olunteer Voice - North York General Hospital

Volunteer Voice
SPRING 2015
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT
“North York General Hospital Volunteers
continue to make a “World of Difference!!”
Sandy Walker, President
Volunteer Services Board
On January 30, 2015, I presented a cheque to NYGH Foundation for an incredible amount of $210,000!! We are
now almost at $2.5M towards our pledge of $3M in support of the Volunteer Services Centre for Medical Imaging. Volunteers are very proud and thrilled to be able to assist the Hospital in its mission to deliver the best
possible healthcare to its patients and families. The Centre is state-of-the-art and will mean the best of care for
those in our community and beyond. Well done, Volunteers!
The funds are raised through countless hours at NYGH Gift Shop, Projects Committee with such projects as Holiday Sales, Fabrics Sales, Book Sales and many more. Funds are also raised from the Vendor Market area both at
the General and Branson sites. Framed artwork is also displayed where people can bid on it and Volunteers
receive a fixed amount from the sale. We also raise funds from our Tuck Shop at the Seniors’ Health Centre. Donations are also made directly to NYGH Volunteer Services/Foundation as gifts or in memory of loved ones.
Please use envelopes provided to receive a recognition letter. They are available in the lounge or Volunteer office.
The Annual Meeting and Recognition Dinner Night will be Thursday, May 7, 2015 at Parkview (formerly Spirale‘s)
Banquet Hall. Tickets will be available from April 13-17 during Volunteer Week. A cheque is required to hold
your attendance however, your cheque is returned to you on the night of May 7, or you may donate it towards the
Volunteer pledge and a receipt is sent to you. Pick up your ticket April 13-17 and do not miss this outstanding evening!
Volunteers at our three sites, Branson Ambulatory, Seniors’ Health Centre and North York General attend this
wonderful evening of recognition, time with friends and a delicious dinner.
Awards are presented to Volunteers with 5 years to 45 plus years service at North York General Hospital. Do not
miss your night of fun and recognition!
We are grateful for your consistency and dedication. “Caring, Leads to Giving - Your Time” Thank you fellow Volunteers for all your support and contributions in making NYG the best in Patient Excellence!
VOLUNTEER SERVICES BOARD 2014-2015
Past President:
Olga Dellidonne
President:
Sandy Walker
Vice President of Equal Standing: Cookie Gigan
Recording Secretary:
Phyllis Sacks
Corresponding Secretary:
Debbie Kuutan
Treasurer/Finance:
Olga Dellidonne
Branson:
Carmelita Stewart
Constitution:
Janet Trevail
Gift Shop:
Barbara Liddiard
Information Desk Services:
Sheila Baker
Joy D’Andrade
In-Patient Services:
Sonya Power
Membership:
Margaret Heyland
Nominating:
Beverley McLeod
Members at Large:
Jackie Griffin
Linda Grasley
Out-Patient Services:
Seniors' Health Centre:
Projects:
Annual Dinner:
Communications:
Archives:
Art:
Hospital Enhancement:
Recruitment:
Spiritual & Religious Care:
Manager, Volunteer Services:
Coordinator:
Coordinator:
Administrative Assistant:
Volunteer Voice:
Margaret Carrington
June Marshall
Barbara Macleod
Barbara Liddiard
Barry Jamieson
***
Christine Smith
***
Barry Jamieson
Mary Walker
Sheri Loosemore
James Dimitropoulos
Carolann Stevenson
Maxine Nyanteh
Barry Jamieson
FROM THE DESK OF SHERI LOOSEMORE
Sheri Loosemore
Manager
Volunteer Services
“The blue sky was smiling down on us yet I could see my breath as I exhaled, swoosh,
swoosh, echoed across the field. I grinned at my husband, thanking him again for the
perfect Christmas gift, new cross-country skis!...
...As I glided through the snow, I was reminded how being outdoors always clears my mind, letting me
reflect on my many blessings. Balance is important in our busy lives, I hope you too make time for your
favourite pastimes and let your mind quieten – we are all worth the effort”!
