Mental Health is for Everybody Mental Health is for Everybody

Healthy as can be!
... health news for people in Manitoba’s RHA Central
2005 Spring Edition with a focus on mental wellness
“Healthy as can be” young people at La Verendrye School in Portage la Prairie gather smiles for Central Region.
Mental Health is
for Everybody
S
ay "mental health" and most people instantly think
of mental illness.
"There's no class for (mental health) in elementary
school," said Pamela Zary, mental health worker in
Portage la Prairie, "But it is the coping mechanisms you
learn when you're young that carry you through your
life."
In order to have a healthy lifestyle, you have to have
good coping skills.
"You can't control what life throws at you, but you can
control how you react," said Zary.
Take one thing at a time, be realistic ("There was only
one "Superman" and he was from a different world"), be
flexible, and get physically healthy are good ways to
have positive coping skills.
Creating a healthy self-esteem is essential for good
mental health. People with a healthy self-esteem tend to
get sick less and deal with negative events more effectively. And a healthy body is a good start to a healthy
mind.
"If your body's not healthy, your mind won't be
either," said Zary. "Healthy eating is part of it."
Some people turn to food as a way of suppressing
negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, anger, sadness,
loneliness and boredom. These people do not eat more,
but they tend to eat more unhealthy foods. Although food
can distract you from all of your emotions and life's
problems, the distraction is temporary. The problems are
still there when you finish eating and so is the guilt of
overeating. Emotional eaters should consider a junkfood-free home and find healthier distractions like phoning a friend or going for a walk.
"Ask yourself if this is real hunger or am I bored or
emotional," said Zary.
There is strong research evidence that exercise has a
positive effect on mood. The healthier the body, the better the person can deal with stress.
"It doesn't have to be a five-mile walk," she said. "Just
take the dog for a walk or find an activity you really
enjoy. The whole point is to have fun."
People who try to buy their happiness will also end up
in trouble. Like emotional eating, emotional spending is
a temporary fix.
Ask yourself, "If I buy this, will it make me happy
tomorrow? Next week? Can I afford this? Why am I really buying this?" said Zary.
To be mentally healthy, people need to find something
meaningful in their life. "Coaching hockey, taking an art
class, volunteering, finding something that makes your
hands move and your eyes sparkle," suggested Zary.
Healthy relationships are also a vital part of good
mental health. Family and friends can act as a defense
against life stress and being a part of a social network can
help you deal with negative life events.
"You're not necessarily leaning on someone, but you
know someone's there to lean on," said Zary.
A positive relationship has a balance between giving
and taking. It is a good idea to limit the time you spend
with people who demand too much of your time and people that make you feel inadequate.
"In order to maintain sanity, limit contact with these
types of people," said Zary.
Mental health is all about creating a nice balance in
your life.
Contact Us:
www.rha-central.mb.ca
RHA Central Manitoba Inc.
P.O. Box 243, 36 Centennaire Drive
Southport, MB R0H 1N0
Tel.: 204 428 2000, 1 800 RHA 6509
Fax: 204 428 2020
Email: info@rha-central.mb.ca
HEALTHY
AS CAN BE!
RHA Central CEO - Wellness under pressure
I
t's a high-pressure job. As Chief
Executive Officer of RHA Central,
Neil Walker directs and oversees
the activities of 3,200 employees serving an area with 98,000 people. The
challenges are many. There is never
enough capital funding to deal with the
capital projects, be it beds or buildings.
Ever the diplomat, Walker says the
government is doing the best they can
with the money they have, as is the
RHA, but there needs to be a whole
system change.
"You can't have it both ways. There
are pressures for tax reductions which
may affect social programs. Health is
one of those programs," said Walker.
The job is huge: to design a system
flexible enough to change with the
times, to work with the community and
staff for a sustainable health system,
and to strike a balance between the
direction of the community and the
board of directors with the fiscal realities as dictated by Manitoba Health.
So how does Neil Walker take care
of his own mental wellness? It all
begins with a passion for the work.
"I really care about what I do," said
Walker. "I want to work with the com-
governance
munity and staff
structure, to be
to develop a
" f u t u r e
sustainable
focused" and to
health system."
determine what
Walker has
can be accomsurrounded
plished in the
himself
with
long run. A
good people. He
board that is
said he is supwilling to parported by his
ticipate in the
senior managecommunity
ment team as
health assesswell as remarkment and listen
able staff in the
to the staff as
Region. "When
well as the comI see them intermunity makes
acting
with
his job easier.
clients, it gives
W a l k e r
me the energy
knows he can't
to
continue
just rely on the
doing what I'm
people around
doing. I am
him for his
buoyed by the
mental wellbepassion
and
ing. He takes
commitment
NEIL WALKER, CEO
care of himself
most staff have
physically, as well as spiritually. An
for their jobs."
Walker said the Board of Directors early riser, he makes sure to get enough
is also good for his mental health. He rest by going to sleep early, and he gets
says they work hard to have a clear regular exercise. Diet is also essential.
"I am very cognizant of what goes
into my mouth. If I don't eat well, I
don't feel well. I try to take care of
myself overall."
Walker is involved in his church and
sits on the worship committee. "Even
though sometimes I think I don't have
time, once I get there and participate,
it's a nice mental break. It gives my
head a rest from what I'm doing the
majority of the time."
Taking a three-hour French class
every Saturday morning was good educationally, but also mentally. "It forced
me to think of nothing else but French,
which was good for me on a Saturday
morning when I would have gone to the
office," he said.
Family and friends also play a key
role in the mental wellness of the CEO.
"Even though my family is in Ontario
and a lot of my friends live across the
country, I know they are there for me
when I need them," he said.
"All the way through my life I have
had people who believe in me," said
Walker. "Now I have members of the
[RHA] team that believe in me. If it
wasn't for that, I wouldn't be here."
RHA Board gets grassroots perspective
I
t's one thing to sit at a
board meeting, make
a policy and ensure
staff is following the policy. But board members
get a whole new perspective when they sit in committee with staff and
community
members,
including youth, to set
goals and direction.
Bob McKenzie and
Joanne Roulette provided
contributions on behalf of
the RHA Central Board
on the RHA's Children's
Program Team. This team
worked with staff members and the Community
Health Assessment and
also attended round
tables with students to
prepare a document,
which was then presented
to the Provincial Healthy
Kids, Healthy Futures
All-Party Task Force.
Being part of the team
was a good opportunity,
said McKenzie.
"It was a chance to get
into the nuts and bolts of
the system and to hear
people talk about their
work," he said. "People
from all over the Region
got together once a
month to hammer out a
plan to improve children's health in the
Region."
"When
you
get
involved in the community, you get involved with
the real health issues that
people are dealing with."
The result of the teamwork and community
input was a document,
which
recommended,
among other things, an
increase in the availability of injury prevention
programs.
McKenzie said the
number of farm accidents
in the Region was one
concern raised in the
meetings. "These accidents are preventable," he
said. More prevention
programs were identified
as a way of dealing with
the issue.
Another recommendation was to find ways to
strengthen the ability of
students to lead. For
example, student diets
can be improved by
reducing the availability
of sugar from the school
drink machine and candy
from
the
canteen.
McKenzie said in discussion with students it was
determined that children
want to be involved in
making these decisions
and that when they are
involved, change will
happen.
Another recommendation was to increase
resources for better access
to mental health services
for children and youth in
addition to programming
on self-esteem, stress and
depression.
"These [prevention]
areas are very poorly
funded," said McKenzie.
"We have to focus on
acute care because the
funding is not what it
should be."
The committee also
recommended
more
emphasis on the health of
the aboriginal population.
"They have significantly
poorer health," said
McKenzie, adding the
RHA is dealing with the
issue by reaching out to
the aboriginal community, speaking with chiefs
and making joint decisions on how to address
their health issues.
McKenzie said it was
also recognized that parents in general need more
support in fostering the
health and development
of
their
children.
Preschool screening has
been noted as an important and successful program in the RHA and one
that needs to be carried
on in every community in
the Region.
McKenzie, who served
on a hospital board prior
to regionalization, said a
regional board does not
necessarily mean less
community input into
decision-making.
"It's rewarding to see
people from all over the
Region putting their
heads together and coming up with some good
ideas that might not have
been possible before."
Board members Bob McKenzie and Joanne Roulette (left) and Debbie Iverson,
Director of Regional Rehabilitation present to the provincial Healthy Kids,
Healthy Futures All-Party Task Force.
Nursing Education goes Rural
A
pilot project in RHA Central
will see Licensed Practical
Nurses (LPNs) graduate as
Registered Nurses (RNs) 16 months
after they begin training this May. And
they won't have to leave their communities to go to school.
"We want to successfully recruit
nurses to our rural areas," said Human
Resources Officer Cindy Joel. "If we
train people rurally it means they will
likely stay in the area they reside."
Coordinated through Red River
College, the Diploma Nursing
Accelerated Program is a pilot project
involving Portage la Prairie, Winkler
and Dauphin. Eight seats have been
awarded to each of these areas for
LPNs who graduated in 1998 or later.
"It's a good way to upgrade our
nurses," said Joel, adding the seats
were nearly all filled by the end of
www.rha-central.mb.ca
2
March.
The classes will be "videostreamed." Students will watch instructors on a large screen from their sites
and be able to communicate with the
instructors via high-speed internet connections. As well, a nurse educator
will be on hand at each of the three
sites for assistance.
"It will be like sitting in a live
class," said Joel. "A live learning experience is much easier than self-learning."
Taking LPNs out of the RHA facilities for 16 months will create a challenge, but Joel expects graduates of the
rotating LPN program will fill the void
created by studying nurses.
In the future, this pilot project could
be expanded to meet the need for personnel in other high demand professions such as diagnostics.
CHILDREN
Children’s
Therapy
Initiative changing the way we do business
"It takes a village to
raise a child."
Nobody
knows this more than John
and Sharon Klassen,
whose son Nicholas has
Spastic Cerebral Palsy.
With strong support from
his family, friends and professionals,
Nicholas
undergoes various forms
of therapy many hours a
week.
Although Nicholas is
fortunate to be surrounded
with the strength and love
of his parents, the journey
is by no means effortless.
Sharon shares that, at
times, there is difficulty in
knowing where to turn, to
knowing how to access
what service and from
whom. Access can be confusing with unfortunate
duplication and gaps from
one system to the other.
With Children's Health
earmarked as a priority, the
RHA Central saw an
opportunity to make a difference by partnering in an
initiative to "change the
way we do business."
