Community First Co-op Celebrates AGM 2018

Community First Health Co-op celebrated its 17th annual general meeting with an invigorating chair yoga session with our community members.

Marj Haire lead us through a variety of movements and meditations supporting both our bodies and our minds... those of us lucky enough can join Marj at the Community Complex on Tuesday afternoon to further benefit from this method of yoga.

The group were fully engaged as we lead into the administrative part of the meeting.

Tanya Momtazian, Midwife, Apple Tree

Chair, Debby Zeeben, provided an overview of this past year including the funding for a registered nurse to work with Apple Tree Maternity as well as the 10,000 Steps Initiative in partnership with the city of Nelson.

Board Members – Pegasis McGauley introduced Deb Zeeben, Doug Stoddart, Sarah Popoff, and Sharon Browning, who were present, and Mia Gardiner, who was out of town, as continuing volunteer Board members.

Nominees for Directors – Madeline Collins, Pegasis McGauley, and Eric Ramsden were accepted by acclamation as new Board members by the CFHC members in attendance. 

The West Kootenay Community TEETH Clinic Society board member, Barry Nelson, provided an update on the activities of the low cost dental clinic.

Thanks so much for dropping by... looking forward to your next visit.

Let us know what you think about what's happening with the CFHC and if you're interested in helping out by volunteering just drop us a line.

Talk with you soon,

Eric

First Board Meeting of 2017: Lots Happening!

It is cold outside these days but a warming trend is on theway!! Some of the Board were talking about how they do not recall such a long stretch of cold weather.  We do enjoy the sun and blue skies and white mountain tops, though we do say, looking out your window, is definitely preferred by many.

 Our first Board meeting for 2017 was a busy one and we met a new person to our community who has now volunteered to be on our Health Fair Committee and will allow her name to stand for becoming a Board member!!

 Jacqueline Carr, the Executive Director and Patient Navigator for Rise Above Pain Society gave the board a great presentation on a new society that will work with Rise BC Wellness Centre and Dr. Joel Kalia and staff, to support those living with chronic pain. 

The program being offered in Nelson and area is a 3-pronged approach -  Chronic Pain workshops- Self Management – Movement/Support classes. The 8-week program will begin on February 8,2017 for 10 participants, as a pilot project. There are spaces available for 2 more participants. You must commit to 2 hours a week, and some homework to be involved. There is no cost to the program and it will run out the Rise BC Wellness Centre at the Community First Health Co-op.  The workshops will focus on the emotional, physical, and science of living with chronic pain.  Jacqueline reminded us the 22,000 people in the Southern Interior live with chronic pain. 

The Lake Street Housing Committee is holding a Community Planning Meeting at CFHC, February 17,2017 from 4:00- 5:00 pm in the Resource Room.  The meeting is to hear about the plans for the units and commercial space.  We know from the plans that there are 42 units of space available. This is a project that has been in the works for many years and we are excited that we may be able to move forward.

We would like to Welcome T.O.P. S. as a corporate member of CFHC and a partner in the building.  Check them out  TOPS and How It Works

First Community Health Co-op  (TOPS BC 1705) 518 Lake St  Room 204 Nelson,  BC  V1L 4C6  Canada Mondays:  5:45/6:30 PM

 We encourage groups that take care of their health and support others to do the same.

The first two Health Fairs have been amazing!

So, do not forget to mark April 8, 2017 as a date to take part in our 3^rd Passport to Wellness Health Fair, with a focus on Mental Health.

From all of us, be careful out there, we have heard of several people with broken hips and legs and arms from an ice related fall. 

Our fellow blogger Erin is taking a break, so we wish her the best and we sign off for January 2017

Eric and Marion 

What's Happening... Update from our July 18th Board Meeting. Take a READ!

1.  Job Opportunity- Our seniors need your help to stay in their own homes. Please contact Lynn Goodison at 250.551.7210 or lynnhomehelp@gmail.com if you are interested. 

2.  Thank you to Cheryl Whittleton of Interior Health for providing space, free of charge, in outlying community health centres across the region for the TEETH Mobile Hygiene Clinic starting in September.  More news to follow regarding locations, times, etc.

3.  2016 Senior Fair at the Prestige in Nelson on Sept. 30^th.  Stay tuned for details. 

