What is Twin Valleys Primary Health Care? Primary Health Care: • • • • • 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 2 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. • Almost all of the people responding stated they were able to access a clinic within 30 minutes. • The majority of the people were satisfied with the health care services they received in Twin Valleys within the last two years. • Most reported that their Twin Valleys Primary Health Care provider was helpful in assisting with their health problems. • 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: • 3 Nurse Practioners have been hired – Colleen Luterbach, Lisa Clark-Musschoot, and Joyce Bruce; • 3 physicians are on contract – Dr. Bella-Lufu, Dr. Bright Pebane and Dr. S. Adam; • Rural Primary Health Care Manager is in place – Maggie Petrychyn; • A Chronic Conditions Nurse Educator was hired in 2007 – Colleen Hollinger; • 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: • Oct 2007 -Regular Diabetes Education Clinics established within the area; • September 2007 – Live WellTM with Chronic Conditions program initiated in Broadview and Grenfell; • June and August 2009 - Diabetic Retinopathy Screening clinics were piloted in Grenfell with 44 clients being screened; • Planning currently underway to develop a Twin Valleys Kidney Health Outreach program. Public Awareness and Education: • 2008 – Playground leadership programs in place in Broadview, Grenfell, Whitewood and Wolseley schools; • 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; • • 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 5. 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.