Finally on December 10th I received a response from the Minister of Health. Although I'm not sure what it says...more to follow on the findings under the investigations re the Protection for persons in care act...not very helpful and certainly not what I expected.
Dear Ms. O’Connell:
Thank you for your e-mails to the Honourable Darrell Dexter and me,
dated October 30, 2009, regarding the qualifications of staff working
with patients at the Aberdeen Hospital in Pictou County, Nova Scotia.
The Premier has asked that I respond on his behalf.
Please be assured we take all complaints of abuse seriously. In October
2007, the Protection for Persons in Care Act was proclaimed, which is an
extra safeguard for patients or residents 16 years of age or older
receiving care from Nova Scotia’s hospitals, residential care
facilities, nursing homes, homes for the aged or disabled persons under
the Homes for Special Care Act, or group homes or residential centres
under the Children and Family Services Act.
The Department of Health ordered an investigation regarding this
incident under the Protections of Persons in Care Act.
I am reviewing the recommendations from this investigation, and if
deemed necessary to protect patients/residents from abuse, further
directives may be issued to the facility. Such directives, when
warranted, could include staff participating in training and/or
education sessions.
Thank you for taking the time to bring your concerns forward.
Yours truly,
Maureen MacDonald
Minister
c: The Honourable Darrell Dexter, Premier
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
No time, no help
Yesterday, during a Christmas celebration, I heard a story that shook everyone there. One of the attendees shared a story about her mother's time in a nursing home...she had Alzheimer's Disease. The lady telling the story had been released from hospital after having a breast removed for Cancer and she was visiting her mother in the care facility. Her mother recognized her and as soon as she entered the room asked her daughter to help her to the bathroom. Because of the recent surgery her daughter couldn't help, but she went to the desk and asked for assistance...three times. Then she was told, "Tell her to use her diaper, that's what it is for".
This incident happened some time ago, and things MAY have changed...or not. I sincerely hope they have.
This incident happened some time ago, and things MAY have changed...or not. I sincerely hope they have.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Meeting for Monday December 7, 2009
I just received an email advising me of a meeting with the Minister of Health set for Monday December 7, 2009. The ACE team arranged the meeting to discuss several health issues concerning care of the elderly in the Nova Scotia Health Care System.
Hopefully the meeting will be a productive one.
Hopefully the meeting will be a productive one.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Meetings, meetings...
I had the opportunity to attend a meeting of the ACE team. ACE is a group lobbying for changes in our health care system. Advocates for the Care of the Elderly. They are seeking quality living conditions for the elderly in Long Term Care. Each member has a personal reason for working with the team...just as I do. My motivation is to make sure no one else is treated the way Mr. Williams was treated by the Staff and Management at Aberdeen Hospital. The ACE team have requested a meeting with the Premier and the Health Minister. I am hoping that will give us face time with the leaders of our provincial government.
There is also a meeting scheduled for tomorrow (November 23rd) with Gary Ramey, the MLA for Lunenburg West.
I have not received any response from the Minister of Health regarding my email that I sent to her office on October 30, 2009. I would have expected an acknowledgement by now. The Premier did respond saying that he had asked the Minister of Health to respond to my questions.
There is also a meeting scheduled for tomorrow (November 23rd) with Gary Ramey, the MLA for Lunenburg West.
I have not received any response from the Minister of Health regarding my email that I sent to her office on October 30, 2009. I would have expected an acknowledgement by now. The Premier did respond saying that he had asked the Minister of Health to respond to my questions.
Friday, November 13, 2009
The Very Least ...
I wish:
1. That all staff having interaction of any kind with patients have training in how to deal with patients with Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia. For example the 30 hour course that is available through the Alzheimer's Society ... as the very least level of training acceptable.
2. That the wait list...wait time be reduced significantly. We know that there are 6000+ beds for long term care in the province and we know that there are over 1200 on a waiting list to receive a bed. That is as of October 9th. That is unacceptable. Most reasonably intelligent adults in this country realize that the population is aging, that dementia and Alzheimer's are more prevalent in the elderly, and that there will be more demand for long term care in the immediately and foreseeable future. There are over 1200 families in crisis waiting for a safe, caring environment for their loved one. It is my understanding that there is currently only one individual in place to process applications for long term care beds. How can one individual do this on a timely basis? Maybe that is why it took from early June to early October for the application for Mr Williams to be admitted in a long term care facility to be processed and for him to be officially 'on the list'.
3. Home care support must be improved. Mr. Williams' widow was eligible for 40 hours of assistance each month to help with the home care of Mr Williams. That is almost an insult to a family that is dealing with the care of a loved one 24 hours each and every day. 10 hours a week really doesn't begin to address the problem.
4. The final aspect that demands immediate attention is the access to information and support services for the families. Yes there is currently a lot of information available, but when a family is struggling with the day to day business of living and caring for a loved one, they really don't have time to spend hours searching the internet or calling various agencies to see what services are available. A central clearing house of information (on the model of Cancer Care perhaps) needs to be established. A standard needs to be set and maintained.
Oh and are we, the tax payer, getting value for the billions of dollars being pumped into our health care system each and every year? What nasties lie under the rocks that are just waiting to be turned over?
1. That all staff having interaction of any kind with patients have training in how to deal with patients with Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia. For example the 30 hour course that is available through the Alzheimer's Society ... as the very least level of training acceptable.
2. That the wait list...wait time be reduced significantly. We know that there are 6000+ beds for long term care in the province and we know that there are over 1200 on a waiting list to receive a bed. That is as of October 9th. That is unacceptable. Most reasonably intelligent adults in this country realize that the population is aging, that dementia and Alzheimer's are more prevalent in the elderly, and that there will be more demand for long term care in the immediately and foreseeable future. There are over 1200 families in crisis waiting for a safe, caring environment for their loved one. It is my understanding that there is currently only one individual in place to process applications for long term care beds. How can one individual do this on a timely basis? Maybe that is why it took from early June to early October for the application for Mr Williams to be admitted in a long term care facility to be processed and for him to be officially 'on the list'.
3. Home care support must be improved. Mr. Williams' widow was eligible for 40 hours of assistance each month to help with the home care of Mr Williams. That is almost an insult to a family that is dealing with the care of a loved one 24 hours each and every day. 10 hours a week really doesn't begin to address the problem.
4. The final aspect that demands immediate attention is the access to information and support services for the families. Yes there is currently a lot of information available, but when a family is struggling with the day to day business of living and caring for a loved one, they really don't have time to spend hours searching the internet or calling various agencies to see what services are available. A central clearing house of information (on the model of Cancer Care perhaps) needs to be established. A standard needs to be set and maintained.
Oh and are we, the tax payer, getting value for the billions of dollars being pumped into our health care system each and every year? What nasties lie under the rocks that are just waiting to be turned over?
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
How could this happen?
I have written a few blogs about Mr Williams, the gentleman with Alzheimer's disease who passed away a little over a month ago while in the Aberdeen Hospital waiting for a long term care bed. He was assaulted by a commissaire and bruised and bullied ... there are other questions that need to be asked.
He was in a storage room for four days, eight hospital shift changes. The staff on eight shifts came and went and knew he was in a storage room...why was nothing done? Someone must have said to themselves..."Why is a patient stuck in a storage room with broken equipment and no pathway to the only window in the room?"
Why didn't one person find this unacceptable? Why was he left there until his family complained?
Is there not a minimum standard of care? Are there not basics that we can expect in a hospital?
I know the health care system in this province/country is badly in need of overhaul. I know we have a "new" government that inherited problems from previous administrations but how long must we as tax payers accept excuses for people not receiving the basic of the basics. A storage room for FOUR DAYS...give me a break! That is unacceptable.
What will be done to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else?
He was in a storage room for four days, eight hospital shift changes. The staff on eight shifts came and went and knew he was in a storage room...why was nothing done? Someone must have said to themselves..."Why is a patient stuck in a storage room with broken equipment and no pathway to the only window in the room?"
Why didn't one person find this unacceptable? Why was he left there until his family complained?
Is there not a minimum standard of care? Are there not basics that we can expect in a hospital?
I know the health care system in this province/country is badly in need of overhaul. I know we have a "new" government that inherited problems from previous administrations but how long must we as tax payers accept excuses for people not receiving the basic of the basics. A storage room for FOUR DAYS...give me a break! That is unacceptable.
What will be done to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else?
Sunday, November 8, 2009
A Time to Remember
I had the opportunity this week to view the DVD 'A Time to Remember'. It was put together by the Royal Canadian Legion, Bridgewater branch and was the brain child of Dan Hennesey. Dan is a student of history, and he saw an opportunity to capture the memories of 18 veterans of WW11 so that piece of history would not be lost. It is sad, funny, refreshing and thought provoking...and it is very well done. The launch was at the Empire theatre in Bridgewater and it included all the pomp and ceremony, a live band, an honour guard and enough red serge in RCMP uniforms to get anyone's attention.
During this past week, I have had a few challenges and it was a pleasure to take a few minutes out of the confusion and listen and learn from these remarkable people. The DVDs will be on sale through the legion branch in Bridgewater if anyone is interested in purchasing one.
Thank you to all the veterans who fought during WW1 and WW11 and Korea. May we have enough sense to avoid more wars and learn that negotiation and consultation are better tools to use when seeking lasting peace.
And a thank you to Dan Hennesey for taking the initiative to pull this project together. A great example of the difference one person can make when they are determined and resourceful.
During this past week, I have had a few challenges and it was a pleasure to take a few minutes out of the confusion and listen and learn from these remarkable people. The DVDs will be on sale through the legion branch in Bridgewater if anyone is interested in purchasing one.
Thank you to all the veterans who fought during WW1 and WW11 and Korea. May we have enough sense to avoid more wars and learn that negotiation and consultation are better tools to use when seeking lasting peace.
And a thank you to Dan Hennesey for taking the initiative to pull this project together. A great example of the difference one person can make when they are determined and resourceful.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Stupidity Virus
There are times when I fear that stupidity is a disease and that it is to be more feared than H1N1. Maybe this is National stupidity week and I missed the announcement.
A friend of mine has been threatened with a law suit because a director of her husband's former employer has taken exception to some things she has written...but the money still hasn't paid. It would appear to me the solution would be to pay the wages and the whole thing would go away.
A support group leader is considering whether I can attend a meeting so I can better understand what they do and what they can offer. This is part of my current quest to find out anything and everything I can about support for dementia patients and their families.
I have had several conversations this week about supporting local businesses and buying local. First of all, there seems to be several definitions of local. Sometimes people refer to Nova Scotia as local, sometimes Atlantic Canada and sometimes Bridgewater. If I buy a product that is produced in China from a local retailer, is that buying local. True it supports local jobs and whoever owns the building the store is in, but is that preferable to buying from a national chain that offers locally grown produce for example. This is a situation that no matter what is chosen there will be someone to point out the error.
There are several other examples of the stupidity virus that I have encountered this week, but time for my ranting has expired...more to follow
A friend of mine has been threatened with a law suit because a director of her husband's former employer has taken exception to some things she has written...but the money still hasn't paid. It would appear to me the solution would be to pay the wages and the whole thing would go away.
A support group leader is considering whether I can attend a meeting so I can better understand what they do and what they can offer. This is part of my current quest to find out anything and everything I can about support for dementia patients and their families.
I have had several conversations this week about supporting local businesses and buying local. First of all, there seems to be several definitions of local. Sometimes people refer to Nova Scotia as local, sometimes Atlantic Canada and sometimes Bridgewater. If I buy a product that is produced in China from a local retailer, is that buying local. True it supports local jobs and whoever owns the building the store is in, but is that preferable to buying from a national chain that offers locally grown produce for example. This is a situation that no matter what is chosen there will be someone to point out the error.
There are several other examples of the stupidity virus that I have encountered this week, but time for my ranting has expired...more to follow
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Email from the Premier's Office
I have just received an email acknowledging my request that staff in contact with patients in hospitals be given the proper training and that those who have not received that training be removed from all contact with patients. The Premier's office has responded that the Honourable Maureen MacDonald, Minister of Health, will respond to my questions. I will let you know what and when I receive from the Minister's office.
