We Are IH is a new recognition campaign to spotlight our people in a real way – through pictures and stories that allow their authenticity to shine through! Each month, four Interior Health employees or medical staff will be featured through our News@IH website and our weekly In the Loop Roundup email newsletter.  Vanessa Mitchell is an Aboriginal lead and program manager of the Journey to Aboriginal Cultural Safety program. She has worked at the Vernon Health Centre for five years. Vanessa's life has been inspired by her ancestors and warriors, past and present, and their vision and fortitude to stand strong to ensure Indigenous peoples could hold positions of influence, such as her integral role here at Interior Health. Her philosophy of "hard work and heart work" is the driving force behind all the energy she gives to both her community and career. Vanessa truly loves her family, community and Nation for their humour, resilience and heart that brings laughter and love into her daily life. "The work of Cultural Safety and Humility is hard work and heart work." Vanessa's favourite inspirational quote. In the book We Get Our Living Like Milk From The Land, Sqilxᵂ (pronounced skay-lugh) is defined as the original people who learned to live together on the land in peace. As a Sqilxᵂ, this connection is held close to Vanessa's heart, as it always reminds her of who she is and where she came from. Born and raised in the Okanagan/Syilx community and Nation, Vanessa has continued to give back to her community in her adult life as she has created a home for her family where she was raised. As an Okanagan/Syilx woman, mother, and daughter, Vanessa understands first hand how much hard work and heart work goes into her career and community. Being acutely and intricately knowledgeable of Indigenous people, families, communities, and Nations with personal living experiences of cultural unsafety and racism, she balances both the hard work and heart work. Check back each Friday for the next We Are IH feature. For more information contact EmployeeExperience@InteriorHealth.ca. Vanessa's nomination of Rose Melnyk keeps the loop going: "Rose is a strong Secwépemc woman grounded in who she is and where she come from, with clinical front-line experience as an RN within IH whose heart is with the people and specifically with the Elders."

Have you ever thought what would improve the quality of life for people living in your community? What would make your community a better place to live? What matters most to you? Sharing your ideas, visions, and views during an Official Community Plan (OCP) process is a perfect opportunity to engage in local government planning to help shape your community. Every 5-10 years, local governments must update their Official Community Plan. An Official Community Plan (OCP) is a bylaw, which contains goals and policies that guide land use into the future. The OCP reflects the values and priorities of the community. It serves as a guiding document for city staff and elected officials when making decisions about many aspects of community planning. Community planning with health in mind provides more opportunities and reduces barriers for all people to live healthy lives. Research shows that approximately 60% of what influences our individual health is related to elements found within our everyday lives and the environment that we live in[1]. An OCP has the ability to significantly impact the way our communities are planned, and therefore significantly influence the individual health of community members. A healthy community is when the built, social, economic, and natural environments are well balanced to allow people the opportunity to live to their full potential and come together to make their community better for themselves, their family, friends, neighbours and others. Read the Link between planning and health: Official Community Plan for more information. Best practices to support healthy community development include: Compact and complete communities support walking, cycling, and use of public transit over cars. This leads to improved health outcomes, better physical and mental well-being, and greater opportunities for social connectedness.[2] Prioritize diverse housing forms, tenure types, and mixed income development. Unstable housing can lead to poorer health outcomes. Stable and affordable home provides warmth, safe, and healthy environment to support your health as well as foster good mental and physical health and improved quality of live. Read Health & Housing Backgrounder & Case Study for more information. Agriculture directly impacts health by influencing food choices and healthy eating patterns. For example the presence of local farmers’ markets encourages people to eat more fruits and vegetables.1 As a member of the public, it is important to become involved in local government planning. Local governments must consult with the public on planning and development processes. Visit your local government webpage to find out more on how you can become involved today – they often have a newsletter you can sign up for to receive updates. Right now, the City of West Kelowna is in phase 1 of its OCP Update to create a new community vision and is seeking input from anyone that lives, works, or visits West Kelowna. Visit ourwk.ca to learn more. For more information on the link between health and planning visit: www.planh.ca www.thinkupstream.net [1] Canadian Medical Association. Health Care Transformation. 2013. [2] BC Center for Disease Control. Healthy Built Environment Linkages Toolkit: making the links between design, planning and health, Version 2.0. Vancouver, BC. Provincial Health Services Authority, 2018.