Next meeting: Monday August 8^th at 11:00 a.m. in the Resource Centre.

Have a great summer,

Marion, Eric and Erin

Passport to Wellness 2 Health Fair; Seniors Co-ordinating Society Strategic Planning; and Getting More Efficient.

Sunny days and warm weather – it is April at its best.  

The CFHC is pleased to present our Passport to Wellness11 Health Fair on Saturday, April 16,2016 at 518 Lake Street in Nelson B.C.

The Wellness Fair doors open at 9:45 and the first two sessions begin at 10. There will be 2 sessions beginning every hour on the hour, so join us for a day of interactive sessions and information.

There will be sessions on the Fight against Cancer with Mia Gardiner and Active Treatments for Chronic Pain with Dr. Joel Kalia, Jennifer Potts, and Camela Cowan from the Rise BC Wellness Centre at 10 am.

At 11am. Essential oils made Easy with Shauna Robertson and Nelson Hospice “Let’ talk about dying and grieving in our community” given by Morag Reid are the 2 sessions.

Come at 12 and learn about Clinical Hypnosis from Jakalin Mcgregor and The future of Primary Health Care – Meeting the Challenge.   – Dr. Lee McKay and Ed.  Andrew Earnshaw (Kootenay boundary Division of Family Practice)

At 1:00 pm. Somatic Psychotherapy – Skills for Resolving Trauma from the Body up – Sandy McLean and Cardiovascular Disease – Using Blood Type Science to Personalize Treatment and Prevention by Dr. Loren Kozak are the sessions on tap.

Attachment Theory – A Map for Transforming Relationship Distress –Sandy McLean and Breakout – a Mental Health session for parents, youth and coaches by Sean Dooley will be on at 2 pm

 Beginning at 3 pm will be Mid- Life Transitions: Hormones and their effects on our overall health – Mark McBride – Pharmasave and

Autoimmune Disease and HPA Axis Dysfunction – How stress may be affecting your health by Dr. Andre Kirsten will round out our day.

There are also 18 manned tables and kiosks for you to visit and get information on a wide variety of health related topics.

Coffee, tea, water and snacks will be available, and for everyone who fills in a feedback form, a chance to win an awesome door prize.

Join us on Saturday for this FREE Community event!!

• The CFHC Board was pleased to receive a $2900 rebate from Fortis for replacing our HVAC system. It felt good to be rewarded for upgrading our system to a more sustainable and efficient one.

• The Seniors Co-ordinating Society is having a Strategic Planning Session in early May to chart their course for the next years.  This event will be supported by the CBT. 

It is bustling down at Community First Health Co-op and we are all in the spring mood... with tulips blossoming in the garden!

Cheers for this month,

Eric and Marion 

VOTE for TEETH: Your Local Low Cost Dental Clinic Needs Your Help!

Dr. Osepchook and his dental staff

VOTE FOR YOUR LOCAL LOW COST DENTAL CLINIC

The West Kootenay Community TEETH Clinic opened in June of 2014 providing service to the West Kootenay/Boundary region.

The need for better dental health, for those with low incomes, has been a driving force for us to develop a way to bring access to dental care to our communities.  Through the success of the WK Community TEETH Clinic there is a way to access local care. In TEETH’s first year the clinic served 192 people with many having multiple appointments.

Hickman and Honsinger Families

As you likely well know dental health is essential for good health, nutrition, self-esteem, and job opportunities.

Through the dedicated work of the board of TEETH and the grantors to this organization, the clinic exists.

Today you have an opportunity to help the clinic. TEETH has been shortlisted for the Pacific Blue Cross 75th Anniversary contest, Share the Care, where the winner receives $50,000. When you vote for TEETH you will help us win the grand prize. We know, with your help, we can win this prize and open more clinics in our region and say YES to more people.

Vote for our video and share the vote with your friends:

http://www.pac.bluecross.ca/75thanniversary/video/West-Kootenay-Community-Teeth-Clinic-Society

  and help us say YES to helping more people access the dental care they need. 

The Board:  Barry, Mara, Debby, Eric and Pegasis

HEALTH ALERT: Cold and Flu Season. How to Take Care of Yourself

The Community First Health Co-operative, in Nelson, B.C., has asked its health practitioners to provide us some guidance on how to take care of ourselves during this year's cold and flu season.

