Markham Stouffville Review, September 2023

SEPTEMBER 2023
Oak Valley Health’s people are rising to the occasion
11 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
BY ALANNA SLOAN
Oak Valley Health has launched its Resilience
in Stressful Events (RISE) program
for its teams across the organization.
RISE offers confidential, anonymous,
and timely peer support to Oak Valley
Health staff, professional staff, and volunteers
who have been affected by a stressful,
patient-related event.
The program was originally developed
and implemented at Johns Hopkins
Hospital and has been successfully adopted
by many other health care organizations.
Oak Valley Health is the second health care
organization in Canada to implement the
RISE program, after Royal Victoria Hospital
in Barrie.
“The RISE program is an important
piece of our recently launched 2023-2026
People Plan, helping us build a greater
people-centred culture and support staff
well-being,” says Jo-anne Marr, president
and chief executive officer of Oak Valley
Health. “The RISE program has been
many months in the making, with extensive
training for our peer responders, and I’m
excited to see it come to life.”
At Oak Valley Health, volunteer peer
responders are available via telephone from
Members of the RISE team at an information booth at Oak Valley Health’s Markham
Stouffville Hospital.
Back to school health boosters
3 to 8 p.m., seven days a week, to listen,
offer emotional support, and provide information
on available resources.
“This program attracted many of our
most compassionate team members and
they are here to listen, support and guide to
resources,” says Vivian Yee, who manages
the RISE program. “It is also designed to
be completely anonymous so callers do not
have to share their name or any details.”
The group of 24 peer responders
is very diverse, representing Markham
Stouffville Hospital, Uxbridge Hospital,
and the Reactivation Care Centre. They
are also a mix of frontline clinical, nonclinical,
management, and volunteers, with
an average of 11.4 years of service at Oak
Valley Health.
“The RISE program allows for the
individual that is seeking support to talk to
someone who has a connection to them,”
says Liz Price, patient care manager and
RISE peer responder at Oak Valley Health.
“The peer responders have direct experience
within the health care system, and
they can approach the situation as a peer
and offer an ear to actively listen.”
Oak Valley Health offers several other
wellness resources to staff, including access
to staff and physician wellness leaders,
access to spiritual care, and an Employee
Assistance Program.
BY SHANA DANIEL, RHN
As fall nears, we waver between t-
shirts and hoodies for earlier mornings.
Packing lunches, water bottles and
indoor shoes for our little ones complete
with their new backpack makes September
mornings much different than summer ones.
And with it all, comes a change of
weather and runny noses to follow suit.
Although common and healthy for little
bodies to fight off germs naturally, a little
help from whole foods can go a long way
in shortening the duration of emptying
the Kleenex boxes and enduring sleepless
nights of coughing spells.
Is breakfast the most important meal of
the day? Yes, as the body has been in a state
of sedentary activity for hours while sleeping,
its restorative systems have been hard
at work. Fuel the body for its daily activity
requirements with a meal containing protein
and carbohydrates, complemented with
healthy fats for sustained energy and satiety
until lunchtime.
Vitamin C plays a crucial role in
boosting your kid’s superpowers. Enhancing
meals with citrus fruits like oranges,
grapefruits and lemons is a surefire way to
achieve this. Sliced fruit is my favourite
vs concentrated juices since the benefits of
the fibre are included as well as the natural
citrus oils from the rinds of these delicious
options.
Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
are packed with antioxidants also
related to boosting cellular health. Fun ways
to include them are in smoothies and as
toppings for various meals. Yogurt contains
probiotics that can support gut health and
boost immunity, while nuts and seeds are
good sources of vitamin E and healthy fats,
which can aid immune response. A perfect
way to combine these ingredients in a fun
way is to make a yogurt parfait to start the
day incorporating these immune boosters.
On the savoury side, spinach and other
leafy greens provide vitamins A and C, as
well as other nutrients essential for immune
function.
Garlic contains compounds with potential
immune-boosting properties like allicin
which the body absorbs from raw garlic.
Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene,
which converts to vitamin A, supporting the
immune system as well. Incorporating these
ingredients as a spinach omelette with a
side of roasted sweet potatoes is a tasty way
to enjoy an immune-boosting meal.
Bear in mind that regular physical activity
and a regulated sleep cycle also have
a positive outcome towards a healthy body.
Boosting immunity naturally will
always be a win-win for your little ones
fighting ability to ward off germs. Remember
that a mild dose of the common cold
doesn’t mean an unhealthy body. It’s the
body’s ability to fight off the germ for a
faster recovery which is important.
Stay active, eat well and dress for the
elements for a healthy start to your little
one’s new school year.