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March 03, 2021 Dear colleagues,
 
March is a significant month for recognizing some of the critical professionals who empower our work at Baycrest. On behalf of our staff, students, volunteers, clients and their families, please join me in honouring our Social Workers during Social Work Week (March 1 – 7)  Music Therapists during Music Therapy Awareness Month and our Pharmacy Professionals during Pharmacy Awareness Month. This is an opportunity for us to reflect on and appreciate the leadership and commitment of these professionals and acknowledge their contributions in health care, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
As we all know, the current environment we find ourselves in is truly unlike any other. These dedicated staff members have gone above and beyond, like so many of their colleagues, during the challenges of COVID. Throughout the pandemic, our Social Workers and Music Therapists have developed new programs, worked in much smaller groups and one-to-one, using technology to help keep clients, patients and residents connected, linked with families and supported their teams. Similarly, our Pharmacy Professionals have found novel ways to continue delivering outstanding care, whether through virtual consultations or nimbly adapting to changing best practices.
 
Here at Baycrest, you will find these professionals in so many areas: in the Hospital, at the Terraces, in the Apotex Centre, Jewish Home for the Aged, and in community and ambulatory settings. These are important members of the inter-professional team, engaging with patients, clients, residents and families.
 
Social Workers
This year's Social Work theme is “You Are Not Alone. Social Workers: Real Experts for Real Life.” In a year marked vividly by a global pandemic and its enormous mental health impacts, Social Workers have been essential for countless Ontarians and our Baycrest community. They innovate and improve care through clinical practice, formal and informal leadership roles, and through diverse roles from education to research. Working to empower and support individuals and their families, Social Workers provide essential support in increasingly complex environments. 
 
Music Therapists
Music Therapy is an invaluable clinical discipline that uses music purposefully within therapeutic relationships to support development, health and wellbeing. Music Therapists enable all individuals to achieve optimal quality of life and improved physical, mental and social/emotional functioning through meaningful engagement with music, all of which are essential in supporting our seniors through this pandemic and combatting social isolation.

Pharmacy Professionals
Baycrest’s pharmacy team, consisting of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, makes a positive impact on care as trusted medication experts by ensuring medication is effective, safe and tailored to the individual needs of the patients/clients; they provide education on medication use and medication devices, and ensure timely access to medications. People often don’t realize that on top of caring for patients, Pharmacy Professionals spend countless hours managing drug shortages, especially during the pandemic. Our pharmacy team prioritizes empathetic, individualized care and actively listens to patients to support their treatment goals and promote patient autonomy, advocating for evidence-based, patient-centered healthcare.
 
Please join us in recognizing these exceptional groups of professional staff for the tremendous role they play in the lives of those we serve each and every day. 
 
Scott Ovenden
Executive Vice President, Clinical Programs
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