Happy Tuesday!
It is a very special Tuesday as it is Giving Tuesday! Today, please consider making a donation to Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare's Changing Lives Together Foundation to make a difference in the lives of many.
As you read today's E-Connect, you will be reminded just how far a donation can go, whether it's monetary or your time, and how many lives it can truly change.
Take care,
Maciah
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Extending warmth for cold moments
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"If you ask patients what they want or 'can I get you anything', the first thing they'll say is, 'can you get me a warm blanket please?'."
Thanks to Anita Imperioli, her team at In Honour of the Ones We Love Inc., and Caesars Windsor these warm blankets will be on hand for the patients to use in Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare's Palliative Care unit.
This is the third year that In Honour of the Ones We Love Inc. has donated the extra warm, fleece blankets to our patients, with each donation helping to make the final days and weeks for our patients more comfortable. This year, the 20 blankets were generously funded by Caesars Windsor.
For more than 20 years, In Honour of the Ones We Love Inc. has been supporting cancer patient care in our community.
"They've changed the landscape of healthcare and the quality of healthcare in our community," says Bill Marra, VP of External Affairs at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and Executive Director of our Changing Lives Together Foundation.
The blanket delivery is a way of providing warmth, comfort and relaxation to patients in their most challenging times.
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Parents and youth asked to co-design Mental Health program
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Parents and youth are being asked to take part in a design-lab taking place on December 8th that will seek input from both groups to co-create Windsor-Essex’s first program to support young people who have a parents with mental illness. The Labs come as the second portion of a $50,000 innovation research grant awarded to Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare (HDGH) this past spring.
Two separate labs will be held in the Jellyfish Room at Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre on December 8th;
parents
from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. and youth ages 12-18 from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. They ask participation specifically from those parenting while experiencing a mental illness and youth who have lived or are currently living with a parent(s) that has a mental illness. Each participant will receive $50 for their time, as well as refreshments, travel vouchers, and parking being provided. A third session will be held for
mental health service providers
on December 7th from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites on Huron Church Road.
“Groups can expect the labs to be interactive, fun, and comfortable,” said Jennifer Voth, Project Lead and Researcher from Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. “The collaboration is very important. We want to know what a program like this would look like. We want to take all of the feedback and information and use it to develop something useful – what this looks like will be dependent on what the design-lab groups tell us.”
It is estimated that 12 per cent of children in Canada live with a parent who has one or more mental health disorders. A program to support children/youth will be the first of its kind in Windsor-Essex and one of the few in Canada.
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With over 1,200 staff across numerous Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare programs, it's nearly impossible to get everyone together in one place at the same time.
However, as a result of a informative and interactive Learning Day for the staff at our Regional Children's Centre, we were able to capture a photo of nearly all of our RCC team!
These outstanding Social Workers, Child and Youth Workers, Counselors, Teachers, and more are changing the lives of our youngest clients each and every day. Thank you all!
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Security Enhancements to Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare's Dr. Y. Emara Centre for Healthy Aging and Mobility
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As one of our Strategic Priorities to be the safest hospital in the province, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare's Dr. Y. Emara Centre for Healthy Aging and Mobility (Emara Building) has received some recent security enhancements.
To ensure the increased safety for our staff, patients, and visitors during evening and midnight shifts, enhanced security measures have been put in place at the entrance of the Emara Building.
Beginning this past weekend, each day from 8:30 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. the Emara Building's main entrance doors will be automatically locked.
Anyone wishing to enter the Emara Building during these times will either need to use swipe access or call into the Security desk in order to be let in. A telephone and swipe system has been installed on the right-hand wall, immediately inside the first set of sliding glass doors of the building’s entrance.
Please share this change with your colleagues, patients, and their families.
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Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare is improving patient care through Change Day Ontario
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As our tagline says, we’re
changing lives together
at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, so when we heard about the opportunity to make change province-wide, we were eager to take part.
We knew, though, that we could not make a pledge that would speak to enhancing the experience of the patients in our care without actually consulting them, so as we do with the majority of our work, we brought our Change Day Ontario pledge ideas to our Patient and Family Engagement Council’s (PFEC) table.
PFEC is a group consisting of former patients, family of former patients, community partners, and staff of Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. PFEC is an important resource to our organization as they are at the centre of our Quality Improvement initiatives. They, along with our Senior Management Council review areas of opportunity and offer ideas on the best way to move forward with changes that affect the patient experience.
Together, we finalized our Change Day Ontario pledge to involve patients/clients and families in their care.
Instead of simply asking staff to support our pledge, we challenged them to think deeper, to think of how they, in their role, fit into our pledge statement. We asked staff and community partners what drew them to Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare? What ignites their passion? What step, big or small, could they take to make compassionate quality care better for our patients/clients?
The responses have been astounding.
Judy Simms, one of Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s Clinical Practice Managers says, “I pledge to involve patients/clients and families in their care by always listening to the patient when determining their goals of care.”
Rita Gidillini, a Child and Youth Worker with our Regional Children’s Centre will support children and their families through their struggles in hopes of achieving their vision of a healthier and happier family.
Colin Matthews, Research Assistant, will ensure patient input is included when planning programs and services.
And Kim Holt, RN pledges to always put our patients first; be their advocate throughout their road to recovery, along the direction or path that will lead them to the best possible outcomes, health, and happiness.
We are proud to say that we change lives each day at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and through Change Day Ontario, it is our hope to
make
change locally and provincially in the healthcare sector by encouraging others to always involve patients, clients, and their families in their care.
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Local distillery makes donation to Cardiac Care
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Last week, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare's Cardiac Wellness Program received a pleasant surprise from friends at Hiram Walker and Sons Limited.
Each month, as part of their Safety Recognition program, Hiram Walker's makes a donation to local organizations as a result of having no safety incidents for said month.
With October being one of those safe months, Hiram Walker's chose Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare's Cardiac Wellness program as recipient of a $1,000 donation.
Thank you!
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Lighting up the Season of Giving
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The Changing Lives Together Foundation of Hôtel-Dieu Grace
Healthcare kicked off a longstanding community tradition on Wednesday, November 21st with the official launch of the 32nd Annual Tree of Lights Campaign.
As per 32 years of tradition, members of the local Salvation Army Band move attendees in the festive spirit with live entertainment as staff members from each of the departments at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare hung an ornament in remembrance of a loved one.
Members of the community are encouraged to participate in making a difference in how Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare delivers care with proceeds from this year's campaign going to support the Patient Benevolent Fund.
Often staff at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare hear stories of patients and clients who cannot afford transportation costs and comfort items, as examples, that are such an important part of their care. This fund, will support those patients and clients and allow Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare to seamlessly assist with purchasing the necessary equipment, comfort items and tools that contribute to each person's unique care plan.
Each supporter of this year's Tree of Lights Campaign will receive a paper ornament which they can place on the tree in our lobby as well as bring one home to place on their own tree.
To support the campaign and honour someone special this holiday season, please call 519-257-5234 or visit
our website
.
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