How does it make a person feel to be happy?   

To be happy makes me feel warm and safe. When I am happy I feel free and not weighed down as much by negative aspects of my life. The bad things don’t (and aren’t) seem so bad. 

How do you enjoy your day at work, do you enjoy going on daily walks and workouts?   

I enjoy my day at work by making sure I accomplish all my tasks and do a good job on them. I also enjoy my day at work by getting to know all the individuals and laughing with them / sharing memories with them. I take pride in a job well done and love spreading happiness. 

I do enjoy going on daily walks. My dogs do as well. Sometimes they push me to get outside (even if it’s cold) 

Do you have a base diet?   

My base diet would consist of eggs, vegetables, chicken / pork, popcorn and water 

If you have a bad day at work what are your tips for making it better?   

If I have a bad day my tips to make it better would be to get outside, take a nap, or spend time doing something that makes you happy (reading, drawing, writing etc) Also, pet a dog if you can, that always helps me (or any animal, animals help me) 

What’s it’s like to sit in a chair all day?  Does your back get sore?   

To sit in a chair all day can be tough, my back does get sore. I like to change positions frequently, be mindful of my posture and try to remember to stretch periodically when sitting all day.

Do you enjoy the company of friends at lunchtime?   

I do enjoy the company of friends at lunch. Eating is a very social activity in my family, so that can be tough when you live alone or COVID keeps people apart 

What’s it like with covid around, was it hard on your physical health?  

COVID has affected my physical health because I used to go to the gym and now I don’t. I need to get better at working out at home and improve my motivation. 

It was not that difficult physically for me when COVID began, however, the pandemic has affected my mental health sometimes. The closures of businesses, the inability to see family and friends. The fear of the unknown in a pandemic. The jeopardizing of my source of income all weighed heavily on me. That in turn then affected my physical health. 

Working out outside was possible, and I preferred to get outside as much as possible when the weather is nice. 

How does your physical health matter with your sleeping habits?  

Sleep affects my physical health because I do not have the energy to participate in activities when I am tired and tend to snack more. 

Sleep is very important to me, if I don’t have enough sleep it is more difficult to maintain my happy face and troubles seem more troubling. I am a strong believer in getting enough rest. Getting enough sleep can change your perspective on many things. 

Yes, my days will feel long and more stressful if I am not well-rested 

I don’t need coffee in the morning, but I enjoy the quiet time that drinking coffee in the morning brings. 

To avoid bad habits, I could take more consideration of my physical and mental wellbeing. I could also surround myself with people who have the good habits that I wish I had. 

How do you keep a happy face on when life is hard and difficult?  

I maintain a happy face because I have the power to make my day better and actively choose to not let my poor mood affect another person’s day. Happiness is contagious. 

HOW DOES IT MAKE A PERSON FEEL TO BE HAPPY?

Happiness, to me, is the positive emotions and fulfillment we have in life. Being happy is having the motivation to succeed and help others along the way. In a way being happy to me is by being a good person to everyone I meet.

HOW DO YOU ENJOY YOUR DAY AT WORK?

I love being at work! CAFCL is one of my favorite places to be. The variance in our scope of practice, on a daily basis, always keeps me interested.

DO YOU ENJOY GOING ON DAILY WALKS?

I LOVE walks! I take my two dogs on walks a couple times a day. Walks are the perfect opportunity for me to relax and decompress from the day.

DO YOU HAVE A BASE DIET?

In a way I do. I’m lactose intolerant, allergic to nuts, and sensitive to spicy and acidic foods. If I did not restrict these things I would be physically ill.

IF YOU HAVE A BAD DAY, WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS ON MAKING IT BETTER?

When I have a bad day I remind myself how much my attitude could affect those around me. I talk to people who make me laugh, I call my husband, cuddle with my dogs, and try and maintain a calm outward appearance. I truly believe there is always someone out there who is having a harder time than me, and that makes me grateful and appreciative of everything in my life.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO SIT IN A CHAIR ALL DAY? DOES YOUR BACK GET SORE?

I cannot sit for any length of time without getting restless.

HOW DO YOU KEEP ON MOVING WHEN YOU’RE STUCK AT A COMPUTER/DESK ALL DAY?

I absolutely could not sit at a desk. I have to keep moving.

DO YOU ENJOY THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS AT LUNCH?

I do enjoy the company of friends at lunch. Prior to covid I did lunch dates with my best friend weekly.

HOW HAS COVID AFFECTED YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH?

Covid hasn’t really affected my health other than the effects of wearing a mask. It causes my mouth and nose to be dry and stuffy, and my asthma can be aggravated.

