Exciting news!

We are hoping to have your support for a very exciting initiative that we are involved in.

The Edmonton and area Primary Care Networks, surrounding municipalities, the City of Edmonton, the YMCA and Alberta Health Services are proud partners in a ground-breaking collaborative initiative in the Edmonton area known as “Prescription To Get Active”.  This program brings primary care providers and local wellness organizations together to increase the physical activity levels in our population using a “prescription” for physical activity.

We received great news this fall that “Prescription To Get Active” is one of six finalists across Canada for the Play Exchange grant!  The Play Exchange is a national challenge to find and support schools, students, families, not-for-profit organizations, social enterprises, and businesses that are promoting active living across Canada. “Prescription To Get Active was chosen as one of the top six entries out of over 400 submissions - and now we are looking to our partners for help!

All six finalists will be featured on a television special for the Play Exchange on CBC to air on Friday, January 9^th at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday January 10th at 4:00 p.m.  During the week that follows, Canadians will select the winning idea by voting online. The winner of the Play Exchange will receive an investment of up to $1-million from the Government of Canada. Help us rally support by voting and spreading the word!   

Here’s some ways you can help:

1.  Vote! It’s easy, and only takes a minute: http://www.playexchange.ca/vote (link will be live once the CBC special airs)

2.  Share our website, story, video, photos on Twitter and Facebook! 

3.  Follow Prescription To Get Active on Facebook and Twitter:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescriptionToGetActive

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RxToGetActive

Thank you in advance for all of your support.  We hope that our strong community, partnerships and networks will help us gain the support we need for “Prescription To Get Active” to become the successful finalist when the votes are tallied in February!

www.prescriptiontogetactive.com

Prescription To Get Active named finalist in The Play Exchange!

Prescription To Get Active announced as 1 of 6 finalists in The Play Exchange

The Prescription To Get Active program has been named as one of six finalists in The Play Exchange by a panel of expert judges. The Play Exchange is a national, online challenge that was launched in February 2014 by Minister of Health, Rona Ambrose, as a way to find creative ideas to get Canadians living healthier, more active lives. More than 420 entries were received by The Play Exchange and the finalists were announced September 22, 2014. The contest was open to all Canadians, including not-for-profit organizations, businesses, schools and families.

Each of the six finalists will be featured on a CBC television special and will compete for an investment of up to $1 million from the Government of Canada to help support their program. Canadians will decide the winner by voting for the finalist that they feel has the best initiative. Voting will begin in January 2015. Each finalist also receives mentoring and support from LIFT Philanthropy Partners to develop a strategic business plan, valued at $10,000.

“Prescription To Get Active is an initiative that opens the discussion of the significant health benefits associated with an active lifestyle as well as and the numerous health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle.  It offers recreation resources and low-barrier, flexible opportunities as part of the patient’s healthy living plan.” explains Len Frank, co-chair of the Prescription To Get Active strategic leadership committee.  “The strength of the partnerships between community and primary care providers along with a tangible prescription supporting physical activity  is what makes this initiative unique.”

Prescription To Get Active is a unique venture where local Primary Care Network (PCN) family physicians and their health care teams prescribe physical activity to patients who would benefit from increased activity. The initiative began in Leduc in October 2011 and launched throughout the Edmonton area in February 2014. There are now 27 recreation facilities and 9 PCNs on board.

“Being named a finalist gives recognition to the hard work between our partners and will expose our program further, “says Frank. “If the program is selected the winner by Canadians, it will allow us to expand the program across the province and eventually, across Canada.”

www.prescriptiontogetactive.com

News release annoucing launch of The Play Exchange from the office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose.

more about The Play Exchange

The Edmonton and area Primary Care Networks (PCNs) have partnered with local recreation facilities in a unique venture where local family physicians and their health care teams prescribe physical activity to patients who would benefit from increased activity.

In addition to utilizing partner recreation facilities, the Prescription to Get Active program encourages participants to engage in activity such as using community trails for walking, running and biking, public tennis courts, boating clubs, outdoor fitness parks, local ski hills, cross country skiing trails, mall walking and at-home programs as ways to get active. See the Prescription to Get Active website for ideas on how to participate.

With each “Prescription to Get Active”, PCN health professionals are able to prescribe the amount of activity you need to help improve your health and prevent disease. The participating facilities are supporting you by providing certain services when you bring a prescription to them. It might be a tour, some free access passes or a free month of access to their facility.

The participating recreation facilities include the following organizations. All offer a tour and orientation. Some may offer additional access passes. For specific details, please see our website for information on what each participating facility is offering.

• Arctic Spas Recreation Complex
• Ardrossan Recreation Complex
• Aqua-Fit Centre
• Castle Downs Family YMCA
• Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre
• Devon Total Fitness
• Don Wheaton Family YMCA
• Dow Centennial Centre
• Glen Allan Recreation Complex
• Jamie Platz Family YMCA
• Kinsmen Sports Centre
• Leduc Recreation Centre
• MacEwan University Sport and Wellness
• Mill Woods Recreation Centre
• Millennium Place
• Servus Credit Union Place
• Saville Community Recreation Centre
• Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre
• TransAlta Tri Leisure Centre
• William Lutsky Family YMCA

There is no time limit for when you choose to use your prescription. However, when you do use it for the first time, the facility will keep the prescription in exchange for the services they provide. The same prescription cannot be used more than once.

www.prescriptiontogetactive.com

Prescription to Get Active now available throughout the Edmonton area!

