Summer is here and so is the heat! While many people enjoy the hot weather, it’s important to be proactive and safe when the temperature starts to rise. Some common heat-related issues include: 1) Dehydration – weakness, headache, fainting. Drink more water and electrolytes. 2) Heat stroke – body temp. of 40°C or higher, fast pulse, hot and dry skin. Cool down with shade/AC and water, get medical attention. 3) Heat exhaustion – heavy sweating, weakness, nausea. Cool down with shade/AC and drink plenty of fluids. 4) Heat syncope – fainting caused by high temperatures. Lie down with feet up, drink plenty of water.

Happy Birthday Violet Elliot!
A very familiar face in the Red Deer community, and a long-time member of the Golden Circle, is celebrating her 105th Birthday in February. Violet was born on February 6th, 1917 in Scotland. She met the love of her life, a Canadian soldier, during WWII and married him on March 4, 1943. Vi was a nurse in Scotland and it was hard leaving her job, as well as her homeland, to follow her husband, but she did. After coming to Red Deer, she took a position at Lindsey Thurber High School, as a nurse, and started her public health nursing career in Canada. Vi has touched many people in her life’s journey and we want to congratulate Violet for reaching her 105th birthday.

The frozen meal program is one of the services available here at the Golden Circle. We made and distributed 18276 frozen meals, provided 1993 potpies and 1555 servings of soup in 2021. Our frozen meal program has been in high demand. We deliver the meals on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for a $5.00 delivery charge or you can pick them up here at the Circle. If you want to try our meals because you are tired of cooking or you are not cooking for yourself give us a call at 403-343-7064. Our frozen meal menu is also available on our website. When you are ordering your frozen meals consider ordering one of Grandma’s Pies for dessert. They are being delivered with the frozen meals.

Golden Circle Senior Resource Centre has partnered with Happipad, the developer of Canada’s first web-based companion housing platform, to expand affordable shared housing opportunities specifically for vulnerable population segments including seniors, students, people with disabilities, and recent immigrants. This partnership is supported in part by funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the National Housing Strategy Demonstrations Initiative. To learn more, please contact Monica Morrison 403-343-6074.
Happipad is a Canadian technology company based in Kelowna BC. Founded in 2017, Happipad is a leader in developing innovations to support and expand companion housing opportunities. Happipad has created Canada’s first companion housing web-based platform which enables safe, peer-to-peer formation and management of cohabitation arrangements.

Red Deer Public Library is pleased to continue offering a diverse selection of virtual health and wellness programs. Upcoming programs include Yoga, Nutrition for Healthy Bones, Naloxone Training, Strategies for Managing Stress in Challenging Times, Health Cafés, and more. We also have one in-person outdoor Health and Wellness program on the go, our Downtown Walk and Talk groups. Join us for some fresh air and great conversation during a half hour stroll on Monday evenings or Tuesdays at lunch time. In addition, our Walking Winter challenge continues until February 28.

If you like to drive and want to help people get to medical appointments, or do escorted grocery shopping, or maybe deliver groceries on a Friday the Golden Circle is the place to call. You are compensated for your gas and you would be helping people who really appreciate it. Please call Gail or Diane at 403-343-6074

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, often goes unrecognized and untreated because there are no symptoms. Your pharmacist can help you reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke, by: 1. Reviewing your medications, helping you take them as prescribed and managing potential side effects. 2. Teaching you how to use a blood pressure monitoring device properly and testing your blood pressure regularly. 3. Advising you how to maintain a healthy weight, and a diet that’s low in sodium. and 4. Guiding you through a step-by-step quit smoking plan. Learn more about how to keep your blood pressure under control by speaking with your pharmacist.

Collagen makes up 90% of your body’s protein, and is vital for our skin, bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage, and ligaments, acting like glue for joints. The body’s ability to produce collagen naturally decreases as we age, and excess sun exposure, smoking and poor diet can also inhibit collagen production. It’s no surprise that people reach for collagen for wrinkles, cellulite, stretch marks, and joint health and comfort. The depletion of collagen may lead to joint challenges, and visible signs like sagging skin. When you consider collagen’s potential to support our joints, bones, and skin, it becomes obvious why this multitasking protein is on everybody’s radar.

Today’s active seniors are looking to get the most out of their retirement. When weighing the options for senior living, consider how much the senior living industry has grown in the last five years. Independent living has become a retirement haven for seniors who want flexibility and peace of mind. It is designed for the independent senior with an active lifestyle who wants to simplify their worries of home maintenance, commuting, safety, social isolation, and health. Senior living in an independent living community is designed to streamline your life to give you the time to do the things you want to do.

It might come as a surprise, but there is a connection between heart health and hearing. Both rely on blood flow, so heart problems that cause plaque buildup in the arteries and restrict blood flow can potentially damage ears. Nerves in the ears can also be damaged by poor circulation. Studies have shown that the better someone’s cardiovascular health, the better their hearing tends to be. It’s important that older adults eat a healthy, balanced diet; get regular exercise; quit smoking and have their hearing tested every two years, to help maintain a healthy heart, and therefore healthy ears.