Keep your eyes open for a Comox Valley Seniors Resource Guide coming in 2023. 20,000 copies of this spiral bound guide are being created in partnership between Comox Valley Senior Support and Denman and Hornby Community Health Care Services and will be available free of charge.

Maintaining relationships and spending time with others is essential to our emotional and mental well-being. It can help prevent depression which affects 20 percent of the population over 70 years of age. Socializing also keeps the mind active and improvements are greater when the person is involved in fun interests with other people. Plan regular get-togethers with friends, such as a weekly lunch date or coffee with another senior or loved one. Scheduling social interactions give us something to look forward to on a regular basis. For those who are truly adventurous you can enjoy new experiences and meet new people by signing up for travel tours, book clubs, and much more at your local community centre.

Winter months bring on more then cold temperatures; they often bring on winter blues. Many seniors experience depression due to lack of sunshine, activities, and socializing.
Come in out of the cold into the warmth of the Comox Seniors’ Centre at 1801 Beaufort Ave in Comox. Enjoy a coffee and meal at Dei’s Cafe with friends or meet new acquaintances. Pick up Dei’s hot meals to go; ask what’s on the menu. Check out our library for a good book, DVD, or puzzle. Looking for a handmade gift for someone special; our best kept secret Gift Shop is waiting for you. Become a member and participate in the many activities available.
The Centre is always looking for volunteers. Chase those winter blues away at the Comox Seniors’ Centre.

Mental illness is not a normal part of aging. All seniors have the right and deserve to receive services and care that promotes their mental health and responds to their mental illness needs. The Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health (CCSMH) is hard at work ensuring that seniors’ mental health is recognized as a key Canadian health and wellness issue. To see the services and supports offered by CCSMH, please see their website: https://ccsmh.ca

Here are some home security tips from the RCMP’s Seniors Guidebook to Safety and Security.
• Conduct a security check of your home to determine possible entry points and any weaknesses they may have. • Keep all entrances and garages well-lit at night. • Don’t leave tell-tale signs that you are away, such as leaving your curtains undrawn at night, or an absence of a car in the driveway.
• Install good locks and always use them. • Install a wide-angle viewer in your front door which allows you to see visitors before you open the door. • Never open a door to strangers without credentials. • Change your routine often. Burglars often watch activities in a neighbourhood. • Mark valuable items for identification. The operation identification program has been developed by police to assist people in marking their property.
• Keep valuables in a safety deposit box at your bank. If this isn’t possible, keep them locked up in a reasonable hiding place in your home.

Did you know? Comox Valley Senior Support is now providing outreach services to the Cumberland 50+ Drop In on the first Friday of each month from 10 till Noon. That’s right! CVSS staff are striking out into the community to trial outreach supports. We are starting with Cumberland, but plan to expand outreach to all the outlying communities by mid-2023.
If you know of a place where CVSS might be a good fit, please contact Chris at admin@comoxvalleyseniorsupport.ca.

There is still a significant period of unpleasant weather ahead this winter. Please think of isolated and vulnerable seniors in your community who may need assistance in inclement weather. If you are unable to assist them yourself, please help them connect with CVSS and we will help them find what they need.

The Board of Directors and Staff of Comox Valley Senior Support wish everyone a calm and healthy 2023! Moving into a new year provides an opportunity for us to acknowledge the remarkable community that CVSS works with. Thanks to the community for its incredible support and entrusting CVSS to work with seniors who call the Valley home. The ongoing relationships CVSS enjoys with LUSH Valley Food Action Society, Better at Home, Geriatric Support Services, Community Health Services, the Comox Valley Transition Society, the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness, United Way BC, Driving Miss Daisy, Home Instead, the Comox Valley Presbyterian Church, Comox Valley Dodge, St. John the Devine, and so many more all highlight the power of collaborative community efforts. We thank the 120 volunteers who work with CVSS, supporting 300 seniors per month, providing their skills, commitment, passion, and their time. To our community’s most fabulous residents, the hundreds of seniors we come across every year… Thank you for letting us assist you. We look forward to continuing to see you with you in 2023.

Many older adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia enjoy and want to be included in holiday festivities. However, the added activities could cause increased agitation and confusion, unpredictable behavior, or mood swings. To create a stress-free, happy holiday season, try to scale things back and modify activities so they’ll feel calm and safe. Focus on a few of the most meaningful traditions. Ask which activities they value most. That could mean trimming the Christmas tree, lighting the menorah, singing songs, or baking special holiday treats. Even if your older adult might not remember these holiday activities later, the warm feelings they’ll have is a different kind of memory their body will carry for a while.