This
change
in
approach was formalized
on February 22, 2005
when the Honorable
Christine
Melnick,
Minister
of
Family
Services and Housing and
Minister responsible for
Persons with Disabilities,
attended a special event to
launch the Children's
Therapy Initiative (CTI) in
Central Region. The
announcement came with
additional provincial funding of $64,000 for therapy
services including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech language therapy and audiology services
for children.
In 1999, a Provincial
Pediatric Therapy Working
Committee was struck
with a mandate to enhance
The Central Region
Children's
Therapy
Initiative (CTI) Committee
has adopted the emblem of
the snowflake to identify the
provincial
CTI.
The
snowflake is a metaphor for
the uniqueness of all children, families, and communities. Like snowflakes, services reflect unique regional
needs.
Each snowflake
merges into a system that
draws upon Manitoba's
diversity, strength, and creativity. Watch for more information regarding referral
sources as the CTI in
Central Region begins to
implement and shape "a new
way of working together."
the coordination, access
and equity of therapy services for children and their
families. This initiative
became known as the
Children's
Therapy
Initiative. In 2002, the
provincial
committee
extended an invitation
across the province to
develop a demonstration
project for the delivery of
regionally-based services.
Various sectors involved in
providing therapy services
for children within Central
Region joined to form an
intersectoral team.
The team in Central
Region worked diligently
to develop a submission
that would identify potential solutions to challenges
in providing therapy services for children. They
proposed more effective
coordination of service
Neil Walker (RHA Central CEO), Honorable Christine Melnick (Minister of Family Services and Housing and
Minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities), Sharon Klassen (representing families), Debbie Iverson (representing the CTI Team) and Gloria Penner (representing education sector).
ment and passion of the
CTI
Central
Region
Committee comes from
knowing that as we share
our learning with others,
we are making a difference
for the children and their
families in the Region and
beyond.
"As an intersectoral
team, we have already
gained a greater understanding of each others'
delivery and increased
funding for additional
services. Central Region
was one of four proposals
accepted from a total of 13
submissions.
Debbie
Iverson,
Director of Regional
Rehabilitation in Central
Region, is a member of the
steering committee that
got this initiative underway. She says the commit-
programs," she said. "It
gives us greater capacity to
work together to coordinate our services and
resources."
Iverson adds that the
initiative has been made
possible through the contributions of time and
resources of the many
agencies involved in the
CTI in Central Region.
Healthy growth and
Demystifying ADHD...
N
ot all kids with bad behavior are bad kids and not all
parents with bad kids are
bad parents. Dr. Barbara Comte,
Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist in
Central Region, wants that message to come out loud and clear.
All too often, she said, parents get
blamed for behaviors their children display when they have
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD).
Three to five per cent of children have the disorder and as
many as 75 per cent of Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome children have
ADHD.
ADHD children that are not
treated have twice the incidence of
learning disabilities and also have
higher incidence of substance
abuse. Comte said it is generally
assumed that children with ADHD
have serious emotional problems.
"They usually don't. If treated
early and given family support,
these children function well in
their environments."
There are three types of ADHD.
Children may demonstrate primarily inattention (inattentive type),
primarily hyperactivity and impulsivity (hyperactive and impulsive
type) or both (combined type).
The combined type is the most
common. Children with ADHD
have trouble focusing and are generally inattentive. Females with
ADHD are often not diagnosed
because they don't usually create
problems in the classroom or at
home. Girls tend to have Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,
inattentive type (commonly
known as ADD). These children
often look as if they are daydreaming. ADHD, combined type is
more prominent in boys than in
girls.
DR. BARBARA COMTE
Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
"What people see is bad behavior," said Comte. "We need to help
the community understand that
these aren't necessarily bad
parents."
Children with ADHD need
structure, and lots of it. They need
clear, direct, concrete and specific
communication. For example, said
Comte, you can't tell an ADHD
child to "clean up your room." You
need to say: "Pick up your clothes,
make your bed and vacuum the
floor." Even telling him to pick up
the laundry can be difficult
because on the way to the laundry
room, he might see the television
is on. He is quickly distracted and
will sit down to watch the TV,
completely forgetting about the
laundry. Good structure and routine will go a long way to helping
ADHD children.
"ADHD kids are often bossy or
controlling. The social piece is
really important both at home and
at school. It's not just about
3
development in the early
years is the foundation for
an individual's overall
health and wellbeing. The
Children's
Therapy
Initiative will help ensure
children receive the best
care possible to be "AS
HEALTHY AS CAN BE".
★★★
The Central Region intersectoral team included regional
representatives from School
Divisions, Family Services and
Housing, Child Daycare,
Healthy Child Coalition,
Society for Manitobans with
Disabilities, the Rehab Centre
for Children and RHA Central.
whether or not the kid can do their
homework, but whether they can
remember to meet their
friend at the park," she said.
Support and understanding is of utmost importance.
Parents of ADHD children
* Children treated with stimare often reluctant to take
ulant medication will become
them out in public for fear
addicted to it and are more
they will be labeled as bad
likely to abuse other drugs.
parents with bad kids.
Children treated for ADHD are
"People are not part of the
less likely to develop substance
community when they have
use disorders.
bad kids," she said. "They get
* There is no data which
to the point where they won't
indicates that addiction to stimtake their kid to the pool or
ulant medication is a problem or
the store."
that children treated with stimuIf the structure and routine
lants are more likely to abuse
are there, but the child is still
other substances.
not doing well, he or she may
* Stimulant medication
require a professional psychistunts growth. The available litatric assessment and medicaerature indicates that ultimate
tion. Most of the medications
height appears to be unaffected
for ADHD usually work well
if treatment is discontinued in
and quickly.
adolescence. However, there
Comte said it is also
have been no studies of growth
important to remember that a
in children treated continually
child needs to be treated for
from childhood into young
the entire day and the entire
adulthood so caution here is
week, not just while they are
warranted.
in school. A disorder is "on"
* Stimulant medication
all the time. A child should
works by turning children into
feel like one of the other kids
"zombies". Some children do
all the time. This ensures
become sluggish and withdrawn
good self-esteem and longwhen on medication, but these
term success in life. About
symptoms generally indicate
two-thirds of children outthat the dose is too high, or that
grow their symptoms by the
a co-existing condition such as
time they are 18 years old.
a mood problem has not been
The remaining third become
identified.
adults with ADHD, experi* Studies have shown an
encing a range in severity of
increase in prosocial behavior
symptoms.
in ADHD children treated with
Support groups and edustimulants, which would not be
cation can go a long way in
the case if it simply turned chilcreating understanding and a
dren into "zombies".
better life for ADHD children
and their families.
COMMON
MYTHS:
MENTAL WELLNESS
Mental
Health
R
esearchers in the health care field
declared the 1980s as the decade
of the brain. Well, here we are in
a new century, and although we know
more about the brain, there is still much
we don't know. Fortunately, people are
becoming more aware of the need to
attend to their mental wellness.
Researchers are making progress, and
those of us working in the mental health
system continue to strive to help people
maintain mental wellness or recover
from a mental illness.
Jan-Marie Graham, Program Leader
for Mental Health & Palliative Care in
Central Region says the RHA is trying
Connecting with the continuum of care
to strengthen the "continuum of care" for mental
health so that we can support people with varying
degrees of need.
The continuum begins
with those things we all
can do to maintain our
physical and mental wellbeing. We talk
out and resolve issues around the
kitchen table or while out on a walk with
a friend. We listen to music, have time
alone, read books, do pottery, ride a
bike, or just spend time with people we
love.
Then there are our friends, neighbours, and family. Most of us will get
through the highs and lows in our lives
just with the help, caring, and support
that comes from having good people
around us.
"Everyday, we access support within
our immediate surroundings without
even realizing it", adds Graham. "Often
JAN-MARIE GRAHAM,
Program Leader —
Mental Health & Palliative Care
THE CONTINUUM OF MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS
Those people who are, for the most part, well, but may be
experiencing some stress, anxiety or depression due to difficulties
with relationships, parenting, family, etc., are often referred to as “the
worried well”. These folks are able to maintain a job or go to school,
in spite of their worries or troubles. These people will likely not need
the help of a Mental Health professional to get through the tough
times.
Natural Support (Nonprofessional) (e.g.
Family, Friends, &
Neighbors)
Those people who have serious mental illness often find that their lives
are taken over by their illness. They may find that their jobs (if they are
even able to work), relationships, schooling, and housing become
jeopardized due to illness. They often feel that their illness has taken
over their lives. These people will usually need the help of a Family
Physician and/or Mental Health professional to recover from their
mental illness.
Community Mental Health
Workers
Psychiatrists
Inpatient/Hospital
Care
Self-Help (e.g. ADAM, MSS,
MDAM, CMHA, WellConnected, Farm Crisis Line,
Teen Touch, etc.)
Natural Support professionals)
(e.g. Teachers, Clergy, Public
Health Nurses, etc.)
•
•
•
ADAM is the Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba
MSS is the Manitoba Society for Schizophrenia
MDAM is the Mood Disorder Association of Manitoba
•
•
CMHA is the Canadian Mental Health Association
Well-Connected works with people who have eating disorders
People all long the continuum have access to family physicians, hospital emergency rooms, mental health crisis services and Karen Devine Safe
House.
taken for granted, many times this support is all we need to get us through."
And somewhere in the middle are
other supports, such as teachers, spiritual leaders, nurses, or home care staff.
These people don't work in the field of
mental health but they are valuable
helpers in our communities. We have
excellent self-help organizations in the
Region that raise awareness of mental
health issues and provide support and
information to individuals and family
members. These organizations include
Mood Disorders Association of
Manitoba,
Anxiety
Disorders
Association of Manitoba, Manitoba
Society of Schizophrenia, Canadian
Mental Health Association, and WellConnected.
Further along the continuum is the
formal mental health care system. Some
of us may at some time need the help of
a community mental health worker.
Community mental health workers provide support to children, adolescents,
adults, and seniors throughout the
Region. They provide supportive counselling and education to people with a
serious mental illness like major depression or an anxiety disorder.
One of the resources available to the
community mental health worker is a
consultant psychiatrist. While the psychiatrists do not see people on an ongoing basis, they provide management
suggestions and may recommend medications as needed.
As part of the continuum, we have
access to inpatient beds at Eden Mental
Health Centre. Professional caregivers
such as psychiatric nurses, psychologists, and psychiatrists provide expert
care to those people requiring intensive
therapy and treatment. Although not
many of us will need this level of care, it
is an important part of the continuum.
Although there continues to be a
great deal of stigma about mental illness, people are becoming more aware
of the need to attend to their mental
wellness. The general public is starting
to pay attention to the connection
between physical, spiritual, and mental
wellbeing.
