How do you take care of yourself when you are taking care of others?
Supporting Individuals to reach their goals and ensuring they have the best Quality of Life available is what we love to do, but it can be very demanding both physically and mentally.
A few weeks back, we threw out the question “How do you practice self-care?” to our ASLS Team.
Here are some of the responses;
I practice Self-Care by singing in Smule apps, and karaoke at home, training my puppies and enjoying my bed after work😊😊
I practice self-care by listening to and exploring new music. It is amazing to find how many artists are virtually unknown but have such deep and meaningful lyrics, and then to find existing artists come out with songs that just ‘get’ you. Music has always been a comfort to me when I am feeling stressed. It drowns out the noise in my head with something positive, or something I can relate to on a deeper level and makes me feel lots better.
I practice self-care by:
– Going to the gym after work
– Using our EAP for counselling services
– Sewing, and
– Journaling
I love to laugh and sing. If I can find something to smile about then the stressful days become less stressful. For self-care, I like to do something creative like paint by number or cross-stitch or I just get outside with my sons and fly a kite.
First priority when I get home every day is to get a big hug and snuggle from my puppies, they are always so happy to see me it’s hard not to smile and be happy with them around. My husband and I have recently built a home gym, so we try and utilize it every other day. We also really enjoy cooking together, my favourite is cooking Italian. My love of cooking came from my Nona when I was young, she would give me and my siblings two options: cook or clean. I always chose cooking so I could taste test before dinner and then hit the couch after! Luckily, my husband shares my love of cooking, so we like to spend a good amount of our evening in the kitchen trying out new recipes or recreating some of our favourites.
I like to unwind with a hot cup of chamomile lavender tea and sit outside, enjoying the sounds of nature on our acreage after the kids have gone to sleep.
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
― Audre Lorde
Accessibility has more than one meaning to us and as such, we have Implemented an Accessibility Plan.
The plan addresses accessibility barriers in the following areas:
· Attitudinal
· Architectural/Physical
· Environmental
· Financial
· Communication
· Transportation
· Technology
· Community Integration
Just recently, one of our Peace River homes faced an Attitudinal barrier from a neighbour with one concern raised being We no longer feel safe because of many visits by the RCMP to the home.” Our Director of Programs addressed the concerns in front of the Subdivision & Development Appeal Board Hearing and in the end our Development Permit was approved. (You can read more about that in our blog post)
We have tools in place to ensure Individuals receiving ASLS supports are able to access their community without Architectural/Physical, Environmental or Transportation barriers.
That comes in the form of two 4×4 trucks at our rural property in the County of Grande Prairie. This means that no matter the weather or road condition, a safe, reliable vehicle is available to transport Individuals to and from their home.
At Stone Brook, our Designated Supportive Living Facility in Grimshaw, there are two vans able to transport Individuals with their wheelchairs to any location in their community.
Many of our homes are fully wheelchair accessible and have wide doorways with open concept designs.
One of our newest homes in Grimshaw has been renovated to accommodate wheelchairs.
A wheelchair lift gives access to the main level where two bedrooms have ceiling lifts; a system used to transfer a person from their chair to bed by way of a sling-seat attached to tracks on the ceiling. This system is also installed in a bathroom, making for an easier transition to those facilities.
Another main floor bathroom has a fully accessible shower with a movable powerhead.
Stone Brook is fully wheelchair accessible including elevators and two Spa Tubs. The facility is also home to a Community Garden that is accessible. It has raised flower boxes and paths that are wide enough for wheelchairs, walkers and strollers. This Community Garden is accessible to and used by the community.
Les Schur has been working for Rocky Mountain Equipment since November of 2012, going on 7 years.
But he has been at the same premises for over 20 years, as he worked for Houlder Automotive ltd. Prior to the sale of the Farm Division to Rocky Mountain. He started April 29, 1998, for Bud & Ken Houlder so he has been here for 21 years.
Les has always been an eager employee and takes his job seriously. Over the years he has assisted the Parts Department, through Shipping and Receiving, running both the skid steer and forklift to unload the larger pieces from the trucks. He seemed helped the Shipping and Receiving department a lot more when that person happened to be female. He always said, “I’m nice to all my Sweeties.”