HOW DOES SLEEP AFFECT YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH?

Sleep is a major part of maintaining good physical health. Our bodies heal and regenerate fastest when we are asleep. When you don’t get enough sleep you can be irritable, tired, have an increased probability of accidents or mistakes happening.

IF YOU HAVE BAD HABITS, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO AVOID THEM?

If you have bad habits you should limit your exposure to them. Try and find alternatives or a healthier variations to that habit until you can ween off completely.

WHEN LIFE IS DIFFICULT, HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A HAPPY FACE?

When life is unpleasant I focus on the positive. A giggle from a baby, seeing an elderly couple just as in love as the day they met, and sometimes you really just have to use every bit of energy you have to keep that smile on so you don’t become the cause of someone else’s unhappiness.

WAS IT HARD FOR ACTIVE PEOPLE WHEN COVID FIRST BEGAN, DUE TO THE CLOSURES OF BUSINESSES?

Absolutely! It was cold weather and with so many businesses shut down it was hard to navigate healthy alternatives. I think it eased up with the warmer weather and that bit of freedom outdoors to be active.

WAS WORKING OUT POSSIBLE AT A PARK ON A WARM, SUNNY DAY? OR DID YOU WORK OUT IN YOUR HOME?

Working out is possible at home and outside. I live across the road from a provincial park so we have an abundance of outdoor activities we can take part in, or my son has a small gym set up downstairs that is accessible if needed.

HOW DOES SLEEP AFFECT YOUR LIFE? YOUR DAY AT WORK?

The quality of my sleep is completely correlated to my daily life. My central nervous system overreacts and if I am not well rested it could cause extreme fatigue and pain. If I’m at work and I am tired I will be much less productive.

IF YOU ARE NOT WELL RESTED WILL YOUR DAYS FEEL LONGER AND MORE STRESSFUL?

Absolutely! My days start to feel like they are twice as long, I am much easier to get stressed out about things that are not even a big deal.

WILL YOU NEED COFFEE IN THE MORNING TO WAKE UP?

YES! I drink coffee most days. Long term it doesn’t help with making me feel more energetic but it sure tastes good and adds a little happiness to my days.

How do you enjoy your dat at work?

I actually just started a new job and had to work from home for a week and a half of it due to Covid, so I can’t say for sure.. but I think I am really going to like it! I get to meet lots of new coworkers and families once I am better!

Do you enjoy going on daily walks and workouts?

I try to walk or workout several times each week, although it’s much harder when I am not feeling well or super busy. I love taking Coco for long walks around our neighbourhood and also really like swimming!

Do you have a base diet?

My diet changes a lot depending on how I am feeling, how busy we are, and if we are away on weekend.

If you have a bad day, what’s your tips on making it better?

I like to either go to the gym or take some time to read a book when I have had a bad day. Taking this time helps me forget about it and feel better!

How do you keep moving when you are sitting at the computer all day?

This can be hard for me! I do try to stand up and go for short walks, even if it is just to fill my water bottle or stretch.

Do you enjoy the company of friends at lunch time?

I do like seeing friends at lunch! I will miss that about my old job. Now that I work from home or will be driving around a lot, I don’t think I will get the same opportunity to spend lunch with my friends.

What’s it like with Covid around, was it hard on your physical health?

At the beginning of Covid when everything was shut down I definitely became less active. I was also working at my computer a lot more so I was moving a lot less. I think this did impact my physical health. I think I was actually sick less because I was seeing less people and doing less things, but I think that also negatively impact mental health, so it is really a balance. Now that I have Covid, it has definitely impacted my physical health. I have been very tired lately, even when I don’t do anything!

How does your physical health matter with your sleeping habits?

I need lots of sleep to feel healthy throughout my days! I make sure to keep a fairly consistent sleep routine to make sure I am getting enough rest.

How does your sleep actually effect your life and your day at work?

If I don’t sleep well I am less able to focus and become frustrated easily. I drink lots of coffee to keep me energized throughout the day!

What makes me happy?

I feel a sense of happiness (accomplishment) after getting a job done. After I’ve cleaned the house – I’m happy. After I’ve done the yard work – I’m happy. Spending time with family and friends makes me happy. A heart-to-heart talk makes me happy. The feeling after strenuous exercise gives me a happy feeling.

Do you enjoy daily exercise?

I try to exercise five-six days a week. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and makes me happy. Regular exercise also gives me more energy.

Do you enjoy daily walks?

In warm weather I like to go for a walk every day.

If you have a bad day at work what are tips to make it better?

