Redeployed county staffer relishes new role at local long-term care home

Health

Redeployed county staffer relishes new role at local long-term care home

Published

4 years ago

June 13, 2020

Harry Miller

Over the past two months, Beth Johnstone has enjoyed a change of pace.

As part of their COVID-19 response back in March, the County of Simcoe asked county employees who had previously been working in sectors deemed non-essential to volunteer to be redeployed to essential areas, such as long-term care.

Johnstone, who worked in employment services for Ontario Works at the Orillia office, took them up on their offer.

“I’ve always liked social-work kinds of work,” said Johnstone. “That’s always been my focus since getting my diploma back in my early 20s. I’ve been attracted to working with people who are disadvantaged or struggling with something.”

Day to day, Johnstone had previously been working with people who were having challenges getting back to work. It was her job to work one on one with them to figure out strategies to help them move forward.

When the branch was closed to the public temporarily after the virus hit, Johnstone had the option of working from home, but her slow, rural internet connection prevented that possibility.

“I was eager to help with long-term care,” she said. “When I read that long-term care was in a situation that needed as many resources as possible to deal with this pandemic, I thought it was somewhere I actually could help.”

As of April 2, Johnstone has been redeployed temporarily to work in long-term care at Trillium Manor in Orillia.

“There was a lot of news coverage about the risk in long-term-care facilities of spread,” she said. “I was a little trepidatious, however – maybe it’s my optimistic outlook – there certainly were a lot of precautions in terms of PPE (personal protective equipment) that were strictly enforced. I was reassured.”

Through the redeployment program, county staff that had previously worked in any of the shuttered departments have been given the option of being re-trained to help out with some of the essential services.

“At first, the priority was to have a screener at the door when they were open to make sure anyone coming into the building and going out was feeling well,” said Johnstone. “That was sort of my first posting.”

As the situation evolved and volunteers and family members were not allowed in the homes, there was plenty for Johnstone to help out with as part of her redeployment.

“I asked if there were other ways I could help. I was sent to help with the personal support workers during mealtime to feed the residents. Sometimes the physiotherapists could use a helper (to get residents) in and out of wheelchairs,” she said.

Sometimes, residents could just use some company. In those cases, Johnstone has taken residents on small walks and talks around the facility, played cards with them, or done puzzles.

“There’s just little things like that all over the place where I can be helpful,” she said. “I often will hear a lovely story from a senior who will tell me where they grew up, some of their family history, or how many siblings they had. You hear some funny stuff.”

Johnstone had never worked in long-term care prior to her redeployment.

“This was such an eye-opener for me,” she said. “It certainly made me realize that life is finite and precious and you really want to make sure you appreciate every day you’ve got.”

Johnstone said she’s regularly been in awe of the front-line staff working in long-term care.

“They’re working incredibly hard. They know all the individual needs of their residents and there’s a lot of care and patience they demonstrate toward them,” she said.

As of June 8, Johnstone says she hasn’t yet been given a return-to-work date.

“I’m going to miss the folks that I’ve come to know here – both residents and staff,” she said. “It will be such different work (to return to). Usually I’m on a tight, tight appointment schedule with clients on Ontario Works. This has been a bit of a freeing break, however I’m also missing the clients I saw on a regular basis.”

“I’m fine with the way things are, for now,” she said. “It really has been a lovely experience.”

Source:- BradfordToday

Source link

Health

April 22nd to 30th is Immunization Awareness Week – Oldies 107.7

Published

13 mins ago

April 24, 2024

Harry Miller

<!–April 22nd to 30th is Immunization Awareness Week | Oldies 107.7

isIE8 = true;
Date.now = Date.now || function() return +new Date; ;

Adblock test (Why?)

Source link

Health

AHS confirms case of measles in Edmonton – CityNews Edmonton

Published

1 hour ago

April 24, 2024

Harry Miller

Alberta Health Services (AHS) has confirmed a case of measles in Edmonton, and is advising the public that the individual was out in public while infectious.

