Sicinski will be operating a mobile foot clinic. This is important, she says, because it allows senior clients to receive the care they need in their own homes.
“This provides our seniors with the safety and security of not having to leave their place of residence when the roads/weather are bad.”
Sicinksi’s basic tools for each client are a set of nippers, curette, unique files and a dremol to reduce corns and calluses as well as thickened nails. She is willing to travel to surrounding communities as well, without charging mileage costs. She plans to continue her .7 position at Westview Lodge.
She spent approximately $5,000-7,000 to take the course and build an office in her home. Sicinski received a grant of $3,000 from the Boissevain Health Care Recruitment Committee to help with these expenses.
The Health Care Recruitment Committee has been in the community for around 15 years. Present Chair Rob Adams has been involved since the beginning and said it has been an important group.
“It was something started from a group of people that saw a need at the time, and it grew from there,” Adams said.
Over the years, the committee has sponsored health care professionals in the community getting their educations, based on a fee-for-service contract. The idea is for a certain amount paid, a certain commitment to practicing in Boissevain is expected. For example, Sicinski agreed to a five-year commitment to the community.
Adams said they have guidelines they look at for agreements and how much they will pay, but said each case is a little different and is decided independently.
“We do it on a one to one basis.”
Adams said the committee spent some time revamping, and drawing up a new contract, which will be reviewed shortly. The others were fine, he said, but the new ones are a little more in depth. He added they have not had a whole number of requests recently, but inquiries have started to come in again. There have also been a few requests the committee has turned down. This is because they were for positions that were already full in the community. There is no point in sponsoring someone if there is no chance of fee-for-service contract. The last one they sponsored was Theresa Maningus, who trained as a registered nurse and is in the local health care system.
He said they keep in touch with the senior medical staff to see if there are positions that need to be filled, and often people come to them for sponsorship. Thus far, it has predominantly been nurses who have benefitted from the program, although Adams stated they were also involved in helping some home care people. There was a young doctor who received funding from both the community and the RHA. He moved on elsewhere, but paid back the funding, so it worked out fine. Sponsorship could be used for other health care positions like lab techs, and Adams said he is sure it could be used for a dentist as well.
“It has to be something the community needs,” he explained, “something beneficial to the community.”
One new area they have added is relocation grants. They found other communities had been doing this. Now there is potential money to help with the costs of relocation if someone is coming in to a health care position from outside the community.
There are eight people on the committee, with some younger ones added. Adams said it is good to have new blood as well as veterans who are familiar with the health care system.
He added they are very grateful for the support from the community. Through Donor’s Choice, they usually see about $3,000 a year, which helps with their sponsorship plans.
Sicinski knows mobility is very important. Foot care is essential for the community. She wants to thank Head of Council Judy Swanson, everyone on the recruitment committee and in the community for believing in her and she hopes to serve for many years to come.
“Thank you to my family, friends and clients for your overwhelming support,” Sicinski stated. “I am truly blessed to have you all by my side and wouldn’t have been able to start this new adventure without you”
Adams said he lost count how many people have been through the committee granting process and feels it will continue to contribute to health care in the community.
“I think we have done okay for our community,” he said. “The need was there and we have been working with that.”
by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff