Durham Region Diabetes Network Issue 20 September 2009

C O O R D I N AT O R ’ S P R O G R E S S R E P O R T

If you have any questions or would like to include any information within this communication please let us know.

Keri Semenko Coordinator 905-623-3331 ext. 1595 ksemenko@lakeridgehealth.on.ca Giselle Sicchia Office Manager 905-623-3331 ext. 1596 gsicchia@lakeridgehealth.on.ca Brenda Hartman Dietitian 905-623-3331 ext. 1247 bhartman@lakeridgehealth.on.ca

Special points of

interest:

• Coordinator’s Progress Report

• Durham Diabetes Day 2009

• DRDN Support Groups and Living Well With Diabetes pro-gram news

• EatRight Ontario Update

• Durham Menatal Health Ser-vices: promoting recover one person at a time (part 2)

• Task Group launches policy framework for affordable access to recreation

• Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions News

• News from the Centres

• Heart and Stroke Foundation Update

• Call for Applicants for the DRDN Advisory Committee

• CDA Update

• Dates to Remember

It’s hard to believe that another summer has come and gone but now we are heading

into what promises to be a very busy fall season at the DRDN. There is always lots going

on, but this upcoming September to December time period promises to be especially

eventful with many exciting things on the horizon!

Firstly, I’d like to welcome some new faces to our DRDN team. The new Medical Direc-

tor for Lakeridge Health, Molly Court, has familiarized herself with the DRDN and I

look forward to working with her as we move forward. Many of you also know that we

have a new contact in the Finance Department here at Lakeridge and I am pleased to

have Patricia Sillers assisting us with all our money matters! I know that having Molly

and Patricia on board is going to be a great help to us!

In addition to some new faces, the DRDN also has a new look! We recently had an offi-

cial logo designed and have started to use the logo on our correspondence- including

this newsletter!! This new logo will help increase the recognition of the DRDN in the

community and will enhance our visibility at events. We are also in the process of having

brochures printed and a display banner produced, so keep your eyes open for those new

items!

We have submitted our first quarter reports to the Ministry of Health and Long Term

Care. Comparisons with last year’s first quarter showed an increase in both total client

caseload and year to date client activity. In the first quarter, our partner program sites

have seen more than 2700 clients and have had more than 5300 visits!! Clearly, the first

few months of this fiscal year were busy ones and I appreciate all the hard work done by

all the staff to help clients learn more and manage better.

Coming up this fall is the International Diabetes Federation conference in Montreal dur-

ing the last week of October. The DRDN, along with many of our partners, are sending

staff to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a global scale diabetes con-

ference in Canada. The DRDN offices will be closed during the conference in order to

allow staff attendance at this event- we hope to see many of you there! For more infor-

mation, visit their website: http://www.worlddiabetescongress.org/

Several of our partner programs have also been keeping busy since the last newsletter

and have interesting items to report. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations

to Marlene Grass along with the staff, board, and volunteers of the Charles H. Best Dia-

betes Centre on the purchase of a new, permanent home (p. 15)! This is a remarkable

achievement and ensures that the Best Centre will continue to provide quality care to

people living with Type 1 diabetes in Durham Region for many years to come!

Continued on page 2

In addition, the Brock Community Health Centre has had a very busy summer, welcom-

ing new staff and planning for the start up of a new program p. 15.

I am also pleased to announce that the DRDN has accepted additional funding on behalf

of the Central East Diabetes Network from the CELHIN to revise, translate, and reprint

the diabetes resource guide. The resource guide had an extremely successful first edi-

tion and we anticipate the updated version of the publication to be equally well-received.

Thank you to the CELHIN for their ongoing support of this project!

As part of the DRDN’s ongoing evaluation and growth, we are in the process of estab-

lishing an Advisory Committee. Please see page 16 for information about the formation

of this new group!

And last, but certainly not least, we are in the midst of preparations for our Durham

Diabetes Day event to be held on Saturday November 7th, 2009. We have a full update

about this event on page 3 and look forward to having many of you participate in this

exciting day!

Keri Semenko Coordinator

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S We would like to congratulate

Charlotte Koso from Care-

Partners. Charlotte was the

first person to provide us

with the correct answer to

our question:

What is the Title of the

book co-written by Dr.

Ian Blumer and his

wife Dr. Heather

McDonald-Blumer?

