International Day of People Impacted by Suicide Loss – Nov. 19, 2022

Losing someone to suicide is a unique loss and can lead to several conflicting feelings and many unanswered questions. There is no one way to feel or grieve a death by suicide – we all react and grieve differently. It is important to remember that you are not alone – that suicide impacts more people than we often know about.

International Day of People Impacted by Suicide Loss is an annual event in which survivors of suicide loss come together to find connection, understanding, and hope through their shared experiences.

The Suicide Prevention Implementation Network (SPIN) is hosting an in person event for everyone in Brandon and Area to attend.

Please join SPIN on November 14th 2022, at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium, Brandon Manitoba, as we host the International Day of People Impacted by Suicide Loss.

Doors open at 5:45pm for viewing a wall of remembrance/ community booths, and mingling

At 7pm: Screening of the film Surviving Suicide, a documentary exploring the lives of 4 individuals living in Canada who have an intimate relationship with suicide. Throughout the film, we get to know these people, the role that suicide has played in their lives, and the life that they have found after Surviving Suicide.

7:45pm: Post-screening discussion moderated by filmmaker, Paul Plett, with panelist Bonnie Bricker (featured in the film)

Admission: Donation based/ pay what you can (cash only). If folks cannot afford the recommended $7 cost of admission, please donate what you can afford. If you are able to give more than $7 you are helping others to attend.

“Eliminating stigma and talking about suicide by the people left behind allow not only for healing but for further education and advocacy in the name of suicide prevention and life promotion.” Sean Krausert, Executive Director of CASP

SPIN social media: Twitter: @brandon_spin | Instagram: Spin_Brandon | Facebook: spinbrandon

If you are struggling yourself or are concerned about someone else’s suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to reach out for help. You can contact the Manitoba Suicide Prevention and Support Line at 1-877-435-7170, a crisis line available 24 hours per day. A trained crisis worker will listen to you and direct you to the resources you need.

National Grief and Bereavement Day

Submitted by: Carla Mitchell, MSW/RSW, PMH Palliative Care

“Grieving Is How We Say Goodbye”

The third Tuesday in November marks National Grief and Bereavement Day in Canada. Throughout the month of November, culminating on Nov 15th, the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association is promoting the resources and tools to help Canadians on their grief journeys. Everyone will experience grief at some point in their lives. National Grief and Bereavement Day is the opportunity for Canadians to share and normalize talking about grief, and to highlight the resources that can help those among us who are coping with loss.

Grief is the natural and normal response we have when we lose someone or something that holds great value to us. The grieving process gives us the opportunity to say goodbye to that important piece of our life and acknowledge the adjustments that will come as we move forward, heal and grow.

Prairie Mountain Health Palliative Care is marking National Grief and Bereavement Day by acknowledging those who are experiencing grief and promoting the resources and supports available in our health region. While grief can feel like a lonely journey, there are supports available so that you do not walk this path alone.

Telephone Support Lines

• Province Wide Bereavement Phone Line (Palliative Manitoba): 1-800-539-0295
• Hope for Wellness Line (Indigenous peoples): 1-855-242-3310
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
• Winnipeg Humane Society Pet Loss Support Line: 1-204-988-8804
• Manitoba Suicide Prevention & Support Line: 1-877-435-7170

Grief Support Groups

• Brandon and Area Suicide Bereavement Support Group (SPIN): 1-204-761-4083
• Brockie Donovan Funeral Services Grief Seminars (Brandon): 1-204-727-0697
• Compassionate Friends of SW Manitoba (Brandon and areas): 1-855-727-1823
• Dauphin Way United Methodist Church Grief Groups (Dauphin): 1-251-378-7524
• GriefShare Support Group (Dauphin): 1-204-648-7053
• GriefShare Support Group (Russell): 1-204-773-6963
• Healing Hearts Substance Use Bereavement Support Group (Brandon): 1-204-573-0188
• Memories Chapel Journey Through Grief Support Group (Brandon): 1-204-727-0330
• New Beginnings Grief and Loss Group (Neepawa): 1-204-476-3027
• Palliative Manitoba Kids and Teens Grieve Too! Support Group (virtual): 1-800-539-0295
• Paull Funeral Home Grief Recovery Program (Swan River): 1-204-293-9661
• Prairie Mountain Health Camp Bridges (Children 7-15): 1-204-578-2340
• Westman Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba Grief Groups (Brandon) 1-204-721-2174

