Getting personal at Vancouver’s All-Staff Forum
There were tears and laughter at Vancouver’s All-Staff Forum on June 10. Our chief operating officers Vivian Eliopoulos and Laura Case and several staff shared their personal stories about the seniors in their lives — clients and family — and how they’re helping them live at home.
More than 250 people attended the forum and many stayed for the Home is Best Fair that followed. If you couldn’t join us, you can still watch the webcast in full, including a thoughtful exchange of Q & As. For highlights of the events and a direct link to our new video, keep on reading.
Home is where the heart is
At Vancouver’s All-Staff Forum (l to r): Laura Case, COO-VC; Leo Maher, Quick Response Team client; Donna Love, Quick Response Team RN; and Vivian Eliopoulos, COO-VA.
Developed in consultation with staff, June’s forum focused on our Home is Best (HIB) philosophy: why it matters, what we’re learning and real-life stories about how we’re putting HIB into practice.
Special guest Leo Maher, a Quick Response Team client, and members of our Quick Response Team attended for the premiere of our new video with them in starring roles. Leo recently visited the ED due to an injury to his back. Within 24 hours he was home. Here is his story:
The Garcia family story
Kaillie Kangro, social worker with the Hemodialysis Unit, and Ken Simpson, case manager at the Raven Song CHC, share their perspectives and contributions to the Garcia family success story.
Much of the forum was devoted to a group discussion about the Garcia family story.
Mr. and Mrs. Garcia met while she was in nursing school and he was in the Philippine army. They fell in love and on August 14, 1954, the couple married.
Sixty years later, the couple was still very much in love. And, thanks to the support of acute and community staff, they continued to share a home and the rituals of everyday life until Mr. Garcia’s last days. Sadly, Mr. Garcia passed away last October, but Mrs. Garcia remains grateful that she and her husband shared their lives for as long as they did.
To help share the Garcia family story, Haydee Mones, patient care coordinator, led a discussion with some of the staff who made it possible for Mr. Garcia to remain home.
To listen to their discussion, watch the webcast here.
Home is Best Fair
The Transition Services Team was one of six groups with information booths at the Home is Best Fair following Vancouver’s All-Staff Forum.
Following the forum, the Paetzold atrium at VGH was at capacity with staff attending the Home is Best Fair. Six information booths provided discussion hubs on Vancouver Community services helping our shared patients/clients live at home. Even Angus, our C difficile-detecting dog , was there as part of the team that helps keep our own “home” spic ’n’ span for patients when they do need to stay in hospital.
We want your feedback
Whether you attended the forum, plan on watching the webcast — or even registered but couldn’t attend — we want to hear from you. Here is a link to our brief and confidential survey.
Please complete the survey no later than June 26, 2015.