OCTranspo - public transportation scandal

Paris subway, 2008

You may not have heard of this, or you may have witnessed it on your local municipal transportation system.

A driver yells, harasses a passenger, bullies them, calls them names.
This situation was appalling.

A young, mildy autistic man, was verbally abused by a driver. Another passenger videotaped part of the event on his phone.

OC Transpo Bus Driver Loses It on Passenger

I was riding the 96 back to Kanata from downtown Ottawa and it's just me, a 20 something male, and the bus driver. During the bus ride I had my...


  It was an awful situation.
Now, I can understand that there are passengers who are a pain-in-the-ass. I grew up in Toronto and took the subway to school. I've seen people in public. They can be idiots.
I've had a man sexually touch me, then leap off of the train. It gives me the creeps now, 40 years later.

But this situation should have been prevented.

Toronto Streetcar

OC union brushes off irate driver video

I am disappointed, on 2nd thought, that he was fired. ATU 279 could have prevented this by intervening with this driver if he had emotional issues, or mental health stress. The message is that he was facing grief issues, his wife and mother both died in the past year. Instead, they now have to go through an expensive appeal process.

I know stress from grief. I moved and found a new job, near to my failing parents, 6 weeks later Mom died, dad's brain tumour returned. Under absence management I took leave and got help. My employer did not suggest help. My boss, not a leader but a demanding witchy principal, did not recognize my grief issues until employee absence management kicked in and they got me some counselling. Grief and depression are intertwined. The union should have been involved in the beginning. But these are not the professionals.

School bus message!

The union could have brokered a deal rather than denying it all.
Not giving the driver 'punishment', but discipline and consequences. Apology to the passenger, admission of guilt, and, finally, conflict resolution would have gone a long way to changing the situation. Instead, the union is in denial. It is shameful. Unions have had their place, but it is time that they evolve from win/lose to resolution, prevention.

We know how to help people under stress. Employers must recognize that such employees are under stress and prevent things getting to this point.

Tour bus

"Right now his life  is very unpleasant." says the union boss. Of course.

"Unjust termination", he suggests. It was just. He had no business treating this young man like that. Everyone responsible must step up.

New video posting of driver on cell phone while drivinghttp://cot.ag/thDoiK
Head of union representing #OCtranspo drivers says he's not convinced video is what it appears. Calls it "inconclusive."

So say we all!

Happy birthday grampa!


November 15th from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
What a fine key lime pie/cake!

Canada's Immigration Policy

Immigration
Excellent interview of Charles Beach and his study.
As a hospice caregiver, volunteer and professional, I see many seniors at home, unable to find group care, such as long-term care. The difference is socioeconomics. Those who can afford to pay for a room get one pretty quickly.
It irks me that the government is allowing family class seniors to come to Canada when our citizens cannot find enough support, or geriatric and palliative physicians. It breaks my heart to see these men and women struggling. I wonder the ethics of bringing newcomers to a country with Alternate Level of Care, crowded hospitals, and lack of long-term care beds.

Does multiculturalism work? I don't know.

IRPP: Do admission criteria, recessions affect immigrant earnings?

‎
iPolitics.ca - Michael Abbott - 5 days ago

The analysis reveals several major findings. First, skills-assessed independent economic immigrants, both male and female, consistently and substantially had the highest median annual earnings among the four admission categories in all three landing cohorts. Among female immigrants, those in the family class had the lowest median earnings in all three cohorts; among male immigrants, those in the family class had the lowest median earnings in the 1982 cohort, while those in the refugee category generally had the lowest median earnings in the 1988 and 1994 cohorts. Second, male and female refugees in all three landing cohorts consistently had the highest earnings growth rates over their first 10 years in Canada. Third, the recession of the 1990s appears to have led to reductions in the level and growth of immigrant earnings, particularly for males.

To read the full report, click here.(PDF)

White Coat, Black Art –the back story!

I so love this show, and not just because I'm going to be on it! Dr. Brian Goldman is a medical journalist, author and ER physician based in Toronto.

The two men looking at the Tay River

Dr. Goldman interviewed me and my husband, on July 11th, for his show on unpaid caregivers, which will air November 19th. He is a fabulous interviewer. He makes you feel right at home, actually he was *in* our home! While the tape was running my cat started playing with his audio cable. We both kept on trucking. It was a hoot.

He spoke to me about my Unpaid Caregiving, both for my late parents and the volunteer hospice work I do. I consider myself a patient advocate, and work hard to improve the conditions of my clients; helping them find services, pain relief, a good death, and creating a Life Review. My most recent video of my friend, Kay Devlin: Celebration of a Life Worth Living.


After interviewing the two of us, we went into town. 

Meals on Wheels

Next, Dr. Brian went in with my husband, Joe, as the team was putting together the Meals on Wheels lunch delivery in Lanark Lodge. Hilarity ensued. There is a large team of people in our community that put together the supports to enable seniors to stay in their homes for as long as they can. We took him on a meal delivery. We consider ourselves a small part of this team.

