Spring is coming and that means summer is quick to follow. Isn’t that exciting!? It also means that ParticipACTION is launching its Canada-wide Community Better Challenge in the search for Canada’s more active community! Not only does the winning community get the honour of being crowned most active, but also it wins $100,000 for the community. In addition, there are prizes for the most active community in each province. Let’s show them what Albert County is made of!
By Alicia O'Hara and Alma Recreation Council
Spring is coming and that means summer is quick to follow. Isn’t that exciting!? It also means that ParticipACTION is launching its Canada-wide Community Better Challenge in the search for Canada’s more active community! Not only does the winning community get the honour of being crowned most active, but also it wins $100,000 for the community. In addition, there are prizes for the most active community in each province. Let’s show them what Albert County is made of!
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![]() By Brittany Butland, RD Did you know March is Nutrition Month? Created in 1982, dietitians have been celebrating Nutrition Month for the last 40 years. Nutrition Month is a public awareness campaign created to promote the importance of healthy eating and to identify dietitians as the most credible source of food and nutrition information. There is a new theme each year, and this year’s theme is “Unlock the Potential of Food: Ingredients for a Healthier Tomorrow”. Canadians face many challenges when making food choices, including social influences, food marketing, and the increasing availability of foods high in fat, sodium and sugars. These factors have a major impact on food choices and can make healthy eating a challenge for many people, which is why having the knowledge and skills to be able to read and understand nutrition labels is important. ![]() by Ian Duncan, Friends of Fundy Program and Events Coordinator Upper Bay of Fundy Project Charting a Sustainable Path for Rural Communities A first ever community-led regional development process for the Rural Upper Bay of Fundy region is bringing people together to develop a plan that reflects the area’s unique community assets and opportunities. The initiative covers an area comprising Hillsborough, Riverside-Albert, Alma, Sussex, St. Martins, and their adjacent rural areas. It brings together residents, business owners, non-profit managers, and local municipal officials. The two year project is funded by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Province of New Brunswick. It is administered by the non-profit Friends of Fundy. The first phase, which includes extensive community engagement, data collection and initial recommendations, will be completed by May 2022. The Working Group of the project has been studying tourism principles and reviewing the previous reports on the region and has now begun to formally engage communities. We’d love to hear your thoughts regarding the role tourism could play in community growth and development; if you’d like to share them, you can fill out a survey here: Rural Destination Development Survey (google.com) ![]() By Janet Wallace “At first, it was really scary,” says Beverly Stevens. “So much was unknown.” When Horizon Health Network asked for nurses to help with COVID-19 testing, she and Anne Terris immediately offered to go. They were initially told they would be working at the Moncton testing site for a few weeks, then their term was extended another few weeks, and again and again. In the end, they conducted COVID tests from mid-April to December 2020. Providing the COVID-Vaccine Booster now for people who are eligible
(6 months following 2nd vaccine aged 50+ for December or 40+ in January) Call the Albert County Community Health Centre 882-3100 Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 4:00 pm By Alicia O'Hara
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… right? It’s totally normal if you LOVE the holiday season, or have mixed feelings about it, or truly dread this time of year. It’s also completely normal if you feel all these emotions when you think about the holidays. This season can often be a chance to connect with family and friends, celebrate and eat delicious food. However, some people may find the holidays stressful, lonely or isolating, especially during the pandemic. By Brittany Butland, RD
Every day we are bombarded with conflicting nutrition messages from family and friends, media and the internet. How can you ensure the information you are hearing or reading is trust-worthy and evidence-based? Unfortunately, many of the latest nutrition trends are not based on the best available science or may only tell you part of the story. ![]() By Donald Alward The New Brunswick 9-1-1 project began in October 1994 and was fully implemented in September 1997. At that time, New Brunswick was the second jurisdiction in Canada, and fourth in North America to establish a province- or state-wide enhanced 9-1-1 system. To make this valuable service work, a system of civic addresses had to be established. A civic address consists of the number, the street or road name, and the community name assigned to residential, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. These addresses are not randomly generated; they are assigned with a great deal of planning in mind. ![]() By Alan Demaline On a late summer day in September, Antoinette was able to sit on the deck of her cottage surrounded by family and friends overlooking the water in beautiful Cap Bimet, east of Shediac. At 99 years of age, Antoinette has enjoyed this type of gathering countless times over the years. What made this day different, however, was that it required the collaboration of three organizations and their volunteers. After a lifetime of living in her home in Moncton and cottage in Cap Bimet, Antoinette recently moved to Maison Albert House, a facility of Hospice SENB (Southeastern New Brunswick). This wonderful new facility in Moncton features ten resident rooms, four family rooms, indoor and outdoor public areas, a commercial kitchen, a non-denominational meditation room and medical personnel areas. ![]() By Phyllis Hudson and Bob Rochon On October 2, 2021, the Bennett and Albert County Health Care Foundation partnered with the Eric Steeves Memorial Charity Golf Tournament in support of healthcare. The four-person scramble golf tournament held at the Hillsborough Golf Course draws the most golfers of any tournament at the course. The 20th anniversary event attracted 156 golfers from around the region to compete for prizes including best overall score, longest drive, closest to the hole and longest putt in men’s and ladies’ categories. Tournament organizers Danny Jonah and Kim Hoar of Hillsborough work tirelessly each year to organize the event that supports community charities. Local and area businesses give generously each year to support the event that has raised more than $80,000 over twenty years. Forest Dale Home has played an important role in Riverside-Albert since the original home opened in 1980. It has grown to a 50-bed, long-term care facility which is the major employer in the area. The people who work at the home provide outstanding care to the residents who can no longer live on their own. A heartfelt thanks goes out to all the staff who provide the hands-on care in a safe and home-like environment that has made Forest Dale Home a desired, long-term care facility in the community.
