April 3, 2014 Good Afternoon Spring has finally sprung! The sunshine and above zero daytime temperatures this week have helped restore our faith in Mother Nature to bring on spring and that Old Man Winter is going to finally leave us! This newsletter is full of lots of great opportunities that are coming your way in the next few weeks and some links to new resources you may want to access for yourself, your employees or your coworkers! I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter!

Partners in Prevention 2014 Health & Safety Conference & Trade Show Mississauga, ON

Apr 29-30

NAOSH Week 2014

May 4-10

CCOHS News

10 Healthy Habits for Mental Fitness

There are steps we can take towards promoting our own

mental well-being by building a strong resilience to stress - a process referred to as mental fitness. CCOHS offers ten

practical, healthy lifestyle habits that are shown to improve mental fitness. Display the poster or distribute the fast fact cards to promote these healthy habits in your

workplace. More

Highview Residences in partnership with Alzheimer Outreach Services proudly presentS, CRACKED: New Light on Dementia

Cracked: New Light on Dementia is an innovative research-based theatre production that follows the journey of one woman and her family from diagnosis to life in long term care. Filled with poignancy, honesty and humour, this play brings to the fore the richness of the social world of dementia and encourages audiences to see the humanity of persons living with a dementia. Don’t miss this previously sold out production. When: Wednesday May 14, 2014 Time: 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm Where: Forest City Community Church - 3725 Bostwick Road, London, ON Admission is free to all…..Refreshments will follow….Seating is limited. RSVP today by contacting Kim @ McCormick Home Foundation 519.432.2648 ext. 2377 or visit https://cracked.eventbrite.ca

Let’s TALK Suicide - safeTALK suicide alertness for everyone

10 individuals die by suicide every day in Canada and as many as 2.5 million Canadians are thinking about suicide right now. It could be your colleague or client.

Make safeTALK a part of your mental health in the workplace strategy.

Learn how to identify a person with thoughts of suicide and connect them to a suicide intervention caregiver by attending safeTALK suicide alertness training. If you have already attended, thank you, and I invite you to share this information with others.

Why come to safeTALK?

Most people with thoughts of suicide invite help. Often these invitations are missed, dismissed or avoided – leaving people more alone and at greater risk. safeTALK prepares you to help by using TALK (Tell, Ask, Listen, Keepsafe) to identify and engage people with thoughts of suicide and connect them with further help and care.

London-Middlesex Suicide Prevention Council – (LMSPC) is currently offering safeTALK:

When: Tuesday April 29th @ 5:30pm – 8:30 pm

When: Saturday May 10th @ 10 am – 1 pm

Where: CMHA London, ON 648 Huron St.

Cost: $35/p

For more details and to register please visit: http://lmspc.ca/events/safetalk/ or email Lynda at: safeTALK@lmspc.ca

Resources - Activity & Healthy Eating

For information on Physical Activity & Healthy Eating, visit the Middlesex-London Health Unit website.

Quick links for Physical Activity & Healthy Eating:

- Food and Healthy Eating

- Physical Activity

Links for finding related information on Physical Activity & Healthy Eating:

- Healthy Aging

- Healthy Families

- Healthy Schools

- Pregnancy

- Safety

- Sun Safety

- Workplace Health

The Middlesex-London Health Unit also has additional Health Topics that may be of interest to you and your family. Visit

the website for the Middlesex-London Health Unit

PAR-Q AND YOU!

Are You Ready to Get Active? Regular physical activity can be fun and is important in staying healthy. Increasingly more

people are starting to become more active every day. READ MORE

CHILDREN & YOUTH NETWORK – RECREATION AND HEALTHY LIVING RESOURCES

This resource has been developed by Children & Youth Network in London, Ontario, to assist families off children and

youth with special needs and families facing barriers to participation. READ MORE

CITY OF LONDON BIKE & WALK MAP

The City of London supports walking and cycling as active ways to enjoy the many special features London has to offer

either as a recreational pastime or as a means of transportation. READ MORE

in motion™ Everyday Champion Do you know someone who inspires physical activity and healthy living in our community? This may be someone who fits physical activity into their everyday lifestyle or is active on a regular basis in ways that help them meet the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines. This may be someone who inspires healthy living for their own daily life or inspires others. Consider asking that person if you can nominate them for a monthly recognition that will appear in a local newspaper or on www.inmotion4life.ca For more information, see the ad below. Leading up to our next Community Challenge in October, this promotion will appear in a local newspaper. Watch your local newspapers to see some of our local Everyday Champions. Or, consider entering a nomination into this campaign. Please remember to check with your nomination to get their permission when you submit their name.

Careful Heart Coaching

Support, Growth Transformation – Turning Caregiver Chaos into Confidence

7 Project Management Principles to Improve Caregiving By Karen Fuller

I recently came across a research article: Balancing Work, Childcare and Eldercare: A View from the Trenches (Duxbury & Higgins 2001-2012). The authors stated that there are many reasons for adult children to become caregivers. Many feel a sense of responsibility toward their parents. Sometimes they accept the role by default when there is no one else available or willing to “step up.”

While caregiving is a positive experience for many, people often miss work, reduce their work hours or forego job opportunities to fulfil their caregiving responsibilities. Employers often bear the cost through absenteeism, lost productivity and the recruitment and training cost of replacement personnel. Such costs are estimated at 1 billion dollars annually in absenteeism and 1-2 billion in lost productivity. Read more - http://carefullheartcoaching.ca/7-project-management-principles-improve-caregiving/

About the Author: Karen Fuller: Read more here: http://carefullheartcoaching.ca/my-story/

Humor at Work ISSUE 531 - Mar. 26, 2014

Less Stress, More Fun a Great Recipe for Success April is Stress Awareness Month, begging the question: How aware are you and your organization of the costs associated

with stress? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health:

40% of job turnover is due to job stress

60% to 80% of all on-the-job accidents are stress related

Health care costs are 50% greater for employees with high stress levels

There's also the increase in errors, lost productivity, loss of creativity and negative impact on customer service to consider.

Fortunately, April is also official Humor Month - and humor, as we all know, is one of the most potent archenemies of stress.

So it's a great time to meet with your team and pose a few fundamental (because fun affects da' mental stuff) questions:

1. How is everyone's level of stress? Are we trending worse or better and why or why not?

2. What can we do to manage not just the symptoms of stress, but more importantly reduce the source?

3. How can we add more humor into the workplace to help fight stress? How can we use humor to create a more relaxed

environment, re-energize the workplace, reward people when they experience a challenging situation and mentally reframe

our workplace stress so that we keep our sense of humor?

http://archive.aweber.com/humor_at_work/IJAnL/h/Inspiring_Workplaces_Less.htm

http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=4067d0c4623bc1525f5851621&id=d2e8345b28&e=f6a565407d

30 Things To Start Doing For Yourself Each of the tidbits in this infographic will help you develop your ability to bounce back and make your life more meaningful.

Physically Active Mothers =Physically Active Kids

http://psychcentral.us1.list-

manage.com/track/click?u=4067d0c4623bc1525f5851621&id=b886857cab&e=f6a565407dExperts have known that parents

are strong influences in the lives of young children, with patterns of behavior established in the early years laying the foundation for future choices. A new study now links a child's activity pattern to their mother's exercise habits.

How To Overcome 3 Common Barriers To Success

Success isn't a one-size-fits-all concept, but many of us make the mistake of believing it is.

Plant something

How to take this break Plant flowers, vegetables or herbs in a workplace green space or in an indoor pot. You and your co-workers can use your break time to tend the plants (e.g., watering, weeding, etc.) If the garden is large enough, consider using the vegetables for a work potluck or the flowers to brighten the common area in your workplace.

Why this counts - Calming Growing plants may lift spirits and soothe the mind and body.

Ideas for this activity were contributed by Sandy Richardson, Public Health Nurse, Middlesex London Health Unit.

Go the distance

How to take this break Make choices that take you away from your desk. This can mean sending your print job to a printer at the other side of the office, using the washroom farthest from your desk, planning a face-to-face meeting with a colleague on another floor, or keeping your water bottle half full in order to get up and fill it more frequently.

Why this counts - Energizing Those extra steps you take can help contribute to better health by making you more active and giving you an energizing break throughout the day.

Ideas for this activity were contributed by Carla Hanna, Health Promoter, Halton Region Health Dept.; Dianna Conley, Director, Human Resources, George Derby Centre; Mary Beth Doyle, EAP Coordinator, Public Service Commission, Gov NL; Charlene Mo, Workplace Health Consultant, Alberta Health Services

Go to Workplace Strategies for Mental Health for more ideas, tools and resources to help with the prevention, intervention and management of workplace mental health issues.

