Family Forum Newsletter Winter 2014

Winter 2014 Inside this issue

1. Welcome to Parkwood Institute

2. Patient experience survey / Toast the New Year

3. OFCAN conference highlights

4. Upcoming event—Defeat Depression Walk and talk

5. The ABC’s of Christmas

6. Santa has 12 reindeers / Puppie’s Christmas

7. Services available to families

8. Calendar of events

VOLUME 4

Family Forum Newsletter

The Family Advisory Council of St. Joseph’s Mental Health Care

Welcome to Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care by Laurel Lamarre

Dr. Gillian Kernaghan thanks Sandy Whittall and

wishes her well on her upcoming retirement

Cathie Gauthier, Co-chair of the Family

Advisory Council, Bishop Ronald Fabbro, Diocese of London and Chris Baron,

Chaplain at Parkwood Institute.

November 2014 marked some final moments as well as some new be-ginnings for all of us who work in the area of mental health care at St. Joseph’s. The new Mental Health Care Building at Parkwood Institute opened its doors to patients. At the Grand Opening, Cathie Gauthier, co-chair of the Family Advisory Council, spoke about what new facility would mean for patients with mental health issues. “This new facility is aiming for excel-lence in care and research. Families look forward to what research re-veals, but it is clear that there are some things St. Joseph’s already has right; for any person who has loved another who has fallen ill knows that natural light, fresh air, privacy in a bedroom, a place to walk and a place to pray, a staff that believes in their patient and values family as a strong component of recovery, has the best chance of reclaiming wellness.” Visit https://www.sjhc.london.on.ca/parkwood-institute to watch the video. The organization also wished Integrated Vice President, Mental Health Services, Sandy Whittall well on her retirement. We welcome Dr. Karima Veliji the new incoming Integrated Vice President, Mental Health Services for London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London ; she will be starting in January 2015. In light of having come through, all these changes, in good spirit, the fo-cus can shift in wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas, a great New Year ahead and to remind you all to be kind to one another.

Patient experience survey – we want to hear from you!

What is the patient experience survey?

The survey includes a list of questions that ask for your opinion on the mental health care services provided at St. Joseph’s such as: your ability to take part in treatment, your living arrangements, whether your stay has helped you and more.

How will the survey take place?

An outside company - the National Research Corporation Canada [NRCC] - sends an employee to our facility to interview patients.

When will the survey take place?

The survey is scheduled for February 2015.

What is the purpose of the survey?

St. Joseph’s strives to provide the best care possible to our patients. In order to do this, we need to know what we are doing well and what we can improve upon. For instance, patients informed us in past surveys that there should be more leisure activities dur-ing their stay, which led to the creation of patient drop-in centres.

Will answers be kept private?

Yes. The interviews take place in a private room and NRCC removes any information that can identify a specific patient before they provide us with the results.

If have questions about this survey, whom can I contact?

Your contact is Marya Haq, Quality Measurement & Clinical Decision Support: 519-646-6100, ext. 47197, [email protected]

Page 2 Family Forum Newsletter

Toast to the New Year! -- Author unknown

Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you've always

wanted to do but couldn't find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Share a funny story with

someone whose spirits are dragging. A good laugh can be very good medicine.

Make a genuine effort to stay in closer touch with family and good friends. The surest way to have a friend is to be one.

Find the time to be kind and thoughtful. Give a compliment. It's sure to give someone a badly

needed lift.

Think things through. Forgive an injustice. Listen more. Be kind. Apologize when you realize you are wrong. An apology never diminishes a person. It elevates

him. Don't blow your own horn. If you've done something praiseworthy, someone will notice

eventually.

Lighten up. When you feel like blowing your top, ask yourself, "Will it matter in a week from today?" Laugh the loudest when the joke is on you.

Don't discourage a beginner from trying something risky. Nothing ventured means nothing

gained. Be optimistic. The can-do spirit is the fuel that makes things go.

Don't abandon your old-fashioned principles. They never go out of style. When courage is need-ed, ask yourself, "If not me, who? If not now, when?"

Walk tall, and smile more. You'll look 10 years younger.

Don't be afraid to say, "I love you".

Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world. And have a happy New Year!