Do you recall completing the organizations Engagement Survey last May? With the results of the
survey, the Volunteer Services Engagement Survey Action Plan was created. I am pleased to share with
you the progress we have made towards fulfilling the action plan:
Action: to replace the current weekly electronic Newsline with a monthly Newsline summary email with
external links. This action was completed in October 2014.
Action: to develop and implement Information Sessions as the first step in the onboarding process for
prospective volunteers. This action was completed in October 2014.
Action: Collaborate with the Recruitment & Orientation Committee to ensure the general volunteer
orientation session covers all organizational mandatory training. This action was completed in December 2014.
Action: to update the Volunteer Services lounge at the General site to ensure there is the ability to
communicate clearly to volunteers. This action will be completed by March 2015.
Action: to overlay the new Corporate Strategy Plan (2015-2018) with volunteer roles to demonstrate
direct correlation. This action will begin once the new Corporate Strategy Plan (2015-2018) is released.
This year’s National Volunteer Week (April 12-18) theme ,“Volunteers are part of the ripple effect”
reminds us that our thoughts and actions are like stones dropped into still waters, causing ripples to
spread as they move outwards. Do you ever stop and think how your actions when volunteering may
impact others – how you create the ripple effect? How your warm welcome and genuine smile can put
a patient at ease, making the visit to the hospital just a little less stressful? How your awesome customer
service may leave families sharing their positive experience with others? How your friendly visit provides
companionship, giving our residents the opportunity to share a story with a caring individual? As a
Volunteer, please do not underestimate how far your ripples can reach – I assure you it is far and wide –
and for that I thank you!
Celebrating National Volunteer Week at NYG!
National Volunteer Week, April 12 to April 18,
is a time to recognize, celebrate and thank
our valued Volunteers. Please join us at the
following celebrations:
Monday, April 13 –National Volunteer Week
Kick-Off in Auditorium 1, General site from
1:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. Cake, coffee and tea will
be served.
Tuesday, April 14 – Seniors’ Health Centre
Celebration Tea will be held in the Solarium
from 2:15 P.M. to 3:15 P.M.
Wednesday, April 15 – Branson Bagel Breakfast Celebration in the Maple Room from 9:30
A.M. to 10:30 A.M.
Have you completed your Integrated Accessibility
Standards Regulation Training?
The Accessibility Standards Regulation builds on
the first standard for accessible customer service
and moves us closer to the goal of making the province accessible for everyone by 2025. The Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation will
remove barriers in three areas: information and
communications, employment, and transportation.
The IASR is mandatory by law and applicable to
staff, physicians and volunteers.
To date, 40% of our Volunteers have completed the
mandatory AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation training. Our legislated obligation
is to have 100% of our volunteers complete the
training before March 31, 2015. If you have any
questions or need help completing the IASR training, please contact your Volunteer Coordinator.
2
FROM THE DESK OF DR. TIM RUTLEDGE AND GABRIELLE BOCHYNEK
Gabrielle Bochynek
Vice President, People Services &
Organizational Development
Chief Human Resources Officer
North York General
Dr. Tim Rutledge, MD, CCFP (EM), FSCP
President and C.E.O.
North York General
This winter’s frigid temperatures and robust flu season presented a challenge to North York General
Hospital. We would like thank all of our Volunteers for all their efforts in keeping our patients and families safe this season.
Our Volunteers were instrumental in the success of the flu campaign. Whether you got vaccinated or
wore a mask, your support of the flu vaccinate-or-mask policy was greatly appreciated during its inaugural year. We also put out a call for help in spreading awareness about influenza prevention and more
than 50 volunteers answered the call. You cheerfully greeted patients and visitors at the General site’s
entrances and encouraged them to sanitize their hands. Thank you for helping us in our time of need.
We would also like to thank you for all your fundraising efforts related to the $3 million pledge towards
the Medical Imaging Centre. In 2014, you raised $210,000, bringing us to an incredible total of $2.2
million. Working together, staff, physicians and volunteers are making a world of difference when it
comes to investing in our hospital. John Aldis, Vice President of Corporate and Information Services
and Chief Financial Officer, recently reported that the future looks bright for long-term investments
such as new facilities, equipment and technology. This is a team effort and the volunteers are
important team players.
