National Volunteer Week | April 16-22, 2023

This year, National Volunteer Week falls during the week of April 16-22. Volunteers continue to make a significant difference in the health and well-being of our residents and the patients/clients we serve.

Recognizing and highlighting this special week provides Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) with another opportunity to celebrate and thank all of our volunteers for all they do, year-round!

This year’s theme for 2023 is ‘Volunteering Weaves Us Together.’ This reveals the importance of volunteering to the strength and vibrancy of our communities through the interconnected actions we take to support one another. These diverse forms of sharing our time, talent and energy strengthen the fabric of our community. Through volunteering, we experience our interconnectedness, making our lives more meaningful. By getting involved in various ways, we find friendship, develop trust and link our relationships. Threading these connections, we come to a sense of belonging as we contribute towards the same goals.

Prairie Mountain Health is graced with volunteers that support Long-term care, Acute care and Community Health programs across the region. We have volunteers participating on Boards, Foundations, Auxiliaries and various other community meal and harm reduction programs. All work effortlessly to further support and assist collaborative health efforts across our large region. I’m sure you have noticed through various publications and social media, how much volunteers contribute towards the purchase of approved equipment for facilities and sites. We have dedicated volunteers that support the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program and Palliative Care program. It would be difficult to cover all the examples how people selflessly give of their time. Amazingly, over the last year, our volunteers have put in a collective total of over 23,000 hours!

We very much appreciate our volunteers who dedicate their time, knowledge, compassion and heart to helping Prairie Mountain Health. On behalf of our Board, Staff and Physicians, we sincerely thank you for all you do from the bottom of our hearts. If you see a volunteer, thank them for “weaving us together”.

Volunteers at Fairview PCH – Brandon

“Here are three examples of Fairview’s many wonderful volunteers. Arlene & Grace both play piano at Fairview, entertaining the residents. Music is a very popular program! Kathy is one of our recreation assistants—she assists regularly with birthday parties held on each of the units. Since the pandemic, our programs in long term care have changed as needed due to guidelines…but one constant is the importance of our friendly volunteers. Thank you to all of our awesome volunteers for sharing your time & talents!” – Maxine Brown, Coordinator Volunteer Services – Fairview

Volunteers at Westman Lab – Brandon

Westman Lab would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the hard work and dedication of our volunteers! We have 7 wonderful volunteers that choose to help us!

Hazel has been with us since the fall of 2016
Cheryl started in the spring of 2017
Barb started in the fall of 2018
Penny started in the fall of 2020
Heather started in the winter of 2020
Aleeta and Amna both started in December of 2022.

We want to let you all know that we couldn’t do it without you!
Thank you so much for all you do!

Healthy Baby Program

The Healthy Baby Program would like to recognize our Volunteer Hailey Pringle! Hailey is a volunteer childminder with the Healthy Baby Program in Brandon. The PMH Healthy Baby program is a community support program for parents who are expecting and for those with little ones under 1 year of age. Hailey provides childminding for parents who attend session with their preschool aged children. This allows the older children to socialize and play with other children while the parents have an opportunity to learn and spend one on one time with baby! Playing, reading, drawing and crafting are all things Hailey does in the childminding room! Hailey has been with us since September and we appreciate her dedication to the program!

Steppin’ Up with Confidence

The Steppin’ Up with Confidence program runs in many communities across PMH. It is an older adult exercise and falls prevention program, peer-led by volunteers in the communities. These Steppin’ Up leaders are all trained in the program and dedicate much time and energy to keeping our senior population moving. Classes meet once a week for an hour and along with some good exercise it is also about socialization and many laughs are had! Thanks to all of you!

Centre for Adult Psychiatry – Our Volunteers 😊

Ngaire & Tai – Pet Therapy – Ngaire has offered Pet Therapy at the Centre for Adult Psychiatry since 2016! Tai has been part of our CAP family for almost 6 years. His trading cards are a hit among the patients. A visit with Ngaire and Tai always boosts the mood rating and brings a smile to people’s faces. We cannot thank Ngaire enough for going above and beyond in providing opportunities for patients to interact with Tai during their stay at CAP. Ngaire brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion in meeting our patients needs. Thank you!

