58 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • OCTOBER 3, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
Elder Law Minute TM
Federal law will help protect disabled people in event of natural disasters
ELDER LAW
Touch Deprivation and Aging
Th e following is a quote by the
researcher, M. Schwab: “Th ese early
morning hours are terribly lonely…that’s
when I have such a longing for someone
who loves me to be there just to touch
and hold me…and to talk to.”
Touch is the most important and
neglected of our senses. An individual
can survive without one or more of the
other senses, but one cannot survive and
live in any degree of comfort without the
physical and emotional sense that touch
is capable of off ering.
Complete loss of touch can inevitably
lead to a psychotic breakdown, according
to the researcher Colton (1993).
Touch triggers a variety of responses that
aff ect physiology, emotions and behavior
. Mythology, magic, folklore, primitive
medicine and religion all affi rm through
the centuries, the importance of touch
in healing, communication and personal
power.
Th e human yearning for physical contact
is embedded in our language in such
fi gurative terms as “keep in touch,” “handle
with care,” “rubbed the wrong way”
and my favorite, “give me some skin.”
Touch is an overt expression of closeness,
intimacy and sexuality.
Even though beauty is said to be only
skin deep, skin is signifi cant. Th e wrinkled
skin of the old tends to show the
beautiful lines of years of hard work and
experience. Old hands and old faces tell
us much of the bearer’s capacity and intimacy.
Th e sensations of aging skin that is
clean, dry and cologned, linger in the
remote memories of many of us who
were once held by a grandmother or
an elderly loved one. Montague (1990)
noted that “tactile hunger” becomes
more powerful in old age when other
sensuous experiences are diminished
and direct sexual expression is oft en
no longer possible or available. Further,
he believes the cause of illness may be
greatly infl uenced by the quality of the
tactile support received. Colton (1993).
cites tactile touch or “touch hunger” as
analogous to malnutrition. Malnutrition
results from the lack of adequate nutrients
for body survival. Touch, he claims,
stimulates chemical production in the
brain which feeds blood, muscle, tissues,
nerve cells, organs and other body
structures. Without this stimulation, like
nutrients in our food, the individual
would be deprived of sustenance and
would starve.
Many times we will touch an elderly
individual, or even in the capacity as
a nurse who is caring for that ill person,
in a condescending way (e.g. a pat on
the head, a tweak of the toes or a verbal
“there there”). Th is does not convey sincerity
for that care.
Of all the health care professionals, the
nurse has the most frequent opportunities
to provide a gentle reassuring and
renewing touch that raises the person’s
spirit and a hopeful and healthy attitude.
I too, am forever delighted when my
grandchildren visit and wrap their arms
around me and lovingly call me Zeyda,
the Yiddish name for grandfather. Th at,
dear reader, is truly “therapeutic.”
Also, let’s not forget the old married
couple who once shared healthy
and happy days as they now share the
unavoidable limitations of old age and
grow even closer together in love and
patience. When they exchange a smile, a
glance, one can only guess that they still
think each other beautiful and loveable.
Before concluding I want the reader
to consider the following four points
in light of our current cultural climate
regarding the concept of touch.
1. We can’t always assume that the old
person wants to be touched.
2. Hugging may no longer be as popular
as we once thought.
3. Touch in today’s climate now
requires “permission.”
4. Unwanted touching is not always
acceptable in today’s environment.
Quotable Quote: “You cannot shake
hands with a clenched fi st.” Ghandi
Sheldon Ornstein Ed.D, RN, LNHA
Dr. Sheldon Ornstein is a
registered professional
nurse with a doctoral
degree in nursing organization.
He has specialized
in the care of older adults
and has published many
articles on the subject. He
has done post-graduate
work in gerontology and
has taught at several universities.
In 2013, he was
inducted into the Nursing
Hall of Fame at Teachers
College, Columbia
University.
BY RONALD A. FATOULLAH, ESQ.
AND DEBBY ROSENFELD, ESQ.
Over the past several years, we have
witnessed natural disasters that have
wreaked havoc, loss and destruction
on millions of people. Oft en, people
of means and ability can minimize the
damaging eff ects of a natural disaster
by evacuating their homes and relocating
temporarily to safer areas. While
such individuals are not left unscathed,
they at least have the physical and
fi nancial ability to mitigate the ensuing
destruction and pick up the pieces
of their lives.
Unfortunately, this is not the case for
many Americans. More specifi cally, the
elderly and disabled populations are
exceptionally vulnerable when disaster
strikes. Hurricane Sandy, described as
the worst hurricane to hit New York City
in almost 80 years, left the inhabitants
of one nursing home without basic elementary
care for several days. Other disabled
residents in high rise apartments
were isolated due to the lack of power
and heat in their buildings. Th e inaccessibility
of home health attendants and
other caregivers resulted in additional
deaths that could have been avoided.
In order to prevent situations like this
from recurring, in June, the Federal
government enacted legislation to protect
people with disabilities during
natural disasters and public health
emergencies. Th e Pandemic and All-
Hazards Preparedness and Advancing
Innovation Act mandates the creation
of a national advisory committee
that will review all federal guidelines
and issue recommendations for
creating inclusive emergency preparedness
plans.
Th e law also reiterates the authority
giving states and territories the ability
to reassign federally funded personnel
temporarily in public health emergencies
to support the response. Several
measures will ultimately allow for an
increase in the number of personnel
available to support state and local
health care emergency operations. Th e
Government Accountability Offi ce will
be required to assess the program within
three years and provide Congress
with specifi c fi ndings on success, limitations,
and challenges.
It is highly unlikely that this law will
completely insulate the elderly and disabled
populations when the next natural
disaster strikes. Nonetheless, this
legislation is a step in the right direction.
It is acknowledging that no one –
regardless of age or health condition –
should be left behind or forgotten when
a disaster strikes. Unfortunately, natural
disasters are impossible to avoid, but
hopefully, with the implementation of
this legislation, people with disabilities
will fare better in their wake.
Ronald A. Fatoullah, Esq. is the founder
of Ronald Fatoullah & Associates, a
law firm that concentrates in elder
law, estate planning, Medicaid planning,
guardianships, estate administration,
trusts, wills, and real estate.
Debby Rosenfeld, Esq. is a senior staff
attorney at the firm. The law firm can
be reached at 718-261-1700, 516-466-
4422, or toll free at 1-877-ELDER-LAW
or 1-877-ESTATES. Mr. Fatoullah is
also a partner advisor with Advice
Period, a wealth management firm that
provides a continuum of financial and
investment advice for individuals and
businesses, and he can be reached at
424-256-7273.
RONALD FATOULLAH
ESQ, CELA*
/WWW.QNS.COM
