I walked up the street, Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" playing in my iPod, when who trots in my direction but a tabby resembling Puss in Boots from Shrek 2. Shocked that a cat took interest in me, I stopped and kneeled down, put my hand out. The cat moved faster, sniffed me, then walked to the left of me.
Which of these do you think explains the cat's sudden loss of interest in me?:
a) I smelled evil or just... bad.
3) The cat really was Puss and Boots and thought I was Shrek at first.
c) The cat was just trying to trick me into thinking it liked me, but really was thinking "Sucka!" as it walked away.
In other animal news, my poor dog is hiding out beside the bathtub, scared of the Victoria Day fireworks. At least he wanted to be with me. But then he decided the bathtub is more comforting.
I don't know what the behaviour of these animals says about me.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
10 Signs That Summer is Here
1. I have a sunburn.
2. I am more tempted than usual to walk around my house naked.
3. I'm ready to bring out the razors.
4. I actually crave ice cream.
5. I spend time outside.
6. I'm stickier than a Post-It note.
7. My heart's racing from the heat.
8. I'm reminiscing about my long-johns and down coat.
9. I'm thinking about classic summer hits such as "The Thong Song."
10. I want to get away from this computer.
2. I am more tempted than usual to walk around my house naked.
3. I'm ready to bring out the razors.
4. I actually crave ice cream.
5. I spend time outside.
6. I'm stickier than a Post-It note.
7. My heart's racing from the heat.
8. I'm reminiscing about my long-johns and down coat.
9. I'm thinking about classic summer hits such as "The Thong Song."
10. I want to get away from this computer.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Using Youtube to Promote Community Health Centres
I just put up a new blog post for the Association of Ontario Health Centres (I'm one of their communications interns) about Community Health Centres' and AOHC's work with Youtube. Stay tuned for more updates on my adventures!
I'm really curious: how has a Community Health Centre (or Center if you're in the U.S.) helped you? Personally, before I learned about my internship position, I had never used one. Didn't even know what they did. Now I see how important they are, especially with my background in social health issues. I think Youtube videos can raise awareness about Community Health Centres. What do you think?
I'm really curious: how has a Community Health Centre (or Center if you're in the U.S.) helped you? Personally, before I learned about my internship position, I had never used one. Didn't even know what they did. Now I see how important they are, especially with my background in social health issues. I think Youtube videos can raise awareness about Community Health Centres. What do you think?
Friday, May 13, 2011
Illness: So much to Lose
Many of you have probably read this heartbreaking story about a woman who lost her kids in a custody battle because she had stage four breast cancer, even though she was stable.
Here we see an unwillingness to support a person with a serious illness and her family. The article I just linked explains the justifications given for not giving the mother custody: the illness would be hard on the children and that children do better when they're removed from that kind of situation.
Well, why not provide social support to the family? If Mom becomes too ill to give the kids everything they need, why not provide her with some sort of caregiver? Why not provide a therapist to help mom and children cope with the trauma? Oh, right. That costs money.
But I think it's more than that: I think it's implied that her illness makes her an unfit mother. So many with illnesses lose so much, especially socially: many are poor, stigmatized, have inadequate access to the resources they need, etc. How terrible that now one has lost her kids. It's not her fault she's sick. She hasn't done anything wrong. So help her!
And the father doesn't exactly seem like full-custody material. I wish there was more protection for parents with serious illnesses and disabilities. Parenthood shouldn't be conditional upon wellness.
Here we see an unwillingness to support a person with a serious illness and her family. The article I just linked explains the justifications given for not giving the mother custody: the illness would be hard on the children and that children do better when they're removed from that kind of situation.
Well, why not provide social support to the family? If Mom becomes too ill to give the kids everything they need, why not provide her with some sort of caregiver? Why not provide a therapist to help mom and children cope with the trauma? Oh, right. That costs money.
But I think it's more than that: I think it's implied that her illness makes her an unfit mother. So many with illnesses lose so much, especially socially: many are poor, stigmatized, have inadequate access to the resources they need, etc. How terrible that now one has lost her kids. It's not her fault she's sick. She hasn't done anything wrong. So help her!