Finally, we look forward to seeing all of you during our celebrations for Volunteer Week in early April.
It’s an opportunity to recognize your invaluable contributions and highlight our proud history of volunteerism at North York General. As we continue to evolve as a leading community academic hospital, it’s
comforting to know that our volunteers support us in this important journey.
Have a healthy and safe spring!
Tim and Gabrielle
INFORMATION SERVICES DESK UPDATE
The Information Services Desk team at the General site is comprised of approximately 140 volunteers
who provide service seven days a week from both the South and West Desks. We help patients and
families get to where they need to be; we sort and deliver the mail and we manage deliveries.
Since September 2014, the Information Services Desk has undergone many positive changes. Joy
D’Andrade and I, the Information Services Desk Co-Chairs, have been very busy meeting with Sheri
Loosemore and James Dimitropolous of Volunteer Services, our Day Conveners and our Shift Coordinators to discuss how to make things run more smoothly at the desk.
One of the changes suggested and implemented, was to reduce the daily number of shifts from five to
three shifts and align shift times for both the weekdays and weekends. This has helped build consistency in the schedule and is a big help to those who support the scheduling of shifts. The new schedule
was launched in January 2015.
Our refreshed service role includes “Wayfinding”, which is escorting patients and their families to
where they need to be. Wayfinding supports NYG’s culture of Patient- and Family-Centred Care. Feedback from patients and families has been very positive, everyone is very appreciative of the wayfinding service.
Refresher training was provided in November and December 2015, and we are thrilled that more than
90% of our team was able to attend. For those who couldn’t attend, additional sessions will be held in the
spring.
Joy and I would like to thank the Information Services Desk team for the feedback and support over the
past several months. We are confident that the changes will only enhance the patient and family
Sheila Baker, Co-Chair, Information Services Desk
experience at NYG!
3
NYG SPOTLIGHT ON A SPECIAL VOLUNTEER
CONGRATULATIONS TO LOIS MARTELL
Keven Lai
Volunteer
Mental Health Team
North York General
As a Grade 11 student in 2010, Kevin was interested in learning more about the medical field so
he joined the North York General Hospital Volunteer Program. Kevin’s first placement was the
Emergency Department at the General site, which
he found educational and rewarding.
Today, Kevin is a third year University of Toronto
student, studying Mental Health and Neuroscience. Kevin chose this field of study because he
recognizes the support that Mental Health field
needs today, and he believes his contribution will
make a difference. This past Fall, Kevin transferred
his volunteer service and joined the Mental Health
Team; aligning his volunteer experience with his
career path.
Kevin believes that NYGH has an all hands-on deck
philosophy where staff, physicians and volunteers
work together giving the patients and families the
best care possible. After four and a half years of
service Kevin says, “I really enjoy volunteering at
NYGH, it has been a great experience. Volunteering is very gratifying; it truly does enhance the
patient and family experience.”
Kevin’s advice on how to be a successful in your
volunteer role, “Be committed, take initiative, and
most of all have fun and enjoy your time at NYGH”.
North York General Hospital is very fortunate to
have Kevin on our team. Thanks Kevin for all you do!
At NYGH, living our values is at the heart of everything we do and we want to recognize the people
who make a difference every day. The Stand Out,
Be Amazing recognition program has been developed to recognize the outstanding behaviours
displayed by NYGH Volunteers, physicians and
staff. People are nominated on a weekly basis for
their great behaviour and awards are presented
quarterly. At the end of the year, the Senior Leadership Team considers the stories of each individual nominee and chooses those that most
closely demonstrate behaviour aligned with the
values of the organization. The Annual Stand Out,
Be Amazing Award is presented publicly by the
CEO to a volunteer, physician and staff, and the
story of the recipients’ Stand Out behaviour is
shared.
This year’s volunteer recipient is Lois Martell. Lois
is a valuable member of the team at Seniors’
Health Centre and has helped in many capacities
since joining the volunteer program in 1992.
During her time at SHC, Lois has volunteered in
the Tuck Shop, supported administration tasks,
worked in the gardens; assisted with bus trips and
helped with countless special events. More
recently, Lois has been giving her time to support
the Resident’s Council fundraising initiatives; helping residents complete SHC’s annual satisfaction
survey; and calling residents families to advise
them of upcoming events.
