We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Ken Zarr (He/Him) Worksite: Kelowna General Hospital, Okanagan Ancestral Territory: "Syilx" (Saay-ilks) / Okanagan Interior Salish Years of Service: 29 Job Title: Coordinator of Volunteers "Happiness is temporary; joy is eternal."- Ken's favourite quote Upon meeting Ken, you can feel his genuinely kind and welcoming energy. His friendly demeanour puts people at ease and creates a positive place for people to come together. As an IH employee for over 29 years, in his current role as the Coordinator of Volunteers at the Kelowna General Hospital, his passion for helping others has positively impacted the lives of many. His unique ability to recognize the gifts that each person possesses and allow them to shine has played a critical role in his successful career. As an active member of his community, he works closely with others to help coordinate and fund important projects to improve the lives of others. Prior to embarking on his career in health care in 1983, Ken’s career took him to many places, including living in Japan working in a steel mill and teaching English. He explored many career opportunities including radio broadcasting, communications, and computer programming. During this time he got married and raised three beautiful girls, including his step-daughter, and continued to explore different career paths including working in occupational therapy at Riverview Mental hospital, care aide, activity coordinator, funeral director, and traveling between Canada and California as a personal assistant.   Patti, Sue and Ken at a Volunteer EventOne of Ken’s proudest moments in his career was in his role as a Rehab/Activity/Volunteer Coordinator, where he raised funds to improve the facility, primarily in the Activity Department. This profound experience of seeing the Summerland community come together to support one another was inspiring for all. More recently, Ken has a couple of other passion projects outside of work, including working as the President of Taco Dog Rescue Society for the past seven years, rescuing and rehoming many dogs from Mexico to the Okanagan, sometimes up to 10 dogs a weekend. There are many Interior Health staff members who are proud owners of these sweet pooches. If you’re looking to rescue a pup, learn about Taco Dog Rescue Society here. Born in Kelowna and growing up primarily in Lavington, B.C., Ken greatly appreciates the beautiful scenery of the Okanagan, whether out hiking with his dog pack, or gardening with a focus on creative landscaping. When he isn’t playing volleyball or working out at the gym he is working on a fix and flip renovation project. Looking forward, Ken and his second partner have opened up a Bed & Breakfast in Wilson’s Landing, steps away from the lake. After retiring from Interior Health in a few short years, he looks forward to working there, enjoying the water, and exploring the outdoors together. Thank you for all that you do, Ken! We appreciate you and all of our incredible volunteers throughout Interior Health. Ken's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: "I nominate Derek Koch, Spiritual Health Practitioner at Kelowna General Hospital. He cares about people; not just because it's his job. He is genuine, friendly, KIND, and always willing to make this place a better one. He works with staff, patients, and families in assisting with their special needs." Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook: Interior Health  |   Instagram: interiorhealthbc |   LinkedIn: Interior Health Authority

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Pin Liao (She/Her)Worksite: Royal Inland Hospital, KamloopsAncestral Territory: Nlak a'p amux (Ing-k hla-k ap -muh) / Thomp son / Couteau Interior SalishYears of Service: 9 monthsJob Title: Medical Laboratory Technologist"Chance favours the prepared mind."- Pin's favourite quote Pin's journey to her current role as a Medical Lab Technologist at Royal Inland Hospital for the past nine months is an inspiring story about dedication, courage, and a lot of hard work. Born and raised in China, Pin grew up with an appreciation for experiencing different cultures, cuisines and meeting new people. Adventurous at heart, she has experienced many cultures as she traveled to the USA, Japan, Korea, Australia, France, and Switzerland. Inspired by a career where she could help people through science and research, Pin graduated with a major in Biotechnology. Determined to gain experience in the medical field, she worked as a Molecular Tech for a diagnostics company, testing patients' tissue slides or bone marrow to determine if targeted therapy drugs were a viable treatment plan. Pin moved across the world to immigrate to Canada in 2017, where she attended the Medical Laboratory Technologist program in Prince George. Experiencing the coldest temperatures of her life, at -35 C, Pin was looking to start a family in British Columbia, leading her to her home in Kamloops. Over the span of two years, Pin graduated, finished her practicum at Royal Inland Hospital, passed her Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science exam, and brought a beautiful baby into the world. Pin's strength, determination, and resilience shine through in all of her work, both in her personal and professional life. Grateful for a supportive family and co-workers at Royal Inland Hospital, Pin is proud of her incredible accomplishments.  