And the father doesn't exactly seem like full-custody material. I wish there was more protection for parents with serious illnesses and disabilities. Parenthood shouldn't be conditional upon wellness.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Groundbreaking Report Gives Voice
During Community Health Week, I attended an event Toronto Community Health Centre Women’s Health in Women’s Hands (WHIWH) held to release and discuss the findings of a groundbreaking report called Every Woman Matters. It was conducted by the Centre and other health organizations including Parkdale Community Health Centre and Rexdale Community Health Centre.
Staff of WHIWH, which provides Primary Healthcare to Black Women and Women of Colour, researchers and members of the community spoke about the data they collected and the healthcare access issues expressed by the women studied.
“Black women were the experts in what their needs were.” Notisha Massaquoi, Executive Director of WHIWH, said about how the report, a combination of stories and data, was conducted. This wasn’t a group of women being studied; it was a group of women sharing their knowledge with researchers. This is just one example of Community Health Centres connecting with their communities to understand what their needs are.
Dr. Charmaine Williams of the Factor-Inwentash School of Social Work at the University of Toronto described the most basic healthcare access concerns of the women they studied: “How am I going to get to the doctor?” “Who will look after my kids?” She also said that the homeless and underhoused report participants don’t have networks like friends and family to get access to care, like a doctor.
My colleague Lee McKenna, Manager of Policy and Government Relations for the AOHC, and I were very moved and stimulated by everything that was said. Referring to the fact that few other health agencies conduct similar research, Lee told the audience that some women are going to “feel that they are being heard for the first time in their lives.”
Dr. Williams said the Every Woman Matters research findings are designed to be used in training and educational settings for health providers and also to be applied within health care agencies. The report will also help make the case for increased resources for Women’s Health in Women’s Hands as well as other Community Health Centres. “It’s important to translate research into action,” said Wangari Tharao, Program and Research Manager for the Centre.
Women’s Health in Women’s Hands is also ensuring the research data compiled in Every Woman Matters is available to the community, as access to academic research often requires a subscription.
I originally published this on my intern blog for the Association of Ontario Health Centres.
Staff of WHIWH, which provides Primary Healthcare to Black Women and Women of Colour, researchers and members of the community spoke about the data they collected and the healthcare access issues expressed by the women studied.
“Black women were the experts in what their needs were.” Notisha Massaquoi, Executive Director of WHIWH, said about how the report, a combination of stories and data, was conducted. This wasn’t a group of women being studied; it was a group of women sharing their knowledge with researchers. This is just one example of Community Health Centres connecting with their communities to understand what their needs are.
Dr. Charmaine Williams of the Factor-Inwentash School of Social Work at the University of Toronto described the most basic healthcare access concerns of the women they studied: “How am I going to get to the doctor?” “Who will look after my kids?” She also said that the homeless and underhoused report participants don’t have networks like friends and family to get access to care, like a doctor.
My colleague Lee McKenna, Manager of Policy and Government Relations for the AOHC, and I were very moved and stimulated by everything that was said. Referring to the fact that few other health agencies conduct similar research, Lee told the audience that some women are going to “feel that they are being heard for the first time in their lives.”
Dr. Williams said the Every Woman Matters research findings are designed to be used in training and educational settings for health providers and also to be applied within health care agencies. The report will also help make the case for increased resources for Women’s Health in Women’s Hands as well as other Community Health Centres. “It’s important to translate research into action,” said Wangari Tharao, Program and Research Manager for the Centre.
Women’s Health in Women’s Hands is also ensuring the research data compiled in Every Woman Matters is available to the community, as access to academic research often requires a subscription.
I originally published this on my intern blog for the Association of Ontario Health Centres.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Patients, Arm Yourselves
In an appointment with my neurologist last week, he told me that I probably have thoracic outlet syndrome. Basically, because of my body's structure, the bones in my chest press against nerves, arteries and/or veins. This explains the weakness and numbness I've been getting in my arms. The telltale sign? When my neurologist lifted my arm vertically, my pulse disappeared.