Lois’ dedication to the residents is nothing short of
amazing. Her kind heart coupled with her empathy
and generosity makes her a special and unique
individual. We are very fortunate to have her as
part of our team.
We thank Lois for all that she has done and continues to do, you truly are amazing!
MEET JAMIE BRUNO
Jamie Bruno
Director,
Human Resources
North York General
Our Stand Out! ceremony has been a big part of
the annual Festivus celebration here at NYG.
Having joined the hospital in January, I was
particularly lucky to be able to observe the energy
and support for this year’s award presentations at
both the General site and our Seniors’ Health Centre.
I want to extend my congratulations to all nominees from throughout the year, and to our annual
winners – including Lois Martell for her extraordinary contributions as a Volunteer at SHC.
4
AN UPDATE FROM OUR PROJECTS COMMITTEE
“Things you need to know...”
Barb Macleod
Chair
Projects Committee
North York General
The Projects Committee consists of a group of dedicated men and women who volunteer their time
participating in extra activities throughout the year at our 3 sites of North York General. In 2014 we
were pleased to welcome 3 new members to our group.
The Projects portfolio consists of a number of on-going services at all 3 sites. We manage Tray
Favours at the Seniors’ Health Centre, Book Sales, the Vendors Market at the General and Branson
sites, the Quilting Group, Alex’s Mitten Tree, Teddies for Tragedies, our famous Christmas Holiday
and Bake Sale, and the Volunteer Voice newsletter. For Christmas 2014, our Mitten Tree total was
approximately 1000 articles of clothing including children’s mittens, scarves, toques, gloves, socks,
and blankets. As well, we collected large containers of toiletries which were donated to the Sherbourne Health Bus. All items were delivered to 3 selected organizations in Toronto for distribution
to the men, women, and children who would otherwise have very little. The 3 organizations are the
Sherbourne Health Bus, New Circles, and St. John Anglican Church.
We were very busy in 2014 with our Book Sales, Garage Sales and our daily Vendors Market. All
money raised during the year went towards the Volunteer Services 3 million dollar commitment to
the Volunteer Services Centre for Medical Imaging. I am happy and proud to announce that we
raised $50,000 in 2014. Our total was lower than last year due to the loss of the baby photography
contract. We did, however, achieve our commitment for the year.
Teddies for Tragedies had a very successful year collecting Teddies from Volunteers and friends of
North York General. Since 1999, approximately 5,100 teddies have been delivered to the regional
director in Toronto. They are assembled in shoe boxes along with toiletry items and shipped all over
the world to children in countries that have experienced stress when catastrophes occur. Barry
Jamieson, Chair of the committee, encourages all our Volunteers and friends to take time to help
out in this most worthy cause. Patterns and wool can be found in the Volunteer Lounge at the General site.
We are a very busy group of Volunteers and our duties are many. We’re always looking for new members to join us and to bring in fresh ideas on ways to raise money. These projects would not be possible without the dedication of our members. If you would like to join us, please leave your name
and phone number with the Volunteer Office and someone from our committee will be in contact
with you.
Thank you for all your support and please help us make 2015 another successful year.
EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER GRANTS
DON’T FORGET TO MARK YOUR
CALENDAR FOR THE
ANNUAL MEETING AND
RECOGNITION DINNER TO BE HELD
AT SPIRALE’S NEW FACILITY
“PARKVIEW MANOR” LOCATED AT
88 BARBER GREENE ROAD
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015
The Volunteer Services Board has charitable
status, meaning they accept donations and will
issue tax receipts.
Many companies support the volunteer activities of their employees and retirees by making
an annual monetary donation to the charity
where the individual volunteers.
Do you know if your company has an Employee
Volunteer Grant Program?
See Page 8
5
FROM THE DESK OF TERRY PURSELL
Terry Pursell
President and C.E.O.
North York General Foundation
I am delighted to report that the recent gift of $210,000 from Volunteer Services has brought your
giving total to nearly 75 per cent of your $3 million pledge to the Volunteer Services Centre for Medical
Imaging. This is a remarkable accomplishment and I thank all of you for this shining example of philanthropic dedication to our patients and their families.
