Pictured L-R: Linda Wakefield – Legion Poppy Fund Committee, Vicki Ketch – Manager – Health Services LTC, Sharon Robinson – Administrative Assistant
Rideau PCH Receives Donation
“We eat first with our eyes”
The Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 003 – Poppy Fund of Brandon MB generously donated $2,843.42 to the Rideau Park PCH. The funds will be used to redesign the decor of one of our dining rooms so that every meal is eaten in a room that provides a comforting and appealing environment. The current dining room was built with function in mind will benefit from decorative updates.
The dining room is a place of engagement and connection. It is more than just a room, it’s a place where everyone comes together for the opportunity to engage in comradeship/fellowship.
This project will be promoted to improve resident satisfaction with their meal experience. Ultimately, this is not so much about the decor but is about respect, dignity and honoring the residents.
The funding was approved first by the Legion Brandon branch, then Legion Provincial Command, and finally Dominion Command. Funding for a dining room has never before been approved. Rideau Park is very proud to have been awarded the Poppy Fund Donation for this project!
Thank you for approving this project and the donation to make it successful.
The Ladies Auxiliary in Neepawa was happy to donate 5 lock boxes for medications to the Home Care department. The Ladies Auxiliary is proud to support the needs of the Health Care facilities in Neepawa.
Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) has warmly welcomed additional Filipino health-care workers recruited as part of Manitoba’s Philippines Recruitment Initiative. Since the first regional arrivals in November 2023, it marks a total of 14 internationally educated health care professionals that have been recruited to PMH as of early March 2024.
Neepawa recently said hello to two new recruits, both working at Country Meadows Personal Care Home (PCH). Meliza Diapano, a certified health care aide, arrived in Manitoba with her family in January 2024. Jennifer Diangco, who is an internationally educated nurse, arrived in late February.
In Hartney, health care aide Danil Hebrio began work at Hartney PCH and the Russell Personal Care Home welcomed health care aide Eugene Reyes. Both started in January.
Dauphin Personal Care Home has two new health care aides, Andrea Almodal and Jamaica Alabot. Andrea and her family arrived in Manitoba in late January, and Jamaica arrived in Dauphin in mid-February. In Swan River, Hazel Mae Pesigan arrived in mid-March and will be working at Swan Valley PCH as internationally-educated nurse.
Brandon welcomed Betty Jean Malagum in late February. She is a health care aide working at Fairview Home.
“We’re very pleased to welcome these new recruits to Canada, Manitoba and our health care region!” stated Brian Schoonbaert, CEO of Prairie Mountain Health. “We will continue to work with our dedicated staff and communities to ensure their transition, mentorship and orientation goes as smoothly as possible”.
Overall, there have been recruits to Brandon, Dauphin, Hartney, Minnedosa, Neepawa, Swan River, Virden and Russell. PMH continues to work with provincial partners on the initiative to recruit to more regional communities during April and May.
National Immunization Awareness Week | April 22-30, 2024
National Immunization Awareness Week | April 22-30, 2024
When Immunize Canada launched National Immunization Awareness Week in the 1990s, it echoed a very successful program that Canada saw in the 1930s. Back then, vaccines were new, and the diseases they prevent were far too common.
Details can be found in back issues of the Canadian Journal of Public Health, the long-running journal of the Canadian Public Health Association.
One of the earliest campaigns, launched in 1931, was Toronto’s Toxoid Week, which focused on diphtheria. Toxoid Week became a stronger initiative after the establishment of the Health League of Canada in 1935. Largely spearheaded by the now-defunct League, the campaign involved schools, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, service clubs, and physicians to get the message out.
In 1942, it was decided that more diseases needed to be included, and the first National Immunization Week was born: a “coast-to-coast program of education directed towards the prevention of smallpox and whooping cough as well as diphtheria”
Much has changed in Canada since the 1930s. In the mid-1970s, the Health League closed its doors. By then, immunization was common, and several important diseases were fading from memory. In the meantime, new vaccines were developed and are widely used. Smallpox – once a health threat worldwide – was eradicated. Canada was certified polio-free in 1994. Many lives have been saved by immunization, and countless illnesses and long-term health problems avoided. Vaccines truly are one of the great public health achievements of the twentieth century – and onward into the twenty-first.
