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Read the latest stories about what's going on at St. Joseph's Health Care London.

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‘Micro-doses of wisdom’

The numbers say occupational therapist Clark Heard has given more than 30,000 hours as mentor to more than 150 work-placement students across 25 years of professional practice. But Heard, who works at St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care (Southwest Centre), has a different number in mind. “These mentorships have made my career 1,000 times better,” he says. “It’s such a joy, I often think the main beneficiary of this teaching has been me.” Recently, staff celebrated his being a preceptor to his 150th occupational therapy student, trainees he works...

Why healthy aging means caring for both brain and body

This story was first published nationally by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to spotlight health-research stories with impact. Judith and Matthew are among eight million people in Canada aged 65 years and older. Lately, both noticed changes in how they moved and how well they remembered...

The baby Tree- By Christine Boyd

“Several years ago, I was preparing to change to a new psychiatrist. For a number of weeks, my therapist and I talked about this change and the possible impacts to my care. During one of these appointments, my therapist asked me how I would describe my ideal treatment. Then he asked how I would want...

Keeping care close to home

For residents of long-term care (LTC) homes, a trip to the emergency department can be stressful or even frightening, particularly for those with complex health needs. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, about one in three LTC residents visit the emergency department each...

Helping the planet, one inhaler at a time

Prescription inhalers can be lifesavers for people with chronic breathing conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Ironically, though, many of these devices are not as healthy for the planet as they are for patients. A recent study shows that metered-dose inhalers...

The journey to where you’re meant to be

For Cassandra Fisher, identifying and addressing gaps in the health care system has shaped her entire career. Her current role as Clinical Manager of the Trauma and Violence Specialized Primary Care Program (TVSPCP) at St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s) represents the realization of a...

A tradition of caring: 15 years of Christmas cheer at Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care

For the past 15 years, Santa has taken on a different form at Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care Building — arriving through the generosity of community members and partners from Canadian Mental Health Association Middlesex (CMHA). St. Joseph’s Mental Health Care Patient’s Council has teamed up...

The Veteranomes band perform their debut performance at Parkwood Institute

Music can change the energy of a room and in the Veterans Care Program at St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute, it’s helping veterans return to their roots. Music therapists Jill Kennedy and Emily McCarthy have spent years working alongside the veterans who call Parkwood Institute home. Over time, they...

A life lived alongside diabetes

When Kenneth Lampman talks about living with type 1 diabetes, he speaks with the calm certainty of someone who has managed the disease since childhood. Lampman, a patient at St. Joseph's Health Care London (St. Joseph's), has been living with type 1 diabetes for 73 years, but his experience with...

Dr. Lise Bondy and Clinical Manager Kelly Muhsin

Four Decades of Progress: How HIV care has transformed

When the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was first discovered in 1983, the diagnosis was devastating. There were no effective treatments and the care was palliative. “In the 80s, it was basically a death sentence,” recalls Dr. Lise Bondy, Infectious Disease Care Program physician at St. Joseph’s...