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In this episode of Podcasts and Portraits, we delve into the powerful story of Shannon, a woman who faced bullying and harassment in the film industry. Shannon shares her experiences of being pushed out of her job, grappling with physical and mental health issues, and ultimately finding strength and resilience. She discusses the importance of support and solidarity among women, especially in male-dominated industries, and highlights valuable resources like WorkSafeBC that can help those facing workplace harassment. Shannon's narrative serves as both an inspiration and a call to action for women to support each other and remember their own strength. Join us as we celebrate Shannon's journey and the beauty of resilience. If you are experience workplace bullying, in British Columbia, reach out to https://www.worksafebc.com/en To follow along with PODCASTS + PORTRAITS please check out my instagram www.instagram.com/PodcastsandPortraits www.instagram.com/CapturePhotography.Studio If you are thinking of booking a powerful portrait session, why not pair it with a podcast? These sessions are a great way to celebrate yourself and inspire others. Time to step out of the comfort zone, and be a part of a unique experience!! Do you want to share your story but maybe you are a bit shy? Ask me about SEASON 2 - UNDERCOVER Podcasts + Portraits!!! We will do creative portraits that hide your identity…so you can share personal stories openly without the fear of judgement! If you can talk passionately about something for 45 minutes, reach out and be on my podcast!! The best part is the portrait session…celebrating YOU!! Call or text me 604-537-7706 OR email ariane@capturephotography.studio
Send us a textIn this episode: the rise of unemployment rate in Canada, safety practices during the holiday season, Canadian cities with the best quality of living, and other topics.Follow us on: X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast to get the latest HR updates.Negotiations between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) continue as the strike nears the holiday season | Canada Post strike: Here's where workers are still seeking progress An increased pool of jobseekers caused the unemployment rate to increase to 6.8 per cent | Unemployment Rate Rises as Job Seekers Left Out in the Cold - The Conference Board of Canada The Government of Saskatchewan is proposing amendments to The Saskatchewan Employment Act | Ensuring Modern, Fair and Balanced Employment Laws that Support Economic Growth | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan As the holiday season approaches, WorkSafeBC is urging workers and employers to take extra precautions when working at heights | WorkSafeBC urges workers and employers to prioritize safety while working from heights during the holiday season | WorkSafeBC Restaurants Canada is calling on the Nova Scotia to give a tax holiday on the provincial portion of the HST in the federal government's GST tax holiday |Restaurants Canada urges the Nova Scotia government to join other provinces and include the provincial portion of the HST in the federal GST Tax Holiday - Restaurants Canada According to the Mercer's Quality of Living City Ranking Vancouver shines for North America, tying for 7th globally | Quality of Living City Ranking 2024
Starting today, WorkSafeBC will implement new first aid regulations, significantly affecting workplace requirements in BC. Blake Steinson, Founder and President of Fundamental First Aid tells us what this means for businesses in the Province. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-Why do humans kiss? Guest: Adriano Lameira, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Warwick -The Weekly Cecchini Check-in Guest: Reggie Cecchini, Washington Correspondent for Global News -How businesses can adapt to WorkSafeBC's new rules Guest: Blake Steinson, Founder and President of Fundamental First Aid -Kickin' it with the Whitecaps for Nov 1, 2024 Guest: Vanni Sartini, Coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps -How China stole valuable information from Canada Guest: Michel Juneau-Katsuya, Former Chief of Asia-Pacific at CSIS and Author of “Nest of Spies” -Quitting Xanax: A Famous Novelist's Story Guest: Martha McPhee, American Novelist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Premier David Eby says improvements are underway at the B.C. Wildfire Service, after two WorkSafeBC reports cited safety concerns surrounding the deaths of two wildfire fighters last summer. We hear from Paul Finch, BC GEU president who is calling for change and better work conditions. Then, we discuss the backlash to the marketing campaign for the film "It Ends With Us", which critics say detracts from the film's serious subject matter of gender-based violence with guest Ninu Kang, executive director, Ending Violence Association of B.C.
The CBC has obtained a WorkSafeBC report into the death of 19-year-old Devyn Gale, who died when she was struck by a burning cedar tree that fell on her while she was fighting a wildfire outside Revelstoke last year. The investigation found danger-tree assessments were not conducted, and it also outlines a culture of normalizing risk in the B.C. Wildfire Service. We hear a response from the wildfire service and learn more details from CBC's Daybreak South host, Chris Walker.As October's provincial election approaches, new polling shows more gains for the B.C. Conservatives. We discuss the reasons for the party's surge in support with CBC The Early Edition's director Laurence Watt, and Hamish Telford, political science professor with the University of the Fraser Valley.
BC premier Eby says he encourages an audit of Metro Vancouver. Fraser Health's 60 Environmental Health Officers will inspect 455 public swimming pools, 312 hot tubs and 90 spray parks and wading pools this year to ensure the water quality meets provincial guidelines and facilities are safe for all users. WorkSafeBC recommending changes to improve crane safety in B.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode: summer job outlook, union updates, the new pay transparency reporting tool in British Columbia, listing of top cities in Canada with the best worklife balance and other topics . Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.Follow us on: X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast. . In May, employment in Canada inched up by 27,000. Meanwhile, the labour force grew by 50,000 and the unemployment rate went up to 6.2% | Summer Sunshine Fails to Reach the Labour Market in May - The Conference Board of Canada Bargaining updates from the Toronto Transit Commission and Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation | Bargaining Updates (ttc.ca), Negotiations to Resume Wednesday for Provincial Collective Bargaining Agreement - Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (stf.sk.ca) A new, online reporting tool has been created to support B.C. employers with an efficient way to prepare pay transparency reports | B.C. introduces pay transparency reporting tool | BC Gov News Ontario supports new micro-credential programs to help students train for in-demand jobs | Ontario Supporting More Industry-Focused Training Programs | Ontario Newsroom WorkSafeBC is urging employers to plan for the health and safety risks that come with extreme heat and exposure to wildfire smoke | WorkSafeBC advises employers to plan ahead to protect workers from extreme heat and wildfire smoke | WorkSafeBC ADP Canada monthly Happiness@Work Index reveals workers are feeling less happy in May than last month | Latest ADP News | ADP Canada Media Centre | News and Resources Six Quebec municipalities are among Canada's top 10 locations for work-life balance | Canada's Best Cities for Work/Life Balance (point2homes.com)
WorkSafeBC advises employers to plan ahead to protect workers from extreme heat and wildfire smoke. Guest: Barry Nakahara - Worksafe BC Director of Prevention of Field Services Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us a Text Message.The BC Nurses' Union protects and advances the health, safety, social and economic well-being of their members, the profession, and communities (BCNU, 2024). Listen as BCNU President, Adriane Gear discusses the recently negotiated minimum nurse-patient ratios, led by BC, as well as how she sees nursing as "ready for takeoff", with all the current synergies of collaboration. Adriane Gear was elected president of BCNU in 2023. As union president, Gear is committed to ensuring that health employers treat BC's nurses with respect and provide patients with the care they deserve.Adriane has been an RN since 1993. She has worked in long-term care at Saanich Peninsula and general surgery at Royal Jubilee and Victoria General (VGH) hospitals. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked in case contact management and surveillance for Island Health.Adriane first became active in BCNU in 2004, when she felt her employer had not taken her health and safety seriously after she received a needle stick injury while pregnant with her second child. She became a steward at VGH and was elected as the South Islands region occupational health and safety (OHS) representative in 2010. She later served as one of the region's council members.In 2015 members elected Adriane as the union's executive councillor for OHS and mental health. One of her proudest moments occurred in 2019 when, after an extended BCNU campaign, the province amended the Workers' Compensation Act to make it easier for nurses diagnosed with a mental injury to access WorkSafeBC compensation.Adriane served as acting vice president from 2018 to 2019 and in 2022 was elected vice president following a special election. In that role, she served as BCNU's provincial lobby coordinator, where she led campaigns to raise awareness of the province's critical nursing shortage and pressure all levels of government to address nurses' issues. More recently, she chaired the union's Human Rights and Equity Committee and fostered BCNU's renewed a relationship with other provincial nurses' union and membership in the Canadian Federation of Nurses' Unions.Adriane is committed to championing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within the union and the health-care system. She is dedicated to upholding the Nurses' Bargaining Association provincial collective agreement and ensuring that the province implements nurse-patient ratios, which will improve the staffing and practice conditions needed to keep nurses in the profession and improve patient care. She also wants to encourage more nurses to get involved with the union by continuing to share the importance of nurses' collective power.Adriane is a mother to two young adults, both attending post-secondary school. She lives with her husband and boxer Phoebe. Adriane is grateful for the opportunity to live on the traditional territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ people which includes W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip) and SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout) First Nation.Instagram: @calling.all.nursesComments and feedback can be sent to our email: callingallnurses.podcast@gmail.com
In this episode: the current state of labour market, a slow progress for women achieving full equality, an audit of psychological safety in the workplace, provincial employment news and other topics. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.Follow us on: X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast. The Canadian economy added 41,000 jobs in February. However, labour force growth outpaced job growth. The unemployment rate rose to 5.8% | Mild Conditions Prevail in February's Labour Market - The Conference Board of Canada Report from Canadian Chamber of Commerce highlights the persistent barriers for women in management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. In 2023, women earned less than men—88 cents to the dollar in management occupations | Glacial progress means women in business unlikely to achieve full equality this century - Canadian Chamber of Commerce Teachers in Saskatchewan are giving notice of a three-day, provincewide withdrawal of extracurricular activities on March 11-13 and a one-day, rotating withdrawal of noon-hour supervision on March 11 | Provincewide Withdrawal of Extracurricular and Rotating Withdrawal of Noon-Hour Supervision - Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (stf.sk.ca) The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) will develop a Psychological Health and Safety Audit Program | Mental Health Commission of Canada leads development of new program to support employers with psychological health and safety audits - Opening Minds The Manitoba government is introducing amendments to the Employment Standards Code that would extend long-term leave for serious injury or illness from 17 to 27 weeks | Province of Manitoba | News Releases | Manitoba Government Introduces Legislation to Protect Workers Recovering from Illness or Injury WorkSafeBC bringing industry and labour stakeholders together to discuss crane safety. From 2019 to 2023 there were 22 incidents involving tower cranes | WorkSafeBC bringing industry and labour stakeholders together to discuss crane safety | WorkSafeBC
In this episode: in-demand jobs and top skills sought by employers, a round of layoffs at Google, protecting workers during cold weather, financial concerns of pre-retirees, and other topics. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.Follow us on: Youtube @ Canada HR News - YouTube; X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast.The sponsor of this episode is careergoals.ca, a career and image consulting agency committed to making your career dreams come true. To receive a job search playbook that will set you up for success with your career in Canada visit careergoals.ca. Randstad Canada posted its list of the 15 most in-demand jobs in Canada for 2024 | In-demand Jobs in Canada in 2024 | Randstad Canada Working with artificial intelligence is a new key skill among candidates applying for jobs | AI skills in demand as companies develop 2024 hiring plans for Canada (thestar.com) Google is laying off hundreds of employees across multiple teams | Google lays off hundreds in Assistant, hardware, engineering teams | Reuters WorkSafeBC urges employers to safeguard workers against winter hazards | WorkSafeBC urges employers to safeguard workers against winter hazards as cold snap forecast for B.C. | WorkSafeBC The income gap between Canada's newest immigrants and other Canadian workers has narrowed significantly | Income gap between new immigrants and all Canadians shrunk by half in four years: PBO – Winnipeg Free Press A significant proportion of Canadians 50+ are in a financially vulnerable position | OSC survey reveals gaps in Canadians' retirement experiences and preparedness | OSC
On this special episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks to British Columbia construction and safety stakeholders about a rising number of work-related deaths as they observe the 43rd anniversary of the tragic accident at the Bentall IV building in Vancouver that claimed four lives on Jan 7., 1981. BC Building Trades executive director Brynn Bourke hosted the event and addressed startling statistics both at the event and afterwards in an interview. Fifty-four people died in 2022 at the workplace, 28 due to trauma and 26 due to exposure to harmful materials, representing a 74 per cent increase from the average number of annual construction worker deaths over the previous three decades. She also spoke to the need to address the opioid crisis and mental health, as well as cautioning all levels of government looking to quickly build affordable housing to not lose sight of worker safety while doing so. We also spoke with WorkSafeBC senior manager of prevention field services Suzana Pripic both about the 2022 statistics and new asbestos regulations that came into effect on January 1 and with asbestos reform advocate Lee Loftus about the good of the new rules along with more work still that needs to be done. Thanks for listening to this special episode of The Construction Record Podcast. You can listen to other episodes on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Our most recent interview with John Tenpenny about ReNew Canada's 2024 list of Canada's top infrastructure projects is here. DCN-JOC News Services
On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast™, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Dr. Jon Callegher about attracting young people to the construction industry and then retaining them once they enter the field. Callegher, the executive director of the Job Talks research and media agency, spoke at the recent British Columbia Construction Safety Alliance Health and Safety Conference about what younger workers are looking for in a career path and how many of the traits regarded as “university-ready” are also well suited to the skilled trades. He added men and women have to be marketed to in different ways and that companies need to precisely target young workers instead of sending out large-scale advertising campaigns that may not reach them. We also have the latest headlines from the Daily Commercial News and the Journal of Commerce including a story from Angela Gismondi about an extension to an existing building at the University of Toronto's Innis College as well as columns from John Clinkard about the possibly costly implications for new homes within Ottawa's emissions reduction plan, and John Bleasby's Inside Innovation column which looks at how artificial intelligence adoption in the construction industry is in his words, “all about the data.” From the west we have stories from Shannon Moneo about how two years after a devastating fire that wiped out the town of Lytton in British Columbia, the rebuilding effort is stuck in limbo with no construction as yet started and in Edmonton the long-delayed $1.8-billion, 13-kilometre low-floor line Valley Line Southeast LRT will open for passenger service on November 4th. You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Our previous interviews with our new Journal of Commerce staff writer Sarah Rowland and WorkSafeBC's Trudi Rondou are here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services Innis College addition ‘surgical,' connecting old and new buildings Inside Innovation: AI adoption in construction is all about the data Ottawa's Emission Reduction Plan Has Costly Implications for New Homes Lytton rebuild in limbo over two years after devastating fire Edmonton announces Valley Line Southeast LRT to open Nov. 4
On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast™, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Sarah Rowland, the Journal of Commerce's new staff writer, about her background in journalism including stints at the Georgia Straight in Vancouver and the Montreal Mirror, her time in communications and her hopes for her new role as she brings you news from western Canada's construction, architecture and engineering industries. We also have another interview from the British Columbia Construction Safety Alliance's recent Health and Safety conference, featuring WorkSafeBC first responder mental health committee chair Trudi Rondou about mental health challenges for those in emergency services, many of which mirror conditions faced by those in construction. She also listed a number of resources both sectors can use to help with mental health issues. News editor Lindsey Cole joined the pod to list off the latest headlines from the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce, including stories out of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada from their recent conference in Napa, Ca. concerning the need for mechanical contractors to adopt to changing industry conditions and the new strains on the supply chain system after it weathered the worst of COVID. Lindsey also pointed to an article on Toronto's continued domination of the latest biannual Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) Crane Index and an update on the US$1.23-billion Greenstone gold mine near Geraldton in northern Ontario as it nears completion. From the west, we have a story about 3D printing being used to create Star Lodges at Siksika Nation, a community of 7,800 in southern Alberta as well as the City of Calgary pausing development on intake for a development incentive program as the programs and services under review already exceed current available funding. You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. You can listen to our previous podcast with interviews from the BCCSA Health and Safety conference here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services MCAC 2023: Legal panellists present solutions for an era of change MCAC 2023 conference: Suppliers' panel highlights paths to success Toronto dominates new North American crane index Final stretch for Greenstone gold project Returning to traditional journalism: Meet our new staff writer Sarah Rowland Alberta's largest 3D-printed housing project will create Star Lodges Calgary pauses development incentive program intake
On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with new Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) president Jeannine Martin about her plans as she takes the helm of the organization. Martin discusses her previous construction industry experience, as well as how she intends to collaborate with the British Columbia Construction Association in the push for prompt payment legislation as well as working with other construction associations across the province and in Alberta. She also spoke to ongoing VRCA projects such as their Reconciliation Action Plan, operationalizing the association's strategic plan and preparation for the upcoming VRCA Awards of Excellence. The latest stories in the Daily Commercial News and the Journal of Commerce include Premier Doug Ford and his government facing heat after Bonnie Lysyk, the province's auditor general said the decision to open the Greenbelt region to housing construction favored “certain developers”. And Unifor National president Lana Payne is calling out SNC-Lavalin for firing the head of a union that represents hundreds of its engineers and other workers. From the west, WorkSafeBC is using AI to search for new risks using Risk Analysis Unit's software called Finding Risk in External News Data or FRIEND scans websites, journals, newsletters, databases and other online sources for signs of new and emerging industrial risks. Grant Cameron also has a story about the $455 million Portage Regional Health Centre project in Portage La Prairie in Manitoba. You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Our previous episode's interview with Association of Equipment Manufacturers senior vice-president of government and industry relations Kip Eideberg about the state of U.S. immigration is here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Service UPDATE: ‘Certain developers' favoured in decision to open up Greenbelt, auditor general says Unifor president demands SNC Lavalin reinstate fired union head WorkSafeBC develops AI software to search for new risks $455M Portage Regional Health Centre takes inspiration from nearby Crescent Lake
Dr. Ashley Spetch is WorkSafeBC's chief mental health officer — the first position of its kind for any workers' compensation board in Canada. She talks about the growing number of psychological injuries that are occurring in the workplace.
On this episode of the Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey and Journal of Commerce staff writer Evan Saunders bring several interviews from the Day of Mourning ceremony held at downtown Vancouver's Jack Poole Plaza on April 28. Warren spoke with BC Federation of Labour president Sussanne Skidmore about the continued importance of the Day of Mourning ceremonies, which are held across British Columbia and the rest of Canada to raise awareness of the importance of workplace safety and the ongoing tragedy of worker deaths and injury. He also spoke with WorkSafeBC senior manager of prevention services Suzana Prpic. Evan spoke with Rob Ashton, the president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU) who stressed the need for stronger enforcement measures and penalties when companies are found to be at fault for workplace fatalities or injuries. You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Our previous episode featuring BuildForce Canada executive director Bill Ferriera is here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services
Politicians, WorkSafeBC claimants, provincial and federal judges, and even prisoners can skip the line and gain access to timely health care. Mike talks with Dr. Brian Day about the hypocrisy and failure of the Canadian state to uphold the rights of patients. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In today's episode: current state of Canadian labour market, possible strike of CRA workers, Saskatchewan's hiring of registered nurses in the Philippines, Ontario's friendly response to 'Alberta is Calling' recruitment campaign, and more. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates. Indeed reports that in the first quarter hiring appetite cooled across much of the country | March LFS: Smooth Sailing Amid The Cloudy Outlook (hiringlab.org); Canadian Labour Market Update: First Quarter 2023 (hiringlab.org) CRA union members are in legal position to strike on April 14 | Workers at Canada Revenue Agency provide overwhelming strike mandate | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca) Tourism HR Canada launched 'Discover Tourism' campaign to close labour gap in Canada's tourism sector | Tourism HR Canada Seeks to Fill Workforce Gap Left by the Pandemic The government of British Columbia announced that on June 1, 2023, B.C.'s minimum wage would increase from $15.65 to $16.75 an hour | Minimum wage increases to $16.75 per hour on June 1 | BC Gov News Between 2018 and 2022, WorkSafeBC time-loss claims related to violence in the workplace increased by 25% | Media Backgrounder: Violence in the Workplace | WorkSafeBC The government of New Brunswick received a 67% increase in immigration allocations from the federal government | Province's immigration allocation increases by 67 per cent, renewed immigration agreement signed (gnb.ca) Saskatchewan's second recruitment mission to the Philippines resulted in 236 additional conditional job offers to Registered Nurses | Saskatchewan's Second Mission to Philippines Delivers High Success Rate | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan A municipality in Ontario has launched a friendly response to 'Alberta is Calling' campaign | Why go west when C-K awaits? | The Chatham Voice
Steve began his career as an on-call firefighter with the Township of Langley Fire Department in 1992 and five years later, joined the Coquitlam Fire Rescue full-time. He was elected to the executive board of IAFF Local 1782 (Coquitlam) in 2005 and was promoted to Captain in 2015. In addition, Steve is a VP on the BC Professional Fire Fighter Association (BCPFFA) which represents over 4,000 professional firefighters across BC. He chairs both the BCPFFA's Health and Safety Committee and their Mental Health Task Force. Steve is a member of Coquitlam Fire Rescue's Critical Incident Stress Team and has taken the lead in defusing a multitude of critical incidents. He also serves as a Peer Supporter for his co-workers and has organized and hosted several mental health awareness nights for firefighter spouses and partners. Steve represents the BCPFFA on the B.C.'s First Responder Mental Health Steering Committee, chaired by WorkSafeBC. National Suicide Prevention Hotline 988 thewashdownpodcast@gmail.com #NeverAloneAlwaysForward
Steve began his career as an on-call firefighter with the Township of Langley Fire Department in 1992 and five years later, joined the Coquitlam Fire Rescue full-time. He was elected to the executive board of IAFF Local 1782 (Coquitlam) in 2005 and was promoted to Captain in 2015. In addition, Steve is a VP on the BC Professional Fire Fighter Association (BCPFFA) which represents over 4,000 professional firefighters across BC. He chairs both the BCPFFA's Health and Safety Committee and their Mental Health Task Force. Steve is a member of Coquitlam Fire Rescue's Critical Incident Stress Team and has taken the lead in defusing a multitude of critical incidents. He also serves as a Peer Supporter for his co-workers and has organized and hosted several mental health awareness nights for firefighter spouses and partners. Steve represents the BCPFFA on the B.C.'s First Responder Mental Health Steering Committee, chaired by WorkSafeBC. National Suicide Prevention Hotline 988 thewashdownpodcast@gmail.com #NeverAloneAlwaysForward
On Jan. 7, 1981, a fly form on the then under-construction Bentall building collapsed. Carpenters Gunther Couvreux, Brian Stevenson, Donald Davis and Yrjo Mitrunen fell 36 floors to their deaths. On January 6th of this year as in previous years a memorial was held to celebrate their lives, remember others who have died or been injured at their workplace and stress the vital importance of occupational safety practices. In this episode digital media editor speaks with both Dan Strand, the director of prevention field services for WorkSafeBC, about the current state of construction safety and his organization's role as B.C.'s safety regulator, and with Brynn Bourke, the executive director of the BC Building Trades about ways to improve work conditions and address not only physical dangers but mentally safe work environments. Journal of Commerce staff writer Evan Saunders also spoke with Lee Loftus, a retired union activist who currently sits on WorkSafeBC's board of directors and with Brian Stevenson's sister-in-law Dianne Stevenson and his older brother Bruce Stevenson about speaking at the event and their memories of Brian. You can read Evan's article about the memorial here and listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Our previous episode featuring Anthony Henry and Ivan Dawns is here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services
The BC Nurses Union wants an audit of all occupational health and safety reports from BC health authorities after WorkSafe BC issued a $355,000 fine to Northern Health. The Gitxaala Nation is launching its own tugboat service in Prince Rupert.
On this episode of the Construction Record Podcast digital media editor Warren Frey has interviews from the British Columbia Construction Safety Alliance's recent Health and Safety conference in Vancouver. The first interview is with Kate Campbell, known for her roles on Holmes on Homes and many other HGTV shows as well as her work as a carpenter, business owner, and a tireless advocate for both the skilled trades and getting tools into the hands of more women on more jobsites. We also have an interview with WorkSafeBC's Steven Mah, who gave the conference attendees a deep dive into the British Columbia safety regulator's Construction High Risk Strategy, explained the high-risk categories that got the most focus and the importance of stakeholders to the ongoing process of creating the strategy. You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast, and you can listen to our previous podcast about Toronto's recent municipal election with Daily Commercial News staff writers Angela Gismondi and Don Wall here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services
Captain Steve Farina is a veteran British Columbia firefighter, an executive board member of the International Association of Firefighters Local 1782 and Vice President of the BC Professional Fire Fighter Association (BCPFFA) which represents over 4,000 professional firefighters across the province.He is also actively engaged in firefighter and first responder mental health initiatives through his work as vice chair for both the BCPFFA's Health and Safety Committee and their Mental Health Committee, the IAFF's Behavioral Health Committee, Coquitlam Fire Rescue's Critical Incident Stress Team and the WorkSafe BC led BC First Responder Mental Health Steering Committee.Despite all the work he's doing advocating for better approaches to mental health, Steve talks about how hard it was following his own advice when things got to be too much; how he benefited from the First Responder Resiliency Program program offered through Blueprint and why, when it comes to men's mental health in particular, we're our own worst enemies. Please click on any of the links above to learn more about or to contribute to the organizations and programs discussed in this episode. Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage BrokerStrata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning
In this episode: HR Director by Key Media has revealed its Best Places to Work 2022, support from the Federal Government to create apprenticeship jobs across Canada, new Respectful Workplace Policy for political staff in the Government of Alberta, pride celebrations in June, Tesla's announcement to stop remote work, and other topics. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.On May 30 HR Director revealed its Best Places to Work 2022, Canadian organizations that went above and beyond in helping their people through the COVID chaos. | Best Places to Work 2022 | HRD Canada (hcamag.com)The federal government is announcing nearly $247 million to help create more than 25,000 apprenticeship positions in the skilled trades across Canada. | Feds announce $247M for 25,000 apprenticeship positions | CTV News A new Respectful Workplace Policy for political staff in the Government of Alberta has been released after a comprehensive review of human resources policies. | Premier's Office releases Respectful Workplace Policy | alberta.caEmployers announces new initiatives in celebration of Pride month, to foster greater opportunities and advance inclusion and belonging of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. | Scotiabank marks Pride Month with new initiatives to foster opportunities for LGBT+ communities (newswire.ca) ; Scotiabank Pride: Supporting LGBT+ Community | Scotiabank CanadaAccording to WorkSafeBC in 2021 over 7,000 young workers were injured on the job in BC. | Last year, over 7,000 young workers were injured on the job | WorkSafeBCOttawa has been ranked in 7th place behind Geneva for workplace balance. | Work-Life Balance: Best Cities Worldwide in 2021 | Kisi (getkisi.com)Elon Musk has requested that all Tesla employees stop remote work and come back to the office for 40+ hours per week or they will be let go. | Elon Musk asks all Tesla employees to come back to the office or quit - Electrek
Small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use will soon be decriminalized in B.C. - but what effect will this have on the opioid crisis? We talk to Leslie McBain, Co-Founder of Moms Stop The Harm, and Kora DeBeck, a research scientist with the BC Centre on Substance Use; and in our 2nd half, as young people prepare to start their summer jobs, what should be done to ensure the workplace is safe? We hear from WorkSafeBC.
SUMMARY HEADS UP producer Jo de Vries shares her personal story of healing from acute anxiety attacks that started when she was 12 years old. Now in her sixties, and after 20 years of taking two psychotrophic medications, she is in the process of healing with the help of two medical professionals. Family physician/psychotherapist Dr. Warren Bell guides her along a path of discovery to unearth her disorder's root causes, while pharmacist Sahil Ahuja advises her on how to safely taper off medication. In this compelling episode, they dig into how Jo's experiences can inform and inspire others, and explore arguments made by acclaimed journalist and author Johann Hari in Lost Connections, the book that kick-started Jo's empowering encounter with herself and the outside world. TAKEAWAYS This podcast showcases: Personal stories of healing from anxiety and depression Progressive education for pharmacists The role of personalized care and holistic healing from mental health challenges Primary considerations for deciding whether to take medication for depression/anxiety Potential side effects of some medications for depression/anxiety Potential side effects of, and recommendations for, tapering off those medications Role of psychotherapy and other treatments for depression/anxiety Role of trauma and chronic stress in depression/anxiety Benefits of feeling, identifying, processing, and learning from both positive and negative emotions Impacts of COVID on people's willingness to talk about mental health challenges Johann Hari's personal story of depression and arguments for science-based alternatives he subsequently laid out in Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression & the Unexpected Solutions Using science to debunk the myth that chemical imbalance is responsible for anxiety/depression, and that medication is the only solution Disconnection (the nine causes of anxiety/depression) Reconnection (a different kind of antidepressant) Role of culture in sharing about, and healing from, anxiety/depression Role of livable communities that support the social determinants of mental health in preventing anxiety/depression SPONSOR RESOURCES Antidepressants Going off Antidepressants Bounceback Patient Health Questionnaire Depression: Resource Guide for Patients GUESTS Sahil Ahuja, PharmD Sahil Ahuja is a licensed pharmacist practising at Two Nice Guys Pharmacy in Kelowna, BC. In this setting he provides patient-centered care that starts with listening to the person in front of him. In collaboration with that patient's health care team, Sahil provides a range of services including patient education, medication recommendations, and prescriptions. While completing his Doctor of Pharmacy degree at UBC, Sahil encountered mental health struggles of his own. Having made it through those difficult times, he believes the best way to reduce any remaining stigma around mental health is by openly sharing his own experiences. Professionally, Sahil's current focus is on the Toxic Drug Crisis and ensuring patients experiencing substance-use disorders have reliable and non-judgemental access to medication. These efforts have helped Two Nice Guys' Pharmacy earn recognition as Unsung Heroes in the community. In his personal life, he is prioritizing trying new hobbies and experiences (e.g., skydiving) to continuously expand his comfort zone. Dr. Warren Bell Dr. Warren Bell has been a general practitioner for more than 40 years. For decades he has advocated for peace, social development, the environment, and the anti-nuclear movement, as well as the integration of healing modalities of all kinds. He is past founding president of Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, past president of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada and the Association of Complementary and Integrative Physicians of BC, past president of medical staff at the Shuswap Lake General Hospital, and current president of Wetland Alliance: The Ecological Response (WA:TER). He has written several peer-reviewed clinical pieces and for online publications such as the Vancouver Observer and National Observer. Warren received a College of Family Physicians of Canada Environmental Health Award and the Queen's Medal for Canada's 125th Anniversary in 1992. Email: cppbell@web.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/warren.bell.714 HOST Jo de Vries is a community education and engagement specialist with more 30 years of experience helping local governments in British Columbia connect with their citizens about important sustainability issues. In 2006, she established the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) to “inspire community conversations for sustainable change.” FOF's highly acclaimed events include Building SustainABLE Communities conferences, Reel Change SustainAbility Film Fest, Eco-Blast Kids' Camps, CommUnity Innovation Lab, Breakfast of Champions, and Women 4 SustainAbility. FOF's newest ventures are the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit and HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Website: Fresh Outlook Foundation Phone: 250-300-8797 PLAY IT FORWARD The move toward optimal mental health becomes possible as more people learn about the challenges, successes, and opportunities. To that end, please share this podcast with anyone who has an interest or stake in the future of mental health and wellness. FOLLOW US For more information about the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) and our programs and events, visit our website, sign up for our newsletter, and like us on Facebook and Twitter. HELP US As a charity, FOF relies on support from grants, sponsors, and donors to continue its valuable work. If you benefited from the podcast, please help fund future episodes by making a one-time or monthly donation. Sahil Ahuga and Dr. Warren Bell Interview Transcript You can download a pdf of the transcript here. The entire transcript is also found below: RICK 0:10 Welcome to the Heads Up Community Mental Health podcast. Join our host Jo de Vries with the Fresh Outlook Foundation, as she combines science with storytelling to explore a variety of mental health issues with people from all walks of life. Stay tuned. JO 0:32 Hey, Jo here. Thanks for joining me and my two special guests as we delve into my own story of healing from anxiety attacks that started when I was 12 years old. Now 67, and after multiple rounds of medication, the latest one lasting almost 20 years, I'm in the process of seeking freedom from fear and anxiety with help from two medical professionals. The first is Dr. Warren Bell, a GP who also practices psychotherapy in Salmon Arm, BC. He's guiding me along a path of discovery to find the root causes of my disorder. Hi, Warren. Warren 1:12 Hi, Jo, I'm delighted to be here. And I just like to say that the fact that you are sharing your story in this public way is an act of courage on the one hand, but it's also something that I think will lead to many other people who listen to this podcast, understanding your dilemma and the trials you've been through, and also be grateful for the fact that you have shared this very personal voyage that you've been on. JO 1:41 The other vital member of my team is pharmacist Sahil Ahuja, who's advising me on how to safely taper off two medications. Welcome Sahil. SAHIL 1:52 Hi Jo. Thank you for having me. Likewise, very grateful to have this opportunity, and appreciative that you're willing to share your story. We talk a lot about decreasing stigma around these concerns. I think this will be beneficial to a lot of people. JO 2:07 I can't tell you how grateful I am to have you both on my side and here today for the podcast. Two things before we get started. First, a big thank you to our sponsors for this episode, the Social Planning and Research Council of BC, Emil Anderson Construction, WorkSafeBC and AECOM Engineering. And second, please note that I'm sharing my story for informational purposes only. This is very important. If you're experiencing mental health challenges or want to taper off medication, please seek advice from your doctor and/or mental health professional. Okay, so imagine you're lying down tied to a railway track. You start to feel vibrations in the ties and a hum on the rails that can mean only one thing, a coming train. As it rounds the corner, you hear the whistle scream warning you to jump or else, but you can't. As the scenario unfolds, your breathing shallows while your heart rate spikes. You feel increasingly weak, dizzy, sweaty, and/or nauseated. You quickly move from feeling agitated to being terrified you'll die, and then maybe even wishing you would so the overwhelming physical and emotional sensations would stop. After what could be minutes or hours, the train roars over you, the danger seemingly past, but in its place comes the fear of what will happen next time you're tied to a track, or more likely must give a speech, or take an exam, or feel uncomfortable, insecure, or unworthy. That's anxiety's gift that keeps on giving. The continual fear of fear itself. My panic attacks started when I entered puberty when my hormones raged for the first time. My second bout was triggered again by a hormonal imbalance after the birth of my first daughter. That time it was more serious and involved depression as well. To make a long story short, I started thinking, what if I hurt my daughter and then spiraled into terror so visceral, I couldn't be alone for fear I'd go crazy and do the unthinkable. I was trapped in a vicious cycle. Feeling depressed made me more anxious and feeling anxious worsened the depression. My father who was a doctor said I was experiencing postpartum depression and prescribed an antidepressant. I also saw a psychiatrist who said that with the medication, I would recover. That's how it was done in 1983. No mention of lifestyle changes, counseling, or other potential treatments. The pills worked, so I took them until after my second daughter was born, too afraid to again face postpartum symptoms. When life settled down and my marriage and career seemed stable, I weaned off the medication and managed well for a number of years. My next experience with paralyzing fear came at the end of my first marriage, emotions were high, my anxiety levels were higher. Again, I was prescribed medication, this time by my GP. I did get counseling, but unfortunately, the counselor decided my husband was a jerk, and that I'd be better off without him. So I concluded the anxiety was situational, and didn't see the need for further counseling to get to its root causes. Fast forward to the beginning of my second marriage. I'm feeling good and decided to taper off medication again, which was fine until I accepted a job that turned into the worst experience of my working life. Eighteen months later, just after I resigned, I descended into what can only be described as hell on Earth. I lived in the emotional storm of an acute, unending, anxiety attack for three days. I couldn't think, I couldn't eat or drink without vomiting. I couldn't be alone for fear I would die. And at times, I wished I would because I didn't think I could stand another minute. I was prescribed three medications in large doses. A benzodiazepine for sleep, an antidepressant, and an antipsychotic, which is sometimes used to treat anxiety and depression when just the antidepressant isn't enough. Well, I don't regret taking the medications as they dulled the anxiety and lifted the depression to manageable levels. They did make me look and feel somewhat like a zombie for a number of months. With that first stage of recovery under my belt, I started thinking again about tapering off my medications. Like many other people who take them, I thought I was weak and wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't. First, I tapered off the sleeping pill. Then I significantly reduced the antipsychotic but decided to stay on the same dose of antidepressant, and there I sat for almost 20 years. In the early years, I tried a few times to wean off the antidepressant, but always experienced low-level anxiety and other minor side effects such as disturbing dreams. Mainly though, I was still afraid of being afraid, not wanting to look inside to find what was hiding there. Fast forward again to a little more than a year ago when I was 65. I must have been ready for a change of perspective, because a transformational book came across my desk while I was researching a Heads Up podcast about depression. It's called Lost Connections, Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression, and the Unexpected Solutions. It's by John Hari, an award-winning journalist and best selling author who has an experience of depression that he weaves throughout his book. Hari's book made me look at my situation differently through a lens of evidence-based findings, on the effectiveness of medication for depression and/or anxiety. And it made me question the medical system's long-standing pharmaceutical approach to symptom management, and the crutch it had perhaps become for me. So with input from Warren and Sahil, I developed a plan for tapering off the medications. I felt ready given that my life is now vastly different than it was 20 years ago, and that I'm truly invested in optimizing my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. The three of us agreed that tapering off should be done very slowly. Given that I'd been on hefty doses for almost two decades. And because I'd had side effects when I last tried to cut down. You'll learn more about this from Warren and Sahil a little later. Starting last spring, I cut my antipsychotic medication over several months by almost 90 percent. It surprised me that I experienced no anxiety during that time, and it thrilled me that I felt increasingly more energetic and alive as the doses dropped. I delayed tapering down from the antidepressant until this spring, given that winter can be a challenging time for me. In April, I reduced the dose of my antidepressant a small amount. As with previous tapering attempts, I felt stirrings of anxiety and had vivid, sometimes disturbing dreams. But I persisted and that past. A week or so ago, I tapered down again, and I'll stay on that dose for a month or so before deciding whether to cut down further. That's slower tapering than people typically do. But I'm fine with that. Most importantly, Warren, Sahil, and I agreed that I needed to be realistic about my ability to taper off completely. I've accepted that and we'll take this process one day at a time, watching for symptoms that might be too much for me. I realized I may have to take medication for the rest of my life. And I have no shame or guilt around that. Nor should you if you're on medication that improves your mental health and quality of life. My journey of finding freedom from fear and anxiety has led me to new places, both within myself and in the world around me. I've embraced proven science while being embraced by compassionate care. I now have feelings that are big, and raw, and real, and so welcome now that I understand they're to be revered, not feared. As Eleanor Roosevelt recommended, I also try to do one thing every day that scares me. Today, it's being vulnerable by sharing my story, which I hope will inspire you to get the help you need. If you're struggling, start by making an appointment with your doctor and/or a mental health professional. And please check out the resources in the Show Notes page on our website at freshoutlookfoundation.org/podcasts. Time now to bring in the experts who can add some meat to the bones of my story, and John Hari's book. Let's start with you Sahil. I found you at Two Nice Guys Pharmacy in Kelowna, BC. Great name by the way. My daughter recommended this because of your amazing, personalized service. We met, and you agreed to help me taper off the medications. You also promised to read Hari's book and then share your insights on this podcast. Let's start by you telling us your story, and why you find such meaning in helping people along their healing journeys. SAHIL 12:31 I'm glad that you've had a good experience. I've never had someone ask me to read a book and be on their podcast. So, it was a neat experience for me as well. My story, the part that's kind of relevant to the mental health conversation here, is that in undergrad I was in sciences and living at home in Kelowna, going to UBCO. And everything was good. But when I was accepted into pharmacy school, and I had to move to Vancouver and go into this Doctor of Pharmacy Professional program, that's where things started to unravel a little bit, I would say. When I moved away, it was great. I was living with one of my friends. But in those first couple of months of being away from home and being in a new program and in a new city, I started to feel a lot of discomfort. I remember times when I was studying, and I couldn't focus anymore on the slides in front of me, and I would have to go lie down. Eventually, I got to the point of having a conversation with my doctor, and we realized that I was having panic attacks, which was very foreign to me. And the identity that I had for myself of being this high achieving person who just is able to do anything and everything, and to have that, quote unquote, what I felt as a setback was tough to process. And I wasn't able to really get a handle on the anxiety in those first few months, then kind of depression was becoming a part of that as well. And they are sometimes related but also very distinct things, and I felt the distinctions there. I eventually started on medications, and I found them to be very helpful. I remember in those first few months of being on fluoxetine that I felt that if everyone was taking this medication, that there would be less crime in the world, everyone be happier. It was amazing. But as in the book, I had a similar experience as the author where that effect faded, and then we would increase the dose I would feel well, and the effect would fade. And that cycle continued whether with new medications or new doses for a few years. And then near the end of pharmacy school, I was getting tired of it. And I tapered myself off the medications and it took probably a year after that for me to feel like okay, I'm actually through this phase of anxiety and depression. It was interesting for me because I subscribed very heavily to the chemical imbalance narrative, in part because I had everything else going for me in life. I had amazing support systems in my family and friends. Even though I had left my family, they were still very supportive. And I had friends there. I had a great career ahead of me with meaningful work. It didn't make sense to me. And that was one of the most frustrating parts of like, why am I feeling this way. So, the chemical imbalance narrative really helped, to be like hey, it is out of your control, but kind of working through it and getting through it. I think it was the purposelessness that really got me and meaning to life that got me, and I found it in social connections, I found it in really savoring the moments that I have with friends. Meaningful conversations like this one, when you're 40 minutes into a cup of coffee with someone, I find so much meaning and joy in those moments, and I soak in that joy. And I would say it's still a work in progress. And not every day is a great day. But I definitely have much more joy in my life. I have more good days than bad days, and the bad days aren't as bad anymore. JO 16:00 Thank you so much for being vulnerable and laying that out for us. And I agree your story too will help other people. How has your experience impacted in a positive way your ability to help your clients who are experiencing mental health challenges? SAHIL 16:17 I think my experience gives me an insight into what the human in front of me is experiencing. I understand how difficult it is to even get to the point of standing at the pharmacy counter. There are so many pieces in between one of just recognizing and understanding what's happening that took me a bit of time, then being willing to address that concern and eventually talking to a physician or whichever healthcare provider getting to the point of like, okay, I have this prescription in my hand, am I going to go fill it? Okay, I go drop it off at the pharmacy counter, am I gonna go back? There's so many points there, where things could fall off or the mind could change. So when that person is in front of me, I have a sense of like, okay, it was not easy to get here. And I want to make sure that I can hopefully make it a bit easier moving forward. JO 17:13 Sahil, before meeting you, my interactions with pharmacists had been what I call clinical, which I guess is fair. But the training you received is changing that. Tell us more. SAHIL 17:26 I graduated in 2019 from UBCs PharmD program, and it is very patient-centered care. We are not just looking at the condition and throwing a medication at it. We're looking at the human that's in front of us and saying okay, this condition is part of what's going on. But let's look at everything else that's going on. And as a pharmacist, our training, the first thing we even think about is, is a medication even necessary, is it even the best treatment? For example, in school, we were being assessed when we were counseling a medication to a patient. We had to give three or four non-medication ways, non-drug measures to help address any particular concern, whether its mental health related or blood pressure or cholesterol. Those non-pharm measures or non-drug measures are very important, and the first line of therapy, frankly, in the majority of conditions. If those don't work, then we look at medication. JO 18:22 When you say patient-centered or personalized care, what does that mean? SAHIL 18:28 It's about assessing what's important to them and what their values are, depending on whether they're in school, what their age is, what their priorities are. It can help us guide the antidepressant we choose, for example, because depending on their side effect profiles, some side effects, for example weight gain, may be acceptable to some and not acceptable to others. So that's where the personalized approach comes in of, okay, let me learn about this person, what's important to them. And then we can make more informed decisions together and give them the appropriate information. JO 19:02 When you speak to your clients first about taking antidepressants, what do you tell them? SAHIL 19:07 Sometimes the majority of the times the benefits aren't immediate. And that's really frustrating when you're living through anxiety and depression. You're feeling unwell in all these ways to hear that, hey, I'm gonna have to stick through this for another 246 weeks before I really feel better. So that's one thing, it is a bit of a process. And also, the first one may not be the right one. We have a lot of options. We have a lot of medications that work in different ways that have different side effect profiles. So we can hopefully over time find the right one. And the things that probably do work more immediately are those non-drug measures, whether it's starting to look at CBT, and there's a lot of free CBT resources out there, whether it's from Anxiety Canada or MindHealthBC? Maybe the first line of therapy is being more mindful about hanging out with your friends, which is really difficult to do when you're living through it. But if there's a way that you can go for that cup of coffee and feel a little bit better, or go for that walk in nature and feel that sense of calm, those things might be more immediately soothing, and that will give the medication some time to kick in. JO 20:18 What about the primary potential side effects? SAHIL 20:24 There's a whole host of things depending on the medication that you take. So to say main potential side effects is a little bit tricky. And everything's in context as well. So I always hesitate from saying things broadly. But I will say some of the big things to watch out for is that, especially in younger patients, there is an increased risk of self-harm. And that's something that is top of mind for me. So when I am talking to my patients I, especially younger patients, I'd like to mention this is something that we've got to watch out for. There's regular things like nausea, and dizziness, and all of these things that usually, we