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Summertime Tips

Summertime Tips

Summer means time outside with family and friends! Stay safe and have fun with these quick tips:

Drink more!

Our bodies need more fluids to stay hydrated when it is hot out or when we are doing physical activity. Young children and older adults are more prone to dehydration. To know you are drinking enough, check your:

  • Thirst, if you have a dry mouth or are thirsty you might need to drink more fluids
  • Urine; if it is dark and has a strong odor this could be sign of dehydration.
  • Mood; if you are feeling tired, dizzy or have a headache it might be dehydration

Keep water handy in your home and pack lots while out and about. All fluids count including water, milk, tea, coffee, juice, etc.

Facts on Fluids – How to Stay Hydrated – Unlock Food

Wear sunscreen!

And a hat and sunglasses! Sunlight is strong enough to cause harm to eyes, premature aging and skin cancer. Here’s how to Stay Sun Safe:

  • Check the UV index; when the UV index is 3 or higher be extra careful, reduce your time in the sun between 11 a.m. and 3 p. m. when the sun’s rays are at their strongest
  • Seek Shade; sit under a tree, canopy or an umbrella.
  • Cover up; clothes protect us better than sunscreen and Wear a wide-brimmed hat
  • look for sunglasses with a UV 400 or 100% UV protection.
  • Apply broad spectrum sunscreen that is SPF 30 or higher. Apply a generous amount to any skin not covered by clothes. If you are going to be in the water make sure your sunscreen is also water-resistant. Use sunscreen with all the above tips not instead of them.

Enjoy the sun safely | Canadian Cancer Society

Be water smart!

Water is a great way to beat the heat but it can also be very dangerous.

  • Actively supervise children around water, even if they can swim.
  • Ensure there are barriers around backyard pools and empty toddler pools after each use.
  • Always enter the water feet-first, avoid diving into home pools and lakes and rivers.
  • Be Careful in open water, swimmers or waders can be swept away in an instant.
  • Always wear a Canadian-approved flotation device or lifejacket while boating.

Summer Water Safety – Canadian Red Cross

Don’t forget about food safety!

Summer days are great for picnics and gathering outside with friends and family. Stay safe from food poisoning with these tips.

  • Wash your hands often before and after cooking or eating.
  • Pack a cooler filled with ice, ice blocks and/or ice packs for everything that needs to stay cool.
  • Keep the cooler out of direct sunlight.
  • Use a different cooler for drinks that will be opened and shut more often keeping the food cooler colder.
  • Throw out any perishable food that has been left out for over 1 hour on hot days.

Summer food safety tips – Canada.ca

Annual General Meeting 2021

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) is preparing to hold its 2020/2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, October 13th from 12 pm (noon) until 1 pm. Chief Executive Officer Brian Schoonbaert invites PMH staff, community representatives, organizational members and area residents to participate in the online interactive meeting.

“Besides a review of our audited financial statements, we will have the opportunity to look back over our operational year (April 1-2020 – March 31, 2021), with a focus on our planning, care strategies and implementation of services related to COVID-19. We’ll briefly touch on our current fiscal year, which is now over 6 months complete, and provide an opportunity for participants to ask or send questions,” Schoonbaert stated.

Join our virtual meeting online or by phone

The annual general meeting will be held via Zoom which offers attendance by both online and phone.

Submit your questions in advance

If you have any advance questions please submit by emailing us at [email protected]. Please include “AGM” in the subject line.

Annual Report

Prairie Mountain Health’s detailed annual report is coming soon, please check back.

Financial Statements

A 2020/21 fiscal overview of the financial statements will be made available soon. Please check back.

National Day of Truth & Reconciliation

On May 28, 2021, the day after 215 children’s unmarked graves were discovered on the grounds of a former Indian Residential school near Kamloops B.C., the House of Commons passed a bill to establish a statutory holiday called the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. The passing of the bill fulfills one of the many recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report to honour survivors, their families, their communities, and to ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of Indian Residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

The significance of this day will be to remember the victims, survivors of Canada’s Indian Residential School System. In Canada’s efforts to forge a new country, one of its goals was to absorb the First Nations into the general population and to extinguish their culture. In 1878, the new government under the administration of John A. McDonald commissioned a report to look at residential schools in the United States. That report lay the foundation to say that only residential schools could separate Aboriginal children from their parents, culture and cause them “to be merged and lost” within the nation. The report said that the government “should work with the Christian churches to open these schools.” Thus began the Indian Residential School system here in Canada in 1883. The government of Canada made school attendance compulsory in 1894 and empowered the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to seize children from reserves and bring them to the residential schools. Years later, government officials known as Indian Agents continued to carry out the role of gathering children to attend the schools.

