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Healthy U
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Providing health care services to those who can’t care for themselves is a rewarding career, but can be physically demanding. That’s why it’s critical for Carewest to focus on health, safety and wellness of their employees, says Roxanne McKendry, Carewest’s Manager of Employee Health and Safety.
“I think our employees would agree that employee health and safety is an important part of everything we do. We invest a lot of time and resources in health promotion and safety, and I think our employees truly benefit,” offers McKendry.
In 2010, Carewest earned two honourary mentions in Alberta Venture magazine's Alberta's Best Workplaces competition. One was in the category of Best Workplaces Overall (over 750 employees) and the other in the category of Best Workplaces for Health and Safety.
McKendry notes that Carewest is “leading-edge” in Alberta’s continuing care sector as an employer committed to employee health and safety. “For instance, we were one of the first employers in our sector to put ceiling lifts in our residents’ rooms. Given many of our staff are physically active and doing plenty of lifting, it only makes sense to help staff avoid back strains or back injuries by using the lifts.”
In addition to learning how to safely use the ceiling lifts, every Carewest employee involved in direct resident care must know how to safely do physical lifts and transfers. “Staff attend a general lifting and transferring training program where they initially have to go through 2.5 hours of training. Then follow-up sessions are scheduled twice a year, so they can keep the safest techniques at top-of-mind.”
McKendry notes that managers must also take the training and suggests this provides “more impact” because managers and employees learn to work together and gain a stronger appreciation for safety and injury prevention objectives.
The Health and Wellness Equation
Safe work practices and injury prevention is only part of the health and wellness equation at Carewest, notes McKendry. “We do all kinds of health promotion, so it’s not just about injury prevention. However, we use our health and safety committees that are in place at each of our facilities as a forum to discuss health and wellness topics, and to plan for health-related events and activities.”
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Each year during the entire month of March, health promotion is a primary focus. In 2010, the aim was to raise awareness about hypertension. Employees at all 11 of the Carewest facilities were offered a chance to attend a clinic on-site and get their blood pressure checked and cholesterol tested.
“Our educational efforts during the clinics and throughout the month brought attention to the risk factors of hypertension, such as smoking and being overweight,” explains McKendry. “About 85% of our employees are female and we have found that they often think of others before they think of themselves and their health; so we try hard to give them messages that encourage them to fully consider their own health status or health risk factors.”
Samara Cygman, Carewest’s Manager of Communications, notes that a series of “Positive Talk” booklets on health-related topics has been a useful way to communicate with employees about key issues. The booklets are illustrated and use plain language to address many topics related to safety, health and wellness.
Other examples of health promotion efforts that are part of Carewest’s wellness initiatives include:
- regular staff immunizations (vital for staff health and patient safety/health)
- staff discounts at nearby fitness clubs
- ergonomic assessments for staff in different positions or work locations (e.g., office work or physically-demanding jobs)
- stress management workshops (e.g., raising teenagers, time management)
- no-charge Employee and Family Assistance Program for staff and their families
- one-on-one health counselling
Health Promotion is a Continuum
McKendry says that Carewest management plays a leading role in supporting health, safety and well-being at Carewest. Their philosophy is to treat health promotion as one of the very important steps towards a healthier workforce.
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McKendry explains that part of the health promotion success at Carewest is achieved by linking the company’s employee and Family Assistance Program and disability management efforts together, within the overall health promotion bundle. “A vital part of our approach is having three occupational health nurses on staff. They work regularly with all of our employees to counsel and assist them with any work-related health issues and overall personal health concerns.”
Creating a “buzz” among employees about health and wellness is an ongoing challenge, suggests McKendry. “We’ve had a lot of success, but you can never stop educating about the benefits of healthy living and promoting safe work practices. And it doesn’t just stop at work; we encourage our employees to take what they learn in the workplace home to their families and to adapt those lessons to their everyday lives.”
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Learn More
Health and Safety pages on Carewest’s Website.
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