Let’s face it, stress and overwhelm can be a daily occurrence which interrupts how we are showing up and impacting others. This can then contribute to the frustration and friction between staff and families in seniors’ care.

As much as stress is a reality, having negative reactions and ruminations is optional. This is one of many things I took away from my conversation with Trish Tutton.

If you would love to have some practical and simple tools in your back pocket to help you feel less stressed, you’ll find this episode useful, uplifting and empowering.

Trish Tutton bio:

After years working in cultures where stress and burnout were seemingly the only way to success, Trish suffered a shocking loss and things became clear: stress is unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to dictate our lives. As a speaker and mindfulness teacher, Trish has taught the skills to become UNSHAKABLE and THRIVE amidst change and challenge to over 10,000 people across North America. She is passionate about helping folks become more resilient and less stressed with simple but impactful mindfulness techniques.

You can find her as a teacher on the #1 free meditation app in the world, Insight Timer, and she is the author of the Mindful Mornings Journal.

My training highlights include:

• With a background in non-profit events organization, I have a deep appreciation for those working in high-stress environments.
• Over 15 years of personal practice and study with world class teachers like Jon Kabat-Zinn, Tara Brach, Mark Coleman, Bernie Clark, Joseph Goldstein, and more.
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, via University of Massachusetts Medical Centre
• Search Inside Yourself, Google’s Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence course
• Fundamentals of Coaching, via Co-Active Coaching
• Science of Well-being, via Yale University

You can find Trish at:

• https://www.instagram.com/trish_tutton/
• https://www.facebook.com/TrishTuttonMindfulness/
• https://www.trishtutton.com/
• Mindful Mornings Journal on Amazon

A great blog post: https://www.trishtutton.com/blog/coping-strategies-for-stress-5-ways-to-stress-better

You can find out more about me and the work I do at DeborahBakti.com or email me at Deborah@DeborahBakti.com. I’d love to hear from you!

In today’s episode, we talk about The P Word, a topic we don’t typically like to even think about, never mind plan for.

My guest, Dr. Sammy Winemaker shares her experience, knowledge and insights with her compassionate, approachable and pragmatic style, which has been likened to as a Mr. Rogers kind of approach to care.

Let’s face it, death is a reality, and when we have a loved one living in seniors’ care, it can be difficult to face. Yet knowledge is power for both the staff providing care, and the family going through this emotional journey.

This is a conversation that will help you think about the palliative approach with a bit more optimism and hope.

About Dr. Samantha Winemaker

Dr. Samantha Winemaker is an Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, in the Division of Palliative Care at McMaster University.

She teaches palliative care to health care professionals. She won the Ontario College of Family Physicians Award of Excellence in 2010, the Elizabeth J. Latimer Prize in Palliative Care in 2018, and the Dr. S. Lawrence Librach Award for Palliative Medicine in the Community in 2019.

Dr. Sammy is the author, with Dr. Hsien Seow of Hope for the Best, Plan for the Rest: 7 keys for navigating a life changing diagnosis and a founder of The Waiting Room Revolution.

You can find out more here:

https://twitter.com/SammyWinemaker

https://www.instagram.com/sammy.winemaker/?hl=en

https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.sammywinemaker

https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-winemaker-01ba21163/?originalSubdomain=ca

Summary of Questions from this episode

Questions staff can ask families

How about we talk about the illness that landed your loved one here at our front door.

How much do you understand about the circumstances or the health challenges that your loved one has that required them to come to long-term care? Let’s talk about that.

Whats your understanding of your loved one’s illness?

What’s your understanding of the decline you were seeing at home or the increase in their needs?

Did you understand how that connected with their underlying illness or illnesses?

Did you ever ask anyone before you came here?

What to expect going forward with this particular condition?

What did they tell you?

And if they hadn’t discussed that with you, is that something that you would like to talk about today because it can really help you, give you a roadmap.

You can find out more about me and the work I do at DeborahBakti.com or email me at Deborah@DeborahBakti.com. I’d love to hear from you!

In this week’s episode, join us for an insightful and heartfelt episode with Kristen Leal, Director of Programs at peopleCare Delhi LTC and Anita Friesen, whose mom is a resident and has been living at peopleCare Delhi LTC since October of 2022.

This conversation was so heartwarming, and you can feel the care and respect Kristen and Anita have as partners in care.

Together, we explore the power of empathy and understanding in seniors care, from the challenges of cognitive decline to the impact of community-building initiatives like Kristen’s Now What? book club.

