1. Addiction, Mental Health & Suicide: The Question is Not Why the Addiction But Why the Pain Barbara Ross
Day: Monday Dates: April 19 - May 31 (no class on May 24) Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am
Course Description Mental illness, substance use and suicide affect individuals from all corners of the community, regardless of age, race, sex, or income. The links between mental health, substance use and suicide issues are complex and often misunderstood. They might develop independently as a result of common risk factors or one might lead to the other as a result of self-medication or prolonged distress. Research suggests that those with an addiction are about twice as likely to suffer from at least one mental health issue, and vice versa. Additionally, stigma and discrimination can affect all stages of the lives of people living with mental illnesses and/or addiction issues - dealing with friends, family, communities, and employers, as well as justice and health care systems. Many of us are aware of a friend, relative or colleague who is affected by addiction and/or mental health issues. The goal of the course is to provide some insight and a deeper understanding of the subject matter with an open minded and non-judgmental approach, sharing stories and open discussion.
Instructor Biography Barbara Ross has worked in the field of Addictions and Mental health for more than 30 years both in the UK and Canada. After qualifying and practicing as a RN, Psychiatric Nurse, Midwife and Public Health Nurse, she spent six years providing care and support for people infected and affected by HIV and four years as Team Lead with the Outreach Harm Reduction Team in Dundee, Scotland. Barbara and her family moved to Calgary, Alberta in 2003 and was employed as a Crisis Counselor with AVENTA Centre of Excellence for Women with Addictions followed by Alberta Health Services as Provincial Harm Reduction Manager until her retirement and move to Nova Scotia in 2016. In partnership with the University of Calgary, Barbara was a guest lecturer on the Masters of Public Health Course at the University of Bugando, Mwanza, Tanzania. Barbara also holds a BA in Community Health Studies, MBA and qualifications in Counselling and Addictions.
2. Ageing Well with Food and Nutrition: Achieving a Sense of Well Being Sandi Berwick
Day: Tuesday Dates: April 20 - May 25 Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am Course Description Exploring well-being is used in the context of a holistic perspective of both health and quality of life. This course will provide an overview of the food and nutrient recommendations for older and aging people. Topics will focus on the understanding and application of the determinants of healthy eating, client-centered care, and the nutrition care process. Determinants of healthy eating encompass a range of individual (physiological, psychological, and biological) and environmental (social, cultural, economic, and physical) factors that influence decisions and access to food and nutrition. The aging process as well as various chronic diseases can affect individuals in many ways and can be exacerbated by a range of environmental factors.
Instructor Biography Sandi Berwick has been a registered dietitian in various health team roles in continuing care (long-term care, community, and acute care) from 1987 until this current time (PT Faculty MSVU); left her practice in 2015. Her area of focus and passion has been for an aging and older population. Sandi’s philosophy for achieving a sense of well-being throughout the aging process was the driving force to developing and teaching a course at Mount Saint Vincent University in 2016 (Culture Change in Medical Nutrition Care and Healthcare). Since then, Sandi has also taught Introduction to Client Care, Introduction to the Profession of Dietetics and Food and Nutrition for Successful Aging. Sandi has completed two undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Science in Home Economics, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology) and a Masters in Family Studies and Gerontology). Sandi has been co-chair of the Nova Scotia Dietitians’ Continuing Care Action Group, and is currently a member of the Gerontology and Homecare Networks for Dietitians of Canada and has been a long-time Associate of the Eden Philosophy of Care.
3. The Prescient Hannah Arendt Daphna Levit
Day: Wednesday Dates: April 21 - May 26 Time: 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Course Description The contemporary resurgence of interest in the writings of Hannah Arendt is not surprising. She was an original thinker who defied categorization, who challenged convention and who tried to understand the complexity of being human and political in the modern world. She rejected the designation of philosopher and considered herself a political theorist. This course will attempt to introduce, in very broad strokes, the vast range and diversity of her brilliant contribution to our understanding of human history and society. Given the time limitations of the course, and the length of many of her books, we will not attempt detailed readings but will concentrate on excerpts and key ideas from the following books: 1) Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil (1963) 2) Origins of Totalitarianism (1951) 3) The Human Condition (1958) 4) The Life of the Mind (1977) Many of Hannah Arendt’s ideas are controversial and hopefully will inspire active participation in defiance ofthe limitations of Zoom.
