Special Features - Just For Seniors_Spring 2016

just for

SENIORS MARCH 2016

Your guide to staying active and connected for good health and happiness

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NUTRITION PLANNING

How to Eat Healthy No Matter Your Age Dietician Nadine Baerg says that proper meal planning can help seniors to meet their unique nutritional needs and overcome dietary challenges.

By Mike Straus Part of growing older is learning to manage the changes that come with age. And for many seniors, adapting to dietary changes can be a struggle. With a reduced appetite and a greater need for nutrients, choosing your food carefully is more important than ever before.

“Getting more nutrients from a smaller amount of food can be a challenge,” said Interior Health dietician Nadine Baerg.

“That’s why using Canada’s Food Guide can help you get the nutrients you need.

It’s important to focus on fruits and vegetables (at all stages of life), but seniors in general need to consume more milk and dairy products.

As you age, your bone density decreases and hip fractures become a concern. Dairy helps to prevent that.”

Baerg also notes that seniors need to maintain a better eating schedule. It’s not uncommon for seniors to skip meals, she says, but doing so deprives seniors of essential nutrients.

“If you’re the only person living at home, it’s hard to find the motivation to cook for yourself. Also, we tend to be less active as we age— and that means we don’t need as many calories as we used to.”

Baerg says that seniors should strive for a specific pattern of foods at each meal in order to stay healthy.

At any given meal, she says, half of the meal should consist of fruits and vegetables, while one quarter should consist of grains or starches and one quarter should be some kind of protein. Dairy products should accompany each meal as well.

Baerg also has an easy method that EAT HEALTHY on page 5 ❱

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X4 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

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Music Memories

A unique Music and Memory project at Baptist Housing brought new forms of learning to life for a number of UBC Okanagan students.

As part of a Sociology of Global Aging course taught

by UBCO’s Mary Ann Murphy and in collaboration with the university’s Community Service Learning Program, 25 university students were partnered with residents of three Baptist Housing homes in the Central Okanagan.

The students worked with residents who live with some form of dementia, and met with their families and caregivers to develop a personalized music playlist.

For a number of weeks, the students visited the residents to monitor and record the effectiveness of the music selections.

Gary Su, a fourth-year psychology student at UBCO, says the three strangers assigned to him affected him deeply.

When he talks about these residents, the experiences still touch his heart.

“Music is like a key to the door of their memory,” said Su. “With each of my clients,

they became more socially engaged and their mood became more positive every time I visited.”

He describes one patient as initially socially isolated, spending much of her time alone in her room.

After weeks of listening to music on her iPod, he would often find her waiting for him, eager to engage in a conversation, and talk about his day at university.

“Everybody noticed a big change in her. At first she

seemed so alone and lonely,” he said. “But she was amazed by the music on the iPod and you could simply see her face light up every time a different song came on.”

Su’s biggest take away from this? Not all learning comes from the textbook.

“Each of them taught me something,” he explained.

“You see all the theory that you’ve read in your textbooks, and all the material MUSIC & MEMORIES… on page 6 ❱

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sure out portion sizes). The palm of your hand is one serving of meat, a fist is one serving of fruit, and the tip of your thumb is one serving of fat for one meal.”

But getting the right nutrients in the right portion sizes is only one challenge that seniors face. Many seniors also encounter problems with finding the As people age and bone density motivation to cook decreases, hip fractures become a or eating well on a concern. Consuming milk and dairy restricted budget. products regularly helps to prevent that.

“If you’re the only person living in the home, it’s EAT Healthy ❰ from page 3 seniors can use to deterhard to find the motivation mine portion sizes that takes to cook for yourself. Cooking into account each person’s for just one person is often unique nutritional needs. more difficult. Ways of mit❱ “Use your hand (to meaigating that include making

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meals more social—cooking with friends or having friends over to eat—or simply making larger portions. If you cook four portions for yourself, you can freeze a few so that you can have a portion a few days later.”

Baerg also suggests re-using ingredients for multiple meals. For instance, instead of cooking just one small piece of chicken for lunch, a senior could cook a whole

chicken and use the leftovers for a casserole, stir-fry, or sandwich.

She notes that seniors who struggle with meal planning should speak with a dietician or call HealthLink BC by dialling 811.

“HealthLink is great.

There’s a dietician available to answer questions every weekday from 9 am to 4 pm.”

“We Honour Our Veterans Every Day” The Legion Service Officer is available to offer assistance to any Veteran, Legion member or not. Please call 250-763-3927 for an appointment if you or a Veteran you know require assistance.

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X6 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016 MUSIC & MEMORIES ❰ from page 4 you’ve learned, and suddenly you realize it is taking place right in front of you.

“These residents taught me how cool they could be, and how friendly and easygoing they could be, and how vulnerable they were due to the progression of the illness.”

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The Music and Memory program at Baptist Housing has several goals, one of which is to use music to reduce medication for people suffering from dementia and other cognitive challenges.

It is also hoped that residents with memory loss find renewed meaning and connection in their lives when

they listen to the music.

Interior Savings and its Community Investment Fund donated $28,560 to purchase iPods, headsets, and iTunes cards for the project.

