It never ceases to amaze us how much good can come from teamwork. Case in point is this week's good news story about how the combined efforts of the staff at Shorncliffe to decrease their workplace injuries produced not only a solution but an award as well.
Back in May 2005 an astute clerk alerted Mona Groves, the manager of home care services, to the dismal injury record of the people working at Shorncliffe. At that time, a full 42 per cent of the staff were hurting from muscle and back injuries. Those are the kind of statistics than any manager hates to see. But they're especially disconcerting in a profession where staff turnover is as hurtful to the residents as it is demoralizing to the workers.
Groves, at that time a newcomer to the position, soon realized that a culture change would be the only answer to the high injury rate. Through the insights she gained to the world of dementia from the book by Moyra Jones, Groves came to believe that a shift in focus was the key to staff health and resident satisfaction.
Once changes were made and the resident rather than the task became the motivator, the difference in injury levels became remarkable. Now at a tolerable 16 per cent level as of this spring, all the staff at Shorncliffe should be patting themselves on the back for a job well done.
Kudos to all who played a part in achieving this awesome provincial award and even more, a huge thank you from our community for the work you do every day with folks who sometimes are not able to say thank you. We know it's not an easy job, and we truly appreciate the fact that you don't see the residents of Shorncliffe as numbers but as part of a family. You are all amazing.
Good news this week from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. The pocket strings were finally loosened enough to send our way some much-needed money for transit. We do indeed hope that the $91,800 helps to make taking the bus a viable alternative on the Coast. Right now there are just not enough options for people who either don't have a vehicle or don't wish to use one as often as they do.
And on the subject of transportation, this is the last long weekend of the summer. Please, please drive carefully wherever your wheels take you. We would much rather write for you than about you.
