June 201

8Prem

iere Issue

Addressing the HighRates of Chronic Disease inHastings-Prince Edward

RisingCostofFood

OurTMHMakinga FussforHealth Care

Find LocalServicesto HelpManage

YourHealth

Stretch YourFood

Budget

The magazine Who Cares provides credibleinformation to residents of Hastings & PrinceEdward counties to help them improve theirhealth and well-being and connects familycaregivers with the information, products andservices they need to manage their caregivingrole.Published by Who Cares,solely owned by Gary BuffettContributorsDavid Campbell, PhDDebbie MacDonald MoynesGary Buffett, APREdited by Susan GudmundssonGraphic Design by Fine Line Design, Stirling, ONThe magazine Who Cares is written, designed,printed and distributed in Hastings and PrinceEdward Counties. 30,000 copies are distributed through theBelleville Intelligencer, Trentonian, CommunityPress, and County Weekly News. Copies are alsoavailable at select community agencies. To joinour mailing list, contact the magazine WhoCares by mail, phone, email, or through ourwebsite listed below. To sign up to receive a digital copy, send anemail to info@whocares.care.Box 22045 Belleville Centre,Belleville ON K8N 2Z0613-403-2028www.whocares.care info@whocares.care

Publisher’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1High Rates of Chronic Diseasein Hastings County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2The High Cost of Healthy Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Stretch Your Food Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Decoding the Nutrition Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Understanding Calories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Trusted Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Staying Connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Meals on Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10RU1 Who Cares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Our THM A Grass Roots Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Ethical Issues of Medical Marijuana. . . . . . . . . . 14Make an ER Visit Less Stressful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Ontario Introduces Family Caregiver Leave . . 17Community Health Centres CareAbout Family and Community Health. . . . . . 18Making Privacy and Consent RulesWork for Family Caregivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Table of Contents

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Welcome to the magazine WhoCares.Covering 7,000 kilometers,Hastings & Prince Edward ishome to more than 150,000residents. It offers the best ofboth worlds with a uniquecombination of rural andurban living. We have accessto amazing options forphysical activity and anexcellent supply of fresh food.Yet, according to governmentstudies year after year, we alsoexperience some of thepoorest health outcomes and

highest rates of chronicdisease in Ontario.High rates of chronic diseasealso increase family caregiverburdens. There are threemillion informal familycaregivers in Ontario. That isone out of every three of us.According to Health QualityOntario's 2017 Measuring Upreport on the state of healthcare, caregivers are strugglingand need information,products and services to helpthem manage their caregivingduties.Improving health outcomesfor our community willrequire partnerships betweenindividuals, governments andbusiness to createopportunities for healthiercommunities. In the magazineWho Cares you will findinformation about productsand services offered byindividuals, governments, andbusinesses to help youmanage well-being and enjoylife to the fullest.Why the fingerprint? The

fingerprint represents theseven billion of us who sharethe planet and all have ourvery own fingerprint. Thefingerprint is unique just as youand I, and we all leave our printon the world in some way.The fingerprint alsorepresents print media. Printis not dead. It is alive and welland the magazine Who Cares isproud to join the ranks ofmany successful magazinespublished locally. Traditionalmedia sets the public agendaand exerts huge influence onpublic policy. It is my hopethat by discussing the issuesand seeking solutions, themagazine Who Cares willinfluence the health of thiscommunity. I hope you will find theinformation printed in themagazine Who Careseducational and inspirationaland that it will help you to beone who cares. Take care,Gary Buffett, Publisherthe magazine Who Cares

Publisher’s MessagePh

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According to the ChronicDisease Prevention Alliance ofCanada, the four mostprevalent chronic diseases inCanada are cardiovasculardisease, cancer, diabetes andchronic respiratory diseases.According to statistics, itappears that Hastings PrinceEdward (HPE) residents havehigher rates of these diseasescompared to Ontario.It is estimated that 40 percentof cancers and 80 percent oftype 2 diabetes andrespiratory disease arepreventable by eliminatingfour risk factors: poornutrition; lack of physicalactivity; smoking; and harmfuluse of alcohol. While it is encouraging thatchronic disease may beprevented, residents in thisregion engage in more of thesehigh risk behaviours than theprovincial average. Forexample: 40% of HPEresidents did not meetCanada's Food Guiderecommendations forvegetables and fruitconsumption; 68% areoverweight or obesecompared to 61% ofOntarians; 28% are smokerscompared to 19%provincially; and 44% of HPEadults exceeded the Low-RiskAlcohol Drinking Guidelines.

"Year after year trends areimproving in a number ofchronic diseases and thebehaviours that maycontribute to them," said Dr.Piotr Oglaza, Acting MedicalOfficer of Health at HastingsPrince Edward Public Health."However, we are still aboveprovincial rates in somemeasures. For example, fewerpeople are smoking but westill have a higher percentageof smokers than other parts ofOntario.

