An isometric exercise or workout is a type of training where the muscle length or joint angle doesn’t change. Simply put, the body stays static while it applies force. Some isometric exercise examples can be as simple as pushing your palms together or be as intense as holding a barbell at the peak of a curl. This is why they are so convenient and safe; people can perform them anytime, anywhere with an almost zero chance of injuries.
Shoulder Press
Stand up straight and bend your left elbow by your side, fist up.
Place your right palm on top of your left fist. Your right arm should be parallel to the ground with your elbow bent about 90 degrees.
Press your right palm into your left fist and hold this for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Do this complete exercise 10 times.
Trunk Rotation
Place your left palm on your right shoulder.
Keep your right arm relaxed by your side.
Keep your back straight and both hips square. Rotate your torso to the left as you push your left palm into your right shoulder.
Hold this for 10 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Do this complete exercise 10 times.
Chair Pose
This classic yoga pose works your entire body. Combined with isometric holds, it is an effective, efficient way to get in a full-body exercise in just a few minutes.
Stand up with your knees and feet touching.
Extend both arms in front of you.
Slowly squat down as if you’re sitting in a chair.
Squeeze your thigh muscles together and contract your abs.
Hold this pose for 10 seconds, then return to a standing position.
Do this 10 times.
"How I Conquered My Depression & Addiction & You Can Too."
AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF BEATING
DEPRESSION, DRUGS, & THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL
“They thought I was a jock who just loved to party...but I was doing it to numb my severe depression...” ...says Ethan Fisher reflecting on his teenage years. From the outside looking in, Ethan Fisher had the world at his feet. A popular high school student-athlete, he was the captain of his basketball team and a fun-loving friend who loved to party. But years of untreated depression, peer-pressured substance abuse, and negative self-talk enveloped his impressionable mind and led him down a destructive and tragic path. Sadly, this is something all too common.
According to the CDC, approximately 1.9 million children have diagnosed depression and by 12th grade, about two-thirds of students have tried substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana.Growing up in a family that did not speak openly about mental health, Ethan spent his teenage years secretly battling clinical depression while he publicly received accolades for his uncommon talent on the basketball court. He began to self-medicate, leading to a years-long battle with alcoholism and substance abuse. After failing out of several college basketball programs, several attempts with suicide, and one horrific car accident, Ethan found himself in prison with a daunting 3-year sentence. While in prison, surrounded by negativity, he just knew he had to make a change when he got released. "Students of all ages are abusing alcohol, drugs at an alarmingly high rate. In today’s society, peer pressure from social media can lead to depression, suicide and self-medicating abuse with Alcohol and Drugs.Unless something tragic happens, they do not have to face the dire consequences of their decisions. That is where my life and keynote presentation comes into play... "...says Fisher who is now an alcohol, drug, and mental health awareness keynote speaker. Sober since 2004, Ethan went on to become the first athlete in Colorado to play college basketball on inmate status and was recognized as an All-Conference and MVP. He graduated summa cum laude, was awarded the entrepreneurship student of the year award and was the recipient of the President's award. Ethan’s experiences became a catalyst for his devotion to inspiring others. "Kids open up to me about their deepest darkest issues because I tell them my own deepest darkest issues." The letters I get from kids fuels me every day to inspire change and encourage kids to speak out about mental health," boasts Fisher. Ethan Fisher is on a mission to prevent students and student-athletes across the country from making poor choices and bad decisions while changing their perspective about alcohol and drugs. IN AN INTERVIEW OR AN ARTICLE, ETHAN CAN DISCUSS:His incredible story of beating depression, drugs, and the downward spiral.Warning signs of mental health issues or addictionWhat to do if you know someone who needs helpWhat people can do today to help the cause and fight depression and substance abuseTechniques for channeling desire into purposeful action.
