Sun Country News

Re-creating history

Some of the facilities at Sun Country Health Region offered a special luncheon menu on April 12, the last day the Titanic served lunch 100 years ago. Wes Lonoway, Area Manager of Nutrition Services, organized the same lunch as was served on the Titanic that day.
Wes says, “For me it’s all about food. If there is an event, I think about what can be done to bring it to life.”
Wes read Walter Lord’s “A Night to Remember” in his Grade 9 English class and remained intrigued, reading and researching the Titanic in subsequent years.
At one point recently, he came upon the book called “The last Dinner on Titanic.” It is a treasure trove of recipes and menus from all classes. To a former Chef, it suggested a special for the cafeteria.
“What better time to feature some items, to showcase a part of history through food and the history of food than the 100^th anniversary of the sinking? Food, like oranges, that we take for granted today were special at the turn of the last century. Oranges are available to us year round but in 1912 citrus fruits were still a rarity in northern climes. So the Oranges en Surprise that finished the lunch was an exotic dessert for the Titanic.”
The menu included Cream of Barley Soup, Chicken Lyonnaise, Roast Potatoes, Creamed Carrots, Waldorf Pudding, Macedoine de Fruit, (Fresh Fruit Salad), Coconut Sandwich.
Wes thanks all the food service staff for making the day a success!

End of life health care

National Hospice Palliative Care Week (NHPCW) 2012 will be celebrated on May 6-12, 2012. 
As people approach end-of-life, it is increasingly important for pathways of communication to remain open between family and all professionals and volunteers involved in a patient’s continuum of care. The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA), along with its NHPCW Advisory Committee, have developed the following theme: “Let’s work together! Support networks are there to help! Health care teams, caregivers, volunteers, family and friends are valuable resources, keep them in the loop.”  
The responsibility of caring for someone with a life-limiting illness is one that needs to be shared collectively within the hospice palliative care team and the family. Together we can all make a difference in the lives of those who are living with a life-limiting illness and those affected by it.  
“Working together” also means that Canadians are well prepared for the end of life. This includes Advance Care Planning and naming a substitute decision maker. For more information on Advance Care Planning please go to www.advancecareplanning.ca.
All Canadians have the right to die with dignity, free of pain, surrounded by their loved ones, in a setting of their choice. It is crucial that the Canadian health care system have the programs and services in place to provide the quality end-of-life care that Canadians need. Please contact your nearest Home Care office or your Palliative Care Coordinators for further information.  
SCHR’s Palliative Care Coordinators can be reached by calling Estevan -306-637-3636 or Weyburn – 306-842-8206.          

Learn how to cope with chronic disease

Sun Country Health Region will hold a new series of LiveWell™ sessions on Thursdays, starting on April 19, 2012 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the White Bear First Nations Clinic. They will be held for the next six  Thursdays.
Please call 306-842-8711 and leave a message, to register for the program.
Live Well™ is a self-management program for those people who are living with or caring for someone with a chronic illness, including but not limited to diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, chronic pain, kidney disease, stroke, asthma and depression.
Topics covered in the program include effective communication strategies for loved ones and health professionals, dealing with difficult emotions, goal setting and action plans, medications, nutrition and physical activity.
We welcome your attendance.

New Radville Health Centre

A new Radville Health Centre is being built on the edge of town. This picture shows how far along the construction was at the beginning of March.

Progress in Redvers

A long term care addition to the Redvers Health Centre is moving along on schedule. This photo shows the progress to the beginning of March.

Palliative care pain management on Telehealth

Dr. Ken Stakiw, Medical Director for Palliative Care Services in Saskatoon, is leading case studies regarding nausea and vomiting, pain management, and delirium in palliative care as well as lecturing regarding the use of sufentanil, sublingual fentanyl, BuTrans, Jurnista, Nucynta CR, and Targin.  

The session will be held Thursday, March 29, 2012 at Tatagwa View in Weyburn, SK

1430-1630: Case Studies
1730-1800: Supper
1800-2000: Sufentanil lecture 

Available via Telehealth across the region or if attending in Weyburn please RSVP by March 23, 2012 by contacting Corinne Sandstrom at (306) 637-3636 or Brenda Freeman at (306) 842– 8206. You are welcome to attend the last lecture only.

New doctor arrives

Sun Country Health Region welcomes Dr. Kofi Amu-Darko, General Practitioner, to the Estevan Medical Centre. Call 634-6444 for an appointment.

A concussion is a brain injury

March 15-21 is National Brain Injury Awareness Week.

In many sports, players downplay or deny their symptoms to avoid being pulled out of the game. It’s important for coaches to know a player’s personality as well as the symptoms of concussion.

Although sometimes overlooked in the heat of play, knowing the signs can help prevent further brain injury and long-term brain damage. In North America more than 750,000 brain injuries like concussions are reported annually.

If a player returns to play and suffers further head trauma, the resulting brain injury can be catastrophic, possibly even fatal.

If a player shows any symptoms of concussion, the coach should immediately remove the player from play, regardless of objections. The player should then be carefully monitored and assessed by a medical health professional, as some concussion symptoms are not immediately obvious.

No player should return to play until cleared by a physician.

The player should show no signs of concussion at rest or under exertion. A single concussion quadruples the odds of subsequent injuries which can happen more easily and take longer to heal. Multiple concussions can cause deteriorating cognitive function, depression and have been connected in recent research to dementia, Parkinson’s and ALS.

This information comes from the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association.

100 day Challenge!

The Continuous Quality Improvement Department of Sun Country Health Region has issued a 100 day challenge to staff. The department is asking that for the next 100 days all staff offer their answers to the question; what will you do to make 2012 the Year of the Patient?

Lean Specialist Chris McKee said: “As we have said time and time again, it makes no difference what service line you work in, whether you work with patients or families face to face. Every one of us plays an integral role in health care. Without you doing the job you do, and performing the amazing work that you do, this system will fail! So if we are going to be successful in the race to the top of health care excellence, this needs to be a team affair.”

Suggestions should be sent to lean@schr.sk.ca

Rural West Team wins prestigious award

Sun Country Health Region is proud to announce that its Rural West Primary Health team is one of nine winners of the province-wide SHEA Awards. The SHEA Awards are announced once a year for providing excellence in health care. The awards were held March 9 in Regina. This is their 12^th year.

Rural West Primary Health is a two-year old interdisciplinary team that delivers health care to the people of Bengough, Radville and Pangman and the surrounding rural areas. The team consists of doctors, a nurse practitioner, office staff, dietitian, facility managers, pharmacists, home care staff, EMS, mental health, therapy services, laboratory, and health centre staff all working together to provide the right care at the right time by the most appropriate health provider.

From left to right are members of the team who attended theRegina awards event: Dawn Geiger, Candace Kopec, Deanna Nimegeers, Kelly Fish, Kim Borschowa, Dr. Werner Oberholzer, Wanda Miller, Mary Deren and Shelly Hoffart. Other members of the team include Colette Pierson, Susan Viergutz, Natalie Bieberdorf, Delee Foley,   Debbie Donald, Marion Kerney, Pat Kessler, Lisa Knudsen, Pat May, Leila McClarty, Kristen Mitchell, Duane Schulz, Donna Wolfe.

Congratulations to Rural West!