"We need to use this datacarefully and we must becareful not to put blame onindividuals for their choicesbecause there are many layersto these complex issues," saysDr. Oglaza. "Health promotionis the process of enablingpeople to increase controlover, and to improve, theirhealth. It moves beyond a

focus on individual behaviourtowards a wide range of socialand environmentalinterventions."Many places in HPE arephysically isolated, and as aresult many people commuteby car. People traveling by carare not profiting from thehealth benefits associatedwith biking or walking, andare at a higher risk ofcardiovascular disease.Isolation also influencesnutrition and access to food.In a large rural populationsome residents may not beable to get to a grocery storeto buy fresh food on a regularbasis. You must also factor inthe rising cost of nutritiousfood in an area where manypeople live in low incomehouseholds. Income is one of the bestpredictors of health. HPEexperiences slightly higherrates of low incomehouseholds (14.8%)compared to Ontario (13.9%).Even when working, factorslike part-time employment,lack of benefits, and lack of jobsecurity can make it hard forpeople to afford healthy food. "How much choice do peoplehave if they cannot easilyaccess a grocery store orcannot afford nutritiousfood?" asks Dr. Oglaza. "Health

High Rates of Chronic Disease

"How muchchoice do peoplehave if theycannot easilyaccess a grocerystore or cannotaffordnutritiousfood?"

Chronic disease prevention is everyone's business.

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promotion is complex and demands coordinatedaction by governments, health and other social andeconomic sectors, non-government andvoluntary organizations, industry and themedia."Individuals can also take action bylearning, supporting and advocatingfor change. 1Learn about the rootcauses of foodinsecurity and itsimpact on health or joinand participate in alocal food security orpoverty reductionnetwork. 2Supportlocalfarmersand vendorsand/ordonate time,food ormoney tolocal foodinitiatives such asthe good food box,community gardens, community foodcentres, and meal programs. 3Advocate for a national food policy that ensuresequal access to safe and nutritious food for allCanadians. Write to your local, provincial, andfederal government about equitable wages, socialassistance rates, annual guaranteed income andaffordable housing. Health is a responsibility and each of us has a role toplay in improving the health of our community.

In Hastings-Prince Edward

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Every May, dietitians fromHastings Prince EdwardPublic Health find the lowestprice for 67 basic food itemsat eight grocery stores acrossboth counties. These itemsmake up what is called theNutritious Food Basket. Theitems included meetrecommendations fromCanada’s Food Guide and donot include prepared foods orhousehold non-food itemssuch as toilet paper. This data is used to calculatethe cost of one week’s worthof healthy groceries for 22different age and gendergroups, and a standard familyof four. In 2017, the monthlycost of groceries for a family of

four in Hastings and PrinceEdward was $839. A family offour spent 41.1% more in2017 than they did for thesame groceries in 2008.Studies show that whenmoney is tight, healthy food isone of the first things to be cutin order to pay rent and otherbills. In order to save money,people may skip meals, eatfewer vegetables and fruit,drink less milk, and fill-up onhigh-calorie low-nutrientfoods because they are cheap. Eating well helps you feel yourbest each day. Healthy eatingcan help to prevent or manageheart disease, diabetes,osteoporosis and somecancers.

The High Costof Healthy Food

Access Free or Low CostMeals in Your CommunityIt has been said that the jurisdiction thatcannot feed its people is at the mercy ofwhoever can. Thankfully, there are manygroups who care about ensuring we haveaccess to food so people in our community donot have to be hungry or malnourished.The Food Access Guide for Hastings & PrinceEdward Counties provides information aboutfree or low cost food and meal programs andservices in Hastings and Prince EdwardCounties.

Belleville Meal ProgramsEastminster United Church(Free Hot Meal)432 Bridge St. East 613-969-5212 Wednesdays 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Salvation Army(Free Soup, Salad, or Sandwiches)295 Pinnacle St. 613-968-6834 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Bridge Street United Church(Free Frozen Dinners) 613-962-9178 Delivered Fridays

St Matthew's United Church(Free Lunch)25 Holloway St. 613-967-1511 ext. 4 Tuesdays at 12:30

Michelangelo's Cafe - Gleaners Food Bank25 Wallbridge Crescent 613-962-9043

Salvation Army Food Bank295 Pinnacle St. 613-968-6834

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What is the Good Food Box?Established in 1995, the GoodFood Box Program providesfresh, healthy and nutritiousfruits and vegetables tohundreds of individuals andfamilies each year. In 2017over 14,000 boxes were soldto over 2,056 individuals. Fora nominal fee, participants payfor a Good Food Box in thefirst week of the month. Thebox is packed through ourmain office located inBelleville and shipped todepots throughout Hastings &Prince Edward Counties.Delivered during the thirdweek of the month, the GoodFood Box helps familiesstretch their food dollar,reduce their food costs andmeet the nutritional needs ofthemselves and familymembers. How do I Participate?To place your order and pay atyour nearest depot (contactyour nearest depot to inquireabout payment options,see websitewww.cdcquinte.com forcomplete list of depots).Boxes are picked up onthe third Wednesday ofthe month.

How much does it cost?There are three options tochoose from:$15.00 Large Good Food Box haslarger amounts of fresh fruitsand vegetables and is suitablefor households of three ormore people.$10.00 Small Good Food Box hassmaller amounts of freshfruits and vegetables and issuitable for households of oneor two people.$5.00 Fruit Bag has a selectionof various fruits and is a great“add on” to one of the boxes oron its own!What is in the box?The contents of the boxchanges each month accordingto what is in season and whatdeals are available.

