CSCP Executive

Sandra graduated in 1977 from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alberta. After working for a few years in community pharmacy, she joined the long term care sector, and has worked as a consultant pharmacist with various clinical teams. Her areas of experience include:

• Anticoagulation management services in a long term care centre.
• Mental Health and Behavioural Assessment and Stabilization for residents with Dementia.
• Patient Safety Initiatives such as Medication Reconciliation .

Sandra has been a member of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacist since 2000. She is currently working for Capital Health in Edmonton; overseeing pharmacy practice development in long term care centres.

A 1969 graduate of the University of Manitoba, Penny has pursued a varied career in pharmacy, including hospital and community pharmacy, with independents and chains, as a full-time, part-time and relief pharmacist. For 12 years, she was a long term care consultant pharmacist, providing geriatric consultative service to personal care homes. In 1994, she completed her Advanced Certificate in Gerontology at the University of Manitoba. In September, 1999, Penny initiated a new phase in her career, and is currently Manager, LTC Pharmacy Program, with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA). She works closely with other members of the Personal Care Home Program, Manitoba Health, and acute and long term care pharmacy providers to ensure safe and effective pharmaceutical care for the residents of Winnipeg’s personal care homes

Over the past years, Penny has been involved with numerous community groups and out-reach programs, including Y-Neighbours, various Seniors Groups, and Red River Community College. Past professional affiliations have included Councillor and member of the Executive for the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association, and Chair, Discipline Committee, Chair, Complaints Committee, and Chair, Professional Development Committee, and member of the executive committee of the CSCP and Manitoba Association of Pharmacy Directors. Penny also received recognition from CSCP in 2004, as the recipient of the Eldercare Award of Excellence in Senior Care Pharmacy.

Penny is married to Brian Head, with a son working in intensive care pharmacy, and a daughter who traveled the world, to return home to Winnipeg to share her experiences with her students. Penny and her husband have a retreat from the stresses and rigour of day-to-day life at a cottage near the Duck Mountains.

Jane Alderdice is a graduate of the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Pharmacy in 1978.

Since 1983, Jane has been involved with Geri-Aid Systems in Winnipeg, Manitoba as the Manager of Long Term Care. Currently Geri-Aid Systems is operated by Rexall Specialty Pharmacy based in Mississauga, Ontario.

Jane has been a member of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) since 1985 and has attended the Society conferences regularly to keep abreast of current and future long-term care trends both in distribution and consultant activities.

Since 1987, Jane has been involved with the development of a Canadian chapter of ASCP, which became a reality in the early 1990s. She was a fellow of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (FASCP) for many years. She served as Treasurer of CSCP 2005-2007 and is currently serving in the role as Vice President.

She is a licensed member of the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association and has served on their Standards of Practice committee for many years.

She was actively involved in both the development and implementation of the Manitoba Health Pharmacy Standards for Personal Care Homes in 1986 and was involved in their subsequent review in 1993.

Jane served on the Board of Directors for the Manitoba Society of pharmacists in 1987 through to 1991 being active on the Economics and PCH subcommittees during that time. Currently, Jane is a member of the Economics subcommittee for PCH negotiations with Manitoba Health for capitation fees.

Jane was the Pharma Plus , Pharmacist of the Year in 1991 due to her active involvement in the development and promotion of long-term care pharmacy for Geri-Aid in Manitoba.

Jane was chairperson of the pharmacy sub-committee for the Nursing Home Association of Manitoba Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI); served on the Manitoba Health Prescribing Guide Committee from its inception in 1986 introducing the program to all Winnipeg facilities and implementing the program into the Geri-Aid facilities; was chairperson of the sub-committee for the MPhA Standards of Practice committee that developed the standards for long-term care pharmacy services and introduced the standards to the MPhA annual meeting in 1987.

Since 2000 Jane has been a member of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority PCH Pharmacy Advisory Board as well as being involved in the sub-committee for PCH formulary development and is a member of the WRHA Geriatrics & Long Term Care P&T committee.

Currently, Jane provides the overall management of the Geri-Aid program for 3000 beds both in Winnipeg and southwestern Manitoba.

In addition, Jane is actively involved in the southwestern Manitoba pharmacy program through the regional activities of the Assiniboine Regional Health Authority. She has been involved with the rural pharmacy business since 1986 converting facilities to a monitored dose system from their existing vial system as well as introducing consultant pharmacy services and the Geri-Aid program to this area of the province.

Jane received the Rexall Specialty Professional Award for Pharmacy in 2007 for her ongoing involvement in the development of long term care pharmacy through Geri-Aid Systems.

To Jane, increasing the visibility and on-site activity through the development of the role of the consultant pharmacist in long term care facilities has always been a high priority. She enjoys the continual evolvement of long term care pharmacy where she is able to advocate optimal medication management for residents in the long term care environment.

Jane has been married to her husband, John for 30 years and together they share the joy of raising their eleven year old son, Zachary.