can help mitigate or get better as the weeks go on. Certain ones might have a higher risk of sexual dysfunction, for example, others have very limited risk of that. Some have a little bit of risk of weight gain, and others are less. Some cause trouble sleeping, some help more with sleeping. That's why the personalization part is really important. If I have a patient who has insomnia with depression, then we want something that causes drowsiness, depending on if that's what they want. If we have somebody that they are unable to get out of bed at all, they're sleeping 12 plus hours a day or whatever, and I was on that side I would sleep all day long, we want something that might have energized them a little bit more, a little bit more activating. Side effects are also tricky term because sometimes that effect is something we want to happen. So it's very personalized and patient specific. JO 21:51 What about side effects associated with tapering off, and your tips for minimizing these? SAHIL 21:58 What I've seen in my short career so far practicing for a couple years is we really want to take it slow; we want to go over weeks or months. And that will help minimize the withdrawal symptoms. So it can be some of the things that patients experienced in the beginning, maybe some dizziness, or the strange one to me that I wouldn't think about is flu like symptoms. People can actually feel unwell in that way. There can be some irritability, appetite affects, sleep changes. You might even feel that irritability or depression coming back, but sometimes it's temporary, right? It's just the body getting used to not having the medication. And it's not necessarily that the depression is actually coming back. The other one that I hear patients talk about sometimes even if they miss a dose or two, is brains zaps or just that abnormal sensation there. These are the things to look out for. And if they're happening, this is how we can manage it or just even knowing that something can happen, helps mitigate the surprise of when it happens and makes it less scary in that way. JO 22:59 Thanks Sahil. That's great info and will really help me by the way, which brings us to our next guest, Dr. Warren Bell and his decades-long practice of combining medical and pharmaceutical knowledge with psychotherapy and downhome compassion. Just building on what Sahil was explaining to us, what do you see in the way of side effects or symptoms of people tapering off of these medications? Warren 23:29 The principle that Sahil referred to, which is to do it slowly, is probably more important than any other principle with respect to withdrawing or tapering off medication of this nature, psychotropic drugs. People experience a variety of symptoms when they start to reduce medication, including symptoms that are very similar to the ones that they experienced before they began to take them. These are withdrawal symptoms, but they seem to be very similar to what they experienced prior to starting medication. And as a consequence, there's a sense that maybe their condition that led to them taking medication has recurred. But it's actually a withdrawal process. And the best way to deal with it is to do it very slowly. I've had people who were withdrawn off medication in six weeks by one of my psychiatric colleagues, experience a terrible withdrawal pattern. And when I was involved with repeating it, because they cut back on the medication, we changed it from a six-week withdrawal to a two year withdrawal, and it was effortless. JO 24:36 I'd like to build on Sahil's insights about patient-centered care. You and I have talked about your practice of getting to know people in the round, versus using only biomedical measures for treatment. Why don't you share your story of integrating treatment modalities and how it's helped your patients with mental health challenges? Warren 25:00 My background prior to medicine was not pure sciences. My background was actually, believe it or not, music and creative writing. So I had a sort of artsy kind of perspective on life. So when I came to medicine, it was with a very different perspective from many of my fellow students. I understood science, but it wasn't the only thing that I had studied. As I went through medical school, I found the narrow approach on biomedical matters and physical health issues, to be challenging, because I was only too aware of my own psychological responses. So early on in my training program, one of my preceptors, who was the head of psychiatry at McGill, noticed that I had a bit of an aptitude for exploring the psychological experiences that people were having. And that led to learning about different kinds of approach to therapeutic interventions in that area. And I eventually fastened on a procedure, or a process, or an approach called short-term anxiety provoking psychotherapy, which at the time, short-term meant 12 to 15 visits as opposed to two years of weekly visits that psychoanalysis was focused around. So it was shorter term, but it was still longer term than what is commonly done with psychiatrists these days. And after I had graduated, I worked in a psychiatric outpatient clinic for a year, and I also engaged in palliative care. Much of it is intensely psychologically oriented. When I came back to BC and began practicing in the small town of Salmon Arm, I just felt the need for a variety of reasons to explore other modalities. And I embarked on what amounted to a 20- 25-year process of learning about every kind of therapeutic opportunity that there is ranging from physical interventions like manual therapies, massage, cranial-sacral therapy, chiropractic, and of course physiotherapy, one of the standards, and osteopathy, and then also mind approaches. Sahil mentioned CBT, which is a fairly formulaic form of psychological intervention, but it's been used and has been validated as having some value. But then there's other things like yoga and meditation and mindfulness. And side-by-side with them was the process that I was bringing into my practice, which is insight-oriented therapy, where you spend a long time asking challenging questions and essentially, having patient hear themselves say things that they haven't said before, and understanding things inside their own consciousness that are new, and developing insights. That way, it's not a system where I give people advice. It's a system where I probe, and their responses end up being their therapy. And I've done it now for over 45 years. So it's been a central part of what I do, because once you explore people's minds, you find out what they are like, as you said, in the round. You find out more of the totality of their life experiences, not just the disease, or the condition, or the injury that they present with. So it inevitably makes you think holistically when you approach anybody. JO 28:42 During my psychotherapy sessions, we talk about many things including the mental health impacts of my upbringing, my Type A personality, my perfectionism, and so on. But my biggest takeaway was the realization that I bottled up what I thought were negative emotions for decades, only acknowledging and sharing the positive side of myself. Warren, you along with Brene Brown taught me to sit with my not so nice feelings, to really feel them, and then to identify them, process them, and maybe most importantly, learn from them. I'll give you a simple example of that. About six months ago, I was cleaning out my kitchen cupboards, and I came across a set of china that I had inherited when my Mom passed away. And it brought back wonderful memories of Easter dinners, and Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and us all around the tables. And my mom loved those occasions. She loved her crystal, she loved her china, and her cutlery, and everything was set so beautifully, and she was so proud. And I decided that I really didn't have room for this china anymore. So I called my sister and I said, you have a lot more room, would you like this china? And she said, sure. I went downstairs, got some boxes, brought them up, and I started packing away this china. And I started feeling increasingly more sad, to the point where I started crying, which is really unusual for me because I'm not a crier. And I just felt worse and worse and worse. And so I went and lay down. And I started thinking about the china and what it meant to me and came to the conclusion that I didn't want to give it away. I really needed to keep this as a connection to my mother. So I packed up the china and I put it in this very special place, and decided that I'm going to use it on occasion, even if it's not a special occasion. So that, for me, was a cathartic experience of feeling something, identifying what it is, processing it, and then responding in a way that met my emotional needs. It has really played a remarkable role in my healing. I've said all that to ask this question. Warren, in the patients you've seen over the years who are experiencing anxiety or depression, what role do you see unprocessed negative emotions playing? Warren 31:34 They play a central role, because they embody things that are unresolved in one's own life experience. There is a social pressure on all of us to hold back expression of any kind of negativity. If you meet somebody in the street and they say, hi how are you, you don't say, well actually I'm having a really bad day, and let me tell you about it. Partly because we know that the chance of them stopping and paying attention to those remarks will be very limited, they might be frightened away. But also, it seems like exposing ourselves to having other people see the vulnerability in us. And so it's quite natural, at a social level in many social situations to suppress the expression of negative feelings, fear, anger, frustration, terror, all experiences which we define as negative. What they are, of course, is responses of our central nervous system to things that are troubling to us, that disrupt our lives, or that appear to threaten our security. When you do that, and those experiences come to the surface, as you described in the story about your mother's china, you often will experience an emotional reaction that takes you by surprise. And if it's the wrong kind of setting, for example, there's a bunch of people looking at you and you're on stage, and you happen to open your mother's china there, you would be under intense emotional pressure internally, to not start to weep on stage. Now, if it was a psychotherapeutic group therapy session, you wouldn't have that same feeling. But if you're on stage, and it's a public performance, you would feel horrified at the fact that you were losing emotional grip on yourself. So setting has a lot to do with it. And often in our early years, we have settings where we are discouraged from expressing our true reactions to things. A parent who tried to be helpful says, "Don't make so much noise in this room, keep quiet." You don't know why they want you to do it, but they tell you to do it. And you want to make a big noise, you feel full of exuberant energy, and you can't do it. And so you learn to put those feelings and that expression away. And then you get into a situation where you start to cheer at a sports event and suddenly you are feeling giddy, you feeling strange and kind of uncomfortable, and maybe a little anxious, like I'm being too exuberant. I'm expressing my feelings too vigorously. So what the negative emotions that are suppressed or unprocessed do is they influence a lot of our day-to-day behavior. But much of that behavior as an experience is of feeling anxious, or in this case that you just described, you feel sad, but they are highly legitimate emotional responses that are present in us when we're first born. And so to suppress them tends to be kind of unhealthy. It's not so much that you express them anywhere. You find out where it's appropriate to express them as you grow older, but you don't get rid of them. That's the key I think. SAHIL 34:38 I'm going to jump in here just to add a little bit more of my story and how I think processing those emotions helped out. When I originally had my symptoms, I felt defective in a sense. It's interesting how you would never think that of somebody else but when it's yourself, there's more harsh judgment, something that I have worked through thankfully. But I went on a self-improvement binge. And in doing so, I think developed a little bit more EQ, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness. With that self-awareness, I noticed and was actually able to see those negative emotions, sit with them, and process them in ways that you two have mentioned. So I think it's extremely important to get to that point where you can recognize and deal with what's happening. JO 35:23 What about the role of chronic stress and depression and anxiety? Warren 35:29 Chronic stress is usually the result of a habit. We live by habits, our lives are guided by habits, habits are shorthand ways of dealing with events that occur over and over again in our lives, and that we have to develop a sort of patterned response to. If there are patterned responses to all or most expressions of a certain part of our own inner world that is valuable and important to us, then it produces a chronic state of feeling anxious, depressed, or just out of sorts. Because we're putting aside a part of ourselves on a day-to-day basis. And the habit of putting that part of ourselves aside, has been so firmly entrenched in our vocabulary, our emotional vocabulary, that we never think about it when somebody says, are you scared, you say, oh no, even though we could be terrified, because we don't allow ourselves to think that we're terrified. Because if we thought we were terrified, we'd start to act like we were terrified. And that would produce the kind of reaction Sahil was just describing, doing things that you feel uncomfortable, that make you look more vulnerable. But in fact, as we become more integrated, our personalities become more integrated, and the different parts of ourselves get to know each other better, then stress levels tend to go down markedly. That's one of the reasons why insight-oriented psychotherapy can be so useful, because at the end of the road, you have an understanding of why you get agitated in certain situations, and not in others. SAHIL 37:04 So just to add to that chronic stress piece, it was stressful to be in a new city and learning how to fend for myself in that way. And the pace of professional school is very different from undergrad. It's hard to keep afloat in those settings sometimes. So I do think that chronic, ongoing feeling of drowning and rat race sometimes, I felt that even in my career, I think that does add to the situation. JO 37:30 For personal reasons, I'm interested in the link between genetics and anxiety and depression, as there's a history of those in my family. My dad experienced anxiety and depression. My paternal grandfather was hospitalized because of mental health challenges. And my maternal grandmother took her life by suicide when my mom was just eight years old. I also wonder about the impact of trauma and have tried to unearth the traumatic event in my past that might have triggered my challenges. Warren what can you tell us about that? Warren 38:06 Trauma is something that depends very much on the context in which a particular behavior occurs. And the trauma is not always explosive, violent, and deeply disruptive. Sometimes trauma can be the lack of a response to a certain behavior on our part as children. The adverse childhood experience body of research is often shortened to ACE, A C E, began in 1988. But it's research that really explores something that's deeply rooted in human experience. And that is that if things go really bad when you're young and vulnerable, then it can shape your response to the future quite dramatically. If somebody has a father who's an alcoholic, the father may never be violent or aggressive or invasive into that child's life, but they may be absent, they may be sort of non-existent, the parenting role could be almost completely removed because of a preoccupation with the state of consumption of alcohol. Sometimes parents are away a lot, they're absent. So trauma takes different forms. I think it's generally recognized that an accumulation of extremely disruptive events, things like a parent going to jail, things like the death of a parent, things like physical, mental, social, and sexual abuse. All of these really invasive, intensely disruptive forms of trauma clearly shake, sometimes shatter the sense of personality, self-esteem, self-trust, trust in others, and that can have impacts throughout a person's life. There's quite strong evidence that if you accumulate a certain number of traumatic experiences in your early years, it will have a permanent effect on your development as a human being. That said, you mentioned the genetic component of mental distress and mental difficulties. There is some degree of that, but with most genetic components, they offer about five, maybe 10 percent of the reason why things happen. What you may have genetically is a tendency, but not necessarily a condition. And so you might be more susceptible to certain kinds of inputs. But it's not that you're going to go ahead and behave in a certain way because of your genes overwhelming your judgment. JO 40:49 Warren, you've been doing this for decades. Have the levels of anxiety and depression increased over the last 10 or 20 years? Warren 40:59 My observation would be that certain kinds of anxieties have increased. And certain kinds of social and environmental, and I mean environmental in the broadest sense of the term, pressures and disruptions have come into the lives of many, many people around the world. On the broad scale, there is widespread anxiety, and particularly among young people, children ages, say six to 15. Anxiety about their future, on a planet that is increasingly degraded by human activity and the presence of so many of us on the planet. That's a genuine anxiety. And there have been surveys. The BBC did one recently that showed in every country, they analyzed children's responses, they found this kind of anxiety underlying their daily lives. They don't go around talking about it all the time, but if you ask them how they feel, they're very explicit and describe quite disabling, sometimes senses of anxiety. One of my colleagues who works in an emergency room here, had three young people over a period of some months who had all come to the emergency room because they were either feeling suicidal, or they had made a suicidal attempt, because they were so depressed about the future of human society. They felt that there was no hope for us. And I think the heat dome and the fires during the summer really intensified those anxieties. There are also other stressors like the enormous disparity between the very well to do and the very underprivileged and financially insecure. So I think there are increased levels of depression and anxiety about those kinds of things. But to be honest, the primary things that bring on anxiety and depression are personal factors, elements, and events, and experiences within a person's own life. That's where those kinds of experiences take place. And I would say, there's probably in this part of the world, more of that going on in communities, and neighborhoods, and individuals to some extent than there are in many other parts of the world where connection and interaction and a sense of community are much more strongly developed. But I would say these broad disruptive impacts are being felt by people all over the world. JO 43:25 Sahil, what's your observation about mental health over the last couple of years since COVID? I have heard that statistically, mental health has declined over that period. But I've also heard very promising statistics about how many people have taken this as an opportunity, like yourself, to build themselves in a positive way. SAHIL 43:54 It's hard for me to assess the exact statistics on what's happening. But what I do feel confident saying is, it's a conversation that more people are willing to have. It's something that became a societal level conversation during COVID lockdowns on how are you actually feeling. I think it prompted a lot of self-reflection in individuals. So maybe that's why we're seeing both improvements, because people are seeing things that they can work on, and maybe more conversations on people not feeling well because you're actually recognizing what's happening. And not just burying it with the busyness of life. JO 44:32 A big chunk of Hari's book outlines his research findings about the effectiveness of pharmaceutical solutions for depression and/or anxiety. He also questions the long-held belief that brain chemistry changes are the primary causes of those disorders. Sahil, what do you think about the book and Hari's arguments? SAHIL 45:00 So I mentioned my story, I did very much subscribe to the chemical imbalance narrative. And I do think there is still some truth to be had there. I think it's good to have a conversation around that on, okay, maybe that's part of the scenario, but maybe not the whole scenario. And there are things that we can work on. I did really enjoy the book. I enjoyed the breakdown of all these connections, and frankly, then all of the solutions that can help chip away at it. I don't know if I bought all the arguments in their entirety. But I think there is enough in that book to reflect on and learn from. Warren 45:38 The book was interesting for me, because I was familiar with a lot of the research that he explores. From a journalist point of view, he went and interviewed the people who had done, for example, the meta-analysis of antidepressants with the SSRI, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor category. I was familiar with the fact that the full meta-analysis, which was done by obtaining all the studies that have been done on these drugs, rather than the ones that have been published at the time the drugs first came out. It was possible to do say, a dozen studies, find four that said what you want them to say, and then the other eight said things you didn't want them to say. In other words, they were not so positive about the drugs in question and their therapeutic benefits. And never publish those eight and only publish the four that you like. So what the researchers on that particular meta analysis did, they went and got all the studies. They nagged the Food and Drug Administration, so they finally gave them the actual raw data from those studies. And when that happened, it showed that the evidence used to promote many of the psychotropic drugs was quite skewed. It was quite directed towards a marketing end rather than a therapeutic end. And that's nothing new. Nobody should be surprised. The nature of the corporation and most large pharmaceutical companies or corporations, is to deal with the shareholders expectation of profit. And that's the sine qua non, the other part of it is of importance, but it's not the central issue. What I liked about the book was that I was hearing some of the sort of personal trajectories, the narratives of the people who did the research and why they did it, and what they felt about the research when they had done it. And that was adding another sort of personal element to stories that I had heard, written up in clinical journals. I particularly appreciated the fact that Hari was very open about his own struggles, which I think is important. It makes it clear that say an investigative journalist or a public figure, is not somebody who sprang out of the earth fully formed. They are like everybody else, in a process of evolving, and changing, and coming to new understanding about something that they might have thought they understood very well, for sometimes a very long time. So that was helpful for me. And then some of the individual stories about changes that took place in people's lives, I found quite illuminating, and quite heartening, as well. JO 48:20 What were your favorite stories and why? SAHIL 48:23 One of my favorite parts is right at the beginning, when the author talks about the initial experience with the medications which paralleled mine, of there was a benefit, it would fade, there was a benefit, and it would fade. And specifically, there was this part where the author felt compelled to evangelize about the medications. And I felt that as well. I was singing the praises because I had felt so down and so unwell. The correction of that, or the fixing of that, however, I felt in that moment was so significant to me, that I felt that everyone should consider whether or not they need these medications. So that point of relatability from the beginning, stuck with me and probably added to the authenticity of the book for me, or added to the reliability of the author's narrative throughout. Warren 49:15 The story that captured my imagination the most was the story he told about arriving in Berlin, he's originally German so this was kind of like coming home and coming across a small community of people rejected on all sides by society. Some of them were immigrants from other countries that didn't speak English, or German, or other as a first language. Some were people who had been disabled. Some were people with sexual orientation that was not accepted in German society. And somehow, they just didn't feel comfortable in the value system of the society they we're living in. All of them had been kind of isolated from society as a whole but also from one another. And then an elderly immigrant woman decided to just sit out in public and be visible, because she was having trouble with attaining some goals in her life, from the government. And around her coalesced a whole new community that formed, and was established, and strengthened, and sustained by the energy that each of these marginalized individuals brought to the broader nature of their gathering of people. It wasn't just a heartwarming story, it was an analysis of how community is established. You reach out, you find commonality, you ignore the superficial differences, you look for the deeper values that you share. And then when you do that, you gain an enormous sense of personal and shared satisfaction. And I think if there was any way to give an example of how to enhance mental health, I would say that story to me stood out very much so. SAHIL 51:03 I agree. Not only was it heartwarming, I found it to be so empowering. In those most dire of circumstances, they were able to come together. And that sense of community that they built was inspiring and empowering on any time you find yourself in dire straits, you can build that community that will help you through it. Warren 51:22 And I would compare that to say, a very wealthy suburb in a large urban setting where all the houses are grand, the trees are beautiful, and the neighbors don't always know each other. And they're often sort of in competition to have the nicest lawn, or the biggest swimming pool, or whatever. And sometimes, not always, but sometimes, just very wrapped up in material values. And then at some point in time realizing that what they really want is a sense of relationship with others. JO 51:58 Much of the book focuses on what Hari feels are the nine major causes of depression and anxiety, including trauma and genetics. He describes them as disconnection from other people, or meaningful values and work and from status and respect. He also talks about us being disconnected from nature, and from a hopeful and secure future, which are inextricably linked. He goes on to talk about solutions, or what he calls different kinds of antidepressants. And we don't have time to talk about all of these, but I would like to dig a little deeper into what I believe is the most important message in the book. And that's the vital role social connection plays in mental health at all scales, individuals, families, workplaces, and communities. So first of all, Sahil being of Indian descent, your experience with social connection is much different than ours in the Western world. Tell us about that, and how it played out in your life. SAHIL 53:07 My parents are from India, moved here kind of in their 20s. Typical immigrant story, came with very little, have kind of worked their way up the social ladder. I'm born and raised in Canada. Being Canadian is my primary identity. And then I so happen to have this background. And with that background, I think comes a greater sense of family and importance on family. The social connection that I have with my parents and with my sister, that family household connection is so central to my existence. Leaving that when I left Kelowna to go to Vancouver for pharmacy school, that definitely had a role of being further from my greatest support system. And there was never a sense that I would be abandoned. When I look at more Western culture of kids moving out at 18, it seems such a difficult way of life. I don't know if I would have been able to get to where I'm at in life, if that was the culture that I came from, or if that was the situation I was in. So that value on a family and supporting each other, this mindset of my parents support me until I'm self-sufficient, and then eventually, the responsibility becomes mine to take care of them. So we're always being taken care of and supported in that way. There's no sense of time out in the world by myself. Warren 54:33 The Indian culture is, in some ways, far more mature than the kind of hybrid culture that we have in this part of the world. And many, many other cultures really have maintained a sense of community and family. There's no question I've observed in many, many situations how having sometimes just one healthy relationship can mean the difference between somebody being really distressed almost all the time, and feeling a sense of relief and security. Maybe I can recite a story that was told to me by two prominent members of Indigenous community here. They talked about the fact that everything that happened in Indigenous community was for the community. And as a result, everything you did was to make sure the community survived. So if food was scarce, and hunters brought back a deer or something like that, or there was some kind of plant that they could harvest, it would be shared equally among the community. And even if somebody was a hunter and needed more energy, then others would make sure that the hunter had a little bit extra. We certainly don't think of the communitarian values that underlie our behavior all that much. We're doing a better job now, but we've got a long way to go. And I think we can learn a lot from the Indigenous experience. JO 55:59 Sahil, you have one foot in Canadian culture, the other in Indian culture. Tell us what you've learned about your Indian culture that would help us build more mentally healthy communities here. SAHIL 56:12 It's hard for me to speak for all of South Asian culture. Even just India is a country of a billion people, and there's a lot of nuances. But what I can say from my personal experience is, I'm lucky to have a good family dynamic. And that's taken work. It's taking conversations, it's taken establishing and respecting boundaries. So I think the takeaway for me is put time and effort into cultivating the relationships, maintaining the relationships, because that is kind of the foundation of everything else. If you have those, you can work through a lot of the other difficulties that life throws at you. JO 56:55 Warren, you and I have talked a lot about the importance of livable communities that are designed and built to foster social connection. Dig deeper into that for us. Warren 57:08 Absolutely, and with considerable enthusiasm. How you construct a community, how you actually build the infrastructure in a community has an enormous impact on the ability for people to connect with one another. I remember an article in Scientific American that showed a small English village before the advent of the automobile. And the road was narrow, and the paths on the side of it, what we might call the sidewalk was large. And there were people all over the sidewalk, and very few vehicles, and most of them were horse drawn in the roadway. After the advent of motor vehicles, and a few decades gone by, the roadway had expanded, the sidewalk had shrunk. And the vehicles on the road clearly overwhelmed any walking activities that took place, and the sidewalk was really just a kind of a narrow front in front of stores and other kinds of buildings. And the structure there did not facilitate people crossing the road to talk to one another. So when we do that kind of change in a town, even a small English village, without realizing it, we've disrupted social patterns and a sense of social connection. The changes that we've introduced with what they call concrete jungles, downtown areas where every surface has been built. And the only place you can actually meet somebody is by going in a door into a building and typically presenting something about yourself. Either it's you want a hotel room, or you want to buy something. But the interactions that are just the casual interactions are very hard to come by. I live in a small town. I've been here for 45, 43 years, and I walk down the street and it's a social event. I meet people every few feet practically, who I know and have a few words with. So I think how you construct a community has an enormous impact. Walking trails, park benches, park spaces where people can just hang out and be sociable. All of those things and many others make a huge difference in terms of facilitating social connection. SAHIL 59:17 This theme of the environment, and how ever you define it keeps coming up and is really important. And I think that starts even in your bedroom. What do you have there, and what is that promoting in your life? All the way to, yes, the greater community and the planet. And something that I've been reflecting on more recently is cultivating as much as I can, the environment that's going to bring the behaviors out of me or create the mindset in me that I'm wanting. JO 59:45 I've been a public outreach and engagement consultant to local governments in BC for 30 years. And I'm thrilled to say that things are definitely getting better at the community scale. When I started in the early 90s, municipalities didn't have sustainability plans or programs, climate action plans or programs, and very few were thinking about the social and cultural considerations of community well-being. I'm thrilled to say that there have been dramatic changes in these areas. Communities of all sizes across Canada are working with residents to plan and mobilize efforts to enhance and integrate social, cultural, environmental, and economic well-being. Warren 1:00:32 Joanne, that is such an important thing that people who are in governance systems can do to make communities what they have the potential to be, which is hubs for people interacting at multiple different levels and in multiple different ways. And in almost all of them positive. And there are many ways you structure both the physical structures and the social structures. The way support systems are given to people or not given to people can make a huge difference in the way their lives work out. And I think that is a critical element that all leaders and communities can play and make a huge difference. JO 1:01:13 Warren, I know you're also passionate about the social determinants of mental health, and how they impact people's well-being. These include things like housing, employment, education, physical environment, security, and financial stability, to name just a few. Knowing that you promote universal, basic income at every opportunity as a way to optimize these factors, tell us more and why it would improve mental health across the board. Warren 1:01:45 There's two pieces of evidence around mental health and what a universal basic income does to that part of our lives. The empirical evidence is that every experiment that has been done in this area has shown a massive uptick in positive emotional state in the people receiving the universal basic income in whatever form it occurred. There was an experiment done in Dauphin, Manitoba in the 70s and early 80s. And one of the universal findings there was everybody felt so much better about their life. There was an experiment done in Ontario for about three years before it was shut down by a new government. And it showed exactly the same thing, something like 87 percent of people had this enormous uplift in their state of mind, because they felt cared for. They felt nurtured by the community at large. It wasn't that they were given this cheque and they just went off and spent it. They looked at the cheque and they said, "This is all the other people who live in this community, contributing a few cents to my financial security." And that was a very powerful thing. The other piece of evidence is drawn from human health. And if you look at physical health outcomes in countries where there's more income equality, and what a universal basic income does is it puts a floor under which nobody will sink. The evidence from many different countries in the world shows that human health at the physical level improves very significantly. Countries with greater financial disparities between the wealthy and the financially underprivileged. Every study shows that people use hospitals less often, they go to doctors, less often, they suffer from chronic illness less often. So I think it's very hard to argue against universal basic income. SAHIL 1:03:39 I think on a broader scale, it's a great idea. We want everyone in society to be taken care of, to be fed, to be housed. The social determinants of health are something recently learned in school. Income inequality is such a predictor of health along with education and the other determinants. We talk about medications a lot, but these basic foundational societal concerns, if these can be addressed, then were working on prevention rather than treatment, and I think that's a great approach. I am probably not as well educated on the economic consequences of these policies and decisions, but definitely something I'm curious about and want to learn more about, because the promise, I think, is there. JO 1:04:30 This has been an informative and inspiring journey with you both personally and as a producer of this podcast. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for sharing your stories and your incredible insights and passions. So let's close with a question for each of you. Warren, you've been doing this a long time. What are you seeing in treatment modalities and health care now that gives you hope for the future? Warren 1:04:59 I've been reflecting on this quite a bit recently because I'm veering towards retirement, and it makes you think about what is the nature of healthcare and your role in it. And what is the system itself doing, which I've been observing for nearly five decades overall. One of the big changes is that the information that is now available to people is far more abundant than it once was. At one point, you could only get information about health from either a specific healthcare practitioner or from somebody who was selling you a product. Abundant and accurate information about human health, in all its aspects and every aspect that we've talked about today, it's now available online. Now, there are of course, sources of information that are entirely questionable and distorted. But much of the information is really eye opening for many people. And that's taking the emphasis off just say going to the doctor or going to see another health professional, and sort of democratizing access to information, which I think is a really important step. And I think that's revolutionizing how healthcare happens. JO 1:06:19 Sahil giving your lived experience of depression and anxiety, your expertise as a progressive pharmacist, and what you've learned from Hari's book, how do you see the future for the one in five Canadians who have or will have depression and or anxiety? SAHIL 1:06:37 I see a hopeful future. I think it starts with that first step of that self-awareness and identification of what's happening before it's becoming too severe. Trying out all the non-medication measures, some mentioned in Hari's book, and some we've mentioned throughout the podcast, and then having your health care team in place if you're needing it to work on from the psychotherapy aspect or
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SUMMARY Senior's mental health is affected by social threats such as stigma, ageism, and racism, and impacted by individual circumstances such as isolation, loneliness, poverty, poor physical health, lack of independence, and abuse. In Part 2 of this podcast, Marjorie Horne (seniors' advocate and founder of CareSmart Seniors Consulting), Naomi Mison (caregiver and founder of Discuss Dementia), and Dr. Anna Wisniewska (geriatric psychiatrist) shed light on these contributing factors and the complex choices seniors are often faced with ─ separation vs. connection, resignation vs. resilience, and invisibility vs. legacy. They also talk about the role of spirituality in seniors' mental health, and the healthcare changes needed to make healthcare systems and cultures more integrated, personalized, and compassionate for seniors. TAKEAWAYS This Part 2 podcast will help you understand: Prevalence and impacts of macrosocial (or society-wide) influences such as stigma, ageism, and racism Prevalence and impacts of personal circumstances such as isolation, loneliness, poverty, elder neglect and abuse, poor physical health and/or chronic pain, and lack of independence People who embrace aging vs. those who resent aging and resist change Impact of seniors' attitudes and behaviours on mental health Life-affirming choices seniors can make (separation vs. connection, resignation vs. resilience, invisibility vs. legacy) The role of spirituality in seniors' mental health Mental Health Commission of Canada's 2019 Guidelines for Comprehensive Mental Health Services for Older Adults in Canada Vital values for adequate care (recovery based, accessible, comprehensive, evidence-based) Mental health promotion and illness prevention Cultures of compassion within the healthcare system SPONSOR RESOURCES World Health Organization Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health Mental Health Commission of Canada Active Aging Canada Alzheimer Society CanAge Canadian Association for Retired Persons (CARP) Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction Canadian Frailty Network Canadian Mental Health Association Canadian Suicide Prevention Network Deprescribing Network Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario National Institute for Care of the Elderly (NICE) Seniors First British Columbia The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Caregivers Alberta Carers Canada Caregivers Nova Scotia Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association Families for Addiction Recovery: FAR Canada Family Caregivers of British Columbia Canadian Research Centres on Aging GUESTS Marjorie Horne, Dipl. T. Nursing Marjorie Horne was 16 when she knew that the way we see and treat elders had to change. Her journey involved training as a registered nurse, becoming the Executive Director of the Central Okanagan Hospice Society, working in management in seniors housing and, finally, starting her own business, CareSmart Seniors Consulting Inc. She is also a Conscious Aging Facilitator and a Certified Professional Consultant on Aging. As an entrepreneur, Marjorie's goal was to bring a holistic, ‘Circle of Care' approach to supporting seniors and their families through the many transitions encountered in the third chapter of life. Her community endeavors of creating and hosting her own radio show, Engaging in Aging, every Sunday morning on AM1150, writing a bi-weekly column, facilitating workshops on Conscious Aging, and speaking at local events, are all driven by the desire to be part of a new paradigm where we reimagine later life with courage, resilience, passion, and purpose. Phone: 250-863-9577 Email: resources@caresmart.ca Website: www.caresmart.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caresmartseniorsconsulting Twitter: https://twitter.com/caresmartsenior Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marjorie-horne-46bb8937/ Naomi Mison, BA Naomi Mison is a public speaker, vocal advocate, and a champion of change. She has spent the last four years bravely sharing her journey as she cares for her mother who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, when Naomi was just 22 years old. She has spoken publicly through the Alzheimer Society of Canada National Anti-Stigma Campaign, CBC's Out in the Open podcast, Globe and Mail, Embrace Aging Okanagan, Pecha Kucha, and many more. Naomi volunteers with the Alzheimer Society of BC's Leadership Group of Caregivers, is on the planning committee for IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's, and for the Seniors Outreach and Resource Centre. Naomi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English, and a Diploma in Public Relations. Phone: 780-885-3956 Email: mailto:naomi@discussdementia.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nam956 Twitter: https://twitter.com/NaomiMison Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomimison/ Dr. Anna Wisniewska, MD, FRCPC Anna Wisniewska completed her undergraduate medical training at the University of British Columbia and her postgraduate training in psychiatry at the University of Calgary. Her clinical career has always focused on the care of the elderly and their families. Dr. Wisniewska is currently a consulting geriatric psychiatrist at the Kelowna General Hospital and the Kelowna Mental Health Centre. She also works in her private practice in Kelowna and is a sub-investigator with Medical Arts Research. Her passion for her work and compassion for her patients were inspired early on by her very close relationship with her grandparents, and maintained by the many wonderful patients, families, and colleagues met along the professional path. Email: DrAWisniewska@gmail.com HOST Jo de Vries is a community education and engagement specialist with 30 years of experience helping local governments in British Columbia connect with their citizens about important sustainability issues. In 2006, she established the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) to “inspire community conversations for sustainable change.” FOF's highly acclaimed events include Building SustainABLE Communities conferences, Reel Change SustainAbility Film Fest, Eco-Blast Kids' Camps, CommUnity Innovation Lab, Breakfast of Champions, and Women 4 SustainAbility. FOF's newest ventures are the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit and HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Website: Fresh Outlook Foundation Phone: 250-300-8797 PLAY IT FORWARD The move toward optimal mental health becomes possible as more people learn about the challenges, successes, and opportunities. To that end, please share this podcast with anyone who has an interest or stake in the future of mental health and wellness. FOLLOW US For more information about the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) and our programs and events, visit our website, sign up for our newsletter, and like us on Facebook and Twitter. HELP US As a charity, FOF relies on support from grants, sponsors, and donors to continue its valuable work. If you benefited from the podcast, please help fund future episodes by making a one-time or monthly donation. Marjorie Horne, Naomi Mison, Anna Wisniewska Interview Transcript You can download a pdf of the transcript here. The entire transcript is also found below: RICK 0:10 Welcome to the HEADS UP Community Mental Health podcast. Join our host Jo de Vries with the Fresh Outlook Foundation, as she combines science with storytelling to explore a variety of mental health issues with people from all walks of life. Stay tuned. Joanne 0:32 Hey, Jo here again with Dr. Ania Wisniewska, Marjorie Horne, and Naomi Mison, as we continue this vital conversation about seniors' mental health. We'll dive deep into the social influences and individual circumstances that impact seniors' well-being, the personal choices they can make to extend and enrich their lives, and the systemic changes needed to optimize the aging experience through prevention, personalized care, and integrated mental health care. NAOMI 1:03 Thanks for having us back. MARJORIE 1:05 We had so much fun the first time we wanted to do it again. ANIA 1:08 Thank you, Jo. And nice to be doing this again with you beautiful ladies and of course with Rick. JO 1:14 To start, can each of you share a little about your work as seniors' mental health care professionals and caregivers for the listeners who didn't hear Part 1? Ania, let's start with you. ANIA 1:26 I am a geriatric psychiatrist working in Kelowna. My work focuses on the care of seniors. I work at the Kelowna General Hospital, caring for patients with mental illness, and I also provide support to the Kelowna Mental Health Center to the seniors' mental health program. I also am involved in a small way in a local drug study program that looks at novel medications for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. I also spend quite a bit of time in my private practice where I see patients for assessments, and also for follow up long term. I guess I should also add, I'm also involved in teaching at the University of British Columbia. I am involved in teaching medical students as well as residents, which is a wonderful and enriching experience. Joanne 2:13 Marjorie. MARJORIE 2:14 I was trained as a registered nurse and then did a number of things over the course of my career. And I then went back to my first love, which was working with seniors. And that's where I started in my nursing career and worked for about 10 years in seniors housing within the elder care environment. I just saw during that time, sort of a gray area that didn't seem to be addressed as far as all the different transitions that both the older clients I was dealing with and their families, were going through all of these transitions and a lot of emotions come up. We're talking about grief and loss. So I almost felt compelled to start my own business, which I've been running for 10 years now, to try to bring a holistic approach where we really look at the physical dimensions of aging and also the emotional aspects of change and the grief and loss that many people are dealing with. JO 3:16 And Naomi. NAOMI 3:16 I have been a caregiver to my mom, who was diagnosed with early onset dementia, for over 13 years. On the 10th anniversary of caregiving, I decided I really wanted to use my voice to advocate for systemic change. So I reached out to the Alzheimer's Society of Canada and became a media spokesperson, public spokesperson for them. I'm currently involved with the leadership group of caregivers for the Alzheimer's Society of BC. So that's really rewarding being with other caregivers. In my professional life, I'm in marketing and communication, so I'm just trying to utilize my skill set. And really again, advocate for that systemic change in the area around older adults. JO 4:03 Thank you for all the great work you're doing, it's just incredible. In Part 1 of this in-depth look at seniors' mental health, Rick introduced us to macrosocial or society wide influences that seniors face. Things like stigma, ageism, systemic racism, and inequality. I'd like to touch on a few of those today starting with stigma. We won't go into detail about mental health stigma, as there's an entire episode on the topic on our website at freshoutlookfoundation.org. But for the purposes of this conversation, let's say stigma begins with negative stereotyping or the labeling of perceived differences between groups. In this case between the young and old. This separation often leaves seniors feeling diminished, devalued, and fearful due to the negative attitudes our youth focused culture holds toward them. Which means that sometimes people with mental health challenges don't get the help they need for fear of being discriminated against. I want to know how each of you see stigma through the eyes of the seniors you serve. ANIA 5:21 Stigma is so so essential to consider. And obviously podcasts that you have done would speak to that quite a bit. But I think in terms of a story, I guess would be kind of a general one. For some of my patients, they are quite reluctant to share their illness, or the diagnosis, or what they're going through with family or friends, for the fear of being rejected or stigmatized. And I also see sometimes how caregivers will sometimes minimize what's going on at home for the fear of, again, being stigmatized. So they will minimize the symptoms or cover up the symptoms with family or with friends, because they are afraid of what people may think or say. And it's really quite heartbreaking because it can lead to, in the cases of the say caregivers, a delay in getting the help that the patient actually needs. MARJORIE 6:11 Many times, if when I'm talking to groups of seniors and asking them about some of the emotional things that they may be going through, they just sort of look back at me and stare at me and I just wait and I wait. What is it do you think within you, that doesn't permit you to share what might be going on? They all look at each other, and one person always puts their hand up and they said, well, it's partly about my pride. And then they all look at each other and nod that there's some sense of, if I'm losing my memory, or if I'm feeling depressed, or if I've had a fall, I'm not going to tell anybody about it. Because this will show weakness. And then this may mean that my family feel I can't handle things. When one person expresses it in a group, then they all of a sudden all open up and begin to just again share what they're feeling about that. NAOMI 7:09 I also saw a lot of that sort of real concern around loss of independence, when I was working within the clinical research space. I was talking to hundreds, if not thousands of older adults and trying to encourage them to come for cognitive assessments, even if they weren't demonstrating any signs that just to get a baseline. The most prevalent answer I would hear was that I don't want to come in because if I have an issue, then you're going to take away my license, and I'm not going to be able to be independent anymore. Joanne 7:43 Can each of you share one thing you think we could do generally to reduce the mental health stigma seniors face? MARJORIE 7:51 We need to listen more. I see this a lot when working with seniors and their families. If we can listen and less be trying to advise. I'd see this often in adult children that they have their own fears coming into play that really interrupts the process of an older senior being able to talk about how they are feeling. ANIA 8:15 Sometimes it's education about having realistic expectations. What is a realistic expectation? What isn't? What is it that we could actually improve? What could we not? What's worth taking a risk? And for me, those discussions are typically focusing on quality of life. What are things that are important to your loved one, based on what you know about them? To me, it comes down to the quality of life. NAOMI 8:39 I work in communications and marketing. And so I really do believe that words matter. And the language that we use every day can be one area that we can focus on in the here and now. Oh, I'm just feeling crazy, or that person's senile, or they've totally lost their marbles, these different terms of phrase that we have in our everyday vernacular. And it's definitely only strengthening those stereotypes. So I really would love to see some really thoughtful discussions and considerations around language and really being intentional to dispel some of those prevalent stereotypes and increase overall understanding. Joanne 9:24 So let's talk about ageism next, which in simple terms is discrimination based on a person's age. In its Changing Directions, Changing Lives report, the Mental Health Commission of Canada noted that, "Older people have sometimes been viewed as simply a burden to society. Not only do the stereotypical views discount the contributions seniors have made throughout their lives, but they also underestimate their ongoing contribution to our communities and social life in general." Ania, what are your observations around ageism? ANIA 10:05 What I would start off with is that there is definitely a cultural variation in terms of how aging is perceived. So in some cultures, the elderly are much more revered or put on a pedestal and seen as a source of wisdom, and matriarchs or patriarchs of the family. In our more westernized cultures, we tend to sort of focus a little bit more on the individual. We're less likely to have intergenerational living arrangements, maybe that's a good thing, sometimes. But it does make a difference. Just to give you an example, my much younger cousin who was born in Canada, and did not grow up with his grandparents. When he went back to Poland to visit his very elderly grandparents, he was terrified of them. And it's interesting, it's not anything they did or said. It was just the appearance of a much older person. And I found that so fascinating to kind of see a young child react that way to people who obviously adored and loved him. But initially, he was just scared because he wasn't accustomed to seeing a much older person. So we do need more of that sort of sense of intergenerational living. And I'm not exaggerating, there's situations where we have patients literally dropped off at emergency, because the family wants to go on a holiday, and they don't have a caregiver for the elderly mother or father. I'm not exaggerating this, this does happen. And it's obviously heartbreaking. But it's beyond comprehension that that can happen. And it does happen in Canada. So I do think that intergenerational connections is really important. JO 11:37 So what's one vital step we could take to tackle ageism? NAOMI 11:42 Sharing those stories and putting a face to a name or putting a story to a subject matter, I think is vitally important. And just really increasing awareness and prevalence of people living, no matter the age but really as an older adult, their best lives. I often find, we don't hear enough of those stories. And so I think that would be one way to really start tackling this subject matter. MARJORIE 12:12 I started to write a column in the newspaper about eight years ago. And at first, I was trying to be very professional. And while I was looking after my mom, sort of 24 hours a day, and then I finally went, oh, I'm just going to tell people what's happening. What I'm going through my own aging journey and also my Mom's was really like. And what fascinated me was that I started to receive so many calls and emails from people. And they all were saying the same thing that they had all these concerns about their own aging life, but they just didn't know how to talk about it. So we all need to talk about it together. ANIA 12:51 The only other thing I would add is, it's also leading by example in our professional lives, but also as people in our lives, our families or friends, focusing on the positives. One thing that gives me a little bit of hope is a lot of trends in our society, particularly