KSA April 2018 (1)

April 1, 2018
The Kamloops Self-Advocate
The
Kamloops
Self-
Advocate:
A Newsletter for
People with
Diverse Abilities
April Issue# 52
Celebrating Diversity & Inclusion
Let’s celebrate diversity this month and ways to keep our bodies and
minds active. Inclusion is wonderful and celebrating diversity is a great
opportunity to reflect on all of the positive things we have in our lives,
even if we have challenges in some areas.
Let’s encourage people to focus on abilities more so than our challenges.
Put your label in a drawer and only take it out when you need support
and services. Unfortunately, labels get you services, so that’s the only
time labels should be used since we are people first, not a label.
People should get to know everyone whether they have challenges or not.
Many people with diverse abilities are hardworking members of society.
Some people may be unable to work, but still have a lot to offer to
society, including as friends and important family members.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Feature Articles
Jokes
Recipe
Awareness days
Upcoming Events
When we see people as people first, we are more likely to
see what we have in common with each other. We all have
the need to be loved, wanted, and have companionship. So
please include everyone when socializing and having fun.
Please don’t discriminate or stigmatize. You will have a
much more fulfilling life and so will we.
Contact us at:
thekamloopsselfadvocate@yahoo.com
#113-540 Seymour St., Kamloops, BC
V2C 2G9 Office ph. 250-372-5856
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April 1, 2018
The Kamloops Self-Advocate
Professionals Who
Bring Light into
Workplaces
By Lisa Coriale
Kathryn Fields has lived in
Kamloops for 12 years
with her husband and her
two little boys. She has a
Master of Science Degree
in Occupational Therapy
(MScOT) and works part
time at Royal Inland
Hospital as an
Occupational Therapist
(OT). Kathryn became
interested in occupational
therapy when she was
searching for
opportunities for overseas
missions. She loved how
occupational therapy was
focused on the client and
their goals. Kathryn enjoys
the variety of aspects that
occupational therapy
offers, “I love the variety
in my job and how we
don’t focus on just one
aspect, but assess and
treat the whole person.
Physical, cognitive,
emotional, social, and the
person’s environment.”
Kathryn works on the
rehab unit with clients
who have had strokes or
traumatic brain injuries.
Many people who have
had a stroke may lose
function on one side of
their body. Strokes can
occur in different parts of
a person’s brain. Because
of this, clients may also
experience issues with
memory, problem solving,
balance, vision or speech.
Because each stroke and
its effects are different, it
can be challenging for
Occupational Therapists
like Kathryn and their
clients to foresee their
future improvements.
Occupational therapy is
based on different
individuals and how they
function and participate in
daily activities. During
recovery, Kathryn works
with the clients to help
them achieve these
activities including getting
dressed, feeding
themselves, grocery
shopping, cooking meals
and housework. Another
aspect that Kathryn has to
consider is when clients
may have to care for
family members at home.
A part of her job is also to
assess clients’ needs for
equipment such as
wheelchairs, shower seats
and grab bars. Kathryn
works alongside her clients
to make decisions to help
them get stronger and
learn new ways of
accomplishing tasks. She
works with clients in
different stages of their
rehabilitation process.
The clients' needs depend
on who is new, who is
going home, and who
needs further assessment.
Kathryn has the privilege
and honor to work very
closely with the medical
team that consists of
physiotherapists, rehab
assistants, and speech
therapists.
There are times where
Kathryn has to come up
with creative techniques
to assist her clients. While
working with new mothers
on the rehab unit, she
comes up with creative
ways to practice diapering
and swaddling. They use
items such as dolls and
bags of rice to represent
babies.
A rewarding aspect of
Kathryn’s job is being able
to see clients improve, “It
is amazing how the brain
can heal itself and use
other pathways after parts
have been damaged.”
Kathryn loves to interact
one-on-one with her
clients and their families.
We are grateful to
professionals like Kathryn
who take care of us when
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April 1, 2018
The Kamloops Self-Advocate
we need them the most.
Their compassionate love
and support allows us to
share our light with
everyone in the
community.
Krystian’s Corner
I have a workout buddy
named Nikki. I feel very
lucky that Nikki wanted to
be my friend and my
companion for exercising.
I knew of her at Board
Game socials. She
answered my request for a
workout buddy on
Facebook. I am very
grateful that Nikki wanted
to become my friend and
be my exercise
supporter. I like her and
will keep my commitment
with her because she is a
nice friend and peer. We
will help each other to stay
healthy and fit. She will
also drive me home
sometimes instead of me
taking handy dart, or if
handy dart can’t do it. I am
lucky to have her in my
life and will support her as
a friend and she will
support me too. She is a
great friend to have.
