What is Twin Valleys Primary Health Care? Primary Health Care:

What is Twin Valleys Primary Health Care?
Primary Health Care:
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is living a healthy lifestyle;
focuses on illness prevention, the management of chronic conditions (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, etc),
and positive support to help you manage your disease if it develops;
includes what is going on around you such as family, jobs,
schools, stress, etc;
is health care professionals working together with you to maintain and support your health;
Is about making our communities healthier. It takes more than
just health care to do this. It takes all of us working togetherschools, governments, community groups, police, local recreation, elders and more!
Primary Health Care = Healthy Individuals = Healthy Communities
I N S I DE T H IS I S S UE :
HINI
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Client Survey Results
2
TV Primary Health Care
Update
3
Heart & Stroke Info
3
Diabetes Information
3
Nutrition News-Healthy
School Lunches
4
Newsletter Contest Info
4
Which communities are included
in Twin Valleys?
Answer inside.
www.healthlineonline.ca
HealthLine is a free, confidential 24 hour health advice telephone line, staffed by registered nurses.
They can provide you with immediate, professional health advice or information, and direct you to the
most appropriate care. HealthLine can help you decide whether you should treat your own symptoms, go
to a clinic, wait to see your doctor, or go to a hospital emergency room.
HealthLine service is offered in English, with translation in a wide variety of other languages including
French, Cree, and Dene. TTY access is available at 1-888-425-4444 for those with hearing and speech
difficulties.
HealthLine online is the website complement to the telephone services. Professional advice and information about health concerns can be found on this website..
V O LU ME 1 , I S S UE 1
P AG E 2
Pandemic-What you need to know
What is 2009 Pandemic H1N1(swine flu)?
2009 H1N1(swine flu) is a new strain of influenza virus causing illness in people. Studies have
shown that this new virus has two genes from influenza viruses that normally circulate in pigs,
as well as bird (avian) and human influenza genes.
Symptoms of H1N1
Symptoms of H1N1 influenza are a fever or high temperature (over 38º) and aching muscles,
sore throat and/or dry cough. In other words, the symptoms are very similar to regular
seasonal influenza. Most people, the virus has caused severe illness.
High-risk groups
Some people are more at risk for developing complications. These high-risk people include;
those with chronic underlying conditions, such as heart and lung disease; pregnant women
and children under the age of five.
H1N1 influenza vaccine
Scientists are in the process of manufacturing a H1N1 vaccine for Canada. I will likely be
available in November and there will be a sufficient amount for everyone who needs it. Those
who will benefit most from immunization include: people under 65 years of age with chronic
medical conditions; pregnant women; children six months to five years of age; people living in
remote and isolated settings or communities; health care workers involved in pandemic
response or essential health services; household contact or caregivers of infants and person
who are immuno-compromised. Everyone else will also benefit from being immunized.
Stopping the virus
It is important that people continue to do everything they can to prevent this and other
influenza viruses from spreading. The following should be followed: stay at home when
symptomatic; practice good hand washing; and adhere to good respiratory etiquette.
Client Experience Survey
In the spring of 2009, Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region sent out a Client Experience Survey to residents of
communities in Twin Valleys. Thank you to all who took the time to fill out the survey! We were able to get great
information that we can use to help with the further development of Twin Valleys Primary Health Care.
Here are some of the highlights of the survey.
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Almost all of the people responding stated they were able to access a clinic within 30 minutes.
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The majority of the people were satisfied with the health care services they received in Twin Valleys within the last
two years.
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Most reported that their Twin Valleys Primary Health Care provider was helpful in assisting with their health problems.
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Respondents reported that they appreciated the services they are currently receiving in the Twin Valleys. Statements such as, “Good range of services available for a small rural town” and “The good thing about the service being
provided is that we are able to access services such as laboratory, x-ray, etc in our own community by friendly, welltrained staff so we do not have to travel out of town” represent a good proportion of respondents.
The survey results are being reviewed by the Primary Health Care team members and will be discussed in order
to improve services and accessibility. Thank you once again to the residents who participated in the survey.
Your opinions count!
P AGE 3
Twin Valleys Primary Health Care Plan Update
The Twin Valleys Primary Health Care Plan was formulated in 2005 by community members from Whitewood,
Broadview, Grenfell, Wolseley, Sakimay, Ochapowace, Cowessess and Kahkewistahaw. The plan focused on three
key areas: Human Resources; Service Design; and Delivery and Public Awareness and Education. Since its inception, many positive developments have occurred in each of the areas. We will continue to update you on progress
of the Twin Valleys Primary Health Care Plan in upcoming issues but here are a few highlights.
Human Resources:
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3 Nurse Practioners have been hired – Colleen Luterbach, Lisa Clark-Musschoot, and Joyce Bruce;
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3 physicians are on contract – Dr. Bella-Lufu, Dr. Bright Pebane and Dr. S. Adam;
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Rural Primary Health Care Manager is in place – Maggie Petrychyn;
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A Chronic Conditions Nurse Educator was hired in 2007 – Colleen Hollinger;
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The primary health care team have participated in activities such as team building days, motivational interview workshops and a Team Effectiveness Tool in order to assist them in learning new skills;
Service Design and Delivery:
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Oct 2007 -Regular Diabetes Education Clinics established within the area;
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September 2007 – Live WellTM with Chronic Conditions program initiated in Broadview and Grenfell;
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June and August 2009 - Diabetic Retinopathy Screening clinics were piloted in Grenfell with 44 clients being screened;
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Planning currently underway to develop a Twin Valleys Kidney Health Outreach program.