But some things don’t change. Vaccine-preventable diseases are still very much with us. We need to continue to educate Canadians about immunization and promote awareness of its benefits to health with up-to-date information. We need to involve traditional media, health care providers, and social media. And we need to keep vaccinating! Recent outbreaks of mumps and measles remind us that, if immunization rates drop, diseases will reappear. Immunization rates must remain high in order for individuals and communities to stay protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.
National Immunization Awareness Week is a great time to learn more. Visit immunize.ca for reliable information on immunization for all generations.
How to get a copy of your immunization record
You can get your immunization record by submitting a request via the Immunization Update Request Form and it will be mailed to you.
Check if your local medical clinic or physician’s office can provide them to you
Asking at a local nursing station or health centre
The Manitoba Immunization registry was started in 1988. Immunizations provided prior to 1988 are unlikely to be included in Manitoba Health’s official registry. Please check for paper records at home or with your local health care provider. Manitoba Health sends out a copy of your immunization record when you turn 7 and 18 years old.
References National Immunization Week: November 14 – 21. Can Public Health J 1943:34(10):477. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41978506 (Accessed April 13, 2017). Bates G. Diphtheria-Toxoid Week in Toronto. Can Public Health J 1938;29(12):578-82. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41977695 (Accessed March 14, 2017)
PMH wants to take additional steps to encourage community members to protect their kidneys. March is kidney awareness month, and PMH encourages everyone to learn more about protecting their ‘beans.’ The PMH Population Health and Wellness Committee has been developing a public awareness campaign to inform PMH residents about the importance of early detection and screening. You may have noticed posters around your community encouraging everyone to self-screen for kidney disease.
Here are a few facts to share:
The province of Manitoba has the highest incidence and prevalence of kidney failure in Canada
As many as 1 in 10 adults in Manitoba are living with kidney disease, and most don’t even know it
Kidneys can lose 80% of their function before any symptoms are felt
What is kidney disease, and why is early testing so important? Chronic kidney disease means your kidneys are damaged and lose their ability to keep you healthy by filtering your blood. People living with kidney disease progressively lose kidney function, often not knowing they have the disease until advancing to the later stages. As kidney disease worsens, wastes can build up in your blood and make you feel sick. You may develop other problems like high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, poor nutritional health, or nerve damage.
Kidney disease is classified into five stages; stage 1 indicates normal kidney function up to stage 5, which is kidney failure. Because symptoms don’t always show in the early stages, identifying and managing patients with early kidney disease may slow or prevent the progression to end-stage kidney disease. Often, noninvasive treatments, such as drug therapy and lifestyle changes, may be all that’s needed if caught early.
Anyone can get kidney disease, but some people have a higher probability because they have one or more risk factors. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common reasons for kidney disease among adults. Other risk factors include obesity, smoking, having heart disease, frequent use of kidney-damaging drugs, or a family history of kidney disease. Having a risk factor does not mean you will get kidney disease, but it increases your chance and makes early screening more important. A simple blood or urine test is all that is needed to learn if your kidneys are healthy.
Talk to your healthcare provider about kidney disease. To learn more about kidney disease and to take a self-screen test to see if you are at risk, visit www.kidney.ca. Don’t underestimate the importance of early testing for kidney disease. Ask yourself, have you ‘bean’ checked?
Prairie Mountain Health’s (PMH) Mobile Clinic has passed a very notable milestone; February 2024 marked ten years since the primary care bus first hit the road! The Mobile Clinic was the first of its kind in the Province, and although some of the faces and places have changed over the years, there’s one constant: providing access to services where some barriers remain.
On average, the PMH Mobile Clinic (primary care bus) travels 44,000 kilometres annually. This is roughly equivalent to touring across Canada (east to west) nearly seven times annually. Over the past decade, approximately 440,000 total kilometres have been travelled by the Mobile Clinic. That’s certainly a lot of distance covered and patients seen since its implementation.