![]() Horizon’s Albert County Community Health Centre wishes to introduce and welcome Amy O’Keefe, SW, as the new Community Developer for Albert County, Petitcodiac and Salisbury areas. Amy graduated from St. Thomas University’s School of Social Work in 2009, after which she spent time working in Newfoundland with the province’s Child, Youth & Family Services, followed by a short stint with Social Development in Moncton. After that, she worked in the non-profit sector for several years with a focus on supporting people with disabilities. She has developed a passion for inclusion and accessibility from this work. When she’s not advocating, she can be found enjoying local music, or spending time by the ocean with her dog, Biscuit! Amy will be working from the Albert County Community Health Centre on Thursdays. She is looking forward to getting to know our communities and encourages you to pop in to say hello or contact her to arrange a meeting (506-229-2244 or Amy.O'[email protected]). For the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic and answers to common questions, visit www.gnb.ca/coronavirus. You can register for a test online by clicking “Get Tested” on the webpage above or by calling Tele-Care (just dial 811).
COVID-19 tests are performed at the Albert County Community Health Centre, but the initial contact must be made through either the GNB webpage or 811. If you use the website, select Riverside-Albert as your location if you want the test to be done at the Albert County Community Health Centre. Your request will then be forwarded to the location of your choice. Staff will phone and schedule an appointment. You will receive a code to register for MyHealthNB, where you can access your test results online. This is the fastest way to access your COVID-19 test results. For more information, visit the MyHealthNB website at myhealth.gnb.ca or call for tech support at 1-844-462-8387. If you require assistance, please call the Albert County Community Health Centre at 882-3100. Contributed by the Albert County Community Health Centre. By Jennifer Shelby
If you, or a young person you care about, is struggling with drug addiction, the free Drug Intervention Program (DIP) can help. Specifically tailored for youth aged 15-24, DIP is an outreach program from Youth Impact Jeunesse, which recently extended into Albert County with funding from the Bennett and Albert County Health Care (BACH) Foundation. Program Manager Jonathan Thibodeau explains that “there is a rise in addiction in most regions of the province and some of this seems to be correlated to the pandemic.” Some clients contact DIP on their own, while others are referred to the program. “We offer help with alcohol, marijuana, and, of course, all the harder substances.” DIP can be reached by calling 506-856-2633 or by visiting youthimpact.org. For young adults struggling with drug addiction, it may be hard to know where to go or who to ask for help. Fortunately, there is an option that is free and convenient: Youth Impact offers one-on-one addiction counselling. With the support of the Bennett and Albert County Health Care (BACH) Foundation, the program has expanded into rural Albert County.
The Drug Intervention Program is available for anyone from 15-24 years of age. There is no cost for the program and no waiting list. It is completely confidential and voluntary. It’s up to the person with the addiction to sign up. If you know of someone who might benefit from this program or want to join yourself, call Program Manager Jonathan Thibodeau at 506-856-2633 or see youthimpact.org. The vision of the Bennett and Albert County Health Care (BACH) Foundation is “to have a positive impact on health and wellness for the people served by the Albert County Health and Wellness Centre with the support of our community.” You can learn more and donate at www.bachfoundation.com. By Kimberly McKinley
My last article for Connecting Albert County was written in May of 2018. At that time, I thanked our volunteers for their continued support and dedication to our residents here at Forest Dale Home (FDH). My article contained much praise and appreciation for their contributions -- many programs are only possible with the help of our volunteers. ![]() By Shannon Gaythorpe Byron Cook has always had an interest in people and music. In 2018, Byron moved from Moncton back to his hometown of Hillsborough and joined the residents of Fundy Royal Manor, a special care home for seniors. Once settled, he realized there were not many afternoon activities for the residents so he set about sharing his collection of DVDs and music with his new neighbours. Attention Albert County!
