Aberdeen Health Foundation

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Sharing a post with a few suggestions of nourishment as we ready ourselves to enter HYGGE -the concert of hominess, warmth and togetherness- Happy November.
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November gets a bad rap! The leaves are down,the skies are gray, and the nights are longer.

Ways I’ve learned to lean into this cold, dark time of year.

1. Take your vitamin D! Most of us are deficient and need a little extra supplement, especially in the winter months. Talk to your pharmacist/naturapathic doc/health care provider about the right dose for you. Hippie Chiks Natural Health Shop had some awesome options! 🌞

2. Resist the urge to caffeinate late in the day. Find some herbal teas to cozy up with if you are needing something warm to snuggle in with. My personal favourite these days is a honeybush mandarin orange blend. 🍊 🍵 🫖 Curious Crow's Coffee House can definitely help you out with this!

3. Get sun on your face when you can. Wrap up in cozy clothes and get out for a short walk during daylight hours. For most of us this will be during our lunch breaks or for a short break during the day. Remember even ten minutes can make a huge difference! 🌞

4. Season with warming spices. Find ginger, tumeric, curry, nutmeg, and cloves and let them season your comfort foods this time of year. 🍁

5. Finally, take time to book some self care and use up those benefits if you have them. Acupuncture (Rebecca Williams Acupuncture), massage, go for a float at Nepsis Floatation or hit the thermal cycle for a reset at one of our amazing spas. (Sensea Nordic Spa, Usva Spa, Nature Folk Spa). If you’re feeling really wild just call me up and we can jump in the cold water! 🧊 🥶

Your friends from,
PCPCares

Congratulations to our friend and colleague, Dr. Gabriela Ilie on her nomination for a Nova Scotia Public Impact Award and the other finalists. We will be cheering you on and celebrating your remarkable contributions. Not only are you making a difference now, but the way all of you speak about your work in this video can inspire a new generation of scientists. So thanks for that too!

Meeting the Public Impact Award Finalists We had the pleasure of meeting our Public Impact Award Finalists before our gala on November 14th!Don’t miss your chance to celebrate outsta...

Congratulations, Malorie! Thanks for your leadership 👏🙌👍

Celebrating Malorie Weir: Preceptor of the Year Award Winner

Aberdeen Hospital’s Pharmacist Team Lead, Malorie Weir, was recently recognized as Preceptor of the Year for Introductory Pharmacy Practice by Dalhousie's College of Pharmacy. Dr. Kyle Wilby, Director of the DAL College of Pharmacy, presented Malorie with the award on Sept. 28. Known for her passion for health equity, patient-centred care, and a commitment to learning, Malorie exemplifies what it means to be a mentor and leader in her field. Congratulations, Malorie, on this well-deserved honour!

Aberdeen Health Foundation

Advisory

Starting today, Oct. 28, the northeast side of the front parking lot at Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow will be temporarily closed for paving. Staff and public parking lots, as well as front public accessible parking spaces, will remain open. The front entrance will also stay open, with access available through the emergency department entrance from East River Road.

Signs and barricades will be in place, and hospital staff will be available to help.

The work is expected to take two days. Thank you for your patience during this time.

Aberdeen Health Foundation

We are very grateful for the Medical Device Reprocessing team who are vital to ensuring the safety of patient care 👏

Check out some of our very own Aberdeen Hospital team in action below

High fives to our Aberdeen Hospital and Summer Street colleagues on a wonderful collaboration. Nova Scotia Health 🙌👏🫶

Aberdeen Hospital recently teamed up with Summer Street’s self-advocates to deliver a workshop to emergency department staff aimed at improving care for people with diverse abilities. Over three sessions, Summer Street participants shared their firsthand experiences to help staff better understand the challenges faced by patients with disabilities when accessing healthcare. These sessions emphasized not only inclusion but also the power of lived experiences in shaping a more compassionate healthcare system.

“For people with diverse abilities, the healthcare experience can be overwhelming,” said Bob Bennett, Executive Director of Summer Street. “By sharing their personal stories, our participants create opportunities for greater understanding. Hearing firsthand experiences changes how healthcare workers approach care, and that’s how we make lasting change.”

Summer Street is a well-respected community organization in New Glasgow, dedicated to creating opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. Breana Greene, a self-advocate and Summer Street participant, shared her story during the sessions. “Sometimes, healthcare providers talk to my mom instead of me,” shared Greene. “Bright lights really affect me because of my brain injury, but not everyone sees or understands that,” she added. Greene emphasized the importance of small adjustments, like dimming lights or providing questions in advance, to create a more supportive environment. Through Summer Street, she has learned to advocate for herself and hopes others with diverse abilities will feel heard.

These workshops are founded on the idea that learning from the past leads to a better future, added Dorothy Doyle, Director of Services at Summer Street. Many individuals with disabilities have faced stigma or been overlooked in their care, which has led to fear and mistrust of medical environments. By hearing these stories firsthand, the emergency department team has gained valuable insights into how to offer more compassionate, accessible care.

Kim MacKinnon, Human Resources Business Partner with People Services in the Northern Zone, expressed her enthusiasm: “As a former Summer Street staff member, I’m thrilled to strengthen this connection for Nova Scotia Health. Together, we’re building a more equitable healthcare system for everyone. We are so fortunate to have Summer Street in our community.”

The sessions also provided practical guidance for healthcare workers. Simple actions, like explaining procedures before they begin and asking patients about their specific needs, can make a big difference. Instead of focusing on what patients can’t do, staff were encouraged to concentrate on what they can do.

The partnership with Summer Street doesn’t end here. Plans are in place for Nova Scotia Health staff to visit Summer Street for further education sessions, fostering ongoing collaboration. Future initiatives will focus on educating patients and caregivers on navigating services, such as the emergency department triage process, diabetes education and more.

By focusing on education and awareness, the partnership between Summer Street and Nova Scotia Health is reducing stigma, improving social integration, and creating a more inclusive healthcare environment. For more information on accessing these workshops or for more information about Summer Street, please visit summerstreet.ca.

The Surf Smart program developed by SchoolsPlus Pictou County, helps parents and youth navigate the digital world safely.
Launching in 2023 with a series of handbooks and workshops, the initiative addresses the impact of social media and offers families tools and strategies to develop a healthy, balanced approach to online activity.

Learn about the firsthand experience of Lindsey Fanning, a local mother of two who participated in one of the first Surf Smart sessions on our website: https://aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/news/surfsmart/

Photo (L-R) Lindsay Fanning and Ashley MacPherson, Community Outreach Worker with SchoolsPlus Pictou County East.

Surf Smart Program from SchoolsPlus Helps Youth Navigate Social Media Safely - Aberdeen Health Foundation SchoolsPlus Pictou County, in partnership with the Pictou County Mental Wellness Roundtable and Aberdeen Health Foundation, has developed vital resources

Thank you everyone ❤️

OUR CUSTOMERS ARE AMAZING!!!🤩 🤩🤩
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT YESTERDAY AND TODAY TO PURCHASE PUMPKINS AND MAKE DONATIONS!
ALL THE PROCEEDS FROM THE WEEKEND WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE ABERDEEN HOSPITALS ONCOLOGY CLIENT FUND, ASSISTING CANCER PATIENTS WHO NEED TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY FOR CARE!!!
WE LIVE IN AN AMAZING COMMUNITY! ❤️🧡❤️

Many, many thanks to Peter's Pumpkins for their years of support for patients that need help with the associated costs of their treatment. Truly a labour of love! We are deeply grateful ❤️

A great system innovation for sure 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