Community News
Daily Routine Important for Seniors

People are afraid of the unknown. If an older adult is losing control over their physical abilities, independence, or cognitive abilities, their world gets filled with more and more unknowns. Establishing routine is extremely important for seniors. A daily routine offers a level of stability that individuals often enjoy, as it allows them to settle into a schedule that they understand. Doing the same basic activities like eating, dressing, and bathing at the same time every day is known to improve sleep quality. A predictable routine also helps to reduce stress and anxiety.
Alevtina (Alia) Tuhari, Reliable Home Care Agency Inc., ReliableHomeCare.ca

Ready for Homeownership?

Here are three steps when considering buying a home:

1. Create a detailed budget in the rental world. Include the financial demands of your social life, hobbies, and other key priorities of your life.
2. Do a second budget, remove the rental items, and include property tax estimate, hydro, water, insurance, and repair estimates. Once you have accounted for all annual required miscellaneous savings that you will put away for monthly, what is left is the mortgage payment you can afford.
3. If you are happy with your numbers from the steps above, it may be time to meet with your financial institution to get pre-approved and see what amount of mortgage your payment will buy. Don’t bite off more than you can chew!
Brian Denysuik, CREDITAID, creditaid.ca

Selective Hearing or Something More?

Think you’d notice if you have impaired hearing? Think again.
Those with hearing loss are often the last ones to recognize it. Unless the impairment occurs through sudden physical or medical-related trauma, hearing loss generally occurs slowly over time. This gradual change presents itself as people mumbling, unclear voices, or difficulty hearing through background noise. Friends and family are usually the first to notice when they aren’t being heard, or when they are consistently asked to repeat themselves. You may be tempted to brush it off as selective hearing. But if those close to you have said they suspect you have a hearing loss, it’s time to get your hearing checked.
Enhanced Hearing Centres, EnhancedHearingCentres.com

Mindful Holiday Eating

It’s not the shortbread or chocolates that’ll get you. It’s what you THINK about the shortbread and chocolates that’ll do it every year. It’s the extreme all or nothing thinking, the good food/bad food mindset. Mindful eating is the middle ground. Less food provides more joy and satisfaction. The questions to ask yourself this season before eating and drinking are: 1. Am I hungry? 2. How hungry am I? 3. What do I REALLY want? 4. How much will satisfy my hunger/craving, while leaving me feeling peaceful? 5. How do I want to feel in my body after I’m done eating? Lisa Kehler, Off Your Plate Nutrition, OffYourPlateNutrition.ca

Persistent Foot Pain?

Foot pain, especially upon waking up, is a signature symptom of plantar fasciitis, a common and often debilitating foot injury that can affect almost anyone. Plantar fasciitis involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes. Persistent pain caused by plantar fasciitis can undermine your fitness and general health and drag on for years. In some cases, resting, icing, and stretching can relieve your symptoms. Healthwest specializes in the treatment of plantar fasciitis by providing therapeutic massage, shock wave, laser, compression sleeves, and orthotics.
Brent Konantz, Ortho., RMT LCSP C PED. (C), Healthwest Prothotics, MyHealthWest.com

Why Wait Until Tomorrow?

Why wait until the new year to kick your fitness into high gear? Did you know the number one reason people feel they cannot workout is a lack of available time? To help prevent exercise procrastination, set three realistic short-term goals you can accomplish within the next three to six months. Look at exercise as your ‘me’ time; with the busy lives we all lead, we often forget to spend a little time every day on ourselves! And finally, have patience with yourself and focus on consistency. Exercise needs to become a part of a healthy lifestyle and something that we do to improve our overall quality of life. Isn’t it time you put yourself first?

Product Review:

Serrapeptase, the little miracle enzyme! Serrapeptase is a proteolytic enzyme, which means it breaks down long protein chains into amino acids that the body needs. These enzymes bind to the alpha 2 macroglobulin in our plasma where it is shielded from the immune system while retaining its enzymatic activity. They are then free to roam through the blood stream seeking to break down hard protein (non-living tissue), fibrin surfaces, scar tissue, granuloma, and even thin out mucous to ease conditions such as chronic sinusitis.

It’s been proven to be a safe and effective alternative to NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen) and should be taken on an empty stomach. The capsule must be a special DRcap (Delayed Release capsule) or enteric coated capsule that allows the Serrapeptase to pass through the stomach to the small intestine where the enzyme is then released. Enerex.ca

Does Your Pet Need Dental Care?

It’s not surprising that many of us don’t think too much about periodontal disease in our pets…at least not until something starts to look…or smell…bad! Often, there are no obvious signs, but just as with humans, our pets’ overall well-being is very dependent on the state of their teeth and gums. Infections, gingivitis, and broken teeth all can have very adverse effects on their systemic health, as well as being just as painful to them as it is for us. Your veterinarian can help with tutorials on dental home care and prevention. Treatment may include diet, oral rinses, brushing, and of course, professional cleaning done by your veterinary team.

Do’s and Don’ts of Dating

In today’s distracted world, where people are panicked when they don’t have instant access to their electronics, face-to-face meetings can be a foreign concept. When getting to know someone, it is important that they feel you are giving them your undivided attention. Cell phones need to be on silent and put away while on a date. Exes are not discussed. Communication needs to be real. Texting and emailing are not appropriate ways to get to know someone. Take the time to call them and have a real conversation. Do an activity on your date where you have ample time to get to learn more about the person. Mini golf, bowling, the zoo, or walking through craft shows are some suggestions that allow you to get to know one another without pressure. Lianne Tregobov, CamelotIntroductions.com

Community Event

Thurs., Nov. 23, 7-9 p.m. Night on the Rocks! New Japanese ganban-yoku thermal spa is hosting a wellness night (1.5 hours). Ganban-yoku session includes 15 min. scalp and facial massage on a therapeutic rock bed. (204) 488-1314, 3-840 Waverley St., PoccaPocaSpa.com

Fear of Intimacy

Often, we avoid intimacy out of fear and miss something that could be amazing for our happiness and well-being. The reality is that at a human level, all relationships end, whether through changes in life situations or because one of the parties made his/her transition to the “other side” of life.
One of the things we can explore before we enter into a close friendship or sexual relationship with someone is what our expectations are of each other. Most of the challenges couples and friends have are because they never asked each other what their expectations were.

Rev. Anne Ahokangas
www.cslwinnipeg.org