Through personal stories and shared experiences, we uncover the importance of building relationships between staff and families, breaking down misconceptions about long-term care, and creating supportive environments where everyone feels valued and connected in their long-term care homes.

Tune in as we celebrate the resilience, compassion, and dedication of caregivers and families in the journey of senior living.

Learn more about peopleCare Communities by visiting peopleCare.ca.

You can find out more about me and the work I do at DeborahBakti.com or email me at Deborah@DeborahBakti.com. I’d love to hear from you!

I See What You Do by Anita Friesen

To all the Staff at peopleCare Delhi LTC

It has become apparent to me that

YOU NEED TO BE TOLD . . . I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

When I come for a visit and step inside.

You greet me with a smile.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

When I walk down the halls.

You work with such passion. I’ve seen it from you before.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

Your hours are long.

You’re always on your feet.

You must be exhausted.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

You come to your job.

Leave your problems behind.

Become part of a new family.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

The residents are dressed, bathed and fed.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

When someone is blue.

I see you put your hand on their arm.

You whisper or tell them a joke.

They are no longer blue.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

You know all their names.

Their likes and dislikes.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

A calendar listing all the events.

Entertainment for residents, family and friends.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

Meals are prepared three times a day.

The dishes are endless and don’t stop all day.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

The laundry is washed it’s dried and then sorted.

A sock may be lost . . . there’s nothing you can do.

Cause just like the dishes it’s endless too.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

The meds are dispensed with accuracy and care.

I can see that when I am there.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

The cleaning is done.

And the maintenance too.

I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

So this is why I have to say, I truly appreciate everything you do

and YOU NEED TO BE TOLD . . . I SEE WHAT YOU DO!

Love You All

Anita Friesen (daughter of Godelieve VanMaele)

In this week’s episode, join us for a conversation with Jennifer Cornell, Director of Long-Term Care and Seniors Services with the County of Grey.

We delve into Jennifer's journey of transforming care communities, focusing on quality care initiatives, team development, and resident-centered approaches. With a fiery passion for improving the lives of residents and supporting their families, Jennifer discusses their innovative programs, including the "Colour It Your Way" philosophy and the Designated Care Partner Program.

You’re going to hear some incredible practical approaches Jennifer uses, such as a Pro Attention Plan that includes a co-design approach with families. She also shares ways to respond (versus react) to complaints and her tea chats (and it’s not about the tea.) You’ll also hear how she incorporates the ABC strategy to build trust with families.

Both staff working in seniors’ care and families will get great insights from this conversation with Jennifer, through her candid and down to earth reflections and strategies.

Connect with Jennifer Cornell and discover more about her work at the County of Grey by visiting their website at www.grey.ca/long-term-care or reaching out via email at jcornell@grey.ca

You can find out more about me and the work I do at DeborahBakti.com or email me at Deborah@DeborahBakti.com. I’d love to hear from you!

In this conversation with Fraser Wilson, he shares an inspiring and doable roadmap to building community connections, based on his newly released book Achievable: A Simple and Proven Way to Create a Culture of Possibility and Potential.

You’ll hear practical ways Fraser led a team of seniors’ care homes to “Rise Above the Regs” and create a culture where residents, families and staff can live into their potential, by putting people first.

Whether you’re a staff member, leader or a family member with a loved one in care, you’ll be inspired by the many stories Fraser shares where people exemplified “Making Others More”. I have no doubt you’ll gain a few ideas that you can bring to your workplace or loved ones’ home and create possibility and potential.

You can learn more about Fraser at AchievableCulture.com

You can reach Fraser at Fraser@AchievableCulture.com

You can purchase Achievable: A Simple and Proven Way to Create a Culture of Possibility and Potential here

Fraser's bio:

Fraser Wilson - Visionary Leader. Author. Talent Enabler.

He’s the author of forthcoming book: Achievable. A Simple and Proven Way to Create a Culture of Possibility and Potential.

Fraser’s personal motto is “Making Other More.” He has a deep desire to improve the lives of leaders and frontline team members by sharing a simple, more impactful way to enable people to live into their potential and achieve exceptional outcomes.

He was owner and CEO of OMNI Health Care which had 16 long-term care homes and 1,500 employees. He sold it in 2007 to a private equity firm based on its culture, brand, and financial performance.

In 2017, he joined Chartwell Retirement Residence as Vice President of Long-Term Care Operations where he was responsible for 27 homes and 5,000 employees. While there, his team won awards within the company and in the sector. They accomplished a 15 percent increase in resident very satisfied score, and a 7.5 percent increase in employee very engaged score in the two years. And they were gaining momentum, until the pandemic hit in March 2020.