The first time she and I
met me at planet fitness, I
was so worried about her
working me too hard that
my anxiety gave me a
nosebleed. She calmed me
down and told me we will
work together and have
fun. She encourages me to
work hard enough to break
out with a little sweat but
we need to have fun too.
She helped relax me and
was very understanding.
After breaking the ice with
her, when we exercised for
the first time, we both
exercised enough to break
a sweat but we also had
fun together too. It makes
me look forward to
exercising. I really want to
lose weight and get
healthier both mentally and
physically. Thanks Nikki
for helping me in my
journey.
Healthy Living
Column
By Krystian
Have you ever felt
exercising alone to be
boring? If so, how about
trying out a workout buddy
or a fitness partner to make
exercise more fun. Fitness
is good for your mind and
body and overall
wellbeing. It is a great
stress reliever too. Having
a workout buddy is great to
prevent you from losing
your motivation. You can
both push each other to
work harder.
Bringing a Walkman or
having music on your cell
phone or an MP 3 player
helps to make time go
faster also. Everyone needs
an exercise program that is
right for them. Planet
fitness is very inexpensive,
you can do Zumba at the
Y, or even just go for a
walk. All of these will
help to get your heart rate
up, which is great for
keeping your heart and
mind healthy. It also
reduces stress.
The important thing is to
find something you enjoy
so that you are more likely
to stay motivated and keep
doing it.
Jokes
When do monkeys fall from
the sky? During Ape-ril
showers!
Can February March? No, but
April May!
Why is everyone so tired on
April 1? Because they've just
finished a long, 31 day
March! What season is it
when you are on a
trampoline? Spring-time!
Why are trees very forgiving?
Because in the Fall they "Let
It Go" and in the Spring they
"turn over a new leaf".
Source: http://jokes4us.com/
miscellaneousjokes/weatherj
okes/springjokes.html
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April 1, 2018
The Kamloops Self-Advocate
Ways to De-Stress
By Shandi Pace
Stress is a part of our daily
lives. Worrying about so
many daily activities at
once can lead to severe
physical effects in the
future. Ranging from
health issues to irritability,
it’s important to be aware
to what may be causing
your stress. For the most
part, you can’t change the
source of your stress,
however you can change
how you deal with it.
There’s truly no way to
live a completely stressfree
life, but these are a
few tips on how to stay
relaxed.
Exercise is a simple way
to relieve your body’s pent
up energy. Even by doing
just 30 minutes of activity
a day your overall mood
will change dramatically.
Self-paced exercises tend
to get the best results.
Best exercises to
try: Yoga, High-Energy
Activities (running,
dancing), Tai Chi.
Healthy eating ensures
that the body has energy
and nutrients it needs to
maintain concentration and
for the brain to function
properly. Although junk
food might taste better,
superfoods are packed with
vitamins and minerals that
will leave you feeling less
bloated.
Best foods to
try: Asparagus, avocado,
blueberries, salmon,
almonds.
Get some sleep! Make
sure your body isn’t
getting in the way of your
ability to reciprocate in
stressful situations by
heading to bed earlier.
Your mood can also be
altered depending on how
much sleep you’ve had.
Getting at least 8 hours of
sleep a night is what’s
recommended most.
Tips to try:
Unplug all electronics 10-
15 minutes before bed.
Read a book or magazine
to tire yourself out.
Try heading to bed earlier.
Make sure your room is as
dark as possible.
Talk it out. Opening
discussing what’s on your
mind with a trusted family
member or friend helps
introduce a new point of
view. If more attention is
needed, seek out support
groups or check out Ability
Online’s forums with
multiple mentors always
available. Keeping a
journal is another way to
also “talk it out” if the
problem is more personal.
Do something you
love. Always take time out
of your day to do the
things you love the most. If
something is causing an
issue, take short breaks and
step back from what’s
causing you stress. Most
like to listen to music, take
a nap, colour in an adult
colouring book, take a bath
or play video games.
Regularly make time for
whatever it is you enjoy
most.
Schedule your time
accordingly. Make a list of
priorities you want to
accomplish over the span
of a week. Organizing your
time and not taking on too
many responsibilities will
lower your stress. Also,
allow for time to do your
favourite hobbies and
interests.
Stay Positive. Living life
to the fullest is the most
straightforward way to cut
stress out of your life.
Studies show that laughter
lowers the levels of stress
hormones and reduces
inflammation in the
arteries. Overall, having a
positive attitude will not
only reflect how you feel,
but the people around you
as well.
