November 2009 1

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Residents Council Election

$3 Million Investment

Remembrance Day 2009

Senior Friendly Care

Sunnybrook Team Awards

Summer Camp

Grant a Wish Program

Partners in Veterans Care

Hockey Legends

Passings

Sharing History with Crestwood

Continued on page 2

Protecting our Veterans From the Flu

Every year thousands of Canadians become ill with influenza (the flu). The elderly and those with chronic illnesses are particularly susceptible to becoming seriously ill with influenza. This year, in addition to the regular seasonal influenza, there is also a new strain – the H1N1 influenza virus – which is affecting people worldwide. Although this new strain is causing mostly a mild illness in healthy Canadians, it may cause more severe illness this fall, particularly in people with chronic illnesses.

Both regular seasonal influenza and H1N1 viruses are spread from direct contact with an infected person or from touching infected surfaces (doorknobs, telephones, counters) and then touching your mouth and/or nose. A person infected with H1N1 influenza is contagious for one day before the symptoms start to about 7 days after the symptoms start. It can take between 2 and 7 days for symptoms to start after being exposed to the virus. The symptoms of influenza include: cough and fever as well as fatigue, muscle pains, sore throat, headache, and runny nose. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may also occur.

The most effective way of protecting yourself and those around you from getting sick is to wash your hands frequently, keep shared surfaces clean and disinfected, cough or sneeze into your arm (instead of your hand), stay home if you are sick, do not come into the Veterans Centre until you have fully recovered and you feel well enough to do all of your regular activities, and get vaccinated against influenza. The influenza vaccine prevents you from getting sick by introducing a killed version of the virus into your body so that your body builds immunity to it. There will be 2 different influenza vaccines

At Home is the official newsletterof the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre. The newsletter is published four times a year and is made available to all Veterans, staff and family members. At Home is also available online at www.sunnybrook.ca under Programs & Services and the Veterans & Commuity site.

Editor: Sally FurLayout: Tereza RadmanPhotography: Dale Roddick, Doug Nicholson, Ana Seara Circulation: 1,800

For more information, or to make a submission, please contact Sally Fur at 416.480.6100 ext. 5057 or by e-mail to sally.fur@sunnybrook.ca

Contributors:Nancy Bowers-Ivanski Dr. Jocelyn Charles Dorothy Ferguson Leanne Hughes Katy MacKinnonKristin MorrowJulie PepinSherrie RussellAna Seara

Material printed in At Home is protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without the permission of the editor.

Dorothy FergusonOperations DirectorVeterans Centre

Dr. Jocelyn CharlesMedical DirectorVeterans Centre

Continued from page 1

Attention all Residents Make Your Voice Heard! -

Your Vote Counts in the upcoming Residents Council Election

Community and Veterans Residents Council Elections are being held on Thursday, October 29th in the Annex from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The objective of the Council is to advise the administration of Sunnybrook in a constructive manner relating to the welfare of patients and residents of the Kilgour and George Hees wings and, in a spirit of consultation, to assist the hospital and Veterans Affairs Canada in their efforts to improve the quality for life and comfort of Veteran and Community residents.

The elections are being moderated by members of the Royal Canadian Legion. The positions on the Council include President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and Honorary Secretary.

All residents living in K and L wings are encouraged to make an effort to

come out and vote!!

this year – one for the regular seasonal influenza and one for the H1N1 influenza virus. It is very important that all of us (Veterans, families, volunteers and staff ) receive both vaccines in order to protect our Veterans from becoming ill with influenza.

November 2009 3

When she walks through the halls of the Veterans care residence, past forty or fifty Veterans listening to the piano in Warriors’ Hall, Dr. Jocelyn Charles is reminded of why upgrades to the residence are so essential. “The 500 Veterans who call Sunnybrook home depend on us to keep up with their needs, to offer the most compassionate care in the very best environment possible,” says Dr. Charles, Medical Director of the Veterans Centre.

“As our Veterans get older, their health care needs become increasingly complex,” says Dr. Charles. “Our commitment is to provide them with the country’s most advanced physical, mental, cognitive and social supports to enhance their quality of life, now and in the years ahead.”

