Just another WordPress site

Category: News

  • A Message from the Vice President, Special Projects

    Since I last wrote to you all in May, I have assumed a new role at Bethany – as Vice President, Special Projects – and transferred my old responsibilities as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer to Spencer Harmer. This transition is a big change for me, because I was in my former role for thirteen years, since joining Bethany in 2005.

    When I was thinking of this change in my work life, I began to notice some of the other transitions that are happening around us at this time of year. Transitions can take many forms and impact us in different ways. For example:

    • During the past few years, many staff at Bethany played various roles in the planning for and construction of the new Bethany Riverview building. We are now at the time in this project when the building is transferred from being under the control of the construction manager to Bethany’s own staff. There is excitement all around as the intensity grows of the work associated with furnishing the rooms and offices, hiring and orienting staff to the new building and to their work responsibilities, preparing for the move of the current to the new Corporate Office in August, and being well prepared to accept the first residents to Bethany Riverview in September.
    • A number of my colleagues have recently taken time off work to attend their children’s graduation ceremonies and to celebrate their completion of high school, college diplomas or university degrees. Those young people are embarking on new beginnings in their lives and careers which will see many interesting times for them.
    • For those of us living in the northern hemisphere, spring turned into summer. For most people this is viewed as a very positive event as we start to enjoy the warmer weather and are able to walk outside without thinking about adding extra layers of clothing. Many of us, as well, will be able to enjoy a summer vacation as we head off to new places or take advantage of spending a relaxing time at home.

    Although all of these changes in people’s work and lives bring the excitement of new opportunities and challenges, we also need to recognize and understand that, for those involved, they also come with some degree of apprehension and an in-bred fear of the unknown. For those changing jobs or a work location, there may be a fear of fitting into a new team; for new graduates, it may be a worry about finding a job in their chosen field or in being able to further their education; and for those of us on vacation, it could be a worry about who is looking after their house or the pet they left behind.

    I believe the most important way to conquer our fears is by remembering that we are not alone. Being part of a family or a group of friends or as a member of our large team at Bethany, we have the collective strength and resources to overcome any of the fears we might imagine. It is important therefore to draw on the experience and help of those connections – at work the People of Bethany – to help us through any challenges we may have.

    As always, I welcome ideas, suggestions and any questions that you may have.  Please feel free to send them to me at alasdair.smith@bethanyseniors.com

    Take care,

    Alasdair

  • A Message from the Vice President, People and Culture

    Last week I had the privilege of meeting and interviewing many fantastic Bethany employees from across our sites who are interested in joining the Bethany Riverview team. I was happy to see the excitement from our employees at the possibility of bringing their energy, focus and motivation to Bethany Riverview. From these conversations, it is very clear that Bethany employees understand and live into our mission, vision and values every day, and daily work decisions are guided by our Standards for Service Excellence.

    Through these conversations, I observed a strong understanding that no matter what position we hold within Bethany, we all have a responsibility to lead and influence excellence in a manner appropriate with the strengths that we each bring. It is our responsibility to go above and beyond the tasks associated with our role, taking pride and having a sense of ownership, always going the extra mile, and being proactive and taking action where it is needed. Ensuring that we approach everything that we do with a positive attitude and treat everyone with respect is “who we are at Bethany”. We are all committed to being leaders and setting positive examples of teamwork and motivation, supporting each other when dealing with frustration and adversity in positive and constructive ways. We all pitch in and contribute any way we can, approaching everything we encounter with an attitude of “how can I help out”. I am proud to be part of the Bethany community and the People of Bethany.

    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

  • A Message from the Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

    As we enter into this year’s audit cycle, I thought it would be important to provide a refresher on the purpose of the audit process and a reminder on how important your contributions are to ensuring a successful audit. While there are different types of audits, the focus of my message is on the Continuing Care Heath Service Standards audits.