Recovering from Mental Illness
D
on Boddy knew he was in trouble.
He just didn't understand what,
exactly, the trouble was and he certainly didn't know where this trouble
would take him.
"I began getting ill in the spring of
1999," said Don. "I began feeling overwhelmed with everything."
Don was a pastor, working full time
ministering to others. What started as a
feeling of being overwhelmed went
"downhill," he said. "There were simple
tasks that I could no longer do." He
couldn't eat or sleep and was crying "all
the time" and having six to eight-hour
panic attacks.
Don found a good doctor and started
taking medication for his depression. The
pills didn't work at first, he said, and the
side effects took their toll. He had frequent
headaches and was shaking constantly.
Don checked in and out of hospital and the
local emergency room in Portage la
Prairie. He was on 15 or 16 different medications - some for depression and some
for the side effects.
"I started to say no," he said. "I was
walking around in a lithium fog with my
address and phone number in my pocket
because I had no short-term memory."
The church where he had been pastor
for only a year was good to him, and tried
to understand, but eventually he lost his
Don Boddy's story
job. His wife and
health counselor. Don
daughter left him.
had no intention of folIn December of
lowing through with
1999, Don was admitthat one. However, as it
ted to the Eden Mental
turned out, the mental
Health facility in
health counselor was
Winkler, the only acute
"truly a lifesaver."
care psychiatric unit in
"She helped me to
the RHA Central.
understand things and
He was there for
empowered me to live.
two months, getting his
She said I had to
medications regulated
relearn to live."
and working towards
The
following
mental wellness. The
spring, Don came as
best part about being in
close as he ever had to
the facility was meettaking his life.
ing people like himself,
"I had everything
said Don.
ready to do it, but I
"There were other
decided to go for a
people there who were
walk instead. I ended
living full lives at one
up in hospital in
DON BODDY
time and then life just
Portage la Prairie and
got to them...we began to share and to get back at Eden a couple of days later." He
hope from each other."
remained at Eden for three weeks.
After he left Eden, Don was made
After about a year, Don started to get
aware of other resources available for him hope that he could go forward with his
in his community. As a condition of his life. Fortunate to have a disability penrelease he had to agree to a plan, which sion, Don worked with his counselor, kept
included weekly visits with a mental a journal, walked and learned what it
4
would mean for him to be healthy. He
began to heal. He volunteered at the local
learning centre for a year before coming
on staff.
Today he is medication free, employed
full time, and back with his family. He
can't do some of the things he used to do,
like preach, or speak in public. But he has
learned how to feel sadness and stress, and
to know it doesn't necessarily mean going
back into depression.
"Now I am healthier than I have ever
been because of the work I've done. It is
still a struggle, but life is easier. I am
kinder and more easy-going than I used to
be," said Don.
When he was ill, people didn't know
how to act around Don. "There is no doubt
it seemed to be contagious," he said. But
worse than how other people treated him
was how Don treated himself. "There's a
stigma we place on ourselves," he said. "I
had to work hard to build a new image and
know I could still do things even though I
didn't believe I could."
Don, always willing to share his story,
said people are amazed to learn he has
struggled with mental illness. He gets calls
from people he doesn't know who want to
talk about their own struggles. He enjoys
this informal mentorship and always tries
to inform people about the community
resources available to them.
MENTAL WELLNESS
A
dam was the perfect child,
born to loving, committed, middle class parents.
He had huge brown eyes and long
eyelashes. He was a bright boy,
speaking at the age of 17 months.
The oldest of three boys, Adam
grew to be an A+ student with
lots of friends and a fantastic
sense of humor. He was a people
magnet. It seemed he would do
well and go far. But on November
1, 1999, at the tender age of 19,
Adam took his own life.
Marlene Potash is Adam's
mom. She still laughs when she
describes her eldest son popping
his yellow soother out of his
mouth so he could talk in perfect
sentences. "He had the biggest,
brownest eyes and the longest
eyelashes," she said. "He was
bright, always bright."
But Adam wasn't always
bright. Not inside. His parents
learned, after he died, that he had
been depressed since he was eight
years old. But nobody knew.
Nobody in his large group of
friends or loving family imagined
that Adam was anything but
happy and content.
"We had no idea he was suffering from depression," said
Potash. "Mental illness is not
something we're told to be aware
of."
But Potash is out to change
that. As one of the founders of
SPEAK (Suicide Prevention
Education
Awareness
and
Knowledge), Potash speaks to
school groups and adults to
debunk the myths around suicide.
It was August 26, 1999 and
Potash was with her son in a
Winnipeg hospital emergency
room. He appeared to be hallucinating and she suspected he had
taken some bad drugs at a party
the night before. Then Adam confessed. "He said, 'Mom, I tried to
kill myself last night,'" said
Potash. And her world came
crashing down. All her beliefs
crumbled around her as Potash
wondered in disbelief how this
could be happening to her family.
The beginning of a frustrating
journey into an inadequate mental
health system began.
Adam didn't die that day. He
was admitted to hospital for three
weeks and then was sent home to
his family. He saw a family doctor with "an interest" in mental
health and, at the insistence of his
parents, a hospital psychiatrist
who spent about 15 minutes a
week with Adam. When his parents suggested he could get better
care elsewhere, he refused to see
someone new.
Potash said the present system
Adam’s
story
is a "crisis response system" with
little or no preventative measures.
She said there needs to be a standardization of protocol in mental
health, and that other departments
of
government,
such
as
Education, also need to become
involved with mental health
issues.
Adam was released from hospital with a low dose of medication and deemed "high risk for
reattempting suicide." Potash said
as parents, they just believed
Adam wouldn't kill himself
because he had a family that
loved him so much. As a trained
social worker, Potash thought
she'd know if Adam was suicidal
again. She believed because
Adam was in the care of "professionals" he would be OK. But he
wasn't OK. Potash asked her son
why he was so sad, why he was
depressed.
"He said he wished he was
depressed, because then he would
feel something. He had been
compassionate, loving, with a
zest for life. Now he felt nothing
and it scared the life out of him.
And on November 1, 1999, Adam
ended that life.
It is not only her son's experience that has taught Potash about
the myths of depression and "the
Suicide Myths vs. Facts
Myth: Depression isn't really an illness.
Fact: The brain is an organ of the body that can get
sick just like the heart, liver or kidneys. Chemicals
in the brain, called neurotransmitters, regulate how
people think, feel and act. The brain can get sick if
these chemicals are out of balance or get disrupted,
and the illness called clinical depression can result.
Fact: Depression can be effectively treated in 90%
of the cases with a combination of medication and
therapy. Unfortunately, only 1 in 3 people with
depression will get help.
Myth: Suicides usually happen without warning.
Fact: Studies show that about 80% of people who
attempt or complete suicide will either hint at it or
directly tell a friend or relative about plans for suicide.
Myth: All people who have depression appear to
be sad.
Fact: There are many different symptoms associated with depression; sadness is only one of them.
Some people have chronic anger, worry, panic or
anxiety. Many hide their feelings of despair and
smile to mask their pain.
Myth: You should keep quiet about a suicide plan,
if someone asks you to keep a secret.
Fact: Never keep a suicide plan a secret. When
young people are concerned about a friend or relative, they should tell an adult. Adults who are concerned about a friend or a family member should
build a support system and guide the person to a
medical professional for a depression evaluation
and suicide assessment.
Myth: People with depression are weak and
should be able to help themselves out of it.
Fact: Depression doesn't have anything to do with
a person's character or willpower. It is an illness
that people can't talk themselves out of, just like
people can't talk themselves out of having diabetes
or heart disease. Treatment is the best way to stop
depression.
If you feel that you are suffering from depression and have thoughts of suicide, contact your
local physician/health professional or contact:
Suicide Prevention Education Awareness
Knowledge (SPEAK): 1-204-831-3610
Suicide Prevention Centre: 1-888-322-3019
Myth: Most people with depression can't be
helped.
Addictions
AA/Al-Anon Family Groups/Gamblers
Anonymous ..........................1-800-463-1554
Addictions Foundation of
Manitoba..........................Portage 857-8353
.........................................Morden 822-1296
Narcotics Anonymous .....................981-1730
Children & Teens
Child & Family Services ...Portage 857-8751
.........................................Morden 822-7403
Children's Advocate Office ...1-800-432-1957
Facts of Life Line .................1-800-263-5545
Kids Help Phone..................1-800-668-6868
Teen Touch...........................1-800-563-8336
Family & Parenting
Family Resource Centres
Altona........................................324-2712
Carman......................................745-5571
Langruth ...................................445-2295
Miami........................................435-2725
Morden .....................................822-4448
Morris .......................................746-6675
Portage .....................................239-6333
Mental Health - Supports & Resources
Manitoba Farm &
Rural Stress Line .................1-866-367-3276
Mon.-Sat. 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
Mental Health Intake
Service .............................Portage 239-3000
..............................Toll Free 1-888-310-4593
Eden Mental Health
Centre...............................Winkler 325-4325
Karen Devine
Safe House.......................Portage 239-5332
Mobile Crisis Unit (after 4:30 pm &
weekends only)................Portage 857-6369
.........................................Winkler 325-9700
Well-Connected..............................325-4325
Winkler ......................................269-1502
Family Services ................Portage 239-3092
...............................Morden 822-4496
For the Sake of the
Children ................................1-800-230-1885
Mothers-at-risk......................1-416-813-6780
Mother's First Help Line................947-3472
Parent Help Line ..................1-888-603-9100
Grief & Bereavement
Compassionate Friends/
Bereaved Parents...........................243-2169
Mental Health and Wellness
Anxiety Disorders Association
of Manitoba ......................Winkler 325-1385
Canadian Mental Health
Association.......................Portage 239-6590
Manitoba Schizophrenia
Society..............................Winkler 362-3027
Mood Disorders................Winkler 325-8206
Private Counselling Services
Central Plains Marriage & Family
Counselling....................................857-7654
Pembina Counselling Services ......822-6622
Prairie Therapy Service .................239-4379
R&R Counselling............................857-6598
5
system." Since Adam died,
Potash has tried several times to
take her own life. "I didn't want to
die. I just wanted to go to sleep
for a couple of months. My
shoulders hurt. My heart hurt. I
didn't want to get out of bed."
So Potash swallowed all the
medications she could find in the
house. "What was I thinking? My
husband and kids were home. I
knew what suicide would do to
them. I wasn't going to sleep for a
couple of months. I was going to
be dead," she said. Potash spent
the night in hospital. In the morning, a psychiatrist asked if she
wanted to be admitted to the
Psych ward. "That was my
assessment and treatment and discharge plan," she said.