Dorothy Ferguson, Operations Director, notes that the current facility was originally built for younger Veterans. “Seniors’ health needs change over time. It is our duty to them to keep improving so that we are able to meet these changing needs”. Accordingly, Sunnybrook has planned renovations to L2 for which Sunnybrook Foundation is raising $3 million to fund. Once complete, the new space will help each Veteran live as rich and fulfilling a life as possible.

In keeping with our philosophy of supporting our residents’ social and recreational needs to ensure the very best quality of life, we will build a new garden solarium and new family rooms. We will also build a new dining commons and 24-hour serveries that will allow residents to get the nutrition they need, even if their symptoms make it difficult to follow scheduled mealtimes.

We will renovate some resident rooms and add technologically advanced furniture, including beds, tables and chairs that will make daily

living easier while providing Veterans with all of the comforts of home. We will also upgrade to powered ceiling lifts to make transfers from bed to chair more efficient and comfortable, and we will move some nursing stations closer to resident rooms to allow for more interaction between residents and caregivers.

To better care for Veterans with dementia, we plan to build the Dorothy Macham Home Step-Down Unit, which will allow for transition between the intense support of the Dorothy Macham Home and the more open and integrated care in the George Hees Wing. In this self-contained area, staff will work closely with residents, helping them integrate into Sunnybrook’s active and highly social Veterans’ community.

“These improvements will help us to provide Canada’s war heroes with the most advanced facilities tailored to their needs” says Dr. Charles. “It is essential that we put these plans into action as soon as possible so that our Veterans can begin to benefit from them.”

To learn how you can support the Veterans Care Centre or to make a donation contact Lee Maziarz, Campaign Director at 416.480.5156 or visit www.sunnybrookfoundation.ca.

Sunnybrook Plans $3 Million Investment in the Veterans’ Residence

By Katy MacKinnon

4 November 2009

Remembrance Day 2009

The annual Sunnybrook Remembrance Day service will take place on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 10:15 a.m. in Warrior’s Hall. The service will be held in the following locations within the Veterans Centre: K-wing Annex, Sunny’s Cafeteria, and the George Hees lobby lounge via live video feed. Please be seated by 10:00 a.m. as the service will begin promptly at 10:15 a.m. Due to space limitations, we ask that Veterans wishing to be seated in Warrior’s Hall attend the service with only one family member. Other family members are welcome to watch the service from any of the other areas within K and L wings via live video feed.

A Fly-Past Tradition

In tribute to our Veterans, four AT6 North American Harvard Aircraft will fly over the Sunnybrook campus at approximately 11:15 a.m. on Remembrance Day. Three passes will be performed with the final pass being the “missing man” manoeuvre which honours the missing who did not return from mission.

Cenotaph Service

Following the main service in Warriors’ Hall, all are invited to take part in the outdoor memorial wreath-laying service at the cenotaph situated on Bayview Ave. Prior to the conclusion of the service inside, all of the wreaths will be collected by the 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron and then be paraded over to the cenotaph. Please assemble outside the K-wing doors at approximately 11:15 a.m. immediately after the indoor service. The service at the Cenotaph will begin at 11:30 a.m.

Afternoon Entertainment

Family and friends are invited to stay for the afternoon entertainment in Warriors’ Hall from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. on November 11. The York Jazz Ensemble will perform and special refreshments will be served.

Poppy Drive

Poppies will be available from Sunnybrook Veterans at various locations throughout the hospital the week prior to Remembrance Day. Proceeds from the annual Sunnybrook poppy drive go to Branch 75 of the Royal Canadian Legion who in turn generously supports the Veterans Comfort Fund here at Sunnybrook.

VAC Remembrance Week Activities

November 4th: Annual Veterans’ Week poster presentation in Warrior’s Hall at 2:00 p.m. Stephen Little, District Director, Veterans Affairs Canada will give a speech outlining the key messages of this year’s commemoration activitiesNovember 4th - 6th: Memorabilia Display...Wartime memorabilia including artifacts and photographs published and displayed during 1939-45 and 1951-53 will be on display in the K-wing Annex.

For more information please contact Sherrie Russell, Veterans Affairs Canada 416.954.0162.

