2 ATIKOKAN FAMILY HEATH TEAM NEWSLETTER WINTER 2018-19 3ATIKOKAN FAMILY HEATH TEAM NEWSLETTER WINTER 2018-19

Take five with your FHT Dietitian

Water: Under-appreciated heroAnother year of

growth and changefor the Atiokokan FHT

Karen Lusignan, Executive DirectorSince April 1, 2018 the Nurse Practi-

tioners (NPs) have seen a total of 756 patients and had a total of 2,508 appointments. For the entire fiscal year of 2017/18, the FHT saw a total of 1,920 patients, and currently to date, we have grown to see 1,995 in less than a year.

As our newest NP continues to assign patients, that number is expected to in-crease. In turn, our survey results have also shown great improvements in patient satisfaction, with 96% stating they were satisfied with the amount of time it took to get an appointment with an Inter-disciplinary Health Professional.

Samantha Holmgren, DietitianWe forget to drink water all day and

wonder why we're parched. Or even worse, we don't even notice.

We try to satisfy our need for fluids with coffee, pop, or alcohol, and we don't even think about whether those are helping.

Dehydration, the result of not drinking enough water, causes:

Fatigue

Headaches

Dizziness

Muscle cramps

Constipation

Confusion

Increased heart rate

Eating well while taking Warfarin/Coumadin

Ashley McEvoy, RPNWhile eating vegetables is

a healthy diet, for someone on Coumadin/Warfarin, too much of certain types can be bad. Many vegetables, especially leafy greens, contain too much vitamin K, which decreases the effectiveness of Coumadin / Warfarin. Patients who take this medication need to be mindful of the things they eat and drink, and to always main-

Here at the Atikokan Family Health Team, we continue to lead and provide administrative support to our local Palliative Care Team. The team is com-prised of multiple health professionals from different agencies around town, who come together bi-monthly with a general goal to improve the palliative experience for patients (and their caregivers) facing life-threatening

Do you smoke cigarettes?Would you like to quit smoking or cut down on your smoking

habits?

Register Annually

Call the Family Health Team to check the status of your current enrollment.

FREE NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY FOR UP TO 26 WEEKS!!

(nicotine patch, gum, inhaler, lozenge & spray)

Call 597-8781 ext. 12 to book your appointment

April 2019 will mark the fourth Pap-A-Palooza cervical cancer screening event! This initiative aims to increase

cervical cancer screening rates across Northwestern Ontario, especially among under or never screened women.

Pleasecall597-8781ext0tobookyourappointment.

illnesses. The team is cur-rently looking for volunteers, if interested please contact Tracy at the Home Support office 597-6001.

On behalf of the Palliative Care Team, Nikita Matichuk, Nurse Practitioner with the North West Local Health Integration Network in Atikokan will be hosting a

, ‘Caregivers Café’ on April 10at 2 pm at the Pioneer Centre. Feel free to come out for some coffee and dainties, while learning about the importance of advanced care planning!

With the support of our Board of Directors and myself the staff at the AFHT have been champions of change. We continually look at ways to improve our programs and services to fulfill our vision that we will be the healthiest community that we can. I look forward to another year of growth and change!

tain a consistent diet. For more infor-mation, talk to your Doctor, Nurse Practitioner, or Nurse.

Dehydration increases your risk for urinary tract infections and kidney stones.

Drinking enough water is crucial to good health, having energy, and thriving in life. The question is, “How much is enough?”

There are several ways to calculate your fluid needs, but the easiest way to tell if you're getting enough is to look at the color of your urine. Aim for a pale yellow; if it's darker, you know you need to drink more.

There are many tricks to drinking more water. A nice water bottle can help. You can add flavor with slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, orange, mint,

or frozen fruit. Or you could develop a habit of drinking a big glass when you first wake up and before meals.

Note: Some medications and vitamins change the color of your urine. For example, if you're taking B vitamins, your urine could turn bright yellow. Talk to your doctor, nurse practitioner, or pharmacist if you have any questions about your medication.

Note: There are sometimes medical reasons to reduce your fluid intake. If your doctor or nurse practitioner has given you a restriction, make sure you stick to their advice.

And remember you can always book an appointment with the Dietitian at the Family Health Team to discuss your questions about foods and fluids!

Now open during the lunch hour!The Atikokan Family Health Team office on Zuke Road is open Monday through

Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and, by appointment, 5 - 8 pm Wednesday evenings.

Kristin St.Pierre, RNI would like to start by saying ‘hello’

again as I have returned from my year of maternity leave. I am eager to be back in my position as an RN overseeing the diabetes program and reconnecting with the community. Prior to my leave, I had completed the University of Toronto’s Diabetes Educator Certificate program. Over the next year, I am planning to take the Chronic Disease Management course for Diabetes, and work towards writing my Certified Diabetes Educator exam for the certification board in early 2020. I hope to provide a wide range of

education sessions in partnerships with FHT staff, as well as the ANFC and NWHU. Alongside diabetes, I have also become a provider for our Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) program.