Working in the Microbiology department at Royal Inland Hospital, the results that Pin reports on play a direct role in patients getting treatments. This leaves Pin with a sense of pride and motivates her as she reviews bacterial culture tests, knowing that patients are awaiting their results for treatment. The sooner the doctors get the results, the sooner the patients get the treatments. As a fast-learner with a growth mindset, Pin is continually pushing herself to learn more and stay up to date with research. Excited to learn the latest research and techniques at the annual BC Society of Laboratory Science congress, Pin is looking forward to a future post-pandemic. In the four-season playground of the Interior of British Columbia, there are many activities to experience, even amidst a pandemic. Her passion for exploring new places and her husband's love of the outdoors takes them to many local spots in Kamloops, whether out hiking at Sun Peaks or kayaking on the many beautiful local lakes. Pin loves listening to the Music In The Park in the summer at Riverside Park and discovering the delicious local cuisines that Kamloops has to offer. We are so happy that your career brought you to Royal Inland Hospital, we appreciate you very much, Pin! Pin's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: "I nominate Dr. Gerald James. He is a Pathologist, with an easy-going personality, very knowledgeable, and willing to share his education and experience. Whenever he has an interesting case, he will sit down in front of the microscope and take time to share it with us. I feel like every time I work with him, I learn new knowledge from him."   Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook  |   Instagram  |   LinkedIn Explore a Career at IH    

If you ask Dr. Andy Hamilton, leadership skills should be taught to medical students and residents early on. “In medical school, we train physicians to treat patients. We don’t train them to perform as part of a huge complex system and how to be effective in working within that system to make it better.” Dr. Hamilton, a Yorkshire native who attended medical school in Manchester, never considered leadership back then. He chose medicine as a secure profession, and was drawn to anesthesiology because it combined practical skills, physiology and pharmacology. A residency at UBC led to 10 years at St. Paul’s and a stint there as acting head of anesthesiology. It was his move to Penticton Regional Hospital in 1999 that revealed his unexpected gift for leadership. Penticton’s anesthesiology department only had a staff of four, and Dr. Hamilton quickly found himself nominated head of the department. Soon after, he became chair of the local medical advisory committee. Then in 2004, just after B.C.’s health regions were established, he sat on the Steering Committee reviewing surgical services for Interior Health, out of which sprang the BC Provincial Surgical Advisory Council (PSAC), which he co-chaired.   Leadership is about harnessing the expertise of others The move prompted him to seek more formal leadership training, including the Innovative Leadership in Health Program from Royal Roads University, the Canadian Medical Association Physician Management program and certification as a Canadian Physician Executive. These courses endorsed his natural tendency to favour relationship-building as the best way to forge trust and encourage compromise.   Dr. Hamilton identified the highlight of his career as co-chairing the Provincial Surgical Executive Committee, established in 2014. Passionate about improving efficiency and access to surgery province-wide,  he has always found it most effective to harness the expertise of others – physicians, nurses, other health care professionals, administration, health authorities and the ministry – and work together to achieve such goals as establishing a simple waitlist management system for surgery patients. Dr. Hamilton believes that the quality of BC’s surgical services has improved dramatically over the last 20 years because of better-trained young physicians; more accurate measurements of surgical successes and outcomes, through innovations like the National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP); and a transformed quality and safety culture. He’s particularly enthusiastic about the Surgical Safety Checklist, now standard procedure.   Everyone in health care has the opportunity to be a leader One aspect of surgery that hasn’t developed quickly enough is access. Dr. Hamilton says transforming that demands a coordinated approach involving every element of surgical strategy, including human resources, IMIT, data collection and reporting, quality and governance. He says each B.C. health authority must examine its strategy, identify the barriers to access and eliminate them one by one. Dr. Hamilton, a former Ironman competitor, retired in September, 2020, to a life of cooking, road-biking and travels with his wife, Meggie Ross, a public health nurse with Interior Health. Still a part-time anesthesiologist, he hopes to remain involved in surgery strategy. “Everyone in health care has an opportunity to lead, whether it’s a physician or a housekeeper in the OR -- we all have a role to play, we’re needed in those roles, and we need to work together. We all stand to benefit from understanding the basic sciences around management and leadership, because that’s how we’re going to make the system better.” This story was originally published by Doctors of BC.