We Are IH is a new recognition campaign to spotlight our people in a real way – through pictures and stories that allow their authenticity to shine through! Each month, four Interior Health employees or medical staff will be featured through our News@IH website and our weekly In the Loop Roundup email newsletter.  RN Shelley Ockenden is an Occupation Nursing Support Services Coordinator and recent long-term service award recipient after working at the Kamloops health unit for 33 years. A country girl at heart, Shelley was born and raised on a cattle ranch in Ashcroft, B.C. before spreading her wings and settling in Kamloops where she has lived for the past 32 years. Shelley followed her passion and love of working with children and their families as she developed her career, supporting children with special health needs and children in palliative care. Although Shelley would fix something for someone if she could, she learned that the best way to "fix" things for people is to imprint a memory of caring, alongside their hurt and their grief.  Shelley created positive change in the lives of the people she surrounded herself with including those within Interior Health. The initiatives she led including the resources she created, Supporting Families through Perinatal Loss Quick Guide and Leaning into Your Discomfort - How to Support Someone Who is Grieving, are a legacy that will continue to help people beyond her time at Interior Health. (Note: links accessible only within IH network.) Fun is one of the many positive words people use to describe Shelley and we know that with her attitude, each and every day of her retirement will be full of fun! Shelley wants to thank Interior Health and everyone who has worked alongside her as it's been a very memorable journey. We will sincerely miss you, Shelley! Thank you for all that you've done! Cheers to an amazing 33 years together, you've touched the lives of so many people and we are so grateful for your service. Check back each Friday for the next We Are IH feature. For more information contact EmployeeExperience@InteriorHealth.ca. Shelley's nomination of Cathryn Goodman keeps the We Are IH loop going: "Because although she is newer into her role as manager Cathryn has made it a priority (in the time of COVID-19) to really try to get to know and support her team members."

Having spent the past 20 years working as a Speech Language Pathologist in Salmon Arm, Christina El Gazzar had been searching for a way to give back to her community. Originally from Montreal, she had relocated to the Shuswap from northern B.C., accepting a job with Interior Health and moving with her family. For the next two decades, Christina first worked as a frontline Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and is now a professional practice lead, supporting those in the community with speech and language issues. But she wanted to do something meaningful for the community. Enter the Salmon Arm Boxing Club’s Hit 2 Fit Challenge. Christina had already taken up the sport of boxing as a way to get in shape. The club challenge would allow her to share a passion for supporting speech and language development with the community and combine it with the sweet science of boxing. “The boxing club’s challenge had three elements to it: Get in shape, raise money for something near and dear to you and then you could get in the ring, if you wanted,” explains Christina. “It really checked all the boxes for me. I had been boxing for a few years to stay in shape, but I wasn’t doing it enough. I wanted to do it four or five times a week so I accepted the challenge.” Finding something near and dear to her heart was easy. She would raise funds to install a communication board at Salmon Arm’s universally-accessible Blackburn Park. “Young children with communication challenges need support in order to express the most basic of human needs, such as making requests, conveying emotions and socially connecting with others,” she wrote to Salmon Arm council, seeking permission to raise funds and have the board installed in the city park. “Communication happens everywhere. Having a communication board at Blackburn Park will provide these children with the supports they need to be successful in this setting.”   Eight-year-old Connor in front of the communication board at Salmon Arm’s Blackburn Park. The boxing club’s fundraising gala was to take place in May 2018, which also happened to be Speech and Hearing Month. So Christina went to work with her colleagues and with support from the community to put her plan in action. Once the city was on board and council had approved, she approached community groups in town, soliciting sponsorship from the Salmon Arm Bulldogs Boxing Club, the Shuswap Community Foundation, Salmar Cinemas, the Salmon Arm Rotary, the City of Salmon Arm as well as the former mayor, Nancy Cooper. Colleagues and Pediatric SLPs Julie Lewis and Bonnie Johnson came on board to work on the board, establishing the core vocabulary that would help youth communicate. They connected with and received input from various children’s groups in Salmon Arm and raised enough money to have the sign built. “There are kids with communication difficulties who go to the park and this is something they can use,” says Christina. “It also raises awareness with the public. If they see the board and start talking about it, it reminds us all that there are young people everywhere who struggle with communication.” Two years to the month that Christina accepted the boxing club challenge, this past May, the communication board was installed at Blackburn Park in Salmon Arm. There are two sides, one for younger kids and one aimed at older youth, who can point to images on the board to aid with communication. Parent Nadine Kowaski is familiar with the speech language therapists in Salmon Arm. Her son, eight-year-old Connor, has autism and uses a picture exchange system to communicate on his iPad. A similar system of visual cues is used on the communication board. “Having the board at the park is great,” says Nadine. “It inspires good communication among families that not all kids are verbal. I think it will be amazing, not only to help them communicate, but also bringing about community awareness of kids with diverse abilities with communication. I appreciate their hard work. The speech language pathologists in Salmon Arm are always going above and beyond.” As for the final part of the challenge, stepping into the boxing ring, Christina also took that on, winning a unanimous decision after three one-minute rounds of boxing, as part of a gala fundraiser night. “I didn’t decide to get in the ring until close to the gala. It was nerve-wracking. I did it once and am now retired from competition,” she laughs. “I am just thrilled that this project is now completed and can help young people communicate.”   The communication board uses visual cues to allow for enhanced communication for youth with diverse communication abilities. Side 2.

