We wish you and your family a joyful, bright, healthy, prosperous and happiest new year ahead! Happy New Year!
Community News
What is the Best Hearing Aid on the Market 2021?
Purchasing hearing aids is an important and expensive investment to make, especially when you pay for what you get. The various brands, styles and features give people an opportunity to select a hearing aid that suits their lifestyle, hearing loss and preferences to personalize their hearing experience. Hearing aids are vast in their capabilities and features. For example, there are rechargeable hearing aids, automatic noise adjusting aids, Bluetooth pairing, tinnitus masking and much more. Every person is unique so naturally, hearing aids need to be unique for each individual.
When looking for hearing aids, consult a hearing professional for a test to determine your hearing abilities, get recommendations and insight into your options. With their experience and knowledge, they can help navigate the tricky world of hearing aids. They will program your hearing aid to optimize and enhance your hearing experience. Next, think about what features are most important to you. Do you want non-visible hearing aids? Do you want to minimize background noise as much as possible? Do you want sounds from a phone or cinema, for example, to stream directly to your hearing aids? These are all questions to ask while looking for your perfect hearing aids.
Once you have an option in mind, it’s a good idea to ask about a trial period to ensure your hearing aid of choice is a good fit in day-to-day life. Wear them every day in different environments, test out the features multiple times to get a feel for how the hearing aids function and push through the awkward adjustment period. It’s normal for new hearing aids to sound weird, overly loud and startling, but as they’re used more, certain features may turn out to not be what you thought. The style may be uncomfortable or unrealistic and you might realize there is a different type of hearing aid that will better suit you. Following up with your hearing professional will help to find out if the hearing aid needs a programming adjustment to filter certain sounds in and out or if a different hearing aid is needed.
What is the Best Hearing Aid on the Market 2021?
Purchasing hearing aids is an important and expensive investment to make, especially when you pay for what you get. The various brands, styles and features give people an opportunity to select a hearing aid that suits their lifestyle, hearing loss and preferences to personalize their hearing experience. Hearing aids are vast in their capabilities and features. For example, there are rechargeable hearing aids, automatic noise adjusting aids, Bluetooth pairing, tinnitus masking and much more. Every person is unique so naturally, hearing aids need to be unique for each individual.
When looking for hearing aids, consult a hearing professional for a test to determine your hearing abilities, get recommendations and insight into your options. With their experience and knowledge, they can help navigate the tricky world of hearing aids. They will program your hearing aid to optimize and enhance your hearing experience. Next, think about what features are most important to you. Do you want non-visible hearing aids? Do you want to minimize background noise as much as possible? Do you want sounds from a phone or cinema, for example, to stream directly to your hearing aids? These are all questions to ask while looking for your perfect hearing aids.
Once you have an option in mind, it’s a good idea to ask about a trial period to ensure your hearing aid of choice is a good fit in day-to-day life. Wear them every day in different environments, test out the features multiple times to get a feel for how the hearing aids function and push through the awkward adjustment period. It’s normal for new hearing aids to sound weird, overly loud and startling, but as they’re used more, certain features may turn out to not be what you thought. The style may be uncomfortable or unrealistic and you might realize there is a different type of hearing aid that will better suit you. Following up with your hearing professional will help to find out if the hearing aid needs a programming adjustment to filter certain sounds in and out or if a different hearing aid is needed.
Volunteer Needed
The vital component of most of our programs at Comox Valley Senior Support Society CV Senior Support are volunteers. While staff coordinate the pieces to make programs work, it is our incredible volunteers who venture into the community and provide the supports many of our clients depend upon. Volunteering at Comox Valley Senior Support can range from a weekly phone call or in person visit to grocery shopping or assisting seniors to fill out forms and find resources. Volunteers are provided with training and support and opportunities for ongoing education. As our volunteers retire, we need to replace them. If you have an interest in supporting seniors in your community, please contact the office at [email protected] or 250-871-5940 to find out more.
