The Sunnybrook Volunteer—June 2011, Page 1

By Joan Willingham

We have all met someone standing in a hallway at Sunnybrook, looking confused and wondering which way to go. As the hospital has grown, many elderly and not so elderly visitors can find Sunnybrook difficult to navigate. The recent introduction of the “WE CARE” campaign seemed like an excellent time for Volunteer Resources to introduce some “walking greeters” to work in tandem with the desk greeters on M1 and M Ground.

HOST (Hospital Orientation and Support Team) volunteers provide directions and information as they walk up and down corridors and accompany patients and visitors to their destinations, while the desk greeters remain in place to help new arrivals.

The program began last September. It consists of a volunteer with a clipboard and a badge that says “May I Help You?” They begin their shift by checking in with the desk greeter and if there is no one needing assistance they begin their ‘rounds’ looking, as Margaret Kennedy says, “for any lost souls.” Typically they walk from M Ground to H Ground and then retrace to A Ground and over to the Odette Centre. Going upstairs they walk from A1 to E1. If they meet someone who needs a wheelchair they will phone for one. Margaret mentions that sometimes she will sit with a person whom she thinks is a bit overwhelmed by where they are.

Hal Palter, another HOST volunteer,

HOST Volunteers Make Sunnybrook More User Friendly

compares some of his shifts to puzzle solving which he finds very stimulating. He recalled an elderly Russian woman who had directions for a doctor’s appointment. She had copied the instructions down in Russian but was having trouble reading her own writing. She did not know the doctor’s name or have a

complete location. Hal reads Russian so he tried to help. There was no doctor listed with the name the patient had written down but there was a doctor with a similar name. Hal sat the woman down while he located the doctor’s office. They were expecting her, so Hal went back and accompanied her to the office.

On another occasion Hal helped a man find his father whom he had left in M1 Lobby while he went to park the car, only to return and discover his father was gone.

HOST volunteers work Monday to Friday doing either a morning or afternoon shift with evening shifts also being added. They keep a record of how many people they assist on each shift. Margaret had helped 44 people the morning I spoke with her. Hal was trying out a pedometer when I met him and he had walked 5,699 steps that morning.

Both Margaret and Hal love what they are doing and both have a friendly, patient and outgoing manner, which is essential for

this role. Although their clipboard has a list of clinics and treatment areas throughout the hospital, both have added their own information learned on the job. Implementing the HOST program is one way in which Sunnybrook is hoping to make a hospital visit less confusing.

Hal Palter is one of several volunteers involved in the new HOST volunteer group of “wander-ing greeters” who will help patients and visitors navigate Sunnybrook more easily.Photo by John Lang.

����������������������������������������

The Sunnybrook Volunteer—June 2011, Page 2

A Message from…

Esther McKinnon, President, Sunnybrook Volunteer Association

Two years ago when I embarked on the journey of president, never did I imagine I would learn so much, meet so many amazing people and become even prouder of our volunteers and the Association. While I have enjoyed the entire experience thoroughly, the highlight truly has been meeting so many of you and learning about all the great things volunteers are doing.

I am delighted to report that our Gift Shop, Beauty Salon and Fine Arts group all showed a healthy increase in sales versus last year. While Green Thumbs had a decline in sales over the prior year, they were still able to generate a strong contribution to the SVA pledge fund. Overall, the SVA’s net income is up over last year. This is a great accomplishment of which we can all be proud.

At our recent Annual General Meeting, the SVA presented a cheque for $150,000 to Dr. Gordon Rubenfeld, Chief of Program in Trauma, Emergency and Critical Care and to Jeff O’Hagan, CEO of the Sunnybrook Foundation. This represents our payment this year towards the $1.5 million capital project pledge we made in 2005 for the new Emergency and Trauma Departments. It was very exciting, as this instalment now means that we have contributed $1.2 million to this project, showing how volunteers are there “when it matters most.”

As I move to the role of past president, I would like to thank my fellow board members for their hard work and dedication over the past two years. I am truly blessed to have been able to work with such a talented group who have given so freely of their time in addition to their volunteer role. It is with their insight, ideas and efforts that we have been able to accomplish all that we have as a board. I would like to thank Phyllis Epp, Nancy Gyokeres and John McKinnon for their contributions to the board over their tenure as they are retiring from the Board of Directors. I would like to welcome Janice Simms as our new Vice President and Patricia Goulding and Janet Hennick as Members at Large. They were each installed at the Annual General Meeting.