For Sales, he detailed the inside of the cabs of equipment and filled in at the wash bay when we were short a wash person. And for all the departments, he is paged often for various duties or assistance. He helps a lot but the odd time you will hear him sigh when he is paged because he doesn’t like to be interrupted from his daily routines.
Besides his janitorial duties, he makes coffee for us every day, opens the Parts and Service yard gates before anyone else gets to work. And Les is the main caregiver of our two resident cats Stumpy and Stripey.
Les is the yard maintenance person also. He runs the lawnmower, whipper snipper and the sprayer when needed. He does not like dandelions and the “white daisies” (scentless Chamomile) and he loves to “fix them” with the lawnmower and sprayer.
From Troy Houlder: Branch Sales Manager
Les has always been a key part of Special events with Houlder Automotive and then Rocky Mountain Equipment whether it was a combine clinic or Canada Day parade. Les was ready to help and participate. Les with his “Santa Suit” is an annual visitor to our Christmas parties along with some special karaoke songs including “North to Alaska”. He is a well-loved and special member of our team.
From Dusty Szmata: Parts Sales Manager
I have fond memories involving Les, but one of his proudest moments that I was a part of was when we all pitched in and bought Les a new TV and I delivered it and set it up for him. Another memory I have is when Les and I built the Tarp Shed together at work. We had a good time and got the job done. I also get to spend a lot of time away from the branch with Les on weekends in the wintertime. He helps with both my boy’s hockey teams. He is very reliable, and I can count on him being there to lend a hand. Les means a lot to me and my family. Thanks, Les!
Over the years we must confess that many a joke was played on Les, some very cute, some not so cute that made Les mad at us. But mostly jokes were in fun like hiding his Owl, greasing his closet door handle etc. But the is when Les tells us these stories again and has all of us laughing with him.
With wildfires unfortunately upon us once again it seems appropriate to share some information on the Emergency Preparedness Programs of ASLS.
The following is a statement from our Health and Safety Coordinator Cori Freemark.
If unplanned events occur, ASLS has plans and processes in place to ensure an effective response. If there’s an emergency, people expect to be notified and provided with guidance to remain safe. This is precisely when our planning and preparation come into action.
ASLS has a very detailed disaster/emergency plans and contingency plans in place that extend beyond normal procedures. Effective disaster preparedness helps alleviate some of the chaos brought on by an unexpected crisis.
ASLS has clearly written policies that designate a chain of command, listing names, duties and emergency contact information as well as checklists and evacuation procedures. Drills are also conducted regularly for practice and to test the plans for problems. Disaster plans are regularly reviewed and revised with the participation of management, employees and third-party representatives to ensure the most effective resources and procedures are in place.
The Stone Brook facility’s contingency plan includes procedures for coordinating with other services such as the Town of Grimshaw Municipal Emergency Plan, the MD of Peace #135 Emergency Plan and Alberta Health Services. It is essential that we can quickly pull together, collaborate, assess and respond to an unexpected event.
With the support and dedication of our employees, management, individuals and our board of directors, not to mention all the outside supports we can and will be prepared for these unexpected events.
The health and safety of our individuals, employees and the public will remain our number one priority.
Inclusion is defined as being “the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure.”
To us, it means that Individuals receiving ASLS Supports are a part of their community and accepted as they are.
How do we contribute to Inclusion? At ASLS, we provide Individuals with the environment that is right for them and provide supports that facilitate community inclusion.
Our rural property in the County of Grande Prairie allows Individuals to be supported with fewer restrictions than those that would be imposed in an urban location. Supports are also customized per Individual so they can be in the community based on their decision to be.
At Stone Brook, our Designated Supportive Living Facility in Grimshaw, many Individuals were isolated in their homes but upon moving to our facility, have created a community within Stone Brook with their peers. There are also numerous opportunities for community members to visit Stone Brook and its residents through events held, booking an appointment with the in-house hair salon or planting and tending the fully accessible Community Garden.
We are providing the tools needed that set up Individuals for successful inclusion.
Inclusion really shouldn’t look or feel like anything, it just is.
It just is going to get groceries, going out for supper, going to the library.
It just is someone living their life in their community the only way they know-how.
