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vancouver coastal region
Counting the costs page 10
Unplug + Play
photo: David Buzzard
page 9
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
page 6
BC setting the stage with Accessibility 2024 also available online at issuu.com/glacierspecialtypublishing
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Keshav Sharma ksharma@glaciermedia.ca | 604-619-2933 creative director
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contributing writers
Ian Jacques, Alison Taylor, Sheryl Gray, Emily Stewart
volume 1, number 3, winter 2017 Published by glacier media. Copyright ©2017. All rights reserved. Reproduction of articles permitted with credit. Advertisements in this magazine are coordinated by Glacier Media. Glacier Media does not endorse products or services. Any errors, omissions or opinions found in this magazine should not be attributed to the publisher. The authors, the publisher and the collaborating organizations will not assume any responsibility for commercial loss due to business decisions made based on the information contained in this magazine. Speak with your doctor before acting on any health information contained in this magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without crediting Glacier Media. Printed in Canada. Please recycle.
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planning for the future WITH DISABILITIES BC setting the stage with Accessibility 2024 Alison Taylor UNPLUG + pLAY Off-screen indoor activities for kids in winter
Sheryl Gray
Counting the costs Retirement fiscal planning Alison Taylor mirror, mirror How body image can impact mental health Healthy eating It can still happen even when celebrating Lighten up Ways to beat SAD + the winter blahs
Sheryl Gray
Emily Stewart
Sheryl Gray
sunshine coast healthcare auxiliary Providing support for decades Ian Jacques
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where can you find healthier you? In doctors’ offices, walk-in clinics, pharmacies and other community settings, we will be waiting there, too – keeping you company, and sharing stories and insight into healthrelated issues that matter to you.
It’s time to plan Happy New Year! May your 2017 be a healthy one. The end of a year and the beginning of a new one is a time for planning – particularly fiscal planning. But for parents of children with special needs, planning takes on a whole new level of difficulty – particularly as those children become adults and parents age. Planning for the future can be scary for all of us – not only the fear of running out of money, but of contemplating our own mortality. When you add a dependent adult to that equation, trying to ensure the plans you make hold up not to the end of your life, but of your son or daughter’s life, it becomes even scarier. That’s what prompted us to put the Geschke family in focus in this edition of Healthier You magazine. They’re living that scenario right now – and despite all the challenges it presents, they have made that plan – and the provincial government’s Accessibility 2024 plan is helping to make that kind of planning easier for other families in that situation. The Geschkes’ foresight and courage is an example to us all, whether you have people with special needs in your life or not. Planning feels scary, and the
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inclination we feel to put it off is strong. But the sense of relief you get when you face that fear and build your plan is well worth facing your fear. Make 2017 the year you build your plan to live a happier, healthier life. We also shine the spotlight in this issue on the dedicated volunteers that help support our local hospitals and health care institutions – some of whom are even responsible for the very creation of hospitals in our communities. Their thousands of volunteers contribute hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours per year and raise millions of dollars. Without them our hospitals, care homes and other health care facilities in our region would be poorer places – and in many cases, simply would never have existed or remained open. Next time you find yourself at your local hospital, take a moment to visit the auxiliary gift shop. Check out the beautiful, often hand-made, goods on display and buy something. But most importantly, make sure you thank the person at the till. She or he represents a critical component of our health care system.
feature
Planning BC setting the stage with Accessibility 2024
Jacynthe Geschke was a teenager when her disability really sank in for her parents. alison taylor contributing writer
She was diagnosed just before she turned 16 years old — autism, PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified), an IQ under 70, among other things. When she finally come to understand the extent of her daughter’s disability, Laurie Geschke could not consider what the future would bring. “For over a decade I couldn’t look at the future, says the Maple Ridge mother of four. It was just one day at a time because there was no hope.” In addition to the hopelessness, there was also a significant weight on her shoulders when she thought about what would happen to Jacynthe, her second oldest child, after she and her husband died.
