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Author: SunN

  • A Message from the President and Chief Executive Officer

    The Wonderful Thing about Tiggers!

    For as long as I can remember I have loved Winnie the Pooh.  When you read the stories you can’t help but be moved by the life lessons you learn as Piglet and Pooh engage in their adventures in the Hundred Acre Woods.  How can you not smile as Tigger bounces from place to place, filled with laughter and joy?  Whether it was Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet or Pooh there were always adventures or misadventures but at the end of the day, enduring relationships.

    When my children were young we used to play “Pooh Sticks” in Fish Creek Park, no matter how many times we dropped sticks over the bridge, the excitement was always there.  Did you know that there is a book called Winnie–the–Pooh on Management — a book that teaches the principles of management using Pooh and his friends to share important lessons about leadership!

    Today, I will simply share my favorite quotes from Pooh & friends that I think can guide us in our day to day lives whether at work or at home!

    “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

    “If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening be patient.  It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”

    “Life is not about how fast you run or how high you climb but how well you bounce.“

    If you have some spare time, reacquaint yourself with Winnie the Pooh and his friends, you may be surprised by what you discover!

    As Tigger would say, T.T.F.N.,

    Jennifer

     

    As always, I welcome your feedback at: jennifer.mccue@bethanyseniors.com

  • A Message from the Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (Interim)

    Mother’s day is just around the corner and it is one of the most celebrated days of the year. Anna Jarvis campaigned for this special day and in 1914, Mother’s Day was established. In my family, we celebrate by going out for brunch or dinner and when my kids were younger, I would always look forward to receiving their homemade gifts.

    This is also a time when I think about my mom and the sacrifices she made to raise her six children. To provide a better life for us, my mom and dad moved to Canada despite not speaking a word of English. One of my fondest memories of growing up was of the late nights I sat by my mom as she sewed my tutus for upcoming ballet recitals. As a child, I had an interest in dance, and my mom was the one who helped cultivate that into a passion. She was my biggest supporter and taught me that I could be whatever I wanted to be, if I believed in myself. Ultimately, my mom was significant in shaping who I am, and I am incredibly blessed to have her as my mom.

    For the Bethany moms and all those people who made a mother’s difference in someone’s life, this Sunday is to celebrate you. We can never repay the debt to our mothers but we can relay our gratitude. Thank you for making our lives better. Happy Mother’s Day!

    Thank you for taking the time to read this message and feel free to reach me with your comments or questions at Doreen.Lee@Bethanyseniors.com.

     

    — Doreen

  • NAOSH (North American Occupational Safety and Health) Week and Mental Health Week

    The North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week is a continent-wide event spanning Canada, the United States and Mexico. The goal during NAOSH Week is to focus the attention of employers, employees, partners, and the public on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, at home and in the community.

    This year at Bethany, in combination with NAOSH, we are recognizing Mental Health Week. Mental illness affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures. Mental health is a state of well-being – we all have it – and we can all have good mental health. It is about having a sense of purpose, strong relationships, feeling connected to our communities, knowing who we are, coping with stress and enjoying life.

    During this week we want to extend our gratitude and appreciation to all employees and thank each and every one of you for your dedication to caring in a safe and healthy way so that we can continue to provide caring communities to all we serve.

    Digital Screen NAOSH Week

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Click on the above image for a larger view.

  • 2nd Annual Bethany Service Excellence Recognition Awards

    Our Service Excellence Recognition Awards program celebrates our employees’ commitment to everyday excellence in their roles and actions. At the Board Recognition dinner on May 1st, employees in seven categories were recognized for their valuable contributions that go above and beyond for our residents and tenants, and their support of our corporate priority of organizational excellence.

    These employees take our people-centered work to new heights. Thank you to our 100+ nominees, as well as our winners, for championing our Standards for Service Excellence.

    And the recipients of the 2nd Annual Bethany Service Excellence Awards are:

    Rising Start Award

    Runner Up:  Jillian Palbom, Manager, Human Resources Bethany Corporate

    Winner: Brianne Cruickshank, LPN, Bethany Didsbury

    New Employee Mentor Award

    Runner Up:  Patti Lorenz, Care Services Manager, Bethany Calgary

    Winner: Dawn Larche, Manager, Learning and Development, Human Resources

    Leadership Award

    Runner Up:  Paula Buckley, Occupational Therapist, Bethany Calgary

    Winner: Joan Schwarze, Clinical Educator, Bethany Collegeside/Sylvan Lake

    Engagement Excellence Award
    Runner Up:  Shauna Ciezki, Volunteer Services Coordinator,  Bethany Harvest Hills

    Winner: Jason Johnson, Recreation Supervisor, Bethany Cochrane

    Innovation Excellence Award
    Runner Up:  Project Team Kronos (team members):  Julian Austin, Bryce Liesemer, Lisa Schnurer, Theinmozhi (aka Tanya) Subramanian, Dawn Larche, Allison Woods, Shereena Nazarali

    Winner: Melissa Fenton, Health Care Aide, Bethany Cochrane

    Service Excellence Award
    Runner Up:  Kelly Berg, Health Care Aide – Bethany Didsbury

    Winner: Payton Andrews, Health Care Aide, Bethany Collegeside

    Board of Trustee Mission Award
    Runner Up:  Kim Herder, LPN, Bethany Sylvan Lake

    Winner: Brian Way, Chaplain, Bethany Airdrie

  • Q4 Survey Results – Employee Pulse Survey FY2019

    Bethany conducts a quarterly employee Pulse Survey to capture a snapshot of employee and leader engagement throughout our organization. Four hundred and thirty-nine employees and fifty leaders were randomly selected to participate anonymously. The Q4 Survey for FY2019 took place January 1 – March 31, 2019.

