CASE Board and Executive

Glen Gregory, President
Phone: 780-434-3336, Cell 446-8383
Email: president@edmontoncase.org

Ron Kirschner, Membership
Phone: 780-436-0402
Email: membership@edmontoncase.org

UPCOMING SOCIAL EVENTS Social Breakfasts:  Last Wednesday of February, March, April and May at  9:00 AM South East Edmonton Seniors Centre 9350 82 Street Edmonton. Self Help and Education Sessions:  Last Monday of, February, March, and April at 7:00 PM Alberta School for the Deaf,

FEBRUARY  EDUCATION & SELF HELP MEETING

The speaker at the Education and Self Help meeting at 7:00  PM on February 23 will be Dr. Evan Lockwood who is a cardiologist and specialist in Cardiac Electrophysiology.  He is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Alberta Hospital and is actively involved clinically as Director of the Cardiology Residency Training Program.  

His discussion with us will focus on" An Electrician's Perspective on Pacemakers & Defibrillators.  He has authored and co-authored numerous studies related to heart function and patient outcomes.  For further biographical information go to :http://www.medicine.med.ualberta.ca/Divisions/CARD/Faculty/lockwood.cfm

RECAP FROM THE JANUARY  SELF HELP SESSION

Many of us have received phone calls and surveys after receiving heart procedures inquiring about our experiences and how we are doing after  the treatments.  Many of these contacts originated with Dr. Colleen Norris who has been specializing in researching the outcomes of heart treatments.

Dr. Colleen Norris, is an Associate Professor with the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, and also as an Adjunct Professor with the Division of Cardiology.  She has come up through the system originally qualifying as an RN and Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the U of A hospital. 

UPCOMING SOCIAL EVENTS

Social Breakfasts: 

Last Wednesday of February, March, April and May at  9:00 AM South East Edmonton Seniors Centre 9350 82 Street Edmonton.

Self Help and Education Sessions: 

Last Monday of, February, March, and April at 7:00 PM Alberta School for the Deaf.

Her career moved on towards a teaching role pursuing a Masters in Nursing where her research in measuring outcomes of cardiac treatments led her to obtain to a PhD.

She noted that outcome measurement addresses how well treatments address the "5 D,s":

·         Disease

·         Discomfort

·         Disability

·         Dissatisfaction

·         Death.

Clearly, the outcomes that are sought should minimize each of the "D's".  Measurement is intended to determine how well each treatment is achieving the intended goals in each of these areas.  Research has shown that many factors can impact the outcomes experienced by patients.  Outcomes will be affected by the individual patient's clinical condition entering into the treatment, demographic characteristics such as gender, psycho-social characteristics and factors such as the setting where treatment is given.  Ultimately, the purpose of treatment is much more than preservation of life and needs to be focussed on maintaining a quality of life acceptable to the patient and family. 

As a result outcome measurement is not just a clinical determination that heart disease has been controlled but more importantly how the patient feels about their quality of life.  Much of the survey and analysis on outcome measurement now is focussed on how the patient is feeling about life and their condition after treatment. 

Interestingly, Alberta provides a unique opportunity to measure treatment outcomes.  The level of care is comparable for every Albertan.  this contrasts to the American experience where treatment may be highly tied to the availability of health insurance.  Further, in Alberta, Edmonton has tended to focus more on surgical treatments such as bypass surgery and Calgary has a greater focus on the use of angioplasty and stents.  The research has shown that quality of life tends to be higher for patients that have had bypass surgery than those that have received angioplasty.  Either approach receives higher quality of life results than the normal course of medical management relying on drugs alone.

Other observations from the studies indicate that men tend to be more satisfied than women with the treatment results and, not surprisingly, younger patients report higher capacity to exert themselves than older patients.  Even so, older patients tend to be more satisfied with their outcomes than younger ones.  Women tend to be more depressed than men after heart treatments even though some level of depression is common with either gender after a heart event.  Mental health has been seen to be a critical factor in the level of quality of life after heart treatments and this may be an area which needs more attention in the longer term treatment plans for heart patients.

Cardiac rehabilitation appears to materially improve quality of life for patients that undertake it and CASE provides an ongoing opportunity to build upon the rehab programs through its exercise and education programs.
 

THE SOCIAL CALENDAR

Gordon Halls won the free breakfast at the January social breakfast.   The February breakfast is set for Wednesday February 25,  at  9:00 AM South East Edmonton Seniors Centre 9350 82 Street Edmonton.

MONEY STUFF...,

Cost is $153.00 for full membership including Education/Self Help and $138.00 for additional exercise member.  The cost for only Education/self Help is $15.00.  Contact Membership Director Ron Kirschner at exercise or call at 436-0402.  Members will be asked to check and update their medical information held on file by CASE and that must be done before the dues are paid.  Donna Haugh will be managing the updates of the medical information.

A new tax deduction for the cost of your CASE fees will be available for the 2009 tax year.  In the fall session of the legislature, the provincial government passed bill 206 entitled Alberta Personal Income Tax (Physical Activity Credit).  It provides for a deduction of up to $500 for a portion of fees paid to an 'eligible organization' that provides a program of physical activity that contributes to the 'development of an individual's cardio-respiratory endurance, muscle strength, endurance, flexibility or balance'.

HEARTS AND FLOWERS

Members will be happy to know that Al McLean came to work out on the machines at the School for the Deaf on Tuesday February 10.  We all wish him well on his road to recovery!

If you are aware of any member who has taken ill, has been confined to their home, or has been hospitalized, please e-mail this information to:  info@edmontoncase.org or call Phil Bradshaw 780-434-1349, Barry Latham 780-452-2611 or Glen Gregory 780-434-3336.

THE 2009 CASE WEIGHT CHALLENGE

As of January 31, 33 exercise members had weighed in, and measured in for the annual weight challenge.  The average weight was 185.6 pounds giving an average BMI of 27.5 and waist to hip ratio of 0.92. 

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE NEWSLETTER

The Executive has discussed the contents of the newsletter and has noted that some types of articles that were published in the past, such as recipes that had been submitted by members are no longer appearing.  This raised the question of whether there are other types of information that would be of use to CASE members?  What would you like to see as future articles?  Do you have information that others would be interested in or need to know?  If so please drop Barry Clark an e-mail at kbclark@shaw.ca.  Of course, if you are inspired to write an article that is also welcome too!

WILD RICE AND APRICOT POULTRY STEW

3/4 cup dried apricots, quartered

2/3 cup wild rice

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs,  quartered

1 onion, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

1 can sodium-reduced chicken broth plus

1 can water

3 Tbsps. all-purpose flour

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsps. dried Italian seasoning

2 Tbsps. chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In an oven-proof Dutch oven, sauté the garlic, onion and celery for three minutes.  Sauté the chicken for five further minutes.  Add apricots, flour and spices.  Stir thoroughly.  Bake for one hour at 350 degrees.  Check wild rice.  If ready, remove Dutch oven from oven, and let rest for 15 minutes.

Thanks for the recipe to Marnie and Ted Clarke

BIRTHDAYS...

2008 Cardiac Athletic Society of Edmonton