Margaret Frazer House provides a continuum of supports and housing for women, with psychiatric issues, age 18 and up. Our programs & services include informal counseling, case management, medication management, individual advocacy, social & recreational supports and peer support opportunities, among other services.

Clients and staff compete in a challenge for the greatest number of steps they walk during the week. Every Monday the scores of participants are recorded on a chart. This is followed by a shared lunch. At the end of a month, the client and staff with the highest score receive a prize and the other participants also receive small gifts. As of April 2010, this program is in its fourth month.

We also have health promotion activities. Our weekly community dining program includes information about nutrition. We have a group membership at the YMCA where a group of women go to work out twice a week. A student placement will be doing individual coaching with some of the women, as she did during the summer of 2009.

There is peer support training for the clients in 10-week sessions twice a year and opportunities for clients to initiate activities.

We don’t receive specific funding for this program.

There have been problems with the pedometers – broken, lost, not working –
which discouraged some participants. Some have gone through more than 3 pedometers. It is also difficult to motivate some clients to be more active. Our staff try to generate enthusiasm, but activities are not mandatory. Nevertheless, the majority of the clients do go out each day and even if only for a few blocks, they are active.

For more information, contact:
Diane Walter, Executive Director
Margaret Frazer House
Phone: 416-463-4145
E-Mail: diane [at] margaretfrazerhouse [dot] org
Website: http://www.margaretfrazerhouse.org
 

Location