UNews - Workers' Compensation Board

Health and wellness a U of L mission

trevor.kenney — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:58:36 +0000

By SUZANNE MCINTOSH

A year and a half ago I began my position at the U of L as the wellness co-ordinator. One of the major tasks identified for me was to build upon and lead the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's wellness initiatives. A large part of this was to formulate a Mission and Vision for Wellness at the U of L.

After many months and numerous consultations with outside organizations and post-secondary institutions (who have best practice wellness programs), internal departments, the U of L Wellness Committee, the human resource team, and many others within the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, we now have a mission and vision of wellness for the institution. Thanks to the Wellness and the Joint Work Site Health and Safety Committees, for all their input and feedback, and to those employees who provided me with their definition of what wellness means to them.

I would like to take this opportunity to share some of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Wellness Mission and Vision. An important thing to remember is that this program belongs to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community and is a program that will change and grow as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and its people change and grow.

Mission

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge recognizes our people are our greatest asset and that health and well-being is critical to overall ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ success.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is committed to empowering employees to fulfill their personal and collective health and wellness goals.

Vision Statement

That each person have the ability to seek knowledge, create health and wellness goals and attain their highest level of well-being.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ recognizes that individual pursuit of a balanced and fulfilled lifestyle enhances overall organizational health.

Principles

Wellness is an active, lifelong process of becoming aware of choices and making decisions toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Wellness involves identifying the priorities and personal needs in one's life and making changes in lifestyle behaviours that help one attain the highest level of health and well-being possible for that individual.

Wellness will be viable and prominent at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, which will encourage employees to utilize wellness resources. This will result in increased employee satisfaction, which has been shown to increase productivity and decrease absenteeism.

The Wellness program will:

Support employees in creating a balanced, healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.

Support wellness initiatives and educational programs
• Health Screening
• Managed care and return to work programs (for both occupational and non-occupational injury/illness)
• Monthly lunch and learn sessions
• Ergonomic assessments
• Back health education and stretching program
• Life Balance fair, Wellness Week and Activity challenge

Wellness Committee

Support the U of L's existing internal responsibility focus and will continue to support a person's right to choice.

The Wellness program will interact with numerous stakeholders; on and off campus.

• Employees
• Wellness Committee
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Emergency Response Team
• Ergonomics
• Health Centre
• Human Resources
• Managed Care
• Pension and Benefits
• Risk and Safety Services
• Security Services
• Sport and Recreation Services
• Benefits Providers
• Workers' Compensation Board
• Community resources and service providers

The focus of the wellness program is on education, prevention and empowerment of each U of L employee. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge believes that the health and well-being of its employees is critical to overall productivity.

Wellness is an active, lifelong process of becoming aware of choices and making decisions toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Suzanne McIntosh is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's wellness co-ordinator

Health and wellness a U of L mission

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 May 2010 21:40:37 +0000

A year and a half ago I began my position at the U of L as the wellness co-ordinator. One of the major tasks identified for me was to build upon and lead the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's wellness initiatives. A large part of this was to formulate a Mission and Vision for Wellness at the
U of L.

Mission

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge recognizes our people are our greatest asset and that health and well-being is critical to overall ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ success.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is committed to empowering employees to fulfill their personal and collective health and wellness goals.

Vision Statement

That each person have the ability to seek knowledge, create health and wellness goals and attain their highest level of well-being.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ recognizes that individual pursuit of a balanced and fulfilled lifestyle enhances overall organizational health.

Principles

Wellness is an active, lifelong process of becoming aware of choices and making decisions toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.

The Wellness program will:

Support employees in creating a balanced, healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.

Wellness Committee

Support the U of L's existing internal responsibility focus and will continue to support a person's right to choice.

The Wellness program will interact with numerous stakeholders; on and off campus.

The focus of the wellness program is on education, prevention and empowerment of each
U of L employee. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge believes that the health and well-being of its employees is critical to overall productivity.

Wellness is an active, lifelong process of becoming aware of choices and making decisions toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Suzanne McIntosh is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's wellness co-ordinator

Workplace violence seminar on Wednesday

trevor.kenney — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:36:41 +0000

A single incident of workplace violence can have life-long consequences for workers and their families and can forever impact how a company does business. Knowing how to assess the risks in your workplace and finding solutions to prevent violence are critical steps towards developing an effective workplace violence prevention program.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has invited the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) to come to campus for a seminar entitled Preventing Violence at Work. This 90-minute seminar focuses on general staff awareness and is open to all U of L employees.

The seminar is Wednesday, Mar. 10 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre (W500).

Ross Arrowsmith, senior security advisor with the WCB in Alberta will present strategies that will allow people to arm themselves with the knowledge to deal with these potential life-threatening situations. A dynamic speaker, Arrowsmith is noted for putting a humorous and interesting perspective on a serious topic.

