Welcome to the Patients’ Voice Newsletter

The Patients’ VoiceVolume 3, Issue 4Winter 2015

THE PATIENTS’ COUNCIL OF ST. JOSEPH’S MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Recipe of the month:Lime Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Almond Breeze unsweetened Vanilla ½ ripe avocado ½ cup fresh baby spinach 3 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp lime juice 1 tsp lime zest 5 ice cubes Lime wedges (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except for lime wedges in a blender until smooth. Use glasses with a rim and rim the glasses with lime wedges and coconut (optional).

Recipe provided by Stephanie Taylor. Source: Divine.ca

Quote of the month:

“Be faithful in small things because it’s in them that

your strength lies.” -Mother Teresa

Inside this Issue1- Recipe of the month

2- Patient experience survey

3- Having faith

4- Programs at CMHA Middlesex

5- Stuffed to the brim with kindness

6- Managing holiday stress

7- Patients’ Council coffee day

8- Who’s who and what they do

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Page 2 The Patients’ Voice

Patient experience survey – we want to hear from those we serve

What is the patient experience survey?The survey includes a list of questions that ask for patient’s opinions on the mental health care services provided at St. Joseph’s such as: their ability to take part in treatment, the living arrangements, whether their stay has helped them and more.

How will the survey take place?An outside company - the National Research Corporation Canada [NRCC] will send an employee to our facility to interview patients.

When will the survey take place?The survey interviews are scheduled to take place in February 2016.

What is the purpose of the survey?St. Joseph’s strives to provide the best care possible to our patients. In order to do this, we need to know what we are doing well and what we can improve upon. For instance, patients informed us in past surveys that there should be more leisure activities during their stay, which led to the creation of patient drop-in centres.

Will answers be kept private?Yes. The interviews take place in a private room and NRCC removes any information that can identify a specific patient before they provide us with the results.

If I have questions about this survey, whom can I contact?Your contact is Sania Hasan, Quality Measurement and Clinical Decision Support: 519-685-4000 ext. 42324 Sania.Hasan@sjhc.london.on.ca

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Having faith

Hello, my name is Roy Paglione and I am currently an outpatient at Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care Building.

I have had a mental illness for many years now and I would like to tell all patients to have faith that your circumstances, or your personal experiences, will improve.When I was last diagnosed with a mental illness in 2009, I was hospitalized and underwent a lengthy treatment process. Treatment included evaluation of the

medication which I had been taking for over ten years that, according to my Doctor, had become ineffective over time.

I went through some very troubling times which placed great stress on my physical and emotional state. My new psychiatrist at St. Joseph’s suggested trying a different medication which has been in existence for a long time. My doctor noticed that I had

previously been on this medication and responded well to it, as an inpatient at the time.

Well, my doctor was correct in his diagnosis and my new treatment process. I responded very well within several weeks of treatment. It wasn’t long until I was discharged. My personal faith in God, faith in the treatment process, and in my

doctor’s medical judgement, proved to be successful.I do realize that every individual has personal circumstances that are different, and

that many inpatients and outpatients have undergone several or even many treatment options before finding one that works well for them. Unfortunately, some

people continue to struggle with many difficulties regarding their mental illness and/or their treatment.

All I really want to say here, is to have faith.Try to have faith in your treatment process and in your doctor(s) and nurses. There

have been so many advancements of treatment and psychiatric medications, especially within the last few years. In my personal situation, it turned out that

discussing my concerns with my doctor and returning to an older medication, was most effective for me. I continue to enjoy good health to this day.

God Bless you and remember to have faith.Article written by: Roy Paglione

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Page 4

The Patients’ Voice

Page 4 The Patients’ Voice

Physical Wellness and Health programs are:

1. Baseball – Get outside and have some fun. Practice your skills, and improve your game. Be a CMHA Warrior!

2. Bowling – Join us for a game or two when we play over the fall/winter months at the local bowling alley. 3. Energy Break – A group workout that incorporates cardiovascular endurance, resistance training and

flexibility. Improve mental and physical well-being while having fun. 4. Morning Walks – Come out for a walk through the neighborhood! It’s a great way to improve your health

and energize your spirit. 5. Relaxation Group – As a group you will learn about many different relaxation techniques and get the

chance to try them out.6. Plant Therapy – Help nurture our plants and create a green space for everyone to enjoy.