    In Alberta, the Ministry of Health is ultimately responsible for ensuring the delivery of quality publicly funded health care. One of the ways that this is done is through the application of the Continuing Care Health Service Standards (CCHSS). These standards are a legislated requirement and set the minimum requirement that Operators must comply with in the provision of Health Care. Our performance on how well Operators meet these standards is measured through an audit process lead by Alberta Health Services.

    At Bethany, we continually work on ensuring we are compliant with CCHS standards and do this through the Quality and Safety Committees at each site. All of the work that you do in completing checklists and internal audits help us to identify any quality and safety risks and opportunities and ensure continuous quality improvement remains a common goal. Your daily commitment to excellence in resident and family centered care is evident in how families and residents share their experiences with auditors.

    Alberta Health Services has recently made some changes to the way they conduct the CCHSS audits and Bethany had its first audit under this new structure on June 5 and 6 at Bethany Calgary. I am happy to say that the audit went very well and the process was very collaborative in nature. While there are some things we need to work on, we are doing many things well and in fact, are leaders in some areas. This is particularly true of organization wide initiatives such as Service Excellence, Resident and Family Councils and Gentle Persuasive Approach dementia care training for staff. The auditors were also impressed with our use of technology-based initiatives such as the Electronic Health Care Record and Point of Care, PolicyTech and the Momentum resident safety system.

    Please continue to bring your quality improvement ideas forward through your site Quality and Safety Committees; your suggestions are valuable. Thank you for your continued commitment to ensuring safe, high quality care for our residents.

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

    Regards, Nancy

  • 2018 Founders’ Bursary Awards

    The Founders’ Bursary Awards are awarded to the children of Bethany employees that recognize a student’s excellence in scholastic achievement, outstanding leadership, and a commitment to the community.

    Click on the link below for more information and an application form.

     Bethany Founders Bursary Award Forms

  • Job Postings for Bethany Riverview are Live!

    The time has finally arrived! Job postings for Bethany Riverview are live!

    Internal postings will be up from June 4, 2018 until June 14, 2018. After this date, postings will be made available to the general public.

    Link to Bethany Careers

    Here is how the hiring process will work:
    • All applications must include a current resume in order to be considered
    • Postings for HCAs/LPNs/RNs are grouped together by shift, FTE and program (Long Term Care or Complex Dementia Care). You only need to apply once in each program (LTC or CDC) for the largest FTE you want
    • If you are not able to get your 1st choice of FTE, you will still be considered for smaller FTE positions
    • We will call you for a brief prescreen chat and to confirm your shift preferences
    • Employees who meet the pre-screen requirements will be invited to attend an interview
    • Final hiring decisions will be made by the hiring team according to established guidelines
    • Offers for Bethany employees will be made by July 13, 2018. Those who were not successful with their applications will also be notified

    If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to contact us at AskBethanyRiverview@bethanyseniors.com

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

    As you read the following two updates about a recent gift to Bethany, what do you find yourself thinking or feeling?

    1. The Cochrane Activettes recently made a donation to Bethany Cochrane. The contribution was used to support our residents’ participation in warm water therapy at the local sports centre.

    2. Bethany Cochrane recently partnered with Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre to give our supportive living and long term care residents the opportunity to take part in weekly warm water therapy. The Sports Centre closes for ‘senior swim’ and has purchased appropriate water equipment including walkers, wheelchairs, exercise bikes and flotation devices to allow our seniors to enjoy spending time in the water. While a few residents were a little apprehensive about their first time in a pool in a very long time, their worries were soon allayed and the activity is being universally enjoyed by everyone. Our Cochrane Site Administrator, Jennifer Vance, attended the first session and said: “The smiles on their faces said it all. We saw wheelchair-bound residents freed of their physical limitations. One of our residents sat in the pool with her toes peeking above the water as she rested her legs on her walker. Another was able to ride the underwater stationary bike. After the first swim, I asked one of our seniors how it was. She replied, “I was nervous when I woke up this morning but I would do it again”. And not only has she done it again, she’s also decided to learn how to swim at the age of 92!

