CARES Inc

Michelle Deane

Bon Secour Memorial College

Spring Nursing 3316 - Population and Global Health

Dr. Sangha, Dr. Daniels, Dr. Smith, Dr. Kiplagat

April 16, 20221

CARES Inc The CARES (Crisis Assistance Response Emergency Shelter) was at first very

skeptical and guarded regarding allowing relatively speaking, a stranger into their world. CARES

is a place batter and abused women along with their children, go to for a safe haven. These

strong resilient women come from all parts of Virginia and are mainly low-income households.

They offer a brief save haven along with resources to social services and health care along with

some counseling. I couldn’t stay long and didn’t get to ask too many questions I also cannot even

give you the exact location of the safe house. I enjoyed my time there and did get a tour of some

of the common dwelling areas along with a brief overview of the process. It was very

enlightening regarding seeking help and the vast array of resources the state offers. But it varies

between counties/cities search area has a different budget allotted for social services. I enjoyed

my experience greatly as it reminded me that resiliency is an incredible thing. I can in many

ways understand there struggle as a single mother and all of the limitations that have to be made

in order to make a life. I can only empathize with their struggle to release the painful trauma of

abuse from an intimate partner. That road to healing, which is a long painful one,can garner such

a bigger reward in life as a person. I know that they offer a safe, clean, kind environment along

with critical needed aid. I know that at anytime funding could run out and this much needed
 resource would not exist. They are always open for donations and had some issues during

COVID but things have gotten better. I have walked away from this experience much more

humbled, compassionate, sympathetic, and understanding of the strength needed to break away

from an abuser. I admire their perseverance and resilience as they could have stayed but chose to

want betterment of themselves. I didn’t get to interact with the residents or even get a count as to

how many are 2 staying. I did offer to volunteer a women’s health education and screening in

service/seminar for the residents. Education would be focused on preventive care along with

warning signs that we as women ignore like the signs for stroke. I also wished I did speak to one

of the residents to get an idea of how they are dealing and coping with living there, but fully

understand why they did not allow it. Many times as a person you have experiences that change

how you approach certain areas of your life, this for me was one of them. I have always

wondered what the breaking point would be to make a woman finally leave an abusive situation.

I ponder many times as the mental state of both parties involved along with the innocent children

involved. CARES gave me a better insight into an abusive woman’s struggle to regain her

freedom and identity. I walked away promising myself to never not take the time to listen,

because many times they cry for help may just come in a brief moment of time. I walked away

promising myself to always treat all my patients with the utmost respect as it takes a lot of

everything for a patient to seek help when they are abused. My classmates post along with this

paper, helped me remember to always maintain respect to all patients especially those who have

already faced so much trauma.