TESTIMONY ON BILL NO. 36-0025



BY Esther Merla Phillips



June 9, 2025



GOOD MORNING TO THE VIEWING AND LISTENING AUDIENCE.

MY NAME IS ESTHER MERLA PHILLIPS, A STROKE SURVIVOR

AND THE FACILITATOR FOR THE ST. THOMAS STROKE

SUPPORT GROUP. HERE WITH ME THIS MORNING IS THE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE GROUP, MY SPOUSE,

CAREGIVER AND BIGGEST SUPPORTER MR. EDGAR BAKER

PHILLIPS



| AM HERE TODAY TO OFFER SUPPORT FOR BILL NO-36-0025

TO APPROPRIATE $90,000 TO THE Department OF HUMAN

SERVICES FROM THE GENERAL FUNDS FOR THE MEDICAL

ALERT SYSTEM IN THE TERRITORY. FIRST LET ME PROVIDE A

SHORT HISTORY IN MY INVOLVEMENT IN THE MEDICAL ALERT

SYSTEM ON ST. THOMAS.



ON JULY 9" OF 2017 | HAD ARIGHT ISCHEMIC STROKE WITH A

CLOT TO THE BASL GANGLIA AREA OF MY BRAIN. AT THAT

TIME | HAD NO CHRONIC DISESASE, BUT | WAS OVERWEIGHT.I

REQUESTED AN APPETITE SUPPRESSANT FROM MY

PHYSICIANTO ATTEMPT TO LOOSE THE WEIGHT. THE SIDE

EFFECT OF THE PILL WAS ELEVATION OF BLOOD PRESSURE

WHICH CAN CAUSE A STROKE. | HAD USED THE DRUG BEFORE

WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS; THEREFORE WAS NOT

CONCERNED ABOUT IT, BUT THIS TIME IT WAS NOT SO. | WAS

EVENTUALLY TRANSFERRED TO FLORIDA FOR TREATMENT

AND SUSTAINED ANOTHER STROKE ENROUTE.



WHILE HOSPITALIZED IN FLORIDA THE HOSPITAL HAD A

SUPPORT GROUP WHICH PATIENTS WITH STROKES WERE

EXPECTED TO ATTEND. WE DISCUSSED PLANS FOR

RETURNING HOME. THERE WERE PRESENTORS WHO SPOKE

ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT STROKE SURVIVORS, SUCH AS

DEPRESSION, SOCIAL ISOLATION AND ACTIVITIES TO LIVE

PRODUCTIVE LIFE. IT WAS THAT POINT THAT | DECIDED TO

START A SUPPORT GROUP UPON RETURN HOME.



ALWAYS BEING AN AVID READER I BEGAN RESEARCHING HOW

TO START A SUPPORT GROUP AND FOUND AN EXCELLENT

PACKAGE FROM THE AMERICAN STROKE ASSOCIATION ON

HOW TO START A GROUP. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF MY

FAMILY AND FRIENDS THE MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS

WERE FORMULATED, SHORT AND LONG TERM PLANS AND

BYLAWS WERE ESTABLISHED, MEETING PLACE WAS SECURED

AND WE WERE OFF. WE DECIDED THAT THE GROUP WOULD

INCLUDE STROKE SURVIVORS, CAREGIVERS AND RESIDENTS

OF THE COMMUNITY WHO WERE INTERESTED IN OBTAINING

INFORMATION ON STROKE.



OUR FIRST MEETING WAS HELD IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019 AT

THE Vi. CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING. WE PRESENTLY

HAVE TWENTY FOUR MEMBERS IN THE GROUP.