Ryan knew he had a problem. As a teen he had experimented with drugs. That experimenting had quickly escalated into an addiction, and he needed help. But as a popular boy growing up in a tight-knit community, he was worried about what people would think. Like most of us, Ryan had been exposed to negative stereotypes about addiction, compounded by language like “junkie” and “crackhead”. “In trying to get support and help in the community, he was very concerned that people would know his secret and treat him badly. He’d grown up hearing those words. He had friends whose parents worked in health care and he was terrified that they would find out,” says Ryan’s mother Sandra Tully, co-chair of Addiction Matters Kamloops. “I was desperate. I finally convinced him to go to into treatment. I got in touch with the intake nurse and, sure enough, it was someone we knew. I started to cry. I was so happy he could get in and get help, but at the same time I was terrified to tell him she would be there, because I thought then he wouldn’t go. He would be too embarrassed.” “He went and was so relieved when she just gave him a big hug and told him it was going to be ok. That is what we need.” Sandra Tully Sadly Ryan’s battle was short-lived. He died of an opioid overdose at just 22 years old. It was 2016, the year B.C. declared the ongoing overdose crisis a public health emergency. Since then in B.C. more than 4,500 lives have been lost. “We know that the stigma associated with substance use continues to impact individuals and families, preventing them from reaching out for help and accessing life-saving services and treatment. We also know that language can play a significant role in either perpetuating stigma or ending it,” says Interior Health Practice Lead and Addiction Matters Kamloops co-chair Jessica Mensinger. “One of the easiest things we can do as a community is to consider the words we are using when talking about substance use.” This is why the Addiction Matters coalition is inviting communities across Interior Health to come together in an effort to use language that is compassionate and non-stigmatizing. Staff and physicians across IH have been taking the pledge. The team at Southhills in Kamloops was among those to quickly jump on board, challenging colleagues to do the same.Take the online pledge to choose person-first language and language that reflects the medical nature of substance use.  Instead of "addict" or "abuser" consider using "person with a substance use disorder."  Avoid slang or idioms like "dirty" or "clean" test results and use "positive" or "negative" test results instead. And use language that promotes recovery.  Instead of referring to someone as "clean", use "maintained recovery" instead.    IH's Medical Health Officers are among the many teams to show their support.“Words matter. When you say the word ‘addict’, what is the image that comes to mind?” Sandra says. “Substance use can impact anyone. Your best friend could be using substances.” The Words Matter pledge campaign runs this summer, culminating on Aug. 31, International Overdose Awareness Day. Visit Addiction Matters to learn more and take the pledge. Download a selfie card to post and share on social media. Invite your colleagues, friends and families to join. Together we can end stigma. Resources to learn more: Toward the Heart: Language Matters BCCDC News Release - Language matters: reduce stigma, combat overdose Language Matters Infographic Interior Health videos: Stigma and Substance Use Government of Canada: Changing how we talk about substance use

We Are IH is a new recognition campaign to spotlight our people in a real way – through pictures and stories that allow their authenticity to shine through! Each month, four Interior Health employees or medical staff will be featured through our News@IH website and our weekly In the Loop Roundup email newsletter.  Allen has worked as a Medical Laboratory Technologist at the KGH laboratory for eight years. You may spot Allen's warm smile and his health-care hero heart pin while he is working hard with his team at Kelowna General Hospital. He genuinely loves the team members he works with and knows that they will support each other, no matter what. Born in the Philippines islands, Allen moved to Toronto in 1999 with his family and 'bestest' friend, his twin sister. With the goal of moving to the beautiful Okanagan Valley on his horizon after graduation, he moved cross-country in 2012 to his now home-sweet-home - luckily for us at Interior Health. A true optimist, Allen sees the glass half full and not half empty. Point in case: When catching up with colleagues after they have traveled abroad, he seeks some of their international cash to keep in his wallet as a reminder to travel to that destination. Maybe if they're lucky he will bring them back a little token of his appreciation! "Be kind, calm and safe."  - Dr. Bonnie Henry Allen's favourite inspirational quote Truly inspired by the power of the microscope enabling him to see what he couldn't with his bare eyes, at work he glimpses another world of red and white blood cells, tissue cells, bacteria, viruses and much more. Young Allen was fascinated by seeing these tiny little things interact and communicate. From his first look at an amoeba under the microscope, he was mesmerized and thrilled seeing it swimming in the water. From the entire team at Interior Health, we thank you for all that you do, Allen, and we are so thankful that you chose Kelowna and Interior Health to make your home-sweet-home. Check back each Friday for the next We Are IH feature. For more information contact EmployeeExperience@InteriorHealth.ca. Allen's nomination of John Bors keeps the We are IH loop going": "John is a joy to work with and creates a positive work environment. He’s a kind, dedicated hard worker who remains calm under pressure and is very knowledgeable. We are incredibly grateful to have someone like him working in the laboratory. He’s very good at trouble shooting the instruments and liaising between the lab and our vendors. He’s very patient and gets the job done."  

