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