Joe prepares to dispatch
Meals on Wheels

Next we headed off and treated Dr. Brian to lunch at Fiddleheads, where I told a guy to turn off the rude video he was playing loudly on his Crackberry! 


Then, we took Dr. Brian into the long-term care residence, where I volunteer on a weekly basis. 



Now, I made nothing in royalties for my book sales from January to June of this year. NADA! It is very hard to market a book in Canada if you co-publish, or self-publish. A 'best seller' in Canada means selling 5000 copies! Not that I am complaining, as it won't make very much difference to complain! I have given away more books than I have sold. I want people to read it and hopefully learn something from it.

Mildred (1940 - 2011) and her puzzle cat

The reward came in the writing of my story, and the research I did for the book, while I was working on my M.A. in Counselling Psychology. You better understand your life if you use a journal, and put pen to paper. This is an essential tool for caregivers to fight Caregiver Stress.

The joy has come from the people I meet when flogging my book. Since then I have been speaking to groups. I spoke at the NSM Palliative Care Conference: Stories in Palliative Care, and volunteered with Hospice Muskoka, and now Community Home Support Lanark County, near our new home.

My inspiration comes in understanding what  A Good Death can look like, and making it possible. Many cannot deal with death and dying. You can read about my efforts at finding a comforter for a Sens fan: #ComforterQuest. It was a small thing to do, but meant a great deal to a dying man.

End-of-life and palliative care is a specialty many of professionals cannot face.  For those dedicated to improving health, it is often difficult to face death. The barriers to a good death can be immense. The impact on caregivers is huge, and can have lifelong effects. There are many out there who can help. Check out the hospice associations your area. Volunteers can make a difference.

White Coat Black Art Program

—Saturday, November 19th at 11:30 a.m. and again on Mondays at 11:30 a.m. on CBC Radio One.

Also, Chris Must came to the house to interview us, and to take a photo for his article.

Author's research aimed at caregivers - EMC Perth

Chris Must, Perth EMC

Medical broadcaster Dr. Brian Goldman interviews Perth resident and author Jennifer Jilks July 7 for a CBC radio show (WCBA: "White Coat, Black Art") on the plight of unpaid caregivers, to be aired in the fall.

Celebration of a life worth living

Here is the video I created for 11/11/11 *One Day On Earth!
Kay will be 95 on December 20th, 2011!


One Day On Earth 11.11.11 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Perth Community Care Centre

This is a visit with my friend, Kay Devlin. She is 95-years-old. She lives in Perth Community Care Centre, with her husband. She is the chair of the Resident Council and attends Family Council meetings.

She writes and recites her poetry and she paints. She has an incredible attitude towards life and I love her!

She receives excellent care in her long-term care. There is always someone there to help her, or her husband. He has Alzheimer's Disease, and sometimes he is 'very much himself', she tells me! She tells a charming story in the video.
 I learned so much about myself and about others. Things I hadn't realized when I was nursing.

About being in long-term care,
"You have to realize it's not the end of your life; it's a part of it."
She was getting extra home support, but caring for her husband began to be too much. They had Meals on Wheels for awhile, but the demands of caring for loved ones with dementia, as we all know, can be overwhelming.

She is quick to let you know that her poetry is inspired by her current life situation, but she doesn't let that limit her mind. Her body has been limited in many ways, with aging.
She recognizes her health issues, and her vision challenges,
She learned to paint at age 75. She writes and recites fabulous poems.

Kay's painting table

*Founded in 2008, One Day on Earth's first media creation event occurred on 10.10.10. The collaboration was the first ever simultaneous filming event occuring in every country of the world. It created a unique geo-tagged video archive as well as an upcoming feature film.

Cat and mouse tale

Felix thought he'd like to play!

Cat and mouse from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Buster caught a mouse. Felix wanted it. Buster growls loudly! I thought the noise was a truck going by, at one point. My twins are 8 months old.

Sadie looks around, frustrated!

It's a standoff!

Buster takes off

Our backyard is riddled with field mouse tunnels. Little mounds you sink into as you walk across the yard.

Incredible teeth

Poor wee souls

Camera Critters meme, #188!

Remembrance Day 11/11/11

I have spent many years, 25 to be exact, as a teacher. On Remembrance Day every school with whom I have been at on Nov. 11th, did a fabulous job putting together a significant, moving ceremony. In Ottawa, with the federal civil service closed for the day, we often have a large crowd in our schools. The downtown ceremony is very moving.

We spend the week ahead teaching students about war, death and dying. They would participate in a wide variety of events, as well as putting their thoughts to paper. In our Language Arts programs, we integrated what we already knew about family members involved in World Wars, and brought in family stories of loved ones present or passed over.
I have taught students who have lived through the Gulf War, fled to the hills to escape war in Afghanistan, and others who were Vietnamese Boat People.

My most eventful activity involved writing a song dedicated to our Peacekeepers. You can hear it here: CanadianMilitary.mov

BUt this year, I'm doing something different. I made a video about my friend in long-term care.
Kay Devlin is a fabulous woman, 94 years old. She is a resident in Perth Community Care Centre.
This is for the One Day on Earth project.