The Mobile Clinic is staffed by a Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, and Driver who provides administrative support. This team works closely with the staff at the health centres in each community to ensure that individuals’ needs are met.
Currently, the Indigenous communities of Birdtail Sioux First Nation, Ebb and Flow First Nation, O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation and Keeseekoowenin First Nation receive regular visits. The communities of Canupawakpa Dakota First Nation, Skownan First Nation, and Waterhen also receive regular Nurse Practitioner services from Mobile Clinic providers.
“A Nurse Practitioner can do some of the same things as a family doctor. They can do physical exams, diagnose and treat diseases and other health conditions, and prescribe medication,” says Glenda Short, PMH Regional Lead of Community and Continuing Care. “This allows the Mobile Clinic to provide many services, including regular sexually transmitted blood-borne infection testing, which offers clients a private and confidential environment for testing and treatment.”
Client, community and staff feedback have shaped changes over the past decade. The Mobile Clinic saw greater success by visiting the same communities consistently rather than more communities on a less frequent basis. Therefore, visits currently occur to the same four communities on a consistent schedule.
“Accessing primary health care services close to home is important for all Manitobans,” saidManitoba Health, Seniors and Healthy Living Minister Uzoma Asagwara. “I would like to thank the staff who operate the Mobile Clinic for the great work that they do and their dedication to providing quality and timely health care for residents of Prairie Mountain Health Region.”
Appointment at the Mobile Bus in Birdtail Sioux
Operating a fully functioning primary care clinic on wheels is challenging.
“Adverse weather conditions, staffing shortages, and internet disruptions are a few that can play a role in the clinic’s day-to-day functions,” stated Ashley Vandepoele, PMH Health Services Manager whose team oversees the initiative.
During the heightened stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems had to adapt rapidly, and the Mobile Clinic was no exception.
“The Mobile Clinic shifted to involve providing vaccines, doing testing, redeploying staff, as well as physically attending pop-up vaccine locations in campsites and mall parking lots for visibility,” Short said.
Added Vandepeole: “The pandemic also provided space for innovation. One learning was that virtual care could be utilized to meet client needs. This has altered and shaped how the Mobile Clinic functions on days when cancellations are inevitable due to adverse weather and road conditions. Rather than not providing service at all due to the Clinic’s inability to get to the community, we now offer services by telephone on many of those days.”
The Mobile Clinic strives to be an inclusive, safe environment for all to access. PMH regularly welcomes nursing students and physician assistants to participate in their learning journey.
A recent grant approval through Health Care Excellence Canada’s Strengthening Primary Care in Northern Rural and Remote Communities will pave the way for an innovation on the Mobile Clinic. Point-of-care testing equipment is being purchased to support diabetes and renal screening in a number of the communities that the Mobile Clinic serves.
PMH remains proud of the continued success of the Clinic and, with its health partners and stakeholders, collectively strives to enhance services within the large geographic region continually.
Highlighting Dietitian work in Prairie Mountain Health for Nutrition Month in March
In Primary Care
Feeling confused with what you are reading about nutrition online? Primary care dietitians are master myth-busters and trustworthy sources of nutrition information personalized to you. From chronic disease prevention to management, dietitians in primary care are here to help! Meeting with a Registered Dietitian can help you manage irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, nutrient deficiencies, malnutrition, diabetes, heart disease, disordered eating, pediatric picky eating and more. You can request an appointment by calling 1-877-509-7852 or talking to your primary care provider about a referral at your next visit.
In the Community
Prairie Mountain Health Community Dietitians believe that healthy does not have to be fancy. We promote healthy eating that is enjoyable, nutritious, accessible, and culturally appropriate. This could include food from local grocery stores, farmers’ markets, your backyard (or farm), or from the wild.
Community Dietitians work with communities, organizations, and groups rather than individual clients. They promote healthy eating, focusing on nutrition and food skills education, food security initiatives, and healthy food environments. You might see Community Dietitians working in schools, health fairs, daycares, seniors’ centers, healthy baby programs, cooking classes, community centers, and more!
