Jul 25, 2023 | Leadership, Faces of HDGH
Over the years I’ve seen a lot of changes and improvements made in our healthcare system. Notably, the realignment of Windsor Regional Hospital and Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. HDGH transitioned to being a specialty hospital, catering to patients with complex medical needs and caring for those struggling with their mental health or addictions. Through all the developments, HDGH has remained committed to its mission, to provide physical, emotional, social and spiritual care, and vision of being a trusted leader transforming healthcare and cultivating a healthier community.
Recently, HDGH was awarded Exemplary Standing, the highest award from Accreditation Canada, marking the second consecutive time the organization has achieved this designation. This is a testament to HDGH’s dedication to providing the best, high quality, person-centred care possible to our patients, clients and their families. This is a great accomplishment that all the staff, physicians, volunteers and the entire community can take immense pride.
Accreditation Canada is an independent, not-for-profit organization that consults with experts to develop health care standards based on best practices. They survey a wide range of health care and social services providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, clinics, and community health programs by thoroughly evaluating the quality and safety of those organizations. We’re proud to share that HDGH consistently met 100% of the Required Organizational Practices (ROPs) as well as 98.99% of Accreditation Canada standards, the criteria and guidelines required to provide high-quality care and service.
The Accreditation process involves measuring HDGH’s health services against standards, to identify what is being done well and what needs to be improved. Accreditation Canada Surveyors were onsite from June 5-9 to examine and engage with frontline staff, leadership, physicians, our Patient and Family Advisory Committees, community partners and my fellow board members who were also able to participate. During the visit, they evaluated over 1300 criteria from governance and leadership to infection control and clinical care.
A few of HDGH’s strengths recognized by the surveyors include our:
Thank you to Accreditation Canada for their invaluable dedication to upholding rigorous standards. Their commitment to quality improvement has pushed us to continuously strive for excellence and deliver the highest level of care possible. I also want to extend a heartfelt appreciation to the staff and physicians at HDGH whose dedication, compassion and expertise shine through in every interaction, ensuring that our patients, clients and their families receive exceptional care and support on a daily basis.
Dr. Ken Blanchette is the current HDGH Board Chair, and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2015. He is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. Ken previously served as the Associate Vice President (Academic) and Chair of Health Sciences at St. Clair College and more recently as the Executive Director at ConnexOntario.
Prior to joining St. Clair College, Ken spent 12 years as a health care professional providing chiropractic patient care including neurological EMG, MRI and interdisciplinary referrals, spinal decompression as well as spinal x-ray diagnostics.
Ken is actively involved in the Windsor and Essex County communities. He has over 10 years executive level leadership and board governance experience. He has served as the Vice Chair of the board of directors for the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, Co-Chair for the Health Standards Organizations Academic Health Centers and Clinical Research Technical Committee, Co-Chair for the Southwestern Academic Health Network (SWAHN) and a CMA accreditor.
Jun 13, 2023 | Leadership, Faces of HDGH
In an ever-changing world, healthcare continues to play a vital role in our lives. As a specialty hospital and trusted healthcare provider, we understand the importance of adapting to the changing landscape to meet the needs of our community. With that in mind, we are thrilled to introduce Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s 5-year strategic plan—a roadmap that encompasses our Mission, Vision and Values, with initiatives focusing on driving Culture, Care and Connections.
As we prepared for this new journey, we sought input from our staff, physicians, patients, clients, their families and the public. We also engaged with other health care and system partners to help shape our future. As you learn about our 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, we hope you see that the needs and priorities of our HDGH community and the Windsor-Essex community are reflected in the plan.
As we embark on this new journey, our Mission, Vision and Values stay with us and guide us every step of the way. At HDGH, we aspire to be a trusted leader in healthcare, cultivating a healthier community. By embracing innovation, collaborating with partners, and focus on patient-centered care, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.
In keeping our values of Kindness, Teamwork and Expertise at the heart of everything we do, we ensure our staff and physicians work together, ensuring our patients, clients and their families receive the highest quality of care, and are shown compassion and empathy throughout all interactions. Our Social Responsibility compels us to give back to our community and address the health needs of society.
Our first driver is Culture. We recognize that our staff is our most important asset because without them, we can’t do any of the work here at HDGH. We want to ensure that we provide a positive and safe environment for all and a culture that supports the growth and development of our staff. To do this, we have identified strategic initiatives such as the Health Human Resources (HHR) Strategy, Leadership Development, Culture of Kindness and Staff Development. These investments in our people give them the skills and tools to provide exceptional care to our patients and clients.