Whether you are taking the summer off from your volunteering role or will continue to volunteer, I would like to wish all of you a happy, healthy and safe summer.

Green Thumbs Plant Sales The Greenhouse will be open extended hours, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. week days until June 17. Re-opens Sept 19.

Book Sales 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in D1 BreezewayJune 24, July 22, Aug. 19 and Sept 16

Summer Student Program Mon. June 27 – Fri. July 29, Tues. Aug. 2 – Fri. Sept. 2

Vendor’s FairFri. Oct 7, 2011

For adult volunteers being replaced by studentsLast day of regular volunteering – Thurs. June 30Return to regular volunteering – Tues. Sept. 6

Esther McKinnon

By Joan Willingham

The SVA membership was delighted to have Sunnybrook President and CEO, Dr. Barry McLellan, as the guest speaker at our Lunch and Learn on April 14 to speak about current activities and future plans for Sunnybrook.

He began by acknowledging the tremendous role volunteers play in maintaining Sunnybrook’s positive image with the public. He thanked everyone for their service, dedication and fundraising contributions.

Dr. McLellan mentioned that work is now complete on M4 & M5 and on the expansion of the Schulich Heart Centre on the third floor. The Breast Centre on M6 should be complete by the end of this year and will be the largest of its kind in Canada with facilities for imaging, reconstruction, consultations and minor procedures. The Odette Cancer Centre is expanding its reception area to include a patient and family education resource facility.

Patient flow and occupancy are major concerns at Sunnybrook and The Holland Centre. Dr. McLellan noted a 30 per cent increase in the number of patients arriving at our Emergency Department as well as a rise in the volume of patients in our Trauma Unit and at the Odette Centre. As a result, the hospital is planning to increase the number of inpatient beds available.

Dr. McLellan concluded by pointing out that there is always more to be done as Sunnybrook continues to enhance the services and care it offers patients. He mentioned two examples for consideration – the need for a new dialysis unit and the decision to either renovate or rebuild the Holland Centre.

Mark Your Calendar

Sunnybrook CEO Updates Volunteer Gathering

The Sunnybrook Volunteer—June 2011, Page 3

A Message from…

Katherine AlexopoulosDirector, Volunteer Resources

By the time you receive this newsletter, most of you will have already used our new computer sign-in system for volunteers. Over the past couple of months, Volunteer Resources has been busy with the implementation of a new computer database – a daunting task with its own unique learning curve. We thank you for your patience during this transition. Please continue to let us know if you discover any inaccurate information in your records or if you need assistance with signing in on the new system.

In May we welcomed back Ioana Cozma, our summer student coordinator. Ioana worked with us last summer and we are pleased to have her return. As always we have an extensive summer student volunteer program planned. Ioana and Carol Banks do a great job coordinating it. For some volunteers, the summer student program allows a break from volunteering during July and August. For others, who continue during the summer and are not replaced by students, we thank you for your commitment through the summer. It is truly appreciated and helps to ensure many services continue without disruption.

In the Odette Cancer Centre, additional volunteers have been recruited for Symptom Assessment Facilitator roles and for the new Patient Education roles. The Patient Education program, which will be launched in September, will consist of a resource centre, as well as a mobile cart to make information accessible to patients and families in waiting areas. A new Mobility role for volunteers has also started on General Medicine units D2 and D4 with a tremendous amount of staff support in training volunteers. We anticipate this program, where volunteers work with elderly patients to increase their mobility and help prevent further decline, will result in very positive impacts for patients. We will also be piloting a family support role in the new Gilbert Cardiac Intensive Care Unit on C3. This is part of the Schulich Heart Program.

Clearly there is no shortage of volunteer opportunities. We continue to review roles, and ensure that volunteers are making the greatest impact on the patient/visitor experience at Sunnybrook. In line with this, in the fall, we will be providing volunteers with sessions about Sunnybrook’s customer experience initiative, “Sunnybrook Moments” – the 4 C’s: Compassion, Consideration, Communication, and Comfort – which we know you provide in your interactions with patients and visitors every day. We will be looking for volunteers who may wish to participate in the delivery of these sessions. If you are passionate about your role and the positive impact volunteers have, and would like to be part

of sharing this with other volunteers, please let me know.