Yes, some Individuals we support have complex needs and yes there may be instances when they feel overwhelmed, but that is allowed. That is allowed because every one of us has been in that situation of feeling overpowered by emotion or barrier.
Know that sometimes it is difficult for people to express themselves. What may seem like an act of aggression is an expression of happiness, surprise, frustration or panic.
Sometimes people express themselves by raising their voice, or waving their arms or walking fast, know that that behaviour is not a sign of anger. It is a sign of being human.
Please don’t let it discourage you from reaching out, from saying ‘hello’, from holding a door open, from smiling. That one kind gesture can make all the difference in someone’s day.
We are celebrating National #AccessAbility Week, a week dedicated to inclusion and accessibility in Canada, by sharing with you the contributions our Individuals make in our community.
In Peace River, we own and operate Golfworld on the Peace, which employs Individuals in our service. The mini-golf course has been in operation since 1996.
Our ILS (Independent Living Services) program has numerous Individuals in the workplace including one gentleman who, for over 15 years, has been employed by Rocky Mountain Equipment in Grimshaw.
At the Grande Prairie office, we have one Individual that comes in once a week to shred documents, and twice a week another Individual helps with trash removal.
We are also proud to say that we celebrated the inaugural National Access Awareness week in 1988.
An excerpt from North Peace Community Living Society’s History Book revised 1994
Our Mission is to provide quality services to Individuals with diverse needs by encouraging opportunities for Growth, Development and Community Support.
Recently, our Behavioural Program Team completed its quarterly review and we would like to share the results.
But before we get into the details, our Behavioural Program Supports Coordinator explains how the team supports our Individuals and their CSW’s.
“The Behaviour Support Team assists our frontline staff in understanding and getting to the ‘why’ of a behaviour. We do this by collecting data and information and then teaching new skills to both the Individual and the Community Support Worker (CSW). We create plans to help that process like BSP’s, Protocols and Individual-specific training. We provide coaching and on-the-floor support with the goal being that the CSW will acquire the skills to meet challenging behaviours head-on,” explains Jen Drummond.
The data collected shows a decrease in Record of Restrictive Intervention (RRI), Critical Incident Reports (CIR) and Serious Incident Reports (SIR) for two of three Individuals in our Saskatoon Lake group.
Data collected from two Individuals
One of our Individuals living at our Saskatoon Lake property saw SIR/CIR increases which have been attributed to numerous triggers. Those factors have since been identified and rectified including a change in staffing.
The team anticipates further RRI, CIR and SIR decreases for these Individuals in the future.
Jen and the rest of the Behaviour Support Team would like to extend a big THANK YOU to the Community Support Workers, Residential Coordinators and Team Leads who have put in all the hours and effort and often blood, sweat and tears, into our Individuals. YOU are the reason we’ve seen some amazing successes over the last year! Way to go, team!!
This week we are turning our focus to one of our Individuals in Peace River and the official unveiling of his painting Reflections.
18-year-old Kiefer has discovered a new talent and is starting his journey as an artist. He says he was inspired by a fellow churchgoer “and how she looks at things and her paintings.”
Kiefer has been painting for a few months and is very proud of his first creation he has called Reflections, saying “It looks amazing!”
Kiefer shares that he will be taking lessons in the future, to further refine his talent. When asked if he knows what he will paint next, Kiefer says he will “wait until I have the proper teacher to teach me to further my painting skills.”
He wants to share his artwork with the community and looks forward to creating more pieces to be displayed in our Peace River and Grande Prairie offices and maybe some other locations in his community.
Positive programming, in nerd speak, is “the longitudinal instruction designed to teach skills and competencies to facilitate behavioural change.” – Institute for Applied Behavioural Analysis.
That’s a mouthful, let me translate…
Positive Programming means teaching new skills and abilities over time to replace behaviours of concern.
There are two keys words in that sentence: teach and replace.
