Riverside Health Care Facilities, Inc. will be instituting a 100 percent ban on smoking tobacco at its facilities in Fort Frances, Emo, and Rainy River, effective July 1.
The Riverside board of directors recently endorsed the new “no smoking policy” and released a statement which read:
“We, the board of directors, deliberated on this issue and feel strongly that it will be a helpful measure for the health and well being of staff and patients.”
Riverside also announced it will be providing assistance for staff and patients who request or require help to quit smoking. A smoking cessation program already is in place and some staff members have been trained as smoking interventionists.
The board realizes this is a significant change to the current policy, which allows for smoking within a specific distance (28 ft.) from the entrances to the health care facilities, or within certain areas inside the facilities (such as the Continuing Care Unit at La Verendrye hospital, or long-term patient lounge areas in Emo and Rainy River).
The board said it understands this change may cause some hardships for those who currently smoke, but still is encouraging staff and patients to participate in the programs that will be made available.
Riverside officially will launch its smoke-free environments with their own “Tobaccoless Tuesday and Weedless Wednesday” next week.
Riverside CEO Wayne Woods, who will be one of the participants in the cessation program, expressed his opinion with the new direction.
“I am looking at this as an opportunity to try and kick the habit myself,” he remarked.
“As a corporation, it definitely demonstrates Riverside’s commitment to providing quality health care programs and services that promote the health and well-being of our patients and staff.”
For more information about this new policy, contact Riverside communications officer Teresa Hazel at 274-4803.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
