Talking the talk

HSNS first volunteer committee co-chair cements ‘Nothing about Us without Us’ commitment

Our clinical services have long focused on clients having input in their own care, yet we still needed to expand upon this. That meant making concerted efforts to include clients and families more broadly in the care of others and as equal partners in the organization.

Our journey toward greater client and family involvement in care began with establishing the Hearing and Speech Partners in Care (PIC) Advisory Committee in 2016. Unlike any other patient advisory group, this committee was a testament to our unwavering organizational commitment to incorporating the 'patient voice' into service planning and assessment. Recognizing most of our clients face communication differences, we were determined to make committee meetings more inclusive and accessible for all.

That's why our team designed an innovative model, pairing clients or their caregivers with a staff member, who would support them during their participation. Examples range from:

• ensuring a Speech-Language Pathologist or Audiologist is available during meetings;

• providing computer access for meetings;

• making photocopies of meeting information;

• accessing closed captioning or assistive listening devices; and/or

• supporting clients who are using communication strategies.

Over the years, Hearing and Speech Nove Scotia (HSNS) PIC has welcomed members who accessed both hearing and speech services across the province. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a shift of all PIC meetings transitioning to virtual platforms. In many ways, this change was an improvement over our previous hybrid in-person/on-the-phone model, as it allowed us to provide enhanced support and accessibility. We now display keywords on the screen, ensuring all meeting attendants can conveniently follow the discussions.

PIC continues to provide valuable insights and ideas. The committee meets six times annually and provides opportunities for consultation and collaboration on various projects. This year, the group helped HSNS adapt the readability of brochures, improve the website experience and develop consent processes among other initiatives.

Angela Vlasic joined the committee this year as a new member from Antigonish. An elementary school teacher, Angela became involved with HSNS along with her oldest child, who has autism. Angela describes herself as a life-long learner who wants to support parents and advocates navigating the autism diagnosis process.

From the beginning, the PIC Advisory Committee was committed to having a volunteer co-chair. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this goal was delayed until the group was able to achieve it this past year. As a result, we are very pleased to announce HSNS’s first volunteer Co-chair of Partners in Care: Courtney Douglas. This was a significant priority and milestone for our organization, demonstrating the ongoing growth of PIC and elevating the profile and role of patient advocates within the organization.

Living in Halifax, Courtney joined PIC in February 2021 after receiving services for her now-eight-year-old son. “I love giving back to the organization as a way to support the team that supported our family in a number of ways,” she said.

Courtney works full-time as a Human Resources Specialist outside her co-chair position on the committee. Her two sons keep her busy, while she still finds time for spin classes and coaching soccer. "Having myself as a client co-chair in a leadership role on the committee will strengthen the partnership between clients and Hearing and Speech Nova Scotia”.

"Having a volunteer co-chair solidifies our commitment to partnering with clients and families in a new way,” said Erin Lamond, PIC co-chair and HSNS manager. "The focus has been more about asking for advice from our patient advocates on topics we brought to the table.

“I really hope this will give a new avenue to making sure topics of importance to our clients and their families are on our agenda,” said Erin. "This is a whole other level of collaboration, and I’m eager to see where it takes us.”