    Highlights from the Q4 Survey:

    Q4 2019 Infographic Employee and Leader Pulse Survey results Final

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    If you have any thoughts or comments on the Q4 Survey results, I welcome you to share them with me.

    Please contact me directly at lisa.watson@bethanyseniors.com

    Thanks for helping us to ensure that Bethany is a great place to work!

    Lisa Watson
    Vice President, Chief People Officer    If you have any thoughts or comments on the Q4 Survey results, I welcome you to share them with me.

    Please contact me directly at lisa.watson@bethanyseniors.com

    Thanks for helping us to ensure that Bethany is a great place to work!

    Lisa Watson
    Vice President, Chief People Officer

  • A Message from the Vice President, Chief People Officer

    As I sit down at my computer to write this update, it is a gorgeous spring day outside – finally! Trees are budding, the grass is turning green, the sun is shining, and winter jackets have been removed and replaced by short sleeves. With the arrival of spring, I am excited to get outside and start playing in my garden. It looks so sad after a long and cold winter, but I get great joy seeing the resilient plants start to poke their heads out of the soil.

    Gardening can be a great way to enjoy the outdoors, get physically active, beautify the community and grow nutritious fruits and vegetables. If you are a beginner like me or an expert gardener, health and safety should always be a priority. I thought I would share a few tips to help keep you safe and healthy so that you can enjoy the beauty and bounty that gardening can bring.

    • Dress to protect—gear up to protect yourself from lawn and garden pests, harmful chemicals, sharp or motorized equipment, insects, and harmful rays of too much sun.
    • Wear safety goggles, sturdy shoes and long pants to prevent injury when using power tools and equipment.
    • Protect your hearing when using machinery. If you have to raise your voice to talk to someone who is an arm’s length away, the noise can be potentially harmful to your hearing.
    • Wear gloves to lower the risk for skin irritations, cuts and certain contaminants.
    • Use insect repellent and protect yourself from diseases caused by mosquitoes and ticks. Wear long-sleeved shirts, and pants tucked in your socks.
    • Lower your risk for sunburn and skin cancer. Wear long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats, sun shades, and sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher
    • Put Safety First—powered and unpowered tools and equipment can cause serious injury. Limit distractions, use chemicals and equipment properly and be aware of hazards to lower your risk for injury.
    • Follow instructions and warning labels on chemicals and lawn and garden equipment.
    • Make sure the equipment is working properly.
    • Sharpen tools carefully.
    • Keep harmful chemicals, tools, and equipment out of children’s reach.

    I am so excited to see what Mother Nature has in store for my garden this year, and what bulbs can survive the onslaught of our community bunnies. I look forward to my daily garden inspections and admiring the new growth on my plants and the blossoming of colours and fragrances as summer approaches. To all Bethany gardeners, I wish you a fabulous and safe gardening season.

    If you have any questions, or would simply like to share your ideas, please contact me directly at lisa.watson@bethanyseniors.com.

     

     

    Kind regards,

    – Lisa

  • Providing Time Off for Employees to Vote in the Provincial Election

    Provincial elections will be happening across Alberta on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

    Advanced poll locations are available to all eligible electors and for the first time are providing a ‘Vote Anywhere’ service, whereby electors can receive the ballot for their electoral divisions, at any location.

    Information about the locations and their hours of operations can be found on Where to Vote cards mailed to electors, in local newspapers and on www.elections.ab.ca.

    In accordance with Section 132 of the Election Act, employees are allowed three consecutive hours for the purpose of casting their vote on Election Day. The following information and guidelines from Bethany’s Leaves of Absence (Unpaid) Policy apply to grant employees time off work during a provincial election:

    • An employee is entitled to three (3) consecutive hours during the period that the polls are open in which to vote in accordance with the Elections Acts.
    • In accordance with the Elections Acts, employees whose work day ends by 1600 hours need not be given time off from work to vote. Similarly, those employees working evening or night shifts will have time to vote prior to coming on duty
    • In the unlikely event that polling hours change to hours of operation that affect any employee shifts, schedules will be reviewed to ensure all employees have the necessary three hours available if they require and request it.

