As published in The Erin Advocate
For the treatment of a complex illness such as depression, patients should not expect a simple pharmaceutical cure. Success will usually involve a combination of therapies, with a lot of effort put into the choices, to see what works best for the individual.
This is the second column based on a panel discussion held last month by the East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT).
There are not simply enough psychiatrists to treat every person with depression or other mental illness, so family doctors and therapists often start a patient on the road to recovery.
Michele Ross Miller is a Mental Health Therapist who provides one-on-one, marital and family counselling to patients of the EWFHT, as well as public education programs.
"By the time you come to counselling, you have experienced a lot of judgement about your depression," she said. "There are traditional beliefs about depression – it’s laziness, you just have to pull up your socks, you have to try harder. Counselling is about different kinds of therapies that challenge not only how you’re thinking, but also how you’re behaving."
People should seek help when they are no longer able to function at what they consider a normal level. They may still be going to work or school, but unable to concentrate and make decisions.
"The purpose of counselling is to set personal goals for improving your life, gaining greater insight into who you are," she said. "It’s not a process where the counsellor tells the client what he or she should do. You come to the session and the counsellor helps you come to decisions. Also, to get some education about what contributes to depression."
One of the popular strategies is called Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, based on the concept that thoughts create feelings. Just as a brain can become accustomed to negative thoughts and feelings, it can be trained in the opposite direction through positive thinking. This short-term program works well for some people, but should not be considered a substitute when acute psychiatric care is needed.
Another panelist was Dr. Wendy Davis, a naturopathic doctor at the Harmony Naturopathic Clinic in Orangeville. She tries to discover root causes of patients' health concerns, treating them with various dietary, lifestyle and naturopathic remedies.
"We’re based on treating the whole person, which isn’t that different from conventional medicine – it is very much preventative," she said. "I believe in a combination of conventional and naturopathic medicine."
She looks at digestion, stress, sleep, energy, immune function, hormone balance, and environmental toxins. She stresses the value of B vitamins, Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin C and vitamin D, with the priority on diet rather than supplements.
"They actually help to decrease that anxiety, that stress effect that gets you to that depressive state," she said. "We need to support the body so it has what it needs to get back up and to work with the stress."
Blood sugar control is important, since the ups and downs caused by skipping meals and eating high-carb snacks are very stressful on the body. She said black licorice can help with stress (if you don’t have high blood pressure), and she prescribes combinations of supplements, such as the common anti-depressant St. John’s Wort, with passion flower and skullcap.
"Just because you get a vitamin or supplement from a health food store, or Walmart or Shoppers, and it’s ‘natural’, it doesn’t necessarily always mean it’s safe. You should see a medical doctor or a naturopathic, someone who has an idea of how different things interact. Health Canada is really cracking down on different supplements – they’re making sure that what it says on the bottle is actually going to be in the product."
She also uses techniques of meditation, and elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine. "Acupuncture increases endorphins, just like exercise increases those feel-good hormones. It’s really good for relaxation and pain relief. It overall helps to balance the nervous system. The whole concept is the body in balance, it’s ying and yang. Too much of anything – too much broccoli – is not good for you. So it’s moderation in everything."
There will be one more column in this series on depression, including comments from the other panelists: Amy Cousineau, an Anglican priest (formerly at All Saints in Erin), who told her personal story of recovery; and Fred Cousineau, her husband of 40 years, who shared the frustrations and satisfactions of being a support person for someone in crisis.
Showing posts with label Medical Centre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Medical Centre. Show all posts
November 14, 2012
October 24, 2012
Good recovery prospects for those with depression
As published in The Erin Advocate
Speakers at a panel discussion hosted by the East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT) this month painted a hopeful picture of recovery for the many people who suffer from depression.
With presentations that included scientific, therapeutic and personal points of view, the overarching message was that this condition can be defeated or made manageable.
"Depression has many faces, changing the way it appears from one person to the next," said Kim Bell, Program Lead/Mental Health Worker at EWFHT. "Compounding this problem is the fact that most people are unaware that depression is an illness. It's a treatable illness. People do recover every day. So there is hope."
Depression affects 10 per cent of Canadians. Early intervention can reduce its severity, but sufferers and health professionals are working against the embarrassment, fear and stigma attached to all mental illnesses. Caring support from family and others can be crucial to recovery.
Dr. Pete Anderson, a family physician who recently joined EWFHT, and has a PhD in molecular biology and genetics, described the physical changes that take place in the bodies and brains of people with depression. Some 15 per cent of people will suffer from depression at some point in their life, with a higher incidence for women, especially in the time following the birth of a child.
"There are measurable changes in how your neurons work in the different parts of your brain, and things that short-circuit it can cause depression," he said, recounting his own struggles with the illness.
"The pressures I put on myself while going through medical school put me into a spiral. Had my wife been a hair less strong than she was, we might not be together today. So I am very, very lucky to have had the support of my family and friends to get through that.
"Insidious is a fantastic word to describe it. I was just miserable. Everything I did was just coloured by this morose, blue, outlook on things. All the pleasure of small things seemed to get drained out of the activities in my life."
Losing the ability to function distinguishes major depression. Anderson suffered many of the classic symptoms, at first not knowing the cause. A diagnosis requires a combination of symptoms persisting over a period of time.
These include overwhelming sadness, loss of interest in activities, low self-esteem, weight loss or gain, insomnia or excessive sleep, lack of energy, slow movement, changes in appetite, feelings of guilt, impaired concentration and decision-making, and thoughts of suicide as a way to escape.
"Maybe it would just be easier if I wasn't here – I remember saying that to my wife," he said. "That was a big turning point, when I actually admitted I was having these thoughts."
Research is showing that stress triggers hormones that can wither the neurons in the brain and reduce connectivity, which can lead to a self-reinforcing pattern of negative thoughts and emotions. The human brain evolved to handle the short-term stress of emergencies, not the constant stress that society now generates.
"We think depression is a maladaptive response of the body to chronic stress that you can't get resolution to," he said. "There's usually a difference between expectation and reality that you can't reconcile. The part of the brain that decides what to do is locked out.
"The good news is that there are effective therapies for depression. You have to start doing things that used to make you happy. You have to socialize – there's something protective about social interaction, having people tell us that they care about us. That helps make new connections in the brain.
"Exercise releases hormones within the body that actually help neurons grow. Our bodies are designed to move, and our brains are designed to catalogue that movement," he said, but cautioned against expecting quick results. "You are not going to snap out of it. It takes time for brain re-growth."
Counselling can help people challenge their negative thoughts, while medications can sensitize the brain to helpful hormones. Finding the best medication and dosage is often a trial and error process, with the risk of serious side effects, but it is extremely valuable for many patients.
So the strategy is to combine different therapies to fight the illness. I will touch on some variations when I outline the presentations of the other panelists in a future column.
Speakers at a panel discussion hosted by the East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT) this month painted a hopeful picture of recovery for the many people who suffer from depression.
With presentations that included scientific, therapeutic and personal points of view, the overarching message was that this condition can be defeated or made manageable.
"Depression has many faces, changing the way it appears from one person to the next," said Kim Bell, Program Lead/Mental Health Worker at EWFHT. "Compounding this problem is the fact that most people are unaware that depression is an illness. It's a treatable illness. People do recover every day. So there is hope."