Taken from:
http://abilityonlineblog.blo
gspot.ca/2018/01/ways-tode-stress-by-shandipace.html
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April 1, 2018
The Kamloops Self-Advocate
Banana-Chocolate
Chip Sheet-Pan
Pancake
Ingredients
Pancake
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups milk
½ cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup mashed ripe banana (1
medium)
½ cup miniature chocolate
chips
Toppings
3 firm medium bananas, cut
into 1/4-inch slices (about 3
cups)
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup real maple syrup
Steps
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line
15x10x1-inch pan with foil;
spray with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, mix flour,
sugar, baking powder and
salt until blended; set aside.
3. In medium bowl, beat
eggs, milk, melted butter,
vanilla and 1/2 cup mashed
banana with whisk until
blended. Stir egg mixture
into flour mixture until just
blended (batter will be
lumpy). Pour into pan.
Sprinkle chips on top.
4. Bake 20 to 24 minutes or
until golden brown, center is
set and toothpick inserted in
center comes out clean. Cool
on cooling rack 10 minutes.
Top with Toppings. If desired,
serve with additional maple
syrup.
For success in this recipe,
different stages of ripeness in
bananas works best—firm
bananas for slicing, and ripe
bananas for mashing.
Taken from:
https://www.bettycrocker.co
m/recipes/bananachocolate-chip-sheet-panpancake/
What Inclusion and
Diverse Abilities
Mean to Me
By Krystian
Inclusion means being
friends with people of all
walks of life. No one
should be excluded
because of their color,
nationality, religion or
challenges in life.
Diverse Abilities is a term
that means to focus on
abilities rather than
disabilities. Although you
might have a challenge in
one area, you still have
many abilities. Always
keep in mind, your abilities
outweigh your
challenges. That's why I’m
grateful that the Best
Buddies international
program exists, because
they encourage everyone to
make longer lasting
friendships for people with
developmental
disabilities.
Best Buddies is an
example of a program that
is a non-profit and matches
people up to make
friendships. People need
friendships with a mixture
of people. If people would
let their guard down and
talk to someone who is
different from themselves,
they would be surprised
about how much you have
in common. For example,
if you meet someone who
is in a wheelchair but you
are fortunate enough to
walk, talk to them. They
may have many of the
same likes as you do. What
sports do they enjoy or
what music do they like?
If you meet someone who
has learning disabilities,
don’t assume you have
nothing in common with
them. They might not be
book smart, but might be
street smart, even more
than you are. Those who
can’t see have a lot to offer
to those of us who can
see. We have no idea of
the tricks they find to make
life easier for themselves.
We can all learn from
everyone. Making
friendships with people
who have different abilities
than we do will enlighten
our lives and teach us more
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April 1, 2018
The Kamloops Self-Advocate
things than we would
know if we don’t include
everyone in our world.
Enhance your life by
including all in your
everyday life. When you
see someone on the street,
say hi even if their life
seems to look more
challenging than your own.
Who knows, a meaningful
friendship might develop
as a result.
“Don’t walk in front of me…
I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me… I
may not lead
Walk beside me… just be my
friend”
― Albert Camus
“The truth is, everyone is
going to hurt you. You just
got to find the ones worth
suffering for.”
― Bob Marley
TCS
Krystian wanted the KSA
readers to know more
about some of his
advertisers. This month,
he is featuring TCS and
some of the people who
work there….
Meet Jhenna Owen
What is TCS?
TCS is an agency that
provides services to adults
with diversabilities. We
are committed to
enhancing each day for
every individual and
support many people, and
their families, throughout
the province.
What do you do?
I am a Residential Services
Manager at the Alexis
Home
Why do you guys believe
in my newsletter?
We believe in supporting
people with diversabilities
in their employment and it
makes sense for TCS to
advertise with the people
we serve.
Why did you want to
advertise with the
Kamloops Self Advocate
newsletter?
We wanted to advertise
with the Kamloops Self
Advocate newsletter
because we believe that all
individuals have a choice
in who they want service
from. We wanted to make
sure that the community is
aware of who we are and
what services we provide.
What makes TCS a
special agency for people
with developmental
disabilities?
What makes TCS special is
the relationships we build
with the community and
the people we serve. We
believe that we offer great
options and services to
people with diverse needs.
Why do you believe in
giving back to social
services and to disability
related things such as the
newsletter?
TCS believes that
supporting social services
and the newsletter helps
people with diversabilities
have a voice in our
community.
What makes TCS stand
out from other social
services?