Measles is an extremely contagious disease that is spread easily through the air, and can only be prevented through immunization.

AHS says individuals who were in the following locations during the specified dates and times, may have been exposed to measles.

April 16
- Edmonton International Airport, international arrivals and baggage claim area — between 3:20 p.m. and 6 p.m.
April 20
- Stollery Children’s Hospital Emergency Department — between 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.
April 22
- 66^th Medical Clinic (13635 66 St NW Edmonton) — between 12:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Pharmacy 66 (13637 66 St NW Edmonton) — between 12:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
April 23
- Stollery Children’s Hospital Emergency Department — between 4:40 a.m. to 9:33 a.m.

AHS says anyone who attended those locations during those times is at risk of developing measles if they’ve not had two documented doses of measles-containing vaccine.

Those who have not had two doses, who are pregnant, under one year of age, or have a weakened immune system are at greatest risk of getting measles and should contact Health Link at 1-877-720-0707.

Symptoms

Symptoms of measles include a fever of 38.3° C or higher, cough, runny nose, and/or red eyes, a red blotchy rash that appears three to seven days after fever starts, beginning behind the ears and on the face and spreading down the body and then to the arms and legs.

If you have any of these symptoms stay home and call Health Link.

In Alberta, measles vaccine is offered, free of charge, through Alberta’s publicly funded immunization program. Children in Alberta typically receive their first dose of measles vaccine at 12 months of age, and their second dose at 18 months of age.

Adblock test (Why?)

Source link

Health

U.S. tightens rules for dairy cows a day after bird flu virus fragments found in pasteurized milk samples – Toronto Star

Published

2 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Harry Miller

/* OOVVUU Targeting */
const path = ‘/news/canada’;
const siteName = ‘thestar.com’;
let domain = ‘thestar.com’;
if (siteName === ‘thestar.com’)
domain = ‘thestar.com’;
else if (siteName === ‘niagarafallsreview.ca’)
domain = ‘niagara_falls_review’;
else if (siteName === ‘stcatharinesstandard.ca’)
domain = ‘st_catharines_standard’;
else if (siteName === ‘thepeterboroughexaminer.com’)
domain = ‘the_peterborough_examiner’;
else if (siteName === ‘therecord.com’)
domain = ‘the_record’;
else if (siteName === ‘thespec.com’)
domain = ‘the_spec’;
else if (siteName === ‘wellandtribune.ca’)
domain = ‘welland_tribune’;
else if (siteName === ‘bramptonguardian.com’)
domain = ‘brampton_guardian’;
else if (siteName === ‘caledonenterprise.com’)
domain = ‘caledon_enterprise’;
else if (siteName === ‘cambridgetimes.ca’)
domain = ‘cambridge_times’;
else if (siteName === ‘durhamregion.com’)
domain = ‘durham_region’;
else if (siteName === ‘guelphmercury.com’)
domain = ‘guelph_mercury’;
else if (siteName === ‘insidehalton.com’)
domain = ‘inside_halton’;
else if (siteName === ‘insideottawavalley.com’)
domain = ‘inside_ottawa_valley’;
else if (siteName === ‘mississauga.com’)
domain = ‘mississauga’;
else if (siteName === ‘muskokaregion.com’)
domain = ‘muskoka_region’;
else if (siteName === ‘newhamburgindependent.ca’)
domain = ‘new_hamburg_independent’;
else if (siteName === ‘niagarathisweek.com’)
domain = ‘niagara_this_week’;
else if (siteName === ‘northbaynipissing.com’)
domain = ‘north_bay_nipissing’;
else if (siteName === ‘northumberlandnews.com’)
domain = ‘northumberland_news’;
else if (siteName === ‘orangeville.com’)
domain = ‘orangeville’;
else if (siteName === ‘ourwindsor.ca’)
domain = ‘our_windsor’;
else if (siteName === ‘parrysound.com’)
domain = ‘parrysound’;
else if (siteName === ‘simcoe.com’)
domain = ‘simcoe’;
else if (siteName === ‘theifp.ca’)
domain = ‘the_ifp’;
else if (siteName === ‘waterloochronicle.ca’)
domain = ‘waterloo_chronicle’;
else if (siteName === ‘yorkregion.com’)
domain = ‘york_region’;