Be sure to check out one of Tai’s videos :

Celebrating Grand Championship https://youtu.be/ufGifemtKdY

How to Retrieve a Hot Dog https://youtu.be/RUPdHtWaCHY

Olubukunola Otaiku ( Bukky ) – Recreation Assistant – For the past 6 months Bukky has been our weekend activities volunteer at CAP. She provided patients with the opportunity to engage in art on the weekend. Her welcoming nature and cheerful disposition are appreciated by our patients and staff. Thank you Bukky and good luck in your nursing studies.

Greeting Card Volunteer – Patients at CAP are very fortunate to receive creative and hand-written greeting cards for many occasions throughout the calendar year. Our heartfelt thank you to this thoughtful individual. You have no idea how much positive impact these cards have for individuals. Thank you!

Lyndon Bournon – Music Therapy – Lyndon offers live music at CAP a couple times each month. He often has people tapping their toes and singing along. In addition, he has also offered to provide information sessions about Adult Education opportunities in Brandon, which is his day job. Thank you Lyndon!

Debbie Fisch – Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba (ADAM) – Debbie has been coming to CAP for 20 plus years to provide education and information about anxiety and the support opportunities available. We value her monthly visits and her commitment to helping people who struggle with anxiety disorders. Thank you Debbie! Please check out https://adam.mb.ca

Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba (MDAM) – ( Susan Spiropolous, Brent Rosnoski, Marian Goldstone )

CAP is fortunate to have monthly informational/educational presentations from Marian, Brent and Susan. They share personal experiences and promote living in wellness. They provide support, education, and advocacy for those living with mental illness through a wide range of peer support and other services. We value the relationship we have formed. They are always available to connect with patients in between their visits. Thank you! Be sure to check out their website: https://moodmb.ca

Brandon Regional Health Centre Volunteers

Thanks for everything you do!

Rose has been volunteering here for 31 years, Rose has volunteered in many departments and is currently volunteering in the gift shop.

Immunization Awareness Week 2023

For more than two centuries, vaccines have helped keep people healthy.

‘Vaccines are one of the most impactful scientific innovations of all time, helping to protect generations of people against infectious diseases throughout the course of their lives. A culmination of over 200 years of research, worldwide collaboration and rigorous testing has led to the development of safe and effective vaccines for more than 25 diseases.’

Every April, World Immunization Week brings together people from around the world to highlight the importance of vaccines and how they protect people of all ages against many diseases. This year’s campaign comes with a reminder that it is time to catch-up! The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted essential health services, including routine immunizations and unfortunately many children are still missing the life-saving benefits of recommended vaccines. In PMH we are encouraging parents to contact your local public health nurse or primary care provider to ask about your child’s immunization status. Public office locations in PMH Public Health – Prairie Mountain Health

Visit immunize.ca to learn more about National Immunization Awareness Week.

Reference: WORLD IMMUNIZATION WEEK 2022

March 2023 Donations to PMH

Russell Palliative Care Committee donates for bed purchase

*Pictured clockwise from l-r are Louise Trinder Ethel Lungal, Lynette Snow, Russell Care Team Manager Abbey Vorlicek and Darlene Witty.* *(With picture/files from Russell Banner).*

The Russell and Area Palliative Care Committee recently contributed towards the purchase of a special medical bed for the Russell Health Centre. The bed has an alternating pressure mattress, which was developed for the comfort of patients to help prevent bed-sores and skin break down. It’s also longer than others to help accommodate taller people. It is through very generous contributions, donated through the Palliative Care program, that the Committee is able to assist with much-needed purchases like these.

The Russell and Area Palliative Care Committee and Prairie Mountain Health thanks everyone for their heartfelt contributions that continue to benefit the Russell Health Centre.