ABOUT ETHAN FISHER:Ethan Fisher is a keynote speaker, author, and mental health advocate who draws from his life experience to challenge, motivate and inspire students and people of all ages. From star high school athlete, to prison inmate, to the recipient of an MBA with honors, Fisher's life is a lesson in accountability, passion, and perseverance.A raw and passionate speaker, Fisher has shared his story in hundreds of cities, motivating and engaging almost 75,000 audience members to take hold of their lives and pursue their dreams. Fisher is also the founder of Life CONsequences,a non-profit to support education and prevention for students and student-athletes. Fisher was featured in the best-seller, The Heart Led Leader (which was #1 Wall Street Journal, #8 New York Times, #1 Amazon Business) newspaper articles, as well as podcasts, radio, and television shows.FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: www.ethan-fisher.com
Functional Medicine University & GoChiroTV announce planned partnership in educating patients
Functional Medicine University has announced that they will be offering GoChiroTV and SceneStudio™ Wellness to all its graduating students. Founded in 2006 by Dr. Ron Grisanti, D.C., Functional Medicine University is the oldest online Functional Medicine certification training school, serving healthcare professionals from 81 countries and all 50 US states. Functional Medicine emphasizes scientific diagnosis of an individual’s unique biochemical relationships, then encouraging the body to rebalance itself naturally instead of through surgery or drugs.
GoChiroTV/ SceneStudio™ Wellness are video platforms designed to educate patients and consumers about the benefits of functional medicine and other care provided by primary care providers. GoChiroTV is tailored to chiropractic practices while SceneStudio™ Wellness is tailored to medical, osteopathic, acupuncture and other providers. Through their dynamic, informative and entertaining format, these video platforms present patients with information updated weekly.
“Offering advanced information tools to our graduating practitioners is very exciting,” says Dr. Grisanti. These will educate patients in the comfort of the practitioners’ office. The high quality and attention to detail in their product is what makes them the perfect tool for our members.”
“We are excited to help educate patients and consumers about the power of functional medicine,” remarked Dave Hastie, President of Ridgelogic Development which produces the videos and maintains the video programming. “In addition to functional medicine content, our video platforms provide doctors with hassle-free programming that is tailored to their individual practice.”
FMU is constantly looking to improve marketing mechanisms for its members. Graduating with honors is not a guarantee for success, however, with the implementation of GoChiroTV/ SceneStudio™ Wellness in our practitioners’ offices, patients will now become aware of the many different products and services offered. With this new partnership, Functional Medicine practitioners will have more options in educating their patients, initiating conversations between doctors and patients, and most importantly, these video platforms will motivate patients to seek the additional care they want and need.
About Ridgelogic Development
Ridgelogic Development, is a leading provider of end to end DOOH technology and on premise marketing platforms, providing professionally created relevant content and managed services that include brands like GoChiroTV and SceneStudio™ Wellness. For more information call 1-888-748-3462 or go to: www.ridgelogic.com/fmu
Health Canada approves CALQUENCE® (acalabrutinib) for adult patients with previously-treated mantle cell lymphoma (MCL)
Approval of the highly selective Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor in MCL marks AstraZeneca's entry into the treatment of blood cancers
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 8, 2019 /CNW/ - AstraZeneca Canada today announced the Health Canada approval of Calquence® (acalabrutinib) as an oral therapy for the treatment of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy. A Notice of Compliance for Calquence was granted based on positive data from the ACE-LY-004 trial which demonstrated an 81% overall response rate for patients with relapsed or refractory MCL.1
MCL is a rare B-cell form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma most common in men over the age of 50. Usually diagnosed in the late stages, MCL often spreads to other organs including the bone marrow, spleen and liver. Many MCL patients initially respond to treatment, but a high rate of relapse may lead to poor prognosis.2
"The results of the ACE-LY-004 trial are very promising for MCL patients," said Dr. John Kuruvilla, Hematologist and Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto. "Calquence is highly selective in targeting BTK and its minimal interactions with other targets means it can offer the potential for reduced toxicity and improved efficacy."
Calquence is a selective inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK). Calquence binds irreversibly to BTK to inhibit its activity, and has demonstrated this with minimal interference to other immune cells or kinases in pre-clinical studies.1,3,4,5
About Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) MCL is an aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) with poor prognosis.2 MCL accounts for approximately 5% to 10% of new NHL cases in Canada each year, with an annual incidence of 0.5 per 100,000 people in Western countries.2,6 The median age at diagnosis is 68 years, and occurs more often in men than women.6 While MCL patients initially respond to treatment, there is a high frequency of recurrence.6
About Calquence Calquence (acalabrutinib; previously known as ACP-196) is a selective inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK). Calquence binds covalently to BTK, thereby inhibiting its activity, and has demonstrated this with minimal interactions with other immune cells in pre-clinical studies.1,4,5 In B cells, BTK signaling results in activation of pathways necessary for B cell proliferation, trafficking, chemotaxis and adhesion.1 The recommended dose of Calquenceis one 100mg capsule taken orally twice daily (approximately 12 hours apart), until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.1 Calquence may be taken with or without food.1
About AstraZeneca AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialization of primary and specialty care medicines that transform lives. Our primary focus is on three important areas of healthcare: Cardiovascular and Metabolic disease; Oncology; and Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity. AstraZeneca operates in more than 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. In Canada, we employ more than 675 employees across the country and our headquarters are located in Mississauga, Ontario. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.astrazeneca.ca.
