Social Prescribing is a pathway from your doctor or nurse practitioner’s office to local, non-clinical services for people who could use a little help connecting to their community or learning how to take care of their health and wellbeing. Due to Covid-19 the social prescribing program has been creatively adapted in order to continue supporting community members to meet health goals, connect with community resources and maintain wellbeing. Please call the program coordinator at 604-531-9400 ext. 204 or ask your Physician or Nurse Practitioner for more information.
Community News
How is Your Muscle Health?
Muscle health is key to your overall health and wellness. The health of your muscles is affected by nutrition, lifestyle, and activity levels. Inactivity is the biggest contributor which may result in low muscle mass and decreased strength, and function. Want to change your outcome? Start by knowing where you’re at. A baseline litmus test can assess how you sit to stand, how fast your gait is, and your overall strength and endurance. The key to a winning strategy is to be proactive about your heath! Decrease sedentary time, increase leisure activity, and have structured exercise. You only get one body – so it’s important to keep it in working order!
Building Blocks of Movement
When working out, you may find yourself gravitating towards more intense forms of exercise, but taking things back to the building blocks of movement has its merits too. You can support both how you feel and move, prevent injury, and revolutionize what you get out of your workouts. Practicing gentler movement and attending massage therapy can help you connect with your body’s needs and tendencies. Rather than building strength on a house of cards, develop good muscle coordination and create a solid foundation.
Changing a Habit
When we free ourselves of an addiction or habit that we no longer need or desire, it requires a clear vision alongside a plan and a boat load of self-compassion & patience. As we break free from what holds us hostage, we discover an uncomfortable in-between place where we must dwell and move through without giving into the urge. Most habits are not conscious and are built on behaviours that helped us avoid or numb feelings, making stopping uncomfortable for a period of time as they emerge. Our bodies, heart and mind needs time to adjust to a new way of being as we create healthier behaviours to put into its place to thrive.
Words to Live By
Make your relationship with your family a memorable one, for there is no second chance. -Ann Arthur
November Brain Teasers
.1 When you have me, you immediately feel like sharing me. But, if you do share me, you do not have me. 2. What can you hold without ever touching or using your hands? 3. What can be seen once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in a thousand years? Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I?
Laughter is the Best Medicine
A man walks into a doctor’s office. He has a cucumber up his nose, a carrot in his left ear, and a banana in his right ear. “What’s the matter with me?” he asks the doctor. The doctor replies, “You’re not eating properly.”
How Do I Convince My Spouse to Get a Hearing Test?
In all my years as a hearing health care professional, this is one of the most common and difficult questions to answer. The vast majority of people living with hearing loss are either unaware of their hearing difficulties or do not fully realize the extent of their hearing loss. The number one reason prompting people to get their hearing checked is family members who have grown frustrated living with someone who has hearing loss. Unfortunately, there are many husbands and wives who resist and persist! It’s often a very sensitive topic for retired couples spending so much time together.
When someone has mild-to-moderate hearing loss, typically they will hear relatively well if you are talking to them face-to-face in a quiet environment but will not hear well if you are walking away from them, are in a different room, or if there is some other noise that is interfering with your voice. The hearing-impaired individual will quite often say, “How can I hear you when you’re talking into the fridge?” or “How can you expect to be heard when you talk so softly?” Repeatedly asking others to “please say it again” is a strong indicator that some form of hearing loss exists.
Unfortunately, trying to convince someone that the reason they keep asking people to repeat themselves is because their hearing ability is at fault can seem impossible at times. Don’t give up! It can take a few years for people to accept the fact that their hearing is deteriorating, and they need hearing aids. People may find it difficult in part due to the lingering stigma that wearing hearing aids is effectively admitting you’re “getting old”. Ironically, the symptoms of hearing loss become more prominent and obvious when hearing aids are not used, drawing people to that precise conclusion. Today’s technology allows for the discreet use of hearing aids.
What I suggest is to lovingly explain to your husband or wife that you are growing increasingly frustrated with having to repeat yourself as frequently as you are. Then, let them know that for a one-week period, you are going to notate every time you need to repeat yourself. I would also set the volume on the TV to a certain level, and then track the number of times they need to increase the volume so they can comfortably hear. After 7 days, discuss the results, and gently encourage them to get a hearing assessment, even if it is just to get a baseline of their hearing. You may be fearful that you are nagging them, but you will be doing yourself and them a big favour in the long run.
When they are finally ready to come in for a complimentary hearing assessment, the hearing health professionals at NexGen Hearing will be ready to answer any question or concerns they may have. Learn more or book an appointment today by vising https://www.nexgenhearing.com/relationships/
Vaccine Passports
As vaccine passports become mandatory to have in non-essential places, Seniors Come Share Society is helping seniors print vaccine passports. At no cost, we will print and have your passport laminated for long term use. Miss placed your vaccine passport? No problem, we got your back. Contact Simren to book an appointment at 604-531-9400 ext. 201.
Join Today
Seniors Come Share Society allows individuals to stay engaged in the community even if it’s from the comfort of their own home. We offer programs that stimulate individual’s cognition, provide emotional support, food security and have them engaged in physical activities. Our priority is the well-being of the seniors in our community, therefore we take initiative in advocating for them and assisting them in navigating support. Visit comeshare.ca or SHAREvirtually.com for a list of our programs and events.
Keep Living Your Best Life
A good retirement residence is not just a convenient place to live, it’s an environment in which you can pursue your passions, thrive and continue living with purpose. It may be daunting to think about moving into a retirement home, but have you considered how your life might improve by making this change? Meet a new network of friends, build new relationships, and take part in activities you once enjoyed, or commit to learning something new! Leave the worrying behind when it comes to home maintenance, meal preparation and your own safety – and have us do it for you!