Depression affects 10 per cent of Canadians. Early intervention can reduce its severity, but sufferers and health professionals are working against the embarrassment, fear and stigma attached to all mental illnesses. Caring support from family and others can be crucial to recovery.
Dr. Pete Anderson, a family physician who recently joined EWFHT, and has a PhD in molecular biology and genetics, described the physical changes that take place in the bodies and brains of people with depression. Some 15 per cent of people will suffer from depression at some point in their life, with a higher incidence for women, especially in the time following the birth of a child.
"There are measurable changes in how your neurons work in the different parts of your brain, and things that short-circuit it can cause depression," he said, recounting his own struggles with the illness.
"The pressures I put on myself while going through medical school put me into a spiral. Had my wife been a hair less strong than she was, we might not be together today. So I am very, very lucky to have had the support of my family and friends to get through that.
"Insidious is a fantastic word to describe it. I was just miserable. Everything I did was just coloured by this morose, blue, outlook on things. All the pleasure of small things seemed to get drained out of the activities in my life."
Losing the ability to function distinguishes major depression. Anderson suffered many of the classic symptoms, at first not knowing the cause. A diagnosis requires a combination of symptoms persisting over a period of time.
These include overwhelming sadness, loss of interest in activities, low self-esteem, weight loss or gain, insomnia or excessive sleep, lack of energy, slow movement, changes in appetite, feelings of guilt, impaired concentration and decision-making, and thoughts of suicide as a way to escape.
"Maybe it would just be easier if I wasn't here – I remember saying that to my wife," he said. "That was a big turning point, when I actually admitted I was having these thoughts."
Research is showing that stress triggers hormones that can wither the neurons in the brain and reduce connectivity, which can lead to a self-reinforcing pattern of negative thoughts and emotions. The human brain evolved to handle the short-term stress of emergencies, not the constant stress that society now generates.
"We think depression is a maladaptive response of the body to chronic stress that you can't get resolution to," he said. "There's usually a difference between expectation and reality that you can't reconcile. The part of the brain that decides what to do is locked out.
"The good news is that there are effective therapies for depression. You have to start doing things that used to make you happy. You have to socialize – there's something protective about social interaction, having people tell us that they care about us. That helps make new connections in the brain.
"Exercise releases hormones within the body that actually help neurons grow. Our bodies are designed to move, and our brains are designed to catalogue that movement," he said, but cautioned against expecting quick results. "You are not going to snap out of it. It takes time for brain re-growth."
Counselling can help people challenge their negative thoughts, while medications can sensitize the brain to helpful hormones. Finding the best medication and dosage is often a trial and error process, with the risk of serious side effects, but it is extremely valuable for many patients.
So the strategy is to combine different therapies to fight the illness. I will touch on some variations when I outline the presentations of the other panelists in a future column.
October 17, 2012
Health Team expands video access to specialists
As published in The Erin Advocate
The East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT) is expanding its telemedicine services, making it easier for Erin patients to consult medical specialists.
Two new nurses, Paula McClintock and Shannon Leighton, started work at the Erin clinic recently. They are dedicated to helping more patients be "seen" by doctors at various locations, with videoconferencing technology provided by the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN).
"There is enough work to keep them in their primary role," said Michelle Karker, EWFHT Executive Director. The OTN equipment has been in place for about two years, but they didn't have the staff to operate it regularly. "We're trying to figure out how we're going to squeeze it all in, dealing with that pent-up demand that we've had."
New provincial support has enabled the Waterloo-Wellington Local Health Integration Network (WWLHIN) to allocate dedicated annual base funding of $934,000, plus $250,000 in one-time funding, to expand telemedicine services in the region. Coordinated by St. Joseph's Health Centre in Guelph, funding has been distributed to care providers such as the East Wellington team.
The Erin clinic now has a full compliment of six doctors and is actively seeking new patients. Karker said the doctors and other team members are "fully on-board", and excited that patients will have quicker access to specialists.
"It has been in place for some time, but mainly in the Thunder Bay - Sudbury, very remote and rural areas," said McClintock. "They've perfected it, and they're finding other uses for it in these more southern rural areas, as another method of gaining access to health care."
One of the early barriers was web connectivity, but the Erin clinic now has access to a highly secure network. To protect the confidentiality of patient information, there is a dedicated Internet Service Provider (ISP) that does not handle other users.
Erin has offered geriatric psychiatry through OTN, but now there is potential to offer a wide range of specialties, including psychiatry for children, teens and adults, a field where medical resources are limited in rural communities.
EWFHT has a directory of physicians offering OTN service and may urge others to do so, especially since the setup is becoming easier and less costly – a desktop unit, instead of a large camera and monitor.
"It opens up the possibility of tapping into more resources," said Karker. EWFHT is currently making arrangements with a respirologist, and hoping to find a specialist to help patients with chronic pain.
"We're definitely looking into a physician who can diagnose fibromyalgia – there's a need for that," said Leighton. "And we've found that there are support groups on line as well."
Patients in a large city might attend a patient group for a particular illness, but in a small town, there may be no one else with the same condition. OTN enables them to attend the local clinic and participate in a support group through a video link. The system also allows staff to take courses or participate in meetings without having to travel.
EWFHT will also offer a service called Telederm, where a high quality digital photo of a skin condition is sent to a dermatologist, enabling a diagnosis or advice back within two weeks, instead of a patient staying on a waiting list for six months to see the doctor in person.
Some patients will still need to travel to see a specialist for certain procedures, but OTN can reduce the number of trips by allowing the preparatory consultation and follow-up to be done remotely – including arrangement of ongoing help through the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC).
Doctors will be able to review things like x-rays and blood test results before a session starts. Patients will arrive at the clinic early enough to have the nurse do any required assessments and equipment testing before going on-line.
An OTN session can involve much more than sitting in front of a camera and having a discussion. The nurse may operate a hand-held camera that can show the doctor a close-up view of a body part – for example, to show the severity of a hand tremour. It can also be used to follow a patient as they walk, so the doctor can see their gait.
Nurses will gather data and give assessments to the doctors. Information such as blood pressure, respiratory function and test results can be instantaneously transmitted. Nurses can use a digital stethoscope, while doctors can click on a picture to show where it should be placed on the patient, and hear the same audio as the nurses.
"They are their eyes and ears and hands on the other end of the camera," said Karker.
Matt Smith, previously the Manager of Rehabilitation and Ambulatory Services at St. Joe's, has been hired to provide coordination for the 67 OTN sites within the WWLHIN, enabling training and the sharing of ideas among the health professionals.
"This project will enable us to try some new ways to improve equity across the Waterloo Wellington LHIN and increase access to specialist care, especially in rural areas,” said Smith.
"By investing in this technology and the people who use it, we are providing residents with better health, better care, and better value for taxpayer dollars,” said Joan Fisk, WWLHIN Board Chair.
In 2011/12, the use of telemedicine in Ontario has resulted in an estimated $44 million in avoided travel costs. More than 3,000 health care professionals use OTN across more than 1400 sites in Ontario, including 67 in Waterloo-Wellington. This year, the system will deliver more than 200,000 patient visits.
"It's about the ability to get the care in a way that is easier and instant, so less wait time, and able to get to diagnostic equipment that you might not be able to get to," said Fisk, in an interview. "It's all about communication, more information to the patient. Also to get in front of a specialist, which you would have to drive to. There you are in a virtual situation, it's really quite impressive."
