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Change is in the Air

This year, the Pender Island Health Care Society is wrestling with some tough challenges: supporting the search for a new doctor after Dr. Moore’s retirement, finding a new Executive Director to fill a large hole that will be left when Marion Alksne retires at the end of this year, and our ongoing efforts to upgrade our 42-year-old facility.

Our Own Doctor Shortage

There is a shortage of family doctors across the country, and like the setting in many rural areas, Island Health has yet to find another physician to live and work on Pender. The Society is still hard at work advocating for a replacement physician while assisting Island Health with recruitment. At the same time, we are exploring additional roles within the medical clinic which would support the practitioners with patient care.

This process is neither easy nor quick. We appreciate the commitment of the medical clinic staff and the patience of the wider community as we work through the solutions. Thank-you!

Executive Director search

Our search for a new Executive Director began in April with adverts going out to a variety of employment services. We’d also love to hear from the community to help us find a great candidate. The job is part time (¾ of a full-time position), pays well, and plays an important and respected role in providing the health services we all rely on as a community. Learn more here.

posted May 25 2023

Speaker Series videos now available

We’re happy to report that Dr. Greg Bondy’s talk on Type 2 diabetes from April 23 is now available online to view at our Speaker Series page.

posted May 5 2023

Medical Information Fridge Envelopes

Do you still have a magnetic Medical Information Envelope on your fridge? Is it up to date? In 2017, the Society launched a campaign to ensure there would be a magnetic medical Information envelope posted on every Pender fridge. Inside is a form that lists all your pertinent medical information and prescriptions. On the reverse is helpful information about your “grab & go bag” and details about discharge from hospital.

Trust us, in stressful times, it’s a godsend for first responders and family members to simply grab the envelope and have all the critical information at hand.

If you are a newcomer or your envelope has grown legs and walked off, envelopes are now available through the Pender Island Pharmacy or the Health Centre. The pharmacist can make everything simple by printing out a list of your medications.

posted April 22 2023

2023 Speaker Series: Everything You Need To Know about Type 2 Diabetes

The next talk in our 2023 Speaker Series is on Sunday April 23 at 2 pm at the Pender Island Library with guest speaker, Dr. Greg Bondy. He’ll provide lifestyle measures such as diet and exercise to help manage the disease, as well as newer, safer medications that help prevent renal and heart disease in diabetics.

As he says, “It used to be that when I would tell someone they had diabetes, I would take ten years off their life expectancy. With newer medications and lifestyle measures, this is no longer the case.”

Dr. Bondy has treated diabetes for over 30 years and is Physician at St. Paul's Hospital Diabetes Clinic, and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathology, UBC.

posted April 10 2023

There has been no update from Island Health on finding a replacement for the now-retired Dr. Moore. The Society is working hard to provide the best primary care service possible under the circumstances with available locums. Options for the longer term are under consideration. The primary focus now is providing a fully functioning health centre that will attract a physician to join the medical practice, while Island Health works on physician recruitment.

posted April 4 2023

The Search Begins for a new Executive Director

Marion Alksne, Executive Director at the Health Centre, is planning to retire at the completion of her five-year term in December 2023.

A search committee of the Board has initiated recruitment activities and advertising as of early April.

Find the job description and details on how to apply here.

posted March 31 2023

The Health Centre is pleased to welcome Adrienne Moya to the team. Employed by Island Health, she holds the position of Adult Assessment and Treatment Clinician. 

Adrienne Moya MSW, RSW is a registered social worker and clinical counsellor with training in mindfulness-based approaches, expressive art therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. She is passionate about the ability of mindfulness to support individual healing, growth, and transformation.

Her support, free of charge, is available on Tuesdays at the clinic. To set up an appointment, call Salt Spring Mental Health and Substance Use Services at (250) 538-4711.

Adrienne is currently signing up participants for a four session program called Meditating Towards Mental Health. You'll learn various meditations and tools, seeing how mindfulness and meditation supports psychological wellbeing. Sharing and questions encouraged, no prior meditation experience required.

Open to adults, free of charge, it runs on Thursdays, March 23 to April 13 from Noon to 1:30 pm at the Health Centre. 

For info or to register, e-mail adrienne@camasmentalhealth.ca.

posted March 9 2023

Registrations are open for two mental health workshops in March in the Health Centre Meeting Room. The sessions are being facilitated by Elizabeth Miles MSc., CCC, a Health Centre counsellor with a special interest in mindfulness and health, the emotional impact of chronic illness, and positive psychology. To register, call (250) 539-0905.

Art can help us to reflect, express feelings, soothe emotional pain, and restore wellbeing. In this workshop we explore ways to tap into this inner resource with simple exercises and the sharing of ideas and insights. This is NOT an art class; you do not need to have any art experience. Art materials supplied.

Join us as we explore ways to use writing as a tool for emotional healing and self-discovery. The effectiveness of journaling as a tool for recovery, stress reduction, self-awareness, mindful acceptance, and positive well-being has been well documented. 

posted February 26 2023

This first of a series of health talks will be held at the library on Sunday February 26 at 2 pm as part of the Sunday in the Library series.

Almost every cell in our bodies contains a copy of the genome, which contains all the info a body needs to grow and develop. Dr. Paré, a member of the Health Care Society board of directors, will explain it all much more thoroughly than we can do here.

posted February 10 2023