Community News
Pain From Your Mattress?

The Better Sleep Council recommends replacing your mattress every 7 to 10 years, but physical changes such as weight loss, injury, or surgery can alter your body’s position when you sleep and make a mattress change necessary before your mattress reaches its end of life. If your mattress no longer provides adequate support, it can lead to a poor sleeping posture. This misaligns the spine and strains muscles, causing or worsening lower back pain. It’s important to choose a mattress that not only supports your back and provides comfort, but also meets your personal preferences, so you can get the best, pain-free night’s sleep possible.

Get Mobile!

Do more of what you want – when you want. If you ever find yourself waiting around for people to assist you with daily tasks and errands, a mobility scooter could allow you to take matters into your own hands. Confinement can be the most depressing situation that people with mobility issues can experience. Nobody wants to stay inside for a long time, especially when it isn’t necessary. Electric scooters have come a long way and are now more affordable than ever. They provide the freedom to get around, they conserve physical energy, and they also provide you access to places you may not have previously been able to go.

Keep Betting in Perspective

March Madness (NCAA Basketball) is one of the biggest sports betting events across North America. According to a study at AmericanGaming.org reported on 888Gambler.org, in 2019, 47M Americans gambled on March Madness, with an estimated $8.5B wagered. More than 40M participants filled in over 149M brackets, with 18M Americans wagering about $3.9B on sportsbooks alone. And these are strictly American statistics. In Canada, online sports betting was recently legalized (August 2021), however, 3rd party apps abound, offering sports betting enthusiasts many opportunities and types of gambling. Keep sports betting fun and in perspective. Don’t let a game you can’t control, control you.

The Journey to Better Hearing

Recognizing the signs of hearing loss in yourself can be difficult, and taking steps to address hearing loss can be even harder.  Many individuals with hearing loss delay treatment 7-10 years and are often not sure how to seek assistance.  With the right steps, creating a treatment plan can be simple.

Don’t Wait – Have Your Hearing Assessed

Once you start to notice signs of hearing loss, the first step is to obtain a hearing assessment.  You can do this by contacting a local hearing health professional or obtaining a referral from your primary care physician.

During the hearing assessment, the clinician will determine your lifestyle and communication needs as well as the type and degree of hearing loss present.  If a medical condition is identified a referral will be made to the appropriate health professional.

Hearing Aid Selection & Fitting

If hearing aids are recommended, the clinician will work with you to find the right product that will meet your hearing and lifestyle needs.  A trial period with the chosen hearing aid is an important part of the process, as it provides you time to adjust to the hearing aids so you are able to assess the benefit accurately.  It can sometimes take multiple visits to the clinic to have the hearing aids adjusted.  It is important to establish a trusted relationship with your hearing health professional as hearing aids require ongoing maintenance and at a minimum should be checked annually.

NexGen Hearing offers free hearing tests and hearing aid consultations, hearing aid fittings, leasing options and sales. Book an appointment at one of our 45+ clinics in the BC Interior, Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island by clicking here or calling 1-877-606-6671

Healthy Weight Loss Through Diet

Low carb, high protein, keto, paleo, intermittent fasting, vegan, flexitarian … there are so many options. If you are trying to lose weight, any of the fad diets will help you achieve short-term results. But for long-lasting results and overall health and wellness, you’ll want to create a personalized diet plan. Be realistic about how many calories you need based on your age and activity level. Plan for a balanced intake of nutrients. Consider whether additional supplements may be needed and whether they may interact with your medications or medical conditions. If opting to take a weight loss medication, it will work better when combined with diet and lifestyle changes.

Comox Valley Seniors Resource Guide

The 2023 Comox Valley Seniors Resource Guide is now out! This free guide is being dropped at locations around the Valley, but if you want one, or more, set aside for you, please contact the office and we will either hold one for you or arrange for delivery! 20,000 copies of this spiral bound guide were created in partnership between Comox Valley Senior Support and Denman and Hornby Community Health Care Services and will be available free of charge.

Board Members

Comox Valley Senior Support Society is currently recruiting Board Members. If you have a passion for seniors, an interest in working with a collaborative Board, and supporting an active staff team, please contact Chris at [email protected] for more information.

Income Tax

The Senior Information and Access Services Team will once again be offering its expertise to assist seniors with their taxes! Beginning March 15, the team will be ready to go. Seniors must register with CVSS to access this service (a fast and painless process!). Please contact Chris or Tiss at 250-871-5940 or [email protected] to register.

Family Caregivers of BC

Caregiving can be hard! Don’t do it alone! Provincial Toll-Free Caregiver Support Line – Unpaid family and friends’ caregivers can call this toll free number for one-to-one telephone support. 8-4 Monday- Friday. 1-877-520-3267. Caregiver Coaching assists caregivers in developing their own action plan that will support them in the very important role they fulfill as caregiver. Referral to this program id through the Caregiver Support Line. The Caregiver Learning Centre is available free of charge for anyone who needs it. It’s on the website at www.familycaregiversbc.ca.

5 Tips for Being Physically Active

1. Start where you can and set reasonable goals. If you feel you have little opportunity to exercise, start by adding a bit of physical activity into your daily routine.
2. Think of it as “activity”, not “exercise”. Choose activities and sports that you enjoy, and physical activity won’t seem like a chore or task to tick off.
3. Once you get going, aim for at least 1 ½ hours of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week.
4. Consider aerobic activities. Aerobic activities, such as walking, swimming, hiking and dancing, can help maintain general fitness.
5. Plan out your physical activity with someone you know. That way, you are more likely to keep active while you also gain the brain-health benefits of social interaction.