It is important to remember to take special care of your vital ticker, every day: *Go for a walk and get your heart rate going and enhance your circulation. *Ditch the processed bad fats and eat heart-healthy fats like monounsaturated (olive and avocado) and omega-3s (fish and walnuts). *Eat more colourful fruits and vegetables including extra-beneficial berries and greens, for their strong antioxidants. *Take more deep breaths and manage stress better. *Drink sufficient water and include beneficial teas such as green, white, hawthorn, ginger, and ginseng. *Be kind to yourself and your loved ones!

Communicating effectively with someone experiencing hearing loss can be a challenge. Here are five tips to help: *Understand their level of loss and the unique set of challenges they face *Find a quiet place; create the best conditions for them to understand you *Say it a different way; choose uncomplicated words so it’s easier for them to understand *Make eye contact; Eye contact allows someone to read your expression for context *Get their attention; make sure they know you’re speaking. If you or a family member are concerned about hearing loss, be sure to schedule a hearing test today!

When someone is fearful of falling, they start to avoid everyday activities by staying at home and doing less. This lack of activity leads to loss of strength, reduced muscle tone, and loss of coordination and balance. This physical deterioration increases the risk of falling and if a fall does occur, it further heightens the fear. Turn your fear of falling into positive actions; remain active, exercise regularly, use assistive devices such as walkers or grab bars and wear sensible shoes. Consider joining a group session designed especially to teach balance exercises for fall prevention.

Everyone wants to be happy — but sometimes it can seem so out-of-reach! Happiness is not always an easy target. Maybe you are carrying around a sense of dissatisfaction, irritation, or disappointment that does not go away. Where does this come from? Is it how you are living now, or is it an old experience? Other people say “let it go” – but how do you do that?! How can you change the story? Counselling provides a safe, encouraging place to explore your options, including how to start connecting with what makes you feel satisfied and joyful.

The BC Responsible & Problem Gambling Program offer Prevention Services including: • Education and information for students in grades 5 to 12 • Training for student leadership programs and peer helpers • Information sessions for parent groups, ESL classes, college and university classes, community groups, and treatment programs • Drama projects and awareness booths for older adult populations
• Training for community professionals • On-campus awareness initiatives for college and university students • Culturally relevant gambling awareness programs for Aboriginal, Asian, South Asian and other populations. We will work with your group to ensure messaging regarding responsible and/or problem gambling awareness meets your group’s needs.

The connections in the brain are like a super-highway with information zipping around, sorting and filing. After a brain injury, the connections are like roads under major construction, torn up pathways full of obstacles, detours and disconnected. It takes time and energy to process information. It’s frustrating, discouraging, exhausting and mind boggling. Research on the brain validates that after an injury, many new connections can be made and ‘roads’ or pathways in the brain can be rebuilt. Processing information gets smoother and faster with practice learning the new detours or the new road. Strategies are the key. New challenges become less scary.

Has excessive gambling become an issue for you or someone you love? The BC Government provides British Columbians with free information and resources to support informed choices and healthy behaviours with respect to gambling participation. BC Responsible & Problem Gambling Program provides services that are confidential and free of charge, funded by the Government of British Columbia. This includes *24/7 Gambling Support Line, *Outreach Support and *Personal and Group treatment. Call 1-888-795-6111 or go to BCRresponsibleGambling.ca for more information.

Medications play an important role in maintaining health and longevity for many of us as we get older. Taking multiple medications can be challenging. Here are some helpful hints to manage your medications effectively: Follow the instructions for each medication carefully, shake bottles of liquid medications before use, take all medications as prescribed, use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, report any unusual symptoms to your doctor, never stop taking a medications suddenly without checking with your doctor and most importantly, conduct annual medication reviews with your doctor or pharmacist.