June News from The Views at St. Joseph's |
Summer is here!
Now that summer is officially here, we're encouraging our staff to unplug and take a well-deserved break. As such, we will be issuing just one newsletter over the summer and will resume our regular monthly schedule in the fall.
We hope everyone will take advantage of the summer months to rest, reflect, spend time with loved ones, and take time for themselves as this has been a challenging year like no other.
We wish to thank families for the sacrifices you have all made to keep your loved ones and each other safe, and for your continued support of all we're doing to advance our commitment to innovative, resident-centered care
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Caution: heatwave this weekend and into next week |
B.C. will be experiencing a dangerous long-duration heatwave beginning today and lasting until at least Wednesday. To help everyone stay safe during times of extreme heat, please see Island Health’s Heat Safety Guide.
In general, please be sure to:
- stay hydrated
- dress in light clothing
- use sunscreen
- if you need to head outdoors, wear a hat and find shade where you can
Staff at The Views have been reminded of additional precautions and protocols to be taken during times of extreme heat to keep our residents, visiting families, and themselves safe.
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Upcoming Zoom Meetings for Families
Welcome Family Zoom Meeting
A Welcome Meeting will be held this Tuesday, June 29, from 1:30 to 2:30 pm (PST) via Zoom. The Welcome Meeting is for families whose loved ones have recently moved in to ask questions and get oriented to life at The Views.
Meeting ID: 868 4289 9611
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Next Family Feedback Meeting
The next Family Feedback Meeting will be held on Thursday, July 8, from 1:30 to 2:30 pm (PST) via Zoom.
Meeting ID: 872 0169 3690
Conference call-in number: 1-888-433-2192
Participant Code: 1678358
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Next Family Support Group Meeting
We're offering Family Support Group meetings via Zoom to offer a safe, confidential and compassionate environment where feelings can be shared and honored.
Family Support Group meetings will take place at 2 pm on the third Wednesday of each month. Our next Family Support Group meeting will be held on July 21 from 2 to 3 pm (PST).
Meeting ID: 868 2524 1494
If you have any questions, please email Brian Ducedre or call him at 778-431-0282 ext. 68794.
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Step 2 of B.C.'s Restart Plan |
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Starting Tuesday, June 15, B.C. transitioned into Step 2 of the provincial restart plan, which includes lifting travel restrictions within the province.
This transition was made possible by more than 75% of adults who have been vaccinated with their first dose, exceeding the target minimum threshold of 65%. The other metrics for moving through the stages – COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations – continue to decline steadily. As proof the vaccines are doing their work, we’ve seen an 86% decline in cases compared to April 2021, and case numbers are their lowest since October 2020.
Though it’s exciting to see restrictions easing up in our communities, please be advised that long-term care is still a high-risk environment. The seniors' population we serve is still vulnerable, even if they’ve been fully vaccinated. Older adults who have mild COVID-19 still have the potential to develop complications. As such, we need to maintain our vigilance and keep the preventative measures in place that have kept everyone safe for well over a year.
As well, public health safety protocols — such as mask-wearing in all indoor public spaces and physical distancing — will remain in place for everyone in the province during Step 2. For more details, please read the B.C. government’s news release.
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Have you been vaccinated? Please remember: the rules still apply
This means that if you have been vaccinated and you have close contact with someone who is COVID positive, you may still be directed to self-isolate by Public Health. We urge everyone to please continue following the public health guidelines regardless of vaccination status. This means:
- Maintain physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet)
- Clean your hands regularly
- Wear a mask
- Follow public health precautions and restrictions
Thank you for all your efforts to keep residents, our staff, and yourselves safe!
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Update on Pets at The Views
Families and Friends – we know you love our pets as much as we do, but we ask that you only share cuddles with our facility pets.
Please do not bring outside treats for the facility cats as they are on a specific diet to keep them healthy and happy! If you or your loved one would like to give one of our cats a treat, please ask an Activities staff person and we will be happy to provide you kitty treats to share!
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Providence Living values in action
As part of our work to completely reimagine the environment of seniors in need of long-term care, we’re also redesigning the model of care so residents can live a more normal life.
To start us on this journey, Rod Smith has developed educational sessions to keep staff up to date on the evolving care model and gain input into what’s important to residents. This is a rare opportunity to help define the future, and we’ve been so pleased to see staff eager to take part.
These fun and interactive sessions paint a picture of what it’s like to be a resident in care. Through games, stories, videos, and two-way dialogue, Rod’s aim is to show how we can go beyond medical care to provide a much more holistic approach – one that values each person’s unique qualities, needs and desires.
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By assessing the risks and benefits of changing versus staying the same, Rod’s sessions serve to enhance respect, excellence and trust by fostering dialogue amongst staff members.
There have been lots of great conversations about how to push the boundaries to improve care from a resident-centred point of view. Our staff’s knowledge, enthusiasm and passion – combined with this intentional approach to developing our care model – show how living the Providence Living values has been top of mind for everyone involved in these sessions.
Karen, LPN, attended the first of Rod’s sessions and said she found it to be very informative and well-presented. Here is what she had to share:
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“I am very happy to be involved in helping shape the future of long-term care. Many health professionals, allied health and families know the current model, buildings, and even beliefs no longer work well.
As our knowledge and education evolves and deepens towards a better understanding, our system requires changes to provide the best benefits for the seniors in our care. I have a wide variety of experience in my nursing career and am honoured to be part of the changes as we strive forward with the de Hogeweyk model.”