I would recommend exercise of some sort, maybe tackle a chore that you’ve been putting off. Do something that will get your mind off your bad day and will give you a sense of accomplishment.

Do you enjoy the company of friends at lunchtime?

When I was working I loved to have lunch with friends and coworkers.

Was covid hard on your health? No. The gym closed so I bought some dumbbells, exercise bands and an elliptical machine. It took awhile, but I found that I had better workouts at home. I didn’t have to wait for equipment and I didn’t waste time driving to the gym.

Does your sleep effect your physical health?

If I don’t sleep well I don’t have as much energy, I crave things like chocolate more and I might get cranky at times.

How do you keep a happy face when life is hard?

Sometimes it’s hard to keep a happy face when life is hard. Be patient, things eventually get better.

Physical Health Affects your Mental Health – Mental Health Awareness Week is May 2-8 

How does it make a person feel to be happy?  

I am happy when I am with friends and family. I LOVE to laugh and make people laugh!

How do you enjoy your day at work, do you enjoy going on daily walks and workouts?  

We recently moved to town and moved close to the trails, I love going for a walk or bike ride in the valley.

Do you have a base diet?  

Our family eats fairly healthy, we order Hello Fresh for 3 of our meals a week which is so awesome!

If you have a bad day at work what are your tips for making it better?  

I talk to my husband about my day and he usually helps me feel better. I don’t often have a bad day at work!

What’s it’s like to sit in a chair all day?  

I have a hard time remembering to get up, I need to make myself go and do things especially working at home these last couple of years.

Does your back get sore?  

My back does get sore.

Do you enjoy the company of friends at lunchtime?  

I usually work through my lunch break but I do love to chat with friends!

What’s it like with covid around, was it hard on your physical health? 

Our family did lots of things together through Covid so I think we did alright.

How does your physical health matter with your sleeping habits? 

If I exercise I find that I sleep better.

How do you keep a happy face on when life is hard and difficult? 

Life has been challenging for many reasons and it is hard to keep a happy face on but I just remember that it could always be worse.

Was it hard to be active when Covid started because gyms and other businesses were closed?  

We don’t go to the gym so that didn’t effect us. We like walking, bike rides & golfing.

Were you able to work out at home or at the park on a sunny warm day? 

There is always a place to go for a walk!

Physical Health Affects your Mental Health – Mental Health Awareness Week is May 2-8

Do you have a base diet?

I don’t follow a diet by any means, but I eat in moderation. I find if I restrict the foods I allow myself then I tend to binge eat or over eat.

If you have a bad day at work what are your tips for making it better?

The people I work with usually can tell when I am off or having a difficult day, they can usually make me laugh by telling a joke, or just getting my mind off of what is going on.

What’s it’s like to sit in a chair all day?

It’s tough, it puts a lot of strain on your shoulders and back.

How do you keep on moving when you are sitting at the computer all day?

I set my apple watch to go off every 45 minutes to give me a reminder to get up and walk around. I’ll usually walk down the hall or go do a task.

Do you enjoy the company of friends at lunchtime?

I like to be alone at lunch time, I usually read or do something relaxing as I don’t get much time to myself these days.

What’s it like with covid around, was it hard on your physical health?

COVID was definitely hard on my physical health, I think a lot of people just got in a slump and it was hard to get out of it.

How does your physical health matter with your sleeping habits?

I find if I am more active throughout the day, the better I sleep at night. When I’m not as active I tend to toss and turn at night or sometimes have problems falling asleep.

How do you keep a happy face on when life is hard and difficult?

I don’t like when people see me upset so a lot of the time I do put on a happy face, I just try to remind myself that how I am feeling is just temporary and things will get better. Just take one step at a time

Was it hard to be active when Covid started because gyms and other businesses were closed?

VERY! I found that I sometimes tend to go to a store just to walk around and have time away from my kids. With COVID happening that made this quite hard to do.

How does it make a person feel to be happy?  

​When you are happy it is good for the heart and the soul, so good for our mental and physical well-being. 

How do you enjoy your day at work, do you enjoy going on daily walks and workouts?  

​I enjoy my days at work by always trying to share a smile or a laugh. I enjoy walks with friends. 

Do you have a base diet?  ​

For some reason anyone I know would say my base diet is potato chips but I really do eat a good variety of foods. 

If you have a bad day at work what are your tips for making it better?  ​

Try to take your mind off of it by talking to a friend or loved one about something happy, fun or exciting. 

What’s it’s like to sit in a chair all day?  

​I do not know, I don’t sit all day in a chair, I need to move around often. 

