I am pleased to share the latest edition of our newsletter. We welcome any and all comments. Please send us your feedback as well as ideas, stories and information we can share.
Each month we will share news and information about home care, long-term care, community supports and services and shed light on the wonderful people and services that contribute to continuing care in our province.
Susan Stevens
Senior Director, Continuing Care, NSHA
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Seniors – Adding Life to Years (SALTY)
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Seniors – Adding Life to Years (SALTY), pan-Canadian, research project - a project examining clinical, social, critical and policy perspectives on quality of life for residents living in Canadian long-term care. With a diverse team which includes LTC representatives and stakeholders ranging from policy makers, clinicians, LTC residents, care aides and family members, the SALTY project represents a team based integrated knowledge translation approach to address complex and pressing challenges in Canadian long-term care.
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Professional Development Sessions
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NSHA hosted four professional development days across the province. These sessions brought together over 160 total participants representing NSHA, home care, long-term care, equipment vendors, clients and families for a day of learning from and with each other. The workshops focused on our continued commitment to strengthening service excellence and leadership development.
Each day opened with one of our patient and family advisors sharing their perspectives and insights into the opportunity we have to make positive differences through the care we provide during every interaction with the people we serve and their loved ones. When asked what they valued most about the day, many participants highlighted the memorable first person stories shared by our patient and family advisors as being impactful and powerful.
The evaluations of the days were overwhelmingly positive. On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest), participants provided an average score of 4.8/5. We heard from many that the relaxed atmosphere offered a balance of humor, emotion and information. Many shared that the variety of personal stories, theory and videos was a refreshing approach for a day of learning. Attendees also found connecting theory to personal experiences created a comfortable environment to share their own challenges and successes.
We want to thank our patient and family advisors for sharing their open and honest experiences, our partners in care for joining us in these sessions and the team from Talent and Organizational Development for sharing new tools and techniques, reminding us of the basics and for the many laughs!
Participants indicated that they wanted more sessions like these with time together, networking and new knowledge and techniques to take back to their teams. You asked for more and we listened! We are currently planning the next professional development sessions! Please stayed tuned for the
save the date
notice. As always your feedback is very valued. Please email Susan Stevens at
susan.stevens@nshealth.ca
if you have any suggestions for future sessions.
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Four Decades of Senior Care
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New Waterford Homecare Service Society’s 40
th
Anniversary celebration!
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Written by Helen Marsh, Executive Director of New Waterford Homecare Service Society (NWHSS)
NWHSS is celebrating 40 years of service to our clients in the community. The changes that led to our current agency were many and varied.
NWHSS started as an L.I.P. grant in 1977 and after two years of work in the community it developed into a private agency in 1979 under the leadership of Director, Janet Wilcox and her six staff. Through community boards and municipal and provincial efforts, New Waterford Homemaker Services grew and expanded to help meet the needs of the community.
What started as a staff of six, has grown to its present number of 120 staff. From 1979 to our present day, we have seen many changes in our basket of services and how and where services are authorized. Other significant changes included the amalgamation with Glace Bay Homecare, unionization of our staff, growth of our office and staff structure, training programs for our staff and this was also provided to other agencies. New Waterford Homecare has always taken great pride in our history and knowledge of the sector and this expertise is visible by our presence on many provincial and local health committees over the years. In 2007, we changed our name from New Waterford Homemaker Service Society to New Waterford Homecare Service Society. In 2012, Janet Wilcox retired after 35 years of dedication and leadership to the home care industry.
The present New Waterford Homecare is a not-for-profit agency that is funded through the Department of Health and Wellness. We are the contracted agency through Nova Scotia Health Authority who authorizes the services that we are to deliver to our clients. NWHSS delivers over 10,000 hours of service per month including personal care, meal preparation, respite, light housekeeping and laundry. We are governed by a Board of Directors consisting of Ronald MacDonald (Board Chair), Margie MacKenzie (Vice President), Kathy Gilbert (Treasurer) and the following Directors, Glen Campbell, Darren Strong, Max Hickman, Diane Desveaux, Carmie Kavanaugh and Chris Cormier.
What has not changed from the inception of New Waterford Homecare is the ongoing effort to work with our clients, their families and caregivers to allow our clients to remain as independent as possible in their own homes. We work with many partners to ensure our services are of highest quality. We ensure are staff are well trained and supported in their day to day work in the community.
To celebrate our 40
th
Anniversary, the Board of Directors in partnership with the staff social committee hosted a dinner and dance at Reserve Mines Firehall. Staff were presented with commemorative pins to mark the anniversary celebration. Various staff were also presented with service awards from five to 35-year increments. The Agency also accessed the Savoy Theater to mark this milestone with a photograph of staff and our Board.
NWHSS honors our past Board of Directors Chair, Blair Brewer who passed way in 2014 by awarding the Blair Brewer Leadership Award annually to a deserving staff member who demonstrated the qualities of professionalism and leadership in their role in the agency. This year’s recipient Ruth Smolensky, exemplifies the characteristics that made Blair such a valuable asset to our Agency for many years. New Waterford Homecare looks forward to continuing the tradition of professional caring service to our clients in New Waterford and Glace Bay.
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NSHA Launches New Inititiative
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We often hear from many people and their families and friends how much they value receiving care where they live. However, we know we need to better understand and consider the distinct needs, challenges and barriers of Acadian/francophone clients and their families in accessing home and community-based supports.
This initiative will include engagement with Acadian and francophone communities by holding in-person consultations with clients, caregivers and community members, and gathering information about client and caregiver experiences through a telephone survey.
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As part of this initiative, we are hosting several consultations in francophone and Acadian communities across the province to get feedback from Continuing Care clients, caregivers, families and members of the public on their thoughts and experiences with accessing home care and community based services.