Origin of Orange Shirt Day

Phyllis Webstad was only 6 years old when she was sent to St Joseph’s Mission Indian Residential school in British Columbia. Her grandmother had taken her to the store and bought her a brand new orange shirt to wear to school. Phyllis was proud of her new orange shirt but when she arrived, she was stripped of her clothing and never saw her orange shirt again. She was neglected, abused, and made to feel like she did not matter. Phyllis recalled that every child cried to go home, but nobody cared.  Fortunately, Phyllis was able to return home to her grandmother. As she became an adult, she said that the colour Orange reminded her of that time in her life. She later used her story as a platform to raise awareness to Orange Shirt Day and “That Every Child Matters.” Phyllis’ story is a difficult one to hear, but has helped to raise awareness to the legacy of Canada’s Indian Residential school system and the impacts to survivors like Phyllis and their families.  Read her full story here.

Wear an Orange Shirt on Thursday, September 30, 2021 – the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Duck Bay Lighthouse Program

Group activities are a great way to learn and promote healthy habits while connecting with others, which is why the Lighthouse program in the community of Duck Bay was established. SherriAnn Thompson stepped into the role of program coordinator in 2020 with the goals of encouraging youth to make positive choices, preventing crime and substance use within the community. The program provides activities and resources for youth, including a drop-in center for after-school, evening, and weekend activities. It also organizes events involving the entire community, with SherriAnn saying, “We always try to include everyone.” The Lighthouse program relies on fundraising, donations, and grants to provide its free programming. It has partnered with several organizations, including Duck Bay Recreation, Right to Play, Northwest Metis Council, Duck Bay MMF local, SKO, WASAC, and many others. This year, a Healthy Together Now grant was also received, helping to fund several activities and initiatives.

SherriAnn was required to make many adaptations to the program this year due to the Public Health orders. She was resourceful, using creativity to ensure that community members still got the program’s benefits from their own homes. Lighthouse put together 96 care packages for the community’s youth; they included body wash, soap, sponges, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, combs, and feminine products. For the younger children, arts and crafts packages were put together that included scissors, glue sticks, craft paper, felt paper, markers, crayons and much more. Lighthouse also distributed free fruit packages to 56 households in the community to promote healthy eating. All of these packages were delivered “house to house, door to door,” explained SherriAnn, with the help of volunteers.

The Lighthouse program also does monthly activities, with food bingos being one of their most popular events. This program was maintained throughout COVID-19 with the help of a Facebook live stream. Each month, ten games of Bingo are played. Each winner receives a package of fruits or vegetables, allowing community members to participate in a fun activity while encouraging healthy eating. “The highest number that we’ve had for participants so far is 46 people,” said SherriAnn, which is a huge turnout for the small community. Another monthly activity is cooking classes, which were also adapted to be done at home; the ingredients and recipes are currently being delivered directly to households to try on their own. From time to time, Lighthouse also organizes online contests to get community members using their creativity. Some of the past contests include face mask decorating and lighthouse making.

To promote physical activity, the Lighthouse program normally organizes several sports, including basketball, volleyball, hockey, skating, and baseball. Duck Bay School generously lends their gym for many of these events. Due to indoor gathering restrictions, Lighthouse has instead been promoting physical activity outdoors. They recently brought a group of children swimming at their local beach; the children were taught about water safety, and Lighthouse provided each child with a life jacket. “I try to incorporate healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables,” said SherriAnn, to also promote healthy eating during these group activities.

Community members have been very involved in the program, with SherriAnn saying, “When we have events in our community, we have a lot of support. A lot of people come out.” Often she is asked about future events and has even received suggestions for possible activities. She can see the positive impact the program is making, with the rate of crime being very low in the youth population: “everybody’s benefiting from it … healthier lifestyles for everyone.” She is looking forward to more events being back in person with the easing of Public Health orders. To learn about future events, check out the ‘Duck Bay Lighthouse Program’ and ‘Duck Bay LH & HTN Monthly Free Food Bingo’ pages on Facebook.

Interested in receiving funding for a project focused on healthy eating, physical activity, mental well-being or tobacco prevention and reduction in your community? Visit Prairie Mountain Health’s ‘Healthy Together Now’ page for more information on eligibility and how to apply.

Mental Illness Awareness Week

October 3-9 is Mental Illness Awareness Week in Canada. It is a time to promote awareness of mental health issues in general, reduce the stigma around mental illness, and shed light on those who unfortunately still tend to suffer in silence and isolation. Mental illness does not discriminate. It affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures.

The Elderly and Depression

One of the segments of the population where mental illness is often overlooked is among the elderly. The rates of those diagnosed with depression in older adults aged 65 and over are about the same as the national average for the general population. However, the rate of those in this age group experiencing general symptoms of depression(not diagnosed) is significantly higher. About 15% of older persons report symptoms of depression (Canadian Psychological Association).

