Family Connections

Published Monday, December 9, 2019

Family Connections

Hospital Staff Feature: Heather Vita, Director of Marketing and Communications, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation

Heather loves to spend time with her family outside. Whether it be camping, fishing, hiking, skiing or any other activity, she says it’s where their best memories are made.

dec-7-2019-h-vita-1

By Vanessa Masters, Prevention and Screening Services, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

Did you know that a strong family connection is important for your overall health and well-being? Studies show that when people feel better connected and supported, they also feel better physically and emotionally. In fact, having a stable social network can even predict higher job satisfaction.

Modern life is busier than ever, meaning that family time is even more important. Family can be whoever is closest to you, and sometimes includes friends or distant relatives. Whoever you call family, here are a few tips to help make the best out of family time to help build stronger family connections:

  1. Get the kids involved with dinner by having them help cook, set the table or bake a dessert. Sometimes even small tasks help to make them feel included, and can help you by taking some tasks off your plate.

  2. Make a ‘no electronics allowed at meal times’ rule, including TV, phones and tablets. This will help everyone to genuinely connect with one another. It is important to talk about your day and upcoming events together in a face-to-face, less distracted environment.

  3. Ask open-ended questions so that one word answers are harder to come by. This can help keep a conversation going and you can learn more about each other. It is great trick with teens to help them stay engaged! For example, ask: “Where would you live if you could pick anywhere in the world and why?”

  4. Talk about your family’s history to learn more about each other. This can be how your parents met or where your grandparents grew up or any other story from the past that has shaped us into who we are today. Try asking about certain time periods in each person’s life to get a well-rounded background.

  5. Create one or two traditions that your family does together every holiday so there is something consistent to look forward to. Holiday traditions differ based on age and where everyone is located that year, but you can keep it simple. Making a phone call on a certain day when everyone can’t be together is a simple holiday tradition that makes us feel closer.

Holiday family tradition idea: Every year our Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) collects small items to stuff stocking for elderly patients in need. Rally your family together to collect donation items to support this program. If you are interested in more information about HELP or want to volunteer, please contact Donna in Volunteer Services at jeanpied@tbh.net.

 

White Bean Soup with Kale and Sausage

Recipe submitted by: Cora Roulliard, Network Analyst, Informatics

2 tbsp olive oil

8 oz Italian sausage, casing removed

1 white onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups vegetable broth

1 large can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups kale, chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 pinch red pepper flakes

 

Directions:

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, brown sausage with 1tbsp olive oil (approximately 5 minutes) then remove meat from pan.

  2. Add remaining olive oil to pan with onion, carrots and pepper and cook until tender (approximately 5 minutes).

  3. Add garlic to pan and cook for 30 seconds, stirring consistently.

  4. Add all other ingredients to the pot including sausage and bring to a simmer until kale is soft.

  5. Serve immediately or freeze for up to 6 months.

Tip: You can make a vegan version by omitting the sausage and adding 1 tsp of Italian spice instead.

*All content from this article can be found in our Hospital’s 2019 Staff Health and Wellness Calendar. To date, the Calendar has featured over 300 staff members from all areas and disciplines of our Hospital, capturing the many ways they choose to stay healthy.

 

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