Health Promotion and Education –

Promotion Health and Education Program Coordinator

Program Objectives

Ø      To assist people in becoming active participants in their own health and well-being by providing health education resource materials, workshops, and consulting services.

Ø      To address the health concerns of our nations by offering regular screening clinics for such illness as diabetes, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B and TB.

Ø      To encourage health living choices which promote good health and reduce the risk of illness.

Ø      To design, develop and deliver programs and services that support positive changes in lifestyle such as . . . .

*Healthy Eating  *Regular Physical Exercise  *Self-care and Management  *Stress Reduction  *Smoke Free Living

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES:

EXERCISE IN MILES PROGRAM

This summer we invited members of the community to participate in a walking contest.  By defining 20 minutes of physical exercise as being equivalent to walking one mile, participants could challenge themselves, a friend or another organization by accumulating “exercise miles.”  Participants were encouraged to set their own exercise goals and were provided monthly calendars to record their minutes or miles of physical activity.  Walking safety tips, physical activity guides, and a variety of healthy living resource materials were also included with every registration package.

Congratulations to all our participants.  Together, we walked to 295 miles!

NATIVE SOMEN’S FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE

This new six-week program, which began this fall at the Hamilton site, offered women an opportunity to explore health and wellness topics, ask questions, get answers, and meet others in a culturally sensitive setting.  Guest presentations and special events focused on such topics as: Native Foods and Nutrition, Diabetes Awareness and Education, Breast Health, and Using Food Labels to Choose Foods for Healthy Living.

DIABETES CIRCLE

A bi-weekly Diabetes Circle is coming to the Hamilton site for 2001.  This joint initiative between the Health Promotion & Education Program, the Traditional Healing Program and the Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative (SOADI), will be offered on alternating Tuesday evenings from 7 – 9 p.m.  Our first circle starts January 16^th.  You won’t want to miss Walter Cooke’s “Diabetes and Traditional Teaching Circle” on January 30^th.  Future circle topics will be decided by the group.  Bring family members and friends.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

ABORIGINAL DIABETES SUPPORT GROUP

The Aboriginal Diabetes Support Group meets on alternating Tuesdays at the Pine Tree Native Centre of Brant form 10 a.m. – 12 noon.  Special thanks to the following presenters for sharing their knowledge with us:  Walter Cooke – “Diabetes & the Teachings of the Eagle Feather”; Rodger Hill – “Introductory Tai Chi Lesson” at Kanata Village; Ansel Kerr – “Naturopathic Medicine and Diabetes”; and Tara Williams – “Living Wills.”

DIABETES CLINICS

Last November we held a Diabetes Clinic at the Pine Tree Native Centre of Brant in Brantford, Ontario.  Diabetes Clinics provide community members with an opportunity to have their blood sugars tested, to receive free diabetes-related resource materials, to ask questions and receive answers.  We would be happy to offer these services to any one of our fellow First Nations agencies.  If your agency is interested in hosting a Diabetes Clinic, feel free to contact me at the following locations.  Ask for Cindy Mutch, Health Promotions & Education Program Coordinator.

Brantford site:                        (519) 752-4340  (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday)

Hamilton site:             (905) 544-4320  (Tuesday evenings, Thursday and Friday)

GROUP PRESENTATIONS

This past fall, I had the pleasure of providing lectureships on Aboriginal Health (i.e., current initiatives and issues) to first-year sociology students at the University of Guelph and to third-year nursing students at McMaster University.  Any Aboriginal health-related topic or issue may be presented upon request.  Cultural sensitivity workshops and presentations are available upon request by the Advocacy Program Coordinator.

HEALTH INFORMATION RESOURCES

Our Community Health Resource Centre offers a wide variety of pamphlets, brochures, manuals and videotapes on topics ranging from managing your diabetes and coping with cholesterol to child safety and family violence.  While many of our resource materials are offered free-of-charge, some materials, such as videotapes, are available to the community on loan.