Another Benefit of Activitiy...Get Moving!
aThe following tips are taken from the Alzheimer's Society website. They certainly make sense for all of us and if there is the added benefit of postponing or avoiding the development of Alzhemer's Disease what a small effort to make. More information can be found at http://www.alzheimer.ca/english/brain/physicallyactive.htm
Think of it as "activity" not "exercise." For those who feel they have little opportunity to exercise, start by adding a bit of physical activity into your daily routine. Choose a brisk walk to the store rather than driving the car, or wash and wax the car instead of going to the car wash.
Choose activities and sports that you enjoy.
Aerobic activities can help maintain general fitness. For example, many experts recommend walking as one of the safest and most effective forms of aerobic exercise.
Start where you can and set reasonable goals.
Plan physical activity with another person so that you are more likely to keep active while you also gain the brain-healthy benefits of social interaction.
Check with your doctor about the kinds of physical activity that might be right for you or if you have specific health concerns.
Think of it as "activity" not "exercise." For those who feel they have little opportunity to exercise, start by adding a bit of physical activity into your daily routine. Choose a brisk walk to the store rather than driving the car, or wash and wax the car instead of going to the car wash.
Choose activities and sports that you enjoy.
Aerobic activities can help maintain general fitness. For example, many experts recommend walking as one of the safest and most effective forms of aerobic exercise.
Start where you can and set reasonable goals.
Plan physical activity with another person so that you are more likely to keep active while you also gain the brain-healthy benefits of social interaction.
Check with your doctor about the kinds of physical activity that might be right for you or if you have specific health concerns.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
We are what we eat
http://www.alzheimer.ca/english/brain/healthyfood.htm
The above link will give practical everyday tips on healthy eating. We all know that eating "right" is something that will benefit our bodies...but did you know that our minds also depend on healthy foods and a healthy lifestyle?
Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease have no cure (yet) but there are steps each of us can take to reduce the risk of developing these crippling illnesses. Isn't it worth a try?
The above link will give practical everyday tips on healthy eating. We all know that eating "right" is something that will benefit our bodies...but did you know that our minds also depend on healthy foods and a healthy lifestyle?
Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease have no cure (yet) but there are steps each of us can take to reduce the risk of developing these crippling illnesses. Isn't it worth a try?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Part of the Problem...or...Part of the Solution
This is an expression I learned early in life, everyone is either part of the problem or a part of the solution. I truly hope that I am on the solution side of the majority of situations that I have encountered.
By now most of you will have heard of John "Jackie" Williams and his last few weeks spent in the Aberdeen Hospital 'waiting'... There was no long term care bed available in a facility in Pictou County, so he spent his last days bruised and bullied in an inappropriate situation. The security guard/commissionaire who allegedly mistreated him, to my knowledge, did not have training or the skills required to care for a patient with Alzheimer's Disease. How many other "Mr. Williams" are out there? People who no longer have the mind and body of their youth, people who are at the mercy of the 'system', people who have no voice.
The first thing that must happen: Protect patients from contact with anyone not trained to work with the ill, physical and mental. If you have not already done so, I would ask you to take a few minutes to write your MLA, MP, Leader of the Opposition and anyone in the health care system that you feel might be able to make this happen. We cannot have patients with dementia in the care of a security guard. This is not acceptable.
The second thing that must happen: We must have adequate care facilities to accommodate the present requirements. Let's not talk about what the situation will be like in 5 or 10 years...let's deal with today. We need more long term health care beds for the aging, for those who cannot, through no fault of their own, look after themselves. There will be more information in the upcoming blogs about the statistics and about what you can do.
For more information on Alzheimer's Disease and their advocacy platform please visit http://www.alzheimer.ca/english/society/advocacy_intro.htm
By now most of you will have heard of John "Jackie" Williams and his last few weeks spent in the Aberdeen Hospital 'waiting'... There was no long term care bed available in a facility in Pictou County, so he spent his last days bruised and bullied in an inappropriate situation. The security guard/commissionaire who allegedly mistreated him, to my knowledge, did not have training or the skills required to care for a patient with Alzheimer's Disease. How many other "Mr. Williams" are out there? People who no longer have the mind and body of their youth, people who are at the mercy of the 'system', people who have no voice.
The first thing that must happen: Protect patients from contact with anyone not trained to work with the ill, physical and mental. If you have not already done so, I would ask you to take a few minutes to write your MLA, MP, Leader of the Opposition and anyone in the health care system that you feel might be able to make this happen. We cannot have patients with dementia in the care of a security guard. This is not acceptable.
The second thing that must happen: We must have adequate care facilities to accommodate the present requirements. Let's not talk about what the situation will be like in 5 or 10 years...let's deal with today. We need more long term health care beds for the aging, for those who cannot, through no fault of their own, look after themselves. There will be more information in the upcoming blogs about the statistics and about what you can do.
For more information on Alzheimer's Disease and their advocacy platform please visit http://www.alzheimer.ca/english/society/advocacy_intro.htm
Friday, October 30, 2009
Step One...Write a letter
Below is a copy of the email I have sent to the premier and the Provincial Health Minister. Please feel free to copy it and send it to your elected representatives, the minister of health and the premier. Together we can make a difference and make sure that no-one has to suffer as Mr. Williams did and that no family needs to have the burden of worrying about how well a loved one is being looked after once they have been admitted to a hospital.
The names of the members of the Nova Scotia Legislature can be found at this link. http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/members/directory/constituencies.html
I am including the contact information for the premier and for the health minister below. Please copy and paste the links as required.
Emails or letters to the Premier, the minister of health and/or your elected represeentative will help.
The Premier of Nova Scotia - Darrell Dexter
Telephone: 902-424-6600
Fax: 902-424-7648
Toll-free Message Line: 1-800-267-1993
E-mail Address: premier@gov.ns.ca
Address:
Office of the Premier
PO Box 726
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2T3.
The Minister of Health for Nova Scotia Maureen MacDonald
Business Address:
Department of Health
4th Floor, Joseph Howe Building
1690 Hollis Street
P.O. Box 488
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2R8
Phone: (902) 424-3377
Fax: (902) 424-0559
health.minister@gov.ns.ca
Department of Health Promotion and Protection
5th Floor, Summit Place
1601 Lower Water Street
P.O. Box 487
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2R7
Phone: (902) 424-5627
Fax: (902) 424-7983
hppmin@gov.ns.ca
Constituency Office:
3115 Veith Street
Halifax, NS
B3K 3G9
Phone: (902) 455-2926
Fax: (902) 455-3929
mmacdonald@navnet.net
Email text sent October 30, 2009 to Premier Dexter and to Minister MacDonald.
The health care system is failing the very people it is in place to help, those who suffer from physical and mental illnesses. Recently the staff at the Aberdeen Hospital in Pictou, Nova Scotia failed to protect and provide a safe environment to a 69 year old man suffering from Alzheimer's and recovering from a heart attack. He spent four days in a storage room, had unexplained bruises on his body, and was bullied and assaulted while a patent at the hospital. A commissionaire at the hospital is awaiting trial on charges relating to one of these instances. If you are unfamiliar with the circumstances in this case please read the story at www.ngnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=296985&sc=49.
This is one example of the system failing miserably. As a concerned Nova Scotian I would like to know how this happened and what is and will be done to prevent a repeat of these events. I am sure there are ongoing studies which may or may not have any effect. However I would like the following questions answered now.
1. What is your government doing to ensure that all staff and representatives of the Regional Health Care Authorities, hospital staff members from CEOs to janitors to RNs to doctors to commissionaires and everyone in between, have the skills, abilities, training and attitudes necessary to provide care in a safe and non-threatening atmosphere?
2. What is being done to ensure that all hospital and health personnel coming in contact with patients, especially those with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, are trained in dealing with patients that can become easily agitated?
3. Have all non-qualified staff been removed from having direct contact with patients? If this has not already happened please advise what you are doing to have this put in place?
Your attention and response to this email would be appreciated.
Thank you.
The names of the members of the Nova Scotia Legislature can be found at this link. http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/members/directory/constituencies.html
I am including the contact information for the premier and for the health minister below. Please copy and paste the links as required.
Emails or letters to the Premier, the minister of health and/or your elected represeentative will help.
The Premier of Nova Scotia - Darrell Dexter
Telephone: 902-424-6600
Fax: 902-424-7648
Toll-free Message Line: 1-800-267-1993
E-mail Address: premier@gov.ns.ca
Address:
Office of the Premier
PO Box 726
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2T3.
The Minister of Health for Nova Scotia Maureen MacDonald
Business Address:
Department of Health
4th Floor, Joseph Howe Building
1690 Hollis Street
P.O. Box 488
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2R8
Phone: (902) 424-3377
Fax: (902) 424-0559
health.minister@gov.ns.ca
Department of Health Promotion and Protection
5th Floor, Summit Place
1601 Lower Water Street
P.O. Box 487
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2R7
Phone: (902) 424-5627
Fax: (902) 424-7983
hppmin@gov.ns.ca
Constituency Office:
3115 Veith Street
Halifax, NS
B3K 3G9
Phone: (902) 455-2926
Fax: (902) 455-3929
mmacdonald@navnet.net
Email text sent October 30, 2009 to Premier Dexter and to Minister MacDonald.
The health care system is failing the very people it is in place to help, those who suffer from physical and mental illnesses. Recently the staff at the Aberdeen Hospital in Pictou, Nova Scotia failed to protect and provide a safe environment to a 69 year old man suffering from Alzheimer's and recovering from a heart attack. He spent four days in a storage room, had unexplained bruises on his body, and was bullied and assaulted while a patent at the hospital. A commissionaire at the hospital is awaiting trial on charges relating to one of these instances. If you are unfamiliar with the circumstances in this case please read the story at www.ngnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=296985&sc=49.
This is one example of the system failing miserably. As a concerned Nova Scotian I would like to know how this happened and what is and will be done to prevent a repeat of these events. I am sure there are ongoing studies which may or may not have any effect. However I would like the following questions answered now.
1. What is your government doing to ensure that all staff and representatives of the Regional Health Care Authorities, hospital staff members from CEOs to janitors to RNs to doctors to commissionaires and everyone in between, have the skills, abilities, training and attitudes necessary to provide care in a safe and non-threatening atmosphere?
2. What is being done to ensure that all hospital and health personnel coming in contact with patients, especially those with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, are trained in dealing with patients that can become easily agitated?
3. Have all non-qualified staff been removed from having direct contact with patients? If this has not already happened please advise what you are doing to have this put in place?
Your attention and response to this email would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Security Guards are not Appropriate Care Givers
I am appalled by the treatment that Mr John Williams received at the Aberdeen Hospital. I would like to think that it is an isolated case and that it hasn't happened to others and that no-one else needs fear what treatment they will receive. But the question is there and it won't go away. Who is protecting the patients from the bullies and the badgers? How many failures in the system have never been disclosed? Scary thoughts.
I know that individuals who have not received the training required to do a job competently will usually fail, and in the case of caring for the ill, the elderly and the disadvantaged that failure can have serious consequences. Mr. Williams is the case in point. Tomorrow I will post the draft form of the first letter that I will be asking friends, family and acquaintances to complete and forward to their MLA and MP, as well as the Minister of Health and the premier. We need a strong letter writing campaign to voice concerns, demand action and improve communications.
I know that individuals who have not received the training required to do a job competently will usually fail, and in the case of caring for the ill, the elderly and the disadvantaged that failure can have serious consequences. Mr. Williams is the case in point. Tomorrow I will post the draft form of the first letter that I will be asking friends, family and acquaintances to complete and forward to their MLA and MP, as well as the Minister of Health and the premier. We need a strong letter writing campaign to voice concerns, demand action and improve communications.
Another voice heard ... Security Officers not Appropriate Patient Attendants
Mr. John Williams suffered from Alzheimer's and through no fault of his own or those of his family, he spent his last days bullied and beaten in the Aberdeen Hospital. The following is a voice from the side of the Commissionaires that are expected to perform duties for which they have had no training. And the story continues.