The KBRH pharmacy team (left to right): Carrie St.Onge, Gabrielle Deneault, Shelby Jorgensen, Amanda Cupello, Sheri Ford, Victor Ponte, Michael Conci, Alana Minty, Karly Lenardon, Margaret Horechka and Pam Caron. As a student in UBC’s pharmacy program more than 20 years ago, Michael Conci worked at Vancouver General Hospital as a student pharmacy technician. It was his first experience working in a health-care facility and it struck a chord, igniting a passion for working in a hospital setting. Having gown up in Rossland and with a love for the outdoors, Michael knew he wanted to return to the Kootenays after completing his schooling. As luck would have it, the hospital in Trail was hiring when he completed his degree, and he joined the pharmacy team at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) in 2001. “I had gotten my dream job in an area where I loved to grow up and wanted to eventually raise a family,” says Michael, looking back on a long career that has grown along with his family, and the pharmacy that has become like a second home. “Trail is now home for my wife Amy (a Registered Nurse at KBRH), our three daughters and our chocolate Lab.” With everything expanding in his life, it’s fitting that now the KBRH pharmacy will also expand to fit the needs of a department whose staff has doubled since Michael joined it. The pharmacy expansion and renovation is part of the ongoing redevelopment at KBRH with a $57.8-million dollar investment in two different capital projects. A new emergency department opened at KBRH last fall, and construction is now underway on a new ambulatory care unit and the pharmacy renovation. The current project also includes enhancements to KBRH’s oncology unit, cast clinic, physiotherapy department and medical records area. In the pharmacy, the footprint will increase significantly, allowing more space for the talented team of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to work and ensure the “right medication gets to the right patient at the right time,” a mantra that the KBRH pharmacy team lives by. Increased space means quieter places for the pharmacy team to work. Other pharmacy enhancements include new private space for patient counselling, industry-standard intravenous compounding suites and safe storage rooms. The pharmacy team may be unseen by patients, but they will be working in a modern setting with upgraded technology to help support patient care. Pharmacists assist in developing a medication therapy plan for patients before pharmacy technicians work out a distribution plan so nurses can administer the proper medication. It’s a complex process with the safe distribution of medication the top priority.   The hospital pharmacy also distributes medication to outpatients in the community including to all oncology patients. Providing medications to patients allows them to recover at home and those arriving to pick up medications will be able to do so and talk with their pharmacist in a new private consultation area, once the project is complete. For Michael Conci, the enhanced pharmacy will help support the great work that already occurs every day, supporting people’s health. “I’m looking forward to having a space that helps our team fulfill its duties in a safe and effective manner,” he says. “Patients don’t often see the pharmacy team that is working hard to meet our vision of ‘caring for every patient through appropriate, timely and safe medication management.” The project will complete in 2023. Pharmacy facts: • March is Pharmacy Appreciation Month, and the Canadian Pharmacists Association is celebrating the work of 42,500 pharmacists across Canada. Take a few minutes to learn more about what your pharmacist can do for you at rethinkpharmacists.ca. • Along with KBRH, Interior Health has pharmacy renovation projects ongoing at hospital pharmacies at East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook, Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson, Shuswap Lake General Hospital in Salmon Arm, Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops and Penticton Regional Hospital.

