UBC researchers, in collaboration with healthcare providers and community partners, have developed a resource booklet geared specifically towards new and expectant fathers who want to become smoke-free. The booklet, The right time….The right reasons, will be available online on Father’s Day.

Based on the real-life thoughts and experiences of dads who have — or are currently trying to — quit smoking, the booklet was designed to reflect the unique challenges that men face as fathers and smokers, as well as start a conversation about the motivations behind quitting.

“The content and quotes in the booklet are taken entirely from original stories told by dads who participated in our research studies on fathers who smoke,” says Bottorff. “The booklet uses pictures and quotes to reflect the way dads talked about the many challenges of being a new dad as well as a new dad who smokes.”

Research by Joan Bottorff, director for the

Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention at UBC’s Okanagan campus, and colleague John Oliffe, associate professor at the School of Nursing at UBC’s Vancouver campus, suggests that men had a strong desire to help and support each other in their efforts to reduce and stop smoking.

To reflect this, the resource booklet was written in a style that features “dads talking with dads” as opposed to “experts talking to dads.” The booklet includes a variety of strategies that some fathers used to reduce and quit smoking, and encourages fathers reading the booklet to think about and decide what will work best for them.

Doug Werry, Chair of Building Healthy Families Society and founder of the Nurturing Fathers program, says the booklet is a much-needed resource for fathers.

“Dads often feel they have been left out of the picture in terms of literature and parenting education,” he says. “When I took the draft of this booklet to the group to get their perspective the initial response was extremely positive. They felt it was just for them — something that spoke to a real issue in a real way and offered support specifically to them.”

Bottorff’s and Oliffe’s research, which was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, finds that stereotypes of masculinity can influence the habits of new fathers who continue to smoke despite knowing the risks associated with first- and second-hand smoke.

“The findings revealed the uncomfortable dilemma new dads experience in relation to smoking and their role as providers and protectors for their families, and highlight the importance of understanding the contexts in which men continue to smoke,” says Oliffe.

Between 22 and 33 per cent of Canadian men continue to smoke during their child-rearing years, 13 per cent of households have at least one person who smokes inside the house every day, and approximately 6 per cent of children under the age of 12 are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke.

“This booklet is not a ‘how to quit’ smoking guide,” says Bottorff. “Rather, it focuses on supporting and strengthening men’s motivation to take the first step to reducing and stopping smoking, and it links fathers who smoke to free smoking cessation services in B.C.”

“The new UBC booklet provides a great opportunity for expectant or new fathers to read real-life stories about dads who made a commitment for the health of themselves and their family by quitting smoking,” said Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport. “The tobacco-free resource can inspire fathers to lead healthier lives that are tobacco free and also help B.C. continue to reduce its provincial smoking rate.”

For further information, and to view the new booklet on Father’s Day, visit http://www.facet.ubc.ca/.

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UBC researchers, in collaboration with healthcare providers and community partners, have developed a resource booklet geared specifically towards new and expectant fathers who want to become smoke-free. The booklet, The right time….The right reasons, will be available online on Father’s Day.

Based on the real-life thoughts and experiences of dads who have — or are currently trying to — quit smoking, the booklet was designed to reflect the unique challenges that men face as fathers and smokers, as well as start a conversation about the motivations behind quitting.

“The content and quotes in the booklet are taken entirely from original stories told by dads who participated in our research studies on fathers who smoke,” says Bottorff. “The booklet uses pictures and quotes to reflect the way dads talked about the many challenges of being a new dad as well as a new dad who smokes.”

Research by Joan Bottorff, director for the

Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention at UBC’s Okanagan campus, and colleague John Oliffe, associate professor at the School of Nursing at UBC’s Vancouver campus, suggests that men had a strong desire to help and support each other in their efforts to reduce and stop smoking.

To reflect this, the resource booklet was written in a style that features “dads talking with dads” as opposed to “experts talking to dads.” The booklet includes a variety of strategies that some fathers used to reduce and quit smoking, and encourages fathers reading the booklet to think about and decide what will work best for them.

Doug Werry, Chair of Building Healthy Families Society and founder of the Nurturing Fathers program, says the booklet is a much-needed resource for fathers.

“Dads often feel they have been left out of the picture in terms of literature and parenting education,” he says. “When I took the draft of this booklet to the group to get their perspective the initial response was extremely positive. They felt it was just for them — something that spoke to a real issue in a real way and offered support specifically to them.”

