55 Plus

February 2021

AGING IN PLACE – OPTION OR CHALLENGE STARLIGHT VILLAGE: DESIGNED WITH LIVING & COMFORT IN MIND INDEPENDENT, ALL INCLUSIVE LIVING IN BEAUTIFUL OAK BAY HEALTHY HABITS FOR 2021 SILVER THREADS SERVICE THE NEW NORMAL?

Victoria’s Premium Home Care

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TIMES COLONIST | 55 PLUS

Aging in Place – Option or Challenge

ore and more seniors are opting to age in place – stay in the home they know and love for many reasons. Aging in place is by no means a new phenomenon. Only a few generations ago, many families lived and died at home; families made way for grand dad to sit by the fi re in a rocking chair having converted a den to a bed sitting room. In the past few decades, we have departed from this style of intergenerational living however we are seeing a shift back to this model of senior care.

Aging in place is a term used for individuals both wishing to live at home or at a residential care complex until they die. Seniors living at home experience rewards such as being able to stay in familiar surroundings, maintain a routine, sleep in their own bed, eat food they like to eat, and stay involved in making choices. Many seniors and their families relate they enjoy the one on one care and consistency in care of bringing in a care worker to assist the senior to age in place. However this model of care is not always possible.

When the time comes to interview a community of care or complex care home for your parent or loved one you should ask if they have aging in place capacity. Our seniors do not do well with numerous moves in advanced Silver Threads Service age with the upheaval causing much We are a charitable, not for stress and anxiety. profit society that enhances In a recent article a daughter remarked social connections and well-being on the benefits of aging in place stating for seniors. We provide programs that “Emotionally and fi nancially it is and services for those 55 years of age or better with two more rewarding. Quality of life and centres and outreach programs to serve you. personal attention, consistency of care Saanich Centre Victoria Centre 286 Hampton Rd. 1911 Quadra St. and one on one care is better. Family input 250 382-3151 250 388-4268 is welcome and family are empowered.”

Visit www.silverthreads.ca for more information We often read of couples where one

stay active * stay healthy * stay connected

spouse requires a higher level of care due to advanced dementia and is cared for by the other spouse. The burden is great, and sometimes the couple is split, leaving one spouse at home and the other in care. Aging in place and providing home support services to keep them together is very important. Seniors experience benefits emotionally, physically and fi nancially.

There are however challenges in aging in place. One of the greatest challenges seniors face is running out of funds to remain at home. When the senior can no

longer ‘bear the cost of care’ it may be time to make the transition to complex care. Care agencies should consult with seniors and their families when they foresee an increase in future cost of care due to increased services required to assist the senior to live at home.

Another indicator care coordinators use as a benchmark for determining whether aging in place is a viable choice is when our seniors put the care worker or residents of the home or apartment building they live in at risk; this is usually a great indicator for moving. We all live at risk, our seniors do so when they choose to stay in a home with stairs and experience the many challenges of living at home. No one lives without risk – we hope as care workers to minimize that risk whether at home or in care home.

Seniors and families usually have a plethora of choices for care provision. Navigating the health care system, knowing the terminology and understanding the various levels of care available to seniors is confusing at times.

Seek out reputable agencies, look into resources available in your community and check in with your local health authority for more information on how to care for your loved one to appropriately prepare for the future.

Johanna Booy, CPCA, Care & Company Ltd. seniorcareandfitness.com

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021 | 3

STARLIGHT VILLAGE

Designed with Living & Comfort in Mind Starlight Village is the ideal alternative to condo living and a wonderful place call home.

Downsizers and seniors are enjoying brand new homes in this community of 1 and 2br homes ideally situated on the beautiful Saanich Peninsula near Sidney by the Sea, grocery stores, farmers markets, restaurants, parks, walking paths, and a 10 minute drive from the hospital, ferry terminal and airport.

WELCOME HOME ...To THE IDEAL ALTERNATIVE to condo living.

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tarlight Village is a community of owners who care and look out for one another. You’ll often see neighbors socializing or out for walks together. And unlike most condos or townhomes, Starlight Village welcomes furry family members with their fully fenced yards and various nature walks nearby.

Brand new homes at Starlight Villages start at just $299,000 including GST. These affordable new rancher homes are bright and spacious and were designed with living and comfort in mind with their open floor plans and vaulted living and dining areas. Enjoy cooking for yourself or friends in the upgraded kitchen which includes a quartz and stainless steel appliance package. With three floor plans to choose from and a variety of different types of flooring, cabinets, countertops and colours you can build a home to be happy in.