THERE IS A MEMBER IN THE GROUP WHO RESIDED ALONE

WITHOUT A CAREGIVER. SHE REQUIRES THE USE OF A WHEEL

CHAR FOR MOBILITY AND DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT BE LIVING

ALONE. THEN | REMEMBERED THAT WE LIVED ON AN ISLAND

WITH NO LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES AND LIMITED SERVICES

FOR SENIORS. | RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE MEMBER

INFORMING ME THAT SHE SLEPT ON HER BATHROOM FLOOR

THE PREVIOUS NIGHT BECAUSE SHE FELL AND COULD NOT

GET UP AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ANYONE TO

ASSIST. SHE ASKED FOR MY ASSITANCE TO FIND OUT IF THE

MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEM WAS AVAILABLE ON ISLAND.



THE FIRST AGENCY I REACHED OUT TO WAS THE DEPARTMENT

OF HUMAN SEVICES ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES. 1 WAS

REFERRED TO THE CAREGIVERS PROGRAM WHO | WAS TOLD

HAD MANAGED THE PROGRAM BEFORE, BUT ADULT

PROTECTIVE SERVICES WAS NOT SURE THAT THE PROGRAM

WAS STILL IN EFFECT. 1 WAS ALSO REFERRED TO ADT WHO

MANAGED THE PROGRAM WHEN THEIR WERE FUNDS.

THE CAREGIVERS PROGRAM WAS CONTACTED AND I WAS

INFORMED THAT THE PROGRAM WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT

DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF FUNDS. THIS WAS DIFFICULT FOR

ME TO HEAR. OF COURSE BEING A CRYER, THE TEARS BEGAN.

| KNEW | HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP NOT ONLY MY

MEMBER BUT THE SENIORS AND DISABLED IN THE

COMMUNITY WHO WERE LIVING ALONE BUT UNABLE TO

CARE FOR THEMSELVES.THUS A FUND RAISER WAS PLANNED.

THE GROUP PLANNED A DISABILITY BREAKFAST TO RAISE

MONEY TO PURCHASE MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEM ON ST.

THOMAS/ST.JOHN.



WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE $7526.24 FROM THE BREAKFAST.

WE WERE PROVIDED THE NAMES OF NINE RESIDENTS WHO

COULD BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAM. AS A FORMER PUBLIC

HEALTH NURSE AND A CASE MANAGER I WAS AWARE OF

SENIORS WHO RESIDES ALONE AND THOSE WHO ARE LEFT

ALONE DUE TO THE NEED FOR FAMILY MEMBERS TO WORK.



EIGHT RESIDENTS WERE PLACED ON THE PROGRAM AND A

MEMBER WAS GIVEN A MONETARY ASSISTANCE TO ASSIST

WITH HOME CARE. THERE WAS A CEREMONY TO PRESENT

THE SYSTEM WITH ADT REPRESENTATIVE EXPLAINING HOW

THE SYSTEM WORKS. FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE

INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THE SYSTEM WERE INVITED TO

ATTEND.

5



THE COST OF THE SYSTEM IS $480 WHICH INCLUDES

INSTALLATION IN THE HOME AND THE MONTHLY FEE. THE

RECIPIENTS WERE INFORMED THAT THE SUPPORT GROUP

WILL PAY FOR THE SYSTEM FOR ONE YEAR. INFORMED BY

ADT REPRESENTATIV THAT THIS WAS REINFORCED WHEN THE

SYSTEM WAS PLACED. THE MONTHLY BILL IS $20.



WHEN THE YEAR EXPIRED , THE CLIENTS WHO WERE ON THE

SYSTEM WERE BILLED FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR AT ONE TIME

SINCE THE SUPPORT GROUP PAID FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR WHEN

THE PROGRAM WAS INITIATED. OF COURSE | RECEIVED

NUMEROUS CALLS REPORTING THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO

PAY THE BILL. | WAS AWAITING THE $7000 DRAW DOWN

FROM THE LEGISLATURE THEREFORE | DECIDED TO PAY FOR

AN ADDITIONAL YEAR WHICH THE FAMILY APPRECIATED.



| DON’T KNOW HOW MANY CLIENTS THE DEPARTMENT OF

HUMAN SERVICES HAD ON THE PROGRAM BUT THESE CLIENTS

SHOULD BE PLACED BACK ON THE PROGRAM IF THE SERVICE

IS STILL NEEDED.



