On September 10th, 2024, a historian, a doctor, bedside singers, a PhD student and a community volunteer all presented at a museum in the fall. The day was filled with good company of community members who had gathered to listen to the presenters to discuss “Health in Huron: Exploring Community Care”. Event admission included comfortable catering by Cait’s Café of coffee and croissants.
The event took place at the Huron County Museum – Huron County, Canada which describes a region curled up against Lake Huron, Ontario's West Coast. It is known to contain “Canada's Prettiest Town” in Canada (an off-handed comment by a Queen – if one knows their history), “White Squirrels”, “Bluewater” and a natural bounty of industrious agriculture and innovation. The coast of the county reaches out into the water with beaches now emptied of visiting families as school arrives and welcomed by intrepid outdoor explorers who are still in the cycling mood and travel from Goderich to Guelph on a rail trail
Agriculture, tourism and health are the driving economic forces of the region with healthcare creeping to become a greater industry as the region ages and many people come or return to rural regions to retire. As a population ages, healthcare needs to reflect this changing population, and changes circumstances within other rural regions.
Starting this September, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health launched Season 5 of the Rural Health Lecture Series with “Health in Huron” event to an in-person audience and broadcast via ZOOM and on local channels on Hurontel and Hay Communications throughout the area.
The first speaker for this event was David Yates, a local historian, author, and retired high school History teacher. He spoke on the history of professional healthcare in the region and highlighted some important men and women who helped shaped healthcare in the region and the rest of Canada. Interestingly, there were many early healthcare practitioners who shared “panaceas” - what we can also term as “cure-alls” - that could cure everything from the flu to hair loss.
Casandra Bryant, PhD Student at the University of Guelph, brought the audience to the present with contemporary research into healthcare on the impact that COVID19 had on local healthcare workers. Her work has been shared with local healthcare workers at the Remarkable Healthcare Worker Recognition Event and online through a lecture on "The Cost of Caring". Questions about what artificial intelligence can do for rural communities and its impact were also discussed.
After a brief intermission, the lecture continued with Dr. Alex Peel, a talented local geriatrician who serves many hospitals in the region through telemedicine, tackling the looming issue of dementia. Although the ultimate causes of many forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer's are unknown, Dr. Peel presented that there are many healthy habits you can develop early in life that can reduce your risk and severity of the disease. Dr. Peel has previously presented on topics such as "Fabulous at Every Age" and "Building a Place Where People Can Age at Home".
The event ended with an excellent presentation by Deb Shelley and Solace. They shared information on the power of music care with a practical demonstration of a musical performance. As great community volunteers they have contributed substantially to end-of-life care and care for those grieving in the community. The volunteer at local organizations including the Huron Hospice and Jessica's House.
This event would not be possible with the support of sponsors. Sponsors included, Hurontel, Hay Communications, Libro Credit Union, MacEwan & Feagan Insurance Brokers, Pharmasave: Clinton, Goderich Legion Branch 109, and Lighthouse Money Management.
A full recording of this event and a library of past lectures can be found on the lecture series page. Sign up to attend future lectures. Or watch the full recording below:
As a brief disclaimer on these lectures, Gateway CERH believes in providing a platform for a range of perspectives and thoughtful discussion; however, the views expressed in a lecture may not necessarily reflect Gateway CERH’s views or opinions.
Gateway CERH is excited to announce several upcoming lecture dates including:
October 1st, 12 - 1 PM via ZOOM on Rural Transport Medicine by Dr. Sean Moore
October 17th, 12 - 1 PM via ZOOM on Migrants in Rural Communities by Dr. Saleema Allana
November 5th, 12 - 1 PM via ZOOM on Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy & Speech Pathology by Kathleen Gahagan, Dagny Haas & Lauren Somers
Sign up to watch and get notified of more upcoming lectures: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dDmZPdFBT_CgWoiiinoOwg#/registration
Read more editorials on this event in CKNX news: https://cknxnewstoday.ca/midwestern/news/2024/08/13/gateway-centre-hosts-first-health-in-huron-event
About Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health
Founded in 2008 in the community of Seaforth, ON, Gateway CERH is a not-for-profit rural health research organization run by a community-based volunteer board of directors. Gateway CERH's main mission is to better the health and quality of life of rural residents through research, education and communication. Learn more on the Gateway CERH website at: https://www.gatewayruralhealth.ca/ and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
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