Why am I writing this? Well, I wanted to vent about my frustration with my neurologist, with many doctors. They're all nice enough, but some have a habit of being less than helpful once tests reveal I'm stable and there's nothing they can do/needs to be done. For example at this latest appointment, as with previous ones, he said my TOS wasn't a problem, surgery wasn't necessary, "it's not a disease." He talked about it like I had come to him complaining about a stubbed toe, then assured me like I had been concerned the toe would fall off.
Well, I'm often uncomfortable and in pain; sometimes my hand gets so weak it's hard to press the buttons on my iPod; folding laundry, flipping eggs is often hard... I could go on. But "it's not a disease" and it's not disabling me, so it's not really an issue right? Unless of course someone takes my pulse while I'm asleep with my arms above my head and then, feeling nothing, declares me dead.
Why am I writing this? Well, I wanted to vent about my frustration with my neurologist, with many doctors. They're all nice enough, but some have a habit of being less than helpful once tests reveal I'm stable and there's nothing they can do/needs to be done. For example at this latest appointment, as with previous ones, he said my TOS wasn't a problem, surgery wasn't necessary, "it's not a disease." He talked about it like I had come to him complaining about a stubbed toe, then assured me like I had been concerned the toe would fall off.
Well, I'm often uncomfortable and in pain; sometimes my hand gets so weak it's hard to press the buttons on my iPod; folding laundry, flipping eggs is often hard... I could go on. But "it's not a disease" and it's not disabling me, so it's not really an issue right? Unless of course someone takes my pulse while I'm asleep with my arms above my head and then, feeling nothing, declares me dead.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Social Media Opportunities in Healthcare
Tonight I watched a live stream of Health Care Social Media Canada's Tweet Up, a panel discussion by health communicators about the opportunities in implementing social media in healthcare.
As some of you may know, I use social media very often in my personal life and I am passionate about social health issues, but I am also starting to use social media as I begin my career in health communications as an intern for the Association of Ontario Health Centres.
I love what social media can do to engage patients, not just with a hospital or a community health centre, but with other patients and with their communities. It's a great way to share information and concerns, but also a great way for healthcare centres to stay attuned to the needs of the communities.
And I am enjoying this idea of healthcare social media as a patient as well. I want to know what kind of research a hospital is doing; I want to connect with other patients who have the same issues I do.
But it doesn't just happen. The attitude that "If we build it (a Twitter page), they will come" just doesn't work. What I'm most interested right now is learning how to engage people and build followers. That can be hard for an organization, I think, because there isn't necessarily the time or money to effectively operate a Twitter account. Also, I think another obstacle is that an organization Tweeting doesn't necessarily have a face. People like to talk to other PEOPLE. And it has to be interactive with @mentions and relevant, valuable link sharing.
I keep asking myself: do community members want to add hospitals and community health centres to Twitter? Do they want to "chat" with them? More importantly, do the patients and staff who could most benefit from healthcare interaction on Twitter actually even use social media? And how can we encourage people to get accounts and use them?
As some of you may know, I use social media very often in my personal life and I am passionate about social health issues, but I am also starting to use social media as I begin my career in health communications as an intern for the Association of Ontario Health Centres.
I love what social media can do to engage patients, not just with a hospital or a community health centre, but with other patients and with their communities. It's a great way to share information and concerns, but also a great way for healthcare centres to stay attuned to the needs of the communities.
And I am enjoying this idea of healthcare social media as a patient as well. I want to know what kind of research a hospital is doing; I want to connect with other patients who have the same issues I do.
But it doesn't just happen. The attitude that "If we build it (a Twitter page), they will come" just doesn't work. What I'm most interested right now is learning how to engage people and build followers. That can be hard for an organization, I think, because there isn't necessarily the time or money to effectively operate a Twitter account. Also, I think another obstacle is that an organization Tweeting doesn't necessarily have a face. People like to talk to other PEOPLE. And it has to be interactive with @mentions and relevant, valuable link sharing.
I keep asking myself: do community members want to add hospitals and community health centres to Twitter? Do they want to "chat" with them? More importantly, do the patients and staff who could most benefit from healthcare interaction on Twitter actually even use social media? And how can we encourage people to get accounts and use them?
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