Haliburton Highlands Health Services
7199 Gelert Rd, PO Box 115 K0M 1S0 Haliburton, ON, Canada

SIRCH Community Services annual Share the Warmth giveaway day is this Saturday, November 14th - all winter outerwear is FREE. In Minden at St. Paul's Anglican Church (19 Invergordon) from 9 AM - 1 PM, and in Haliburton at SIRCH Community Services (49 Maple) from 11 AM - 4 PM. Masks are required and COVID-19 precautions will be in place.

Thanks to the team at United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes for this important collaboration!

Drive-through Flu Shot Clinic (see details below).

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit distributed the following press release this afternoon regarding recommended precautions for residents... to take this Thanksgiving weekend to prevent the spread of COVID-19. ---- With the Thanksgiving holiday almost here, area residents are being reminded to serve up COVID-19 safety with the usual fall festive fare. The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit is encouraging everyone to reduce the spread of COVID-19 during the holiday long weekend. This includes staying close to home as much as possible and ideally only marking Thanksgiving with those in your immediate household. Thanksgiving is traditionally the time to celebrate the fall harvest and gather with family, friends and loved ones, says Dr. Lynn Noseworthy, Medical Officer of Health with the HKPR District Health Unit. This year, we ask people to be mindful of COVID-19 and celebrate Thanksgiving differently to reduce the spread of the virus. We’re now in the second wave and with cases of COVID-19 rising across Ontario, it’s essential we do our part to protect the health of our community. Local residents are encouraged to connect with family and friends either virtually or outdoors over Thanksgiving. Connecting by phone, social media or video conferencing can still allow people to get together albeit remotely. If an in-person visit with family or friends is planned for Thanksgiving, it’s best to hold festivities outdoors staying within gathering limits and keeping a 2-metre (6-foot) physical distance from others. Face coverings should also be worn. If any participants feel sick, they should stay home and not visit anyone. While we realize this year’s Thanksgiving may not be what we’re used to, these precautions are necessary to help reduce everyone’s risk of COVID-19, Dr. Noseworthy adds. If students are coming home from college or university for Thanksgiving, the Health Unit urges extra precautions. It’s important for students who are back home to practise proper hand hygiene, wear a face covering indoors and keep at least 2 metres distance, especially while eating or drinking. If they are feeling sick, students should not return home for Thanksgiving. Keeping food safety in mind for Thanksgiving is also important, such as ensuring meat is cooked to a safe internal temperature. But it doesn’t end there, as people should also consider COVID-19 prevention tips when serving and preparing food. It’s recommended that food be plated individually by someone who is symptom-free and knowledgeable in safe food handling. Do not share food and beverages buffet or family style. Thanksgiving is a time to appreciate what we have, so let’s celebrate smartly and safely as we do our best to flatten the COVID-19 curve, Dr. Noseworthy adds.

Please help us by testing your internet speed Over the past months, the governments of Ontario and Canada have launched a number of programs to assist with fund...ing the expansion of broadband internet. The County of Haliburton has decided to take steps to ensure government funding is secured to improve broadband internet connectivity in the under-served areas of our county. We have identified an initial funding program (Improving Connectivity for Ontario (ICON) Program https://www.ontario.ca//connecting-ontario-improving-broad) and are asking for your assistance to measure your actual internet experience. ACTION --> Please go to https://performance.cira.ca/ confirm your location and START the speed test. If possible, go back to the website and run the test at different times of the day. We are hoping to collect a significant set of data points by the end of October. To hone in on your residence, press the blue teardrop-shaped indicator beside the postal code box on the webpage (you'll then see a pop-up map, and you can move the orange teardrop-shaped indicator to your precise location). Note: If you do not have internet, there’s a link at the top of the CIRA website that will take you 'pop-up' map, here you can find your location and indicate no service. After analyzing the data, we will proceed to approach various ISPs to solicit their interest in partnering with us to apply for funding assistance. The County has retained the services of Kuro Partners to assist with the analysis of the data and the application process. If we are successful in engaging with one or more ISPs we will apply to the ICON program beginning in early winter 2020-2021. Funding announcements would be made in Spring 2022 at which point we would proceed to negotiate contracts with the government and the successful ISP. Thank you for your assistance.

Calling all apple tree owners! Extra apples can be dropped off at Lakeside Church (9 Park St. in Haliburton) on Monday, September 21st between noon and 3 PM.

Have a student heading into Grade 9 this year? Check out the 9 for 9 group from Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth & Parents.

A short update with a few things to keep in mind as we look towards the fall. -- Community Update Week of August 21, 2020... Dear friends and neighbours of Haliburton County, After more than a month of our region being in Stage 3 of the provincial re-opening framework, I want to take a moment to remind us all of the importance of staying alert to the risks posed by COVID-19. First, I want to congratulate everyone on the precautionary measures you have taken so far. We have seen a relatively small number of COVID-19 positive cases in Haliburton County, and this is a direct result of your efforts to keep yourselves, your families, friends, and neighbours safe. Thank you for showing kindness and compassion to each other as you go about your daily lives, and for finding safe ways to enjoy the beauty of the Highlands this summer. With fall on the horizon, it is more important that ever that we continue to follow the public health measures that have been put in place. This means continuing to physically distance from those not in your household or social bubble, wearing face masks when that distance cannot be maintained, frequent hand washing, staying home when you are feeling unwell, and seeking testing as soon as you can after possible exposure to the virus. COVID-19 has not gone away. It continues to circulate in our region and, likely, in our community. After so many months of keeping up with these important public health measures, it is only natural that some of us will be feeling tired and worn-out with it all. If this is true for you, I encourage you to visit www.haliburtoncares.ca and access some of the many options available to support your mental health. You are not alone and you play an incredibly important role in keeping yourself and our community safe. For our part, HHHS will continue to maintain strict infection prevention and control measures at all of our facilities. We will continue to operate in a state of readiness, so that we can respond quickly and safely if a surge of cases develops in the future. And we will continue to look for new ways to collaborate with our community partners in order to better protect our residents, patients, staff, family, and neighbours. Thank you and take care, Carolyn Plummer President & CEO

Thank you Sharon!