“Understanding Prescription Drugs For

Canadians For Dummies”

As the winner, Charlotte received a copy

of Diabetes For Canadians for Dummies.

C O O R D I N AT O R S P R O G R E S S R E P O R T ( c o n t . )

R E G I O N A L M U N I C I PA L I T Y O F D U R H A M P R O C L A I M S N O V E M B E R 7 T H , 2 0 0 9 D U R H A M D I A B E T E S D AY This year, the Durham Region Diabetes Network is pleased to be organizing and host-

ing an amazing new community based event! Durham Diabetes Day 2009 will

provide awareness, education, motivation, and support for people in Durham Region

living with diabetes. Adding to the excitement, the DRDN just received an official Cer-

tificate of Proclamation from Roger Anderson, Regional Chair, in the Region of Dur-

ham proclaiming November 7th, 2009 as Durham Diabetes Day!!

Highlights of the day long event include a motivating keynote speaker address, exhibi-

tors and workshops on topics of interest, and informative sessions with pharmacists

and dietitians. The event is being held on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 from 9am to

4pm at Cullen Central Park (formerly Cullen Gardens) in Whitby and is FREE for all

to attend.

Keynote Presentation Our keynote speaker, Sebastien Sasseville (pictured at left) is an inspiring climber and

world adventurer who has dedicated his career to motivating audiences of all kinds.

In May 2008, Sebastien became the first Canadian with type 1 diabetes to summit

Mount Everest. Diagnosed in 2002, he is also one of only three people in the world

with the chronic illness to have climbed the world’s highest peak. In the spirit of shar-

ing his dream, he has also led groups of teens to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and to

the Mount Everest Base Camp. At only 29 years old, Sebastien is a powerful and char-

ismatic speaker and already a media favourite. He resides in Montreal, has a degree

in Public Relations, is fluently bilingual and is currently training for the 2009 Iron

Man Marathon. Sebastien will be presenting “Celebrating the Obstacle”, an encourag-

ing speech about finding empowerment in difficult times. If you would like more in-

formation on Sebastien, please visit his website at:

http://www.sebastiensassevilleinspires.com.

Additional Programming In addition to this fascinating keynote presentation, we will also be hosting smaller

concurrent workshops that will be held throughout the day focusing on key subject

areas of interest such as healthy eating, health insurance issues for those with diabe-

tes, insulin pumps, supporting someone with diabetes, and diabetes medications.

The event will also include a large exhibit area where companies and groups that offer

services to people with diabetes can display information and present their products.

Some of the organizations already on board include Animas, providers of insulin

pumps and associated products; Pfizer, dedicated to developing innovative medica-

tions to prevent and treat disease; the Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initia-

tive; NovoNordisk, Nestle, Bayer, a healthcare company that creates innovative diabe-

tes related products, breakthrough treatments and healthier alternatives to improve

N E W D I A B E T E S S U P P O R T G R O U P L A U N C H E S I N N O V E M B E R ! In addition to the two Diabetes Support groups currently running in

Pickering and Oshawa, we are very pleased to announce that in November we

will be launching a new support group for the Clarington area. The Claring-

ton support group will meet at the Clarington Central Secondary School in

room 158 from 7pm to 9pm starting on November 18th and run on the third

Wednesday of every month thereafter until June.

If you are interested in promoting the availability of these support groups to

your clients, please contact Giselle at the office and she can provide you with

copies of flyers for distribution.

Please visit our website http://www.durhamregiondiabetesnetwork.ca/

events.htm for an overview of dates, locations and meeting discussion topics.

quality of life; Lovell Drugs, a local pharmacy with a specific interest in assisting those

with diabetes; and Optimal Life Chiropractic, a local company focusing on whole body

health through chiropractic services.

A special feature of the event will be our ‘Ask a Pharmacist’ and ‘Ask a Dietitian’ ses-

sions. This will allow members of the public a chance to speak one on one with a spe-

cialist in diabetes medications or healthy eating for individuals living with diabetes. In

addition to speaking with our specialists, participants will be able to access free glucose,

cholesterol and blood pressure testing!

To accommodate the public as much as possible, parking and admission to the venue is

free. As well, there will be complimentary healthy snacks and beverages for all atten-

dees and registration kits full of information and diabetes friendly products for the first

250 visitors.

With over 25,000 people living in Durham affected by diabetes, the event will appeal to

a large number of our local residents. This event is a new endeavour for the DRDN, and

we are hoping to make it a successful, annual initiative! If you have any questions in

regards to participating in the event, would like flyers to promote the event or have any

general inquiries about Durham Diabetes Day 2009, please visit our website or contact

Cheryl Green, Event Coordinator at events@drdn.ca or (905) 435-8650.

D U R H A M D I A B E T E S D AY ( c o n t . )

D U R H A M W E S T S U P P O R T G R O U P — S P E C I A L P R E S E N TAT I O N — N O R D I C P O L E W A L K I N G

C ome and join the Durham West Diabetes Support Group as we celebrate our

move to the Pickering Library. Join us for our September meeting promoting

physical activity while living with diabetes.

We are pleased to announce that our September 30th session will be lead by Dr. Klaus

Schwanbeck, a leading expert in Nordic Pole Walking. Dr. Schwanbeck’s visit is spon-

sored by the Canadian Diabetes Association.

To accommodate the activity, we will be having our first meeting in the Petticoat Creek

Library (470 Kingston Rd, Pickering) on September the 30th from 7 to 9.

Health Benefits at a Glance There are approximately 400 scientific clinical and scientific reports about Nordic

Pole Walking in the scientific & medical literature.

1. Nordic Pole Walking burns up to 46% more calories than exercise walking

without poles or moderate jogging. (Cooper Institute, 2004, Dallas and other).

2. Increases heart- and cardiovascular training to 25%

more effect (Foley 1994; Jordan 2001, Morss et al.

2001; Pocari et.al.1997 and other).

3. Incorporates 90 % of all body muscles in one exercise

and increases endurance of arm muscles ( Triceps) and

neck- and shoulder muscles (Latissimus) to 38%

(Karawan et al. 1992 and other).

4. Improves diabetes metabolism, reduces insulin resis-

tance and reduces medication within three months.

(M.Nischwitz et.al. 2006)

5. Reduces High Blood Pressure by 18mm Hg within eight weeks. (Ishikawa et.al.

1999; C.Diehm, 2007)

6. Eliminates back- shoulder- and neck pain (Attila et al., 1999 and other).

7. Less impact on hip- knee- and foot joints about 26% (Wilson et al., 2001; Hagen

2006, and others)

8. Increase production of “positive” hormones. Decreases “negative” hormones

(R.M. Klatz et.al., 1999; Dharma Singh Khalsa, 1997).

9. Supports stress management and mental disorders (Stoughton 1992, Mommert-

Jauch, 2003).

10. Develops upright body posture. (Schloemmer 2005)

Summary of all scientific studies Nordic Pole Walking improves all parameters significantly more than exercise walking –

even though it is a low impact exercise. For additional information please visit: www.

PoleWalkingCanada.com

Dr. Klaus D. Schwanbeck Berlin, Germany, Toronto, Canada

Email: schwanbeckN@aol.com

How to register

Space is limited, please call to register:

Giselle Sicchia, Office Manager

Durham Region Diabetes Network

905-623-3331 ext. 1596

Thank you to the Pickering Public Library for co-sponsoring

space to facilitate meetings for the West Durham Diabetes

Support Group.

D U R H A M W E S T S U P P O R T G R O U P — S P E C I A L P R E S E N TAT I O N ( c o n t . )

As we move in to the third year of programming for the Living Well With Diabetes ses-

sions, we are pleased to be able to provide you with an overview of the fall schedule.

The sessions are free to attend and available to anyone who wishes to attend. If you or

someone you know is interested in attending we would suggest that you call to register

early as space is limited. The 5 week series of group sessions will include information

about:

- what you should know about diabetes, - risk factors,

- exercise, - healthy eating,

- healthy food choices, - medications,

- driving, - foot care

If you are interested in obtaining flyers to promote any of the sessions listed below to

your clients, please call our office and we can supply a pdf version of the flyers directly to

you by email. Stay tuned for more exciting news related to this program in the coming

months!

Should your organization be interested in hosting a Living Well With Diabetes session

please contact either Giselle or Brenda at the DRDN office.

L I V I N G W E L L W I T H D I A B E T E S F A L L S E S S I O N S

Pickering Pickering Library 1 The Esplanade

To register please contact Brenda Hartman 905-623-3331 x. 1247

November Mondays November 2nd - November 30 7pm - 8:30pm

Whitby Whitby Seniors Centre 801 Brock St. S Whitby

To register please contact Brenda Hartman 905-623-3331 x. 1247

November Tuesdays November 17th - December 15 10am - 11:30am

Clarington Clarington Seniors Centre 26 Beech Avenue Bowmanville

To register please contact Angie Darlison 905-697-2856

September Fridays September 18 - October 16 10am - 11:30am

Oshawa Oshawa Senior Citizens' Centre, Conant Branch

To register please contact Jennifer Lobban, 905-723-0036 ext. 268

September Wednesdays September 23 - October 21 2:30pm to 4pm

Oshawa Public Library Bagot Street

To register please contact Jennifer Lobban, 905-723-0036 ext. 268

November Mondays November 2—December 7 6:00pm—8:30pm

B R I D G I N G D I V I D E I N D I A B E T E S N U T R I T I O N E D U C AT I O N

On August 10th, dietitians from various diabetes related centres across Durham Region

met with EatRight Ontario to discuss how the EatRight program can support diabetes

education in Durham Region.

Staffed by dietitians and funded through the Ministry of Health, EatRight Ontario is a

service that provides accurate nutritional information to the public by phone, email or

by general information on the website (www.eatrightontario.ca). The service has

three certified diabetes educators on staff and information about available community

resources. Since, they do not have access to medical records and no records are kept,

the information is not for treatment purposes but rather is designed to support self

management.

EatRight Ontario was interested in the types of programs offered in Durham Region

by the diabetes education centres (DEC), nephrology clinics and our community-

based education. With overwhelming response to their call for participation, an addi-

tional focus group was set up for the Durham Region. They wanted to know what we

saw as our strengths in diabetes education and where we felt there were gaps in what

we could deliver. As a group, we identified what our three main gaps in diabetes edu-

cation were that EatRight Ontario could address: the time lag between diagnosis and

education due to the limited access to the various DECs in the region , those who’ve

been diagnosed with type 2 for a while and need access to updated information, and

adult education and support for type 1 diabetes.

We would like to extend our thanks to the Oshawa Community Health Centre for pro-

viding their boardroom for the forum, EatRight Ontario for providing lunch and to all

those who participated.

Keep your eyes on the DRDN website for any updates and changes EatRight Ontario

makes their services to better support diabetes education in Durham Region.

Brenda Hartman, RD—PhD(c) DRDN

D U R H A M M E N TA L H E A LT H S E R V I C E S : P R O M O T I N G R E C O V E R Y O N E P E R S O N AT A T I M E ( p a r t 2 )

DMHS offers two different types of recovery-based programs and services: (1) immedi-

ate, short-term supports, such as our Crisis Services and Court Support programs, and

(2) longer-term supports, such as our Supportive Housing, Case Management, and Fam-

ily Support programs. Every DMHS service works in partnership with those we serve,

their personal support networks, and the whole range of community resources – from

health and human services to sectors such as the justice system and services for children

and youth to schools, businesses, faith groups, etc. – to maximize community integra-

tion, enhance quality of life, and promote recovery for individuals with mental health

problems.

A person need not be in “crisis” to access our Crisis Services – this service is a wide open

door for any person in need and a gateway to other community services and supports.

We offer 24-hour telephone support, a mobile service that meets individuals in the loca-

tion of their choice, a short-term beds component, and safe beds for individuals with

mental health issues who are in contact with the justice system. Call 905-666-0483 or

toll-free 1-800-742-1890 to access immediate crisis support.

Our Court Support program offers education, consultation, and short-term case man-

agement to individuals with mental health problems who are in conflict with the law.

Another component of the program is diversion, where appropriate, from the criminal

justice system to health and human services. Recovery is promoted, recidivism reduced,

and public safety enhanced when individuals with mental health problems are helped to

access needed supports. Call 905-430-4927 to enquire about our mental health court

support services.

Our Supportive Housing program has six locations in Whitby and Ajax that help indi-

viduals with serious mental illness learn skills, connect to supports, and establish rou-

tines that promote independence. Our Housing locations offer different levels of support

so that individuals can progress as greater independence is sought and achieved. Two

vital components of our Supportive Housing programs are our day program and our

pre-vocational program, both of which offer opportunities to pursue social, educational,

and vocational recovery goals. Call our Central Intake team at 905-666-0831, ext. 234

for more information or to apply.

Our Case Management program helps individuals with mental health problems main-

tain independent living and achieve recovery goals. Through secondments, we work in

partnership with many of Durham Region’s health and human services to facilitate ac-

cess to mental health services and provide on-site support. An important component of

DMHS case management is our Family Support program, which provides education,

links families to needed supports and offers a peer support group where families can

share their stories, build support networks, and learn from each other and from a variety

of expert presenters. Call our Central Intake team at 905-666-0831, ext. 234 for more

information or to apply.

Everything we accomplish at DMHS results from partnerships. Individuals seeking sup-

port don’t care at all about which service provides support. The only question that mat-

ters is “Do they receive support that is compassionate, efficient, and effective?” This is

particularly important when it comes to mental health services given the pervasive

stigma associated with reaching out for help, the paucity of information generally known

about mental illness, and the frustration of navigating a system that can seem more like

a maze.

We are grateful for all of our partnerships, including those with Durham Regional Police

and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences in providing support both to po-

lice officers and to individuals in contact with the police, with Lindsay Correctional Fa-

cility in providing case management to individuals released from custody, and with On-

tario Shores in providing support to individuals transitioning from forensic inpatient

services to community living. Through these and many others, we can increase aware-

ness of mental health issues and effectively support individuals, their families, and the

whole community.

For more information on DMHS programs, contact our Central Intake team at 905-666-

0831, ext. 234. For information or education on any topic related to mental health, men-

tal illness and recovery, contact David Clarke at 905-666-0831, ext. 338.

David Clarke Coordinator—Communications and Training

Durham Mental Health Services

P R O M O T I N G R E C O V E R Y O N E P E R S O N AT A T I M E ( p a r t 2 c o n t . )

T A S K G R O U P L A U N C H E S P O L I C Y F R A M E W O R K F O R A F F O R D A B L E A C C E S S T O R E C R E AT I O N

Parks and Recreation Ontario is the secretariat for the Task Group on Affordable Access

to Recreation for Ontarians. This group, formed in 2006, includes a variety of social ser-

vice, non-profit and recreation organizations, and has been working to create tools and

resources that will help communities improve access to recreation.

The Task Group has recently published the Affordable Access to Recreation for

Ontarians Policy Framework. The Framework draws on a growing body of work

that documents the health, social and economic benefits that affordable access to recrea-

tion can provide and supports the rights of Ontarians as outlined in the Charter for

Parks and Recreation in Ontario.

The Framework sets out a vision, objectives and strategic directions to guide those who

develop public policy, make funding decisions, offer recreation programs, or build and

maintain facilities or open spaces. It is a call to action for all involved to work together in

a systematic way to make affordable access to recreation a reality in Ontario.

VISION: Everyone has access to affordable recreation in their community in order to

enjoy the health and social benefits and to improve their prospects for a better future.

OBJECTIVE: Affordability, Places to Play, Awareness, Inclusion, Capacity, Collabora-

tion, Accountability

Built on this vision and these objectives, the policy framework outlines two policy objec-

tives and strategies that communities can use to achieve those objectives.

The Task Group believes that there are two fundamental policy objectives that must be

in place in order to overcome the barriers faced by low-income Ontarians:

Access Policies: Municipal and community delivery organizations establish Afford-

able Access Policies to ensure individuals that face income barriers have equitable op-

portunities to participate.

Core Set of Free, Universal Programs: Communities identify a core set of recrea-

tion programs that will be universally available to children, youth, individuals and fami-

lies and offer these programs without a user fee.

Three policy strategies will support the implementation of these objective: Community

Access to Community Space; Partnership and Collaboration; and Targeted Community

Outreach and Engagement.

PRO and the Task Group are very excited to be launching this framework in communi-

ties across Ontario. There will also be an accompanying Community Implementation

Guide which provides more detailed strategies to help establish successful and sustain-

able access initiatives.

The “Living a Healthy Life with Diabetes” Self-Management Program (DSMP) is a

FREE six-session workshop for people with type 2 diabetes. It teaches the skills

needed for day-to-day management of diabetes, and related symptoms, so individuals

can better “Live a Healthy Life” with diabetes and other chronic health conditions.

The Central East Self-Management Program introduced this new program in June

2009. Forty-five volunteers & health service providers were trained as facilitators,

from across the Central East LHIN region.

This new workshop (developed & licensed by Stanford University, 2008) is based on

the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, but includes additional topics specific

to Diabetes management.

New topics include:

♦ Preventing low blood sugar

♦ Preventing complications

♦ The “plate method” for healthy eating

♦ Skin and foot care

♦ Sick days

Sign up today for the “Living a Healthy Life with Diabetes” workshops (or the more

general “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions” workshops) at

www.healthylifeworkshop.ca or toll free at 1 866 971 5545. (see page 13)

Stay tuned as several new sessions will be announced soon.

Margery Konan, LHIN Priority Project Manager Self-Management Training for Consumers and Caregivers

Central East Community Care Access Centre—Scarborough Branch Email: Margery.Konan@ce.ccac-ont.ca

N E W “ L I V I N G A H E A LT H Y L I F E W I T H D I A B E T E S ” S E L F - M A N A G E M E N T W O R K S H O P S U N D E R W AY

2009 “Living a Healthy Life with Diabetes”

Workshop Schedule Six sessions, once a week, 2½ hours each session

Location Workshop Dates and Times To Register

Durham DIABETES Self-Management Oshawa Community Health Cen-tre OSHAWA

Mondays Sept 14 – Oct 26 No session Oct 12th 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

www.healthylifeworkshop.ca Jennifer, Oshawa CHC 905 723 0036 ext.268

DIABETES Self-Management The Village of Taunton Mills 3800 Brock St. North WHITBY

Wednesdays Sept 16 – Oct 21 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

www.healthylifeworkshop.ca “Living a Healthy Life” Program 1 866 971 5545

Northumberland – Havelock DIABETES Self-Management Community Health Centre 99 Toronto Road PORT HOPE

Tuesdays Sept 15 – Oct 20 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.

www.healthylifeworkshop.ca Pam MacDougall, Port Hope CHC 905 885 2626

Peterborough City and County DIABETES Self-Management Towerhill Village 77 Towerhill Road PETERBOROUGH

Thursdays Oct 8 – Nov 12 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

www.healthylifeworkshop.ca “Living a Healthy Life” Program 1 866 971 5545

Scarborough DIABETES Self-Management - Family Services Toronto 747 Warden Ave. SCARBOROUGH

Tuesdays Aug 25 – Sept 29 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Registration now closed.

DIABETES Self-Management Bridlewood Library 2900 Warden Ave. SCARBOROUGH

Tuesdays Sept 15 – Oct 20 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon

www.healthylifeworkshop.ca St. Paul’s Community Services 416 493 3333 ext. 227

DIABETES Self-Management CANTONESE 3850 Sheppard Ave E, Unit 100 (Toronto CCM Centre at Agincourt Mall) SCARBOROUGH

Fridays Oct 2 – Nov 6 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Carefirst Seniors & Community Services 416 502 2323 ext. 6007

Additional workshops to be announced soon!

Brock Community Health Centre It has been a very busy summer for the Brock Community Health Centre and we would

like to start by welcoming Coleen Elm (nurse practitioner) and Jose Gomide (MD) to the

Brock CHC team.

In September, we will be launching a new program called “Craving Change”. This pro-

gram will begin with our first class starting in September. Classes will be facilitated by 2

RD’s, 3 sessions a week apart, lasting 2 hours each session. Each class will consist of 8-

10 participants as well as a support person. Highlights of this program include strategies

to assist clients with the psychological aspects of eating. This program was endorsed by

the CDA at last year’s annual CDA conference. We are very excited about this program

and will keep you updated about it as we go along.

We also have a blood pressure monitoring program where clients can borrow a home BP

monitoring machine for 2 weeks, or longer if needed, to monitor their BP. They are

taught and given written instructions on how to achieve the most accurate BP readings.

After 2 weeks, the clients values are reviewed by the diabetes team and BP values are

faxed to the client’s MD for further assessment. Clients are counseled on BP manage-

ment regarding medications and nutrition and overall cardiovascular risk reduc-

tion. The program has been running for the past 8 months and so far it has been very

successful in targeting cardiovascular risk factors with clients being started on medica-

tions for blood pressure management or having their current BP meds adjusted to reach

CDA target.

We also have an insulin adjustment where clients are assessed and followed regularly by

telephone and follow up visits as needed until the client has reached target blood sugar

management with minimal risk of for hypoglycemia. This program has been very suc-

cessful and running for the past 1.5 years with approximately 60 clients participating.

We work in consultation with GP’s and NP’s through a medical directive.

In February for Heart Month, we are planning a cardiovascular blitz. Stay tuned.

