49 posts found for health

Life on welfare: separating fact from fiction

February 6, 2012 by DABC

The following letter was published on The Vancouver Sun’s website today, in response to a January 26 article titled “BC welfare rates are adequate.”

 

“The authors believe that $1,800 a month is enough to pay for the basic needs (shelter, food and clothing) of a family of four.

They refer to Chris Sarlo’s “basic needs” measurement to support their position.

What they fail to mention is that a paper published by the University of Calgary in September 2011 (Income Support for Persons with Disabilities), using Sarlo’s measurement, concluded “the level of support provided to disabled persons in B.C. is disturbing; it falls slightly below that measure of income required to meet basic

Given that the provincial disability benefit rate is $300 a month more than basic assistance, it is hard to fathom how the authors can conclude B.C.’s welfare rates are adequate.

Neither the basic assistance rate nor the disability benefits rate provide people enough money to live with dignity.”

Jane Dyson Executive director, BC Coalition of People with Disabilities

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

New Year’s Challenge: Group Coaching Program for People Living with HIV

January 17, 2012 by DABC

Tired of giving up on your New Year’s resolutions?

Is fear, low energy or lack of motivation preventing you fromSnail achieving goals? If you’re interested in making 2012 different than every other year, consider joining BCCPD’s pilot coaching program.

No, this isn’t another “get rich/successful quick” scheme. It will take commitment and willingness to keep an open mind. We’ll use strategies from positive psychology and narrative/personal storytelling to:

    • challenge assumptions that can limit your options and actions
    • maximize gain by identifying small but powerful actions
    • recognize and access personal strengths and resources
    • realize the potential of re-authoring your personal stories

Weekly sessions will include discussion/exploration of:

    • techniques and research from positive psychology, including happiness, resilience, gratitude, strengths, goal setting and mindfulness
    • life as narrative or story: sharing your short (2 pages maximum) stories on various life themes (Guided Autobiography or GAB). GAB provides new perspectives through the experience of authoring and re-authoring our stories. Stories will be written during the week between sessions.
    • ways to adapt and use these tools while living with chronic illness

Dates & Locations:

Groups are forming now and will run through February and March 2012. They are free for people living with HIV. Each group will meet two hours weekly for six weeks.

Face-to-face groups: held at the BCCPD office in Vancouver and at other locations/organizations by special arrangement. Service providers please contact us to discuss hosting a group.

Teleconference groups: teleconference programs will be offered for participants outside of the Lower Mainland. Contact us for dates & details.

Facilitator:

Shelley Hourston is a trained coach with an Appreciative Inquiry/positive psychology focus and a Guided Autobiography Instructor. She is Program Director at the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities’ Wellness & Disability Initiative/AIDS & Disability Action Program. For more information or to register, contact her at wdi@bccpd.bc.ca or phone 604-875-0188 (toll-free 1-877-232-7400). Contact us soon as spaces are limited.

 


          

                       

        

                    

          
            
iPhone Headache Diary Study

          
          

            
January 9, 2012 by DABC

          

          
Do you have headaches? If so, do you want to learn more about your headaches? You can now from anywhere in the world with a new iPhone application developed by a research team at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.


The app has a pain diary that allows you to conveniently track your headaches whenever they happen and provides helpful reports to help you to identify your headache patterns.


The study is entirely electronic, so you can participate no matter what country you are from. Follow this link if you would like participate in the research study to test out the application: http://crfh.ca/whi


Participants will be reimbursed with a $20.00 CAD gift card for their time.


Principal investigator:      Dr. Patrick McGrath

Coordinator:                       Dr. Anna Huguet

Contact:                               Wireless.Headache@gmail.com