Security officers not appropriate patient attendants
By JOHN D. ALLEN
Thu. Oct 29 - 4:46 AM
As Canadians live longer and longer, our health care system’s acute and long-term facilities are facing some real challenges in caring for us in our advancing years. The recent alleged assault of an elderly Alzheimer’s patient by a hospital security guard is a graphic symptom of the system’s failure.
Alzheimer’s affects more than 500,000 Canadians, and the latest worldwide report on the disease estimates more than 35.6 million people are affected, up 10 per cent since 2005.
"The information in the 2009 World Alzheimer Report makes it clear that the crisis of dementia cannot be ignored," says Debbie Benczkowski, interim CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. "Unchecked, dementia will impose enormous burdens on individuals, families, health care infrastructures, and global economy."
I have been a security professional for more than 20 years; for four of those, I supervised the security teams assigned to three Nova Scotia hospitals. Juggling funding, staffing and bed availability, today’s nursing units have their hands full with the actively ill; and my colleagues and I became rapidly aware of the inability of the acute-care system to manage the behavioural issues associated with those suffering chronic brain injury.
From that experience, I am firm in the belief that the use of security staff as long-term patient attendants is an unacceptable, albeit convenient and cost-effective, substitute for trained mental-health professionals.
Alzheimer’s accounts for 64 per cent of all dementia cases and regardless of their skill and experience, the Dealing with Disturbed Persons, Non-violent Crisis Intervention and Pressure Point Control training received by many security staffers does not prepare you to safely engage the 60-year-old stroke victim who throws furniture; the psychotic senior who violently strikes everyone, including their own family; or the frail grandmother who screams day and night.
Furthermore "the deterrent factor" offered by a uniformed presence often serves only to enflame a situation, especially if paranoia is part of the patient’s illness. An omnipresent security guard, outside the door, only adds to the patient’s isolation, stigmatizes them and their family, and erodes what little dignity the disease has felt them.
A security officer should never be the primary care plan. It is a clear indication you are not coping.
I am not in any way justifying this particular incident; from media reports, the officer appears to have acted most inappropriately. But staff frustration quickly builds in these types of chronic situations and unfortunately, such incidents will continue, as more and more brain-injured patients languish in acute medical wards and mental-health units awaiting placement in long-term care facilities — many of which are reluctant to admit potentially violent persons because they themselves do not have the resources necessary to manage these residents.
Whether their condition is organic, caused by trauma or dementia, brain-injured Nova Scotians deserve the same level of dignity and care we all enjoy, and the need for properly trained health care professionals to deal with their special needs has been clear for some time.
Mahatma Gandhi said, "You can judge a society by how it treats its weakest members" — but the issue, as with everything in health care, is funding.
As we age and face the insidious prospect of our minds turning on us, specially trained orderlies and attendants will become a necessity if we hope to live in a dignified, caring environment.
John D. Allen lives in Halifax.
Security officers not appropriate patient attendants
By JOHN D. ALLEN
Thu. Oct 29 - 4:46 AM
As Canadians live longer and longer, our health care system’s acute and long-term facilities are facing some real challenges in caring for us in our advancing years. The recent alleged assault of an elderly Alzheimer’s patient by a hospital security guard is a graphic symptom of the system’s failure.
Alzheimer’s affects more than 500,000 Canadians, and the latest worldwide report on the disease estimates more than 35.6 million people are affected, up 10 per cent since 2005.
"The information in the 2009 World Alzheimer Report makes it clear that the crisis of dementia cannot be ignored," says Debbie Benczkowski, interim CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. "Unchecked, dementia will impose enormous burdens on individuals, families, health care infrastructures, and global economy."
I have been a security professional for more than 20 years; for four of those, I supervised the security teams assigned to three Nova Scotia hospitals. Juggling funding, staffing and bed availability, today’s nursing units have their hands full with the actively ill; and my colleagues and I became rapidly aware of the inability of the acute-care system to manage the behavioural issues associated with those suffering chronic brain injury.
From that experience, I am firm in the belief that the use of security staff as long-term patient attendants is an unacceptable, albeit convenient and cost-effective, substitute for trained mental-health professionals.
Alzheimer’s accounts for 64 per cent of all dementia cases and regardless of their skill and experience, the Dealing with Disturbed Persons, Non-violent Crisis Intervention and Pressure Point Control training received by many security staffers does not prepare you to safely engage the 60-year-old stroke victim who throws furniture; the psychotic senior who violently strikes everyone, including their own family; or the frail grandmother who screams day and night.
Furthermore "the deterrent factor" offered by a uniformed presence often serves only to enflame a situation, especially if paranoia is part of the patient’s illness. An omnipresent security guard, outside the door, only adds to the patient’s isolation, stigmatizes them and their family, and erodes what little dignity the disease has felt them.
A security officer should never be the primary care plan. It is a clear indication you are not coping.
I am not in any way justifying this particular incident; from media reports, the officer appears to have acted most inappropriately. But staff frustration quickly builds in these types of chronic situations and unfortunately, such incidents will continue, as more and more brain-injured patients languish in acute medical wards and mental-health units awaiting placement in long-term care facilities — many of which are reluctant to admit potentially violent persons because they themselves do not have the resources necessary to manage these residents.
Whether their condition is organic, caused by trauma or dementia, brain-injured Nova Scotians deserve the same level of dignity and care we all enjoy, and the need for properly trained health care professionals to deal with their special needs has been clear for some time.
Mahatma Gandhi said, "You can judge a society by how it treats its weakest members" — but the issue, as with everything in health care, is funding.
As we age and face the insidious prospect of our minds turning on us, specially trained orderlies and attendants will become a necessity if we hope to live in a dignified, caring environment.
John D. Allen lives in Halifax.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Update on the Arthritis Materials and Progress
First the positive, I lost two pounds this morning at weigh in. This is the lowest weight I have recorded in three years. Yippee! Going to keep moving and losing!
And the update on the continuing saga of the Arthritis brochures. They didn't arrive in time. The courier that promised they would be in Liverpool by 9:00 am this morning lied. That's what promising something and not delivering is...lying. The parcel was not there at 11:00 am. The parcel that was at the Truro bus station has made it as far as the Bridgewater bus terminal and I will pick it up tomorrow...but my talk was today. I had several brochures to hand out but not everything that I wanted. So I 'made do', I did 'good enough'. And I am not happy that I was placed in that position. Changes must be made, more conversations and more followup and more monitoring. Of course after this I may not be needed as a speaker by the Arthritis Society.
And the update on the continuing saga of the Arthritis brochures. They didn't arrive in time. The courier that promised they would be in Liverpool by 9:00 am this morning lied. That's what promising something and not delivering is...lying. The parcel was not there at 11:00 am. The parcel that was at the Truro bus station has made it as far as the Bridgewater bus terminal and I will pick it up tomorrow...but my talk was today. I had several brochures to hand out but not everything that I wanted. So I 'made do', I did 'good enough'. And I am not happy that I was placed in that position. Changes must be made, more conversations and more followup and more monitoring. Of course after this I may not be needed as a speaker by the Arthritis Society.
Shame on Aberdeen Hospital
Following is the article that appeared in the Pictou County News about Mr. John Williams...the victim of the Health Care System.
Commissionaire charged with assault
by JENNIFER VARDY LITTLE
The News
NEW GLASGOW – A Pictou County man spent his last days “terrified” after he was slapped and kicked by a security guard at the Aberdeen Hospital.
John “Jackie” Williams, 69, was “never the same” after a Sept. 16 incident with Nova Scotia Commissionaire Raymond Cameron, who allegedly struck the Alzheimer’s patient across the face with enough force to knock his glasses off, says Williams’ daughter, Bernice Theriault.
Williams had been admitted into the hospital in June when he had his first heart attack, which sped up the effects of his Alzheimer’s. While he was in ICU, the family made the difficult decision to apply for long-term care for him.
Theriault says her mother, June, has a health condition of her own and couldn’t care for him at home any longer, and her only sister in the county, Paula Pellerine, runs her own business and couldn’t provide enough help. Theriault lives near Bridgewater, while a third sister, Donna Boyle, resides in Calgary.
“We thought we were doing the right thing,” Theriault said softly. “Mom said at an Alzheimer’s support meeting that if she knew what he’d have to go through, she would’ve let him die at home from the heart attack he had that night.”
She believes the incident caused her father so much stress and concern it contributed to the heart attack he suffered two weeks later. He died Oct. 10.
“My father was a law-abiding citizen – if the speed limit was 90, he went 89, did everything by the letter of the law,” Theriault said. “I will believe forever that the added stress, the fear, the pressure, contributed to his heart attack. He knew something had happened.”
It was Williams himself who told his wife of the incident when she came to visit him an hour after it occurred.
“Dad was laying down in bed and told her, ‘I’m in big trouble.’ Mom told him, ‘No, you’re not.’ That’s when he told her a security guard slapped him across the face,” Theriault said.
“He was terrified. He was scared by the uniforms. Raymond Cameron is a big man – my father was big as well, but he wasn’t anywhere near as big as Raymond Cameron was.”
Her mom was left in absolute disbelief, she said. Moments later, a nurse called her into the hospital to fill her in on the details.
Theriault got the call that evening from her mother, who told her of the incident. The next morning, she drove to New Glasgow.
“My first thought? We have to get him out of there. Obviously, they couldn’t care less. We felt like he wasn’t safe,” she said.
The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 16. Williams was a “wanderer,” meaning he often left his room to wander the 22-bed acute care unit on the fifth floor of the Aberdeen.
Ruby Knowles, community health and continuing care vice-president with the Pictou County Health Authority, says the physical set-up of the unit isn’t appropriate for people who wander, unlike an actual nursing home.
“We’re limited with our physical space – that’s left us to use patient sitters when individuals wander off,” she explained.
A commissionaire was usually assigned to sit outside his door and follow him around the unit, preventing him from leaving the floor. Before that arrangement was put in place, Theriault said, he’d sometimes leave the floor and have to be tracked down by commissionaires – and seeing the uniforms frightened Williams.
“They intimidated him,” she said.
On the day of the incident, Williams had knocked over a rocking chair while on his way to the elevator. Staff called for a second commissionaire – Cameron – to come to the floor and assist.
“By the time he got there, everything was calmed down,” Theriault said, but the sight of Cameron caused her father to become upset again.
An internal report conducted by the hospital says that’s when Williams kicked Cameron in the shins, and Cameron kicked him back.
Nurses brought a wheelchair and the report says Cameron pushed Williams into it, took him back to his room and slapped him in the face, knocking off his glasses.
“He acted like a bully,” Theriault said.
The incident sparked two investigations, one by the PCHA which concluded last week, and the other by the provincial Health Department, which the PCHA was required to contact under the Persons in Care Act. The second investigation is expected to wrap up at the end of the month.
The following day, the family contacted New Glasgow police who launched their own investigation. Cameron was charged with assault on Sept. 17 and was slated to be arraigned in court on Dec. 21 for the incident, but the family has been told the charges are going through the Adult Diversion Program.
That program allows a post-charge alternative to a court proceeding for minor criminal offences, and according to the Nova Scotia Justice website, resolution is accomplished faster and the offender is held more immediately accountable. The offender does not have a criminal record if they successfully complete the program.
It doesn’t sit well with Theriault.
“My understanding is that he confessed and it will be going through adult diversion – I’ve been told he likely won’t ever see the inside of the court room,” she said. “I hope we, as a family, have some say – I don’t want him doing community service in a seniors’ home.”
Cameron, who was not a direct employee of the hospital, but was part of a contracted service, is no longer allowed to work for the hospital.
Cameron did not return calls from The News on Thursday. He was a longtime town councillor in Westville, former police officer, former chairman of the town’s police board and last year’s Volunteer of the Year for Westville.
This may have been the most serious incident, but the family says this wasn’t the only one that occurred while Williams resided in the unit.
The first occurred Aug. 21, when Williams got up through the night and began wandering around his room looking for a bathroom.
“He had a mental block when it came to the bathroom,” Theriault said. “He’d open doors, looking for it. He’d even open the door to the bathroom and not recognize it.”
That night, he opened his roommate’s closet, who told Williams to get out of there. The two men exchanged words and Williams pushed him.