Does your back get sore?  ​

Yes, but that’s because I’m getting old ☺️

How do you keep on moving when you are sitting at the computer all day?  

​I make a point of getting up about every hour and take a little walk. 

Do you enjoy the company of friends at lunchtime?  

​I usually work through and eat my lunch unless it’s nice outside then I enjoy company. 

What’s it like with covid around, was it hard on your physical health? 

​I didn’t get as much ​exercise as I normally would. 

How does your physical health matter with your sleeping habits? ​

The more exercise I get the better I sleep. 

How do you keep a happy face on when life is hard and difficult? ​

I’ve been trying to work on this for 17 years now, I try really hard to think of the positive things in life that I am blessed with, for instance I still have my Mom who will be 90 years old in September this is a blessing. 

Was it hard to be active when Covid started because gyms and other businesses were closed?  

​For me not so much. 

Were you able to work at home?

Yes, I was able to work at home, the isolation of not seeing your co-workers was difficult for me, but in the winter not having to leave the house when it was 40 below was kind of nice. 

Physical Health Affects your Mental Health – Mental Health Awareness Week is May 2-8 

How does it make a person feel to be happy? 

Contented, satisfied, at ease.

How do you enjoy your day at work, do you enjoy going on daily walks and workouts? 

I enjoy going for walks, but mostly I enjoy seeing the individuals happy and contented with their day.

Do you have a base diet? 

I try to limit sugars and carbohydrates.

If you have a bad day at work what are your tips for making it better? 

None. I just know that tomorrow is a new day and that yesterdays troubles are behind me. For a really bad day I look to speak with someone (supervisor).

What’s it’s like to sit in a chair all day? 

I feel that I am fortunate here in that I don’t have to sit in a chair all day. I can imagine how sore someone would be from doing this (stiff muscles, aching joints)

Does your back get sore?

Not from sitting, but if I am doing a lot of lifting or bending. I try to stretch first.

How do you keep on moving when you are sitting at the computer all day? 

I don’t get to sit on the computer all day, fortunately. 

Do you enjoy the company of friends at lunchtime? 

I enjoy the company of friends at any time, but typically lunch time for me is spent supporting individuals.

What’s it like with Covid around, was it hard on your physical health?

I feel fortunate that it was not hard on my physical health. It has impacted my mental health though.

How does your physical health matter with your sleeping habits?

I find that I fall asleep faster and have a deeper sleep if I have been physically active (provided I stayed sufficiently hydrated).

How do you keep a happy face on when life is hard and difficult?

This is difficult, but when I am interacting with others, I remind myself that my problems are my own and that they have their own problems to deal with. I find this especially true when supporting individuals. They need to know that I am ok and able to support them mentally and physically so I do not let them know that I am having difficulties. That said, I may take frequent breaks and look for other activities to get my mind off of my problems.

Was it hard to be active when Covid started because gyms and other businesses were closed? 

No, in fact I was probably more active than I was before Covid! I focused on what we could do which included walking outside, and made sure that I did lots of that!

Were you able to work out at home or at the park on a sunny warm day?

I did lots of walking with the individuals I support, friends, family or just by myself.

Canadian Mental Health Week is May 2-8 I came up with some interview questions and sent them to the staff at CAFCL. Each day of Mental Health Week I will share a different person’s interview. If you want more information on Mental Health the Canadian Mental Health website.

https://www.mentalhealthweek.ca/info-articles/

How do you make a person happy?

For me, I have to be busy. When Covid hit the world I got really sad and I would be disappointed because I couldn’t go to my parent’s house every Sunday night for 5 months so it was very hard for me because my love language is quality time with family and friends is very important for me! For me FaceTime kept me going on and moving on! I think I would have gone nuts without my iPad for that 5 months of my life. Good thing that I have a blog, because that kept me busy doing a blog every other week.

How do you enjoy your workday?

Doing the activities I love doing at Centra cam! I enjoy the dance workout videos on the Xbox. I love doing my learning broad but it’s hard to do it because I’m only at Centra cam twice mornings a time. I enjoy playing games with a group of friends. My favourite game is money doesn’t grow on trees with a group of friends. My day changed a lot, When Centra cam closed for a whole year, it was hard to keep busy. Good thing my best friend Teresa and I exchanged Christmas/ birthday the weekend before Centra cam closed and then I got colouring books, markers and highlighters with word searches books. Then my doctors said that I seat too long and my back is hurting because of it, so I needed to lay down every afternoon before getting my new wheelchair. Now I roll on my mat and go into my walker!

What’s it like to seat all day? Does your back get sore?

It’s very hard to seat all day. That’s why I like walking in my walker or rolling on my mat.