References
_______________________
1
AstraZeneca Canada Inc., Calquence® (acalabrutinib), Product Monograph. August 2019.
Covey T, Barf T, Gulrajani M, Krantz F, van Lith B, Bibikova E, et al. Abstract 2596: ACP-196: a novel covalent Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) inhibitor with improved selectivity and in vivo target coverage in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. Cancer Res. 2015;75(15 Supplement):2596.
4
Byrd JC, Harrington B, O'Brien S, Jones JA, Schuh A, Devereux S, et al. Acalabrutinib (ACP-196) in relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2016;374(4):323–32.
5
Harrington BK, Gulrajani M, Covey T, Kaptein A, Van Lith B, Izumi R, et al. ACP-196 is a second generation inhibitor of Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) with enhanced target specificity. Blood. 2015;126(23):2908.
Maternal obesity speeds up offspring aging, which increases likelihood of diabetes and heart disease
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
It has long been known that obesity impairs our metabolism and predisposes to diabetes and heart disease. New research published today in The Journal of Physiology has shown that the effects of maternal obesity even pass across generations to offspring, accelerating the rate of aging of metabolic problems that occur in normal life.
Researchers at the Salvador Zubiran National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, in Mexico City and University of Wyoming at Laramie, studied offspring of obese rat mothers. They observed the offspring throughout their lives (puberty, early adult life, late adult life and early aging) to determine the rate at which they aged. Offspring of obese mothers had more body fat and showed early prediabetic signs such as an early rise in insulin resistance, increasing susceptibility to diabetes.
Offspring of the obese mothers also showed impaired function of their mitochondria, the power stations of cells that generate the energy cells need to function properly. These changes make it more likely that organisms will develop heart disease. Interestingly, some of the unwanted outcomes resulting from maternal obesity were different in males and female offspring. The reason for this is not clear, but it is thought to be hormonal in nature.
Encouragingly, exercise by the offspring improves many of the poor offspring outcomes that result from maternal obesity. These new findings add to the accumulating evidence for the influence of conditions in the womb and early life, on the physiology of the offspring, which thus impacts their susceptibility for diseases and the rate at which they age.
Elena Zambrano, senior author on the study, commented on the research saying:
“This reinforces the link between maternal obesity and the aging of offspring, specifically around the increased likelihood of developing diabetes and heart disease. Encouragingly, in previous studies we have shown that exercise by the offspring can off help offset the risks brought about by maternal obesity.”
The Journal of Physiology publishes advances in physiology which increase our understanding of how our bodies function in health and disease. http://jp.physoc.org
The Physiological Society brings together over 4,000 scientists from over 60 countries. The Society promotes physiology with the public and parliament alike. It supports physiologists by organising world-class conferences and offering grants for research and also publishes the latest developments in the field in its three leading scientific journals, The Journal of Physiology, Experimental Physiology and Physiological Reports. www.physoc.org
Insception Lifebank Recognizes World Cerebral Palsy Day
Free collection and storage of umbilical cord blood for families who have a child with cerebral palsy
TORONTO, Oct. 6, 2019 /CNW/ - To mark World Cerebral Palsy Day on October 6th, Insception Lifebank is sharing a family story that shines a light on the potential impact umbilical cord blood stem cells may have in treating this debilitating condition.
Nosheen and Abdul from Milton, Ontario have two children, Armaan (four) and Anaya (one). Armaan has been diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy (CP). In July 2018, the family's obstetrician suggested the collection of baby sister Anaya's umbilical cord blood so that it may be used to treat Armaan's CP in the future. Research in several different countries has shown cord blood treatment could be promising for children with CP.
In July of this year, Armaan was infused with Anaya's cord blood at Duke University under the FDA-approved Expanded Access Programiwhich enables cord blood stem cell therapy for children with various brain disorders.