    Voter information centre hours are 8:15 am to 8:00 pm weekdays, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm weekends, and 8:00 am to 8:00 pm on Election Day.
    We encourage all eligible employees to exercise their right to vote and participate in this election. If you have any specific questions regarding time off for employees to vote, please contact me directly at jillian.palbom@bethanyseniors.com

     

    Kindly,
    Jillian Palbom
    Manager, Human Resources

  • A Message from the Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

    It’s All A Matter of Perspective

    In the words of Henry Ford: “If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own”.

    Over the last couple of weeks, I have encountered challenges in moving some organizational initiatives forward. I have been met with resistance and even disagreement and I have to say, it has not been entirely clear to me why this has occurred. The conclusion that I have come to is that “it’s all a matter of perspective”.

    The above quote encourages us to see things from a different perspective. By doing so, we can raise our own awareness and potentially find better solutions and ways of doing things. As individuals, we filter everything by our personal history, our beliefs, motivations and concepts that we hold true. That said, it is important that we understand that they are not necessarily true for other people. Our individual perspectives influence our behaviour, actions and attitudes. It has been said that the true value of another perspective lies within seeing more of a situation and therefore being able to make a better judgement for ourselves.

    I have come to learn that takes courage to see the perspective of others, to acknowledge it and potentially move forward in a different direction. I would also argue it requires discipline to approach situations this way. However, if we do so we may often find a better way to move forward.

    I would encourage you to think about this as you encounter challenges in your own lives. Try and understand where the other person is coming from. I would like to close with one of my favourite quotes from Wayne Dyer: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”.

    As always, I welcome any ideas or suggestions you may have. Please send them to me at nancy.hughes@bethanyseniors.com.

     

     

    Regards,
    — Nancy

  • Resilience: Growing Stronger Through Change

    Like the tree whose branches bend and sway in a storm rather than crack under pressure, we have the power to remain flexible and strong amid life’s challenges… to be resilient! Resilience is a transformative lever for growth and learning. As Oprah Winfrey says, “you go with what you know until you know better…”

    Resilience is defined as the process of bouncing back and fully recovering in the face of change. Being resilient doesn’t mean a person won’t experience difficulty or stress. However, resilient individuals respond to stress in ways that help them not only recover, but grow and thrive.

    In our personal or work life, we can be facing an overwhelming amount of pressure – both good and bad. Our brain can become overloaded so it’s important to recognize you’re doing the best you can.

    “Resilience is actually an acquired skill.” says clinical psychologist Meg Jay. “It is being able to adapt and respond positively to situations that life throws at you.”

    Put on your “reality glasses”

    The first step in coping with a situation is to put on your “reality glasses.” Reality glasses, a concept developed by Dr. Stephen Williams, an organizational psychologist from the U.K., are the glasses you use to look at and understand what’s going on in your world. When you put on your reality glasses, you stop, step back, and ask yourself: “Am I seeing this as it really is?” “How big is this problem?” Or, “Have I got this out of proportion?”

    When you assess the situation, you may discover that the situation you are facing isn’t as serious as you had thought. Facing your problems with your reality glasses on helps you gain a sense of control. “You’ve moved into the driving seat,” says Dr. Williams. That’s the first step in growing stronger through change.

    Remember, responding positively to life’s situations and recognizing that we have a choice in how we handle challenges and change, helps us to grow stronger. Resiliency starts with each of us, we need to take an active role. The following seven things can be considered as ways to be more resilient in life. Incorporating any or all will help us to thrive and respond better to change and stress in our lives.

     

    NAOSH Mental Health Week Poster

     

    Lesley MacKinnon
    Manager, Safety & Disability Management
    Human Resources

  • A Message from the Acting Executive Director, Bethany Care Foundation

    The Music You Make

    I went to a chamber music concert on Friday night. I just learned about this kind of classical music a couple of years ago (what can I say…I’m more of a 70’s/80’s music fan!)

    Chamber music is a beautiful and precise musical style, usually played by a quartet playing two violins, a viola and a cello. It began hundreds of years ago – played in grand palaces and ornate homes to entertain the rich aristocrats who lived in them. Now it’s played in concert halls and is affordably priced so that anyone can enjoy it – students, working professionals, retirees and seniors.

    In a purpose-built space, the perfection of each instrument’s part in the musical piece can be heard as clearly as if the players were in your own living room. Each musical note layers flawlessly on the last one played. I’m always amazed at how the musicians remember all the notes without sheet music, and I love how they watch each other carefully as they play, to make sure their collective music creates the best possible sound.

    On Friday night as I listened (when I wasn’t nudging my husband who kept nodding off, that is), I found myself thinking about the power of music at Bethany and the meaning it brings to our residents. Whether that music comes from a caregiver singing to a resident, a children’s choir visiting one of our care centres or a therapist led sing-along, music has the power to bring people together in a special shared experience.

    Our work brings all of us together in a shared experience, too. If you think about it, Bethany is a bit like an orchestra. We all have our instruments and parts to play. And I’m always so grateful that others know their notes so well! Like a chamber music concert, our work is better and more meaningful when we play it together, each knowing our part and making sure our instruments and notes are in tune with the music others are playing.

    On that note, thanks for all you do – and have a great week!

     

    — Gail