Community News
Journaling Relieves Caregiver Anxiety

If you’re a caregiver for a senior loved one, have you considered journaling as a way to relieve caregiver anxiety? Experts recommend journaling as a way to sort out your feelings and count your blessings when life gets crazy. In fact, regular journaling may even improve your health. Writing down your worries may strengthen your immune cells, giving you a better chance of fighting off infections and staying healthy. Journaling may help you fulfill your most important roles with a positive outlook and plenty of energy. It helps to: 1. Reduce the intensity of stress and anger by writing these feelings down. 2. Solve problems through creativity and intuition. 3. Recognize productive (and unproductive) patterns in your life. 4. Track your progress and growth for increased confidence. 5. Sort out your feelings. Journaling gives you a “safe space” to share your thoughts and feelings without worrying about being judged or feeling guilty.

Alevtina (Alia) Tuhari, Reliable Home Care Agency, ReliableHomeCare.ca

Caregiver Pharmacy Support

It can be difficult to be a caregiver and manage multiple or complex medications for a loved one. It is important to ensure medications are taken appropriately to help maintain good health. A visiting pharmacist provides personal support with regular medication delivery and home consultations. The pharmacist reviews a client’s prescription drugs and over the counter medications to advise if there are any drug interactions, and makes adjustments as necessary. This level of support can reduce emergency room visits and hospital stays, and results in strong, trusting relationships between clients, caregivers, and pharmacists. The visiting pharmacist also provides seamless care for hospital discharge patients and works closely with other health professionals to deliver a high level of care to the client. Care is tailored to specific individual needs such as assisting with blood pressure readings, adding medications as needed to adherence packaging, and making changes in an efficient manner.

Teresa Giesbrecht
CareAtHomePharmacy.ca

Tune-Up Your Brain!

Your brain is the engine that drives you – so it’s important to keep it well-tuned. Fat – or lipid – consumption is essential for the healthy growth, development, and function of your brain. In fact, 60% of your brain’s dry weight is fat. Several types of plant and animal fats are used for brain-building material, though one lipid reigns supreme: omega-3 fatty acids derived from salmon, sardines, krill oil, and plant-based Ahiflower oil. There are many benefits of omega-3: it increases cognitive functioning and decreases symptoms of depression, anxiety and aggression. It is also shown to be a protective factor against cognitive decline and dementia in older adults; and it is an essential component of a healthy diet for pregnant women, leading to better health outcomes in newborns. Consider adding omega-3s to your diet as an evidence-based way to tune-up your brain for optimal mental health.

Sean Miller, CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg

mbwpg.cmha.ca

Book Club: Why Can’t I get Better?

Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease by Dr. Richard Horowitz. Looks at pain, fatigue, memory and concentration problems, sleep disorders, and much more. Lyme disease and its related conditions are incredibly complicated. You can take the questionnaire yourself, and start doing your own detective work with this book as your guide.

LymeDisease.org

Rendez-Vous Estates

Nestled between Dawson Road and the Seine River on Seine Avenue in a well-established Lorette residential neighbourhood, Rendez-Vous Estates offers over two acres of intentionally designed and meticulously maintained property as a backdrop. Fifty extraordinary suites within this 55+ community hold the key to the simple, elegant, and sophisticated lifestyle you have been waiting for. Rendez-Vous Estates’ large windows let plenty of natural light into the beautifully designed suites. With six modern energy-efficient appliances, your open kitchen will make entertaining a pleasure. Your suite also features a private balcony and in-suite clothes washer and dryer. Select from one-bedroom or two-bedroom suites in various sizes to accommodate your budget. All suites have walk-in closets and storage. Other onsite amenities include two elevators, secured entrance, heated indoor parking, a game room, an exercise room, and a guest suite.

Rendez-Vous Estates, RendezVousEstates.ca

Do You Feel Lonely?

If so, you are not alone in that feeling. Even though we are connected through the worldwide web and various other social mediums, almost one-quarter of Canadians will describe themselves as ‘lonely’. Chronic feelings of loneliness can eventually lead to mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.  People would rather openly speak about having other ailments than confess to feeling alone. We could be surrounded by people and still feel lonely due to not feeling understood or heard by family and friends. So, what do we do if we are feeling this way? 1. Write down why you think you are lonely. Journaling helps shed light on what is going on inside. 2. Bring new people into your life through joining a group or even an online community. 3. Volunteer in your local community. Helping others raises self-esteem. There is additional support through professional talk therapy.

Patty Parsons, Counselling Therapist, ParsonsTherapy.com

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. A study by the National Council on the Aging (NCOA) found that those with untreated hearing loss were more likely to report depression, anxiety, and paranoia, and they were less likely to participate in organized social activities compared to those who wear hearing aids. Source: www.audiology.org/publicationsresources/document-library/untreated-hearing-loss-linkeddepression-social-isolation.

Lisa Reid Audiology, LisaReid.ca

Relaxation: What’s That?

How often do we hear this? “The only time I relax is with a drink in my hand. My brain does not know how to slow down.” Diagnosed with anxiety, a recent client found counselling and group work to be highly stressful. “I’m always scared of what others will say or think!” She was always so tired that she barely had energy to complete daily tasks; yet, when she went to bed, she couldn’t sleep. Brainwave Optimization helped her feel relaxed for the first time in her life. By attending to her brain frequencies, she wasn’t stuck in fight-flight anymore. She was able to keep her food down and digest better. Her sleep came more easily without meds. She was calmer around others and felt less intimidated by them. She could hardly believe she could get to that point without having to try and figure out what was “wrong” with her.

Joanne Couture, RMFT, RSW, LaLobaTraumaRelease.com

Fireworks Safety and Dogs

Fireworks can be fun for humans, and with all of the coming summer weekends, they are inevitable. Dogs don’t always hold the same enthusiasm, however. Here are some tips for helping your dog cope with fireworks season. Make sure your dog is wearing identification or has a microchip in case they run away. Keep your dog indoors during the fireworks, as far away as possible from the noise. Place a thick blanket over their kennel to help muffle the sounds. Make sure the kennel is in an area where they will not overheat. Make sure your dog is tired by nighttime when the fireworks begin. Lots of exercise may be necessary during the day. Give your dog something yummy to chew on in their kennel, such as a Kong toy filled with goodies.

Lisa Tustin, Professional Pet Services

Product Spotlight: Garden of Life

In today’s fast-paced world, even with the best intentions, having a nutritious meal is sometimes simply impossible. Instead of settling for a quick fix such as fast food, consider a whole-food nutritional shake. Garden of Life’s RAW All-In-One Nutritional Shake provides a convenient way to achieve optimal nutrition! When it comes to whole-food nutritional shakes, USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified sources are of utmost importance to limit unnecessary exposure to toxic chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, and GMO products. Garden of Life’s RAW All-In-One Nutritional Shake is currently the only plant-based nutritional shake in Canada to have the dual certification. This delicious shake comes packed with 44 superfoods; 20 grams of plant-based, Certified USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified protein; 21 whole-food vitamins and minerals; and less than 1 gram of sugar. It is also Certified Vegan, Certified Gluten Free, Informed-Choice Clean for Sport Certified, and Kosher.

Nathan Zassman, Aviva Health, AvivaHealth.com

Product Spotlight: Pure Anada

Summer is the perfect time to change up your beauty routine! Often, our skin improves as the humidity increases. For that reason, it’s best to keep things simple with a lightweight foundation. Pure Anada Tinted Moisturizer is great for normal to dry skin types. Its nourishing formula includes pomegranate and rosehip oil, and provides a sheer, radiant finish to give you a natural summer glow. If you struggle with oily skin, Pure Anada pressed mineral foundation is best, since it includes oil-absorbing minerals. A cheek colour is always beautiful in summer. Don’t neglect it! With shades named after flowers – Dahlia, Sweet Pea, Lotus, and Zinnia – you are bound to find a Pure Anada blush to love. A touch of sheer lip gloss, like the Pure Anada Berry Bliss Lip shines, will top off your carefree summer look.

Nathan Zassman, Aviva Health, AvivaHealth.com