Nosheen reports that for Armaan, the impact of the cord blood stem cells infusion has been encouraging. "Since the (cord blood) infusion, we have seen positive changes in Armaan's upper body strength, his vision, and his coordination. Now, when he looks at us, he is more connected and can hold his eye contact for longer. Armaan is showing better grasp control and can curl his fingers to hold our hands, which he could never do before. These changes may seem small, but they are important to us, and represent a hope of a better quality of life."
Cerebral palsy is a life-long disability and while there are numerous interventions and therapies that may help reduce its impact, there is no cure for the condition as yet. In recent years, scientific research has focused on demonstrating the potential of cord blood in the management of CP. Whilst cord blood is not currently an approved treatment for CP, clinical trials and Duke's Expanded Access Program are bringing Canadian families closer to viable treatment options.
"The emerging research of umbilical cord blood as a potential treatment for cerebral palsy is encouraging," said Dr. Ian Rogers, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, and Insception Lifebank's Scientific Director. "Published clinical trials have reported promising results in both cognitive and motor function measures, with investigations ongoing."
Nosheen and Abdul stored Anaya's umbilical cord blood via Insception Lifebank's free Cerebral Palsy Sibling Collection Program. The program offers free umbilical cord blood collection and storage for newborn babies who have a sibling with CP and aims to provide children with CP and their families access to treatments in current clinical trials.
Mr. Frank Cashen, General Manager of Insception Lifebank said: "We are pleased to offer free compassionate collection and storage of cord blood to families impacted by CP to facilitate access to clinical trials and approved treatments. To date, over 300 families have accessed our CP collection program."
When asked about their experience, Nosheen said: "If you are expecting or plan on becoming pregnant, I encourage you to consider this option. Banking cord blood is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and prepares you in the event it may one day help your child."
For more information about storing umbilical cord blood or the Cerebral Palsy Sibling Collection Program, please contact Insception Lifebank at 1-866-606-2790 or visit www.insception.com.
About Cerebral Palsy:
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a physical disability that affects movement and posture. It is estimated that one out of every 400 Canadian babies, and up to one in three premature babies, are affected to some extent. There are more than 50,000 Canadians with CP.ii Interventions include a variety of approaches to reduce the severity of the signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy and assist with pain, movement, communication, and learning.
About Cord Blood:
Umbilical cord blood is the blood that remains in a baby's umbilical cord and placenta. It is a rich source of blood stem cells and other important cells that can only be collected at birth for potential future use.
About Insception:
Founded in 1996, Insception Lifebank is Canada's largest and most experienced cord blood program. Insception Lifebank operates with the highest quality standard in Canada (Health Canada, AABB and FACT).
NOBEL PRIZE RESEARCH OPENS UP NEW TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR ANAEMIA AND CANCER
2019 WINNERS “PUT PHYSIOLOGY FRONT AND CENTRE”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Physiological Society has congratulated Nobel Prize winners William G. Kaelin Jr., Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe and Gregg L. Semenza.
It was announced today (Monday 7 October) that they have been awarded the Nobel Prize for their discoveries of how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability.
While the fundamental importance of oxygen has been understood for centuries, this research focuses on understanding how cells adapt to changes in levels of oxygen.
Sir Peter Ratcliffe is a former Editor of Journal of Physiology, a journal published by The Physiological Society.
Responding to the Nobel Prize announcement, President of The Physiological Society, Bridget Lumb, said:
“This year’s Nobel Prize puts physiology front and centre. It shines a light on the vital research carried out by physiologists.
“Cutting edge physiological research such as this is improving our understanding of how our bodies work and thereby helping keep us healthy.
“Thanks to this research we know much more about how different levels of oxygen impact on physiological processes in our bodies. This has huge implications for everything from recovery from injury and protection from disease, through to improving exercise performance.”
Commenting on the research, Professor Cormac Taylor of University College Dublin’s Conway Institute, said:
“Our evolution has depended on our ability to use oxygen to make energy and to adapt when oxygen levels are low.
“Humans require a constant supply of oxygen to live, but we often encounter situations where the amount of oxygen we have is low. This is the case for extreme situations, such as mountain climbers, but is also faced by people with diseases such as cancer or anaemia.
“The discovery of the HIF pathway answered the question about how our cells adapt to low oxygen and allow cells, tissues and whole bodies to adapt. This is a key and vital piece of understanding the physiology of how our bodies work.
“Targeting the pathways identified by this research opens up new treatment options for people with diseases such as anaemia or cancer.”
