1 in 5 Canadians experience or struggle with mental health. With so much negativity surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no surprise that more Canadians are reporting feeling anxious and depressed. Carefor staff know it’s up to them to make a difference, now more than ever.
Long-time Carefor PSW Dianne Villeneuve knows firsthand the impact mental health can have on her clients and their families overall well-being. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Dianne and other in-home care providers have been a steady support addressing physical needs through prevention of COVID-19, and emotional needs through comfort and compassion.
“Every day, you hear something in the news that you know might upset a client. It then becomes my mission to make their day better by talking or doing something together. Not only that, it’s so important to remind them the importance of wearing masks and sanitizing as there are so many differing opinions in the media. They are scared.”
She sometimes finds herself caring not only for her clients but also their spouse. She recalled a client’s wife she sees every week, and how she was missing the Adult Day Program at another care facility. It means the world to her husband that while Dianne is caring for him, Dianne sets her up with activities like music, a TV show, or other thing she enjoys while caring for him.
“Seeing them smile makes my day, and that in turn impacts my mental health. We do the best we can to help them. You have to be willing to open your heart, not just your mind and take those emotional steps needed to live a long happy life.”
Although some days are harder than others, Dianne feels that supporting her clients mental health is a part of her job: “It’s your profession. You’re in this job because you want to help people. In some ways, we’re lucky because we’re trained to handle situations like this better than others.”
That said, knowing when to reach out for more help is important, even for Carefor staff: “Sometimes people may find they need counselling, for others keeping physically active and finding that daily routine makes a big difference. In the end, you need to find what works for you, and keep going.”
Three decades of caring: Caroline Rooney and an award well-deservedIn November 1993, Caroline Rooney was hired at the newly built Nor-Dun Seniors Support Centre in Winchester. On November 16th, 2022, 29 years later she was awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award recognizing her contribution to the Dundas community through her work at Nor-Dun.
Her recognition was the result of a nomination by Lucy Garneau whose husband, Roger was supported by Caroline and her team for years at Nor-Dun. “These amazing programs lightened the load,” said Lucy whose husband received Meals on Wheels and attended the Adult Day Program at the centre, while Lucy also attended the centre herself making use of the Caregivers’ Support Group. “The Caregiver Program was a very welcoming program, and a much-needed release and fellowship of other Caregivers from the journey she was on.”
You can see that Caroline is both honoured and surprised at being recognized for something that she does every day: putting clients first. “I’m just doing the job I’m supposed to do and making sure Lucy is well looked after,” says Caroline. While being grateful for the recognition knowing that it means that the centres are doing what they were built for – to serve the seniors and people with disabilities in rural communities – she’s quick to recognize that the award is shared. “This award is on the wings of the team that I work with,” says Caroline, recognizing not only the team at Nor-Dun, but also her fellow senior support centre supervisors/team leaders and her manager, Dianne Kuipers. “It is the mentorship that Dianne has brought to our Teams”, praises Caroline.
Today, Nor-Dun offers a suite of programs and services which help rural seniors lead healthy and connected lives by giving them options for recreation, socialization and wellness. They make sure the clients are cared for, even if it’s as simple as a check in. This was the intent from the beginning when Nor-Dun and Carefor’s four other senior support centres in Eastern Counties were born out of a partnership between Carefor (then the Victorian Order of Nurses), The Ministry of Health, Long Term Care Division, the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, the Ontario Housing Corporation & the local Villages of the prospective centres, as they were then referred.
When Caroline started, she wasn’t even sure what job she was hired for saying it was a combination of administration, janitorial and other tasks that needed getting done around the centre. Then Nor-Dun only offered congregate dining and Meals on Wheels but its potential over the decades has been realized with programs and services being added based on community need and in consultation with clients, who take such interest in these centres that they see themselves as part of them. “The centres were ahead of their time when they were built,” Caroline remembers.
Over the past three decades there have been changes to Nor-Dun such as expanding to the lower floor with the help of the Winchester Legion allowing for more programs to be offered. Over time, Caroline pursued her education and moved to Program Coordinator and eventually to Supervisor. Throughout her time at Nor-Dun her philosophy has remained constant: “clients come first.”