let sectionTag = ”;
try
if (domain === ‘thestar.com’ && path.indexOf(‘wires/’) = 0)
sectionTag = ‘/business’;
else if (path.indexOf(‘/autos’) >= 0)
sectionTag = ‘/autos’;
else if (path.indexOf(‘/entertainment’) >= 0)
sectionTag = ‘/entertainment’;
else if (path.indexOf(‘/life’) >= 0)
sectionTag = ‘/life’;
else if (path.indexOf(‘/news’) >= 0)
sectionTag = ‘/news’;
else if (path.indexOf(‘/politics’) >= 0)
sectionTag = ‘/politics’;
else if (path.indexOf(‘/sports’) >= 0)
sectionTag = ‘/sports’;
else if (path.indexOf(‘/opinion’) >= 0)
sectionTag = ‘/opinion’;

} catch (ex)
const descriptionUrl = ‘window.location.href’;
const vid = ‘mediainfo.reference_id’;
const cmsId = ‘2665777’;
let url = `https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/58580620/$domain/video/oovvuu$sectionTag&description_url=$descriptionUrl&vid=$vid&cmsid=$cmsId&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640×480&ad_rule=0&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=`;
url = url.split(‘ ‘).join(”);
window.oovvuuReplacementAdServerURL = url;

Infected cows were already prohibited from being transported out of state, but that was based on the physical characteristics of the milk, which looks curdled when a cow is infected, or a cow has decreased lactation or low appetite, both symptoms of infection.

Already a Subscriber?

You are logged in

Switch accounts

function buildUserSwitchAccountsForm()
var form = document.getElementById(‘user-local-logout-form-switch-accounts’);

if (form) return;

// build form with javascript since having a form element here breaks the payment modal.
var switchForm = document.createElement(‘form’);
switchForm.setAttribute(‘id’,’user-local-logout-form-switch-accounts’);
switchForm.setAttribute(‘method’,’post’);
switchForm.setAttribute(‘action’,’https://www.thestar.com/tncms/auth/logout/?return=https://www.thestar.com/users/login/?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestar.com%2Fnews%2Fcanada%2Fu-s-tightens-rules-for-dairy-cows-a-day-after-bird-flu-virus-fragments-found%2Farticle_985b0bac-0252-11ef-abc6-eb884d6a1f0c.html’);
switchForm.setAttribute(‘style’,’display:none;’);

var refUrl = document.createElement(‘input’); //input element, text
refUrl.setAttribute(‘type’,’hidden’);
refUrl.setAttribute(‘name’,’referer_url’);
refUrl.setAttribute(‘value’,’https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/u-s-tightens-rules-for-dairy-cows-a-day-after-bird-flu-virus-fragments-found/article_985b0bac-0252-11ef-abc6-eb884d6a1f0c.html’);

var submit = document.createElement(‘input’);
submit.setAttribute(‘type’,’submit’);
submit.setAttribute(‘name’,’logout’);
submit.setAttribute(‘value’,’Logout’);

switchForm.appendChild(refUrl);
switchForm.appendChild(submit);

document.getElementsByTagName(‘body’)[0].appendChild(switchForm);

function handleUserSwitchAccounts()
window.sessionStorage.removeItem(‘bd-viafoura-oidc’); // clear viafoura JWT token
// logout user before sending them to login page via return url
document.getElementById(‘user-local-logout-form-switch-accounts’).submit();
return false;

buildUserSwitchAccountsForm();

console.log(‘=====> bRemoveLastParagraph: ‘,0);

Adblock test (Why?)

Source link