Here is our first instalment provided by Shauna Robertson, R. TCM.P, Registered Acupuncturist and Herbalist of Nelson's Acupuncture and Natural Health Clinic.

Cold and flu season is upon us once again and it is important that we keep our bodies at optimum health in order to have the ability to ward off these viruses.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) we view the cold and flu virus as an invasion of external pathogenic wind. This pathogenic wind is able to break through our bodies defenses (immune system) if our system becomes weakened.

Ways in which we can keep our immune systems strong are by eating nutritionally, getting enough sleep, exercising daily and avoiding stress. Dressing according to the weather is also very important. So in the fall this may mean layering clothes because it is colder in the morning and evening but may be very warm in the afternoons.

If however, you do succumb to the cold or flu TCM has a full arsenal of tools to help bring relief. Acupuncture and herbs are very effective at warding off the cold and flu viruses as well as treating the symptoms and allowing you make a speedy recovery.

For more information on Acupuncture and TCM and the cold/flu you can visit my website at http://www.anhc.ca/health-well-news/

There is some really excellent information on Shauna's website including  great healthful recipes, as well as information on Seasonal Affective Disorder and so much more.  Take a moment and check it out by connecting through this link.

Welcome to Nelson BC Acupuncture & Natural Health Clinic:

Acupuncture & Natural Health Clinic of Shauna Robertson, R.TCM.P, Registered Acupuncturist & Herbalist.

We Are Located at 101-518 Lake St. in Beautiful Nelson, BC.

Contact us at:  

1-250-352-2167

Holistic Healthcare, Sports Acupuncture, Allergies, Anxiety, Arthritis, Asthma, Autoimmune Disease, Back Pain, Cancer Care, Carpal Tunnel, Colds & Flu, Depression, Diabetes, Fertility, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, Hypertension, IBS, Insomnia, Menopause, Multiple Sclerosis, Neck Pain, Pain, PMS, Pregnancy, Smoking Cessation Acupuncture & Stress and much more.

Make sure you check in for updates on taking care of yourself during our annual cold and flu season.

Erin, Marion and Eric

Affordable Housing, Low Cost Dental and Added Support for the Alzheimer Society at the November Health Co-op Board Meeting

Wow, how did November arrive so quickly?  With -2 and scraping windows it seems that the long fall is heading early into winter. 

Community First Health Co-op held their monthly Board meeting with most of us present and here are some highlights.

The Lake Street Housing Committee met earlier this month  with Nelson Council member Michael Dailly to begin a discussion around housing options and needs within the region. We would like to thank him for his time and we had a great talk about some of the initiatives in Nelson and some of the unmet needs, such as housing for the working poor. We also had a chance to brainstorm some ideas around Land Trusts and lease-holds and will continue our work in that area.

TEETH our low cost Dental initiative is booming. We had over 300 visits in the past year and it continues to grow in services offered. It has been short listed for a financial award and we are just awaiting information on the voting procedure.  Once we know it check out our blog and website and facebook pages so you can learn how to vote so that we can win the award and the financial prize to enhance our work in this much needed area.

Thanks to Julia Leffelaar of the Alzheimer Society of B.C. for volunteering to not only provide workshops, but to also volunteer to be in the resource center for one Friday each month to provide support to our community.  Julie will be available, in the resource centre on theses dates:  Dec 11, January 8, Feb 12 and March 11. We are still looking for volunteers for 3 Friday afternoons a month.

We also want to welcome a new member to our partners in the building Elephant Mountain Counselling.  Here is the link:

http://elephantmountaincounselling.ca/

Take care and get out and enjoy the brisk fall air!!

Eric, Marion and Erin

Health Co-op Board Meeting: Highlights from October 13, 2015

Highlights of Our Board Meeting:

• Pacific Blue Cross Foundation announces TEETH Clinic as one of five finalists in their 75th Anniversary social media competition for $50,000.  

5 finalists

West Kootenay TEETH clinic – Nelson, BC

  Charlford House Society for Women – Vancouver, BC

  Canim Lake Band – Tsq'escenemc People, 100 Mile House, BC

  StreetoHome – Vancouver, BC

Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Centre of BC (Crisis Centre) 

Videos will be posted to a web or social media page hosted by Pacific Blue Cross, where the public can vote on their favourite interview / story.  Make sure you vote for your local, West Kootenay Low Cost Dental Clinic 

 

• Community Health Resource Centre meeting room is being well used by caring community health organizations and September sees the expansion of community use.