In addition to the above listed services there are several upcoming community events where you can find support in your grief. Many communities offer programs during the months of November and December, such as Community Memorial Services, Memory Trees or Blue Christmas gatherings. If you would like more information about local events happening in your community please reach out to the Palliative Care Volunteer and Bereavement Coordinator, Carla Mitchell, at 204-578-2310 or [email protected].

On November 15th, in recognition of National Grief and Bereavement Day, a screening of the documentary Speaking Grief will be hosted by Brockie Donovan and Westman Hospice in Brandon. Speaking Grief validates the experiences of grievers and guides those who wish to support them. This event will happen on Nov 15, 2022 @ 4:00 pm. To RSVP call 204-727-0694.

Should someone with dementia use a mobility aid?

What do you know about choosing a mobility aid for your loved one? What if your loved one has dementia? Should they use an aid or will this increase their risks for falling? Who can help?

The priority for all caregivers is ensuring their loved one is cared for and safe. Noticing changes in a person’s ability to walk can be alarming but can also be a warning sign to changes in cognition and health.

Studies have shown that changes in a person’s walk often can be a symptom prior to the onset of dementia. Studies have also shown that people with dementia have an annual fall risk of 60-80% (Allan et al. PloSONE 2009) which is 2 times that of someone without dementia.

In the article Caregivers: Does your loved one need a gait aid? Marguerite Oberle Thomas speaks to the risks and benefits of using a mobility aid as well as the importance of seeking professional advice from health care professionals such as an occupational therapist prior to purchasing.

Discover additional falls prevention resources from the Falls Prevention Month website and visit the Falls Prevention page on the Prairie Mountain Health website.

Mental Illness Awareness Week – October 2-8, 2022

When is Mental Illness Awareness Week and why does it occur?

Mental Illness Awareness Week, this October 2^nd-8^th, occurs the first week of October annually as an initiative to raise awareness and reduce stigmatization of mental health issues and mental illness. The aim of this initiative, and others such as World Suicide Prevention Day (every September 10^th) is to reduce barriers that prevent people from accessing services for their mental health and substance use- which starts with openly discussing these topics.  

What is mental health?

Mental health is a person’s state of mental well-being, which includes the ability to copy with emotions, feelings and thoughts, and connection to others. Everyone has mental health and everyone will experience challenges with their mental health at some point in their life (such as dealing with grief). Mental health is not predicted by mental illness. People without mental illness can languish with poor mental health and people with mental illness can flourish with great mental health (see Keyes Dual Continuum of Mental Health). ¹

Who is affected by mental health concerns and mental illness?

1 in 5 Canadians will experience mental health or mental illness issues each year.² In Prairie Mountain Health (PMH), the Community Health Survey (2019) noted that 34,000 residents live with a mood or anxiety disorder mental illness, with PMH having the highest prevalence of mood or anxiety disorders in the province. The 2019 Community Health Survey also identified that, tragically, 1,000 Manitobans die by suicide every year.³

Managing Everyday Stress

It IS possible for people to thrive, whether or not they have mental illness. In order to thrive, all people, with mental illness or not, need to be able to manage everyday stressors.⁴

Tips to manage daily stressors are: ⁵

1. Identify your stressors
2. Categorize stressors by their ability to change (changeable or unchangeable) and importance (important or unimportant)
3. Plan a strategy for each stressor

Mental Wellness Supports Available Across PMH

PMH has supports available to help people learn how to manage their daily stressors, as well as supports for when people are experiencing poor mental health or a high state of mental illness.