Artist: Adeline Bowland

November 2009 5

Dear Residents, Visitors and StaffBy Michael Young, EVP, Chief Administrative Executive and Dorothy Ferguson

As you have probably noticed, at long last, Elevator 3 has been repaired and is now operating. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your patience as we waited for the manufacturer to provide the custom part that was needed.

We are also pleased to update you on our plan to replace the three L-wing elevators over the next year: the purchase agreement has been finalized and we have commitment to start the replacement of Elevator 3 early in 2010, and we anticipate that all three elevators will be replaced by March 2011. Although this process may seem lengthy, in order to maintain the availability of elevators, we can only replace one elevator at a time. We are confident that this upgrade in elevators will improve the quality of life for our Veterans, their family members and improve the efficiency of our staff.

In the interim, we appreciate your ongoing support and patience. Please be assured that the safety and comfort of our Veteran residents is our highest priority and we are working diligently

to improve the situation through this elevator replacement plan. All staff are encouraged to use the stairs whenever possible in order to minimize Veterans’ wait times for elevator service. Also, Plant Operations encourages residents, visitors, and staff alike to immediately notify Security if a difficulty is observed in the elevator service so that issues can be resolved as quickly as possible.

As you know the elevators in L-wing are a shared resource for our resident, visitor and staff community and we are working to streamline the times during which elevators are ‘on service’. We have asked those staff requiring an elevator on service to deliver/collect food, medications, laundry and waste, to be mindful of taking elevators off service for intervals and as much as possible, attend to their activities outside of visiting hours and/or ceremonial/activity times.

Our goal is to insure that our Veterans activities are not disrupted because of elevator delays.

Save the Date!Annual Holiday Concert with John McDermott Date: Monday, November 30th, 2009 Time: 2:00 p.m. Place: Warriors’ Hall

International recording artist and Irish tenor, John McDermott will entertain us with a selection of memorable holiday and wartime songs, such as “Danny Boy”, “As Time Goes By” and “Ave Maria”

Mark this date in your calendars now! You won’t want to miss it!!

6 November 2009

This past June, more than 60 Sunnybrook leaders and health professionals attended the inaugural Senior Friendly Hospital Forum, a day-long event held at the Vaughan Estate. The successful event set the groundwork for this exciting new direction. Over the next one to three years, health professionals at Sunnybrook will be inventing the future of healthcare through a new initiative and commitment to incorporating senior friendly care, hospital wide. The event was hosted by Dr. Susan VanDeVelde-Coke, EVP, Chief Health Professionals & Chief Nursing Executive and the Senior Friendly Hospital Steering Committee: Dr. Barbara Liu, Betsy Jackson, Deborah Brown-Farrell, Dorothy Ferguson, Dr. Jocelyn Charles, Lois Fillion, and Dr. Rajin Mehta.

The objectives of the event were to define the culture of a senior friendly hospital, identify the current status of senior friendly care, develop and understanding of the provincial senior friendly framework, appreciate seniors’ perceptions of

their care, and identify patient-centred goals to improve senior friendly care at Sunnybrook over the next years.

“In order to meet the needs of this fast growing population and provide leading-edge patient care we must put seniors first and look closely at our practices to ensure that we are following a senior friendly approach across the entire hospital,” says Dr. VanDeVelde-Coke. “From the development of our senior friendly philosophy, our methods of communication, admission and discharge planning procedures, our physical environment, and to our research activities, Sunnybrook will be looking at new ways to incorporate senior friendly care.”

Keynote speaker Dr. Christopher Patterson, professor of Medicine in the division of Geriatric Medicine at McMaster University and the Chief of Geriatric Services at Hamilton Health Sciences Centre discussed the culture of a hospital that practices senior friendly care and why it is important for Sunnybrook. He stressed the importance of identifying those at risk for adverse events and outlined two key areas: delirium and deconditioning. He referenced a study completed at Yale and published in the New England Journal of Medicine that focused on the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) and included a quick screening test for identifying those at risk of delirium. Dr. Patterson also stressed that health professionals must include exercise as part of a multidisciplinary intervention in order to preserve muscle strength.

