On Aug. 26, Gloria Cote, nurse for the city of Bangor, will hang up her stethoscope for the last time. She is retiring after 17 years of service to “the adult and geriatric population” of which she has grown so fond.

“I have loved every minute of my job,” said Cote, 65. “I find that the elderly are so appreciative. They really want you there in their homes helping them. A lot of times they’ll go to see the doctor for something, but not tell him what they’ve told me. I do a lot of advocacy on the patient’s behalf.”

Patients are more comfortable in their own surroundings, she added, and are more apt to “open up, ask questions and voice concerns.” The bond Cote has developed with her clients is strong and based on mutual caring and respect.

As the clock ticks down on her career, her thoughts turn to the future of her patients, as the position of city nurse may not be renewed.

“I will miss the clients most and my interactions with them. Some of these people have no where else to turn. Where will they go? About 10 percent can be referred out to other agencies, but 90 percent will have no resource,” said Cote.

“The city of Bangor is working with community groups to ensure that the services Gloria provides continue to be available to those who need them,” said Shawn Yardley, director of Bangor Health and Welfare. Approximately 60 people will be affected.

“We get referrals from physicians’ offices or other agencies all the time,” said Cote.

As the city nurse, she has found her duties varied while still providing care for chronic illnesses. Her instincts are honed as well. One patient “just didn’t look right,” so Cote called the woman’s nephew, requesting he check in on her throughout the weekend. It turned out she was going into congestive heart failure.

And then there are the patients who have trouble keeping their medications straight, which can result in numerous emergency room visits. With Cote’s help, these stressful and expensive trips to the ER can be reduced.

“I have a lot of patients with diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and hypertension,” said Cote. “Some have serious heart failure or artery disease. And some have dementia, which can make things challenging because they forget to take their meds or to go to their medical appointments. But if these people can get through their ‘daily lives,’ it is hard, for them to get additional help, so I make sure they have what they need.” She sometimes attends medical appointments with her clients to ensure they actually get there and understand the information they are given.

Cote also makes it her business to know the lifestyle complications of her patients, such as whether they are adhering to a specially prescribed diet, or if they have an overheated apartment, which can lead to medical problems. She also keeps an eye out for drug interactions caused by multiple prescriptions from multiple doctors.

The family members are not exempt from Cote’s “need to know,” either.

“There is a lot of caretaking with what I do, and I know my patients’ families, if they have them,” she said. “I know who I can call and who I can’t. Sometimes I am an advocate with the family as much as with the doctor.”

Cote manages some 50 to 60 patients a month, her mission being “to keep them in their own homes as much as possible.”

“None of us are getting any younger. We all age or die,” said Cote. “The seniors deserve the best quality of life that we can give them. And that’s that.”

Well said.

Carol Higgins is director of communications at EAA. For more information on EAA, call 941-2865 or log on www.eaaa.org.