Medavie Blue Cross launches Connected Care digital health platform to help people access resources to manage their health when and where they need it
Partners with leading digital health providers like Maple to offer plan members convenient access and preferred pricing to virtual health care services
TORONTO, Oct. 7, 2019 /CNW/ - Medavie Blue Cross today announced the launch of Connected Care, a new digital health platform that gives plan members greater flexibility and access to innovative offerings, new virtual health care services and additional self-service options to help them get more from their benefit plan.
In a recent survey by the Canadian Medical Association, nearly three-quarters of respondents said virtual care would improve access to more timely treatment and over 60 per cent said it will lead to better overall health care.1 However, recent research has found only six per cent of Canadians can see their own physician via virtual care.2
Available through the mobile app and online through the Medavie Blue Cross member services site, Connected Care creates accessible virtual opportunities to connect directly with Canadian doctors through a newly-formed partnership with Maple, Canada's leading virtual care provider. Members will also be able to order personalized pharmacogenetic testing and engage a professional for Internet-enabled cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT).
"Innovation is expected in our industry, but introducing unique member programs that improve the quality of our health care service offerings remains a true differentiator," said Shane Reid, Director, Product, Pharmacy, and Provider Management. "Connected Care offers convenient access and preferred pricing to leading online health care providers and services, so members can access the care they want, when they need it, from anywhere. Our partners were chosen after careful review of the options available to ensure the best possible service, security and value for members."
Connected Care allows easy-access to quality virtual health care services, including:
Online Doctors: Studies show that up to 70 per cent of ER and clinic visits can be replaced by virtual consultations without any impact on quality of care.3 As part of its new partnership with Maple, Medavie Blue Cross plan members will receive 24/7 on-demand access to doctors by secure text or video for advice, diagnosis and prescriptions, at a preferred price. Members can skip the waiting room and talk with a physician within minutes, anytime, anywhere.
Personalized Medicine: In a recent survey of private health benefit plans, 74 per cent of plan members would consent to giving their DNA to help their physician better prescribe their medication.4Connected Care offers preferred pricing for members interested in exploring pharmacogenetic testing through Pillcheck by GeneYouIn, a genomics-guided personalized medication management service that helps people and their treating physicians understand how genetic makeup and metabolism impacts response to different medications.
Digital Therapy: The impacts of untreated mental illness in the workplace are great, yet, with excessive wait times and other barriers, two in three of those facing mental health issues do not access help largely due to stigma.5 Based on plan design, Connected Care reduces barriers and offers access to therapy from Beacon and Morneau Shepell whose accredited professionals, recognized as leaders in iCBT, work with the member by phone and text.
"As the only provider in Canada who can connect patients to doctors in minutes, day or night, we're empowering Canadians to more proactively manage their health," says Dr Brett Belchetz, CEO and Co-founder of Maple. "Working with innovative partners like Medavie Blue Cross is helping to expand access to these essential services, that aren't yet covered at the provincial level, enhancing preventative medicine across the country."
To learn more about Connected Care, plan members and their families can visit the Medavie mobile app or medaviebc.ca/connectedcare.
About Medavie Blue Cross
Medavie Blue Cross is a premier all-in-one carrier that provides health, dental, travel, life and disability benefits, and administers various federal and provincial government-sponsored health programs. Together with Medavie Health Services, we are part of Medavie, a health solutions partner committed to improving the wellbeing of Canadians.
We are one of Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures and recognized as an Imagine Canada Caring Company. As a not-for-profit organization, we are proud to commit an annual social dividend to the Medavie Health Foundation to support programs and initiatives aimed at addressing some of our country's most pressing physical and mental health care challenges.
About Maple
Maple is a technology platform that tackles some of the world's most meaningful issues in healthcare, starting with timely and convenient access to doctors and other healthcare providers. It allows patients to connect directly with doctors for medical care in minutes from their smartphone or computer 24/7/365, and also provides custom technology solutions for hospitals and clinics seeking to advance their delivery of care. Learn more at getmaple.ca.