It's been a year since her last
attempt. Potash knows there are
no easy solutions, no magic
answers. She is on medications
now, seeing a psychiatrist for
therapy, and working hard to educate people about suicide and suicide prevention, to teach them
that suicide comes from depression and that depression is a disease. She tells Adam's story and
the story of her family in the
hopes of informing and educating
the public about the link between
depression and suicide.
"It's important to talk about it
and to take the stigma out.
Suicide isn't contagious," she tells
people, "But it is the end result of
an untreated mental illness. Let's
work together and make a change
for the better. Let's figure out
what to do about it."
Recovery of Hope
Altona .......................................324-5676
Portage .....................................239-5008
Winkler .....................................325-5355
South Central Counselling.............745-3359
Turning Point Counselling .............239-6763
Suicide
SPEAK.............................Winnipeg 831-3610
Suicide Prevention Centre....1-888-322-3019
Women
Battered Women's
Crisis Line ............................1-800-362-3344
Crisis Pregnancy Centre ...Winkler 325-9700
Sexual Assault Crisis............1-800-977-0007
Sexual Assault Line .............1-800-292-7565
Women's Shelter....Portage 1-800-704-4904
................................Winkler 1-800-340-3331
Health Links .........................1-888-315-2957
There may also be other resources and supports
available in your community. Contact your local
health centre or your family physician for more
information.
MENTAL WELLNESS
RHA Services available through
Eden Mental Health Centre
I
t's an example of community action at
its best. The Eden Mental Health Centre
in Winkler has a service purchase agreement with the Regional Health Authority
(RHA), meaning the RHA buys services
from the Centre. However, the reality is that
the Centre also operates outside of and continues to operate with its own governance
system.
"There's obvious value because of
Eden's being connected with the community," said Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Eckhard Goerz. "In many ways, the community owns us."
This ownership has been built over the
38-year history of the facility with community members sitting on the board of directors, involved with fundraising and helping
to shape programs over the years.
"In that sense it is a reflection of the
community," said Goerz. Over the years,
that community has been predominantly
Mennonite. One of the things the
Mennonite community has been good at
historically, said Goerz, is in providing
services to the vulnerable in their midst not
unlike other faith based communities.
Since regionalization took place, "Eden has
become the regional
Although there is a
acute inpatient facility perception that Eden
the region's only spedelivers religious theracialist mental health
py, Goerz said the clinitreatment
facility.
cal services provided
However, it is also a
are recognized as profaith-based Centre with
fessionally appropriate
provincial Mennonite
and meeting all clinical
church
ownership.
standards and spiritual
Funding received from
care is increasingly recthese community donor
ognized as a legitimate
sources is directed to
component of care
programs not funded
across the Region.
fully by the RHA .
"We are as inclusive
Goerz said although
as anywhere else in the
Eden is still seen by
Region," he said.
people in the Region as
Goerz said Eden has
church-based, the Eden
a comprehensive array
programs are fully
of services including:
inclusive to all citizens
“Recovery of Hope”,
whether funded by the
which provides individRHA or by private
ual, family and marECKHARD GOERZ, CEO
donors.
riage counseling on an
Eden Health Care Services
"We serve people of
income based fee-forall or no belief affiliations," he said, adding, service basis; Linden Place, a transitional
"In many ways we are very well-situated to house as well as some integrated apartment
work with people where their faith comes buildings; community mental health servicto bear in their mental illness."
es for adults and seniors living in the com-
munity; and prevention.
James Friesen, Director of Development
at Eden, confirms the continuum.
"One of the best things we can expect is
if our family systems and natural supports
in the community allow us to continue life
in a good fashion. When that fails we may
intervene in their lives for awhile, but not
necessarily long-term," he said.
"The nature of mental illness is that it
can become complicated quite quickly," he
said, adding that mentally ill people also
have obstacles of public perception and
stigmas to deal with.
Eden is also working to increase the
time psychiatrists consult with family doctors. The program, called "shared care,"
reflects the reality that it is usually the primary physician that provides mental health
care.
"We're building a system of capacity at
the primary care level," said Goerz. "It only
makes sense to give them this support. We
see people for a short period of time, but
when the crisis is over, they go back to their
community and health care providers there.
It is the most effective way of delivering
services using scarce resources."
Mental Health in Central Region: Facts & Stats*
Eden Mental Health Centre
- # of beds
- admissions
- average length of stay
40
147
49 days
# of Crisis Calls
443
# of Persons Receiving Proctor Service
55/year
# of Bed Stays in Safe House
609
# of Child & Adolescent Cases Open (from January - December, 2004)
287
# of Adult Cases Open (from January - December, 2004)
334
Portage drop-in
offers peer support
* April, 2004 - January, 2005
The Eden Foundation presents...
what you've been
he
door's
through.
Someopen and the
times we just need
coffee is on.
somebody to listen
It's a place where
to us for a minute."
people can go if
The
drop-in
they need a listenoperates an activity
ing ear or a help to
program as well as
figure out what to
peer
support.
do next.
Activities
range
The
CMHA
from movie days to
(Canadian Mental
games at the legion
Health Associato bingo to tours of
tion) has a drop-in
the local fire hall.
centre in Portage la
Events are free or at
Prairie, which is
minimal cost to
open to the public
participants.
every
weekday
Miness
said
from 9:00 a.m. to
there are between
3:00 p.m.
15 and 20 people at
"We're
never
the centre every
going to turn
day. Staff supports
someone away,"
LEISA MINESS
the resilience and
said housing coorPortage Drop-In
recovery of people
dinator
Leisa
Housing Coordinator
with mental illMiness. "It's a
community resource for anybody with ness, offering advocacy, education,
research and supportive services. Jobs
mental health issues."
And most people do have mental are posted on the door as well as reasonably priced housing.
health issues at one time or another.
"We try to figure out what people
"Ninety per cent of the population
has suffered depression, stress or are looking for and to point them in the
grief," said Miness. "We welcome right direction," said Miness.
"We're aiming for a healthy compeople with mild to moderate depression as well as people with severe munity. People are misled when they
see CMHA and think mental illness,
mental health issues."
"We're not counselors," she said, not mental health."
"Just somebody who's been through
T
Two fun golf
events to
choose
from...
For bicycling
enthusiasts...
The Eden Foundation
together with Big Brothers
& Big Sisters is hosting its
13th annual Charity Golf Event,
Sunday, June 12th
starting at 1:30 p.m.
at the Winkler Golf Course
★★★
"IronMan" Golf Marathon,
Thursday July 14th
at Winkler Golf Course
"Head for the Hills"
biking fundraiser.
Ride 40 kms. of the
Trans Canada Trail
from
Lake Minnewasta
to the US border,
Saturday, Sept. 10th.
Highest pledge raiser
wins a new bike.
For more information on
any of the above events, call
Eden Foundation at 204325-5355
or
visit
www.edenhealth.mb.ca
Bring your favourite caddy,
raise pledges for Eden Health Care
Services mental health recovery
programs and compete in
playing 100 holes of golf.
6
SENIORS
uncertain," said Lois. "Especially
when you have a diagnosis that is
inoperable, incurable, but treatable. Every time Robert thinks his
abdomen is filling up, we wonder
what's going on. When he has too
much time to think, he wonders
what the future will be like. Will it
get worse? At what point do we
stop treatment? Sometimes there's
a lot of chatting going on at
2 a.m."
The couple receives offers of
practical support, such as rides to
the hospital, as well as emotional
and spiritual guidance from their
family, community and church.
They are also involved with the
South Central Cancer Resource in
Morden and have the support of
the regional palliative care program.
"Just having someone ask 'how
are you doing?' makes us feel supported," said Lois.
Living with Cancer
Robert Creith and his wife Lois.
"It's tough."
That could be considered quite
an understatement to those wondering how people cope with a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Robert Creith was 69 when a
routine colonoscopy, followed by
an ultrasound, showed spots on his
liver. It was determined that he
had terminal liver cancer. His condition was inoperable, but treatable with chemotherapy. Robert
was told he likely had only 18
months to live.
That was in early January of
2003. Today, Robert continues
chemotherapy, lives a quiet, but
meaningful life and has a positive
outlook.
"My heart is good, my lungs
are good, and nothing else is
wrong except for the 'time bomb'
in my belly," he said, referring to
lesions which could start to bleed
anytime.
Robert's wife Lois said a good
support system has kept them
going through the months since
the diagnosis. "We have support
from family, extended family,
friends, and neighbours, as well as
from our church family and the
staff at Boundary Trails Chemo
Unit," she said.
After the diagnosis, Robert and
Lois had some immediate and difficult decisions to make. They had
lived on a half section farm south
of La Rivière for 49 years.
Although retired from his job as
manager of the La Rivière Credit
Union and renting out the farmland, Robert was still helping with
combining and actively involved
in the community.
"We had been talking about
moving," said Lois, "But this
brought it to a head. Decisions had
to be made quickly." The number
one consideration was Robert's
health. A close second was how
Lois would be "taken care of" in
the years to come. With the help of
family and friends, the couple
moved 20 miles down the road to
the town of Manitou. This would
also bring them closer to
Boundary Trails Health Centre
where Robert's frequent treatments take place.
"It's only about a 40-minute
drive," said Lois. This distance
might seem daunting to people not
accustomed to country living. But
the drive is well worth it for the
quality care the Creiths get in the
cancer unit at Boundary Trails. "I
cannot say enough about the caring reception in the chemo room
in Boundary Trails," said Lois.
On chemotherapy days, the
Creiths spend their day between
departments in the hospital. But
most of their time is spent at home
in Manitou, where Lois is Robert's
main caregiver. Together, they face
the future.
"It's OK as long as you have a
goal in sight," said Lois. "You
have to have a goal to look forward to." These goals have
included Robert's 70th birthday
celebration, Christmas, New Years
and a visit from a niece living in
Sweden. Even something as simple as a lunch date becomes an
event to anticipate. The Creiths
are now looking forward to their
50th wedding anniversary in
August.