Bottorff’s and Oliffe’s research, which was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, finds that stereotypes of masculinity can influence the habits of new fathers who continue to smoke despite knowing the risks associated with first- and second-hand smoke.

“The findings revealed the uncomfortable dilemma new dads experience in relation to smoking and their role as providers and protectors for their families, and highlight the importance of understanding the contexts in which men continue to smoke,” says Oliffe.

Between 22 and 33 per cent of Canadian men continue to smoke during their child-rearing years, 13 per cent of households have at least one person who smokes inside the house every day, and approximately 6 per cent of children under the age of 12 are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke.

“This booklet is not a ‘how to quit’ smoking guide,” says Bottorff. “Rather, it focuses on supporting and strengthening men’s motivation to take the first step to reducing and stopping smoking, and it links fathers who smoke to free smoking cessation services in B.C.”

“The new UBC booklet provides a great opportunity for expectant or new fathers to read real-life stories about dads who made a commitment for the health of themselves and their family by quitting smoking,” said Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport. “The tobacco-free resource can inspire fathers to lead healthier lives that are tobacco free and also help B.C. continue to reduce its provincial smoking rate.”

For further information, and to view the new booklet on Father’s Day, visit http://www.facet.ubc.ca/.

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UBC Nursing professor Carole Robinson has received the Award of Distinction from the College of Registered Nurses of B.C.

Carole Robinson’s remarkable career in nursing has earned her the Award of Distinction from the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC).

Robinson is the acting Director of the School of Nursing, acting Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Development, and coordinator of the Master of Science in Nursing program at UBC’s Okanagan campus. She has been described by colleagues as a masterful communicator, educator, clinician, researcher and a leader who exemplifies excellence as a professional nurse.

The award recognizes Robinson for her significant contributions to the lives of numerous cancer patients and their families and her extensive experience in a range of clinical environments, including serving as Regional Professional Practice/Academic Leader and later as Regional Nurse Coordinator with Pain and System Management and Palliative Care at the B.C. Cancer Agency (BCCA).

“She not only provided direct patient care, but also mentored others and provided leadership in the development of programs for cancer survivors,” says Nursing Professor Joan Bottorff, Director of the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention.

Robinson’s volunteer work includes service with the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology, the Okanagan Partnership Economic Initiative, the Michael Smith Research Foundation, and the Kelowna-Zambia Health Initiative.

“Her commitment to being an involved citizen of her communities is clearly demonstrated in these volunteer activities,” Bottorff says.

Robinson’s research initiatives have received more than $2.5 million in research and educational grants from government agencies. Her research has also helped promote the health of the general public in terms of palliative care, particularly through rural and remote locations across B.C. This work addressed gaps in end of life care, family systems and healthy habits.

Two faculty members from the School of Nursing at UBC’s Vancouver campus were also honoured by CRNBC: Associate Professor John Oliffe was recognized with the Excellence in Nursing Research award, and Lecturer Marlene Groenig received the Excellence in Nursing Education award.

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Researchers from UBC’s Okanagan campus are working with hospice societies from throughout B.C.’s Southern Interior. The team includes, from left, Barb Pesut, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Joan Bottorff, Director of the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, and Carole Robinson, Acting Director of the School of Nursing.

A research team at UBC’s Okanagan campus is working with hospice palliative care societies from throughout the B.C. Interior to help improve end-of-life care for people in rural and remote communities.

Executive directors from 24 of the region’s volunteer hospice societies were invited to meet at UBC’s Okanagan campus on April 22 to share their experiences with one another and with researchers.

“We want to understand their challenges, the programs they offer, innovative ideas they have, and to build stronger links with the university so we can engage in a program of research,” says researcher Barb Pesut, Assistant Professor of Nursing. “We want to find out what the key questions should be — and work together to answer those questions.”

The meeting in April shared a sense of purpose with this week’s National Hospice Palliative Care Week, May 2 to 8: to bring a focus on people living with life-limiting illness, their caregivers and family members, providing a venue to share their experiences and the importance of what hospice and palliative care means to them.

“End-of-life care is the kind of service everyone needs and deserves — the right to die with dignity — and hospice societies provide that and do it well,” says Kate McDonough, a member of the project team and Executive Director of the Williams Lake Hospice Palliative Care Society.

Palliative care is far more than the care that happens at end of life, says researcher Carole Robinson, Acting Director of the School of Nursing.