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Penny Liao-Lussier Worksite: Kelowna Community Health Centre Years of Service: 13 Job Title: Manager of Healthy Start Healthy Schools (Maternal Child & Youth Health Program), Population Health Services "Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others"- John Maxwell Caring, kind, compassionate, and authentic are just a few words Penny's co-workers would use to describe her. As a leader, Penny has the rare ability to lead with both her head and her heart. You can see Penny's passion for helping others as she advocates for the clients her programs serve as well as the staff working under her. As the Manager of Healthy Start Healthy Schools of Population Health Services for the past five years at the Kelowna Community Health Centre, and over 13 years at IH, she has positively impacted the lives of so many and brought valuable knowledge to those around her. Penny's leadership style of collaboration creates a positive teamwork dynamic that makes people feel valued and respected. Leading by example, she encourages others to show up authentically, practice empathy, and advocate for those they serve. Her unwavering commitment to all children, especially the vulnerable, is evident in all of her work. Inspired by her team, she expresses her gratitude for the privilege to work with a group of passionate and motivated nurses and administrative staff who are dedicated to achieving a vision while fulfilling a purpose to advocate for, support, and empower the maternal child and youth population. One of Penny's proudest moments at Interior Health was working on the pilot program for the high- and low-acuity patient transport communication centre in British Columbia. As the former manager, Penny showed 'proof of concept' and a operational strategy to ensure patient care and efficient transport services across Interior Health while simultaneously recruiting, training and leading a newly formed multi-disciplinary health-care team to run the Patient Transport Office. She was recognized in 2010 for all of her hard work with the IH Award of Excellence in "Ensuring Sustainable, Affordable Health Care" for the Patient Transport Office. Thank you for all that you do, Penny! Born in Kowloon, Hong Kong, shortly thereafter her family immigrated to Burnaby, where she was raised. At a young age, Penny knew she wanted to pursue the nursing profession. She was inspired by the opportunity to help others holistically by caring for the whole person, including their physical, intellectual and social needs. In her role, she feels a sense of pride and reward as she is able to plan strategically to make a positive impactful difference in the lives of the maternal-child and youth population. Relocating from Burnaby in 2008 to the interior with her husband, they are currently raising two beautiful little girls, Tianna, age 5, and Izabella, age 2. When Penny isn't working, you can find her playing co-ed recreational volleyball, shopping, or exploring the beautiful outdoors hiking with her family. She is looking forward to a future where her family can travel to experience different cultures, history, architecture, and languages from other parts of the world. She is dreaming of the huge smiles and loud squeals of excitement from her little girls as they experience Disney World at Christmas for the first time. Always up for an experience, when Penny was six months pregnant they temporarily moved out of their home for three months while they filmed the reality TV show, Love It or List It, Vancouver on the HGTV Network. The surreal experience concluded with the big reveal, moving back into their home, and 11 days later, welcoming their daughter, Izabella, to the world. Watch their big reveal here. Fans loved them so much they were cast again to film a Shaw Cable Blue Curve Internet Campaign as a follow up to Love It or List It, Vancouver.   Penny and Robert on the set of Love It or List It Vancouver with Co-Host, Jillian HarrisPenny's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: "I would like to nominate the Healthy Start Healthy Schools Team, Population Health Services, CMHO portfolio as this is a small team of nine (nurses and admin staff) who are the epitome of 'unsung heroes' in the organization. They do not receive the high profile, attention, and recognition like other programs in IH despite having been redeployed to other programs (due to their expertise and skills as Population Health specialists and administration) to support the COVID-19 pandemic response. "Throughout the pandemic, the Healthy Start Healthy Schools Team has continued to develop policy and guidelines to help inform public health nursing practice, created new communication mechanisms for external partners from the education sector to receive timely support and direction for their schools, and enhanced clinical support and services for newly parenting families and the most vulnerable, socioeconomically disadvantaged families in the region." - Penny Liao-Lussier   Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook: @IHJobs  |   Instagram: @InteriorHealthBC.Careers  |   LinkedIn: @InteriorHealthAuthority   Explore a Career at IH    

"Trail blazer" is an apt way to describe a physician who has travelled to every corner of the Interior Health region and beyond to spread the word about effective but largely under-prescribed medications to treat Alcohol Use Disorder. He has provided close to 150 educational presentations across B.C. On March 10, 2021 Penticton-based physician Dr. Jeff Harries was honoured with the inaugural Primary Care and Substance Use Trailblazer Award from the BC Centre for Substance Use. Not only is Dr. Harries the inaugural recipient of the new award, he is the inspiration behind it. "It's such a tremendous honour to be able to recognize Dr. Jeff Harries for his many, many contributions," says Cheyenne Johnson, executive director of the BC Centre for Substance Use. "His tireless leadership as a health advocate and his unwavering commitment to improving how we treat people with alcohol use disorder has inspired colleagues and impacted the lives of countless people. We thank him from the bottom of our hearts.” Interior Health Addictions Medicine Lead Dr. Leslie Lappalainen described how three words came to mind for her: humility, conviction, and the ability to inspire. "Doing 150 talks across B.C. is amazing," she said. Dr. Harries has now retired from practice but continues to provide inspiration and guidance in Alcohol Use Disorder treatment. In 2020 he helped establish the Canadian Alcohol Use Disorder Society. To learn more about his work, check out the video.

