Team News

MANDT System – Building Healthy Relationships

The Mandt System® program presents an education and training system of gradual and graded alternatives for de-escalating and supporting people, using a combination of interpersonal communication skills and physical interaction techniques designed to reduce injury to all the participants in an encounter.

We are pleased to offer Mandt Training to our staff.  Please speak with your program manager to be referred to attend an upcoming session.

Two Day Mandt Training

• In-depth training over two 6 hour classes

Training will take place in the Barb Goode Training Centre at 3223 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC

10am to 4pm each day.

Next session:  April 18 & 19, 2024  – Limited Spaces available

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES / EVENTS

The Marketplace: Spring ’24

Local shoppers, unite! ️

Don’t miss The Marketplace: Spring ’24 edition at Heritage Hall on April 13-14th! Explore over 40 vendors showcasing unique handmade products, indulge in delicious offerings from local food trucks, and groove to live music. Plus, be one of the lucky first 25 in line to receive market money to spend on your favorite finds!

WHERE: Heritage Hall, 3102 Main St, Vancouver, BC

️WHEN: Saturday & Sunday | April 13 – 14 | 11:00AM – 7:00PM

Dog-friendly venue

Admission is free for all, no tickets required – see you there!

WHERE: Saje Natural Wellness (Metropolis at Metrotown – 4700 Kingsway Burnaby, BC)

WHEN: Sunday, April 14th | 9:30AM – 10:30AM

COST: FREE. But please register.

Speaker Series | Artist Talk with Arielle Bobb-Willis

Capture Photography Festival presents its first Speaker Series talk with photographer Arielle Bobb-Willis. Join us for a discussion of Bobb-Willis’s career and her public art installation at the East Hastings Billboards for the 2024 Capture Photography Festival. Her forthcoming book Arielle Bobb-Willis: Keep the Kid Alive will be published by Aperture in fall 2024.

The East Hastings Billboards are generously supported by Tara and Christopher Poseley and is part of the Pattison Outdoor Public Art Project.

This event is part of the 2024 Capture Photography Festival Speaker Series and is presented by Capture Photography Festival in partnership with the Audain Faculty of Art at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Capture’s 2024 Speaker Series is generously supported by Rob Bruno.

If you would like to make a donation to support Capture Photography Festival, please donate via our registered charitable organization Vancouver Association for Photographic Arts here. Amounts greater than $20.00 will receive a tax receipt.

About the Artist

Arielle Bobb-Willis has been using the camera for nearly a decade as a tool for empowerment, developing a visual language that speaks to the complexities of life. She applies a “painterly” touch to her photography using vivid colours while documenting her subjects in disjointed positions to highlight the complexities of the human experience.

Bobb-Willis is currently based in Los Angeles, and is represented by Les Filles du Calvaire, Paris. Clients and collaborators include Vogue, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Variety, Nike, Apple, Thom Browne, Valentino, Ugg, Converse, and Hérmes.

Image: Arielle Bobb-Willis, San Francisco, 2017, Model: Christean Phillip, Stylist: Arielle Bobb-Willis. Courtesy of the Artist and Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire.

WHEN: Monday, April 15th | 6:00PM – 7:00PM

WHERE: Rennie Hall, 2nd Floor | Emily Carr University of Art + Design (520 East 1st Avenue Vancouver, BC)

COST:  FREE, but please register!

Burnaby Coffee Meetup – Spinal Cord Injury BC

Join us at Brentwood Mall in level 2 of the food court for a delicious beverage, a tasty snack and great conversation among friends! Gain support and tips from other people with SCI or related physical disabilities.

Collingwood Neighbourhood House – Food Drop

Figaro’s Garden Presents: Foraging Walk

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival 2024

Community Lunch Program at Renfrew Park Community Centre

The Lapu-Lapu Day Block Party!

Click here for more information!

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What is happening in Vancouver in April?

Click on the link below to see what’s happening:

https://www.destinationvancouver.com/events/calendar-of-events/vancouver-events-in-april/

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SAVE THE DATE For Spectrum’s Annual Summer Picnic!

