This is a bi-weekly newsletter designed to create connections across the Long-Term Care and Assisted Living sector at Vancouver Coastal Health. It is an opportunity to share best practice and innovations, celebrate successes and get to know what our colleagues are doing at VCH, and beyond, to create the best possible experience for residents, families and staff at our homes. We want to build our COMMUNITY, so please share this newsletter widely and send us your stories!

I first had the pleasure of meeting David at a group singalong where I observed him sitting at the outskirts of the group. As we were saying our goodbyes, David gestured me to come closer, where he said, "the way you do your thing and interact with the audience, you sure know how to work a crowd" and proceeded to compliment my guitar playing.  Thanking him for his kind words, I wondered aloud if he was speaking from the experience of a seasoned musician. David shifted his eyes downward, sighed, and replied, "That part of my life is in the past. I'm grateful for it but...now I think I'll move on."  I extended an invitation for future music therapy sessions to which he agreed. For the first few sessions that followed, David seemed engaged when I played music for him yet when I asked if we could play music together he hesitated, avoided eye contact, followed by an adamant "No, thank you."  I was curious as to why David was so firm about not playing music together so I began to research more about David's creative history and learned of his extensive artistic accomplishments.  David is an award-winning author who has published over 5 books, some which according to “Discogs.com” were awarded the “Wordsworth McAndrew Award by the Guyana Folk Festival Committee” in 2003. He is also a poet, photographer, painter and storyteller but the largest collection of his creative works centered on music. When asked, David conveyed that he was a “humble singer-songwriter who played mostly in Vancouver”. With further investigation, I learned that he has toured across the UK and Canada, made 29 albums of original songs, and created short music videos on his own YouTube channel. He has also collaborated with other music artists, one being Gordon Lightfoot. And yet, this was not the David we saw at Little Mountain. Learning of David's accomplished and creative past, the collective determination of the music therapy, care staff and leisure team set about gently probing David about what "seizes" him and offered to walk alongside and aid him in this journey of rediscovery.  The first time he played the guitar was magical. It was like seeing David reunite with an old friend. He was joyously engrossed in playing the notes, sliding his hands up and down the neck with ease. 

The cognitive decline associated with dementia, multiple health issues and the side effects caused by pandemic restrictions has added to the ups of downs in his current journey of life but it has been a joy to see David reconnect with music. This reconnection has also led him, with encouragement, to discover other opportunities for meaningful social engagement. David has regained a sense of self-efficacy and has increased physical exercise in Walk-a-thons. He has developed relationships with other residents and staff and is taking part in choirs, enjoying friendship teas, and dancing with others at “Disco Fever” and birthday parties. More often than not these days, David will not hesitate when invited to join in with the singing and dancing activities.  All it took was some determination to learn more about his life story and a little encouragement to re-ignite his passion. 

~ Cameron Yip, Music Therapist, Little Mountain Place

Meet the Marie Carlson, Sexual Health Clinician

Marie Carlson is a Certified Rehab Nurse who has worked in the Sexual Health Rehab Service at GF Strong Rehab Centre, VCH since 2000.  Marie has experience in all areas of sexual health rehab, assisting clients to optimize their sexual lives and relationships following injury and chronic illness. Marie is a Clinical Instructor for the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine/Sexual Medicine at the University of British Columbia.  Her practice focuses on education for clinicians working with persons living with disability and chronic illness, ethics, human rights, diversity and mindfulness.  Along with colleagues from Ethics Services and Professional Practice across VCH and Providence Health Care, Marie has led the development of the Decision Support Tool and E-Learning modules on Supporting Sexual Health and Intimacy in Long-Term Care Homes, Assisted Living, Group Homes and Supported Housing. You can meet Marie in real life (via Zoom) at next week's Community of Practice Meeting where she will be presenting on this topic!

Week of Remembrance | Toronto Catholic District School BoardLest We Forget.  With Remembrance Day this week, we acknowledge, honour and thank the many residents in our care, past and present, who have fought and continue to fight for our rights and freedoms. 

Black stethoscope icon - Free black stethoscope iconsHappy National Nurse Practitioner Week. Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week, celebrated annually across Canada and internationally, is a way to recognize and raise awareness of the vital role NPs play in our health-care system. This year, NP week was November 7 to 13. Amanda Crockett, Leanne Parks, Candy Gubbels, and Emily Clark make up the core team of NPs that work specifically in long term care settings as the most responsible provider (MRP) to a panel of patients. During the pandemic, these NPs truly shone and worked tirelessly to ensure their patients received care, families remained connected, and were always there to help other providers, teams and patients. They went above and beyond and deserve a major kudos. (Excerpt taken from Salima Noormohamed's article in the oneVCH newsletter)

Building Our Community.  The next Community of Practice gathering will be held on November 16, 2021 at 2 p.m. A poster for this meeting has been attached - please post or distribute to staff at your homes to help spread the word.  If you would like to receive emails about the Community of Practice, please email VCH-LTC-Connections@vch.ca to be added to the mailing list.

Recordings from past meetings can be found in the LTC Community of Practice Tab on this webpage (scroll to the bottom of the page to find the tab):

http://www.vch.ca/for-health-professionals/long-term-care-assisted-living-resources

Halloween Tattoos (Pack of 10) - Doris LovesHalloween at Villa Cathay. Residents at Villa Cathay had a different kind of trick-or-treater at their door this year.  "Bobo" the telepresence robot went trick-or-treating at Villa Cathay this year, going neightbourhood to neighbourhood.  Residents gave out colourful baby socks instead of candies to Bobo.  Using Boba, volunteers were able to meet residents safely without face coverings - it has been a while since residents have been able to see the smiles of the volunteers!

 

Computer Icons - Download Free Vector Icons | Noun ProjectRethinking Senior Living: Supporting Comfort and Belonging for People Living with Dementia. The next Walk with Me webinar takes place on November 16, 2021 from 10-11 a.m. PST.  The webinar will explore the environment and how it shapes the experiences of people living with dementia.  Strategies and resources will be shared, supporting team members in senior living to assess living spaces and make simple improvements to enhance quality of life for those that live and work in the space. Register for the webinar here: https://bit.ly/3qyVrk8

Computer Icons - Download Free Vector Icons | Noun ProjectLTC+ Acting on Pandemic Learning - November Webinar. The BC Patient Safety & Quality Council and Healthcare Excellence Canada's LTC+: Acting on Pandemic Learning Together November coaching session will feature the experiences of 3 initiatives happening throughout BC as a result of the LTC+ funding. This webinar takes place on November 29th from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Click here to join the event: https://bcpsqc.ca/event/ltc-november-coaching-session/

Restaurant PNG Transparent HD Photo | PNG AllImproving Mealtime Practices in Long-Term Care. A study led by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) researcher Dr. Lillian Hung explores how the person-centred culture of care and positive attitude at Minoru Residence brought staff and residents closer together and improved the mealtime experience for residents.  You can read more about this study here: https://www.vchri.ca/stories/2021/10/12/improving-mealtime-practices-long-term-care

This study was based on the Research Institute for Aging's CHOICE+ Program - an innovative program that aims to improve the mealtime experience for residents in long-term care by focusing on relationship-centred practices and enhancing the dining environment. Two user-friendly checklists and six online education modules to help teams in long-term care improve their mealtime practices can be found here: https://the-ria.ca/resources/choice-program/

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