UNews - Wellness Coordinator

Events Calendar

trevor.kenney — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:58:16 +0000

Lectures

June 16
Monthly Lunch and Learn
How is your financial health? Budgeting and financial planning in these challenging economic times.
Money mentor Connie-Marie Riedlhuber discusses budgeting and developing a spending plan in today's economy.
12:05-12:55 p.m., L1050

Performances

June 19
For the Love of Music
A concert of opera, flamenco and piano music presented by the Flying Doctors of Canada and Doctors of Tomorrow.
8-10 p.m., Southminster United Church

Miscellaneous

Vascular Screening Assessment
The Wellness area, along with the U of L Health Centre, and the Health Sciences faculty will be reviving the Vascular Screening Assessment program in the fall.

The previous VRA pilot project was held in the spring of 2008 and was very successful in helping employees involved assess their current health status as well as possibly reveal hidden risks.

The project team is currently in the planning stages and will be assessing program capacity in the next month. Our goal is to continue the program on an ongoing basis. We will be extending the invitation to those involved in the prior screening pilot for follow up assessments and will have the capacity for a number of new applicants as well. For more information, contact Suzanne McIntosh, Wellness Coordinator at 5217 or via e-mail at: suzanne.mcintosh@uleth.ca

Gallery News
For most of June the U of L Main Gallery is closed for a bit of a 'face-lift,' which includes new flooring, new lighting and refinished walls.

The gallery reopens on June 26 with The Body Multiple – Figurative Photographs from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection.

"This exhibition examines the human body as captured by the camera lens, and disseminated by the replicated nature of photographic prints," says Jane Edmundson, curator of the exhibition. "A parallel can be drawn between the multiplicity of film-based photographic processes and the subjective perspective of each individual viewer."

The Body Multiple features works by artists including David Buchan, Sorel Cohen, Don Corman, and Eldon Garnet.

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 - Wellness Coordinator

Events Calendar

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McIntosh takes Wellness challenge

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Students entitled to WCB coverage

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