Our historic $150 Million Campaign for North York General was publically launched in 2012 to support
the hospital and its growth. We have received tremendous support from our community, our physicians, our staff and of course your $3 million pledge was indeed a watershed moment in the early days
of the Campaign. On behalf of my team at the Foundation and our Board of Governors, I am pleased
to share that we have raised nearly $100 million towards our goal.
We are now entering the last phase of the campaign and there are several areas of focus that are vital
to meeting the dynamic needs of patients today and in the future. It is crucial that we have funding
available for the emerging priorities of the hospital and an excellent example of this is the newly
created Baruch/Weisz Outpatient Care Clinic. The hospital identified this clinic as a high-priority need
in 2014 and, with the generous support of the Baruch and Weisz families, we were able to open the
clinic the same year. Another donor funded project worth noting is the $5.2 million raised towards the
$6 million required to redevelop Phillips House into a one-of-a- kind outpatient mental health care
facility for women and children. Over the past few years, the foundation has provided the lion’s share
of the funding for equipment across the hospital and this will always be a pressing need. The final critical focus in this last phase is on funding the Research and Innovation Centre for Excellence in Patient
Care to create a hub for world-class leadership and exploration in practice-based research.
It is my sincere pleasure to thank all members of Volunteer Services for the value you bring to our hospital and our community. In particular, I would like to acknowledge Bernard, Betty, Erlie and Sheila for
consistently supporting the foundation each week. Your assistance is so important to all of us and our
work would not be possible without you. Thank you for helping to make a world of difference to all
North York General patients and their families.
If you would like to learn more about the Campaign for North York General, please contact me at 416
756-6164 and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
IN MEMORIAM
IN MEMORIAM
Marcia joined our volunteer team in 2002.
Marcia had many volunteer roles at NYGH
over the years; she volunteered at many hospital functions, was a very valued Gift Shop
Volunteer, a member of the Gift Shop Committee and a member of the Nominating
Committee. Marcia’s on-going contribution to
the volunteer program will be missed.
Grant joined our volunteer team in 2004.
Grant was a very important support to the
Infection Prevention and Control department.
Grant was a very committed and dedicated
Volunteer, who always greeted everyone with
a warm smile. Grant will be sorely missed by
all.
GRANT LEVITT
MARCIA MILLER
6
SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS CARE
SENIORS’ HEALTH CENTRE
Mary Walker
Chair,
Spiritual & Religious Care
June Marshall
Chair,
Seniors’ Health Centre
Two Memorial Services are held each year now,
the most recent being in November. These are
for family and friends of patients who have
recently died. Physicians and nurses also attend
and Volunteers assist in the Service. There are
many comments that the Service is a great comfort. Two Conveners’ meetings have been held
over the past year. The results of the Engagement Survey and the best way to communicate
were among topics discussed. The department
has been working closely with Volunteer Services
in order to make sure that our data in the Vsys
One System is as up to date as possible. The
co-ordination of different systems has been a
challenge for several months. Volunteers of this
department deeply regret that for two periods of
time they were not able to visit at the Seniors’
Health Centre because of a breakout of flu. We
are well aware that the cancellation of
programmes and the absence of visits is a sad
time for the residents. The SHC was opened just
in time for Christmas, but already some events
had been missed.
We are always warmly
welcomed by the patients when they have not
seen us for a few weeks. The department was
conscientious in abiding by the hospital policy
regarding “shots or mask”. S and R Care Volunteers also participated in offering hand sanitizer
to those entering at the main doors of the hospital.
It has been said many times that actions speak
louder than words. In addition to the words of
poems that have been written to honor volunteers, it is most important to let them know on a
continuous basis how valuable and appreciated
their service is. We know that you volunteer
because you want to be of service to others and
are not in search of recognition, but recognition
should be always forthcoming. Because of you,
someone knows there is at least one other person
in the world who cares. You have demonstrated
that you are not afraid to step in where there is a
need, and, as well, always having something
encouraging to say in the kindest of ways.
