By Cecilia Nasmith

We are all in the same storm, but we are not all in the same boat.

Health promoter Joanne Brewster made this point at the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit's February board of health meeting in presenting internal mental-health initiatives that are being offered to staffers who are giving their all to keep the community as safe as possible.

“Here we are in February, and almost a year since the declaration of the pandemic,” Brewster pointed out.
“And I don't know about you, but it feels so much longer.”

Each person on staff brings along a different mix of traits, gifts, needs, and personal and professional circumstances. This combination affects how much of a toll this pandemic takes.

There is an internal mental-health group working on strategies to mitigate this toll while the grueling work continues with no end in the near future – dealing with test results, listening to the concerns of callers, internalizing rapidly changing information and guidance, changing work routines and responsibilities, isolation, the eternal struggle with work-life balance, and even the little things like missing water-cooler conversations with colleagues.

The internal mental-health initiatives aim to provide resources and opportunities for input, as well as information on external and internal sources of support and connection.

The first phase was launched in January with a special page on The Hub, their internal network, containing resources staff can view, videos on mental health and wellness, and an events section, as well as the opportunity for staff to submit suggestions for the resources list and share words of encouragement and support for colleagues.

The goal is to strengthen staff morale and awareness of available resources, and they have committed to refresh the page weekly (usually Wednesday).

Phase two is professional presentations, the first of which was a February two-parter by Maureen Pollard – social worker, Compassionate Bereavement Care Provider and Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist. Her series on Compassion Fatigue and Recovering Resilience was well attended – 60 for part one and 55 for part two.

Canadian Mental Health Association Manager of Community Engagement and Education Jack Veitch – who also provides some mental-health services for the Peterborough Petes – is on deck for a March presentation on Managing Stress and Positive Psychology.

For those unable to attend, Brewster added, all presentations are recorded and posted on The Hub.

Phase three will bring a mechanism to provide opportunities for internal staff to share their knowledge and expertise as it relates to promoting mental health and wellness.

“Very timely,” board chair Doug Elmslie commented on the initiative.

“And the board is pleased to know what is being done.”