Events Calendar - March

trevor.kenney — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:21:46 +0000

Pronghorn Athletics

Mar. 8 | 16th Annual Horns Dinner & Auction | SU Ballrooms

Lectures

Mar. 3 | Art Now: Tanya Harnett
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 5 | Art Now: Stan Denniston (photographer) | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 8 | Art Now: Nana Debois Buhl
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 8 | Architecture & Design Now: Brendan Tang (ceramic artist)
6 p.m., C610

Mar. 9 | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholars Public Presentations | Dr. Claudia Malacrida presents Dehumanization as a Way of Life: Alberta's History of 'Treating' People with Intellectual Disabilities
4 p.m., AH100

Mar. 10 | Art Now: Diane Borsato
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 10 | Preventing Workplace Violence | Workers' Compensation Board presents a 90-minute seminar on general staff awareness
2:30 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre (W500)

Mar. 12 | Art Now: Sandra Dyck
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 15 | Art Now: Gordon Payne
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 15 | Architecture & Design Now: Julie Nicholson | 6 p.m., C610

Mar. 16 | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholars Public Presentations | Dr. Brian Titley presents Penance, Prayers, and a Happy Death: Convents and Moral Rehabilitation of 'Wayward' Women
4 p.m., AH100

Mar. 17 | Art Now: Eric Metcalfe
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 18 | Discovery Lecture Series
Humanitarian advocate James Orbinski presents Equity and Global Health | 7 p.m., PE250

Mar. 19 | Art Now: Olga Korper
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 22 | Art Now: Anna Hudson (art historian) | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 22 | Architecture & Design Now: Daniel Heaton | 6 p.m., C610

Mar. 23 | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholars Public Presentations | Lisa Doolittle presents Performing Negotiations: Blackfoot Dance/Spectacle, the Colony, and Multicultural Canada 1870-2010 | 4 p.m., AH100

Mar. 24 | Art Now: Ho Tam
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 26 | Art Now: Jennifer Fisher
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 26 | Women Scholars Speaker Series | Dr. Nancy Turner presents Not Just Any Old Place: Ethnoecology in a Changing World
12 p.m., Students' Union Ballroom A

Mar. 29 | Architecture & Design Now: John Shnier | 6 p.m., C610

Performances

Mar. 2 | Music at Noon: Eve Egoyan (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 4-6 | TheatreXtra #4
8 p.m. nightly, David Spinks Theatre; Mar. 6, 2 p.m. matinee

Mar. 6 | Spring Sing | U of L Singers and Women's Chorus perform |
8 p.m., Southminster Church

Mar. 9 | Music at Noon: Malcolm Lim (percussion) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 12 | U of L Collaborative Piano/Guitar: It Takes Two | 7 p.m., Gem of the West Museum (Coaldale)

Mar. 16 | Music at Noon: Dr. Janet Youngdahl (soprano & friends) |
12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 19 | Stealing Noise
U of L Electro-Acoustic Ensemble's inaugural concert | 8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall

Mar. 23 | Music at Noon: Dr. Jonathan Sokasits (piano) |
12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 23-27 | Life is a Dream
A play exploring illusion and reality as a king imprisons his infant son for fear he will grow up to rebel against him | 8 p.m. nightly, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre

Mar. 26 | Glory and Grandeur
U of L Wind Orchestra with special guests Adam Mason, Jodi Bartell and Matt Groenheide | 8 p.m., Southminster Church

Mar. 29 | Hayden's Creation
Lethrbidge Symphony Orchestra, Vox Musica, U of L Singers and soloists Janet Youngdahl (soprano), Sandra Stringer (mezzo-soprano), Blaine Hendsbee (tenor), George Evelyn (bass) and John Conlon (baritone)
8 p.m., Southminster Church

Mar. 30 | Music at Noon: Dr. Deanna Oye (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Miscellaneous

Mar. 3 | Avalanche Awareness Night
A selection of safety and interesting ski and snowboard videos | 7 p.m., AH100

Mar. 5 | Veterinary Medicine Information Session | Presented by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary | 9:30 a.m., D631

Mar. 9 | Student Speaker Challenge
How Education Benefits the World – Final | 7 p.m., AH100

Mar. 11 | The Edible City – How to Grow Food in Urban Areas
Presented by Ron Berezan, the Urban Farmer | 7 p.m., Students' Union Ballroom B

Mar. 12 to Apr. 9 | Works on Paper from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection | Curators: Museum Studies Interns

Mar. 12 to Apr. 9 | Annual Curated Student Exhibition | U of L Main Gallery | Opening Reception: 8 p.m., Mar. 12

Mar. 15 | Research Grant Fundamentals Workshop
The basics of finding grant information using online and print resources | 1 p.m., L950

Mar. 20 | Culture Vulture Saturday
Recycled Art | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Art Gallery

McIntosh takes Wellness challenge

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:19:23 +0000

For 18 years, Suzanne McIntosh saw the effect side of the employee wellness equation. Now, as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's new Wellness Coordinator, she gets a chance to address the causal aspect.