WHEN: Wednesday, July 17th, 2024

TIME: 2:00PM – 6:00PM

WHERE: JOHN HENDRY PARK – TROUT LAKE – PICNIC GAZEBO

More details to follow closer to the date!

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FINANCIAL UPDATES

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The CNH Tax Clinic

The CNH Tax Clinic will be running from February 24 until April 30 for folks wanting help with their tax returns!

The Clinic will be open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1-3pm at the Annex (drop off and in-person) and on Saturdays from 10-3pm at the Main House (5288 Joyce Street; in-person).

Make an appointment today by calling 604-428-9142 or visiting the following links:

http://tinyurl.com/cnhtaxclinicannex2024

http://tinyurl.com/cnhtaxclinicmain2024

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Spectrum is a member of Inclusion BC and supports their provincial advocacy on behalf of individuals and families with developmental disabilities.

This is their report on the provincial budget announced yesterday for 2024-2025. 

Plan Institute Webinars

The Plan Institute has FREE upcoming regular webinars on the topics of the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and Wills, Trusts and Estates Planning.

RDSP

The Registered Disability Savings Plan is a Canada-wide registered matched savings plan for those with disabilities to better financially plan for their futures. The Level 1 webinar is meant for those who want to learn about what the RDSP is, who qualifies, and how to apply. The Level 2 webinar is for those who already have a RDSP, or have already taken Level 1.

Next Level 1 Webinar: Tuesday April 16th, 10 – 11:15am

Next Level 2 Webinar: Tuesday April 23rd, 10 – 11:45am

Click here to register and for more information

Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning (BC Only)

This webinar is meant for those who want to become better informed on the process of wills, trusts and estate planning to better secure the future of your relative or loved one with a disability. There is a limit of 60 participants so early registration is encouraged!

Next Webinar: Thursday April 18th, 10 – 11:15am

Click here to register and for more information

HEALTH & SAFETY

ICord – Sleep Routines and Sleep Disturbances After SCI Survey

ICORD researcher Dr. Claydon and her research team at SFU, and community partner Spinal Cord Injury BC are interested in learning more about the sleep routines, disturbances, and barriers to sleep supports experienced by individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), as well as the impacts of these sleep problems on daily life.

This survey study aims to characterize the milieu of routine and physiological sleep disturbances after SCI. The survey asks about sleep quality, sleep routines (i.e., turning), and sleep problems (i.e., sleep apnea, neuropathic pain, autonomic dysreflexia) as they present in the nighttime. We will also ask how your sleep

Why should you participate in this study?

Poor sleep quality is widely documented among individuals with SCI, with consequences of excessive daytime sleepiness, high levels of fatigue, and reduced participation. Unsurprisingly, 59-80% of survey respondents with SCI indicate having a sleep problem that interferes with sleep onset or sleep continuity. While the correlations between sleep problems and secondary conditions (chronic pain, bladder and bowel dysfunction, respiratory impairment) experienced in the daytime are strong, we do not know enough about how these problems present in the nighttime or how to best manage them.

As such, the principal focus of the survey is to characterize the frequency, severity, and management of 10 distinct sleep disturbances identified through literature review and community partner priorities: turning routines, sleep apnea, bowel care, bladder care, AD, thermal discomfort, neuropathic pain, nociceptive pain, spasticity, and anxiety. Given the potential for reciprocal impacts between sleep disturbances and additive effects on sleep outcomes, it is necessary to study these sleep challenges post-SCI. With the support of patient and community partners, we hope that the results of this study will shed light on the under-recognized challenges of sleep post-SCI to provide context for meaningful change and inform clinical priorities.

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• Have an SCI (inclusive of all injury levels, severity, duration, and cause)
• Are living in Canada
• Are at least 19 years old
• Are able to communicate and understand instructions in English

Compensation for participation

As a thank you for your time, participants will receive $15 via e-transfer. At the conclusion of the survey, participants who wish to receive the honoraria will be linked to an external survey to enter an email to which the e-transfer will be sent. Your email will not be linked to your survey responses.

