The Aberdeen Health Foundation is excited to...
Report to Community 2018
Our Community Thrives on Generosity
This year, we are pleased to report that the Aberdeen Health Foundation invested nearly $900,000 in capital upgrades and new equipment, enhancing services in many hospital departments. In addition, over $200,000 supported education and health and wellness programs within the hospital and throughout the community.
The Foundation’s activities are deeply rooted in medical equipment and education funding. Through a strategic planning process in 2017, the need to also consider a Population Health approach that addresses the social factors that influence health was identified as a priority. The Foundation has some experience in this type of funding through the Children’s Aid Society Endowment and we will build on this experience going forward.
We continue to develop the Foundation’s working relationship with the Nova Scotia Health Authority and other stakeholders to promote high quality health care for Pictou County families. Everyone wants to see meaningful improvement in the health of our population, and the Aberdeen Health Foundation has an important role to play. The significant, on-going generosity of this community has made it possible for the Foundation to increase its annual level of support. Whether you donate, host a fundraiser, volunteer, or share our story, we thank you for helping us advance health and wellness here at home.
~ Hilary R. Amit, Chair
Your Generosity. Big Impact.
It was an emotional day when the nieces of Jean MacKay Baudoux visited the Aberdeen Hospital to see their beloved aunt’s generosity at work. A bequest in Jean’s will to the Aberdeen Health Foundation has helped establish a Clinical Simulation Lab at the hospital, a dedicated training space for the clinical education of health professionals, complete with live simulation technology.
Jean’s donation has also provided for a female mannequin that is so lifelike it can deliver a baby. Clinical Educator Chanda MacDonald is able to set up scenarios for various pregnancy and delivery situations and assess learners in relation to a variety of learning objectives, from skill development to communications and teamwork.
Simulation learning is considered best practice for inter-professional team development. It allows staff to practice assessments and emergency situations in the safest, most advanced and realistic way available.
“As a proud nurse and nurse instructor, Jean was committed to donating to the Aberdeen Health Foundation throughout her life. It was incredibly touching to witness our aunt’s final act of generosity at work, which is impacting health professionals and patients right where Jean began her career in nursing more than 50 years ago.”
– Carolyn Townsend, niece of Jean MacKay Baudoux
Full Story >> http://aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/simlab/
Sandbar Mental Health Endowment Pushing Back Against Mental Illness
The programs offered by New Hope have become an important part of Natasha Turner’s path to mental health. Diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2015, Natasha is committed to doing what it takes to be well. She has come to learn that in addition to taking her medication, being social is key to managing her symptoms. That’s why the New Hope program has become so important to her recovery.
New Hope is an outpatient program for persons in Pictou County living with mental illness. It provides a positive environment for building relationships and support networks. Its programs are inherently social and help clients develop a toolbox of skills that build resilience and a connection to community.
With funding from the Aberdeen Health Foundation Sandbar Mental Health Endowment, New Hope continues to offer a wide array of programs this year and introduced several new ones in 2017, including art, drama, photography, gardening, and mindfulness. According to Terri Cameron, RN, programs allow an unfiltered assessment of how a client is doing and this translates to better treatment.
Each of the programs offers Natasha something refreshing. She goes three times a week and, much like a job, she shows up even when she doesn’t feel like it. She is seeing the difference it makes. “I’m coming off the spiral I was on with my psychosis. My family has seen good changes in me. My personality is coming back. I’m more outgoing and expressive. I have a better work ethic.”
Full Story >> http://aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/sandbar2017/
The Ways You Give. The Difference You Make.
Pink Pumpkins for Cancer Patient Research
The pumpkin patch at the McLean’s farm began as a way for their son to raise money for university. It has continued as a tradition the McLeans now use to support local charities. This year they grew and sold pink pumpkins for the Foundation’s Oncology Client Fund, which helps cancer patients in Pictou County with the extra costs associated with their treatment. Neil McLean is pictured centre with Bonnie McCarron, Cancer Patient Navigator and Susan Malcolm, Aberdeen Health Foundation.