Interior Savings’ CEO Kathy Conway says it’s important as a local credit union to recognize and support the programs that really matter

UBC Okanagan student Gary Su with one of the Baptist Housing clients he worked with during the Music and Memories project.

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Tickets for the 50th anniversary celebration are expected to go on sale shortly. For Iafrancesco, it’s sure to be an important night in the club’s history.

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“We want to keep carrying on in the community. I’m hoping more young people will join and bring in some new and different ideas. We want to keep carrying on in the community and keep supporting the organizations we’ve been supporting.”

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to this community.

“This program is groundbreaking,” said Conway.

“We are seeing people in our communities disconnect from their ailments, if even for short periods of time, and instead share moments of connection with the people who love them and who are trying to care for them.”

Rachel Lewis, clinical educator with Baptist Housing, says partnership is a cornerstone of Baptist Housing. She can’t thank Interior Savings and UBC Okanagan enough for their help with the Music and Memories project.

“Dementia and other neurological impairments can rob a person of their memory and identity,” said Lewis.

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Kelowna Italian Club Marks 50-Year Anniversary this October Local club was a social hotspot hundreds of seniors enjoyed in their youth.

By Mike Straus For early Italian immigrants to the Okanagan, the Kelowna Italian Club served as an important social venue in a strange new land, a resource that helped to ease the adjustment to a new culture.

“I experienced it myself,” said Italian Club president Joe Iafrancesco. “It was tough for some. They came here to a new land and didn’t know the language,

so they more or less became friends with other Italians in the area. We helped each other with home building and whatnot.”

When the club was first started in 1966, it was a tight-knit group of 40 young members who simply wanted a place to socialize. Iafrancesco says the early days were carefree and easygoing, with unofficial meetings often taking place in members’ basements. For the club’s larger gatherings, the standard itinerary was dinner and dancing at the Capri Hotel.

“All of our (official club) events were held at the Capri Hotel, because of course, Mr. Capozzi was one of our members, and at that time you could bring your own

bartender to the hotel. There was lots of interest in the club at that time. The first generation of Italian immigrants had small children, and kept them involved in the club.”

The Italian Club offers a variety of events for members to enjoy, with one of the club’s longest-running social functions being the Valentine’s Day Gala Dinner & Dance.

This summer, the Italian Club will also be hosting several highly anticipated annual events. The club’s bocce games at the Parkinson Rec Centre are an annual staple, as are the summer picnic and the autumn grape stomp, which draw large crowds every year.

But this year, the Kelowna Italian Club’s greatest event is still yet to come. 2016 marks 50 years of service for the club, and this October, Iafrancesco and his team are taking the club back to where it all started in what is sure to be the social event of the season. “(Our 50th anniversary) will be held on October 14 and 15 at the Coast Capri Hotel, where the club started. On the Friday night we’ll have all the Italian businesspeople there with goods for sampling—similar to Taste of Kelowna. Local vendors can sell their wares. The Saturday night will feature a dinner and dance. We’ve booked a band. We’ll also be doing a ITALIAN CLUB on page 6 ❱

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X8 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

Local senior education nonprofit provides its 550-member base with an ever-expanding catalogue of courses and meaningful social connections.

By Mike Straus Since its inception 22 years ago, the Society for Learning in Retirement looks a lot different today than it did in the mid-1990s.

A new facility, new courses, new instructors, new members, and new guest lecturers are all part of the organization’s continued

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Society for Learning in expansion to

growth. But the one thing that has remained throughout the numerous changes is the SLR’s focus on community-based learning.

“The SLR is a nice place to meet people and make new friends, especially if you’re looking for people who share similar interests,” explained SLR president Vera Ito. “Very often, people go through life with a deep interest in a particular topic—say, ancient history—but their family isn’t interested in it. Then they see that we offer courses on ancient history, and they meet people who are also interested in ancient history. The SLR helps seniors to make new friends and gives them

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a chance to have fun—while also keeping their brains working.”

Ito says that seniors need to continue learning, even well into retirement, because it’s the act of learning that keeps seniors’ brains

healthy—and she’s not the only one who thinks so.

Research by psychologists like Denise Park at the University of Texas and Thomas Bak at the University of Edinburgh is confirming what many have long known to be

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X9 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

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Retirement continues serve Local Seniors true: Continued learning in retirement is associated with a healthier brain, a more active lifestyle, a wider social circle, and a more fulfilled life.

Ito says that helping seniors to live a more fulfilled life is

why the SLR exists. “We’re learning, one way or another, until the day we die. Or at least we should be, if we’re living a good life. Sure, there are people who stay home and don’t do much, but that’s not really the best sort of life

to live. Life is worth living as well as you can.”

The SLR strives to accommodate seniors’ learning needs with a dynamic and ever-growing catalogue of courses, spanning across a whole range of topics of interest to seniors. Some courses—like current events, history, international politics, memoir writing, and painting—are staple classes that the organization offers every year. Other courses are offered at the discretion of volunteer instructors—who are always in demand.