Nearing retirement she looks back over her years at Nor-Dun and while some challenges have stood out such as the ice storm of 1998 and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic where almost all programs were suspended, above all she remembers the gratitude of the clients and families she serves. “Families let you know how important you are to them.”
Working with Winchester’s elderly community has been a blessing for Caroline as she has developed long and lasting friendships with many clients; however, as is the case with this type of work, it can be hard when a senior who has visited the centre for decades stops coming. They have all shared their lives together in what may appear to be the simplest of ways: having tea, delivering a meal, listening to a story. Each act may seem small, but Caroline knows everything her and her team do means so much more. That it’s a friend, someone to listen and to care. And for some people that means the world.
This is what Carefor’s senior support centres offer, but more importantly this is what people like Caroline Rooney, her staff and all the staff at Carefor’s seniors support centres provide to people in their communities.
We are grateful to Caroline for her caring and for representing Carefor in such an incredible way.
Transporting our clients to and from their medical appointments is a key community support service, but it has never been as important as it is now in the shadow of COVID-19.
Carefor’s non-urgent transportation program offers flexible and affordable transportation to help individuals unable to access other means of transportation to local and out of town medical appointments. In 2018-2019 alone, the program gave more than 57,000 rides to nearly 4,000 people.
When driver Bob Derro, locally known as radio DJ Brother Bob, was asked if he was comfortable to continue providing transportation services during this difficult time, he agreed without hesitation.
“There’s got to be people who step up,” he says.
Providing this service isn’t only a job for Bob, it’s a time to be there for someone during their greatest time of need. “You have to be a comforting spirit in troubled times, and that’s our job here at Carefor,” he says, touching on the importance of lending an ear and spreading positivity.
For seniors like Betty, finding transportation can be one of the hardest parts of getting care. Often, seniors do not have access to standard vehicles or to accessible vehicles for those with disabilities.
“Without them, I wouldn’t be anywhere,” she says. “You’re not just their job, you’re their friend.”
Betty isn’t the only passenger with that sentiment, Bob says everyone he has driven has expressed a tremendous amount of gratitude for the care they’ve received amid the coronavirus pandemic: “It makes it all worthwhile.”
For many of our passengers, this service is a matter of life or death: “People still need their life-saving treatments, such as dialysis and chemotherapy.”
He adds: “It’s an honour to be serving out here on the front lines.”
To learn more about Transportation services, click here or email us at info@carefor.ca. Support our Carefor Heroes by giving at carefor.ca/donate.
Nowadays, it’s hard to escape any news about COVID-19. It’s taken over nearly every aspect of our lives, and for those who are lucky, we spend a small portion of our day thinking about it.
For some of our Carefor clients, especially those who are immunocompromised, COVID-19 is a constant threat. That said, they still require continuous care during this outbreak, and that’s where Carefor nurses come into play.
Community health nurses play a pivotal role in keeping the most vulnerable population during this COVID-19 pandemic healthy and connected.
Our nurses, like Natalie Gauvin, work diligently to meet community demands while finding ways to decrease the risk of virus transmission.
“Our patients are used to not leaving home much, that’s why we come to them,” Natalie explains, stressing that providing care during times of isolation is important now more than ever.
For example, one of the palliative patients she attends to has advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which requires the patient to be on home oxygen.
The client’s health care support team must work strategically to ensure the health and safety of the client in their home.
“She had been getting a visit from a physician and nurses for her medication, but now nurses prepare pre-loaded syringes for medication to self-inject. The visiting nurse contacts the physician to give an update … One less visiting person means less risk of transmission. The nurse is key to holding it together. And without a visiting healthcare professional, the patient would likely have to go to the hospital.”
While reducing the risk of transmission is key, keeping the patient connected to the outside world is as significant.
“In many cases our nurses’ caring approach is the only real contact many have with the outside world … during a time of fear and isolation,” Nursing Manager Sean Sudbrink says.
In 2019-2020 alone, Carefor’s community nurses in Ottawa made more than 100,000 visits. Thank you to our community health professionals for meeting needs during a time of crisis.