What does this look like in PMH? Dietitians are part of Neepawa Eats Healthy, a group of dedicated partners representing local organizations and community members working together to improve healthy eating outcomes in the community. The partnership includes the Salvation Army, the Town of Neepawa, HyLife, Prairie Mountain Health, and community members. The committee works together on many food-related projects in the community. Currently, we are partnering with local grocery stores to promote a monthly quick, easy and healthy recipe, with classrooms competing to win a catered lunch featuring the Meal in 30 recipes. To see what else Neepawa Eats Healthy is up to, follow them on social media @neepawa.eats.healthy. A Community Dietitian is also involved with the BAG (Better Access to Groceries) program in Camperville and Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, where people order a bag of fresh produce at a reasonable cost to pick up in their community. Some Community Dietitians also facilitate community programs such as Craving Change, Strive to Thrive, and Get Better Together.
Contact the Community Dietitians by sending an email to [email protected]
In Long Term Care and Acute Care
Every healthcare facility in Prairie Mountain Health has a Registered Dietitian who attends the facility and sees the clients. Registered Dietitians work as part of the healthcare team to ensure clients receive the best care. Clients are seen for various reasons in these settings, including malnutrition, inadequate oral intake, enteral feeding (tube feeds), bowel care, diabetes management and texture-modified diets, to name a few. Registered Dietitians are part of the Menu committee for the facilities and work with the Nutrition Services team to make a menu that meets everyone’s nutritional needs.
Dietitians are here to help ensure our clients are nourished. If you have a loved one in a personal care home or acute care setting, you can request that they see a Registered Dietitian.
Please contact Lisa Fugleberg [email protected] for more information regarding acute and long-term care dietitian services.
Looking for nutrition information? Check out these great sites for some great tips and recipe ideas!
PMH Regional Ethics Committee Looking for New Members
PMH Regional Ethics Committee Looking for New Members
Prairie Mountain Health recognizes that ethical issues and dilemmas will arise in the provision of care and service within the healthcare sector. PMH is committed to deliver quality health services to meet the needs of the population we serve, with integrity, accountability, equity, respect, responsiveness and engagement. Ethical principles and values are incorporated into how decisions are made and care is delivered every day.
The PMH Regional Ethics Committee provides support, resources and education for staff who may encounter ethical issues or dilemmas in their daily work.
The Regional Ethics committee is currently seeking new members from both inside and outside the organization to serve a three-year term.
Are you someone who enjoys discussing ethical issues with others? Are you interested in learning more about how to address ethical issues and support ethics educational opportunities? Are you a patient or family partner, current or retired healthcare professional, spiritual care leader or a post-secondary school teacher/professor? Are you able to meet via Microsoft Teams four times a year for two hours? If so, please reach out to Chairperson Nancy Tregunna at [email protected] for an application or for more information.
On Louis Riel Day and every day, Prairie Mountain Health recognizes that we provide health services on the homeland of the Red River Métis Nation and on the original lands of First Nations and Inuit Peoples. Manitoba’s health authorities respect that First Nations treaties were made on these territories, acknowledge harms and mistakes, and we dedicate ourselves to collaborate in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in the spirit of reconciliation.
As we pursue equitable and trusted pathways to care for all Manitobans, we thank health-care workers of Métis ancestry for your efforts and commitment as members of a team dedicated to excellent patient care. Shared Health encourages all who deliver health services on the original lands of First Nations and Inuit peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation to recognize our ongoing obligation to the delivery of culturally safe care.
Health-care workers – and all Manitobans – are encouraged to take time to learn more about the contributions of Louis Riel and Métis peoples to our province.
Events in Prairie Mountain Health
Here are just a few events happening in our region for anyone to attend.
Events around the Province
Friday, Feb. 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Join the Office of the Vice-President (Indigenous) to celebrate Louis Riel Day at University of Manitoba’s Marshall McLuhan Hall, 204-UMSU University Centre! This free event will include short remarks, music (a fiddle jam session!) and lunch.
Feb. 16 – 25, Festival du Voyageur – Western Canada’s largest winter festival for the whole family with lots of entertainment including music, dancing, jigging, French-Canadian food, meeting historical characters, sculptures and much more.