“They considered him the aggressor, so he was moved.”
The only bed available in the middle of the night was in a room the family dubbed the “storage room.” Once a four-bed unit, it now stored items like unused IV poles and walkers.
“This was a man with Alzheimer’s, whose brain works differently than you and me, who couldn’t even make it to the window to look out because of all these items,” she said.
The family didn’t know about the incident until the next morning, when Theriault’s sister, Pellerine, arrived to feed him breakfast.
“He couldn’t get the covers off the containers of food or pour the milk on his cereal, so she would go to the hospital every morning at 6:30 to feed him breakfast,” Theriault explained. “She saw the blanket my sister from Calgary had sent him in the room, and found my father in the lounge. He was still in his pajamas, so she was going to take him back to his room to get changed. The nurse told her she couldn’t go in there anymore.”
Williams remained in the room for four days, until the family complained. He was later moved to a private room.
“Unfortunately, he was not moved to an appropriate room the following day and was not actually moved until Monday,” said Knowles. “It shouldn’t have happened, we regret that it happened, and we certainly talked to staff as well.”
The second incident occurred Sept. 12, just days before Williams was abused. Pellerine was visiting again and wanted to help her father clean up.
When she pulled off his shirt, she discovered his torso covered with bruises, including a large bruise on the back of his upper arm that was deep purple in the centre.
“No one had any answers how that occurred,” Theriault said, but the family wonders and worries if this was an earlier incident of abuse that no one caught.
“That’s the first thing my sister said – she wondered if someone missed something, if that was how he got all those bruises.”
The Pictou County Health Authority has expressed deep regret that the incident ever occurred.
“We deeply regret the incident happened, and we’ve acknowledged that to the family – it was very, very difficult for the family,” said Knowles.
The fifth-floor unit was only set up two years ago, and Knowles says the PCHA is still working out the kinks.
“That’s no excuse for the assault, because there is no excuse for that.”
But the health authority is taking steps to ensure nothing like this ever happens again in their facilities. Since the incident occurred, the hospital has done an internal review to determine who the best personnel are to serve as a “patient sitter,” a role that has, in the past, been done exclusively by the commissionaires. The PCHA is also looking into additional training for those personnel who serve as one-on-one supervisors for patients, including how to work with patients with challenging behaviour.
The unit itself poses challenges as well. It’s not set up in the same way as a nursing home – there’s limited physical space, she said, and there are a limited number of beds. All 22 beds in the unit are typically full and often, long-term care patients often also occupy regular medical beds.
“We’re going to look at anything else we can do in our physical space to make the environment a little homier,” she added.
The PCHA is taking other steps in the wake of this incident, such as establishing a Caregiver’s Council with staff, patients and families where people can raise any concerns they have about the care long-term patients receive. Nursing homes usually have a similar council in place, Knowles added.
The PCHA will also follow any directives given from the provincial review, she said.
Lloyd Brown, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia, said this incident should be looked at on two levels.
"We always have to have zero tolerance, no matter how and why it happens."
Brown said it should also be kept in mind that hospital emergency departments and acute care facilities are not designed to provide the kind of care needed by Alzheimer's patients.
"It's a system issue that needs to be dealt with at a system level…We are all called upon, it's sort of a heads-up so we try to avoid this happening in the future."
Jackie’s Journey
Theriault and her family, however, want assurances that no other family will ever go through this sort of thing.
“We were a family in crisis,” she says softly. “We’re no longer a family in crisis. My father’s gone. But they’re still out there.”
There are currently 6,997 long-term care beds in Nova Scotia – but there’s a waiting list of nearly 1,300 patients.
“In my opinion, what needs to come out of this is something to help those families in crisis,” she said.
Right now, only 40 hours of home care is available to families who choose to keep their loved ones at home while awaiting beds – something that’s nowhere near enough support, Theriault said.
She’s contacted the three Pictou County MLAs, Central Nova MP Peter MacKay, Premier Darrell Dexter and every other politician she can think of, campaigning for government support to increase the number of beds available to Alzheimer and dementia patients.
“The population is aging – by the time new beds get opened, the number of beds needed will double to 2,600,” she said. “The population of people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia is doubling every six months. We need to help these families before they get in crisis.”
That’s why the family has launched a fundraising campaign called Jackie’s Journey. The campaign will raise funds that will go to groups like the Alzheimer’s Support Group to help them lobby government for more assistance to Alzheimer’s patients.
Anyone interested in donating can mail a cheque to PO Box 3372, Stellarton, NS, B0K 1S0.
Commissionaire charged with assault
by JENNIFER VARDY LITTLE
The News
NEW GLASGOW – A Pictou County man spent his last days “terrified” after he was slapped and kicked by a security guard at the Aberdeen Hospital.
John “Jackie” Williams, 69, was “never the same” after a Sept. 16 incident with Nova Scotia Commissionaire Raymond Cameron, who allegedly struck the Alzheimer’s patient across the face with enough force to knock his glasses off, says Williams’ daughter, Bernice Theriault.
Williams had been admitted into the hospital in June when he had his first heart attack, which sped up the effects of his Alzheimer’s. While he was in ICU, the family made the difficult decision to apply for long-term care for him.
Theriault says her mother, June, has a health condition of her own and couldn’t care for him at home any longer, and her only sister in the county, Paula Pellerine, runs her own business and couldn’t provide enough help. Theriault lives near Bridgewater, while a third sister, Donna Boyle, resides in Calgary.
“We thought we were doing the right thing,” Theriault said softly. “Mom said at an Alzheimer’s support meeting that if she knew what he’d have to go through, she would’ve let him die at home from the heart attack he had that night.”
She believes the incident caused her father so much stress and concern it contributed to the heart attack he suffered two weeks later. He died Oct. 10.
“My father was a law-abiding citizen – if the speed limit was 90, he went 89, did everything by the letter of the law,” Theriault said. “I will believe forever that the added stress, the fear, the pressure, contributed to his heart attack. He knew something had happened.”
It was Williams himself who told his wife of the incident when she came to visit him an hour after it occurred.
“Dad was laying down in bed and told her, ‘I’m in big trouble.’ Mom told him, ‘No, you’re not.’ That’s when he told her a security guard slapped him across the face,” Theriault said.
“He was terrified. He was scared by the uniforms. Raymond Cameron is a big man – my father was big as well, but he wasn’t anywhere near as big as Raymond Cameron was.”
Her mom was left in absolute disbelief, she said. Moments later, a nurse called her into the hospital to fill her in on the details.
Theriault got the call that evening from her mother, who told her of the incident. The next morning, she drove to New Glasgow.
“My first thought? We have to get him out of there. Obviously, they couldn’t care less. We felt like he wasn’t safe,” she said.
The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 16. Williams was a “wanderer,” meaning he often left his room to wander the 22-bed acute care unit on the fifth floor of the Aberdeen.
Ruby Knowles, community health and continuing care vice-president with the Pictou County Health Authority, says the physical set-up of the unit isn’t appropriate for people who wander, unlike an actual nursing home.
“We’re limited with our physical space – that’s left us to use patient sitters when individuals wander off,” she explained.
A commissionaire was usually assigned to sit outside his door and follow him around the unit, preventing him from leaving the floor. Before that arrangement was put in place, Theriault said, he’d sometimes leave the floor and have to be tracked down by commissionaires – and seeing the uniforms frightened Williams.
“They intimidated him,” she said.
On the day of the incident, Williams had knocked over a rocking chair while on his way to the elevator. Staff called for a second commissionaire – Cameron – to come to the floor and assist.
“By the time he got there, everything was calmed down,” Theriault said, but the sight of Cameron caused her father to become upset again.
An internal report conducted by the hospital says that’s when Williams kicked Cameron in the shins, and Cameron kicked him back.
Nurses brought a wheelchair and the report says Cameron pushed Williams into it, took him back to his room and slapped him in the face, knocking off his glasses.
“He acted like a bully,” Theriault said.
The incident sparked two investigations, one by the PCHA which concluded last week, and the other by the provincial Health Department, which the PCHA was required to contact under the Persons in Care Act. The second investigation is expected to wrap up at the end of the month.
The following day, the family contacted New Glasgow police who launched their own investigation. Cameron was charged with assault on Sept. 17 and was slated to be arraigned in court on Dec. 21 for the incident, but the family has been told the charges are going through the Adult Diversion Program.
That program allows a post-charge alternative to a court proceeding for minor criminal offences, and according to the Nova Scotia Justice website, resolution is accomplished faster and the offender is held more immediately accountable. The offender does not have a criminal record if they successfully complete the program.
It doesn’t sit well with Theriault.
“My understanding is that he confessed and it will be going through adult diversion – I’ve been told he likely won’t ever see the inside of the court room,” she said. “I hope we, as a family, have some say – I don’t want him doing community service in a seniors’ home.”
Cameron, who was not a direct employee of the hospital, but was part of a contracted service, is no longer allowed to work for the hospital.
Cameron did not return calls from The News on Thursday. He was a longtime town councillor in Westville, former police officer, former chairman of the town’s police board and last year’s Volunteer of the Year for Westville.
This may have been the most serious incident, but the family says this wasn’t the only one that occurred while Williams resided in the unit.
The first occurred Aug. 21, when Williams got up through the night and began wandering around his room looking for a bathroom.
“He had a mental block when it came to the bathroom,” Theriault said. “He’d open doors, looking for it. He’d even open the door to the bathroom and not recognize it.”
That night, he opened his roommate’s closet, who told Williams to get out of there. The two men exchanged words and Williams pushed him.
“They considered him the aggressor, so he was moved.”
The only bed available in the middle of the night was in a room the family dubbed the “storage room.” Once a four-bed unit, it now stored items like unused IV poles and walkers.
“This was a man with Alzheimer’s, whose brain works differently than you and me, who couldn’t even make it to the window to look out because of all these items,” she said.
The family didn’t know about the incident until the next morning, when Theriault’s sister, Pellerine, arrived to feed him breakfast.
“He couldn’t get the covers off the containers of food or pour the milk on his cereal, so she would go to the hospital every morning at 6:30 to feed him breakfast,” Theriault explained. “She saw the blanket my sister from Calgary had sent him in the room, and found my father in the lounge. He was still in his pajamas, so she was going to take him back to his room to get changed. The nurse told her she couldn’t go in there anymore.”
Williams remained in the room for four days, until the family complained. He was later moved to a private room.
“Unfortunately, he was not moved to an appropriate room the following day and was not actually moved until Monday,” said Knowles. “It shouldn’t have happened, we regret that it happened, and we certainly talked to staff as well.”
The second incident occurred Sept. 12, just days before Williams was abused. Pellerine was visiting again and wanted to help her father clean up.
When she pulled off his shirt, she discovered his torso covered with bruises, including a large bruise on the back of his upper arm that was deep purple in the centre.
“No one had any answers how that occurred,” Theriault said, but the family wonders and worries if this was an earlier incident of abuse that no one caught.
“That’s the first thing my sister said – she wondered if someone missed something, if that was how he got all those bruises.”
The Pictou County Health Authority has expressed deep regret that the incident ever occurred.
“We deeply regret the incident happened, and we’ve acknowledged that to the family – it was very, very difficult for the family,” said Knowles.
The fifth-floor unit was only set up two years ago, and Knowles says the PCHA is still working out the kinks.
“That’s no excuse for the assault, because there is no excuse for that.”
But the health authority is taking steps to ensure nothing like this ever happens again in their facilities. Since the incident occurred, the hospital has done an internal review to determine who the best personnel are to serve as a “patient sitter,” a role that has, in the past, been done exclusively by the commissionaires. The PCHA is also looking into additional training for those personnel who serve as one-on-one supervisors for patients, including how to work with patients with challenging behaviour.
The unit itself poses challenges as well. It’s not set up in the same way as a nursing home – there’s limited physical space, she said, and there are a limited number of beds. All 22 beds in the unit are typically full and often, long-term care patients often also occupy regular medical beds.
“We’re going to look at anything else we can do in our physical space to make the environment a little homier,” she added.
The PCHA is taking other steps in the wake of this incident, such as establishing a Caregiver’s Council with staff, patients and families where people can raise any concerns they have about the care long-term patients receive. Nursing homes usually have a similar council in place, Knowles added.