To learn more about in-home nursing services, click here or email us at info@carefor.ca. Support our Carefor Heroes by giving at carefor.ca/donate.
Healthcare delivery should never take place in isolation. It’s a system that works together around the client’s needs.
Often when people think of healthcare delivery they think of it taking place in the community, but at home is one of the best and safest places it can happen. And even in one’s home it requires an integrated approach. Registered dietitians like Sylvie Jacques are part of this approach.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Sylvie has spent a lot of time virtually demystifying, educating, and reducing fear surrounding food safety.
“As front-line workers, it’s our role to manage symptoms and ensure people are safe as possible,” she says. “We personalize the reality of the situation to our clients and their loved ones.”
However, it’s not only about simply doing your job, it’s going that extra mile at a time of great need for many clients.
For Azeem Shakoor, words can’t describe the immense help Sylvie has had on his life these past few months. When Mr. Shakoor required a specialized nutrition supplement, which was quite expensive and in short supply at the time, Sylvie persevered to meet the patient’s needs. In a short time, she was able to deliver an emergency supply of the supplement until he was able to apply for funding.
Mr. Shakoor said he was speechless by the surprise, bringing him to tears. “I couldn’t believe she was able to get access to the flavour and type of liquid diet that I can actually ingest … which helps me recover instead of making me feel sick, as I do with all the other ones.”
Mr. Shakoor isn’t the only client who has expressed a similar sentiment of gratitude. Sandra Szirtes says Sylvie’s knowledge and compassion has made a world of difference to her husband.
“She truly cares and thinks outside the box. She knows how to make a difference.”
As lockdown restrictions have eased in the province and more health care professionals are able to safely provide services in people’s homes, Sylvie continues to do what she does best. She also can’t stress enough the importance of home care, especially during this time.
“People don’t want to go to the hospital or long-term care homes; they choose to stay at home and they may need more than one professional to ensure they can do so,” she says. “We’re improving quality of life in a safe environment.”
In 2019-2020, Carefor’s Allied Health team, comprised of registered dietitians, occupational therapists, social workers, and physiotherapists made approximately 30,000 visits in Ottawa.
Support Carefor Heroes like Sylvie and the clients she cares for by donating at carefor.ca/donate.
Going to see the doctor for an annual check up is an important preventative measure for maintaining our health as we age.
However, getting to and from these appointments may seem like a luxury to some, as many seniors within Eastern Counties including Hawkesbury travel over an hour in each direction for essential medical care. Taxi fares from Hawkesbury to the Ottawa Hospital are well over $170 per direction, before adding in waiting time. If someone needs to make more than one trip per month for essential appointments, these costs add up making it near impossible to continue to receive essential care.
This past year, Carefor Eastern Counties has made over 25,900 drives to medical appointments, servicing over 1,600 people within our community. These medical appointments ranged from seeing a family doctor to receiving life-changing dialysis, cancer treatments, and more. Transportation fees has been made more affordable, charging $0.42-$0.47 per kilometer versus other for-profit services. However, in many cases these fees can still be taxing to passengers depending on their frequency of use.
Yves Deschamps is a Carefor Eastern Counties driver, providing essential transportation services to the Hawkesbury area. Over the past five years Yves has gotten to know many of the people who receive ongoing transportation services. “I enjoy what I do, and the people I can help. It’s a part of me.”
Yves has experienced first-hand some of the tough decisions his clients have had to make over the years, especially when they have had reoccurring medical appointments in Ottawa. “For someone travelling from Rockland to Ottawa, the fees usually around $30 per trip. However, if you start travelling from Hawkesbury, that fee jumps to over $80 per trip. If you need to go to the eye doctor three or four times a month because you have cataracts, you can’t afford it.”
Although the number of drives has dropped over the past couple months, family practitioners and non-emergent surgeries are being rebooked. Many seniors are still feeling the financial ripple effect of the pandemic and are more likely facing financial hardships for the foreseeable future.