"For patients, it means greater peace of mind knowing that medical knowledge and expertise are easier to access with the help of this technology,” said Dr. Ed Brown, CEO for OTN, which is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the Ontario government.
Fisk said the LHIN is dedicated to "working hard with the hospitals, with the health service provision, to get more access to care – every minute that's what we're focused on. Ultimately it's about getting better care."
The WWLHIN administers almost $1 billion in health care funding for regional hospitals and community care, not including the costs of doctors or regular operations of family health teams.
Fisk said change often comes slowly in health care, due to habits engrained over many decades.
As an example, she said not all doctors are eager to put all of their files onto a different, shared system called Clinical Connect. It is a secure web portal delivering integrated electronic health records to thousands of health professionals from Niagara, Hamilton, Haldimand, Brant, Waterloo and Wellington areas.
That system will also consolidate patient information from hospitals and Community Care Access Centres (CCACs), and will connect with telemedicine initiatives, said Fisk.
"The idea is, you present yourself at an emergency department, they click on your OHIP number, and they'll know what diagnostic tests you've had, they'll know what your physician has had to say about you, what surgeries you've had. Especially for frail seniors, this is so important," she said.
"Trying to get there has been an unbelievably difficult process...Younger doctors are used to it. Ultimately, I think we have so much more opportunity in front of us – this is just the beginning."
The East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT) is expanding its telemedicine services, making it easier for Erin patients to consult medical specialists.
Two new nurses, Paula McClintock and Shannon Leighton, started work at the Erin clinic recently. They are dedicated to helping more patients be "seen" by doctors at various locations, with videoconferencing technology provided by the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN).
"There is enough work to keep them in their primary role," said Michelle Karker, EWFHT Executive Director. The OTN equipment has been in place for about two years, but they didn't have the staff to operate it regularly. "We're trying to figure out how we're going to squeeze it all in, dealing with that pent-up demand that we've had."
Shannon Leighton and Paula McClintock with Michelle Karker
New provincial support has enabled the Waterloo-Wellington Local Health Integration Network (WWLHIN) to allocate dedicated annual base funding of $934,000, plus $250,000 in one-time funding, to expand telemedicine services in the region. Coordinated by St. Joseph's Health Centre in Guelph, funding has been distributed to care providers such as the East Wellington team.
The Erin clinic now has a full compliment of six doctors and is actively seeking new patients. Karker said the doctors and other team members are "fully on-board", and excited that patients will have quicker access to specialists.
"It has been in place for some time, but mainly in the Thunder Bay - Sudbury, very remote and rural areas," said McClintock. "They've perfected it, and they're finding other uses for it in these more southern rural areas, as another method of gaining access to health care."
One of the early barriers was web connectivity, but the Erin clinic now has access to a highly secure network. To protect the confidentiality of patient information, there is a dedicated Internet Service Provider (ISP) that does not handle other users.
Erin has offered geriatric psychiatry through OTN, but now there is potential to offer a wide range of specialties, including psychiatry for children, teens and adults, a field where medical resources are limited in rural communities.
EWFHT has a directory of physicians offering OTN service and may urge others to do so, especially since the setup is becoming easier and less costly – a desktop unit, instead of a large camera and monitor.
"It opens up the possibility of tapping into more resources," said Karker. EWFHT is currently making arrangements with a respirologist, and hoping to find a specialist to help patients with chronic pain.
"We're definitely looking into a physician who can diagnose fibromyalgia – there's a need for that," said Leighton. "And we've found that there are support groups on line as well."
Patients in a large city might attend a patient group for a particular illness, but in a small town, there may be no one else with the same condition. OTN enables them to attend the local clinic and participate in a support group through a video link. The system also allows staff to take courses or participate in meetings without having to travel.
EWFHT will also offer a service called Telederm, where a high quality digital photo of a skin condition is sent to a dermatologist, enabling a diagnosis or advice back within two weeks, instead of a patient staying on a waiting list for six months to see the doctor in person.
Some patients will still need to travel to see a specialist for certain procedures, but OTN can reduce the number of trips by allowing the preparatory consultation and follow-up to be done remotely – including arrangement of ongoing help through the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC).
Doctors will be able to review things like x-rays and blood test results before a session starts. Patients will arrive at the clinic early enough to have the nurse do any required assessments and equipment testing before going on-line.
An OTN session can involve much more than sitting in front of a camera and having a discussion. The nurse may operate a hand-held camera that can show the doctor a close-up view of a body part – for example, to show the severity of a hand tremour. It can also be used to follow a patient as they walk, so the doctor can see their gait.
Nurses will gather data and give assessments to the doctors. Information such as blood pressure, respiratory function and test results can be instantaneously transmitted. Nurses can use a digital stethoscope, while doctors can click on a picture to show where it should be placed on the patient, and hear the same audio as the nurses.
"They are their eyes and ears and hands on the other end of the camera," said Karker.
Matt Smith, previously the Manager of Rehabilitation and Ambulatory Services at St. Joe's, has been hired to provide coordination for the 67 OTN sites within the WWLHIN, enabling training and the sharing of ideas among the health professionals.
"This project will enable us to try some new ways to improve equity across the Waterloo Wellington LHIN and increase access to specialist care, especially in rural areas,” said Smith.
"By investing in this technology and the people who use it, we are providing residents with better health, better care, and better value for taxpayer dollars,” said Joan Fisk, WWLHIN Board Chair.
In 2011/12, the use of telemedicine in Ontario has resulted in an estimated $44 million in avoided travel costs. More than 3,000 health care professionals use OTN across more than 1400 sites in Ontario, including 67 in Waterloo-Wellington. This year, the system will deliver more than 200,000 patient visits.
"It's about the ability to get the care in a way that is easier and instant, so less wait time, and able to get to diagnostic equipment that you might not be able to get to," said Fisk, in an interview. "It's all about communication, more information to the patient. Also to get in front of a specialist, which you would have to drive to. There you are in a virtual situation, it's really quite impressive."
"For patients, it means greater peace of mind knowing that medical knowledge and expertise are easier to access with the help of this technology,” said Dr. Ed Brown, CEO for OTN, which is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the Ontario government.
Fisk said the LHIN is dedicated to "working hard with the hospitals, with the health service provision, to get more access to care – every minute that's what we're focused on. Ultimately it's about getting better care."
The WWLHIN administers almost $1 billion in health care funding for regional hospitals and community care, not including the costs of doctors or regular operations of family health teams.
Fisk said change often comes slowly in health care, due to habits engrained over many decades.
As an example, she said not all doctors are eager to put all of their files onto a different, shared system called Clinical Connect. It is a secure web portal delivering integrated electronic health records to thousands of health professionals from Niagara, Hamilton, Haldimand, Brant, Waterloo and Wellington areas.
That system will also consolidate patient information from hospitals and Community Care Access Centres (CCACs), and will connect with telemedicine initiatives, said Fisk.
"The idea is, you present yourself at an emergency department, they click on your OHIP number, and they'll know what diagnostic tests you've had, they'll know what your physician has had to say about you, what surgeries you've had. Especially for frail seniors, this is so important," she said.
"Trying to get there has been an unbelievably difficult process...Younger doctors are used to it. Ultimately, I think we have so much more opportunity in front of us – this is just the beginning."
September 05, 2012
Worldwide events promote suicide prevention
As published in The Erin Advocate
Having a special "day" may not seem like much, in the struggle to keep people from taking their own lives. But when it is an issue that we are afraid to talk about, public discussion is a valuable key that can open up channels of hope and support.
