Community News
To Love & Serve

We are living in great change, where our planet is evolving at a heightened pace and needs our help. Each of our souls have chosen to be here at this time. We can choose how we put our love into action. December 21st the darkest day of the year, a wonderful opportunity to plant seeds for what we desire. A time to reflect on our own lives and make the necessary changes to support humanity and our planet in loving ways. When we open our hearts in love, share our skills, talents and kindness, we give to others, and we serve. When we stay calm and loving with our children and parents, we actively build community full of love and gratitude.

Gifts for Seniors

Home Instead is once again coordinating Christmas gifts for Comox Valley Seniors. A big thank you to Esther and her crew who are generously donating their time to gather, wrap, and deliver gifts for CVSS seniors this holiday season.

Ask The Expert

Q: Is it a good idea to get laser surgery so I don’t need reading glasses any longer? A: That’s a tough one. You’d have to speak to your eye doctor about the way your eyes are focussed. In general though, corneal refractive surgery is usually meant as a correction for nearsightedness (as opposed to presbyopia, the age-related difficulty in focussing on close objects), and you’re likely not an ideal candidate for that kind of laser surgery.

Kids’ Holiday Dental Care

With all of the fun and excitement of the holiday season, it can be easy to forget about dental hygiene essentials. Here are 5 tips for kids’ holiday dental care: 1) Eat fruits and veggies – make eating these foods fun and kids will enjoy them! Cut into shapes or create artistic plate presentations with them. 2) Drink plenty of water – it’s good to stay hydrated and water helps wash away sugar and food on your teeth. 3) Schedule brushing and flossing time. 4) Brush before and after snacking to avoid cavities. 5) Schedule an end of year dental cleaning.

Transitioning Wealth

Did you know that many Canadians are not adequately prepared to pass on or inherit family wealth? This is often due to a lack of communication and planning. The good news is that it’s never too early or too late to start. Planning helps you identify tax saving opportunities, mitigate potential financial gaps, and maximize your current lifestyle. Your wealth transfer plan isn’t set in stone, so as your family grows and evolves, so can your plan. Contact Stu to request a copy of IG’s legacy-related workbooks and learn about 10 wealth transitioning actions you can begin to take today.

Making New Holiday Traditions

The first holiday season after a move to a senior community can sometimes be stressful and difficult for your senior loved one. Creating new traditions can help with the transition and make the holiday season less stressful for everyone. Although your family holiday events may have been held at your senior loved one’s home in the past, holding gatherings at another family member’s home going forward can make things easier. Have your senior loved one help with one or two tasks that keep them involved without overwhelming them, and take advantage of the many holiday events.

Staying Healthy in Winter with Diet

Winter is characterized by coldness, darkness, and dormancy, and we must adapt to it by using
more energy to stay warm and maintain homeostasis. Our mood tends to be more subdued
due to a decrease in sunlight, causing a drop in serotonin transmitters. Winter is an ideal time
to use food for nourishment and supplementation. Eat foods with a warm nature such as beef,
lamb, potatoes, yams, squash, ginger, cinnamon, apples, and pears. Eat more and rest more
which will preserve your energy for more fun in the summer and reduce the chances of getting sick or feeling depressed

Yoga and its Benefits

No matter what style of yoga you choose to do, you will likely see improvements in many areas of your health. The benefits of yoga go far beyond improving flexibility. By practicing yoga regularly, you can: increase your flexibility, muscle tone and strength and improve your circulatory and cardio health. Practicing yoga renews your energy levels, improves athletic performance, reduces injuries, detoxifies your organs, increases your blood flow, drains your lymphatic system, improves your posture, helps with chronic pain, helps you sleep better, improves your mood and SO MUCH MORE! What’s holding you back from achieving your wellness goals?

December Events

Fit 55+ Online Fitness Class– December 7, 14
Virtual Caregiver Support Group – December 7, 21
In-Person Caregiver Support Group – December 8, 13, 22, 27
Cloverdale 55+ Coffee Social – December 14
Annual Christmas Dinner – December 6
Gain knowledge + skills + confidence courses w/ Self-management of BC – December 5, 7

Social Prescribing

Social prescribing is a way for local agencies to refer people to a Seniors Community Connector. Seniors Community Connectors give people time, focusing on ‘what matters to me’ and taking a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. They connect people to community resources and services for practical and emotional support. Your Community Connector will work with you to develop wellness goals and will provide ongoing support that meets your individual needs and enables you to achieve your goals. Your Community Connector can support you to gain information, advice, guidance, support, as well as assisting you to access a range of services that meet your needs. For more information, contact our Seniors Community Connector, Janice, at [email protected] or call 604-531-9400 ext. 204.