Vaccination clinics will be happening locally this Friday April 16th for the populations below and there are still spots available! To book, visit www.gnb.ca/bookavaccine or call 1-833-437-1424 The NB Cancer Network (NBCN) wants to increase participation among NB underscreened population in its cancer screening programs; particularly the Colon (Bowel) Cancer Screening Program. Your area is one of the regions participating the least in the Colon Cancer Screening Program. Colon cancer is the 2nd cause of cancer death in the province! From January 2015 until November 2020, the Program has found 370 early colon cancers in people who had no signs or symptoms – that is more than one early cancer found per week. Screening does save lives!
The Colon Cancer Screening Program is using a simple, at-home test mailed directly to all eligible population in NB. In the coming weeks, in collaboration with your local Community Health Center, a survey will be distributed to better understand why people are not getting tested and what can be done to improve participation. This survey should take about 5 minutes of your time. Participation in this survey is completely voluntary, and all information provided will remain anonymous and confidential. No identifying information will be used in any report or publication resulting from this survey. For more information, please contact your local Community Health Center. Phone 882-3100 and ask for Beverly. Appointments are required for all visits to Horizon’s Albert County Community Health Centre (ACCHC) and Hillsborough Satellite Office (HSO). Call 506-882-3100 for all appointments.
All visitors and support persons must monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms before each visit. Stay at home if you feel unwell. Active screening of visitors and support persons will take place before entering the facility. A screener will greet patients and ask a series of questions related to COVID-19, including questions about COVID-19 symptoms and recent travel. Forest Dale Home held a COVID vaccination clinic on March 9, 2021 for residents, staff and volunteers. In total, 103 vaccine doses were administered with 50 residents vaccinated and the remaining 53 doses provided to staff, volunteers and community members. Forest Dale Home staff would like to thank everyone who helped them organize and host this clinic. Forest Dale Home staff state they are “grateful that we could provide this service to the communities we serve.”
Two new online guides offer older adults and caregivers information and tips to help cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Older Adults’ Wellness During COVID-19: A Guide and Caregiving to Older Adults During COVID-19: A Guide have all the essential information in one place. www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/news/news_release.2021.03.0158.html
The guides contain information on various topics that relate to daily life during the pandemic, including vaccines, nutrition, and financial assistance. They present information on ways to stay active, positive, and connected. Excerpt from NB Social Dev't News Release, Mar. 3, '21. ![]() Michael Hewey Great news! The COVID-19 vaccines are finally here in New Brunswick! But can you get it? And if you can, which ones are available? There are currently four COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Canada. The first two are the Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna vaccines, which are available to those above the age of 16 (Pfizer) or 18 (Moderna). Both these vaccines use a messenger RNA platform. What does that mean? Well, basically the RNA vaccine is a blueprint copy with instructions of how to build the COVID-19 antibodies to prevent infection. The good news is that since these are not live vaccines, they come with additional benefits and can be administered to immunocompromised people. Remember to complete both doses with the same vaccine to optimize protection. By Alicia O’Hara
“No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.” I read that recently, and it is fitting for this past year as we all adjusted to a new world of unknowns, Public Health measures, and varying levels of isolation. The steps necessary to protect our physical wellness have had an impact on our mental health. Over the last year, you may have found yourself feeling more irritable, anxious, lonely or depressed. You aren’t alone. I think it would be hard to find someone whose mental wellness hasn’t been affected by the pandemic. It's been a difficult season in life, a long "winter" if you will, but as the quote says, “Spring is sure to follow.” |
Wellness
Connecting Albert County would like to thank the following supporters & advertisers: Platinum supporters - Bennett and Albert County Health Care (BACH) Foundation - Albert County Pharmacy - Hon. Rob Moore, MP for Fundy Royal Gold supporters - CBDC Westmorland Albert - Albert County Funeral Home - Friends of Fundy Silver supporters - Crooked Creek Convenience - Hon. Mike Holland, Minister, MLA-Albert - Fundy Highlands Motel and Chalets Bronze supporters - Chipoudy Communities Revitalization Committee (CCRC) - Jeff MacDougall, SouthEastern Mutual Insurance If you would like to support Connecting Albert County, visit our Advertising page or Donation page. With your support, we can continue to share the news of rural Albert County. Comments We welcome comments to our blog postings. Please provide your email address and name with your comment, and respect our content guidelines.
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