Volunteers honoured at Bridge Hospice
Whether it’s supportive companionship at the bedside, or laughter-filled visits, volunteers at the Bridge Hospice in Quinte are special, and they were honoured for their work at the organization’s annual general meeting in July. Susanne Langford, a retired nurse who began volunteering in 2015, was chosen as the first recipient of the Ken Partridge Volunteer Award. “Her compassion and keen wit always help our residents, families and visitors feel right at home,” says Kerri-Anne Wilson, director of clinical services and operations. Her dedication, attention to detail, and ability to make things happen has impressed the hospice’s administrative staff and medical professionals, Wilson adds. Langford provides hands-on resident care, offers orientation to new resident care volunteers, supports hospice admissions by meeting new residents and families, and also supports administrative staff as needed. “Our volunteers play a vital role in our continued success, and always have been – and will remain – at the heart of everything we do,” says Wilson. (Brighton Independent, June 25)
Singing nurse helps babies in distress
For Jamie Anne Bentz, a registered nurse in the neonatal unit at Ottawa’s Queensway Carleton Hospital, performing is more than just a pastime: it is a passion. When Bentz is not taking care of patients, the Braeside-raised country singer/songwriter performs at venues throughout Ottawa. “I feel like you can really tell a story with country,” she says. “You can take people on a journey.” Bentz believes music also has the power to heal, and will sing to babies in distress. “Anecdotally, I have witnessed that most infants respond well to soft singing, often displaying fewer pain behaviours and improved clinical stability,” suggests Bentz, who notes current literature from the American Academy of Pediatrics supports her observations. On June 29, she released her new extended play album After the Smoke Clears at Arnprior’s John St. Pub. She hopes to release one of her songs on Canadian radio in the early fall. To see Bentz live, check out jamieannebentz.com (Arnprior Chronicle-Guide, June 25)
Walking in the shoes of older adults
Thanks to an aging and dementia simulation, hosted in June by the Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region and the Niagara Health System (NHS), nursing student Jessica Foisey and other Ontarians experienced the world in much the same way an older adult with dementia and other health conditions might. Wearing gloves filled with cotton balls (in the tips to decrease sensation), and arm or leg weights to mimic weakness (similar to weakness following a stroke), Foisey struggled to replace batteries in a flashlight and remove clothing. “It was a lot harder than I expected it to be,” she says. “When I tried to use my hands to feel things, I had to pick them up and bring them really close to my face (she was also wearing goggles) because I couldn’t recognize it by touch.” Christina Huntington, an NHS nurse practitioner who specializes in geriatric mental health, says the event shows people the challenges that emerge as we age, including hearing impairment, arthritis (both osteo and rheumatoid), mobility issues, and visual disturbances. “As they’re brought through the simulation, it shines the light on what life is like for an older adult.” According to NHS, Niagara has more seniors than the rest of Canada. (The Niagara Falls Review, June 22)
