In September I was nominated by both my nurse practitioner and mental heather worker to join a committee that was starting at my health clinic. Of course I was enthusiastic about getting involved and creating a new sense of belonging for myself, The committee was being a health champion. The way Ontario want to create Family Heath Teams is for the whole building to be utilized. We don’t want people to feel intimidated going into their doctor to get a prescription. We want them to feel like their visiting their friends and feeling comfortable where they are.
Doctors and nurse practitioners are so busy in their offices they don’t have the time needed to model healthy wellness practices that need to be incorporated into the families home. Health champions do just this. Doctors can now hand out social prescriptions for people who need that extra push and feel like they belong. Whether your out learning a new skill, getting fit with physical exercise or just having a cup of coffee with a new pal the prescriptions are being used for worthwhile causes.
Based in Europe, Health Champions came to Thunder Bay to provide a workshop on creating the healthy environment. In Thunder Bay at my Health clinic, on any given week you can pick up a pair of knitting needles, have a cup of coffee, do some chair yoga, cook a healthy meal, talk about FASD with another parent raising a child too or even participating in mindful movement. If you’re in the waiting room and your head is cold there is winter toques and maybe a pair of mitts waiting for you and sometimes an apple or orange to go with it.
It works. Come see me in my « yarning room » you can play too!
Click on the purple link for the CBC article about it.
Click on the purple link for the CBC article about it.
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