see and hear When gently prodding others and making recommendations such as “do now”, “plan for this”, “It’s due before”, and “get this done asap!” Many times, there’s so much going on that folks don’t know Who or What should come first, and good ol’ When Dewey weighs in.
Where Dewey – Meet Where. Where is our directional, navigational guy. Most times Who, What, and When call upon Where for the next step. Seems like they’ll have everyone in the car: Who, What and When will all be there and will simply need to know Where. When and Where work a lot together. People ask for them by name, often in a single question: “When and Where?”
Why Dewey – Why is the helpful, educational one. Why is always helping his family to see and understand reason. Why is actually his middle name, his first name is Reason but he goes by Why. When things are about to move along, or need to, Reason Why will spend time telling you all about it. Some folks are glad to have Why over. A few will ignore Why, even when he’s making great sense. A great many will try to carry on without ever knowing Why. Others make it a point to know more than one Why, or they aspire to become a Why, except they change the spelling of their name and call themselves Wise.
So far we have met Who Dewey, What, When, Where and Why, but we cannot leave out their cousin: How.
How Dewey – How is one of the most important members of this family constellation. How Dewey is likely the most instrumental and effective of all the Deweys. How comes in as kind of a linchpin for the family. He can often predict outcomes, the way things will go. Everybody needs to know How Dewey. You’ve no doubt have asked for him by name, plenty of people do. One can know the whole clan of Deweys, Who, What, When, Where and Why, but if you are stuck if you don’t know How.
There are younger Dewey’s that don’t yet know much of anything. They can only stay their names and can go no further. They can only voice “Who Dewey,” or “What Dewey.” You’ve seen and heard those younger Deweys, and perhaps you have even identified with one in your aging or caregiving journey. They are learning though, always asking questions.
Then there are the elder Deweys. They get it. They ping and pong through the wax and the wane, always helping folks. Why, it’s like they know the question before it is even asked!
As a rule, Deweys don’t keep the talent all to themselves. A Dewey is by nature altruistic. I want everyone to meet their fair share of Deweys in life.
There are so many Deweys – all over the world! I am proud to say that I have some Dewey in my lineage. I’m from the Sure Dewey clan, and because of this I can introduce you to many a Dewey, we’ve been together for a long time.
I am always ready to introduce you to a Dewey. If you find yourself needing to know Who, or What Dewey, or maybe When, I will help you meet them. Where Dewey may be elusive it first but can surely come into play, And there is no parting me and good old cousin How Dewey. We are tight.
Are you a caregiver? Are you aging (anyone here not aging? Call me!)? Perhaps you are a solo ager, one who needs to meet a Dewey to work things out? Who, What, When, Where, Why and How Dewey can all be found at my place.
Come and meet them, I will make sure that you meet every Dewey. The world’s a better place when you know a few Deweys.
Nancy Ruffner is a patient advocate whose focuses include aging strategy, healthcare navigation, and solo aging. Nancy consults with clients in a triage fashion, offering one-hour consultations to find a path, gain a deeper understanding of “how stuff works” in eldercare, or specifically problem-solve. Schedule your Power Hour now, without obligation of commitment or continuing costs. nancyruffner.com