Our patients and clients deserve to receive the best care possible. With Care as one of our drivers, we strive to ensure they feel safe and comfortable throughout their journey with us. Our strategic initiatives focusing on Patient Transition and Navigation, Optimizing Resources to Patient Outcomes and Best Service for Patients and Clients are a few of the ways we can achieve this.
We believe that we have a responsibility to the community we serve. Our last driver, Connections, is about working with community partners to create a more equitable and accessible healthcare system for all. Our strategic initiatives, including System Partnerships, Patient Transition and Navigation, and Embedding an Equity Diversity and Inclusion Framework, are just some of the ways we can collaborate with others to improve the health outcomes and quality of life for those we serve.
Overall, we have 12 strategic initiatives that will help us achieve our goals. We invite you to explore our strategic plan further by visiting our website and watching our video to see highlights from the last few years and where we’re going. Together, let us live our mission and strengthen our legacy.
If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to me at bill.marra@hdgh.org.
Bill Marra is the President and CEO at HDGH and brings his 23 years of honourable leadership experience in health, public affairs, and community service to the HDGH executive team. Since joining HDGH in 2011, Bill has been steadfast in his goal to make HDGH the safest hospital in Ontario. He created an in-house security team to ensure the safety of patients and healthcare workers. Bill took on the role of President and CEO in January 2022 and in just one year, he led a person-centered model of care change in the Complex Medical Care and Palliative Units, introduced Personal Support Workers to the healthcare unit, established a HDGH Wellness Committee, and formed an EDII Alliance.
May 16, 2023 | Faces of HDGH, Road to Recovery – Restorative Rehabilitative Care
May is National Physiotherapy Month and a time to celebrate all that our physiotherapists do for the health of our community. Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare has a long history of physiotherapists working in our hospital. The rehabilitation centre at HDGH has been providing care to patients since 1972. Back then it was part of Windsor Western Hospital’s 36-bed Regional Rehabilitation Centre, and has since undergone significant changes. It’s more than 50 years later and what hasn’t changed is our commitment to patient care.
We came across a Windsor Star news article from 1982 that celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the Rehab Centre. The physiotherapist featured in the article is Sheila Anzolin (nee Scott) who currently works in Geriatric Rehabilitation at HDGH. We recently caught up with Shelia where she shared with us some history of physiotherapists at that time and her career over the years.
Sheila immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1981 and was hired along with several UK physiotherapists to work at the Regional Rehabilitation Centre. She was trained at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, one of the oldest functioning acute hospitals in the UK that opened in 1794.
After Sheila’s first time working at Windsor Western Hospital, she went on to work at a variety of other places, including in home care, part-time contract services to General Motors Transmission Plant, and teaching the Physiotherapy Assistant program at Trios College. She also worked in long term care and retirement homes from Windsor to Sarnia.
She eventually returned to the hospital setting and joined Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare in May 2012, working as a casual employee at HDGH and part-time at Windsor Regional Hospital (MET campus) before taking a full-time position at HDGH in geriatric rehabilitation to finish her career. Her return to the rehabilitation centre at HDGH is a testament to the organization's reputation for providing excellent patient care and a supportive work environment.
Sheila’s story is just one example of the many dedicated professionals who have worked at HDGH over the years, making a difference in the lives of countless individuals and helping them overcome their physical challenges and regain their independence. At HDGH, our physiotherapists focus on both rehabilitation and prevention through movement, exercise and education.
Thank you to all of the hard working physiotherapists who are committed to improving the lives of people in our community and helping us to live our best lives!
May 8, 2023 | Faces of HDGH
No matter which path has led each of us to choose nursing as our career, it is clear that nurses are a breed of their own.
Each and every day is an adventure filled with unexpected moments and accomplishments. Witnessing a patient progress towards their goals. Encouraging and supporting them through the challenges and adversities they may face. Providing care and support to them when they are perhaps at their most vulnerable.
Over the past several years there have been instances of uncertainty and hardships to overcome. Times that were just plain hard, both personally and professionally. However despite all of this, our nurses continue to prove time and time again how compassionate and caring they truly are - shining brightly through the uncertainty. Trenching on through staff redeployment, community support and outreach, swabbing clinics, long term care and retirement home support, opening and closing of units and programs during each wave, the compassion and care we showed our patients and families was unwavering.