But sometimes the days and the
nights are long. "The future is
Contacts:
If you or a loved one need help,
support or services related to cancer, contact:
- Central Plains Cancer Services
(Gladstone, MacGregor, Notre
Dame de Lourdes, Portage la
Prairie, St. Claude, Swan Lake)
Tel. 1-204-857-6100
- South Central Cancer Care
Services (Carman, Crystal City,
Emerson, Morden, Morris, Pilot
Mound)
Tel. 1-204-822-9541
- Palliative Care Coordinators of
Volunteers, Central Region
Altona ...........................324-2724
Boundary Trails
Health Centre ................331-8909
Carman .....745-2021 or 745-6715
Gladstone .385-2968 or 385-3174
MacGregor ...................685-2746
Morris/Emerson ............746-2301
.......or 373-2109
Notre Dame...................248-2112
..............or 248-2092
Pembina/Manitou ..........242-2744
Pilot Mound/Crystal
City................................873-2132
Portage la Prairie...........857-3746
St. Claude......................379-2519
Swan Lake .................. 836-2132
Take as directed
M
edications represent a valuable tool in preserving your future, yet many fail to get the
full benefit of their medication because they
do not take them as directed. Many hospital and
emergency room visits can be traced back to a failure
to take medication properly. It is estimated that 50%
of chronically ill older adults do take medications as
directed. It can be difficult to remember to take medication particularly if you have to take a number of
pills. Often, medication is given to prevent illness and
you need to take the medication when you don't feel
sick. Continuing your medication is one of the most
important steps you can take to stay well.
Here are a few tips that may help you remember to
take your medication:
* Take your medication at the same time everyday - so
it becomes a habit like brushing your teeth.
* Use a medication organizer (dosette box) to arrange
your pills.
* Put a note on the coffee maker or bathroom mirror
to remind you to take your pills.
* Use an alarm clock or watch alarm as a reminder.
* Computer calendars can be used to schedule a
"Take Pills" task.
* Have a family member remind
you to take the medication.
Remember to discuss
your success and failure
in taking your
medication honestly
with your pharmacist
and your doctor.
It is your health
so take an active
role in staying
healthy and use
medication as
directed.
The RHA — Central Manitoba Inc. in partnership with the communities of Swan Lake First Nation, RM of Lorne
& Village of Somerset hosted the 7th Annual Healthy Communities Conference on April 22, 2005. The conference’s
theme was: “I Can, You Can, We Can, Do Anything!” Speaker Terry Kelly used personal anecdotes peppered with
humor, songs, stories and audience participation to encourage individuals to develop their own values and strategies
for living and working happily and healthily.
7
MEN/WOMEN/COMMUNITY
T
he general public of health nurse, took a mini
Central Region has community health fair to the
access to all kinds of Rosevalley Colony. "If we
medical information and want everyone in our
resources. There are televi- Region to be AS HEALTHY AS
sion campaigns, radio ads, CAN BE, we have to respect
internet access, health fairs the uniqueness of their culand conferences. But what ture," she said. The colonies
about some of the more con- do not attend functions like
ventional populations in the the community health fairs,
region? How do people that so the health fair went to
have shunned some of the them.
"They appreciated it. It
technical inventions of the
last decades get informed on gave them a good idea of the
health care resources, inno- resources in the communivations and prevention tech- ty," said Mooney.
The mini fair was modniques?
Supported by the Lorne eled after the Carman
Memorial
Hospital Health Fair which was held
Foundation and a facilitator, in conjunction with the flu
Kristal McKitrick-Bazin, clinic. The Carman Fair
Community
Integrated included blood pressure,
Health Services Leader blood sugar, cholesterol and
checks.
(Swan Lake) helped organ- osteoporosis
ize a focus group at two Businesses were invited to
Hutterite colonies in the bring exercise equipment,
area to discuss their health reflexology, foot care and
care needs. Windy Bay and massage to the fair. A big hit
Valley View colonies were was the hand washing
represented by 72 members, machine which generates a
ranging in age from 15 to lot of conversation for people who think they do a
72.
The
common good job of washing their
theme, said McKitrick- hands.
Mooney said she didn't
Bazin, was "What is
out there and how can bring all these booths to the
colony, but managed a good
we access it?"
clients make a plan for future treatment. They make sup"They want educa- representation of resources
ported choices based on their needs and issues regarding
tion. They want to available in the Region.
steps of recovery, peer support, and medical services.
"The colonies are unique.
learn more about
"On average, people come in for one to five days,
We
have to respect that and
health
and
more
about
work through it, and get back to the community," said
make
sure they get equal
our
services,
as
well
as
Crawford.
care,"
she
said. "My hope is
prevention,"
she
said.
Natural support systems are encouraged, including
to
do
this
in
all the colonies
To
that
end,
Susan
visits from family members and their participation in care
Mooney, community in our area."
planning. "We need an integrated service for the client so
everybody is on the same page."
Crawford said Karen Devine House always has at
least one client. "Never a day goes by that somebody
isn't here. I can't remember the last time nobody was
here," she said. "This is the only safe house [for the
mentally ill] in Central."
The safe house works closely with the local
Community Mental Health Association (CMHA) which
Well-Connected is a charitable organization that
helps maintain independence, housing and employment.
focuses on eating disorder awareness and prevention,
It is vital that people with mental illness have adequate
education and support. Members include health proliving conditions. Together, Karen Devine House and
fessionals, counselors, parents, and people directly
CMHA have been able to supply supported housing units
affected by eating disorders. Want to know more?
for people in need in their community.
Contact Ruth Minaker at 325-4325 or visit
"The success is unbelievable. If you are cold and not
www.well-connected-mb.ca
eating well or sleeping well, it will affect your mental
health immediately - never mind if you have a mental illness," she said.
Individuals who are in crisis or are struggling with a
mental illness can access the Karen Devine Safehouse
directly at 239-5332 or by contacting an individuals'
Community Mental Health Worker, Mental Health Intake
at 239-3000 (8:30 to 4:30) Monday to Friday. In the
Central Region we have an after-hours Mental Health
Crisis Service (MHCS) that will guide individuals
through the process for an admission. The number for the
he BabyFirst and visiting model for older
MHCS is 857-6369 (northern portion of region) or 325children
Early Start pro- pre-school
9700 (southern portion of region).
grams
have (ages 2 - 5 years) and
recently integrated and was based out of
are now known as: licensed childcare faciliFamilies First - a com- ties. Both programs utimunity-based home vis- lized trained paraproiting program for fami- fessional home visitors
lies with children from and strength based curconception
to riculum and training to
Kindergarten. A trained deliver services to famiparaprofessional home lies.
Integration
of
visitor supports parents
in building a strong rela- BabyFirst and Early
tionship with their child Start - the new Families
and offers ideas and First - has allowed for a
resources to help chil- comprehensive continudren grow up healthy um of services to families. Families First
and happy.
As an extension of receives referrals from
public health services, Public Health Nurses as
BabyFirst and Early well as other community
Start were initially partners. Families may
launched
in
1998. also refer themselves to
BabyFirst was devel- the program. For more
oped to support parents information, please conof newborns. Early Start tact your local Public
was developed as a home Health Nurse.
Health
Care
for
everyone
Karen Devine Safe House
A safe place to go
E
verybody needs a safe place to go when the going
gets tough. For people with mental health problems, that place in Portage la Prairie is the Karen
Devine House.
The four-bed facility, open 24 hours a day, seven days
a week, provides adults with mental health problems a
place where they can work things out in a safe, supportive and caring environment.
Director Corrie Crawford said the safe house offers
people an opportunity to access alternative help before
problems escalate into a crisis that may require hospitalization.
"The point of entry may be a crisis," she said, "But
other things enter in and we can look at the whole person
and try to give holistic solutions."
Crawford said there are individuals that use the facility frequently to maintain themselves in the community.
"Someone with a persistent illness like schizophrenia
might use the safe house twice in a month for respite, to get
a break from the stresses of day-to-day life," she said.
"They may be able to return home without a hospital visit."
People with mental illness do not all need hospitalization, especially if they get tools to empower them to live
in their own communities. At the Karen Devine House
individuals get their immediate needs met and the opportunity to participate in their own care plan.
"We use a recovery model and an empowerment philosophy to put the person in charge of their own care
plan," said Crawford. "If we can enter the situation before
bottoming out or a suicide attempt, we can be proactive
instead of reactive."
The length of a stay at the safe house varies, usually
just a few days, but sometimes for several weeks, while
Director Corrie Crawford is
seen in front of the Karen
Devine House in
Portage la Prairie.
RHA Central:
Families First
T
8
ABORIGINALS
Working together for community health
T
equipment lending trading depot.
Pedometers have been given out to
encourage people to walk more.
"The community showed their
creativity when they came up with
these ideas," said Curtis. The program
encourages communities to do what
works for them. Every community has
different and unique ideas.
In Sandy Bay, the committee identified wandering packs of dogs as being
a barrier to more people walking and
will take steps to encourage dog control implementation.
"People are scared to walk around
because of packs of dogs. That's a barrier we haven't come up against in other
communities," said Curtis.
Other
initiatives
in
Sandy
Bay/Amaranth include the promotion
of healthy eating on a budget by holding grocery shopping tours and encouraging the sale of healthier choices at
community venues. Ideas on how to get
the message out include newsletters,
radio spots and community workshops.
There is RHA funding - $2 per capita available to help communities work on
CCWT programs in their communities. For
Sandy Bay, that translated into a $9,000
grant which will be matched with a variety
of in-kind donations from participants in
the community.
"The hope of this program isn't necessarily what happens in this year," said
Curtis, "But what happens afterwards. It's
hard to measure the benefits and spin-offs
but this program will help to make a difference."
Sandy Bay’s story
he RHA can't do it all.
Good health care happens
when individuals and
communities assume responsibility for their own wellbeing.
The challenge becomes how to
encourage people to exercise and
eat right. The Sandy Bay First
Nation is taking a unique approach
as far as their youth are concerned.
The bus will drop students off a
kilometer from school so they have
to walk the rest of the way. This
might not work in every community,
but a committee committed to
health in Sandy Bay thinks this just
might work for them.
The community, along with
Amaranth, has signed an agreement
with the RHA called Creating
Community Wellbeing Together
(CCWT). It is a health promotion
program available to all communities in RHA Central to encourage
communities to take the lead in
designing and implementing a variety of health initiatives.
The agreement between RHA Central
and Sandy Bay First Nation/Amaranth was
signed in January. Jane Curtis, Regional
Program Leader, said the agreement establishes a process for the community to work
towards more physical activity, healthy eating, smoke-free living and injury prevention.
She said if a program like this is going
to work, the community needs to take the
lead and the RHA a support role.
"It's led by the community to build
capacity and sustainability."
The long term goal in Sandy Bay is "to
reduce the prevalence of physical inactivity
and unhealthy eating practice associated
with chronic disease and injury."
Curtis said a variety of activities, such
as the student walking program will help to
achieve the goal. Given the information
that students are fairly active to the age of
12, the committee wrestled with how to
encourage exercise among the 12 to 16
year age group. They came up with the
kilometer walk as well as a variety of other
programs, including arena activities and an
The Role of traditional healing in mental wellness
H
teacher would draw a circle on the chalkboard and then "she
would make us put our nose on that circle with our arms up. It
was keeping those arms up that was hard."
