Expert Tips to
Improve Your
Wellness Factor
EXPERTS AGREE
that overall quality of life depends on a variety
of factors. Some factors include employment, physical and mental health,
education and a sense of belonging among others. In a condominium
environment we can see how some of these factors, the physical property
and its liveability, a sense of belonging and well-being in particular, can
apply. We asked several ACMO Associate members, all experts in their
respective fields, to provide some Tips on how managers and their boards
can recognize and improve the wellness factors in their condominium
communities.
By Dianne Werbicki, BA
WELLNESS
In Your Community
Karen Kisiel, LLB — Pets provide emotional and health benefits.
KAREN KISIEL, LLB is a
Toronto-based barrister and solici-tor specializing in condominium law and litigation.
“The way I see it, there are three main ways by which one can gauge the wellness of a condominium com-munity: by the condition of the build-ing/property, its finances and resident/ owner satisfaction. Here are some tips
I feel generally relate to the “people” side of the condominium equation.
1. Appoint a communications of-ficer under the bylaws (who may or may not also be a director) to over-see and generally be responsible for board-to-resident communications. Residents/owners want transparency in terms of the corporation’s opera-tions and to be kept informed on
what is going on in their commu-nity, especially during difficult times. Good communication between the board and residents/owners is key to achieving this and it may be worth-while to have an officer dedicated to this important function. Most gener-al operating bylaws permit a board to appoint other officers in addition to the customary president, vice presi-dent, secretary and treasurer.
2. Adopt written policies setting out how the board will generally deal with commonly occurring matters such as resident/owner complaints and alteration requests, and make these policies known to residents/ owners. That way, residents/owners will know what to expect when a situation arises and can be confident that they are being treated (hopefully fairly) like all other residents/owners.
3. Review the corporation’s rules on an annual basis to ensure that they remain relevant in light of changing demographics and resident preferenc-es. Repeal any rules that are unduly restrictive or obsolete. Create new rules to address problems only if they
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Tony Alishah — Know the fundamentals of fire prevention.
cannot be resolved by other means. Remember, sometimes less is more!
4. Allow pets! Numerous studies indicate that there are both emotional and health benefits of pet ownership. A happy resident/owner is one less likely to complain. (See the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association web-site at www.ovma.org for its discus-sion on the benefits of pet ownership.)
5. At your annual general meeting, be sure to ask owners to comment on the things they like about their com-munity. This will balance out some of the negativity that can arise from owners complaining and will help in-still a sense of pride in the community.
6. Ensure that staff treat tenants with the same courtesy and respect that they do unit owners. After all, tenants are people too!
TONY ALISHAH is
presi-dent of F.I.R.E. (Fast Innovative Response Experts) a Woodbridge-based company.
“Managers should know the fun-damentals in fire prevention. Fire Prevention is based on common practice and knowledge.
Here are some of the fundamen-tals of Fire Prevention that I suggest:
1. Ensure that you know the basic function of your fire alarm panel and how it responds and reacts in an emergency situation.
2. Have an Evacuation Plan of Ac-tion in your facility and ensure that the plan is properly implemented.
3. Practice fire drills on a semi
annual basis. It is important to note and document the results. All efforts should be made to resolve any mis-haps or errors in order to improve the evacuation time. It is important to have fire warden training and to train all staff in emergency procedures.
4. Ensure that your facility has a Fire Safety Plan and if you don’t, obtain one. The Fire Safety Plan
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should be current and up to code specification.
5. Ensure that your facility has a First Aid kit on site and that manag-ers, as well as employees, have been trained in First Aid applications and procedures.
6. Ensure that all inspection certif-icates, logs and any other documents pertaining to your fire prevention
are kept in a safe with easy acces-sibility for future reference. The fire department may request this infor-mation immediately following a visit or emergency.
7. Ensure that all keys that may be required to obtain access in an emer-gency situation be readily available. They should be kept in a safe place for authority having jurisdiction. It
is valuable to ensure that the keys are current and work properly.
8. It is important to know how the elevator’s exhaust fans operate in an emergency situation. You will need to know where the firefighter’s elevator is and how it operates.
9. Visually check your basic nec-essary building function and status on a daily basis.
10. It is important to conduct a monthly inspection of the fire alarm and sprinkler system. Test audibilities and emergency telephone systems, including those in the elevators.
PETER PUSITZ is CEO of
Results Fitness Lifestyle Inc.
“Our mission is to create an in-spiring, engaging and safe commu-nity for condominium residents to achieve fitness, wellness and a bal-anced lifestyle. My tips to improve onsite wellness include:
1. Provide fitness equipment ori-entations every 1–3 months. This helps to educate the residents and promote health, which creates a saf-er environment.
2. Start Yoga, Pilates and /or
Zumba classes. These popular class-es will bring rclass-esidents with similar interests together to create a healthy bonding community.
3. Include health and fitness tips in the buildings’ monthly newsletter. This will promote a healthy lifestyle.
4. Provide nutrition support, for example offering free seminars to educate residents of all ages.
5. Set up beginners’ fitness and/ or Aqua classes for elderly residents. It is important to stay active through-out your years and will help improve your quality of life.
6. Know your building’s demo-graphics and set up community building programs such as card night, kids games and crafts, book clubs and more...
7. Keep your pool and spa area and fitness equipment well maintained. A safe and clean facility promotes atten-dance that helps create communities.
8. Post instructions on how to use the fitness equipment. This will help to reduce injury and make the residents’ workouts more efficient and effective.
9. Provide a water dispenser in the gym. It helps residents to stay hydrated during their workouts and improves overall performance.
G A L I B P E E R M O
-HAMED is Manager, Hazardous
Materials Group, with Construction Control Inc.
“Concern about indoor exposure to mould has been increasing as the
public becomes aware that expo-sure to mould can cause a variety of health effects and symptoms, includ-ing allergic reactions.
Mould spores are found almost everywhere and mould will grow on virtually any organic substance as long as moisture, oxygen and cer-tain temperature ranges are present. Mould can grow on wood, paper,
Galib Peermohamed — Prevent moisture, prevent mould.
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carpet, foods and insulation. When excessive moisture accumulates in buildings or on building materi-als, mould growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture prob-lem remains undiscovered or unad-dressed. It is impossible to eliminate all mould and mould spores from the indoor environment. However, mould growth can be controlled in-doors by controlling moisture. Since mould requires water to grow, it is important to prevent moisture prob-lems in buildings.”
■ Mould Prevention Tips
The control of moisture is the key to mould control. Water leaks or other moisture issues in residence halls should immediately be report-ed to management. The following are some guidelines to keep moisture levels at a minimum:
• Fix leaky plumbing and leaks
in the building envelope as soon as possible.
• Watch for condensation and
wet spots.
• Prevent moisture due to con -densation by increasing surface
tem-perature or reducing the moisture level in air (humidity). To increase surface temperature, insulate or in-crease air circulation. To reduce the moisture level in air, repair leaks, increase ventilation (if outside air is cold and dry), or dehumidify (if out-door air is warm and humid).
• Keep heating, ventilation and
air conditioning drip pans clean, flowing properly and unobstructed.
• Vent moisture-generating appli
-ances, such as dryers, to the outside where possible.
• Maintain low indoor humidity,
ideally 30-60%, if possible.
• Perform regular building/ HVAC inspections and maintenance
as scheduled.
• Clean and dry wet or damp
spots within 48 hours.
• Don’t let foundations stay wet. Provide drainage and slope
the ground away from the founda-tion. ■
Dianne Werbicki, BA is editor of CM Condominium Manager magazine and the ACMO Quarterly Report to members.