kind of Western society have been driven by the baby boomers, because they are such a large demographic group. And because I look after patients who are by definition ill, or experiencing health difficulties, and we kind of tend to sort of see a very narrow section of the senior population. And yet many seniors are living healthy, fulfilling lives. And I'm, again, hoping that we're seeing the baby boomers come through that stage of life that will actually help improve that dialogue and improve the perceptions on the education as well. JO 13:37 The final societal influence I'd like to discuss is systemic racism. And again, with all of the podcasts on the summits that I've been producing, systemic racism comes up over and over and over again. So I'd like to know from each of you, how does racism appear in your corner of the mental health care world? Ania? ANIA 14:05 The one population of patients we've heard about is Aboriginal patients, who are really struggling with the systemic racism that exists within the healthcare system. But interestingly, there is also the fact that I think that we are having those discussions and being more honest and more open about how it is impacting patients. I'm hopeful for systemic change as well, and improvement in access to care and just the day-to-day care that we provide to patients. I'm not saying that we're there or even close. Taking the first step in improving the significant problem is developing that awareness and being honest and accepting of how much of a problem it is, and what it is that hopefully we can do to improve. MARJORIE 14:49 I don't see a lot of that just within the work environments that I'm in. I do see it sometimes coming up within independent living sites. Sometimes I will hear maybe a comment or I just sense when I'm being within a group, that there is some racial bias going on. And it's always very hurtful. And if I'm able to, I sometimes try to talk to that person that is initiating that. But that's really within my environment of working in elder care, it is quite limited that I do see it. I just think COVID has really brought so much more to the forefront for all of us, to be thinking about the inclusiveness of how much work there is still to be done. I noticed myself I'm just personally thinking about it a lot more. JO 15:41 Any ways you think we can minimize the impacts of racism on senior's mental health and the care they receive? NAOMI 15:49 One way is really developing culturally responsive, safe, accessible services that really meets mental health needs of a diverse population. Right now, I think what we have is not sufficient enough. And there's a lot that can be done to identify and decrease these disparities in rates of illness and outcomes. Joanne 16:18 Before moving on to talk about how a senior's circumstances can impact his or her mental health and well-being, I'd like to thank our sponsors, the Social Planning and Research Council of BC, Emil Anderson Construction, WorkSafeBC, and AECOM Engineering. These amazing folks fuel our drive toward improved mental health literacy throughout Canada and beyond. And we couldn't be more grateful. JO 16:47 Let's talk about isolation and loneliness and their increasing impacts on seniors, especially since COVID. These words are often used interchangeably, but they mean very different things. Isolation is a physical state. For example, we've been isolated due to pandemic restrictions. Loneliness, on the other hand, is an emotional state, meaning that some of us are feeling lonely because of the isolation. Seniors who are isolated may not be lonely, and lonely ones may not be isolated. So Ania, how do isolation and loneliness play into the mental health challenges faced by seniors? And what are the most common causes? ANIA 17:32 One of the things that I think has become much more obvious over the course of the last year and a half during the pandemic, of course, is that sense of physical isolation that was, of course, a result of the pandemic and trying to protect everyone in the community from COVID. And it certainly has exacerbated that in many ways. And I think one of the things we don't always think about is the impact not just on the patients themselves, but also on the supports and isolation from the support of their caregivers. In terms of loneliness, the recent pandemic has, I think, exacerbated that for some of our patients, leading to increased sense of loneliness. And that of course, can lead to increased depression, anxiety, as well as a sense of hopelessness. Other outcomes that can contribute to isolation and then also loneliness are declining physical health, that may lead to difficulties with mobility. Therefore, a patient becoming more shut in in their home because of inability to get out. Some physical difficulties may lead to loss of ability to drive again, increasing that sense of isolation, and then possibly leading to sense of loneliness as well. Unfortunately, as we age there's a greater chance that those who we feel connected to will become ill and pass on. There may also be other factors like physical frailty that I mentioned earlier, and loss of sensory abilities. For example, vision or hearing, that can also lead to isolation. Many of my patients will struggle with hearing loss are especially affected in kind of larger group settings, where there's a lot of sources of auditory stimulation, and they find it very difficult to take in conversations. So even though they may seem not to be isolated, they may not be able to enjoy or partake in conversation as much, because they are having trouble hearing. And then of course, sometimes we see things like family estrangement that can happen and that again, can lead to a sense of loneliness and isolation. Joanne 19:29 What do you recommend to help people become less isolated and more connected? ANIA 19:34 I think some of it is to try to look for strengths that we have, and also to make adjustments. For example, if interacting socially in a larger setting or a larger physical space, which can cause echo and other kinds of troubles when you have hearing aids, maybe plan for having a get together with one or two people in a smaller setting, where there won't be as many issues related to you hearing. Sometimes some of my patients and families, we discuss the idea of relocation. Some patients move, say to the Okanagan for the obvious benefits during retirement. But some of my patients, as they age and become frailer and develop more complex medical difficulties, find it difficult to be away from family. To some patients, I do encourage them to consider relocating to be closer to their support network. Sometimes living on your own can lead to a sense of that isolation. And then from that loneliness and consideration of alternative housing options like supportive housing, may also be a good idea that allows for increased socialization and interactions with others. And sometimes it's just a matter of being brave and taking some risks and putting yourself out there to find others. There are a lot of different resources available. Senior centers are wonderful resources to connect with others. The Society for Learning and Retirement is also an amazing resource for seniors, that can provide a lot of stimulation and opportunities for social connections with like-minded seniors. Joanne 21:04 Naomi, what are you seeing as you care for your Mom? NAOMI 21:08 I certainly believe that there has been an increase of loneliness, especially at the beginning of the pandemic when the doors were shuttered to all caregivers, and other forms of social engagement. I do think part of the issue in terms of long-term care is even the design of the physical space. For example, in my mom's home, there are three wings that are long hallways, with rooms adorning each side. And there's limited interaction, unless you're on that wing or going for mealtimes, which again has been changed in response to COVID. So for the majority of the day, other than a meal time, you would be spending alone in your room. Joanne 21:55 Another circumstance that some seniors face is poverty. And the outcomes can be things like poor nutrition, inadequate housing, or lack of transportation, just to name a few. And these will certainly all impact seniors' mental health. Ania, can you tell us about the psychology of poverty? ANIA 22:16 When we consider the impact of poverty on individuals, we can think of it in different ways. People can become more, sort of, ashamed of their circumstances, afraid to reach out for help, and focus on the basics and trying to get by from day-to-day. Poverty can then result in increased, kind of, physical as well as mental disorders, and can also decrease cognitive functioning just because of chronic stress. Joanne 22:46 So how can we start turning this around? ANIA 22:49 I think there are certainly increasing initiatives to look at decreasing poverty in our society in general. Seniors are certainly an affected group as well. Obviously, affordable housing is a big one, particularly in Canada, given the astronomical prices of housing. And that's not just for purchasing real estate, but also rental. For seniors who do not own their own properties, improving access to coverage for medications. Some medications are still out of pocket expenses that are not even covered by PharmaCare. And they can be extremely expensive. And some of my patients are not able to afford those medications, limiting the options for them. There has obviously been a lot of discussion in Canada and other countries looking at the concept of minimum income, and whether or not that would be something that will be of benefit. There's obviously differing opinions on that whether it's something worth considering as well. And also the role of families and how they are involved in supporting seniors, in terms of helping them with some of their financial concerns, I think would also be important to consider. Joanne 23:52 Marjorie, what have you learned about the impact of poverty on seniors' mental health? And again, how can we turn this around? MARJORIE 24:00 There's quite an issue with so many people as their aging, and particularly if they don't have the security of a good financial portfolio. There's a lot of fear that revolves around that. But also seniors have a great sense of pride. And it does limit them, I think, in reaching out to gain the support that maybe even is available. They don't know where to go, they don't know where to look. The generation of my parents, that's very much there that they don't want to be a burden to anyone else, even in their family or on society. They're proud and they've worked hard. Joanne 24:41 Naomi, what have you learned about the impacts of poverty on mental health, both in your caregiving and advocacy work? NAOMI 24:49 So what I am seeing, a lot of it tends to be this catch-22, where poor mental health leads to lower income and then vice-versa, lower income results in poor mental health. So I believe when you're navigating this both from a caregiving side and advocating, you really do need a lot of resilience to navigate, because you are met with a lot of obstacles along the way. And that really takes a toll on you. And when you're already worried about putting food on the table, paying your rent, it's really hard to steel yourself to fight the good fight on a daily basis. So, I'm seeing that people are just exhausted. They simply, especially from a caregiving perspective, as we had discussed that the supports that once were available to people, whether it's adult day support, or respite care, are not available in the same way. So the different areas that you may have had an opportunity to have a break or reprieve aren't really available. That compounds the stress to the point that you're often left just burnt out. Joanne 25:59 Let's move on to the conditions of trauma and elder neglect and abuse. Ania, what kinds of trauma follow people into their senior years. And how did they effect those seniors' capacity to live full and rewarding lives. ANIA 26:17 Trauma is obviously a complex issue. And it's generally kind of considered an emotional reaction to something that's quite distressing or stressful. And of course, those types of events can take place at any given point. Traumatic experiences can include exposure to combat or war. Of course natural disasters can also be very traumatizing. Accidents, be it a motor vehicle accident, or as seniors age, unfortunately, there is a high risk for falling. There are also experiences that can happen in terms of abuse, that includes both physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. And those experiences can take place in adulthood, but also in childhood. And of course, that can lead to some difficulties later on. Various studies that look at the experience of trauma and seniors will estimate that between 70 to 90% of seniors have experienced trauma in their lives, which is obviously not surprising given the average age of a senior in Canada. Now, in terms of looking at how trauma can impact a senior, I think a lot of it depends on how that trauma is experienced and processed over time. The way we experience trauma is sort of, I guess, in a way filtered through our sort of life experience, our personality, and also the circumstances. So for example, if we experienced something traumatizing, but we have tremendous support from family or friends, our reaction to it may be a bit more muted, versus if you are not supported or isolated, and may be much more difficult to cope with the trauma. But there's also, of course, concerns about delayed reactions and also chronic post traumatic stress disorder, which we will see in seniors as well. JO 27:15 What kinds of successes do you see in the treatment of seniors with trauma related mental health challenges? ANIA 28:07 Some of it actually starts off with maybe even looking at prevention, particularly when you look at seniors who are at risk for falling. So, looking at prevention to try to diminish the risk of trauma, being more in tune with what may be happening for them at home in terms of monitoring for any concerns related to abuse or neglect. Another thing that can happen in terms of prevention is even staying in hospital can be traumatizing, particularly for patients who are in the ICU. So looking at strategies in the ICU to decrease the experience of trauma in that environment. So prevention is one piece. And then of course, if a traumatic experience happens, counseling can be quite effective. And that can include more supportive grief counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other modalities of counseling. Some seniors do better with one-on-one counseling related to their trauma, and others will benefit from either group therapy or a support group. That sense of connection with other people who may have experienced trauma or similar traumatic experiences, can be really empowering and also normalizing for patients. And sometimes we do need to resort to medications. Patients who have severe post traumatic stress disorder can be quite affected by it, and post traumatic stress disorder can be associated with other psychiatric illnesses such as depression. So sometimes medications are also an important tool that can improve the quality of life for a patient who has a history of trauma. Joanne 29:32 Naomi, what have you learned in your caregiving and advocacy work about how to respond if you think a senior is being neglected or abused? NAOMI 29:42 If you are aware that a senior is being neglected or abused, you should seek out provincial or territorial resources on elder abuse. They will depend on the location, but really reporting what you're seeing. If it's a staff member, reporting that to a higher level, or if it's a family member, any means that you can just bring it to someone's attention is a first step. And if you're not comfortable doing that within a home setting, then seeking out government bodies to help support or guide, I think, would be the best first approach. Joanne 30:15 Next, I want to talk about the mindset us seniors have, the choices we make, and the behaviors we adopt that can help us live long, fulfilling lives. Now, bear with me, I'm thinking there might be an aging spectrum here. On the one end, could be people who embrace the aging process and choose to be responsible for aging, while on the other end, there could be those who resent aging and resist change. What's likely for most of us is that we inhabit the middle ground between positive and negative circumstances, attitudes, and behaviors. So honestly, does that make any sense? Ania? ANIA 30:59 Definitely, I think the way you have summarized it focuses on not just some of the responsibilities you mentioned, but the sense that it is an individual experience. So the mindset is very much a personal experience that can be shaped by the person's individual personality, but also their life experiences and sense of support from their community or families. It also I think, comes from a sense of purpose, and acceptance of changes. So I think if we look at all these factors, certainly we have to consider every individual in terms of their own life experiences, and their approach to how they want to lead their lives. And yes, I agree, I think we all need to take personal responsibility for our health and well-being. We talked in the earlier podcast about factors that can increase our risk of having various medical or psychiatric conditions later on in life. That may be, for example, smoking or dietary choices. So those are some of the things that we need to think about when we want to think about responsibility for aging well, is that sense we are looking at prevention as well. That's a complex decision for sure. JO 32:08 Marjorie? MARJORIE 32:09 I work a lot with people around change in many different capacities during workshops and webinars. Because I find that as so many people as they're getting older, they are afraid to step out of their comfort zone. And it's not that they're particularly happy in their comfort zone. But I do feel that as we're getting older, sometimes we lose a bit of sense of courage to move into the unknown. And I really do feel we need to support each other with that. And I'd see the benefit of doing that within some of these wisdom workshops that I've done for the last five or six years. And there's such a broad spectrum of why do people resist change. But if you help educate them, change has a lot to do with how we have dealt with losses and grief in our life, and Ania spoke of trauma. And of course, many people have had trauma in their lives that they haven't yet healed. And so coming together and sharing that vulnerability of perhaps exploring why people resist change, and bringing some of these components forward around loss around that, it's okay to make mistakes, and to embrace imperfection. Because I think older people somehow thinks, well, I should know how to do that, or I should be able to handle that. They're a little bit more afraid of looking foolish. And so when we just bring that out on the table and talk about it, and then people hear other people sharing that they feel that way, I think it helps people to move forward with a greater awareness of how to go about change. Joanne 33:55 Naomi, what are your thoughts on what I call the aging spectrum? NAOMI 34:00 I think that makes a lot of sense. I do find aging well takes concerted effort. And sometimes people might not be ready to put that effort forward, or like you pointed out, resistance to change, which I think is quite interesting considering the age-old adage, there's only one constant in life and that's change. I believe inhabiting that middle ground really is the key to aging with grace, as no extreme really works. I'm not there in that older adults state at the moment, but I can imagine that it would be difficult when you physically cannot do the things that maybe you once did. But accepting that things change and finding maybe new activities, new hobbies really will allow you to discover things about yourself and learn new skills that you didn't even know you had. I think living life to the fullest in whatever ability you are at like physically, cognitively really will ease potential burdens. And again, to speak to what we were talking about that stress and poverty, the more you focus on the aging side of things, the more it will stress you out. And that's going to cause some other unintended consequences. I really do believe embracing what's happening in your life is the best step forward. Joanne 35:26 So let's see how this might play out in real life. We talked earlier about isolation and the huge role it plays in defining seniors' mental health, and therefore their life expectations and experiences. What if isolation and/or loneliness were choices for some seniors? And what if they chose human connection instead? Ania? ANIA 35:53 I think it is important to recognize that we're all very different in terms of our personalities. Folks who are more introverted will tend to feel a little bit more comfortable in a world that's a bit smaller and has less going on. So I think there may be an element of choice, for some people to be maybe perceived as being more isolated or more separated. And yet, it is something that they feel quite content with. So I think that will be something that is important to keep in mind that we can't expect everyone to fit into the same expected behavior. We need to ask, is this something that you're content with? Is it something that makes you happy? But I think if there is an element of choice, we also sometimes need to accept that some people just feel more content. When I see that sometimes play out in my offices, where I have a senior who is more introverted, who actually does like staying at home all day and reading a book, and maybe their family member would like to see their mother or father be a little bit more active or socialize more. And it can actually lead to some degree of conflict between the caregiver and my patient where the patient is trying to say, I'm actually happy living like this. And the families sometimes struggle with accepting that. So I think we do need to consider those personal preferences. But if there is that desire for increased connection, then I think we need to look at options for people, and as I said, we've discussed those already. Joanne 37:19 Naomi? NAOMI 37:20 In my caregiving scenario, I think in the beginning, I really tried to get my Mom to do the things that I thought she might want to do or would like to do, or that I wanted her to do. And like Ania said, some people would rather just read a book, and she is one of those people. Over time, I have learned to just cultivate that. If that's what she enjoys doing, then I want to do it. But to harness that connection, as well as respecting what somebody enjoys spending their time doing, I brought forward the idea to the long-term care home. What about a book club, or coming up with some creative ways so that you're still cultivating that hobby, but also bringing in an engagement piece as well? And I think the pandemic, one positive thing that has come out of that is that we're really getting creative about connecting, whether it's Zoom, or telemedicine, or these different ways that weren't available to us or we weren't exploring, suddenly seems more possible. One thing I have also learned is that sometimes it doesn't even take words to have that kind of human connection. I know sometimes when I'll visit my mom, she'll be in a mood that day, and she's not really up for talking, and she doesn't want to listen to me rattle on about whatever else I'd be asking or talking to her about. So sometimes I just sit there with her and hold her hand. And there are no words, and that can speak volumes. So I think really living to what the other person that you're caring for, if that is the situation, and cultivating things that they enjoy will make both of you the most fulfilled, has the most possibility of success. JO 39:14 And Marjorie. MARJORIE 39:15 Music is a wonderful thing to use. And there's a wonderful documentary on Netflix, if anybody wants to watch it, called Alive Inside. And it's all about the aspect of music and that we retain the memories and the joy of music that we heard between 14 and 21. And you can find that if you play some songs for that person that maybe is disconnected from that time period, this look, they suddenly open their eyes and they begin to just open into their emotions again, and a beautiful, beautiful connection is formed that way. NAOMI 39:55 I have also seen that film and it is so touching. And I've seen it in my Mom's home as well, that people that don't really speak, almost mute to some extent, you put them in front of a piano, and then suddenly they're playing Beethoven. Or somebody comes in and plays some music, and they're singing along, and otherwise they're not conversing, they're not making those kinds of eye contact. So I agree, coming up with some different approaches can make a world of difference. Joanne 40:24 The next contrast we'll examine is one between resignation and resilience, which are both frames of mind. I know that many seniors experience challenges beyond their control and prevent them from living full lives. But I also know from experience that some of us give in to the challenges of aging. Marjorie, I know you embrace an approach called conscious eldering. Tell us about that, and how it can help build resilience. MARJORIE 40:54 I really came to myself when I just had turned 60. And I felt, boy, how am I going to approach this next chapter of my life? One great book is by Richard Lewis. And he talks about the stages where we have to really look at our past. And it's a letting go, that this is where we are at, this is the stage. And what have all those experiences come together to make us who we are, and that we may have had difficulties, we may have made mistakes, but it's an accepting process, and sometimes not a process of forgiveness, as well. And then it is about adapting to the stage of life. And that yes, physical challenges do happen. We are facing a death at the end of this stage of our life, and what are our fears about that, and exploring that? It's also called gerotranscendence. And it's really where we are looking at perhaps our tendency to resist change as well. Because this time of life is really about wanting to have an experience of more grace in our lives. And I define grace as being aware that everything that happens to us sometimes does happen for a reason, and that the spiritual component of it is that we are taking care of. And so it speaks a bit to developing trust, in even a bigger way as we're coming through this stage of our life, and allowing ourselves to let go of what was and be fully present with where we're at, as we go on each step of our journey. And it's very, very powerful in bringing, I think, a different awareness of what are the golden aspects of this time of life, which often do include all of these challenges that we've never faced before. And it takes a change in your mindset, I think, to form this type of acceptance. And also a trust that there is something bigger that is there, supporting us as we come through this stage of our journey is very, very valuable to look at. And I think it makes us feel where we can also find new passions and new ways of expressing who we truly are, that might have gotten buried over the second half of our life and gives us this chance to explore some of those aspects of ourselves. And that don't come out in whatever way feels right for each individual person. Joanne 43:34 Naomi, can you help us understand aging in place, and the infrastructure we need to help seniors stay resilient? I know this is important to you. NAOMI 43:45 There are different definitions of aging in place. But basically what it is, is meaning that you have access to services, and health, and social supports. You need to live safely and independently, whether in your home or your community for as long as you wish, or are able in terms of physical infrastructure. Aging in place would accommodate the different levels of aging. So in a physical space, there'll be a section for independent living, then maybe some supported living, long-term care, and then palliative care. And that would be all in one place so that you could graduate to the different levels without having to have so much disruption of moving to a new location, which I have seen firsthand can cause some regression cognitively, when they have to make that kind of move. Just from my experience with my Mom, and as I previously spoke about, part of the actual design of the homes at the moment, really don't foster the ability to age in place. Just to give you an example, my mom was about 53, 54 when she entered the home, and a lot of the people that were there were either palliative or in their later stages. So kind of placing her in an area where she's not with other people in a similar condition, I think can cause decline. And I had seen that as well. So I really believe looking at infrastructure when it comes to residential care is so important. And there's a lot of countries that are ahead of us, including the Netherlands. There's a home called the Hogawick. This is basically the leading model for aging. And that is a dementia village specifically, but just really allowing the space for people to live their best life in whatever stage they're at in their journey. Joanne 45:47 Ania, from your professional perspective, what does resilience look like for seniors? ANIA 45:53 Resilience is probably one of the most important factors that I consider when I see my patients and consider treatment options. And resilience, I guess, in a brief way could be summarized as an innate ability to adapt to either change, and/or stressful situations. It is something that offers a sense of perspective, and also an opportunity for growth. And that's definitely something that I try to tap into when I do talk to my patients. Some of them may have lost that sense of resilience or have a hard time accessing it. So some of our conversations were really focused on looking at previous life experiences when they were able to deal with situations that were quite difficult. And sort of we talked about how they were able to get through it, what helped them, and try to apply some of those strategies to their current circumstances. So it's definitely something that is quite important in terms of the work that I do with my patients. Joanne 46:55 Knowing that some seniors can make choices, what is one vital step they can take to move from resignation to resilience? ANIA 47:04 When I think of resilience and making those choices, resilience is actually something that can be learned or developed if one applies themselves. So even folks who may perceive themselves over the course of their life as maybe less resilient, can be encouraged through ongoing support to become more resilient. That resilience can also be fostered by a sense of close relationships. And we've talked about that quite a bit during our podcast today and also the last time. It can also be improved by a sense of physical and mental well-being. And I think the other thing that I look at also is a sense of purpose, because I think having a sense of purpose allows someone to feel more confident. And we talked about loss of confidence and how that can impact seniors as well. And then I think the last thing I would mention in terms of making choices and looking at resilience is also that there will be some changes that are inevitable, and that's part of our good outlook. And accepting those changes is also important in terms of our well-being, because if we dwell on the changes that are inevitable, we kind of get stuck and we can't move forward and look into the future. JO 48:09 Marjorie. MARJORIE 48:10 Well, I was just reading Brene Brown, of course, has written many books and studied resilience. And she had a quote that says, "Joy collected over time fuels resilience, ensuring we'll have reservoirs of emotional strength when hard things do happen." And so sometimes people that have become resigned and sort of stuck, they're not feeling a lot of joy. They're not looking for, or exploring inside themselves. What does bring me joy? And sometimes we, I think, have to sit with that for a while and have some enquiry of ourselves. Do I want more joy in my life? Because you can't make people do things. They have to have some desire within them to have more joy or to extend themselves again, out to people. Just what Naomi was saying about giving, I think that's an important part. Whenever I feel stuck, I think okay, I need to go and give somewhere because it moves me out of that space. But people have to have desire to move from resignation to resilience. I've watched both my sister and her husband have gone through enormous challenges. And I remember when he had a massive stroke at the age of 61. And it is through love, it was the love that was all around him with his family that fueled that desire for him to say, and his mantra was what Churchill said was, if it's to be it's up to me. Joanne 49:44 Let's now look at invisibility versus legacy, which I must admit interests me now that I'm a young senior. So Marjorie, can you tell us what you think are seniors ongoing contributions? MARJORIE 49:57 A lot of people as their ageing feel like they are a burden. And so how do we help them to engage. And I think the intergenerational component is so important, because I've just turned 70 and I do find that people in their 30s do recognize the wisdom that I have gained over all the experiences that I've gone through in my life. I think it takes some courage to feel that, gee, my ideas are of value, I do have wisdom. And so that's an inward place that we each have to come as we're getting older, to let go of even what society perhaps feels in some ways about aging. For us as boomers, as we're moving into this time of our life, it's to discover what do I have to express? Where can I express that and how? And that does maybe take an engagement in a certain way that not everybody wants to do, but many of us do. Many of us do want to still be contributing. And so it takes a confidence to not listen to what other people may be telling you, "Oh, you shouldn't start that business. Or you shouldn't go and do that. What are you doing that for?" If it feels right for you, then find the courage to do it. That's where I think we're going to have healthier aging lives without as much chronic disease. And we're going to have more joyful aging lives even amid very difficult challenges that do come. ANIA 51:41 I would think of it as sort of a gradual process and trying to help them gain a sense of perspective, and a sense of pride in what it is that they have accomplished. I think it also helps to involve family members to try to help the patient gain that sense of perspective. So they do feel more valued and more appreciated, rather than invisible. And also consider some of the cultural differences that may impact the perception of a legacy. Because of course, there will be some cultural differences in terms of how contributions, either past or present, of seniors are perceived by their families or their communities. Joanne 52:23 Naomi, does your Mom or did she ever talk about her legacy and how it would be affected because of her illness? NAOMI 52:31 We didn't have an opportunity to have those conversations. Joanne 52:35 Does that make you think about your own legacy? NAOMI 52:38 Absolutely. Her dementia diagnosis, and it's inevitable conclusion has made me more cognizant of what time I have and how precious time is. And I know that I really want to leave my stamp or something that can live on beyond me, especially considering what I have facing me as a child of somebody living with early onset. There is a 50/50 likelihood that you would potentially be diagnosed with the disease, plus as a woman that Alzheimer's disease is often more prevalent. That's kind of ever present in my life. So if that is where life goes, I really want to in the time that I have now try to make a change that outlives me. Joanne 53:26 Before we touch on the mental health care system. I'd like to talk about the role of spirituality in seniors' mental health. Ania, are you aware of any research that demonstrates a link between senior spiritual beliefs and their mental wellness? ANIA 53:42 There is research that does reveal that there is a correlation between a heightened sense of spiritual connection and a sense of psychological well-being, for example, a sense of comfort, of peace, and more hopeful view of the world. Joanne 54:00 And do you see this in your patients? ANIA 54:03 Yes, it's sort of interesting because we think of spirituality particularly in the context of maybe more religious spirituality, as something that is generally beneficial. But surprisingly, there are circumstances where religious beliefs especially can present some challenges. For example, my patients who suffer from more severe depression, sometimes will have a greater sense of guilt or failing God, that can actually exacerbate their depression. Having said this, one of the protective factors that we see when it comes to suicide is a sense of faith and connection, spiritual connection, and quite often when I asked my patients who do feel like life is not worth living, or they have thoughts of suicide, and yet they are not acting on them. One of the more common answers I get is it's the faith that keeps them going. Joanne 54:57 Lastly, I'd like to touch on seniors' mental healthcare in our overall health care system? Can each of you share briefly what you think are the greatest challenges that seniors face within those systems? Ania. ANIA 55:13 That could be probably a podcast of its own. What I would like to see the most and I struggle with the most is the recognition or early detection of mental illness. Sometimes we end up meeting with patients where they've had symptoms for quite a long time. And one cannot help but wonder what if we had recognized it earlier? What if we had treated it earlier? Would it have led to that same degree of disability, loss of quality of life, or a burden on the caregivers? But I think in general, what the system will require to improve upon is a more continuous and more integrated system of care, including our acute care system and also our community. For example, we now have a Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, which I'm hoping is a sign that there is going to be greater importance paid to the treatment of mental illness amongst our community, including our seniors. But again, I think that early recognition, prevention, and also developing a more cohesive, more seamless system would be essential. JO 56:20 Marjorie. MARJORIE 56:20 A more family centered approach, if that's possible, so that everyone within the family is understanding what are the components of that mental health issue. And how can they deal with it themselves? And also, how can they support that person? I think that's an education component and an inclusiveness that perhaps needs to improve. And especially as far as seniors in the older senior population, the accessibility and availability has to change somewhat, because so many of them aren't that comfortable with computers. JO 56:21 Naomi. MARJORIE 56:21 Access to services in a timely manner, super important. Just to give you an example, we were looking for support for my Mom at the beginning of the journey. So we reached out to our GP, who had recommended or referred her to a neurologist, but it was over a year to get an appointment. And like Ania said, there could be a decline. And you wonder what could have happened if they had that timely response. NAOMI 57:27 Trying to get a dementia diagnosis, very, very difficult. There's not one test that you can get, it's a battery of tests, and the services are often siloed. And they don't always talk to each other. So as the caregiver or the person trying to get the best care for their loved one, we're really left trying to navigate all these systems that don't always make sense and are at times in contravention with one another. I would love a coordinated clear pathway of how to navigate the system, because I find that that is a lot of my time is spent just doing that. Joanne 58:08 For our listeners who are interested in more information about needed change to our seniors' mental health care system, you can find the Mental Health Commission of Canada's 2019 Guidelines for Comprehensive Mental Health Services. For older adults in Canada, you can visit the Commission's website at mentalhealthcommission.ca. We're on the homestretch now, and I can't believe how much ground we've covered. As a senior with mental health challenges, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for sharing such great stories and helpful information. So let's bring this all to a finer point. Ania, if you could share the most important thing you've learned about seniors' mental health with other medical professionals, what would that be? ANIA 59:06 I would look at hopefulness as the most important thing that I have learned. Basically, it's that sense that there is hope that there is possibility for improvement. And that we should always strive towards the goal of improving not only that sense of well-being but also quality of life, and the well-being of the caregivers. Because often, the sense of improvement is tied into the relationship between the patient and the caregiver. So I think hope is the most important thing I have learned. Joanne 59:38 Ania, thanks so much for sharing your incredible insights. It's been a pleasure getting to know you and your work, and I'm really so grateful for people like you who use your talents and passions to serve a demographic that's often overwhelmed and overlooked. ANIA 59:56 Thank you again Jo, for taking on this really important topic. Joanne 1:00:00 Marjorie, if you could say one thing to seniors about the opportunities available to them at this time of life, what would that be? MARJORIE 1:00:09 I'm a lifelong learner. And I know many people say that to me that that's what they want to do as well. And that I think creates a sense of hope that this stage of life is wonderful in so many ways. Joanne 1:00:23 Thanks for joining us, Marjorie. Your broad understanding of the issues has helped us build a robust argument for improving seniors' mental health care. And I wish you loads of love and fulfillment in your golden years. MARJORIE 1:00:37 Thank you. I'm really trying to take that saying, 'the golden years' and really find where there are those nuggets of gold, even despite challenges that we go through and the resilience that we're cultivating as well. JO 1:00:50 And Naomi, what do you envision for the future of caregiving for seniors with mental health challenges? NAOMI 1:00:57 What I envision is really having somebody to accompany you through this journey of caregiving, that understands how to navigate these different health care systems and will help guide you along a defined path. I also see for the future of caregiving, increased access to respite care and at home care, and of course, an outlet for advocacy to make these systemic changes. Joanne 1:01:24 Naomi, your devotion to caregiving in general and your mother's care in particular, is truly inspiring. On your Discuss Dementia website, you asked the question, who will speak if I don't. I suggest that because you speak, many will listen, and positive change will follow. So keep up the great work. So that's a wrap for Part 2 of this podcast on seniors' mental health. So much great information. To connect with Ania, Marjorie, or Naomi visit freshoutlookfoundation.org and look for Seniors Mental Health under Podcasts. There you'll find their contact info, bios, a list of resources, and the podcast transcript. Another big thank you to our sponsors for this episode, the Social Planning and Research Council of BC, Emil Anderson Construction, WorkSafeBC and AECOM Engineering. And thanks to you as well for hanging out with us. You are very much appreciated. Please visit our website to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, which will alert you to new episodes of the podcast and for podcast information as it drops. Follow us on Facebook at FreshOutlookFoundation and Twitter at FreshOutlook. In closing, be well and let's connect again soon. Episode Reviews
Show Notes:Today we are kicking off a new month with a new series and we're focusing on how to survive and support sanity while off work. This is a topic that I have become very familiar with thanks to my extensive work as part of the WorkSafeBC provider network for almost a decade, as well as my work with clients through ICBC and other long term disability groups. I have walked alongside so many clients who have struggled with the experience of being off work, and I know that some of you listening may have taken leaves from work in the past, are on a leave right now, or are considering taking a leave. I know that many are struggling to stay at work right now given the ongoing degree of pressure and demand along with short staffing and high exposure, so this topic feels particularly relevant right now. I'm going to try to make this series applicable to any off work experiences – whether that's for a mental health concern, or a physical injury, or even a maternity leave. You know I love practical, so my goal is to make this as practical and useful as possible. We're going to call out the stumbling blocks that commonly show up when people are off work, especially when it's for an extended period of time, and we're going to talk about what to focus on and prioritize in an effort to keep your sanity and use the time off to recover well. Our focus for this episode is to call out the common challenges facing those who are off work. I have seen these be fairly consistent regardless of the type of injury or reason for being off work, although certainly exacerbated by mental health concerns or injuries that restrict motivation or limit access to supports. · Self-motivation or internal-motivation. The truth is, our culture and society have been shaped to drive external motivation. We have been trained from really young to be up at a certain time to get to school, where an adult directs our time and attention, and tells us when we get to eat and play and even go to the bathroom. We come home to adults who tend to direct our steps – put your shoes away, do your homework, eat your dinner, get ready for bed… Our experience of self-directed time through a significant part of our lives is really contained to a handful of hours spread throughout the day where we get to make some autonomous choices based on our interests. Even as adults, our time is directed by when I need to be at work, the expectations of my workplace which are externally determined and directed, and the obligations of home and adult life impose some amount of demand on our “off time” which continues to restrict our self-determined time to a pretty limited span. So, to be off work tends to shine a light on how we have failed to train ourselves to choose, direct and motivate our own time. Without an imposed routine carved out FOR us by work schedules and adult life demands, we can be left feeling like we're floundering. · Everything takes longer than expected. The reality is that the process of working with insurance providers is SLOW. Sometimes painfully slow. The layers of bureaucracy are heavily present and people are often surprised by the delays and the complexities in decision making and access to needed assessments, services and supports. Many people find that the pace further degrades their symptoms, leaving them suffering and lacking the support they need when they need it most. The truth is this is the nature of the beast, and only so much can be done about it. There are shortages in health and limited specialists and that is just the tip of the iceberg. The key here is knowing that the pace is slow. If you can walk in knowing that this is likely to be the case, it will hopefully shape more reasonable expectations. Talking with others you know about their experiences can help shape your expectations and help you get a sense of what “normal” looks like where you live. I will also say that this is a really good reason to be somewhat pro-active about the decision to go off work if it is for mental health related concerns. Often those struggling with depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and so on, wait and waffle in the uncertainty of whether they really NEED to go off for some time before making the decision when things feel REALLY bad. Believe me, I get that it's not an easy decision to make, but if we leave it until we are at our very lowest low and then the process takes time and ADDS stress, it is going to feel further harmful rather than helpful. If we can give ourselves permission to put the process in motion a little sooner, we may not be in such dire straights and desperation for support from a system that has difficulty meeting that degree of need quickly enough. Many of those I work with reflect this and share that they wish they had gone off sooner – both in terms of having a bit more left in the tank to face the challenges of the system when going off, as well as having a little less cumulative impact to work through to come out the other side. · Confusion, uncertainty and fear of the big bad insurance company. The reality is that entering this kind of system puts a lot of power into the hands of people who don't know you – and that can be terrifying. I'm not going to sugar coat it, this is absolutely a legitimate feeling and concern. Decisions around diagnoses, approved limitations and restrictions and determinations around return to work can be huge, life-altering decisions – and in this process many of these are out of your hands. The system is broken in a lot of different places, and so there are often challenges with clear communication, clarity of expectations, and a sense of next steps. This would be hard for anyone, regardless of the type of injury, but for those off for mental health related concerns or injuries impacting cognitive function such as head injuries, this can feel completely overwhelming. I see this a lot in my work – a client who is wrestling with severe anxiety or posttraumatic stress being left waiting with little information or communication is a situation that is going to obviously lead to worsened symptoms. The nature of the process can, in its own right, undermine the wellness of the person who is supposed to be focused on recovery. I wish I had some quick-fix tips to make this particular piece easier. I don't, unfortunately, but I can offer a couple of reflections. My experience working in insurance-affiliated care for a little over a decade is that I have seen more humanity in decisions than I expected to. I have connected with many claim managers who have shown tremendous empathy, who have worked diligently to advocate for workers, and I have even seen some bend the rules to benefit workers who really need that bit of extra support. I wish I could say this is a universal expectation you can have, but while it may not be universal I have seen it be far more common than I think most people expect when they are dealing with an insurance company. I have also seen a lot of growth in understanding within these companies. More and more of them are implementing mental health departments with staff getting specialized training in understanding and working to support people through mental health work-related concerns. As this has expanded I have seen the result of this being better care for those experiencing mental health related injuries. I have also seen greater understanding of what healing and recovery look like. For example, back in the day, it was somewhat frowned on for workers who were off work to participate in hobbies and activities – because if you can do that, why can't you go to work?! But over the last several years, and I think through education and advocacy that clinicians including myself have engaged in over the years, I've seen the system recognize that being off work shouldn't mean shutting down life. There is research that demonstrates and supports that recovery needs to happen in a context that requires people to participate in things that feel fun and connective and so on. While the big bad insurance company has a pretty solid reputation for being adversarial and sometimes actively aggressive – and I won't deny that it can be – I have also seen moves toward growth and change that bring me hope and I recognize that these systems are improving in a lot of really meaningful ways that stand to benefit workers a lot of the time. · Severe lack of communication between parties and stakeholders. To some extent this is not the workers compensation or insurance providers explicit fault – it's the result of a higher level broken system. Each care provider has their own records, their own process and their specific role. They are each responsible to their own professional regulations and ethical expectations. They are independent and isolated from one another. Meanwhile the person, the worker, is one person. One WHOLE person. Not sub-dividable into itty bitty convenient parts suitable to each specific care provider offering service. The concept of collaborative care is a fun idea – I don't mean that to sound flippant, collaborative care is a really valuable and meaningful term that is really difficult to play out in real life. In an ideal world, practitioners and insurance representatives and whatever other stakeholders involved in a claim to be off work would have time and space to connect, share resources, and offer wraparound care that prioritizes the success of the person we're tasked with serving. We would identify problems early, anticipate potential problems before they even show up, and work collaboratively to solve the problems or reduce the risks quickly. We would support one another's work and build it up for the benefit of the person we're working with. We would facilitate clarity and communication to reduce demands on the worker to act as a middle-man cross-communicating between 7 different providers and professionals. Unfortunately this ideal is extraordinarily challenging to achieve in a managed care system where time is really limited and resources are stretched thin. That said, when asked to communicate I think professionals will often agree to reach out and connect. When my client tells me that they would find it really helpful for me to talk with their case manager or to share some pieces with their OT, I will make the time to fit that in. I know it's not ideal, and I hate that it leaves people who are already doing the hard work of recovering from an injury in the position of having to do more, but it is a piece we can try to promote by asking and…this bring me to my next challenge: The need to self-advocate.· Self-Advocacy. Advocating for our needs tends to be difficult for lots of people, but especially for those in helping professions. We tend to be wired to do for everyone else and not particularly for ourselves. …To some extent this tendency may be a factor in what lands us off work to begin with. It may be that we have difficulty knowing and naming our needs, having disconnected from them for a long time; we may have difficulty feeling worthy of support; we may struggle to justify our needs to others or communicate about our needs clearly; perhaps we've lacked clear modelling for setting boundaries and enforcing them which is a part of advocacy; maybe we're shy or introverted or struggle to ask of others fearing that we might be “burdening” them. There are a ton of reasons why self-advocacy can be really hard. Meanwhile, entering into being off work, particularly when it involves insurance companies and decisions being made that will effect your life on an ongoing, this skill set is going to be a need. What is really challenging is that if this skill set is already hard, it doesn't get any easier when we feel like our internal resources and reserves are depleted as a result of the injury we're recovering from. When we're hurt, exhausted, possibly highly medicated, struggling to do day to day life activities due to the impact of an injury or mental health concern, the last thing we want to have to do is fight. We may not feel like there's any fight left in us. And yet, as we face decisions that can change the course of the life I've worked so hard to build, the fight might be really important to the trajectory of where my life goes from here. Again, I can't say there's an easy fix to this one, but we will spend some time tackling some tools to develop capacity for self-advocacy later in this series. · Money. Facing a reduced income while being asked to recover is not easy. For many, pay from insurance providers can be variable and inconsistent, causing confusion and difficulty budgeting for the reduced income. We know that money is one of the most significant stressors in peoples lives, so when we're working to reduce stress and recover, it's so unfair that we add financial stress to the mix. It's a bit like asking you to feel better while slapping you across the face. The financial limitations can reduce our access to things that might benefit our recovery, like activities, interests and hobbies. It can also, unfortunately, act as a bit of a lure to rushing the return to work before we're really ready. This is an important piece to be aware of. If I had the ability to front load this for newbies in first response and front line work, I would say that you need to know that this is an occupational hazard and prepare for it. It's kind of like a race car driver taking out a solid life insurance policy – the risks of the job are real, the consequences are real, and there's value in being pro-active in taking action to protect financially from the possible consequences. In front line work life, while I recognize this can be difficult, it may mean pro-actively buffering savings early in your career that is earmarked for supporting you or being a financial buffer in the possible case where you face an extended period of time off work with reduced income. As someone who is self-employed and the sole income earner for my family, I have had to do this in my own life to be able to take each of my maternity leaves. It's not easy and involves sacrifice in the short term to set aside a little bit each month but to have it there when you need it can be a significant relief and offer different room – emotionally and mentally – for recovery to happen.Episode Challenge:Reflect on where you're at and what you might need by using our free Beating the Breaking Point Indicators Checklist & Triage Guide. Additional Resources:Learn more about the Beating the Breaking Point Resilience Series & Survival Guide – a complete program that offers a step by step road map to build a plan for sustainability and wellness, designed just for First Responders & Front Line Workers and the challenges you face.Connect, Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share!Connect with me on Facebook and Instagram, or email me at support@thrive-life.ca. I love hearing from you! Subscribe and share this podcast with those you know. I appreciate every like, rating and review – every single one helps this podcast to be seen by other First Responders & Front Line Workers out there. Help me on my mission to help others just like you to not only survive, but to thrive – both on the job and off.