Marjorie experienced and witnessed many kinds of abuse in
the residential school. When she was in Grade Four she was
given jobs.
"Child slavery," she said wryly as she described cleaning,
cooking, ironing and waiting on staff dinners.
Once, when the iron wasn't hot when the matron came in,
she made Marjorie haul out the smoldering wood with her bare
hands.
When she ran away, her hair was roughly cut off. When she
spoke her language, she got lashes.
The losses are too numerous to name. And Marjorie's story
is not much different than that of many, many other Ojibway
children of that time. Marjorie survived. She married, raised
nine children and never became addicted to drugs or alcohol.
"The thing is to trust in the Creator. Every morning when I
wake up I ask the Creator for help."
Lawrence Henry is an Ojibway Traditionalist from the
Roseau River First Nation. He says many Ojibway people suffer from depression as the result of oppression such as
Marjorie described.
He finds the health care system wants to separate mental,
physical and spiritual wellness, but in the Ojibway tradition,
this can't be done.
"We can specialize on issues, but we can't separate them,"
he said. "Traditional healing deals with the whole body, the
whole mind and the whole spirit."
Henry said his people have been made to believe untruths.
"As a result of the indoctrination you believe in your mind you
are less educated, less knowledgeable, and less than human.
Your mind and spirit begin to battle about what is actually
right," he said.
Henry said the body is "watching" the spirit and the mind
fight it out and sooner or later, something snaps.
"It becomes a mental problem, but really it is a
symptom of something else."
Treatment? Henry said traditionally, a healer will
go "straight to the spirit." "The spirit doesn't lie. The
mind does because it has been programmed a certain
way."
The spirit, said Henry, needs a chance to be heard.
There is no single way to treat mental illness, but
rather, a healer has to treat people on an individual
basis. And people have to want healing. "There is no
one answer," he said. "We have to look at the experiences and health of the individual and find out where
the problem came from."
Marjorie Nelson
For Marjorie, that means looking into the past just
and
as far as Residential School.
Grace Hage
Marjorie has recently been through the federal
visit the
government's Residential School resolution claim
Residential School
process. She was offered $3,000 in compensation for
photo display at the
what was done to her.
Manitoba Museum
"I will live with this [experience]," she said. "It
of Man & Nature.
can never be erased by money or material things."
er name is Miskogiizhigook (Red Sky Woman) and she
is from the Bald Eagle clan. She is also known as
Marjorie (Johnson) Nelson.
Marjorie is not sure exactly how old she is - her mother died
before she was a year old but she thinks she is about 76 years
old. Her uncle said she was born when the leaves were falling,
so a friend picked the date of November 8 to celebrate her
birthday.
Marjorie remembers a delightful childhood, living with her
dad and a crippled, blind uncle. She played all day and listened to legends after sunset.
All that changed one day when a car drove up and someone
told Marjorie she was going to go to school. School turned out
to be a residential school in Portage la Prairie, several hours
away from her home on the Roseau River First Nation.
"I was all mixed up," recalled Marjorie. "I was leaving my
home behind, my freedom, and my loved ones."
At the same time she was excited because she was going to
see her older sister Rosie, who was also at the school.
"I knew no English," said Marjorie. "I was given the name
Marjorie with a tag number 15."
Marjorie saw her Rosie and called to her in Ojibway.
"I was immediately told to be quiet. My freedom was gone
and so was my language and my childhood."
For nine years, Marjorie lived at the school. Most years she
wasn't allowed to go home for the holidays because the officials did not recognize her father's dwelling as a home.
Marjorie said those were years of tears, suffering, humiliation,
verbal abuse and hatred.
"That's where I learned to steal when I was hungry, lie so as
not to get into trouble, to hate, to fight back with bullies
because if you didn't they wouldn't leave you alone."
While in the school, Marjorie had a teacher who, for punishment, would grab her arm near the wrist and bang her hand
back and forth on the wooden desktop until she cried. The
9
Region promotes
diabetes strategy
D
iabetes. It'll sneak up on you. If you are a
person at risk for type 2 diabetes you can
get it before it gets you. The early symptoms of diabetes may be so minimal, people may
be unaware of the need to seek treatment or do
self-care. The key is prevention. Eating well,
exercising and managing stress will go a long
way to preventing and managing type 2 diabetes.
So why are so many people at risk? Why is there
an epidemic of type 2 diabetes in the Region? If
it is so easy to prevent, why are we seeing this
disease, once referred to as adult-onset diabetes,
in ages younger than ever seen before?
Chantelle D'Andreamatteo is the Regional
Diabetes Program Coordinator. She said that
many people may not have the information or
understanding to seek help before they get quite
ill and before health care providers diagnose diabetes.
"You have to be pretty sick for significant
symptoms to set in," she said. "By then it's too
advanced to do anything [in regards to prevention of diabetes]. The alarming fact is that 50 per
cent of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
already have complications of diabetes, for
example, eye disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, or heart disease."
D'Andreamatteo said there is an epidemic of
diabetes in the Region, particularly among the
elderly and aboriginals. Within North America
there has been a significant increase in the number of children with type 2 diabetes over the past
10-15 years. This is being seen in overweight
kids, especially if they have a family history of
diabetes or are a member of a high-risk population. Research shows that type 2 diabetes is
linked to economic status. In part, people with
low incomes may find it difficult to pay for
healthy food, or may have limited access to
physical activity resources, making healthy
lifestyle choices less accessible.
Successful diabetes care depends on the daily
commitment of the person with diabetes to do
self-care and management, and education is a
huge piece of that. Thus it is essential that education take place as close to home as possible to
deal with type 2 diabetes at the early stages.
RHA Central has found a way to do that more
effectively.
Primary Health Care Coordinator &
Coordinator of Aboriginal Health Jennifer Baker
said the Region is creating care teams at the local
level that have the skills to educate and treat people at risk for diabetes, or in the early stages of
the illness. Diabetes is one of the most costly
chronic diseases of our time.
“We don't have unlimited resources for diabetes care so it is essential that we do the best job
we can with the money we have," she said.
The Region has adopted the Risk Factor and
Complication Assessment (RFCA) too. The goal
of the RFCA is fourfold: to promote earlier
detection of people at risk for developing type 2
diabetes; earlier diagnosis of diabetes; earlier
detection of those at risk for developing complications of diabetes; and earlier diagnosis of complications. A regional training team is teaching
the RFCA methods to physicians, registered
nurses and dietitians in the Region.
"It's an approach to expand and enhance the
diabetes care team to include many more health
care professionals," said D'Andreamatteo.
"Training the trainers" is an effective way for
the RHA to teach more health care professionals
who can then pass on the information to clients.
Workshops have already been held with Sandy
Bay and Gladstone staff with good success and
more are planned for other areas of the Region.
HEALTHY
AS CAN BE!
Fondations
de
santé
du
Centre
Health Foundations of Central
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES
G
rateful for the generous support of health foundations, the RHA
Central would like to acknowledge the dedication of health
foundations making a difference in our communities.
It is the strength of our association and the generosity of donors that
help to meet the health care needs of the region. Many thanks to the
many foundations of Central who agreed to be part of our foundation
feature.
Stay tuned for our fall issue featuring the contributions of Auxiliary
Groups in Central Region!
NORTH
Portage District General Hospital Foundation (Ph. 857-3821)
Directors: Jim Knight (Chair), Harold Brown, Walter Keryluk,
Garry Mattin, Hugh Owens
The Portage District General Hospital (PDGH) Foundation helps maintain a
high level of care for both the PDGH and the Douglas Campbell Lodge (DCL).
Over the past five years, the Foundation has contributed more than a half million dollars towards needed equipment. As well, in 2004/05 alone, recognition
is acknowledged to the PDGH Foundation having committed over $1 million
towards:
* Diagnostic Technological upgrades
* Ophthalmology surgical program
* Nurses' Residence renovations
* Sensory Room furnishings, amenities and ceiling tracks at the Douglas
Campbell Lodge
* Student bursaries to assist upcoming health care professionals complete
their education
We are very appreciative to these and all efforts of the Portage District
General Hospital Foundation.
Seven Regions Health Foundation (Ph. 385-2968)
Directors: David Single (Chair), Jack Breedon, Dorothy Doell,
Danny Post, Bonnie Soper, Isaac Wiebe
The Seven Regions Health Foundation serves both the Seven Regions Health
Centre and Third Crossing Manor in Gladstone. Recent contributions include:
* Purchase of a house to rent to physicians as a recruitment/retention effort
* Ceiling track lifts at Third Crossing Manor
* Contribution towards the Handivan
* Numerous items for the Seven Regions Health Centre and Third Crossing
Manor
Thank you to the Seven Regions Health Foundation for their commitment
and diligence towards health care services.
RENFORCER NOS COMMUNAUTÉS
L
Introducing ... HEALTHY
AS CAN BE! ... en vedette
Thank you for reading our Spring 2005
newsletter,
reaching
households
across Central Region. Created by the
RHA Central, HEALTHY AS CAN BE! is published to share stories about healthcare, health promotion and health wellness.
'ORS du Centre tient à reconnaître le dévouement et l'appui
généreux des fondations du domaine de la santé qui font toute la
différence dans nos communautés.
C'est la force de notre partenariat et la générosité de nos donateurs
qui nous aident à répondre aux besoins en matière de soins de santé de
la région. Nous remercions les fondations du Centre qui ont accepté
d'être inclus dans notre article vedette sur les fondations.
Restez à l'écoute pour notre numéro d'automne dans lequel nous
mettrons en valeur les groupes auxiliaires de la région du Centre!
Stories are written by RHA Central staff
and/or Marj Heinrichs (Rosenort), a
freelance writer in Central Region.
Many regards to the numerous interviewees who contributed to our stories:
MacGregor Health Foundation Inc. (Ph. 685-2850)
Directors: Doris Moore (Chair), Ian Blythe, Laura Burke,
Cindy Grainger, Sharon Stewart, Art Wilcox
The MacGregor Health Foundation has been fortunate to receive many generous donations from the citizens of MacGregor and surrounding district benefitting the MacGregor Health Centre and community. Some of the Foundation's
more recent projects include:
* Allison Lindbloom Memorial Park (located near MacGregor Health
Centre)
* Funding towards the Palliative Care Program
* Partnership with the RHA to renovate the Grafton House for Community
Health Services office space.
* Funding for initiatives promoting healthy living such as Pre School
Wellness Fair, Skills for Independent Living & Breakfast Program at the
Elementary School
* Various initiatives including ceiling track lifts, pressure relief mattresses,
office furnishings & equipment, assistance to employees to further their
education
We acknowledge with appreciation the resourcefulness of the MacGregor
Health Foundation.
