Regulars

A Word from the CEO………………….…….. Pg. 2

 

Staff Matters

Announcements……….…………………..…. Pg. 3

 

Q & A with Alan Ohlsson

An interview with Mr Alan Ohlsson as he bids Victoria Hospital Farewell….……..…..……. Pg. 4

 

Sneak Peek!

We share some pics of Victoria’s new Emergency Centre………….…….Pg. 4

 

Victoria’s New EC

Dr Flip Cloete shares his thoughts about theopening of Victoria’s new Emergency Centre………….…….. Pg. 5

 

A Social Workers Poem

Commemorating World Social Workers Day……………….…..Pg. 6

 

Life After Loss:

Understanding and Dealing with Grief……………….. Pg. 7

 

Birthdays

January, February and March Staff Birthdays……………..……Pg. 8

Congratulations on the birth of Ukhanye,

son of ENA L. Solo.

Sr Amardien:

Dr Cloete, when is the new EC going to open?

Dr Cloete:

The building has been handed over to Victoria and we are in the final stages of preparing it to open, hopefully on the 5th May but there may be a slight delay.

Sr Amardien:

How many beds will the new EC have?

Dr Cloete:

There are two floors. Downstairs is the main emergency department which has 17 beds, 6 chairs and a large 4 bedded resus room. This gives us two extra resus beds and 10 extra EC beds from the original.

Upstairs is the overnight ward which can accommodate 18 beds and 12 chairs. This will give us 10 extra beds and 7 extra chairs.
Sr Amardien: What are staff looking forward to the most?

Dr Cloete:

For many years the EC staff have had to treat an increasing number of patients in a small, cramped area that wasn’t suitable for what it needed to do. Despite this the team have delivered high quality care and the new EC will allow us to combine this level of care in state-of-the-art facilities.

There will be a lot more space to work in, most of the equipment will be brand new and it gives us a chance to rethink how we operate as a team.
We’re really excited about the opening and what it will allow us to do for our patients.

WHY BE A SOCAIL WORKER

“Why be a social worker?” People often ask me.
“The pay isn’t high, and the paperwork is beyond belief.
The stress you must have, dealing with problems all day”.
So, I look at them, and I try, my best to explain.
“The pay won’t make you rich, you are right about that.”
The paperwork’s insane, and we always need more staff.
Yes, people come to me with a lot to explain.
From broken homes, trauma, and unimaginable pain.
But you asked, “why be a social worker?” So, let me share with you.
Why I continue to do what I do.
It’s the light in people’s eyes, when they first find that hope.
When they empower themselves, and finally learn to cope.
It’s watching them find a new life, one they actually want to live.
It’s the joy of the families, as they reunite and forgive.
It’s the one day you wonder, “am I really making a difference in what I do?”
Then your email reads; “I am happy and well, and I want to thank you.”
“That’s when you know…” I say with a tear…
There could not be a more rewarding career.

MONIQUE RENEE SMITH

Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o’erwrought heart and bids break – Shakespeare

 

Most people experience loss at some point in their lives … loss of a loved one to death, a relationship, a home, a job, one’s health, one’s dreams, or even one’s sense of direction, identity or belonging in the world. Recently Covid-19 has forced many of us to experience, or bear witness to, a great deal of loss. Grief is a normal and healthy reaction to any type of loss, yet it can be painful and confusing. This article aims to provide some basic information about grief, and some suggestions on how to deal with your own or someone else’s loss and resultant grief. For the purpose of this article, the loss I will focus on is the death of a loved one.

Grief can manifest physically, emotionally and/or spiritually, depending on the person grieving, and the extent of the attachment to the person now lost. The loss is often more than a person; it includes the expectations and dreams of everything linked to that person. So, one could say that loss occurs when there is a discontinuation of an expectation, and one’s grief strongly relates to how much of oneself was invested in those expectations and dreams. It is said that people experience grief in stages, for example, Kubler Ross describes five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Others refer to certain ‘tasks’ of grieving. Tasks offer a more empowering way for people to deal with their feelings, as they suggest that one can do something about one’s pain. Dr Warden, a well-known psychologist, came up with four tasks of mourning which I will use as a framework to indicate how grief can be processed. However, it is important to remember that grieving is unique to everyone, and grief is fluid, so you or the person you are supporting may experience stages and work through tasks at different times, and in different ways, if at all.

The first task is to accept the reality of the loss, which can take time and requires emotional and intellectual acceptance. It is important to talk about the loss. Talk to someone you feel comfortable with and trust. Talk about it to yourself, in your mind, or write it down, as many times as you need to. Ask yourself questions such as: Where did the loss occur? How did it happen? Who told me about it? Where was I when I heard? These questions could help you accept the reality of the loss.

