Satellite TEETH Clinics Improve Access to Low Cost Dental Care

Dr. Donato DeSandoli and Staff at Saddle Mountain Dental Clinic in Nakusp

West Kootenay Community TEETH Clinic Society (TEETH) has been providing access for community members with a net family income of less than $30,000 since June 2014. Back in January of this year, TEETH won 1^st prize, from Pacific Blue Cross 75^th Anniversary “Share the Care Giveaway.” This prize has enabled the TEETH board to seek, organize and create partnerships in the region such as, satellite clinics and mobile dental hygiene services, in order to increase access to low-cost quality dental care in outlying areas from Nelson.  As up until now, the primary location for TEETH services had solely been running out of Dr. Osepchook’s dental office in Nelson;  when his own practice is closed.

With much delight, TEETH would like to announce current satellite partnerships have been established with Record Ridge Denture Clinic, located in Trail; Dr. Donato DeSandoli, located at Saddle Mountain Dental Clinic in Nakusp; Dr. Howard Fox, located at Cedar Avenue Dental Centre in Trail and additionally, Mobile Dental Hygiene services, provided by RDH Andrea Noel can now be accessed at various Interior Health Authority locations throughout the Kootenay Boundary region.

 Clients interested in seeking dental services from TEETH clinics must first register to become a TEETH client. There are various ‘Intake’ locations throughout the Kootenay-Boundary region where trained volunteers can assist individuals in the registration process. Applications are also available online: http://www.healthco-op.ca. Once you are a registered TEETH client either the TEETH administration staff or the satellite dental clinic staff will call you to set-up your initial dental appointment.

Please note: All locations of TEETH do NOT accept walk-in clients as all appointments are pre-arranged.

For more information on TEETH such as intake locations or how you can get involved in a partnership such as satellite dental clinic please contact: TEETHClinicWK@gmail.com or 250-352-6560 (TEETH info Hot Line).

The support for our low cost dental clinic continues to amaze,

Marion, Erin and Eric

Upcoming Workshops on Dementia: In Nelson on January 25; February 16, 23 and March 2, 2017

Busy, Busy, Busy... Working Toward a Healthier Community

We at Community First Health Co-op are all involved in some kind of activity to support our community in wellness and health.  The TEETH Clinic is pleased that two new dentists, one in Trail and one in Nakusp, have signed on to provide services to low income patients.  Our Mobile Dental clinic has made 3 stops with our hygienist providing services and we have hired a new administrator to handle all the bookings and other paper work for the society.  We are always in need of more dentists to provide a day to work on our patients, so encourage people to talk with their dentist to see if they can help out.

  Welcome to a new partner at the Lake Street Building – Aaron Young from NAPA Forest Consultants is working in the resource based industry with local companies to help provide employment opportunities in the community.   We know that one of the social determinants of wellness is having an income to support our needs. 

The Health Fair Planning Committee is working hard to get space, sponsors and presenters for the 3^rd fair being held on April 8, 2017. With a focus on Mental Health, we are currently looking into a keynote presenter to kick off this fair.  We know that our community, like many, is looking for some support and solutions for mental health issues and we want to be part of that conversation in bringing this out into the open.  We are pleased that once again the Nelson Star is on board as one of our major sponsors.

So what happens as a senior when you need to go to an appointment and you do not drive or do not have access to a ride? Who can help you with going to get re-tested if you have lost your driver licence due to your age? What resources and routes are available in your community? How can drivers help our seniors out?

Corrine Younie, left, and Dana Burgess (Nelson Star, Bill Metcalfe photo)

Dana Burgess is the Seniors Transportation Co-ordinator for our area - Nelson to Kaslo, Meadow Creek and Argenta. Salmo, Trail, Castlegar and the Slocan Valley to Nakusp.  One of her challenges is finding enough drivers for the Volunteer Driver Program ( VDP). The Handy Dart is one option, but it is often fully booked, it does not transport across regions, and it does not service some communities.

The VDP is in need of YOU!  The service is Monday to Friday during daytime hours to access medical appointments.

To volunteer you need:  A drivers Abstract from ICBC, a criminal record check, $3,000,000 liability on your vehicle, and a vehicle in good working conditions. You would need to be screened by the program coordinator, agree to the Volunteer code of conduct, and attend a volunteer training.