Are you feeling overwhelmed when looking for food and nutrition information on the internet? Ask yourself these 7 questions to find reliable information on healthy eating online. Is there a promise of a quick fix? If a diet or product sounds too good to be true, then it likely is. Making changes in your habits means a long-term commitment to healthy eating and physical activity.Is information based on personal stories or testimonials? It may be nice to hear a success story from a celebrity or friend, but it's not proof that something works or is true. Nutrition advice should be based on the best available research. Is the advice based on a single study? More research that shows the same results, makes the advice more trustworthy. Also, look for studies that include large numbers of people and longer durations. What are the qualifications of the writer? You wouldn’t ask a celebrity how to design a bridge, you’d ask an engineer. The same thinking should apply to nutrition advice. Check the website section “about us” to find out more about the people or company responsible for the website.Does the advice include buying special products or replacing foods with supplements? Food is the best source of nutrients. Special products and supplements are usually not needed to improve your health.Does the advice emphasize a single food or nutrient? Current food and nutrition evidence shows greater health benefits from eating a variety of nutritious whole foods rather than focusing on single foods or nutrients.Is the information on the website current? Reliable websites will include the date of when a webpage was written and are regularly updated to reflect the most current nutrition information and advice available.Get free trusted advice from a Dietitian by calling 📞 8-1-1 or contact a Dietitian online on www.healthlinkbc.ca/dietitian (anywhere in BC). Interpreters are available in over 130 languages. Check out these sources of reliable healthy eating information: Canada's Food GuideBC’s Healthy Eating ResourcesUnlockfood – Dietitians of CanadaCookspiration – Meal Plans & RecipesThis information was adapted from HealthLinkBC. Dietitian Services at HealthLinkBC (formerly Dial-A-Dietitian), provide free nutrition information and resources for BC residents and health professionals. Go to Healthy Eating or call 8-1-1 (anywhere in BC). Interpreters are available in over 130 languages.

The natural assumption about the role of a dietitian is that this person is going to help you create a healthy eating plan. It's true - registered dietitians are the trusted source for healthy eating. The more than 10,000 registered dietitians in Canada undergo comprehensive training, and are held accountable to the highest standards of education and ethics, which means they look beyond fads and gimmicks to deliver reliable health advice to individuals, groups and communities. But the work of dietitians goes so much farther. Many work in health-care settings like hospitals, long-term care homes, community health centres, or in private practice. Many more work in public health, government, education and research. Whether working with other health-care professionals, doing scientific research, informing public policy, or working with patients and communities, the impact of dietitians is far and wide. We sat down with two registered dietitians to learn more about their roles. Meet Linda Boyd, a Population Health Dietitian who works in the community, and Holly Heximer, a Clinical Dietitian who works in a hospital setting. Why did you become a registered dietitian and what are you most passionate about in your work?   Dietitian Linda Boyd. Linda - I knew I wanted to work in a health-related field where I could make a positive impact on people’s lives. I was interested in the psychology of eating, but I now realize that WHAT and HOW people eat is influenced by a wide range of factors over which people often have little control. I would say that over the years I have been most passionate about seeing infants and children get a healthy start to life and develop lifelong healthy eating habits through optimal feeding practices and healthy settings. Helping to support healthy eating environments and food literacy in child care facilities has been an especially rewarding area of my work. My first job as a dietitian was coordinating a pregnancy outreach program and I feel this experience strongly influenced my career path to be in the area of community nutrition and early years. Holly - Initially I wanted to become a sports dietitian after being involved in competitive sports and working with a dietitian. However, after shadowing a clinical dietitian while in high school I knew the hospital was where I wanted to work. Dietetics is the perfect combination of science and working with people. One of the favourite parts of my job is educating adults and kids going home on specialized tube feeds. A feeding tube is a medical device used to provide nutrition to people who can’t obtain nutrition by mouth, are unable to swallow safely, or need nutritional supplementation. There is a lot of information and teaching required so I get to know my patients and their loved ones