Finally, I would like to thank and acknowledge Esther McKinnon who just finished her term as SVA president, and her board, for their leadership and efforts on behalf of

the Association. Thanks also to the staff in VR – Jennifer, Carol, Beth, Sally and Kathy – who always rise to any challenge. In particular, over the past few months, their extra efforts, hard work and success juggling numerous competing priorities, cannot go unnoticed.

I continue to be impressed by the level of enthusiasm and commitment you all demonstrate each and every day. Your passion for volunteering at Sunnybrook truly makes our jobs a joy and a pleasure. I wish you all a safe and happy summer.

Katherine Alexopoulos

2011 SVA Board of Directors Appointed

The following appointments to the Sunnybrook Volunteer Association Board of Directors were approved at the Association’s annual general meeting on May 24, 2011. Appointments are for a two year term unless otherwise noted.

President: Dan Christante1st Vice President: Janice Simms2nd Vice-President: VacantSecretary: Elizabeth KeddieTreasurer: Sam GrzeshMember-at-Large: Patricia Goulding Janet Hennick Annabel Moore (term until AGM 2012) Nancy PearceyPast President: Esther McKinnon

Nominating Committee: Esther McKinnon, Nancy Pearcey, Mary Kearns

We wish all appointees well with their 2011/12 activities. Please contact the SVA office at sva@sunnybrook.ca if you would like to get in touch with any of the board members – they would be pleased to hear from you.

The Sunnybrook Volunteer—June2011, Page 4

Some Information on Parking at SunnybrookBy Stacey McIndless

In the world we live in today, the car rules, and getting anywhere with a car in a city the size of Toronto is not an easy proposition. Drivers must regularly consider driving routes, traffic delays and most importantly where they will park once they reach their destination. On any given day, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is a destination for a large number of people from patients and visitors to staff and volunteers, and although many use public transportation most are looking for a parking space once they arrive.

Parking spots at Sunnybrook are available for approximately 4,500 vehicles. Three quarters of those parking spots are for staff and volunteers with the remaining one quarter (roughly 1,200) designated as patient and visitor parking. They are located strategically throughout the grounds of the hospital at the following locations:

Type of Parking LocationParking Garage 1 Opposite M WingParking Garage 2 Next to L Wing(main level only)Lot 1 Across from Odette Cancer Centre (T Wing)Lot 9 Between U Wing and F WingLot 19 West side of H WingWellspring Centre Lot East sideSouth Road South Road South Road Southern perimeter road of hospitalLot 14 Next to Power Plant (U Wing)Lot 20 *NEW* Next to Parking Garage 2

By Amy Walback

Spring has sprung and here in the gift shop we have been busy getting ready to help you make the most of the warm weather. Stop by to see our wonderful collection of outdoor planters, garden statuary and décor. We have something to brighten any garden be it a condo balcony or acre plot. Be sure to check out our outdoor metal wall hangings which look great on fences, decks or garden sheds. Choose from delightful butterflies, dragonflies, bicycles and more!

June is, of course, the month when we celebrate Dads and Granddads. The gift shop is ready tp help you with your gift

Shop Talk needs with a selection from Gourmet Village, Hatley and more. We’ve got great barbecue related merchandise, mugs, frames and cards.

It’s also time to celebrate teachers. We can help with that, too. Browse our mugs, add some chocolates and a card, and you’re sure to get A+.

Special mention must be made of two of our long time volunteers who have now retired – Betty Newdick and Joan Brown. Together they ran a successful lingerie department in the shop for many years. Both ladies started volunteering with Sunnybrook in 1967 and are charter

members of the Volunteer Association. Heartfelt thanks go out to both Betty and Joan. They are an inspiration to us all!

See you in the shop.

Patients and families are often interested to know that the money raised from parking fees is used to support important research initiatives at Sunnybrook. This is a vital piece of information not often communicated to those using the parking spaces. It is also worth noting that hospital staff pays for parking as well as the general public.

Parking rates are standard in all locations no matter where drivers choose to park. For an additional $3.00, valet parking is available daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for those who require such assistance. Patients and their drivers and visitors are also offered ways to economize on parking fees. A weekly pass would be advantageous to someone needing to make multiple visits to the hospital at any time of day during any given week. Pay-per-use passes in groups of 5, 10 or 15 days serve the needs of those who visit the hospital for a medical appointment or treatment once a week over an extended period of time. Parking rates are as follows:

Parking Duration Parking RateHourly $4.00/half hourMaximum Daily $23.00Maximum Evening (from 6 p.m.)$10.00Maximum weekend Maximum weekend Maximum weekend $15.00Weekly pass $50.005 day use pass ($19/day) $95.0010 day use pass ($17/day) $170.0015 day use pass ($15/day) $225.00

The Parking and Transportation Services office is located in C Wing, Ground floor, Room CG01. Staff is available Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for assistance with parking matters.