Girish graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, MA in 1994. He became licensed to practice in Ontario in spring 1995. He began his career in Pharmacy with Pharmaplus doing relief work. His travels took him all over Ontario where he gained valuable retail knowledge and experience.

Girish began his career with Classic Care Pharmacy in 2000. He began working as a dispensary pharmacist and then was promoted to Pharmacy Manager in 2002. Girish’s responsibility include- overseeing of all pharmacy operations, setting up continuing education for pharmacy staff as well as nursing staff at the homes, training of employees, attending professional advisory committee meetings, conducting medication profile audits as well as providing in-services.

Girish has been a member of the Ontario Pharmacists’ Association Long Term Care committee since 2002 and was invited to participate on the LTC Working group for the Ministry of Health in 2007.

Years of practice as a pharmacist: 1992 - 2007.
Year of initial membership ASCP: 2004.
Current Place of Employment: Riverview Health Centre.

I currently work in a long term care institution, and am responsible for the Geriatric Rehab Unit. There, I am one of 10 interdisciplinary team members, all of whom communicate and take part in the patients rehab. I am particularly interested in renal function, and its relationship to Medication Management in the elderly population.

• Advance practice designations, certifications or accreditations: CGP
• Leadership roles : Preceptor for the Pharmacy Students, who are assigned to our facility. As well, I sit on the Regional Geriatric & Long Term Care Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee, and am the P&T liaison for our institution. I am a member of the Research Access Committee for Riverview Health Center.
• Awards and recognition: Preceptor of the Year 2006 presented by the University of Manitoba.
• Personal goals and objectives: The smooth transfer of patients from facility to facility and out into the community. Communication between caregivers is essential to meet this goal!
• Personal qualities : I am one, who has a commitment to completion of any jobs undertaken. I feel that a job worth doing is worth doing well. And I will do my best to fulfill this!

Sally graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alberta in 1981 and in 1995 received a Masters degree in Gerontology from the University of Waterloo - where she has occasionally been a guest lecturer for the gerontology programme. For many years she has taught the “Drugs in the Elderly” course for nursing students at Conestoga College. Sally is also a teaching associate with the University of Toronto precepting pharmacy students during their final year of study. In the past, Sally has also precepted SPT students for the Ontario College of Pharmacists and was a teaching associate at the University of Alberta many years ago.

In 2001 Sally earned the Certified Geriatric Pharmacist (CGP) designation, the highly respected qualification in senior care pharmacy and is now a member of the Exam Development Committee for the Commission in Certification for Geriatric Pharmacy. She is also currently a member of the executive for the Canadian Society of Consultant Pharmacists. Sally was awarded the Ortho-Janssen Eldercare Award in 2002 for excellence in senior care pharmacy.

Sally has worked in the long-term care field for most of her practicing career. After graduating form the University of Alberta, she worked in Edmonton for a pharmacy providing services to several nursing homes and a chronic care hospital. She moved to Ontario in 1985 and began work at Hoegler’s Pharmacy in Kitchener. She became their Manager of Long-Term Care Services in 1987 and worked there until 1999. At Hoegler’s Pharmacy, Sally was involved in consulting, policy development and management of services to nursing homes, retirement homes and group homes. Sally also worked at the Freeport Health Centre of Grand River Hospital prior to coming to work for Medical Pharmacy. During her 2 years at the hospital, Sally worked on palliative and chronic care units. She gained experience in pain and symptom management during this time. She also served on the Joint Research and Ethics Committee for the hospital. Currently Sally is employed by Medical Pharmacy, an Ontario based chain of pharmacies specializing in the provision of services to long-term care facilities. In her role as consultant pharmacist, Sally works closely with facilities, their physicians and management staff to initiate and implement changes, monitor and review medication use and provide patient care. She is particularly interested in education and provides interesting and informative in-services on a wide range of topics.

Sally is well known in the Kitchener area as a speaker to professional, community and seniors groups. She has spoken for the Parkinson’s Support Group, the Osteoporosis Support Group, the regional Pain and Symptom Management Team, the Seniors and Medication Committee and the Region of Waterloo Pharmacists Association. Speaking topics have included Adverse Drug Reactions, Osteoporosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Herbal Medications, Pain Management in the Elderly and Depression in the Elderly. Sally has also spoken at McMaster University’s Level II Palliative Care Course.

Sally and her husband and their two daughters live in Kitchener.

Pronica has been a pharmacist for over 30 years. After spending several years in retail, hospital and institutional pharmacy, she eventually settled on retail pharmacy for its diversity and challenges. Sixteen years ago, she joined Medical Pharmacies where she was introduced to Long Term Care pharmacy. She has been a consultant now with Medical Pharmacies for 14 years and is very passionate about it. She attained her Certified Geriatric Pharmacist designation 7 years ago.

As well as being the education representative for CSCP, she represents the CSCP on the steering committee for the Canadian Coalition for Seniors Mental Health. Two years ago, under the auspices of CCSMH, Pronica was on the committee which developed the Canadian national guidelines for treatment of depression in the elderly.