Although the last several years have displayed its fair share of challenges, it has also revealed how truly amazing our HDGH team is. Not solely our nursing staff, but each member of our team who rose to each challenge with grace and support for one another and our patients.
When I first started my nursing journey as a Registered Nurse (RN), I don’t know if I would have fathomed I would be where I am today. This role is truly a passion of mine. To educate and assist our clinical teams is such an honour and a privilege. Nursing has endless opportunities for development, growth and vast specialty areas. At HDGH, this includes Complex Medical Care, Palliative Care Unit, Long Term Mechanical Ventilation, Rehabilitation, Toldo Neurobehavioral Institute and Withdrawal Management Services. I am truly delighted with my chosen career and the impact and supports I am able to provide.
National Nursing Week (May 8-14, 2023) is a time for us to celebrate our nurses – those just beginning their journey and seasoned alike. As nurses, we are provided such a meaningful opportunity to be a part of our patient’s journey. By being truly present, listening and offering support, we leave little ripples on this chapter of their life. The smallest gesture can be so impactful. Each little moment throughout a patient’s day, day in and day out, we are all woven through.
Thank you and cheers to all of our amazing HDGH nurses!!
Jennifer has a background in community nursing and long term care before starting her career at HDGH 10 years ago as a Registered Nurse (RN). The first several years of her career at HDGH were spent on many of our inpatient units prior to transitioning to a Clinical Practice role within Complex Medical Care (CMC) and Palliative Care.
May 2, 2023 | Leadership, Faces of HDGH
It’s National Safety and Health Week from May 1-6! At HDGH, we promote a culture of safety and wellness and believe that everyone shares the responsibility for Occupational Health and Safety.
HDGH is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment. We strive to provide and maintain a work environment that exceeds acceptable industry standards and complies with legislative requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and other specific Regulations for Health Care Facilities.
It is HDGH’s priority to be the safest hospital in Ontario. To achieve this everyone at HDGH must commit to considering health and safety in everything we do. This commitment forms the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) – a key concept of the OHSA that says everyone has a direct responsibility for health and safety as an essential part of their job.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) is a set of laws that define the duties of employers, supervisors and the rights and duties of workers. It requires HDGH to provide awareness of actual or potential workplace hazards, provide training and personal protective equipment and to take every precaution reasonable for the protection of a worker. These are all good things.
In Ontario, the OHSA is enforced by the Ministry of Labour, Training, Immigration and Skills Development (MLTISD). (Formerly called the Ministry of Labour - MOL.) Inspectors from the MLTISD can show up for an inspection at HDGH at any time, while on site they can gather evidence, question anyone, order tests, take photos, take samples, and issue orders to HDGH to address any hazards that they identify.
When inspectors show up at HDGH it’s a big deal. The Occupational Health and Safety Department meets with them. Our goal is to ensure the inspectors have all the information that they need and that they are satisfied with our organization’s health and safety programs. If the inspectors find something they don’t like, we commit to fixing it!
Prevention is the most important concept we practice in Occupational Health and Safety. We focus on identifying any potential risks in your work area that could result in a physical injury or an act of workplace violence. We want to have control measures in place that eliminate the chances that you could be injured or harmed while at work.
We let you know about risks that you might encounter in your work, provide you with training, personal protective equipment and can assist if you do become injured or ill from or at work. We ensure that our Leadership is trained and understands the importance of Occupational Health and Safety in their departments and the importance of prevention.
We are here to provide First Aid if you need it while on shift and can provide medical consultations and support if you are injured or ill with a non-occupational issue.
We want you to be well, to be safe and to maintain optimal health here at work, so that when you’re enjoying time with friends and family after your shift, you’re at your best.
We really do want to be the safest Hospital in Ontario.
Why do we read rules and regulations that are boring and complicated and sometimes difficult to understand? Why do we fill out forms and paperwork and keep records of everything? Why do we create sign-off sheets, training modules, policies, procedures and safe operating procedures? Why do we ensure that workplace inspections are being completed and that control measures are put into place? Why do we audit to ensure departments are following recommended health and safety and violence risk procedures? Why do we make sure your N95 mask fit is correct? Why do we monitor your immunization and bloodwork? Why do we create mandatory reports? Why do we audit what we do as a department and make more work for ourselves?
Why do we do it?
We do it for you! We do it because we want you to be safe, to go home after a day at work well and unharmed. We want you to have quality time for yourself doing the things you enjoy with those that you love.
We do it because we care and because we are passionate about prevention!