Drivers are reimbursed $.45 a km. Once you are a driver, it is easy. The client asks for a driver, the co-ordinator phones the volunteer to see if they are available and tells them who the client is, any special needs and where they are going – and the driver can say Yes or No. 

So if you would like to contribute to our community by being a driver, then please contact dana@nelsoncares.ca or call her at 250-352-2708 ex. 10

November 11^th is here and we at Community First Health Co-op would like to thank all of those who served so that we have the peaceful country we live in today.  My mom was in the Airforce and is now 92, and although she no longer remembers that she was, I especially want to thank her for paving the way for future women to take on the jobs that once were only considered for men.

Erin is busy helping move the Kootenay Co-op – rumor has that it will open in the new Nelson Commons on November 29^th, Eric is battling the leaves and wind and working hard for TEETH, and Marion, well she is out riding her bike and packing her bags to spend a month in Australia.

Signing off for this blog

Erin, Eric and Marion 

Community First Health Co-op: Part of a Thriving Community.

Community First Health Co-op is proud to be part of a co-operative movement that is alive and flourishing in the Kootenay region.

 With over 25 co-ops in the area, we are the only health co-op and as such we hold a special place in the B.C. Health Co-operative Association.  The dream to offer an integrated approach to wellness is becoming more real every year with the variety of practitioners in the building who are working together to support the wellness of their clients.

We have doctors, naturopaths, chiropractors, massage therapists, psychologists, acupuncturists, community service advocates, yoga therapists, midwives, and training facilities in our building. We have Rise BC Wellness Clinic with a focus on pain management, AppleTree maternity a pre – post maternity facility, a mini medical clinic with a focus on less appointments and more time spent with each patient, a business that trains young people though a mentor ship to work in the building industry, and the Community Services Center offering support in a variety of ways to those in need.

We are connected both financially and philosophically with the Nelson and District Credit Union.  Through their support and leadership we were able to purchase the building, utilize their staff with their financial expertise and depend on them to be an advocate for the co-op movement. We continue to work with Seniors in our area and to be represented on housing forums and seniors committees.

TEETH, a low cost dental program is now over two years old and is growing to include appointments for those in the most need at our Nelson clinic and now we have a mobile dental hygienist serving the communities of the West Kootenay region.

We are planning our 3^rd annual Passport to Wellness Health Fair with a focus this year on Mental Health. We will be hosting the event on Saturday, April 8, 2017 at the Lake Street Building from 10am-4pm. If you know of anyone that might offer a session on mental well-being, please contact us at cfhcoop@shaw.ca 

The New Economy is a documentary with a focus on the cooperative movement and was premiered in Nelson to celebrate Co-op Week. A big thank you to the Nelson and District Credit Union for hosting this event. One of the interesting facts given was that 2 out of 3 people know what a co-op is but only 1 out of 3 can name one. We need to make sure that our name is one of the ones they know.

We are proud to continue our work with the community and with integrated health and look forward to more development in this arena.

It is the time for falling into Fall, so be careful, as the streets and sidewalks get slippery, that you do not fall.

Signing off and out to rake some leaves and get the gardens winterized.

Eric, Erin and Marion 

So Much to be Thankful For...

October Board Meeting is in the books. The leaves are turning colour, the sky is so blue, when it is blue, and the frost is on some of the roof tops, but what a spectacular time to get out and walk or cycle or run. 

West Kootenay TEETH Clinic Society is thrilled that the mobile dental clinic is up and running. In collaboration with IHA, who are letting us use their facilities, one has been held in Castlegar and the next one will be in Grand Forks.  We also have a dentist in Trail and one in Nakusp, who have indicated an interest in helping out and we have one in Castlegar, doing Adopt a Patient dental services from his office.  

As many of you know, we won $50,000 last year from Pacific Blue Cross to support initiatives with TEETH and that money is being spent on new equipment, training of chair side assistants and enhancing our denture service. 

We have had over 635 patient visits but still have 135 people waiting since January for a first appointment. You can help us, but talking to your dentist and seeing if they are willing to be involved in helping us with this vital service.