A RETIRED NURSE RECENTLY JOINED THE SUPPORT GROUP

AND IS INTERESTED IN STARTING A TELEPHONIC CASE

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR CLIENTS WHO HAVE THE

MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEM. WE WOULD CHECK WITH THE

FAMILY OR CLIENT FOR MD VISITS, MEDICATION USAGE AND

GENERAL WELL BEING. | AM HOPING THAT THIS TELEPHONIC

CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS STARTED BY THE END OF THE

YEAR. PRESENTLY THE ORGANIZATION CONSISTS OF 8

RETIRED REGISTERED NURSES, ONE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED

RN AND ONE LPN FOR A TOTAL OF TEN MEMBERS WHO CAN

CASE MANAGE. WE WERE RECENTLY INFORMED BY THE

BOARD OFNURSE LICENSURE THAT A RULING WILL BE ISSUED

SHORTLY PREVENTING RETIRED NURSES WITH AN INACTIVE

LICENSE FROM PARTICIPATING IN HEALTH FAIRS OR EVEN THE

HEALTH MINISTRY AT THEIR CHURCHES WHEN THEY ARE

UNLICENSE AND PROVIDING HEALTH COUNSELING. WILL

HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE RETIRED NURSES TO DETERMINE

WHO HAS AN ACTIVE LICENSE. THE PLAN WOULD BE THAT A

NURSE WOULD HAVE A MAXIMUM OF THREE CLIENTS TO

CASE MANAGE.



MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BILL



1. LET HUMAN SERVICES RESUME THE PROGRAM.



2. THE SUPPORT GROUP WILL TAKE A MAXIMUM OF 30

CLIENTS.



3. WE ARE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING A MINIMUM OF

$14,000 TO MAINTAIN 30 RESIDENTS ON THE SYSTEM.



4. THE STROKE SUPPORT GROUP WILL ASSIST AS NEEDED



5. ENCOURAGE ADT TO USE BRACELETS INSTEAD OF THE

SYSTEM BEING PLACED AROUND THEIR NECK. SOME

CLIENTS REPORTED THAT IT WAS TOO HEAVY.

6. ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO SET UP THE SYSTEM IN

CLIENTS HOME. LONG WAIT TIME WITH JUST ONE STAFF

MEMBER DEDICATED TO THE SYSTEM SET UP.



7. RECRUITMENT FOR CLIENTS WHO NEED theSERVICE.



WE HAD A COUPLE OF CLIENTS WHO RETURNED THE SYSTEM

FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS



1. WEIGHT OF SYSTEM ON THEIR NECK

2. RELOCATION

3. NO LONGER FELT THAT THEY NEEDED THE SERVICE



WE ALSO HAD CLIENTS WHO ACCIDENTALLY PUSHED THE

BUTTON AND WAS SURPRISED AT THE TIMELY RESPONSE.



ONE CLIENT FELL IN HIS YARD WHILE HIS SPOUSE WAS INSIDE,

HE WAS UNABLETO SHOUT LOUD ENOUGH TO CONTACT HIS

SPOUSE, BUT HAD HIS SYSTEM ON HIM AND PUSHED THE

BUTTON TO GET ASSISTANCE TO GET HIM UP OFF THE

GROUND. HiS FAMILY IS FOREVER GRATEFUL THAT HE

HADTHE MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEM TO PREVENT HIM FROM

LYING IN THE HOT SUN IN HIS YARD FOR HOURS.



ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERS OF THE STROKE SUPPORT

GROUP, | WOULD THANK THE LEGISLATURE OF THE VI FOR

THE TWO APPROPRIATIONS WE RECEIVED FROM THE

LEGISLATURE TO ASSIST WITH THE ALARM SYSTEM AND THE

ACTIVITIES WE PROVIDE FOR THE DISABLED AND SENIORS IN

OUR COMMUNITY. AGAIN THANK YOU.



| AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS