MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - The county is partnering with the Alberta Farm Safety Centre to host a free workshop in November aimed at helping producers and other members of the agricultural community protect their physical and mental health during trying times in the industry, officials said.
Plans for the Sustainable Farm Families Rural Health Initiative workshop were outlined for members of the county’s agricultural service board (ASB) during the board’s recent, regularly scheduled meeting, held in person and on Zoom.
Scheduled for Nov. 15 at the county office, the workshop will see one-on-one personal health assessments conducted by a registered nurse with the assessments looking at such things as blood pressure, cholesterol visceral fat, body mass index, bone density, blood sugar, diabetic risk and eyesight.
Participants will also receive a mental health assessment.
Research has identified a number of health and well-being disadvantages faced by rural people which can sometimes negatively impact their mental and physical health, members heard.
“The initiative aims to remedy many of the disadvantages by providing rural Albertans who participate in the program with three annual in-depth physical and mental assessments,” administration said in a briefing note to the ASB.
“The initiative is all about early identification of potential health concerns before they become a critical complication that requires a reactive treatment.”
The process sees a full body composition scale used that breaks down multiple factors such as basal metabolic levels, visceral fat percentage, body water percentage, muscle mass, and bone mass, members heard.
“In addition to these health assessments, participants are educated about each aspect of the assessment to ensure they fully understand each of their measurements and know how to better manage their health and well-being.”
Anyone interested in taking part in the Nov. 15 workshop at the county office building can contact the county by phone or visit the county website’s events section for more information.
Board members accepted the report on the upcoming workshop as information.
In the past eight years, the Farm Safety Centre has delivered more than 135 Sustainable Farm Families workshops in the province.
The ASB is made up of county councillors and appointed members of the region’s agriculture community. It promotes and develops agricultural policies to meet the needs of the county by advising, organizing and directing programs and workshops.