Can Anyone Participate?Yes! Anyone can buy a GoodFood Box and there are nolimits to how many you canbuy!How much money can I save?We compared the price of the$15.00 Large Good Food Boxat three Belleville grocerystores. The average retail costof the large box was $33.57.We compared the price of thesame box at a rural grocerystore and the cost was $40.30.For more information contactthe Community DevelopmentCouncil of Quinte at613-968-2466 or visit themon-line at www.cdcquinte.com.

Stretch Your Food BudgetWith The Good Food Box

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Quinte West Meal ProgramsSalvation Army(Free Lunch)244 Dundas St. East 613-392-9905 Monday - Thursday 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church(Free Hot Meal)16 Marmora Street, Trenton 613-392-1300Last Friday of the month 11:30 am.-1:00 p.m.

Trenton United Church(Free Hot Lunch)85 Dundas Street East, Trenton 613-392-60011st and 3rd Friday 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Foundations for Youth(Free Hot Meals for Youth)50 Elgin Street, Trenton 613-242-1125Wednesday 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.Friday 6:30 p.m.-11:00 p.m.

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 110(Free Breakfast Program)19 Quinte Street, Trenton 613-392-0331Every other Sunday

New Beginnings Support Centre($1 Hot Lunch)76 Dundas St. West, Trenton 613-394-3449 Monday - Friday noon to 1:00 p.m.

Care and Share Food Bank38 Guelph Street, Trenton 613-394-5551

Frankford Food PantryThrough Trenton Care & Share149 King Drive, Frankford 613-398-7681

Salvation Army Food Bank244 Dundas Street East, Trenton613-392-9905

Many Canadians use thenutrition label to find outabout the amount of caloriesor nutrients found in a certainfood. The nutrition label hasplenty of information to helpyou make healthy choices atthe grocery store. Thenutrition label includes theNutrition Facts Table, theingredient list as well as thehealth claims and nutrientcontent claims, both useful tools. A health claim is a statementabout a food and what it coulddo for your health when eatenas part of a healthy diet. Foodsthat have health claims mayhelp lower the risk of certaindiseases like cancer, heartdisease, stroke andosteoporosis. Choosing foodswith health claims may helpyou lower your risk of thesediseases when used as part ofan overall healthy and wellbalanced diet.All foods with health claimsmust meet certain criteria setby Health Canada. Thisensures that all health claimsare true and accurate. Somefoods may not have a healthclaim even though they maymeet the criteria. This may bebecause they are notprepackaged such as freshfruit and vegetables, orbecause some food companiesdecide not to use healthclaims. That is why it is

important to also read theNutrition Facts Table andfollow Canada’s Food Guide tohelp make the best decisionsabout which foods to buy. What is a nutrient content claim?A nutrient content claim isdifferent than a health claim.It is a statement about theamount of nutrient found in afood. Nutrient content claimshelp you to consume more orless of a certain nutrient. Theymust be true and accurate,just like health claims.Choosing foods with nutrientcontent claims will help youget more of certain nutrientslike calcium and fibre and lessof other nutrients such assodium and sugar. Article reprinted from UnlockFood.ca.

UnlockFood.ca (formerlyEatRightOntario.ca) is a bilingual,award winning website brought to youby Dieticians of Canada. You’ll findinformation on nutrition, food andhealthy eating as well as recipes,videos and interactive healthy eatingtools. The content is written andreviewed by dieticians using thetrusted information in thePractice-based Evidence in Nutrition(PEN) database.

The content on UnlockFood.ca focuseson healthy eating through the lifecycle(from infants to seniors) as well aschronic disease prevention. Popularcontent includes diabetes, infantfeeding, digestive concerns, weightmanagement and heart disease. Thereare also useful resources on cooking,shopping, meal planning, picky eatingand more.

Decoding The Nutrition Label:Health Claims and

Nutrient Content Claims

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All food-service chains with 20 or more locations in Ontario mustpost the number of calories in the food and drink items they sell. Nutritional information, including calories, is already availableon the labels of many items we buy at the grocery store. Ofcourse, we also buy food when we’re out and about. That’s whyinformation about calories is now available on menus inrestaurants and other food service businesses. You’ll see thenumber of calories posted at places such as: fast-foodrestaurants, restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, grocery stores,and movie theatres.We need energy every day to fuel our basic body functions andphysical activity. We eat and drink to get this energy, which ismeasured in calories. Knowing how many calories are in our foodand drinks is part of getting the right amount of energy we needevery day.The number of calories you need is based on your age, genderand level of activity. However, on average, adults and youth (ages13 and older) need 2,000 calories a day, and children (ages 4 to12) need 1,500 calories a day. However, it’s important toremember that your individual needs may vary.Different types of food (e.g. fruits and vegetables, grains, meatand alternatives) give you different amounts of calories. It’simportant to get the right amount of calories from each type offood.Understanding calories can help you and your family makeinformed choices and discuss healthy options when you’regetting takeout, stopping for a treat or eating out a restaurant.Calories = energyYou need to eat different types of food to get certain nutrients. It’sthe same with calories. Even when you’re sleeping your body usescalories to fuel your heart, brain and lungs. Generally, you useabout:• 100 calories walking for 30 minutes• 160 calories shovelling snow for 30 minutes• 250 calories running for 30 minutes

