NEWS in General – July 13
.
.
GGH News
IPAC Champion of the Month
PRIDE – a celebration and commitment to action
Other News
Online Wellness resource, Catalyst Magazine – from The Mental Health Commission of Canada
Homewood Service Spotlight
Life Lines – Sexual Abuse and Sexual Harassment
GGH News
IPAC Champion of the Month
IPAC is wanting to recognize staff who go above and beyond to provide exceptional care in these extraordinary times.
Each month a member of the IPAC team will select an IPAC Champion. With their consent their picture and first name will be displayed on our Hand Hygiene Thermometers and they also receive a gift card.
This month IPAC has selected Jenn from Environmental Services. Jenn has been chosen because of her strong advocacy for IPAC practices. Jenn ensures the proper precaution signage are up, thus ensuring patient safety.
Please help us in congratulating Jenn as the IPAC Champion for July!
PRIDE – a celebration and commitment to action
submitted by Travis Frampton, RN- Emergency Department, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee member.
Pride is always a lot; it is many things to many people in many places and times. Pride has been important to me for a lifetime. For over a decade now, since “coming out,” I have attended at least one Pride event a year, sometimes several. It is one of my favourite times of the year, surrounded by many LGBT2SQQIA+ community members, friends, lovers, and allies. Some prideful summers have included Toronto Pride, Kingston Pride, Montreal Pride, Ottawa Pride, North Bay Pride, London Pride and Guelph Pride. I am fortunate to have fallen in love with a fellow Pride attendee and developed an open relationship that supports us both. Over the years, we have become a close-knit group of gay friends we now consider family.
Front row (l-r) Barbara Annett, Tammy McEwen, Julia Bunko, Veronica Lugosi
Back row (l-r), Natalie Vance, Vanessa Drexler, Sydney Scott, Stephanie Gallina, Josie M’Msfiri, Rachelle Peacock, Laura Hasler, Kelley Johnstone, D’Arcy Bordeleau
As enjoyable as Pride is as a celebration, it’s also important to mention why it continues to be necessary; the violence of heteropatriarchy. A recent example we experienced was while away with my partner this past winter; we explored some internationally well-known queer outdoor spaces with decades of history. While visiting, we noticed increasingly being surveilled and policed by a militarized local police force. A great deal must change. Recognizing and celebrating Pride at GGH can hopefully be the beginning of many more important conversations grounded in anti-racism, anti-oppression, truth and reconciliation.
A few ideas to support our teams and patient care:
- Continue to learn and support our teams, patients and their families through the learning resources available on the e-learning portal Courses|Additional GGH Courses | Organizational Development | Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Foundations
- PRIDE pins and stickers and new pronouns pins are also available through OD and by email to inclusion@gghorg.ca.
- Send an email to inclusion@gghorg.ca to get involved in awareness-building, learning and action.
Other News
Online Wellness resource, Catalyst Magazine – from The Mental Health Commission of Canada
Although the majority of us find ourselves sometimes too busy to stop and think, Catalyst Magazine from the Mental Health Commission of Canada might be a good way to spend a bit of our social media-scrolling time. It has incredibly informative articles on many facets of wellbeing (e.g. healthy aging, social connections and healthy communication strategies) written by mental health industry professionals. An article of particular interest, It’s Broke- And Don’t fix it, discusses strategies one can implement when helping to support others through challenging times. Not only could this be of help to those in leadership roles, but also for any of us who find ourselves in discussions with others experiencing hardships.
Homewood Service Spotlight
Did you know that through Homewood Health, GGH’s EFAP, you can receive one-on-one support through their Life Smart Coaching services? For example, new parents can be connected with one of Homewood’s childcare specialists to learn about the specific resources dedicated to this exciting (and challenging!) stage of life! Or, if you find yourself in the position of taking care of an ill and/or elderly relative, there are resources for that as well. If you find yourself falling into both those categories, i.e. the Sandwich Generation, Homewood would be happy to support you too. You can connect with them by calling 1-800-663-1142, or by creating a Homewood Pathfinder Profile by visiting Homeweb.ca and following the prompts (using the following Invitation Code: CMH747). For any further questions regarding Homewood, please email HealthAndWellness@gghorg.ca
Life Lines – Sexual Abuse and Sexual Harassment
Anyone can experience sexual abuse or sexual harassment. These situations often emerge in circumstances where there is an imbalance of power. It can happen between people who know each other and between strangers. It’s never okay. Living with the aftermath can be traumatic, and it’s important to give people the right kinds of support to begin to heal. For the entire article, click here.