Hello E-Connecters,

Welcome back and welcome fall. As we enter this new season, we are happy to introduce a new look to our bi-weekly E-Connect - your updates on all things HDGH. We took the month of September to not only refresh its look, but also plan out some new and exciting stories coming your way in the next few months.

There is something about the change of seasons that leaves me feeling excited. I know most would be sad over the loss of vibrancy, warmth and energy that comes with the summer. But as the adventure months end, autumn reminds us to slow down as nature begins to get moody with shades of brown and yellow. We are now entering a time of transformation - where the leaves fall to protect the earth from the winter cold and where we may even find ourselves starting to make our own changes.

As the days get shorter, and air a bit colder,take this time to step back, and recognize that at the heart of fall sits stillness and comfort in the changes around us - each season offers us new opportunities to understand ourselves and the world we live.

Until next month....

Maciah

Patients we care for on our Complex Medical Care (CMC) unit at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare are just that, complex in their care needs. They may require special attention in regards to their mobility, health comorbidities, unique mental health needs, and in some cases, an addiction to drugs or alcohol.

When Brian arrived to CMC in February of this year, he was in a dark place; physically after breaking his leg, spiritually after losing his faith over the years, and mentally as he battled his alcohol addiction.

Brian credits the holistic care provided by the team at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare for the success he has achieved today.

For patients faced with physical and mental needs, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare deploys our Neuro-Behavioural Care Outreach Team or NBCOT for short. NBCOT is a service offered to these patients on our CMC and Inpatient Rehabilitation units to support their unique mental health requirements. Brian was paired with a Counsellor who supported his addiction recovery in tandem with his physical restoration at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare .

“Physically, mentally, spiritually; I got that healing from HDGH,” Brian explains, going on to say that all staff were patient with him and truly showed him how to progress in all aspects of his life. “I couldn’t have been in better hands or a better place for what I needed at that time.”

Settled back at home, Brian’s successes continue. His strength in his leg is returning, his spirituality has been put into perspective, and he continues to lead a sober life.

Though his healthcare journey at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare is come to an end, he hopes to stay involved in our organization as he applies to be a part of our Patient and Family Advisory Council, being an advocate for future patients, not unlike himself.

Youth in Partnership (YiP), a group led by Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare's Lead Agency was developed (in December 2017) to engage youth in talking about mental health services in Windsor-Essex. This group, in partnership with Maryvale, Children's First, Family Respite Services, and Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare's Regional Children's Centre (HDGH RCC), works on a variety of initiatives with the following three goals in mind: 

Recently, the youth completed two projects with mindyourmind. mindyourmind exists in the space where mental health, wellness, engagement and technology meet. They work with young people aged 14 to 29 to co-create interactive tools and innovative resources to build capacity and resilience. 

The first project the partners worked on was the Be Safe App. Be Safe is a mobile app that aims to help young adults make a decision about seeking help in a crisis. Be Safe is unique because it was developed in full partnership with youth and professionals. It is a systems navigation tool that helps youth find help when they need it, and supports them through the process of reaching out when it feels overwhelming. The partners in Windsor changed, and HDGH and YIP have worked with mindyourmind to continue the availability of the Be Safe app in the Windsor region. Youth can download the app on their device and create safety plans, and connect to the right resources in their community. For more information on the app, please visit: https://besafeapp.ca/

In addition to the app, YiP, mindyourmind and HDGH RCC co-hosted a team of youth and HDGH RCC service providers to develop an online tool called, "How's it growing?" This tool helps youth learn positive coaching strategies by identifying which plant they are through a simple personality quiz. Youth are asked a series of questions about prioritizing self care, asking for help when needed, coping with emotions, building boundaries, and reflecting on life. Upon completion of the quiz, a plant is identified and tips are provided. The quiz can be completed by visiting:  https://mindyourmind.ca/tools/hows-it-growing 

"The biggest thing I have noticed in the youth is personal growth and increased self-esteem," said Tammy Drazilov, Community Practice Coordinator at HDGH's RCC. "They are amazed on how we go from concept to completion and how well all the projects have turned out. They are really proud of what we have accomplished."

To learn more about Youth in Partnership, please visit: www.hdgh.org/YiP

It’s always an exciting time when the eager fresh faces of our new Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare employees gather and are officially welcomed to the organization.

A large pull-up banner brightly reads “Welcome to the Family,” while their orientation folders are perfectly placed at every seat. For the next three days, each new member of the Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare family will learn about the organization and all it stands for. They will be taught how to non-violently deescalate situations and begin to feel apart of something bigger than themselves.

This month, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare welcomed new employees with a new addition to the process - offering a Blessing of the Hands. A tradition that began during our annual Nurses’ Week, the nondenominational act recognizes and unites healthcare workers who’ve chosen the shared journey of caring for patients, either directly or non- directly. Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Chaplains Hilton Gomes and Emily Warlock realized that many non-nursing staff, patients included, were also stopping them in the halls during Nurses’ Week, asking if they could also receive the special blessing. At this point the two chaplains decided it was right to not only add additional “blessing days” but also include all members of the Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare family to this peaceful act.

On Blessing Days, Hilton and Emily travel the campus delivering “Kisses (chocolates) and Blessings.” They give the staff whatever they may need: a blessing, a hug, a smile, or just a chocolate.

The response was of such impact that the dynamic chaplain duo decided what better way to welcome our new Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Family but to do so with a Blessing of the Hands of new employees – the hands of skill, knowledge, comfort, compassion, support and direction that will help heal our patients.

“It’s an honour to invite new staff in as they become something greater than themselves at HDGH," said Emily after September’s orientation.

It was after that same session that a new nurse came up to the team and said how welcomed he felt and expressed he’d never received that type of welcome at another place of employment.

The blessing sets the tone for our faith-based, inclusive organization. It reminds Our People of the role they play in their work, supporting Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s mission of addressing spiritual needs alongside physical and mental ones.