This study will take place:

• Remotely (online survey / phone / audio call)

Time commitment

This online survey is estimated to take 30 – 45 minutes to complete. Skip logic has been integrated so that you will only be shown questions for the sleep disturbances that you indicate. If not completed in one sitting, the page can be left open until you return to it. If you wish to complete the survey verbally, please contact the survey coordinator (rebekah_lee@sfu.ca) to arrange a call.

Click here to start the survey, or save https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/SleepAfterSCI to start later.

For more information or to sign up to participate, please contact the study coordinator Rebekah Lee by email at rebekah_lee@sfu.ca or call (778) 892-8560.

Sun Life Healthy You: Be a fan of your health

We launched the Sun Life Healthy You (SLHY) hub in 2023. We want to encourage Canadians to take charge of their health. We also want them to know that Sun Life is here as a partner that can help them live healthier lives. We built the SLHY hub as part of Sun Life’s ongoing multi-year partnership with the Toronto Raptors. It provides practical advice on the topics of goal setting, routine building, physical fitness, nutrition, and mental health.

Diabetes Coaching with Lumino Health Pharmacy

Lumino Health Pharmacy offers pharmacy services, provided by Pillway. In January 2024, they will begin offering diabetes coaching from a pharmacist to all plan members, free of charge!

Diabetes is a fast-growing chronic disease, and the cost of drugs to treat it is on the rise. Plan members with diabetes often experience other chronic diseases at the same time. Coaching with Lumino Health Pharmacy aims to help plan members follow their treatment and improve health outcomes.

About Lumino Health Pharmacy

Launched in July, Lumino Health Pharmacy is an optional service. There’s free delivery within Canada to help manage medication routines with confidence.

About the diabetes coaching program

To start a coaching session, plan members sign in to the Lumino Health Pharmacy mobile app or website.

• Coaching will focus on lifestyle, diet, nutrition, mental health, health literacy and medication management.
• On-going coaching is also available if needed.
• The pharmacist can also coordinate with other health-care providers (if requested by the plan member). This includes general practitioners, specialists, and dietitians to best support plan members.

SunLife will launch diabetes coaching to plan members in January 2024. They send emails directly to targeted plan members who are actively claiming for diabetes-related medication(s). These emails will aim to raise awareness about the service and encourage them to use it. Standard exclusions will apply for plan member communications.

When plan members sign in to the my Sun Life mobile app or mysunlife.ca, they’ll receive messages about the program.

More details will follow about the coaching program in January, along with a preview of the plan member emails.

CLBC Reminder to get your flu and COVID-19 shots

Community Living BC encourages everyone who has yet to receive their COVID and flu shots this season, to kindly do so as soon as possible, ideally before the holiday season. COVID-19 remains a risk to the population (especially for those who are unvaccinated) and influenza cases are rising.

Priority to receive the COVID-19 vaccination is given to all individuals supported by CLBC. Invitations for this season’s vaccinations have been sent through email or text to everyone who has registered for a COVID vaccination in the past. It is possible to book both vaccinations in the same appointment! These vaccinations are free and available at pharmacies, health care authority clinics, and some primary care provider’s offices.

You can book your appointment through the Get Vaccinated System.

If you need help booking your appointment, you can call 1-833-838-2323. This number is open 7 days a week from 7am – 7pm and 9am – 5pm on statutory holidays.

Click here for BC’s fall respiratory illness immunization campaign

Is there anyone you know that is looking for meaningful work?

If you have a friend, family member or meet someone in the community that is interested in joining the team and you refer them to Spectrum, you could be eligible for a referral bonus!

If the person referred is hired and maintains at least 6 months of consistent employment with Spectrum, we will award a $250 Referral Bonus.

*for more information on the program, please email hr@spectrumsociety.org

We thank you for bringing us quality applicants/employees!