We are happy to announce that Prescription to Get Active is now an Edmonton-area initiative! Six local PCNs and 20 recreational facilities have partnered to offer PCN patients the Prescription to Get Active program. Visit our website for more information.

www.prescriptiontogetactive.com

Alexandra Park

This park is located right across the street from our LBD PCN office and provides a great, quiet spot to go for a picnic or to enjoy you lunch, as our staff often does when it is nice outside. There are picnic tables located throughout the park and the huge trees provide shade in the hot summer months.

Our LBD PCN Exercise Specialist, Corinne Cutler, enjoys practicing pilates in the park. This is such a nice, open, quiet location, any type of physical activity can be done here:

Fred Johns Park

Fred Johns Park offers approximately 2.5-3kms of walking trails, a playground, non-motorized boat launch, baseball diamonds, frisbee golf and a beautiful lake (Leduc Reservoir) which is stocked with fish each year.

Located on the west side of the QEII overpass, just south of Leduc Common. See our map for location of the walking trails and playground.

Click on any of the pictures so see larger.

Gorgeous, paved trails run the south and east side of the lake:

Benches are located throughout the park for rest:

Beautiful location right in the middle of Leduc:

Boat launch to the lake, though there is no road access to the launch. There is a little island straight north of the launch that you can see in this picture. The trails continue along the west and north side of the lake and are unpaved, packed gravel.

Great playground for the kids, picnic benches and small barbecues are located throughout the playground area.

Outdoor fitness equipment

The City of Leduc has provided a variety of outdoor exercise equipment, free for public use. Please read the instructions on each piece of equipment prior to use.

Media release announcing new equipment.

This equipment is located south of the tennis courts and walking track just off of Corinthia Drive. Click our map to see the location.

LBDPCN Exercise Specialist, Corinne Cutler, demonstrates the outdoor equipment. Click on each image to see larger.

Arm press vertical

Arm Press horizontal

                                                                                   Chin Ups

 Eliptical

Gazelle


seated twist 

Please consult your family physician before undertaking any new physical activity. 

Outdoor walking track

Behind Leduc Composite High School is an outdoor walking track, free for public use. Walk, jog, run, whatever you desire. There are bleachers there as well so plenty of space to sit and rest.

Click here to see where the track is located on our Google map.

Tennis, anyone?

Did you know that Leduc has outdoor tennis courts, FREE for your use? They do! Click our map to see where it is located!.

LBD PCN Exercise Specialist, Corinne Cutler, shows of her mad tennis skills!

Promotional Poster #2

Poster 2 (below) of our 4 part series of posters ran in this week's Leduc Representative newspaper. Look for these posters in all local family physician clinics. For more information about the program, please see our website or talk to your LBD PCN family physician.

Google Map of Activity Locations in Leduc

We have created a Google Map of Leduc where you can participate in FREE, outdoor activity. Click on each of the blue pin drops to get more information about the location and to see pictures of our healthcare team participating in activity there.

Similar maps for Beaumont and Devon are coming soon!

Promotion Posters

Ongoing promotion of this program includes distribution of  a series of posters, poster 1 (below) ran in this week's Leduc Representative, Beaumont News and Devon Dispatch newspapers. Look for them in all local family physician clinics. For more information about the program, please talk to your LBD PCN family physician. 

Click on each poster to see larger.

Poster for Leduc:

Poster for Beaumont:

Poster for Devon/Calmar:

The Prescription

If you are interested in the Prescription to Get Active program, your LBD PCN family physician can prescribe the intensity, duration and frequency of activity you require in order to prevent or manage chronic conditions. This is what the prescription for the Leduc area looks like (click image to enlarge):

We have designed prescription pads specific to the Beaumont and Devon/Calmar as well. By taking this prescription to the Leduc Recreation Centre or S&D Aqua-Fit Centre in Beaumont, patients are entitled to a FREE, 1-month membership at either facility, a fitness centre orientation, and individual program designed at the facility, a tour of the centre and an information package.

At the Leduc Recreation Centre, the Prescription to Get Active membership will give you full access to:

- the fitness centre
- drop-in programs, including aquatic and fitness activities
- aquatic centre
- walking track
- drop-in leisure opportunities

At the S&D Aqua-Fit Centre in Beaumont, the membership will include options such as:

- access to the drop-in or registered fitness classes
- aquatic centre
- fitness centre

If you would like to access this program, please see your LBD PCN family physician.
For more information on the Prescription to Get Active program to view the international media attention this program has received, please visit our website.

Prescription to Get Active

The Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network is partnering with local municipalities in a unique venture where local family physicians prescribe physical activity to patients who they feel would benefit from increased activity. 

With each “Prescription to Get Active”, doctors are able to prescribe the intensity, duration and frequency of activity a patient is required to undertake to help in preventing future medical issues such as heart conditions, lung conditions and diabetes. 

Regular physical exercise has been shown to improve health and quality of life, as well as significantly reducing the risks of chronic disease, disability and premature death.

In addition to local recreation facilities, there are many free, outdoor locations in our region where the community can participate in increasing activity.

To receive your Prescription to Get Active or for more information on this program, please speak to your LBD PCN family physician.