TCS stands out because we
have worked hard to create
an agency that truly
believes that everyone
should have an opportunity
to live a great life that is
rich with opportunities and
growth. We strive to
support people in their
homes, in their
communities and in the
workplace.
Wrenn Weston from TCS
had this to share:
TCS (Thompson Community
Services) is a social services
agency with a proud history
of serving individuals with
diversabilities and their
families for almost 34 years.
We began in Kamloops in
1984 and since then have
grown to now providing
residential and non -
residential services to mostly
adults, in more than 25
communities across BC.
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April 1, 2018
The Kamloops Self-Advocate
I am the Chief Operating
Officer for TCS. This means
that that I work very closely
with Chief Executive Officer,
Bob Cornish, to make sure
that that all of our programs
are being run well and to the
highest standards. As well,
our jobs are to make sure that
we are meeting the needs of
individuals, their families and
CLBC. I have been with TCS
for the last 10 years and this
has been the most rewarding
experience of my long career.
TCS fully supports the goals
of the BC Self Advocacy
Foundation and the
community based Self
Advocacy groups in BC.
Your newsletter is an
excellent way to connect with
your members in the
Kamloops area to make sure
that people know their rights
and what opportunities and
resources are available.
At TCS, we are very proud of
the work that we do, our
membership with Inclusion
BC and our commitment to
individuals, their families and
the community. This is
especially true in Kamloops
given our long history of
community involvement.
Sharing our story in your
newsletter is a wonderful way
to further connect with
individuals and their families
and to make sure that the
community knows who we
are and what we do.
TCS is totally committed to
the individuals whom we
serve. This starts at the very
first meeting and is part of
every step of the relationship
thereafter. Our mission is
simple: to enhance each day
for each individual. Our
promise is to provide the best
support and care possible
using the most innovative
practices. In addition, through
our membership with
Inclusion BC and through our
dedicated staff members,
TCS provides a voice of
advocacy for individuals with
diversabilities to become full
participating citizens in their
own communities.
At TCS we are part of the
communities where we
provide services. We are also
part of the diversabilities
community. We take these
responsibilities very
seriously. This is reflected in
our mission “to enhance each
day for each individual”. In
order to fulfill this promise to
individuals, their families and
their communities, TCS has a
culture of service, advocacy
and innovation. We are very
supportive of increasing
opportunities for individuals
with diversabilities to be
further participate as full
citizens in their communities.
What makes TCS stand out
from other social services?
Commitment. Commitment is
our promise to Individuals,
their families, communities
and our dedicated staff
members.
Dining in the Dark
for CNIB
By Krystian
Thank you for coming to
Dining in the Dark city of
Kamloops. Ben and I enjoyed
spending time with the
community. This was our
first time fundraising for
CNIB. Thank you for helping
us to make it very successful.
We especially thank Frick &
Frack Taphouse for helping
host our event. Thank you,
Les Nolin, for doing a speech
and for coming with many
people from CNIB. Thank
you Cliff and Linda Shaw for
helping with tickets and
performance. Thank you to
Vern & Sharon for
performing and traveling
here. Thank you Kamloops
This Week for covering the
event and interviewing us.
Thanks to both Midday &
Radio NL for helping to
promote this fundraiser.
Special thanks to Ben for
being a great friend and
teammate. We appreciated
everyone’s support to raise
$800.00 for CNIB. We hope
to do this fundraiser again
next year! Please let us know
if you would like to
help. thekamloopsselfadvocat
e@yahoo.com
Awareness Days
April 2 nd World Autism
Awareness Day.
April 7 th
World Health Day
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April 1, 2018
The Kamloops Self-Advocate
Events
April 1 st , 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Easter Brunch @
Romeo’s, 1250 Rogers
Way. Price: $30 for adults,
$25 for seniors, $15 for
kids 4-12, free for kids
under 3.
April 14 th Habitat for
Humanity House Party
2018 - 6:30 PM
April 25 th CLBC Spring
Workshop, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
@ Henry Grube. This free
event is open to selfadvocates,
families and
suppports. Call 250-377-4444
for more information or to
preregister.
Community Living BC (CLBC) is a provincial crown agency,
mandated under the Community Living Authority Act, that
funds supports and services through service agencies for adults
with developmental disabilities and their families in British
Columbia. CLBC is working to create communities where
people with developmental disabilities have more choices
about how they live, work and contribute.
#45 – 450 Lansdowne Street,
Kamloops, B.C. V2C 1Y3
Telephone: 250-377-4444
Toll Free: 1-877-377-4433
Book a Tasting Event with me and I'll show you how to go
from raw to ready in 20 minutes or less. Eating clean is super
easy, nutritious and delicious
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