Many of the elderly across our nation live alone and are significantly isolated from family and society. The Covid-19 pandemic has only further intensified that isolation. Older adults are not connected socially in ways that younger generations tend to be. The effects of loneliness and isolation worsen anxiety and depression and make it more difficult for them to reach out and find the support they need.

We need to be sensitive to the needs of the elderly in our community, whatever their living situation. Keeping connected with our older loved ones will allow us to understand their mental health needs better and help them find the services they may benefit from and get the help they need.

As part of Mental Illness Awareness Week, on Oct. 7, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Swan Valley Branch is offering a free 1-hour online presentation on Mental Health Experiences and Older Adults. Take advantage of this resource to learn more about the mental health challenges that many older adults experience and learn practical ways to promote good mental health and well-being among the elderly. More information and an online registration form can be found at: https://parkland.cmha.ca/events/older-adults/

For mental health services available in Prairie Mountain Health, visit our website.

Sources:

Visiting residents within PMH Personal Care Homes: What you need to know

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) recognizes the valuable role and importance visitation has within its health care settings. The challenges associated with COVID-19 meant social visitation within Personal Care Homes (PCHs) had to be altered and restricted to protect and keep safe, one of our most at-risk populations— residents within long term care.  Vaccinations have greatly improved the severe outcomes and spread with this highly contagious disease within long-term care settings.  With higher vaccination levels across the province, pandemic restrictions have eased over time and this has allowed increased social visitation measures to be implemented within personal care homes.

The provincial guidelines by Shared Health, which all PCHs in the province follow for visitation, are regularly reviewed and updated to provide additional access for in-person PCH visits.  The health region follows these and changes as they are released.  They are wanting friends and families to know what they can expect when planning to visit.  While the guidelines have changed some public health orders will continue to remain a focus such as social distancing, hand hygiene and staying home when feeling unwell.  Visitations always need to be scheduled at minimum 24 hours in advance of the visit.  The scheduling is needed to help us minimize the number of individuals entering for screening, signing in, assisting with masks and escorting to the visitation area by the scheduler.  At the time of this writing (Aug. 2021), these are some of the key guidelines for visitation.

General visitation

The increased social visitation guidelines associated with general visitors allows facilities to ask for a person’s COVID-19 immunizations status when determining whether in-person/in room visits may take place.  This measure applies to being fully vaccinated (2 doses plus 14 days) for both the visitors and residents.  This proof of immunization is required.  In situations where either the resident/visitor or both are not fully vaccinated, indoor visitation continues to be restricted under general visitation guidelines.

Guidelines for the number of visitors and location of visits can still vary based on factors including the size of the room and a resident’s current medical condition or vaccination status. Site screening and safety measures, including the wearing of masks, remain in place.

If unvaccinated, or partially vaccinated, general visitors still have the option of outdoor visits and/or the use of the CoVisitation shelters at PCHs.

For out of province, international and or children visitation, please contact the site Care Team Manger or nursing lead for further information.

Designated Family Caregiver visitation

There is no change in access to those members that have been named as designated family caregivers. Vaccination proof is not a consideration and PCH sites work with the family caregivers to communicate what they need to know when coming to the site, which includes things like wellness screening, continued hand hygiene measures and what medical protective equipment is required. The existing provision on end-of-life care considerations and exceptions also remains in effect at all health care facilities.

Staying in touch

As we continue to take every precaution to keep our PCH residents safe, one of the most important pieces of advice we can give at this time, is for would-be visitors to please check ahead with the resident’s PCH prior to planning a visit. As general visiting logistics are regularly scheduled through a booking system the best approach is to contact the site first.

There is a list of visitors identified for each resident, so their name must be on the list.  Contact the PCH Resident or alternate decision maker to be added to the list of visitors. 

Every visit to a health care facility still brings with it the inherent risk of exposure or transmission of COVID-19.  Accordingly, PCH residents and their friends/ family can still consider virtual visits, where possible. 

PMH also has a “well wishes program” to deliver messages to family and friends who reside in personal care homes or who are in hospital within the region. The well wishes page has various templates you can select to recognize birthdays, special occasion days (like Mother’s Day) or send a message that you are thinking about them.  You can access the program from the home page of the PMH website.

Additional information on visiting a PCH facility is available on the health region’s website. 

Should you experience a concern with the visitation process, we strongly urge that you contact the site Care Team Manager/or nursing lead first.  If the concern has not been addressed, please contact the PMH Patient Relations Department at:

We thank everyone for their consideration, cooperation and patience as we all work together to provide a safe environment within our long-term care homes.