Creative Self-Expression programs are:

1. Art Group – Learn a new craft skill or reconnect with an old one in a social environment. 2. Expressions – Come out and express yourself! This program is designed for people who would like to learn

how to play piano or who have prior musical experience and would like a refresher on piano theory. 3. Literary Circle – Enjoy writing and sharing your work with the other members of this active group. 4. Music Appreciation – Do you have a love of music? Are you interested in learning about different genres

of music? Would you like to talk about all things music? Come out and use the universal language of music to connect with your peers.

5. Newsletter Committee – This is a client-driven newsletter published within the CMHA community. Have some input in your newsletter!

6. Write Your Life – This group is for individuals who are interested in writing their biography, enjoy writing in a group setting, or like to express themselves through writing.

Did you know about these programs at CMHA Middlesex?

All of these programs are offered in London. If you have questions or are looking for more

information, please call CMHA (Huron St location) at 519-434-9191or email:

huronst@cmhamiddlesex.ca

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Page 5 The Patients’ Voice

For those who are not well enough to leave the hospital over the holidays, Christmas can be an especially difficult time of year. This is well understood by the staff, volunteers and clients of Canadian Mental Health Association Middlesex (CMHA), and is what drives them to reach out and help spread a little Christmas cheer each holiday season. Every year, participants of CMHA’s sewing and quilting club spend months creating hand-made Christmas stockings, one for each inpatient who will be receiving care over the holidays in the mental health care programs at St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s Parkwood Institute. “It’s a good feeling to give back and pay it forward,” says Wendy Chisholm, Volunteer and client at CMHA Middlesex. “It’s nice for those who are in hospital over Christmas to get a little something, especially if they are not able to be with their families. It’s important they know they are not alone…that others are thinking of them.”

The stockings are stuffed full of goodies such as mini-sized personal care items, playing cards and puzzles, as well as treats like candy canes, granola bars, hot chocolate mix and more. Materials for the stockings such as fabric and thread as well as the items found inside come from donations in the community. “Our Christmas stocking project has really evolved with the incorporation of community participation,” says Jessica Carswell, Mental Health Worker at CMHA Middlesex. “We are so impressed with the response we get each year when we reach out. We’ve even received monetary donations which have really been helpful in filling these stockings to the brim.” This is the fourth year CMHA Middlesex has taken on the stocking project, which has been met with overwhelming gratitude from both patients and staff in the mental health care programs at Parkwood Institute. Rachel Hudson, Patient Council Facilitator at St. Joseph’s helps to coordinate the delivery of the stockings, which are distributed to each patient on Christmas Day. “We are so thankful for all of the effort, love and care that go into the making of these stockings and the thoughtfulness shown to our patients during the Christmas season,” says Rachel. “We are privileged to have strong partnerships and community support…it truly makes a difference to the lives of the people we serve.”

Stuffed to the brim with kindness

Pictured above: From left; Wendy Chisholm, CMHA Volunteer; Ron Alderman, St. Joseph’s Patient Council member; Jessica Carswell, Mental Health Worker, CMHA and Rachel Hudson, St. Joseph’s Patient Council Facilitator.

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1) Have a hot beverage to relax like hot chocolate, tea or coffee2) Plan a holiday list or use a holiday planner to reduce confusion3) Look up your favorite recipes and pick which ones you want to use4) Have friends and family help you out. There is comfort in numbers5) Shop before the Holiday rush to avoid anxiety6) Take advantage of mall gift wrapping to avoid stress7) Read festive magazines for tips8) Relax at the end of the day with a bubble-bath9) If you are in hospital over the holidays, know that just hearing from you is a gift for family and

friends. You can always celebrate later if you want to10) On-line shopping can be fun. But keep an eye on your bottom line11) Keep up with prayer, meditation, or positive thoughts. Have a happy holiday!

Written by Stephanie Taylor

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Patients’ Council coffee day program

Your Patients’ Council wants to get to know you! Patients’ Council hosts a coffee day program, each week, for patients.

Coffee Day is hosted at Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care Building every Wednesday morning from 10:00 – 11:30 am, just outside of the Patient Council office (room F2- 167, main floor, downtown area).There is also a Coffee Day at Southwest Centre, every Monday morning from 10:00 – 11:30 am. The coffee cart travels to each of the units, and

also serves patients in the area just outside the cafeteria.This weekly program is a great environment to socialize, make new

friends, and get to know the Patients’ Council members.All patients are welcome to attend!

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What are FLEX teams?

In continuing with introducing different teams that are part of Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care programs, we would like you to meet the 3 FLEX teams that work with outpatients. There is also a smaller fourth team which has some, but not all, aspects of the FLEX model implemented. We had the opportunity to interview Joanne Andrews who is the Coordinator of Adult Ambulatory Services and one of the first questions posed was: “Is FLEX an acronym and if so, what does it stand for?” Joanne explained that it is not an acronym but rather describes the model of how the teams provide service to outpatients. In short, the level or intensity of care and frequency of patient visits can be increased or “flexed up” depending on patient need. Some examples given for flexing up services include: a patient in crisis, a person’s symptoms increasing, or a patient who is recently discharged from hospital. These can be considered high risk times for people. The 3 teams are interprofessional, meaning they have

discipline specific services including social work, therapeutic recreation, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology and psychiatry. Each patient has a psychiatrist and a primary clinician. The primary clinician role is taken on by a variety of different disciplines. The primary clinician acts as a case manager, serves as the primary contact for the patient, and ensures that the patient’s care is coordinated. The teams provide services which are wrapped around the patient’s needs. The team strives to ensure continuity of care, so the patient always sees the same primary clinician and psychiatrist on the team but can also access discipline specific intervention and “flexed up” care from various team members. Each flex team has approximately eight to nine clinicians including the team leader and has a case load of 250 to 300 patients. There is currently no waiting list for Adult Ambulatory Services.

Flex 1 Back Row: Dr. Sharma, Psychiatrist; Anna Pien-Boate, RN; Heather Cohen, SW; Shannon Brauen, OT; Dr. Kotin, Psychiatrist; Scott Sherin, RN; Front Row: Caroline Tinning, RN; Tanya Oakley, SW

Flex 2 Back Row: Charlyn House, SW; Gerard Murphy, RN; Wendy Robinson, RN; Sheila Linseman, Psychometrist; Stephanie Powers, Therapeutic Rec; Layla Lozano, SWFront Row: Deb Kerr, secretary; Wendy Cherry-Truant, RN

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The majority of patients who receive services through the FLEX teams are former inpatients of Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care programs. If an inpatient team believes a patient needs Adult Ambulatory services post discharge, they would submit a referral through the Coordinated Access Team (CAT). Referrals from the community for outpatient mental health would be submitted to the Coordinated Intake team housed at London Health Science Centre.

Dr. Sandra Northcott (Physician Lead and Flex 2 team) and Dr. Beletsky (Flex 3 team), photo taken beside patients’ artwork

Flex 3 Back Row: Dr. Lauren Mussen (resident); Trish Self, RN; Sue Hoornaert, RN; Rageeta Rajan, SW; Dr. Harrison, Psychologist; Front Row: Dr. Eastwood, Psychiatrist; Maureen Kononiuk, RN; Tammy Rice, OT; Alison Laplante, OT; Ashley Malin (Psychology student)

Some of the services and treatment that are offered are: medication management and education, monitoring of mental health status, support and counselling, skill building, Illness Management and Recovery, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. The goal of the services and treatment provided is linked to the individuals’ recovery plan. There is no definite time frame for the length of time that services and treatment can be received; however, services are intended to be goal oriented. The overall goal is to reintegrate the individual into the community and to link with community services or programs depending on their needs. We have received positive feedback from individuals receiving care from this program and a common theme seems to be the importance of the continuity of care that promotes the therapeutic relationship. We wish to recognize the teams’ important contribution to the patient’s care and helping them to transition successfully back into the community.

Reception/Waiting room area - Carol Wettlaufer, secretary

Team 4: left to right, Bill Seymour, RN; Sarah Kantor, SW; Deb Kerr, Secretary; Laurie Willimott, RN; Joanne Andrews, Coordinator