“It’s a case of finding someone who’s willing to lead a program,” Ito said.

“The instructor doesn’t

have to be an expert—just someone who’s interested in a topic. Peer learning is the core of our organization.

That’s when the study group leader lays out a course of suggested topics, and people in the class volunteer to do research and present information.”

The SLR is actively looking for students and instructors for its fall program. Community members who are interested in leading SLR classes can leave a message for the Program Committee at 250448-1203. Seniors who wish to join the SLR can become members for just $25 per year. SLR course fees range from $10 for a single lecture to $30 for a ten-session program. Classes are daytime only and are open to anyone, not just seniors. Registration forms are available at www. slrkelowna.ca.

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Social, Fitness Program Helps West Kelowna Residents Get Minds In Motion®

West Kelowna residents experiencing early memory loss can get their Minds in Motion®, thanks to the non-profit Alzheimer Society of BC.

Minds in Motion®, the society’s fitness and social program, offers a physical and cognitive workout that helps people in the early stages of Alzheimer disease or another dementia.

The program runs throughout the year on Tuesday afternoons. The next session is from February 9 through March 8.”Participants stay physically active, meet and socialize with others living with dementia, get involved in activities, and have access to information about dementia and services,” explains Amber Graydon, the society’s Minds in Motion® coordinator for West Kelowna and

the Central/North Okanagan.

Participants, accompanied by a friend, family member or caregiver, enjoy light exercise conducted by a certified fitness instructor, followed by activities or games and social time in a relaxed atmosphere. Light refreshments are provided.

“The benefits are many,” says Graydon. People with dementia see physical gains such as improved balance, mobility and flexibility, and increased comfort and confidence in their situation.

For care partners, benefits include more core strength and flexibility, an increased understanding of both dementia

and self-care, and learning new coping strategies from peers.

“It’s something participants look forward to—a reason to get out of the house—and a topic to talk about afterwards,” she says.

Minds in Motion® runs weekly on Tuesdays from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre, 3737 Old Okanagan Highway.

To register, call the centre at 250-768-4442 or visit www.districtofwestkelowna. ca.

For more information, call the Alzheimer Resource Centre at 1-800-634-3399.

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X11 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

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UBC prof. looking for seniors with hearing loss for new study

UBC Okanagan’s popular Walk ‘n Talk for your Life program—that creates exercise and safe social settings for local seniors—is branching out.

Assoc. Prof. Charlotte Jones, who teaches with UBC’s Southern Medical Program and initiated Walk ‘n Talk in 2014, is now looking for seniors who are living with hearing loss. In partnership with YMCA of Okanagan (Rutland Family YMCA), Jones is looking for people, aged 65 and older, to participate in Walk, Talk and Listen.

“Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic health problems in North America,” says Jones, noting that audiometry results from the 2012 and 2013 Canadian Health Measures Survey indicate that 47 per cent of adults aged 60

to 79 had a measured hearing loss.

“Our goal with Walk, Talk and Listen is to reduce the major downstream of negative psychosocial and functional physical limitations associated with hearing loss in older adults.”

Jones says studies have proven a connection between hearing loss and health-related

quality of life. She notes hearing loss can also lead to social isolation, depression, incident dementia, and cognitive deterioration, and even a decline in functional fitness, increased falls, and hospitalizations.

“Hearing loss can be very stressful and cause people to avoid social situations, to feel embarrassed and in some cases to be less physically fit,”

says Jones. “Basically, hearing loss can have a huge impact on a person’s overall health and wellness.”

The Walk, Talk and Listen study will begin in March and UBC is currently looking for reasonably healthy residents, 65-years or older, who do not use a cane, walker or wheelchair and have not taken part in an organized or regular exercise program in the last year to participate in the 12week study.

Participants will meet at the Rutland YMCA twice a week, for a two-hour study group.

Along with supervised and graduated exercise, including structured balance, resistance and weight training, and a 30-minute walk, time will also be devoted to informal interactive socialization, laughHEARING LOSS on page 14 ❱

X12 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

CAPITAL NEWS

Canada is failing our heart failure patients The 2016 Heart and Stroke Foundation Report on the Health of Canadians takes a hard look at the significant and growing burden of heart failure. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians are living with this complicated, fatal and misunderstood condition that leaves them and their families exhausted and overwhelmed, and puts serious strain on the healthcare system. Despite progress in care and some promising research on the horizon, the country has a long way to go to improve the outlook for heart failure patients.

“The number of Canadians living with cardiovascular disease and its devastating effects is increasing, and this includes heart failure,” says David Sculthorpe, CEO, Heart and Stroke Foundation.

This growing and silent epidemic comes with crippling costs for the healthcare system and Canadian families “There is so much we need to do as more Canadians develop this chronic, incurable condition – from earlier diagnosis to better endof-life care, and ultimately finding ways to help heal these damaged hearts.”

Heart failure is often misunderstood by the public.

According to a new Heart and Stroke Foundation poll*, more than one-quarter of Canadians believe that heart failure means your heart has completely stopped beating.

In fact, heart failure means that the heart muscle is not pumping blood as well as it

e iv t c a , y h lt a e h g in Build older adults.

should because of damage from heart disease such as a heart attack.