Jacynthe Geschke in the Cythera Thrift Shop in Maple Ridge where she volunteers. photo: David Buzzard
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Then, about 10 years ago, they decided to face the future head on. That involved making some difficult decisions in the course of setting up their will and establishing a trust for Jacynthe.
winter 2017 vancouver coastal region
And yet, once they made those decisions, it brought a “huge sense of relief” knowing that Jacynthe’s financial future at least was secure. “Having a will brought such peace of mind, having it done finally,” says Geschke. “It was something that ate away at our souls for decades but we were paralyzed with inaction.” While Laurie Geschke’s story underscores the challenges of financial planning for children with disabilities, it also highlights the peace of mind that comes when financial plans are in place. Making BC more accessible The province has called it Accessibility 2024. It’s a 10year action plan for people with disabilities. If it all goes according to plan, it could be a game-changer in the province, with 12 building blocks outlining ways to get there. They include: Accessible Transportation, Accessible Housing, Employment. Financial Security — helping
for the future with disabilities
people with disabilities become more financially independent —is also one of the 12 building blocks. “I am very proud that our government is committed to improving the financial security and quality of life for all Canadians,” says Carla Qualtrough, B.C.’s Minister of Sports and Persons with Disabilities in a press release. “I am encouraging all my provincial and territorial counterparts to join me in helping to ensure Canadians with disabilities are equipped to participate equally in their communities and workplaces.” Among other things, there is a four-year outreach program to increase uptake in the RDSP — Registered Disability Savings Plan — as well as financial literacy in general. “More than 22,500 people in BC now have RDSPs and while that’s the highest per capita in Canada, the number is still low,” says Tim Ames, executive director with PLAN — Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network —a group that will be involved in the RDSP outreach.
“That (22,500 of people with RDSPs) represents the people who live in urban areas whose parents are financially aware of programs that are available,” says Ames.
individuals with the disability from other disability benefits they may be receiving.
“The folks that probably need the RDSP the most are the folks who have the most challenge in accessing it and being able to qualify for it.”
His message, quite simply is this: “Get on with it right now if you qualify.”
The RDSP was announced by the Canadian government in 2007 and became available in 2008, the blueprint development by PLAN which then lobbied for it in Ottawa. “It is an absolutely no-lose proposition and it’s generous,” says Dan McDonald, a certified professional accountant who is an RDSP facilitator for free workshops through PLAN. Some of the main advantages are the tax deferred growth and the free government money, which ranges from $20,000 to a maximum of $90,000. In addition, the assets and income from the RDSP do not disqualify the
McDonald has an RSDP for his own daughter with a disability.
Making progress Her parents were told that she would not reach typical young adulthood at 18 or 19 years old but were encouraged to keep doing what they were doing, working with Jacynthe, and the chances were good that she would continue to learn. “There was this open realm of possibilities after she left high school, says her mom. It proved to be true in Jacynthe’s case. At 31 years old, Jacynthe has come a long way in the last ten years. And yet, she will likely never hold down a 9-to-5 job, or work 40 hours per week. She will continued on page 8
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always be limited to what she can earn without losing her disability benefits. “Money will be tight all her life,” says Geschke. “Our responsibility didn’t end when she hit 18 or 19 and it’s not going to end when we die either. Our responsibility for her really is not going to end until she dies.” In addition to her trusts, a microboard (a non-profit society set up to provide support for one individual with disabilities) and a social network, her parents have also set up an RDSP. How to plan Financial planning can be overwhelming, whether considering a disability or not.
“It’s so hard to give general information because every family situation is unique,” he says.
It’s one of the reasons why PLAN was established in 1989, to help families find the answers to the difficult question: What will happen to our children with disabilities when we are gone?
If someone opens a new RDSP and goes through PLAN Institute, Ames said the non-profit can help them with a $150 contribution through a donation from the Vancouver Foundation.
“Nobody was going to be good enough,” admits Geschke when it came to answering that question. “But truthfully, almost anybody is better than nobody, or the alternative, should you not be there.”
“Over the course of a lifetime, someone who starts at around age 5, who doesn’t put any of their own money in at all but qualified for all the government bonds and grants, would have about $70,000 in their RDSP,” he says.
Geschke’s advice is it’s critical to pick the right lawyer to develop your will and trust, someone who not only understands estate law but is also familiar with disability laws.
“Even if you don’t have any funds to put in yourself, we can help get you started.”
Ames says it’s key to talk to a financial planner to see how to optimize what’s available.