The PCHA will also follow any directives given from the provincial review, she said.
Lloyd Brown, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia, said this incident should be looked at on two levels.
"We always have to have zero tolerance, no matter how and why it happens."
Brown said it should also be kept in mind that hospital emergency departments and acute care facilities are not designed to provide the kind of care needed by Alzheimer's patients.
"It's a system issue that needs to be dealt with at a system level…We are all called upon, it's sort of a heads-up so we try to avoid this happening in the future."
Jackie’s Journey
Theriault and her family, however, want assurances that no other family will ever go through this sort of thing.
“We were a family in crisis,” she says softly. “We’re no longer a family in crisis. My father’s gone. But they’re still out there.”
There are currently 6,997 long-term care beds in Nova Scotia – but there’s a waiting list of nearly 1,300 patients.
“In my opinion, what needs to come out of this is something to help those families in crisis,” she said.
Right now, only 40 hours of home care is available to families who choose to keep their loved ones at home while awaiting beds – something that’s nowhere near enough support, Theriault said.
She’s contacted the three Pictou County MLAs, Central Nova MP Peter MacKay, Premier Darrell Dexter and every other politician she can think of, campaigning for government support to increase the number of beds available to Alzheimer and dementia patients.
“The population is aging – by the time new beds get opened, the number of beds needed will double to 2,600,” she said. “The population of people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia is doubling every six months. We need to help these families before they get in crisis.”
That’s why the family has launched a fundraising campaign called Jackie’s Journey. The campaign will raise funds that will go to groups like the Alzheimer’s Support Group to help them lobby government for more assistance to Alzheimer’s patients.
Anyone interested in donating can mail a cheque to PO Box 3372, Stellarton, NS, B0K 1S0.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Attitude or Ability?
I am a guest speaker for the Arthritis Society. That means that I volunteer my time (and put gas in my car) to make presentations about arthritis to groups that are interested in learning more about the condition and the symptoms. In early October I knew I would be speaking to two groups during the month and I called the Halifax office of the Arthritis Society to replenish my supply of brochures. I placed my order and thought nothing more of it, until October 14th, the day before my first talk. And you guessed it, the materials hadn't arrived. I made do...found materials and had a variety of brochures and information to share with the 25 or so people present. True I could have followed up sooner and in a less busy month I probably would have, but I put my trust in the voice on the other end of the telephone that had assured me that the materials would be here on time.
On October 21st I finally followed up by called the Halifax office again, only to be told the person I had spoken to earlier was away. After a few minutes of conversation I was assured that the parcel would be sent by bus and that I would have it in lots of time for the October 28th commitment. When I returned home Monday evening (October 26th) there was a voice mail from the bus station saying there was a package for me...great news! BUT the parcel was in Truro, NS which is about 3 hours from where I live. In fact Halifax is an hour closer to me. The parcel had made its way to the wrong depot...not Bridgewater as I had requested but Truro.
This morning I called the Halifax office of the Arthritis Society again. And I think the situation is going to be solved in time for my talk tomorrow. I spoke to the Director this time and she seems to be problem solving by sending a package by courier to a drop off point where someone can pick it up and bring it to the meeting tomorrow afternoon. We had a very direct conversation about my expectations and about the roadblocks that I had been experiencing.
This is an example of a minor irritation...or is it? If this is the level of service that is offered, then how effective is the program planning from that office.
There are really only two reasons why tasks do not get completed in a timely manner...one is attitude and the other is ability. Attitude cannot be changed by anyone except the person involved. Ability may mean that the skills are missing and training is required, or it may mean that the time available is exceeded by the number of tasks assigned. In this case either the person needs to improve efficiency or the system in place needs to be modified so that the completion of promised actions is timely and accurate.
It seems that everywhere I look these days there are examples of misses, near misses, or in the case of Mr Williams in the Pictou Hospital just plain disasters: all because of failure to complete an assigned task. I am tired of the "good enough"attitude I see all too frequently.
I am pleased that my situation with the Arthritis Society appears to be resolved (tomorrow will tell the tale) but I am now wondering just how efficient that whole operation is and how much of the donation dollar is spent retrieving parcels from the wrong destination, resending materials, and other mix ups that I can only guess at.
On October 21st I finally followed up by called the Halifax office again, only to be told the person I had spoken to earlier was away. After a few minutes of conversation I was assured that the parcel would be sent by bus and that I would have it in lots of time for the October 28th commitment. When I returned home Monday evening (October 26th) there was a voice mail from the bus station saying there was a package for me...great news! BUT the parcel was in Truro, NS which is about 3 hours from where I live. In fact Halifax is an hour closer to me. The parcel had made its way to the wrong depot...not Bridgewater as I had requested but Truro.
This morning I called the Halifax office of the Arthritis Society again. And I think the situation is going to be solved in time for my talk tomorrow. I spoke to the Director this time and she seems to be problem solving by sending a package by courier to a drop off point where someone can pick it up and bring it to the meeting tomorrow afternoon. We had a very direct conversation about my expectations and about the roadblocks that I had been experiencing.
This is an example of a minor irritation...or is it? If this is the level of service that is offered, then how effective is the program planning from that office.
There are really only two reasons why tasks do not get completed in a timely manner...one is attitude and the other is ability. Attitude cannot be changed by anyone except the person involved. Ability may mean that the skills are missing and training is required, or it may mean that the time available is exceeded by the number of tasks assigned. In this case either the person needs to improve efficiency or the system in place needs to be modified so that the completion of promised actions is timely and accurate.
It seems that everywhere I look these days there are examples of misses, near misses, or in the case of Mr Williams in the Pictou Hospital just plain disasters: all because of failure to complete an assigned task. I am tired of the "good enough"attitude I see all too frequently.
I am pleased that my situation with the Arthritis Society appears to be resolved (tomorrow will tell the tale) but I am now wondering just how efficient that whole operation is and how much of the donation dollar is spent retrieving parcels from the wrong destination, resending materials, and other mix ups that I can only guess at.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
When Systems Fail and People Suffer
Life is not fair. This is not a surprise to me, in fact I routinely tell people just that. But over the past month I have had the unfortunate and very unpleasant experience of seeing just how unjust and unfair circumstances can be when a system that is meant to provide care and safety breaks down and the helpless become victims.
A man I never met is at the heart of my story. Mr Williams of Pictou County Nova Scotia was the father of a woman I both admire and respect. If she is an example of his values and his strengths he was a remarkable man. He was in his late 60's, not so many years older than my husband and myself. He must have worked and planned for the golden years, the years when his children were happy and grown, when he and his wife of decades could spend time together doing all those "someday'' things. You know the ones I mean, when we retire we will spend time with friends, volunteer at the church suppers, go on a trip etc. We all have the list.
Mr Williams had Alzheimer's disease, he had been a sufferer for over three years. This disrupted his life and his routines and the lives of those nearest and dearest to him. Alzheimer's makes us need the familiar, resist changes and it makes us frightened when we are placed in an unknown place or are around people we don't know. This summer Mr Williams suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized. He would not live to come home but for the remaining few months of his life, he was bruised and beaten on more than one occasion and his family members were put through untold agony and worry.
The fine Canadian health care system failed Mr Williams and his family. Or more specifically, the health care system of Pictou County Nova Scotia and our municipal, provincial and federal politicians failed Mr Williams.
The press following this story have brought out the facts. But where are our politicians, not just the keepers of our health care system but the very people who need to design and implement the changes and the policies.
Nothing will help Mr Williams but his family desperately need to know that changes will take place. They need to see improvements so that they will have some small comfort in the fact that the people who failed Mr Williams will not disappoint or damage another family.
Someone has been charged for the physical abuse Mr Williams suffered, the court date is in December. But the question should be asked, how did that person get to be in a position of trust in a hospital with ill patients who cannot defend themselves, in fact patients who in many cases have mental demons to fight.
I realize there are limited resources, that finances are tight in our province, that there is no magic wand to be waved and everything will be all right. Having a warm body available for a job, a position, or a volunteer post does not mean "we" should put the basic requirements for human safety and dignity aside because no other alternative is obvious. We all need to look for solutions that will not perpetuate a system that fails, we need to look beyond what is now commonly accepted and find the darkness lurking behind the scenes and get solutions in place. The population is aging and the face of society is changing. How will the increasing numbers of Alzheimer's sufferers be accommodated? How will the aging be cared for? When you are in your 70's and have lost the mind and body of your youth where will you be living and who will be offering you basic care?
For all the details please read the story www.ngnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=296985&sc=49.
A man I never met is at the heart of my story. Mr Williams of Pictou County Nova Scotia was the father of a woman I both admire and respect. If she is an example of his values and his strengths he was a remarkable man. He was in his late 60's, not so many years older than my husband and myself. He must have worked and planned for the golden years, the years when his children were happy and grown, when he and his wife of decades could spend time together doing all those "someday'' things. You know the ones I mean, when we retire we will spend time with friends, volunteer at the church suppers, go on a trip etc. We all have the list.
Mr Williams had Alzheimer's disease, he had been a sufferer for over three years. This disrupted his life and his routines and the lives of those nearest and dearest to him. Alzheimer's makes us need the familiar, resist changes and it makes us frightened when we are placed in an unknown place or are around people we don't know. This summer Mr Williams suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized. He would not live to come home but for the remaining few months of his life, he was bruised and beaten on more than one occasion and his family members were put through untold agony and worry.
The fine Canadian health care system failed Mr Williams and his family. Or more specifically, the health care system of Pictou County Nova Scotia and our municipal, provincial and federal politicians failed Mr Williams.
The press following this story have brought out the facts. But where are our politicians, not just the keepers of our health care system but the very people who need to design and implement the changes and the policies.
Nothing will help Mr Williams but his family desperately need to know that changes will take place. They need to see improvements so that they will have some small comfort in the fact that the people who failed Mr Williams will not disappoint or damage another family.
Someone has been charged for the physical abuse Mr Williams suffered, the court date is in December. But the question should be asked, how did that person get to be in a position of trust in a hospital with ill patients who cannot defend themselves, in fact patients who in many cases have mental demons to fight.
I realize there are limited resources, that finances are tight in our province, that there is no magic wand to be waved and everything will be all right. Having a warm body available for a job, a position, or a volunteer post does not mean "we" should put the basic requirements for human safety and dignity aside because no other alternative is obvious. We all need to look for solutions that will not perpetuate a system that fails, we need to look beyond what is now commonly accepted and find the darkness lurking behind the scenes and get solutions in place. The population is aging and the face of society is changing. How will the increasing numbers of Alzheimer's sufferers be accommodated? How will the aging be cared for? When you are in your 70's and have lost the mind and body of your youth where will you be living and who will be offering you basic care?
For all the details please read the story www.ngnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=296985&sc=49.
Decision Made
A small decision at best but the Google ads are gone from my blogs. Following the advice of someone who "knows"I had allowed ads to be placed on both of my blogs. I have been uncomfortable with both the placement and the content. I have struggled at times to try to understand what relationship some of the ads had to my content. But there are many things in life I will never be able to explain and that is just one more.
Effective immediately, no ads on my blogs...unless it is a shameless plug for something I am selling or something of value that a friend or business acquaintance is offering.
Effective immediately, no ads on my blogs...unless it is a shameless plug for something I am selling or something of value that a friend or business acquaintance is offering.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Back to the Gym
I finally connected with a dear friend yesterday for lunch and found out that she had started an exercise routine at our local gym. And this morning at 7:00 am. we were both there treading the treadmills and pushing those levers and lifting those weights. Only 30 minutes for me but I feel good, mentally and physically.
I have had injections in both of my knees for arthritis and wow what a difference. I am having trouble adjusting to the reduction in the pain levels. Sounds crazy but I am getting back a memory of free movement without crippling pain. The hip is still crunching away but even the pain levels there are reduced since the shot in the knee on that side. So I owe an apology to my doctor who said that would happen and I doubted him and stated so.
I have pledged to my TOPS chapter members that I will lose a pound a week for the next 10 weeks... and I will do it.