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The Views Redevelopment update |
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The redevelopment project is continuing to make progress with the physical design, and the team has been collaborating with our partners on the Indigenous Health Working Group to develop the sacred spaces in the courtyard.
Process flows are also being developed, most recently looking at how supplies will flow through the new facility. There will be more information coming soon to provide participation opportunities for family advisors.
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Process for family feedback
Should you have any thoughts to share on the redevelopment project, please email [email protected] and note that you are a friend or family member at The Views. Thank you to those who have already provided feedback!
We are keenly interested in hearing any thoughts you may have at this stage. The Views friends and family members are some of our most important stakeholders, and your feedback is needed to help ensure the project meets your needs as well as those of our residents, staff, and the broader community.
Thank you for your interest in this exciting project!
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Calling all youth volunteers!
Volunteers and students play an integral role in supporting staff and improving the wellbeing of our residents at The Views.
This summer, we will be running a youth volunteer program for high school students (grades 8-12) to gain volunteer hours, socialize with residents, and provide friendship and connections.
The program will be held virtually. The students will be given an activity to plan, organize and share with their grand-buddy to help build connections between the residents and youth through these isolating times.
If you know someone who may be interested, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Kelley Romeril. You can also visit our website for more information and an application form. We’re so excited to be able to reconnect with our youth volunteers!
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Good news from around The Views |
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Music Therapy Moments: What is Music Therapy at The Views?
By Rebecca Hylands
Having been a service for many years, Music Therapy at The Views continues to maintain resident joy amongst expressive, spiritual and social domains.
In a group Music Therapy setting, residents share personal experiences, feelings, identities, and are simply "with one another" through song. As a result, residents can become motivated; they recognize their purpose, strengths, and confidence in self. New relationships grow and develop as groups engage with drumming activities, ukulele groups and bell choir practices, to name just a few!
Music Therapy 1:1 interventions are directed at a more personal level as they fit individual needs. For example, Music Therapy may benefit residents who wish to work on self-esteem, or can serve as an area of comfort/distraction from pain for residents that are palliative.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for resident stories that have been inspired and facilitated through Music Therapy at The Views.
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Alzheimer’s Walk
Big thanks to everyone who participated in the Alzheimer’s Walk on May 28! We’re thrilled to report The Views raised $769 for the Alzheimer Society of B.C.!
Donations will help the Alzheimer Society of B.C. continue to provide vital programs and services to people affected by dementia and enable research into the causes of and cures for the disease.
Together, we make memories matter. A big thank you to everyone who fundraised and donated for your support!
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Honouring every life story: Don Malcolm
Building on the Providence Living tagline, “honouring every life story,” we believe uncovering stories is the secret to unlocking joy and fulfilment in the present, as well as building a future where everyone can reach their individual potential.
This month’s resident profile is Don Malcolm! Kelley Romeril, our new Director of Resident Lifestyles and Community Programs, has told Don’s story in her own words as she has known him for a few years. We are honoured that Don and Kelley have chosen to share Don’s story with us.
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Don’s story, by Kelley Romeril
Don Malcolm’s life, like so many others encountered here at The Views, has so many chapters it could rival a Russian novel. I have only known Don a few years, but his smile and gentle spirit touched my heart from the first time we met. I am lucky enough to have learned more of his story and hope to do justice to his incredible life as I share just a fraction with you.
The early years
Don was born in 1934 in Slate Falls, Ontario, where he completed Grade 8 and went on to get his Grade 12 GED. At age 17, he joined the Navy and served as Quarter Master in Korea.
Don’s travels with the Navy produced many interesting stories that inspired his writings and informed the worldview of a man who would become a truck driver, carpenter, homesteader, poet, environmentalist and activist. A modern Renaissance man. Don is a proud father of six and especially enjoyed large family gatherings when he visited his home in Ontario.
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A writer and environmental activist
Don and his beloved partner, Delores, co-founded the award-winning environmental magazine Watershed Sentinel on Cortes Island.
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As Associate Editor, Don contributed many articles, editorials, and inspiration and the results of his activism still continue today. Don’s love for the land runs deep. He was a homesteader on Cortes Island who enjoyed hiking, fishing, and travelling. Don is an animal lover and a true outdoorsman. It is fitting that he now resides in Oceanview with its breathtaking views of our beautiful landscapes.
A life of love, laughter and simple pleasures
Don is a man who knows how to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. In the time I have known him, we have listened to music and danced, spent time walking in the garden enjoying the fresh, floral scent of lavender, and most importantly laughed a lot!
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I have watched him love his partner Delores, even when he could not find the words to say her name. I have seen his determination and understood the fire that inspired his incredible life is still burning strong. I have been lucky to read Don’s writings and learn his voice – he left us a legacy and I, for one, am grateful.
Delores shared a lovely story with me that completely sums up the type of man Don was. When Don knew he was developing dementia, he had this poem printed on business cards that he handed out to everyone he met as his way of contributing to a better world. I am sure this is what he would do today if he still could.
Family of Strangers
In this humanity,
In which we all live,
We are all
A part of each other.
What a wonderful world
We will inherit,
When we recognize ourselves
When we meet.
Don Malcolm, 2009
If you have a story to tell or know someone who’d be great to profile — even just by sharing a few interesting details — please let Kelley Romeril know. She’ll confirm we have the resident’s and/or their family’s consent to share their story.
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