All homes are equipped with heat pump systems.

You’ll never be too hot or too cold again and you won’t believe the difference in your heating bill.

Visit the folks at Starlight Village. They are just as excited as you are to call it home.

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4 | TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021

TIMES COLONIST | 55 PLUS

Independent, all inclusive living in beautiful Oak Bay

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f you are a senior in your late 70s to late 80s and in good health, you probably want to live in your family home for as long as you can.

Maybe you like to garden or host large family visits or maybe the thought of downsizing is so stressful you just can’t bear it. You also might think moving into independent living means living in a nursing home and you just aren’t ready for that yet - “I am still in good health, I don’t need to be locked in a home”.

Well Independent living looks very different than that for sure. Independent living is a wonderful way for you to enjoy an all-inclusive

lifestyle filled with social engagements, nutritious meals, daily exercise and new friendships. You would be surrounded by understanding peers and belong to a meaningful community. Some describe it as living on a cruise ship on land.

Your own private suite can range from 500-800 square feet and it features large windows, a full bathroom, kitchenette and utilities. Every meal is an occasion prepared by professional chefs and personally served by our dining staff. Fresh baked goods, fruit and beverages are available throughout the

day. Independent living offers you an array of daily activities including fitness classes, crafting, painting, card games, discussion groups and field trips. Bus trips are scheduled multiple times a week to include malls, libraries, concerts and more. There is also a hair salon and esthetician available for all of your beauty needs. Other amenities include a gym with equipment specialized for seniors and a spacious entertainment room that hosts weekly movie nights, dances, socials and a variety of local entertainers. You can pick and choose what you like. Take part in everything or just sit back and relax and enjoy the 24/7 customer service. Cleaning….no more. For your convenience and peace of mind we provide weekly housekeeping, linen service and 24-hour emergency response. Your suite is left sparkling clean every week, while you

can enjoy time with friends and family.

Step into a beautiful courtyard with a bubbling fountain and landscaped gardens to relax in. Do you like to grow your own tomatoes or plants? We have a greenhouse for all your green thumb wants and needs. There really is something for everyone. While living in independent living you will feel like you are part of one big family. Residents often become friends and care for one another as well as the staff. It is really beautiful to see.

Are you feeling lonely? Do you live alone and want to stop burdening your family with chores around your large home? Maybe it is time for you to come and take a personalized tour of our Independent living community.

There is a new journey waiting for you.

– Kailee Haaksma, Marketing Manager T. 250-519-4442 • shannonoaks.com

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TIMES COLONIST | 55 PLUS

Healthy Habits for 2021

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Worried about the safety of living at home alone, but not ready for long-term care or full home-care?

Sometimes a little help means a lot.

Heart Pharmacy’s Heart at Home program helps with: • Daily in-home medication support, ensuring that your loved one is taking their medications daily • Assistance with more challenging medications like patches, inhalers, eye and ear drops, and insulin • Regular reporting to your doctor and loved ones of any issues with medications or general health • Companionship and structure, with the same faces every day at consistent times To discuss how it works and whether it’s right for you or a loved one, contact us anytime by: Phone: 778-817-0417 or Email: heartathome@heartpharmacy.com

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appy New Year! People use this time to remember last year and contemplate plans for the future. You might resolve to do something to improve your lifestyle in 2020. Perhaps you want to get to a healthy weight, remember to floss your teeth twice a day or read more. I am with you here, we can always do something more to improve our lives. Sometimes these resolutions stick and sometimes they are forgotten in February. No worries, changing habits is hard. I have a few tips that you might not have tried yet.

T he first thought is to not try and do too much. Let's use me as an example. Perhaps this year I want to learn to play guitar, run a marathon, drink more water and stretch before bedtime. To try all of these in January is not reasonable, but I can do at least one. Breakdown a big goal into little bits to get started. Let’s go with drink more water. Now we need to find a time and find a way to remember.

W hat time would be good to start this habit?

First thing in the morning, there is not much going on at that time. I shall put a small, half full glass of water on my bedroom dresser.

That way, upon waking I can have a small sip of water. Why not just resolve to drink a big glass of water when I get to work? This strategy has not worked in the past. So I use the theory of habit linking. Link a new habit to a habit you already perform. In this case, I always get out of bed so I can link this to the habit I already do. You can link one or two habits together.

Most of us already do this. We might floss our teeth after brushing. Walk the dog right after finishing cleaning up after dinner. Habit linking is a new way to start good routines.

W hy not just put a big glass of water on the dresser instead? Looking at a big glass of water, might seem too hard. Take any new desired habit and just do the littlest step towards it.

Even if that step seems so small, but it is so small you can’t ignore it. In this case, a half full glass is too small to ignore. I’m a half full, rather than half empty, kind of person. This miniscule advancement can be applied to anything. What to go for a walk after dinner, go to the front door and touch your shoes. Go to the gym before work? Touch the front door of the gym on your way to work. Can you see where I’m going with this? Next week, fill that glass a little bit fuller, put on the shoes and walk to the end of the driveway, or leave five minutes earlier for work and walk inside the gym. Incremental steps towards your goal are easier to achieve and maintain.

Now we need to have a reward system. I like rewards. My plan is to make a tick on calendar if I drink my water that day. After two weeks, if there are twelve ticks, I will take my wife out for coffee next week. Rewards should be unusual, easily obtainable and not counterproductive.

Our brains like rewards, it helps to reinforce positive habits.You open the door for someone, they might say “Thank you”. Pretty rewarding.

Seeing the ticks on the calendar is a visual reminder to you about your progress, or lack thereof.

Now what if you want to stop a habit? This same process works in reverse, make that undesirable habit just a little bit harder. No habit is truly bad, it just might not be good for your you. I am not aware of your plans for the year, so I will leave this up to you.

W hat if things go wrong and by February, and your commitment has diminished or you have not started? Don’t be hard on yourself, habits can be hard to stop or start. Just acknowledge that you made the effort and start again from the beginning. The more often you recommit yourself, that more likely you are going to succeed.

Silver Threads Service BC RECOVERY BENEFIT Important information for BC residents – In December the Provincial Government announced the program that will provide a one-time, tax free benefit of up to $1,000 for families and $500 for individuals. In order to receive the benefit, you must apply either online or by phone. All residents are eligible and those with an annual income of under $62,500 would receive the full $500.

YOU WOULD NEED: • Your net income from your 2019 tax return. This is Line 23600 on your income tax return.

• Your social insurance number, individual tax number or temporary tax number.

• Driver’s license number, if you have one.

• Direct deposit information, (this information is found on your personal cheque).

To apply online visit: https://www2.gov. bc.ca/gov/content/economic-recovery/ recovery-benefit To apply by phone: 1-833-882-0020 Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, excluding statutory holidays.

If you would like support to apply online Silver Threads Service, Victoria Centre is available to provide assistance. We are located at 1911 Quadra Street. Please call for more information 250 388-4268.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021 | 7

The New Normal?

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By Laura Van Sprang, Manager at Sands Funeral Chapel Cremation and Reception Centre (Victoria)

his is a statement we are hearing more and more each day as time passes while trying to navigate our lives during this pandemic. Families are faced with so many new ways of doing things and figuring out how to cope and find joy in this new world.

How stressful of a time for us all.

The funeral profession has also been impacted extremely hard because of COVID and have worked around the clock to figure out ways to assist our bereaved community members who have had a significant loss during this time. Our funeral homes were built and maintained to bring the community together. Our trained funeral professionals take time with each family to ensure all their wishes are expressed and they are guided through the very difficult first days of their

grief. Although we can only allow a certain amount of people in to make arrangements in order to keep everyone safe, we are still able to meet in person and guide you through together. We are still able to gather safely in smaller numbers for an intimate service and livestream to those who cannot attend.

We too, are not used to masks and the distance we must keep between each other and those we want to comfort, but we are still here to support you, listen and assist. We are all in it together wondering when it will go back to normal… the old normal.

No matter what happens in the uncertain future, we want you to know that we will do everything we can to ensure you and your family are cared for when someone you love passes away. We will continue to work hard to adhere to the health guidelines and keep our buildings, teams and communities safe.

We will keep communicating to find new ways to bring the support to those in need and promise there will always be someone to answer your call if and when the time comes, no matter what the new normal looks like. arbormemorial.ca/en/sands-victoria

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rossplace.ca 2638 Ross Lane Victoria, BC

This is the life.

The Vista by Avenir is a new era in retirement living at the edge of the beautiful Saxe Point neighbourhood in Esquimalt.

Life is an adventure and you’ve arrived at the right place.

At The Vista, dining excellence, vibrant amenity areas, fulfilling socialization and flexible living options are all at your doorstep. Each suite comes with air conditioning and a balcony - and did we mention the views?

Opt-in to condominium ownership Occupancy Fall 2021

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Avenir Senior Living is a Victoria-based, family-owned company building and operating premium seniors’ residences across British Columbia and North America.