For the latest HR news follow us at @cadHRnews. In today's episode:Canadian job postings hit a new high: Canadian Job Postings Through March 18: Postings Hit a New High (hiringlab.org) The concept of a “workcation,” isn't new to corporate Canada, but it has seen renewed interest from both employees and employers since the start of the pandemic: Canadian employees taking more 'workcations' to improve work-life balance | Benefits Canada.com After two years of office spaces sitting empty, many companies are eager to call employees back for good: More Than Half of Workers in Canada Would Rather Quit Than Return to the Office Full Time, Robert Half Research Shows | Robert HalfLast year in B.C., WorkSafeBC received more than 3,400 enquiries related to bullying and harassment : Preventing bullying and harassment in the workplace a priority for WorkSafeBC in 2022 | WorkSafeBCBritish Columbia has introduced legislation designed to help keep workers safe from asbestos: B.C. proposes new asbestos abatement requirements under Workers Compensation Act | WorkSafeBCThe Government of Nova Scotia will soon expand workplace injury insurance for fire fighters to cover more types of cancer and heart attacks. Heart Attacks, More Cancers Added to Firefighters' Insurance Coverage - Government of Nova Scotia, Canada Ontario is investing $59.5 million over the next three years to further establish micro-credentials. Ontario Expands Financial Assistance to Include Micro-credentials | Ontario Newsroom; Microcredentials are surging in popularity, but how should they be shaped? (irpp.org)
I met Brian when he was working as the Business Manager for the West Vancouver Municipal Employees Union. I was working as the Director of Human Resources and Payroll Services with the District of West Vancouver. We both eventually moved on from those positions. Brian, to work with the BCGEU – the BC Government and Services Employees Union - as, amongst other responsibilities, their pension expert. Brian recently retired from, what ended up being over ten years with the BCGEU, building expertise on the public sector pension plans in BC. He sat on pension boards, assisted with a myriad of questions and is probably one of the most knowledgeable individuals around when it comes to this stuff. Brian joins us on today's podcast to share some of this knowledge and to address questions that we have both been asked in our respective positions over the years. And, he asked me to stress this is a general overview as plans and their specific details and information including design details will vary and the pension plans themselves should be relied upon for the specifics. The websites for the specific pension plans have been included below. *EDIT NOTE: The new flat accrual rate on the MPP. is not 1.85% (which was the PSPP number before moving to 1.95% Jan 1 this year). The MPP rate as of Jan 1, 2021 is a flat rate of 1.90%.About the Guest – Brian SchrammBrian worked as union business agent, first with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees' Union before moving on to represent employees in the local government and K-12 sectors as Business Manager with the West Vancouver Municipal Employees' Association. Brian left the WVMEA to accept a specialist position with the BC Government and Services Employees Union (BCGEU) as their pensions' expert. His career in labour relations and pensions spanned 40 years with those three employers. Now retired, he offers his services speaking and providing support to individuals on BC's Public Service, College, Municipal, Teachers, and WorkSafe BC pension plans. If you are interested in speaking with Brian, either as an organization, as part of your retirement planning programs, or personally, he can be reached at the contact information below. Phone: (604) 790-7447Email: thatpensionguy@gmail.comPodcast Resources:Public Service Pension Plan website: https://pspp.pensionsbc.caMunicipal Pension Plan website: https://mpp.pensionsbc.caCollege Pension Plan website: https://college.pensionsbc.caTeachers Pension Plan website: https://tpp.pensionsbc.caWorkSafe BC Pension Plan website: https://worksafe.pensionsbc.caAbout the Host: Susan has worked with people all her life. As a human resource professional, she has specialized in all aspects of employment, from hiring to retirement. She got her start as a national representative for a large Canadian union. After pursuing an undergrad degree in business administration, Susan transitioned to HR management, where she aspired to bring both employee and management perspectives to her work. Susan holds a Master of Arts degree in Leadership and Training. She retired from her multi-decade career in HR to pursue writing and consulting, and to be able, in her words, to “colour outside the lines.” She promises some fun and lots of learning through this podcast series. Susan is also the author of the book Leadership Inside Out: Effecting Change from Within available on Amazon – click below. Leadership Inside Out: Effecting Change from Within: Ney, Susan G: 9781777030162: Books - Amazon.caIf you wish to contact Susan, she can be reached through any of the following: Website: Home - Effecting Change from WithinEmail: susangney@gmail.comLinked In:
SUMMARY In Part 2 of this podcast on Schizophrenia, we're joined again by Katrina Tinman (peer support worker with lived experience of schizophrenia), Chris Summerville (CEO of the Canadian Schizophrenia Society), and Dr. Phil Tibbo (clinical/research psychiatrist who specializes in psychosis-related illnesses). They dig deep into emerging holistic recovery approaches that integrate biological, psychological, social, vocational, and spiritual supports. They also explore stigma, impacts of COVID-19, needed changes to public policy and the mental healthcare system, and the world of schizophrenia 20-30 years from now. TAKEAWAYS This Part 2 podcast will help you understand: Emerging diagnostic practices and medications Integrated healing that incorporates biological, psychological, social, vocational, and spiritual recovery supports Benefits of meditation/mindfulness and positive lifestyle choices Benefits of creative therapies that use art, music, drama, and writing Advances in personalized/precision medicine Advances in technology and the Internet to support recovery Effects of COVID-19 Stigma's impact on recovery Challenges for families of people with schizophrenia What medical professionals need to know about schizophrenia What public policy changes would support recovery Why changes should be made to the mental healthcare system What the world of schizophrenia could look like in the future SPONSORS RESOURCES RECOVERY: Research Into Recovery Recovery Model of Mental Illness: A Complementary Approach to Psychiatric Care A National Framework for Recovery in Mental Health Recovery-oriented Practice − An Implementation Toolkit PEER SUPPORT: Peer Support The Future is Peer Support Using Peer Support in Developing Empowering Mental Health Services MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA: Fighting Stigma and Discrimination Is Fighting for Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination Addressing Stigma Five Ways to End Mental Health Stigma SCHIZOPHRENIA: Hope and Recovery Schizophrenia Treatment and Self-help GUESTS Katrina Tinman Katrina Tinman is a peer support worker for Peer Connections Manitoba, formerly the Manitoba Schizophrenia Society, and is located at the Mental Health Crisis Response Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Katrina is currently working toward formal peer support worker certification with Peer Support Canada, though she already has peer support certification through the Ontario Peer Development Initiative. Katrina received a university education in journalism and political science in 1998, from North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota. Since then, she's had a wide range of life experiences from working in the professional arena, extensive travel, motorcycle riding, alpine skiing, and SCUBA diving, to homelessness and mental illness. Regardless of some negative life experiences, Katrina's greatest achievement was a sense of fearlessness that carried her through along with hope for the future. Now she's able, through her peer support work, to use her life's insights to help others in their recovery from crisis and mental illness. Email: k.tinman@peerconnectionsmb.ca Website: www.peerconnectionsmb.ca Facebook: www.facebook.com/katrina.tinman.5 Twitter: https://twitter.com/tinman_katrina Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/katrinatinman Chris Summerville, BA, MDiv, M.Miss, D.Min, LLD (Honorary) Chris Summerville is from a family with mental health challenges (father and brother with bi-polar disorder, a brother with schizophrenia, siblings living with depression, and two suicides). He has also received mental health care himself, which has informed and inspired his work as CEO of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada since 2007. Chris has been involved with the schizophrenia-recovery movement for nearly 30 years, having served on the boards of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Mood Disorders Society of Canada, National Network for Mental Health, and Psychosocial Rehabilitation Canada. Chris earned a doctorate from Dallas Theological Seminary, is a certified psychosocial rehabilitation recovery practitioner (CPRRP), and received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Brandon University in 2014. He is a regional, provincial, and national leader and advocate for a transformed, person-centered, recovery-oriented mental healthcare system, and believes mental health concerns should be addressed using integrated bio-psycho-social-spiritual-vocational approaches. Email: Chris@schizophrenia.ca Website: www.schizophrenia.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SchizophreniaSocietyCanada Twitter: https://twitter.com/SchizophreniaCa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/schizophrenia-society-of-canada Phil Tibbo, MD, FRCPC Phil Tibbo was named the first Dr. Paul Janssen Chair in Psychotic Disorders, an endowed research chair, at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry with a cross-appointment in psychology at Dalhousie University, and an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Alberta. He is also director of the Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program (NSEPP) and co-director of the Nova Scotia Psychosis Research Unit (NSPRU). Dr. Tibbo is funded by local and national peer reviewed funding agencies and well published in leading journals. His publications are primarily around schizophrenia, and his current foci of study include individuals at the early phase of, and individuals at risk for, a psychotic illness. Dr. Tibbo's areas of research include application of in vivo brain neuroimaging techniques, to study psychosis as well as research interests in co-morbidities in schizophrenia, psychosis genetics, addictions and psychosis, stigma and burden, pathways to care, education, and non-pharmacological treatment options. Dr. Tibbo is president of the Canadian Consortium for Early Intervention in Psychosis (CCEIP), helping to advance early intervention care at the national level. He is a recipient (2015) of the Michael Smith Award from the Schizophrenia Society of Canada for research and leadership in schizophrenia, recipient of the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health's Champion of Mental Health Research/Clinician award in 2017 and, most recently, recipient of the 2018 Regional Prix d'excellence – Specialist of the Year – Region 5 by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Email: phil.tibbo@nshealth.ca LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-tibbo-62170b18/ HOST Jo de Vries is a community education and engagement specialist with 30 years of experience helping local governments in British Columbia connect with their citizens about important sustainability issues. In 2006, she established the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) to “inspire community conversations for sustainable change.” FOF's highly acclaimed events include Building SustainABLE Communities conferences, Reel Change SustainAbility Film Fest, Eco-Blast Kids' Camps, CommUnity Innovation Lab, Breakfast of Champions, and Women 4 SustainAbility. FOF's newest ventures are the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit and HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Website: Fresh Outlook Foundation Phone: 250-300-8797 PLAY IT FORWARD The move toward optimal mental health becomes possible as more people learn about the challenges, successes, and opportunities. To that end, please share this podcast with anyone who has an interest or stake in the future of mental health and wellness. FOLLOW US For more information about the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) and our programs and events, visit our website, sign up for our newsletter, and like us on Facebook and Twitter. HELP US As a charity, FOF relies on support from grants, sponsors, and donors to continue its valuable work. If you benefited from the podcast, please help fund future episodes by making a one-time or monthly donation. Katrina Tinman, Chris Summerville, Phil Tibbo Interview Transcript You can download a pdf of the transcript here. The entire transcript is also found below: RICK 0:10 Welcome to the HEADS UP Community Mental Health podcast. Join our host Jo de Vries with the Fresh Outlook Foundation, as she combines science with storytelling to explore a variety of mental health issues with people from all walks of life. Stay tuned. JO 0:32 Hey, Jo here. Thanks for joining me again with my three incredible guests as we continue our conversation about schizophrenia, this time focusing on integrated recovery support, emerging science, and advancing technology. We'll also touch on the stigma faced by people with the illness, and gaps in the current mental health care system. But before we dig back in, a big shout out to our amazing sponsors, the Social Planning and Research Council of BC, Emil Anderson Construction, WorkSafe BC, and AECOM Engineering Canada. We celebrate them as their continued support is fueling our passion for improving mental health literacy. Again, my three guests are Katrina Tinman, a peer support worker with Peer Connections Manitoba, Chris Summerville, Executive Director of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada, and Dr. Phil Tibbo, a Canadian psychiatrist who studies, treats, and advocates for people with psychosis and schizophrenia. In Part 1 of this podcast, we heard personal stories and learned about signs of the illness, myths, and recovery movements. Dr. Phil Tibbo also talked about past diagnostic practices. To start this episode, we'll connect with Phil again about diagnostic practices today, and what research is telling us about them. PHIL 2:06 It's a big area of research. And I think I mentioned earlier, we're still not at a point where we can do a blood test similar to other medical illnesses, and from that result in a diagnosis. So there's still a lot of work going on here, and especially at early phases of illness as well. And so a lot of the research is looking at multimodal or multifaceted approaches to diagnosis, that can include not only from interview and behavioral, looking at symptoms, but as well as what we call the biological markers, biological indices, which can be some of the neuroimaging research. Some very exciting work going on even EEG type of research within brainwaves, but as well as in genetics too. The one difficulty with schizophrenia, and again, different from some other medical illnesses where it's a single gene, and something wrong with that gene causes a medical illness. We know that's not the case for psychosis and schizophrenia. And often what it's called is an illness with multiple genes of small effect. Research is active in here, but really that focus is to really help us to identify early. But it'll probably be, like I say, multifaceted or a multimodal sort of approach to diagnosis. I wish I can kind of drop in in 20 30 years time and see what the approach is going to be. I think we're going to see a difference from how we're approaching things now to what it will be in the future, which is of course, the way that it should be. I mean, we're doing things differently than what we were doing 20 30 years ago as well. JO 3:38 Let's now hone in on current treatment strategies that focus on integrating biological, psychological, social, and vocational support, as well as psychosocial rehabilitation. And we're gonna break that down, so don't worry about all those big terms. Starting with biological support, Phil from what I understand, biological or brain-related effects are still best treated with anti-psychotic medications, which ideally, are only one part of an overall treatment plan. Is that what you're seeing? PHIL 4:17 Yes, you still have to consider that schizophrenia is a brain illness which needs to be treated, and medication can be a cornerstone of that treatment. But as a result of the illness, there are other things that may be needed when we were looking at other non-biological therapies. Definitely have psychotic medications are a cornerstone. Now that said, the amount of medication or the length that somebody is on a medication really depends on the individual and really what their needs are as well. Because I have individuals that I see that may need medications for actually a fairly short period of time, and they've been doing well with no medications at this point. It really is kind of individual, but yet yes from biological standpoint, the anti-psychotic medications are a cornerstone treatment. JO 5:04 Kat and Chris, in your personal experience and as shared by your peers, what are the pros and cons of anti-psychotic medication? And are people's responses changing over time as the medications change? KATRINA 5:21 It gets to symptoms versus side effects. As I went through the process of finding what medication would work, it was a journey that lasted about 10 years. And I'd ran the gamut of, well, three I can remember Lexapro, Risperdal, and Zyprexa. But nothing really fit. Remember the description of the spectrum, and trying to find where things fit. And for me, it wasn't until 2013 when I ended up fortunate enough to have a doctor to work with me at length, to find the right medication that would actually be the best fit for me, in communication with me. And it turned out it was one of those that hadn't even been invented until right around that timeframe. Abilify turned out to be the right one for me. CHRIS 6:15 Well, certainly, antipsychotics and antidepressants can address the symptoms of psychosis and mood disorders and minimize them. But as one of our former chiefs of psychiatry here in Manitoba said, "If only the medications did everything that we hoped that they would do." Unfortunately, as Katrina stated, there can be significant side effects. And there are many side effects that we don't have time to go into. But the two that I would mention most pronounced are cardiovascular illnesses and metabolic illnesses. And that's one reason why many people don't want to take the medications or discontinue after a while, because of that fear. JO 6:57 Phil, what advances are being made to make these medications more accessible and effective with fewer side effects? PHIL 7:05 There's a lot of research and development going into newer medications. And I think we always have to be careful in our discussion around this. Because while there may be cardiovascular, may be metabolic side effects, it's not a given. Significant number of individuals that I see that do not have any side effects with their medications. That's with our open and honest discussions. But we have to be mindful of when that can occur, and just be able to catch it early. I know we'll talk about stigma, but there is a stigma about medication that has resulted and it's probably from the older medication. The research and development these days, the focus is on developing an effective medication with little to no side effects. With a better understanding of the illness, with better understanding of brain receptors, there's more targeted, more focused research on the development of these types of medications. I have to agree that there was a period of time where there's a lot of sort of what I call 'me to' medications being developed, very similar to ones that are already out there. But what we're seeing now is just that more focused, more targeted development. JO 8:14 Phil, what about options for people who might forget to take their medications, or choose not to take them for whatever reason? PHIL 8:21 We've had, I'll use the term LAI's, long-acting injectable medication. We've had them for a while. But for similar reasons Katrina and Chris mentioned, you know, they've kind of fell out of favor because of their side effect profile. But recent developments have allowed us to have newer medications in that particular format with much fewer side effects. People can just be on a once-a-month injection medication, or once every three months. And there's product and development for other medications for once every two months. I have this conversation with individuals that I see. It allows them to focus on their recovery, because they don't have to remember to take their medication. And I think that's an important piece. What some of young adults tell me is that they have to take a pill every day that just reminds them that they have an illness. But if they just need to come into the clinic once a month, or every three months for an injection, that helps them focus on their recovery as well. JO 9:18 And Phil, while doing research for this episode, I came across information about using cannabis to treat psychosis. Is that legitimate? PHIL 9:27 No. First of all, a couple of points around that. When we talk about cannabis, keep in mind if we're talking about just overall cannabis plant, there's over 100 active compounds within that. The two most common compounds people hear about, of course, are THC and CBD. And we know that THC is actually more of the risk factor with respect to psychosis development, and poor outcomes after the development of psychosis. There have been some studies trying to look at CBD, cannabidiol, and its potential role within a psychosis, but honestly, there's not a lot. And we just recently published a position statement for the Canadian Psychiatric Association as well as a systematic review and meta-analysis, examining this literature and looking at randomized, controlled trials of different cannabis or cannabinoid products. There's actually only six studies in schizophrenia where they've looked at cannabinoid products, really not much effect. I'm not being negative about it. But just highlighting that we do need a lot more research into this area. And we have to be very clear on what sort of cannabinoid product that we're talking about. JO 10:39 Let's talk about another piece of the recovery puzzle, which is psychological support. Psychological or mental and emotional effects associated with schizophrenia can include depression, anxiety, substance-use, suicidal ideation, and others. These often respond well to treatments such as cognitive behavior therapy, and other emerging approaches such as reality therapy and cognitive remediation. Phil, how do these work? And how can they be integrated with biological solutions? PHIL 11:16 Well first of all, our approach is integrated. We look at, say, medication plus as well as the psychotherapy and psychosocial treatments as well. Having more tools in our toolkit to be able to address the illness. We will have some people who will definitely benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis. And that really allows an individual to learn how to adapt, and respond, and develop strategies to work with their symptoms, for example, so that an individual is not as stressed by their symptoms or able to manage them so that they can do what they want to do, basically, in their day-to-day lives. There's a number of different strategies and therapies along these lines. Some are more similar to each other than not. We have a sort of service and commitment therapy as well, ACT, plus as you mentioned, CBT. But they're really there to help augment that individual's experience with their symptoms, or for example, with comorbid symptoms as well, such as depression and anxiety. JO 12:17 So Chris and Kat, are your peers ever hesitant to add these therapies to their recovery plans? KATRINA 12:25 I know I wasn't. In talking with peers, we usually do touch on some of these possibilities. And there's usually enthusiasm at the idea. Oh yeah, I heard of that, or along those lines where they are willing to engage. CHRIS 12:43 I don't think there would be a hesitancy in general, if people were aware of what their various therapies are. There are many what I call, talk therapies that we can utilize today. Some have been mentioned, cognitive remediation, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and acceptance commitment therapy, and family therapy. People in general, I think, have a fear of going into therapy because someone's going to try to fix me, and I have to expose them to, and I have to reveal all of my problematic thinking or what have you. So, I think the goal of these therapies have to be clearer for the patient or the client, and that is helping one to manage difficulty in the area of cognition and their thinking, helping them in their executive skills, helping them to improve their communication skills and relationships. So, the therapy has to be explained to people that it will be more than a supplement to the medication, where the medication is not able to address certain issues. Talk therapies have been demonstrated to promote the recovery process. JO 13:47 What are the biggest barriers to people not receiving the psychological support they need? CHRIS 13:53 Well number one, here in Canada, psychological support services are not covered by our health care system unless you're a patient in the hospital. But once you're out in the community, you have to shell it out of your own pocket, and most people can't afford psychological support therapies. And also, the lack of awareness about the role that trauma can play in psychosis and recovery. A lot of people don't know about that. And many service providers may not actually be trained in trauma informed care, due to the lack of trauma informed services. So all those things that I've just mentioned, can be great barriers to people receiving the appropriate psychological supports that they need. PHIL 14:32 I'll have to step in and agree with that. Access and availability is a big thing. The other thing to consider as a barrier. Families talk to me about this kind of at the beginning, when is psychotherapy going to start? And sometimes the barrier, of course, is the illness itself and that person to be able to engage and work within some of these therapies, they have to get to a certain cognitive level to be able to do that. And that's where sometimes we have to wait a little bit of time until we get some better control on some of those symptoms, so that people are then able to engage in some of the psychosocial and talk therapies that would be helpful. JO 15:08 What about creative therapies that use art, music, drama, and writing? KATRINA 15:14 Those, speaking from a person of lived experience and pure perspective, can be very, very useful for meditations and journaling, because really it helps somebody walk through and process thoughts, feelings, and experiences. And I personally think that can be very valuable, as it's really helped me in many ways. PHIL 15:40 I'd have to agree. We've been researching areas of this as well, and we published on this too in a number of different formats and looking at mindfulness-based support groups for families looking at self compassion, and mindfulness, in relation to depression and anxiety. And interestingly too, we've even published on claymation art therapy in our youth and young adult population and the benefits of that. One person may do well with claymation art therapy, and another person not interested at all. So, it helps to be able to investigate and to know that these types of therapies and creative therapies can be helpful. JO 16:14 In your stories and insights, I'm hearing that social support is also vital for people recovering from schizophrenia, this being available through peer support, self-help programs, and family education and support. Chris, what are the biggest barriers to people receiving the social support they need? CHRIS 16:35 Society in general and the media as well, they tend to think that it's just all about medication. You wouldn't believe how many times I've been asked this question through the over 1500 media interviews that I've done, in which I will be asked, "well, how do we make sure these people stay on their medication?" As if medication was the cure all? Again, education is needed that, quote, the treatment of mental illness, and particularly schizophrenia that we're talking about today, is very holistic, so a holistic approach. And that means, what do we do to help people when they're in the community, back at home, back in the community? What kinds of social supports do they need? Whether it's peer support, support groups, whether it's accommodations in pursuing education, accommodation and getting a job, adequate housing, decent income, all those factors. As a society, I think we get it with most other illnesses. These kinds of questions didn't come up when my wife was experiencing breast cancer. There was pure support, there was family engagement, there was family education. There was not just attempts but helping her to connect with various community agencies. One of the things that perhaps gets in the way, which we'll talk about later, is that this profound stigma and prejudice towards people who have a mental illness that live in our community, that affects our policies, that affects our funding. It's a great misconception out there that to address mental illnesses is just a matter of the medical. But as we've listened to Dr. Tibbo and Katrina, they've articulated well that psychological, social, the communal aspects involved in recovery are equally important. JO 18:35 Kat, can you share a story of how important social support is? KATRINA 18:40 The way I'll share it is actually to state that sometimes we hear feedback as peer support workers from our peers, as we're going through the process and discussing with them where they're at and where they're going, and what they're working on, and what they're trying to accomplish. And one of my peers sent back the message, for instance, that I made them feel comfortable, and that I connected with her, that I was nurturing, and calming, and helped that peer make their own decisions that were right for them. And that's, I think, an important piece, that connection to the recovery process and that non-aloneness. And I think that is something that peer support is demonstrating. What we're doing right now at the Mental Health Crisis Response Center is a pilot program. The feedback that we're getting is huge, phenomenal to positive that, yes, this is worth it. JO 19:41 I know you're researching the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical treatment options like therapy and peer support. What have you learned so far? PHIL 19:52 Well, I think the high-level approach to this question is really important. And that we need to continue with our research in looking at non-pharmaceutical options, and the different types of therapy and peer support. Specifically finding out what we can use, what has the best effect, will be important for the population that we work with as well. We have researched peer support and we have found, yes definitely, it is needed and people, as Katrina mentioned, do benefit from it in many varieties of ways. JO 20:21 Chris as a recovery practitioner, you're very familiar with psychosocial rehabilitation, which I've learned among other things, includes case management, advocacy, structured living residences, and rehab centers, for example. Tell us more about that. And what are the biggest barriers to people receiving the rehabilitation they do need? CHRIS 20:46 We have here in Canada, what's called Psychosocial Rehabilitation Canada, an organization that promotes psychosocial rehabilitation of all mental health service providers. So it's not just limited, let's say, to social workers or mental health workers. So let me just define it. First of all, psychosocial rehabilitation, also sometimes called psychiatric rehabilitation, it promotes personal recovery, successful community integration, the satisfactory quality of life for persons who have a mental health problem or mental illness. Psychosocial rehabilitation services and supports, they're what we call collaborative, person directed, individualized, and we believe they're essential element of human service prospective. And so the goal of psychiatric rehabilitation, or psychosocial rehabilitation is focused on helping individuals develop skills, and access the resources needed to increase their capacity to be successful and satisfied, in what we would call living, working, learning, and social environments of their choice. And so you need a wide continuum of services and supports. The approaches, they are evidence based. And they are promising practices in key life domains of, let's say, employment, education, leisure, wellness, and basic living skills. And family involvement, family peer support, individual peer support are very important aspects of psychosocial rehabilitation. JO 22:18 Chris, what needs to be in place for this to happen? CHRIS 22:22 Truly integrated comprehensive mental health services in which the various sectors are endorsing and creating relationships with each other. So whether that's psychiatrists, social worker, a mental health worker, spiritual health care director. The team of support around the patient, they're not in competition with each other. They are to be working as a team when they have their meetings, and hopefully, with the patient there, listening to the patient. Again, that's that question. What do you feel would help you? What do you feel you need at this point? And as well as offering, what I want to say as wisdom through listening, offering a wisdom back to the patient in helping them to find the various supports and services in and outside of the hospital, that can promote the recovery experience. JO 23:15 Let's expand upon that and look at vocational rehabilitation, and or training that prepares people with schizophrenia for work that best meets their individual wants and needs. Chris, can you tell us more about that? CHRIS 23:31 So let me just tell you a story to illustrate this point about vocational training. This individual's true-life story who had schizophrenia and he had gone through four mental health workers. Well, what happened with the fourth mental health worker? Began to listen to the individual because he was always very persistent with his mental health workers, that he wanted to be an astronaut. They would just dismiss that, "There's no way you can do that, because you have schizophrenia." Well, the fourth mental health worker began to listen to him and ask him, let's just assume that his name is Joe, and said, "Joe, why would you like to be an astronaut?" And he had seen the first moon landing and other things, and he was very enchanted that he wanted to be an astronaut. So, she asked him then in the course of not just in one conversation, but as they developed their relationship. "Well Joe, what do you think would help you to be able to reach that goal?" And they talked about that, and perhaps hygiene could be a problem. Of course, they began to focus on education. "And so what school do you think there might be, and where would you like to go to school to learn more about this?" And so she encouraged him. "Well, why don't you try for one course?" And he took the course and guess what happened? He failed. But that's not the end of the story. She continued to encourage him about other options, and again, a true-life story. He eventually found work and began to work in a space aeronautics museum, welcoming guests and introducing them to the museum. So did he fulfill his goal and his dream? Yes, but it had to be adjusted. But she didn't give up hope on him in terms of his vocational desire. JO 25:06 What a great story. In my research, I continually came upon the term personalized medicine. Phil, what is personalized medicine? And how could it revolutionize diagnosis and treatment strategies for schizophrenia? PHIL 25:24 Personalized medicine, and sometimes people refer to it as precision medicine as well. So sometimes you hear those terms interchangeably. And really what it is, is the tailoring of the medical treatment to the individual, to the individual characteristics of each patient. It does rely on research, it does rely on an understanding of a person's own unique, molecular, and genetic profile as well, and how that can influence treatment. If you think about a personalized medicine, it is really what's going to be appropriate, what's going to work for you specifically based on who you are, both biologically and otherwise. And really, this sort of came out of the advent of trying to figure out from a genetic perspective, how can we use an individual's unique genetic makeup to guide treatment decision? We're not quite there yet, in that respect, but it allowed us to be able to step back, though, and still think about, okay, what is appropriate for this person that's sitting in front of me. And I think that's a little bit more of a holistic approach to our treatment, and that is truly personalized. Now, if we get to that stage where we can do a cheek swab, get a genetic makeup, and then say, okay, this particular treatment, either medication or otherwise, this is specific to you and will work the best. Obviously, that's a great outcome. Are we there yet? No. But research is going in that direction. JO 26:46 One topic I didn't come across in my research is the role of lifestyle choices in recovery. Healthy habits, like getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising regularly. Kat, how important have lifestyle choices been in your recovery? And do you teach life skills as part of your work with peers? KATRINA 27:09 Lifestyle choices are very important in my recovery. It's something I pay very close attention to. As far as teaching life skills, we do workshops that do some form of teaching, but teaching as an agenda. It's more of an exploration type discussion. JO 27:30 Phil, what do you see in your research and hear from your patients about the importance of lifestyle choices? PHIL 27:36 Research obviously has shown that it's very important, these lifestyle choices. What are lifestyle choices? These could be anything from smoking, cannabis use, to sedentary lifestyle, activity, diet, a number of different choices. We know that individually each of those, and accumulatively each of those can have an effect on outcomes. And the research is pretty solid with respect to that. And so a lot of our focus, so once we get to some of the early sort of phases is, okay really, how can we improve lifestyle, what kind of healthy choices we can help people with lived experience make. We do things, we have a project where we got some funding currently from our Mental Health Foundation, where we're trying to target our rural population. So we got Fitbits. So that allows us to measure and monitor some things along the lines of sleep and steps and exercise. But to be able to send that to their clinicians and to be able to have those discussions, that's sort of great talking points about lifestyle. CHRIS 28:36 Let me combine that question about lifestyle choices and the previous one about personal medicine. Personal medicine, in terms of consumer movement or people who live with mental illnesses, it was really first introduced in early 2003 as a result of qualitative research conducted by Dr. Patricia Deegan. Now, Patricia Deegan is a psychologist, PhD, has lived experience of schizophrenia and experience of recovery. And so personal medicine along with what Dr. Tibbo said, is also about what we do that's medicinal for us in managing, let's say, my depression. What are those lifestyle choices that I know helped me in terms of managing all the stress associated with living with a mental illness? And stress can lead to relapse, we know. So it's not necessarily something prescribed by a doctor or nurse. It comes from within, and it's finding that right balance of what to do and what we take in our pathway to recovery. So that can be mindfulness, can be spirituality, it can be running and exercise. Those things that you know help you to manage your illness in terms of stress management, increasing your resiliency, and your mental health as well, because people with a mental illness can have positive mental health. We know that. And so that word as Patricia Deegan has written about it, personalized medicine has to do with those things that we know that are uniquely medicinal for us, and helping us move forward in our recovery. JO 30:16 Thanks Chris, great comments. Phil, is there any science to support the role of practices such as meditation in recovery? PHIL 30:26 Yes, there is research on this. It's not necessarily for everyone. But for people who can do mindfulness-based practices and meditation, it definitely has been shown to be quite helpful in a number of different ways. I don't say for individuals with lived experience, but we published actually on mindfulness-based techniques for family members, and definitely see the benefits within that group as well. JO 30:50 Advancing technology is another thing I'm hearing a lot about for diagnostic and treatment purposes. Phil, from your perspective and in your practice, can you bring us up to speed on that? PHIL 31:02 Our advances of technology, we're trying to utilize those as best as we can, as quickly as we can as well. And also moving from research to clinical applications, of course, is really quite important. Kind of alluded to this a little bit earlier. We have had advances in the various brain imaging techniques to help us with diagnosis. And there's a lot of different types of brain imaging techniques that are focused either on brain structure, but as well as brain function, and of course, the different parts of the brain, white matter and gray matter. And then other types of diagnostic technologies are there, treatments as well, such as rTMS. There's a lot of this that's happening. And I don't want to minimize that there's a lot of research that have gone into the development and use of smartphone apps as well, and their utility within helping people move forward with their lives and on their treatment to recovery goals. JO 31:56 Chris, what about that technology for social support services? CHRIS 32:01 Well, there are two things that COVID has surfaced for us. Number one has placed mental health definitely on the radar. Ninety-eight percent of Canadians are more concerned about the impact of mental health. Secondly, the use of virtual technology, and that will not go away after the pandemic. In fact, about a year and a half ago, I had my first FaceTime experience with my GP. I never thought that would happen. So use of Zoom and other technology to offer peer support individually, to offer support groups. Many of the schizophrenia societies across Canada are doing education with family members through virtual technology. So that's not going to go away after the pandemic. It is all in a state of development. I think Dr. Tibbo, when he and I've had discussions on this, we have to look at safety, confidentiality issues, privacy, and having good standards. And then, are the various apps that have been developed and ought to be developed, are they evidence based and effective? So I'm excited about where virtual technology can lead us, especially for people who live outside of urban areas. But the great challenge is that many people with mental illnesses, especially if they're on income security, they don't have access to internet, they can't afford a laptop or an iPhone. JO 33:24 Kat, how willing are your peers to take advantage of advancing technologies? KATRINA 33:30 It's hard to conjecture, because every peer is different. As Chris pointed out, even the ability of some might be limited. But from what I'm hearing as we compare notes, peers and I, now hey I have that app, this app that works really good for me. It comes up. So I think, for the most part, it's very favorable in that direction. JO 33:53 Chris mentioned COVID-19, and just a very quick question. Phil, how has COVID affected your patients with schizophrenia? PHIL 34:03 Keep in mind that for my particular patients that I see, it's mainly youth and young adults, and actually the resilience there is really quite high. And the adaptation to virtual technologies, such as Zoom and having meetings along those lines, they're actually fairly quick to adapt to. However, what is also interesting is that a lot of the youth and young adults that I see actually didn't want to have their meetings via Zoom. They'd rather be in person. So we've tried our best to work with that. We obviously want to make sure that nobody is going to have relapse or have any ill effects because of COVID. I think we did a pretty good job of pivoting and shifting service delivery and care to accommodate that. COVID-19 overall in the general population, there's a lot of research that has gone into that and we have seen an increase in, for example, substance use in this population. We've also studied acute care admissions to the inpatient units, and I've seen a shift during the height of COVID in states of emergency declarations, where the substances have played a role, a more significant role in admissions than they did before, as well as in a little bit older age group than what we would normally see in a non-COVID year. JO 35:15 Chris, what are you seeing with your peers and their families as a result of COVID? CHRIS 35:22 Each of my workdays, two to three hours now, have been devoted to taking phone calls and answering emails since the pandemic began, by individuals and family members who are looking for additional help. There is evidence that people with schizophrenia are more likely to develop the illness resulting from COVID-19, as opposed to the general population. I think fundamentally, what some recent reports have indicated is that it's become somewhat harder for people with pre-existing mental illnesses to consistently get not only psychiatric care, but also primary health care. JO 36:02 Kat has the pandemic been difficult for you? KATRINA 36:07 It's been challenging in ways for myself and for my peers. For instance, some describe that it slammed them when they were in healthy spaces. It actually slammed them right back into illness because it looked the same. Now, we were isolating, so they were isolated, again, or still. And that just took them back into it. Just as one example alone. For me, I have to admit riding buses to commute to and from work is a challenge because of what I see. And it causes me a little stress. The people that pull their masks down on the bus when they're supposed to have it up, and stuff like that. But for the most part, I think it's, we're just all hanging in there. JO 36:57 Before moving on to talk about stigma, I'd like to thank our major sponsors again, the Social Planning and Research Council of BC, Emil Anderson Construction, WorkSafeBC, and AECOM Engineering Canada. As a registered charity, we rely on support from sponsorships, grants, and donations. If you'd like to support our HEADS UP programming, please visit freshoutlookfoundation.org/donations. As I say on every podcast, you can't have a conversation about mental health, without talking about stigma. Phil, how does stigma affect people you've researched and treated biologically and psychologically? PHIL 37:40 Stigma can be a huge part of the illness. There are a number of elements to stigma as well. And I'm sure Chris and Katrina will elaborate on these as well, and some we've already alluded to as well within our discussion. Because stigma can affect people's entry into care. And that because of the stigma around the illness, or stigma actually even towards mental health, either themselves or even within their family members as well, can actually affect their pathways to care. And we've done some research on that and have been able to show that. And then when somebody is in care too, and we do have to work with what we sometimes call self stigma, people's perceptions and ideas of what a diagnosis of schizophrenia means and what it can mean. And so there's those elements as well. And of course, we're trying to be the best advocates that we can for patients and our families. And that's where we try to work with the stigma in other areas around society towards the illness, towards mental health, of course, in general. Being those advocates and supports towards vocational or educational pursuits as well. We've definitely gotten a lot better with respect to that over the last number of years, but there still exists some of that stigma out there. JO 38:54 Kat, how would you describe stigma from the perspective of a person with schizophrenia? KATRINA 38:59 I would describe it as a belittlement. And a discreditation is a way of writing somebody off to make them not count. It's even, now how many times do you see it on TV used in a court of law, theoretically, to discredit somebody so much that that witness doesn't even count. It's a write off, and that's not fair. JO 39:21 Chris, what about the impacts of social and vocational stigma on the people you're advocating for? CHRIS 39:28 Well, first of all, we need to understand that all stigmas are built on the same formula. And that is misconceptions and myths, plus lack of education multiplied by fear, results in prejudice, and none of us are immune from prejudice. We all as a human experience. And what we need to do is to be able to look at our attitudes, confront them, and be willing to grow up, to change. Because there is societal stigma, and then when an individual with a mental illness internalizes society's stigma, we call that self stigma. So they think, well, I must have a broken brain and I'm not deserving. And then there's structural stigma in terms of laws, and policies, and practices that result in unfair treatment of people with a mental illness. Now, what does it all result in? It's not just about hurt feelings. Stigma results in a reluctance to seek out treatment. It delays treatment, it increases morbidity and mortality, it results in social rejection, avoidance, and isolation. It results in worse psychological well-being for individuals living with a mental illness. There's poor understanding amongst friends and families. Stigma can lead to harassment, violence, and bullying, poor quality of life, increased socio-economic burden. That's above and beyond the shame and the self doubt that the individual may face. That is perhaps our greatest enemy in promoting comprehensive mental health services and recovery oriented mental health services. That's why we have to advocate as Martin Luther King did, as other leaders and various other movements did, to claim our voice and to identify injustices where they are, and what impedes our being able to see people with mental illnesses as our brothers and sisters, our neighbor, and the fact that we should love one another as we love ourselves. JO 41:33 Kat, you and Chris have both experienced the mental health care system. Just wondering what you've seen, as far as stigma goes within that system. CHRIS 41:43 Well, the Mental Health Commission did a study a number of years ago amongst mental health service providers, and it found that stigma is alive and well within our mental health system, and those who provide psychiatric supports and services. So that might be surprising to people. None of us are immune to stigma, it has to be addressed. And whether you're a doctor, a psychiatrist, a police officer, a correctional guard in one of our prisons, people have to receive supportive education, which helps them to identify their attitudes, which leads to actions of discrimination, or improper behavior, or working with clients, patients, prisoners, etc. So this is a huge issue. JO 42:36 So we're on the homestretch. Now, given what you've learned over the years, what would you say to give hope to people who are early in their recovery journeys? CHRIS 42:48 What I would say is, I want you to meet Katrina. Katrina has lived experience of psychosis. But she also has found ways to move forward and live beyond the limitations of mental illness. She's a peer support worker. And so Katrina, through her lived experience, she will listen. And she will give you realistic hope. Because the hope for recovery is possible. I know this is a difficult time for you right now. And the next couple of years, it may seem like you're not coming out of this deep, dark hole. So what I'm saying here is that I think introducing patients to a peer support worker as soon as possible, can help with the depression and the forlornness that a person may be experiencing by receiving a diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia. We need to be realistic, but also, we need to communicate hope that things can get better. And the person who can communicate that the best is a peer support worker who's been down that road and knows what helps and hinders recovery. JO 43:53 Kat, what have you learned about hope? KATRINA 43:56 I've learned that it is the most wondrous and beautiful thing in existence to have hope, and that life without hope, isn't life at all. JO 44:06 Chris, what would you say to family members who are confused, fearful, and frustrated? CHRIS 44:13 I would say that it's normal. It's very normal to be confused, and frustrated, and fearful, and to feel shame. It's normal. And that is not your fault. But that help is available. We know more than we've ever known before about schizophrenia, psychosis, treatment modalities, what helps in the recovery process. And so I would encourage the family who's new at all of this, that there are individuals known as family navigators, or family peer support workers, and that there's family education. There are support groups because the family is in recovery too. The individual with schizophrenia or psychosis, they're not the only one in recovery. But the family is also on a recovery journey, in terms of dealing with their stigma. Dealing with their fears and their frustration, learning communication skills with their loved one who has a mental illness, and that there's hope for the entire family. And things can get better, but not minimizing the barriers and the frustrations that are there. JO 45:17 Phil, what would you say to medical and mental health professionals to help them better understand schizophrenia, and to respond more compassionately? PHIL 45:26 A lot of it is that storytelling, and a lot of what we're doing here tonight too, as well, and just appreciate that a diagnosis of schizophrenia is not necessarily a negative diagnosis, and that people can have great outcomes. And its outcomes based on the individual and what they perceive that their own personal sense of well-being and psychological well-being. And so appreciating and having them appreciate the various outcomes that can exist within schizophrenia and psychosis. So it really comes down to still a lot of that education, that's important. It's not necessarily education, for example, from me from the medical community. It's also education for family members. It's education from people with lived experience, as well. And these are very important stories for the medical community to hear. JO 46:08 How would you pitch the need for wholesale change in mental health care to the people making those policy and funding decisions, Chris? CHRIS 46:18 Well, in terms of policymakers and politicians, I think that we not only point out to them, and most the time they know this already, that our current mental health system is not adequate. And it fails many people. And that most people struggling with a mental health problem or mental illness, are not getting the kinds of supports and services that we've talked about on this podcast today. But then I would move forward, promoting transformation of the mental health system through the recovery philosophy. Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, England, has moved towards recovery oriented mental health services. In fact, the fastest growing occupation in the mental health system in England is that of peer support workers, embedding peer support workers in the mental health system, which can help transform the mental health system. We have to educate those who make policy, in politicians. And we have to get to administrators and hospitals and other domains, and not just write recovery into policies, but develop toolkits to help practitioners to move towards a recovery environment. We have to be patient, but we have to be persistent. And we have to be consistent in our advocacy. And we have to speak with one voice. The best advocacy is collaborative advocacy. Unfortunately, there is still much debate within the mental health community about the medical model versus the recovery philosophy. But we have to persist, we have to be determined we can overcome. PHIL 47:57 So it's a great question. And I guess I kind of go back to some of a little bit what I mentioned earlier, it shouldn't be me doing this pitch for wholesale change. And sometimes I really think it needs to come from those individuals who are living it, both the individuals with lived experience, and their family members. And oftentimes, our major changes in either service delivery, or funding, or policy have come because of the advocacy of family and individuals with lived experience as well. We can be there in the medical community to help support, and give that research, and give the data, and look at cost analysis. But the pitch needs to be unified with all the important stakeholders. JO 48:38 And what would you say to those of us who may not know enough about schizophrenia, but who are willing to explore our ignorance and our conscious and or unconscious biases? CHRIS 48:50 Well, it's all about contact-based education. So what I would say to a person is get to know someone, get to know that relative who has schizophrenia, and get to know that neighbour who is experiencing psychosis the same way I had to do when I was a racist in the deep south. In the first part of my life, as a child, as a teenager and young adult, I had to confront my racism. And the way I did that was by moving out of my supposed circle of safety. And that was getting to know people different from me, people of colour. Eating with them, praying with them, interacting, listening to their hopes and dreams. And then you see a person. So we have to do the same thing in terms of going beyond our comfort zones, to learning the truth about the reality of people who live with psychosis or any mental illness. JO 49:44 Kat, any comments? KATRINA 49:46 To those who are willing to explore, you'll find a whole new world because you'll rediscover people that were there the whole time. JO 49:56 What I've discovered is a whole new world of potential. So, not only for people with schizophrenia, but for collaborative change. CHRIS 50:06 Exactly. You mentioned a wonderful word, their potential. In fact, that is the mission of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada. Build a Canada, where people living with psychosis and schizophrenia achieve their potential. And that's what recovery is all about. JO 50:26 So in closing, I have just one more question for each of you. Given what you've learned, personally and professionally, and what we're collectively learning through research and advancing technology, how do you envision the world of schizophrenia changing over the next 20 or 30 years? Kat, let's start with you. KATRINA 50:48 That there won't be the fear of the illness to stop people from finding out if they need help, how to do it. That there won't be this belittlement that can lead to the self stigma, which feels horrible. That there will be treatments that encompass the wholeness of who you are, working together in greater capacity than where we're at now. We have made some progress, but we're not there yet. JO 51:23 Chris, your vision? CHRIS 51:24 We will live in a society in which no one is left behind. Not because they have schizophrenia or psychosis. That stigma will basically be a thing of the past, and it will not be our big albatross. That in fact, that treatments will go beyond anti-psychotics and won't even have to use antipsychotics. And that the recovery philosophy will be fully ingrained within our mental health system. That's what I hope for. PHIL 51:56 I think we'll have a better understanding of the illness and understanding, for example, from the biological underpinnings of the illness. That will in itself help us to understand the best treatments for schizophrenia. So I think we'll see some advancement there within the biological treatments, but as well as the psychosocial or psychotherapy type of treatments, as well. And I think really what we're seeing as well, is just that better understanding and appreciation. I think in 20 or 30 years, we'll see some of the stigma being reduced as well. I think what will continue to happen is that understanding of illness, and it's really getting back to that early intervention piece. And people understanding that if things aren't really quite right, they should get it checked out. And I do make that analogy when I do some public speaking about skin cancer, and that we've had enough education at this point to realize, okay, if we have a funny looking mole, we should get it checked out. May not be anything, but it may be something that needs a little bit more attention. Hopefully, we will be in 20 or 30 years with mental health and wellness as well, is that enough education there to say, okay, if things aren't really quite right, then we should get it checked out. Again, maybe nothing, but it may be something that needs attention. The earlier that attention is there and the treatment than the better the outcomes. JO 53:10 Thanks so much to all of you for your profound insights, ideas, and passions for making the world a much better place for people with schizophrenia, their families and friends, their employers, and society at large. Phil, I so admire and applaud your attention to the ever-changing details of diagnosis, and both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical treatment options. Your boundless curiosity will certainly make schizophrenia less mysterious, and perhaps one day even curable or preventable. PHIL 53:46 Thank you so much for that. And importantly, as these venues, these educational opportunities, these podcasts, are really going to help us to those eventual goals as well. Thank you very much for this opportunity. JO 53:58 Kat and Chris, your willingness to be vulnerable so that others might be helped, is truly inspiring. And I'm sure will help to inform and transform the evolving conversation around social support and advocacy. KATRINA 54:14 It's a pleasure to help. I know, if I would have had peer support years ago, things would have been different. And that's why I'm working so hard to be a peer support worker is to make that difference. JO 54:31 Chris? CHRIS 54:31 I hope that the listeners of this podcast will be inspired and motivated to take a different approach to seeing people who have a mental illness. And here's the statement, ask not what illness a person has, ask what person the illness has. See a person, not an illness. JO 54:53 Thank you both. This is one of the most robust and powerful discussions I've had. The three of you, what you bring to the conversation individually is astounding, but how well you blended your experiences and insights is really truly remarkable. This has been a wonderful, wonderful experience for me. That's a wrap on Part 2 of our podcast on schizophrenia. Be sure to catch Part 1, which focuses on stories, signs, myths, and recovery philosophy. Huge thanks again to our guests for sharing their amazing minds and spirits. To connect with Kat, Chris, or Phil, check out the episode show notes at freshoutlookfoundation.org/podcasts where you'll find contact info, complete bios, and a transcript. I'd appreciate you leaving a review as well. I'm also grateful for all you listeners and hope this information inspires and mobilizes you along the rapidly changing road to recovery. If you haven't already signed up for monthly HEADS UP e-blasts about new episodes, please visit freshoutlookfoundation.org. And for ongoing information, follow us on Facebook at FreshOutlookFoundation and Twitter at FreshOutlook. In closing, be healthy and let's connect again soon. Episode Reviews
Today I am continuing our series on the six principles of human performance. This time we are covering principle #2, Error-likely situations are predictable.After we gain awareness of error and system induced violations, how our brains are wired, and why inattention and complacency are natural; we become stronger at predicting error. We start to see this concept on a macro and a micro scale. This is a beautiful thing because when we can predict error, we are better equipped to defend against it. Sometimes we can even change the system to eliminate error.Last time, we talked about different performance modes. Skill based mode is less prone for error. Rule and knowledge based modes are more prone for error. If people have to follow a bunch of rules within a procedure, there is a chance our brain will forget a step. If that procedure is unavailable, error is highly likely.In a study of this by James Reason, people are 20 times more likely to make an error if a procedure is unavailable. If a worker is unfamiliar with a task, they are 17 times more likely to make an error. If they are in a hurry, 10 times more likely to error.When we look at our systems through this lens, it becomes much more predictable where the next incident will occur. We can't predict everything, but we can get better at predicting.FatigueIn construction, fatigue is a common, predictable, error-likely situation.Fatigue has the same effect on your brain as alcohol. Although a hard concept to accept, we are often managing a bunch of drunk people. If they were drunk on alcohol, we would most likely kick them off the job (and hopefully get them some help). But fatigue drunkenness is a risk tolerance that our industry commonly accepts.I'll start with an extreme example. If a paving contractor has to work all day and into the night, to meet the demands of the client, within the limited resources of the company; they could feasibly be awake for 21 hours straight between work demands, the commute and the stuff everyone has to deal with at home. According to WorkSafeBC, that is the blood alcohol equivalent of .08%. The same number the State of Georgia uses to determine if you are too drunk to drive.It's an extreme example, and not every contractor is working that many hours, but some do in our industry. There are people out there doing road construction whose brains are operating the same way as a legally drunk person. That is a predictable, error-likely situation.A less extreme example, but even more common in our industry, is going 17 hours without sleep. If a worker has to pull a 12-hour shift, drive an hour to and from work, we are up to 14 hours, just with the job aspect alone. But what about their home life? Who doesn't have crap to do at home? Marriage, parenting, house chores; we all have stuff we are responsible for outside of work too. So, if we give the worker 30 minutes in the morning to get out of bed and hit the road, and 2.5 hours after work to deal with life before they get back in bed, we are up to 17 hours without sleep. In this example, the blood-alcohol equivalent is 0.05%. So, they could pass a breathalyzer but they are one beer away from being legally drunk. In other words, they may not be drunk yet, but the fatigue is still equal to people drinking on the job from a brain-based standpoint. Error is predictable.Everyone has a different relationship with alcohol but I'll throw myself under the bus for a minute. Intellectually, I know how much I can drink before I do something stupid. But I also understand my brain can't make great rational decisions when alcohol is introduced to it.Let's say a person plans to have two drinks. Then they are more relaxed, “oh heck I'll have one more”. At that point, moderation and good decision making go out the window. Why? Because our brain has stopped making good judgement. Next thing you know, you are drunk while never intending to get that way. It happens, because the alcohol impairs our ability to make good judgements.I'm sure not everyone listening has done that, but I'm also sure some of you know exactly what I'm talking about.From a brain perspective, that's happening on the jobsite. The more fatigued someone is, the less likely they will make good decisions. If you know people are working a 12, then error-likely situations are predictable. Especially when they are operating under a rule or knowledge based mode.Some companies are very concerned with work-rest schedules. Is a fatigue management plan part of your safety program? If long shifts are predictable in your organization, then fatigue management should be an official system. It would be good to review if fatigue is in the table of contents and how is it actually being managed in the real world.Scope of WorkScope of work is another error-likely situation. The more work flows away from our typical scope, the more likely error becomes. Being unfamiliar with the task, means the worker is 17 times more likely to make a mistake. Combine the fatigue issue we just covered and you can easily predict where we are headed.If we typically build poured in place concrete jobs, and now we have a wood frame job, error is predictable. From a general contractor perspective, we are now managing a completely different set of contractors. We may have mastered formwork, shoring and concrete systems; but now we are dealing with a bunch of carpenters. As the scope of work changes, error becomes predictable.On a smaller scale, the client has some safety rules that are different than most jobs we work on. The rules have become normalized on our other projects. They have become more subconscious. On this current project, we have to stop and think more often and are expected to make good decisions. Because of this, our prefrontal is doing the work and more prone for error.Let's say we normally work on a scaffold, without personal fall arrest, as long as all the guardrails are in place. Now we are working for a new client and they require personal fall arrest and guardrails at all times. Maybe they have the best intent ever. Maybe they are viewing safety through the lens of layers of defenses. At the same time, we are requiring our workforce to work differently. Someone is going to forget no matter how long the safety orientation was. Instead of getting mad that someone forgot we should expect them to forget.Any change in the scope of work is an error likely situation, both on a macro and a micro scale. Another one is operating different equipment. Normally a worker operates a CAT. Something goes wrong and we send it back to the shop for maintenance. In the meantime, we are provided with a Komatsu. The equipment operates differently, which means error is predictable.Most of the time we use Genie, but this time rental company sent out JLG. Same thing. Change in equipment, controls operate differently, capacity numbers change, approved attachments change, operational rules change; error is predictable.New equipment, new harnesses, new fall anchorage, hydraulic shoring vs. a trench box, new rigging manufacturer, new type of scaffold; all of these things are creating error-likely situations. When we are aware of these things, we can predict them. Then we can implement defenses if we are forced to use new and different stuff. We might even be able to change the system to lessen the amount of different equipment people use. Either way, it's that style of thinking we need to evolve. Do we get this concept, talk about it in meetings and do something about it?Another one is systems that influence error-likely situations. Especially within the context of violations. A common one that comes to mind is not having the right tools for the job. The reason it falls under the system category is that we commonly drift away from providing the right stuff to do the job. We will cover drift as its own topic in the future, but as a simple explanation, humans are always looking for an easier way to accomplish a task. It's another brain-concept. The difference between the perception of efficiency and taking a safety shortcut is usually based on the outcome. If the shortcut got the work done faster and no one got hurt, it was a good, efficient decision. If someone got hurt, it was a safety shortcut.So back to the right tools for the job. Sometimes organizations start with great intent of determining the needs on a project, providing those needs and then going to work. Over time, people can drift away from doing this. An equipment manager can perceive that they have done this so many times in the past, they know the work, they know what the people need, and provide equipment based on past, similar projects.Now the workers are faced with some new challenges. They've used scissor lifts on previous projects but they have some unique challenges on this job that require a boom lift or a one-man lift, and now they perceive that management wants them to get the work done with what they have. So, we end up seeing workers standing on the rails of the scissor lift to get the job done.Some may think the workers should tell us when these situations arise. From their view, maybe they are thinking management never does a needs assessment anymore. What they really want is for us to figure it out with what we have. The system has drifted and evolved.There are overlaps in these principles. People and organizations drift. What is the official system on paper can drift into the unspoken system that is not on paper. It's normal and needs a recheck from time to time. Our industry is constantly evolving. Our systems evolve to. Sometimes, in directions we would prefer them not to.We may have a system that requires us to sub out a portion of our work. A common one I see is subbing out the role of traffic control in the road building industry. Maybe due to budget concerns, the organization has determined that subbing out flaggers is more cost effective. But at the worker level, our team may be forced to use subpar traffic control. Now the overall job is normalizing risky behavior because of the workplace system.Complexity of a system is a predictable error-likely situation. When workers are overloaded with information, they are 6 times more likely to make an error. The complexity of filling out a LOTO form, ensuring stored energy is dissipated, all locks and keys are where they should be, everything has been communicated to all parties involved, and everything has been timed at the appropriate moment, is very complex. That's a lot to put on the brain. You should expect errors with LOTO. That's why a peer check, or a buddy system, a second set of eyes, can be valuable when you predict error to occur.You can train, measure and hold people accountable for doing LOTO procedures perfectly. But when you view this as a complex system in which error is likely, you will change the system based on expecting error to occur. If your system is modified with a second set of eyes doing a double check, you minimize the potential for a human to forget a step.That same concept can be applied to personal fall arrest systems, confined space work or anything that is a complex system. Complexity breeds error-likely situations.As you can see, through the eyes of human error, there are many things going on in our work that make error more predictable. When we look at our organization through this lens, we have a better success rate at reducing these errors. It's not about a one-and-done view. It's about thinking this way. Thinking about error likely scenarios and accepting that its an ongoing process. Things will always be changing including the scope of work, the client's requirements, the tools, the equipment, the way we do the work and the systems we work within.When we meditate on these concepts, we can come up with methods to defend against the errors that are predictable to occur. Especially in construction, we can't eliminate everything. There are some things we just don't have control over. What we can do is accept those realities and put in better defenses for these predictable scenarios. I want to leave you with one last thought on all of this. Here's a quote from Jay Shetty:“It's a mistake to think that when we read a book, attend a class, and implement changes that we'll fix everything.”This quote can be applied to so many things in life. There is no universal plan for perfection. We are not perfect and neither are the systems we work in. The way we get there is by training our minds to think differently. Life, work, systems; they are always going to take a detour. We should expect the organizational ship to swerve, to change, to evolve, to drift. If we think differently about error, we can improve how we react and how we respond, when those never-ending changes occur. We are not searching for the magic one-and-done fix-all. There is no magic safety dust. Our focus should be on evolving the way we think about risk, violations and the potential for human error. At the end of the day, understanding human error and defending against it is mostly concerned with thinking differently.Next time we'll tackle my favorite principle, individual behaviors are influenced by culture and leadership. Till then, hope you have a beautiful day my friends.
More heat records are set to fall as a high-pressure heat dome continues to cover much of northwestern North America. We discuss how it's being felt in BC with SFU health sciences professor Scott Lear; CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe; BC Care Providers Association CEO Terry Lake; and WorkSafeBC field prevention services senior manager Barry Nakahara.
People refusing to wear masks throughout the pandemic have caused added stress to the general public and to the front line employees who must manage their defiance. Today we here from WorkSafeBC about the management of this issue, and from a lawyer who speaks about the legality of it all, health regulation vs law.
Minister of Labour and MLA for Surrey-Newton Harry Bains
SUMMARY While Part 1 of this podcast targets trailblazing research and regulatory approaches to workplace mental health, Part 2 chronicles the evolution of organizational policies, practices, and programs at two very different and unique organizations. Join Quentin Steen (CLAC Labour Relations Representative) and Trever Amendt (AECOM Site Safety Lead, Energy Operations & Maintenance in Lacombe, Alberta) as they share their personal mental health stories and their groups' commitments to building cultures of compassion with strong leadership, workplace-wide peer support, regular training, and ongoing employee communication and engagement. They also touch on the impacts of stigma and the challenges and opportunities presented by COVID-19. TAKEAWAYS This podcast will help you understand: The evolution of workplace mental health policies, practices, and programs in both union (CLAC) and engineering (AECOM) environments Union approach focused on cooperation rather than confrontation Corporate culture that cultivates employees' social and emotional well-being The importance of authentic peer support throughout organizations Types of training needed to optimize workplace mental health Impacts of COVID on workplace mental health What's been learned from COVID that will guide future polices, practices, and programs Return-on-investment for businesses that do workplace health and safety right Types of stigma existing in various workplaces SPONSORS WorkSafeBC is a provincial agency in British Columbia, Canada that promotes safe and healthy workplaces for more than 2.3 million workers. Serving more than 230,000 employers, WorkSafeBC's services include education, prevention, compensation and support for injured workers, and no-fault insurance to protect employers and workers. WorkSafeBC is committed to creating a province free from workplace injury or illness. By partnering with workers and employers, WorkSafeBC helps British Columbians come home from work safe every day. CLAC is the largest independent, multisector, national union in Canada, representing more 60,000 workers in almost every sector of the economy including construction, education, emergency services, healthcare, retail, service, transportation, manufacturing, and more. CLAC has 14 member centres in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC, along with 25 active, independent, affiliated locals. Based on values of respect, dignity, and fairness, CLAC is committed to building better lives, better workplaces, and better communities. AECOM is a global engineering firm whose infrastructure services for public- and private-sector clients include transportation, water, energy, and environmental projects. Employing about 87,000 people, AECOM was ranked #1 in Engineering News-Record's ‘2020 Top 200 Environmental Firms,' and named one of Fortune magazine's ‘World's Most Admired Companies' for the sixth consecutive year. Transforming the ways it works through technology and digital platforms, AECOM leads the engineering world in environmental, social, and governance solutions… leading to the Ethisphere Institute naming it one of ‘2021 World's Most Ethical Companies.' RESOURCES National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace and the resulting Case Studies Research Report Addressing the mental health effects of COVID-19 in the workplace: A guide for workers Managing the mental health effects of COVID-19 in the workplace: A guide for employers Guarding Minds@Work Antidepressant Skills@Work Psychological Health and Safety: An Action Guide for Employers Mental Health Commission of Canada Canada's Workplace Mental Health Canadian Mental Health Association Government of Canada/Mental health in the workplace Wellness Works Canada Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support provides free online resources, tools, apps, and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals. Workplace Mental Health Playbook for Business Leaders (CAMH) Workplace Mental Health Research Deloitte research reveals significant return on investment for workplace mental health programs. GUESTS Quentin Steen Quentin Steen is a Labour Relations Representative with the CLAC labour union, who works out of the Kelowna Member Centre and specializes in the transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors. He is also the CLAC Provincial Member Education Coordinator for BC and facilitates numerous workshops for various signatory companies and shop stewards working in BC. Being a certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) instructor for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Quentin is passionate about delivering the MHFA course because of his experience with mental health issues, personally and professionally. Quentin's personal life's mission is to educate others about mental health issues and provide them with the tools/skills they need to recognize changes (possible signs) to the mental well-being in self and others, to help those who may be in a mental heath crisis by offering comfort and support, and to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health in our workplaces and society. Phone: 250-868-9111 Email: qsteen@clac.ca Website: www.clac.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clacunion Twitter: https://twitter.com/clacunion Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quentin-steen-23249326/ Trever Amendt Trever Amendt has been the Site Safety Lead for AECOM at the NOVA Joffre Plant in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada for five years. AECOM is the capital projects group on site and completes all project-based work, including pipefitting, electrical, iron work, insulation and scaffolding. AECOM made mental health its number one priority in 2020, and it became an even greater priority when COVID-19 hit in March of last year. To that end, Trever has an open door on site and is always ready to listen to what someone is going through to support them and build trust. The Mental Health First Aid course he took from CLAC in 2019, opened Trever's eyes and gave him a new desire to support and be there to help people when it comes to their mental health. Trever has a real passion for organizations that support people with addictions: the Dream Center in Calgary and Teen Challenge in Allan, Saskatchewan. Red Deer, Alberta is just raising money to redesign a building downtown to start a Dream Center. These centers address the physical, mental, and spiritual components of addiction. Phone: 780-983-4966 Email: trever.amendt@aecom.com Website: www.aecom.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AecomTechnologyCorporation Twitter: https://twitter.com/aecom HOST Jo de Vries is a community education and engagement specialist with 30 years of experience helping local governments in British Columbia connect with their citizens about important sustainability issues. In 2006, she established the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) to “inspire community conversations for sustainable change.” FOF's highly acclaimed events include Building SustainABLE Communities conferences, Reel Change SustainAbility Film Fest, Eco-Blast Kids' Camps, CommUnity Innovation Lab, Breakfast of Champions, and Women 4 SustainAbility. FOF's newest ventures are the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit and HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Website: Fresh Outlook Foundation Phone: 250-300-8797 PLAY IT FORWARD The move toward optimal workplace mental health becomes possible as more people learn about the challenges, successes, and opportunities. To that end, please share this podcast with anyone who has an interest or stake in the future of workplace mental health and wellness. FOLLOW US For more information about the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) and our programs and events, visit our website, sign up for our newsletter, and like us on Facebook and Twitter. HELP US As a charity, FOF relies on support from grants, sponsors, and donors to continue its valuable work. If you benefited from the podcast, please help fund future episodes by making a one-time or monthly donation. Quentin Steen, Trever Amendt Interview Transcript You can download a pdf of the transcript here. The entire transcript is also found below: INTRO 0:10 Welcome to the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Join our host Jo de Vries with the Fresh Outlook Foundation as she combines science with storytelling to explore a variety of mental health issues with people from all walks of life. Stay tuned! JO 0:32 Hey, Jo here. Welcome to part two of our podcast on workplace mental health, where we'll build on what we learned in Part 1 about trailblazing research and regulatory approaches. This time around, we'll explore groundbreaking union and business solutions thanks to our co sponsors WorkSafe BC, CLAC, and AECOM. You'll meet Quentin Steen, Labor Relations Representative at CLAC, a Canadian labor union, and Trevor Amendt, Site Safety Lead for AECOM, Energy Operations & Maintenance at the Joffre chemical plant in Lacombe, Alberta. First, let's meet Quentin from CLAC, which represents more than 60,000 workers in almost every sector of the Canadian economy. Based on values of respect, dignity, and fairness, CLAC aims to build better lives, better workplaces, and better communities. The union also helps members reach their full potential by finding their own versions of everyday greatness. Hi, Quentin... thanks for joining us. QUENTIN 1:41 Thank you so much for the invite. It's my pleasure, Jo. JO 1:45 Can you give us an overview of CLAC's approach to mental wellness, and how that differs from that of other labor unions? QUENTIN 1:56 I'm sure most of the unions out there are tracking some of the similar directions, but CLAC has been a labor union who's pretty proud of their progressive labor relations model, like a collaborative approach between the employer, employee, and the union. It's built on cooperative versus confrontational encounters... we've always believed that it's the most effective model when dealing with workplace issues. And among some of these issues, for sure, is the physical and mental safety and well-being of workers in the workplace. And it all sort of started with us in terms of the weight of this, about three-and-a-half or four years ago. It became a national mandate for the mental health of our CLAC staff and our shop stewards, where we made a huge investment into it. So, this mandate included things like working with our signatory companies in their management to address mental health safety of their employees at the workplace. In CLAC, we have a My Health & Wellness department where you can go to our CLAC website where our members can get the knowledge and tools they need to take charge of their own health and well-being by adopting good habits and a healthy lifestyle, and they can live a better and perhaps a longer life. This site is very interactive, and it's got like several health and wellness tools... like mental health is a specific area. Substance-use case managers are part of that, to financial wellness, workplace wellness. We also have EFAP programs like a lot of companies do, where we have an Employment and Family Assistance Program... that's what it stands for... where we have resources that are available to our members and their families to reach out for free. And they receive confidential help. If they or their loved ones are struggling, then we encourage them not to hesitate on that. We also have a quarterly magazine called The Guide that includes mental health articles and resources for our members and is really ramped up since the pandemic outbreak. Those are sort of our approach the some of the things that are kind of in our toolboxes that we provide for our members and how our organization looks at it. We're very aggressive with it. We think it's really important. We easily put it on par with the physical safety and wellness and well-being of employees at the workplace. Absolutely, one hundred percent. JO 4:14 Quentin... you're a labour relations representative with CLAC. Tell us about the mental health-related work you do specifically. QUENTIN 4:23 I've had a recent change in my role from not just rep but where I do that 50% of my role, but also the other 50% is member education coordinator for BC. Part of my role as the coordinator, and has actually been as a rep for the last three years, is providing Mental Health First Aid courses to our signatory companies, to our staff, and to our stewards. And I've done I think, in the last few years about 23 or 24 in total, and these Mental Health First Aid courses are designed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and basic courses are about 12 hours. So over two days, generally speaking, and then a blended virtual course that came online as of the pandemic, that's about eight hours. And I deliver these courses throughout BC and Alberta. Part of my role, too, in the last year-and-a-half has been creating Mental Health Moments. And that started of course with the onset of the pandemic, when I was tasked to write Mental Health Moments that were published on a weekly basis to our membership and staff about 60,000 people plus, and now they're published monthly. And they hit a variety of different subjects. The reason I started writing them is because I realized at the beginning of the pandemic, that once the virus comes and goes, or it's no longer on our minds because we've had these vaccinations, and herd [immunity], really what we're left with is really going to be the damage that's caused to our mental health. And so, I started seeing it in our representatives and I asked our national office if I could begin to write some articles for our reps, and they took that and decided it needs to be published to the rest of our membership. And we've gotten a lot of responses from a lot of people sharing their stories. And so that's been very, very great part of my journey in this last year-and-a-half in my role. JO 6:14 And I think in this difficult time, people are just craving that kind of information. QUENTIN 6:20 Oh, absolutely. The reality is, what I've seen anyways, from my perspective, the pandemic did a few things. And I would kind of categorize that impact on three different types of or kinds of experiences out there. The first being someone who has never had mental health-related issues, and they might be anxious, and they might worry from time to time, but never a diagnosable thing. And then all of a sudden, three weeks, four weeks, four months into it, they're now sitting across from a therapist or an EFAP program, and they're talking about an anxiety disorder. And then there's other people that have had them lying in the weeds, like myself for years, but I just kept myself busy, or didn't pay attention to it, or sort of deflected it, or pretended it wasn't there. And with the pandemic, I mean, it just bubbled to the surface for so many people. And then the third category of people, like where I'm at right now, where I have two diagnosable mental illnesses that I've lived with for most of my life. They've just been amplified... I've had to really dig down and really learn how to manage them in the middle of this pandemic, much differently than maybe prior to the pandemic. It is affecting people. JO 7:32 Thank you for being so vulnerable about that. Can you share your story? QUENTIN 7:37 Absolutely love to. I'm 51 years old. And my personal journey with mental health issues goes way, way back. I just didn't realize how far back the rabbit hole really went. But like I said, one of my diagnosable illnesses is clinical depression. I had it from early childhood into adulthood. It was seasonal at first... September was the start of new school year or work year, or January... the start rebooting of that. So, it would come like that, and it was kind of like this cloud that would come over me. And then it started to develop in a year-round in about 2008. It was nonstop, and some weeks were worse than others. Some of the darkest times I battled with suicidal ideations. In fact, those go back to grade four, where I first tried to take my life by suicide. And fortunately, I'm still here. In 2012 it got really bad for me, and those ideations came back again, and I had to pull over to the side of road, while I was traveling between two different cities, and call for help. I didn't realize that I had a clinical depression, until actually I took our Mental Health First Aid course, about five years ago, or four years ago. The irony of this all is I'm married to a former therapist, and three of my friends out of the top four are therapists. And so, they've known this for a long, long time. But like they said to me, you know, you weren't ready to hear it. And so when you're not ready to hear you just shut everything down. So that was kind of ironic the way it came about. I also have an anxiety disorder that I believe just comes from my being an infant... I was adopted... and at an early age I spent my first number of months going between wet nurse to wet nurse. And one particular time I was dropped on my head on the cement sidewalk, and that just changed my brain, physiologically, from that day forward. I didn't know that was an issue, until like I said, about 15 years ago when I was in therapy, and it was brought up as something that that's actually a big impact. And then into early childhood, my attachment issues that come from the adoption, like abandonment, emotional depravations, where the need to feel loved, significant, valued, like us all. But that just added to the anxiety part of it. In the early school years, I was bullied horribly physically because I was adopted. We're from a low-end family, and I was really the runt of the school. And emotionally, for sure, the bullying continued where, you know, I was always picked last or assigned to a group, which is even worse, because no one would pick you. And then it increased into high school where I was routinely held down by a group of guys that were popular, and jocks, and in woodwork shop, for at least by Grade 10 year anyways, and pinned to a table at some point during the class and they poured linseed oil down my throat until I threw up. Then I was sent to the principal's office because I was the troublemaker. And then it just continued on like that throughout high school and I even had a cancer scare. And so, I developed a phobia of death, which added to my anxiety. And then to my adult years was just even harder, in the sense that I made these vows that I would never, ever get rejected or bullied again, which, if you look at life, those are ridiculous, right? Because it happens every time we turn around. But those vows actually turned into my curses, and my default setting... my racket as a human being, I like to call it... is to get big, loud, critical, and overwhelm people. You know, in the midst of that, I developed panic attacks, too. And they started back in 1999. And I occasionally still have them. Last one happened to me was in Costco. And all that to say, though those are my issues, I've learned how to manage them much more effectively now that I know what they are, and how I function inside of them, and how I function with them. I've had a lot of therapy in the last number of years, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, to look at my attachment issues, my anxiety and panic attacks, and ways to deal with that neurofeedback, which is a recalibrating of your brain, Alpha-Stim, which was a big step in adding to my Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I've taken a lot of education and emotional intelligence in why I do the things I do. And then type theory, understanding my personality type. There's been this very robust sort of knowledge that I've gained once I understood what was in front of me. That's kind of my story. I don't think they'll ever go away... I don't expect them to. But that's not the issue. For me, the issue is, how do I function with them? They're part of my life, and they are who they are, and I am who I am. So, how do I learn how to manage them? That really is the issue, not hoping and wishing they would go away, because that's probably not going to help. JO 12:37 Thank you so much for sharing so many very personal experiences. Quentin. One of the things I'm learning through this podcast is just how resilient people can be. And those stories of resilience, and your particular story of resilience, are not only so informative, but inspiring. And people like yourself, they tend to take what they've learned about themselves, and then move that into an area where they can help other people who have similar challenges. I'd like to know, how has your personal experience helped you better understand and serve CLAC members who are struggling? QUENTIN 13:24 That's a great question. Well, let me start with this. One in five Canadians live with a mental health issue... and that figure only actually includes people seeking treatment. And you know what Joanne, I would say the last three years in my classes, it's more like one in three… it's not one in five, I think it's more like one in three. But that's just from what I've seen. And almost 50% of people will develop a mental health illness in their lifetime. Psychological health problems and the illnesses are the number one cause of disability in Canada, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety in 2016 survey. The Mental Health Commission of Canada, as well as the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, report that one in five workers experience fatigue, sleeping problems, headaches, and anxiety, and 23% of workers experienced physical health problems caused by stress, anxiety, or major depression, and 20% of all sick leaves are related to mental health. So, nationally, in Canada, an estimated 35 million workdays are lost to mental health conditions amongst our 10 million plus workers. That's astonishing. So, it's not fake. It's real. JO 14:34 Well, not only that, but also the impact on our economy. They say that the impacts of mental health on our economy are at least $55 billion a year. And by the year 2030, or 40, I believe, they expect it to be more than $300 billion a year. QUENTIN 14:55 Yeah... so it's not going away. So, because it's not going away, then my next thing is… it's about promotion. And what I like to say in my discourse with people, whether it's the workplace or wherever else... and what I actually alluded to earlier.... that it's entirely possible to be diagnosed with a serious illness or disorder, and then learn to live with your life, coping well with it and have a positive mental health about it. So, my mental health issues, like I said, might never go away, but it's how I learn to manage them that can make all the difference in terms of a person's resilience. JO 15:26 How has your personal experience helped you serve your members better? QUENTIN 15:32 I just teach them what I know. The reality is that it's a part of my personal mission in life to educate others of the prominence and importance of addressing mental health issues, not just in our society, but in our workplaces... in providing them with the skills and tools necessary in the way that I can, because I got to stay in my lane. I'm not a professional therapist, or a doctor, but I have a lane. And my lane is to be able to help our workers in our workplaces recognize the changes, or possible signs, of the decline of mental health, well-being in their selves first, and then maybe others around them. And then to assist those who might be in a mental health crisis by offering the proper comfort and support. And that's a key. And then probably one of the biggest things outside of that... and connected to this, and sort of the driver of it... is helping reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health in our society and workplaces. And it's there, and it's big. JO 16:29 Thanks, Quentin... we'll dig deeper into that a little later, but now let's bring Trevor from AECOM into the conversation. AECOM is an award-winning infrastructure consulting firm of planners, designers, engineers, consultants, and construction managers. Its Energy Operations & Maintenance Division provides best-in-class maintenance, turnarounds, construction, and fabrication services to North American oil, gas, and chemical industries. Hello, Trevor, and thanks so much for being here. TREVER 17:04 