Reproduction of materials in whole or in
part is encouraged with confirmation
from Corporate Communications c/o:
Merci beaucoup d'avoir fait la lectu
de notre bulletin du printemps 20
parvenu aux résidents de la région
Centre. Ce bulletin est créé par l'OR
du Centre avec le but de vous inform
sur des questions de soins, de santé
de bien-être.
Les articles sont rédigés par du pe
sonnel de l'ORS du Centre et/ou M
Heinrichs (Rosenort), rédactrice à
pige dans la région du Centre. Me
infiniment aux interviewés pour leur c
laboration aux histoires:
Jennifer Baker, Don Boddy, Shawn Bugden, Wilmar Chopyk, Dr. Barbara Comt
Corrie Crawford, Robert & Lois Creith, Jane Curtis, Chantelle D'Andreamatte
James Friesen, Lorne Friesen, Eckhard Goertz, Jan-Marie Graham, Lawren
Henry, Debbie Iverson, Cindy Joel, John & Sharon Klassen, Bob McKenzie, Kris
McKitrick-Bazin, Leisa Miness, Susan Mooney, Marjorie (Johnson) Nelso
Marlene Potash, Neil Walker, Pamela Zary.
Les lecteurs peuvent reproduire le co
tenu du bulletin en tout ou en part
mais doivent en obtenir l'autorisati
préalable auprès du service de co
munication a/s:
Lorraine Grenier
Corporate Communications & French Language Services Leader/
Coordonnatrice des communications & des services en langue française
Regional Health Authority — Central Manitoba Inc.
Office régional de la santé du Centre du Manitoba inc.
C/o Regional Office/Bureau régional — Notre Dame de Lourdes
Box 190/CP 190
Notre Dame de Lourdes MB R0G 1M0
info@rha-central.mb.ca
www.rha-central.mb.ca
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!
AU PLAISIR DE SE RETROUVER!
Lions Prairie Manor Foundation (Ph. 857-6070)
Directors: Tom Street (Chair), Margaret Clark, Larry Downey, Sylvia
Henderson, Allan Morris, Larry Tully, Mary Warburton, Norman Wiebe
The Lions Prairie Manor Foundation was established to receive donations of
property, real or personal, in trust for the benefit of the Lions Prairie Manor and
for the care, benefit and comfort of the residents. The Foundation is recognized
for some of its recent initiatives:
* Parkside - new sunroom and furnishings
* Walker Road & Skyview - refurnishings in lounge
areas
* Remodelling of activity room
* New chapel and furnishings
* Numerous items including TV/stereo sets and
overhead electrical patient lifts
Appreciation is extended to the Lions Prairie Manor
Foundation helping to achieve quality resident care.
WEST
District de Santé St-Claude Health District Foundation Inc.
(Ph. 379-2585)
Directors/Directeurs: Lucienne Bazin (Chair/présidente),
Don Chapman, Suzanne Fay, Liz Klotz, Marie-Reine
Moreau, Arthur Rey, Jean Souque, Louis Souque,
Mona Spencer, Alain Toupin
The Foundation aims to promote, encourage, support and fund
endeavors likely to enhance the health and wellbeing of area residents:
* Annual bursaries to graduating high school students entering
health care field and a professional bursary to health care
employees wishing to upgrade their credentials
* Funding towards the palliative care unit; activities program
in the pavilion; embellishment of the health centre grounds;
community day care centre
* Co-sponsoring of community wellness days
Many thanks to the District de Santé St-Claude Health District
Foundation Inc. for making a difference in the community.
La Fondation vise la promotion, l'encouragement, l'appui et le
financement des efforts qui favorisent la santé et le bien-être des
résidents de la région :
* Octroi de bourses annuelles aux finissants du secondaire qui
se lancent dans le domaine de la santé et d'une bourse professionnelle aux employés du domaine des soins de santé qui
souhaitent améliorer leurs titres de compétences.
* Financement de l'unité de soins palliatifs; programme d'activités du pavillon; amélioration du terrain du centre de
santé; garderie communautaire
* Co-parrainage des journées de bien-être communautaire
Nous tenons à remercier la District de Santé St-Claude Health
District Foundation Inc. pour ses efforts communautaires.
Carman Area Foundation (Ph. 745-3861)
Directors/Directeurs: Cliff Holliston (Chair/président), Brian
Burnett, John Carley, Richard Dyck, Neil MacNair, Mabel
McKnight, Ron McLain, Ken Reimer, Charlie Scharien,
Shirley Stow, Darryl Sylvester
The support of the Foundation in the provision of quality client
care are greatly appreciated. Over the last decade, foundation contributions amounted to approximately $30,000.
Most recently,
the Carman Area Foundation generously donated nearly $7,000
towards the Carman Memorial Hospital, Boyne Lodge, Home
Care, Public Health for purchases including:
* Video surveillance camera
* Teaching materials
* Syringe pump
* Office furnishings
Thank you to the Carman Area Foundation for your continued
support and generosity.
Boyne Valley Hostel Corporation 1998 (Ph. 745-6715)
Directors: Ken Stevens (Chair), Linda Baleja, Kim Janzen,
Mary Ann Johnston, Bonnie McCutcheon, Cathy Oakes
The Boyne Valley Hostel Corporation oversees donations funds
for the Boyne Lodge personal care home and Boyne Towers.
Funding requests approved over the years include:
* Sound system at Boyne Towers
* Ceiling chair lift; Vital signs monitor; Digital camera
* Wheelchair van replacement
* Furniture and building renovations including hairdressing room
* Automatic door openers
The generosity of donors and the Foundation has truly made a
difference at the Boyne Lodge and Boyne Towers.
Notre Dame Health Foundation Santé Notre Dame
(Ph. 248-2092)
Directors/Directeurs: René Hébert (Chair/Président),
Normand Bérard, Murielle Bourrier, André Comte, Raynald
Dacquay, René Delaquis, Cheryl Harrison, Gérald LeMoullec
The Notre Dame Health Foundation was established in 1994.
Its purpose is to provide funding to organizations that aim to help
the elderly, the handicapped, the poor or the disadvantaged residing within the boundaries of the Notre Dame de Lourdes health
foundation district.
The Foundation has given many scholarships to deserving students as well as professional bursaries with a return of service
agreement. This fiscal year alone, the Foundation has promised a
donation of $250,000 towards the Wellness Centre to be built in
Notre Dame de Lourdes.
Appreciation is extended to the Notre Dame Health Foundation
Santé Notre Dame for being an active community partner in the
healthcare.
La Fondation santé Notre-Dame Health Foundation a été
fondée en 1994. Elle a pour but d'offrir un financement aux organisations qui visent à aider les aînés, les personnes handicapées, les
démunis ou les personnes défavorisées qui vivent à l'intérieur des
frontières du district de la fondation de santé de Notre-Dame-deLourdes.
La Fondation a décerné de nombreuses bourses à des étudiants
méritants ainsi que des bourses professionnelles comprenant un
accord de retour au travail. Au cours du présent exercice, elle a
promis de faire un don de 250 000 $ au centre de bien-être qui sera
construit à Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes.
Nous tenons à remercier la Fondation santé Notre-Dame
10
Health Foundation pour son
partenariat actif en soins de
santé.
Lorne Memorial Health
Foundation (Ph. 836-2132)
Directors/Directeurs: Dan Hacault (Chair/Président), Cheryl
Delaquis, Greg Gaudet,
Lili Kolly, Kristal McKitrick-Bazin,
Marie Pouteau, Joe Sierens, Larry VanCauwenberghe
Established in 1997, the Lorne Memorial Health Foundation
has made a commitment of supporting the purchase of medical
equipment, health related programs and education (inservices/upgrading/bursaries).
Contributions include:
* Funding towards the
Palliative Care Program
* Lorne Ambulance and
community Handivan
* Physician recruitment &
retention efforts
* 2005 Health Needs
Assessment (Lorne community)
Appreciated is extended to
the Lorne Memorial Health
Foundation for its drive and generosity.
Fondée en 1997, la Lorne Memorial Health Foundation s'est
engagée à appuyer l'achat d'équipement médical ainsi que la mise
en œuvre de programmes et d'activités de formation en matière de
santé (recyclage/perfectionnement/bourses). Les contributions
comprennent ce qui suit :
* financement du programme de soins palliatifs
* ambulance et fourgonnette Handivan communautaires
* recrutement des médecins et mesures de maintien en poste
* évaluation des besoins en matière de santé 2005 (communauté
de
Lorne)
Nous tenons à
remercier la Lorne
Memorial Health
Foundation pour sa
détermination et sa
générosité.
Prairie View Lodge Foundation Inc. (Ph.
Directors: Terry Gosnell (Chair), Lois Cr
Gardiner, Ken Kemp, Yvonne Kemp, Pam
Lois Lynch, Linda Ralph
Incorporated in 2003, the Prairie View L
created to manage donations made in trust
Foundation has received generous donatio
many worthwhile projects including:
* Memory boxes for residents; Construc
Fire alarm system upgrades for suites
bed & mattress
* Renovations to Seniors Day Out suite
offices
* Educational assistance
* In conjunction with Rock Lake Foun
tance towards the Volunteer Program a
accessories & education for Pilot Mo
Thank you to the Prairie View Lodge F
well-being they bring to the residents.
EN
ALTHY AS CAN BE! ... en vedette
ring 2005
ouseholds
ted by the
BE! is pubut healthealth wellentral staff
senort), a
l Region.
us interviestories:
Merci beaucoup d'avoir fait la lecture
de notre bulletin du printemps 2005
parvenu aux résidents de la région du
Centre. Ce bulletin est créé par l'ORS
du Centre avec le but de vous informer
sur des questions de soins, de santé et
de bien-être.
Les articles sont rédigés par du personnel de l'ORS du Centre et/ou Marj
Heinrichs (Rosenort), rédactrice à la
pige dans la région du Centre. Merci
infiniment aux interviewés pour leur collaboration aux histoires:
Shawn Bugden, Wilmar Chopyk, Dr. Barbara Comte,
ois Creith, Jane Curtis, Chantelle D'Andreamatteo,
en, Eckhard Goertz, Jan-Marie Graham, Lawrence
Joel, John & Sharon Klassen, Bob McKenzie, Kristal
ess, Susan Mooney, Marjorie (Johnson) Nelson,
Pamela Zary.
whole or in
nfirmation
ons c/o:
Les lecteurs peuvent reproduire le contenu du bulletin en tout ou en partie,
mais doivent en obtenir l'autorisation
préalable auprès du service de communication a/s:
tions & French Language Services Leader/
mmunications & des services en langue française
rity — Central Manitoba Inc.
anté du Centre du Manitoba inc.
reau régional — Notre Dame de Lourdes
PLEINE FORME!