“Heart failure is the end result of all cardiac disease,” explains Dr. Paul Fedak, a cardiac surgeon at the University of Calgary and Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher and spokesperson. “You get heart failure from everything that goes wrong with your heart—all roads lead to heart failure.”

Heart failure is a chronic, incurable condition that gets worse over time. Almost half of Canadians think it can be cured, according to our poll—yet currently there is no cure. Depending on the symptoms, half of heart failure patients will die within five years, and most will die within 10 years.

This “revolving door con-

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dition” burdens an already taxed healthcare system.

Because of long and frequent hospital visits, heart failure is referred to as a “revolving door condition.”

Leaving out childbirth, heart failure is the third most common reason for hospitalization according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information—trailing only respiratory disease and heart attack, both of which are associated with heart failure.

The average length of stay for heart failure patients is long—eight days—as these patients are usually complex, often managing other health issues.

“There is a huge economic cost associated with heart failure,” says Dr. Justin Ezekowitz, director of the Heart Function Clinic at the University of Alberta and Heart and Stroke Foundation

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researcher and spokesperson.

“The biggest driver of costs is hospitalization and emergency room visits.”

It is estimated that heart failure results in direct costs of more than $2.8 billion per year in Canada.

Hospital visits due to heart failure have gone up every year for the past several years. There are currently 600,000 Canadians living with heart failure, with another 50,000 diagnosed each year, and these numbers are only expected to increase as the population ages and more people are living with cardiovascular disease.

Heart failure costs everyone Heart failure is a strain on Canadian families. According to our poll, almost half of Canadians have been touched by heart failure— either diagnosed with it

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themselves or having a family member or close friend with the condition.

The challenges facing heart failure patients can be overwhelming: inability to carry out daily living activities fully, multiple appointments, many medications to manage, and complex health information to process. Around 30 per cent of heart failure patients experience depression. Many caregivers are stressed by the realities of supporting a loved one with a condition that is complicated to manage and whose deterioration is difficult to predict.

Sue MacDonald was one of several family caregivers, along with her mother, who cared for her father until he died at 76 from heart failure and multiple health issues.

“It was a hard job taking care of my dad—the sheer number of appointments and

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Although heart failure can be difficult to diagnose for various reasons—including that symptoms can be similar to those of other conditions—diagnosis is an area where progress has been made. However, there is still room for improvement, especially around diagnosing patients earlier.

Heart failure can be treated and managed with changes to lifestyle and medications, and devices can help failing hearts. Still, the healthcare system is difficult for patients FAILING HEARTS… on page 14 ❱

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X14 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016 FAILING HEARTS ❰ from page 13 and their families to navigate and it is riddled with gaps. There are not enough heart failure specialists or heart failure clinics, and family physicians who are often the care providers for these patients can lack the specialized knowledge and training to deal with complicated cases. There is a lack of continuity of care from the hospital to the community with enormous gaps in home care support. Palliative and end-of-life care for heart failure patients is almost non-existent.

improve heart function after a heart attack. Regenerative medicine repairs or replaces human cells to help the body self-heal, and has the potential to heal damaged tissues and organs—such as hearts.

“There are lots of ways to aid a failing heart, either through prevention, medical therapeutics, artificial pumps, or tissue engineering or regenerative medicine,” says Fedak. “It is a fixable problem if we could turn scar back into muscle or if we could grow someone a new heart.”

Hope for the future

600,000 Canadians are living with heart failure.

50,000 new cases of heart failure are currently diagnosed each year.

Heart failure results in direct costs of more than $2.8 billion per year in Canada.

New research is providing hope by looking at ways to stop heart failure in its tracks or to replace damaged tissue. Research is underway to test whether genes can be turned “off” and “on” to

Heart failure statistics

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Hospital visits due to heart failure have gone up every year for the six years, with 60,000 reported in 2013– 2014, an increase of 13 per cent.

Leaving out childbirth, heart failure is the third most common reason for hospitalization trailing only respiratory disease and heart attack, both of which are associated with heart failure.

Various sources estimate that one in every five heart failure patients find themselves back in the hospital within 30 days either for heart failure specifically (in about half of those cases) or for another related cause.

Around 30 per cent of heart failure patients experiHEARING LOSS ❰ from page 11 ter, and health education, in addition to special sessions on Auditory Rehabilitation which are aimed at helping people cope better with hearing loss.

Students in Medicine, Nursing, Psychology, Human Kinetics and Social Work will be working directly with the participants.

There is no fee and the Walk, Talk and Listen study will

ence depression.

Read the full report here www.heartandstroke.ca/ heartreport

take place in a hearing-loss friendly environment.

“I really encourage people to join others with hearing loss and learn how to be more comfortable socializing, have fun, become more physically active and learn more about health and wellness,” adds Jones.

To find out more, call Carolyn Roque at 250-807-9827 or carolyn.roque@ubc.ca.

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X15 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

CAPITAL NEWS

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Just like the younger generation, seniors today are becoming much more savvy about making healthy cosmetic product choices.