    The first update relayed the facts of a recent gift to Bethany, but the second one brought this donation to life for me. In my mind, I saw the pool, saw the smiles on residents’ faces, and felt a different level of gratitude for the Cochrane Activettes’ gift. What about you?

    When it comes to charitable giving, stories are important. They usually make us feel something – perhaps sparking a personal memory or giving emotional context to what we’re being told about an organization’s work. They often inspire us to take action. To make a gift. To volunteer. Or simply to pass it along, telling someone else the story and, in doing so, creating more awareness and understanding about an organization’s mission.

    Stories happen at Bethany every day – bringing our mission to life.

    At the Foundation, we don’t always get a chance to see the stories unfold right in front of us like so many of you do in your daily work. I invite you to share those great moments with us here in the Foundation more often. We can them pass them on to Bethany donors so they feel something, too…and so they know they are a part of something meaningful.

    Thanks for all the stories you’re creating at Bethany!

    – Gail

  • A Message from the CFO

    Much has happened at Bethany and within our broader communities since the last time I had the opportunity to share my thoughts with you. My last message was about budgets – so the thoughts I am sharing today will be quite different coming, as they do, one day after Mother’s Day.

    I think everyone will agree that celebrating our own mothers, or in some cases helping our children celebrate with their mother, is one of the most important dates in the annual calendar of events. When I did some very brief research on the subject, I discovered some interesting facts:

    • In its earliest observation in the 16th century, Mothering Sunday was not a celebration of a person’s mother, but an annual celebration by Christians in Europe, three weeks before Easter, when they would return home to visit their ‘mother’ church – the church in which they were baptized.
    • From those early beginnings, the day evolved into a time for people to celebrate with their families and recognize their mothers’ important role in their lives, including the tradition of giving gifts to their mothers.
    • Over the years, Mother’s Day has grown in popularity to be recognized in most countries of the world, and celebrated by people of many faiths and cultures.Although Mother’s Day is very common throughout the world, it is not universally celebrated on the same day. In most cases, however, it is celebrated on a Sunday in March (as it was, historically, on the fourth Sunday in Lent) or in May (often, as in North America, on the second Sunday of May).
    • In recognition of Mother’s Day, American Presidents (from John F. Kennedy to Donald J. Trump) have made formal proclamations encouraging their citizens to express their love and respect for their mothers, and providing some personal insights of their own personalities and of some of the historical events that were occurring at those times.
    • Calgary has its own large and growing event on Mother’s Day – currently SportChek Mother’s Day Race – which was started by the Forzani family in 1979 and this year is celebrating its 41st anniversary.

    I hope each of you had the opportunity yesterday to celebrate Mother’s Day in a way that was meaningful for you – whether it was in preparing or receiving breakfast in bed, participating in a large family event, working with our residents as they shared Mother’s Day with their family or friends, being with your own mother in person or in spirit, or (like me) taking part in a fun run or walk.

    I believe that celebrating days like Mother’s Day helps us to be more grounded within ourselves, and allows us to bring our best to those we serve in fulfilling Bethany’s mission of ‘Creating Caring Communities’.

    As always, I welcome ideas, suggestions and any questions that you may have. Please feel free to send them to me at alasdair.smith@bethanyseniors.com.

    Take care,

    – Alasdair

  • Join us for the Bethany Riverview Info Session for Staff

    On September 24, 2018, our first resident will call Bethany Riverview home. As we get closer to the opening of Bethany Riverview, there is lots of information to share, including details about our recruitment process and timelines to hire for the more than 300 positions required at the site.

    Bethany Riverview will have full time, part time and casual positions available for HCAs, LPNs, RNs, Social Workers, Recreation Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, OTAs, and RTAs.

    All Bethany employees interested in learning more about employment opportunities at Bethany Riverview are invited to attend one of the Information Sessions being held in the Education Room at Corporate Services in May and June.

