caring Communication

Dublin North City Mental Health Service
Dublin North City Mental Health Services Operation Transformation Group
was one of the great successes of the challenge, with organisers revealing
that many are using the experience as an opportunity to change their lives
in different ways. Catering Manager Ailish Ward and fellow leader Occupational
Therapist Alan Rowley said there has been a huge amount of positive
feedback from all members of staff, who participated in the programme.
Registration & Weigh Ins
They held two days of registration in the Meeting Room, 2nd Floor, Phoenix
Care Centre in early January. A total of 53 people registered comprising
of 48 women and five men. Most of those registered are based in The
Phoenix Care Centre or Connolly Norman House and some members of the
community mental health teams. They obtained email addresses and phone
numbers from those who registered for the purposes of communicating information.
Everyone who registered was given a personal ‘Progress Record
Sheet’. The group was registered on the official Operation Transformation
website as Dublin North City Mental Health Services and set up to be
included in the Million Pound Challenge.
“On registration, we asked each person to weigh in and write their weight
on a piece of paper and place in the box provided. So as to maintain confidentially,
we asked people not to include their names on the piece of paper
as we are only interested in a group weight and not individual weights.
Individuals could keep track of their own weights on their ‘Progress Record
Sheet’.
“The following week and subsequent weeks we asked people to record
and write their weight loss in lbs on a piece of paper. We had an average of
35 people weigh in on a weekly basis with average personal weight losses
each week of between 1-2 lbs,” said Ailish.
These weight losses are totalled weekly and have been submitted to the
Operation Transformation website to be included in the Million Pound Challenge.
To date, as a group they have lost 13 stone 13lbs.
Communication
A DistributioN list was set up via email and all correspondence was sent
out using this. An e mail is sent out at the end of the week informing registered
members of the weekly weight loss, information on the past week
and the Programme of Events for the following week. An information stand
was set up in the staff room, 2nd Floor, Phoenix Care Centre and contains
information on The Weekly Programme of Events, Recipe of the Week,
Information on Being Active and Eating Healthy.
“We also incorporated some of the posters relating to the #littlethings
campaign. We are also advertising and advocating for people to take the
stairs by placing posters around the building and at the lifts stating same
and displaying benefits of doing so. The Programme of Events is also displayed
on the TV screen in reception each week,” explained Alan.
Programme of Events
Week 1’s Programme of Events began with a 1km ‘Finding
our Feet’ Walk around the Walking Track on the grounds of
DIT on the Tuesday. They increased the intensity to a 1km
‘Moderate Walk’ on Wednesday and a 2km ‘Brisk Walk’ on
Thursday. Friday and Sunday were left as personal time for
people to do their own training.
Week 2’s events began the introduction of ‘Couch to 5k’
Training. There was a number of staff who were keen to step
up the pace and with the assistance of Brenda Piercy, CNM2
, who is a regular marathon runner, they began a training sessions with
her on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. “I set up a ‘Whats App’ page as a
communication tool for those participating in the Couch to 5k training and
we use this to motivate and encourage each other,” said Ailish. “There are
10 of us involved in the running group and we have renamed ourselves ‘The
Phoenix Flyers’.”
Ailish and Karen Murphy, Principal Social Worker, completed the OT Fun
Run in the Phoenix Park on 20th February. “As a group, we are planning on
getting involved in more Fun Runs as they happen nationally,” she said.
The walking training also continued Monday to Thursday and increased to
3kms as the weeks went on. On Thursdays, the walk is reduced to 2km with
the introduction of a weekly ‘Group Challenge’.
With the assistance of Gertie Coyle, ADON, Week 3 saw the introduction
of a 15 min DVD class on Tuesday lunchtimes. The exercise and toning DVD
classes were always well attended and enjoyed by all.
On Week 4, they had a ‘Healthy Eating’ Lunchtime talk from a representative
of a local fitness club who provided some very useful information to the
group.
Healthy Eating
“There is information on the stand in the staff room in The Phoenix Care
Centre on healthy eating, including a food pyramid, recipes and healthy
snack options. We have also included a recipe of the week which changes
every week and have printed copies of this for people to take home with
them. The recipe is also adapted to cater for the needs of vegetarian members
among us,” said Ailish.
“Each week we take the menu for the week ahead, together with the
shopping list and recipes for all dishes on the menu, photocopy them and
leave them available for people to take home with them. They are usually
collected by members after they have weighed in.”
Moving Forward
“Everyone’s reason for joining was personal to them. Some have joined
for weight loss, some to begin healthier eating, some to start exercising and
some as a form of stress relief.
Everyone who has joined
is reporting very positive outcomes
not just on the weighing
scales but also regarding
their overall general, mental
and physical health. People
are feeling and looking
happier in themselves. I am
confident that the changes
made will continue on long
after the TV programme
has ended,” said Ailish.
ABOVE RIGHT: Ailish Ward (left) and Karen Murphy (right)
having completed the Operation Transformation 5km Run in
Phoenix Park on February 20th. RIGHT: members of the Operation
Transformation Group with leaders Ailish Ward (front row,
2nd from left ) and Alan Rowley (front row, 4th from left).
spring 2016 | health matters | 13