Yes, we also do it because it’s the law. But, we really just do it because it’s what we do. We do it for you!
Heidi Petro joined HDGH as the Manager of Occupational Health and Safety in 2021. She is a Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist (CCPE) and Registered Kinesiologist (R. Kin.) with the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario with over 29 years of professional experience. Heidi graduated from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor’s of Human Kinetics, Honours Movement Science degree in 1994 and has continued to pursue certifications in the areas of Industrial Job Analysis, Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics, Functional Assessment, and Office and Industrial Ergonomics. Heidi has had extensive experience as a Consultant to both private and public sector organizations and has been a speaker at numerous professional conferences and seminars regarding the development of best practice Disability Management, proactive Return to Work Programs, Ergonomic Design Standards, and Occupational Health and Safety.
Heidi, her husband Jason, and their family, have been organizing fundraising events to support hospital rehabilitation programs since the year 2000. They look forward to organizing the final Heart Breaker Challenge event on May 27, 2023. In her free time you can usually find Heidi outdoors being active in some way, shape or form, or indoors baking, cooking or watching anything related to Formula 1!
Apr 25, 2023 | Faces of HDGH
“I remember sitting at the kitchen table, having breakfast with my husband. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hospital with my husband at my side. I suffered a stroke, and I was scared. After a few days in hospital, I was having a lot of difficulty using my right arm and my right foot seemed to drag. The doctor strongly suggested I spend some time in a rehab hospital to get stronger. I wondered what to expect and how long I would have to stay there. I am lonely in the hospital and do not like being away from home. I am a private person and more time in the hospital did not sound appealing. I am independent and not used to relying on people to help me.
Nevertheless, I agreed to give it a try. Upon admission, I received a friendly “hello” and was greeted with a smile. Everyday a wonderful person brought me a warm towel to wipe my face and hands. This was so comforting. The kitchen staff listened to my request for an extra cup of coffee after breakfast, making for a great start to my day! The spotlessly clean room truly made my hospital stay pleasant. I know staff have a demanding job, yet little things make the difference.”
What a great narrative to reflect upon as we celebrate Patient Experience Week from April 23-29. 2023.
When I asked people to describe what the term, “patient experience” means to them, I heard things like, “kindness and respect”. Others emphasized the importance of clear and honest communication, and sincere listening. Involving patients and/or family in the care plan was also important.
Many people spoke about feeling vulnerable, concerned about privacy, loss of independence and being lonely and named empathy, or putting oneself in the shoes of another, as the key ingredient for success. “Empathy is foundational for building bridges between individuals, understanding each other’s’ complex emotions, gaining a diverse perspective, and leveraging relationships for collaboration and progress”. (Jordan Catapano, a high school assistant principal in Illinois.)
At HDGH we strive for a positive patient experience. Our organizational values of teamwork, compassion, and respect, not only guide our approach with patients, but also how we work with one another. The past few years have presented many challenges. Yet, in my role as Patient Advocate, I heard much expression of gratitude, contentment and satisfaction. Interestingly, when there was a concern, our patients were empathetic toward our staff, understanding the demands of their job. Patients trust us to provide them with quality care.
The definition of patient experience I like to use is the one from the Beryl Institute. They define it as “the sum of all interactions, shaped by an organization’s culture, that influence patient perceptions across the continuum of care.” As healthcare providers our everyday work is routine. For patients, coming to the hospital is new and unknown. What can we do to welcome people and reduce their anxiety? What would you want if it was you or your loved one?
Everyone at HDGH has a contribution. What is the positivity you want to create or become part of, so that everyone can enjoy a good experience?
Walk in my shoes. Listen. Learn. Take an interest. Support. We are the patient experience!
As the Patient Advocate & Manager, Mission, Lisa has worked tirelessly to facilitate and resolve the concerns of our patients and their love ones. She supports them in gaining access to timely and accurate information so they can truly be full participants in their healthcare journey. She has been instrumental to developing and growing HDGH’s Essential Care Partner Program.
Apr 4, 2023 | Community and Partnerships, Faces of HDGH
As Earth Day approaches one starts thinking more about the environment and what they might be doing to sustain it or how they are contributing to making it better. I, myself, reflect on my own practices of recycling and conserving energy at home through all the new gidgets and gadgets available to home owners to be more energy conscious.