Think volunteering is just a nice thing to do for others? Think again. A growing body of research has pointed to the social, emotional, and even physical health benefits of contributing your time and energy to your community as you age. Benefits to older adults A study published in the The Gerontologist journal found that volunteers reported significant improvements in their mental health, along with other benefits ranging from a greater feeling of productivity, increased social activity, and an overall sense that their life had improved. Research shows that social interaction supports overall physical, mental and emotional health and helps maintain brain health. People with strong social networks say they feel happier and more supported. Older adults also report increased levels of satisfaction and overall improved quality of life when they are engaged with their communities and feeling connected. Many find this through volunteering and staying active and engaged in their communities. How communities benefit from older adults It is hard to imagine our country without volunteers. Volunteers are active in youth clubs, arts programs, helping newcomers settle into their communities, visiting elderly people, and providing aid and comfort in hospitals. Without them, Canadian communities would be very different. According to a report on volunteering, one quarter of all volunteers in Canada are those 65 and older. What are they giving? In addition to the unique skills each person possesses, older adults offer their time, their career and life experience, and their wisdom and perspective After her retirement as a registered nurse in Vernon, Jessie Nyberg, a Shuswap Elder from the Canoe Creek Band, began working as a volunteer at the Vernon Friendship Centre. She advocated for improved diabetes services and better access to early childhood development programs in her community. Today, Jessie is an Elder advisor on a UBC research grant which explores how Indigenous people experiencing diabetes and obesity access care. She also raises awareness of B.C.’s Head Start pre-school programs, particularly among Indigenous people in her community. And she sits on a consortium that represents programs that serve Indigenous children with disabilities. As the seniors navigator for the Golden Community Resource Society, Mickey Balas has a wealth of knowledge about resources in her community and is a tremendous advocate for older adults in the Golden area.  They offer the priceless ability to provide perspective and guidance on an infinite range of topics and activities. Seniors are able to devote the required time and effort to see projects through from start to finish. Because they are often no longer constrained by a need to conform to the opinion of others, many seniors tend to be candid and direct in sharing their opinions. Seniors realize their needs can be intergenerational and what benefits them will also benefit the rest of society.” Mickey Balas, seniors navigator “In my experience, communities benefit from the participation of seniors in many components of our society,” says Mickey. “Seniors bring and share a wealth of information and experience gained throughout their lifetimes. Barriers to older adults giving back in the community For senior citizens, the pandemic brings another blow: their usual volunteering activities have been put on hold because of the risk they face if they contract the virus. Volunteers are important partners in health-care, says Kristin Cleary, volunteer coordinator at Interior Health. “The majority of our long time volunteers are older adults and are most at risk for COVID-19. So having to suspend volunteer services has been really hard on both the volunteers as well as the clients who receive that time with them. We are having to adjust and look at creative new ways to help out our community.”Kristin Cleary, volunteer coordinator Stigma and stereotypical attitudes towards aging can also be a barrier to seniors participating in their communities. “Some older adults are influenced by the misconception of their value in their later years, for example: coaching with sports that they previously played or in which they were once involved,” says geriatric nurse specialist Shannon Paul-Jost. “Others feel frustrated at the attitudes of others present within their community. There are circumstances where these judgments do not align with their lived experience and older adults may avoid contributing to groups, as they may not feel their contributions are understood and appreciated.” Older adults have a wealth of lived experience and can contribute to their communities by shaping conversations to be more inclusive and age-friendly, which is a unique perspective that can only be had through years of living, says Shannon. “Let’s challenge our own thoughts and attitudes about aging. When it comes to community contribution and collaboration, I believe we all benefit from being more open-minded, compassionate and thoughtful.” Featured image photo courtesy UBC Okanagan. Caption: Jessie Nyberg signs a Truth and Reconciliation commitments at a special UBCO ceremony - just one example of the tremendous contributions of this active Elder and others like her.