Thanks a lot, Jo. I'm very excited to be part of this conversation with you and with Quentin. Just a side note... Quentin has become probably one of my biggest mentors in the last year-and-a-half. His attitude towards mental health and the way he opens up people is just huge for me. So, thanks again. JO 17:20 You are a site safety lead for AECOM, which is an international engineering firm... which I mentioned earlier. Can you tell us a little bit about your work? TREVER 17:32 I'm a safety professional here at Joffre NOVA Chemicals. We're about half-an-hour from Lacombe, [Alberta]. We deal with a lot of different trades out here... we've got pipe fitters, iron workers, electricians. And then we have a couple of CLAC groups with our insulators and scaffolders. We have a multiple trade group that does a lot of projects on site, deals with a lot of different, stressful environments... a lot of stuff that can go wrong, day to day. People is a key to our industry. Having people fit for duty, making sure that they're healthy, when it comes to the physical and mental state of their body and their mind, is so important to us. It's really changed I think, too, in the last couple of years of how we support people. We look at them in a different way. And I really put a lot of the onus onto the Mental Health First Aid course that we started two years ago that really changed the way we look at [being] fit for duty. JO 18:22 I understand that AECOM is zealous in its approach to optimizing mental health for its 47,000 workers around the world. What does that look like from your perspective, as the site safety lead in Lacombe? TREVER 18:39 Whatever safety I can give to somebody... when it's procedures, policies, site safety rules... if they're not fit for duty, and they're not healthy to come in, we can achieve that. We just had a milestone last week Wednesday, we've done a full year without any incidents, no injuries, no first aids. And through a time of COVID, it's a huge announcement... it's exciting to have that happen on our site. We've had so much diversity, so much isolation, where people come to work, go home, go to grocery store, go to the mall... there's not much left to do outside of that. We've really tried hard to make sure that people still feel that they're getting that support. Digging deeper… when you see someone who looks off, or just isn't firing on all cylinders, so to speak, that's such an important thing that we don't just push them off or put them in a corner. I like to talk to individuals and find out how they're made inside, and what they like and dislike... how they're wired. Every individual is created in a special unique way, and that's the message I give in every orientation. So, of course the safety guy sits there and 90% of people think the safety guy is just going to pump safety and policies and procedures. But the first interaction I get with every worker... if it's a subcontractor or it's an AECOM person on site... is just that individuality of each person, so we understand that we build that relationship right from the ground level... so they feel that respect built right away, they feel that connection built right away. So, you start that relationship. My safety director, Dale Hartery, he always talks about hand on shoulder... that's one of his favorite lines. That's something I really try to show to people when they come in, it's very clear in our company to see that right from our VP, down to all our corporate, our site managers, and all our safety that work in the service industry. One of the biggest things we use is our human performance tools, that gives them the tools to see obvious things that can cause things to go better, to help them slow down. It gives them triggers to do what's right and not be rushing, not be causing something to cause an accident or an incident on site. We give them the tools that we put in front of them, the traps too, that could cause things to go wrong. So, we make it very clear, you know what, these are common things, stuff that cause problem, but it gives them that opportunity to see what's right. And then of course, we have all the different organizations in our company, through HR, through Morneau Shepell, through the counseling groups, that we can help them to treat anything that's going on. It's not just the physical things that go wrong. It's more the internal, the mental stuff, the mental health issues that people have, that now we can put them into the right place to get that help and get treatment. And I like what Quentin said earlier, a lot of things that we deal with in life, if it's a mental health issue, they don't go away. We need to treat them and figure out a way to manage them. And I think AECOM is getting way better at managing this part of mental health and being able to deal with it. JO 21:36 That's amazing. Trevor, you too have a personal story with mental health challenges. Can you share your story? TREVER 21:43 AbsoluteIy. Mental health challenges, feel like it's part of who you are. It's part of your fiber of your being. And sometimes it's so embedded, you don't know what it is. I grew up on a mixed farm Saskatchewan, had seven siblings, and we all had a part to play on the farm. When I was about 11 years old, my brother Emile, who was 18, passed away from cystic fibrosis. He was born with this disease, and it goes after your digestive and you're breathing. When he passed away, I had to grow up in a big hurry, and I was by no means ready for it at that time. And now I had to take over responsibility for the farm, I was the next person up to do the work and didn't really understand why. Wasn't a lot explained to me why I needed to step up. My dad wasn't very understanding with this specific issue and didn't have time for me to make mistakes along the way. After about five years of trying to figure out where I belonged, I ended up quitting school and moving out... basically running away. We never talked about things at home when it came to how we were feeling or going through. Usually there was a lot of hollering with teaching... very physical aspects to life. There was no point to make mistakes, I guess. When you made mistakes that wasn't looked on as a learning experience. When I can look back on things now, my mental health, my own issues were never dealt with. It was embedded so deep inside me that I never got a chance to talk to anybody about it, And I thought that was a dark part of my life that I didn't dare bring up. My opinion of mental health at that time was someone who was born with the physical disorder. You talk about stigma! To me, mental health wasn't something that you could even have in everyday life. It wasn't something you could deal with. And, in my opinion, it couldn't be corrected or dealt with. This was a huge stigma. I went to drinking and smoking fairly heavy, and at 14 basically became an alcoholic. I didn't know how else to deal with what was going on inside, didn't feel like it was going good enough for my own family, and really struggled for the next seven to eight years with where I belonged and what I should be doing. Feeling like I wasn't good enough really drove me to always try and be the best at anything I tried to accomplish, and not in a good way. I would go on to different jobs and different work jobs, and if I would learn a task, or a school, I would drive until I could be better than anybody on that site. Failure, when I did make a mistake, wasn't a learning experience. So, it basically crushed me. So went from getting into drinking and heavy smoking, into basically working every second of my life. I felt the more I could work, the better I would feel and wouldn't have to deal with those internal mental health embedded hurts and hang-ups which were just always there gnawing at me. I had a son at the age of 19. We were both in the party scene and didn't want to grow up and take care of responsibility. We got married before the baby was born and I ended up working away, of course... workaholic... work before anything else, and she got into an affair and left me basically a year after the baby was a year old. After a couple of years of back and forth with our son trying to figure out where we could be in life... again, I was working like crazy because I thought that was the way to fix everything. I met a great young lady who had her life together. She was beautiful and really smart young lady who was going to college at the time, taking care of her two young boys. The moment we went on a blind date, set up by one of our cousins, I stopped smoking and drinking all the same night... so I got rid of something that was really causing a problem. This felt like the right thing to do. A year later we were married. As soon as we started out, my mom started to dictate how we lived and especially picked on my new wife, Cindy... on how she was doing everything completely wrong. My old hurts and hang-ups kicked in, and I went straight back into a workaholic... the stress of life knocked me down again. And I hadn't figured out a way to deal with my own mental health, and didn't dare talk to Cindy about it because, again, this was something that I thought you didn't dare bring out... you didn't talk about. And the stigma to me was, this has no value, I've got to somehow bury that and move on. Cindy and I now have been married for 24 years, and it's because of her love and patience and perseverance that have taken us this far. And I have to say very clearly, a year-and-a-half ago, when I went through this Mental Health {First Aid] course, there was so many things that opened my eyes to my own mental health issues that I dealt with. And Cindy and I... she's had an opportunity to see a part of me 23 years after we were married that she'd never seen before. The vulnerability that I've been able to bring to her has changed our marriage. And by no means is it 100%... there's still lots it has to be dealt with, but it's amazing. And what I've gone through in my life, I turned 50 this year, so I'm not quite caught up to Quentin yet, but passion for mental health and people, who I rub shoulders with every day, so not just at work... works very important... but anywhere I go. So, through COVID a big thing I always tried to do if I was out shopping, I keep my eyes up and I try to get eye contact. And if you just say, "Hello, how's it going?" You could just feel that isolation and the hurts of people. We couldn't rub shoulders. We can't hug anymore. We can't shake hands. But man, whatever I could do to show people that you care, and the expressions and the excitement, sometimes in people's voice to get that interaction was just amazing. JO 26:49 You both exemplify the power of vulnerability with the stories that you've shared. Quentin, first, when you're dealing with people in your union who are struggling with mental health challenges, do you share your story? And if so, how does that help those people? QUENTIN 27:09 It's funny that you should say that because when I first started mental health courses, teaching them, I was with a very good friend and colleague at the time, Dave Phillips, who is a family therapist for 30 years. My wife actually worked underneath him in Abbotsford. I remember getting into the weeds of it the very first time and feeling very nervous, because the initial platform was to our entire staff. And I'm about to open my life up in front of my colleagues, which means... and again, attached to stigma... what are they going to think? Here's a guy who's like completely unstable, and should we actually think about promoting him? Or should keep an eye on him? Or maybe we should send someone to visit all these things that kind of going through my brain. And so, the very first course I did, after we were debriefing, Dave just said to me, "Quentin, you got to jump in with both feet, man." I said, "Dave, you know my story, we're very good friends, and I'm not comfortable. What will people think?" He's like, "What have you got to lose? We're not just talking about you, we're talking about other people, and they can learn from your narrative." Your narrative is nothing to run from. It's everything for you to embrace and walk into. I do that... I am not afraid of speaking my story. I'm not afraid of saying I have clinical depression...that I have anxiety disorders... that I get panic attacks every so often. And sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind. Some days are better than others. Not every day is filled with rainbows and ponies. For me, it becomes very vital that the first sort of entry into mental health is me, at least telling my story when I'm given the opportunity to. And so, every class, I start with my story, and then I turn it over and say, "Why are you here?" Jo, you would not believe the reaction that people have, once you step into that arena and say it's okay to tell me and to tell us, and for you to vocalize who you really are, and where you're really at. And it's amazing. There are people in there that in my 23 classes across the last number of years who have said to me, "I'm going to say something I've never said... I have bipolar." Or, "I live with schizophrenia." That's the first words out of their mouth. I'm telling you right now, Jo, there was a time, and not too long ago, where that was never your entering comment. And so, at the workplace, do the same thing... exactly what Trevor does. I try to maintain eye contact, and I know I can feel it when something's off. I don't necessarily ask a lot of questions, but I do take the opportunity to talk about, "Man looks like you guys got a pretty difficult job here. That must be really wearing on the brain. I know what it would do for me." I think those type of things, just to recognize what they're experiencing and what they're feeling. For me, it's an essential critical step. If you don't have that step, if I'm not sharing my story, my narrative... and my narrative doesn't have to work for everyone, it's not about everyone, it's about me.... but when I do that, it changes the environment. It lightens the air, and it allows people the permission to say, "You know what, things aren't really great... haven't been for a while. Here's what I'm dealing with." JO 30:27 What it does is it really engages people emotionally. And that's where things really start to happen. A personal example of mine is, when I was initially fundraising for the HEADS UP program, I would talk to people about what the program was and what our objectives were, and what our plans were. But when I shared my story of chronic anxiety... and like you, I have an anxiety disorder... when I share that story, people would lean into me. I could see their body language change and their interest in what I was talking about, just increase exponentially. I agree that that vulnerability is so critical. Trevor, how have you found the use of vulnerability to either help or hinder your work? TREVER 31:23 So, first off, when I did this course with Quentin, and I've been in safety now for seven years, but we did this course a year-and-a-half ago, we sat down at the course, I'll be very honest, I was pretty nervous. I was a little stressed about where's this was going to go. I've never gone through that before. Like Quentin said, he tells a story right from the beginning. It's like it knocks your socks right off. And everybody in the room, their eyes are wide open, and they want to speak, it just opens the room. He's not asking them to speak, he's not telling them to speak. People want to tell him their story and open up. The vulnerability he gives to people… it's such a huge reaction. And I've been involved now with two of his courses, we did that one and three of us from our site went. And then we had a full course here on site with a very mixed group. And it's a true story. Like he says, it's real life. This is real, this isn't something made up. And people, just they want to tell their story. I had so many texts and phone calls that da, ye did it here on site, they couldn't believe that this is actually something that was happening. It opened up such a new part to our site that we've never had before. And it's still there. After COVID, we've had trouble getting training back, but it's slowly coming again. But for me, on a daily basis, this year not as much because we're a lot slower. But in 2019, we had 200 people on site, and almost on a daily basis people would come down and sit in my office, and some would be in tears when they show up... some would be having stresses going on. They would say, "You know what... this is what's going on in my life... this is what's happening at home... this is what's happened to me... my wife isn't doing good... my wife got cancer... I had a family member pass away." And they understand that because I've opened up with my story, what's going on in my life, that they can come to me and say, "Hey, this is what's going on." And they feel like I'm going to be able to either direct them, or just listen to what they have to say. And it completes them for that day. And either I give them the right that they should go home, or they should take a break. It's just that conversation. I don't tell them it's okay. But they have that feeling that now I've been able to open up. And it's part of a treatment that they feel good about, hey, somebody listened. I'm by no means a counselor. But that feeling they get when they leave, it is really good. JO 33:35 They feel they're not alone. And I think that's huge. And particularly during the time of COVID when people are feeling so isolated, people are feeling lonely. That sharing of stories and emotions, and solutions, and all of that great stuff becomes an antidote for isolation and loneliness. And people just realize that they're not alone. TREVER 34:04 I know when COVID hit last year, we had a quite a big group on site. And, of course, we had the COVID payments come from the government, and it was quite a disaster to start off. And I became an in-between person working with HR and payroll, trying to get these ROEs done and trying to get people paid. And some of them it took sometimes a month to almost a month-and-a-half to get there first cheque. And the stress that was caused by that was something we haven't seen for a long time because it happened so quick. The government wasn't ready. And there was a lot of dotted I's and crossed T's that weren't done. So, it took a long time to get people the right help they needed, just financially. So, to be part of that really helped to build a lot more relationships and build a lot more respect for people to be part of that. Again, it had to do with financial, but sometimes they'd be on the phone for 45 minutes just talking to somebody, just taking the time to listen and see what I could to just support that person, and it built again relationships. To me, really, relationship is so important with any mental health issues people are having, because then they feel comfortable to be vulnerable. It's just such a big key. QUENTIN 35:08 Not only that, but going, hey, you know what, no matter what the issue is, not only are there resources, but I can have a preferred future. I don't have to live under the weight of this. I can learn it is manageable. And for some disorders, some mental health issues are harder than others, you can live with them. And there's many examples out there of normal people living with significant issues, learning to manage them, and having good mental health, even though they have a significant mental health issue. JO 35:40 That's just such a good point, Quentin. And I know that, Trevor, you mentioned earlier about how every one of us is unique. And that's why every one of us needs to have a very special management plan. And for me, that includes medication, getting good sleep, good nutrition, regular exercise, support from my family, and my friends. As this unfolds in front of you, you will learn what those management strategies are for yourself. QUENTIN 35:56 And some work better for others. For me, I check all those boxes off too, Jo, maybe in different ways, but those are the boxes that I use as well. What's comforting is to know that there are resources, and that there is a way through these weeds, and that's a God send. When somebody in front of me not only feels comfortable telling me their story about issues they're dealing with, but also how they're dealing with it, that goes a long ways. TREVER 36:43 I understand that there's treatment, I think when that's the key. When you bring on the course, yes, now they have a mental health issue that they've been dealing with their whole life, or it's just come to light, like you said. Now it's out there, but all of a sudden, there's a way to treat this that they never knew was possible before. It's not just being open and vulnerable, but going through whatever avenue we can give them to get that treatment and living a normal life, still having that mental health issue. We talked about Speak Up when it came to mental health, quite a few years ago, and it was so short lived, that there wasn't really any help for it that we could see. And now, with this Mental Health First Aid course that we do, that you've been running for the last year-and-a-half, the treatment is there. We're treating this Mental Health First Aid course just like first aid when it comes to physical injury or when you're born with something that's physical. Stigma, we talk about. We take that away now and say, "You know what, it's no different than going to the doctor when you have cancer, or you've got anything that you have to deal with through life." At certain ages, as men, we've got to go ahead and get tested to make sure we don't have cancer for colon, all these different wonderful fun things we get done. But that's part of life on the physical side. Now we show up and say, "Hey, mental health is the same way. We've got to treat it just like physical illness or injury." And we can live life healthy, dealing with and treating our mental health. And I think that's something when we did these courses, people came out of it, looking at it saying, "Wait a minute, this isn't just some dark thing that we have to hide and put in the past. It's something we need to bring out and talk to people about to help them." But then we can treat this because it's a condition. It's real. It's a fibre of our being. We are born this way, or something pushed us that way. But it's part of our life. I think that's the exciting part of bringing mental health out the open is the treatment side of it. Because now we can help people. And because they have this mental health issue doesn't mean they can't live a healthy life, a good life, and be involved and do all the normal things that everybody else is doing, because we can take care of that. I'm so excited about the learnings I have for mental health. QUENTIN 38:42 There's no discrimination with mental health. It doesn't care who you are. It doesn't care how your status... doesn't care about your sexuality. It doesn't care about your worldview. It doesn't care about your ethnicity. It doesn't care about your social or economical background. It doesn't care, your gender, your religion, it really doesn't. There's no discriminatory pieces to this. It goes after everyone. It's a predator. It's a predator, though, that we not only know more about than ever before, but we're naming it more than we ever have. And we're calling it out. And we're saying, "Enough is enough. You've wreaked havoc long enough. And this is where I draw the line." And we can help people draw the line and go, "That's it." It's like Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings, when he's being chased by the fire demon, and he's across this bridge and he slams down his staff and he says, "You shall not pass." That's the picture of a resilient person who understands the issues, who has the resources and support and goes, "That's it. You have a corner… you stay in that room. That's all I'm giving you. You do not have access to the rest of my life, the way that you have in the past. I am the one, you are not." If we can deliver that, however it is that we do, not only will our workplaces transform, but our families, our relationships, our community, and most of all, with ourself... empathy for self, love for self, compassion for self. When we make those things available to us, even with significant mental health issues... that it's not a character defect, that it's not a problem with whatever it is with me, that there's nothing wrong with me... but when I can actually give myself the permission to feel those things and to accept those things, that is then much easier to give out. JO 40:39 Wonderful input, thank you. I'd just like to step back for a minute. Quentin, in the union environment, how has people's interest in, and response to, mental health challenges changed over the years you've been doing this work? QUENTIN 40:57 Trevor and AECOM is a classic example. It's the acknowledgement that there's been this increased level of acceptance that mental health issues are real and common, and they're here to stay. And then it's a subject that's influenced lawmakers, HR departments, policies, lunchrooms. It's not as demonized as it used to be, the ones we shall not speak of, that's gone. That kind of mentality is making a quick exit, and it's increased the resources around us to assist people. Those are probably the top markers. JO 41:33 You both mentioned stigma... and you really can't talk about mental health without discussing stigma. So, Quentin, I'm really interested to know how stigma manifests in your members' work environments. Nowadays, I know that great progress is being made, but what are you noticing that still has to be dealt with? QUENTIN 41:57 Let me back it up for a second and just set this as the foundation. The Mental Health Commission of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety report that, nationally, an estimated, like I said... 35, and I refer to this early because it's really important... 35 million workdays are lost to mental health conditions amongst our 10 million plus workers. So, it's an estimated cost to Canadian employers of $51 billion [annually]. And like you said, Jo, it's going to just catapult after that. But this is the cost of direct services and loss of productivity. So, that's the stage it's on. What are the manifestations? Here's the ones that are most prominent, from my experience of what I've seen, is that there's this sort of denial and apathy... that, "I don't have an issue. It's not that big. Like, for years I didn't know I actually had an issue, or issues." I think language, there's stigmatizing words and ideas and statements and stereotypes and categorizations and interactions based on ignorance and insensitivity. Those are the two things... either you know, and don't care, or you don't know, at all. Not just language, but I just think of fear in general, that we fear what we don't know or what we don't understand.... ones we do not speak of. I think there's fear of repercussions. Actually, the Conference Board of Canada said that 65% of Canadian workers in the survey said they would not disclose a mental health problem to their employer for fear of repercussions, which could look like job loss or lack of promotion, or keeping an eye on somebody, you know, that little extra because you just in case they snap, or discrimination. A Health Canada survey said that 54% of people reported facing discrimination for their mental problems in the workplace. This is all workplace related. There's embarrassment and shame. [In the] Health Canada survey, 54% of respondents who met the criteria of anxiety-related disorders or mood-related disorders, or substance dependence, felt embarrassed about their mental health problems. And then there's a kind of dismissal. I found this astonishing when I came across this, but according to Benefits Canada, there's a survey that was done based on malingering rates in Canada's workplaces, which means you're faking it or exaggerating your issue, your workplace-related health issue. So, the national board for psychological safety in the workplace, they approximate that the malingering rate in Canada workplaces is about 15%, which means, Jo and Trevor, that 85% of the people that are expressing health-related or mental health-related issues are in fact not faking it. It's real. That's significant. But stigma goes, "There's Johnny again, got to pull the slack because he's got an anxiety disorder. Really, what it's code for is he just wants more time off." JO 44:53 So, before we go into how we're going to actually tackle these stigma-related issues, I just want to chime in with you, Trevor, about stigma within the energy industry. And I may be assuming too much, but it would seem to me that that's likely a male-dominated industry. And men in particular, have a hard time expressing their feelings. And perhaps there's the macho thing going on. Can you tell us about that? TREVER 45:28 Absolutely. I think that's a key thing. In oil and gas, especially in construction, it is still mainly men dominated. It's changed a lot in the last couple of years... you see a lot more women in this culture, in this industry... but it is still a lot of men. And I think, as men, we don't want to talk about this stuff. And we really single people out, we build even on a whole crew. You'll go into the lunchroom. and, you know, these guys work together, and all of a sudden Johnny's sitting over there, he's by himself, and yet he's a good worker out there. But there's something different about him that everybody has pushed him out. Or he does have anxiety issues, or things like that, that are slowing him down and he can't keep up with a group. And you see those guys singled out. And it's so important that when that happens for me, especially when I've been in safety, because I have this opportunity now to do that. Those are the people that I warm up to... those are the people that I want to find out their story. I don't want to use that to beat up the other crew. But I want to find out how I can start to deal with this, make it more open. So, everybody sees, you know what, there's nothing wrong with this person. They've got something they're dealing with, but you guys have to accept them for who they are. QUENTIN 46:35 It's really been helped out in the workplace... guys like Trevor and their companies and HR departments and management. There's lots of government legislation out there that helped minimize it in the sense that there's laws that govern the physical safety of the workplace. Those same laws also govern the mental health safety of each worker in their respective workplaces. Some of that stuff comes with other fines, or it could even include jail time. It's serious. We're not just making this up. There's laws that are helping us work through this issue. And like Trevor said, the idea that AECOM is actually celebrating it, normalizing it as a way that can help minimize stigma. Stigma is never going to go away, but the onslaught of further education continues to say, "Here's what's really going on. You break the ice behind here and this is the thing." Part of education for some employers also includes discipline, for those people that continue to be offenders by using these kinds of silos and stigmatizing phrases and sort of nasty behavior. There's discipline in the workplace for that, which is also governed by legislation, that a lot of contracts have 'respect in the workplace' articles, and what that looks like. And if you don't toe the line, this is what you can expect. So, all those things, I think, do help minimize stigma. But like I said, with mental health issues, I don't think stigma will ever go away. We can get the upper hand on it, which is what AECOM is working towards, which is what I'm working towards, but will never completely defeat it. It'll still be there to some extent because we're people, and it's a people thing, it's not some nebulous force. It's something that's part of who we are, unfortunately. JO 48:18 We heard from Trudy and Lisa earlier about key components of mentally healthy workplaces. And there were four primary ones. And this is where we bring part two of this episode into alignment with part one, we're going to talk about those four components... leadership, culture, peer support and training. Starting with leadership, Quentin, how does good leadership set the stage for a mentally healthy workplace? QUENTIN 48:54 Buy-in at all levels. So, from the owner, to the manager, to the workers themselves, you have to have that buy-in. It starts with the owner. It starts with the CEO. It starts with whoever's at the top. If they own it, it's disseminated much better than if it's not. Proactive HR departments where they make progressive workplace policies, on things like bullying, harassment, or zero-tolerance policies... on behaviors that would stigmatize the workplace and its employees. There's occupational health and safety committees... them using their platform to make mental health an actual regular agenda item for the promotion, or the education, of mental health. And it's awareness. Things like celebrating Mental Health Day. There's the education thing like 'mental health first date' as Trevor's attested to a number of times. It's a powerful, powerful thing for education in the workplace. Education on what is bullying. I'm doing actually a course a couple of weeks from now talking about what is bullying and harassment in the workplace, and what it's not. Respect in the workplace is along the same kind of lines... respect for each other. And on site, companies that take toolboxes, they do their toolbox in the morning just to brief everybody. But some of those toolboxes now are starting to add in Mental Health Moments. That's another great place. And of course, I'm an advocate of proper discipline in the workplace. And what I mean by proper discipline is not just the discipline that's rendered, but it's how they arrive at what discipline we rendered. For instance, I've been advocating into our companies... to our signatories and HR departments... listen, you need to be adding mental health as part of the framing of your investigation. In other words, "Is there a potential mental health issue at play that we need to consider as a factor?" I can remember dealing with a health care unit... a company... and this person had patterns in absenteeism around Christmas for the last three years. This is a number of years ago, going back a number of years ago. And I asked the HR department, the directors, "Have you ever asked this individual why that is? Because you've made a bunch of assumptions here. And maybe there's something going on that we're not aware of?" They said, "I don't think that's my place." I said, "It is absolutely your place to ask." It's the same thing as if you suspect one of your employees might have an addiction to alcohol, you have to ask the questions… "Do you have a problem? Are you in need of assistance?”... these types of things. And I just said, “Listen, do you mind if I approach the individual and ask them?" And so, I did. And I said, "Hey, listen, I just came out of a meeting. They're concerned about this timeframe... every year for the last three years you take it off, or you don't bother phoning in, and then you just go to kind of AWOL." I said, "If there's something going on, that would help me explain the situation to them, that we might be able to reconcile this in a different way than just discipline. And this lady told me that, "Yeah, I'll tell you what it is... I have an anxiety disorder, and it peaks. And it started three years ago, when my aunt and my niece were coming to visit me, and they went through Rogers Pass and got in a head on, and both died instantly on impact. So, every year, the week before Christmas, my brain shuts down, and I can't handle it." I said, "Do you mind if I share this with the HR department, because this is significant, and we can get you help." Long story short, went in there and said, here's the reason. And what we ended up doing is that we're not going to discipline her, what we're going to do is you're going to give her a hall pass for the next couple of years. “We're going to give you the time off, just let us know if you need it. But we'll just make sure that you're off the schedule, so that you can work through this issue, not worrying about leaving us behind.” And within that two years, we also got her some help dealing with a cognitive behavioral therapist about her anxiety disorder around it. You know what, two years later, different lady and learning how to manage it. And now it's like, every so often, every Christmas since then, maybe a day, if that at all, couple days, but a significant difference. That's what I'm talking about. That's very, very helpful. Or including mental health days as part of the definition of sick days. That's an important piece to put in there. And of course, I think, personally speaking, that the inclusion of personal days, either paid or unpaid, preferably paid into the collective agreement, covering off mental health days, including mental health days, like I said, as definitions of sick days. I think that's huge. I am a big advocate of that. JO 53:25 Trevor, what are AECOM leaders doing to build more mentally healthy environments for its workers? TREVER 53:33 I think a big thing with our leaders, for our VP Shawn Jubinville, he has made this such a big mission of his for the last two years to talk about mental health. So, it's coming down from above, to our corporate guys, to our site managers, to our project managers, to our directors. He is such a key part to our industry. And in that same breath, he's serving the people, coming to the same level so that servant leadership is so important, because then people feel like they can come to you. I've worked for a few different companies in my life, and usually a VP or a director, usually you feel like he's above you, he's so far away that you can't connect, or you can't contact him. When our VP comes to site, or he comes to talk to people, they feel open to talk to him. If they've got an issue, they want something resolved, they'll bring it up to him... he has such a good way to represent our company in that servant way. And it's so easy for me as a site safety, to serve the people here to show them that we want to take care of any mental health issues that come up. And Quentin talked about harassment, and people that get beat up, and we don't see it. They're getting harassed by words... are getting picked on. We've had quite a few different occasions on site where that came to my attention. And we do have the tools to discipline and deal with that very quickly, even quicker than sometimes an instant, because when it comes to harassment, and somebody is getting pushed to the side, getting bullied, we do not allow that. And you don't always get to see it right away, so that's where, when you come in as a servant, you come in at the same level as people, you don't come from above, it's easy for somebody to come over and say, "Trevor, this is what's going on, what do we do?"... because they're at a loss... they feel like they're up against the wall. We need to show anybody in our group that it's very important to speak up. JO 55:16 So, it looks like AECOM is doing a number of really incredible things to foster better mental health. What else could they be doing? You're down in the trenches doing this work every day. What else can they do to help in that move toward minimizing stigma and mental health issues? TREVER 55:38 I think a big thing is we just need to keep pushing and keep speaking up to make sure that our leadership hears that the sites need this. And the importance of it is the same as safety. It's the same as practices, procedures, all the stuff we deal with already this has to be pushed that same level. And I like what Quentin said, when it comes to benefits, we need to get sick days, we need to get things that support mental health, as well as they understand that this is something we need time to deal with. We need to pull away and take that break to recharge, reset, and get that special treatment. QUENTIN 56:10 If I'm an owner of a company and I have a problem with absenteeism, or even presenteeism, it's a lot more cost effective, to be honest, to provide that in a contract, than for people to take two three weeks off and collect either medical EI or short-term disability. The numbers make sense from a fiscal
Top stories today: The COVID-19 surge's impact on the ER We talk to a doctor who is head of the ER department at St. Paul's. What's it like for front line workers during this crazy surge of COVID-19 in BC? Rapid testing should be prioritized over closing businesses down Yesterday we heard news that WorkSafe BC can shut a business down in the event that they have 3 COVID exposures at one time. The CFIB does not like this plan, and they join us to tell you why. Teachers struggling once again It sounds like teachers and staff at schools cannot afford to catch a break during this pandemic. They feel like they've been left out to dry. Much more in the full episode! _____________ NAVIGATE THE PODCAST: Chapter 1 One man thinks we're headed down disaster territory, and is not pulling his punches That man is Amir Attaran, Professor of law and medicine at the University of Ottawa, who is wondering if the NDP has cracked? Chapter 2 Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, dead at 99 While it might not have come as a huge surprise, the world is still reacting to the death of Prince Philip. Chapter 3 CFIB not happy with the Province decision around closures. Has the NDP lost its nerve? We got word yesterday that the Province would shut down any businesses through WorkSafe BC when detecting 3 COVID exposures. Laura Jones, Executive Vice-President and Chief Strategic Officer of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, has a better idea. Chapter 4 The strain on frontline health workers during this COVID-19 surge Dr. Dan Kalla joins us to give us an inside look at what the current situation is like behind the scenes. Dr. Kalla is Head of the Emergency Department for St. Paul's and Mount Saint Joseph Hospitals Chapter 5 The situation in schools is dire once again for teachers Julie McRae, First Vice President, Surrey Teachers' Association, is urging for more measures to protect people in schools. And Patti Bacchus suggests that schools need to close if they can't be vaccinated quickly. Chapter 6 Analyzing our COVID response in relation to climate change It's easy to see that action on climate change has taken a backseat to our pandemic response. It's hard to argue that is the right decision. But what can we learn from this distinction? Chapter 7 DMX, iconic hip-hop legend, dead at 50 DMX has had a troubled past, to say the least. His first exposure to chronic drugs was at the age of 14. He's had numerous run ins with the law, but his legacy will forever live on in the rap world for better or worse. _____________ Remember to wash your hands, practice physical distancing, and stay home at all costs if you are sick. We're not out of the woods yet! The Lynda Steele Full Show podcast includes all the individual segments that can be found on the Lynda Steele Show page, digitally stitched together for your convenience. Listen live online at globalnews.ca/radio/cknw/ 3-6 PM!
We got word yesterday that the Province would shut down any businesses through WorkSafe BC when detecting 3 COVID exposures. Laura Jones, Executive Vice-President and Chief Strategic Officer of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, has a better idea.
Chapter 1: How effective are COVID-19 vaccines against the variant strains of the virus that are coming into Canada? That’s what the opposition in Ottawa is asking - on Friday morning they’ll be making their case for a full briefing from Health Canada officials. Guest: Abigail Bimman, Global National Ottawa Correspondent. Chapter 2: A massive transit funding announcement from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but how much of it will B-C get, and more importantly, WHEN. Guest: Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. Chapter 3: So there’s transit money on the table for B-C but we don’t know exactly how much we can count on for the SkyTrain extensions to Langley and UBC. Guest: Jonathan Cote, New West Mayor, Chair of Mayor’s Council. Chapter 4: We now know that over 600 cases of COVID-19 have been connected to Whistler since January 1st. With the long weekend approaching, health officials are imploring B-C residents to stay local, and resort communities are bracing for the worst. Guest: Michael J Ballingall, Senior Vice President at Big White Ski Resort. Chapter 5: WorkSafeBC did a big enforcement blitz over the weekend, they were checking in on whether local bars and pubs were following COVID-19 protocols for Super Bowl Sunday. Guest: Ian Tostenson, President/CEO BC Restaurant and Foodservices Chapter 6: Students living in residence at UBC are participating in a program that may be a test-run for rapid testing here in B-C. The participants will be tested one to three times per week from now until April 8, they expect to be doing over 200 of the tests every day. A number of industries have been calling on the provincial government to start using all the rapid tests from the federal government, especially when it comes to Long Term Care. Guest: Terry Lake, CEO of the BC Care Providers Association. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chapter 1 - More legal stunts out of the team behind President Donald Trump as he continues to refuse to concede last week's election. Joining us to talk about that as well as a RECOUNT in the state of Georgia. Guest: Reggie Cecchini, Global News Washington Correspondent. Chapter 2 - Overdose deaths continue to outpace deaths from COVID-19 and there are still tent cities in spite of efforts to house people evicted from parks in Vancouver and Victoria. Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps co-wrote a piece in the Vancouver Sun calling on the province to move more quickly, saying they need help in months, not years. Guest: Lisa Helps, Victoria Mayor. Chapter 3 - The Fraser Health Authority published some fascinating information the other day we should talk about. They took three cases of COVID-19 from the community, and without identifying the individuals, they showed exactly how that one person started a chain reaction. Guest: Niki Reitmayer, CKNW Mornings contributor Chapter 4 - The pandemic has forced a lot of people to rethink how they work and travel, and sometimes it’s an improvement. Some people love working from home! So what if there’s changes in the community like that we could make? Guest: Ian Gill, author and co-organizer Chapter 5 - We’ve been talking a lot about the restrictions on socializing that were introduced on the weekend, but enhanced safety inspections at various workplaces are getting underway as well. Guest: Al Johnson, head of Prevention Services at WorkSafeBC. Chapter 6 - Sony PS5 stock will be a nightmare with no in-store sales by design! Guest: Mike Agerbo, host of Get Connected. Chapter 7 - A new report suggests almost half of all Canadians intend to order food online at least once a week after the pandemic is over. Chapter 8 - BC is dangerous in the summer months when hikers can get lost or trapped, but the winter is when things can get really nasty. Dave Crompton survived an avalanche that killed a member of their party, and he’s partnered with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides to raise awareness about backcountry survival. Guest: Dave Crompton, avalanche survivor. Chapter 9 - We knew the pandemic would have a negative impact on kids but we’re finally getting a picture of what that looks like. Guest: Jen Barican, Research Manager for the Children's Mental Health Research Quarterly. Guest: Dr. Charlotte Waddell, Director of the Children’s Health Policy Centre in the Faculty of Health Sciences at SFU. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fatigue has huge impact on QOL. Seems we all cut corners on sleep. WorkSafe BC researcher and specialist Heather Kahle talks about the potential for injury, the threat to others, the impact in the workplace and even effects on the commute. The signs of fatigue are not always so easy to read and often are recognized too late. Listen along to learn more about the effects of COVID on the quality and quantity of sleep we need to be functional and have an enjoyment of life.
Fatigue has huge impact on QOL. Seems we all cut corners on sleep. WorkSafe BC researcher and specialist Heather Kahle talks about the potential for injury, the threat to others, the impact in the workplace and even effects on the commute. The signs of fatigue are not always so easy to read and often are recognized too late. Listen along to learn more about the effects of COVID on the quality and quantity of sleep we need to be functional and have an enjoyment of life.
New in this update:Premier John Horgan calls an electionBritish Columbians are going to the polls. Premier John Horgan has announced an election will be held on October the 24th. Advance Polls will open on October the 16. The next scheduled election is set for October of 2021. However, New Democrats hope a snap vote will turn the party's 41-seat minority government into at least a 44-seat majority. Horgan is currently enjoying a 70 per cent approval rating in the polls, but he insists the snap election is not about politics."I have grappled with this. We have significant challenges ahead on the health front, on the economic front, and what instability that brings to our communities and our social fabric. I believe the best way to get going on the work ahead, is to put the politics behind us. I cannot imagine twelve more months of bickering, twelve more months of not knowing whether a bill would pass the legislature because of uncertainty in numbers. I think the best way forward is to resolve that now. And that's why we're doing this."—Premier John Horgan.This will not be the first time in B.C. history that voters will go to the polls during a provincial state of emergency. An election was held under a provincial state of emergency in World War two.Worksafe BC is investigating complaints at two schoolsWorkSafe BC is investigating complaints by Nanaimo and Ladysmith teachers about unsafe working conditions at two schools. Teachers at Cilaire Elementary and Ladysmith Intermediate lodged complaints because neither school has a working ventilation system and smoky skies last week forced students to be in classrooms with closed windows all day. WorkSafe BC has told the district and the local teachers' association to begin a joint investigation with the goal of finding a solution. The School District has said it plans to install a new HVAC system in the schools within the next five years. Teachers expect the short term solution will be to purchase portable hepa filtration units.24/7 support coming to local ACT teamPeople living with severe mental health challenges in Nanaimo will now be able to access 24/7 community-based support. A new Assertive Community Treatment team will provide individualized support for adults with serious and often persistent mental health challenges that make it difficult to manage day-to-day activities. The Minister of Mental Health and Addictions says COVID-19 has made existing mental health struggles even worse so the new ACT team will be available 24/7 and can deliver services in any situation, ranging from clients homes, work places, parks or recreation locations. The MLA for Nanaimo, Sheila Malcolmson says, it means more people with serious mental health challenges will receive regular and consistent mental health support.