World Suicide Prevention Day will be marked with a brief event in Erin on Monday, September 10, at McMillan Park on Main Street, at 12:30 p.m. It is partly to mourn the many lives lost to suicide, but more importantly to encourage those who are still at risk, and to reduce the stigma that makes it difficult to talk about mental illness and seek help.
I have been asked to share some personal reflections at this event, since Jean and I had ten years of experience in suicide prevention, before losing our son Thomas last May.
"Until it touches somebody's life, they don't realize how common it is," said Kim Bell, Program Lead/Mental Health Worker at the East Wellington Family Health Team, who is helping organize the event.
It is also sponsored by the Suicide Awareness Council (formerly the Suicide Resource Group) of Wellington-Dufferin, which has been in existence since 1999. Its goal is to reduce the incidence of suicide and its impact, through access to credible information, education and resources.
There is valuable information at www.suicideawarenesscouncil.wordpress.com and at www.suicideprevention.ca. It is also worthwhile to learn about the Collateral Damage Project, at www.leftbehindbysuicide.org, which promotes training in how to deal with the risk of suicide.
Preventing suicide requires a core partnership that includes the person in distress, the immediate family and health professionals – family doctor, psychiatrist and counsellor.
"It's about asking tough questions, hearing tough answers and taking action," said Bell. She said suicide is rarely an impulsive act, as people normally seek out many other options to alleviate their pain.
"You have to be honest with each other. Asking about suicide does not make it more likely. It gives the person permission to talk about it."
The suicides of almost 4,000 people per year in Canada create a painful reminder that this is a major public health issue, one that affects all walks of life.
“It speaks loudly about the need for the Government of Canada to pay heed to the call from thousands of Canadians, the United Nations and the World Health Organization to establish a national suicide prevention strategy,” said Tim Wall, Executive Director for the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention.
Bill C-300, to create Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention is now before the Senate. It would recognize suicide as a public health issue, provide guidelines, and promote collaboration, knowledge exchange and best practices.
When it was passed in the House of Commons in June, the Bill’s sponsor, Kitchener-Conestoga MP Harold Albrecht thanked all MPs for the quality of discussion through all the debates, which remained free of partisanship.
He challenged MPs to keep the conversations on suicide and its prevention alive in their own communities, as Canada remains a long way from breaking the stigma surrounding this issue.
Having a special "day" may not seem like much, in the struggle to keep people from taking their own lives. But when it is an issue that we are afraid to talk about, public discussion is a valuable key that can open up channels of hope and support.
World Suicide Prevention Day will be marked with a brief event in Erin on Monday, September 10, at McMillan Park on Main Street, at 12:30 p.m. It is partly to mourn the many lives lost to suicide, but more importantly to encourage those who are still at risk, and to reduce the stigma that makes it difficult to talk about mental illness and seek help.
I have been asked to share some personal reflections at this event, since Jean and I had ten years of experience in suicide prevention, before losing our son Thomas last May.
"Until it touches somebody's life, they don't realize how common it is," said Kim Bell, Program Lead/Mental Health Worker at the East Wellington Family Health Team, who is helping organize the event.
It is also sponsored by the Suicide Awareness Council (formerly the Suicide Resource Group) of Wellington-Dufferin, which has been in existence since 1999. Its goal is to reduce the incidence of suicide and its impact, through access to credible information, education and resources.
There is valuable information at www.suicideawarenesscouncil.wordpress.com and at www.suicideprevention.ca. It is also worthwhile to learn about the Collateral Damage Project, at www.leftbehindbysuicide.org, which promotes training in how to deal with the risk of suicide.
Preventing suicide requires a core partnership that includes the person in distress, the immediate family and health professionals – family doctor, psychiatrist and counsellor.
"It's about asking tough questions, hearing tough answers and taking action," said Bell. She said suicide is rarely an impulsive act, as people normally seek out many other options to alleviate their pain.
"You have to be honest with each other. Asking about suicide does not make it more likely. It gives the person permission to talk about it."
The suicides of almost 4,000 people per year in Canada create a painful reminder that this is a major public health issue, one that affects all walks of life.
“It speaks loudly about the need for the Government of Canada to pay heed to the call from thousands of Canadians, the United Nations and the World Health Organization to establish a national suicide prevention strategy,” said Tim Wall, Executive Director for the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention.
Bill C-300, to create Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention is now before the Senate. It would recognize suicide as a public health issue, provide guidelines, and promote collaboration, knowledge exchange and best practices.
When it was passed in the House of Commons in June, the Bill’s sponsor, Kitchener-Conestoga MP Harold Albrecht thanked all MPs for the quality of discussion through all the debates, which remained free of partisanship.
He challenged MPs to keep the conversations on suicide and its prevention alive in their own communities, as Canada remains a long way from breaking the stigma surrounding this issue.
January 19, 2011
Something special needed beside the Tim Horton's
As published in The Erin Advocate
With construction of the Tim Horton's progressing quickly at the north end of Erin village, I hope it is not too late to put in some suggestions for the lot next door, owned by developer Shane Baghai.
He invited suggestions from the public last month and ideas ranged from a pool to a grocery store. I thought back to the start of the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) in 2009, when people were asked what they thought was needed in Erin.
A Tim Horton's was one of the most common suggestions, along with more stores, affordable housing for seniors, better health services, more parks and trails, a pool and many other things – even a paintball arena. The SSMP study is not just about sewers. It is a formal Environmental Assessment of how Erin will evolve, and there will be more opportunities this year for public input.
With construction of the medical centre and the donut shop, Baghai has in short order fulfilled two items on Erin's wish list, while the SSMP chugs along at a snail's pace.
If the Town ever decides to build a sewer system, perhaps Baghai could be engaged to get the job done quickly. Actually, I take that suggestion back; public works should be publicly owned and operated, much as we may be tempted to privatize.
The Town needs to work with developers in a business-like fashion, seeking benefits for taxpayers, just as developers seek a good return on their investment. We cannot expect an entrepreneur to build a pool, with no chance of recouping their money. The Town couldn't afford to maintain a pool, even if were given to us.
So what are the realistic possibilities for this "third lot"? It should probably be a project that will not generate a large amount of traffic. There will already be vehicle issues with Tim Horton's, such as truckers wanting to stop on the shoulders on both sides of the road, no access via the stop light intersection and traffic on Thompson Crescent. That zone could not handle a fast food restaurant, for example, and many people would not want one in the village.
What I would really like to see is a development with some retail on the ground floor and apartments for seniors above – or even a retirement home. The need is great, but I am not hopeful, since the land is not designated for residential growth. There may be better sites, and the Town has frozen residential development while the SSMP is in progress. I don't know if Council could make an exception for a highly desirable project.
I have not spoken with the developer, but I think he would like something that could be built soon, produce a solid revenue stream and look classy. We are a small market, and any growth is projected to be moderate. And while competition is a good thing, I would rather see a new development draw revenue away from other towns, instead of drawing it away from existing Erin businesses. We would appreciate services that we currently have to drive elsewhere to obtain.
If it is to be a store, or group of stores, the SSMP participants suggested a need for clothing and sporting goods. How about electronics equipment? In the entertainment realm, perhaps a bowling alley or a laser-quest style facility. How about an artists' co-op, flea market or farmers' market?