“It includes all the care aimed at enhancing quality of life when someone has life-shortening illness,” Robinson says. “We are turning our attention to the family caregivers who provide so much of this care and who are at risk of compromising their own health, with the intent of developing effective supports.”

The project is funded by a $15,000 internal grant from UBC and will continue with a more in-depth exploration of the experiences of people in rural or remote communities. The team is now seeking family members who, during the past two years, have provided care for a loved one at the end of life, and who are willing to be interviewed by phone. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to contact the research team at 1-877-806-9955 or email barb.pesut@ubc.ca for more information.

“Engaging community members in our research is exactly what we are aiming for here at UBC Okanagan,” says Joan Bottorff, Director of the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention. “They  bring  a wealth of local experience to our discussions — and that is key to helping us identify priorities for palliative care research that will make a real difference to families.”

This project is part of a larger research program exploring ethics in rural palliative care, which has received $148,000 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. That three-year initiative includes an ethnographic study of rural communities in B.C., and is now in its second year.

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Joanne Konnert from the Interior Health Authority and Colin Reid from UBC Okanagan.

A research program with nearly $1-million in funding is underway in B.C.’s Okanagan region and Alberta to look at ways to improve the care of seniors when sudden health issues force them into a hospital.

The “Older Persons’ Transitions in Care (OPTIC)” research team includes Colin Reid, assistant professor of human kinetics at UBC’s Okanagan campus, working with principal investigator Greta Cummings, professor in the Faculty of Nursing  at the University of Alberta, and lead decision maker Joanne Konnert, chief operating officer for the Okanagan area of the Interior Health Authority.

The study will take place in Edmonton, Alberta, and Kelowna, B.C., involving emergency departments, residential care facilities and the emergency medical services used to transfer the residents.

“The primary purpose of this research is to improve care for elderly residents in nursing homes, but also to reduce stress on residents, their families, staff, and system resources. At the same time, we intend to provide evidence to improve management of these transfers,” says Reid, co-leader of the B.C. Network for Aging Research.

“An important part of this research is to develop and test a practical tool to assess transition success, in terms of quality of care and avoidable complications,” says Reid, who is joined on the project by UBC Okanagan co-investigators Joan Bottorff, Carole Robinson and Meredith Lilly.

The team will look at how organizational factors in nursing homes, pre-hospital transport services, and emergency departments influence the success of elderly making the transition to and from hospital at both the Kelowna and Edmonton hospital sites.

This three-year research project is funded by $350,000 from the Canadian Institute of Health Research’s Partnerships for Health System Improvement program, and $630,780 over three years in partner contributions from the Interior Health Authority, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (now Alberta Innovates, Health Solutions), and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.

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Joanne Konnert from the Interior Health Authority and Colin Reid from UBC Okanagan.

A research program with nearly $1-million in funding is underway in B.C.’s Okanagan region and Alberta to look at ways to improve the care of seniors when sudden health issues force them into a hospital.

The “Older Persons’ Transitions in Care (OPTIC)” research team includes Colin Reid, assistant professor of human kinetics at UBC’s Okanagan campus, working with principal investigator Greta Cummings, professor in the Faculty of Nursing  at the University of Alberta, and lead decision maker Joanne Konnert, chief operating officer for the Okanagan area of the Interior Health Authority.

The study will take place in Edmonton, Alberta, and Kelowna, B.C., involving emergency departments, residential care facilities and the emergency medical services used to transfer the residents.

“The primary purpose of this research is to improve care for elderly residents in nursing homes, but also to reduce stress on residents, their families, staff, and system resources. At the same time, we intend to provide evidence to improve management of these transfers,” says Reid, co-leader of the B.C. Network for Aging Research.

“An important part of this research is to develop and test a practical tool to assess transition success, in terms of quality of care and avoidable complications,” says Reid, who is joined on the project by UBC Okanagan co-investigators Joan Bottorff, Carole Robinson and Meredith Lilly.

The team will look at how organizational factors in nursing homes, pre-hospital transport services, and emergency departments influence the success of elderly making the transition to and from hospital at both the Kelowna and Edmonton hospital sites.

This three-year research project is funded by $350,000 from the Canadian Institute of Health Research’s Partnerships for Health System Improvement program, and $630,780 over three years in partner contributions from the Interior Health Authority, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (now Alberta Innovates, Health Solutions), and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.