Aging at Home
Many seniors would prefer to stay at home than move into a senior care home, but there are some challenges to consider. Factors like finances, physical mobility, social network, health concerns, and safety in the home are all things to think about. If you decide to remain in your home, discuss your plans with your family or a trusted advisor. It’s important to prepare your home to ensure you can live comfortably and safely there, using various aids and tools to make things easier. In-home care can also provide much-needed day-to-day support, as well as transportation to appointments and gatherings.
November Book Club
Complementary and Alternative Medicines in Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Approach. by K. B. Harikumar. This book is a summary of prostate cancer, covering its incidence, epidemiology, and current treatment options. It also serves as an up-to-date review of the status of currently available alternative and complementary medicines for treating prostate cancer, including various plant extracts, herbal formulations, natural products, yoga, acupuncture, Ayurveda, homeopathy, and Siddha medicines used in prostate cancer therapy.
Donations Gratefully Accepted
Comox Valley Senior Support receives roughly ⅓ of its funding from Island Health and ⅓ from the United Way of the Lower Mainland. The remaining funds are all raised by grants and donations. Though the Society charges no fees for any of its supports, programs each cost money to operate. Your donations can go a long way at Comox Valley Senior Support, and we will happily direct donations to where you would like. There is a donation link on our website https://comoxvalleyseniorsupport.ca/donate/ or cheques can be mailed to us at C1-450 8th Street, Courtenay, BC V9N 1N5. If you would like to talk to staff about donating, or where you would like your donation directed, please call Chris at 250-871-4950 or email at [email protected]. Comox Valley Senior Support is a federally registered charity: 89587 9849 RR0001
Community Announcement
The National Seniors Council (NSC) engages with seniors, stakeholders, and experts to provide advice to the Government of Canada on current and emerging issues and opportunities related to the health, well-being, and quality of life of seniors. www.canada.ca/en/national-seniors-council.html Work priorities are determined by the Minister of Seniors and the Minister of Health, based on recommendations from the National Seniors Council (NSC). The NSC is currently focusing on the following 4 work priorities:
1. identifying measures to reduce crimes and harms against seniors, with a particular focus on financial abuse, fraud, and scams
2. considering the federal and provincial strategies and initiatives that include a senior’s dimension, and providing advice on gaps that could potentially be addressed if a national seniors strategy were to be developed
3. providing advice to the government on the development and implementation of existing initiatives using an age-friendly/healthy aging perspective, including, as a first step, observations, and recommendations on ways to strengthen attention to seniors’ housing needs in the implementation of the National Housing Strategy
4. identifying measures to counteract ageism by shifting the public discourse
To examine the above issues and advance its work, the NSC developed a 3-year work plan covering 2018 to 2021, which includes activities such as research, convening expert panels, and consulting with seniors and representatives of organizations serving or advocating for seniors.
Community Announcement
Congratulations to CV Senior Support Society’s community partner, LUSH Valley Food Action Society, on the recent purchase of a new (to them) home! Located in Tin Town, the new home will house the Society’s main office, food aggregation hub, and, eventually, a commercial kitchen. LUSH took possession at the beginning of October and are already in full swing in their new location preparing for the upcoming year.
Second Home for Seniors
The Comox Seniors’ Centre, located at 1801 Beaufort Ave in Comox, offers a wide range of opportunities to socialize, be physically fit, and stay mindfully active. The Centre re-opened in July with an on-site meal service and more than 40 club activities ranging from Yoga, Carpet Bowling, Table Tennis, Line Dancing, Mah Jong, Bridge, Spanish Conversation, etc. For many seniors this Centre is their second home. For more information, drop in or call 250-339-5133 or visit our website www.comoxseniors.ca Comox Seniors’ Centre.
Seniors and Stress
Chronic stress is harmful to people of all ages, but its impact on older adults can be particularly severe, increasing the risk of age-related diseases, hastening cognitive decline and even triggering falls. Stressors that are common amongst the elderly include: loss of control, personal loss, declining health, financial worries, personal safety and loss of independence. To reduce stress, get regular exercise, eat balanced meals to ensure the mind and body are properly fueled and ask for help. Talking with a trusted family member, friend or healthcare professional, at the very least, releases pent-up stress and may even lead to a solution.
