Here at Nurse Next Door, it’s about caring, not just health care™. We help seniors stay in their own homes. The goal is to give families peace of mind and allow seniors to maintain their dignity and remain as independent as possible. Our extraordinary family of Caregivers will take care of your loved one so you can get back to being a daughter or son. Our in-home caregivers build relationships and encourage independence. Matched specially for your loved one, they’re flexible, supportive, and passionate about helping Mom or Dad live more comfortably. Contact us today for a free Caring Consult.
Community News
Do I Have Hearing Loss?
Unlike vision loss where people tend to promptly seek assistance by wearing glasses, hearing loss tends to be ignored, become rationalized by age or is blamed on others for not speaking clearly enough.
Hearing loss is common for many people throughout Canada. According to the Stats Canada Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS), 6% of adults over the age of 55 report limitations as a result of hearing loss and this number increases to nearly 36% of adults aged 75 and older. In total, this works out to roughly 966,000 Canadians who are willing to report awareness of hearing loss (and that’s not considering those who are possibly in denial).
Many people are simply unaware of the signs and symptoms of hearing loss, the benefits of early detection and intervention, and what resources are available. In order to reduce the likelihood of a hearing loss going undetected, being ignored, and left untreated, here is what you can watch for:
Is there a problem?: The most common signs of hearing loss are needing repetition, turning the volume up on the television, difficulty hearing on the telephone, difficulty hearing clearly, difficulty hearing in background noise, and failing to hear common household sounds like the doorbell. Schedule a hearing test: Annual hearing testing is recommended for adults over the age of 55, even if they do not suspect a hearing loss. Hearing test results are medical records and, as such, are kept on file for 7 years. These results can be used as a baseline to compare with any future hearing evaluations. The best thing is that hearing testing is complimentary and does not require a referral from your family doctor or ENT specialist. Investigate available resources: While hearing aids are often recommended to treat hearing loss, there are other helpful devices that you may not have considered. For example, amplified telephones boost the volume of incoming calls and can often be adjusted for tone and customized for your hearing loss. TV devices amplified alarm clocks and alerting systems for doorbells and smoke detectors are also available.
If you believe that your parents, grandparents, or friends are suffering from a hearing loss (see hearing loss and parents for more), the best thing you can do for them is to speak up and, if necessary, help them choose a hearing care provider to work with them on their individual needs. For more information on hearing loss and available resources, or to take a free online hearing test, visit www.mainlandhearing.com.
Contributed by Dr. Susan Marynewich, Au.D., RAUD, RHIP
Make Social Interaction a Priority
Maintaining relationships and spending time with others is essential to our emotional and mental well-being. It can help prevent depression which affects 20 percent of the population over 70 years of age. Socializing also keeps the mind active and improvements are greater when the person is involved in fun interests with other people. Plan regular get-togethers with friends, such as a weekly lunch date or coffee with another senior or loved one. Scheduling social interactions give us something to look forward to on a regular basis. For those who are truly adventurous you can enjoy new experiences and meet new people by signing up for travel tours, book clubs, and much more at your local community centre.
Keep Living Your Best Life
A good retirement residence is not just a convenient place to live, it’s an environment in which you can pursue your passions, thrive and continue living with purpose. It may be daunting to think about moving into a retirement home, but have you considered how your life might improve by making this change? Meet a new network of friends, build new relationships, and take part in activities you once enjoyed, or commit to learning something new! Leave the worrying behind when it comes to home maintenance, meal preparation and your own safety – and have us do it for you!
Sports Betting Support
Sports bettors, who tend to be young men, are the most vulnerable to problematic behavior, according to the NCPG’s National Survey on Gambling Attitudes and Gambling Experiences. The survey reveals that sports bettors are three times more likely to exhibit problem gambling behavior than other types of gamblers.” (Quoted from onlinepoker.com) Given the popularity of sports betting across North America, and Canada’s soon-to-be new law allowing single event sports betting (Canada.ca DoJ), vulnerable sports bettors may find themselves in a position to engage in more impulsive betting behaviour. Contact us for more info on how we can help!
Search for Meaning
Depression and anxiety are common experiences for many individuals. These conditions can create challenges that feel overwhelming and insurmountable at times. One way to approach this is through Existential approaches to counselling. In Victor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning, he writes how we can fill our lives with meaning by incorporating three main pillars: 1) the freedom to will – choosing your own path to follow; 2) the will to meaning – finding what is personally meaningful; and 3) the meaning to life – one’s personal meaning brought forward by the work or deed and their connection to others.
Aging Well Seniors’ Expo
“Friday, June 10th, 10 am – 3 pm at Cowichan Community Centre, FREE ADMISSION.
Volunteer Cowichan is hosting the 3rd Annual Aging Well Seniors’ Expo to connect, inform and empower older adults with a wide range of services, information and products to support them as they age. The expo will have health, financial, legal, medical and physical-care businesses, professionals, organizations, and more on-site. Table Talk presentations, door prizes and more! Sponsors H.W. Wallace Cremation & Burial Centre, BC CRN and Wellnessnews Choices for Health Living® invite older adults, elders, friends and family to attend this event. “
Senior Brain Health
It’s important for people of all ages to keep their brains healthy with regular workouts, but especially so for seniors. Here are five ways you can keep your mind sharp as you age: 1) Play a game. Try a sudoku, crossword, or jigsaw puzzle, or play a game of cards with friends. 2) Get moving. Regular exercise increases blood flow to your brain and increases neurons. 3) Listen to or play music. Science shows that music is a great brain booster. 4) Eat right. A diet rich in healthy fats is crucial for cognitive health. 5) Learn something new. Keep your mind engaged!
Focus on What You Want
When someone heads towards their goals, versus trying to move away or reduce something, the outcome is more positively directed. By looking to something rewarding, success has a better chance of taking place. It also helps to focus on what you want to bring into being, as opposed to dwelling on what you don’t want anymore. A positive attitude is very powerful. When you have a positive attitude, negative thoughts are much less likely to come to mind. Positive thinking can help to control stress and also improve health.
Keep Gambling in Check
Have you heard of Canada’s Low-Risk Gambling Guidelines? They recommend keeping it under 1% of gross household income, four days/month or less and only two types of gambling. Also, consider the following which can increase your risk of developing a gambling problem: 1) If you struggle with mental health and addictions issues or have experienced gambling problems in your family, 2) If you are drawn to fast-paced games that involve frequent betting like slot machines, in-game sports betting, or many online forms of gambling, and/or 3) you’re playing for escapism or to make money. Check out GamblingGuidelines.ca #LRGG.
New Community Partnership
We are excited to announce a community partnership with Volunteer Cowichan (VC) in Cowichan Valley. Together, we will help residents find and link to local health and wellness resources, support and services. For 44+ years, VC has been a leader in community promoting, mobilizing and celebrating volunteers. They have many programs that support older adults and youth. You can find more about VC in this newsletter, on their website and on the WellnessHub Vancouver Island. While you are on the Hub, don’t forget to enter this month’s contest for a chance to win 2 x 10 Flex Pass tickets to the Nanaimo NigthOwls Baseball Club games.