You can enroll in the diabetes pro-gram through self-referral. I work in collaboration with the Doctors, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, Dietitian and Mental Health Worker to provide a holistic healthcare approach.

Anyone over the age of 40 should be tested for diabetes every three years. However, if you have any of the following risk factors, this testing should be

completed more frequently:• Having a parent, brother or sister with diabetes• Being a member of a high-risk group (African, Arab, Asian, Hispanic, Indigenous, South Asian)

• Health complications • Having given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 lbs at birth, or having gestational diabetes during pregnancy• Having been diagnosed with pre-diabetes• High blood pressure• High cholesterol• Being overweight• Having been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome• Having been diagnosed with Acanthosis Nigricans (dark-ened patches of skin)• Having been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder• Obstructive sleep apnea• Having been prescribed a glucocorticoid medication

Should you be tested for diabetes?

We will be the healthiest community we can be!

Winter 2018-19 Volume 7 Issue 2101 Zuke Rd.P.O. Box 398, Atikokan, Ontario P0T 1C0Ph: 807-597-8781 Fax: 597-6008 Hours: Monday to Friday (8:30 am - 4:30 pm; open thru lunch)

Wednesday evenings by appointment, 5 - 8 pmwww.AtikokanFHT.com

In this issue Director’s message 2 Water: Under-appreciated 2 Coumadin/Warfarin 2 Want to quit smoking? 2 Caregivers Café 3 Pap-a-palooza 3 Diabetes testing 3 Blood pressure 4 Health Links 4 Welcome clerical assistant 4

Back Row

Laura Hendren �-�Nurse Practitioner

Karen Lusignan �-�Executive Director

Ashley McEvoy� -�RPN

Brianna Coulson�-�Program Assistant

Sheila Ferguson�-�Clerical AssistantFront Row

Alan Poelman�-�Mental Health Worker

Jackie King�-�RPN

Kristi Withrow�-�Nurse Practitioner

Kristin St. Pierre��-�RN

Lisa Campbell�-�RN

Samantha Holmgren�-�Dietitian

Shelby Davidson�-�Administrative Assistant

Alan Poelman has recently started the position of Mental Health Worker with our team. He has completed a BScN at Laurentien University and a Honours Bachelor of Social Work at Algoma University, and is currently registered as a Social Worker through the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Prior to

joining our team, Alan was employed as a Children's Mental Health Therapist and Family Services Worker.

He is now providing mental health counselling and services, which include one-on-one sessions and group sessions within the community.

Atikokan Family Health Team staff

Jackie King, RPNIt's a New Year and a great time to

get your blood pressure checked!! All those extra treats during Christmas, may have included extra sodium. Salt acts like a sponge in your body, making it hold onto water. Moving extra water through your body makes your heart work harder, which increases your blood

pressure. High blood pressure may raise your risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

*Please note, it's important to drink water to stay hydrated. See Samantha Holmgren's article for more details.

Now is the time to put the salt shaker away and look at the 'Nutrition Facts' label on the food you're eating. Three-quarters of the sodium you

Welcome!In early December 2018, Sheila

Ferguson started as the Clerical Assistant. She says:

“The past couple of months have been a valuable learning experience working with a team of caring and professional staff. Our patients are and have been our number one priority in providing quality health services and I am looking forward to continuing this in my new role. If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment, please give me a call!”

Pay attention to your blood pressure

Welcome!

consume comes from processed foods and restaurant meals. The Heart & Stroke Foundation recommends 2300 mg (one teaspoon) of salt a day. This includes sodium from the salt shaker AND sodium that's already in food. So choose foods with sodium amounts less than 200 mg per serving, or with a Daily Value % (DV) of sodium less than 10%

Tips on cutting back on sodium:• Choose fresh or frozen fruits and

vegetables• Rinse canned foods• Cook more meals at home• Add spices and herbs for flavour• Look for foods labelled: ‘low

sodium’, ‘reduced sodium’, or ‘no salt added’

For more information about sodium, or to have your blood pressure checked, call and book an appointment with Jackie at the Atikokan Family Health Team 597-8781

Hospital

Long-termcare homes

Specialists

Inter-disciplinaryhealth professionals

Primary carephysicians

Communitysupportservices

Home Care

The Atikokan Family Health Team remains the local lead for the District of Rainy River Health Links Program. Health Links is carried out locally in collabora-

tion with Community Counselling and Addictions Services, and Canadian Mental Health Association.

The Health Links approach to care focuses on helping to navigate patients through their health care journey as well as coaching them on their goals. Health Links patients will begin by completing a detailed coordinated care plan, created by themselves with the help of their navigational coach. The careplan includes current medications, health information, as well as health care goals and priorities.

If you are interested in learning more about the Health Links program, give us a call 807-597-8781.