Pack a day for 50 years no longer thanks to VCH staff
He smoked a pack a day for 50 years but not anymore, after being helped by staff at the Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addiction.
Burnaby Centre is proud of the success of its clients in going smoke-free. 65 year old Jerry came to Burnaby Centre shortly after the smoke-free policy rollout. He had been a pack-a-day smoker for over fifty years, and presented with a desire to quit smoking but low confidence in his ability to do so. Through participation in a smoking cessation group, support from his interdisciplinary team and peers, and nicotine replacement therapy.
Jerry is now over nine months smoke-free, “I came to realize that it was important for my heart, lungs, overall health, and that it wasn’t too late to quit.”
On the six month anniversary of his quit date, he went on a trip to Niagara Falls (pictured) (riding the Maid of the Mist was an item on his bucket list), entirely funded by the money he saved from not smoking.
Tobacco dependence is often a low priority in treatment for concurrent mental illness and addiction, yet the research is clear that smoking is responsible for more morbidity and mortality, and that an individual’s ability to quit smoking is associated with abstinence from other substances. The Burnaby Centre committed to increase Smoke-Free Premises Policy compliance on October 1, 2013, with the help of initiatives such as staff walkabouts, enhanced use of nicotine replacement therapy, and client motivational interviewing techniques. Now, one year after the rollout, Burnaby Centre is reflecting on lessons learned and ongoing priorities to ensure a successful smoke-free site, at the annual VCH Tobacco Addiction Withdrawal Management Conference on November 19-20 (click https://ccrs.vch.ca/Catalog.aspx?cid=3179 or email smokefree@vch.ca for registration details).
Jerry has been doing well in his mental health and other addictions, and notes, “I have come to realize that an addiction is an addiction, and that by quitting smoking I could close the door on other substances.”
He has been abstinent from all substances since quitting smoking, has noticed many health improvements, and began an exercise regime. He is currently a source of inspiration for the other clients of the smoking cessation group. At the program level, all Burnaby Centre staff, with the support of leadership, have taken on building a smoke-free culture with open-mindedness, enthusiasm, and clinical expertise informed by the latest empirical evidence.
This superb staff support has enabled clients like Jerry to develop confidence in quitting smoking, though he remains characteristically humble, “I’m just a regular person, nobody that special, but by the grace of god I was able to quit smoking. Every day you don’t smoke is a good day. You can quit smoking too.”
With Niagara Falls under his belt, Jerry has taken on new endeavors. He recently earned a coveted kayaking trip after being deemed one of the most engaged in treatment on his unit, through a Burnaby Centre partnership with adventure therapy group Power To Be. Next on his list, Jerry is putting his quit-smoking savings toward purchasing a car. As he says, “Not bad for a 65 year old.”