Green burials, also sometimes called eco-funerals or natural burials, provide a simple, green option for saying goodbye to a loved one. Green burials typically don’t involve embalming – instead, family and friends may choose to wrap their loved one in a shroud made of eco-friendly, biodegradable material and choose an eco-friendly casket. Using land sustainably for burial purposes, such as choosing communal memorialization and planting with native plants, is also often part of a green burial. Your local funeral director can provide advice about and help you plan a suitable green burial for your loved one.
Community News
Suffering From Peripheral Arterial Disease?
PAD or Peripheral Arterial Disease is the narrowing of the arteries in the legs. The narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) can limit blood flow and eventually block blood to the legs. If blood flow to legs is limited or blocked it can cause pain with walking or eventually at rest, skin discoloration, loss of hair growth, numbness, and even amputation of a toe or lower limb. Individuals with the following would be at greater risk of PAD: ≥ 65 years of age, Diabetes, Smokers, High Blood Pressure, History of heart disease and/or stroke.
Tendon Injuries?
Tendinopathies are one of the most common injuries individuals seek treatment for (i.e. tennis elbow, achilles tendinopathy). They can be debilitating and ongoing as they tend not to improve with time and rest. Research is mixed on the best treatment for tendinopathies, however, one trend emerging is the that rehab programs should be focused on improving the capacity of the muscle and tendon to manage load. This means, in addition to hands-on therapy, a progressive tendon loading exercise program is key to full recovery. Physiotherapy can help break the negative cycle of these overuse injuries and prevent recurrence.
Preparing for your Quit Date
A little preparation can go a long way in ensuring your success with quitting smoking. When planning your quit date, it’s helpful to remind yourself of the reasons you want to do this in the first place. There are major reasons to quit, such as reducing your risk for disease and cancer. What are your other reasons? Write down your top 10. Before your quit day, you may want to think of rewards you can give yourself, as well as activities which you can turn to if cravings get bad. Studies tell us that psychological preparation plays a large role in the likelihood of success with smoking cessation.
Senior Moving Tips
You’ve decided that you are going to move to a smaller space. Start by making decisions about things that will be moved to your new home, including the essentials and the sentimental or special things that bring joy to your home. Dependent upon space, maintaining, at least in part, the sentimental pieces is the key to this puzzle. The process of downsizing is not to rob people of loved items, rather, to honour those items in a way that matches the physical space you have. Packing, moving, unpacking, and setting up the new home are the remaining Phase 1 steps. Stay tuned to next month’s article for Phase 2!
World Alzheimer’s Month
Worldwide, an astounding 50 million are diagnosed with dementia and over 23,000 of them live in Manitoba. Having a globally coordinated World Alzheimer’s Month sends a strong message to governments and policy makers, alerting them to the fact that dementia is a serious health issue that will have overwhelming implications on services and health systems around the world as the population grows older. We’ll be wearing blue on World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21st to show our support. Will you? Make sure to post your photos to social media, tag us and use the hashtag #goblueforalz.
Don’t Let Dentures Scare You!
Because dentures have been around for such a long time, they have had centuries to generate stories and myths. These fables and warning stories are sometimes used to scare children into taking better care of their teeth. While some concerns may have been valid in the past, they don’t hold anymore. The quality of modern dentures is continuously improving. After an adjustment period, you can enjoy the benefits of white, straight, and attractive teeth. Also, you can eat, drink, and speak normally, without embarrassment. Dentures are lighter, more natural-looking, and much easier to manage than ever before, giving you confidence and a beautiful smile!
Book Club
Living Well with Arthritis: A Sourcebook for Understanding and Managing Your Arthritis Living Well with Arthritis is written by Canadian doctors for Canadians. Its authors, all respected experts in the field, focus not only on medications and complementary treatments, but also on management of the many aspects of life that arthritis can affect. Topics such as dealing with chronic pain and fatigue, developing emotional and social coping strategies, and managing relationships are all explored, taking readers through the steps of how the body is affected, and ways to manage the disease.
Clean Eating Recipe
Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps. 1 lb lean ground chicken; 2 shallots, thinly sliced; ½ red pepper, diced; 1 tbsp chili powder; 2 tbsp lime juice; 2 tbsp orange juice; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp sriracha; 1/3 c fresh cilantro leaves, chopped; 12 iceberg lettuce leaves; 1/3 c chopped peanuts. Sauté chicken, shallots, red pepper, and chili powder 5-8 min, until chicken is brown. Stir in lime juice, orange juice, fish sauce, honey and Sriracha. Cook 3-5 min, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir 2 tbsp cilantro into the mixture. Remove from heat. Serve in lettuce leaves. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts. Enjoy!
Free Online Alzheimer Education
Learning new skills can help you face the daily realities of living with and caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. The Alzheimer Society of Manitoba is offering free online family education to help empower and inform people with dementia, their families and friends. Join us for a wide range of topics, such as navigating the first steps after a diagnosis and end of life care, so you can feel more confident on your dementia journey. To learn more about our sessions and to register, please visit our website at Alzheimer.mb.ca.
The Little Things That Matter
Often in life, the most meaningful moments are the moments spent with those who teach you something, with those who share laughs with you, and with those who support you no matter what. And within those moments, it’s the little things that become the most significant and valuable. Professional caregivers can be there for you, when you need a little extra hand around the house or someone to accompany you on your outings. Caregivers can help with the day-to-day tasks, so you have time to enjoy the little things in life, while remaining safe and independent in your own home.