I also think of my little outdoor garden where I grow some of my own chemical-free produce - oh the joy I get when picking fresh veggies from my garden. Growing a garden allows a person to not only feel the pride and joy from picking produce you grow, but it allows a person to really connect with the earth through cultivating the soil, planting the seeds or seedlings and regularly watering the soil and plants. It has been proven that gardening is good for the soul and your mental health, which is why, when we were offered a generous donation of a greenhouse for the Regional Children’s Centre (RCC) from the Rotary Club of Windsor-St. Clair, we jumped at the incredible opportunity.
In 2018 when the greenhouse was built, the next step was finding the perfect person to get the greenhouse up and running. We were directed to a retired teacher from Villanova High school, Andy Paling. Andy agreed to volunteer to come in and help us start up the greenhouse. He knew exactly what it would take to get us up and running. He wasted no time, and before we knew it we had tables, pots, dirt and most importantly seeds and seedlings. Now that the greenhouse was stocked with supplies we talked with Andy about having the children in the Intensive Treatment Services Program help out in the greenhouse. Andy, being a teacher at heart, jumped at the opportunity to have children in the greenhouse and has devoted countless hours of his own time in creating lessons and projects for the children.
Throughout the years that Andy has been volunteering, our clients have been provided with so many opportunities to connect with the earth and to feel the joy from growing their own produce and plants. The children have planted a year-round tomato and strawberry crop, individual herb gardens and created an additional outdoor vegetable garden behind the greenhouse. They grew oak seedlings from acorns and harvested spider plants. Andy also taught the children about hydroponics and had them grow lettuce from a self-made hydroponics system which used a recycled watering system.
Andy even taught them about insects and brought in a live praying mantis nest and ladybug eggs and larva to teach children about controlling pests without pesticides. He also had the children plant a butterfly garden (from plants they grew) and taught them about the importance of pollinating insects in our environment.
Through his resourcefulness, Andy found a local environmental group that agreed to donate White Pine Seedlings to our greenhouse and used them to teach the children about the importance of replenishing the greenspaces in our community. He gifted each of the children a seedling and encouraged them to take them home, plant them, tend to them and watch them grow. Andy is continually looking for ways to enhance our greenhouse and in turn, enhance a child’s experience and joy when they are at the greenhouse.
Projects that Andy has been working on lately with the children is reusing pallets to create planters out to expand our outdoor garden. He will also be working with the children on growing hanging baskets to bring home to that special someone on Mother’s Day. There will also be an art wall created so that the children have a space to display art projects they will be working on.
The greenhouse truly has become a beautiful and welcoming space for the children in the Intensive Treatment Services Program to grow and flourish just like the plants in the greenhouse. Each week they eagerly look forward to their special time with Andy and seeing how their plants are doing. I have heard kids say, “I love when I get to plant flowers”, “I love doing lots of things in Mr. Andy’s class” and “I planted stuff at the greenhouse and I can actually eat it”! It is evident by the smiles on the faces of the children and even the staff leaving the greenhouse that their time in the greenhouse was precious and nourishing for their soul. We are truly blessed to have a person as kind, compassionate and environmentally conscious as Andy and we are thankful to him for bringing our greenhouse to life.
In addition to Earth Day in April, we’re celebrating National Volunteer Appreciation Week April 16-22, 2023. Our volunteers of diverse cultures, ages, abilities and experiences give that extra warmth and love while supporting the personal dignity, safety, security and quality care in our hospital. We celebrate their kindness, generosity and commitment our volunteers offer that weave our lives together. Thank you to Andy, and to all our HDGH volunteers for giving of your time, talent and energy.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at HDGH, please email us at volunteerservices@hdgh.org or call 519-257-5111 extension 73345. For more information on volunteering and academic placements, please visit our website at www.hdgh.org/volunteers.
Andrea is a Coordinator with the Intensive Treatment Services Program at Regional Children’s Centre. She has worked at RCC for over 22 years as a Child and Youth Worker and now as leadership. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, walking the trails behind her house and spending time with her children and all of her many pets.
Mar 8, 2023 | Leadership, Faces of HDGH
Every year on March 8 we recognize International Women’s Day. It is a day to celebrate women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements and a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. Jenniffer Clifford, Operations and Clinical Practice Manager of Specialized Geriatrics Program and Senior Friendly Care initiatives, is just one of many great female leaders at HDGH. Most recently, she has done an exceptional job managing a patient unit that was opened to support additional hospital capacity within the Windsor-Essex hospital system.
In this blog, Jenniffer shares the qualities she has gained that helped contribute to the success in her personal and professional life.