Congratulations to our own Lois Martell who was
honored as the recipient of the NYGH annual
"Stand Out" award at the Seniors' Health Centre
Festivus celebration on February 25, 2015.
Did you know...
In 1985 Seniors' Health Centre opened with 60 beds.
In 1990 Seniors' Health Centre was Toronto's first
multicultural and multilingual nursing home
reflecting the diversity of the community we serve.
Our Seniors' Health Centre cares for more than
8,000 patients annually and currently houses 192
long-term care beds.
North York General is home to eight (8) specialized geriatric clinics.
To the dedicated Volunteers at the Seniors' Health
Centre, Thank You all and have a wonderful year!
ISABEL A.KING BURSARY AWARDS
ALEX’S MITTEN TREE UPDATE
Alan Empringham, Chair, Alex’s Mitten Tree is
pleased to announce that approximately 1000
items of Adult and Children clothing were
collected in the 2014 annual Mitten Tree campaign. All items were distributed to 3 agencies
in Toronto... the Health Bus, New Circles, and
St. John’s Anglican Church in time for Christmas giving. As well, a large quantity of toiletries were collected and delivered to the Health
Bus for distribution to the street people of
Toronto. I wish to thank Volunteers, staff, and
friends of North York Hospital for their generosity and look forward to having a bigger and
better campaign in 2015.
In 1999, the King family, in partnership with the
Volunteer Services Board established the Isabel
A. King Student Volunteer Bursary to honour and
remember Mrs. King’s devotion and support of
North York General Hospital.
The 2014 Isabel A. King Bursary was awarded to
Edric Leung, Emily Liu, and Vithusan Arunakirinathan; each will receive $1000 to support their first
year of post-secondary education. Congratulations Edric, Emily and Vithusan and thanks for
making a world of difference at NYG!
Alan Empringham, Chair, Alex’s Mitten Tree
7
Volunteer Voice
THE POSTING BOARD
FROM THE DESK OF OLGA DELLIDONNE
5105
“Your support has repeatedly
played a key role in our success"
TEDDIES FOR TRAGEDIES
have been created by
North York General Hospital Volunteers
and friends since this project began.
TEDDIES have travelled all over the
world giving pleasure and joy to hundreds
of sick, homeless and needy CHILDREN.
THE NEED CONTINUES...
Olga Dellidonne
Treasurer
Volunteer Services
Corporate donations on behalf of current
and past employees are, as always, very
much appreciated.
We would like to thank TD BANK GROUP,
for their donation in honour of Agnes Chan,
and SUNCOR ENERGY, in honour of Peter
Phillips.
PLEASE KEEP ON KNITTING!!!!
Barry Jamieson for Teddies for Tragedies
“WHAT A GREAT PROJECT FOR THIS SPRING”!
DON’T FORGET TO MARK YOUR
CALENDAR FOR THE
ANNUAL MEETING AND
RECOGNITION DINNER TO BE HELD
AT SPIRALE’S NEW FACILITY
“PARKVIEW MANOR” LOCATED AT
88 BARBER GREENE ROAD
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015
I look forward to seeing everyone again at
the Annual Recognition Dinner. Watch your
mail - the invitations for this fabulous event
will be sent out towards the end of March.
Teddies courtesy of
Volunteer Lilllian Jamieson
Barbara Liddiard Annual Dinner Chairman
Have you registered your consent for organ and tissue donation? To register your
consent or for more information on donation please visit www.giftoflife.on.ca.
Be a Registered Donor
Your decision to register now could one day save up to eight lives and enhance as many as
75 more. Register your consent to become a donor with ServiceOntario now.
Volunteers Give Service With A Smile
Volunteer Voice is published 3 times a year and is provided
to all Volunteers at our 3 sites of North York General Hospital.
Volunteer Voice Editor/Graphic Designer: Barry Jamieson
email: [email protected]
Follow the links on the NYGH web site to view the .pdf version
NORTH YORK GENERAL HOSPITAL
General Division:
416 756-6000
Branson Division:
416 633-9420
Seniors' Health Centre:
416 756-0066
Volunteer Office:
416 756-6088
Articles for the Summer Issue of Volunteer Voice must be submitted no later than June 12, 2015