Quality of Life is about much more than having a roof over your head and food in the cupboard. It’s about what your community provides to ensure the emotional, physical, mental and social well-being of all its residents. SOS provides programs and services for seniors and adults who require assistance in order to age in place and remain independent. To learn more about SOS and how to access or support programs like Meals on Wheels, Oceanside Better at Home and Seniors Connecting, visit our website, call or come by our Community Services Centres in Parksville or at Qualicum Commons.
Community News
Make Wellness Your Number One Priority
We are constantly moving on the axis of “Wellness to Illness”. Only when we have repeated symptoms that slow us down and interfere with our busy lives, do we start paying attention to our bodies. It usually starts with stress and worries causing an imbalance of our energy on a cellular level. If this continues, additional stress on the body in the form of environmental toxins, EMFs or unhealthy foods increases the energy imbalance. In order to balance our energies, we need to incorporate wellness practices and routines to return our body back to homeostasis. We can help.
Have You Considered Senior Living?
Are you tired of cooking and cleaning? Do you find the responsibility of home ownership overwhelming? Are you lonely or often find yourself feeling sad? Today’s seniors have the option to live in beautiful surroundings where their independence is respected but assistance is available if required. Say goodbye to the responsibilities of grocery shopping, preparing meals, cleaning and maintenance and say hello to chef prepared meals and snacks, weekly housekeeping, 24 hour emergency response, access to wonderful amenities and lots of recreation and activities. It is recommend that you start looking for options BEFORE you have to do so.
Practicing Positivity
It is easy to feel overwhelmed by stress and anxiety during challenging and uncertain times. Positive thinking can help you to handle problems more effectively and provide a boost to your immune system and self-esteem. Step 1: Write down the things you are worried and stressed about to get them out of your head. Step 2: Make a list of things you feel positive or grateful for. Step 3: When you find yourself in a negative thought, remind yourself of the things you are grateful for. This will help to train your brain to focus on the positive.
It’s Not the “Things” that Matter
“The secret to having everything in life, is believing that you already have it.” Many seniors will tell you that the things that you thought mattered in your younger years were not really what mattered. It’s not the ‘things’ that matter. It’s the people, the experiences, the memories that you carry with you throughout your lifetime. Retirement communities are great places for retirees to continue to make new friends, have new experiences and make more wonderful memories. We should all strive every day to learn something new or meet someone new – it’s what keeps us young at heart!
Retirement Living
When you hear the words “independent retirement living”, what comes to mind? Do you think of *tasty home-cooked meals, *five-star plated celebrations, *fun-filled activities with friends, *weekly housekeeping and linen service and *24/7 emergency care when needed? This is what retirement living can offer and more. Whether relaxing in the privacy of your individualized senior apartment or indulging the company of others in a main living room, patio side lounge or dining room, you can be sure that your retirement will be a pleasurable one. Retirement is a time to relax and enjoy being with friends. After all, friendships are gifts to be treasured!
Physical Health is Key
There are three key factors when it comes to our physical health; Fitness, Food and Mindset. Fitness or any activity that gets you moving is important but not in the way you might think. Focusing on muscle growth and cardiovascular performance is WAY more important than how many calories you burn. You can’t out-train a bad diet. Therefore, focus on whole foods, eat your veggies and good quality fats and proteins. Lastly, our mindset can be what unconsciously drives our behavior, so unless limiting beliefs are addressed, they can lead you back to old habits that won’t help you reach your goals.
Profile – Beyond The Body Transformations
At Beyond The Body Transformations, we use the Touch For Health system; an amalgamation of the Chinese Meridian System and a non-invasive biofeedback technique called “muscle-testing” to communicate with the subtle energies within the body. We identify where your energy is imbalanced, blocked, trapped or stagnant and make the necessary corrections. Energy can become imbalanced due to the physical, emotional or nutritional traumas that we experience throughout our lives. Clearing these energetic blockages and re-establishing balance within the body can help give life to our innate healing systems within to relieve physical pains, digestive discomforts and emotional struggles.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Dentures
To get the most out of your dentures, it’s important to take proper care of them. Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to denture care. DO: 1) Handle your dentures carefully. 2) Remove and rinse after eating. 3) Remove before bed and soak overnight. 4) Rinse before putting them back in your mouth. 5) Brush dentures daily. 6) See your dentist regularly. DON’T: 1) Use whitening toothpaste, abrasive cleaners, bleach products, sharp objects, or hot water to clean your dentures. 2) Use tugging motions when eating. 3) Neglect your dentures. 4) Wear ill-fitting dentures.
September Mental Health Resources
From low-fee counselling to groups and workshops, we have a lot to offer in September! We are pleased to welcome two new interns to our program, who are offering low-fee counselling without a waitlist. Fees are only $40/session and our interns have completed all graduate course work. We are also excited to offer workshops and groups! From burnout and exercise for mental health to understanding your brain on trauma, there will be many opportunities to learn. Our workshop/group schedule will be coming out September 1, 2022. Check out www.kathicameron.com for more information.
In Your Community
August 20 + 21, 10am-3pm. Primordial Sound Mantra Meditation Workshop with Dawn Elgin. Primordial Sound Meditation isn’t about forcing your mind to be quiet, it’s about experiencing the silence that’s already there and making it a part of your life. Silence is the birthplace of happiness, creativity, and infinite possibilities. The most direct way to experience inner silence and well-being is meditation, a tool to rediscover the body’s own inner intelligence. As scientific research reveals, when you meditate, your breathing slows, blood pressure decreases, and stress hormone levels fall.