Central Hastings Meal ProgramsFoundations Youth Centre(Free Hot Meals for Youth)76 Durham Street, Madoc 613-242-1125

Foundations Youth Centre(Free Hot Meals for Youth)300 Victoria Street North, Tweed613-242-1125 Email via websitewww.sandamianofoundation.ca

Helping Hands Food Bank151 St. Lawrence Street East, Madoc613-473-9035

Helping Hands Food Bank37 Forsyth Street, Marmora(Library basement) 613-472-3594

Salvation Army Food Bank224 Metcalf Street, Tweed 613-478-3375

Prince Edward Meal ProgramsSalvation Army (Free Lunch)46 Elizabeth Street, Picton Church Hall613-476-3159Last Wednesday of the month 12 p.m.

St. Andrew's Anglican Church Parish Hall(Hot Meal) 244 Main Street, Wellington613-399-30823rd Wednesday of every month

Food Not Bombs (Free Meals)Picton Town Hall, 2 Ross Street 613-476-9141Summer-1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month5:30pm-7:00 p.m. November–June 3rd Wednesday of the month5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Friendship United Church Pot Luck Supper2765 County Road 5, Demorestville613-403-4742Last Tuesday of the month 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Picton United Church County Food Bank12 Chapel Street, Picton 613-476-8516 or613-476-6050

Salvation Army Food Bank46 Elizabeth Street, Picton 613-476-3159

Storehouse Wellington & District Food Bank305 Niles Street, Wellington PentecostalChurch basement 613-399-1450 or613-399-1482

UnderstandingCalories

Make informed decisions withinformation from these trusted sourcesFinding reliable information can be a challenge. There is somuch available that it is hard to know what you can believe andtrust. We are fortunate to have some up-to-date and trustworthysources of information available in Hastings Prince Edward.

Southeasthealthline.ca is an innovative resource website,providing consumers and health care providers with accurateand up-to-date information about health services in Hastingsand Prince Edward. SouthEasthealthline.ca provides easy accessto a reliable source of data, and empowers users to find theservices they need close to home. This free public service isfunded by the South East Local Health Integration Network(LHIN) and is an excellent resource for local information listingthousands of services and events. Southeasthealthline.ca is thego-to information and referral source used by the health systemand it is also accessible, free of charge, to the public. Visitwww.Southeasthealthline.ca or call 310-2222 (no area coderequired).

The Volunteer and Information Centre of Hastings and PrinceEdward is a trusted information centre connecting people to theright information to navigate complex networks of humanservices and organizations. Visit the Volunteer and InformationCentre on-line database of community and social services atwww.viq.ca.

VIQ’s Community Key is a printed reference book containinginformation from the on-line data base. You can purchase a copyof this comprehensive book for $40. Phone: 613-969-8862Toll Free: 1-866-340-0899.

211's award winning telephone helpline and website provide agateway to community, social, non-clinical health and relatedgovernment services. 211 is available 24 hours a day, sevendays a week in over 150 languages.

Ontario.ca can provide help navigating Ontario's health caresystem and connecting with the programs or services you'relooking for. Get fast, free, general medical advice from Telehealth Ontario:Toll-free: 1-866-797-0000ConnexOntario maintains an a database of detailed drug,alcohol, problem gambling, and mental health serviceinformation.• Drug and Alcohol Helpline 1-800-565-8603• Mental Health Helpline 1-866-531-2600• Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline 1-888-230-3505

Neil Ellis, MPBay of Quinte

613-969-3300www.nellis.liberal.ca

Neil E

.nellis.liberal.ca

Bay of Quinte

100 Station Street

www613-969-3300.nellis.liberal.ca

llis, MP , Bay of Quinte

100 Station Street

613-969-3300

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The food is scrumptious, dessert is heavenly,and the conversation is even better. This iswhat you’ll encounter at a congregate diningevent held by your local Community SupportServices (CSS) agency.Attending such an event recently I met a couple,looking to be in their 70’s, who shared that he’s90 and she’s 87. Another woman told me thatshe walks regularly to keep active and likes tohave a full social calendar. She shared that she’s89. There were smiles all around. People wereenjoying each other’s company and engaging inlively conversation.The social interaction is key. According to thePublic Health Agency of Canada “socialconnectedness has a positive effect on health.People who remain actively engaged in life andconnected to those around them are generallyhappier, in better physical and mental health,and more empowered to cope effectively withchange and life transitions.”When you go to a restaurant you’re not likelygoing to sit with someone else and engage in alively conversation the way you will when youattend a congregate dining event. Coming tothese activities is a great way to remain

connected withothers – to meetyour friends andneighbours and evento make new friends. Plan to find outabout where andwhen the next suchevent will be held in your community. Attendfor the food, however the even greateradvantage is food for your life -- positive socialinteraction that will benefit you greatly as youage. Perhaps you’ll be that person in their late80’s or 90’s enjoying life, engaged, connected,and happy. Come for the food, enjoy theconversation, you’ll be healthier for it.