By Barry Gerding Product branding choices in seniors’ younger years are giving way to considering the chemicals included with those same products today, and looking for healthier options.

Nikki Hunter is an award winning cosmetics product and application expert in Kelowna. She recently opened her own beauty boutique in downtown Kelowna, The Green Vanity, located inside the Blackfish Apparel GREEN VANITY on page 16 ❱

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X16 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

Nikki Hunter is the proprietor of The Green Vanity, in downtown Kelowna.

GREEN VANITY ❰ from page 15 shop at 473 Bernard Ave. Hunter said since starting her own business last October, she has been surprised at the number of senior women come to her looking

for advice about good vs. bad cosmetics for their own skin health.

Part of that, she says, is because people with illnesses such as cancer or celiac disease can’t use cosmetics with

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CAPITAL NEWS

certain chemicals on their skin because it interacts with their medications.

“When seniors were younger, they were driven by brand association, or what they learned from their mothers, in their makeup choices. But those seniors now, I’m finding, are more health-driven than brand-driven,” Hunter said.

She recalls one example of a grandmother who, at age 86, was not Internet savvy to all the information about cosmetic product ingredients, but she sought the help of her granddaughter to help sift through the information available to access online for cosmetics consumers.

“In that case her granddaughter was helpful dealing with the Internet, but I thought it was interesting that the grandmother was interested enough to seek out help to learn more.”

Hunter says the boomer generation is bringing a different perspective to aging, as life expectancy is longer and one’s lifestyle at 65 and older today is far more active than it was 20 or 30 years ago.

She says self-esteem issues that draw on personal makeup decisions at a younger age, influenced by the celeb-

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rity-driven product marketing. She says our culture still is absorbed by looking young as we age, that the loss of firmness around the chin or wrinkles on your face is not necessarily a bad thing.

“Beauty does come from the inside out, not the outside in,” she said. “But at some point the message got changed, that if I get wrinkles I am no longer pretty.

That kind of thinking can lead to depression among seniors, that aging changes to their face are immediately perceived as a negative when that should not be the case.”

Hunter said her years selling cosmetic products left unable to often suggest healthy product alternatives because of a conflict of interest, but with her own shop now, she feels a sense of freedom to explore those avenues more with her clients.

“That always really bothered me that I could send someone to a website to get more information, but working for a competitor business I couldn’t really speak to it,” Hunter said.

She is now selling 11 natural skin care product brands in her own store and hopes to continually increase that over the course of the year.

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X17 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

CAPITAL NEWS

Do you have good hearing but poor comprehension?

Do you sometimes feel that you can hear well, but not fully understand what’s being said? This can be most evident in social conversations and watching television.

Fortunately, there may be a solution for some people dealing with this type of hearing loss - the Audéo Venture hearing aid has been designed specifically to help improve speech comprehension without being noticeable in the ear.

Poor comprehension in conversation can possibly be caused by undetected hearing loss in the high-frequency range. This means the sensory cells in the cochlea that hear high-range sounds are damaged as a result of circulatory disorders, diabetes, sudden hearing loss or workplace noise.

Hearing loss in the high frequency range makes speech sound muffled and unclear making it difficult to hear consonants like s, f, t, k, h and g.

Speech comprehension is even more challenging when there is background noise or when television programs have background music. The dilemma is that people with hearing loss in the highfrequency range do not consider themselves to have a hearing problem. They can hear deep tones with no issue, and often put difficulty understanding speech down

Ginette van Wijngaarden, from Connect Hearing proudly displays the Audéo Venture hearing aid.

to unclear pronunciation. However, the time soon comes when problems with comprehension become annoying.

Phonak Audéo Venture Hearing Aids This past year, Swiss audiologists have developed a hearing aid that can, in qualified candidates, improve speech comprehension for those with hearing loss in the high-frequency range. People can sign up for a free demonstration of the Audéo Venture hearing aids by calling now to do so. During your appointment, you will be given a hearing test and speech comprehension analysis. If

inner-ear damage is present, a hearing care professional will determine the difference relative to normal hearing. These values are then programmed into the hearing aids, which precisely take into account and balance the frequency range of the person being tested.

The demonstration phase in particular is designed to clarify how speech comprehension can be improved in various situations and what role the hearing aid technology called “Autosense OS” plays. The hearing aid recognizes where the person being spoken to is located and amplifies only his or her voice, while ambient noise is lowered and the optimum hearing programs are seamlessly adjusted. Thanks to several synchronous microphones, the hearing system can detect sound in all directions and select the direction that speech is coming from within milliseconds. According to Swiss researchers, this can significantly improve speech comprehension, especially in conversation for some clients.

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connecthearing.ca/understanding Kelowna - Glenmore • 410 - 1980 Kane Rd. Kelowna - Mission • 4 - 605 K.L.O. Rd Kelowna - Rutland • #37 - 301 Hwy, 33 West West Kelowna • 11 - 2484 Main St VAC, WCB accepted. Registered under the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC. *Complimentary hearing tests only applicable for clients over 50 years of age and no fees or purchase are necessary †CAA Rebate for Private clients only and cannot be combined with any other offer, rebate or previous purchase and is non-redeemable for cash. Lyric, BAHA and Econo aids excluded. ‡Certain conditions apply to the Price Match Guarantee. See clinic for details. ®BCAA, CAA logo and CAA Rewards trademarks owned by, and use is authorized by, the Canadian Automobile Association.

