Mental health workers deserve to feel safe
Re: “Peace officers’ presence is ‘criminalizing mental health,’” June 18.
I have worked as a health professional in acute mental health and addiction inpatient units for 17 years.
We are highly trained to deescalate agitated and violent patients who are a risk to themselves and others.
We also have excellent assessment skills to identify cues that a patient is becoming agitated and to mitigate its effect.
But who sees to our safety? Violence and aggression is experienced by health-care workers at an ever-increasing rate, putting our health and safety at risk.
We need to know that we will be safe when we come to work each day.
Yes, not all mental health patients are aggressive, and I am a strong advocate for destigmatizing people with mental illness as violent and to be feared.
However, it does happen, and everyone, including those who care for these people, need to have their safety as a top priority.
Connie Hildebrand, Sylvan Lake
Our teachers earn an A for their efforts
Applause for the teachers and staff at my kids’ school, who provided excellent content online and have been available when we needed them over these past few months.
It was a great experience for us as a family to have things run so smoothly; the transition from classroom to online was largely seamless.
We are thrilled with the results and thankful for the experience.
Dayna Mazzuca, Sylvan Lake
Let’s protect ourselves by wearing masks
So the COVID-19 is going strong, and finally, our AHS started to hand out free masks so people who can’t get them or can’t buy them, have them.
However, many places I go, maybe 20 per cent of the people are wearing them.
Why don’t you people understand?
I use it to protect you, and you should wear it to protect me or others. I’m not so thrilled how some people don’t use masks.
Come on, Red Deer.
Tamas Raba, Red Deer