Staying ConnectedArticle by Debbie MacDonald Moynes

Debbie MacDonald Moynes is Executive Directorof The Prince Edward County Community Care for

Seniors Association.Community Care is located at 74A King Street in

Picton,call 613-476-7493, email

debbie.moynes@communitycareforseniors.orgvisit our website at

www.communitycareforseniors.orgor our Facebook page at

www.facebook.com/communitycareforseniors

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Imagine a carefully screened volunteer walkingup to the door of your home carrying a wickerbasket and inside the basket is a hot meal foryou to enjoy. Think of the comfort that this mealand the volunteer can bring to the senior whoaccepts it at the door. It doesn’t matter why you need support.Perhaps you don’t feel like preparing a meal, orthere’s stiffness in your hands that creates

issues when preparing food. Maybe a chronicdisease requires a special diet and preparingthat meal is just too difficult.This is where your local Community SupportServices (CSS) agency comes in. We want you toknow that these meals aren’t just for otherseniors. Maybe these meals are for you. A senioronce said to me “I used to deliver Meals onWheels to other people but I didn’t think to askfor them for myself when I got older."

Meals on Wheels: Not

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Think about this carefully. It would be quiteunfortunate if just a little bit of help was neededbut wasn’t asked for. Seniors who fall into that“tea and toast” routine can become weak,sometimes they fall. Falls are the fourth leadingcause of death for seniors age 65 and over. The frozen meals can be ordered in advance andkept on hand to have just in case you’re having adown day, or a day when a chronic disease hasflared up and meal preparation is out of thequestion. You can choose your favourites from amenu of over 50 frozen entrees. These frozenmeals are low in sodium and preparedespecially for seniors. Special diets such asdiabetic or gluten free are available. The mealsare delivered regularly. There’s no limit to thenumber of meals, desserts, soups and evenbreakfasts that a person can order. The local agency can arrange to have hot mealsdelivered right to the door of seniors. The briefvisit from the volunteer is also a security checkbecause if the senior doesn’t come to the door afollow up is always undertaken by office staff. Volunteers deliver meals rain or shine, throughsleet and snow, 365 days of the year. Did youknow that volunteers live longer, healthier,happier lives? Studies prove this. Helping othershelps you.You may refer someone who needs meals or youcan call to receive the meals yourself. Call yourlocal Community Support Services agency today.This column was written by Debbie MacDonaldMoynes, Executive Director of The PrinceEdward County Community Care for SeniorsAssociation.

Community Care for Central Hastings108 Russell St Madoc 613-473-9009Community Care for South Hastings - CCSH Belleville OfficeBayview Mall 470 Dundas St E, Belleville613-969-0130Deseronto Office293 Main St., Deseronto 613-396-6591Prince Edward County Community Care forSeniors Association 74 King St., Unit A, Picton613-476-7493VON Community Support Services - Quinte West80 Division St., Trenton 613-392-4181CARE North Hastings1 Manor Lane, Bancroft, ON 613-332-4700

just for “those other seniors”

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There are now dozens of Men,Women and People Who Careorganizations across Ontario,and our region is wellrepresented. The Who Caresmodel (not related in any wayto the magazine WhoCares) is based on theconcept of simplicity -minimum input and maximumimpact. The groups areinformal, unregistered andhave no board, no chair, notreasurer, no bank account, norevenue and no expenditures.Each member commits todonating $100 per meetingand is allowed to nominate aregistered charity and, ifcalled upon, be able to speakon its behalf. Three charitiesare pulled from a hat and theirchampions given a fewminutes each to speak.Meetings are diligentlyconducted in one hour or less.In that time approximately$10,000 is generated for alocal charity. The 100+ Men Who CareQuinte mission is to bringtogether 100+ men from theQuinte region who care aboutlocal community causes, andare committed to communityservice. Their goal is to collectand give away $10,000+ eachquarter to allow the selectedcharity to do something ofsignificant impact that couldnot otherwise have been donewithout the support of 100+

Men Who Care Quinte. So far,they have raised $155,000.00worth of caring for thecommunity. To learn moreabout the 100+ Men Who CareQuinte, visit them online at100menwhocarequinte.com.100+ Women Who CareQuinte is dedicated tosupporting the non-profit andcharitable organizations inour community. At just onemeeting, 100+ individualcommitments turn into aminimum $10,000 donationfor a worthy cause in Quinteand the surrounding area. Do

that four times a year andwitness how over $40,000 canimprove the lives of ourneighbours when placed inthe hands of those working toserve our community. To date,the group has raised$153,575.00. For moreinformation visitwww.100womenquinte.com.100 People Who Care PEC, is aPrince Edward County basedclub, comprised of 100 menand women who havecommitted to donate money insupport of mutually agreedupon local charitableorganizations. Formembership information,contact100peoplewhocarepec@gmail.com.We are fortunate to have threegroups Who Care helping tomake Hastings Prince Edwarda better place to live and grow.That is more than 300individuals sharing a bit oftheir time and money toimprove the lives of thousandsin our communities. There isalways room for more WhoCare. Consider this yourinvitation to join the club thatis most relevant to you. Theywould be glad to hear fromyou, and you will be glad, too.