Do you like to work out?

Yes, I enjoy workouts and getting outdoors for a walk.

Do you have a good diet?

Yes, I’m tube feeding! So I have a good diet.

If you have a bad day what are your tips for making it better?  

If I have a bad day, I like to be by myself and colouring or do word searches.

Do you enjoy the company with friends at lunchtime and coffee time?

I do enjoy coffee time and lunchtime with my friends.

Do I smoke or do drugs?

No. I try to keep my physical health and issues to myself, and just try my best to have a good mood!

How do your sleeping habits actually matter to your physical health?

I have a good nighttime routine, I like to go to bed at 8:30 or 9 every night.

What was it like with Covid around, was it hard on my physical health?

Yes, but I got to bring my walker back home with me!

On  Good Friday we would go to church service in the morning after church service we would dry eggs with food colouring . When I was younger, we would have a scavenger hunt after church on Easter Sunday afternoon.  My mom would make up clues and then we would hunt Easter eggs and usually a Easter Chocolate Bunny.  We would go around the house and then we would go into the backyard. Now that we are older, we may get a small bunny and chocolate eggs.  My roommates and I usually get to colour eggs sometime on Easter weekend.

 Cherilyn- Our Easter Tradition is for the kids to color eggs and then the Easter Bunny hides them in our yard (pray the dogs don’t find them first!) The kids find them and then they find their Easter Gift. We usually have a turkey dinner with family. The kids love doing it and I hope they continue to do it for a few more years! Here is a picture from last year.

Kathleen- We did the 40 days for lent. Giving up one thing we each chose. Easter vigil mass. Egg hunt on the Sunday followed by breakfast. Decorated and dyed Easter eggs. We always used crayons and dipped them in vinegar water with food coloring added. Sunday mass, and we usually made a ham for supper with scalloped or mashed potatoes.  This year I’m going to visit my sister in BC with some of the family too.

Mary Ann – Chocolate bunnies and family get together!!! We eat a big meal… turkey, ham and all the fixings!!!

Marisa-   My kids get to do a scavenger hunt!

Gale –   Just dinner.  I hope to have grandchildren someday so will go back to doing Easter Egg Hunts.

 Jessica- We like to decorate eggs and we like hide chocolate eggs around the house.

Danielle- When I was younger, we would decorate eggs and go on an Easter egg hunt Sunday afternoon after church. Now we just go to church on Friday and Sunday and eat a big dinner with family. Easter tends to be around final exam season, so we don’t tend to do anything too exciting as I am usually busy studying.

Janet – Not really any traditions, we just like to get together as a family and cook and have a wonderful meal together and play games 😀

Amy – Not really. I would say the only one we still maintain is to have family time, usually a dinner.

Ashley and Joel – We always have an egg hunt at my uncle’s farm! It started when all the cousins were really little. We would all wait in the bedroom in their little trailer while the adults hid all the treats. Now they add riddles into the hunt and make it hard because we’re all adults! After the egg hunt, we all play football and eat way too much food. I’ve missed it for the past few years, but this year we are flying home for it!

Candace- I usually do an egg hunt with my kids. This year we are going to my dad’s.

Elyse  –  Easter is my moms absolute favorite Holiday so we always go big celebrating it! We spend the whole weekend together, starting Thursday night we celebrate Sedar, which is a traditional Jewish Holiday, and what Jesus would have been celebrating with his disciples at the last supper. Then we go to church on Good Friday, we have an Easter vigil service on Saturday where we act out different Bible stories (so much fun and so many laughs). Then we go big on Sunday with an Easter egg hunt for the kids, and a big dinner of Ham and all the fixings and home-made lemon meringue pie for dessert.

Karlina-   We make paska and celebrate Passover and go to the Good Friday service and Sunday morning church, lots of family time.

Anne – Growing up, my dad was a teacher and spring break was a big time to rest before diving into the last few months of school. Easter usually involved visiting my grandma, having some kind of egg hunt, and singing Easter songs. I remember it being a very relaxed family occasion. It’s fairly similar now with my kids.

Alexandria – We usually have a big family easter hunt with all the cousins and then a big family meal.

Glenda- We have a Easter eggs hunt with the grandkids, go to the Easter Sunday church service and have Easter dinner with the family.

Karli – We used to go to my dad’s house when we lived in Ontario. Now that we live in Camrose, we always have a scavenger hunt for the kids and go to my mom’s house for Easter dinner. The kids would get new raincoats, rain boots candy, and colouring books.

Jennifer- Colouring Easter eggs and scavenger hunt!