Do you ever think about falling? You’re not alone. As we age, both the chance and the consequence of falling increases, making us think about the risk of falling more often. According to this Finding Balance Alberta fact sheet, in 2021 there were over 10,000 fall-related hospital admissions. In fact, falls reportedly led to more…
In the midst of social distancing and extra stress, it has been difficult for some people to manage existing or emerging health issues during the pandemic. Wally and Lorraine Hawryschuk, with the help of their family doctor and the Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network, have proven it’s possible to actually improve both your health and…
The waiting room at Bonnie Doon Medical Clinic is standing room only this windy April morning. But the crowd gathered in this comfortable neighbourhood clinic isn’t here to renew prescriptions or have their blood pressure checked. They will be seeing the doctor, but in a totally new way. They’re here for Walking on Wednesdays (WOW),…
By Stephanie SchlaakExercise Specialist With February being National Heart Month, there is no better time to talk about how to keep your heart healthy and strong. This is important because taking care of your heart can help prevent heart disease, a condition where the heart is not working well. Heart disease affects 2.4 million Canadian…
Hendrik Albarda discovered what Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network has to offer after his family doctor referred him to a healthy aging nurse. He explains that his doctor, Dr. Sheela Duia, at Nova Medical Clinic thought that the PCN could help him with his aging. Mary Whale, the healthy aging nurse, visited Hendrik in his…
Moving for Memory taught Carole and Archie Landals how important the relationship is between physical health and brain health. The eight-week group workshop, offered by Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network, focuses on physical activity and steps towards a healthier brain. Carole discovered the class through her family doctor, Dr. Tarini Siva, at the Summers Medical…
Sabine Brouillette credits her health team at Edmonton Southside PCN for saving her life. The 67-year-old COPD patient’s breathing was becoming worse. When she was refused treatment at her dentist because of her breathing, she went to see her family doctor, Dr. Colleen Johnston, at Town Centre Family Clinic. Dr. Johnston referred Sabine to a…
A hospital scare forced Lorraine Henry into a wakeup call about quitting smoking. In June, Lorraine was feeling extremely tired and had tightness in her chest. She visited her family doctor, Dr. Dennis Wong, had told him she thought she had a sinus infection. She was given antibiotics but her feet and ankles started to…
Waiting for a diagnosis caused Audrey Karpetz to become inactive and gain weight. Audrey had difficulty breathing and it took eight months to pin the cause of sarcoidosis, a lung disease that inflames the organ and left her with no energy. “There was a long time when I couldn’t walk. The pain was so bad,”…
Step by step is how Maha Chehayeb achieved her goal of becoming more physically active despite health issues. She was told by her family doctor, Dr. Rafi Husain that she needed to lose weight before considering knee surgery related to advanced arthritis. Her medical history also includes diabetes, high blood pressure and a large abdominal…