NEWS: The 13th annual Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation radiothon kicked off today.

It’s Day 2 of the 13th Annual Haliburton Highlands Health Radiothon raising funds for new Vital Signs Monitors!

2 ways to help your hospital and health care facilities as we raise funds for new Vital Signs Monitors for Haliburton and Minden Hospital sites: 1. Make a Donation to the 13th Annual Haliburton Highlands Health Radiothon. Tune in to 93.5 MooseFM - August 13 &14, 6 AM - 6 PM. We can thank you on-air - you can create a challenge for others to donate! Donations can be made by phone at 705-457-1580 or directly online hhhs.ca/foundation 2. Bid It to Win It! Our New Online Silent A...uction! View our e-catalogue at hhhs.ca/foundation and bid on great items in 4 categories: Gifts and Goodies, Health and Home, Sports and Leisure, Vintage and Retro. Auction opens August 13 at 6 AM and closes August 17 at 3 PM. Bid and purchase online! Visit hhhs.ca/foundation for more information or to participate! Thank you for your support of health care in the Haliburton Highlands!

SIRCH is gathering information to help plan for the fall & winter - please take a look at their survey and share with your networks.

Thanks to Kate's Burger Counter for their support!

A few reminders from the County of Haliburton as we head into this long weekend.

Now available in Haliburton and Minden, or by contacting the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation directly.

Our update from the past two weeks looks at a new 'Care Partner' visitor policy that is being finalized now and the upcoming move of the Acute Care Unit back to Haliburton - read on for more information. -- Biweekly Community Update Week of July 17, 2020...Continue reading

Do you have a used but working device gathering dust in a drawer somewhere? Donating it can make a real difference in our community - so get in touch with Rebecca at SIRCH Community Services today!

Tune in today at 4PM to 100.9 Canoe FM Community Radio to catch this great conversation - and then contact Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation for your copy of the book!

Thank you Your Independent Grocer (Todd's Independent)!

Guidance from the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit on how to put on, remove, and reuse a cloth mask.

Through the generosity of many members of the community, the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation has received over 800 masks for HHHS, through direct donations and our partnership with SIRCH Community Services in the ‘Sewing for a Great Cause’ initiative, taking a community approach to receiving and distributing hand-sewn cloth masks. The masks have been used at Haliburton and Minden emergency department, provided to patients who pass the COVID-19 screening tool. Thank you!

A few quick reminders on safely using a mask from the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

Do you have an old but still usable phone or computer stashed away at your house? SIRCH Community Services and Rotaract - Haliburton Highlands have launched a collection of these devices, so they can be upgraded and provided to local families, seniors, and individuals who are in need. Contact SIRCH to arrange for drop-off or pick-up!

Our update from the past two weeks is focused on the mental health services & supports you can access here in the Haliburton Highlands. --- Biweekly Community Update Week of July 3, 2020... Dear friends and neighbours of Haliburton County, This week, I want to share with you the many services available to support your mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some positive funding news that will help HHHS expand our community’s virtual mental health service offerings. As news of COVID-19 continues to circulate, it is natural to experience periods of stress, anxiety, fear, sadness, frustration, helplessness, isolation, difficulty sleeping or concentration, or physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, upset stomach, or low energy. Many service providers have introduced virtual access to mental health supports, including counselling and treatment. For a list of local service providers and their contact information, visit www.haliburtoncares.ca or call the HHHS Community Support Services Response Team by phone 705-457-2941 or by text at 705-457-0016 (Monday to Friday, from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM), or by email at [email protected] anytime. Other online mental health supports include the Wellness Together Canada portal from the Government of Canada, which provides tools and resources for mental health and substance use supports (www.wellnesstogether.ca), and Big White Wall, an online peer-to-peer support community for your mental health (www.bigwhitewall.ca). Health care workers can also access a set of mental health supports and resources from CAMH (www.camh.ca/covid19HCW), as well as the Health Care Worker Assist service from Ontario Shores to provide virtual care for those workers who may be at risk of developing increased symptoms of anxiety and depression. Health care workers can access this service by visiting www.ontarioshores.ca/hcwassist. We know that there are people in our community who are unable to reliably access the virtual services mentioned in this update. This past week, the HHHS Foundation was the recipient of first-round funding from the United Way City of Kawartha Lakes Emergency Community Support Fund. This funding will be used by HHHS and community partners to enhance access to virtual mental health services for vulnerable members of our community, so that more people can benefit from these important supports. Take care, Carolyn Plummer President & CEO

Thanks to United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes for this funding to enhance access to virtual mental health services in our community.