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X18 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

CAPITAL NEWS

PAIN RELIEF NOW locally made

Mountain Medicinals co-owners Steve Little and Bryan McIntyre, in their Penticton lab making a batch of PRN Pain Relief Now.

Pain Relief Now is a locally made, Health Canada approved, effective topical pain spray created by pharmacists.

PRN Pain Relief Now was developed in response to the large amount of ineffective topical pain relievers available to the public. The majority of these products work as counter-irritants to “distract the brain” from the real pain that is occurring.

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that takes it to the next level.

Introducing PRN Pain Relief Now. PRN Pain Relief Now contains ingredients that reduce pain and inflammation in muscles, tissues and joints. An active component of PRN has even been shown to provide relief from certain types of nerve pain.

The successful delivery of these ingredients through the skin to the damaged areas is the focus of Mountain Medicinals products. The blend of carefully selected essential oils also promotes an environment that increases healing and enhances recovery.

Four or five sprays is usually enough to provide rapid relief for most people.

Successfully used to reduce pain associated with many painful conditions such as: arthritis, muscle soreness, tennis and golfers’ elbow, strains/sprains, as well as shoulder and knee pain.

Headache and migraine sufferers may benefit from application to the back of the neck. Sciatica nerve pain and fibromyalgia have also been managed with Pain Relief Now. For more information visit mountainmedicinals.ca

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X19 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

CAPITAL NEWS

Seniors Outreach

Local non-profit organization expanding to serve Kelowna’s growing population of senior citizens.

By Mike Straus On the eve of its 30th year in operation, one of Kelowna’s largest and most well known seniors’ societies is making big plans.

The Seniors Outreach Services Society has been a staple of Kelowna’s non-profit community for decades, providing local seniors with non-medical home care, computer mentoring, housing referrals, and perhaps most importantly, social connection. And with over 10,000 phone and email inquiries each year, the society is meeting a dis-

tinct and growing need for senior-oriented social support resources.

The society’s Better at Home program, funded by the provincial Ministry of Health and operated through the United Way of the Lower Mainland, has tripled in size in just one year. Thanks to a new partnership with the Pathways Abilities Society, Better at Home is also now providing employment for people with developmental disabilities.

“We manage Better at Home for the Central Okanagan,” says Seniors Outreach program coordinator Judy

introduces new services to assist seniors in need Dow. “It’s a non-medical support service for seniors that helps them to live independently in their homes.”

Through the Better at Home program, Seniors Outreach provides local seniors with volunteers to assist with light housekeeping, yard work, snow shovelling, minor home repairs, and transportation.

Seniors Outreach is also continuing its highly popular Eldernet Computer Mentoring, which takes place every Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m.

“Eldernet is volunteer-run and highly individualized,” says Kristin Stratulat, program coordinator. “The clients come in with devices and questions and sit down oneon-one with our volunteers.”

“We also have our Tuesday Afternoon Drop-In, where we have a volunteer social worker come in to help seniors navigate forms and services.”

Seniors Outreach is also planning for the return of its annual Senior Safety Fair, OUTREACH on page 20 ❱

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X20 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

CAPITAL NEWS

Local seniors sit in on an information session put on by the Seniors Outreach Services Society

OUTREACH ❰ from page 19 which will take place on June 8. The Senior Safety Fair showcases approximately 50 different seniors’ safety services each year. This year, the fair will host guest speaker Isobel Mackenzie, the B.C. Seniors Advocate. Mackenzie has extensive experience in the social services and non-profit industries, and was named BC CEO of the Year in 2012.

Seniors Outreach clients

Colin and Tela say the organization is nothing short of a godsend.

“I’m on a very low income, which is why I’m in a subsidized rental unit,” says Colin. “Seniors Outreach introduced me to a home cleaning company. I’d been paying $25 an hour on the open market for home cleaning services, but now, I pay $6.25 per hour. (Seniors Outreach also helped me join) a BC Transit program for peo-

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ple on low incomes. I can use my pass on any BC Transit system in the entire province.

It costs me the princely sum of $45 per year.”

Tela notes the Wednesday afternoon coffee session was more than a social event, and it provided her with useful information that helped her solve a difficult challenge.

“I was facing an operation, and I thought, ‘I have no family here. If I need help after my operation, I need someone.’ I got in touch with Senior Outreach and came to Wednesday morning coffee.

That’s where I met a woman from Nidas, an organization that helps seniors navigate power of attorney issues.

Plus, I love the fact that Seniors Outreach can send volunteers to visit with you if you feel lonely. Getting volunteers just to visit seniors— it’s amazing.”

Emergency responders prepare Peachland seniors for medical emergencies

Some 40 seniors learned how to help save the lives of their loved ones at the Heart Attack and Stroke Awareness workshop held earlier this u month, organized by the BC s Emergency Health Services e (BCEHS) and the Peachland g Fire Brigade. h This second annual work- t shop was also supported by n the District of Peachland and p the Justice Institute of BC. t “The first workshop was so well-received by the participants as well as the instructors and we’re pleased to offer it again,” said course facilitator and BCEHS Okanagan South District manager Anne Benn. “Not only are seniors learning what to do if a loved one has a heart attack or stroke, but paramedic students and first responders also have the chance to practice providing patient care.”

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X21 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

What makes this workshop unique is that paramedic students and first responders work in small, breakout groups with seniors to show how to give CPR, and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). All participants are encouraged to share their stories and

questions throughout the workshop.

In addition, course instructors run through scenarios of what it’s like to call 911 to help illustrate how the 911 triage system operates and what types of questions are asked of callers.

“As we get older, there is a

CAPITAL NEWS

fear that our loved ones may have a heart attack or stroke and with that comes insecurity about what to do,” said Peachland senior Doris Muhs, who took the course last year. “After this workshop I feel better prepared to handle a medical emergency.

“I now have the courage to call 911 and not just wait.

The instruction during this workshop was fantastic. The information was presented slowly and repeated, which is important for us seniors.

We all went home more confident about what to do in case of a heart attack or stroke.”

In 2015, BCEHS responded to 3,565 suspected cardiac arrests throughout the province. Without immediate help, a victim of sudden cardiac arrest will suffer brain damage within three minutes. Evidence shows that when CPR and AEDs

are used together in the first few minutes during a sudden cardiac arrest, survival rates can be doubled.

“Our role is not just to help save lives in an emergency, it’s also to help prepare as many people as possible for medical emergencies,” said Benn. “This workshop is a perfect example of how we can help educate our neighbours on what to do to in a medical emergency, and perhaps save a life.”

This workshop supports the goals of the BC Public Access to Defibrillation Program, a partnership between the Heart & Stroke Foundation and the provincial government. The program supports the installation of 750 AEDs in public venues, such as community centres, arenas, recreation centres, playing fields and parks, throughout BC over the next few years.

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X22 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

CAPITAL NEWS

financial strategizing

By Gabriele Banka

Is your OAS being clawed back?

You might want to transfer some investment funds to your TFSA The tax free savings account (TFSA) was introduced in 2009 as a way for individuals to set aside funds tax-free. Contributions to a TFSA are made with after-tax dollars, meaning that you have already paid tax on those dollars which is similar to making a contribution to an RRSP. However, if you contribute to an RRSP, you

would receive a contribution slip allowing you to receive a tax deduction on the funds that you contributed to your RRSP in that year which defers the tax on those funds until you take them out of the RRSP in a future year.

There is a limit to the amount that you can contribute to a TFSA each year also similar to the contribution limit on an RRSP. In the beginning, the annual amount that you could contribute to a TFSA was $5,000 which was quickly increased to $5,500 and indexed for inflation. For the 2015 tax year the amount was increased to $10,000. The new Liberal government has fixed the annual rate to $5,500 per year beginning in 2016 and it

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will no longer be indexed to inflation. If you did not contribute to your TFSA in the current year, your limit accumulates and is available for you in the following year.

Also if you withdraw from a TFSA, you will regain your contribution room, which is not an option when you withdraw from an RRSP. However if your TFSA contribution exceeds your contribution room, you will be assessed tax of one per cent per month on the amount that exceeds the allowable balance.

TFSA accounts are administered through various financial institutions. You can invest in a managed or a self-directed TFSA. Like the RRSP, a TFSA has some restrictions as to the kinds of investments it can hold, but any income made in the TFSA accumulates tax free

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and any withdrawals are not taxed. Any loans made for investments for a TFSA are also not tax deductible because the income earned is not taxed. This differs from an RRSP in that any income earned in an RRSP is not taxed until you withdraw an amount from your RRSP. Interest on loans made to invest in RRSPs are not tax deductible.

The TFSA is a great investment vehicle for seniors who are finding that their OAS is being clawed back due to returns from their investment income. Transferring the investment to a TFSA will allow it to grow tax free.

Any income earned on that investment will also be tax free and will not need to be reported on the tax return so the income will no longer affect the net income number that is used to calculate the OAS clawback. Not all investments can be transferred over to the TFSA tax free, so please use caution when doing that or contact your investment broker and/or accountant for some advice.

Gabriele Banka is a CPA, CGA and the owner of Banka & Company, CPA.