These are my friends in the long-term care where I visit weekly. Art said he hoped his wife didn't see him holding my pink rabbit! This rabbit is battery-operated and sings and dances!

 





Stay tuned for my video.

Ontario Highways –human and animal collisions in Ontario

backyard buck

Two recent highway new reports involving three events:

Hwy 417 blocked to traffic near Boundary Rd after two accidents Sunday

Ottawa Citizen By Kirstin Endemann November 6, 2011 OTTAWA — Highway 417 eastbound at Boundary ... vehicle accident involving a deer, Ontario Provincial Police reported. Two teens in hospital, and 4 taken in in a previous 3:00 a.m. incident.

Bear slams side of vehicle

spotted her across the road

Brockville Recorder and Times
More common are car-deer collisions, and Bisson said two of those in Grenville County on the weekend also did not cause injuries.

The collisions both happened on Highway 416 on Sunday night, in the northbound lane about four kilometres north of Highway 401. The first was reported at 10 p.m. while the second happened a half hour later.

And another in Muskoka:

Women dies after colliding with moose

SHAWANAGA – A Hamilton woman died last Wednesday night after a collision with a moose.
The accident happened on November 2 at 8:40 p.m. on Highway 69, three kilometers south of Bah Sa Gim Road.The roof was peeled off of her car. The moose found dead 25m away.

From the MTO

I find it interesting: This writer, as a result of a collision, calls for highway measures to be put in place.

"Bambi, Pastoral Symbol of Nature or Destructive Road Hazard by Reg ...

Cornwall Free News

A rate of 1 deer-car collision every 38 minutes and an average cost of $3171"

 
BTW This statistic is misleading. Most incidents occur in late spring and fall.



I'm not sure that fencing is the answer. I found some data on this web page:

The King's Highway: HIGHWAY FAQs
For example, Highway 17 is 2,000 km long. 

Q.	How many miles of highways make up Ontario's provincial highway system?
A.	The Ontario Government presently has 16,500 centre-line kilometers (10,248 miles) of roadway under its control. Until the municipal transfers of 1997-1998, Ontario had about 21,500 kilometers (13,354 miles) of provincial highways.

 

This guy let me take an intimate photo

Moose can weigh up to 600kg, according to Hinterland's Who's Who. For anyone who has driven through Algonquin Park you know that they do not fear you, and are drawn to the ditches. They will stand with front legs on one side of the road-side barrier, rear on the other.

Amazing creatures the moose

Humans are so quick to take over the ecosystem, yet we have to respond to the natural cycle of the seasons. We know they are on the move, especially in November.

Canadian musicians

I am woman
hear me roar!

Women have choices!

I read the CTV news report: Did you read the big news?
'Older Canadians are embracing social media'
News? And they needed a poll. We're the ones who have integrated technology in our jobs from when dinosaurs roamed the earth.
In my husband's day, they thought that 3 employees could share a computer. Honest.
I digress...
Grandparents have picked up on the advantages of social media, and are keeping in touch with family, at the very least. I like trolling for news on Twitter, then reading the full stories with my morning coffee. I like weighing in on political issues. I figure I've seen it all, as an educator in multi-cultural schools, having taught refugees like the Vietnamese Boat People, Gulf War, and many special needs students. Myself, being divorced, as a single parent, feminist, remarried mother of 3, grandmother of 2, it gives one a particular  perspective.

The joys of being retired means that we can go out on a Tuesday night, I can play with technology, and I can post photos the next day.

Keith Glass really knows how to play!

A new friend phoned me up and suggested we go out on a double-date!
Keith Glass, with a recording studio in Perth, Ontario, was the perfect fit to replace the regular Tuesday man – Brock Zeman, who is on tour! Keith has mentored Brock, another Lanark County musician.

We like supporting local folks, whether they be artisans, farmers, business owners or musicians!
I quite enjoy O'Reilly's pub. When we first moved here, our silverware was left back in Muskoka. We were eating out, many times at the pub –several weeks in a row, for some fine salads, and entertainment!

She's a great boss
-on her feet all night!

What is cool in Perth, are the house concerts, a terrific trend. Affordable, intimate settings. I loathe the large venues, with loud obnoxious people, cell phones, –haven't been to a film since 2001!

Steve and Sue Tennant organize these concerts. This month's 'house party' was at the pub, where Steve could celebrate his birthday.

They smiled after I took the photo!

Back-up band

The birthday boy!
Steve Tennant

Guest artist

There are two kinds of truth: the truth that lights the way and the truth that warms the heart. The first of these is science, and the second is art. Neither is independent of the other or more important than the other. Without art science would be as useless as a pair of high forceps in the hands of a plumber. Without science art would become a crude mess of folklore and emotional quackery. The truth of art keeps science from becoming inhuman, and the truth of science keeps art from becoming ridiculous. -Raymond Thornton Chandler, writer (1888-1959)