throughout the process. I am able to personalize these plans to fit their schedules and needs. What is your role as a dietitian?Linda - Overall, our program aims to increase healthy eating for the entire population. We often use approaches like policy development and systems change as a way to influence a large sector of the population. For example, a healthy food policy for a school district has the potential to influence thousands of students. We also provide nutrition resources and training to support schools, daycares and health professionals to increase healthy eating within their settings or roles. A large focus area of our work with communities is food security and food systems. We offer health evidence and resources, and support collaboration among community partners and local governments to address priorities in these areas Holly - Dietitians have a very large scope and do more than just prescribe a diet. My workday can include problem solving infant feeding challenges, teaching diet education to a child with newly diagnosed diabetes, counselling patients living with eating disorders, or creating a specialized feeding plan for an adult struggling with swallowing. Every day is different! What do you think would make the most impact for improving the health and wellbeing of our communities? Linda – This is influenced by so many factors. At the most basic level, everyone needs to have their food needs met. We know that people living in poverty and experiencing food insecurity are much more likely to suffer poor physical and mental health. Being able to afford and access enough healthy food and being able to choose how you access food is essential for health and wellbeing. Decreasing food insecurity rates requires lifting people out of poverty. Living in environments where the healthy choice is the easy choice and knowing how to prepare food are also important. I feel that with the necessary support and resources, there is great potential for schools to help set up our next generation with the attitudes and skills needed to support healthy eating through actions like healthy meal programs, healthy fundraisers, and integrating hands-on food skills into the school curriculum. How can a dietitian help me with healthy eating? Holly – There are many ways that a dietitian can help you. One way to get started is to think critically about diet culture messaging! There is a lot of false and misleading information out there about nutrition and diet and so be sure to always question the source. We take an “all foods can fit” approach to healthy eating that is sustainable for the long term. A dietitian can help navigate this. Learn more about what dietitians do: Speak to a dietitian directly by calling 8-1-1 https://www.dietitians.ca/About/Learn-About-Dietitianshttps://www.dietitians.ca/Become-a-Dietitian/Education-and-Traininghttps://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthy-eating/everyone/dietitian-services-healthlink-bc

Delirium is increasingly common as you get older, and occurs more often than most people believe. In fact, among older people, delirium affects approximately 50 per cent of those admitted to hospital, and more than 80 per cent of those in intensive care. Between 15-70 per cent of individuals living in long-term care homes are also affected. Delirium is considered by many experts to be a medical emergency. It is signalled by a rapid change in brain function, which primarily affects the ability to focus attention. It can fluctuate over the course of a day, with periods of lucidity followed by increased confusion. Because individuals may exhibit signs of acute confusion, unusual behaviours and forgetfulness, the disorder is often mistaken as dementia. However, the conditions are fundamentally different. “If an individual’s behaviour has changed and they seem confused, some people initially suspect dementia. However, if symptoms seem to change suddenly during the day but they have periods where they are still behaving as they normally do, you should speak to a medical expert about the possibility of delirium," says Mary Kjorven, a clinical nurse specialist with Interior Health. "Medical professionals are trained to ask a series of screening questions that evaluate an individual’s risk of delirium.” Mary says the overall impacts of delirium can include: Increased mortality Increased dependency Increased functional impairment (short and long term) Increased rates of admission to long-term care homes Longer lengths of stay in hospital It's important to know that delirium is preventable and treatable by addressing the underlying cause. There are several common causes for delirium. These may include sleep deprivation, dehydration, mixing medications, and bowel and bladder issues including constipation. Here are some tips for avoiding delirium: Take care of yourself with proper eating, sleeping, hydration, and physical activity. Ensure your mind stays healthy and active, too, with regular socializing and other activities to stimulate the brain. Check to ensure your eye glasses and hearing aids are working properly, so you are seeing and hearing effectively.  For more information, visit icudelirium.org.