Page 3 Family Forum Newsletter

On October 10th, the first Ontario Family Council Advisory Network (OFCAN) held its first family conference titled“Partnering With Fam-ily Caregivers – A Shift in the Recovery Paradigm” at Ontario Shores in Whitby. OFCAN is a provincial body of family councils who bring the voice of families who are supporting /assisting a loved one with a mental health concern. The organizers met their target goal of 160 registrants, with a mix of family members, mental health care professionals and others with an interest in mental health and the family.

Patrick Dion brought greetings from the Mental Health Care Commission of Canada and shared some of his personal care-giving perspective. Dr. Ella Amir shared the history of the caregiver committee’s partnership with the MHCC and their work in the development of the National Caregiver Guidelines. She emphasised the importance of unpaid and informal caregiving. She also pointed out that the estimated economic contribution in Canada by caregivers in 2009 was greater than $25 billion! Dr. Amir emphasized that going forward mental health services need to be found-ed on a “family based approach” and that caregivers will be the driving force for change. Although mental health administration and service providers are the target audience for the guidelines, families have an important role to play in ensuring that this document will be the foundation of service provider and family interaction in hospitals and the community. To view these guidelines visit: http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/issues/caregiving/family-caregivers-guidelines.

Grand River Hospital held a panel of stakeholders, Parents’ Lifelines of East-ern Ontario (PLEO) spoke about Community Connections, and the host site, Ontario Shores provided an overview of their Family Council and Family Re-source Centre. The last presenter of the day was Howard Chodos of the Mental Health Commission of Canada and he spoke about the Mental Health Strategy and Caregiving, Caregiving and Recovery and finally about

the National Caregiver Guidelines review and followed up with a group discussion.

Conference participants benefited from knowledge sharing and lively discussions with the conference’s eighteen exhibitors. Many of the day’s attendees took advantage of this excel-lent opportunity to connect with caregiver organizations from across Ontario and to network with volunteers and staff who are dedicated to helping families.

Ella Amir Chair of the MHCC’s former Fam-ily Family Caregivers Advisory Committee and Patrick Dion from the Mental Health Care Commission of Canada

Howard Chodos—Mental Health

Commission of Canada

Purple Yip, exhibitor -

the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario

“Never doubt that a small group of

thoughtful, committed, citizens can

change the world. Indeed, it is the only

thing that ever has”.

~ Margaret Mead ~

Page 4 Family Forum Newsletter

Connect for Mental Health Event

London's first "Defeat Depression Walk and Talk"

Sponsored by the Mood Disorder's Society of Canada.

DATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2015

TIME: 10:00AM

LOCATION: VICTORIA PARK (DOWNTOWN LONDON)

Registration opens at 9 AM

Your participation is very important to us because RAISING AWARENESS and ERASING THE STIGMA associated with de-

pression are important goals of this event. Regardless of

whether you're providing a donation, we welcome you to participate!

Page 5 Family Forum Newsletter

Author Unknown

A is for Angels With halos so bright Whose carols were heard On that first Christmas Night

B is for Bells So merrily ringing Joy to the world Is the message they're bring-ing

C is for Candles That so brightly shine To give a warm welcome To your friends and mine

D is for Doorway With garlands of green To make Christmas merry As far as they're seen

E is for Evergreens With fragrance so rare So plentiful at Christmas Their scent fills the air

F is for Fun The whole season long From trimming the tree To singing a song

G is for Greetings A merry "hello" With a heart full of love For people we know

H is for Holly With berries so red To make into wreaths To hang overhead

I is for Ice On snow covered hills Where sledding is fun Along with the spills

J is for Jesus The Christ child so dear We honor his birth On Christmas each year

K is for Kris Kringle So merrily he stands He is who they call Santa In so many lands

L is for Lanterns I am sure that their light Helped Mary and Joseph That first Christmas Night

M is for Mary Her heart full of love For her little son Jesus Who came from above

N is for Noel The angels did sing To herald the birth of Jesus, our King

O is for Ornaments So shining and bright With lights on the tree To sparkle at night

P is for Packages With ribbons so gay All 'round the tree For our Christmas Day

Q is for Quiet Christmas Eve Night With snow covered hills Glistening so bright

R is for Reindeer Who pull Santa's sleigh To your house, to my house They know the way

S is for Shepherds Who first saw the star Over Bethlehem's manger And followed it far

T is for Trees We decorate so gay Then wait for ole Santa To hurry our way

U is for Universe Where Christmas brings joy To all in the world To each girl and each boy

V is for Visiting Friends near and far We travel by plane Or by bus, or by car

W is for Wise Men Who brought gifts so rare And knelt down and wor-shiped The child they found there

X is for X-mas Or Christmas by full name No matter the language It all means the same

Y is for Yule Logs Whose bright sparks fly high To give a warm welcome To friends passing by

Z is for Zeal We show at this time In giving to others And loving mankind

Puppy's Christmas It's the day before Christmas

And all through the house

The puppies are squeaking

An old rubber mouse.