Amy Walback

The Sunnybrook Volunteer—June 2011, Page 5

Victorian Spring Tea

Draws a large Crowd

of Fashionistas

The Sunnybrook Volunteer—June 2011, Page 6

In February of this year, the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Leadership Team introduced a new program called “WE CARE – Creating Sunnybrook Moments” to continually improve the interaction our “customers” (patients, visitors and families) have with the hospital. Since then individual staff members and volunteers have been bringing forward interesting “Sunnybrook Moments” they have had in their day to day dealings with our “customers”. Here’s a recent example sent along by Honor Nivin, a volunteer in the Odette Cancer Centre:

“We cannot be all things to all patients, but over time, I have learned that this job is quite complex. We should be observant, we should be useful, we should be polite, and we should try to be knowledgeable. But moments will happen, where we quickly have to help and diffuse a sudden situation. I had one such moment happen to me this morning, at the Odette Centre, while I was on my shift.

A very irate male patient was returning to his car in the parking lot directly across from the north entrance to Odette. It happened to be parked near a construction crew who were cutting stone to make a new pathway for pedestrians into this lot. His car was covered in grime and dust from the crew. This patient returned to the building, approached our desk, and stated in a loud voice that “I need the parking guys to come out to see my car and the damage it has received.”

Have You Had an Interesting “Sunnybrook Moment”?I first offered to tell him where the parking office was in C Wing...but that did not help his anger. “Do you think I am going to walk all the way over there? They can come to me,” he said in a voice getting louder. Point taken. My volunteer colleague at the Info Desk, muttered to me, “call Security.”

Well, I called the Parking Office number directly, then handed the receiver to the irate patient, and let him vent his steam to them. Sure enough, a few moments went by and then a Parking Lot staff member arrived at the North entrance to escort this patient to his dirty car. My colleague and I could see through the glass doors that soon there were three parking officials on site. The car was driven away to the rear of Sunnybrook’s campus, to the car wash, while our irate patient sat in a chair near the door, to await his car. Sure enough, it duly arrived, spanking clean, and with a piece of paper, no doubt giving this man free parking for his inconvenience. Crisis ended.

As the famous British wartime slogan states, maybe we should all just “Keep Calm and Carry On.”

Do you have an interesting “Sunnybrook Moment” to share with us? If so, please send it along to the editor of The Sunnybrook Volunteer at Sunnybrook Volunteer at Sunnybrook Volunteer sva@sunnybrook.casva@sunnybrook.ca We would be delighted to hear your story.

Beth Singleton Receives 2011 Staff Award

Director, Volunteer Resources, Katherine Alexopoulos (L) and SVA President, Esther McKinnon (R) present the 2011 Continuing Education Support Fund award to Volunteer Resources Coordinator, Beth Singleton at the recent Recognition Tea. Photo by Sunnybrook Media Source.

By Esther McKinnonOn April 15, 2011, I had the pleasure of presenting the Sunnybrook Volunteer Association Continuing Education Support Fund Award at the Recognition Tea. This $2,000 award is supported by the Volunteer Association through the fundraising efforts of our volunteers.

The award is given to a member of the hospital staff who is attending college or university and who has demonstrated an interest in the areas of Geriatric Care, Health & Safety or Wellness & Nutrition at Sunnybrook.

I am delighted to announce that this year’s winner of the SVA Award is Beth Singleton. As most of you know, Beth works as a Volunteer Resources Coordinator in the acute care area of the main hospital and has been a Sunnybrook employee since 1999. Beth is working towards a certificate in gerontology at Ryerson University and says that it has allowed her to grow professionally.

Pursuing this certificate has served Beth well in her role generally and recently in her work with Dr. Jacques Lee on

prevention of delirium in elderly patients in the Emergency department through volunteer intervention.

Congratulations Beth!

The Sunnybrook Volunteer—June 2011, Page 7

2011 Volunteer Service Awards Presented45

Years of Service

Jane WigginsAda Wynston

40 Years of Service

Judy Poynton

35 Years of Service

Shirley Taylor

30 Years of Service

Rita Sammon

25 Years of Service

Marilyn CohenEdward Hutton

Eleanor MarkovitzMac Upton

The 2011 Volunteer Service Awards were presented at the Sunnybrook Volunteer Association’s Annual General Meeting on May 24, 2011. We congratulate all of the volunteers listed below on their significant volunteer service milestones.