Greg Stevenson, the Supervisor of Transportation Services for Carefor shared his perspective. “The unique aspect we have in Eastern Counties is people in the rural cities and towns going into Ottawa. However, for those living in Ottawa there’s public transit, there’s taxis – it’s a much shorter range of distance from the client’s home to their doctor or to the hospital, where as in Eastern Counties it’s much greater.”
Greg and his team try to make essential transportation as accessible as possible. “A driver could conceivably be waiting for several hours and the time is not being charged to the client. There is no wait time charge. It’s strictly a kilometer charge.”
“It’s the tip of the iceberg of the actual cost of what the client is really paying.”, Greg shared. Carefor Transportation Services relies on funding from the Ministry of Health and donations to offset the cost of payroll, vehicle maintenance, fuel, and more to continue to provide this essential service to the community.
Carefor Eastern Counties relies on community support so drivers like Yves can continue to provide much-needed transportation to clients at an affordable rate. Help us offer your community affordable transportation by donating today.
As we continue forward with social distancing to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, isolation has become a new reality. Although some are able to be home with their loved ones, many do not have this comfort and are feeling more alone than ever.
Carefor Hospice Cornwall, known for its positive atmosphere and friendly staff, is feeling similar pressures with visitation restrictions, as well as protocol changes impacting both staff and patients.
Nurse, Maureen Froats has been working at the Cornwall Hospice for five years now, offering care to patients transitioning through their final stage of life. “Bedside nursing is very hands on, and we have a good team here. Everyone has an important role to play” Throughout her five years she has experienced many facets of patient care, however nothing compares to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The masks, the gloves, the gowns… they take away from the personal touch, but it’s what we have to do considering the circumstances.” Although the Hospice team still does everything possible to comfort and provide a high level of care to patients, the team has encountered some hurdles. “We’ve now realized some patients are struggling to understand us when we’re talking to them because they subconsciously rely on lip reading in conversations and cannot do so with a mask on.” Other simple yet comforting points of contact like giving a patient a hug has been stopped for the time being. “It’s a lot of talking, consoling, and listening.”
At this time, Hospice has limited visitors to one per patient. “Before, we used to have families in here day and night to stay with their loved one. They could rely on one-another and take shifts.” Prior to COVID-19, families would support one-another in common areas such as the servery. “Families traditionally would meet in the kitchen just like at home. They would get to chat with each other and be a support for one another over tears, laughter and war stories.” Now, visitors are limited to the patient’s room.
Until the day the visitor restrictions are lifted, the Hospice team will continue to move forward and provide compassionate end of life care to patients. “We will get over this. Try not to get discouraged and if you do, only do it for a couple minutes and then chin up and carry on.”
Help support the team at Hospice by donating today.
Helen works as a nurse at Carefor’s Mackay Complex in Pembroke, Ontario. Her day to day is making sure Mackay’s 41 residents are looked after – ensuring medications, supporting residents with doctors visits, dealing with any health issues that arise. “You have to think of (the residents) and what they need,” says Helen. “Put their needs before everything else.”
Helen knows that good care is for more than just the body, it’s for the whole person. It’s taking a moment to connect with residents, to “interact with them on their levels,” says Helen. Watching her do her rounds you can see how she does this effortlessly. A hand on one person’s shoulder, a quick joke and a smile to someone else. It might seem small, but it makes a difference. It helps her connect.
One of the residents, Peggy, recognizes it. “(Helen) is so compassionate and she spreads herself to everyone.” Helen and Peggy obviously have a bond.
The majority of Mackay’s residents are seniors who are largely independent with some need of support. Helen and the rest of the staff at Mackay provide them that help that keeps them living as as active and independent lives as possible.
To find out more about Carefor Mackay Centre, click here or contact infopembroke@carefor.ca.
How did you end up doing what you do for a living? Was it a conscious choice or perhaps a series of unconscious choices? Josée Alarie’s choice to become a PSW 23 years ago came from two things.
First, when she was 28 years old Josée’s grandmother passed away. Josée was living in Hull and her grandmother was in northern Quebec and for seven years prior to her passing, Josée never saw her. “I felt such guilt for that,” she recalls with her strong French accent. “After she died, I decided I wanted to help all the grandmothers.” You can hear a sense of loss in her voice but also a feeling of pride for turning something sad into something good.
