The well-being of older adults is a major social and health concern in Canada. Geriatric mental health (GMH) refers to the multidisciplinary practice in the assessment and treatment of mental illness or impairment of older adults, from the bio-psycho-social perspective. Older adults often receive inadequate or inappropriate mental health services. Provision of appropriate and effective care is a challenge because of the complexity of determining the differential diagnosis of health problems in elders. A GMH team consists of health professionals such as geriatric psychiatrists, clinical nurse specialists, psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists, and social workers.
Community News
Freddy Nkunzimana, NP
For over a decade, Freddy has had the opportunity to work as a travelling nurse all over Manitoba. This experience inspired him to seek further education, expand his scope of practice, and be part of the solution to Manitoba’s healthcare system issues. He has been an NP for 2 years, and in his practice, he provides primary care to individuals of all ages. He strives to provide evidence-based care while working with his patients to jointly come up with an individualized plan that not only produces the best health outcomes, but also is in agreement with their values and aspirations.
Hearing Loss and Depression
Research continues to prove a strong connection between hearing loss and depression. The two are referred to as invisible conditions, as you cannot see their effects at first glance. Because of this, their effects can often go unacknowledged, unrecognized, and untreated. Hearing loss affects one’s ability to communicate, which can cause stress, fatigue, social isolation, and, in turn, depression. Along with depression, clients with untreated hearing loss are known to experience anxiety, relationship problems, low self-esteem, stress, and other negative emotions. However, hearing aids have been found to help combat these issues.
Community Profile: Kelburn Estates
Kelburn Estates Mental Health & Addictions Recovery Centre is a private residential wellness centre on 45 beautiful acres along the red river, here in Manitoba. We pride ourselves in providing confidential and multi-disciplinary expertise for our guests to reclaim, develop, and sustain a meaningful life. A life free from the destructive mental health disease and related substance abuse. Our mission is to create and maintain a lasting relationship with our guests, families, and community service providers. At Kelburn Estates, we will walk with you on your journey to recovery.
Book Club: Metabolism Revolution
Bestselling author, leading health and wellness entrepreneur, celebrity nutritionist, and motivational speaker Haylie Pomroy has the answers. Drawing on her fundamental “food as medicine” techniques, she’s created the Metabolism Revolution diet, which strategically manipulates macronutrients to speed the body’s metabolic rate, a guaranteed way to kick start a stalled metabolism. Following the Metabolism Revolution plan, you will burn fat, build muscle, improve your skin, boost energy levels, and look and feel great—all while losing weight quickly and keeping it off for life.
Crunchy Citrus Salad
Enjoy this refreshing summer salad! Ingredients: 1 zucchini, chopped and peeled; 1 carrot, chopped and peeled; 1/2 napa cabbage, chopped; 1 green pepper, thinly sliced; 2 stalk green onions, minced; 1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented; 1 lime, peeled and segmented; 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped; 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped; 2 handful bean sprouts.
Dressing: 2/3 c water; 1 handful cashews; 1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped; 1/2 garlic clove, peeled and coarsely chopped; 2 tbsp lime juice; 2 tbsp soy sauce. Simply add all ingredients together, toss in dressing, and serve! Recipe adapted from LowFatLowCarb.com
Family Gathering Tips
Family Gathering Tips. Enjoying the company of relatives you don’t see very often is one of the best parts of family gatherings.
Enjoy your day to the fullest by taking every opportunity you can to connect and speak an encouraging word to every person in attendance. In doing so, you will start a ton of great conversations and learn fun facts about your relatives. Here are a few more family gathering tips to help you make the most out of your time spent with loved ones.
Enjoy your Tribe to the Fullest with These Family Gathering Tips
1. Talk about past memories. If it’s an annual gathering that’s been going on since you were a kid, start a conversation to bring up some of the funny and heartwarming memories of years gone by. Include aunts, uncles, and cousins as you relive the “good ole days”.
2. Get into a conversation with your favorite relatives. If you just them a hug or a handshake and move on, you may be missing out on special stories and memories.
3. Changing up your surroundings where you normally host your gatherings are both great ways to encourage fresh conversation and connections. Make an effort to create a Family Gathering Committee. Rotate members in and out every gathering so everyone has a chance of honing their leadership and planning skills.
4. Crack a joke at an unexpected time, or grab a smaller group to go hunt down some hot chocolate.
5. Exchange phone numbers and emails with cousins and others you’ve grown distant from. You might have lost your childhood closeness, but why not bring that closeness back as adults? That way, when the next family gathering rolls around, you’ll already feel connected, both as family members and as friends.
6. Whip up some of your favorite recipes as a special treat. Or make it a recipe swap, either with or without the actual dishes. Start a fun new family tradition by creating a family “Secret Recipe” collection that can be added to over the years.
7. Create some completely new Family Traditions. Whether serious or funny, family traditions are the catalyst for bonding opportunities that can be continued for hundreds of years. Just make sure they’re memorable and a somehow representative of your family.
So, dust off your electronic family address book and plan a get-together. Gather for an annual winter marshmallow roast, a monthly poker game, or a quarterly brunch where you all wear your finest clothes and drink orange tea. After all, anything goes. It’s tradition!
Check out more great tips on our Edge Blog www.wildernessedge.com/blog
Community Profile:
Manitoba Association of Senior Centres
Exercise your body and brain to stay active all year long. Manitoba Senior Centres are places where older adults come together to improve their health and quality of life, for services and programs, and to support personal independence and encourage involvement in community life. As older adults, we have the right to have a voice in determining matters in which we have a vital interest. A person’s sense of well-being is enhanced when one obtains balance and satisfaction in the various personal components, such as emotional, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual. Members and volunteers form the backbone of senior centres.
Diffusing Essential Oils Just Got Better!
The purpose of diffusing concentrated plant essential oils into the air is 2-fold. It adds a beautiful natural scent to the room and it cleans the air of pathogens. Diffusing is one of the most effective ways to enjoys the benefits of essential oils. Breathing deeply relaxes the body and allows the essential oil molecules to be utilized very efficiently. To keep your diffuser working efficiently here are a few tips: use a cup to pour warm tap water into water reservoir, fill water just below the marked water line, and clean the white ultrasonic disc with rubbing alcohol and cotton swab on a weekly basis. Just Breathe!
Ride Don’t Hide
When we hide, mental health stays hidden. When we ride, we create change. This year, on June 24, ride in plain sight. Ride Don’t Hide. It’s more than the name of the event. It’s also the reason we’re riding. Think about joining the Ride Don’t Hide movement, a Canada-wide community bike ride to build awareness for mental health. Ride Don’t Hide is for riders of all skill levels; it is not a race, but, rather, an opportunity to celebrate mental health and honour the recovery journeys of people who live with mental illness. Join the Ride Don’t Hide movement and celebrate mental health!
Spring Into Love
Spring is a season of cliches — birds singing, bees buzzing and people falling madly in love. If you’re a scientist though, the love sickness can be blamed on one very real thing. Dopamine! Dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical your brain uses to make you want things. There are other systems involved in love, but when it comes to new love, dopamine is the main culprit. And with enough of it swirling around your system, you’re prone to fall in love — and fall hard. No question, the newness of spring provides an ideal context for starting a new relationship. The changing weather and sunshine energize us — especially those of us who live in Manitoba where we’ve had to hibernate all winter. We’ve survived winter and now it’s time to start your search for love with the help of an experienced matchmaker.