I hope everyone gets to feel the energy levels that I have at this moment.
I have had injections in both of my knees for arthritis and wow what a difference. I am having trouble adjusting to the reduction in the pain levels. Sounds crazy but I am getting back a memory of free movement without crippling pain. The hip is still crunching away but even the pain levels there are reduced since the shot in the knee on that side. So I owe an apology to my doctor who said that would happen and I doubted him and stated so.
I have pledged to my TOPS chapter members that I will lose a pound a week for the next 10 weeks... and I will do it.
I hope everyone gets to feel the energy levels that I have at this moment.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Another Rainy Day
After a great Monday and an okay Tuesday we have a rainy, wet and dreary Wednesday. The friendly guy at the left is one of dozens of scarecrows taking part in the annual ScareCrow festival in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. This little community was packed with sightseers and visitors on Saturday. There was a best pie contest with over 60 entries...no tasting though judging was on looks alone.
Traffic jams and people walking and taking pictures and having a good time. A beautiful fall day.
Friday, September 25, 2009
A Success
Last evening six local Chambers of Commerce hosted a Gala Dinner where Business Excellence Awards were presented in six categories. As the chair of the organizing committee I have spent the day analyzing the good and the not so good about the evening. After the hours of hard work by the committee it is almost a letdown to find myself in the day after. But the biggest emotion is relief. Yes the event went well, inspite of a last minute replacement of the guest speaker and shuffling and juggling the seating arrangements trying to keep everyone happy. And we proved once again that you can never please everyone.
Already we are planning how to make next year's event bigger and of course better.
Already we are planning how to make next year's event bigger and of course better.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Update
The time is slipping past...more like hurling past like a truck going 150 miles per hour. So much to do, so little time. I am normally a very organized person, time management is a strong skill of mine. BUT for some reason I have overcommitted and I am slowing down, it now takes longer to do the routine stuff and I haven't been making provisions for that.
We did have another fabulous weekend. Another car show and a chance to have a tasty (and healthy) lunch at the cafe at the Sherbrooke Village Museum. Home made soup and 1/2 of a chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread. Yum. But we were there between showers so my legs and hips were aching and I couldn't spend as much time walking around as I would have liked.
New plan. Walk for 10 to 15 minutes three times a week. One other member of my TOPS group also has difficulty keeping up with the avid walkers. There are some in my group that walk 5 kms a day two or three times a week. I just can't do that and I don't want to even try to keep up with any of them. They go too fast and I need to start at my own pace. Joan and I (and maybe Maralyn) will meet Friday afternoon for a 15 minute walk. A good start! Who knows where and how far we will be able to work up to.
I did have a 1.5 lb gain this morning at weigh in. Not really a surprise, I missed last weeks meeting and we have been eating in restaurants the last two weekends. And some of my choices weren't very good ones. But today is a new day and I will do better this week. My goal is to lose the 1.5 lbs and another pound as well...a total of 2.5 lbs this week.
Another visit to a chapter. Another great group of people. I get encouragement from each of the group meetings I attend. Everyone has one thing in common...they want to be healthier and to lose weight.
Plans are starting for the IRD in Halifax next summer. It is going to be great! Exciting and the place to be in mid July 2010.
We did have another fabulous weekend. Another car show and a chance to have a tasty (and healthy) lunch at the cafe at the Sherbrooke Village Museum. Home made soup and 1/2 of a chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread. Yum. But we were there between showers so my legs and hips were aching and I couldn't spend as much time walking around as I would have liked.
New plan. Walk for 10 to 15 minutes three times a week. One other member of my TOPS group also has difficulty keeping up with the avid walkers. There are some in my group that walk 5 kms a day two or three times a week. I just can't do that and I don't want to even try to keep up with any of them. They go too fast and I need to start at my own pace. Joan and I (and maybe Maralyn) will meet Friday afternoon for a 15 minute walk. A good start! Who knows where and how far we will be able to work up to.
I did have a 1.5 lb gain this morning at weigh in. Not really a surprise, I missed last weeks meeting and we have been eating in restaurants the last two weekends. And some of my choices weren't very good ones. But today is a new day and I will do better this week. My goal is to lose the 1.5 lbs and another pound as well...a total of 2.5 lbs this week.
Another visit to a chapter. Another great group of people. I get encouragement from each of the group meetings I attend. Everyone has one thing in common...they want to be healthier and to lose weight.
Plans are starting for the IRD in Halifax next summer. It is going to be great! Exciting and the place to be in mid July 2010.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Another week, another visit
I got to visit another TOPS chapter this week. What a great group. They are looking forward to getting back into a healthier life style...the summer and vacation times have been tough. Aren't we all looking forward to routines and schedules. Summer is great but unplanned and irregular.
I have been working extra hours at the day job...special events and things that demand my attention. And of course that puts added pressures on an already tight schedule. Too many things, not enough time.
I am looking forward to more fun things this weekend. A TOPS meeting on Saturday and maybe another car show on Sunday.
I have been working extra hours at the day job...special events and things that demand my attention. And of course that puts added pressures on an already tight schedule. Too many things, not enough time.
I am looking forward to more fun things this weekend. A TOPS meeting on Saturday and maybe another car show on Sunday.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
And The Winner Is ...
Me! I think I have sorted out my new computer. It now is acting like a productivity tool not an opinionated hunk of technology, meaning I am finally getting to understand and learn what does what. Not an easy task for someone who hasn't bought a new computer in the last decade.
I went to my TOPS meeting this morning and stayed the same which is sometimes a good thing although I do need to start losing the weight. Summers are tough for me but now that cooler weather is here I have no excuse except lack of motivation and I think I am motivated...at least I will work on that.
I had the opportunity to visit another of the TOPS chapters that I work with on Monday night. What a great bunch of people. They were so friendly and welcoming. I really love having the chance to get to chapter meetings and to meet all the terrific members of TOPS. I am now working with 20 chapters from New Ross/Gold River chapters to Baccaro in Shelburne County. Wide area geographically but all great groups. I am working on getting visits scheduled to the chapters that I haven't visited yet. In September or October.
I went to my TOPS meeting this morning and stayed the same which is sometimes a good thing although I do need to start losing the weight. Summers are tough for me but now that cooler weather is here I have no excuse except lack of motivation and I think I am motivated...at least I will work on that.
I had the opportunity to visit another of the TOPS chapters that I work with on Monday night. What a great bunch of people. They were so friendly and welcoming. I really love having the chance to get to chapter meetings and to meet all the terrific members of TOPS. I am now working with 20 chapters from New Ross/Gold River chapters to Baccaro in Shelburne County. Wide area geographically but all great groups. I am working on getting visits scheduled to the chapters that I haven't visited yet. In September or October.
Monday, August 31, 2009
And the Struggle Continues
With the computer...and with my weight. On Saturday our TOPS group had a fundraiser. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay to the end because of my arthritis. It was a very rainy day and I was in agony. I am so looking forward to an injection in my knee next week, and eventually a hip replacement. I never thought I would be looking forward to drugs and knives. I did some emotional eating when I got home on Saturday...I sincerely hope that I haven't packed on some pounds this week. Weigh in on Wednesday will tell the tale.
My computer's internet browser is so intense that it won't let features of websites through. It is to the point that I have received a recommedation that I go with another internet browser. Also facebook and google are causing problems asking me to enable cookies when they are enabled for their sites. Another challenge.
Hopefully things will be better this week.
My computer's internet browser is so intense that it won't let features of websites through. It is to the point that I have received a recommedation that I go with another internet browser. Also facebook and google are causing problems asking me to enable cookies when they are enabled for their sites. Another challenge.
Hopefully things will be better this week.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Techology - You have to love it!
I have spent every available hour during the last two days trying to get a new laptop computer set up and functioning. I had forgotten just how much work and aggrevation a new computer can cause...but it looks as if I am past the half way point.
I do have a beef about software companies that design hugh programs that take forever to load and then they have dozens of upgrades waiting for you to hook up to the internet for the first time. I'm not sure if I agree with that approach. Several of the downloads are hugh and I am one of four people in North America still struggling along on dialup. 'Nough said about that.
I do have a beef about software companies that design hugh programs that take forever to load and then they have dozens of upgrades waiting for you to hook up to the internet for the first time. I'm not sure if I agree with that approach. Several of the downloads are hugh and I am one of four people in North America still struggling along on dialup. 'Nough said about that.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
After the Storm
Peace and quiet has returned to the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Hurricane Bill blustered his way through on Sunday morning and fortunately didn't live up to his advance press. Yes the waves were high and yes there were some road washouts but the damage from high winds is minimal. The winds weren't as high as perdicted.
This picture was taken on Sunday afternoon just as the sky was clearing and the sun was reappearing. The waves are still high and angry.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Hot, Hot, Hot
Wow has summer ever hit with a vengence. Nasty rumors that Hurricane Bill will visit us on Sunday, bringing destruction and mayhem. Hopefully he puffs and puffs and blows himself out to sea.
I had a great weigh in on Wednesday, I lost 3.25 pounds. I am so back on schedule and actually enjoying the discipline. No eating after 7:30 p.m. and drinking water and my own personal brand of iced coffee. Cold coffee, with ice cubes (of course) creamer and splenda. Tastes great. I hadn't tried iced coffee until this summer when the local Tim Horton's Donut shops were offering it. Of course theirs have sugar and are loaded with calories but my version is great and I am enjoying it.
I have conquered some of the clutter in my office/work area and I am feeling more in control. My day job will be expanding to take up three and a half or four days a week from the summer hours of three days. Not looking forward to the extra hours but need them to manage the workload. Fall brings routines and structure which is good for me.
Hoping to get a few strings of bowling in tomorrow afternoon and maybe a swim in the lake. Depends on energy levels, aches and of course time.
I had a great weigh in on Wednesday, I lost 3.25 pounds. I am so back on schedule and actually enjoying the discipline. No eating after 7:30 p.m. and drinking water and my own personal brand of iced coffee. Cold coffee, with ice cubes (of course) creamer and splenda. Tastes great. I hadn't tried iced coffee until this summer when the local Tim Horton's Donut shops were offering it. Of course theirs have sugar and are loaded with calories but my version is great and I am enjoying it.
I have conquered some of the clutter in my office/work area and I am feeling more in control. My day job will be expanding to take up three and a half or four days a week from the summer hours of three days. Not looking forward to the extra hours but need them to manage the workload. Fall brings routines and structure which is good for me.
Hoping to get a few strings of bowling in tomorrow afternoon and maybe a swim in the lake. Depends on energy levels, aches and of course time.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Another Week
Beautiful weather the last few days. Today is going to be humid and hot, probably the last day of uncomfortable heat this summer.
Cut and Burn. TOPS has introduced a program of cutting 100 calories from your diet a day and burning 100 calories a day. Over six months that will result in a 10 lb loss, 20 lbs a year...not bad.
We went bowling again on Wednesday and yesterday I walked for 15 minutes, painful but I did it. Of course it was in stores and malls etc. But walking is walking.
More clutter removal scheduled for today. An hour here and there is really making a difference.
Cut and Burn. TOPS has introduced a program of cutting 100 calories from your diet a day and burning 100 calories a day. Over six months that will result in a 10 lb loss, 20 lbs a year...not bad.
We went bowling again on Wednesday and yesterday I walked for 15 minutes, painful but I did it. Of course it was in stores and malls etc. But walking is walking.
More clutter removal scheduled for today. An hour here and there is really making a difference.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Make a plan
I have been writing newsletters and updating data bases...translation sitting in front of a computer and burning a minimum number of calories. So much of my life is spent thinking and planning and keyboarding and I wonder why I don't lose weight as easily as the skinny people who are outside enjoying the sun and gardening, walking, swimming and playing tennis. To be perfectly honest, gardening and playing tennis are things that I daydream about being good at but in actual fact neither interest me much. I like the results of gardening, beautiful flowers and tasty veggies but the actually digging and weeding and sweating and swoting bugs just doesn't do it for me.
I am still in the summer slump of not moving and not getting enough exercise. Have to build more movement into my daily routine. Starting today. There is a car show in Bridgewater today and tomorrow so we could attend and walking around to see the cars would be fun.