Charles H. Best Diabetes Centre We are thrilled to announce that the Best Centre will be moving later this year to a per-

manent site located in Brooklin. The site, located at Thickson and Columbus Roads, is

more central to Durham Region and to the majority of Best Centre clients. In 2000 our

current site was donated for our use rent free on a temporary basis by Saverio Montema-

rano, President of Melody Homes, and we are tremendously appreciative of his generos-

ity over the past decade! Further updates about our move will be forthcoming over the

fall and winter months.

continued on Page 15

N E W S F R O M T H E C E N T R E S

The Health Check website has been completely rebuilt with a brand new look and new

features to make it easier to navigate and provide a more compelling experience for the

user. The changes include new content, improved interactivity and functionality includ-

ing:

Enhanced search functions: 1. Grocery products searchable by category, brand or keyword

2. Restaurant menu items searchable by restaurant or keyword

3. Recipes finder by course/meal or keyword

Sections of the site for specific audiences: 1. Consumers – information about Health Check, Health Check grocery products

and restaurant menu item finders, healthy recipes, recipe makeovers by our dieti-tians, nutrition information, tips, tools and resources

2. Food manufacturers – benefits of joining, how to join, nutrient criteria, what consumers are saying, promotional opportunities, developing Health Check recipes, fees

3. Food service – benefits of joining, how to join, criteria, what consumers are say-ing, promotional opportunities, fees

4. Retailers – how it works, how to join, how to promote Health Check

5. Health professionals – how it works, how to find Health Check products, re-sources

We encourage you to visit the new site at www.healthcheck.org and let us know what

you think.

Stephanie Lawrence Manager, Communications- Health Check

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada T 613.569.4361 ext 351 F 613.569.3278

www.healthcheck.org

H E A LT H C H E C K ™ L A U N C H E S A N E W P R O D U C T O F I T S O W N

The "Walk for the Best" will be held at Heydenshore Kiwanis Park in Whitby on Sunday,

September 20th, 2009. Please consider participating in this event by walking, providing

a pledge of support, or volunteering. More information about the Walk is available on

the Best Centre website http://www.charleshbest.com/

Parents of Teens Parenting Seminar is scheduled for Thursday October 1st, 2009 at the

Oshawa Airport Golf Course Banquet Hall (1145 Thornton Road N. in Oshawa). Join us

to share your teen parenting experiences and to learn more about strategies to help raise

healthy and happy young adults. Feel free to bring a friend who also has teenage chil-

dren. Space is limited, RSVP to Tracy at 905-666-7796

N E W S F R O M T H E C E N T R E S ( C O N T . )

The Durham Region Diabetes Network (DRDN) is working together for a regionalized,

coordinated and standardized system of prevention, management, care and treatment to

meet the needs of clients living with diabetes in the Durham Region.

Vision: The Durham Region Diabetes Network vision is an adequately funded, accessible and

sustainable standardized system of excellence in prevention, care and management for

diabetes clients and their care givers.

Mission: The DRDN mission is to ensure that people with IGT, pre-diabetes, Gestational, Diabe-

tes Type 1 and 2 receive optimal support to control their disease.

More information about the DRDN can be accessed on our website:

www.durhamregiondiabetesnetwork.ca

DRDN Advisory Committee

As part of its continuing evolution, the DRDN is undertaking a process to activate an

Advisory Committee. Membership on this committee is open to those who have identi-

fied diabetes or pre-diabetes related services as one of their organization’s primary func-

tions. In order to create the Advisory Committee, the DRDN is currently seeking appli-

cants to fill 7 membership positions.

The purpose of the DRDN Advisory Committee is to provide suggestions and feedback

to the DRDN Coordinator and to assist in planning the DRDN's strategic direction. It is

anticipated that the Advisory Committee will meet 4 times per year. Specific terms of

reference for the Advisory Committee will be developed by the membership once it is

established. The DRDN Coordinator will serve as Chair and ex-offico member of this

committee with additional committee support provided by DRDN staff.

If you are interested in participating in the DRDN Advisory Committee, please submit a

statement of interest outlining your reasons for applying and explaining how your par-

ticipation will benefit the committee. Please also include a CV or resume outlining your

experience. Applications must be submitted by September 30th, 2009 and should be

addressed to:

Keri Semenko

DRDN Coordinator

c/o Lakeridge Health Corporation

47 Liberty Street S.

Bowmanville, ON L1C 2N4

C A L L F O R A P P L I C AT I O N S F O R M E M B E R S H I P O N T H E D U R H A M R E G I O N D I A B E T E S N E T W O R K A D V I S O R Y C O M M I T T E E

CPG Toolkit now available The CPG Toolkit for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes is a handy, user-

friendly desk reference that bundles 6 major themes from the 2008 Clinical Practice

Guidelines – diabetes and cardiovascular disease, footcare, organization of care, preg-

nancy and children, lifestyle and physical activity, and access to and promotion of edu-

cational services.

