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Flu season warning still valid
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
The subject of teen suicide is gaining more attention in both the media and the community because of tragic incidents throughout Canada and other nations, where young people have taken their own lives as a result of depression, bullying or for other reasons. In Eastern Ontario, several school districts have come together to develop a common plan to tackle the subject and help save young lives before they are lost. The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) took the lead on this sensitive issue through a joint com- mittee of community partners.The group has developed the Community Suicide Preven- tion, Intervention and Risk Review Protocol (SPIRR). The protocol aims at helping both teens and children in crisis, who face per- sonal, social and/or family situations that may drive them to consider suicide as either a logical or their only option. Trudy Rook, a behaviour crisis consultant, andMichelle Neville, amental health expert, presented details of the new protocol during the Feb. 3 CDSBEO boardmeeting.The pro- tocol is meant to help school boards and other community and social agencies work together to both identify and help students who may be at risk of suicide. “This protocol helps to define howwe can communicate and share relevant informa- tion,” Rook told trustees. “Communication is a key piece of the protocol, and one which helps to ensure adequate support to those in crisis, as well as sufficient follow-up and after-care.” Neville noted that the protocol outlines a number of “risk alerts and identifiers” that can help teachers, community workers, and others identify a child or youthwhomay be at risk of suicidal behaviour, and also provides Most pharmacies in Ontario are now able to provide free flu shots on-site, and the EO- HU’s statistics indicated that 33 pharmacies in Eastern Ontario immunized about 10,000 people during last November andDecember. The flu vaccine provides protection against several strains of influenza virus.The H3N2 strain has mutated a bit this season and is proving a bit stronger than the vac- cine, but Dr. Roumeliotis said that there is still some protection provided against that particular strain from the immunization. “And some protection is better than none,” he said. Those most susceptible to the H3N2 flu The end of February approaches but it is still flu season throughout EasternOntario, and the head of the regional health unit urges residents to get their free flu shot even at this late date. Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, chief publicmedical health officer for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU), estimated at least 7,000 people attended the agency’s free flu shot clinics last year at the start of the winter season. But those who were unable to take advantage of the EOHU flu clinics were left out in the cold when flu season arrived in Eastern Ontario. “I do know the number of people going to pharmacies has increased,” he said.
“The protocol outlines the components of prevention, including education and trai- ning,” statedNeville, “intervention guidelines, and postvention (intervention) plans. The protocol emphasizes making sure staff, both administrative and teaching, can take part in specialized training programs like SafeTALK or Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). The CDSBEO has already made these training programs avai- lable throughout the district, with all secon- dary school teachers and other staff receiving SafeTALK, while 143 district staff, including administration, teachers, school chaplains, and others have taken the ASIST program. The new SPIRR protocol will work in concert with the Violence Threat Risk As- sessment protocol (VTRA) that the CDSBEO developed to both deal with andwhere pos- sible eliminate threats of violence in district schools. TheCDSBEO is working ondeveloping the urgent care component for its SPIRR appli- cation.Through partnerships with the Child- ren’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa and Kingston’s Hôtel Dieu Hospital, students facing crisis in the CDSBEO region can get direct referrals from the board to programs available through either hospi- tals, whichwill help themwork through their problems or situations alongwith post-crisis intervention support. Official signing of the SPIRR protocol is scheduled for March 31 at the CDSBEO’s Kemptville office. Representatives for the school district and other community partners, including children’s mental health services, local and regional hospitals, police, children’s aid groups, andneighbouring school districts, will attend. strain include seniors, very young infants and those with chronic health problems. Dr. Roumeliotis noted that having the vaccina- tion can still reduce the severity of symptoms from the H3N2 strain for anyone who does come down with that formof influenza and also either prevent a trip to the hospital or reduce the amount of time needed if hospital treatment is required. Basic hygiene habits are also recom- mended for reducing the chance of flu in- fection or passing on the flu. Those habits include: regular hand-washing with soap or an alcohol-based rub, keep at least two metres’ distance from anyone with the flu, cover themouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, keep household and office surfaces clean using a disinfectant, stay home when sick and keep children at home if they are ill, and avoid hospitals and long-term care facilities if not feeling well. More information on the flu virus and vaccination are available from the EOHU’s local office or online at www.eohu.ca.
LAFLEUR / POYET Léo Lafleur (grossiste, emplacement devenu aujourd’hui Place Centrum) est l’époux de Marie-Antoinette Poyet (fille de Joseph, originaire du Puy-de-Dôme et Marie Vernay originaire de Roanne, Loire, France). Ils sont les parents de Madeleine, Renée (Gaston Héon), Marguerite (Roch Rochon), Marie-Andrée, Denise (Yvan Chouinard), Thérèse (Vincent Thivierge), Bernard (Thérèse Meloche), Geneviève (Gary Morris), Guy (Denise Allard) et Chantal (Pierre Pelland). Ils habitent au 466, rue Edwards puis le logis aux coins de Laurier et St-Joseph. Durant la belle saison, ils demeurent dans une maison d’été rue Catherine. La grande cour permet aux enfants de s’amuser en toute liberté et sécurité. La proximité de la rivière assure fraîcheur, calme, beauté. Grand-père Poyet y cultive un jardin pour la famille et, grâce à lui, on peut savourer plein de légumes frais. Autre détail intéressant : un employé au magasin de M. Lafleur, M. Joseph Bédard, vient traire la vache qui approvisionne la famille de lait, de lait de beurre et d’une épaisse crème. Enfin, la cueillette de fleurs sauvages et de petits fruits agrémente la vie de la famille : une vie tellement simple, paisible et heureuse. Arrivée de France en 1914, la famille Poyet accompagne le curé René Chéné à St-Émile-de-Suffolk, à Wendover et à Rockland. Joseph Poyet, entre autres tâches, chante aux trois messes quotidiennes et compte les quêtes du dimanche. Mme Poyet est la cuisinière chevronnée des trois prêtres résidants et hôtesse attentionnée des prêtres- visiteurs à l’occasion des Quarante-Heures, des rogations et de la retraite annuelle. Elle accueille également sa famille au réveillon de Noël dans la salle à dîner de la maison paroissiale. Le lendemain, c’est autour du piano que l’on se retrouve pour chanter la joie du temps des fêtes. Mme Aurore Gratton seconde Mme Poyet pour l’entretien ménager du presbytère.
CDSBEO takes lead on sensitive issue guidelines for dealing with such a child in a positive and supportive way.
De gauche à droite, Adrien Poyet, Marie Vernay, Joseph Poyet, le curé René Chéné, Albert Poyet et Marie-Antoinette Poyet
Mme Marie-Antoinette (Manon) Poyet et M. Léo Lafleur Junior
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