I am also still working on the declutter aspect of my life. I spent an hour at work going through and discarding excess paper. Still more to do there and there are definitely piles of paper and crap here at home that need my attention. By the end of today I will have spent at least one hour exercising and another hour decluttering.
I am still in the summer slump of not moving and not getting enough exercise. Have to build more movement into my daily routine. Starting today. There is a car show in Bridgewater today and tomorrow so we could attend and walking around to see the cars would be fun.
I am also still working on the declutter aspect of my life. I spent an hour at work going through and discarding excess paper. Still more to do there and there are definitely piles of paper and crap here at home that need my attention. By the end of today I will have spent at least one hour exercising and another hour decluttering.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Bowling and Other Stuff
Well the rainy Monday turned sunny in the afternoon. We had made plans to do a couple of errands. We stopped at Wiles Market to pick up the KOPS Honour Society pins that Debra had left there for me. They are really nice and I am sure the South Shore KOPS members will love them. Then we tried to find me a rain jacket...seems that is not a popular/fashionable item this year as there wasn't much to chose from. And of course I did want to get one on sale...cheap as I plan to be much smaller next summer.
Then on the to bowling alley AND I actually won one string. Quite an achievement. All three strings were over 80 for an average of 83. This is candlepin bowling (skinny pins with small balls). Frank was also pleased as he got his average. Fun and worked off a few calories. It felt good to get that little bit of exercise. And of course the alley was air conditioned which helped. How many times have I mentioned that I do not like hot and humid?
Tuesday morning and back at work. More sun today and more predicted for the rest of the week. Maybe we will have a summer this year after all.
Couldn't find a jacket yesterday but I did find a skirt for $7.00 which I bought. I don't wear a lot of skirts but this one is comfortable and a change. Sometimes change is a good thing:-)
Then on the to bowling alley AND I actually won one string. Quite an achievement. All three strings were over 80 for an average of 83. This is candlepin bowling (skinny pins with small balls). Frank was also pleased as he got his average. Fun and worked off a few calories. It felt good to get that little bit of exercise. And of course the alley was air conditioned which helped. How many times have I mentioned that I do not like hot and humid?
Tuesday morning and back at work. More sun today and more predicted for the rest of the week. Maybe we will have a summer this year after all.
Couldn't find a jacket yesterday but I did find a skirt for $7.00 which I bought. I don't wear a lot of skirts but this one is comfortable and a change. Sometimes change is a good thing:-)
Monday, August 3, 2009
Rainy Monday
I have had three glorious days with very little pain...sunny weather. But all good things end and today we have the rain again, and the humidity so my legs are sore and I am cranky. Today is a day off work so I am enjoying an at home day and getting caught up on some work.
I have received a "warning" email from Google about my clicking on ads. I was not trying to defraud anyone but some of the ads were trashy and I am not sure if they suit the content. In fact I am not sure I want anything to do with them. I received an response to my email to the techies at google land telling me they are too busy to respond to my questions. Oh well, such is life. To be that busy must be very demanding.
The weight battle is not going as well as I want either. This humid weather makes me retain water...in fact I seem to retain everything in the summertime. It is always a struggle for me to lose weight during the summer months, but that is not an option. I need to get back on track and start getting rid of more pounds. Surely that will help my knees and I know it will make me feel better, more energy which speeds up my metabolism etc.
We took advantage of the sun yesterday to attend a show and shine in Barrington. Several old cars that we hadn't seen before. Interesting. It was a bit difficult to get around some of the cars because people were standing and talking to the owners and the way the cars were parked there wasn't much space between them. First time we had seen that set up.
I need some exercise so we may go bowling this afternoon. Good activity for a rainy Monday afternoon.
I have received a "warning" email from Google about my clicking on ads. I was not trying to defraud anyone but some of the ads were trashy and I am not sure if they suit the content. In fact I am not sure I want anything to do with them. I received an response to my email to the techies at google land telling me they are too busy to respond to my questions. Oh well, such is life. To be that busy must be very demanding.
The weight battle is not going as well as I want either. This humid weather makes me retain water...in fact I seem to retain everything in the summertime. It is always a struggle for me to lose weight during the summer months, but that is not an option. I need to get back on track and start getting rid of more pounds. Surely that will help my knees and I know it will make me feel better, more energy which speeds up my metabolism etc.
We took advantage of the sun yesterday to attend a show and shine in Barrington. Several old cars that we hadn't seen before. Interesting. It was a bit difficult to get around some of the cars because people were standing and talking to the owners and the way the cars were parked there wasn't much space between them. First time we had seen that set up.
I need some exercise so we may go bowling this afternoon. Good activity for a rainy Monday afternoon.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A Day at the Beach
Yesterday was hot and sunny and a beautiful day for a trip to the beach. We are fortunate because we live within a 45 minute drive to several beautiful beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. At this time of year the air temperature is usually several degrees warmer than the water temperature. The beach we chose was Summerville Beach, which is a provincial park with changing rooms. The beach was crowded...if you call 100 or so people a crowd. The beach is at least 1/2 mile long so 100 people are dots on the sand. Nothing like beaches in some of the other provinces.
It has been a while since I waded in salt water and felt the breath being sucked from my body as the cold water splashed over me. Wow! It was fun. I had forgotten just how much fun.
Our constant companion, our dog, wasn't sure if cold salt water was something he enjoyed but he did manage to get wet and covered in sand and seemed to be having fun.
As an added bonus, on the way home, we stopped at a beach on an inland lake and washed off the salt and sand. I went swimming there as well. This beach is within 10 minutes of where we live and I am quite certain that I will be returning there many times before the summer is over.
Although we live in lake country, the beach closest to us is full of eel grass and I am always hesitant to swim anywhere that has eel grass...you know what lives in places like that. This little beach we found is clear with a sandy bottom. You can see the bottom of the lake as you wade out from shore. The water was refreshing without being frigid. Heaven. And the best part is that I got exercise while keeping cool on a 33 degree day.
It has been a while since I waded in salt water and felt the breath being sucked from my body as the cold water splashed over me. Wow! It was fun. I had forgotten just how much fun.
Our constant companion, our dog, wasn't sure if cold salt water was something he enjoyed but he did manage to get wet and covered in sand and seemed to be having fun.
As an added bonus, on the way home, we stopped at a beach on an inland lake and washed off the salt and sand. I went swimming there as well. This beach is within 10 minutes of where we live and I am quite certain that I will be returning there many times before the summer is over.
Although we live in lake country, the beach closest to us is full of eel grass and I am always hesitant to swim anywhere that has eel grass...you know what lives in places like that. This little beach we found is clear with a sandy bottom. You can see the bottom of the lake as you wade out from shore. The water was refreshing without being frigid. Heaven. And the best part is that I got exercise while keeping cool on a 33 degree day.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Temptations
This morning when I arrived at my day job there was a huddle in the kitchen area. One of the other people who have an office in this building, (a thin person I should add) had brought in several home made yummy desserts as a treat for the rest of us. It took will power on my part, but I got my cup of black coffee and my bottle of water and came back to my office. Temptation resisted for now.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Yard Sales
Our TOPS group had their annual yard sale yesterday...in the rain. We had hoped to be able to have it outdoors this year but the weather didn't co-operate. Of course at noon when we were closing down the sun started to peek through and the afternoon wasnt' too bad. We did fairly well at the sale, the bake table is always popular and some of the ladies in our group are very good cooks. Since they are all trying to lose or maintain a weight loss they don't do as much baking as they used to:-)
Today the sun is shining. I am hoping for a few days of sun, maybe my aches and pains will settle down. I know I have been overdoing things so that is part of the reason for all the aches...but it is summer and on the few sunny days we have it is hard to stay inactive.
Today the sun is shining. I am hoping for a few days of sun, maybe my aches and pains will settle down. I know I have been overdoing things so that is part of the reason for all the aches...but it is summer and on the few sunny days we have it is hard to stay inactive.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Weekend Escape
We took a three day weekend and went to Portland Maine on the "CAT". Parked the car in Yarmouth, NS and walked onto the ferry. A shuttle met us in Portland to take us to our hotel. Saturday morning was foggy but good for walking. We took a trolly ride through old Portland, went on an old steam train trip on the East Promenade and had some wonderful seafood chowder served in a bread bowl. Back to the hotel for a couple of hours and then we finished the day at the Maine Mall with supper at the Old Country Buffet. Yum good. The sun came out about 2:00 and the weather was gorgeous for the rest of our stay.
Sunday morning, up and on the shuttle to the ferry. Walked on and really enjoyed watching all the activity in the Harbour. Beautiful day. The fog set in about 1/2 way across the bay and stayed with us for about an hour outside of Yarmouth and then beautiful sun again.
All in all a great trip and I managed to walk quite a bit. In fact my leg muscles are sore and tired but they will recover. I do want to be stronger before trying to walk that much again. I was so tired and sore on the way home. But I am so glad we made the effort and went. A lot of fun... and a great way to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary.
Sunday morning, up and on the shuttle to the ferry. Walked on and really enjoyed watching all the activity in the Harbour. Beautiful day. The fog set in about 1/2 way across the bay and stayed with us for about an hour outside of Yarmouth and then beautiful sun again.
All in all a great trip and I managed to walk quite a bit. In fact my leg muscles are sore and tired but they will recover. I do want to be stronger before trying to walk that much again. I was so tired and sore on the way home. But I am so glad we made the effort and went. A lot of fun... and a great way to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Pain Management
There will be a six week course on pain management for people with chronic diseases. Starts in late September in Bridgewater and another one starts in early October in Liverpool. I have registered. A couple of years ago, I took the program offered by the Arthritis Society and this one is supposed to be similar. It should be a good refresher. I find that good habits sometimes fade if I am not reminded of them.
I Ache
For the last several days I have been helping my husband split and move our woodpile. Our winter heating fuel. We have been approaching this in a rational manner...I think. We only work at it for a couple of hours a day and on the days that I go to my day job, we work for less than that when I come home. While I am gone hubby, stacks the wood that we split and moved the day before. He is doing the bulk of the work, but I am standing on my feet for longer than usual and I am certainly tired at the end of the day. I am sleeping very soundly. My muscles ache but the joints are not any worse than ever. Which is a good thing since we have a lot of work still ahead of us.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Weekend plans
Another beautiful sunny day...summer is here at last. I have had more energy and stamina and less pain during the past few days. The Lunenburg Arts Festival is on this weekend and we are planning on attending tomorrow. Should be a nice day for it. Homemade seafood chowder, 75 artists, and 17 art galleries all in one small town. Almost too good to be true.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Sunny Weather
The sun of the last few days has brought a reduction in arthritis pain. So I am definitely convinced that my pain levels are influenced by the weather. Sunny, dry weather...less pain. Rain and fog...I hurt. Maybe not a medical breakthrough but a fact that will help manage my pain.
I am still experimenting with foods, to see which ones may have a bearing on my aches. The citrus doesn't seem to influence it one way or the other. So back to eating grapefruit for breakfasts.
I wonder if a brace would help to reduce/control the pain in my right knee. Guess I will check that out with my family doctor to get his opinion. Maybe I need to talk to a specialist about it.
We are planning to take in the art show in Lunenburg on Sunday. I will be walking quite a bit so will see how I make out, maybe I should take my cane.
I am still experimenting with foods, to see which ones may have a bearing on my aches. The citrus doesn't seem to influence it one way or the other. So back to eating grapefruit for breakfasts.
I wonder if a brace would help to reduce/control the pain in my right knee. Guess I will check that out with my family doctor to get his opinion. Maybe I need to talk to a specialist about it.
We are planning to take in the art show in Lunenburg on Sunday. I will be walking quite a bit so will see how I make out, maybe I should take my cane.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Clutter
A comment I read several months ago has stayed with me. "No wonder I feel so tired and drained all the time, I am living with clutter." The woman expressing the thought was struggling with her life being "out of control". Her words not mine.
I have been thinking a lot about the whole concept of clutter, mental, spiritual, and of course the physical. The piles of papers that may be valuable, at least too important to throw out. That type of clutter is easy to see and relate to. And slowly I am coming to grips with the excess, getting rid of the items that are no longer used, and donating the clothes which are now too big, even the really comfortable favourite items.
