About 71 percent of seniors are online every day. Of those who are online, their main reason is to stay connected with family and friends. Whether it’s joining forums or sharing photos and stories with loved ones, social media and email allows seniors with limited mobility the opportunity to interact with others. If you’re interested in getting online but don’t know where to start, community centres and local senior groups often have programs to teach seniors about the internet and how to participate in online communities. Spending time with others benefits our mental and emotional health. It is important as we age to continue to stay socially connected to friends and loved ones.
Community News
The Canadian Lower Risk Gambling Guidelines
The Canadian Lower Risk Gambling Guidelines were released in September. They include. Guideline 1: Gamble no more than 1% of household income, e.g.: $60,000 annual gross income = $50/month. Guideline 2: Gamble no more than 4 days per month = roughly once a week. Guideline 3: Avoid regularly gambling at more than two types of games, including lotteries, sports betting, table games, slot machines, scratch tickets, horse racing, bingo, video lottery terminals (VLTs), and online gambling. See more at gamblingguidelines.ca . Mental health & addictions, gambling type and reasons for gambling can make these guidelines difficult to follow. Reach out at VI Gaming Support! We’re here for you!
Supplements to Support and Boost your BRAIN
There are a number of supplements that support and boost the many functions of the brain. These include *GABA, L-theanine, Magnesium for anxiety, *Omega 3, Saffron, Vitamin D to improve your mood, *Panax Ginseng, Cordyceps for improved focus and energy, *Gingko Biloba, Gotu Kola, Omega 3s help your memory function, *Melatonin, 5-HTP, Ashwaganda are for better sleep, *5-HTP, SAM-E, L-tyrosine, Ginkgo can provide relief of drepression. Come and talked to us about how supplements can help your brain function.
Be Kind to Yourself
Silencing your inner critic takes time and practice, especially if yours has been taking centre stage. Maryse Cardin, author and motivational speaker from www.selftalklove.com, talks about how it is important to stop and take notice of what we are telling our selves. Is what you’re saying encouraging, complimentary or something you would say to your loved ones? If not, it’s time to turn the station and “switch the song”. Remember a happy time in your life. A time that fills you with joy. Maryse indicates that when we stop catastrophizing, and instead tell ourselves what we are grateful for, we can sooth our systems.
Online Health and Wellness Resource
Wellnessnews Choices for Healthy Living® invites you to check out the Wellness Hub, your online Health and Wellness resource for Vancouver Island. The Wellness Hub features hundreds of local business and practitioners offering services and products. In addition, there are hundreds of health tips and articles on a variety of topics. It is easy to search, access and share information. There are currently a few events listed and we are hoping that soon it will be filled with local community events. While you are checking out the Wellness Hub, don’t forget to enter the October Contest. The draw date is October 31, 2021.
Nanaimo Theatre Group Returns!
Nanaimo Theatre Group is pleased to present “Talking With” to open the 2021-2022 season. This thought-provoking collection of monologues by Jane Martin opens in October at the Bailey Studio in Nanaimo. After a dark year, the club is excited to be back in the game. In a creative gambit to ensure limited social contact, there is one actor and one director for each monologue and some doubling up in each other’s scenes. Rehearsals started via Zoom!
Helping Seniors Eat Healthy
Seniors need to get adequate nutrients from their meals to help them reduce the risk of serious health conditions, stabilize their mood, and maintain their mental health. Retirement communities help meet seniors’ nutrition needs by providing meals that are low in saturated fats and have moderate amounts of unsaturated fat, which promotes a stable body mass index (BMI) and metabolism. Healthy portion sizes support a healthy weight for older adults by preventing excessive calorie intake. If you or a loved one have questions about proper nutrition and eating habits for seniors, reach out to your care provider or retirement community.
The Canadian Lower Risk Gambling Guidelines
The Canadian Lower Risk Gambling Guidelines were released in September. They include. Guideline 1: Gamble no more than 1% of household income, e.g.: $60,000 annual gross income = $50/month. Guideline 2: Gamble no more than 4 days per month = roughly once a week. Guideline 3: Avoid regularly gambling at more than two types of games, including lotteries, sports betting, table games, slot machines, scratch tickets, horse racing, bingo, video lottery terminals (VLTs), and online gambling. See more at gamblingguidelines.ca . Mental health & addictions, gambling type and reasons for gambling can make these guidelines difficult to follow. Reach out at VI Gaming Support! We’re here for you!
Renew Your Prescriptions Your Way
Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy offers FOUR Ways to renew your Medication, saving you time and ensuring that you never miss a dose. *Our Medicine Shoppe Mobile App is simple, fast, and efficient for regular medication renewals. *Online Renewals – Ideal for long-term drug therapies and regular medication. Renew your medication, set automatic renewals and create reminders. *Medication Synchronization – Synchronize all multiple prescriptions at once. We will contact you once your prescriptions are due to renew. *Phone – call us to renew your prescription. We also offer curbside pick-up and home delivery, making access to your prescriptions easier than ever.
Be Proactive with your Safety
We all need to be proactive about our own health and safety and to have options in place so that help can be summoned in an emergency. Some folks let neighbours know they are up and about each day by simply opening the blinds. A daily scheduled phone call is also a good way to ensure that someone knows you are safe. These systems can be developed with neighbours and family. Nanaimo Lifeline can offer additional help. We provide wearable waterproof buttons that can be pressed in an emergency to get you the help you need.
Sores in the Mouth
Mouth sores can be caused by infections – bacterial, viral or fungal, a loose orthodontic wire, an ill-fitting denture or a sharp edge from a broken tooth or filling. Some of the most common mouth sores are: *Canker sores, small ulcers with a white or gray base and a red border, *Cold sores are groups of fluid-filled blisters, *Candidiasis, occurs when the yeast Candida albicans reproduce in large numbers. Mouth sores may also be symptoms of an underlying disease or problem. So, if you’ve had any mouth sore that lasts a week or longer, it is a good idea to get your dentist to check it out.