Monday, Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Experience the life of a Voyageur with a Marsh twist during Voyageur Day at Oak Hammock Marsh! Try their friendly Voyageur-themed contests, competitions and games. Participate in their “Concours des Meilleurs” and take home some great bragging rights!
Sunday, Feb. 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – The Richer Métis Local is hosting a Louis Riel Day Celebration at the Richer Young at Heart Hall located at 22 Dawson Rd. W in Richer, Manitoba that includes performers, kids activities as well as a hot meal of chili, bannock and hotdogs.
Monday, Feb. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Journée Louis Riel / Louis Riel Day at Le Musée de Saint-Boniface in collaboration with the Manitoba Métis Federation featuring free admission, free bannock, launch of Tracy Charette Fehr’s project “Honouring our Mothers” and more.
Monday, Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Set your inner voyageur free at FortWhyte Alive! Spend Louis Riel Day playing voyageur games with FortWhyte volunteers, and enjoy some friendly competition between your family! Try your hand at tug-o-war, a voyageur relay, and other fun games.
Monday, Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Celebrate Louis Riel Day at The Forks for a day filled with family-friendly festivities, like: lively dance parties and lessons for the whole family, engaging arts and crafts, specially crafted kid menus and mocktails, and, of course, winter activities, attractions, and amenities that are unique to The Forks.
Manitobans are encouraged to get outside and explore fishing opportunities throughout the province during this year’s Winter Family Fishing Weekend. From Feb. 17 to Feb. 19, anglers may fish without a licence in the province, except in national parks where a federal angling licence is still required.
The Board of Directors of Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) is pleased to announce that Treena Slate has accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Slate will assume the role from Brian Schoonbaert, who will retire effective April 5, 2024.
The Board expressed sincere thanks and appreciation for Schoonbaert’s commitment, dedication and strong leadership as CEO of the health region. “Brian’s commitment to providing quality health care and supporting all PMH staff, physicians and volunteers has always been evident. All who have worked with him will miss Brian’s positive, welcoming, genuine approach.”
Lon Cullen, Board Chair, is pleased to welcome Slate to the role of Chief Executive Officer. “Treena is a familiar face for many in Prairie Mountain Health and the province. With over 30 years in healthcare and 15 years in a leadership role, Treena is bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge into the role of Chief Executive Officer.”
The PMH Board of Directors undertook an extensive search across Canada for a CEO to replace Schoonbaert. Included in the recruitment process, the Board of Directors asked PMH staff what they felt were important qualities for the Chief Executive Officer. “We appreciate that PMH staff took the time to provide their input into the selection criteria, and the Board was able to use this feedback in selecting candidates,” Cullen commented. “Those that know Treena recognize her compassion, openness, decisiveness and energy, which will be important qualities to lead Prairie Mountain Health in these challenging times.”
Slate is excited to be stepping into the CEO role. “I am following in some incredible footsteps – Brian will be truly missed by all who worked with him. Prairie Mountain Health has an incredible team of over 7,500 individuals providing quality health care to the residents of PMH – and I feel very fortunate to work alongside these dedicated staff.”
Slate has held many roles during her years in healthcare, including a staff nurse, educator, public health nurse, manager, director and most recently, Regional Lead – Acute Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer for Prairie Mountain Health.
Slate recently completed her Master of Health Administration through the Johnson Shoyoma School of Public Policy in 2023.
Glenda Klemick & Carol Schepp from the Calendar Club seasonal store in Brandon Shoppers Mall had a promotion that you could buy a teddy bear for $5.99 if you spent $15 before tax. You could choose to take it home or donate it to the pediatric ward. Many who donated had a personal connection to the pediatric ward.
Russell Expanding Community Cancer Care
Picture and files courtesy of Russell Banner
Judy Snitynsky, Mayor of the Municipality of Russell-Binscarth and Andrea Glasman from the Expanding Community Cancer Care Committee with a cheque representing the $200,000 in funding the municipality has given to the Russell building addition project over the last two years.