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Unplug Play
Off-screen indoor activities for kids in winter
sheryl gray contributing writer
When the weather outside is frightful... it can be an easy fix to let the kids curl up with an endless stream of videos, online games and digital image apps. Happily, you got this. Playing indoors isn’t about the latest and greatest — classic fun still rules the family room, and you’ll even be able to show your kids a trick or two. Make space for big fun! Bring out all the blankets, sleeping bags and beanbag chairs, and let the kids take over the living room with a fort. Once the fort is built, some flashlights and favourite stuffies can join the party along with the giggles and secret handshakes. Toss in a few marshmallows and skewers, and Club Campfire will soon morph from the sagging blankets.
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Retirement fiscal planning alison taylor contributing writer
Moving to Whistler to full-time was always a part of Sue and Les Lawther’s retirement plan. More than 20 years ago, they bought a house in the resort community but they never got too attached to it; their plan was always to sell it and retire on the profits of the sale. After the 2010 Olympic Games, the Lawther’s moved into the Olympic legacy village in one of six dedicated seniors housing units. Like hundreds of resident restricted units in Whistler, their new place has a capped resale value, making it far more affordable than free market real estate. Their retirement plan worked — the Lawther’s could realize the gains in their market house and yet continue to live in the ski resort, retiring in the place they love.
Les and Sue Lawther snowshoe around their Cheakamus Crossing development in Whistler.
“I’m just a strong, strong believer in having a plan,” says Goldstein, who had been semi-retired and doing private investing and financial planning for the last 15 years. “It comes out of a very strong business background.” Goldstein’s own plan has been in place these past 30 years. At 65 years old, he’s trying to show others the value in that forward-thinking. It isn’t always easy. There are two reasons, he adds, why people don’t want to think about counting the costs of retirement. Not only can it be complicated and difficult to understand, it’s also about making sacrifices today for something far off down the road. And let’s face it, saving for tomorrow isn’t as fun as spending today. “It’s very much a society and lifestyle of instant gratification,” he says.
“We always knew when we bought our Whistler house that it was our RRSP,” says Sue Lawther.
“It’s hard to sacrifice the dollar now, knowing that I’ll have $5 or $6 in the future. That’s too far off. It’s the same as ‘I’ll eat the bagel now and I’m not going to worry about the 600 calories.’”
Retirement for the Lawthers has gone according to plan, in part because they had an actual plan and followed through with it. It doesn’t always work out that way, cautions local financial planner Bill Goldstein.
The key however is in understanding the compounding interest — the interest on interest. When you add the interest to the principal each year, the balance doesn’t just grow, it grows at an increasing rate. Or as Goldstein says: Spending $1,000 today is really like spending $5,000 to $7,000 over the course of your life.
“I have a lot of clients using their house (for retirement),” he says. “But in the end, you can’t eat your house. That’s part of the problem.” Having a plan Having a retirement plan in place is music to Goldstein’s ears. He loves to talk about financial planning for retirement, a topic that tends to scare and stress most people. His company is called Lifestages Financial Planning Services (www.lifestagesfinancial.ca), based in
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Whistler and offering services in the Sea to Sky area and in Toronto and the United States.
winter 2017 vancouver coastal region
“The mathematics is confounding to most people,” he adds. The Simple Math So how much money is enough to retire? That’s the million-dollar question. The simple answer, says Goldstein, is: “It totally depends on your lifestyle.” Are you planning to travel the world in your later years or are you planning on spending your days skiing from your cabin in Whistler? Do you want to leave an continued on page 14
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How body image can impact mental health Taryn Brumfitt gained international attention when she posted a photo of herself online, completely naked and gloriously unapologetic. sheryl gray contributing writer
With no digital enhancement and no strategic posing (other than to keep the photo G-rated), the image struck a chord with women across the world. Ample flesh, curvy rolls and uncovered cellulite punctuated Brumfitt's appearance... along with a broad smile. Brumfitt, an Australian photographer and mother of three, went on to establish the Body Image Movement, an organization with a declared mission to "put an end to body loathing and spread the message of body loving." Body loathing, or poor body image, has become a societal norm, with 75 to 90 per cent of us disliking our body, or parts of our body, to some degree. And while that norm has many unhappy with their appearance, trying to fix our bodies isn't the magical cure to bring happiness. It's not about fixing your body; it's about fixing your body image. Elspeth Humphreys is the Regional Coordinator of Fraser Health's Eating Disorders Program, and she is well familiar with the effect of body image on mental well-being. Virtually unavoidable, we see images in the media every day that revere so-called ideal bodies, or ridicule bodies of those considered unhealthy or unattractive, and this serves to reinforce our own judgements of the human body. "Our culture is full of stigma about weight, across the full spectrum of sizes,” says Humphreys. “Slim is associated with happy and healthy people, with the opposite true for larger bodies. 12