Exactly what goes there depends on an assessment of the market by those putting their money at risk. The main question for the public is whether it will enhance the Town as a place to live and a place to visit.
I am hoping for something practical and distinctive, both in concept and physical appearance. Something that will build on Erin's charm, not dilute it. I do not want to see the town develop into a miniature version of the urban areas I moved here to get away from.
From what I have seen so far, Mr. Baghai has the imagination and drive to make something special happen.
With construction of the Tim Horton's progressing quickly at the north end of Erin village, I hope it is not too late to put in some suggestions for the lot next door, owned by developer Shane Baghai.
He invited suggestions from the public last month and ideas ranged from a pool to a grocery store. I thought back to the start of the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) in 2009, when people were asked what they thought was needed in Erin.
A Tim Horton's was one of the most common suggestions, along with more stores, affordable housing for seniors, better health services, more parks and trails, a pool and many other things – even a paintball arena. The SSMP study is not just about sewers. It is a formal Environmental Assessment of how Erin will evolve, and there will be more opportunities this year for public input.
With construction of the medical centre and the donut shop, Baghai has in short order fulfilled two items on Erin's wish list, while the SSMP chugs along at a snail's pace.
If the Town ever decides to build a sewer system, perhaps Baghai could be engaged to get the job done quickly. Actually, I take that suggestion back; public works should be publicly owned and operated, much as we may be tempted to privatize.
The Town needs to work with developers in a business-like fashion, seeking benefits for taxpayers, just as developers seek a good return on their investment. We cannot expect an entrepreneur to build a pool, with no chance of recouping their money. The Town couldn't afford to maintain a pool, even if were given to us.
So what are the realistic possibilities for this "third lot"? It should probably be a project that will not generate a large amount of traffic. There will already be vehicle issues with Tim Horton's, such as truckers wanting to stop on the shoulders on both sides of the road, no access via the stop light intersection and traffic on Thompson Crescent. That zone could not handle a fast food restaurant, for example, and many people would not want one in the village.
What I would really like to see is a development with some retail on the ground floor and apartments for seniors above – or even a retirement home. The need is great, but I am not hopeful, since the land is not designated for residential growth. There may be better sites, and the Town has frozen residential development while the SSMP is in progress. I don't know if Council could make an exception for a highly desirable project.
I have not spoken with the developer, but I think he would like something that could be built soon, produce a solid revenue stream and look classy. We are a small market, and any growth is projected to be moderate. And while competition is a good thing, I would rather see a new development draw revenue away from other towns, instead of drawing it away from existing Erin businesses. We would appreciate services that we currently have to drive elsewhere to obtain.
If it is to be a store, or group of stores, the SSMP participants suggested a need for clothing and sporting goods. How about electronics equipment? In the entertainment realm, perhaps a bowling alley or a laser-quest style facility. How about an artists' co-op, flea market or farmers' market?
Exactly what goes there depends on an assessment of the market by those putting their money at risk. The main question for the public is whether it will enhance the Town as a place to live and a place to visit.
I am hoping for something practical and distinctive, both in concept and physical appearance. Something that will build on Erin's charm, not dilute it. I do not want to see the town develop into a miniature version of the urban areas I moved here to get away from.
From what I have seen so far, Mr. Baghai has the imagination and drive to make something special happen.
February 17, 2010
Health Team helps people fight diabetes
As published by The Erin Advocate
When diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, you may be motivated to do some things you should have been doing all along.
With diabetes, both prevention and treatment revolve around the good lifestyle habits that everyone knows about – eating healthy food, getting regular exercise and losing excess weight. Easier said than done of course, but the urgency may be absent because many people do not even know that they have diabetes.
"You cannot go by how you feel," said Pat White, a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator with the East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT). Even if there are no symptoms, people with specific risk factors should speak to their doctor about diabetes testing.
"Doctors are more aware and are very proactive," she said. "Once you know, you can improve your lifestyle."
She hosts sessions for Erin and Rockwood residents on Diabetes Prevention, Learning to Live with Type 2 Diabetes and Meal Planning (not just for diabetes). These events are free (your tax dollars at work), and open to all residents, even if they do not have a doctor at the local Health Team.
The Canadian Diabetes Association calls it an epidemic, with 285 million people affected world-wide – including 3 million Canadians. That is expected to hit 3.7 million by 2020, costing Canadian healthcare $17 billion annually. A US study projected that a North American child born in 2000 stands a one in three chance of being diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetime.
People in wealthy nations are living longer, and obesity rates are climbing. Lifestyles are more sedentary, and we fall prey to the marketing of food that provides inadequate nourishment.
Type 1 or "juvenile" diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce the hormone insulin, which regulates how the liver releases sugar to the body. Type 2 diabetes (90 per cent of cases) is a lack of insulin developing over time during adulthood, but now starting more often in teens. Preventive measures are especially important during the borderline state of pre-diabetes.
Here are the risk factors. Get tested if you: are more than 40 years old; have a parent or sibling with diabetes; are of Aboriginal, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian or African descent; are overweight; have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or glucose problems; have had diabetes during pregnancy; have had a baby that weighed over nine pounds at birth; or have been diagnosed with a hormone imbalance called polycystic ovary syndrome, with acanthosis nigricans (darkened patches of skin), or with schizophrenia.
Also get tested if you have: unusual thirst, frequent urination, unexpected weight gain or loss, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, frequent infections, slow-healing cuts, or sexual impotence.
Because high blood sugar is toxic to blood vessels and damages nerves, complications can happen throughout the body, increasing the risk of heart and kidney disease, vision loss and serious circulation problems. Smoking accelerates the complications. Visit www.diabetes.ca.
When diet and exercise cannot control the condition, it may be necessary to take insulin, or other medications, which can be expensive. Self-testing with a glucose meter and other regular testing, plus specific diet control is often needed to keep glucose levels in a safe range.
The good news is that a long and healthy life is an excellent possibility for diabetics – all the more reason to deal with the reality of a problem in its early stages. Do not wait until serious damage has occurred.
Local seminars are held at the EWFHT office in Erin, 18 Thompson Cres., or at the Rockwood clinic. Call 519-833-7576 or go to www.ewfht.ca for details.
When diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, you may be motivated to do some things you should have been doing all along.
With diabetes, both prevention and treatment revolve around the good lifestyle habits that everyone knows about – eating healthy food, getting regular exercise and losing excess weight. Easier said than done of course, but the urgency may be absent because many people do not even know that they have diabetes.
"You cannot go by how you feel," said Pat White, a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator with the East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT). Even if there are no symptoms, people with specific risk factors should speak to their doctor about diabetes testing.
"Doctors are more aware and are very proactive," she said. "Once you know, you can improve your lifestyle."
She hosts sessions for Erin and Rockwood residents on Diabetes Prevention, Learning to Live with Type 2 Diabetes and Meal Planning (not just for diabetes). These events are free (your tax dollars at work), and open to all residents, even if they do not have a doctor at the local Health Team.
The Canadian Diabetes Association calls it an epidemic, with 285 million people affected world-wide – including 3 million Canadians. That is expected to hit 3.7 million by 2020, costing Canadian healthcare $17 billion annually. A US study projected that a North American child born in 2000 stands a one in three chance of being diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetime.
People in wealthy nations are living longer, and obesity rates are climbing. Lifestyles are more sedentary, and we fall prey to the marketing of food that provides inadequate nourishment.