RU1 Who Cares+?

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Our tmh A Grass Roots GroupWho CaresIn 2015 when plans were announced to reduce EmergencyDepartment hours at Trenton Memorial Hospital, Frank Barry,Mike Cowan and Betty Clost began canvassing friends andneighbours to create a grass roots organization and create a fussto fight reductions to services at their hospital. "We were notsure what we were going to do, but we knew we had to dosomething," said founding member Betty Clost. "Over 700 peopleshowed up for our first rally in March 2015 and Our TMH is nowa group of more than 20,000 concerned citizens advocating forthe preservation, protection and enhancement of services atTrenton Memorial Hospital."Memberships are free and the group does not solicit funds frommembers. The membership list is used to demonstrate supportfor the local hospital and to inform members of advocacyopportunities."People are passionate about their hospital," said Clost. "They seeall the great work being done by hospital staff and they see theneed to protect, preserve and enhance hospital services. Anyreductions in services are unacceptable and through respectfuladvocacy we are at the table discussing the issues with decisionmakers. It is better to talk about the issues and present ourviewpoint through meaningful discussion. However, we haveclearly demonstrated our ability to rally strong communitysupport and make a fuss that cannot be ignored."On a local radio talk show, referencing Our TMH, former Ministerof Health and Long-Term Care Eric Hoskins recently said "Iencourage the local community to keep up the strong advocacy.Community support in this area is among the strongest inOntario and it makes a difference."Looking ahead, Our TMH continues to work with the TMHFoundation on physician recruitment and retention. Otherpriorities include addressing a funding formula change for a fourtier hospital funded as one, creating a dialysis unit and a VeteransCentre in Trenton. Trenton Memorial Hospital has spaceavailable to establish a wing dedicated to the care of veterans andother elderly people requiring specialized services. It would besupported by family doctors with support from hospital staffspecialists in conventional, geriatric and palliative care.To learn more about these issues or to obtain a free membership,visit Our TMH online at www.ourtmh.com.

“We have clearlydemonstrated ourability to rallystrong communitysupport and makea fuss that cannotbe ignored.”

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Medical marijuana is acontroversial topic which willonly become morecontroversial as recreationalmarijuana becomes legal laterthis year.The biggest ethicalcontroversies concerningmedical marijuana are basedupon two competingviewpoints: whether medicalmarijuana is truly a safe,effective medication whichdoctors should berecommending, or whethermedical marijuana is indeedan effective legitimatemedication which should beoffered to more patients but isnot because of the prejudice

and stigma against marijuana.The irony over the centralcontroversy surroundingmedical marijuana, namelywhether it is harmful or thebias against it is moreharmful, is that because of thebias against medicalmarijuana, we simply do nothave enough concreteevidence to support one sideof the argument over theother. Due to discomfort aroundconducting clinical trials overthe value of medicalmarijuana, we don't haveenough data to confirm thatmedical marijuana is truly asafe and effective method of

alleviating certain symptomsand ailments such as chronicpain, anxiety, sleeplessness,and lack of appetite. Currentlywe are uncertain what theideal amount which should beprescribed is, or what thepossible long-term side effectscould be. For now we have torely on limited studies andtestimony of patients whoreport that medical marijuananot only helps alleviate theseailments, in some cases theyare the only treatment whichtruly alleviates them. The problem with only ormostly relying on patienttestimony is the placeboeffect. Some patients report

Ethical Issuesof Medical Marijuana

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that all manner ofnon-evidence basedtreatments, everything whichfits under the umbrella ofnaturopathy to prayer andfaith based spiritual healing,can alleviate or curesymptoms or illnesses.However, these claims aresimply not verified throughobjective clinical trials. Untilthe bias against medicalmarijuana decreases and weare able to have more studieson the benefits and harms ofmedical marijuana, we won'tbe certain if it should becomea standard medication orremain as an experimentaland controversial treatmenton the fringes of mainstreammedicine.That being said, there doesseem to be evidence thatmedical marijuana can beeffective means of treatingcertain symptoms, and whenit comes to cancer patientswho have unmanageable pain,and considering that manypain medications, such asopioids, have considerableside effects and can lead toaddictions, medical marijuanamight be the less harmfuloption. Considering how manypeople become addicted toprescription medications

every year, the fear of the oddpatient becoming addicted tomedical marijuana seemsexaggerated and overstated. The fear that some patientsmight be seeking medicalmarijuana just to “get high” isalso exaggerated, as theseindividuals could simply seekout recreational marijuana,which is much more potent,cheaper, and easier to accessthan medical marijuana.While the ethical issues ofmedical marijuana andrecreational marijuana areand should be separated,there is an important questionwhich the legalization ofrecreational marijuana has onmedical marijuana. Namely,once recreational marijuana islegalized, will medicalmarijuana become subsidizedand covered by OHIP like mostother medications? And if not,on what grounds other thanongoing bias against medicalmarijuana and those who usemedical marijuana? On thebasis of fairness and equity,medical marijuana should becovered by OHIP as soon aswe are absolutely certain thatit works and that its benefitsoutweigh its risks, just like anyother medication.