In his second year with Chartwell, he was awarded Executive of the Year.

He has also served on the Board of Director of the Ontario Long Term Care Association for more than 15 years and has been its Chair.

He knows what it takes to be a leader who inspires and motivates people in a sector that is heavily regulated, over scrutinized, underfunded, and chastised by the media.

You can find out more about me and the work I do at DeborahBakti.com or email me at Deborah@DeborahBakti.com. I’d love to hear from you.

In this episode, I chat with Sam Peck and Liane Pelissier from Family Councils Ontario (FCO)

You’ll hear how they define the role of a family council within long term, care, as well as some misconceptions about the role of family councils, from both the home and family perspective. You’ll also hear how FCO is focused on helping homes rebuild the trust between families and staff, as we continue to recover from the last few years. You’ll also hear some interesting perspectives on conflict and ways to work through the frustration and misunderstandings to achieve more collaboration and partnership.

Whether you work in a home or at the corporate level, or are a family or a family council member, this conversation will give you insights and clarity around the power of partnership with your family council.

Here are the bio’s for this episode’s guests:

Sam Peck, Executive Director Family Councils Ontario

Sam (she/her) is passionate about helping people and groups achieve their goals. In her 15 years with Family Councils Ontario (formerly Family Councils’ Program) she has supported thousands of family members and long-term care home staff to improve their work to achieve the best possible outcomes and meaningful impacts. In her role as Executive Director, she focuses on building and maintaining relationships with funders, stakeholders, and interconnected organizations to carry out activities that support FCO's mission & develop strategies that enable the organization to create positive change within the long-term care sector.

Sam holds an Honours B.A. from York University. A dedicated lifelong learner, she also holds Advanced Client-Directed Case Management and Volunteer Management post-graduate certificates from Humber College, Project Management Certificate from the University of Toronto, a Masters Certificate in Adult Training and Development from the Schulich Executive Education Centre, and is currently working on a Voluntary Sector Management Certificate from Ryerson University.

In her spare time, Sam is an avid athlete, reader, volunteer, and sci-fi fan. Fun fact: she has 3 cats!

Liane Pelissier, Client Services Manager with Family Councils Ontario.

Liane has been with FCO for 2 years. She is passionate about Making a Difference and helping others, but most particularly those living, working and family members in LTC. She has 19.5 years of experience of working in a LTC home as a Resident and Family Services Coordinator, helping support residents and families as they transitioned into LTC. Part of her role was being the Staff Liaison for the home’s Family Council. Her years of experience helped her to develop great skills in communicating with and supporting families, residents, and staff in LTC. Liane holds a background in Social Work. She is also Pieces and U-first Trained. She is a certified Gentle Persuasive Approach Coach through Behavioural Specialist of Ontario. Through the years she has gained knowledge, experience and training in Palliative Care, Customer Service and Person Centered Care Approach. Throughout her career in LTC she has been involved in Strategic Planning, Goal Planning, Accreditation and Ministry Compliance. In her personal life, Liane loves to spend time with her family creating memories.

You can find Family Councils Ontario at www.fco.ngo

You can reach Sam at speck@fgo.ngo and Liane at Liane.Pelissier@fco.ngo

You can find out more about me and the work I do at DeborahBakti.com or email me at Deborah@DeborahBakti.com. I’d love to hear from you.

In this episode I chat with Sandra Boyd about her experience navigating Retirement and Assisted Living with her parents and in-laws. We dive into the ups and downs of her family’s journey, with Sandra bringing in both personal and business perspectives. Sandra shares practical insights based on her experience. She talks about what went well, what could have been better, and how care providers can learn from it all – the challenges, the missed chances for building relationships, and the positive impacts they can make.

For family members dealing with similar situations, Sandra offers straightforward advice to help you navigate your caregiving journey more successfully.

Join us for a down-to-earth conversation about the realities of seniors’ care, packed with valuable takeaways from a family who’s been through it.

About Sandra Boyd
Sandra is the Managing Director of Organizational and Talent Development at B. Riley Farber. She brings over 25 years in the leadership & talent development space, spending the last 15 years in leadership roles for nationally recognized human capital firms.

Sandra is the published author of 2 books, research papers, articles and columns in national and international magazines and newspapers. Her key passion is helping leaders and employees elevate performance through connection.

Currently, Sandra is a Board Member of the East Wellington Family Health Team. She is also a former Board Member of Career Star Group, a global leader in career transition, leadership and coaching.

You can find out more about me and the work I do at DeborahBakti.com or email me at Deborah@DeborahBakti.com. I’d love to hear from you.