The Individuals we support are very complex people with complex histories and often there have been significant gaps in their learning. When we develop protocols, we do so based on those gaps. What skill does this person need to achieve greater wellness and greater independence? Perhaps there are a number of smaller skills they need to learn before they can succeed at the desired goal. If that’s the case, we may design a protocol to address those smaller skills in order to build towards something bigger. A great example is taking place out at Saskatoon Lake. Using a visual (picture aided) communication system, we are working towards enhancing communication. Now, if we simply handed an Individual cue cards and said, “Here, use this,” without teaching them the basics that we know are lacking, like how to say “no” to something, then we’re not likely to be very successful. Programs build one upon the other and the role of the Community Support Worker (CSW) is to provide the Individual with consistent teaching so that they have a good foundation for the next step. Consistency is incredibly important in this process. If a protocol is only followed some of the time, it will delay an Individual’s learning.
When we consider protocols and programs for the Individuals we support, we have to ensure that we are meeting the needs of the Individual respectfully. This is why we teach with positive reinforcement. When someone is rewarded for positive behaviour (a thumbs-up, a sticker, one-on-one time with a favourite CSW), they’re more likely to want to perform that behaviour again. And who wouldn’t!?
Punishments for behaviours of concern are not part of this process. Though a punishment may result in a quick decline in the behaviour of concern, it simply doesn’t work in the long run for the Individual. This is because the Individual may not be able to understand why they are being punished. Also, punishment doesn’t teach an alternative to the behaviour of concern.
This leads us to the second part of the definition of Positive Programming: Replace. Once we’ve identified the behaviour of concern, we look at its function. The “why” behind the behaviour. If someone is hitting because they find a task too difficult, but don’t have the means to express this, we need to look at offering alternatives to hitting. What can we teach that satisfies that function? Well, that all depends on the person. Perhaps we teach them how to exchange a “Break” card with their CSW when they feel overwhelmed by a task. Maybe we teach them the sign for the word “No” or “Break” so they can express themselves in a more functional and less harmful way. Once we teach an Individual an alternative behaviour, we encourage and reward them every time they use it.
It is Emergency Preparedness Week and we wanted to share with you how ASLS has prepared our Individuals in case of emergency.
Each of our Individuals has an Emergency Backpack/Health and Safety Bag at the ready. This backpack accompanies our Individuals each time they leave their home.
Inside each backpack is some basic items, dependant upon the season, to help us through an unplanned event.
Currently, the bags have sunscreen, insect repellant, a whistle, bottled water, bear bells, emergency blankets, energy bars or fruit snacks, hand warmers and a first aid kit.
The bags may also carry personal items and small toys or activities specific to our Individuals.
“Often the key to preventing an unplanned event from turning into an emergency is response time. Preparation, speed, and clear thinking are critical. The safety of our Individuals, employees and the public is paramount,” says Cori Freemark, ASLS Health and Safety Coordinator.
“I think the biggest thing I can say is no matter how well thought out an Emergency Plan is, or how much food or water you have ready, it’s only effective if you can act on it which is why practice is so vital. People really need to commit to preparing and follow-through,” adds Cori.
Cori recommends visiting the Government of Alberta website as it has some very practical resources as well as a Personal Preparedness course that is available for free online.
We would again like to thank the following businesses that helped us ensure our Individuals are prepared.
Thanks to:
– Sierra Safety Supplies and Rentals for a great discount on emergency supplies
– Hivolt Safety for donating the backpacks
– EmbroidMe Grande Prairie for a great discount on the embroidered initials
This is Glory Przekop’s story, our Marketing Coordinator
I started with ASLS this past November, going from journalist to marketing coordinator. I decided to make the change because I wanted to combine both my careers in life.
Previous to working in newsrooms/radio stations across the province including here in Grande Prairie (Q99), I worked as a Rehabilitation Practitioner in Edmonton. I am an IBI/ABA trained therapist and have worked with autistic children in their homes as well as in their schools as a TA. I also have experience working with at-risk youth.
In my personal life, I am a wife, mother of two and a volunteer, sitting on the Saskatoon Lake Ag. Society board. In my younger years, I did a wee bit of travelling and spent some time living and working in the UK with my sister.
I am thrilled to be embarking on this new adventure with ASLS and discovering all the lives impacted by this organization that has been around for 50 years. In the future, you will hear and see more about that milestone as I gather stories and share them with all of you.
Quick facts about Glory:
– I am fluent in sarcasm
– I am a Calgary Flames fan
– I heart coffee
– I grew up on a farm, the oldest of 4 and now live on an acreage in the County of Grande Prairie
