The Green Food Box: an Ever-Popular Initiative, Even During the Pandemic
Whether in Bourget, Embrun, Crysler, Finch, Maxville, Moose Creek or elsewhere in the region, this initiative continues to be popular and to evolve based on the needs of each community. With the help of many committed volunteers, many boxes with a variety of fruits and vegetables are prepared and sold to new and existing clients each month. The Green Food Box also maintains several partnerships with local food banks, businesses and organizations in order to fight against food insecurity.
What is the Greed Food Box?
The Green Food Box is a non-profit program that brings neighbouring communities together to buy a variety of quality fresh fruits and vegetables at a wholesale price. Available monthly for either $10 or $15 depending on the site you order from, the Green Food Box contains staple produce as well as seasonal favourites.
Please refer to the website to find the location nearest you and for important dates, times and details.
Visit www.greenfoodbox.ca for more information.
CSCE Annual Report 2020-2021
“I really enjoyed the course I just completed. I learned a lot about self-management, such as how to balance activities, meditation and positive thinking. The instructors are fantastic and act as facilitators by sharing their experience and expertise. This program is definitely worth the effort. The manual will be a tool for me to refer to in the future to refresh my memory as I continue my journey with chronic pain.” [translation]
“Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain” is a six week virtual workshop offered in partnership with Living Healthy Champlain for anyone suffering from pain, which could include but is not limited to: low back pain, pain from motor vehicle accidents, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Anyone can register themselves for a workshop, no referral from a health care professional is needed.
Workshops are highly interactive and offer the Moving Easy Program which is a gentle movement program.
Please note that “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions” is another very popular six week workshop for anyone with a chronic health condition as well as their family members and/or caregivers. This could include diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, lung disease, and other chronic health issues.
To learn more, visit Living Healthy Champlain.
CSCE Annual Report 2020-2021
The CSCE is now offering on a regular basis a course based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT is a recognized therapeutic approach designed to help individuals manage distress and emotional reactions.
This virtual educational course helps individuals develop basic skills that will help them overcome everyday challenges. Those who choose to continue with individual therapy feel better equipped. Each session lasts 90 minutes and is offered for a period of eight weeks to groups of about a dozen participants.
Four categories of skills are taught, with both theoretical and practical components, including:
- Mindfulness
- Emotional regulation
- Distress tolerance
- Interpersonal effectiveness
CSCE Annual Report 2020-2021
Although the focus was on managing the pandemic, the Ministry of Health encouraged Ontario Health teams to continue with their projects or to partner with other approved teams or those in the process of becoming approved.
The Executive Director and members of the management team have been actively involved in three of these projects:
- The Eastern Ottawa Healthcare Team began its activities and focused on providing collaborative responses to COVID-19;
- The Prescott and Russell Healthcare Team, following another rejection of its final submission, is still awaiting direction from the Ministry of Health to initiate the process of partnering with another healthcare team;
- The Cornwall Healthcare Team has partnered with the Greater Winchester Healthcare Team and has been offered the opportunity to make a final submission. The Branch co-chaired the drafting committee for the final submission of the project as a whole. All partners are optimistically awaiting approval from the Ministry of Health and hope to begin their activities in the fall of 2021.
CSCE Annual Report 2020-2021
While the CSCE does not provide crisis intervention services, not all requests for mental health care are equal and some should be addressed more promptly.
Recognizing that there is a waiting period for therapy services and that some situations carry particular risks, the CSCE team strives to identify the most urgent cases at the time of initial contact to ensure adequate management.
Thanks to the continuous efforts of our psychologist and mental health workers, we have improved our processes for identifying and managing cases with particular risks. This is complex work that requires experience, judgment and knowledge of what studies have shown to be best practices.
CSCE Annual Report 2020-2021
Staff Recognition
The CSCE would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of several staff members. Congratulations on achieving this milestone!
- 30 years of service: Lynn Cuillerier
- 15 years of service: Lucie Bissonnette, Marc-Rosario Joseph, Julie Lalonde, Lyne Martineau and Marc Therrien
- 10 years of service: Paulo Antunes and Tania Sveistrup
- 5 years of service: Angèle Brunet
Board Recognition
The CSCE would also like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the following outgoing Board members:
- Michel Gratton, Vice-Chairman since September 2019 and member since November 2014 (second term)
- Jean-François Pagé, Chairman of the Board since September 2019 and member since October 2015 (second term)
- Diane Sabourin, member since April 2018 (first term)
CSCE Annual Report 2020-2021
The CSCE is grateful to have received grants totalling $35,000 from the Social Services Relief Fund and Emergency Community Support Fund, provided by the United Counties of Prescott-Russell and United Way SDG.
To date, these grants have helped the CSCE to:
- Purchase Nordic walking poles to get members of the community moving (when possible) in order to improve their physical condition and break isolation.
- Purchase some equipment for the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program so that clients can continue their treatment at home.
- Provide medical devices to clients with chronic diseases so that they can better manage their health by monitoring vital signs at home (i.e. blood pressure, oxygen saturation, blood sugar, etc.).
- Provide green food boxes to clients who have difficulty eating healthy due to the pandemic, lack of transportation, financial problems, etc.
- Offer a wide range of punctual assistance services to members of the community like medication, essential medical care not covered, housekeeping services, specialized medical equipment, walker or wheelchair rentals, items necessary to meet certain basic needs, gift certificates for groceries, etc.
CSCE Annual Report 2020-2021
The Pap test, or Papanicolaou test, is used to screen for cervical cancer and should be performed every three years for women between the ages of 21 and 70. This is one of the clinical performance indicators in our Multi-Sector Service Accountability Agreements (M-SAAs). In order to improve results for this indicator, nurse practitioners and nurses at the CSCE have set up Pap test clinics, a project based on concepts already implemented and recognized as effective in several clinics, community health centres and family healthcare teams in Ottawa.
