Huron Expositor, 2006-12-20, Page 11Page 10 December 20, 2006 • The Huron
sitor
Church
services
You are invited to attend these area churches
St. Thomas
Anglican Church
A Congregation of the Patish of The Holy Spina
Jarvis St. Seaforth 527-1522
Rector: The Rev'd Sue Maipus. M. Div
Sunday, December 24
CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE
SERVICE
WORSHIP AT 8:00 PM
Everyone Welcome
(No Morning Service)
St. James Roman
Catholic Church
Welcomes you
14 Victoria Street, Seaforth
527-0142
Weekend Masses: Sat 515 pm
Sun. 11:00 am
Fr. Chris Gillespie
Bethel Bible Church
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth 527-0982
Let Us Celebrate The
Birth of Jesus
Sunday Worship 10:45 am
Christmas Eve - 7:00 pm
Pastor Mark Kennedy
EVERYONE WELCOME
Egmondville
United Church
Sunday, December 24
11:00 am CAROLS AND
COMMUNION
7:30 pm CHRISTMAS EVE
CANDLELIGHT WORSHIP
NORTHSIDE UNITED
CHURCH
54 Goderich St. W.
Rev. John Gould
Sunday December 24th
-Worship 11am
Sermon: "The Miracle of Christmas"
Christmas Eve Service
at Cavan 7pm
All Welcome.
Sunday School & Nursery During Worship
First Presbyterian
Church
Goderich St. W., Seaforth
Rev. Henry Huberts
Sunday December 24
11:15 am service
Christmas Eve Service
Dec. 24 7:30pm
Sunday School & Nursery Provided.
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News
Susan Hundertmark photo
Joan Spittal, of RR 4 Seaforth, who has joined the Huron Family health team in Seaforth as its social
worker, stands in front of Its Main Street office.
H. REID ALLEN
1'( R\IIl 111
Ill:ti I OR 1 I ION
& REFINISHING
Pick-up & delivery
SEAFORTH
519-527-2717
CHRISTMAS AND
NEW 'S
MASS SCHEDULE
AT LOCAL
CATHOLIC CIIIJRCIIFS
Christmas Eve
5:00 pm at St. James' Church, Seaforth
7:00 pm at St. Joseph's Church, Clinton
9:30 pm at St. James' Church, Seaforth
Christmas Day
11:00 am at St. James' Church, Seaforth
New Year's Eve
5:00 pm at St. James' Church, Seaforth
New Year's Day
9:00 am at St. Joseph's Church, Clinton
11:00 am at St James' Church, Seaforth
MAY THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS BRING
YOU PEACE AND HAPPINESS. MAY THE NEW
YEAR BRING YOU LASTING JOY!
Social workerjoins FHT
• Susan Hundertmark
With the hiring of social worker
Joan Spittal, the Huron County
family health team (FHT) in
Seaforth now has two allied health-
care professionals on staff.
"We're in the process of discus-
sions for four more allied healthcare
professionals now that money is
starting to flow from the Ministry of
Health," said Ralph Laviolette on
Monday.
Nurse practitioner Cate Verberne
was the first allied health profes-
sional hired to the Seaforth FHT in
July.
As the FHT gears up to begin see-
ing the 250 orphan' patients who
have so far registered, Laviolette
said Spittal is currently making
herself and the services she can pro-
vide known to local doctors.
Spittal, who has her masters in
social work, has 30 years' experi-
ence working in Goderich, London
and Huron County in the areas of
adult mental health, adult psychia-
try, both inpatient and outpatient
and medical social work:
"I feel like a pioneer," said Spittal
of her new role as social worker on
the FHT.
"There are precedents for social
workers on multi -disciplinary teams
at family health clinics but they're
few and far between," she said.
Social workers on a family health
team provide counselling and educa-
tion about the emotional and social
aspects of illness and treatment,
help families make decisions and
negotiate the medical system and
advocate for patients and their fam-
ilies.
"Physical, emotional and life cir-
cumstances all impact on an illness
and each other - everything ties
together," she said.
"Illness can hit a family like a
two-year-old terrorist - it can wreak
havoc," said Spittal, adding that
social workers can help find solu-
tions to financial difficulties, family
troubles, caregiver burden, issues of
abuse and neglect and other spin-off
difficulties caused by illness.
She said social workers can also
help patients and their families fig-
ure out the channels to negotiate for
programs ,such as employment
insurance, disability claims, hous-
ing and home care.
"We know the community
resources that are out there pre-
natally to the grave. A lot is advoca-
cy and knowing who to call and
what has to be done to be success-
ful," she said.
"Illness itself if very stressful and
social workers smooth out the speed
bumps."
Spittal said the FHT's role is not
to replace but to enhance the
healthcare services already in exis-
tence and that family physicians
will be the primary source of refer-
rals to the social worker.
The FHT administrative office on
Main Street, Seaforth is now open
with the phone number 519-527-
2431. Orphan patients are still
invited to call and register.