Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - April 12, 2005, Winnipeg, Manitoba W Winnipeg f ree p Resst tuesday pril 12, 2005 b8 wow. My. Blue Cross. Ca it Only takes Small daily changes to lifestyle and eating habits to make your life healthier happier and longer. At Manitoba Blue Cross were always looking for new and innovative ways to help you live longer. The Colour of caring live Well above average Stop night time acid Reflux now get proper support for a Good nights sleep the be slant wedge is designed to control acid Reflux while you sleep. Size 10 x 24 x 36 fully supports your upper Torso 100% hypoallergenic polyurethane foam washable poly Cotton zippered cover the be slant eases the symptoms of Gerd Gastro esophageal commonly known As acid Reflux. Be slant elevates the head Chest and shoulders at a 15 degree slant and simply uses Gravity to prevent stomach acid from coming Back into the Throat. Use it with or without your Pillow. $ 99 00 Purchase before May 15, 2005 for a 10% discount not valid with any other offers. Coupon required at time of Purchase. 666 St. James St. Across from Sears Polo Park 774 6322 1094 Narin ave. New location 654 4848 member the Winnipeg free press is read by 46% of Winnipeg adults every weekday. Thatus # 1 in Canada among major newspapers. By Liz Katynski while Manitoban enjoy provincial health care coverage we should be aware that not All health related services Are covered. This is where third party health care coverage comes in. People should not take their health care coverage for granted says Ken Hildahl vice president of sales and marketing with Manitoba Blue Cross. We fill the void in Between. As the largest provider of third party health coverage in Manitoba Manitoba Blue Cross provides some form of coverage to about 700,000 Manitoban each year. The not for profit provider has been around for Over 50 years. Manitoba Blue Cross offers two types of coverage plans group coverage through employers with or without employees sharing in the Cost and individual coverage for self employed people and other individuals. Plans Are custom written to suit each participants needs. People need to recognize the coverage they need and get it before they Are in crisis. For example Manitoba residents require additional coverage for travel outside of the province or country. They need to know that no matter their age or current Bill of health accidents or illness can happen and care can be costly. Thatus because Manitoba health covers care at a rate equivalent to what it would Cost in Manitoba. But in other countries it can be much More expensive to receive the equivalent care. So without third party health coverage the patient is left to pay the Bills. Depending on the country and on the treatment costs this could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars says Hildahl. In other countries health related problems can get expensive. Then there Are the potential and everyday health related expenses not covered by Manitoba health things that May be covered in whole or in part by third party health coverage. For example an ambulance ride is not covered. Only a specific number of chiropractic visits per year Are partially covered by the province. Physiotherapy services Are not always covered. Dental care is not covered. Manitoba is the Only province with a Universal Pha Macare program but there is still a personal deduction thatus based on family income. Residents Are responsible for their drug costs out of Hospital up to that deduction limit. All of these costs May be lessened with third party health coverage. As Well extended coverage is available to assist with the Cost of orthopaedic shoes medical equipment like walkers vision tests and glasses and More. Manitoba Blue Cross Calls themselves the Colour of caring. We Are not soft on claims but when we hit a Gray area we try to make it work. We have a caring approach to claims adjudication. As a not for profit Agency Manitoba Blue Cross uses that status to help them stabilize rates he says. And when they show an operating surplus at the end of a Given year a portion of it is donated to Manitoba health services foundation a not for profit research Board that provides research Grants to Young Manitoba researchers. Manitoba Blue Cross is also part of an International network of health care providers. For further information see wow. My. Blue Cross. Ca or Call 775 0161. By Liz Katynski e very pregnant woman should learn this word Doula. A Doula is a woman trained to support pregnant women through their pre Natal care to the delivery of the baby and in the initial postpartum weeks. Doulas Are increasingly popular with pregnant women in Winnipeg partly due to the Way to Days society often sees close female relatives living in other cities and provinces and thus not be Able to help with the Post Natal care. The birth roots collective is a Winnipeg based group of trained doulas. The word Doula comes from the greek word for woman who helps other women. A Doula essentially is a woman who mothers the Mother. Over the past 30 years the ancient profession has re emerged in North America. While any woman who supports a woman in labour is really a Doula professional doulas Are certified by the doulas of North America Dona. A professional Doula guides a woman through the birth process says Sonia Lavictoire a certified Doula who has attended 200 births Over the past eight years and a partner in birth roots collective. We help prepare the Mother or couple for the birth emotionally and physically. We labour with the moms. Each birth is a unique experience. A Good time for a woman to find a Doula is around the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy but she can Hook up with one later As Long As there is some time before the birth for them to get to know each other. An initial interview is set up to ensure mom and Doula Are right for each other. The Doula makes four pre Natal visits to discuss birth process and help prepare for the birth by considering a birthing plan that expresses the mothers wishes. The plan can be taken to the to mans doctor or midwife but May be subject to change due to circumstance. They also discuss the partners role during the birth. The Doula is on Call prior to the due Date but can be called with any questions or concerns at any time. Once the woman goes into labour she Calls the Doula when she is ready for her support. The Doula arrives to labour with her at Home or in the Hospital until the baby is born. The Doula stays a minimum of two hours Post Partum returns for a visit after the first 24 hours and again within the first two weeks of parenthood. As Well she provides the Mother with a birth Story highlighting some of the cute and special moments of the