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“We judge ourselves, and we judge others, and often, these judgements are made on a subconscious level, based on our early-developed beliefs and values.” Our body-shaming culture and media's portrayal of bodies isn't easily controlled, and we'd be challenged to avoid it. But we can control the culture within our own homes, and how we outwardly treat others — and ourselves. Humphreys hears disparaging comments from clients about their bodies, who feel it's okay to body-shame if they're only speaking about themselves. "When we speak negatively about our bodies, even our own bodies, we continue to normalize this widespread dissatisfaction with our outward appearance. When you feel ashamed of yourself, it leads to depression, anxiety, and gradual isolation," says Humphreys. "Through our Eating Disorders Program, we teach self-compassion. We challenge the so-called thin 'ideal' body, and focus on healthy behaviours. At the minimum, we work on being neutral toward our bodies: focusing on function over form." Humphreys has regular speaking engagements with health professionals on "Fat Talk Awareness," and recommends balancedviewbc.ca as an online learning resource to reduce weight bias and stigma in professional practice. She also works with clients on this same "Fat Talk" concept for changing the conversations we have with each other, and with ourselves. "Do these pants make me look fat?" is the butt of many a joke, but it's this kind of "Fat Talk" that Humphreys is looking to end. Our sense of self develops early, and children who are subjected to debate about good and bad foods, earning treats through exercise, clothes not meant for certain body types, etc., are internalizing
these judgements as the norm. Kids are always looking and listening, and the conversations we're having today will impact them tomorrow. Interestingly, it's not just insults that give shape to our body image, but also, the compliments. "Wow, you've lost weight! You look great!" does more than suggest that your looks didn't measure up prior to your weight loss. "I encourage people to start to change the conversation at home. Adopt a policy to compliment and say nice things about people, such as 'that colour looks good on you,' or 'you look so happy today.' Avoid commenting on changes to weight or physical features," says Humphreys. "The policy also needs to include talk about how people are all different, and to not comment on people's bodies. Different is not just okay, it's who we are. The book Shapesville is a wonderful resources for kids to learn about different shapes and sizes (2003, A. Mills & B. Osborn)."
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With the majority of the population not 100 per cent happy with their appearance, when should professional help be sought? People need to ask themselves to what degree a poor body image is impacting their joy in life, along with their personal relationships. Is a negative body image forcing a more conservative choice of dress, or skipping an event altogether? With the understanding that your body image isn't actually about how your body looks, family physicians are a good place to start, in search of support. Your physician can screen for mental health issues, and make appropriate referrals for support and/or treatment. BC residents of all ages can access our provincial resources through the Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre (keltymentalhealth.ca). "Start to have those conversations – with your kids, your friends and family, yourself. Issues with body image are normal, across all demographics, for women and men," says Humphreys. "End the Fat Talk, and change the conversation for a better body image."
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inheritance to your children? Do you want to support your children as they get older? Another critical part of the equation is how long you’re going to live. The 2011 census counted almost 6,000 people aged 100 years and older. The growth rate for this age group has been one of the highest of all the age groups in the last 40 years. And it’s only expected to rise with medical advances. Recent Statistics Canada’s population projections state that the number of centenarians could reach more than 17,000 by 2031 and close to 80,000 by 2061. That has “enormous” impacts on what it means for the cost of retiring, says Goldstein. “I say to my kids: ‘You need to plan to 100.’” Think about what that means, urged Goldstein. A “normal” path would be to work until 65 and then retire. “You’re then going to live another 35 years with no income whatsoever, except what you’ve saved,” he says. “That’s a concept to a 30-year-old... that’s just hard.”
Let’s consider $1 million to retire. At a 4 per cent return, with CPP (Canada Pension Plan) and OAS (Old Age Security pension), that will likely give you a $65,000 a year lifestyle. Is that enough? The single most important financial task anyone can undertake, says Goldstein, is to truly understand their own spending. Only then will you know how much you need in retirement. Aging in place – Whistler Sue Lawther says financial planning is a topic that always draws a crowd in Whistler, whether people have planned for it their whole lives or are late getting started. “It’s on people’s minds,” says Lawther. “We are an aging demographic. All of us baby boomers who came here and camped around Green Lake (back in the day), we’re all turning 65, 70, 75 and we don’t want to leave!” Because the Lawthers had a plan in place, they didn’t have to leave. They continue to make plans in order to keep living in Whistler as they get older. This is a place after all, that has the best of both worlds — rural living in the mountains with easy access to city perks.