The second thing was volunteering for Meals on Wheels in Ottawa and seeing how many elderly people were struggling on their own. “I was the person who brought the sick person the food,” she remembers. “I go in the place and smelled urine. How come nobody comes to clean and helps this woman who is alone, no one helps her to come outside? I want to help old people. I want to help the vulnerable.”
After 22 years of working as a PSW, 18 of which were with Carefor, Josée has retired. June 1 to be exact. Well, she hasn’t completely retired. She still cares for her 94-year-old mother-in-law and her husband Benoit’s 87-year-old aunt. “I have more time to help. It’s finished with Carefor but not with the family life,” she says with a laugh.
In the end it was her osteo-arthritis that forced her into retirement. “I’m too old for lots of transferring. I think I’m getting too old for doing too much work like that,” she says, saying that working as a PSW is something more for younger people and hopes to see more people enter the field, especially men.
When asked what kept her in the job until 60, she said the answer the was simple: people. Most of what she spoke about was the relationships she built with her clients and their families. You can hear that she felt like she had a real impact in people’s lives, many of whom she supported for more than a decade. “You can see the difference you make in someone’s life. Many jobs you can’t see that, but as a PSW I end a day knowing that I helped someone.”
The type of work she enjoyed most as a PSW was offering respite to families who are living with dementia. “I like giving them a break. It’s too much for the son or the daughter. Keeping an elderly with Alzheimer’s at home is 24-hour work. (They tell me) ‘Because of you I can live in peace and relax. Because of you I can go to the cinema or to the hairdresser because I know Mom is safe.’”
As Josée ends her career she hopes to see changes in the sector for those still working hard for their clients. She feels the pandemic helped shine a light on the importance of personal support workers as the elderly and their families struggled with its daily realities. “We are part of the healthcare team. It’s like a restaurant without the person who washes the dishes. If we aren’t there, the restaurant doesn’t work. We are very important.”
Over two decades after becoming a PSW to help the elderly she still cares deeply for them. “When you see someone in need you have to help them,” she says. “They’re so thankful. You can see it in their smile.”
Thank you, Josée, for your years being part of our team and all you gave the people and families you supported through the years.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly hard on our seniors, many of whom have benefited immensely from Carefor’s support systems. Focusing our nation’s attention on them today, National Seniors Day, seems more important now than ever.
In honour of this special day, encouraging Canadians to celebrate older adults for their lifelong contributions to their communities and to their families, we are highlighting Carefor’s five Senior Support Centres located in Eastern Counties as examples of the diversity and impact of our programs and services. These lively support centres in our communities celebrate Seniors each and every day, offering programs that promote social inclusion and overall health and well-being.
The Carefor Senior Support Centres in Ingleside, Finch, Winchester, Lancaster and Alexandria are more than just buildings in these townships, they are a home away from home for local seniors who spend their days fostering connections and engaging in their beloved activities.
Prior to COVID-19, the centres offered in-person events such as Diners’ Clubs and exercise programs which brought people out of their homes to connect with friends and stay active. Although most programs have been modified to meet social distancing guidelines, the need to keep centre members engaged, has never been more important.
“Carefor staff working at the centres have come up with ‘Thinking Outside the Box’ in support of our clients. For example, we’ve been able to provide outdoor entertainment, drive thru dinners, small chair and mat yoga classes, outside coffee group and caregiver support group sessions. All while following social distancing measures and sanitizing to keep our clients safe,” says Caroline Rooney, team leader of the Nor-Dun Support Centre in Winchester.
The support centres have been and will continue to be an integral part of the Eastern Counties communities, offering meal delivery, exercises, information and socialization for seniors in the region.
“It’s a place for us to get together with people, and a place to go for us older folks. It’s great for the village. And I know they’re there if I need them,” shares Beth McIntyre, a meal delivery recipient from Ingleside.
Seniors play a valuable role in not only their own families, but also in their community. Living safe and healthy lives is our clients’ right; and therefore, our duty to support it. Carefor is proud to be at the forefront in ensuring the health and safety of our seniors.
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