20 Years of Service

Margery BalfourBarbara Davies

Ray FraserMary Ellen Hayes

Alex HenryMarie McKennaMary Pasanen

June RuddMarjorie Singleton

William (Bill) TalbotAlbert Wallace

15 Years of Service

Lily AnthonyRoger Broadbent

Dodie CreedElizabeth GillHilda Harris

Virginia HekimianJean JablonskiChester Kuzma

Mary Lou MaltbyMyriam Mifsud

Jane (Bunty) MitchellMaiike, RussellMurray Snively

Michael StevensonJoy Whitehead

Anne WolfMargaret Wolf

10 Years of Service

Jeanne Bedford-JonesRoy Bristow

Robert Craig BrownNancy Gyokeres

Janet JacobsRoy LoachShirley Ong

Panni (Eva) RelleEleanor SpurrLouise Steel

5 Years of Service

Linda AndrewsSaverio BellofioreColin CampbellDenise ChafeJoyce Deyong

Sherry DoughertyAudrey Douglas

Janet EggbyAngela GransdenLoraine Gratias

Edith GrudaSusan Hoey

Elizabeth JenkinsMaureen Kagan

Lawrence KincaidSheila MacFeetersEsther McKinnonJohn McKinnonRobert MetcalfeIrene MeulemanDorothy MustingDawn Nickerson

Claire PerkinsBarb RyderErnie Shaw

Annette SpillaneFay Spindel

Mary Tattersall

The Sunnybrook Volunteer—June 2011, Page 8

Newsletter CommitteeJohn Lang, Editor; Esther McKinnon, ex-officio;

Joan Willingham, Stacey McIndless and Bill Toyne membersDesign & Copy Editing: Lorraine Hunter

Printing: Sunnybrook Print ShopThe Newsletter Committee welcomes input from members interested in

joining Board Committees, helping out at SVA events, researching and/or writing articles for the newsletter, or taking photographs.

If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us at: sva@sunnybrook.ca or 426-480-4132

ISSN 1918-7637 The Sunnybrook Volunteer

Robert AuldBarbara Bagnell

Ahalya BalachandranHeather Baxter

Janice BerryRobert Bobotsis

Mamalyn CaramatFredrick Charles

Helen ChenStella Clark

Juan Carlo CruzCynthya DahanRosemary Dale

Alexander DietrichPetyo DobrinovLilibeth Doinog

Hermylin DuncanBob Edgett

Radik EkhlasIsabella EvansLydia Fahim

Katherine GarintherCarla Goldstein

Linda GougeAmanda GreenIan Hammond

Kathleen HellerCarolyn Hinds

Jin Yu HuRitta Johnston

Shalini KailasapillaiImtiaz KhanNoreen King

Nasrin LavasaniLolita Lavina

Hing-Ching LeungShirley LoBay Lobb

Beatrix LuiAlice Ma

Julia MacBainIrvi Mati

James McCreightLaura McLeanQuan MilletteSean MindraSusan MovatKrista NacoAfshan Raja

Indra RamkarranVanessa RebeloGinnette Ross

Parichehr SalaselNikita Sankreacha

Edina Saric

Welcome NewVolunteers!Kavinda SenanayakeMuhaimen Siddiqui

Barry SingerErnie Skrow

Bert SteelCatherine Szabo

Valerie UsherSabiha WaseemMona Waserman

Chris WongHao Zhao

In MemoriamOur thoughts go out to family

and friends

Ron Spafford, May 2011Dudley Wilcox, April 2011

Notes & Reminders

• SVA members will be interested to note that a recent past treasurer of the Sunnybrook Volunteer Association, Louise Dawson, has been appointed to the position of Treasurer for the Hospital Auxiliaries Association of Ontario. Our congratulations to Louise for this new and expanded responsibility.

• In a future issue we hope to be reporting to you on a significant new donation to the Ceiling Tiles project by a group of physicians from the Trauma Department. This is very exciting news that serves as a reminder of the value of identifying the ceiling tiles to possible sponsors around the hospital – particularly patients and their families who benefit from them.

• A reminder again that, if you have not yet given your email address to the SVA office, you should do so right away so that you can receive the quarterly newsletter and other volunteer communications in a timely manner.