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How to have fun + maintain a healthy eating plan
Humans have been celebrating with feast and frolic since the beginning of time. Emily Stewart Contributing Writer
While today we still find plenty of excuses to indulge, long gone are the days when most people enjoy such frivolity without the niggling worry, “This is going to make me fat.” Thanks to a popular awareness of obesity and “healthy living,” what was formerly innocent party mongering is now an affront to one’s hard-earned calorie-tracking credits. How can you find a healthy eating plan in today’s weight-obsessed culture? While it’s true that the high-calorie, low-fibre, vitamindeficient foods popular at parties do pose a threat to one’s dress size, they’re not necessarily “unhealthy.” The term “healthy” cannot describe a food. “Healthy” is an adjective and adverb, a general descriptor of a state of being; it is well-being, vitality. Food doesn’t have well-being. People have well-being. The term “nutritious” describes food. Every type of food is a unique ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals (that’s right; even red meat has trace carbs in it). Some ratios are more conducive to digestion, energy, and longevity than others. You, not your food, can be healthy. Because a healthy lifestyle is based on a myriad of personal and cultural ideals, each one of us can be healthy in our own way, including the way we choose to eat.
What healthy eating really means is balance. Balanced eating may refer to what you eat in a single sitting. And, it may also refer to what you eat over the course of a year. Of course, physical activity and unique DNA play a big role in how a balanced lifestyle affects your weight/ size. Only you truly understand how balance is achieved within your own life. Start by defining what health means to you, realistically and with an eye on personal satisfaction. Then, use the following tips to find your healthiest eating plan! Enjoy the taste How often do you eat a plateful of food simply because it’s offered and then have no idea what the items actually tasted like? How often do you go back for seconds without discerning exactly what you want more of, and why? Take time to savour the flavours. Try something new you think you hate, just to see what it’s like. Take a conversational break when you’re eating to pay attention to taste. You may find you don’t want the food you thought you would. You might enjoy a food you thought you wouldn’t. And, you’ll likely be much more discerning when choosing second portions. Take a break The movement of food from our mouths to the neural receptors in our digestive tract is not instantaneous. Our bodies need time to register the beginning of the digestive process. Take a moment between bites and plates. Most people require something around 20 minutes to realize on a psychophysical level that they are full. A mindful, well-rounded plate at a chatty dinner table will take around 30 minutes to devour. So before you head for a second round, ask yourself: “How full am I?” Then you’ll honestly be able to decide if you’d like dessert or just a post-dinner coffee. Consider special foods as zero-sum The term “zero-sum” refers to the idea that something is finite in size. If you take a slice of pie, then the
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amount of available pie is less; the pie won’t magically regenerate what’s gone. It can be helpful to think of our lifestyle choices in the same way. Your body is a finite resource. You might visualize your body as the pie, with only so much to take. If you eat a slice tonight, then you’ve only got so much left to take for the rest of the week, or the day. Tomorrow you’ll choose an apple so that the following day you’ve got ample pie left to enjoy. Manage the slices, and you’ll always have a bit left for that special occasion. After all, there’s nothing worse than showing up to a party with no pie left! Find other fun For many people, spending time with others means “eat and drink.” But our ancestral revellers also included “sing, perform, play instruments, duel, and debate philosophy” in their feast-time activities. Rather than meeting over a drink or dinner, try a painting your own pottery, playing a game of Frisbee, sharing travel photos, or attending a seasonal performance. If it’s connecting with family that we value, than these kinds of activities might actually be more fulfilling than walking home in a half-drunk food coma. And, if the people you’re seeing aren’t people that you particularly enjoy spending time with, then this provides ample distraction. Avoid slippery-slope thinking One of the reasons we become anxious and ashamed after a good get-together is because we think that just one luscious night will send us careening down a slippery slope of indulgence. We assume that if we give in to temptation once than we’ll surely give in again. Usually, this causes an obsessive guilt that is much more likely to cause us to act against our own healthy state of being. Following obsessive rules around food doesn’t give us a chance to enjoy moments and flavours. Give yourself, and your food, a chance. You’ll likely feel more satisfied, satiated, and self-loving.
