As the days get shorter, the AICMC has a full fall season of programs to help Islanders stay active, well fed, and well informed. Here's what's happening, plus some important news about getting connected to a family doctor and taking advantage of free cancer screening.
Tai Chi Moves Indoors
After enjoying the open air of the Ag Pavilion all summer, Tai Chi has moved back to St. Paul's Church Hall, Thursdays from 10:00 to 11:00 am. The cost is $20 for four sessions. Learn at your own pace, with absolutely no pressure. Tai chi combines slow movements, deep breathing, and a meditative focus, and research shows it promotes relaxation, physical health, and mental well-being.
→ More about Tai Chi on Amherst Island
Loaves & Fishes Is Back
After a summer off, Loaves & Fishes is again partnering with the AICMC for the fall and winter season, right after Tai Chi every Thursday from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm at St. Paul's. Enjoy a nutritious soup and sandwich, a friendly welcome, and a chance to sit down with neighbours and catch up on Island news. Lunch is free and everyone is welcome. If you've never been, come try us out!
Water Testing
The next water sample collection is Tuesday, November 24. Pick up a sample bottle at the General Store, collect your sample the day before or the morning of, keep it in the fridge, and drop it in the labelled cooler at the General Store by 9:30 am. Please fill in every part of the requisition with the homeowner's information, including the full date and time the sample was taken.
→ Full water testing instructions
Vaccine Clinics
Fall vaccine clinics are coming, but dates and location have not yet been set. We will let the community know as soon as we know.
Need a Family Doctor? Register with Health Care Connect
The AICMC is beginning to work with the Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Ontario Health Team (FLA OHT) (opens in new tab), which is shaping the new pathway to primary care in our region. Their key message: if you don't have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, register with Health Care Connect now.
More money is coming to our district to hire doctors and nurse practitioners. In May, the FLA OHT received $3.62 million in provincial funding (opens in new tab) to connect up to 8,500 more people in Frontenac, Lennox and Addington to a family doctor or nurse practitioner by summer 2027. Last year they connected more than 4,250 people. The Health Care Connect waitlist is how people are matched to new openings, so you need to be on it.
Once you register, you're placed on a local waitlist and a Care Connector (a nurse) works to find you a provider. When a match is found, you'll be asked to book your own first appointment. If your address, phone number or health needs change while you wait, be sure to update your information.
- Call 811 (TTY 711), any time, or 1-800-445-1822
- Register online: Find a doctor or nurse practitioner (Ontario.ca) (opens in new tab)
- Have your Ontario health card handy. The address on your card must match your current address. You can register your whole family.
→ FLA OHT: Find a doctor (opens in new tab)
Coming in November: Community Consultation with the Ontario Health Team
Marie Bartlett, Communication and Engagement Lead for the FLA OHT, will be visiting Amherst Island in November for a community consultation day. This is a chance for Islanders to learn about the changes coming to health care in our region and to make sure our community's needs are heard. The date has not yet been confirmed. We will share details as soon as they are set.
Free Cancer Screening, Some Without a Prescription
Ontario's screening programs catch cancer early, when it is most treatable. Several don't require a doctor's referral:
Breast: Women aged 40 to 74 can book their own mammogram every two years, no referral needed. Call the Ontario Breast Screening Program at 1-800-668-9304, or book directly at Lennox & Addington County General Hospital in Napanee: 613-354-3301 ext. 285. → Breast cancer screening (Ontario.ca) (opens in new tab) · Napanee screening site details (opens in new tab)
Colorectal: As of this summer, screening now starts at age 45 (previously 50). Adults 45 to 74 at average risk can get a free at-home FIT test kit every two years. If you don't have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, call 811 or visit Health811 (opens in new tab) and a kit will be mailed to you. → Colon cancer screening eligibility is changing (Ontario Health) (opens in new tab)
Lung: If you're 55 to 80 and have smoked daily for 20 years or more (not necessarily in a row), you may be eligible for a low-dose CT scan. You can contact the program yourself, and a navigator will assess your risk. The Kingston site is at Kingston General Hospital: 613-549-6666 ext. 65400. → More Ontarians can now access lung cancer screening (Ontario Health) (opens in new tab) · Ontario Lung Screening Program locations (opens in new tab)
If you're not sure whether you're due, call 811 or ask at your next appointment.
Contact Us
- Programs: 613-893-2192
- Administration: 613-893-2191
- Email: aicmc2021@gmail.com
- AICMC Facebook Group (opens in new tab)