• PMH Mental Wellness Promotion and Prevention Supports – These programs are offered in various communities throughout PMH. Times and locations vary, this programming is typically FREE for participants:
  • Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) – Program that offers participants the skills they need to build wellness tools, understand stressors, identify when things are breaking down, develop a crisis plan, and transition back to everyday tasks after a crisis. An education in-service is being offered on WRAP programming, as well as More than Mamas, on October 7^th 1:30-3pm for PMH employees.
  • Strive to Thrive – 5 class program that explores mental wellness symptoms with participants and looks at tools that participants can use to improve their mental wellness-to thrive. Participants explore what it means to thrive, manage life transitions, improve resilience, and build support. Strive to thrive is facilitated over 5 classes.
  • Get Better Together – Workshop held over 6 weeks for people wanting tools to manage their health conditions.
  • LivingWORKS SafeTalk – Training that is for community organizations and individuals. Participants learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, engaging with person at risk, and connecting them with an intervention resource for support.

• PMH Mental Health/Mental Illness Crisis Supports – These resources are available throughout PMH.  Discover the details here.

• Provincial Crisis Resources
  • Manitoba Suicide Line – 1-877-435-7170
  • Sexual Assault Crisis Line – 1-888-292-7565
  • Klinic Crisis Line – 1-888-322-3019
  • Farm & Rural Stress Line – 1-866-367-3276

Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Committee Events

The Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Committee is made up of PMH employees, as well as people from external organizations across the North PMH area (former Parkland Regional Health) that support mental wellness and suicide prevention programming and events.

Recently, to honour World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10^th, communities across the Parkland Chalked the Walk. People wrote positive messages on the sidewalks to promote hope, resilience, and suicide awareness and prevention.

¹Priairie Mountain Health. (2021). Class 1: Introduction. In (2^nd ed.) Strive to thrive: Mental wellness for all-Facilitator guide (pp.6-10). Prairie Mountain Health.

²CMHA National. (2022). Fast facts about mental health and mental illness. https://cmha.ca/brochure/fast-facts-about-mental-illness/

³McPherson, N., Williams, C., McTavish, P., Allen, A., Gaber, M., Ostash, A., Tregunna, N., Allan, J. (2019).  Prairie Mountain Health community health assessment 2019. 2019CHAFeb102020.pdf

⁴ Prairie Mountain Health. (2021). Class 2: Thriving. In (2^nd ed.) Strive to thrive: Mental wellness for all-Facilitator guide (pp. 12-24). Prairie Mountain Health.

⁵Lorig, K., Holman, H., Sobel, D., Laurent, D., Gonzalez, V., & Minor, M. (2013). Living a healthy life with chronic conditions (4^th ed.). Bull Publishing Company.

World Breastfeeding Week

In Canada we celebrate World Breastfeeding Week from October 1-8.  World Breastfeeding Week is a time to celebrate the role breastfeeding plays in providing children with the healthiest start in life.

Breast milk has just the right amount of fat, vitamins, protein, carbohydrates and minerals for optimal growth of the infant.  Breast milk also contains antibodies and other immune factors to help protect against infections and disease.  Breastfeeding benefits mothers short- and long-term health and will strengthen the special relationship between mother and baby.

This year’s theme is “Step Up For Breastfeeding: Educate & Support”  This theme shines a light on how we need to come together to restore breastfeeding support systems to pre-pandemic levels.  We all can play a part in protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding.  Together we all make up a warm chain of support for breastfeeding.

Ways to “Step Up For Breastfeeding: Educate and Support”:

• Support mothers to breastfeed their child whenever and where ever they need to.
• Support mothers to take maternity leave.
• Educate yourself on the benefits of breastfeeding.
• Support family members who are breastfeeding their children by encouraging them in their decision and efforts to breastfeed.
• Bring a new family who has had baby a meal. Breastfeeding makes a mother hungry.
• Educate yourself on where mothers can find help with breastfeeding.

Brandon Manitoba has many resources to help families during their breastfeeding journey.  These include the following:

• La Leche League Canada This is an international organization that is dedicated to helping mothers reach their breastfeeding goals.
• Local Public Health Nurse. Find your local area nurse at Public Health Contact.
• Western Medical Clinic Family Physicians can assist with breastfeeding concerns.
• Spirited Soul Birth Services For a breastfeeding class.
• The Baby Bump for prenatal classes.
• Lactation Consultant at Brandon Regional Health Centre – 204-578-4286
• Healthy Parenting Winnipeg
• Additional Resources Within Manitoba