Type 1 or "juvenile" diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce the hormone insulin, which regulates how the liver releases sugar to the body. Type 2 diabetes (90 per cent of cases) is a lack of insulin developing over time during adulthood, but now starting more often in teens. Preventive measures are especially important during the borderline state of pre-diabetes.
Here are the risk factors. Get tested if you: are more than 40 years old; have a parent or sibling with diabetes; are of Aboriginal, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian or African descent; are overweight; have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or glucose problems; have had diabetes during pregnancy; have had a baby that weighed over nine pounds at birth; or have been diagnosed with a hormone imbalance called polycystic ovary syndrome, with acanthosis nigricans (darkened patches of skin), or with schizophrenia.
Also get tested if you have: unusual thirst, frequent urination, unexpected weight gain or loss, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, frequent infections, slow-healing cuts, or sexual impotence.
Because high blood sugar is toxic to blood vessels and damages nerves, complications can happen throughout the body, increasing the risk of heart and kidney disease, vision loss and serious circulation problems. Smoking accelerates the complications. Visit www.diabetes.ca.
When diet and exercise cannot control the condition, it may be necessary to take insulin, or other medications, which can be expensive. Self-testing with a glucose meter and other regular testing, plus specific diet control is often needed to keep glucose levels in a safe range.
The good news is that a long and healthy life is an excellent possibility for diabetics – all the more reason to deal with the reality of a problem in its early stages. Do not wait until serious damage has occurred.
Local seminars are held at the EWFHT office in Erin, 18 Thompson Cres., or at the Rockwood clinic. Call 519-833-7576 or go to www.ewfht.ca for details.
November 25, 2009
Stronger rural health network needed
As published in The Erin Advocate
Regional health planners are considering new efforts to improve the quality of rural health care for people in areas like Erin.
Recommendations from the current Rural Health Care Review were released at a public meeting at Centre 2000 last week, hosted by the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network (WWLHIN).
"Rural Canadians are not as healthy in two-thirds of categories," said Jim Whaley, who wrote the draft report. It recommends an array of improvements including fair distribution of community support services, based on need, especially for rural seniors.
The WWLHIN has a budget of $858 million, allocating funding to eight hospitals, plus nursing homes, mental health / addictions agencies, community health centres, home care, and community support services such as those offered by East Wellington Community Services (EWCS). It covers the 750,000 people living in Waterloo Region, Wellington County and South Grey County. Erin residents, including those in built-up village areas, are considered rural for this study.
"We are accountable to the public – it is taxpayers' money we are spending," said WWLHIN CEO Sandra Hanmer. Regarding the efficient coordination of services, she said: "Sometimes we get it right; sometimes we get it wrong."
The study recommends a Rural Health Network, with representatives of the municipality, schools and heath / social service groups, to work on details of how to achieve the study goals, and improved coordination of services.
"Rural health care service delivery is unique due to a variety of factors including location, recruitment and retention of health care professionals, low patient volumes and an aging population," said Hanmer. A good network of services is considered important in attracting doctors to the area.
Compared to city-dwellers, residents of Erin and other rural areas of the WWLHIN have poorer access to health care and lower use of home care service. We have higher rates of premature death, some chronic diseases (like diabetes), hospitalization and long term care institutionalization.
Erin has the lowest population growth and one of the lowest percentages of seniors among the WWLHIN rural communities. No new homes are being built, and few small, affordable ones are available, so many seniors are moving away.
The WWLHIN funds the Seniors Day Program and the Volunteer Transportation Program operated by EWCS.
"We are looking for more services to help seniors age within their homes, with dignity and respect," said EWCS Executive Director Glenyis Betts.
Erin's Primary Care health care organization is the East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT), which is now building a clinic in Rockwood. It is expected to announce very soon the details of a new facility for on-staff family physicians and its many other health services, to be built next year in Erin. While EWFHT is not funded through the WWLHIN (it gets its funding directly from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care), it operates within the regional planning framework.
EWFHT Executive Director Michelle Karker said the renewed focus on rural health is likely to create "opportunities" for better local service. From the new medical clinic in Erin village, they hope to offer satellite services in other centres such as Hillsburgh.
They are also developing a telemedicine service, a concept used extensively in Northern Ontario. Using an internet feed to transmit video and diagnostic information, local clinics are able to link patients with specialists in big-city hospitals. The technology also has the potential to monitor patients at home as they recover from illness or surgery.
The report also says hospitals should be obliged to have "specific provisions for serving rural communities" when it comes to access to specialists and regional centres for cancer and cardiovascular care. The report recommendations have not yet been approved by the WWLHIN board of directors.
Regional health planners are considering new efforts to improve the quality of rural health care for people in areas like Erin.
Recommendations from the current Rural Health Care Review were released at a public meeting at Centre 2000 last week, hosted by the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network (WWLHIN).
"Rural Canadians are not as healthy in two-thirds of categories," said Jim Whaley, who wrote the draft report. It recommends an array of improvements including fair distribution of community support services, based on need, especially for rural seniors.
The WWLHIN has a budget of $858 million, allocating funding to eight hospitals, plus nursing homes, mental health / addictions agencies, community health centres, home care, and community support services such as those offered by East Wellington Community Services (EWCS). It covers the 750,000 people living in Waterloo Region, Wellington County and South Grey County. Erin residents, including those in built-up village areas, are considered rural for this study.
"We are accountable to the public – it is taxpayers' money we are spending," said WWLHIN CEO Sandra Hanmer. Regarding the efficient coordination of services, she said: "Sometimes we get it right; sometimes we get it wrong."
The study recommends a Rural Health Network, with representatives of the municipality, schools and heath / social service groups, to work on details of how to achieve the study goals, and improved coordination of services.
"Rural health care service delivery is unique due to a variety of factors including location, recruitment and retention of health care professionals, low patient volumes and an aging population," said Hanmer. A good network of services is considered important in attracting doctors to the area.
Compared to city-dwellers, residents of Erin and other rural areas of the WWLHIN have poorer access to health care and lower use of home care service. We have higher rates of premature death, some chronic diseases (like diabetes), hospitalization and long term care institutionalization.
Erin has the lowest population growth and one of the lowest percentages of seniors among the WWLHIN rural communities. No new homes are being built, and few small, affordable ones are available, so many seniors are moving away.
The WWLHIN funds the Seniors Day Program and the Volunteer Transportation Program operated by EWCS.
"We are looking for more services to help seniors age within their homes, with dignity and respect," said EWCS Executive Director Glenyis Betts.
Erin's Primary Care health care organization is the East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT), which is now building a clinic in Rockwood. It is expected to announce very soon the details of a new facility for on-staff family physicians and its many other health services, to be built next year in Erin. While EWFHT is not funded through the WWLHIN (it gets its funding directly from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care), it operates within the regional planning framework.
EWFHT Executive Director Michelle Karker said the renewed focus on rural health is likely to create "opportunities" for better local service. From the new medical clinic in Erin village, they hope to offer satellite services in other centres such as Hillsburgh.
They are also developing a telemedicine service, a concept used extensively in Northern Ontario. Using an internet feed to transmit video and diagnostic information, local clinics are able to link patients with specialists in big-city hospitals. The technology also has the potential to monitor patients at home as they recover from illness or surgery.
The report also says hospitals should be obliged to have "specific provisions for serving rural communities" when it comes to access to specialists and regional centres for cancer and cardiovascular care. The report recommendations have not yet been approved by the WWLHIN board of directors.
