The Mission Record Thursday, July 25, 2013 17
MISSION SENIORS A monthly guide to events, resources and services for Mission Seniors
July 2013
Making informed choices
T
he typical healthcare patient has changed in recent years. No longer are individuals putting all of their health care decisions into the hands of nurses and doctors. Patients are more informed than ever before and are taking a more active role in their own care. A few decades ago, medical data may have been elusive and filled with confusing jargon the layperson might not have understood without a crash course in biology. However, today there are different websites that clearly spell out information about certain illnesses and diseases. This means that patients may no longer be walking blindly into appointments with doctors. Facing an illness is never easy, and the decision-making abilities could be hampered by emotions and the desire to improve as quickly as possible. Patients who do not have all of the facts may have to rely solely on the expertise of caregivers and physicians when making healthcare decisions. By knowing the avenues of information, a patient can find assistance with careful decision-making. While learning about an ailment is important, there are some
Everyone knows 9-1-1 is for emergency services, but have you heard about 2-1-1? 2-1-1 is a phone number for information about and referral to all government, community and social services. Seniors can phone to find resources for housing, government assistance, recreation, support groups and much more. 2-1-1 launched in 2010 with funding from the United Way and it currently operates in the Fraser Valley, SquamishLillooet and Metro Vancouver Regional Districts. This service is free, confidential, multilingual and available 24/7. Are you or anyone in your family looking for help? Try calling 2-1-1 or find help online at resources.bc211.ca.
Mission Seniors Living 55 Plus is dedicated to our seniors, whom we hope to motivate to keep active. We welcome story submissions and photos. Submissions can be e-mailed to Gordon Dainard at gdainard333@gmail.com. For past issues, visit missioncityrecord. com and click e-Editions.
Medical information is easily accessible over the Internet, but there are some thinngs to consider when making healthcare decisions.
things to consider. • The Internet isn’t foolproof. Many online medical sites are very reliable and offer a wealth of pertinent information. They can be good starting points when seeking out information on a particular condition. It is in
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your best interest to visit sites that are well-known and monitored by respected medical affiliations. Other sites may be peppered with exaggerated claims or misinformation. Therefore, do not go by online
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