The second task is to process the pain of the grief. As explained earlier, grief can be physically, emotionally and/or spiritually painful. You may feel anxious, angry, guilty, helpless, and alone, in addition to the raw pain you feel. Some people try to escape this pain by resorting to substance abuse, overeating, over-exercising, or taking on more work to distract them from the pain.

Unfortunately, these distractions merely prolong the grieving process. So it is helpful to become aware of and acknowledge the feelings and emotions that you are experiencing; to accept that it is ‘ok to not be ok’, and to remember that what you are feeling is a healthy reaction to a loss.
The third task is to adjust to a world without the deceased. Loss can destroy hope, and one’s sense of purpose and meaning. It can affect our everyday functioning, our sense of self and view of the world. You may need to adapt to new roles and potentially a new environment, but it is also important to avoid any huge life-changing decisions in this period of vulnerability. During this time of adjustment, it is vital to accept help, yet at the same time to keep doing the things you can do. You may also need to learn new things, so try to celebrate lessons learnt, and small victories achieved. This will help you to regain some control in your life.

The fourth task is to find a way to remember the deceased while continuing to function in one’s life. You may have lost a person, but you have not lost your memories with them, and the influence they had on your life. You carry those gifts within you. We do not ‘get over’ someone we have lost, but we can find a way of remembering them without their memory paralyzing us. It is possible and useful to find meaningful ways of remembering our loved ones, for example, by visiting their gravesite, or keeping a scrap book of memories, or by embracing a particular activity enjoyed with them when they were still physically present.

Time will ease the grief, but it is helpful to anticipate and prepare for days that will be more challenging (e.g., first anniversary of the death and holidays). Seek medical or psychological assistance if needed. 

CORNS SJ
BHENGU ZL
THEKWANE ZE
LEWIS F
NTWANA PN
MTALANA LB
MALANGA NG
WALKER BR
GQAMANA NE
BOOYSEN P
MEYER L
WAMBU T
MAGADLA P
MNENO B
LATEGAN S
GASHI NL
DELCARME AL
SCHERMBRUCKER GM
KAMAAR M
DANIELS C
PHOSWA N
SITHOLE XE
JOKWENI PN
HELE O
AKKERS MD
KOOVERJEE A
DICHMONT D
MGUNGU K
MARCUS AF
JOHNSON A
RHODE A
LEWIS AZ
AMARDIEN-EKSTEEN A
JEPTHA SD
ABRAHAMS F
MINNAAR LP
PIKA N
FOURIE AR
OLIPHANT NL
MARTINI M
KHOZA S
MAKHANYA FZ
LEIGHTON PS
STANLEY DT
VALLEY-OMAR WE
VAN SCHALKWYK AF
GARCIA D

MABOGOANE TBM
CUPIDO CS
XESEKILE V
WIEHAHN AS
AFRICA M
DE CROES NA
ADONIS C
JAMES FA
BLAWENI M
ANTHONY LC
MFAMA Z
BEZUIDENHOUDT AV
XULU W
MITCHELL MD
LESBICH R
RUITERS CA
VAN STORMBROEK B
ELGAR YC
MEYER M
MUTE T
CUPIDO CA
HENDRICKS HJ
SHABALALA N
KERSPUY SBH
KLOPPERS CJ
DAVIDS CC
MOHAPI N
NTSABO T
ULANA N
KLAWIKOWSKI KJ
PRINS M
GECA P
JOHANNISEN CM
JACOBS D
DAVIDS Q
GRIFFIN K
WEBBER MA
XHALA BO
SUTTON L

DYASI U
MORGAN JS
JONES GR
EASTON SM
FESTER TM
DESI AT
SGAM N
VAN DER SCHYFF N
LUDAKA X
BARNES S
RONO N
IBANEZ NK
MYEKI MM
MSHWESHWE P
SAFAR S
RICHARDS DS
TSHIPUKE NS
LOTTERING E
FULLERTON Z
GILDENHUYS A
BADENHORST W
LEWIES CA
CAPES SA
TITUS A
BRINK A
VAN DER RIEL J
DAVIDS Y
WAHL H
GAMA M
MAMPHWE RP
SOLOMON N
BONNER BR
MADONDA ST
FREDERICKS C
MFENGWANA SU
MKHIZE WZ
LE ROUX SPDP
MHLONYANA NP
GWEBANI O
MNIKATHI JT
RAKIEP T
DREYER F
MCELELI NG
LOSPER JC
MABASO TW