Hospital Foundation funds specialized equipment purchase

Pictured L-R: Sheila Sarkonak, Dawn Willemse and Terry Bloomer.

Operating Room patients at Dauphin Regional Health Centre will benefit from a recent contribution through the Dauphin Hospital Foundation. The Foundation provided over $59,000 to purchase a specialized operating room table for the surgical suite. With the new equipment are, from left, Sheila Sarkonak, Dawn Willemse and Terry Bloomer.

The STERIS surgical table has some special features which allow it to be placed in multi-positions along with X-ray access and multi-function power controls.

Dauphin Regional Health Centre and Prairie Mountain Health thank the Dauphin Hospital Foundation for contributing towards the purchase of this beneficial improvement in patient care.

Twin Valley Coop donates $10,000

Twin Valley Co-op Board President: Mark Morton and General Manager: Dwayne Moncur, Expanding Community Cancer Care Committee: Andrea Glasman and Pam Demchynski

Twin Valley Co-op held their Annual General Meeting recently in Rossburn. The Expanding Community Cancer Care project (Russell) and the area support Committee was awarded a $10,000 donation through Twin Valley’s “You’re At Home Here” Community Fund Spring 2023 intake. Pictured are Twin Valley Co-op Board President: Mark Morton and General Manager: Dwayne Moncur, Expanding Community Cancer Care Committee: Andrea Glasman and Pam Demchynski. Prairie Mountain Health sincerely thanks the Twin Valley Co-op and all area residents and organizations for their contributions to the project. For more information about the “You’re At Home Here” Community Fund please visit www.twinvalleyco-op.crs.

Fit Fights Cancer

Pictured L to R: Kathy Ward from Western Manitoba Cancer Centre accepts the donation from Courtney Calvert of Fit Performance Centre.

Cancer has affected many of us at Fit Performance Centre. With world cancer day held on February 4th we decided it would be a great opportunity to help raise awareness and support those fighting by selling “Fit Fights Cancer” tshirts for the month of February. Thanks to those who participated and donated, we raised $350 to be put towards patient support funds at the Western Manitoba Cancer Centre.

Barley

Barley is a yummy and affordable high-fibre grain with a great texture. It has been cultivated for thousands of years and is Canada’s third largest crop. Barley was pictured on early currency in ancient Egypt and was eaten for endurance and strength by gladiators in ancient Rome.

We tend to think of it as an ingredient in soups and stews but it is also great in salad, casseroles and as a side dish. There are different types of barley you can buy at the store. The most common are pot and pearl barley. Pearl barley has been polished so the bran layer has been removed. For this reason, pot barley is considered a whole grain and pearl barley is not. Pot barley offers us a little more vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. All types are good choices because the soluble fibre in barley is in the entire grain. Pot barley and pearl barley can be used interchangeably in recipes as they take about the same amount of time to cook. Barley can be cooked in a rice cooker just like brown rice, or on the stove by bringing barley and water to a boil then cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Check it often and stop cooking when it has reached your preferred level of chewiness. Extra can be frozen then added to soups or salads later.

Here are some things to do with barley:

Try using barley instead of rice to increase variety.
Enjoy it as a hot cereal
Bake with it by replacing about ½ wheat flour with barley flour in recipes
Eat it as a side dish! It’s great with slivered almonds and dried apricots; lemon, parmesan and sautéed greens, or parsley and mushrooms. Here is one of my fav’s Spanish Barley | GoBarley

Chantal Morais RD, MPH

From Unlockfood.ca and GoBarley.com

Mobile food cart cues up better choices within personal care homes

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) is excited to try new approaches to enhancing dining experiences within its long-term care homes. One such improvement was the introduction of a “Suzy Q Cart” within Birtle Personal Care Home (PCH) in late 2022. This mobile cart keeps food hot (or cold for cold meals) and allows Nutrition services staff to bring the food to the table. Residents can see and smell the food and are offered a choice of which food items to have and how much they wish to eat. The food is served at the right temperature right from the cart.