A veteran of the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB), McIntosh spent the better part of the last two decades working with those who had already suffered an accident or injury that was keeping them off the job. Her opportunity now is to work with employees to stave off such occurrences, all the while assisting in creating a happier, more productive workplace.

"One of my main roles is working with faculty, staff – anybody who's an employee of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ – making sure they have information about their health and wellness so that they can be healthy and productive at work," she says.

"Eventually we would like to assist individuals to be pro-active with their health and wellness and make sure they do stay at work."

A Picture Butte native, McIntosh spent the majority of her time at the WCB in Calgary. She first worked with injured clients who could not return to work, then moved into a case manager's role. For much of the last 10 years she served as an account manager as well as a supervisor.

With a diploma in rehabilitation services from Lethbridge College, she is more than qualified to assist with employees who are off work with illness or injury. What she'd rather do is keep them on the job in the first place.

"In the last five to 10 years, employers are really taking a good look at health and wellness and how they can get their employees to be more productive," she says. "It's very costly to have people off work so initially (employers) were looking at just that aspect.
"I think what they are finding now is that it just rolls over into so many more benefits for the employees. They are much happier at work, people like coming to work, it's a much more community-focused approach."

At her disposal is the Health and Wellness Centre and McIntosh wants to incorporate its use as much as possible.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has so many resources here and for me that's really exciting because there's so much to tap into," she says. "We can coordinate with the fitness and health centre and look at a program where employees could go in and do a health screening. Then we can come in and help them where they are lacking, with an exercise program for example, or information on their diet and nutrition."

Back in southern Alberta, McIntosh said she could not be happier. With a family of four that includes two young daughters, she says the life balance that can be achieved in Lethbridge, as opposed to Calgary, is a revelation.

"It took a little while to get used to a new community again but now I really enjoy being back here," she says. "I don't miss Calgary at all, except once in a while for shopping. I've found how much more time a person has and that's part of balancing your life."

GET THE FACTS

• Married to husband Darren, the two will enjoy their 24th anniversary this spring. They have two daughters, Samara (15) and Nikki (11)

• McIntosh's maiden name is Vogt. She's the sister to CTV News Director Terry Vogt

• As the Wellness Coordinator, she practices what she preaches. "I try to go to the gym three or four times a week. I run a little bit, I'm pretty active; I like to do anything outside. I garden, golf in the summer when the weather is good, pretty much anything."

• McIntosh took over for Rosi Gregory and began her post in November

• Heads up for the next Wellness initiative, the May 1 to June 12 Spring Challenge

Students entitled to WCB coverage

trevor.kenney — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:08:10 +0000

Being a student at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge requires a lot of work; in fact it's enough to earn Workers' Compensation Board coverage.

Students registered in and attending a post-secondary institution in Alberta, as outlined in Section 7(1)(c) of the General Regulations of the Worker's Compensation Act, who are enrolled in a vocational or academic program leading to a degree or certification, are considered to be workers of the Government of Alberta and are entitled to WCB coverage.

This regulation applies to all students who are in attendance at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, except those students who suffer accidents while engaging or participating in extra curricular sporting, recreational, social or personal fulfillment activities which are not a current academic requisite or required as a part of the course of study in which the student is registered.

There are many benefits that students enjoy as a result of this coverage entitlement, especially for students whose academic program include practicum, co-op experiences and internships. The coverage however is not specific to only those students but to all students who are involved in their academic endeavors.

If a student is involved in an accident or incident, it should be reported immediately to either U of L Security (403-329-2345) or Risk and Safety Services (403-329-2099) or by completing an on-line incident/accident report.

The Alberta Workers' Compensation Board may not cover distance learners if they do not meet Section 28(1) of the Workers' Compensation Act. For more information contact the Workers' Compensation Board or Risk and Safety Services.

It is extremely important for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to be immediately notified when a student is involved in an accident or incident in the course of their academic experience to ensure that the matter is reported to WCB within the regulated timelines, enabling WCB to review each situation and determine the student's entitlement to benefits.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Wellness Coordinator, Suzanne McIntosh, administers the WCB portfolio at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. McIntosh can be reached at 403-332-5217 or by email at suzanne.mcintosh@uleth.ca

UNews - Workers' Compensation Board

Health and wellness a U of L mission

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