Dr. Barbara Liu, executive director, Regional Geriatric Program of Toronto and Deborah Brown-Farrell, Nurse Practitioner in the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre, presented the results of

Strengthening our Commitment to Senior Friendly Care The Inaugural Senior Friendly Hospital Forum

By Sally Fur

Continued on page 7

The Senior Friendly Care Steering Committee (left to right): Barbara Liu, Lois Fillion, Sue VanDeVelde-Coke, Dorothy Ferguson, Jocelyn Charles, Betsy Jackson, Deborah Brown-Farrell and Rajin Mehta

Photo credit: Dale Roddick

November 2009 7

Sunnybrook’s Senior Friendly Survey that was completed last May. A number of former Sunnybrook patients as well as Veteran residents shared their experiences and provided their perspectives on senior friendly care.

Sunnybrook has a distinguished history in caring for the elderly and is at the forefront of providing a number of specialized programs to meet the needs of our senior population. There are facilities such as the Veterans Centre, and the W.P. Scott Geriatric Day Hospital, along with programs that focus on: falls prevention, dementia care, reduction of chronic pain, prevention of delirium and specialized diabetes education for seniors.

“With more than 40 years of experience in providing long term care to older Veterans, the Veterans Centre has successfully implemented many Senior Friendly care strategies and continues to identify ways to further enhance life experiences for Veterans at Sunnybrook,” says Dr. Jocelyn Charles, Medical Director of the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre. “The Veterans Centre hopes to share and work with other areas of the hospital to promote similar strategies to enhance care for all seniors at Sunnybrook.”

Sunnybrook’s Department of Family and Community Medicine has created a program called the Interprofessional Model of Practice for Aging and Complex Treatments or IMPACT Clinic. The research focus of this initiative is to better understand the experience of seniors and improve care for those seniors with multiple chronic illnesses. A screening tool for patients over the age of 70, called SPPICES (stability/falls, polypharmacy, pain, incontinence, confusion, eating/nutrition, skin) is currently being used in four acute-care units in General Medicine at Sunnybrook. “These initiatives along with all the other senior-friendly practices in place at Sunnybrook along with a breadth of new practices need to be shared and woven into the entire tapestry of Sunnybrook,” says VanDeVelde-Coke.

For more information, or for a copy of the Senior Friendly Hospital Forum Summary Report, please contact Betsy Jackson at betsy.jackson@sunnybrook.ca or ext. 5812.

Continued from page 6

Sunnybrook Team Awards

Through the Quality of Work & Life Program, the Sunnybrook Team Awards are presented at the annual fall BBQ to outstanding teams who work together to deliver extraordinary care and services. This year over 26 teams were nominated and all were most deserving of this award. Unfortunately only 5 teams could be selected.

Congratulations to this year’s 2009 TEAM AWARD WINNERS:

•Veterans Care Team of LTSE •Geriatric Day Hospital Team •Plant Operations & Maintenance Team •The 6 East Nursing Unit from Holland •The Occupational Health & Safety Team

LTSE were awarded the Sunnybrook Team Award at the annual fall BBQ on September 23.

Photo credit: Doug Nicholson

8 November 2009

Annual Trip to Summer Camp - Enjoying the Great Outdoors!

By Nancy Bowers-Ivanski

Last June, Veterans and staff from Sunnybrook boarded the bus for a four-day get-a-way to the CNIB Camp on beautiful Lake Joseph in Muskoka. As in previous years, they were joined Veterans from the Parkwood campus of St. Joseph’s Health Sciences Centre in London.

The annual Lake Joseph camp adventure is generously funded by the Royal Canadian Legion’s Tri-District Hospital Committees ABC, and DEF and Fort York Branch 165.

A highlight for the Veterans is always the tour of Lake Muskoka on the Wenonah II, which is generously supported by the Fort York Branch of the RCL. A delicious luncheon offered everyone a chance to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Members of the Gravenhurst Royal Canadian Legion were on hand to provide an honour Guard for the Veterans as they boarded the boat.

This year’s trip also included a rock and roll dance party, a country hoe-down, fishing, bingo, shuffleboard, art and music therapy, and roaring campfires. The Veterans were delighted again this year, to have many Legion members join them for a day around the lake.

