Menopause: The Symptoms, the Science and the Stuff No One Warned Us About

Menopause affects a large portion of the patients we care for and many of us personally, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood and under-addressed areas in healthcare.

This session is designed for nurses working across all practice settings who want practical, usable menopause knowledge that actually fits real-world care. We’ll move beyond myths, minimization, and “it’s just aging” narratives to explore what menopause really looks like in clinical practice and how nurses can make a meaningful difference.

Through a blend of evidence-informed education, lived experience, and clinical insight, this talk will cover common (and not-so-common) menopause symptoms, treatment considerations, and supportive strategies nurses can use regardless of role or setting. We’ll also discuss how menopause affects work, well-being, and daily functioning and why that matters for both patient care and healthcare teams.

Whether you’re supporting patients through midlife health changes, navigating your own menopause transition, or both, this session will leave you with practical tools, language, and confidence to improve care and conversations around menopause.

Lindsay Torok-Both, BScPharm, ACPR, MSCP 

Lindsay Torok-Both (BScPharm, ACPR, MSCP) is a menopause-certified practitioner and clinical prescribing pharmacist with over 25 years of experience in acute care, primary care, and community pharmacy settings, helping people navigate their health with confidence and clarity. She is passionate about making menopause information easier to understand, more practical, and more supportive for both healthcare professionals and the people they care for.

Lindsay works with Effica Health, a new virtual women’s health clinic, as Director of Knowledge Translation, supporting menopause education for healthcare practitioners and helping develop clear, trustworthy menopause resources for clients. She also teaches within the Faculty of

Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Alberta, where she helps train future pharmacists to provide compassionate, patient-centred care.

Her work is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves accurate information, thoughtful care, and a voice in their health decisions. Lindsay has experience supporting individuals through comprehensive menopause assessments, personalized treatment options, and lifestyle approaches that fit real lives.

Drawing from both professional experience and her own menopause journey, Lindsay understands how symptoms can affect daily life, work, relationships, and overall well-being. Her approach validates lived experience while empowering people with knowledge, tools, and confidence to advocate for themselves and access the care they deserve

Register for the event through DMS

Registration Deadline is March 24th at 1200h

Not a UNA member? Go to the UNA website for instructions on becoming a member.

This event is open to members and duespayers of Local 196 only.

TICKETS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

Registration must be completed using a non-AHS email.

Questions/Dietary requests? Please email Local196Education@una.ca

• If you have registered and can no longer attend, please cancel your registration in DMS or email Local196Education@una.ca before the registration deadline.

Check your (personal) inbox for the Local 196 e-Newsletter!

Click the link below to view the February edition of Local 196’s e-newsletter:

Local 196 UNA e-newsletter: Feb 2026

The Local newsletter was sent via MailChimp with updated member contact information from the Provincial UNA Office. It was sent to personal email addresses only. Please update your contact information in UNA’s DMS system if you have not received our newsletter.

Click HERE to listen to the newest podcast episode.

This episode features a live recording from the February 19, 2026, Local Education Event, “Privatization in Healthcare and Education,” held at the ATA Building in Edmonton and organized by the Local 196 Education Committee. Moderated by Local 196 Secretary and Chair of the Communications and A&E Committees, Rachel Steel, the panel brought together research and advocacy perspectives to examine how privatization is reshaping Alberta’s healthcare and education systems. Participants wore red in solidarity with public education and wrote messages of encouragement to teachers, underscoring the community-centred spirit of the evening.

Panellists Rebecca Graff-McRae of the Parkland Institute and Heather Ganshorn of Support Our Students Alberta explored how funding pressures, corporatization, centralized decision-making, and “parental rights” narratives are influencing public policy. The conversation highlighted two possible futures for Alberta: one that strengthens universal, publicly delivered services rooted in equity and democratic accountability, and another that expands private influence within publicly funded systems. This episode invites listeners to reflect on what is at stake—and how collective action can shape the future of public healthcare and public education in our province.

• Podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music

Feb 2026

Alberta’s Fall Referendum: What’s at Stake?

On October 19, Albertans will vote on nine referendum questions focused on immigration and constitutional change. Proposals include increasing provincial control over immigration, requiring a one-year residency before accessing social supports, charging non-permanent residents fees for health care and education, and requiring proof of citizenship to vote.

Premier Danielle Smith says the changes are needed to ease pressure on public services — but critics note the government has not quantified potential savings and newcomer-serving agencies warn the measures could deepen labour shortages and fuel division.