Public Awareness and Education:
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2008 – Playground leadership programs in place in Broadview, Grenfell, Whitewood and Wolseley schools;
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March 2008 - Physical Activity Importance and Nutrition Tips (PAINT) workshops was held in in Wolseley.
This program targets informal daycare providers. Work is being done to continue this program;
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Spring 2009 -My Baby’s Story prenatal activity calendar has been developed and is available within the
area;
Various farm safety and injury prevention initiatives including Farm Safety Days which are hosted in different communities each year. Broadview hosted Farm Safety Day in 2009 and Grenfell will hold it in 2010.
The Twin Valleys Primary Health Care Plan is moving forward but needs the help of its most important partner,
you, the community members. If you are interested in finding out more about the primary health care plan or want
to assist with its implementation, please contact Maggie Petrychyn at 697-4000.
Rural East Diabetes Education Program
1.
Group Educational Sessions
2.
Individual Appointments with Registered Dietician and Chronic Conditions Nurse Educator. Pharmacist available by consult .
informational program for heart patients and their
partner to assist them on the road back to a healthy
and full lifestyle.
3.
Monthly clinics held in Indian Head, Wolseley, Grenfell, Broadview, Whitewood and
Moosomin
For more information and program dates, please
contact: Colleen Hollinger, Chronic Conditions
Nurse Educator at 306-697-4007.
4.
No charge
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For more information or to make an appointment please call 697-4017 .
Heart to Heart: Help for heart patients is an
Nutrition News
Kids need a healthy lunch to help meet their nutrient needs for the day
and to perform well, both physically and mentally, in the afternoon. The task
of packing a healthy lunch that children will eat can be a challenging one!
Creativity and variety in the way foods are prepared and packaged can
make lunches more interesting for kids. For example, they often like foods
cut up into small bite size pieces. Try cut-up vegetables or fruit (perhaps
with a dip), cut wraps into pinwheels or use a cookie cutter to make sandwiches into shapes. Children also enjoy the mini versions of foods like pitas,
bagels, muffins and rice cakes.
Pre-packaged lunches from the grocery store can be expensive and are
typically lacking in vegetables, fruit and whole grains. Divided containers
are available and can be an appealing way to send a combination of foods of
your own choosing. If you are sending store-bought pre-packaged foods
once in a while, send a vegetable or a fruit along as well.
Pizza is popular with most kids and can be eaten cold if a microwave is
not available at school. In order to avoid the deep-fried pocket variety, there
are many ways to put together a delicious lunch box pizza at home. Whole
grain pita bread, tortillas, halved buns, bagels, or English muffins all make
excellent pizza bases. You can also use frozen bread dough or homemade
pizza dough. Children can choose their favourite toppings.
Cooking with kids is a great weekend activity. It is an opportunity for
learning and family time together, as well as for preparing some wholesome
foods for busy weekdays ahead. Baked goods like banana bread, oatmeal
cookies and carrot muffins can be frozen in individually wrapped portions
that are ready to pop into lunch bags. Soups and casseroles can be frozen in
microwave safe containers to heat at school. If a microwave oven isn’t available at school, frozen items can be reheated in the morning and packed into
Thermos™ containers.
Children may enjoy helping with the recipe beside. The blueberries contain health-protecting phytochemicals.
Blueberry Lemon Mini-Muffins
2
eggs
125 ml(1/2 cup)
sugar
75 ml (1/3 cup)
oil
250 ml(1 cup)
1% milk
30 ml(2 Tbsp)
lemon juice
15 ml(1 Tbsp)
lemon rind
500 ml(2 cups)
whole wheat flour
375 ml(1 1/2 cups) fresh or frozen blueberries
125 ml(1/2 cup)
chopped sunflower seeds
(optional)
15 ml(1 Tbsp)
baking powder
2.5 ml(1/2 tsp.)
baking soda
2.5 ml(1/2 tsp.)
salt
15 ml(1 Tbsp)
cinnamon sugar (optional)
Beat eggs, sugar and oil together. Add milk,
lemon juice and rind. In a separate bowl, stir
together flour, baking powder, baking soda and
salt. Gently stir blueberries (and sunflower
seeds) into dry ingredients, just until blended.
Spoon batter into prepared mini muffin cups. If
desired, sprinkle cinnamon sugar lightly on tops.
Bake at 180ºC (350ºF) for 15-20 minutes. Variation for Cranberry Orange Mini-Muffins, substitute orange juice, orange rind and cranberries for
the lemon juice, lemon rind and blueberries.
Yield 3 dozen mini muffins.
Written by the Public Health Nutritionists of
Saskatchewan
About the Newsletter/ Contest
This is the first of many quarterly newsletters to promote and update the communities of the Twin Valleys area about
the Primary Health Care Plan. This newsletter will share ideas about the primary health care activities within the area;
identify team members; and give ideas on how community members can become involved. These are ideas to make
you and your community healthier.
Newsletter Name: ___________________________________
Name: ____________________________
Address: _________________________________________
Phone Number: __________________________________
Entry deadline, Monday, November 16th, 2009
We need your help! We are looking for a creative,
eye catching name for the Twin Valleys PHC newsletter.
Please submit your newsletter name ideas along with
your name, address and phone number to Maggie
Petrychyn at [email protected] or mail to
Newsletter Contest Primary Health Care, Box 970,
Grenfell, SK S0G 2B0. The winning entry will
receive a gift certificate. You may enter more
than once but each entry should be on a separate piece of paper or email, and received by
Monday November 16, 2009.