November 2009 9

The Veterans’ Memorial Chair

For the past, present and future

Your gift of a memorial chair will be a lasting tribute that will honour and remember a loved one who is of particular significance to you. It may be recognition for a family member or friend who is living or a memorial gift in memory of a loved one who has passed away. A limited number of chairs will be ordered for the Veterans’ Chapel and the cost per chair is approximately $500.00. Each chair will have a small bronze plaque listing the Veteran and donors name.

In 1948, Sunnybrook Hospital officially opened as a war Veterans’ hospital. With 1,590 beds it was a hospital of great magnitude, a symbol of the nation’s gratitude to its war heroes and one of the finest veterans hospitals in the world. For more than sixty years, the Veterans Chapel has been a special place of reflection and prayer for our veterans, hospital patients and staff members. Extensive renovations and enhancements to the chapel were recently completed in June 2008. The Veteran’s Memorial Chair Project will be a hallmark of the newly refurbished chapel as well as a special tribute to our Veterans for generations to come.

For more information please contact:

Colonel Jim Hubel, Fort York Branch 165, Royal Canadian Legion Phone: 416.266.6949 Email: jim.hubel@sympatico.ca

A Celebration of Remembrance and Good Friends

By Sally Fur

A small but very important group of Veterans recently gathered for the 14th Annual Korea Veterans recognition luncheon. This year eleven Korea Veterans who live at Sunnybrook were honoured: John Graham, Ronald MacKenzie, Guy Lavergne, Joseph Cormier, Peter Churchill, John Gibson, Arthur Kielly, Bill Russell, Donald Robertson, Charles Quirback, and James McMain

Also attending the luncheon were Mr. Hong Ji-in, Consul General of Korea, Mr. Terry Wickens, President of the Korea Veterans Association Canada, Mr. Chong Kook Park, President of the Korean Veterans Association of Canada, Barry McLellan, President and CEO of Sunnybrook, Dorothy Ferguson, Operations Director and Dr. Jocelyn Charles, Medical Director of the Veterans Centre.

In the summer of 1950, the Canadian Government authorized the recruitment of personnel to serve in the Canadian Army Special Force (CASP), in support of the United Nations’ decision to contain the unprovoked attack by North Korea against South Korea. In total 21,940 Canadians enlisted and served, 516 men and women did not return home and 1,047 were wounded.

Joe Cormier, Korea Veteran chats during the recognition luncheon.

Photo credit: Dale Roddick

10 November 2009

Computer Learning for Veterans

By Nancy Bowers-Ivanski

With the support of the Royal Canadian Legion Comfort Fund, three new computers were recently installed in the Royal Canadian Legion Games Room. Residents use the computers in the Games Room to access email, play computer games, write letters to friends and family members and find information on the Internet. Often, these computers are the only means that residents have to perform the above activities, as they do not own computers of their own. The computers in the Games Room are also used for our computer classes that are offered through the Recreation Therapy, Life Long Journey Series. These classes are designed to introduce Veterans to the world of computers; and are offered individually or in groups. Thank you to the Royal Canadian Legion for your generous donation!

Sunnybrook Veterans Grant a Wish Program

By Leanne Hughes

Have you submitted your wish yet? The Veterans Grant a Wish Program continues to grant the wishes of Veterans living at Sunnybrook. The program uses a resident centered approach and strives to grant the individual heartfelt wishes of the Veteran. Each Veteran is eligible for 2 wishes. The goal of the program is for EVERY Veteran to have at least 1 wish granted. To date, over 360 wishes have been granted! Wishes granted include dinners with family, wheelchair capes, large print books, CD players etc. The list is endless! Each month, the wish granting committee reviews all wishes submitted and 10 wishes are selected. The program is funded through the generosity of many donors and community sponsors. Contributions enable Veterans to realize their hopes and dreams. For more information or to make a donation, please contact Leanne Hughes at 416.480.5490.

Helping Make Wishes Come True!

Lee Maziarz, Campaign Director with the Sunnybrook Foundation happily accepts a donation of $16,000 for the Veterans Comfort Fund and Veterans Grant a Wish program from members of the Markham District Veterans Association.