Health is where we live, learn, work and play.
Healthier You is an innovative health and wellness magazine, published by Glacier Media Group, one of the largest publishers of specialty publications in Canada. Healthier You offers readers in depth features on health professionals, events and issues that have an impact on B.C. Communities, as well as informed articles designed to help the people of B.C. live healthier lives. With three different editions, Healthier You offers a targeted and qualified readership in Vancouver Coastal region, Fraser Valley region and Northern Health region. Join the growing network of businesses and organizations supporting health improvement and benefit from the valuable exposure of Healthier You publications. For further details, please contact Keshav Sharma, Manager of Specialty Projects at 604-619-2933 or ksharma@glaciermedia.ca
exteNdiNG Your reaCH WitH
Ways to beat SAD the winter blahs sheryl gray contributing writer
loss of interest in usual activities. Seasonal affective disorder, often called SAD, isn’t a simple wishing for the warmer days of summer: SAD is a type of clinical depression that affects people during the fall and winter months.
During Canadian winters, it’s a relatively common occurrence to begin one’s day with a morning commute lit by headlights, only to turn back for home eight or nine hours later, to “Symptoms of Symptoms discover the sun has seasonal affective already begun to set. of seasonal disorder are the For people who work affective disorder same as other indoors without a are the same as types of depression, nearby window, the other types of and diagnosed in dark days of winter the same way,” depression... become very literal. says Dr. Edwin Add in the West Dr. Edwin Tam, Tam, psychiatrist UBC Hospital Coast flat grey skies at the University of during peak rainy British Columbia Hospital’s Mood periods, and even those who work Disorders Centre of Excellence, outside might wonder if the sun within the Vancouver Coastal will ever shine again. Health Research Institute. “People in a state of depression may Nobody writes happy songs experience difficulty concentrating, about grey skies, and it can be hard to distinguish if tomorrow’s fatigue, excessive sleeping, sunshine will push the clouds increased appetite with weight away, or if something more gain, and in more severe cases, serious is causing a lack of joy sense of worthlessness or guilt, in life, or persistent sadness and and suicidal thoughts.” 18
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Winter blahs Perhaps the season has you feeling down, but you can see the light at the end of the wintery tunnel? Feeling “blah” isn’t the same as clinical depression, and you’ve likely got the skills to lift yourself out of a rainy-day funk. It’s estimated that 15 per cent of Canadians have “winter blahs,” and one to three per cent have SAD (significant clinical depression). Endless rain can make impromptu fun harder to reach, so time to plan some fun on your calendar. Looking forward to Saturday shopping with a friend, a new yoga class with a colleague, or a lively family brunch can help to turn the “blah” to better. “No matter the weather, I open the blinds every morning to let the natural light in, and then, I force myself to go outside and breathe fresh air,” says Kerry, 37 and mom of two children under the continued on page 20
A trip to my doctor and some blood work proved otherwise, age of 3. “A couple of years ago, it and I started on a trial-and-error got harder to go outside, so I got a selection of anti-depressants, dog. And then I got a second dog. which was unsuccessful,” says They need to go out, so I go out.” Jessica, a 29-year-old newlywed and communications Light therapy, often professional. used as part of Experiencing “Then I entered treatment for SAD, symptoms of into a counselling can also be helpful depression program through for people with consistently for my employer, milder symptoms of two weeks in and worked hard winter blahs. UBC’s through the process a row is cause Mood Disorders to seek medical to refocus and get Centre recommends to the root of the sitting under a light assistance. problem.” box for 30 minutes continued from page 18
each day during the fall and winter. Commercially designed light boxes can deliver “doses” of light at different intensities, and are even available in visor-style units. The Centre advises against building your own light box, or using without prior discussion with a health professional. Seasonal affective disorder Experiencing symptoms of depression consistently for two weeks in a row is cause to seek medical assistance — people needn’t “tough out” their darkest days of winter just because spring isn’t far away. Mental health issues require medical attention, same as physical illness. If you think you have SAD, make an appointment with your family doctor, who can provide treatment and/or make a psychiatric referral. As with all depressions, a combination of medication and counselling is found to be most effective. “In December 2015, I wasn’t feeling like myself, and figured it was a vitamin D deficiency, as I’d experienced in the past.