Every six months for the next three years, the Canadian Diabetes Association will be

sending out a key theme to healthcare professionals. The first theme, Cardiovascular

Risk Assessment and Reduction, was recently sent to approximately 40,000 healthcare

professionals in Canada.

The toolkit includes:

♦ Letter of introduction from Dr. Ian Blumer

♦ High risk tool to help healthcare professionals identify patients at risk for a vas-cular event

♦ Quick reference of selected key points on prevention and management of diabe-tes from the Association’s 2008 Clinical Practice Guidelines

♦ Cardiovascular Self-Assessment Tool to help patients identify their level of risk The toolkit can be downloaded from http://www.diabetes.ca/for-professionals/

page/1798/ or ordered through the online order desk at https://orders.diabetes.ca/cda/

find.asp?find%5Fcategory=PD.

Surgetastic extension The Association is pleased to announce we are extending the Diabetes Summer Surge

campaign (http://www.diabetessummersurge.ca/) until September 15 to provide more

opportunities for the hundreds of Canadians who are hosting or supporting a Summer

full of Surge events.

There are currently 141 fundraising events on the Summer Surge website. And there is

still time for you to get involved. You can help by donating to a Summer Surge event and

by continuing to spread the word to family and friends. You can also check out top fund-

raisers and get updates by following the Diabetes Summer Surge on Facebook and Twit-

ter.

Check out Verve – a guide to protecting your health Taking control of your health and protecting yourself from chronic disease is extremely

important. Developing healthy habits and making positive changes are within your con-

trol. To help you along the way, the Association has partnered with Dignity Memorial to

produce Verve. Recommended to the general public as a useful tool, the guide provides

health information and tips to make positive choices.

Continued on page 18

C A N A D I A N D I A B E T E S A S S O C I AT I O N U P D AT E

I M P O R TA N T D AT E S T O R E M E M B E R

September ♦ Living Well With Diabetes,

Sept 18—Oct 16, 10-11:30am, Clarington Senior Centre. For more information contact Angie Darlison 905-697-2856.

♦ Living Well With Diabetes, Sept 23—Oct 21, 2:30-4:00pm, Conant Branch of the Senior Citizens Centres. For more information contact the Oshawa Community Health Centre 905-723-0036.

October ♦ Happy

Thanksgiving ♦ 20th World Diabetes Con-

gress, October 18-22, Mont-real Canada. For more infor-mation: http://www.worlddiabetescongress.org/

♦ Diabetes Educator Course, October 26-29, Marriott Toronto Bloor Yorkville Hotel, 90 Bloor St. E., Toronto. For more information www.interprofessional. ubc.ca/diabetes_ educa-tor_toronto.htm

November ♦ Living Well With Diabe-

tes, starting November 2nd, 7-8:30pm, Pickering Public Library. For more information contact the Brenda Hartman 905-623-3331 x. 1247.

♦ Durham Diabetes Day 2009, Saturday November 7th, Cullen Central Park, Whitby. Contact Cheryl Green at events@drdn.ca

Diabetes Support Group Meetings ♦ The Oshawa Support

Group meets the first Tuesday of every month from September to June at the Upstairs at the Oshawa Loblaws on Gibb Street.

♦ The Durham West Sup-port Group meets on the last Wednesday of every month from September to June at the Pickering Pub-lic Library, 1 The Espla-nade.

♦ Launching on November 18th, join the Clarington Support Group. Meetings will be held on the third Wednesday of every month from September to June at the Clarington Secondary School, 200 Clarington Blvd.

Topics covered in the guide include:

♦ How to build healthy habits

♦ The threat of diabetes

♦ Managing stress – it can be done

♦ Top tips for nutritious choices

♦ How much physical activity is enough?

♦ When to quit … smoking! The guide is now available at http://www.diabetes.ca/about-diabetes/living/verve/.

Please share with your contacts.

C A N A D I A N D I A B E T E S A S S O C I AT I O N U P D AT E ( c o n t . )