Photo credit: Vivian Ng

Joseanne Spiteri, Recreation Therapist and Co-ordinator of the The Life Long Journey Series and Leslie Fontaine test out the new computers. Photo credit: Ana Seara

November 2009 11

Communication is key in our lives, but how well do we do it? And do we really listen when others are speaking? At the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre, health-care professionals and family members of Veteran residents are participating in workshops that focus on communication and collaboration - leading to enhanced resident and family-centred care.

“Understanding the resident from the perspective of their family and their family relationships is key to really knowing and understanding what is important to them and how they would like to achieve their best life experience at Sunnybrook,” says Dr. Jocelyn Charles, Medical Director of the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre.

The Partners in Veterans Care initiative began in the fall of 2007 and today it continues to be rolled out with great success across the 17 resident-care units.

In 2007, a Sunnybrook team working on improving communications on one resident unit looked at a project, which was jointly developed by the Braceland Center for Mental Health and Aging, and the Cornell Gerontology Research Institute and Foundation for Long Term Care called “Partners in Caregiving in a Special Care Environment.”

The Sunnybrook workshops incorporated sections on the experiences of war Veterans and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as the Veteran Centre’s philosophy of care. This allowed the hospital to meet the specific needs of caregivers and family members.

The six-hour training session for staff teaches advanced listening skills, conflict resolution, coping strategies, bridging cultural and ethnic differences, handling blame and criticism in positive ways, giving positive feedback, and understanding ones own values, as well as the

values of others. The training also promotes learning how to listen well and see things through the eyes of others. Family members are invited take part in a similar four-hour workshop.

In both staff and family workshops, participants role play and learn about each other through interactive activities that reveal individual values and attitudes. Then both groups join together for a third and final workshop to brainstorm ways to improve communication on an ongoing basis.

“Involving and partnering with the family in the care of a loved one is key to achieving the best care for our residents. It’s about helping staff understand the person as an individual with unique needs and preferences. Studies have shown that when staff really know their patients as real people, the care provided is improved,” says Dr. Charles.

Many of the health professionals at the Centre are from countries outside Canada and have never learned about Canada’s war history. Through special training, staff gain a better understanding of what it means to be a war Veteran and what it means to be married to someone who has gone to war so they care better understand the experiences of some of the Veterans’ spouses.

“Partners in Veterans Care has been well received by both staff and family members, and is a big step in the right direction in caring for our elderly residents here at Sunnybrook,” says Dorothy Ferguson, Operations Director of the Veterans Centre. “Our staff are better able to anticipate, and recognize family concerns and address them immediately. Staff and family members feel that they are all part of the same team and are looking at things through the same lens.”

Partners in Veterans Care A Lesson in Communication & Collaboration

By Sally Fur

12 November 2009

Reminiscing with Players from the Original Six!

By Sally Fur

Veterans, family members, and hockey fans gathered in Warrior’s Hall for a chance to mix and mingle with some of the greatest hockey legends at the annual “Hockey Legends” event. This year Bob Beckett (Boston Bruins), Gary Collins (Toronto Maple Leafs), Murray Henderson (Boston Bruins), Danny Lewicki (Toronto, New York and Chicago), Jimmy Morrison (Toronto and Boston), Bob Nevin (Toronto and New York), George Storey (Football player for Toronto Argos and Edmonton Eskimos), Dick Duff (Toronto, Montreal and New York), Johnny McCormick (Toronto and Montreal), and Ron Hurst (Toronto) were all on hand along with special guest, Hockey Night in Canada Broadcast Legend and Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee, Brian McFarlane.

Canadian International Air Show

By Julie Pepin

Sunnybrook Veterans had the opportunity to attend this year’s Canadian International Air Show on Labour Day at the CNE. This year’s highlight was the Blue Angels, the American Navy’s Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron. They are the oldest flying aerobatic team and have a record speed of 700 mph! Daring tricks were performed with great precision and risk! The show was very exciting and ended with the crowd favorite, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. The precision in formation of this aerobatic team is astounding! This year, the Snowbirds dedicated a special aerobatic maneuver, in the shape of a heart in the sky, to all the Veterans at Sunnybrook. It was very touching and appreciated by all in attendance.