On a great note, we have a Toonie for TEETH donation and recently we have had former clients, who no longer need to access low- cost dental because of a change in their economic status, donate considerable amounts back to support the program – most notably one for $700.  It is indeed better to give than receive when you are able.

They say if you build it, they will come and we continue to have people looking for space in our building. The latest partners in the Wellness Centre are Street Culture Collaboration, who are working on the streets of Nelson under a contract with the Nelson Community Services Society. We are pleased to have them as part of our integrated services in the building.

Congratulations to the organizers and sponsors of the 2^nd VERY SUCCESSFUL Seniors Fair held on Friday, September 30^th at the Prestige. With between 250-300 seniors in attendance, the organizers were happy with the great feedback and participation in this event.

 One of the most important things for to know about your health is that having a community that offers support, respect and opportunities to participate helps us ALL to be HEALTHY. 

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving... and be thankful for friends, family and your health.

 Eric, Erin and Marion 

What Makes a Community Health Centre?

What Makes a Community Health Centre?

That's one of the core questions Nicole Chammartin asks, in her latest blog, in which she shares her reflections on the two-day Canadian Association of Community Health Centres  annual general meeting summit which took place last week in Winnipeg.

Nicole is Executive Director of Klinic Community Health and Sexuality Education Resource Centre, in Winnipeg, and serves as a Board Member for both CACHC and MACH. Her blog post is essential reading for Community Health Centre staff and board members.

Check out Nicole's blog:

http://klinic.mb.ca/2016/09/what-makes-a-community-health-centre/

Also, if you have a moment, take a look at what happened at the AGM:

CAHC Annual General Meeting 2016

Let us know what you think.

Marion, Erin and Eric

SUMMER UPDATE FROM YOUR NELSON HEALTH CO-OPERATIVE... Summer weather here at last!

Is it really summer?

Summer is here? Well we have sun, rain, thunder, lightning and wind on a daily basis BUT we hope whether you on in the air or on water or land that you are being active and taking time to soak in the ambience of summer in the Kootenay’s.

The CFHC board held its August board meeting, and although quieter in the summer, we still have some highlights to share.

The Senior Co-ordinating Society and the Nelson Senior Centre – Branch 51 are hosting a Seniors Collectible Fair to help people downsize, up the profile of each of the sponsors and have some fun. The Fair will take place from 9-4:30 on Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25, 2016 at the Rod and Gun Club.  A table is $35 for the two days and if you want to be part of this Fair, then after August 24,2016 you can contact Brad Howard at 250-354-1983 or bradhoward@telus.net.   Hope to see you there checking out the tables and perhaps finding the treasure you have always wanted.

The Public Relations Committee will be working on updating our website and putting more blog posts up each month. We will do a blog on highlights of the board meeting but also will do on featuring special events for groups in the resource centre and health related articles and links.  We are also looking to host 2-3 education sessions each year and of course support and host the Passport to Wellness Health Fair.  Let us know what you think - what would interest you?

Thanks to Deb Zeeben, who spent 8 hours on a conference call on behalf of CFHC to be part of a gathering of Community Health Centres in B.C. 

The Canadian Association of Health Centres will work on incorporating the British Columbia Association of Health centres with a new mission and new definition. Currently a Community Health Centre is defined as a multi-sector health and health care organizations that integrate primary care, health promotion, community health and other services that contribute towards health. Check their link to learn more:  http://www.cachc.ca/

 In B.C., there are over 100 community health centres that operate in a variety of ways with the common thread being the integration of services. At the Nelson Community Health Centre we have seen integration of services both in the Apple Tree Maternity and BC Rise Wellness Centre, we do education through the resource centre, at our Health Fair and by providing opportunities for our partners to do sessions for education and we are involved in housing and seniors support that contribute to community health.

We are committed at Community First Health Coop to achieving wellness by using community engagement to know the needs of those we live and play with and continually building creative and responsible programs and services.  We are excited about the connection of Community Health Centres and an opportunity to be in at the ground floor of a new association in primary health care promotion. 

As the summer progresses, enjoy time to focus on your friends and family and the social connectedness that we know contributes to good health.

Cheers

Eric, Erin and Marion