    Each session will include:

    • A tradeshow-style set up with different booths and stations showcasing building design, features and much more
    • An overview of onsite amenities such as the onsite daycare and bistro
    • Details about the recruitment processes and how to apply online
    • Information about education and training that will be provided

    Additionally, these sessions provide an opportunity to get answers to any other questions you may have. Representatives from Human Resources, the Riverview Leadership team, Clinical Education and Learning and Development will be in attendance at each session.

    Starting June 4, positions at Bethany Riverview will be posted. In the near future, our recruitment teams will begin meeting with current Bethany employees who have expressed interest working at the new facility. These employee discussions will take place before interviewing any external candidates.

    The dates and times for the Information Sessions are:

    • Thursday May 17 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
    • Friday May 25 from 7:00am to 9:00am
    • Wednesday May 30 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
    • Tuesday June 5 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
    • Monday June 11 from 7:00am to 9:00am

    These sessions are open-house-style events, so there’s no need to stay for the entire two hours. Please RSVP by emailing askRiverview@bethanyseniors.com indicating which date you will attend.

  • A Message from the VP, Corporate Services & Chief People Officer

    The Canadian Mental Health Association’s annual Mental Health Week is May 7-13, 2018. Each May, Canadians in communities, schools and workplaces rally around CMHA Mental Health Week and raise awareness on mental health and well-being. This year’s theme is #GetLoud about what mental health really is.

    Mental health is about more than mental illness. Did you know that 1 in 5 Canadians live with mental health problems, mental illnesses or addiction? But the reality is, 5 in 5 of us have mental health, just like we all have physical health. We can all benefit from celebrating, promoting and acknowledging the role that good mental health plays in living a full and meaningful life.

    Let’s #GetLoud about what mental health really is. Mental health is about more than being happy all the time. It’s about feeling good about who you are, having balance in your life, and managing life’s highs and lows. Everyone deserves to feel well, whatever their mental health experience. And we all need a support system to lean on.

    Did you know that LifeWorks is Bethany’s Employee and Family Assistance Provider who can provide you with confidential, qualified, professional support regarding mental health issues for you and your family? Please look out for posters at your site providing information from LifeWorks in support of Mental Health Week. LifeWorks is available 24/7, 365 days a year. Their contact information is:

    LifeWorks.com
    1-877-207-8833
    Bethany User ID: bcs
    Password: eap

    I strongly encourage you all to #GetLoud and look after your mental health. 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

  • A Message from the COO

    I really like the saying “do what you love and love what you do”. To me this says when your heart is behind what you are doing, so much is possible. It is also about being grateful; grateful for those things in life that are good and orient us in a positive direction.

    Much has been written in the literature about gratitude and there are many perspectives on the topic. However, I think there is general agreement that gratitude not only reminds us of the positive things in our lives but that it can change obstacles into opportunities. Many say we should be grateful for the challenges put before us as they can provide us with an opportunity for growth.

    Gratitude is also about thanking others and genuinely appreciating who they are and what they mean to us. This is particularly important in the workplace. Apart from increasing workplace happiness, it also boosts productivity and strengthens team building amongst employees. Practicing gratitude in the workplace also creates a “we are in this together” mentality, which in turn results in success and improved organizational performance.

    As I reflect on the 2017-18 year and as we prepare business plans and set goals for the 2018-19 year, I have been reflecting on the power and importance of gratitude. Together, we accomplished many things over the past year. We did so by working together towards a common vision. I felt a sense of overwhelming gratitude when I attended last week’s Board Recognition Dinner and heard the stories of Bethany employees across the organization and the work they are doing to improve the lives of those we serve. I am grateful for the many wonderful things that lay ahead this coming year for Bethany and for the opportunity to work with an incredible team of people who contribute to our mission of Creating Caring Communities.

    As we move forward, I would encourage you to express gratitude towards one another and for the opportunity to serve the People of Bethany.

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

    Kind regards,

    – Nancy