TakeYourBreak activities should be approved by your employer/leader prior to initiating them. TakeYourBreak activities are provided for general information only and are not intended to be a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your physician or appropriate health care provider with respect to your particular circumstances.

Canada’s Largest Health and Safety Event

Partners in Prevention 2014 Health & Safety Conference & Trade Show learn more about it here…..http://www.healthandsafetyontario.ca/PartnersInPrevention2012/Home.aspx

April 29 – 30, 2014 The International Centre Mississauga, Ontario

Your Best Investment in Health & Safety

Few investments can promise such rich short and long-term gains

The Partners in Prevention Conference should be part of every business's health and safety investment strategy. Not only does it exceed expectations year-over-year, it starts paying dividends immediately and, over the long-term, the returns are substantial…

Renewing Energy & Commitment in the Workplace

This article examines Dr. Linda Duxbury’s 2012 research around the overloaded, stressed out

employee and discusses “right loading” as the way to resolve the stress levels present in so many

workplaces

© 2013 - Patricia Katz, Optimus Consulting

“Do you wish your people brought more energy and commitment to their work? Do they seem exhausted and disheartened

by the load?

After years of struggling to balance expectations and resources in the workplace, we still don't have it right. This article

explores what's going on, why we need to change and how to make a difference.

What’s Happening? Overload and overwhelm are still serious problems in today's workplace. According to results of a 2012 survey of 25,000

Canadian employees by Duxbury & Higgins, 97% report high or moderate levels of stress in their lives. Employees are

working longer hours (50.2/week) and taking more work home (another 7 hours/week).”……

…“Why We Need To Change

Getting the load right and investing in employee well-being matters now more than ever. Millenials and Gen Y, the new

recruits who will backfill the departing Boomers, are committed to balance in their lives. They are determined to find or

create workplaces where their health and their lives beyond the job are valued just as much as their performance in the

workplace. If they can't find it with you, they'll go elsewhere.”……

…“What's also new is that organizations are increasingly being held responsible for creating psychologically safe

workplaces - not just physically safe workplaces. This means that setting unreasonable demands and tolerating bullish

behaviours are fast becoming a corporate liability.”…

Read the whole article here…. http://www.pauseworks.com/library/articles/a-

renewing_energy_commitment_workplace.php

You can learn more about the programs and events at CMHA Middlesex on our website:

cmhamiddlesex.ca!

PLEASE JOIN US

The Board of Directors of The Islamic Centre of Southwest Ontario - Invite you to attend the 2014 Open

House

Wednesday April 30, 2014 at 6:30 pm at The Islamic Centre of Southwest Ontario - 951 Pond Mills

Rd. London On

Meet our executive and members

Learn about,

o our history and our milestones

o programs implemented to reach out to the community

o our next steps and collaboration efforts

Please RSVP to (519-668-2260 or eventsislamicc@gmail.com

One last time….I am going to encourage you to register for the Workshop A Changing Workplace:

Engaging, Building, Managing on Thursday April 10th

featuring Dr. Linda Duxbury in Sarnia.

If you do not think the issues of a multigenerational workplace exist in your workplace, you might be

mistaken!

Do you manage a generational mix of employees?

What do you do when conflict arises in your office between a 25 year old and a 55 year old employee?

Do you manage employees older than yourself, possibly with more seniority or experience than you?

Do you know how the different generations view work – and life outside of work?

Do you know the roles your employees play in their personal lives that may be impacting their productivity at work? (spouse/partner, parent, sister/brother, daughter/son, volunteer etc.)

How can you (and your company) more effectively support employees who have children, aging parents as well as personal and community commitments?

Tickets for the workshop are just $99 and can be purchased online at, www.drduxbury-

sarnia.eventbrite.ca

One more note…

I will be out of the office all next week – please leave me a voice or email message if you

need to contact me and I will return your message on my return.

Have a great week!

Sandy Richardson R.N. B.Sc.N. CCHN (C.)

Public Health Nurse

Health at Work 4 All! Program Coordinator

Middlesex London Health Unit

50 King St

London On N6A 5L7

Phone: 519-663-5317 ex 2412

Workplace line: 519-663-5317 ex 3333

fax: 519-663-9276

"coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success" Henry Ford