On this episode of the Construction Record Podcast digital media editor Warren Frey is joined by Journal of Commerce staff writer Russell Hixson and Daily Commercial News staff writer Angela Gismondi for a look at some of the big construction stories of the week, including a new study with several different proposals to extend rapid transit over or under the Burrard Inlet to connect Vancouver and North Vancouver. Warren also looks into a story he recently wrote about WorkSafeBC's recommendations for coping with unprecedented air quality issues in the Lower Mainland as wildfires from the U.S. blow smoke over the border and add to the health concerns of workers on sites already dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Angela also gives a few details about a story she's working on about an Etobicoke project designed and developed by an all-female team. Angela also has an interview with our own ConstructConnect economist Alex Carrick about the upcoming CanaData conference which will go virtual this year, spanning three days and touching on topics such as technology, demographics, the economy and the effect of COVID-19 on all these factors and the construction industry in general. Keep checking both the Journal of Commerce and the Daily Commercial News for coverage of the CanaData conference which goes from Sept 29. To Oct. 1. DCN-JOC News Services
In this episode of the Walter’s World Podcast, Walter will be speaking with Brett Kelly, former Lead Architect and Consultant at WorkSafe BC. Walter and Brett will be discussing Mainframe Modernization at WorkSafe BC!
New in this update:There are 90 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in BC over the past 24 hours and 2 more deaths. Both deaths are seniors who had been living on the lower mainland. There is one new case of the virus in Island Health. Over the past week, there have been 10 new cases confirmed in our region. All are considered community exposures which means, at this point, it is not known where the virus originated. However, health officials say they expect to find the source of the cases as their contact tracing investigations continue.BC's Minister of Public Safety says tougher fines and more enforcement are now in place, in an attempt to stop large public and private parties that have been the source of most new COVID-19 infections. Mike Farnworth says it's time to crack down on the small minority of people who are putting others health at risk. Party organizers will be fined $2000 dollars for gatherings of more than 50 people or for smaller gatherings if contact numbers are not collected and social distancing is not maintained. The same fine applies to people who host more than 5 guest at Air BnBs and other vacation rentals. Party goers who refuse to disperse and people who bully or abuse restaurant workers will be fined $200 dollars. Farnworth says he's empowering police, bylaw officers, and inspectors from provincial liquor, cannabis, community safety, gaming and Worksafe BC to levy fines."Stricter enforcement is necessary. The province is building a comprehensive and integrated compliance and enforcement regime to put a halt to bad actors in all corners in BC. This is an 'all hands on deck' approach."—Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor General, Mike Farnworth.However, neither RCMP nor local bylaw officials have been consulted about the plan and there is no word whether the province will compensate local governments for bylaw and police hours spent on enforcing public health orders.It appears retail stores across the country are bouncing back, according to new numbers released today by Statistics Canada. The Stats Can report says sales were up in all types of stores. The numbers show at the start of the pandemic, from February through April, retail sales fell by a third. Things began to improve in May and June with increases of 143 per cent in clothing stores, 70 per cent in home furnishings and 65 per cent at hobby, book and music stores, compared to the previous months. And, retailers are doing better now, than they were before the pandemic. In BC, sales in June of 2020 were close to two per cent higher than they were compared to June of 2019.
New in this update:The province will hit partiers where it hurts... in the pocketbook. The Minister of Public Safety has announced new fines for party organizers and party-goers who violate health orders on mass gatherings and social distancing. Party organizers can be fined $2000 for hosting a private party or public event in excess of 50 people, failing to provide hand sanitation and washrooms failing to ensure physical distancing, failing to obtain a list of names and contacts or having more than five guests gathered in a vacation accommodation. Partygoers can be fined $200 for refusing to leave a gathering or who bully or abuse restaurant staff who are trying to enforce COVID safety plans. Minister Mike Farnworth says it's time for a crackdown."There is a small minority of selfish individuals across the province who are disregarding the public health measures in place. Large house parties, unsanctioned events on our streets, on our beaches. Enough is enough."—Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth.Farnworth says along with police, the power to ticket will be given to municipal bylaw officers, conservation officers, and provincial liquor, cannabis, community safety unit, gaming and Worksafe BC inspectors. He says people who want to report a violation should call local bylaw first, then local police non-emergency lines.Although the new provincial fines are meant to flatten the curve that's been driven by large private gatherings, the source of COVID-19 transmissions in the Island Health region are a mystery. Currently, there are ten active cases of the virus in Island Health, which is considered low, all but one has been labelled a "community exposure." Those types of exposures are a concern because they are not linked to a known case, so the chain of transmission is unknown. However, BC's Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Reka Gustafson says she's not worried about the mysterious source of infection among the cases in Island Health."As the investigation proceeds, in the vast majority of cases, the source of the infection is identified. so we do monitor that and that number changes and often early in the investigation it's higher and as we speak to more contacts we have been able to identify the vast majority of the sources of infection"—Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Reka Gustafson.Gustafson says finding the sources of infection is important because it helps contain an outbreak by ensuring those who may be infected are self-isolating.
Chapter 1: Another day another development on the WE charity story out of Ottawa. Guest: Abigail Bimman, Global National Ottawa Correspondent. Chapter 2: We're seeing a really troubling spike in the number of cases of COVID-19 among young people. Guest: Art Poon, Associate Professor in Virus Evolution and Bioinformatics at Western University. Chapter 3: Look up into the night sky this evening and you may catch a glimpse of Comet NEOWISE. It may be your only chance to see it for the next 6-thousand 8-hundred years. Niki Reitmayer why this comet has so many stargazing and scientists talking. Chapter 4: We keep hearing about more cases of COVID-19 exposure in restaurants and bars, even though so many of them are bending over backwards to keep guests safe. Guest: Jeff Guignard, Alliance of Beverage Serving Licensees. Chapter 5: There's now over 60 cases of COVID-19 connected to exposures in Kelowna earlier this month. We're seeing some businesses in the community actually close their doors again, the last thing they want to be doing as the industry continues to struggle. Guest: Colin Basran, Kelowna Mayor Chapter 6: Everyone is still learning how to navigate reopening their industry and bars and restaurants have unfortunately found themselves in the spotlight. Ian Tostenson is the president and CEO of the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, he's on the line with us to talk about the challenges they're facing as we continue to see warnings about people getting exposed to the virus while they're out to eat. Guest: Ian Tostenson, President/CEO BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association. Chapter 7: Pay attention to this if you're someone hoping to visit a loved one in a care home. SafeCareBC is offering online orientation to help people become what they're calling “covid competent”. Guest: Jen Lyle, SafeCareBC CEO. Chapter 8: WorkSafeBC say they've found over 300 violations of safety plans in over 10,000 inspections. Guest: Al Johnson, head of Prevention Services at WorkSafeBC.
On BIV Today... In this week-long series, Business in Vancouver examines how businesses can prepare their workplaces properly to return, at how we maintain the trust relationship there and enhance resilience, and in the legal requirements of employers in this period. First in the series is Chris Back, the director of Occupational Health and Safety Consultation & Education Services, for WorkSafeBC. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chapter 1: In lieu of a budget, we're expecting a financial snapshot from the federal government later this morning, and it's not going to be pretty. Guest: Mercedes Stephenson, Global News Ottawa Bureau Chief. Chapter 2: First it was Brandi's...now it's the No. 5 Orange. Yet another Vancouver strip club has been linked to cases of COVID-19. Was allowing strip clubs to reopen a bad idea? Chapter 3: US President Donald Trump has made it no secret that he's not happy with the World Health Organization's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Well that came to a head yesterday when the United States announced they will officially leave the WHO, in spite of the fact they contribute almost a quarter of the organization's budget. Guest: Ophelia Michaelides, Manager of the Centre for Global Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Chapter 4: The Globe and Mail is reporting that federal finance minister Bill Morneau will announce a federal deficit of $300-billion today, so what does that mean? Guest: David Macdonald, Senior Ottawa Economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Chapter 5: We've heard these stories anecdotally for months. Frontline health workers who can't see their parents, their partners, or sometimes even their children. That's taking a huge toll and health experts are sounding the alarm. Guest: Fardous Hosseiny, Vice President of Research and Policy at the Centre of Excellence on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at the Royal Ottawa Hospital. Chapter 6: WorkSafeBC has released some of the results of their inspections that are meant to ensure businesses are complying with COVID-19 regulations. It's an encouraging picture overall, but there's still a few hundred cases where they reported needing to take some sort of action. Guest: Al Johnson, head of Prevention Services at WorkSafeBC. Chapter 7: Modernization by necessity! The province announced the launch of what they're calling a “BC virtual services card” yesterday,a new way for residents to access government services electronically. From student loans to your Canadian Revenue Agency account, it sounds like there's going to be a lot you can do online with this new tool. Joining us for more on what this is and how it works, we're joined by Minister of Citizens' Service, Anne Kang. Guest: Anne Kang, Minister of Citizens' Services, NDP MLA for Burnaby-Deer Lake.
WorkSafe BC and local health inspectors are being kept busy with establishments that are not following COVID-19 safety plans.A private seniors' care home that's being built in Duncan will not allow doctor-assisted deaths to take place in its facility.Port Hardy has become the latest community in B.C. to be registered as Bear Smart.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caFind us on social mediaTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.
Chapter 1: After three decades, the TV show ‘Cops' is officially being cancelled. Guest: Niki Reitmayer - CKNW Mornings contributor. Chapter 2: A case of COVID-19 in Manitoba has been traced to a long haul truck driver, and federal NDP member of parliament Don Davies is calling for the government to implement testing for drivers crossing the US Border. Guest: Dave Earle, BCTA President. Chapter 3: One of the looming questions as we approach Phase 3 of reopening is which industries WON'T come back? Guest: Andrew Petter, SFU President. Chapter 4: The first of the hybrid-electric vessels BC Ferries had delivered in January is going into service today! The Island Discovery will service the route between Texada Island and Powell River, the Island Aurora will enter service next week between Fort McNeill, Alert Bay, and Sointula Island. Guest: Deborah Marshall, BC Ferries spokesperson. Chapter 5: WorkSafe BC has released their guidelines for the film industry, so what will the next few months look like for them? Guest: Prem Gill, Creative BC CEO. Chapter 6: Staying healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone with a compromised immune system is at an increased risk when it comes to COVID-19, but research shows Canadians are consuming more alcohol, cannabis, and junk food since the pandemic began. Guest: Dr. Sandy Willis-Stewart from the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at UBC Okanagan.
Minister of Labour Harry Bains, and Al Johnson, Vice President of Prevention Services for WorkSafeBC answer questions from British Columbians about COVID-19 and safely re-starting BC's businesses. Hosted by: Janet Routledge, MLA for Burnaby NorthQuestions were submitted in advance (by noon on Thursday, May 21) at https://www.gov.bc.ca/covid19townhalls#COVID19 #ProvinceOfBC #COVIDhttps://www.worksafebc.com/en/about-u...Workers and employers with questions or concerns about workplace exposure to the COVID-19 virus can call WorkSafeBC’s Prevention Information Line at 604.276.3100 in the Lower Mainland (toll-free within B.C. at 1.888.621.SAFE). You’ll be able to speak to a prevention officer to get answers to your questions, and if required, a prevention officer will be assigned to assess the health and safety risk at your workplace.
Harry Bains, Minister of Labour, discusses recently released WorkSafeBC sector guidelines relating to BC's Restart Plan.#COVID19 #ProvinceOfBC #COVID
The Minister of Labour is promising a robust level of inspections, as businesses begin to reopen. Harry Bains says that's why his ministry has increased the number of inspectors and hotline advisors since mid-March. Bains says close to 9,000 inspectors have been conducted since the start of the pandemic. Starting now, inspections will be initiated by both complaints and by random visits to businesses in all sectors. Bains is confident that businesses and consumers are making themselves well aware of the WorkSafe BC guidelines. He says the WorkSafe guideline page has seen more than half a million visits since the guidelines were posted one week ago. The Minister and WorkSafe's head of prevention services will host a town hall meeting tonight to answer your questions. It starts at 7:15 p.m. on the provincial government's Facebook page.And on the subject of town halls, thousands of British Columbians tuned in and asked questions about reopening classrooms during one such meeting last night. There were just under 2000 questions and comments during the live broadcast. Many questions focused on how schools plan to keep COVID-19 from infecting students and teachers. The Minister of Education pointed to a comprehensive document that includes protocols for cleaning, class size and other environmental measures. It's on the government's COVID-19 website, by searching "Health and Safety Guidelines for K-12 setting. Rob Flemming says each district must submit its plan to the Ministry for approval before the end of May. The medical lead for the Provincial Health Officer says infection rates are low enough that experts believe schools will be very safe. Dr. Trevor Corneil says even if someone does become infected, health officers assigned to school districts and contact tracing teams are well set up to identify and contain the spread of the virus. The president of the BC School Trustees Association assured teachers they would not be burdened with more work or high risks. Stephanie Higginson says each district is mandated to work collaboratively to address work and health issues with teachers and staff.Graduating students wanted to know about celebrations and whether the disrupted year will affect applications to colleges and universities. Flemming says he's working with provincial post-secondary institutions to build flexibility into that process. The Minister hinted at a virtual grad celebration featuring some famous British Columbians. You can watch the 90-minute video of the meeting on the provincial government's Facebook page or Youtube channel.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.
Chapter 1: Inspiration turned to tragedy on Sunday just before noon when one of the Snowbirds aerobatics planes crashed in Kamloops. Guests: Matthew Fisher, military journalist and Global News Commentator Mercedes Stephenson, Global News Ottawa Bureau Chief. Kenny Hinds, witness to the crash, Kamloops resident. Mark Miller, aviation journalist. Chapter 2: Many businesses will have the option of reopening as British Columbia moves into Phase 2 of the COVID-19 recovery plan. WorksafeBC head of prevention services Al Johnson joins us now on what this will all look like. Guest: Al Johnson, head of prevention services at WorksafeBC. Chapter 3: Live sports are back! Golf, soccer, and Nascar were all on TV, but they sure looked different. We're joined by the host of the Sports Show on 680 CJOB in Winnipeg Christian Aumell. Guest: Christian Aumell, host of the Sports Show on 680 CJOB. Chapter 4: Can you believe - it's been 40 years since the eruption of Mount St Helens? Even though the volcano is in Washington, many Canadians will remember seeing ash fall across the country (even as far away as Manitoba). Niki Reitmayer spoke to Thomas Hinckley, Professor Emeritus with the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences at the University of Washington.
Students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 will be able to return to their classrooms starting June the 1st, but that return will be voluntary and part-time. The Minister of Education says the part-time plan is necessary, to ensure safe physical distancing in classrooms. Students in Kindergarten to grade five will receive two or three days of classroom instruction per week, and students from grades six to 12 will be in class one day per week. Rob Flemming says the rest of their learning will continue on line. Families that decide not to send their children to class may continue learning from home. And, children of essential service workers and students needing additional supports will have the option to attend school full time. Currently, close to 5000 children of essential service workers are already attending classes full time. However, the Minister had no information to offer families of non-essential workers who may have to return to full-time work themselves. The Minister of State for Childcare says childcare centres will not be forced to open to fill that gap.Starting Tuesday, all gyms, fitness centres, yoga studios and other personal training facilities will be allowed to re-open. Island Health will lift the region's health order that closed the facilities at the beginning of April. They will only be allowed to reopen if they develop a plan that can meet provincial requirements of the Provincial Health Office and WorkSafe BC to protect staff and clients against the spread of the virus.If you must travel on BC Ferries Southern Gulf Islands to Vancouver route this long weekend you will have to make a reservation, whether in a vehicle or as a foot passenger. The ferry corporation says many communities, including those on the Southern Gulf Islands, have asked travellers to stay away because of limited local supplies, healthcare equipment and resources. In order to maintain safe physical distancing, BC Ferries has cut in half, the number of passengers per sailing. And, it's allowing travellers to remain in their vehicles during the voyage. BC Ferries says the sailings on the Southern Gulf Island to Vancouver routes are 100 per cent reservable. Only customers with bookings and correctly identified passenger numbers in vehicles will be assured they will get on the sailing. Anyone showing symptoms of illness will be prevented boarding. There will be no food or retail services on the ferries, including no vending machines.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.
Three more people have died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing BC's fatality count to 135. All were in the Fraser Health Region. However, there is some good news for that hard hit health region. The Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam has now reopened. It was closed three weeks ago. 60 cases of the virus were linked to that plant. Outbreaks at three long term care facilities in the Fraser Region are now declared over, as well as the outbreak at the Worthington Pavilion Rehabilitation Unit in Abbotsford. However, outbreaks continue at 15 other long term and assisted care facilities along with three acute care units, all on the lower mainland.Across the province, there are 15 new cases of the virus confirmed in the past 24 hours, including one in Island Health. There are 372 active cases of COVID-19 in BC, with just five in our health region. One person remains in hospital here. Those statistics are why Island Health has continued to open up more acute and critical care beds in its hospitals.The Minister of Health says Island Health has a higher than 67 per cent occupancy rate at its hospitals, and it is seeing more visits to its emergency rooms. Adrian Dix believes it is because people in the Island Health region have less fear about going to hospital because our infection rates are among the lowest in the province. He says close to 1200 people who had their surgeries cancelled in the Island Health region have been contacted to set new dates for those surgeries. 4,000 surgeries were cancelled in this region after the pandemic was declared.While many businesses in BC are preparing to re-open starting next week, that will not be the case for dentists. The BC Dental Association has not set a date for its members to reopen their offices. It says access to personal protection equipment is a concern. The Association says it is continuing to work on guidelines with WorkSafe BC and the Provincial Health Officer. Currently, only emergency dental work is being done by a handful of dentists in BC. The Provincial Health Officer says she is keeping a close eye on reports of a serious childhood illness that may be triggered by COVID-19. Reports out of Italy, New York City and Montreal say they have seen Kawasaki syndrome in some children who have tested positive for COVID-19. Kawasaki disease is a genetic predisposition, triggered by various viral infections. It causes inflammation and irreversible heart damage if not diagnosed within four days. Dr. Bonnie Henry says there have been no cases of Kawasaki syndrome in BC. "It is very rare," she says, "and pediatricians and clinicians know what to look for."Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.
There has been another death from COVID-19 in BC over the past 24 hours, and once again, the death occurred at a long term care home in the Fraser Health region, bringing the province-wide death count to 132. There were 16 new cases of the virus, but for the sixth day in a row, there were no new cases in the Island Health region. BC's Provincial Health Officer says 78 per cent of those who contracted COVID-19 have now recovered. Dr. Bonnie Henry says currently, there are 385 active cases in the province and no new cases at any of the community outbreaks at the Mission prison or the lower mainland poultry plants.Dr. Henry is reminding British Columbians not to expand their household bubbles until after the May long weekend, and she is offering some tips on how to do it safely. She says it's all about location, duration and relations. Henry says meeting outdoors is best, the shorter the visit and the smaller the group the better, safe physical distancing must be maintained and she is recommending to make a pact with whomever you expand your circle with to not include others and stick with that one expanded bubble, do not add more bubbles. And Henry is recommending against expanding your bubble if anyone in your household is a senior, has an underlying health condition or is awaiting surgery.The city of Nanaimo and the Regional District are expanding where you may spend your outdoor time, starting Thursday. Playgrounds will remain closed, but tennis courts and other sports courts throughout the region will be open. The bike park at Steve Smith park and the pump track at Beban Park will reopen, so will all gated off-leash dog parks. The Huxley Skate Park will reopen. However, the Cedar Skate Park will not be open until May the 21st. There are new rules that go with the re-openings...for example, tennis is for single play only, equipment must be cleaned and not shared, hand washing is required before and after play, safe physical distancing must be maintained and in the city, tennis courts and pickleball courts are singles only unless you are playing with your own household. The city says it is working on plans to reopen recreation centers, arenas and pools, as well as City-owned cultural venues. Those openings will depend on new guidelines being developed with the Ministry of Health, WorkSafe BC and other professional organizations.Meanwhile, the Mayor of Nanaimo says he likes the idea of closing Commercial Street to traffic, to help restaurants expand their outdoor spaces. Leonard Krog did not commit to the idea, but he joined a list of cities, including Victoria that are exploring it. The Attorney-General's Ministry decides liquor licenses and it says work is underway to support the restaurant sector, including ways to fast track the process for expanded patio service.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.
Extended families will be able to hug and lovers and friends will soon be reunited under the province's "Re-start Plan" for the COVID-19 pandemic. The new normal, announced by the Premier will allow people to expand their social circles, and for many businesses to open, but with caution. Starting on the May long weekend, people will be allowed to host small social gatherings with a recommended half dozen guests. The Provincial Health Officer has released a list of to-dos, including screening guests for symptoms and structuring the get together by telling guests to wear masks, or stay six feet apart, or to gather outside, and to plan for how to properly clean before and after their arrival. Dr. Bonnie Henry says families will likely want to hug and she has no problem with that. But she says people need to think about the repercussions of their actions in expanding their circles and their responsibility to not show up if they show any signs of flu or cold, no matter how mild. If you are in a vulnerable group, she advises to think about whether and how you may or may not expand your social circle or attend events.Schools will also be allowed to open more classrooms. The Premier says no one will be forced to return to school. The idea is to offer space to students who are struggling or who need supervision because their parents are returning to work. Also starting in mid-May, some health care services will resume, including the thousands of surgeries that were cancelled, to make beds available for surges in COVID-19 patients. Chiropractors, dentists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists and in-person counsellors will be allowed to reopen their doors, so will many other businesses, but they will have to have COVID-19 plans in place. Currently, industry associations are working with provincial health officials on those plans. They will cover hairdressers, barbershops, restaurants and pubs as well as museums, art galleries and libraries. Each business must publicly display its plan and must be approved by their industry associations and WorkSafe BC. Provincial parks will be open for day use, starting May the 14th, and many parks will reopen for overnight camping on June the 1st, but the Premier is asking British Columbians to not travel great distances to get to them.If case counts continue to stay low, the next phase of loosened restrictions will begin in July. They will include the reopening of hotels, spas, resorts and movie theatres, along with the resumption of film production and some sports. Dr. Henry says it's highly unlikely that nightclubs and casinos will reopen, and conventions and large concerts will definitely not be allowed.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.
Thousands of cancelled surgeries will resume in BC hospitals, starting in a little over a week from now, but it will cost close to a quarter of a billion dollars to do it, and close to two years to catch up. The Minister of Health says over 14,000 scheduled surgeries were cancelled in mid-March, and 16,000 more from waitlists were put on hold to ensure hospital beds were available to treat COVID-19 patients. Now that the COVID case count has flattened, the system is taking advantage of that lull, along with the usual lull in surgical bookings in the summer. Adrian Dix says the catch-up plan includes extending operating room hours and performing operations on the weekends. To do that, 400 additional surgical nurses will be hired. The minister did not say how many extra surgeons and anesthesiologists are needed. Dix says surgical priority will be given to the most life-threatening cases like cancer surgeries, as well as other surgeries whose wait times exceed twice the recommended wait times. Private clinics will also be used to clear most of the backlog in day surgeries, like cataract surgery. The system hopes to be operating at full capacity by mid-June, but it will take between 18 months to two years to clear the 30,000 case backlog. And that number does not include waitlists, which will continue to grow. The other factor that could change these plans will be whether there are spikes in COVID-19 outbreaks. The surgical catch up is part of the province's Re-Start plan that includes the invitation to expand social circles, like hosting gatherings like dinner parties for small groups, starting on the May long weekend. Provincial parks will reopen for day use, as will some school classrooms for students who are struggling or need supervision while their parents are at work. Businesses that were closed will be allowed to reopen if they have COVID-19 safety plans that are approved by their industry associations and WorkSafe BC. They include dentists, chiropractors, physiotherapists, speech therapists, in-person counselors, along with pubs, restaurants, hair salons, museums, art galleries and libraries. Best practice guidelines for each of these industries will be unveiled in the coming days. BC's Provincial Health Officer says she's counting on British Columbians to think about how to conduct themselves under the new normal. You can see her recommendations for personal care and social interactions on our website.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.
The federal government is expanding its Canada Emergency Response Benefit to include thousands of Canadians who did not qualify under the original plan. The $2000 a month benefit will now be available to people who make less than $1000 per month. Also eligible is anyone whose Employment Insurance ran out after January the first, and seasonal workers who cannot find seasonal work are also eligible. After making the announcement this morning, the Prime Minister assured post-secondary students and businesses there will be something for them later this week.WorkSafe BC says it has received more than 3,000 complaints and questions about employers who are not following public health orders in the workplace. It says the most common concerns are about physical distancing, personal protective equipment, the right to refuse work, essential vs non-essential workers and general hygiene in the workplace.· WorkSafeBC has launched an inspection program to ensure employers are taking steps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure at the workplace. It says the initial focus of the initiative is to educate but employers could face orders for non-compliance, and administrative penalties for flagrant violations.Truckers who transport much-needed goods across the province will find more rest stops and road food available to them in the coming days. The Government of B.C. is funding the installation of 20 portable toilets at several commercial vehicle pull-outs, inspection stations and chain-up locations throughout the province. It is also keeping all rest areas open during the outbreak. The BC Trucking Association has spearheaded the Meals for Truck Drivers project which has set up food trucks at commercial card-locks throughout BC. Last month trucking industry representatives said shuttered truck stops and off-limits gas stations were becoming significant problems. Starting tomorrow, all open burn fires are banned in BC. So are fireworks, sky lanterns and the use of burn barrels. The Ministry of Environment says a dry spring and concerns over COVID-19 are the reasons for the ban. Health officials say smoke can make those fighting the virus even more ill. And, wildfires use up resources that must be reserved for any pandemic-related emergencies. Campfires have also been banned throughout the Nanaimo Regional District.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.
Kameel talks about his scholarly plans and discusses the nature of different controversies. Eamon begs for listeners to go and vote for his WorkSafeBC video, for the sake of Isaac. One of the more intelligent episodes. WorkSafeBC Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEtS0Z8zyzQ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
WorkSafe BC is still looking into a problem with a construction crane at Drake and Howe in downtown Vancouver that's closed the intersection since yesterday morning. It turns out there have been 22 such incidents around the province between July and November, mostly due to operator error. Prevention Services Vice-President Al Johnson says there are about 300 tower cranes in the province with about 250 of them on the Lower Mainland. Guest: Janet Brown Global News Senior Reporter
This week on The Construction Record podcast, national managing editor Vince Versace talks about the upcoming Conexpo conference in Las Vegas, where we'll be a supporting podcast and also recaps our coverage of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association's Gold Awards of Excellence, as well as reflecting on former Journal of Commerce publisher Brian Martin's role in founding and growing the awards over the decades. Vince also has a preview of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships conference, coming up later this month in Toronto. Journal of Commerce digital media editor Warren Frey and staff writer Russell Hixson also look at some of the stories they've been working on, including reactions from western Canadian construction leaders about both the recent federal election and the Alberta budget, and a peek at Russell's story about a tour through Daiya's massive Vancouver industrial space. Warren also attended the British Columbia Construction Safety Alliance's Health and Safety Conference, and spoke to WorkSafeBC audiologist Sasha Brown about the dangers of noise on the worksite and ways to mitigate hearing damage, and he also spoke to University of British Columbia researcher Shalinda Shafie about her work examining the effectiveness of various kinds of vacuums in dealing with silica and its effects on respiration.
This week on The Construction Record podcast, national managing editor Vince Versace reflects on the death of former Ontario infrastructure minister David Caplan, who passed away recently, by way of citing industry stakeholders and their memories of the man and his work, as well as his own interactions with Caplan. Vince also looks into a large-scale Hawaii telescope project which has a Canadian connection in terms of construction. The telescope is controversial amongst native Hawaiian leaders and the site has seen ongoing protests. We also have an interview between Daily Commercial News staff writer Don Wall and Astronomer Luc Simard, the director general of the National Research Council's Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre. Simard is in charge of delivering Canada's three contributions including a large dome enclosure to the $1.4 billion project. Journal of Commerce digital media editor Warren Frey and staff writer Russell Hixson are also on hand to talk about some of the stories they've been working on, including Russell's recent article about WorkSafeBC's review which is encountering pushback from the industry for vagueness and transparency concerns. Warren has a story about a new Passive House tower in Vancouver's West End which when built will be the tallest in the world, and Warren also has an update on a B.C. Supreme Court decision to hear a petition by ICBA and many other construction associations, businesses and other stakeholders in opposition to the B.C. governments community benefits agreement framework on major public works projects. JOC News Service
On this episode of the Digital Forensics Files Podcast, Tyler Hatch of DFI Forensics Inc. is joined by Chris Drinovz, senior employment lawyer with Kane Shannon Weiller LLP. Chris has a varied workplace law practice involving all areas of employment, labour and workplace disputes. He discusses other dispute forums, such as Human Rights Tribunals and WorkSafe BC cases. Harassment cases can often involve evidence of the act being found on a digital device such as a computer or cell phone. If you're an employee who has been wrongfully dismissed or a employer with questions about workplace policies and/or disputes, reach out to Chris Drinovz and the team at Kane Shannon Weiller LLP serving the needs of the Fraser Valley, in British Columbia, Canada. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dfiforensics/message
Joel Bland- Joel Bland works as a Life Coach in Vancouver, Canada, where he helps high functioning individuals to gain clarity and resonance and to initiate positive actions to balance their careers and lifestyles. He teaches and facilitates educational classes and workshops on goal setting, behavioral activation, and techniques to address cognitive impairments,. When not coaching, Joel works as a consultant occupational therapist where he is retained by various law firms, WorkSafe BC, and multiple insurance companies for his ability to assist individuals in returning to healthy, productive lives. Additionally, Joel holds a position as a Research Therapist for the University of British Columbia on a study regarding cognitive treatment methodologies for individuals suffering from post-concussion syndrome. Listen to another #12minconvo
On today's Woodford Show we begin chatting with the CEO of the BC Real Estate Association Darlene Hyde discussing steps her association and others want to take to combat money laundering. Then NL News Director Shane Woodford is joined by Port Coquitlam mayor and in this case United Steelworkers Union spokesperson Brad West to discuss a review of Worksafe BC concerning the 2012 sawmill explosions in Burns Lake and Prince George. We finish the show with our weekly chat with lawyer and TRU lecturer Jeffrey Meyers discussing Canadian and American political stories of note.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dust Safety Science: Improving Combustible Dust Safety in the Workplace
In this episode we interview Todd Siefke at WorkSafe BC about silo fire and explosion safety in wood pellet and agricultural product storage operations.
Stirling speaks with the folks at Worksafe BC about the dangers of asbestos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Guest Hero: Elle Russ, writer, actor, life coach and host of The Primal Blueprint Podcast. Human-factors engineering, also called ergonomics or human engineering, is the science dealing with the application of information on physical and psychological characteristics to the design of devices and systems for human use. Over at WorkSafeBC.com (the Workers’ Compensation Board in the Canadian province of British Columbia) they say: Ergonomics matches workplace conditions and job demands to a person's capabilities, to improve worker safety and productivity. Applying the science of ergonomics can be especially helpful in reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSI), which is the most common work-related injury in B.C. What is a musculoskeletal injury, you ask? Well, Musculoskeletal injury (MSI) is an injury or disorder of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels or related soft tissue including a sprain, strain and inflammation, that may be caused or aggravated by work. MSIs can affect the body’s soft tissues: the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels, as well as the joints of the neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, legs, feet and back. The main physical risk factors for MSIs associated with the demands of a job include: - Force: exerting force on an object as part of a task - Repetition: doing a task that uses the same muscles over and over with little chance for rest or recovery - Work posture: the position of different parts of the body when taken outside of the comfortable range of motion (awkward posture); usually combined with static posture (i.e., holding a posture for a long time) - Local contact stress: a hard or sharp object coming in contact with the skin For each of these risk factors, it is important to consider magnitude, frequency, and duration of exposure. Just as a proper diet is made up of a vast array of nutritional components, proper alignment is made up of nutritional loads – varying, unique deformations to the physical structure that result in a particular genetic expression that deems your structure. -- Katy Bowman Important links: Our guest Hero's website: www.elleruss.com The article at WorkSafeBC.com Katy Bowman's article on called Thinking Outside the Chair
Severe chronic pain, financial hardships, and intense emotional suffering are just some of the consequences of workplace injuries. In this month's episode, co-hosted by Pain BC founding member Dr.Michael Negraeff, we discuss the serious impact of workplace injuries and the challenges faced by those trying to return to work while experiencing persistent pain and dealing with the Worksafe BC claims process. Our guest, Dr. Cecil Hershler, has been practicing medicine since 1985 and has a special focus on chronic pain and pain management. He recently co-authored a study titled Work injuries, chronic pain and the harmful effects of WorkSafeBC/WCB compensation denial.
Pat Byrne, Founder and Vice President of Fatigue Science, has applied his over 30 years of experience in risk management, performance optimization and health and safety to change the way professional sports teams and 24/7 workforces manage their sleep and fatigue to optimize performance and mitigate risk. He is the innovator of Fatigue Science’s Readiband, which incorporates the US Army’s SAFTE model that turns sleep data into fatigue, performance and accident risk data. Prior to founding Fatigue Science, Pat held positions at Global Fatigue Management Inc., WorkSafeBC, and the International Occupational Hygiene Association.The SMARTER Team Training Audio Interview Series has been developed to share insights from some of the best in the industry. Stay tuned for more insights, tips, drills, and techniques to come from STT. Be sure to share the STT Audio Interview Series with coaches, trainers, parents, and athletes too.Visit STT at http://www.SMARTERTeamTraining.com . Listen to STT on iTunes and iHeartRadio at http://sttpodcast.com . Join STT on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SMARTERTeamTraining . Subscribe to STT on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/SMARTERTeamTraining . And follow us on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SMARTERTeam . SMARTER Team Training has been developed to focus on athlete and team development, performance, and education. By incorporating the SMARTER Team Training programs into your year round athletic development program, you will decrease your injury potential, increase individual athleticism, and maximize your team training time.