Temperatures within the Interior tend to soar mid-summer, when residents and visitors enjoy fun in the sun. However, too much heat can be harmful to your health. Overheating can lead to weakness, disorientation and exhaustion. In severe cases, it may lead to heat stroke (also known as sunstroke). And heat stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency. “I know we’re all busy taking precautions to prevent COVID, but in addition we need to stay safe from the heat."Medical Health Officer Dr. Carol Fenton. Here are some tips to keep you safe and healthy this summer. 10 Steps to avoid heat related illness Plan your outdoor activity before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m., to avoid the most intense sun.Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids. Water is the best choice.Avoid physical work or exercise outside in the heat of the day.If you must work or exercise outside, drink two to four glasses of water each hour, even before you feel thirsty.Rest breaks are important and should be taken in the shade.Apply sunscreen to prevent sun burn, but remember this doesn’t protect from the heat.Stay in the shade, or create your own shade with lightweight, light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing, a wide brimmed hat, and/or an umbrella.If you’re struggling to keep cool, move indoors to an air-conditioned building or take a cool bath or shower. At temperatures above 30° C (86°F), fans alone may not be able to prevent heat-related illness.Never leave children or pets alone in a parked car. Temperatures can rise to 52° C (125° F) within 20minutes inside a vehicle when the outside temperature is 34° C (93° F). Leaving the car windows slightly open will not keep the inside of the vehicle at a safe temperature.Regularly check older adults, infants and children, those doing a lot of physical activity or working outside, and people with chronic disease or mental illness for signs of heat-related illness. Make sure they are keeping cool and drinking plenty of fluids. Check on those who are unable to leave their homes, and people whose judgment may be impaired. https://youtu.be/4sVYjq86hXA The symptoms of heat-related illness can range from mild to severe. They include: pale, cool, moist skin (early stages); or red, hot, dry skin (in the late stages of heat stroke);heavy sweating;muscle cramps;rash;swelling, especially hands and feet;fatigue and weakness;dizziness and/or fainting;headache;nausea and/or vomiting;fever, particularly a core body temperature of 40° C (104° F) or more;confusion and decreased mental alertness;hallucinations;seizures; andunconsciousness/comaWhen recognized early, most mild heat-related illnesses can be treated at home. Home treatment for mild heat exhaustion may include: moving to a cooler environment;drinking plenty of cool, non-alcoholic fluids;resting;taking a cool shower or bath; andwearing lightweight clothingIf your symptoms last longer than one hour, change, worsen or cause you concern, contact a health-care provider. Resources For more information on heat-related illness, visit the HealthLinkBC website or dial 811. For local governments: Heat Alert Response System

  Summer is here. So is COVID-19. During these warm, sunny days, we want to get together with family and friends for camping, barbecuing, and other activities. There are ways we can enjoy these activities and stay safe. Here are the top 10 ways to socialize safely: Sick? Stay home: If you are feeling unwell, even with mild symptoms, stay home and get tested. Fewer faces in bigger spaces: Limit your gatherings to small groups of people you know. Outdoors is better: Enjoy the summer weather and protect your home – socialize outside and maintain physical distancing as much as possible. Smaller is better: Gatherings with close friends should be limited to six people or fewer, especially when you’re indoors. Keep your bubble small: Avoid crowded, closed spaces as much as possible. The more people you interact with closely, the higher risk you will be exposed to COVID-19. Have a designated contact keeper: If you host a gathering, keep a list of your guests and their contact information. This will help Public Health be in touch with contacts more quickly if there has been a COVID-19 exposure. Keep your distance: Maintain two metres (six feet) between you and other people who aren’t in your bubble. Mask up: Wear a mask when you’re in public and physical distancing isn’t possible. This lets others around you know you’re staying safe during this pandemic and that you’re keeping them safe as well. No sharing: Don’t share food, drinks, or cigarettes with others. This summer is about “bring your own” and not potlucks. Practice good hand hygiene: wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. Practice safe socializing This video illustrates how the steps above can slow the spread of COVID-19. Practice safe socializing