For now it seems as if thepotential benefits of medicalmarijuana outweigh thepotential harms and risks.However, we shouldn'tover-exaggerate the risks orbenefits of medical marijuana.It is hardly a benign wonderdrug and does have risks andside effects, but for somepatients it seems to work.What we need is less bias andmore science, as science isultimately the best antidote tocure any bias.

David Campbell, PhD, is anEthicist at Kingston HealthSciences Centre

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Create a Cheat Sheet. It's difficult to remember all themedications and other information during an emergencysituation. Before a crisis occurs, prepare a document with allcurrent medications, dosage and dispense times, and any knownallergies. Include insurance information, date of birth, and OHIPnumber. Emergency contacts should be listed as well as primaryand specialty doctors.Pack a Bag. The "just in case" bag might already be packed foryour loved one; if not, prepare one now, before it's needed. Extraclothes, protective briefs, wipes, gloves, socks, and undergarmentsare among the items to have ready to go. It's also helpful to have aspare set of reading glasses, toothbrush and toothpaste, pens, anda favorite book or magazine. Sometimes it's a long wait in the ER.Pack Another Bag. This bag is for the caregiver. Aside from achange of clothes for those ER visits that turn into overnightexcursions, toothbrush and toothpaste are essential, as are anymedications the caregiver needs and an extra phone charger isalso a good idea. Bring Along the Medications. Emergency rooms can be chaotic,and the wait can be long. It's important to bring along anyregular medications in case it gets to be time to take them andyour loved one hasn't yet seen a doctor. Prepare to Advocate. Caregivers know what's "normal" for theirloved ones. It's important to share as much information aboutthe situation as possible with the medical professionals. Mostlikely the ER doctor is seeing the patient for the very first time. Ifthe doctors or nurses aren't listening or are going in a directionthat doesn't seem to fit with what you know about your lovedone, it's time to speak up. In order to get the best results whenadvocating, be polite yet firm, and be as cooperative as possible.Pack Your Patience. A trip to the emergency room means a healthcrisis and a lot of uncertainty. It's important to remain calm andpatient even when people (seemingly not as sick as your lovedone) are being seen first or the waiting room is overflowing.Remember the person in the next seat over is probably just asstressed and worried. Take a quick walk outside or to thecafeteria if the stress gets to be too much.

Life as a caregiver occasionally involves a trip to the emergency room. When you arrive in theemergency room, you will visit the Triage Nurse who will rate the severity of your condition. If yourcondition is non-urgent that's good news of course, but it does mean you will be waiting longer thansomeone that comes in with a more life threatening condition.

How To Make An ER VisitMuch Less Stressful

ways to preparefor theinevitable emergencyroom visit.

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Family caregiver leave may be taken to providecare or support to certain family members forwhom a qualified health practitioner has issueda certificate stating that they have a seriousmedical condition.All employees, whether full-time, part-time,permanent, or term contract, who are coveredby the Employment Standards Act, may be

entitled to family caregiver leave. There is norequirement that an employee be employed fora particular length of time, or that the employeremploy a specific number of employees for theemployee to qualify for family caregiver leave.A family caregiver leave can last up to eightweeks per calendar year for each specifiedfamily member. The eight weeks can be takenconsecutively or separately.

The specified family members for whom a family caregiver leave may be taken are:• the employee’s spouse (including same-sex spouse)• a parent, step-parent or foster parent of the employee or the employee’s spouse• a child, step-child or foster child of the employee or the employee’s spouse• a grandparent or step-grandparent of the employee or the employee’s spouse• a grandchild or step-grandchild of the employee or the employee’s spouse• a spouse of a child of the employee• a brother or sister of the employee• a relative of the employee who is dependent on the employee for care or assistance.The specified family members do not have to live in Ontario for the employee to be eligible forfamily caregiver leave. To learn more about family caregiver leave, visit Ontario.ca.

Ontario IntroducesFamily Caregiver Leave

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Ontario’s Community HealthCentres (CHCs) are your bestdefense in chronic diseaseprevention and management.CHCs are all about keepingpeople well and keepingcommunities healthy. Theyprovide primarycare serviceswith anemphasison

health promotion and diseaseprevention. They work withlocal residents to build thecapacity of the community toimprove its general health. Typical CHC teams includephysicians, nurse

practitioners, nurses, socialworkers, health promoters,community health workersand often chiropodists,nutritionists or dieticians. The Belleville and Quinte WestCHC operates in two locations:one in Belleville and theother in Quinte West.The centre’sclients includeyoung

Community Health Centres careabout family and community health

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families, working singles andfamilies; single mothers,youth, seniors, newcomers,people living in poverty, andpeople struggling with mentalhealth and addictionschallenges. Everyone iswelcome and the Centre paysparticular attention to thosewho experience difficultyaccessing health care andstruggle with physical,psychological and emotionalwellbeing and a sense ofbelonging in their community.