The other clutter that isn't always easy to deal with is the mental kind. The should have's, could have's and if only's. Fortunately I don't have many but who doesn't have a few of them? And again, I am coming to the realization that what is past is done, LET IT GO!
There are many types of clutter, and at this moment I can't think of any that are healthy. One of my projects for the next three months is to reduce my clutter, streamline my life, my work and my surroundings. Things truly are not what matter to me so why am I hoarding "stuff"?
I have been thinking a lot about the whole concept of clutter, mental, spiritual, and of course the physical. The piles of papers that may be valuable, at least too important to throw out. That type of clutter is easy to see and relate to. And slowly I am coming to grips with the excess, getting rid of the items that are no longer used, and donating the clothes which are now too big, even the really comfortable favourite items.
The other clutter that isn't always easy to deal with is the mental kind. The should have's, could have's and if only's. Fortunately I don't have many but who doesn't have a few of them? And again, I am coming to the realization that what is past is done, LET IT GO!
There are many types of clutter, and at this moment I can't think of any that are healthy. One of my projects for the next three months is to reduce my clutter, streamline my life, my work and my surroundings. Things truly are not what matter to me so why am I hoarding "stuff"?
Grapefruit
I have avoided citrus fruit for the past two weeks hoping that the pain in my knees and hips would decrease...no such luck. So this morning I had 1/2 grapefruit with my breakfast. I will monitor the situation to see if citrus makes any difference.
Tried a slow cooker recipe for chicken yesterday and it was tasty. Six Chicken breasts, cover with a layer or frozen or fresh cranberries (1 cup) , a layer of sliced, peeled apples and then pour 1 cup liquid with 1 T brown sugar over the layers. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or a combination of high and low for 4 hours. Makes six servings. Calories are 193 per serving. (Based on 6 chicken breasts and 1 cup of cranberries) This would be very good served over rice (whole grain or wild of course) or even over a thin slice of bread or mashed potatoes.
Also very easy to make which earns high marks in my book.
Tried a slow cooker recipe for chicken yesterday and it was tasty. Six Chicken breasts, cover with a layer or frozen or fresh cranberries (1 cup) , a layer of sliced, peeled apples and then pour 1 cup liquid with 1 T brown sugar over the layers. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or a combination of high and low for 4 hours. Makes six servings. Calories are 193 per serving. (Based on 6 chicken breasts and 1 cup of cranberries) This would be very good served over rice (whole grain or wild of course) or even over a thin slice of bread or mashed potatoes.
Also very easy to make which earns high marks in my book.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Friday - a long weekend
For the summer my work hours will be Mon, Tues, and Thurs with Wed and Fridays off. Since I am paid by the hour it will cut back on the $ in the paycheque but it will also give me a chance to get a few more things done...maybe. It is good to see the sun again today, but my knees and hips don't seem to realize that it is sunny outside...they ache. We will try a trip to the gym tomorrow am to see if some exercise will help reduce the pain. I am turning into an invalid and a whiner. Neither is what I want to be.
I always find eating healthy a challenge in the summertime: ice cream, barbeques, drinks on the deck and fast food. More reasons to stay active through the summer.
I have a newsletter to get finished and out this weekend so I will be stationery a lot of the time, another challenge when it comes to weight control and loss. Most of my work is in front of a computer.
Enjoy the weekend.
I always find eating healthy a challenge in the summertime: ice cream, barbeques, drinks on the deck and fast food. More reasons to stay active through the summer.
I have a newsletter to get finished and out this weekend so I will be stationery a lot of the time, another challenge when it comes to weight control and loss. Most of my work is in front of a computer.
Enjoy the weekend.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Another Pound
Good weigh in yesterday. I lost another pound.
We had a great Canada Day. Quiet. We went into Liverpool and then on to Shelburne to see sights and for a drive. Cloudy and misty but no heavy rain. This summer looks like a dud so far...hopefully the weather will clear soon. I am growing mold on parts of me where there shouldn't be any:-)
We had a great Canada Day. Quiet. We went into Liverpool and then on to Shelburne to see sights and for a drive. Cloudy and misty but no heavy rain. This summer looks like a dud so far...hopefully the weather will clear soon. I am growing mold on parts of me where there shouldn't be any:-)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Happy Canada Day
July 1st doesn't have the hype that July 4th has to our south, but we still have some pretty darn good community events. Hope everyone gets to get out and enjoy some of them. Suppers, parades, dances, music, and much more.
The weather remains dull and dismal so hopefully events will be able to go ahead.
Remember that staying healthy is very important, avoid the poison ivy and oak and eat until you are full not stuffed. Walk or swim off that dessert and keep the stress under control. We forget that community and family events are supposed to be fun and stress over the small stuff to the point of making a relaxing outing into an ordeal.
Enjoy and relax!
The weather remains dull and dismal so hopefully events will be able to go ahead.
Remember that staying healthy is very important, avoid the poison ivy and oak and eat until you are full not stuffed. Walk or swim off that dessert and keep the stress under control. We forget that community and family events are supposed to be fun and stress over the small stuff to the point of making a relaxing outing into an ordeal.
Enjoy and relax!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Trial and Error
I have been experimenting with my diet to see if there are some foods that help/hinder my arthritis. I have eliminated citris fruit and alcohol and I am not sure if this change is having any effect. Maybe too early to tell yet.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Great Meeting
I just returned from the first meeting of the South Shore KOPS Honour Society. What enthusiasm and excitement in that room. A wonderful group of women who have achieved their weight loss goal and are now enjoying a healthier lifestyle. There were only two KOPS societies in Nova Scotia and now there are three. Congratulations to the women who agreed to take an executive role. If anyone is interested in finding more information about TOPS please visit http://www.tops.org
The next KOPS society meeting will be on September 12, 2009. Stay tuned for more details.
The next KOPS society meeting will be on September 12, 2009. Stay tuned for more details.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Miscellaneous Thoughts
I went to my TOPS meeting on Wednesday and recorded a weight loss...of 1/2 lb. Not a lot but better than a gain. Frank and I went bowling this afternoon. I know bowling isn't a summer thing but there isn't a lot of physical stuff I can do with the arthritis as bad as it is, so bowling it is. Not that I am very good, but it takes just as much energy to throw a gutter ball as it does to throw a strike. We had fun.
Tomorrow is the first meeting of the KOPS society that we are setting up for KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) on the South Shore. I am helping them get set up even though I haven't reached my KOPS status...yet! http://www.tops.org/ if anyone is interested in finding a chapter handy you.
Great to see the sun the last couple of days, but the humidity is making the air muggy.
Starting to look forward to our anniversary mini trip. Just a couple of nights in Portland, ME but we haven't been there in a while so it should be interesting. That isn't for a couple of weeks yet.
Looking forward to the weekend. I have a writing deadline that I want to get a jump on and since I have lost weight, I will need to go through my summer clothes and see what fits and what is gloriously too big!
Make yourself a great day!
Tomorrow is the first meeting of the KOPS society that we are setting up for KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) on the South Shore. I am helping them get set up even though I haven't reached my KOPS status...yet! http://www.tops.org/ if anyone is interested in finding a chapter handy you.
Great to see the sun the last couple of days, but the humidity is making the air muggy.
Starting to look forward to our anniversary mini trip. Just a couple of nights in Portland, ME but we haven't been there in a while so it should be interesting. That isn't for a couple of weeks yet.
Looking forward to the weekend. I have a writing deadline that I want to get a jump on and since I have lost weight, I will need to go through my summer clothes and see what fits and what is gloriously too big!
Make yourself a great day!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Power of the Medical Profession
Isn't amazing what masses of jelly we turn into while we wait for the results of tests, especially medical tests. My husband had some follow up blood work done recently and until he got the results the questions were always there, in my mind, disrupting my focus. Would these tests be clear or would the problem reoccur? A case of worrying into the future. I couldn't do anything about the results either way but that didn't stop the control freak me from thinking through all the possible senerios.
And the tests came back showing all is well. And the follow-up doctor's appointment yesterday was a good one...no problems, no reason to think there will be problems. Next appointment a year from now. A few months worryfree until...
I know that no one has that kind of power unless I give it to them, the logical thinking part of me knows that...the emotional, feeling part of me is another matter.
All is well, and today I am smiling. Life looks good and the summer is just starting.
Hope everyone out there has a great one!
And the tests came back showing all is well. And the follow-up doctor's appointment yesterday was a good one...no problems, no reason to think there will be problems. Next appointment a year from now. A few months worryfree until...
I know that no one has that kind of power unless I give it to them, the logical thinking part of me knows that...the emotional, feeling part of me is another matter.
All is well, and today I am smiling. Life looks good and the summer is just starting.
Hope everyone out there has a great one!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Being a Boomer
There are some interesting statistics about the boomers and the impact they have had and will have on the rest of society. We are the first generation that used credit everyday and were comfortable owing more than we would make in a year (or several years). We are a very material generation, bigger homes, faster cars, more clothes, flashier jewellry. We are also the generation that will change what retirement looks like. The golden handshake at 55, 60 or 65 is not what many will want. Consequently it is projected that the segment that will grow the fastest in our economy of the next few years will be businesses started by retired boomers. (CIBC completed a study and found that seniorpreneurs will be be a sector that will continue to increase in numbers and in influence).
Often the businesses are completely different from the careers that the boomers have enjoyed throughout their working life. The artistic and creative side is finally allowed to be seen and heard.
Not only are boomers starting new businesses they are looking for services and products that may not be readily available. I spoke to one business owner, a tattoo artist, who told me the largest number of his customers were men between the ages of 60 and 65. The corporate leaders who didn't feel comfortable with a tattoo in the boardroom but who are certainly changing that when they retire.
Retirement has taken on a whole new meaning. Retirement is being alive, travelling, donating time to charities, fundraising, teaching in a foreign country, working part-time, socializing and building a lifestyle that centres around likes and passions and family and friends.
Often the businesses are completely different from the careers that the boomers have enjoyed throughout their working life. The artistic and creative side is finally allowed to be seen and heard.
Not only are boomers starting new businesses they are looking for services and products that may not be readily available. I spoke to one business owner, a tattoo artist, who told me the largest number of his customers were men between the ages of 60 and 65. The corporate leaders who didn't feel comfortable with a tattoo in the boardroom but who are certainly changing that when they retire.
Retirement has taken on a whole new meaning. Retirement is being alive, travelling, donating time to charities, fundraising, teaching in a foreign country, working part-time, socializing and building a lifestyle that centres around likes and passions and family and friends.
Healthy Thoughts
Slowly but surely my selftalk is becoming healthier and consequently my habits are also becoming healthier. I am exercising more...actually enjoying the way my body feels during and after physical exercise. My joints feel better, less painful, after gentle movement. I have arthritis in both hips and in both knees. Many days it is extremely painful and on those days I often don't exerices. But on the other days, I bowl or go to the gym for 30 minutes of gentle exercise. I am finding that I have reduced the amount of mindless eating that I used to do. Now I concentrate on each bite of food that I eat, savouring the smell, the appearance and the taste. I chew my food more slowly and enjoy the experience. Small things, small changes, lasting results.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
A Rainy Sunday
A rainy Sunday in rural Nova Scotia. My husband and I moved into our "fixer-upper" four years ago. In the spring and summer the area is lush and green, in the fall the colours explode through the stands of hardwood and in the winter the area is quiet, white and sometimes a little isolated. We love it here.
My interests include business writing and consulting. I have a part-time job as the Executive Director of a Chamber of Commerce. I am also very interested in improving my health and my husband's health through improved diet and lifestyle. Following a sensible weight control plan I have lost 35 pounds in the past 7 months. I still have several more pounds to lose. This blog will focus on the success and slips in both the writing and health issues.
My interests include business writing and consulting. I have a part-time job as the Executive Director of a Chamber of Commerce. I am also very interested in improving my health and my husband's health through improved diet and lifestyle. Following a sensible weight control plan I have lost 35 pounds in the past 7 months. I still have several more pounds to lose. This blog will focus on the success and slips in both the writing and health issues.
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