CTV National News: Report finds rapid rise in obesity rates in Canada
A new study has found a rapid rise in obesity rates primarily among young adults and women in Canada. John Vennavally-Rao on the factors behind the increase.
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CBC
27 minutes ago
- CBC
New study looks at teen loneliness and AI: Dr. Peter Lin
A recent study by Common Sense Media and the University of Chicago asked teens about their use of artificial intelligence. Dr. Peter Lin explains what the study showed and how AI is affecting the mental health of teenagers.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Why it's funny/not funny that I have to jump through hoops to get medical equipment
Social Sharing This First Person article is the experience of Alex Lytwyn, who lives with cerebral palsy and is a disability advocate, writer and small business owner of Willpower Media. For more info rmation about CBC's First Person stories, please see this FAQ. You can read more First Person articles here. For people who have mobility issues, it seems counterintuitive — and almost comical — that physically disabled citizens often have to jump through a lot of governmental hoops to access things that could improve their lives. When a person who has a physical disability and is on income assistance needs a medical device, it is an extremely long process to get one. Any medical equipment you may need has to be requested through a branch of government called DHSU (disability and health supports unit). That's not as easy as it sounds. First, an OT (occupational therapist) has to meet with you and evaluate your need for the equipment. Then, they have to make a report about how this piece of equipment will benefit your life and send it to the DHSU. It's important to keep in mind that the person reviewing the equipment request has no real idea why or how this piece of equipment will enhance your life. I think they're concerned with how much it will cost. After that, it can take months for the department to make a decision. If the equipment request gets denied, it's damaging on multiple levels. It hurts because you do not get the much-needed equipment and it hurts because you know that life — instead of getting a little bit easier — will continue to remain difficult. I have been denied what I consider life-improving equipment, because the person reviewing the file does not think it will be useful to me. How the heck does that person have any idea about my life or the equipment? For example, when I get a new power chair, it does not come with a backrest or seating. Both of these items need to be applied for through DHSU, which means I actually have to make a special request for them. Naturally, my occupational therapist applies for the backrest and seating that is best for me and my posture habits. But if my application is denied, the only option for me is to get something that's not suitable for me or my posture, meaning the 12 to 13 hours a day that I spend in the power chair will be much, much more uncomfortable. Clear and concise request writing is key when it comes to asking for medical equipment. The OT has to write a report that will make the person who's reading the request feel the need for the equipment. Over the years, all my occupational therapists have been awesome. They go back and forth, often writing multiple reports for the same item. They have countless phone conversations with the provincial department, arguing on my behalf. This all takes a ton of time and a lot of back and forth. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. Now sure, there are times when the written word can go a long way in understanding a need. But when it comes to disabilities and medical equipment, seeing how the equipment would benefit the individual would help. This could be done in person or virtually. They need to see for themselves — first-hand — why this equipment is needed. Living with a complex disability comes with enormous challenges. It's a shame that sometimes it feels like the government seems intent on adding to these challenges, instead of helping clear a path to a successful life.
CBC
3 hours ago
- CBC
Palliative care unit in Lunenburg still not open 4 years after it was announced
Social Sharing Four years after it was announced, a palliative care unit at Fishermen's Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg, N.S., has still not opened its doors due to staffing challenges. The five-bed unit to serve Lunenburg and Queens counties was scheduled to open in the fall of 2021 with "home-like environments" that would accommodate patients receiving end-of-life care and their families. Nova Scotia Health says it hired a medical director in June to prepare for the opening and operation of the unit. But there is no opening date yet, even though the physical space is ready. CBC News requested an interview with a representative of the health authority, but it could not accommodate one and instead sent an emailed statement. "Staffing a new unit with a specialized area of care has its own unique challenges," a spokesperson for the authority said in the statement. "We are working to add doctors, nurses and other staff before these beds can be populated." For people like Mahone Bay resident Christopher Heide, the delay made an already painful situation more difficult. His terminally ill wife, Deborah Hickman, died in the hospital's emergency department on May 26, 2022, without access to the care the unit was meant to provide. Heide said his partner of almost 50 years developed a sudden cough and was diagnosed with pneumonia shortly before her death. He had heard from a friend that the Lunenburg hospital had a palliative care unit, so he decided to ask about it. "The doctor wasn't able to make that happen. And we ended up in a room just as part of the emergency ward in Fishermen's," he said. Hickman was placed in a room near the hospital entrance, where Heide said they constantly heard the wail of ambulance sirens, the clatter of stretchers, and the bustle of nurses and doctors coming and going. They also had to share the room with another patient, and only two visitors were allowed at a time. Heide said staff were kind and attentive, but he missed the comfort, privacy and family-oriented space that palliative care offers — something he experienced when his mother died in another province. He said it's disheartening to see that, three years later, the unit is still not open. "I feel very frustrated for all the people who are going through it now," said Heide. "There's a great need out there." When CBC News asked the health authority how many people are needed to have full coverage of the unit, the spokesperson said the hiring of Dr. Patricia Caldeira as medical director was a positive first step. "Efforts are focused on continuing to work on securing the rest of the team needed to open the beds. Beyond that, I don't have anything else," the spokesperson said. Marlene Wheatley-Downe, vice-chair of the South Shore Hospice Palliative Care Society, says she knows of other cases in her community similar to Hickman's. Her organization has been advocating for more palliative care beds, and says it has been in communication with the health authority regarding the unit. However, Wheatley-Downe said it is "frustrating" and "disappointing" not knowing when the unit will open or how many people they need to hire. "We toured the unit last September, and everything was there and ready to go. But they were empty," she said. Wheatley-Downe hopes the hiring of a medical director means the rooms will open sooner rather than later. Lunenburg County has the oldest median population in the province, so she says it's important to have those five beds up and running.