Grilling Up Good News
The cheery team from East Coast Credit Union, New Glasgow were grilling up good news for maternal health in Pictou County at their annual BBQ last summer. Proceeds from their event were donated to the hospital’s Women and Children’s Unit. Pictured L-R are East Coast Credit Union staff members, Sherry MacLeod; Darlene MacInnis; manager, Dale Bigney; and Nova Scotia Health Authority staff, Mary McLean, RN; and Julie MacLaughlin, RN.
Honouring a Musical Legacy
The final act of the former Friends of the Arts Society was to make a donation to the Aberdeen Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit for iPads for a music therapy program. Music therapy helps stimulate memories and emotional expression of patients and their families. A fitting gift from an organization with a 25-year legacy of enriching musical and artistic experiences in our community.
Full Story >> http://aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/musictherapy/
The Difference You Make
Supporting the Bright Smiles Project
The Aberdeen Health Foundation is helping the Bright Smiles Project offset the costs of dental services for those living with mental illness in Pictou County. The program provides a dental exam, x-ray, cleaning, oral care products, and education. Most importantly, access to these services improves overall health and self-esteem, and reduces stigma.
Full Story >> http://aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/helping-to-brighten-smiles/
Memorial Gifts support New Chairs for Local Dialysis Unit
By naming the Aberdeen Health Foundation as a charity of choice, the family of Marian MacIntosh was honouring her lifelong commitment to helping others with kidney disease. Together with the Aberdeen Health Foundation, the In Memoriam gifts replaced all four chairs in the satellite hemodialysis unit in Pictou.
Full Story >> http://aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/memoriam-gifts/
Conference Focused on System Change
With funding support from the Foundation, Pictou County hosted the first ever conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in Nova Scotia with a focus on intervention. It was aimed at enhancing understanding of the barriers faced by youth and families living with FASD, and the ways health, education, and justice professionals can change practices and policy to improve outcomes for clients.
Full Story >> http://aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/fasd-conference/
New Emergency Department Opens
The Aberdeen Health Foundation was pleased to see its previous year funding of $1.5 million put to work when the hospital’s new Emergency Department opened in September with a state-of-the-art patient monitoring system. It allows patients to be monitored wherever they are in the hospital, improving efficiency and enhancing patient care and safety.
Full Story >> http://aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/ed/
Open Hospital Day
On May 7, 2017, the Aberdeen Health Foundation together with the staff of the Aberdeen hosted “Open Hospital Day”. The event provided a behind-the-scenes look at many areas of the hospital and the many ways your support is making a real difference for health care in our community.
View Photo Gallery >> http://bit.ly/2r3hf5p
Susan Malcolm Retiring After Twenty-Year Career with Aberdeen Health Foundation
After a 20-year career with the Aberdeen Health Foundation, Susan Malcolm has decided it is time to retire. She is looking forward to time with family, but at the same time knows that she will miss the people she gets to work with and the relationships she has developed. Susan says that she feels very fortunate to have been part of an organization that is making a very real and personal difference to the lives of the people of Pictou County. Though she is incredibly modest and humble about her contributions, there is little doubt of the impact she has had on those she has worked with.
Here are just a few examples of what makes Susan so special and why we are so grateful for her many years of dedication to the Foundation.
“She is a wonderful lady. I worked with a lot of people in my day in the telephone industry. I have always been interested in how people treat others. I have found Susan Malcolm to be one of the finest people and leaders I’ve met. From the beginning I could tell that Susan really wanted to get to know me, to understand why I was giving and what was important to me as a donor. It meant an awful lot to me to be invited by Susan to come into the hospital to see my donation in action, to see the difference it is making for patients and staff. She has made me feel like I’m a part of the Foundation.” – Donald Horne, Donor
“Susan is very collaborative. I have always been impressed with her genuine desire to find ways to maximize the opportunities for staff within the criteria of the funding. You can trust that she’s on top of whatever she’s working on. She’s easy to work with and thorough. But more than this, she is genuinely very person-centered. She works to build relationships. It doesn’t matter who you are, she treats you the same. She finds meaningful ways to say thank you. She has the ability to create trusting relationships, one of the most important qualities of a leader in my view.” – Nancy MacConnell-Maxner, Northern Zone Director of Interprofessional Practice and Learning, Nova Scotia Health Authority
“Integrity, confidentiality, competence, and compassion are the qualities Susan has consistently demonstrated. She is the ultimate team player. Through her dedication and engagement she inspires the confidence and pride of all stakeholders in the role they play to further the Foundation’s value and effectiveness. The board has initiated a search process to select the best possible candidate to continue to build on the strong relationships that Susan has cultivated. She will be missed, but she leaves the Foundation in a position of strength thanks to her years of outstanding service.” – Susan Green, Past Chair, Aberdeen Health Foundation
“Susan is an extremely caring person. She cares about the community. She’s gentle when she’s helping you with your donation. She’s compassionate. To me, Susan is the face and voice of the Foundation. They could not have had a better ambassador. She was also my connection to the Aberdeen Hospital; I could call her for information. If I missed her, I knew she’d get back to me. She was my constant. She is the consummate professional. She was doing her job but she always made me feel like I was her friend.” – Judy Burton, Donor
Click here to read our feature story about Susan >> http://aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/susansgifts/
Aberdeen Hospital Nurses Piloting a First in Nova Scotia
With funding assistance from the Aberdeen Health Foundation, the Aberdeen Hospital is participating in a pilot program to become a Best Practice Spotlight Organization in Nova Scotia. The Aberdeen was invited by St. FX Rankin School of Nursing to partner in this program, which is a health care innovation that has improved patient outcomes wherever it is deployed.
Through the initiative, nurses in the medical inpatient department bring the latest evidence in best practice to the bedside. It represents a shift in the culture of care away from doing something because “that’s how it’s always been done”. Nurses learn how to gather evidence, develop a rationale, and facilitate conversations that help the entire team adjust and adapt its approach. In the process, they become patient care innovators.
During the one-year pilot project, the team will implement best practice guidelines in two areas: pressure ulcers and managing transitions in care that occur at shift changes. These are areas of patient care and safety that nurses can directly impact. How staff communicate with patients to make decisions and collaborate with other health professionals are key aspects of the program.
Full Story >> http://aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/best-practice-pilot/
2017 Funding Commitments
| Medical Equipment | |
| Emergency Department | $600,000 |
| Pharmacy | 129,701 |
| Surgical Services | 96,027 |
| Minimally Invasive Suite | 36,000 |
| Dialysis Unit | 18,610 |
| Diagnostic Imaging | 13,891 |
| Transitional Care Unit | 3,000 |
| Sub-Total | $897,229 |
| Health Program and Education | |
| Bain Langley Palliative Care Endowment | 1,771 |
| CAS Endowment | 46,445 |
| CAS Legacy Fund | 12,308 |
| Dr. Johnnie Miles Williston Fund | 3,122 |
| Education Fund | 33,877 |
| Frank & Irene Sobey Memorial Fund | 9,764 |
| Palliative Care Endowment | 15,344 |
| Population Health | 8,857 |
| Sandbar Mental Health Endowment | 5,560 |
| Specified Donations | 80,547 |
| Sub-Total | $217,595 |
| Grand Total | $1,114,824 |
Please Join Us
Aberdeen Health Foundation Annual General Meeting
Thursday, February 22, 2018 @ 6:30 pm
Aberdeen Hospital Boardroom
835 East River Road, New Glasgow
“Population Health is Everyone’s Business”
with Guest Speaker Dr. Ryan Sommers, Public Health Physician
Most of what determines good health is well beyond the control of the
health care system. Using real-world examples, Dr. Sommers will talk
about the importance of investing in the health of our community.
Reception to follow as we thank our retiring Executive Director,
Susan Malcolm, for her 20 years of dedication to the Foundation.
Let your friends know you’re coming and share our event on Facebook.