Up In Smoke

It's got to be one of my least favourite thing about my job - my hair and clothes smelling like smoke after doing home visits*.  Many clients are courteous, and don't smoke while I visit.  Some just find it too difficult to  it though the appointment without smoking.  In summer we often accommodate this by meeting outside.  But it's currently winter here in Canada, and temperatures are too cold for that.

Some job postings in this field state that the candidate should be aware they will be in smoking-environments.  Mine didn't but I've long recognized it as an unavoidable workplace hazard.  Sure, if I really wanted I could try to insist that clients meet me elsewhere, but the home visit plays an important role in my work, puts focus on me rather than the client, and possibly makes them feel guilty.  That's not what I'm trying to do folks.  Besides, it's their room/apartment/house.

Not so fun fact: rates of smoking for people with schizophrenia are estimated at about 88% - three times that of the general population.  And smoking cessation is just not high on the list of goals or priorities for most of my clients, who are busy trying to manage their symptoms, maintain their housing and survive on a few hundred bucks a month.

So until this changes, you'll see my huddled in my big coat and hat, driving with my windows down in winter trying to air myself out.

*not every home visit.  About half my current clients are smokers

Winter

Happy winter Solstice everyone.  May your life be filled with warmth and light!

It's raining and dark in my part of the world so I can't wait to get home, snuggle up on the couch and plug in the Christmas tree lights while dreaming about my holiday time...only 2 more days of work until I'm off for 2 weeks!

This Week Sucks Because....(drumroll please)

1. I have only completed 2 out of 9 assessments that are due shortly (usually we only have 1 a week)
2. AM is away so I'm lonely and looking after kiddo by myself
3. I've got a vicious head cold
4. It's cold outside (there was snow yesterday)
5. I haven't written any of my notes for this week yet, and still have some from last week to input
6. I can't even say TGIF because I am going to have to work from home this weekend to catch up
7. I also have to survive taking a car load of obnoxious noisy excited kids to the Santa Claus parade

*whine*bitch*moan*complain*

Thank you, internet, for being there for me.

Extremely Cold Attitudes (Toward Homeless)

It's -27 celcius today, and snowing. Many of my client's find it difficult to get out of the house much at this time of year. I find myself less and less enthused about bundling up to get in the car and head out to see them.

My thoughts mostly are with the group I used to work with - the homeless and underhoused. An extreme cold weather alert has been called, but we know that some will still be outside.

An older gentleman that I support was distraught last year after his brother died on the steets of Calgary. He was found in a snowbank.

At least that city seems to have a plan in place to address the issue of homelessness, a plan that seems to be making progress.

Calgary's 10 Year Plan seems to be simple and straightforward. First, create permenant affordable housing for individuals and families. Provide support for mental health and addictions. Recognize the systemic issues that create homelessness, and acknowledge the economic toll that it takes on a community. It's great to see such an honest discussion of the problem occuring at a civic level. Several cities in the U.S. have similar plans and report largely positive changes so far.

I only wish that this was a conversation that City Hall in Toronto would have ears for. Instead, we have new Mayor Rob Ford's recent suggestion that social workers should be made security guards of the steets and force homeless people into shelters during extreme cold. Mayor Ford made no comments regarding plans for these folks once the weather warms (to greater than -15). As a city councillor, Ford made his feelings on the matter quite clear stating "People do not want government housing built in the city of Toronto. They want roads fixed, more police presence, but they don't want more government housing that will depreciate the value of their property."
He also cried that it would be "an insult" to his constituents to even discuss having a homeless shelter built in his ward.

So I guess it's up to us - front line agencies, community activists, and the people who need the housing around here to keep up the fight. To find the allies we undoubtedly have in city hall and elsewhere. Not that that is anything new.

The Snow Day that Wasn't

If your boss sends out an email on Tuesday warning of an oncoming snow storm and advising that if the schools are closed the office will be too, that should be taken as a definite sign that the office will be open on Wednesday. The warning email officially “jinx’s” the chance of a snow day.

Oh, it snowed alright. All night too. Just not quite enough to close things down. More than enough however to turn a 25 minute commute into a 75 minute heart attack.

On a happier (personal) note, my niece was born last night! Kiddo was excited because it was the day she picked in the baby poll. Apparently the whole family is doing well, and hopefully the roads will be cleared enough for us to go meet her tonight!

Let it...

Hmm, first major snowfall of the year.  I'm gonna go out on a limb here and bet that my new intake is going to be a no-show.