Game on! Commonwealth steps up battle on climate change with regenerative solutions model
24 September 2019For immediate releaseThe Commonwealth has launched a regenerative climate change model that marries the ancient wisdom of indigenous groups with emerging innovations, technologies and scientific approaches. Common Earth, is the programme that will create a network of projects that could be replicated and adapted to any community, country or region. Government officials, environmentalists, scientists, economists, and representatives from indigenous groups from around the Commonwealth met at the organisation’s headquarters in London to discuss how the initiative can achieve sustainable development whilst protecting the planet. “It is not game over in the battle against climate change its game on,” said Secretary-General Patricia Scotland. “Because this about looking at practical, existing strategies to clean streams, restore forests and damaged ecosystems, protect marine health, educate our populations and challenge the economic and development approaches that led to the decline of our planet. “It is about a development model that takes into account the ancient wisdom of the indigenous peoples that found a way to live in harmony with their environments, and integrates it into our scientific advances and solutions to climate change. And it is a model I will take to ministers in our upcoming trade and finance summits and heads of governments at their meeting next year.” Common Earth, she added, will be based on regenerative economic models. Economist Stuart Cowan explained how these types of economies will work. “When we talk about regenerative economies we are looking at cycles of growth transformation,” he said. “We are looking for ways to bring ecological systems back into full health and blossoming, and figuring out how our economies can meet all our needs, while nature flourishes. “So as we think about climate change the health of living systems is critically important. The way we use our land, grow our food and design our cities and transportation systems can reduce carbon emissions rapidly and efficiently. The Common Earth project will be hinged on the activities of five working groups:the 'Commonwealth Small State, Climate Change Blue-Green Trade Working Group';the 'Gender and Climate Change Working Group'; the 'Indigenous Affairs Working Group'; the 'Waters Prosperity Working Group'; the 'Regenerative Finance Working Group’.Nichie Abo a member and former chairman of the Tribal Council for the Kalinago Indians in Dominica described the conference as important in providing solutions to climate change. He described the Kalinago Global Resilience projects which have created approaches to building infrastructure and farming that can help to protect, preserve and restore natural resources. He said, “The Kalinago way is simple, it is not materialistic, not extractive, it has respect for the earth and the entire environment and we view ourselves as one element in the circle of life. What has brought us to this point is that we are not spiritually connected to the earth. And this indigenous philosophy is what the world is now returning to because Western societies have recognised, and science has proven the benefits of the indigenous way of life.” Rola Khoury, CEO of the Common Earth implementation partner the Cloudburst Foundation, said: “The Common Earth Commonwealth Regenerative Development Convening was an unprecedented meeting between scientists, regenerative and drawdown practitioners, and diverse communities including many youth and indigenous peoples who came to discuss the importance of integrated climate action to restore ecosystems and communities. In addition to delivering pilot projects from Belize, Kalinago, New Zealand, and Kiribati delegates formed five working groups on blue green trade, indigenous affairs, regenerative finance and gender and climate change. All participants agreed to take coordinated action on regeneration in their regions and to deliver new projects including the Global Common Earth Network.”
Scotiabank Supports Employee Mental and Emotional Wellbeing
Scotiabank adds two additional paid personal days for all eligible Canadian employees ahead of World Mental Health Day
TORONTO, Oct. 7, 2019 /CNW/ - Scotiabank is adding two additional paid personal days for eligible Canadian employees in support of mental health and broader wellbeing.
"Our people are our most important asset, and their wellbeing is a top priority for Scotiabank," says Barbara Mason, Chief Human Resources Officer. "We strongly believe that by offering employees greater flexibility to take time off to achieve greater work-life balance, our employee population will be healthier and happier, and therefore enabled to perform at their very best."
Eligible employees in Canada, beginning on January 1st, will have access to five paid personal days with the flexibility to take them as they see fit, in addition to their current sick time and vacation entitlements. "Research also tells us increased flexibility and paid personal time off are correlated to reduced absenteeism and increased productivity and engagement," added Dominic Cole-Morgan, SVP Total Rewards.
In addition, Scotiabank provides Canadian employees and their families with $3,000 a year in mental health coverage, to use for services such as psychologists, psychotherapists, family therapists and marriage counselors, at no cost to the employee. On World Mental Health Day, Scotiabank will be hosting a wellness trade show for its employees in Toronto along with other resources, including webinars on a number of mental-health topics.
About Scotiabank Scotiabank is Canada's international bank and a leading financial services provider in the Americas. We are dedicated to helping our more than 25 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 100,000 employees and assets of over $1 trillion (as at July 31, 2019), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.
SOURCE Scotiabank
TRAIN IT RIGHT NEWSLETTER
Sign Up and get a free 7 day Train it Right HIIT Program!