process that May have been foggy to her during the delivery. The collective also offers other services including group or private pre Natal classes. One great service is Post Partum care available for an hourly fee of up to $ 13, based on family income. Here the Doula helps the Mother adjust to parenthood by helping with breast feeding questions. The Doula also takes care of the baby while the mom gets some much needed sleep and can do Light chores like making meals for the Mother and doing laundry. The birth roots collective will not turn women away if they cant afford their fee. We operate on a sliding scale based on income says Lavictoire. So while they offer services free of charge or at a reduced rate to those with limited financial Means they also encourage those who have had a positive Doula experience to donate a portion of the fees for an others services. Many clients do this. For Lavictoire who had her two children before she Learned about doulas this is the greatest Job in the world. We do it for love says Lavictoire. Doulas Are there to help focus on the process. We Are an open ear a support and we Are prepared for All situations. For further information visit wow. . Com. Private health care feature Page by Liz Katynski All the nursing care a person May require is not always available to them free of charge. A lot of people Are surprised to discover that some care is not covered says Catherine Napier in and owner of feet first nursing foot care. For example foot care is considered a nursing specially and even those in Hospital or a nursing Home do not automatically get this service. People in need of this specialized care hire a private foot car trained nurse like Napier and pay the set fee unless they have Blue Cross or other private insurance or May be eligible for coverage from veterans affairs. Private duty nurses Are also often hired by families to provide extra care for a loved one either in Hospital or at Home. For example an in or Len May be hired privately to sit with the person should they require 24 hour care. Once again they must pay for this service or get their private insurance to foot part or All of the Bill. Manitoba health provides limited coverage for nursing through the Winnipeg regional health authority says Napier. Napier has extensive Home nursing experience. Before starting her own business she worked for the victorian order of nurses and the Warha. For Many years she was a palliative care nurse visiting patients and their families at Home. Palliative care program patients have some nursing coverage covered by Manitoba health specific to their personal situation. If they require More than whats funded the family hires a nurse or funds the extra help through their insurance. Palliative care nurses provide medications and educate the family. They do hands on nursing duties like inserting catheters and they teach the families of bedridden clients How to turn them. Foot care nurses educate people about the importance of proper foot care plus care for and inspect feet on a regular basis. They usually work with people who Are arthritic diabetic or too elderly to care for their own feet. Napier visits clients in their Homes. But she is not just a pedicurists. As a trained nurse she is Able to assess any problems and suggest seeing a doctor when appropriate. She goes Over the clients medical history and has an idea of what May be a concern. She May Deal with toenails and calluses but she can also discuss medications and blood sugar Levels. As a nurse she is bound by her professional standards of practice and has a Legal obligation to sterilize her tools Between patients. By Liz Katynski when your Muscles feel stiff and achy theress nothing like going for a Good Massage. This professional hands on treatment makes people feel better helps improve their condition and helps get them Back to regular work and recreational activities says George Fraser executive director of the Massage therapy association of Manitoba Tam. People Are using Massage therapists in growing numbers says Fraser. They Are understanding the general benefits of Massage therapy and using it. People who suffer with pain in their Back joints shoulders Pelvis legs or Knees might choose Massage therapy As a Means to reduce their pain and increase their mobility. Massage therapists work the Muscles and soft tissues says Fraser. They provide Relief Comfort and recovery. When a client goes to a professional Massage therapist with a complaint of stress tightness pain or injury the therapist must first assess the situation by compiling a Brief history and background including any information from another health care professional who May have referred the client. Next the therapist will determine and discuss treatment. Their fingers and hands Tell them tremendous things about you and your issues says Fraser. The therapist will usually recommend a series of treatments and May assign stretches and exercises too. Massage therapists definitely choose Massage therapy to treat their own injuries encountered in their physically demanding profession and for personal health maintenance says Fraser. When choosing a Massage therapist Fraser advises people to ensure they Are hiring a professional. In Winnipeg people should ask if the therapist has a Massage therapy License. That indicates they have earned a 2,200 hour two year diploma and hold liability insurance. Therapists do not have to be licensed outside of the City but choosing a member of the Massage therapy association of Manitoba Means choosing someone who has that diploma is committed to ongoing professional development has passed an Entrance exam and has agreed to bide by the associations professional code of ethics and practice guidelines regardless of City licensing. The association also Fields complaints but Only regarding its members. Currently Tam has 400 members. There Are Over 600 Massage therapists in Manitoba with about 70 per cent working in Winnipeg. Private insurers like Blue Cross cover Massage therapy treatments. In Manitoba Tam is pushing for legislation to ensure professional standards and protect the profession. Tam is a member of the Canadian Massage therapists Alliance. Linda Wensel / Winnipeg free press Linda Wensel / Winnipeg free press Catherine Napier right works on Barb Char neyts feet. Linda Wensel / Winnipeg free press Massage therapist Tracie Blair Odriscoll working on a patient. Linda Wensel / Winnipeg free press Ken Hildahl with Manitoba Blue Cross health care pamphlets. Doulas Mother the Mother Doula Sonia Lavictoire Back left with or. Robyn Egey Samu holding daughter Ava and her husband or. Zsolt Egey Samu. Manitoba Blue Cross offers peace of mind private nurses care for those at Home Massage your pain away ;