 

• Our website blog will have a new feature shortly.   Health practitioners, partners in the Wellness Centre, will be sharing their expertise in a variety of areas such as dealing with seasonal colds and flu, pain management, etc.  If you have any ideas on what you would like us to cover - drop a line through the comments section.

That is it from your local Health Co-op.  Let us know what you think - comments are most welcome.

Marion, Erin and Eric

Alzheimer Society of B.C. - Understanding Behaviour & Communication. A Workshop, for Caregivers, on Thursday, November 19th, 2015 in Nelson

What is dementia?

Dementia is an overall term for a set of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain. Symptoms may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language, severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. A person with dementia may also experience changes in mood or behaviour.

Dementia is progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually get worse as more brain cells become damaged and eventually die.

Dementia is not a specific disease. Many diseases can cause dementia, the most common being Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia (due to strokes). Some of the other causes of dementia include Lewy Body disease, head trauma, fronto-temporal dementia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. These conditions can have similar and overlapping symptoms.

Some treatable conditions can produce symptoms similar to dementia, for example, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid disease, sleep disorders, or mental illness. It is therefore important to arrange for a full medical assessment as early as possible.

Getting a timely diagnosis can help you access information, resources and support through the Alzheimer Society, benefit from treatment, and plan ahead.


Marion and I have both attended some of Julie's workshops and have found them very interesting and educational.  If you have a chance to attend - please take advantage of Julie's expertise.

Eric and Marion

Community First Health Co-op Annual Statutory Meeting - June 2015

The CFHC Statutory meeting was held on June 12. 2105 with the full board in attendance. 

Karen and Erin

We welcomed our two new board members Erin Morrison and Karen Hornby.  Erin is a health coach and Karen is a nurse, so both bring a fresh perspective to our board. We are excited for all the possibilities of tapping into their energy and expertise.

It was fun as we told them about the adventures and misadventures of trying things on the board and gave them fair warning, that if you have a great idea and want to fly with it, go for it, but you will be heading the initiative and the rest will be there for backup.

We are very happy to report that we are financially solvent and in good shape.  We have managed to rent out most of our space and we have a continual rental of the Stoddart Room for long term course or workshops.  Thanks to Lynn for managing this for us.

We are making an application for The Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program for some work on our HVAC system. We are hoping to be successful as with all buildings, heat and ventilation and air conditioning always seem to be in need of updating. This is only for infrastructure and so fingers crossed we get this one.  UPDATE:  We just received the great news that we will be receiving $50,000 to support this important initiative.

Our next meeting, unless something comes up , will be on Tuesday September 8 at 2;30 pm.

Have a great summer and as they say, we will catch you on the flip side!

Eric and Marion 

Passport to Wellness Health Fair: Saturday, April 18, 2015 in Nelson, B.C.

The Latest from Our Community First Health Co-op Board February 2015 Meeting

Highlights of Meeting

The Community First Health Co-op (CFHC) has recently received two interesting proposals for building our network relationships from activity on our revitalized website. The website, along with our brand-new Blog, has provided an opportunity for people around the world to see the community-focused work that our Co-op does to support healthy living for our residents.

Here are two recent proposals that sprung for our internet presence:

The B.C. Women’s Foundation in Vancouver is offering a free program in Nelson called Osteofit for Seniors and CFHC has accepted the invitation to host the training.

The Alberta Co-operative Association has contacted CFHC asking for help to prepare their presentation to the Alberta Minister of Health on the CFHC model for communities in Alberta.  They have taken information from our website and Deb, the board chair, sent organization charts and other items.

The British Columbia (B.C.) Dental Association has invited a representative from the low-cost dental clinic, along with Mara Sand of Interior Health, to their symposium in Vancouver that focuses on non-profit dental clinics.  Interior Health has provided financial support for Mara to attend while the Dental Society provided travel reimbursement for the West Kootenay TEETH Clinic Society rep to attend.

Keep in touch and drop us a comment...

Eric and Marion