Top: George Storey and Murray Westgate catch up on old times. Bottom: Cecil Hancock and Brian McFarlane talk hockey.

Photo credit: Dale Roddick

Holiday Shopping As the holiday season approaches, please consider the Artisan Market Giftshop for some great holiday gift ideas. Many of the articles for sale are hand-made by the residents of K and L wing. From paintings, and woodworking items, to ceramics and glass art there is a wonderful selection of unique gifts.

The shop also carries a line of specialty cards that feature MacLean House and the Vaughan Estate, two historic homes that are located on the Sunnybrook campus. The cards, a fundraising project by the Sunnybrook Volunteer Association feature winter scenes of the homes done by artist and Sunnybrook volunteer Daphne Tully.

Happy Holidays from all the Volunteers at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

November 2009 13

Tire Inflation Has Moved!Do you need air in your wheelchair tires? Maintenance is now located beside KGC-29, just around the corner from the K-wing Barber Shop. Hours are Tuesdays and Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Occupational Therapy recommends that you have your wheelchair tires assessed once a month in order to properly maintain air pressure. Air loss occurs naturally at a rate of 50% over two months. If air is lost more quickly, you may have a puncture or leaky valve, and should contact your unit Occupational Therapist for replacement wheels.

Please note that all power wheelchairs and scooters use pneumatic tires, as well as a few manual wheelchairs (simply look for a valve on the tire).

Happy Halloween Bash!Calling all ghosts and goblins. Don’t miss the annual Halloween Party...

Date: Friday, October 30th Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Place: Warriors’ Hall Pumpkin Carving Contest, Best Costume Contest and the annual parade of costumes by the Sunnybrook Creche children.

Pet Visitation at the CentrePets are welcome to visit in individual rooms or unit lounges. Families are requested to keep their pets out of any of the main indoor common areas.

Warriors’ DayBy Julie Pepin

This year 44 Veterans and staff attended The 88th Warriors’ Day Parade held at BMO Field stadium at the CNE. Glorious weather and a great display of military troops made it a wonderful day for all. The return of the short tattoo was a welcome addition to the program. This year’s highlight was a choreographed march by our own RCMP from Ottawa who demonstrated a flawless performance. It was an exciting way to end the tattoo! Photo credit: Philip MacTaggart

Argos!!Football fans had the opportunity to attend the Toronto Argonauts home game versus their nemesis, the Hamilton Tiger Cats on Friday, September 11th. This was an exciting game that went into overtime, and saw our Argos victorious with a score of 25-22!

Top: Don Jacobs, Argos cheerleader and Charlie Kewen.

14 November 2009

In Memory of Our Loved Ones By Sally Fur

To honour members of our Veteran community who have passed away in recent months, a new memorial cabinet has been created and is on display in K-wing near the Artisan Gift shop and Warriors’ Hall.

Creating the case was a labour of love for Max Littmann, of MKL Interiors who generously donated the case after he heard what it was going to be used for. James Walke, Art Therapist in the Veterans Centre hand-carved both the beautiful poppy and main heading that reads - We Will Remember Them. Inside you’ll also find a backdrop of poppies from a painting that was done by Rita Wilkinson, a former resident of the Centre.

“I hope that everyone within our Veteran community will take a moment to stop and see this beautiful new addition to our Centre,” says Chaplain Wes Roberts. “The names of Veterans the cabinet records are intended to honor the lives of all cherished residents who lived among us here at Sunnybrook. The Veterans Centre is rooted in relationships; this memorial cabinet is one expression of this.”

Each month the names of loved ones will be posted inside the case. If, for privacy reasons, you would prefer not to have your name, or your loved one’s name included on this list or the list that appears in the passings column of the At Home newsletter, please contact Wes Roberts at 416.480.4855.

Passings

In loving memory of our friends and comrades.

