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.

A growing proportion of the population …
• Seniors currently (2005) make up 13% of Canada’s population—projections show that by 2036, they will account for close to 25% of the population.
• Women account for 52% of seniors aged 65 to 69 and for 75% of those 90 years or older. Differences in life expectancy between men and women have begun to narrow, a trend that is projected to continue.
Urban dwellers …
• As is the case with all Canadians, fewer seniors are living in rural areas than in the past. In 2001, close to 61% of seniors lived in one of Canada’s 27 Census metropolitan areas, while another 9% resided in smaller urban areas (with a population of 50,000 or more). A much smaller proportion (23%) lives in rural areas, with only 8% of rural dwellers living in more remote rural areas.

As we settle into the busy holiday season, we like to honour our relationship with our customers. Thank you for the trust and confidence that you have given us. We will continue to provide personalized pharmacy services, such as medication reviews, diabetes support, blood pressure management, compression therapy, and injections. We also have plans to expand our pharmacy products and services in 2023. We care about your health. Thank you for trusting our team to take care of your health and well-being and for choosing a locally owned pharmacy for your healthcare needs.

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.

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

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 British Columbia, Driving Miss Daisy, Home Instead, the Comox Valley Presbyterian Church and so many more all hi-light the power of collaborative community efforts. We thank each of our social sector friends this holiday season. The strength of CVSS is its contingent of amazing volunteers. Supporting 300 seniors per month in the Comox Valley could not be done efficiently if not for the community members who provide CVSS seniors with their remarkable skills, commitment, passion, and their time. To our community’s most fabulous residents, the thousands of seniors we come across every year. Thank you for sharing your stories, your experiences, your joy and your challenges with us. Thank you for letting us assist you. Your trust is an honour and we thank you for it. And we look forward to continuing to see you in 2023.

This holiday season, we are asking for your help. Isolated and vulnerable seniors in our community need your support to ensure they have access to food, social support and programs that are critical to leading healthy and connected lives. When you donate to Comox Valley Senior Support Society you become part of our community of support for vulnerable seniors in the Comox Valley. How can you help us? You can choose a one-time donation in your name or as a gift to someone you love. You could also think of reaching out each month to support a senior in your community. When you become a monthly donor, every month you will know that your donation is directly helping to improve the quality of life of a vulnerable senior in your community. No amount is too small as every dollar counts! Or give the gift of connection and become a volunteer. For as little as 1 hour a week, you can change a person’s life; provide social support, friendship, rides to the doctor or tech help. The options are endless! If you have the time, we can find the right fit. Reach out today and let isolated and vulnerable seniors in our community know you care about them.

The Board of Directors and Staff of Comox Valley Senior Support wish everyone a peaceful holiday season. As we move through the final days of 2022, we would like to thank our community for its incredible support and entrusting CVSS to work with seniors in the Comox Valley.

As Christmas nears, please think of isolated and vulnerable seniors in your community when considering charitable donations. Comox Valley Senior Support provides supports to seniors year-round in a number of ways, but the requests for support always become more urgent as the Christmas holidays approach. While donations are always appreciated, they are especially needed at Christmas time.

Mobile sports betting is becoming normalized in our society. Advertisements abound, as do apps and opportunities to play. Unlike traditional parlay betting on 2-3 games and waiting for the outcome of a game, modern sports betting is usually done on a phone app that includes single games, in-game, and prop betting options. These micro-bet opportunities and early cash out features mimic day trading behaviours and language. If your play is based on emotions and reactions with little time to reflect before you place that bet, it might lead to problematic gambling. Take a break. Tap out. Avoid bet regret.