Effective Health Care Foundations
What is a health care foundation?
A health care foundation is a private organization set up to solicit and direct funds for
improving health care in a community or region.
Health care foundations come in various shapes
and sizes. All are coloured by their board, their
communities and the history of giving and
health care needs in their area. Health care foundations share a mission to enhance health care in
their community, and, these days, they also
share a need to have a good relationship with
their Regional Health Authority.
How do health care organizations spend
their money?
When the Regional Health Authorities were
formed and local hospital boards dissolved in
Manitoba in 1997, it was left to foundations to
steward the money accumulated over time in
each area. People became reluctant to contribute
to areas historically funded by the province but
not necessarily funded under the new regime.
Wilmar Chopyk of Castle Solutions Inc.
works with foundations to make them more
effective. He says trying to fund all the health
care needs in any community is like a mother
s MB R0G 1M0
a
OU FOR JOINING US!
R DE SE RETROUVER!
bird coming to the nest with one worm for all
the little ones. With RHAs taking on new
responsibilities and initiatives, funds are
stretched to the maximum. "There's never
enough, so RHAs go back to the government
and make a pitch for what they need. Sometimes
they do get a portion of what they ask for."
And where does the rest come from? In one
example, where a facility needed new beds, a
partnership was formed between the province,
the city and the local foundation. A million dollars worth of beds was purchased. "People have
trouble with that. They say 'Beds? We don't do
beds.' But the landscape has changed so much
that you really need to work cooperatively with
the RHA," said Chopyk.
What makes a strong health care foundation?
Effective foundations build relationships
with potential partners. But first of all they have
to get their own organizations in order.
Some foundations need help with the basics.
"It's simple things," said Chopyk, "Such as how
do you chair a meeting? Board members need to
be given tools to run meetings."
All foundations need a mission, a sense of
EAST
direction and a plan, said Chopyk.
Foundations need a mission statement such
as "our mission is to serve the residents of the
Region by providing health care enhancements," and then the mission statement needs to
become a mantra, said Chopyk. "You have a
mission statement, but do you live it? It can be
an active and living thing, not just something
that's on the wall."
Foundations must raise awareness and communicate well in order to get the all-important
support of the community. "There is so much
competition for giving dollars, or time and
money. They are all worthy," said Chopyk,
adding that people gravitate and give to things
that have affected them personally, such as
cancer, diabetes or blindness. "It's not like the
foundation wants all your money," he said.
"We want you to know we are working in the
community."
A good communication strategy will bring
the foundation to the hearts, minds and ears of
the community on a regular basis. "Just get the
message out there that there is a foundation set
up to improve health care in the community. Get
people interested."
Acknowledgement is extended to the
Altona and District Health Care Board for
their outstanding support to the community.
Altona and District Health Care Board
(Ph. 324-6468)
Directors: Terry Wiebe (Chair), Jake
Bergen, John Braun, Paul Peters,
Jim Spencer, Roger Vermette
The Altona and District Health Care
Board funds projects and equipment which
provide an added dimension to health care
in our community. In the past few years,
the Foundation has generously donated
towards:
* Ceiling track lifts, new dishes and
commode chairs for Eastview Place
* New TV/DVD systems in patients'
rooms
* Nursing recruitment incentives
* Renovations to the former nurses' residence to accommodate: East Area,
public health, Families First offices
and Family Resource Centre, examination rooms for Midwifery & clinic
rooms for Public
Health
* In conjunction
with Altona Elks,
a pediatric blood
pressure monitor
Red River Valley Health Foundation
(Ph. 746-2394)
Directors/Directeurs: Barry Fraese
(Chair/président), Allen Friesen,
Marj Heinrichs, Bill Fulford, Bryan
Nichols, Elmer Penner, Lawrence Pow,
Dick Remus, Laurette Roy
The Mission of the Red River Valley
Health Foundation is to "raise and distribute funds to facilitate the provision of
health care for the people of the Red River
Valley Health District beyond the care
which would otherwise be provided."
Renovations, including relocating the
tiny medication room, enlarging the
nurses' desk, and creating a "quiet room"
were partially funded by the Foundation.
Another project of the Foundation in the
past year was to purchase a crash cart for
the Morris Hospital. This cart will make it
easier to move life-saving equipment and
medications that the physicians, nurses and
EMS staff use during emergency care.
The Red River Valley Lodge in Morris
is a better home and workplace, thanks to
assistance from the Red River Valley
Health District Foundation.
La mission de la Red River Valley
Foundation est « d'amasser des fonds et de
faciliter la prestation de soins de santé aux
personnes du district de santé de la vallée
de la rivière Rouge au-delà des soins attendus ».
La Fondation a financé en partie des
rénovations, y compris la réinstallation de
la petite salle de médicaments, l'agrandissement du bureau du personnel infirmier et la création d'une « salle de repos ».
L'an dernier, la Fondation a également
acheté un chariot d'urgence pour l'hôpital
de Morris. Ce chariot facilitera le déplacement de matériel et de médicaments de
survie dont ont besoin les médecins, le personnel infirmier et le personnel du SMU
lorsqu'ils donnent des soins d'urgence.
Le Red River Valley Lodge à Morris est
un meilleur foyer et milieu de travail grâce
à l'aide de la Red River Valley Health
District Foundation.
SOUTH
Eden Foundation (Ph. 377-4774)
Directors: Werner Rempel (Chair), Peter
L. Barkman, Armin Ens, Arnold Reimer,
Harold Reimer
The Eden Foundation was formed in 1988
as an extension of Eden Mental Health Centre
in Winkler. Through their contributions to the
Foundation, community members, businesses
and supporting churches across Manitoba
have provided capital for several additional
mental health recovery programs:
* Eden Residential Care services
* Trainex Centre
* Recovery of Hope Counselling Service
* Eden East
The Eden Foundation is proactive in
organizing a number of fundraising events to
give opportunity for all ages to support the
programs and to increase awareness of mental
health and illness issues.
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Prairie View Lodge Foundation Inc. (Ph. 825-2246)
Directors: Terry Gosnell (Chair), Lois Creith, Carol
Gardiner, Ken Kemp, Yvonne Kemp, Pam King, Nelson Lees,
Lois Lynch, Linda Ralph
Incorporated in 2003, the Prairie View Lodge Foundation was
created to manage donations made in trust. In the past year, the
Foundation has received generous donations used in support of
many worthwhile projects including:
* Memory boxes for residents; Construction of recycling shed;
Fire alarm system upgrades for suites; Purchase of electric
bed & mattress
* Renovations to Seniors Day Out suites and games room &
offices
* Educational assistance
* In conjunction with Rock Lake Foundation, funding assistance towards the Volunteer Program and heart rate monitors,
accessories & education for Pilot Mound Collegiate
Thank you to the Prairie View Lodge Foundation Inc. for the
well-being they bring to the residents.
Rock Lake Foundation Inc. (Ph. 873-2132)
Directors: Glen Wheeler (Chair), Janet
Boyd, Lois Creith, Clare Geddes,
Leafa Hanks, Pam King, Bob Melvin,
Audrey Morrow, Ken McKinnon,
Bill McKitrick
Incorporated in 1995, the Rock Lake
Foundation was established to receive donations and bequests and to distribute funds for
specific projects and programs for the Rock
Lake facilities. The Rock Lake Foundation
has funded many requests in the past year
including:
* Funding towards Memory boxes for residents; Rock Lake Palliative Care;
Lifeline; electric beds & mattresses;
construction of recycling shed; television system upgrades, clinic computer
equipment; PCH dining room lights and
cabinet; educational grants for employees; medical recruitment & retention
efforts;
11
* In conjunction with Prairie View Lodge
Foundation, funding assistance towards
the Volunteer Program and heart rate
monitors, accessories & education for
Pilot Mound Collegiate
The generosity of the Rock Lake
Foundation Inc. translates into the many initiatives for the community and beyond.
Pembina Manitou Health Centre
Foundation (Ph. 242-2669)
Directors: Sam Vodden (Chair), Kathy
Baloun, Jan Henderson, Betty Holenski,
Art Klassen, Mel Lantz, André Remillard
The Pembina Manitou Health Centre
Foundation's primary purpose is to carry on
fundraising in the local community and distribute funds to registered charities in order to
advance medical education, research and the
improvement of patient care.
Contributions and projects supported in
2004/05 include:
* Pembina Wellness Project
* Pembina Palliative Care
* Pembina Community Resource Council
* Pembina Manitou Health Centre
* Pembina Manitou Ambulance Service
* Student Bursary Program
The Pembina Manitou Health Centre
Foundation's many contributions/projects
speaks to the energy and commitment of the
community and area.
Boundary Trails Health Centre
Foundation (Ph. 331-8808)
Directors: Ivadell Sigurdson (Chair),
Wilma Garlick, Pat Gibson, John Kuhl,
Mona Livingstone, Archie Miller, Lynda
Oakes, Kim Porte, Frank Schaak,
Frank Wiebe, Carol Worms
The Boundary Trails Health Centre
Foundation's mission is to facilitate the provision of health care for the people of this region
beyond the care which would otherwise be
provided. In addition to purchasing equipment for various departments, support is graciously accepted towards:
* Palliative Care
* Pastoral Care
* Rehabilitation Assessment
* CancerCare
* Aiding Parents Experiencing Infant Loss
* Continuing Care
A very sincere thank you is extended to the
Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation for
playing such a vital role in the Region's health
care.
Salem Foundation Inc. (Ph. 325-4316)
Directors: Glen Thiessen (Chair),
Isaac Friesen, Paul Peters, Frank Reimer,
Art Warkentine
This last year has been a very productive
year for the Salem Foundation Inc.
In addition to providing partial funding for
the Volunteer Coordinator's position along
with the Winkler United Way, the Foundation
helped contribute towards the completion of
the installation of ceiling track lifts in all resident rooms as well as the bathing rooms. This
marks the end of a significant commitment to
the facility. Both the ceiling track lifts and the
electric beds have impacted the physical care
of the residents, as well as the health and safety of the staff. The Foundation has also
invested in new state of the art wheelchairs as
well as glider rockers and provided funding to
Salem Home for the implementation of an
electronic charting project. This project has
impacted how care is provided and has
brought computers to the bedside.
Salem Home is most grateful to the
Foundation and to everyone who has supported the work of the Foundation this past year.