For health care workers, limiting access to care could mean patients delay treatment, increase the complexity of cases, and add strain to already stretched services.

As the debate continues, one thing is clear: these referendum questions could have real impacts on public services, health care access, and the people who deliver and rely on them.

Click HERE for the new spotlight on Immigration in Alberta: Politics & Public Health

Feb 2026

What’s changing with AISH?

Starting in July 2026, the Alberta government will launch the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP), moving all 79,000 current AISH recipients into a new dual-track system based on ability to work. ADAP will provide $1,740 per month — $200 less than AISH — and introduces a new earnings structure with sliding-scale clawbacks. While employment services will be expanded, advocates warn that eligibility will focus on whether someone can technically work rather than whether they can realistically find and keep sustainable employment. Medical benefits and some personal supports remain the same, but spousal income rules, asset limits, and clawbacks on the Canada Disability Benefit still apply.

Why does this matter?

For many people with disabilities, AISH pays for basic needs like housing, food, transportation, and utilities. With the rising cost of living, even a $200 monthly reduction could significantly impact health and stability. Increased reassessments will also add workload pressures for healthcare providers. Advocates warn that funding reductions and potential loss of supports could lead to worsening health outcomes and increased reliance on emergency and acute care services — systems already under strain.

Stay informed. Start conversations. Reach out to your MLA. This decision will shape the future for thousands of Albertans with disabilities.

Click HERE for the new spotlight on Bill 12: A breakdown on AISH and ADAP

February 2026

 

Stella Ajuzieogu started her nursing career as a registered nurse/midwife in Nigeria. She arrived in Canada in 2008 as an Internationally Educated nurse. The breadth of her career has been in acute care nursing, emergency care and the Rapid Transfer department. Stella has been involved in mentoring new staff and precepting students.

Stella currently works as a Case Manager in Supportive Living. Stella has been actively involved in union work since she joined UNA in 2008. Stella enjoys spending time with family and friends, travelling, being adventurous, dancing, reading, coaching, learning new ideas, networking, and meeting new people.

Celebrating Black History Month as a Black Nurse, Stella reflects that it reminds her of the resilience, dynamic learning curve, expertise, diversity, and the significant socio-economic contributions Black nurses bring to the workforce and society. Stella believes that cultural sensitivity, awareness, respect, recognition, and integration are vital topics and strives to foster greater understanding of Black nurses in Alberta and Canada.

Chinyere (CC) Okafor began her nursing career in 2004 after graduating from the University of Victoria in British Columbia. She started her practice as a surgical nurse, where she frequently preceptored student nurses, and later worked in a forensic hospital in British Columbia. CC moved to Alberta in 2017 and currently works providing care and support to patients across the community.

CC has been actively involved with the United Nurses of Alberta since arriving in Alberta. Inspired by the welcoming and supportive environment of Local 196, she became an Office Representative in 2019 and later served for two years on the Education Committee. Her union involvement has focused on understanding workplace rights and advocating for fair, safe, and inclusive environments for all nurses, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.

As a Black nurse in Alberta, CC views Black History Month as an important time to honour the resilience and contributions of Black individuals who paved the way, while also recognizing the ongoing work needed to address systemic inequities in health care. She believes that collective action through union involvement is essential to ensuring diverse voices are heard and respected within the profession.

Mary Ekunwe is an internationally educated registered nurse from Nigeria with more than 30 years of nursing experience across multiple health care settings. She began her nursing journey in Nigeria, where she trained and practised as a registered nurse and midwife, working in the operating room, medical-surgical units, and labour and delivery. Mary was drawn to nursing by the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives during their most vulnerable moments.

Mary and her family moved to Canada in 2000, settling first in Toronto before relocating to Edmonton in 2001. She completed refresher courses and required certifications before successfully writing the Canadian nursing registration exam. While the transition to the Canadian health care system was challenging, it strengthened her clinical knowledge, skills, and confidence as a nurse.

Mary’s union involvement began after she experienced unfair treatment in the workplace and received support from a local union president. Inspired by that advocacy, she became actively involved in union work, serving as Secretary for Local 117, then President for approximately ten years, before later moving to Local 196. She remains engaged through union meetings and activities, viewing union involvement as essential to staying informed and advocating for nurses.

As a Black nurse in Alberta and Canada, Mary views Black History Month as a time to celebrate and recognize the vital contributions Black nurses make to the health care system, while also acknowledging the challenges that remain. She sees it as an opportunity to uplift, support, and encourage Black nurses who continue to face barriers in the workplace.

