The Cumberland Health Care Foundation is pleased to provide annual funding to the Cumberland Health Authority for its county-wide hospital volunteer program and actively looks for other funders to join them in this initiative.  

 

 

 

2010 in review

• Art Therapy Program - An initial meeting was held in the fall with Susie Vokey, Social Worker at Cumberland Mental Health Services and Jay Miller, Youth Health Coordinator at the Springhill Jr. Sr. High School to discuss the idea of engaging youth in an art therapy project. We held a session at SHS to discuss with interested students and Volunteens about the idea of painting a mural at the All Saints Springhill Hospital. We discussed promoting active living and healthy lifestyles in the mural. The students were very excited and continue to work on the design for the mural. We have received approval from Bev Brown, Site Manager at All Saints Springhill Hospital and the Volunteens plan to begin painting the mural in the spring.
  
  
• Social Activity Assistant at Addiction Services –The Social Assistant for Addiction Services is a position which provides encouragement and support to clients and staff within the Addiction Services Department of the Cumberland Healthy Authority during organized social activities, for example; client leisure activities such as yoga, bird sanctuary outings, public skating, client social club, film festival etc.
  
  
• In association with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia, Helping Hearts, a visitation program for heart patients and their care givers, began at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre in early October.  Local volunteers, who have experienced heart disease in some capacity,  provide emotional support and information to help assist in one’s recovery from heart surgery, heart attack or angina.  Talking with someone who has experienced similar concerns and questions can help.
  
  
• Public Health Immunization Clinic Volunteers – Volunteer Services is partnering with Public Health to provide volunteers to assist with their annual Immunization Clinics across the district. The Volunteers assist with setting up the clinic, greeting the community and assisting community members with filling out the appropriate paperwork.
  
  
• Rehab Aide – Volunteer Services began partnering with the OT/PT Department last February by providing volunteers to assist Janet Kinnear, Rehab Aide on Wednesday afternoons on the Medical Unit at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre with group activities such as chair exercises and memory games. Snacks are also provided for this group to celebrate birthdays and special occasions.

Expansion of Programs:

• St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program – The program has expanded to include a total of 4   volunteer Pet Therapy teams that have completed the necessary training with St. John Ambulance. Regular visits are taking place at the South Cumberland Community Care Centre in Parrsboro, All Saints Springhill Hospital and the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre in Amherst. Another round of evaluations/training will take place in 2011.
  
  It has been proven that dogs can have a calming effect on patients, as well as lower blood pressure, reduce stress, etc. This program has been a great success with the patients, their families and a moral booster for staff. Global TV News did a story on the success our program at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre and interviewed Terri-Lynn Smith, Director of Social Work on the benefits of the program, as well as interviewing a patient who looks forward to her weekly visits with Carol and “Buster” the dog.
  
  
• Your Way to Wellness Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, which involves recruiting and training volunteers to lead workshops for community members. Over a six week period, people with chronic conditions learn to live a healthier life and overcome daily challenges by teaching them how to cope with their disease through eating healthier, managing symptoms, improving self-confidence as well as managing fear, anger and frustration.
  
  Since the last report, volunteers have delivered 6 programs throughout the district. Programs are planned in Springhill, Parrsboro and Pugwash for the next 2 months. A Master Training session was hosted in Amherst at the Wandlyn Inn where there were 25 participants from across the province. Two of our Lay Leaders received their Master Trainer certifications and one Master Trainer received refresher training. A Lay Leader training session was held with the addition of 2 new volunteer Lay Leaders. We now have a total of 5 Master Trainers and 2 Lay Leaders volunteering in the district.  

Continued Partnerships:

• Volunteer Services continues to partner with the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) to provide their students with volunteer opportunities as part of their programs.  A 2nd year Information Management student will be doing a 5 week placement beginning in April with the department to assist in setting up a volunteer database.
  
  
• Volunteer Services continues to partner with the Youth Wellness Coordinator at the Springhill High School to recruit students. Interviews have been scheduled this month at SHS for the Volunteen Program at All Saints Springhill Hospital.  This program will take place twice a week on the Restorative Care unit. Volunteens will assist the Recreation Therapist with patient programming such as arts and crafts, BINGO, cards, special events etc.