View the invite
for a full list of dates and locations.
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Client and Caregiver Survey
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As part of this initiative, we are also doing a province-wide telephone survey to better understand clients’ and/or their family/friend caregiver’s experience in accessing and receiving home care services. This survey includes questions about professional services such as care coordination and nursing. It also contains questions about home support services, including personal care (for example, bathing and dressing), housekeeping, respite, and meal services delivered by home care agencies contracted by Nova Scotia Health Authority.
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Special shout out to our Central Zone Continuing Care team lead by Natalie Fifield who collected items for the Hats, Mitts & Sock Campaign.
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Long-term care unit partners with hospital foundation for Celebration of Life.
On Dec. 9, residents, family, friends and staff gathered on 4North, a long-term care unit at Glace Bay Hospital to take part in a Celebration of Life. The event is a partnership between 4North and the Glace Bay Hospital Foundation and included a tree light-up, music and social time. Snowflakes were placed on the tree in memory of loved ones who’ve passed away. Approximately $800 was raised by the event and will be shared by 4North and the Glace Bay Hospital Foundation. Pictured are: Morah Hemsworth and Cathy Power, Glace Bay Hospital Foundation (front) and Nathan Solden with Lucas Solden and Tracey Coombes, 4North (back).
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Spreading Christmas Cheer
Submitted by our partners in care at Willow Lodge
At Willow Lodge, we strive to ensure that we as a team work together to eliminate loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. With the Christmas season on the horizon, we have certainly been active in bringing festivities into our home. From our bazaar and tea, to visits from the junior and senior grades at Tatamagouche Regional Academy, sing songs, storytelling, Girl Guide visits, baking, and good old fashioned cheer.
In the midst of these happy events, we also take time to reflect on our past and celebrate our future. The Tree of Love offers an opportunity to gather as a community and mourn those who have passed away, along with honouring those who provide the stability and strength for us to move forward. This has been a tradition that we have carried on for the past 22 years. It is an event that our community looks forward to where we come together to share our grief, courage, memories, and love.
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Continuing Care Access and Flow Bulletin
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In case you missed it, we invite you to check out Volume 3 of the new Continuing Care Access and
Flow bulletin.
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Click below to sign up to receive continuing care access and flow information:
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Four-legged research assistants
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We want to highlight a wonderful story about our partners in care at Northwood written by Elizabeth Chiu · reprinted with permission from CBC News
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Shilo gives and receives love from residents and workers alike at Northwood. (Dave Laughlin/CBC)
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'These dogs that are coming in bring that unconditional love,' says Northwood CEO
After gobbling up jerky treats from Bill Johnson, Bella, a long-haired collie, laps up water from her bowl and circles her bed a couple of times in a common room.Then she wanders down the hall to Brenda McAskill's room.
Johnson and McAskill are among the 150 residents at Northwood in Bedford, N.S., where dogs aren't allowed — except on occasion.But Bella, a 35-kilogram walking fur ball, spends entire mornings or afternoons here, off-leash, several times a week.She's a four-legged research assistant in a project that's trying to show it's not only possible for seniors to live in a long-term care facility with their pet dogs, it's actually better for them.
At most nursing homes, residents aren't allowed to bring their dogs when they move in, although some facilities may make exceptions for some pets. McAskill, a 72-year-old melanoma survivor, had dogs and cats when she lived independently. Now living in a facility where people are "going back and forth and sometimes there's just too much conversation," Bella brings her snuggles and peace.
"She comes in and she just relaxes and I relax with her and I talk to her," she says while contentedly watching Bella rest on her bed.
Research shows that leaving a furry best friend to family, friends — or even surrendering to a shelter — creates a "grieving process" that can make the transition into a nursing home even more difficult, according to Ardra Cole.Cole is a professor of lifelong learning at Halifax's Mount Saint Vincent University. She's leading the year-long research project in collaboration with Northwood, Atlantic Canada's largest not-for-profit continuing care organization.
"We're trying to address those issues, to ease a transition, to make a care-home feel more like home, and also to provide comfort, and attachment, and continuity of relationships that's really important," says Cole.
"These dogs that are coming in bring that unconditional love," says Janet Simm, Northwood's CEO. She hopes this research will provide the evidence that creates change. "This is about bringing happiness and allowing people to flourish in a community of belonging, dignity and choice," she says.
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Conferences and learning opportunities
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Designing the Future of Care Conference–April 22-24
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This conference promises two days of innovation, inspiration and action.
Together with thought leaders, decisions makers, researchers, innovators, doers and dreamers you’ll hear about best practices and innovative models and solutions employed nationally and internationally, but most importantly, you will hear about solutions that are making a difference right here in our own back yard!
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NSHA Continuing Care Spring Forums
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Join us for continued discussions, networking, and information sharing at the Continuing Care 2020 Spring Forums.
A draft agenda will be sent a bit closer to the date.
The evaluation summary report and the information transfer engagement results from the 2019 Fall Forums are now available on our
Continuing Care Corporate Site
.
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Central Zone- Halifax
May 29, 2020
Grandhaven Estates
50 Grandhaven Boulevard, Halifax
Western Zone- New Minas
June 2, 2020
Louis Millet Community Complex
9489 Commercial St, New Minas
Northern Zone- Millbrook
June 4, 2020
Hampton Inn & Suites
35 Legends Avenue, Millbrook
Eastern Zone- Port Hawkesbury
June 10, 2020
Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre
606 Reeves St, Port Hawkesbury
We look forward to seeing you in the Spring!
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Sign up to receive the latest NSHA news, updates and information.
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Please submit story ideas, photos and feedback to:
Jaimee Dobson, Communications Advisor,
Continuing Care
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