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Jessica likens the counselling experience to cleaning out a closet: “I had jammed it so full that it barely closed, and that was becoming a problem. Halfway through cleaning it out, it looked like an even bigger mess, but I knew I was making progress. The SAD eventually subsided with the help of a combined anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication, which I take for most of the year, except summertime.” SAD may only affect people during fall and winter, but all mental health concerns should be checked out to rule out other conditions, and to start on a plan of treatment for diagnosed clinical depression. Vancouver residents can contact the Access & Assessment Centre at 604-875-8289, a 24/7 walk-in clinic and phone service for mental health and substance use services. Other communities in the Vancouver Coastal Health region have Central Intake lines to help connect residents with mental health services (see full listings at www.vch.ca/your-health/ health-topics/mental-health-andsubstance-use-services/).
winter 2017 vancouver coastal region
Tips to beat the Winter Blahs Get outside for activity and walks Spend time with positive people Talk about/write down feelings Take medications as prescribed Get involved in former activities Try something new with a friend Keep self-talk positive and supportive
Non-Emergency Contacts for Mental Health Services Vancouver 604.875.8289 Older Adults: 604.709.6785 Richmond 604.244.5488 Older Adults: 604.675.3975 North Shore 604.983.6020 Pemberton 604.698.5861 Powell River 604.485.3300 Squamish 604.815.3008 Sunshine Coast 604.885.6101 Whistler 604.698.6455
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sunshine coast healthcare auxiliary Providing support for decades Ian Jacques Contributing Writer
The impacts that the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary has had on the communities up and down the Sunshine Coast is truly amazing.
The new hospital was opened in 1964 and the Garden Bay site was closed. In 1984 the six auxiliaries became one and formed a society to become St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary Society.
From its humble beginnings in the last 1930s to today, the auxiliary has played a huge role in providing the needed healthcare and services’ support to the hospital and growing community needs.
Board president Carole Murray, a member of the Halfmoon Bay branch, said that more than 500 auxiliary members contributed 64,727 hours of service to the community during the past year.
The auxiliary is made up of six branches and is only one of two auxiliaries in the province that has multiple auxiliary branches all flying under one banner. The other is in Kelowna.
The auxiliaries’ mandate is to enhance dollars spent on healthcare by purchasing much needed equipment and services for the care and comfort of patients.
St. Mary’s Hospital opened in Garden Bay in 1930 and in 1937 the Pender Harbour Branch of St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary was formally established. Halfmoon Bay followed in 1955, Gibsons in 1960, Sechelt in 1961, Roberts Creek in 1964 and Hopkins Landing in 1981.
Auxiliary members do this through a variety of ways including traditional grassroots fundraising events like bake, plant and craft sales, fall fairs, garden tours and bridge luncheons and socials. But their main source of funds comes through their thrift store in Sechelt, the gift shop at Sechelt Hospital and the community loan cupboard. “The thrift store is our golden goose laying more than a half million dollars in the past year,” she said. “Our gift shop in the hospital raised between $70,000 and $100,000 in the past year.” Recently, the auxiliary presented the hospital with a cheque for $96,000 to help purchase seven of their priority items. “I think many members of our community are aware of the auxiliary, but without the Hospital Foundation, and of course they are operating on a different level, but without these two organizations I don’t know if our community really realizes how much support is being given,” said Murray.
More than 500 members spread out across six branches make up the dynamic Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary. photo: Allan Forest
As the population grew, mostly on the lower end of the Coast, it became apparent that a larger, more centrally located hospital was required.
In 1959 the Sechelt Indian Band donated 11 acres of their land on the north side of the highway in Sechelt to the Regional Hospital District and plans were made for a new hospital. In1960 an auxiliary was formed to assist in a plebiscite for permission to relocate St. Mary’s. With the success of the plebiscite this auxiliary became the Gibsons Branch. Sechelt followed soon after.
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Murray herself saw first hand the impacts the auxiliary can have on the community when she had her mother in an extended care facility. She and her husband moved to the Coast from Lynn Valley and she joined the auxiliary spending six years volunteering at Totem Lodge. “I enjoyed it more and more and here I am now president of the auxiliary board,” she recalled with a laugh. “If it wasn’t working with fine, fine people it wouldn’t be the pleasure that it is.” To find out more about the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary visit sunshinecoasthealthcareauxiliary.com.
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