Instructor Biography After completing her Ph.D. studies in Comparative (Japanese) Literature at Indiana University, she went on to take additional graduate degrees in Finance (MBA) and East Asian Studies (Economics)(MA) from Cornell University. She spent much of two decades in Japan, a third in London, England and New York employed as a financial analyst by some of the giant Wall Street firms that adversely topped the headlines. She got out of the industry in the late 1990s to teach MBA students. In 2002 she moved to Nova Scotia and wrote a weekly column in the South Shore newspaper on global financial matters; opera reviews for the national magazine Opera Canada and teaching courses on Japanese history, Japanese Film, on the history of Zionism and on Economics in various academic institutions. She joined the SCANS BOD early in 2010, served on it for four years, developing and then coordinating the three SCANS chapters in the South Shore. In 2011 she co-authored a book on the Middle East and in 2020 she published a second book entitled Wrestling With Zionism. She has given several talks on that subject all over Canada. She now lives near Lunenburg.
4. How to Talk Back to an Economist: Updated Pandemic Version Alex Roberts
Day: Thursday Dates: April 22 - May 27 Time: 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm Course Description “Economics is too important to be left to the experts.” - Ha-Joon Chang The subtle, arcane, (but not so dismal) science of economics affects each one of us daily - be it the rising cost of family groceries, investing in the stock market, or making informed choices as a voter. However, a little training in some basic concepts can go a long way in helping to comprehend the often abstract and counter-intuitive economic theories shaping our lives. This six-week crash course is designed as a lively, accessible, and painless guide to economics and the economy - with an emphasis on ideas and understanding rather than esoteric charts, incomprehensible jargon, and arms-length equations. Hot-button issues such as globalization, neuroeconomics, the size of government deficits, growing inequality, digital currencies, “Bidenomics,”, and the merits and demerits of carbon taxes will be featured – along with snapshots of the most influential economists. Relevant real-world examples, video clips, cartoons, notable quotations and case studies will be employed to help demystify the jargon and to explain key ideas. NOTE: The Covid-19 pandemic has forced a transformational rethink in both economics and politics. This iteration of the course contains substantial new material exploring this new dynamic.
Instructor Biography A native of Yorkshire, England, Alex Roberts taught in Halifax for 28 years (Statistics, Economics and Computer Science). After leaving teaching in 2005, he spent several years as an educational presenter and is now a freelance writer, with over 200 articles published. Hobbies include being a railway buff, coin collecting and cricket. The former co-owner of Entertainment Contacts (booking) Agency, he currently owns and operates The White Rose Cricket Forum. He holds a B.A (Economics), a B.Ed, an M.Ed (Curriculum Theory), and graduate studies (Economics)
5. The Manhattan Project: The Making of the Atomic Bomb Cameron Reed
Day: Friday Dates: April 23 - May 28 Time: 10:00 am - 11:15 am Course Description The use of atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 were pivotal events of the twentieth century. These bombs were developed under the auspices of the United States Army’s “Manhattan Project”, which had its origins in 1939. This course will explore the scientific background to nuclear weapons, how the Manhattan Project came to be organized, some of its leading personalities, its facilities, development of the bombs, the context of the war in the summer of 1945, and the bombing missions. Nine countries now possess nuclear weapons, and we will also briefly survey the current status of nuclear weapons deployments, the most lasting legacy of the Manhattan Project. No background in science and mathematics is needed, although memories of a high-school physics or chemistry class would be beneficial. The main requirements are curiosity and a willingness to engage with some unusual concepts and quantities.
Instructor Biography A native of Toronto, Dr. Cameron Reed is the Charles A. Dana Professor (Emeritus) of Physics at Alma College in Michigan. He retired to the Halifax area in 2018 after a 35-year career of teaching and research at universities and colleges in Canada and the United States. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Waterloo in 1984. His research interests have included both astronomy and the history and physics of the Manhattan Project. He has published over 100 articles in scientific journals as well as five books on the Manhattan Project