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Huron Expositor, 2009-02-04, Page 8A4 ,'•'t'.�.S r-� » I»•♦•4..+Y'v.+►A► 1116 e. us.,r ...- - . i_ The Huron Expositor • February 4, 2009 ew Community Stroke Rehab Tea m will provide at-home therapy to Hu-ron-Perth strokesu-ry Susan Hundertmark . Residents of Huron and Perth Counties who suffer a stroke will soon be receiving at-home rehabilita- tion when a new Community Stroke Rehab Team begins this March in Seaforth. Created through an Aging at Home strategy by the SouthWest LHIN, Huron -Perth's team will be one of three in the region serving rural clients who are recovering from a stroke. The other two will be based in Owen Sound to serve the Bruce - Grey region, and in London to serve Oxford, Middlesex and Elgin ` Coun- ties. "It's a really exciting -. -endeav- our," says Doris Noble, the district stroke manager for the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance. "These , will be the only teams ' in Ontario and we will do an excellent job. We're hoping the model' will be adopted by other LIINs," she says. Centred at the Seaforth Communi- ty Hospital, the eight -member team will travel throughout the two COM - ties offering in-home care. SCH ` site administrator Mary Car- dinal says the stroke rehab team will receive $700,000 in funding from the Southwest LHIN. The members include a nurse, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech language thera- pist, a social worker, a recreation therapist and a rehabiliation ation thera- pist. The various thera- pists will help stroke patients regain think- ing and memory skills, language skills, the use of their affected limbs and muscles and every- day functions like get- ting dressed, managing their finances and get-. ting involved in -recre- ation activities. "Some people lose their speech or their ability to understand what's being said to them • Some people suf- fer from depression and seven hospitals throughout the two counties. She anticipates that the new stroke rehab team will, be able to help 80-100 people a year. "We're - hoping to see shorter hospital stays, fewer admissions to long-term care facili- ties and we're hoping to prevent readmis- . : sion," she says. Stroke patients are often kept in - hospital to be able to:- access _ speech therapy but with the new, stroke rehab team, they'll be ae-to receive that ser- vice at home. oe says she hopes the . new team- will also end u ' decreasing stroke risk fac- torsas the team checks patients'. medications and the.- lifestyle factors contributing to stroke. As well, she'% hopino to reduce the 'This is a great opportunity to get out there and helpaII these: folks,' -- District Stroke Manager Doris Noble, of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance their caregivers o n suf- fer from burnout,-" says Noble," add- ing that the program will help deal with all of the issues surrounding stroke recovery. Noble says close Huron and Perth 'e admitted ospital with a stroke each year, 100 of them to Stratford Gener- al. Hospital and ape in burden of the caregivers. "We hope to get the patients back into the community, back playing cards and doing what they used to do," she says. • Six of the eight health care profes- sionals needed have been hired and March 2 is the target date for the stroke rehab team to begin. "We're putting together an awe- some group of professionals;" she Y )' Says. Noble says stroke patients will be. able to refer themselves to thepro- gram but they can also getinvolved through- their family doctors - : or through the Community Care_ ss Centre (CCAC) -�. Bercause the CCAC provides some of the same services as the stroke rehab team, the two will be work'ng 'closely together, says.Noble "There ` ': will be a big marketing campaign in the community. aimed at .stroke survivors,": she says. `This isgreat opportunity to get ::out there and help all these .folks." 100 to the o n alerts closure will be usa•n JIun4 r.:mar NOTICE.OFTHE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WEST WAWANOSH MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY q'. Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting' of the Company will be held at the: DVNG4)V2NONAGRICULTURAL HAIL Onii Friday, March 13th, 2009' f` AT 2,•00 P.M, 1. To receive, consider and approve the Financial Statement and Auditor's Report for the year ended December 31st, 2008. A "garish and lighted" sign will be located in front of Seaforth Community Hospital to let patients know that the emergencydepartment will not be open from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. until a nursing staff shortage is overcome.- "This vercome.-"Chis sign will have to be evident at 2 a.m. It will be prominent and evident," said SCH site administrator Mary Cardinal to members of the Seaforth LAC (Local Advisory Ooznmittee) at its meeting last Tuesday. - In response to questions about how the pub- lic will be informed about the recent decision to close Seaforth's ER overnight, Cardinal said notices would be posted on hospital doors and the sign placed in front of the hospital. LAC member Sheila Richards said when London, Ont. hospitals centralized their ER evade one hospital, there were huge signs outside the hospitals. "The signs were there as you, drove by and they told you whereyto go for emerg. You didn't have to crane your neck to look at them," she saidb "What we're after is exposure and something you can read," added Alliance board member Bill Ott. r "It will begarish," emphasized Cardinal. "We're going to look like Vegas," joked LAC member Rudy Jansen. Cardinal said -she is consulting with London hospitals about their signage. "London's was a planned move over a year's time but we're hoping to garner what infor- mation we can from them," she said, adding she's currently creating a manual about how to handle the situation with Seaforth's ER.; t 4. To transact any other business that may properly come befor the meeting.tOteroiotiottotfit0,?41 The retiring Directors are Brad Vanstone of the Huron/Perth designated area and Lloyd McGillivray of the Grey Bruce designated area. Both directors are eligible for re-election. Any qualifying policyholder wishing to run as a Director for these areas must file their intention to run, in writing, along with a nomination form, with the Corporate Secretary or designate, no later than close of business, February 27th, 2009. ,AsG. ly; By order of the Board of Directors, West Wawanosh Mutual Insurance Compan Dungannon, Ontario Cathie Simpson 4#1r dtt's -f'1Y .*1 i,1: �'�.ili'.+1.-.� y:�,y`'=' -`i 1t` s q -',: k p iihtfl" • • Please note the following im Seaforth Community HoSpit� "fi �' nning on �ay, February 7, 2009 the Emergency Department at Seaforth Community Hospital p tai r ��.r:� -- will be o n from 8.00 a m - 8.00 m `-k zfl'i�� *, ,t�,o�,s •4,: ��t fry_ pe • • • • p• .;t ��J Tr •�! "i .'a..+?L ' ...� c' .N� _:f�". , '�'�Ik�Ap� }''Wh i:. r.,;.;,..,,,,."k. �I: .}J1. :iai. L�� . f t -- . 'S r `t, .}! a -il � :. '.4''S-� -v- ,,ae+ , ,:(i.�"R 1"- ` t �}-; Between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. patients will be able to access Emergency Services at one of the other areal hospitals providing 24-hour„Emergency Department coverage. 1'' . • ` Idx }: f'� f •, nth, _, f if' L ' . >` '°'k4 '4.- -' 4'- i �. If you have a medical emergency,lease call 9-1-1. � s=R''s ��~” �.,: yfs► 1