Before Suzy Q, staff prepared meals for residents based on previously communicated preferences. One dining room received meals on trays. Nutrition services maintained lists of likes/dislikes and tried hard to ensure the food met the residents’ wishes. However, food was often wasted as, like all of us, residents may not feel like eating the option or the amount provided. Sometimes food was cold by the time residents arrived to eat.

A lot of work went into the transition to this style of dining. Maintenance staff installed the correct electrical work. Nutrition services revised workflows and experimented with different cart setups and forecasts of resident choices. Staff also stopped closing the dining room and offered beverage choices as residents arrived. Health Care Aide staff also changed their flow assist with meal set up in the dining room.

Staff at Birtle PCH already knew their residents well, but this dining style encourages staff and resident communication. The first week, staff were surprised to see residents’ choices. One resident said, “Suzy Q cart is a great idea.” One resident who always had hot cereal chose cold cereal, and one who never ate vegetables chose vegetables. One resident who could not communicate verbally could choose the soup when staff wrote down the two choices.

The meal service doesn’t take long, which is one worry staff had prior. However, staff are far more interactive with the residents when they are in the dining room. Already, staff notice they have less food waste. Food leftovers are safely cooled and used as a second option the next day, just like at home. The site has been going through a lot of tomato juice, a popular beverage choice.

Ultimately, Suzy Q style dining is not so much about the cart but is about respect and dignity, honouring the residents’ choices and building relationships with the residents.

Within PMH, four more PCHs will be introducing Suzy Q carts later this year, and several others are introducing additional options, such as cold beverage choices.

Suicide Awareness

Suicide is tragic and distressing. Families, friends and communities are deeply affected following a death by suicide. This reinforces the urgency for a better understanding and prevention of suicide. In 2022, Statistics Canada reported that approximately 4,500 people die by suicide every year. We also know that for every 1 suicide death, there are 7–10 people profoundly affected by suicide loss.

Dr. James Bolton, Medical Director of Shared Health Crisis Response Services and Health Sciences Centre Emergency Psychiatry, said it best, “As difficult as these statistics are to read, they serve to highlight the magnitude of the impacts of suicide in our community and why it’s imperative to remember that, however uncomfortable it can be to discuss suicide, it’s a conversation we need to have.”

People at risk of suicide are often seen in healthcare settings – we want to have that conversation. We want to connect with you and will ask about your mental and physical health.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, reach out. We are here to listen and help.

If you or your loved ones need help, please reach out to the below suicide prevention resources.

PMH Crisis Line (over age of 18) – 1-888-379-7699
PMH Crisis Line (under age of 18) – 1-866-403-5459
Manitoba Suicide Line 1-877-435-7170
Sexual Assault Crisis Line 1-888-292-7565
Klinic Crisis Line 1-888-322-3019
Farm & Rural Stress Line 1-866-367-3276
Reason to Live –reasontolive.ca

Help is available; you are not alone.

Neepawa Eats Healthy – Meal In 30 Project

The Neepawa Eats Healthy Committee is excited to be introducing the Meal in 30 Project – A partnership with local community groups, agencies, Prairie Mountain Health and the Neepawa Gladstone Co-op and Neepawa Safeway Grocery stores.

March is Nutrition Month and Neepawa Eats Healthy is launching “Meal in 30” kits on March 1st, 2023 at the participating grocery stores. Shoppers can look for the featured “Meal in 30” recipe, try it at home, tell the committee what they think by answering a short questionnaire and have a chance to win a grocery prize pack at the end of each month. The project will also run during the months of April and May.

Neepawa Eats Healthy is a group of dedicated partners representing local organizations and community members working together to improve healthy eating outcomes in the community.

“The goals of this project are to encourage local community members to cook and prepare healthy, budget friendly meals at home, build food skills, eat healthy and shop local” commented, Amanda Naughton Gale, committee member of the Neepawa Eats Healthy group.
During the next 3 months, shoppers in Neepawa can look for a recipe of the month that is quick and easy, includes vegetables and/or fruit, has easy substitutions (based on some basic shelf ingredients) and is budget friendly!