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X23 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

CAPITAL NEWS

DIRECTORY OF SERVICES

Health • Medical • Important Numbers POLICING Emergency Calls Only............................................................ 911 Block Watch (Kelowna RCMP)............................... 250.470.6214 Community Policing Offices: Mission..................................................................... 250.764.5004 Rutland.................................................................... 250.765.6355 Peachland................................................................ 250.767.2623 West Kelowna (RCMP)............................................ 250.768.2880 Citizens Patrol: Lake Country........................................................... 250.766.5400 West Kelowna......................................................... 250.707.8022 Crime Stoppers/Tips................................ 1.800.222.TIPS (8477) Kelowna Crime Prevention Association: Box 22033, Capri PO, Kelowna, V1Y 9N9 Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Kelowna................................................................... 250.762.3300 Lake Country........................................................... 250.766.2288 Peachland................................................................ 250.767.2623 West Kelowna......................................................... 250.768.2880 Whitefoot Lodge, Village of Big White................. 250.765.3549

HEALTH FACILITIES: Interior Health Authority www.interiorhealth.ca • Regional Administration Office.......................... 250.862.4200 • Capri Community Care Health Centre............... 250.980.1400 • Kelowna Health Centre....................................... 250.868.7700 • Kelowna General Hospital www.interiorhealth.ca 2268 Pandosy Street........................................ 1.888.877.4442 Switchboard........................................................ 250.862.4000 Emergency.......................................................... 250.862.4485 Foundation.......................................................... 250.862.4438 Patient Room Enquiries...................................... 250.862.4099 Volunteer Services.............................................. 250.862.4497 • Prosthetic & Orthotic Services............................ 250.862.4208 • May Bennett Wellness Centre............................ 250.980.1400 • Patient Care Quality Office, IHA...................... 1.877.442.2001 • Rutland Health Centre......................................... 250.980.4825 • West Kelowna Health Centre.............................. 250.980.1400

MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS & SERVICES Alcohol & Drug Information & Referral Service.1.800.663.1441 Kelowna Alcohol & Drugs Services.....................250.870.5777 Allergy/Asthma Information Assn.......................250.764.7507 ............................................................................1.877.500.2242 ALS Society of BC..............................................1.800.708.3228 Alzheimer Society of BC......................................250.860.0305 ............................................................................1.800.634.3399 Dementia Helpline............................................1.800.936.6033 Arthritis Society Answers Line..........................1.800.321.1433 Interior Regional Office (Trudy)...........................250.868.8643 BC Brain Injury Association...............................1.877.858.1788 BC Cancer Agency Sindi Ahulwalia Hawkins Centre for Southern Interior................................250.712.3900

Screening Mammography Program....................250.861.7560 Book your screening..........................................1.800.663.9203 BC Epilepsy Society...........................................1.866.374.5377 Centre for Elipepsy & Seizure Education in BC.............1.866.

EPILEPSY BC Lung Association.........................................1.800.665.5864 BC Lupus Society...............................................1.866.585.8787 Kelowna Support Group (Janet)..........................250.764.1640 BC Schizophrenia Society....................................250.868.3119 BC Spinal Cord Injury..................... 1.877.324.3611 Vancouver ...............................................1.800.689.2477 SCIU BC Infoline BrainTrust Canada................................................250.762.3233 CNIB......................................................................250.763.1191 Canadian Cancer Society.....................................250.762.6381 ............................................................................1.800.403.8222 Cancer Information Service..............................1.888.939.3333 Canadian Cancer Society Southern Interior Rotary Lodge...........................250.712.2203 Freemason Volunteer Driver Program.............1.800.299.0188 Canadian Diabetes Association..........................250.762.9447 Information Line.................................................1.800.226.8464 Canadian Institute for Health Information (Victoria)............................................250.220.4100 Canadian Liver Foundation...............................1.800.856.7266 Canadian Mental Health Association..................250.861.3644 BC Division.........................................................1.800.555.8222 24 Hour Info Line...............................................1.800.661.2121 Canadian Red Cross Health Equipment Loan Program........................................................250.765.3465 Cardiac Health Foundation of Canada Central Okanagan Association for Cardiac Health..................

250.763.3433 Cerebral Palsy Association of BC.....................1.800.663.0004 Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation............................1.800.513.8202 Denturist Association of BC.................................604.582.6823 Dietitian Services........................................................Dial 8-1-1 TTY...............................................................................Dial 7-1-1 HealthLink BC.............................................................Dial 8-1-1 TTY...............................................................................Dial 7-1-1 Healthy Eating for Seniors.........................................Dial 8-1-1 TTY...............................................................................Dial 7-1-1 Heart & Stroke Foundation BC/Yukon................250.860.6275 ............................................................................1.866.432.7833 Interior Health Lifeline Program..........................250.762.0200 Kidney Foundation of Canada..........................1.800.567.8112 Lake Country Health Planning Society................250.766.5437 Medic Alert Foundation....................................1.800.668.1507 Medical Services Plan........................................1.800.663.7100 Multiple Sclerosis Society....................................250.762.5850 Muscular Dystrophy Canada.............................1.800.366.8166 Okanagan Mental Health Services Society Assisted Living Program.......................................250.717.3368 Therapeutic Work Program.................................250.717.3007 Osteoporosis Canada (Trish Gunning)................250.861.6880 Pacific Blue Cross...............................................1.800.873.2583 Parkinson Society British Columbia.................1.800.668.3330 PharmaCare........................................................1.800.663.7100 Prostate Cancer Canada Network....................1.888.255.0333 Westside Health Network Society.......................250.768.3305

X24 | Just for Seniors | March 25, 2016

CAPITAL NEWS

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