May 27, 2009
Kids have ideas for Erin's future
As published in The Erin Advocate
Kids at Erin Public School love their town, and they have lots of ideas for making it an even better place to live.
A batch of 19 letters arrived in my mailbox after I invited students to add their opinions to the Town's "visioning" project, the initial phase of the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) process. My thanks to Librarian Lesley Rowe, who read my May 13 column to many students, and held a brainstorming session.
All the letters have been emailed to SSMP Project Manager Matt Pearson (mpearson@bmross.net), with copies to the mayor and town councillors. Here are some excerpts:
• "We want Erin to stay like Erin. We don't want Erin to become overcrowded. We like the small population. More fun stuff, more parks, swimming pools."
• "What I like about Hillsburgh is that it's not so crowded. Hillsburgh would be a better place if it had more stores and more restaurants (fast food). They should have better roads so that there are not potholes, and more parks so kids have somewhere to hang out."
• "Erin is not too big, but it's also not too small. The thing that I don't like about living in Erin is that you're not allowed to skateboard in town. So to fix that, I think that we should get a skate park, so that people can skateboard without getting in trouble."
• "I think that we should have a public pool. I don't think that that there should be any more houses."
• "We should have more health care. People have to waste gas driving to Brampton, Mississauga or even Toronto to see their doctor or dentist. I think we should have a health care centre right in downtown Erin. We should have an indoor pool. Why not build one right beside the Erin District High School."
• "In the near future, I want more little shops in Erin. Also more parks, and people should plant more trees in their yards. Maybe a Tim Horton's or a Starbucks, but otherwise I like it the way it is! Please don't put any factories or giant buildings."
• "You can walk around town to go where you like and it's not too big. We should open a sports store in Erin and the school should buy new equipment."
• "I like that Erin is a small town, but that's about it. There's never anything for teenagers to do. All of the activities are sports, and it'd be nice to have a mall and a Tim Horton's. Any place to hang out'd be nice; Centre 2000 gets boring after the first six years of living here."
• "I like Erin because you basically know everyone, and they have fairs. I wish they had a Tim Horton's."
• "I think that there should be a huge mall, or a regular mall, in Erin so you can have more people in it."
• "I think Erin is a good town and is perfect the way it is. I think that if Erin had buses or got any bigger the town would be over-populated and polluted. I think the town of Erin should build a Motocross track. Erin should also get a BMX park."
• "I would like to see more trees and parks, because there's so many people who like to walk, and go up town with their dogs. I don't think Erin should change that much, because that's what makes Toronto and Erin way different – no city shops and big houses, with huge highways and traffic."
• "The town of Erin is the right size. If it grows too much it will be a mini-Brampton. It should get some more entertainment, because all you can do on the weekend is go biking, and go to the theatre. They should get either a skate/bike park or an arcade. We could get a mountain bike trail."
• "We have lots of space and lots of fresh air, and where I live, lots of forest. Everywhere around us they are tearing down trees and adding strip malls and houses. I really wouldn't like it if they start building even more houses – we would be crowded, and the space we have right now is really nice. I really wouldn't like it to be like the city. It sucks in the city in my opinion. I really don't want factories because that would pollute the air. Some people already drive far away from where they live, so why can't they keep doing that."
• "We need a recreational area with a pool. Dog parks. More trails. The roads are bad on the small roads and they also need garbage clean-up; we pay taxes for services we are not receiving. Need more tourist attractions, more restaurants, more bike racks, a bigger Humane Society and more trees. We need a mall."
• "We should make an organization that has games and stuff to do after school. It will give our parents some time away from the kids and it will keep the teens off the streets."
• "I don't like how people litter a lot. Maybe some more restaurants. No factories because it would pollute the air even more. Better roads – too many cracks. I think the population should stay the same. Maybe a few more apartments. Maybe a paintball arena where an open field is."
Kids at Erin Public School love their town, and they have lots of ideas for making it an even better place to live.
A batch of 19 letters arrived in my mailbox after I invited students to add their opinions to the Town's "visioning" project, the initial phase of the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) process. My thanks to Librarian Lesley Rowe, who read my May 13 column to many students, and held a brainstorming session.
All the letters have been emailed to SSMP Project Manager Matt Pearson (mpearson@bmross.net), with copies to the mayor and town councillors. Here are some excerpts:
• "We want Erin to stay like Erin. We don't want Erin to become overcrowded. We like the small population. More fun stuff, more parks, swimming pools."
• "What I like about Hillsburgh is that it's not so crowded. Hillsburgh would be a better place if it had more stores and more restaurants (fast food). They should have better roads so that there are not potholes, and more parks so kids have somewhere to hang out."
• "Erin is not too big, but it's also not too small. The thing that I don't like about living in Erin is that you're not allowed to skateboard in town. So to fix that, I think that we should get a skate park, so that people can skateboard without getting in trouble."
• "I think that we should have a public pool. I don't think that that there should be any more houses."
• "We should have more health care. People have to waste gas driving to Brampton, Mississauga or even Toronto to see their doctor or dentist. I think we should have a health care centre right in downtown Erin. We should have an indoor pool. Why not build one right beside the Erin District High School."
• "In the near future, I want more little shops in Erin. Also more parks, and people should plant more trees in their yards. Maybe a Tim Horton's or a Starbucks, but otherwise I like it the way it is! Please don't put any factories or giant buildings."
• "You can walk around town to go where you like and it's not too big. We should open a sports store in Erin and the school should buy new equipment."
• "I like that Erin is a small town, but that's about it. There's never anything for teenagers to do. All of the activities are sports, and it'd be nice to have a mall and a Tim Horton's. Any place to hang out'd be nice; Centre 2000 gets boring after the first six years of living here."
• "I like Erin because you basically know everyone, and they have fairs. I wish they had a Tim Horton's."
• "I think that there should be a huge mall, or a regular mall, in Erin so you can have more people in it."
• "I think Erin is a good town and is perfect the way it is. I think that if Erin had buses or got any bigger the town would be over-populated and polluted. I think the town of Erin should build a Motocross track. Erin should also get a BMX park."
• "I would like to see more trees and parks, because there's so many people who like to walk, and go up town with their dogs. I don't think Erin should change that much, because that's what makes Toronto and Erin way different – no city shops and big houses, with huge highways and traffic."
• "The town of Erin is the right size. If it grows too much it will be a mini-Brampton. It should get some more entertainment, because all you can do on the weekend is go biking, and go to the theatre. They should get either a skate/bike park or an arcade. We could get a mountain bike trail."
• "We have lots of space and lots of fresh air, and where I live, lots of forest. Everywhere around us they are tearing down trees and adding strip malls and houses. I really wouldn't like it if they start building even more houses – we would be crowded, and the space we have right now is really nice. I really wouldn't like it to be like the city. It sucks in the city in my opinion. I really don't want factories because that would pollute the air. Some people already drive far away from where they live, so why can't they keep doing that."
• "We need a recreational area with a pool. Dog parks. More trails. The roads are bad on the small roads and they also need garbage clean-up; we pay taxes for services we are not receiving. Need more tourist attractions, more restaurants, more bike racks, a bigger Humane Society and more trees. We need a mall."
• "We should make an organization that has games and stuff to do after school. It will give our parents some time away from the kids and it will keep the teens off the streets."