Brittney Bartecki, Registered Dietitian from Prairie Mountain Health is also part of the Neepawa Eats Healthy committee and is also excited about the project. “We are encouraging our community to find ways to cook more at home, experiment with new recipes and have some fun in the kitchen! Hopefully helping to take some guess work out of meal planning by helping to add a few new meal ideas into your week.”

Here is how everyone can get involved:

Pick up the monthly featured recipe at Safeway or the Neepawa Gladstone Co-op
Look for the Tagged food Items with the Neepawa Eats Healthy Logo on the grocer shelves
Take home and cook up your tasty meals / once you are done….
Scan the recipe QR code to complete a short survey for a chance to win a free grocery pack drawn each month.

By picking up the Meal In 30 recipe card and purchasing at least 3 of the featured items, people will also receive a Neepawa Eats Healthy Reusable Grocery Bag (while supplies last!)

The committee is excited to have the participation of the Neepawa Titans supporting this project. Players from the local hockey club spent a day in the kitchen acting as guest cooks for the 3 recipes that will be featured on the local Access 12 station, helping to create awareness and encourage everyone to get involved. “Their participation has been lots of fun and we hope the community will get behind the project and will try the featured recipe over the next 3 months,” commented Bartecki.

For any questions about this project please contact Sherrill-Lee Hyra, Health Promotion Coordinator, Prairie Mountain Health at [email protected] or call 204-578-2192.

March is Nutrition Month

The theme for 2023 is Unlock the Potential of Food: Find a Dietitian. Many people are confused about food and nutrition; daily, they are bombarded with conflicting messages about this topic. Dietitians are here to help people unpack the research around nutrition, make sustainable changes in their eating behaviours, and understand their relationship with food. However, many people also don’t know where to find a Dietitian or how to schedule an appointment.

Dietitians work in many roles, including managing food service operations, media and journalism, clinical roles in hospitals or long-term care facilities, public health and health promotion, cancer care, grocery stores and pharmacies, primary care clinics, sports teams, etc.

Some Dietitian services are covered through Manitoba Health, while others have a cost to them and are only covered by private insurance like an employee benefits plan. Unfortunately, not all employee benefit plans cover Dietitian services, however, Dietitians of Canada is advocating for more coverage for Canadians, and you can too! Whether you are an employee or an employer, you can advocate for Dietitian coverage on your insurance plan; for more information, go to Dietitians of Canada – Coverage and Access to RD Services.

If you are struggling with a chronic health condition, food allergies, your relationship with food, or any other aspect of your nutrition, make an appointment with a dietitian today!

Book an appointment with a Dietitian:

Prairie Mountain Health Central Intake 1-877-509-7852.

Learn more about the roles of Dietitians in Prairie Mountain Health by visiting here.

Private Practice | College of Dietitians of Manitoba

Sweet Potato or Yam?

Did you know? Sweet Potatoes and yams are completely different vegetables.

The orange tapered potatoes commonly called yams are in fact sweet potatoes, while many people have probably never tried a yam before. Yams are brown with a bark-like skin and are not very common in North America. Yams can also grow to be much bigger than sweet potatoes. There are a couple different varieties of sweet potatoes which vary in colour such as rose coloured skin with orange flesh, pale copper/tan skin with white flesh, red skin with dry white flesh, as well as purple skin and flesh.

The nutrition profiles of yams and sweet potatoes are similar, however yams are starchier, while sweet potatoes are sweeter. Sweet potatoes have more Vitamin A while yams have more Vitamin C and potassium. Yams and sweet potatoes can both be prepared by roasting, steaming, boiling or frying. Substituting yams in a sweet potato dish would be like using potatoes instead of sweet potatoes in the recipe—it would work, but the end result would taste very different.

Check out these tasty sweet potato recipes