The wreath which had merrily

Hung on the door

Is scattered in pieces

All over the floor.

The stockings that hung

In a neat little row

Now boast a hole in

Each one of the toes.

The tree was subjected

To bright-eyed whims,

And now, although splendid,

It's missing some limbs.

I catch them and hold them.

"Be good", I insist.

They lick me, then run off

To see what they've missed.

And now as I watch them

The thought comes to me,

That theirs is the spirit

That Christmas should be.

Should children and puppies

Yet show us the way,

And teach us the joy

That should come with this day?

Could they bring the message

That's written above,

And tell us that, most of all

Christmas is love.

[Anonymous]

Did you know that according to the song, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", Santa has twelve reindeer? Sure, in the introduction it goes "There's Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen..." That makes eight reindeer. Then there's Rudolph, of course, so that makes nine. Then there's Olive. You know, "Olive the other reindeer used to laugh..." That makes ten. The eleventh is Howe. You know, "Then Howe the reindeer loved him..." Eleven reindeer. Oh, and number 12? That's Andy! "Andy shouted out with glee." The proof is in the song!

T he Family Resource Centre offers a variety of services for families their loved ones and mental health profes-sionals, including:

A resource library which contains current books, magazines, videos, audio tapes, and pamphlets on most mental illnesses

An opportunity to meet one-on-one with another family member who has had a personal experience with mental illness and the mental health system

Participation in a support group comprised of 5-10 family members affected by mental illness and facilitated by a trained family member (every second Tuesday)

A free seven week family education course offered twice per year (Spring/Fall)

Speakers for community groups

Membership on the Family Advisory Council

A computer for family members to search for internet information on mental health

We are located at Parkwood Institute’ s Mental Health Care Building 550 Wellington Road—Room F2-191

The resource centre is open: Monday to Friday: 8 am - 4 pm (unless otherwise posted) Contact us at: 519 455-5110 Ext. 47440 or visit our webpage

https://www.sjhc.london.on.ca/mental-health-care/family-resource-centre-and-family-advisory-council

Family Forum Newsletter Page 7

Attention Family Members!

Did you know that we offer a FREE support group to family members who are supporting a loved one with a mental illness?

The Support Group meets every second Tuesday from 1:30 to 3:00, at Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care Building 550 Wellington Road.

Interested in this group, call the Family Resource Cen-tre at 519-455-5110, Ext. 47440 for further details.

Page 8 Family Forum Newsletter

Here is a list of some upcoming activities happening involving the Family Advisory Council or other groups to educate or assist pa-tients and their families. Contact the Family Resource Centre at 519 – 455-5110 Ext. 47440

Family Resource Centre closed— December 22, 2014 to January 4 2015

Christmas & Boxing Day— December 25 and 26

New Year’s Day—January 1

Family Support Group—January 6, 20, February 3, 17, March 3, 17, 31

Family Advisory Council Meetings—January 12, February 9, March 9

+ Defeat Depression Walk & Talk—February 28

If you are interested in donating to Parkwood Institute - Mental Health Care:

Contact: Senior Development Officer 519-646-6100, ext. 65454

Donations for the Family Resource Centre can be made directly to:

St. Joseph's Health Care Foundation Attn: Dr. Wm. A. Tillmann Memorial Fund Resource Centre for Families 268 Grosvenor Street London, ON N6A 4V2

This newsletter is intended to be used as a communication vehicle by the Family Advisory Council at Regional Mental

Health Care London and Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health with families who share common interests and con-cerns. The information herein is believed to be accurate; St. Joseph’s Health Care, the Family Advisory Council, and the author(s) cannot be held responsible for any errors. It is the responsibility of the reader to work with professionals when making any clinical decisions.

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