I am told I have been recognized as being a “strong female leader” and have been asked to share what it means to me to be a strong female in leadership. To be honest, I was a little surprised that someone thought that of me at all, but the more I thought about it, the more humbled I am to be recognized in this way.
I truly believe that who I am today and where I am currently in my professional career because of the many personal and professional experiences, both good and bad, that I have encountered and have made me grow stronger. Before my time in social work, I worked in the community for many years in group homes. Supporting some of the most vulnerable people, I spent a lot of time in hospitals as a care-partner battling and advocating for those I supported within the “medical model” field. My voice was often overlooked by medical teams as myself and the people I supported never really included me in any type of treatment planning and the treatment decisions were made based on what others felt the value of life was; when in reality, they had no idea about what quality of life really meant. Years of these professional experiences across our healthcare system led me to further pursue my education in Social Work and gain some graduate level credentials behind my name, so that I could advocate and be seen as a valuable contributor to the discussion. The same messages and ideas I tried to convey to upper management earlier in my career were now being heard. I consider the 11 years I spent in the community as my “foundation years”. They were some of the hardest and most rewarding years of my professional life.
With every experience I had, I walked away learning something about myself, and my passion began to ignite. As time went on both personally and professionally, I grew more comfortable with who I was and what I needed, and I learned to be unapologetically myself. I learned it was okay to take risks, to advocate for what I believed in, to question things I wasn’t sure about, to tell people exactly what I needed from them and realized I can only control myself and my actions in any situation.
Fast forward 12 years to when I moved into a leadership role, I quickly realized there is no handbook on how to be the perfect leader; nor does any exist. To boot, there are only a few of us in the clinical leadership team who are not nurses— that’s a whole other mindset of standards that a “social model” social worker like myself felt needed to figure out how to live up to – how could I lead NOT being a nurse? Two plus years in and I am still learning everyday how to navigate my many roles and responsibilities, and can now appreciate the fact that it’s awesome that I’m NOT a nurse, because I bring a different perspective and mindset to the table, and that’s not a bad thing!
- Sheryl Sandberg, former COO, Facebook
Here are the qualities I have gained from my experiences that helped me become a strong female leader.
Jenniffer is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) and holds both a Bachelor (BSW) and Master’s Degree (MSW) in Social Work from the University of Windsor. Jenniffer also holds a diploma from St. Clair College as a Developmental Services Worker (DSW). With over 20 years of experience in a variety of settings, Jenniffer has a passion for Specialized Geriatrics with areas of expertise that include Dementia/Alzheimer’s, Geriatric Mental Health, Caregiver Support, Developmental Disabilities, Dual Diagnosis, and Responsive Behaviours. Her passion for this population has led her to different opportunities around the organization, and provincially. In her current role, she is the Operations Manager of HDGH’s Specialized Geriatrics Teams, GAP & GMHOT, and she also acts as the Specialized Geriatrics Clinical Practice Manager for the organization. When she’s not at work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, their two children, many friends and family and golfing.
Jan 16, 2023 | Mental Health, Faces of HDGH
Blue Monday is here again and what started as a marketing gimmick has turned into a widely recognized occasion. With short daylight hours and long, cold winter nights, combined with the end of the holiday season, it is not uncommon for people to feel depressed or suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression or other mental health illnesses. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that Bell Let’s Talk Day also happens shortly after – this year on Wednesday, January 25. These two events are a good reminder to reflect and talk about our own mental health and of those closest to us, while raising awareness to combat the stigma surrounding mental health, especially in the elderly demographic.
Julie Witcher has worked with the GMHOT for over 26 years. Early in her career she conducted assessments both in the community and Long Term Care. She currently acts as the Psychogeriatric Resource Consultant for Behavioural Supports Ontario in the Windsor-Essex County area with a specific focus on education of staff in long term care homes, retirement homes and community service agencies. In her spare time, she began taking virtual piano lessons during the pandemic and is now attempting to learn French - mostly to keep up with her 9-year old daughter.
Krista Skiba has been social worker in the community since 2002 and has worked in various departments at HDGH for the past 10 years. In 2017, she joined GMHOT and has become passionate about learning and working with the older adult population. Currently, she visits the 19 various long term care homes throughout Windsor-Essex County where she has built relationships with residents, family members, staff and administrators and offers individualized support to those referred who may be struggling with various mental health difficulties such as depression, anxiety, adjustment and grief. When not at work, she is a busy sports mom and enjoys walking. A fun fact about Krista is she can say the alphabet backwards!