You don’t have to have a familydoctor or Nurse Practitionerat the Centre to participate inmany of its programs andservices. They offer a widerange of free group programsand services to everyone toimprove health andwell-being, and they helpconnect people to communityresources like financial, legaland housing assistance; childand family services; GoodFood Box and Good Baby Boxprograms, to name a few. Theyalso have a not-for-profit fulltime emergency dental clinicavailable to those who haveminimal coverage throughOntario Works (OW), OntarioDisability Support Program(ODSP), Healthy Smiles orhave no dental coverage orvery low income. Their 6-weekself-management workshophelps people living with orcaring for someone with achronic condition to bettermanage their symptoms.Chronic conditions caninclude diabetes, arthritis,heart disease, lung disease,depression or other ongoinghealth issues.The workshop covers a rangeof subjects including:• Dealing with the emotional,physical and social aspects ofliving with a chronic condition• Managing symptoms andmedications, and treatingside-effects• Improving communicationwith health care teammembers• Leading a healthy lifestyle,managing stress, making

action plans and setting goals.People of all stages in lifebenefit from good nutritionand physical activity. Groupprograms include:understanding nutrition andgrocery shopping, weightmanagement, indoor andoutdoor walking, and seatedexercise. Also, communityresource workers can helpindividuals and familiesneeding support or advocacyaround day to day challengessuch as:• Completing forms andapplications• Finding out or accessingOntario Works or OntarioDisability Programs• Information on local foodbanks, resources, social clubsand supports• Where to turn for legalissues, and child and familyservices• How to get involved ineducation, training orcommunity programsOntario's Community HealthCentres work to create betterhealth for all. To learn moreabout the services available inyour community, reach out tothe centre nearest you.Belleville161 Bridge St. WestPhone 613-962-0000Toll-free 855-252-2747Trenton70 Murphy St.Phone 613-965-0698Toll-free 855-252-2747www.bqwchc.com| 19

Making Privacy and Consent RulesWork for Family Caregivers The Change Foundation developed Making

Privacy and Consent Rules Work For FamilyCaregivers to help family caregivers and careproviders better understand consent andprivacy legislation.The document focuses on two pieces of Ontariolegislation: The Health Care Consent Act, 1996(HCCA) sets out rules for consent, capacity andsubstitute decision-making. The Personal HealthInformation Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA)enshrines privacy as a fundamental right for allOntarians. A caregiver’s access to the patient’s personalhealth information requires patient consent.This could involve access to the actual healthrecords, or it may also give the caregiver the

ability to participate in discussions with theprovider about the patient’s care, giving andreceiving information.

Key points for caregivers• It is reasonable for a caregiver to ask thepatient to consent to the provider sharingpersonal health information with the caregiver. • Caregivers should ask the provider for acopy of their written consent or Release ofInformation form for the patient to sign, or askthe provider to document the patient’s consentin the health record and make sure that theprovider’s staff is aware of the documentedconsent. • Even when the patient has consented thattheir information can be shared, somecaregivers still struggle to get timelyinformation from providers. Sometimesproviders need reminders that they arepermitted to share certain information withcaregivers based on the consent the patient hasgiven.• If a provider refuses to give a patient theright of access to the patient’s own healthrecord, or refuses to disclose it to a caregiverwith the patient’s consent, the provider mayalso need to be reminded of their duties underPHIPA. Specifically, the courts (and now PHIPA)have clearly stated that personal healthinformation belongs to the patient and is held intrust for the patient by the provider, eventhough the physical (paper or electronic)records belong to the provider. It is only in verylimited circumstances that this right of access tothe health record can be denied by the provider.

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Even when the patient hasconsented that their informationcan be shared, some caregiversstill struggle to get timelyinformation from providers

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Key points for providersFor the caregiver to fully understand theirrights to participate in someone else’s healthcare appointments, have access to and sharetheir health information, it’s important tounderstand the perspective of the provider.These points help to clarify the obligations ofthe provider in receiving information fromcaregivers, as well as sharing with caregivers. • Providers may face situations where acaregiver comes with a patient to anappointment and the provider is unsurewhether the patient wants the caregiver to bepresent for the sharing of information. If theprovider has concerns that the patient isuncomfortable in this situation, the providershould pause and have a conversation only withthe patient to clarify whether the patient givesconsent for information to be shared with, orcollected from, the caregiver. This may includeasking the caregiver to leave the room for thisconversation.

• Providers should train their staff to askpatients, periodically throughout their care, ifthere is anyone the provider is allowed to sharetheir personal health information with, eitherverbally or by sharing the actual health records. • A provider is allowed to establishtimeframes and procedures, in accordance withPHIPA, about granting access to records, as wellas to charge reasonable fees for providingcopies of health records. PHIPA also createsspecial rules related to a patient’s request tocorrect information in the health record.Family caregivers spend an enormous amountof time, effort and resources supportingpatients and helping them navigate their healthcare options and decisions. Supporting thepatient in making decisions is dependent on theavailability of reliable personal healthinformation.To learn more, visit the Family Caregiversection at www.changefoundation.ca.

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• Health, fitness and recreational activities• Housing, retirement and nursing homes• Home support• Safety and Fraud• Travel• Health & Beauty• Service Clubs• Seminars & Demonstrations• Complimentary Light Refreshments