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Physical fitness can keep you active well beyond normal retirement age. Joe Derochie, (left), competed in canoeing in the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in his early 20s. Now 70, he resides in Vernon, B.C., and is an avid cross-country skier and mountain bike rider. Joe's son Darren Derochie, 43, (middle) is an Olympic cross-country skier who competed in the 1992 Winter Games. Darren is club coach at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre near Vernon, B.C. -- venue for the 2011 Masters World Cup and home club of promising athletes like national medalist Heather Mehain, 18 (right).

UBC Reports | Vol. 56 | No. 1 | Jan. 7, 2010

For many older adults, aging with chronic disease, disability and frailty requires a daily Olympian effort just to survive. Exercise training inspired by Olympic regimens can allow older adults to turn back the clock on frailty, according to researchers Gareth Jones and Jennifer Jakobi, assistant professors of Human Kinetics at UBC Okanagan.

“In many ways, frailty is a natural part of aging – it’s where we end up – but we all get there at different rates, and we move through different stages of it,” says Jones. “At some point people just can’t cope with the environment around them. Our research looks at how older adults progress towards becoming frail and what interventions, specifically exercise, might prevent people from ending up there.

UBC Okanagan Human Kinetics professors Gareth Jones and Jennifer Jakobi research how we become frail and what interventions, such as exercise, can be done to prevent frailty.

Older people who are active can have a better quality of life, Jones says. “Exercise is the best medicine to reduce the impact of chronic disease. If we don’t take the exercise medicine, we are more likely to become dependent longer, and become a greater burden to society.”

Jakobi and Jones are currently studying the physiological changes that occur as people transition through stages of frailty and how healthcare providers recognize it. They say it is possible to reduce the impact of frailty and transform frail seniors into active, healthy and independent persons through daily exercise training that improves fitness.

The Olympic movement’s motto Citius, Altius, Fortius can provide guidance for fitness for older adults:

Citius (faster) – walk briskly, pick up the pace, and increase the intensity.

Currently, the majority of Canadians over age 65 live with chronic disease, almost half live with disability and the majority are inactive. More activity is important – but Jones and Jakobi advise that, at any age, for exercise to produce fitness benefits it needs to be done for a minimum of 30 minutes most days of the week, at moderate to vigorous intensity such as a brisk walk. Start with 30 minutes and progress to 60 minutes.

The keys to building fitness are the frequency, intensity, and duration of physical activity, says Jakobi.

Altius (higher) – set higher goals.

“It is remarkable what can be achieved,” says Jones. “People think what Olympians do is out of reach, but really what they are doing is what we need to be doing in our society and in our lifestyles to maintain our health and improve our fitness.

“The only way to make a change is to add structured time into our day for exercise. We have to think about it like daily hygiene. As important as brushing your teeth morning and night, or flossing, exercise has to be structured into your day,” he says. “The Olympian prepares their body for one event in time, but you need to physically and mentally train your body to support you for the rest of your life.”

The researchers cite the example of Sister Madonna Budah, a 79-year-old Roman Catholic nun and triathlete from Spokane, Washington, who has completed 39 Ironman races and is expected to participate in the Penticton Ironman Canada again next summer at the age of 80.

Fortius (stronger) – building strength can ward off disability and keep aging muscle moving the way we want it to.

“For most older adults, it is a gradual decline and they become frail before they realize it,” says Jakobi. “You start to decline at about 30 years – but it is not recognized until cardiovascular and strength  changes become functionally noticeable.”

To thwart the slow decline in function, aerobic exercise is important, says Jakobi, “but you can’t get your heart rate up if you can’t support your body weight.”

Resistance training can produce extreme gains in muscle strength and can increase a person’s ability to perform aerobic exercise – leading to better balance, or the ability to do more brisk walking, for example.

The researchers note that high-intensity resistance exercise is well tolerated by frail older adults, and even novice older exercisers will benefit from any progressive resistance training.

Strength is important as we age: a healthy 80-year-old woman, for example, may have to use most or all of her leg strength to rise from a common armless chair. The same movement would demand only a 50 per cent effort in a young, sedentary female.

“Even a 10 or 20 per cent increase in strength would be enough to postpone this 80-year-old woman from dropping below the critical threshold required for maintaining functional independence,” says Jones.

“If older adults were to adopt these Olympian values, aging may become a positive life experience rather than one that is often associated with decline,” Jones says. “We’ll see more older adults doing things we never believed they could achieve. It is remarkable how well our bodies adapt to exercise, no matter what age we are.

“Exercise is the best medicine we know,” he says. “If we can get our bodies moving and working at intensities that engender fitness we’re going to reverse the progression to frailty.”

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