Traditional Programs:

• Volunteen After School Program – Long Term Care patients love to interact with younger volunteers.  Students organize activities such as BINGO, crafts, music, playing the Wii, etc. This program is held at All Saints Springhill Hospital (ASSH), South Cumberland Community Care Centre (SCCCC) and Bayview Memorial Health Centre (BMHC). Volunteers at CRHCC provide social programming such as music or spa days for patients on the Medical Unit.
  
  
• Magazine/Book Distribution Program for Patients –Volunteers visit room to room offering magazines and books to patients to help them pass the time.  All our materials are donated and must be screened and sorted by volunteers before they are distributed.
  
  
• Friendly Visiting takes place at CRHCC, ASSH, SCCCC and BMHC. A Friendly Visitor is a member of the health care team who provides companionship, assistance and support to in-patients of the Cumberland Health Authority. Alternate Level of Care patients can be in hospital from 8 months to 1 year before a bed may become available in a Long Term Care facility. Visiting volunteers help to take the pressure off staff by providing simple tasks to patients like making a cup of tea, getting more Kleenex, or just passing them items outside their reach.
  
  
• Currently, the schedule for the Information Desk is at full complement.
  
  
• Volunteers assist the CHC Foundation throughout the year with mail-out materials, event preparations and promotions whenever possible.
  
  
• Adult Day Care is an out patient program offered at South Cumberland Community Care Centre, in Parrsboro, four days a week to elderly community residents.  The volunteers help coordinate daily living activities for these patients under the guidance of two nurses.
  
  
• Volunteers at the Bayview Memorial Health Centre in Advocate continue to deliver Meals on Wheels to clients in the surrounding area three times each week.  The program helps to ensure seniors who are not able to cook for themselves everyday get proper nutrition.
  
  
• Deborah Fillmore, Recreation Coordinator at Bayview Memorial Health Centre, continues to organize events for the Long Term Care patients and their families. In the past year, Deborah has hosted 61 different volunteers at the centre from a Grade 12 student that volunteered on a regular basis as a Social Activity Assistant, to elementary students visiting on special occasions to do crafts and play games, to musicians who perform for the residents and their families. This small community has proven that they are dedicated to their seniors in a BIG way!

Other Services:

The Volunteer Service Department may also provide the following services throughout the year:

• CHA Orientation and training to volunteers outside their usual scope such as Gift Shop, VON and Palliative Care Volunteers.
  
  
• Marketing opportunities and assistance for Breastfeeding Peer Support Program; Dental Hygiene School Volunteer program; CHA Auxiliaries; and Palliative Care programs.
  
  
• Recognition is provided for volunteer groups including Community Health Board volunteers, Palliative Care volunteers, students and groups such as local Brownies that visit and do crafts with our patients on special occasions such as Halloween, Christmas and Easter at the CRHCC.
  
  
• Expertise to other volunteer associations/programs in the community around best practices in managing volunteers.

Volunteer Statistics:

The total volunteer hours provided for the previous year January to December 2010, excluding palliative care, equaled 4868hours. The number of volunteers, excluding clergy, for the year ending December 2010 totaled:

All Saints Springhill Hospital	19 Volunteers
All Saints Springhill Hospital Palliative Care	4 Volunteers
Bayview Memorial Health Centre - Meals on Wheels	8 Volunteers
Bayview Memorial Health Centre – Recreation, Music Guests & Students	61 Volunteers
Cumberland Mental Health Services	2 Volunteers
Addiction Services	1 Volunteer
River Hebert Blood Collection	1 Volunteer
South Cumberland Community Care Centre	4 Volunteers
South Cumberland Community Care Centre Adult Day Care	3 Volunteers
Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre	58 Volunteers
Your Way to Wellness CDSM	7 Volunteers
Public Health Immunization Clinic	6 Volunteers
Total	174 Volunteers

Volunteer Opportunities!
If you would like to volunteer or to obtain more information on the Your Way to Wellness program, being a friendly visitor, volunteering at the Information Desk, or any other volunteer programs with the Cumberland Health Authority, please contact Maryanne Jackson at 667-5400, extension 6559.