Atikokan FHT goes to bat for moms

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The Atikokan Family Health Team has introduced two community wellness programs that will have an impact at opposite ends of the age spectrum.

The health team's Breast Start program will promote the benefits of breastfeeding, while a Mobile Falls Prevention program will help seniors stay on their feet.

Both programs demonstrate the ability of a multidisciplinary family health team to identify community health-care needs and respond quickly.

Lisa Campbell, a registered nurse with the Atikokan Family Health Team, championed the Breast Start program after having difficulty breastfeeding her own daughter.

"I had to travel two hours to Thunder Bay to see a lactation consultant, so I know how frustrating it is being a new mom, having a toddler at home and having difficulty breastfeeding," said Campbell. "I decided to do this because no mom should have to go through the frustration of not having support."

The Breast Start program is introduced to expectant mothers at their first prenatal appointment.

Family health team nurses educate them about the benefits of breastfeeding and offer them seven day per week support after they give birth. Mothers with questions about breastfeeding can call the office during the day or a cell phone number on weekends.

"The majority of deliveries are performed in Thunder Bay," said Campbell. "You may be discharged at 5 pm on a Friday, come home and have difficulty breastfeeding. If there's no support, by Monday you'll have made up your mind in favour of formula feeding."

With the Breast Start program in place, mothers can call through the weekend if they're having problems.

Aside from being less expensive, breastfeeding is better for the child's brain development, provides a natural immune system and results in fewer problems with allergies later in life, said Campbell.

"A lot of mothers try it and get discouraged if there's no support, and teenagers quit because of immaturity and embarrassment."

The Breast Start program also links mothers to programs operated by other agencies in the community. The Atikokan Native Friendship Centre, for example, offers new mothers a weekly $10 voucher to purchase fruits and vegetables at a local grocery store, while the Northwestern Health Unit offers coupons for three litres of milk per week.

Fall prevention

The health team's Mobile Falls Prevention program was piloted this past fall and is now available to anyone 65 years of age and older who is at risk of falling.

A multidisciplinary team including registered nurses, a mental health worker, an occupational therapist and a pharmacist can be called on as required to identify and assess fall risk factors in an individual's home, said Cathe Hoszowski, administrator of the Atikokan Family Health Team.

Scatter mats and rollers on beds are some examples of items in a senior's home that raise red flags.  Family health team staff may recommend the installation of grab bars and the use of night-lights.

They can also review a patient's medications if there is an issue with dizziness.

A donation from a local senior's group has provided the health team with funds to purchase night lights, two-sided tape, ice grippers for boots and passes for exercise classes to gain strength and balance.

Seniors account for more than 30 per cent of Atikokan's population and falls are a common occurrence for this age group, said Hoszowski. The fall prevention program will help keep Atikokan seniors on their feet and reduce pressure on the local hospital's emergency room.

The Atikokan program is one of 33 community-based fall prevention programs spearheaded by the North West LHIN and St. Joseph's Care Group in Thunder Bay.

Five doctors

Established in 2006, the Atikokan Family Health Team has five doctors and a total of 21 staff, including nurses, a mental health worker, a pharmacist, a dietitian and administrative and clerical personnel.

The inclusion of allied health-care professionals on the team takes the pressure off the five doctors and provides health-care consumers in and around Atikokan with access to a wider range of services under one roof.

"It's like any profession," said Hoszowski. "You should always do what you're skilled at doing to the maximum and let your team members do whatever they can."