May 2009 James ReadDonald G. RitchieMuriel TalleviKenneth Lloyd CouplandEdmund C. MitchellJerry Ure ThorntonArthur M. GayEdward W. BerwickDonald J. MillerMorris YurkiewitchRichard H. WindsorSamuel RoyArchie G. LamontLeighton R. WarrenKenneth Birt Joseph F. MireaultGeorge EvansKenneth G. Burr

June 2009 Valentine BurdaStanley CouchHarry FinklesteinSt.Clair W. YeomansHarold RossPercival Frank EgertonWilliam D.H. FrechetteJames E. FylesHugh B. HirstJohn D. MacKenzieRobert K. McGlashanFrank SpainFrederick W. LovewellTom Papadacos

Photo credit: Dale Roddick

November 2009 15

Passings

July 2009Sidney W. FirthGordon R. AndersonBert D. BainermanKenneth BriseboisFrances H. SurteesKeith ShieldsLeonard Jerome RubinJoseph PeerClifford E. TaskerHarold Bruce HutchisonLawrence L. WynneMurray LevinsonCecil T. Walters

August 2009 Taylor David GovanCostas Denis CokkinosWilliam H. DrayLawrence L. SeguinWilliam G. HoskingRobert BlowerGeorge SymeHector M. PattersonHarold SheineGeorge DavidWilliam YoungWilliam Edgar LemmonKenneth R. ReevesWinifred E. HillRoy Howard SylvesterKeith Boyes

September 2009 William P. Wright Elizabeth D. StaffYefim RuditserJohn C. FollettInez B. PoolmanDonald G. StymiestKenneth J. HopperGordon W. WoodhouseNorman Diffley Martin MacIsaacWilbert M. CooperBlair T. FergussonLloyd G. Brown

Veterans Share History with Crestwood

By Julie Pepin

Students from Crestwood Preparatory College’s history club have taken a special interest in Sunnybrook Veterans. Throughout the school year students have been coming in small groups to meet with Veterans and listen to their stories. The information gleaned from these interviews can be seen on the school’s website; www.crestwoodprepco.com (then click on Oral History Project). Although many interviews were given, not all were able to be used due to technical difficulties. Take a moment and watch the clips from the following Veterans; James Curtis, Jim Eddy, Charlie Kewen, Lloyd Queen, John Stephen, and Anne Wood.

Staff and students from Crestwood are seen in front of the Veterans Honour Wall with Veterans Howard Love (left) and Stan Williams (right).

What’s On at the Photography Studio?California, Here We Come!

By John G. Sayers

When winter starts to come into view, warmer climates begin to beckon – Florida on the East Coast, and California on the West Coast. It has been this way for a hundred years, and even though California has recently lost some of its luster, it has a storied heritage of leading the entertainment industry and generating exciting economic development.

The current display in the Veterans Portrait and Photography Studio, Room LG-105, we look back at the beauty and excitement of California as it was fifty to a hundred years ago – beautiful parks, charming architecture, and beckoning palm trees. The cars in some of the images give you an idea of the vintage of the picture. Even decades ago, cars were a major pillar of life in California – the means to travel the unexplored reaches of a beautiful state.

Join us for a trip down memory lane, California style!

16 November 2009

Contributions to the Veterans Centre program are gratefully accepted, helping us meet special or urgent needs in a timely fashion. Donations will help fund high priority needs such as capital improvements to the Veterans’ residences. Donations to the Veterans’ Comfort Fund helps us provide our Veteran residents with ‘extras’: equipment, events and entertainment items that enhance their quality of life. Support of the Palliative Care Unit Trust Fund helps to enhance the living environment for patients and families receiving palliative care.

Donations can be made in memory or in honour a loved one, or to acknowledge a special event such as a birthday or anniversary. If you so choose, the Sunnybrook Foundation will send a card to your honouree or their family letting them know that they have been honoured through a donation. A tax receipt will be issued for all donations over $10.

How to donate:

By Mail:Cheques should be made out to the Sunnybrook Foundation.

For a specific designation, please write ‘Veterans Comfort Fund’, ‘Palliative Care Unit Trust Fund’ or ‘Veterans Centre’ on the bottom of your cheque.

Mail your donation to:Sunnybrook Foundation, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Room H332 Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5

By Telephone:Please call 416.480.4483 for the Sunnybrook Foundation.

By Internet:Please visit www.sunnybrook.ca/foundation and follow the simple instructions.

Thank you!

Show Your Support for the Veterans Centre

Sunnybrook