Each clinic day allows for approximately 16 clients to be seen for a Pap test. The frequency of these clinics was determined based on the number of providers per site and the target clientele: every two months for the Cornwall site and every three months for the Alexandria, Bourget, Crysler and Limoges sites.
The gynecological exam also helps to diagnose and treat conditions such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), vaginitis, etc. The Pap test clinics, which aim to provide more availability for cervical cancer screening tests at the CSCE, are a proactive way to promote health and prevent the disease from worsening.
CSCE Annual Report 2020-2021
Courtesy Call Program
To provide support during these challenging times, our community healthcare team has launched a courtesy call program for clients and participants in various CSCE programs.
Courtesy calls are short telephone conversations that are meant to provide one-on-one personalized support, reduce isolation and raise awareness of the realities of COVID-19 (preventive measures, vaccination, misinformation, fraud, etc.). A CSCE counsellor listens and guides the client to the appropriate community resources and offers any support needed.
COVID-19—Resources and Support
In keeping with these courtesy calls, the CSCE has developed a guide with available resources and useful information about COVID-19.
A simplified version of this guide is available on the CSCE’s “COVID-19—Resources and Support” web page:
www.cscestrie.on.ca/en/COVID-19/.
It contains information on local organizations and several community initiatives in the areas of physical and mental health, wellness, food and financial assistance, vaccination, etc.
CSCE Annual Report 2020-2021
Managing the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on our most vulnerable clients. This is why home care is more critical than ever to the well-being of vulnerable individuals who are unable to travel to receive medical care or whose visit to a CSCE site poses an increased health risk due to their medical condition. It is for this reason that existing home care services at the Cornwall site have been enhanced. It should be noted that these services are part of the vision for the integrated, connected, client-centred healthcare, and contribute to reducing the strain on hospital services.
The restrictions with respect to sanitary measures have burdened family caregivers who could not accompany their loved ones to the hospital or who feared that they would need to go alone. Home care services have helped alleviate isolation that has been a significant barrier for some of our clients and their families. In addition, it is difficult to contemplate death without being surrounded by our loved ones. As a result, we have found that some clients and their families have chosen, whenever possible, to have end-of-life care at home rather than in a hospice or hospital, where few visitors are allowed.
Implementing Palliative Home Care Services
The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of initiating the palliative care approach early in our clients’ disease journey to help keep them comfortable in their homes and to avoid hospitalization and isolation. The early palliative care approach prevents and relieves pain, alleviates other uncomfortable physical symptoms and provides psychological, social, cultural and spiritual support to clients and their caregivers throughout the course of the illness.
The goal of the palliative care approach is to provide the best possible quality of life and support for patients and their families. The circle of care is comprised of a palliative care physician, family physician or nurse practitioner, nurses, beneficiary attendants, a social worker, family caregivers, etc. This team works together to ensure that the patient is comfortable, maintains their dignity until the end of their life and has the most peaceful death possible.
The assistance of the Cornwall Hospice’s palliative care physicians is invaluable in keeping our clients as comfortable as possible in their homes and surrounded by their loved ones. The CSCE staff follows the recommendations of palliative care physicians to ensure the well-being of our clients. The availability of the Cornwall Hospice team allows us to meet the needs of our clients on short notice through home visits and telephone follow-ups. The Cornwall Hospice team is also very helpful in referring clients to community resources that best meet their needs, whether psychological, social or spiritual.
It should also be noted that reduced accessibility to home care services for nursing and personal care provided by the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) has been another factor in the Cornwall site becoming more involved in home care for its clients.
The Story of a Young Parent with Cancer
This is the story of a person in their mid-thirties who has been receiving palliative care for over three years and for whom we are providing home care services in partnership with the Cornwall Hospice medical specialist, a CSCE family physician, a CSCE nurse, the oncology team, LHIN personal and home care specialists, and family caregivers.
I was diagnosed with cancer three years ago and am now in my fourth cycle of chemotherapy. As a single parent of a 10-year-old child, I have to continue to provide for him during my treatments, despite the strong side effects which often keep me in bed. With the help of the entire care team, I am able to stay home and the side effects of chemotherapy are better controlled.
It is not easy for a young single parent to contemplate death. That’s why the team around me not only helps me manage the pain and uncomfortable physical effects, but also addresses my psychological, social and spiritual concerns. In this way, I prepare my child and myself for the possibility of death sooner than expected. With the help of the palliative care physician and the resources of the Cornwall Hospice, I can say that. I have found some peace of mind. Now, I am more at peace and relieved that I am not leaving a burden on my family’s shoulders.
My family physician at the CSCE continues to follow me and to visit me at home, as needed. My family physician works with the palliative care physician and the entire care team to enhance my comfort on all levels. The CSCE nurse acts as a liaison between all members of the care team. She visits me at home and calls me often to make sure everything is okay. I feel at ease with her.
I am afraid of becoming infected with COVID-19. Having reduced access to services during the pandemic is also a big challenge for me. For example, I have to home school my child for fear that he will catch the virus and pass it on to me.
Having the care team come to my home makes me feel safer and more comfortable during the pandemic. Each professional is using the necessary precautionary measures and protective equipment. I have good support and feel at peace because I don’t have to schedule my appointments. I really appreciate not having to find a babysitter or transportation to receive care.
Because I have had very little interaction with family and friends since the pandemic began, I can say that home visits and telephone follow-ups help me feel less isolated. I feel supported on all levels. I know that I can easily get help from the Cornwall Hospice, the CSCE and the home care team if needed. I appreciate every action and intervention that allows me to continue to live at home comfortably. I am very grateful! [translation]