Will Are We There Yet? Second in an interview series On April 30th, I sat down with Donna Wilson, VP, Industry Services & Sustainability at WorkSafeBC , to get her perspective on Women, Position & Power. Ms. Wilson has a wealth of knowledge and experience and I found her story fascinating. I encourage you to listen to the entire interview. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Mark Ordeman, Manager of Transportation at WorksafeBC discusses the safety hazards faced each day by those who work on or near roads including emergency responders, construction workers, utility workers and tow truck drivers. Released: August 25, 2011File Size: 4.78 MBLength: 5:13 minutes
SUMMARY Given that most Canadian workers clock between 35 and 40 hours weekly, it's vital that time be invested in healthy workplaces that care as much about mental, emotional, and social well-being as they do about physical health. In Part 1 of this podcast, join workplace mental health expert Dr. Merv Gilbert, along with WorkSafeBC's Trudi Rondou and Lisa Smith. Together they explore Canada's groundbreaking National Standard for Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace, the subsequent Case Studies Research Project, regulatory approaches driving the much-needed move toward more supportive workplaces, and the vital roles played by progressive leaders, cultures of compassion, peer support, and training. In Part 2, discover how this “new normal” is rapidly playing out in CLAC (a Canadian labour union) and AECOM (an international infrastructure consulting firm). TAKEAWAYS This podcast will help you understand: The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace (voluntary guidelines, tools, and resources) and the subsequent Case Studies Research Report (key findings, promising practices, and supports and barriers to implementation) ‘Promising practices' identified during research project (commitment across the organization, leadership support and involvement, supportive structures and resources, communication and awareness building across all levels and departments, a business case that includes baseline indicators, measurement approaches that track the rate and impact of change, sustained and updated implementation efforts) ‘New normal' vs. ‘old normal' workplaces Awareness of evolving ‘language' (mentally healthy workplaces vs. psychologically healthy workplaces vs. psychologically safe workplaces) Psychosocial issues and solutions Province of BC (WorkSafeBC) perspective and priorities on workplace mental health Importance of psychological injury prevention through policy and education Overview of WorkSafeBC's mental health-related policies and programs Overview of WorkSafeBC's commitment to getting members back to work after being injured Requirements of businesses to help prevent psychological injuries How employers' and workers' responses to mental health challenges have changed over the years What progressive unions and businesses are doing to help build mentally healthy workplaces Return on investment for businesses that do workplace health and safety right Types of stigma existing in the workplace Prevention of bullying and harassment Impacts of COVID-19 on workplace mental health How leadership, culture, peer support, and/or training impact workplace health and safety SPONSORS WorkSafeBC is a provincial agency in British Columbia, Canada that promotes safe and healthy workplaces for more than 2.3 million workers. Serving more than 230,000 employers, WorkSafeBC's services include education, prevention, compensation and support for injured workers, and no-fault insurance to protect employers and workers. WorkSafeBC is committed to creating a province free from workplace injury or illness. By partnering with workers and employers, WorkSafe helps British Columbians come home from work safe every day. CLAC is the largest independent, multisector, national union in Canada, representing more 60,000 workers in almost every sector of the economy including construction, education, emergency services, healthcare, retail, service, transportation, manufacturing, and more. CLAC has 14 member centres in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC, along with 25 active, independent, affiliated locals. Based on values of respect, dignity, and fairness, CLAC is committed to building better lives, better workplaces, and better communities. AECOM is a global engineering firm whose infrastructure services for public- and private-sector clients include transportation, water, energy, and environmental projects. Employing approximately 87,000 people, AECOM was ranked #1 in Engineering News-Record's ‘2020 Top 200 Environmental Firms,' and named one of Fortune magazine's ‘World's Most Admired Companies' for the sixth consecutive year. Transforming the ways it works through technology and digital platforms, AECOM leads the engineering world in environmental, social, and governance solutions… leading to the Ethisphere Institute naming it one of ‘2021 World's Most Ethical Companies.' THANK YOU for supporting the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit and the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. RESOURCES National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace and the resulting Case Studies Research Report Addressing the mental health effects of COVID-19 in the workplace: A guide for workers Managing the mental health effects of COVID-19 in the workplace: A guide for employers Guarding Minds@Work Antidepressant Skills@Work Psychological Health and Safety: An Action Guide for Employers Mental Health Commission of Canada Canada's Workplace Mental Health Canadian Mental Health Association Government of Canada/Mental health in the workplace Wellness Works Canada Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support provides free online resources, tools, apps, and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals. Workplace Mental Health Playbook for Business Leaders (CAMH) Workplace Mental Health Research Deloitte research reveals significant return on investment for workplace mental health programs GUESTS Dr. Merv Gilbert Dr. Merv Gilbert is a Director at Vancouver Psych Safety Consulting Inc., a consulting group providing services that enable organizations to foster psychologically healthy employees and workplace climates. He has worked as a psychologist for over thirty years in clinical and leadership roles in regional, provincial, and international settings. He is an Adjunct Professor with the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, and a member of the Steering Committee of American Psychological Association's Psychologically Healthy Workplace Network. Dr. Gilbert is a primary participant in the development, evaluation, and dissemination of resources for workplace mental health, including Guarding Minds@Work, Antidepressant Skills@Work, and Psychological Health and Safety: An Action Guide for Employers. He has published in national and international professional journals, and has presented at a diverse array of forums on the importance of workplace psychological health issues for individuals and organizations. He has consulted with governmental, private, and public-sector organizations. Phone: 604-809-4173 Email: merv@psychsafety.org Website: https://psychhealthandsafety.org LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/merv-gilbert-064a125/ Trudi Rondou Trudi Rondou is a senior manager in Prevention Programs & Performance at WorkSafeBC. She's spent the last decade working with numerous industry and labour groups, to reduce workplace injuries and improve return-to-work outcomes. Over the last three years, Trudi's focus has expanded to include workplace mental health. She currently serves as Chair of the BC First Responders Mental Health Committee. Trudi speaks at conferences and gatherings around the province on worker safety for new and young employees, health and safety management systems, and promoting positive mental health in the workplace. She was the MC for the very successful BC First Responder Mental Health Conference in 2019, and the lead facilitator of the BC First Responders “Building Resilient Workplaces” workshops in 2019. Email: trudi.rondou@worksafebc.com Website: www.worksafebc.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorkSafeBC/ Twitter: twitter.com/worksafebc Linkedin: Trudi Rondou Lisa Smith Lisa Smith joined WorkSafeBC in 2008 as a Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant and transitioned to a Client Services Manager role in 2010. Presently, she is the Senior Manager of Special Care Services. She has worked with both workers and employers, which has helped expand her perspective on the importance of early intervention for people faced with a mental health challenge. Lisa recognizes the critical supports Special Care Services provides to some of the most seriously injured workers and their families. Her core belief is that we are best equipped to help workers and employers when we are mindful of achieving a healthy life/work balance for the people WorkSafeBC has the honour of serving. Lisa is also committed to a vision of respect and safety in the workplace, and is optimistic that BC's workers and employers are willing to embrace change that will positively influence acceptance of diverse cultures, abilities, and beliefs. Prior to her career at WorkSafeBC, Lisa worked for Social Services in Ontario for 11 years and spent 10 years overseas, teaching English across 5 countries. In 2006, she returned to Canada and began managing a program that transitioned at-risk people with behavioural issues from institutional to residential settings. Lisa's passion for improving outcomes for people with mental health conditions, led to her current undertaking of working on a Master of Psychology Counselling. Email: lisa.smith@worksafebc.com Website: worksafebc.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorkSafeBC/ Twitter: twitter.com/worksafebc HOST Jo de Vries is a community education and engagement specialist with 30 years of experience helping local governments in British Columbia connect with their citizens about important sustainability issues. In 2006, she established the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) to “inspire community conversations for sustainable change.” FOF's highly acclaimed events include Building SustainABLE Communities conferences, Reel Change SustainAbility Film Fest, Eco-Blast Kids' Camps, CommUnity Innovation Lab, Breakfast of Champions, and Women 4 SustainAbility. FOF's newest ventures are the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit and HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Website: Fresh Outlook Foundation Phone: 250-300-8797 PLAY IT FORWARD The move toward optimal workplace mental health becomes possible as more people learn about the challenges, successes, and opportunities. To that end, please share this podcast with anyone who has an interest or stake in the future of workplace mental health and wellness. FOLLOW US For more information about the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) and our programs and events, visit our website, sign up for our newsletter, and like us on Facebook and Twitter. HELP US As a charity, FOF relies on support from grants, sponsors, and donors to continue its valuable work. If you benefited from the podcast, please help fund future episodes by making a one-time or monthly donation. Merv Gilbert, Trudi Rondou, Lisa Smith Interview Transcript You can download a pdf of the transcript here. The entire transcript is also found below: INTRO 0:10 Welcome to the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Join our host Jo de Vries with the Fresh Outlook Foundation, as she combines science with storytelling to explore a variety of mental health issues with people from all walks of life. Stay tuned! JO 0:32 Hey, Jo here! Thanks for joining me and my five guests over two episodes as we explore the rapidly changing world of workplace mental health, and how progressive social scientists, governments, unions, and businesses are remodeling the foundations upon which our work lives are built. A big shout out here to WorkSafe BC, CLAC, and AECOM for co-sponsoring these vitally important conversations. In this first episode, you'll meet workplace mental health expert Merv Gilbert, along with Trudy Rondou and Lisa Smith from WorkSafe BC. We'll delve into their trailblazing research and regulation approaches that are raising the bar for workplace mental health and Canada and well beyond. In part two, you'll get to know Quentin Steen with the CLAC labor union and Trevor Amendt from AECOM, an international engineering firm. They'll share their groundbreaking visions and on-the-ground methods for building organizational cultures of compassion. While preparing for this episode, I came across groundbreaking work led by the Mental Health Commission of Canada in partnership with the Canadian Standards Association and the Bureau de Normalization du Quebec. In 2013, they launched the world's first National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. The standard was developed with input from more than 30 technical committee members representing Canadian corporations, unions, regulators, economists, service providers, and many others. The standard includes voluntary guidelines, tools, and resources that redefine what it means to be a responsible employer. In the move toward building more psychologically healthy, safe, and sustainable work environments, the standard helps organizations envision and implement more progressive frameworks, policies, and practices. Those, in turn, foster more connected, protected, and compassionate workplace cultures. The standard has been embraced by organizations of all sizes, and from all sectors and industries throughout Canada, and served as a template for an upcoming international standard. To help determine the standard's reach and effectiveness, the commission led a three-year follow up Case Study Research Project. It was conducted by Simon Fraser University's Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction between 2014 and 2017. Researchers studied more than 40 Canadian employers from a variety of sectors, industries, and geographies who'd implemented the standard. The resulting report outlines key findings, promising practices, and supports and barriers to implementation. As quoted in the report, these diverse trailblazers signed on to benchmark a "new normal." To help us understand project findings and what could be the new normal, I welcome Merv Gilbert, who was co-lead of the Case Study Research Project. Immersed in the work of psychology for more than 40 years, Murphy has spent the better part of the last decade focusing on the psychology of work, or more specifically, what makes a workplace work for all employees. Hi, Merv, great to have you here. MERV 4:19 Hi Jo... it's great to be here. Thanks very much for including me. JO 4:22 My pleasure. So let's start by you telling us why you're so passionate about workplace psychological health and safety, and why it's so important to all of us. MERV 4:34 At a kind of broad level, a lot of the focus on mental health, and I'll say more about language in a minute, has focused on very important issues like serious and persistent mental illness, childhood areas, where I worked a lot and so on. But there was relatively little attention to the fact that, frankly, the majority of folks with a diagnosed or diagnosable mental illness or mental health issues were working or had jobs at any rate, they may be off. And there was little focus on the workplace the extent to which it was actually supportive of their psychological health, mental health, or was detrimental to their health. Sort of broad level, it was an untapped area. At a more personal level, I worked as a director of a psychology department a large hospital for a number of years, and during that time two of my colleagues started to have some performance issues, which is usually the first indicator within a workplace setting. I started to struggle a bit, there were issues, there were some conflicts and so on. We did as an organization some things to try and provide some support. At any rate, both individuals quite independently went off work on, to use a euphemism at the time, stress-related disability, and to my knowledge never worked again. Now, maybe we failed them. Maybe I failed them at some level. But it was a terrible loss. It was needless suffering, and we lost some very skilled and talented individuals. So, it really became apparent we needed to do better. JO 6:03 Most of us have to work or have had to work. So, an obvious question would be is work good for our mental health? Or can it be? MERV 6:13 Absolutely. To paraphrase Sigmund Freud, which every psychologist is obliged to do, the two most important things in life are love and work. Good work provides us with all sorts of support, provides us with a sense of meaning and purpose. It gives us skills and talents, and opportunities for new learning that we wouldn't have otherwise. It gives us an opportunity to interact with others, obviously a little bit different during current circumstances. And it gives us a reason to get up in the morning, get dressed and go someplace else to interact with others outside your immediate family. So, absolutely, good work is good for us in many ways. JO 6:51 Before we talk about the new normal for workplace psychological health, I'm hoping you can help us understand the "old normal," and the state of some workplaces today where little consideration is given to psychological health and safety. MERV 7:07 Prior to the national standard, for example, and some of the work that we and others around the world have done, workplace health and safety was primarily, almost exclusively, focused on physical health and safety. Appropriately so. Health and safety in various industries and sectors was a key factor, and really wasn't addressed and still needs a lot of work. Workers' compensation boards obviously focus on those kinds of issues, back pain and those kinds of things, but there was very little attention given to psychological injuries, if you will, in that sense. The only exception historically, of a work-related psychological injury was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Since we do not know definitively the cause of the vast majority of mental illnesses, we can't say workplaces are responsible, so, therefore, is not an area where there was attention. So, there wasn't much being done. I think things have improved a great deal in Canada and elsewhere. Part is a function of the standard and other efforts and so on, but there's still some sectors in some areas, that this is still a relatively new concept or remains not addressed. JO 7:42 Based on the work you've done over the last decade, and the work that you did as part of the research project, how would you define a "new normal?" New normal pre-COVID, or new normal current circumstances, little bit different. As I mentioned a moment ago, up until current circumstances, I think there was a lot of improvement, there was organizations who were identifying psychological health and safety officers, that were changing the name of occupational health and safety committees and groups and policies to include psychological [health]. So, that certainly was a good thing. Now, if we want to turn to COVID, and more importantly perhaps for the workplace, the response to COVID and, obviously, the impact it's had on individuals, workplaces... it's very different. People can't connect in the same way as they could before. So that support may not be there. There's a lack of clarity of boundaries and job roles and communication has been challenged in some ways. Certainly work life balance is more elusive than ever with folks working at home. That said, I will... and I say this with caution... for some folks, select groups... particularly more traditional white-collar folks and so on... the capacity, the ability to work from home or work in a more flexible way, may improve their psychological health. It's a mixed bag, but I remain concerned about it and I think we should all be concerned about it at a larger level, is that many of these things that are happening are accentuating the divide between groups. JO 9:49 The research, project findings and voluntary guidelines for successful implementation were based on applied research and then implementation science. For those of us who aren't academics, can you explain what those two things are? What is applied research? MERV 10:09 I think there's a lot of academics that wouldn't necessarily know what it is or necessarily agree with it. Applied research means basically taking up to the dirty world, where you don't have a group of volunteer undergraduate students as your subject pool, for your particular research enterprise, but you're actually dealing with real people who are the ultimate audience or the ultimate target for your work. But the real world, such as it is, is messy... you don't have the same degree of controls. So, applied research is an attempt to work collaboratively with whatever sector, whatever group you want to work with out in the real world. Implementation science is... the policy government, the literature in any field... frankly, littered with publications and research reports, and journals, and so on. Many of the findings from that, however positive, never actually get implemented, or if they are implemented, they're implemented poorly. So, implementation science is one of the factors that lead to successful pickup and sustainability of an effective program, or effective initiative. JO 11:17 So, how could we use implementation science to optimize the benefits of the research that you conducted? MERV 11:26 Great question. I'm being sincere when I say this, I think we can learn from advertising and marketing. Ask people... ask whoever your audience is... if they know about a particular program. What is the best way to make it available to them? What makes it more likely that they will make use of these particular findings, or whatever the initiative or program or policy is. Ask them. Second thing, and this certainly is reflected in the standards well, is to measure two things. Sorry. First one is to know why, and explain very clearly why you're doing what you're doing. If you're doing, for example, a work-from-home kind of initiative, and so on, explain why you're doing it... just don't keep people guessing. And secondly, measure the results... measure a sort of baseline finding... this is where this tradition is now, and then at a appropriate period of time, measure whether you've made a difference. There's uptake and application of whatever your findings are. JO 12:19 So, your project findings and the voluntary guidelines for implementation provide a recipe for success that lists key ingredients needed to create a psychologically healthy and safe workplace. But before we start cooking, though, I'd like to confirm the differences between the following descriptors. And here's where Merv, we talked about language. So, what is the difference between: first, a mentally healthy workplace; second, a psychologically healthy workplace; and third, a psychologically safe workplace? MERV 12:58 Let me start by suggesting a distinction between mental health and psychological health... [these] words are viewed somewhat synonymously. When we collectively, we the media, talks about mental health, we're actually not really talking about mental health. In most cases, we're talking about mental illness and that sense of already kind of changed the conversation. And when we're having those conversations, as I said at the outset, when we talk about mental illness... and frankly, when we see the latest atrocity, wherever it may be... the question comes up, there may be mental health involved. Well, that's not terribly helpful. That just adds to stigma. So, we talk about psychological health. We're talking I think, in a much broader way. We're talking about a continuum, not a categorical approach with a bunch of diagnoses. We're talking about a continuum from struggling and suffering, through to thriving, doing well, positive psychological health. So, it's a different kind of model that is not dependent on traditional mental illness labeling, in that sense. So, I think that makes a very big difference. When we talk about psychologically healthy... and against mentally healthy workplace, if one uses that language... I think, in general terms, is a place where people want to go to work, they believe in what they're doing, they believe they're making a difference. They feel that they have some voice in what is going on in their department or organization, or whatever work they're doing, volunteer or paid. And they feel like the organization, that leadership, and the organization itself, has good or bad to some degree, they will support them in various ways. And if they're struggling with their issues, they will do their best to address them. I think we all kind of know what a psychologically healthy workplace is, whether we work there or whether we're clients or customers. You can almost feel it in the air... you can almost smell it. Are people smiling? Are people saying hello, not because it's corporate policy to greet every customer, but because they actually want to say hello? So, I think it's a vibe in many ways. The "safe" part is interesting, let's say psychologically safe... I think two comments. Now, first of all, as I said at the outset, to some extent this notion with psychological health and safety is, in my opinion, an intentional and, I think, intelligent link to occupational health and safety, which is pretty well established and legislated in policy and practice in some ways. So, it's kind of latching on to that and expanding the concept. Psychological safety, however, is also used in some context to describe an environmental work environment, where people feel free to express their opinions and ideas, without fear of what they perceive as unfair criticism. I get that, but it's, I think, a narrower and somewhat different definition. JO 15:43 So, would it be safe to say then that a psychologically safe workplace would have the needed plans, policies, practices, and programs in place that would then enable and encourage a psychologically healthy workplace? MERV 15:59 Yes, very definitely. JO 16:00 So, let's go back to the key ingredients of the research project findings, or what the final report calls "promising practices." Those are intended to help nourish a psychologically healthy and safe workplace. Can you explain a few of them to us? MERV 16:18 Sure, and I should probably clarify, the national standard is, well, it's that... a standard set of guidelines, identifying what the key components of psychologically healthy workplace would look like. What we did when we did the case study project is identify those kind of practices that would lead to more successful and sustainable implementation. And there were a number of those that came up. Certainly one of them that was key, it comes as no surprise, was leadership... meaningful leadership throughout your organization... a large organization, a CEO, or whomever... who kind of gets it, and again, cliche, but who talks the talk. It's not something that it's a checkbox they're checking off... they actually believe in this. And I think that's key. And that that also has to, again, in particularly in large organizations, that has to filter down to every level of management. If a mid-level manager or supervisor... oh, here's another directive from on top, but he or she doesn't get it... it's not gonna be effective. So, it needs to actually cut across all different levels of your organization. The other thing that I think is really important is, in the same vein, having a what's called a business case. A clear rationale with data as to why you are making these changes... why having a psychologically healthy and safe workplace matters to you. And, initially, the argument among... and there may still be in some settings... particularly private-sector settings... maybe affects the bottom line. And indeed, there's all sorts of calculators of lost productivity and increased costs associated with psychological disabilities. And it may be financial or return on investment as well. But certainly for a lot of sectors, a lot of areas... particularly public sector, like hospitals... return on investment isn't really the point. It's not having staff available, the loss of talent, those kind of things. So, being clear as to why a particular organization wants to do these things, and having some data to back it up. JO 18:25 I think, too, getting back to the leadership comment is that you really need to have supportive structures and resources to keep this up over the long term, which is where you're going to see the actual change in culture. Can you tell us a little bit more about that? MERV 18:41 As I mentioned, some organizations, for example, WorkSafe BC, has in the last few years appointed a fairly senior level of management specifically around psychological health and safety. So, it's sort of embedding some of these responsibilities and roles and titles within the organization. And also supporting leaders... no one's immune from this, in many ways, leaders themselves... there's some research suggesting mid-level managers, like get this, quite frankly, can experience as much if not more stress than those that report to them. There needs to be some personal investment in it. And I guess to speak to that, certainly some of the organizations we worked with, when we talked to senior leaders... for many of them, the reason they saw this as a good thing and wanted to introduce it within their organization, was because they'd had some personal experience... family experience... they'd had some experience with someone who was struggling with psychological issues, psychological health issues. So, it takes on a personal note. We see that in all sorts of efforts to address illnesses, be it cancer, heart disease, and so on, people coming from their own experience. JO 19:48 As a communication specialist I resonate with another promising practice, which is communication and awareness-building across all levels and departments. And I think what this means, and please correct me if I'm wrong, is that the messaging not only has to be pertinent to each of the audiences in the organization, but it has to be concise and timely, and particularly, ongoing. You can't just do a one-off campaign and expect people to change their attitudes and their behaviors. MERV 20:21 Absolute agreement at all levels, and it has to be very flexible. Again, I can bring it back to the pandemic response in some ways, we're seeing changing messages and so on. I understand the frustration... confusion with that, but it allows that kind of flexibility. And it also requires humility, not promising something that you can't deliver, in some ways, and being very realistic about what's actually helpful and practical. While many organizations in our study and elsewhere started with a mental health awareness campaign, that's good... awareness is a good thing and does make some strides towards reducing stigma... but you can't stop there, it's got to be a lot more than just awareness. JO 21:04 In most of the interviews that I've been doing for the podcast, we've discussed culture, and whether that be a family culture of mental wellness, or a workplace culture or a community culture. So, I was interested in another promising practice, which is the need to build a corporate-wide culture that respects, reflects, and protects psychological health and safety. So, what does that kind of culture look like? And what's it like to work in a culture like that? MERV 21:41 Great point, and it's certainly the case. and let's not lose sight... this does not mean you put aside your organizational objectives, and so on. These are actually to enhance or fulfill the very purpose of that organization. It's in the practical best interest to any department or group or organization where there's a work environment where people feel valued, and believe in what they're doing, they're willing to work together to achieve success... organizational success, personal success... and again, they feel that the organization, or the department, or their leaders have their back who can support them if there are challenges of some sort. And if I can give an example of that from the past, I find this a very touching and heartwarming example in a lot of ways. Years ago, I was involved in an initiative to recognize and acknowledge psychologically healthy workplaces. And one of the applicants for the British Columbia award was an extended care unit in the interior, actually, I'll name them because they deserve to be recognized... Brookhaven Extended Care. This was some years ago. So, they did a survey and filled out some questionnaires for us. And we did a site visit and what they had done, amongst other things, this is... as you can imagine... a place where mostly the elderly, but there were some younger brain-injured folks, and so on. So, it's a care facility that says their problem, like many healthcare settings, was staffing. It wasn't about return on investment. It was about having sufficient staff to provide the care they needed to do. And that staffing problem was difficult on days for their school holidays. They relied on retired or part time folks, and so on, who were often single parents, or two working parents. So, when school holidays happened, or school breaks or professional days and kids were off work, it was a real challenge if you got a call saying, "Hey, would you mind coming in and doing relief today?" So, what Brookhaven did, and this idea came from their staff… I think from a recreational therapist… to set up a program whereby staff, if they had a child between, say, eight and 12 years old, could bring their child to work. No, it was not a daycare. And that says I'm going to be clear about that. That's important issue, but this is different. That child was then paired up with a resident within the facility and spent the day with him or her hanging out. And I think that's particularly wonderful because... let's say Johnny, who's a precocious nine-year-old, got to spend today with Mr. Smith, and Mr. Smith was a Korean War veteran, and maybe he lost a leg. So, he entertained Johnny with all sorts of stories about his past experiences. Johnny looked across and saw his mom doing her job, which a lot of kids never see. Mom looked across and saw Johnny being entertained and chatting away. They all had lunch together. It was, forgive the cliche, a win, win, win. Beautiful thing about that, first of all... they identified a problem with staffing. There was now a lineup of staff wanting to work in those days at this particular facility, because it's a cool program. What was the cost? Absolutely nothing. Whereas the leadership, and this is important... there was some initial pushback from, I suspect, the lawyers within this healthcare setting. What if Johnny trips and breaks his nose? And the executive director told lawyers to go away, said that's fine, I'm with it, and so on. The program was a wonderful success and got expanded to, I believe, some other facilities. And this was some years ago, and I didn't hear much about it for a while. And I hope it still continues. But what I did hear a few years ago is that some of the kids that have been involved in program had aged out, they're now teenagers, maybe even young adults. And on their own initiative, they continued the program, kind of a volunteer involvement program within the setting. And I love that story because it identified a specific problem, so it was a measurable problem, actually, staffing. Identified a solution that came from the people who worked there, didn't cost anything, and actually addressed the problem. So, that to me is a concrete example of a collaborative, psychologically healthy workplace practice. JO 25:42 So Merv, if you can put on a CEO hat for a few minutes, did the research findings suggest specific measures of cost versus benefits of a mentally healthy workplace? And if not, what does your experience tell you? MERV 25:58 Great question. And this is a challenge in some ways, because we don't have great quantitative financial indicators. We can look at disability costs, we can look at retraining costs, we can look at recruitment costs, as well, we can look at insurance, WorkSafe costs as well. But those are what are referred to as trailing indicators. That's after the cow has left the barn, if you will, in some ways. Leading indicators are things you measure at the outset. And those are a little softer and harder to track, and may rely more on qualitative kind of information. So, you can pick up through surveys, through initial interviews, those kinds of things. I think there's a lot of work that needs to be done in this area to quantify or qualify, if you will, the kind of measures that you want to look at, and the cliche is, if we don't measure something, you can't know if we have an impact. And that's certainly true here, we have work to do in this area. JO 26:57 Along that same vein, barriers to successful implementation of the standard listed in your report include inconsistent or limited access to psychological health data. Tell us more about that. MERV 27:13 It's exactly that kind of thing. It's not having the data that indicates, and certainly for both ethical and practical reasons, I'm not a fan of, for example, doing a survey or a measure of depression amongst all employees. I think ethically, or practically, that can be intrusive and, ethically, what you find you need to do something with it. So, it's going to involve asking employees and new recruits and retirees about their experiences and trying to capture what's important to them, what would be some of the indicators for them. Being realistic about it, if I can go back a little bit to talking about the business case for psychologically healthy workplace, and so on, the expectation amongst many was that companies or organizations would be doing this because it would save them money. And there's lots of consultancies and programs that are trying to sell on those grounds. We found that yeah, that mattered to some of them, some more than others. But in many cases, in fact, the majority of cases, the main reason they were adopting the standard and cared about psychologically workplaces was for a practical reason... i.e., people are struggling, if people are not at work, if people are fighting with one another… it's not good for the organization as a whole. So, practically, it makes sense to look after people. And also ethically it's just the right thing to do, in many ways. JO 28:31 Given the research and your experience, what do you think are the most difficult changes in attitude for leaders to make that needed transition toward a more psychologically healthy and safe workplace? MERV 28:46 Firstly, I think a recognition... and this is happening slowly but is happening... that this is not a fad. This is not flavor of the month. This is not fluffy. This is not a nice thing to do off the side of your desk... like let's raise funds for a particular charity on March 17, whatever the case may be. This is something that is important and will continue to be important. So, it needs to be embedded within your organization. Another thing is really critical, I think, is a recognition that this is a joint issue. This is a collaborative issue between workers and organizations... with employers and employees, I think there's a joint responsibility there. To be a little bit simplistic about it, a construction organization has some obligation to provide safety equipment, to provide a hardhat and so on… the employees, the worker… has responsibility to wear them. So, when you work jointly as opposed to finger pointing, where if it's saying "this is all about toxic workplaces and bad managers, not my responsibility at all," that's not going to help. And, if on the other hand, the perception perhaps unspoken, or the belief unspoken, is "this is all a bunch of wimps, why can't people just suck it up," that's not going to help. You need to work together. JO 29:54 So, were there any research findings that surprised you? MERV 29:58 One of them was one I just mentioned, quite frankly, in fact, that people did this for practical and ethical reasons, not financial reasons. Come back to the comment about leadership. One of the pioneers in Canada some years ago was Michael Wilson, our former finance minister, whose son died by suicide some years ago. This made it personal for him and for his family. And so, he worked hard to make it a corporate issue. What was surprising and encouraging was the fact that people got it and came up with innovative solutions. The thing that was a little bit worrisome, quite frankly... and this isn't intended to be a criticism, but it was a reflection of the level of knowledge and resource at the time... was that there was a tendency, even in well-intentioned organizations, to pick programs or initiatives, if you will, off the shelf. So, not considering whether or not it was a good fit, or whether address their particular needs, whether it was a good fit for the organization. And I do think there's a real need to customize it and adapt it back to your earlier point, in order to make things implemented effectively and sustainable. JO 31:02 That brings me to a question about customization. And you just mentioned that every business is unique... it has a special mandate and special plans and policies and programs and objectives. So, I suppose that while the standard and your research findings give people a general idea of how to make this work, they really to have to be so focused on their individual needs. MERV 31:32 It's a good point... we're all special in our own special way, but we also share a lot in common. So, it's finding a balance. I've heard from some sectors and some organizations where, "we're unique"... "you don't understand"... or "this doesn't apply to us, because we're very unique and different." Well, you're not that different. So there's gonna be some things that are universal, some things are going to be specific, balancing those two and asking people, gathering data... there's more and more tools out there that will do this... about what's the fixed snapshot... what the organization looks like. And using that information to guide, be it policy or practice, or training, or new positions. JO 32:12 And that brings us to another one of your promising practices, which is measuring approaches that track the rate and impact of change. MERV 32:23 Yes, indeed. And I talked about the importance of measurement... an ongoing kind of measurement. These days, and under the current circumstances, people are being bombarded with surveys and being asked questions. I think there's absolutely merit in that, but one needs to be succinct. You need to be discreet and respectful of people's time and so on, or you're not going to get good information. Back to effective communication, in a sense, but tracking it on an ongoing basis, and then being flexible enough to change your approach if you're getting meaningful data or data suggests you need to change things. JO 32:57 While preparing for this, we talked about how increased stress fosters psychosocial issues that require psychosocial solutions. First, what is a psychosocial issue, and a related psychosocial solution that you can share with us? MERV 33:17 "Psychosocial" basically just reflects psychological... individual and societal/social kinds of factors... be they income equality, be they poverty, be they individual coping. It's a psychological aspect of things, as opposed to the, if you will, physical aspect of things. And what I mean by that, in this context, is I do have some concern. COVID, the pandemic, is indeed a physical risk, if you will, however, the response... our human response, or social response... is a psychological one, a psychosocial response in many ways. And frankly, it therefore requires, I would suggest, psychosocial, psychological kind of responses that we've talked about. The organization can do policies to provide appropriate and meaningful support… communication could actually support people's psychological health. JO 34:07 You conducted your research between 2014 and 2017. Are you aware of any emerging research or any groundbreaking trends or best practices that support this move toward more mentally safe and healthy workplaces? MERV 34:25 I think it's an evolving situation. One thing which I think was pretty cool, and I've seen this in several different sectors, are what's referred to as communities of practice. And that is something coming... I think I was first aware of it in the healthcare context... but it's basically organizations or groups with common features, getting together and learning from one another. There was initiative actually, that came out of I believe, UBC Okanagan in collaboration, I think it was with Waterloo, for a kind of communities of practice for universities and colleges, where they took an opportunity to meet to discuss with one another what they were doing, what was working, what wasn't working. So, learning from one another... I think that's very promising. That's a great thing. And frankly, I think the same thing can happen on a more micro level, within an organization or a group, just creating a space... creating opportunity... for the key people to talk about these issues, and identify possible solutions moving forward. I'll throw a bit of a side comment in this one. And this one was a bit surprising to me too, certainly, when it comes to programs and things like employee assistance programs, and policies and benefits and so on. Those are typically the purview of large organizations, and smaller mom and pop businesses may not have that opportunity. That part may be true in terms of having the money and size to initiative things, but I think smaller organizations actually can be a lot more nimble. The leader or manager, whomever, within a department or a small construction crew, or whatever the case may be, is more likely to be in touch... more immediate contact... with the people he or she is working with, and therefore can come up with things on the fly... perhaps a lot more readily than large organizations that go through a kind of bureaucratic process. That creativity is certainly encouraging. JO 36:17 Have you conducted any other workplace research that you'd like to share? MERV 36:21 Let me add one more comment to what we're saying earlier. The other thing, which I think is promising is, we're now seeing organized labor and contracts pay more attention to psychological safety in the workplace, and a great example is here in British Columbia, where the nurses union in a prior contract, essentially... and the employer agreed with this... mandated adoption of the national standard across of all health care. So, I think that was another positive thing. Back to your question. So, on new things we're doing... certainly my colleague, Dan Bilsker, and I have been working with support from WorkSafe, frankly, with BC Emergency Health Services for about the last three years. And very much what I was saying a moment ago, recognizing that paramedics and dispatchers have unique work circumstances, and it's a unique organization. So, we've started by learning from them what resiliency looked like, what some of the stresses of the job were, what some effective coping methods were. And on the basis of that have created a workbook, a resilient coping workbook, which we're currently in process of disseminating throughout the organization. JO 37:26 I'm wondering if you can tell us a story about an organization that moved from being perhaps not so focused on psychological health and safety, to embracing a psychological contract that really made a huge difference in the lives of all the people who work there? MERV 37:45 The beautiful example of an organization that took evidence-informed steps... there is a financial institution, I guess I can name them... VanCity (Vancouver City Savings Credit Union). Being a financial institution, they experience robberies. Now, as I said earlier, historically, WorkSafe did not cover psychological injuries, with the exception of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Well, frankly, being robbed or held up within a finance institution can be very traumatic event. So, it actually was data of days lost following a robbery. What VanCity did some years ago, again, I hope the program is still in place was, hey, okay, let's talk to people. What can we do here to actually sort of address this issue? We can't necessarily stop robberies, per se, but what can we do to address the impact psychological impact on staff who've gone through such a troubling, and potentially traumatic event? And what they came up with were a couple of things. First of all, they used and bolstered their employee assistance program, and so on, made that available. If there was a robbery in a particular branch, I believe the CEO, the head of the organization, communicated very quickly with that particular branch and said, "How are you guys doing? Are you okay?" So, leadership, they connected, in some sense said, "Something happened here that wasn't good... is troubling." And then they said, "What can we do? How can we help?" And they put funds and resources aside, said, "Okay, you guys just been through a bad event or troubling event. How can we help? Here's some funds… you want a pizza party, you want tickets to a baseball game, you tell us something that would help, if you will, recover or move forward from a difficult event." Because they had some data on lost time, they could actually measure the impact. And they also were able... circumstantially, back to your question about applied research, frankly... they couldn't, because it's the real world that said, roll it out to all the organizations. So, those branches that adopt the program, great, but there were also some new branches, new people came on. So, they actually had a control group, and they can compare those branches that didn't have this kind of a program and those that did, and indeed, there was a notable difference between the two, and lost time went down and continued over time. And they were then able to spread the program. So, that one, I don't say they're in bad shape, but they started by identifying a problem, and asked people and then did something about it that was measurable. JO 40:12 I'd like to end our time together with you sharing about what I think is one of the most important pillars in a workplace mental health program… and that's trust. How can leaders best build trust with their employees around psychological health and safety? And how can employees come to trust their leaders? MERV 40:33 Part of my response is, how long has it tried to measure growth, tried to understand what the level of trust is. I did hear about an organization awhile ago, and the CEO talked about a "trust meter," in a sense, and not something that's necessarily quantified, but recognizing that trust is a very fragile entity. Trust is based on a perception, it's a belief, the belief that you as an employer, in this context, are concerned about my interest, and you're going to sincerely try to do what you're saying you're going to do. And that belief is going to be based on past behavior. It's a perception kind of thing, not something you put your finger on. But yes, I absolutely agree is critical to all interactions, not just with respect to psychologically healthy workplaces, but just the effectiveness of an organization, of a group effort. There's a concept that has been floating around for a number of years, which I think is useful... people talk about "psychological contract" is context between employer and employee. The psychological contract is the implicit mutual reciprocal understanding between the two parties... between the employer and the employee... as to what they expect of one another. As an employee, I expect to be treated fairly. I expect to be compensated fairly. I expect opportunities to learn new things and do new things. I expect my opinion will be listened to. I'm willing to put that extra effort in if need be. As an employer, I expect my employee to do his or her job, to ask questions, to respect leadership, and follow the appropriate practices, and to put your shoulder to the wheel a little bit more, if needed, if there's some kind of crisis or emergency. And that contract is fragile, and very fluid, and perhaps more fluid during a COVID response. But if that contract... unspoken... it's not a job description, it's not a labor contract, per se, it's unspoken... if that's broken on either party, results can be very, very deleterious to either side. JO 42:32 How can that psychological or can that psychological contract be moved from being implicit to explicit? MERV 42:42 Crazy as it may be, talk about it... try to take the covert and make it a little bit overt. Asking supervisors, managers, leaders... asking and meeting in a very authentic way with the people they work with. And asking them how it's going. Are your expectations being met? Are there things that we need to do? So, again, it's going to be communication, it's going to be communication that's succinct, not overwhelming people, that's going to be humble, for lack of better word, not promising things that you can't deliver. And it's gonna be fair, saying that I don't have that information, but here's what I'm going to do to get it. Or, we don't have that service right now, that program right now, that initiative right now, but here's what we might do, or here's what might be available instead. And, particularly, helpful... what is going to be helpful, not just empty language. I do feel concerned about the language especially... it started with the pandemic, was, "We're all in this together." Well, no, we're not. We're all in this, yes, but we're not necessarily together. Many of us… and many organizations and sectors and individuals… have their own circumstances that are very different from others. A little bit of a Kumbaya, we're all in this together, can sound false. If you're a single mom who's lost your job in the hospitality sector, and has a special needs kid at home, your circumstances are very different. So, humility is called for. JO 44:02 So, in closing, Merv, I'd like you to imagine that you're standing in front of a group of 100 CEOs from a variety of sectors and industries. And that you can say one thing to them about workplace mental health, and that they would not only take you seriously, but they would move forward, really being open-minded about potential change within their organizations. What would that one thing be? MERV 44:33 I think it would be, in essence, this attention to the psychological health and psychological well being of organizations under the people who work in them is not a fad... is not going away. It's very real. Work has changed in many ways. Whereas in earlier times, many jobs involved primarily physical labor. Increasingly, jobs these days require psychological labor. We used to talk about "putting your back into it" to describe the physical efforts that were required for doing a lot of work. And perhaps not surprisingly, the majority of workplace injuries and disability were musculoskeletal back injuries. Nowadays, we expect people to "put their head into it," they put their psychological skills and learning and knowledge into a thing. And correspondingly, when that's not supported, you're gonna see psychological injuries. So, this is very real, it's good for the worker, it's good for the workplace. And it is absolutely essential to the resilience and success of the organization. JO 45:36 Marv, I understand that you're involved in some research around trust. Can you tell us what that's all about? MERV 45:43 Years ago, actually, before the creation of standard, actually, we created a tool called Guarding Minds at Work, which has had a lot of uptake... it measures, psychosocial risks in the workplace. It's a survey-based tool and we have noticed... and along with another colleague, Dr. Graham Lowe... that trust, as you pointed out, is really a key ingredient. But we need to try and measure it to understand it. So, what we did is use our existing data around this Guarding Minds at Work tool and looked at what kind of factors, what kind of considerations, were related to a basic question, "Do employers and employees trust one another?" And they come across things that we've talked about, like communication, and honesty, and sincerity, and practicality, and culture. And we've created a tool called the Trust Building Survey, that we're currently in the process of informing a variety of groups in Canada and elsewhere about this tool to trial it… to use it. Frankly, as a snapshot, it's not long, it's about a 20-item, survey, but take a snapshot of where an organization is at at various points. And I think because things are so fluid with the world in general, and the pandemic response, in particular, it is very worthwhile for organizations and departments to take that snapshot at various points over time to try and capture an evolving and ever-shifting nature of the situation. JO 47:05 Is that opportunity to be involved in the research still open to organizations? MERV 47:12 Absolutely. Yes, we welcome inquiries from various groups, organizations that want to help us use this tool, apply this tool within your organization. So, we can all learn about trust as it evolves over time. JO 47:25 And how would people connect with you? MERV 47:27 They can connect through my email, my email is Merv... m-e-r-v at p-s-y-c-h-s-a-f-e-t-y dot org. JO 47:39 Well, that's amazing. I think that trust in the workplace is a huge issue. And maybe a little further on into your research, we can do a whole episode on that. MERV 47:49 Terrific, that would be wonderful. JO 47:51 That's amazing. Merv, thanks so much for kicking off part one of this episode. MERV 47:57 Absolute pleasure. And I really appreciate the you're paying attention this issue and spreading the word, as you will… we've come a long way, but we've got a long way to go. JO 48:05 My pleasure. Thanks again. I'm excited because you're wise and wide ranging insights... after 40 years of working in this field... I think they set the stage perfectly from my next conversation with Trudy Rondou and Lisa Smith from WorkSafe BC, which is a progressive provincial government agency in British Columbia, Canada. But before we get to that, listeners can visit the Mental Health Commission of Canada's website at m-h-c-c dot c-a to learn more about the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, the subsequent Case Studies Research Project, and a variety of tools to help organizations meet their goals. As mentioned earlier, you can connect with Merv about the research project or other workplace mental health issues at m-e-r-v at p-s-y-c-h-s-a-f-e-t-y dot org. Now to help us get a feel for what's happening with workplace mental health from a provincial perspective, I'm here with WorkSafe BC's Trudy Rondou and Lisa Smith. WorkSafe BC promotes safe and healthy workplaces for about 230,000 employers and more than 2.3 million workers. Its services include education, prevention, compensation and support for injured workers and no-fault insurance to protect both employers and workers. Trudy, let's start with you. First of all, thanks so much for being here. TRUDI 49:54 Thank you... I'm really pleased to be here. This is the topic I'm pretty passionate about, so I'm excited to be involved. JO 49:59 WorkSafe BC's vision is… British Columbians free from workplace injury, disease and death. To that end, there's a strong focus on prevention through policy and education. What does that look like in your world as senior manager of prevention programs? And why are you so motivated to help? TRUDI 50:20 As senior manager now in prevention programs, I actually have a new department called Mental Health and Psychological Safety. And while WorkSafe BC has been dealing with mental health from a claims and compensation point of view for a number of years now, this is sort of the start of the shift to looking at mental health from a preventative perspective. So, we're really looking at what we can be doing with workers and employers to try to prevent those mental health injuries from happening. JO 50:49 And again, speaking to your motivation? TRUDI 50:52 Well, I guess I'm passionate because I do believe in the sense of prevention. I don't think that we have to wait for a mental health injury to occur before we can help treat. I think that early intervention has shown lots of signs of assisting people and mitigating their mental health issues.JO 51:08 So, it sounds like an upstream approach to health care is applicable in your industry as well. TRUDI 51:15 Absolutely. JO 51:17 What does WorkSafe BC require of employers to help prevent psychological injuries? TRUDI 51:24 We want businesses out there to recognize that psychological health is just as important as physical health. And I think that's a real mind shift for employers. Employers in the province have been dealing with the physical health and safety for years, and they're used to that. But recognizing now that psychological health of the workplace is equally as important is a new shift. And I think along with that, having an employer recognize that they can play a proactive role in psychological health... again, going back to that notion that it's not just about treatment. There are proactive upfront things that can be done. And we also want employers to implement policies and programs that support mental health in the workplace. JO 52:03 Building on that theme of proactivity. What are some of the emerging best practices employers are using? TRUDI 52:11 Employers who represent best practices always have leadership champions. So, it starts at the top and they have people who are in senior roles, who really advocate for mental health and normalize mental health as being part of a workplace conversation. We want employers who have policies in place... so, recognizing that any behavior that goes contrary to mental health is not allowed in the workplace... things such as bullying and harassment are not allowed in the workplace. And policies that are going to support proactive and positive mental health. Anti-stigma campaigns have been proven to be really successful, because there is a lot of stigma around mental health. And I think we'll talk a little bit about that later, but some of these campaigns that individual employers have done, again, trying to normalize mental health and make it part of the regular conversation. Training and education are certainly important. And that is training and things such as mental health literacy so people understand how to have the conversation, as well as coping skills so people can understand what they're feeling in times of stress. What are some resources that they can fall on themselves? What are some coping skills that they can have? And what kind of resources and supports are available? Many employers have informed Employee and Family Assistance Programs or ESAP programs, but in a lot of cases, employees aren't always aware of the supports that are offered through those programs. So, those are some of the things that progressive businesses are really doing to help. JO 53:38 Do you have a specific example of an employer who has done a really good job with this? TRUDI 53:45 Yes, I can certainly think of an employer... it's actually a first responder organization... and they recognize the importance of the mental health of their workers. And if you think of first responders, they're exposed to traumas all the time in their job... they see and hear things that are quite exceptional that regular workplaces, and regular workers, don't see. And so, this employer wanted to implement everything they could, so they had leadership champions step forward. They created a very robust peer support program so that workers had somebody that they could relate to, to talk to. And they even went so far as to start hosting family nights, so they recognize the importance of first responder families. And they hosted these family nights so that they could get the first responders and their families together to talk about what mental health supports were available. JO 54:39 So, what is the return on investment for businesses that are doing this health and safety right? TRUDI 54:46 That's really interesting. There has been some research done recently by Deloitte, looking at the return on investment for mental health programs. So these aren't just health and safety programs. These are specific to mental health and they actually found there was a return on investment of about $1.60 to $2.20. So, for every dollar you were investing in your mental health program, you were getting a return of about $1.60 to $2.20. And you were seeing that return on things like less absenteeism, less workplace claims, and more presenteeism for people who are working. That report really focused on the fact that we should invest in proactive programs that promote positive mental health, in addition to treatment. So again, that report reinforced this messaging around prevention, and promoting positiv
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