• "I don't like how people litter a lot. Maybe some more restaurants. No factories because it would pollute the air even more. Better roads – too many cracks. I think the population should stay the same. Maybe a few more apartments. Maybe a paintball arena where an open field is."
September 17, 2008
We’re all on the health team
As published in The Erin Advocate
A lot of things need to happen for the new Family Health Team to reach its full potential, and strong community support will be a key factor in its success.
The team approach to local health care is new to some people, but it has worked well in other areas. The East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT) is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health to provide service to Erin, Hillsburgh and Rockwood – the entire region from the Guelph city limits to Winston Churchill Boulevard, and from Ballinafad to Orton.
It came into being on May 1 this year, and is led by Executive Director Michelle Karker and Clinical Lead Dr. Duncan Bull. Patients of local doctors continue to be served at the existing medical offices in Erin and Rockwood, but major changes have started and many more are planned – including a new $3 million medical clinic in Erin and a smaller one in Rockwood.
The doctors are on staff. They do not bill OHIP for patient visits, and they are part of a collaborative team that will initially include a nurse practitioner, a dietician, a mental health counsellor, a program lead (for health promotion activities), registered nurses and a registered practical nurse.
“It is a personal choice for doctors,” said Karker. “They can earn a good living and not have to worry about running a business. Many doctors want a better quality of life.”
The team now includes doctors Duncan Bull, Carla Lennox and Shane Neilson in Erin and Jane Hosdil in Rockwood, but they are not accepting new patients. There is funding for three more doctors in Erin and two more in Rockwood, but with the shortage of doctors and nurse practitioners, recruiting is a major challenge. About 6,000 people in the area have no family doctor.
In the team model, patients have one primary doctor, but can be treated by other local doctors when needed. Treatment by other professionals will be conveniently available in the same building.
There will be no need to travel to Rockwood, since some staff will split their time between the two locations, though patients will still be referred out of town as necessary for testing or to see specialists. Patients will retain the right to have a family doctor outside the EWFHT.
For now, the team has leased office and treatment space in the basement of Dr. Jon Walcott’s optometry office at 18 Thompson Cres., near Kennedy Flags. Patients should be receiving some of the new services there by the end of October.
The team approach is a huge leap forward, not just because of the addition of provincially-funded staff positions, but also because of the more modern philosophy on which the team is based. They will treat illness, of course, but they will have the time and the mandate to work on prevention.
They will work for the whole community, not just their registered patients. For example, there will be health promotion activities in areas like diabetes care and heart health. Services may also be extended to outlying communities in the team’s region.
“It is for the community at large. This hasn’t existed before,” said Karker. “We are also a registered charity, so we can fundraise for things we need.”
What can individuals do to help? First of all, talk it up. If you know people in the health care field, promote Erin as a great place to live and work. The team has a volunteer board of directors – call the team office at 519-833-7576 to find out more. Mayor Rod Finnie is helping to initiate fundraising efforts – contact him at 519-855-4407 ext. 232 or rod.finnie@town.erin.ca to find out more.
When the fundraising starts, consider making a contribution. You will likely be helping to buy extra medical equipment that is not covered by the clinic budget.
The province will cover the cost of leasing the two clinic buildings, with the lease to be renewed every five years, but they will not build them. The team itself wants to focus on health care, not construction, and Mayor Finnie says the private sector has not been prepared to take on the Erin building.
That leaves the Town and the County as potential landlords. Either government could borrow to finance construction, and recover the money through the lease. The mayor and County Councillor Lou Maieron have urged County Council to do the borrowing, but the matter is unresolved.
It shouldn’t stay that way too long. A modern medical office is an important part of attracting medical staff. Discussion has started about potential direct financial contributions from the County and even the Town, and about whether the clinic would be on Town-owned land, said the mayor.
“It is about improving the health of the whole community,” he said.
Now that the province has come through with funding, the project should proceed as soon as possible.
A lot of things need to happen for the new Family Health Team to reach its full potential, and strong community support will be a key factor in its success.
The team approach to local health care is new to some people, but it has worked well in other areas. The East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT) is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health to provide service to Erin, Hillsburgh and Rockwood – the entire region from the Guelph city limits to Winston Churchill Boulevard, and from Ballinafad to Orton.
It came into being on May 1 this year, and is led by Executive Director Michelle Karker and Clinical Lead Dr. Duncan Bull. Patients of local doctors continue to be served at the existing medical offices in Erin and Rockwood, but major changes have started and many more are planned – including a new $3 million medical clinic in Erin and a smaller one in Rockwood.
The doctors are on staff. They do not bill OHIP for patient visits, and they are part of a collaborative team that will initially include a nurse practitioner, a dietician, a mental health counsellor, a program lead (for health promotion activities), registered nurses and a registered practical nurse.
“It is a personal choice for doctors,” said Karker. “They can earn a good living and not have to worry about running a business. Many doctors want a better quality of life.”
The team now includes doctors Duncan Bull, Carla Lennox and Shane Neilson in Erin and Jane Hosdil in Rockwood, but they are not accepting new patients. There is funding for three more doctors in Erin and two more in Rockwood, but with the shortage of doctors and nurse practitioners, recruiting is a major challenge. About 6,000 people in the area have no family doctor.
In the team model, patients have one primary doctor, but can be treated by other local doctors when needed. Treatment by other professionals will be conveniently available in the same building.
There will be no need to travel to Rockwood, since some staff will split their time between the two locations, though patients will still be referred out of town as necessary for testing or to see specialists. Patients will retain the right to have a family doctor outside the EWFHT.
For now, the team has leased office and treatment space in the basement of Dr. Jon Walcott’s optometry office at 18 Thompson Cres., near Kennedy Flags. Patients should be receiving some of the new services there by the end of October.
The team approach is a huge leap forward, not just because of the addition of provincially-funded staff positions, but also because of the more modern philosophy on which the team is based. They will treat illness, of course, but they will have the time and the mandate to work on prevention.
They will work for the whole community, not just their registered patients. For example, there will be health promotion activities in areas like diabetes care and heart health. Services may also be extended to outlying communities in the team’s region.
“It is for the community at large. This hasn’t existed before,” said Karker. “We are also a registered charity, so we can fundraise for things we need.”
What can individuals do to help? First of all, talk it up. If you know people in the health care field, promote Erin as a great place to live and work. The team has a volunteer board of directors – call the team office at 519-833-7576 to find out more. Mayor Rod Finnie is helping to initiate fundraising efforts – contact him at 519-855-4407 ext. 232 or rod.finnie@town.erin.ca to find out more.
When the fundraising starts, consider making a contribution. You will likely be helping to buy extra medical equipment that is not covered by the clinic budget.
The province will cover the cost of leasing the two clinic buildings, with the lease to be renewed every five years, but they will not build them. The team itself wants to focus on health care, not construction, and Mayor Finnie says the private sector has not been prepared to take on the Erin building.
That leaves the Town and the County as potential landlords. Either government could borrow to finance construction, and recover the money through the lease. The mayor and County Councillor Lou Maieron have urged County Council to do the borrowing, but the matter is unresolved.
It shouldn’t stay that way too long. A modern medical office is an important part of attracting medical staff. Discussion has started about potential direct financial contributions from the County and even the Town, and about whether the clinic would be on Town-owned land, said the mayor.
“It is about improving the health of the whole community,” he said.
Now that the province has come through with funding, the project should proceed as soon as possible.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)