Feb 2026

Safe consumption sites save lives, reduce overdoses, and ease pressure on overcrowded emergency rooms. Front-line workers warn Alberta’s health system is already “cracking under pressure,” and EMS is seeing the impact—Edmonton alone accounts for 65% of opioid-related calls province-wide.

Closing evidence-based harm reduction services risks pushing more overdoses into homes and public spaces, leading to busier ERs and a greater risk of fatal outcomes.

Nurses, health workers, and community members are calling for solutions that strengthen—not strain—Alberta’s public health system.

Click HERE for the new spotlight on Safe Consumption Site Closures & Emergency Room Capacities

Check your (personal) inbox for the Local 196 e-Newsletter!

Click the link below to view the January edition of Local 196’s e-newsletter:

Local 196 UNA e-newsletter: Jan 2026

The Local newsletter was sent via MailChimp with updated member contact information from the Provincial UNA Office. It was sent to personal email addresses only. Please update your contact information in UNA’s DMS system if you have not received our newsletter.

The Ethnically Diverse Caucus represents nurses from racialized, immigrant, and culturally diverse backgrounds, including internationally educated nurses. This caucus is a collaborative and welcoming space, and we strongly encourage everyone to share ideas, bring forward suggestions, and consider becoming more involved in caucus initiatives or possible subcommittee work.

UNA’s Indigenous Caucus provides a culturally safe space for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit members to connect, share concerns, and advocate for Indigenous voices within UNA. The caucus supports members in addressing Indigenous-specific racism and advancing reconciliation in nursing and health care.

This caucus is open to any UNA member who self-identifies as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit. We will be working on building structure and goals for the year ahead. 

The next meeting will be at the end of January (date to be announced shortly). Those wishing to attend, please email: indigenouscaucus@una.ca

UNA’s Mental Health Caucus offers an opportunity for information sharing and networking for nurses who work in mental health. The Mental Health Caucus offers an opportunity for advocacy and sharing perspectives of mental health nursing within the greater community of nurses and UNA. The Mental Health Caucus offers itself as a resource to locals and the provincial organization to help expand the perspectives of mental health nurses.

The Mental Health Caucus has the next meeting coming up on 12 February 2026 @ 1900, to register, email mentalhealthcaucus@una.ca 

Panel Discussion: Privatization in Healthcare and Education

Join us for an engaging and timely panel discussion exploring the growing role of privatization in Alberta’s healthcare and education systems. As pressures on public services increase, questions around access, equity, accountability, and long-term impacts are more important than ever.

This event will feature two expert panellists who will share research-based insights and practical perspectives on how privatization is shaping policy and practice in Alberta. Through guided questions and discussion, the panel will examine current trends, implications for workers and the public, and what the future may hold for publicly funded services.

There will be opportunities for audience questions and discussion.

Panelists

Heather Ganshorn
Support Our Students Alberta

Heather Ganshorn holds a BA in Journalism and Communications from the University of Regina and a Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of Alberta. Heather has several years of experience as a health sciences and academic librarian, supporting research across a variety of settings. With two school-age children, Heather became increasingly concerned about issues such as privatization, standardized testing, and their impacts on public systems. She is an executive member of Support Our Students Alberta, where she advocates for a strong, well-funded public education system with adequate supports to ensure equitable outcomes for all children.

Rebecca Graff-McRae
Parkland Institute

Rebecca Graff-McRae is a researcher with the Parkland Institute, a non-partisan research organization based at the University of Alberta. At the Parkland Institute, Rebecca has authored several influential research reports on public policy in Alberta, including Misdiagnosis: Privatization and Disruption in Alberta’s Medical Laboratory Services and Time to Care: Staffing and Workloads in Alberta’s Long-Term Care Facilities. Her work focuses on public policy issues in Alberta, including healthcare, education, labour, and the role of privatization in public services. Rebecca’s research emphasizes the social and economic consequences of shifting public services to private delivery and the importance of strong, accountable public systems.

Register for the event through DMS

Registration Deadline is Feb 12th at 2359h

Not a UNA member? Go to the UNA website for instructions on how to become a member.

This event is open to members of Local 196 only.

TICKETS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

Registration must be completed using a non-AHS email.

Questions/Dietary requests? Please email Local196Education@una.ca

• If you have registered and can no longer attend, please cancel your registration in DMS or email Local196Education@una.ca before the registration deadline.