Welcome HANS KAI

Michelle Kirkbride BA, Community Development Coordinator Mike Sadlowski Bkin, Health Promoter

NorWest Co-op and HANS KAI

• NorWest Co-op has served the Inkster community since 1972, taking a multi-service, holistic, team approach to health care.

• NorWest is the only health cooperative in Manitoba. Members of NorWest play an active role in deciding the future of the co-op.

• HANS KAI is currently available in French and English. HANS KAI was developed for a Canadian context in partnership with Robert Cliche Health Co-op in Beauceville Quebec. Robert Cliché and NorWest have worked to standardize the HANS KAI program

HANS KAI Background – How it all started…

• NorWest participated in a co-op tour of HANS KAI in Japan in 2007. • HANS KAI started in Winnipeg in 2009 with inviting key stakeholders such as

Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, City of Winnipeg, Get Better Together, Universities etc… to an information day about HANS KAI. These stakeholders formed a steering committee that continues to advise the program.

• Health School and HANS KAI standardized curriculum and tools/resources were developed with best practice models and in collaboration with Robert Cliché Health Co-op.

• Research is provided by an external company and has received ethics approval. • National Network has been formed with representatives from East to West.

Objectives of HANS KAI

1. To create social networks that support personal wellness. 2. To increase awareness of the connection between personal wellness and

healthy lifestyle choices, and those factors within and outside of their control.

3. To increase one’s ability to take action to improve health. 4. To develop peer support and leadership skills to encourage others to

make healthier lifestyle choices across all sites. 5. To reduce social isolation by developing connectedness with others. 6. To maintain or improve measurable health indicators. 7. To increase access to primary care services and linkages to community

programs and services . 8. To collaborate and share resources and lessons learned with other

organizations interested in creating HANS groups in their communities.

HANS KAI who is it for?

Hans is for anyone wanting to maintain or improve their health

What is HANS KAI?

- Small groups that meet at minimum once monthly to support one another in making healthy lifestyle choices.

- Groups participate in 4 key activities – preparing healthy food/snack, engaging in physical activity, checking specific health indicators, and socializing and supporting each other.

- Groups attend a health school to learn about Hans Kai, be provided with the education, tools and resources to run their own group.

- Groups are leaderless and are self directed (with support from Hans Kai team as needed).

HANS KAI Health Schools Health Schools - Health Schools are for participants interested in joining Hans – it prepares them for their

group meetings after completing the health school. - HANS team members schedule facilitators for the Health School. One HANS staff

(preferably 2) is assigned to be the main lead and consistent contact at each health school session to develop the relationship, assist with continuity and ensure the participants have their needs met.

- Health Schools are 8 sessions. (2 hours each, can be adapted for shorter time frames).

HANS KAI Health School Information

Session 1 Welcome to HANS Main Objectives - Understand HANS Kai and the core activities, Get to know their primary

contact, set group guidelines and goals, Understand barriers to health as well as what makes us healthy.

Session 2 Health Indicators Main Objectives - Understand how and why to check blood sugar, blood pressure and waist

circumference. - Understand risk factors for chronic conditions such as diabetes - Get a tool kit of resources to run a HANS Kai group including blood

pressure monitor, glucometer, and dynabands among other resources.

HANS KAI Health School Information

Session 3 Eating for Health - Understand Canada Food Guide, food safety, label reading and impact of Nutrition

on health. Session 4 Lets Get Active - Understand the barriers to activity and how to overcome them as well as reducing

injury risk, misconceptions about exercise and fat loss. - Understand how to become motivated, active, and change lifestyle

HANS KAI Health School Information

Session 5 Achieving Balance - Understand what stress is and impact on health - Discuss coping strategies and identify long term strategies that will help - Discuss impact of sleep on health and create a sleep plan Session 6 Primary Care Through the Years - Learn local health resources - Understand when and why to go for test through out the lifecycle (general)

HANS KAI Health School Information

Session 7 Working Together - Understand assets that participants bring to the group - Understand boundaries and how to respect other’s boundaries - Understand how to use consensus to make decsions

Session 8 Launch Into HANS - Session where participants practice being a HANS group.

HANS KAI

HANS KAI GROUPS - Groups are now meeting on their own at a mutually agreed upon time and

location. - The groups are functioning independently and are community led

(Leaderless as the groups make decisions by consensus) - Groups meet a minimum of once a month for 2 hours. At each meeting

members participate in physical activity, eat a healthy snack, have time to socialize, and check their health indicators (weight, blood pressure, blood sugar)

- Group members responsibilities include: picking a snack, shopping for the snack, reminder phone calls, bringing the tool kit and contact HANS team for supports when needed.

- HANS group members often mentor other groups in the start-up stage.

HANS KAI

Ongoing Support - HANS staff are available to support the groups as needed with requests for

speakers on particular topics, activity requests, health school session refreshers, and more. Each HANS group is assigned a main contact with a back up for support.

- HANS staff also support the groups with ensuring the tool kit is stocked, support with health snacks if needed and ensuring the groups are aware of any changes to health information.

- HANS staff also assist the group if any group difficulties arises. - HANS staff follow up with the groups every 3 to 6 months to see how they

are doing if we have not heard from them.

Data Collection

- The study uses a pre-test post test design - quantitative and qualitative data is collected about personal

health indicators, resources in the community, healthy lifestyle choices and connections with the community.

- Data is collected at the start, at 6 and 12 months , then annually thereafter.

- A variety of tools are used to collect data including: - In person interviews - Participant survey - Log book (health measures)

Early Outcomes

Preliminary Emerging Themes Increased Social Support Improved Access to Health Care Services Increased Sense of Connectedness Improved Self Monitoring Promoted Positive Behavior Change Fun and Engaging Improved Health Indicators

Preliminary Data

How has being part of a HANS group helped to improve your health? • Conscious of the choices that can be made (e.g. nutrition/ exercise)

• Feeling empowered / inspired to make healthy choices

• Improves accountability

• Social / Peer Support (“we check-up on each other”)

• Learning new skills and gaining knowledge to support healthy choices

• Inspires me to make a few <health> changes and be realistic

Participant Identified Successes

“I am exercising regularly”

“I am watching what I eat and making healthy food choices”

“I lost weight”

“I quit smoking”

“I am monitoring my blood sugars regularly”

“regular exercise has stabilized my blood sugars”

HANS Youth Project

- First HANS Youth project piloted spring 14

- Sessions cover Nutrition, fitness, health and sexual health, healthy

relationships, mental and coping and drug and alcohol use.

- Emerging Themes include: more focus on relationships, enjoyed using their

own voice and opportunity to collaborate with peers and school.

HANS KAI

When I is replaced by we even illness becomes wellness

Questions?

Thanks for joining us!