Spring is a great time to start new and healthy habits. Here are a few to try: *Sleep – Getting enough sleep makes you feel good and has a positive impact on your physical and mental health. Strive for 7 to 9 hours daily. *Nutritious meals – Cooking meals at home is a fun activity that often brings people together. *Go outside – Spending time in green space has an array of health benefits. *Visit your doctor annually. *Check your hearing health once a year and *Visit your dentist. Are you ready to start new, healthy habits? We’re here to help.
Community News
Overcome Physical Employment Barriers
“We’ve learned that we can help people get close to one hundred percent of their physical capability through the use of assistive technology, whether it’s high tech, low tech, software, hardware, or ergonomics,” says Nate Toevs, Marketing Manager for the WorkBC Assistive Technology Services program.
WorkBC Assistive Technology Services is for people who have a barrier to their employment or self-employment activities. The focus is on people with disabilities, but it’s also for people who have an old injury or chronic pain. The program provides funding for assistive technology, ergonomics, restorative supports including canes and crutches, hearing aids, vehicle modifications, and more.
Help with Filing Low-Income Tax Returns
Filing your Income Taxes can be the key to unlocking unclaimed government benefits and recovering overpaid taxes. It also helps relieve the stress of piles of unfinished business. SOS works in conjunction with the Revenue Canada Community Volunteer Income Tax Program to help low-income residents file basic tax returns at no cost. This service does not assist with bankruptcy, deceased, or self-employment returns. The income threshold is $35,000 for one person and $45,000 for a couple (limit increases by $2,500 for each dependent). To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, this service will be offered by phone. Contact us for more information.
Reluctant to Accept Help?
It can be difficult to accept help. Seniors often associate accepting help with losing their independence. It sometimes feels that by accepting help, we are telling the world that we are no longer able to live independently. Installing a medical alarm system can increase your independence and reduce the risks of living alone or being left alone in your home. In fact, with a locally monitored system, you may be able to remain in your own home, comforted by the fact that if something should happen, help is just a button push away.
March Brain Teasers
1. Name one meal you can never eat for breakfast? 2. What type of cheese is made backwards? 3. A mother has six children and five potatoes. How can she feed each an equal amount of potatoes? 4. What kind of apple is not an apple?
The Cryptocurrency Craze
Crypto! We are hearing about it everywhere now. There are hundreds of cryptocurrencies available, wide-ranging in value. Have you seen the crypto ATMs at the mall? Have you noticed the uptick in crypto advertising during sporting events, including at hockey, football, and basketball games? What is crypto anyways, and how does it work? Is it investing? Playing the market? Gambling? All of the above? None of the above? If you’re curious about crypto, or if it is negatively impacting you or someone you love, please reach out to vigamingsupport.ca. We can help you untangle crypto.
Relocation Stress Syndrome
While remaining at home is possible for some seniors, many others may need to move to Independent Living with Services to get the best care possible. Since moving is a major life stressor, some seniors may experience relocation stress syndrome, with symptoms like confusion, loneliness, and anxiety. To help make the transition to assisted living as smooth as possible, it’s important to 1) avoid rushing the process; 2) focus on their well-being; 3) make their new home look familiar with personal belongings; 4) help them get involved in their new community; 5) ensure they have frequent visitors.
Assistance for an Ageing Workforce
“We’re dealing with an ageing workforce that will have more people with chronic pain issues, more people with vision or hearing loss, and there are different supports available depending on the degree of challenges you are dealing with,” says Nate Toevs, Marketing Manager for the WorkBC Assistive Technology Services program. “We know we can bring a lot to the table that can make a huge impact for that individual, which in turn will impact the company that they work for.” The program provides funding for assistive technology, ergonomics, restorative supports including canes and crutches, hearing aids, vehicle modifications, and more. Contact us for more information.
Heart Coherence
Heart coherence occurs when the communication between the rhythms of your heart and the rhythms of your brain are in sync and your thoughts, actions and intentions are aligned. This communication is very important, as your heart is the master coordinator of the rhythms in your body. Heart coherence has a powerful effect on your mental, emotional and physical health. The many potential benefits include *decreased stress, *better sleep, *increased energy, *enhanced creativity, *improved quality of life. A Certified Body Code/Emotion Code Practitioner can help you keep these rhythms healthy. Book a Body Code session today.
Get your Hearing Checked!
Most people with hearing loss can be helped by the daily use of properly chosen and properly fitted hearing aids. Current hearing aid technology is very sophisticated and effective. A trial period of several weeks with hearing aids allows you to experience amplification. Your hearing care professional will coach and explain the process as you go. If you suspect hearing loss, reach out to your local Hearing Care Professional for help with your hearing and have your hearing tested. We recommend that all adults over fifty years of age should have a baseline hearing test. Contact us for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.
Vaccinate in Case of Re-infection
People who have had COVID-19 can still benefit from getting vaccinated due to the severe health risks associated with the virus and the fact that re-infection is possible. There is currently insufficient exact information available to say if or how long people are protected from getting COVID-19 after they have had it. Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 lasts for a couple of months and that the vaccine offers better protection than natural immunity. If you are unsure whether or not you ever had COVID-19, the vaccine is still recommended.
