The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy offers personalized service. Through their Pharmacy at Home Program, complimentary home visits help you manage your medication schedule or set up your blister pack. Free delivery service is available anywhere in Nanaimo, Lantzville, Nanoose, Errington, Parksville and Qualicum. They also offer Blood Pressure, BMI and Diabetes Monitoring, Foot Care and Compression Sock Fitting and a compounding laboratory to prepare customized medication. Book your Medication Review with your Personal Pharmacist at Medicine Shoppe Departure Bay Road in Nanaimo and in Parksville. Mel and Kristen Azcarraga, pharmacists and owners, are proud to serve their community.
Community News
Daily Routine Important for Seniors
People are afraid of the unknown. If an older adult is losing control over their physical abilities, independence, or cognitive abilities, their world gets filled with more and more unknowns. Establishing routine is extremely important for seniors. A daily routine offers a level of stability that individuals often enjoy, as it allows them to settle into a schedule they understand. Doing the same basic activities like eating, dressing, and bathing at the same time every day is known to improve sleep quality. A predictable routine also helps to reduce stress and anxiety.
Importance of Staying Mobile
Mobility is key to maintaining independence, especially as people age. For seniors, the loss of mobility has profound social, psychological, and physical consequences. If joints and muscles aren’t properly maintained, basic movements may cause pain or even injury. Luckily the many negative effects that comes with immobility can often be prevented or limited by physical activity and exercise. Join a local exercise class, take daily walks, or find something that you enjoy and make it a habit. There are many opportunities to move throughout the day and you can even practice many upper- and lower-body mobility exercises from a chair.
Hike for Hospice – Community Fundraiser
The annual Hike for Hospice takes place on September 11th at Westwood Lake Park. Walk, run or hike the 1km or 6km option at your own pace. Register by August 11 to be entered into the Early Bird Draw. Funds raised stay local. Gather your family and friends – walk to honor the memory of your loved ones. Nanaimo Hospice believes that everyone deserves support, regardless of age, means or culture. Volunteers and professional staff offer free programs resources & education. See their website NanaimoHospice.com/Events for more information and to register for the Hike.
Summer Pop Up Concert Series
Expect the unexpected with the return of the Vancouver Island Symphony’s popular Summer Pop Up Concert Series featuring three VIS Ensembles performing works from all genres of music including Classical, Jazz, Latin, Traditional and Canadiana favourites. These concerts continue in August and take place in beautiful garden settings from Yellowpoint to the Comox Valley featuring: # 1: VIS Back Row Brass Quintet, #2: VIS String Quartet & French Horn #3: the Marko Paolo Trio (Flute, Violin/ Accordion, Double Bass). Get your tickets now.
Early Signs of Dementia
Some forgetfulness is a normal part of growing older, but it’s important to be aware of memory changes as they can be a sign of a serious problem. Along with memory changes, sudden changes to your loved one’s personality, such as paranoia and aggression, are often early signs of Dementia. For some, another early sign of dementia is having changes in vision. Your loved one may have trouble reading or seeing the differences in color. Other changes may include problems with speech and writing, poor judgment, having trouble with finances, withdrawal from social activities, and carelessness. Early diagnosis can assist you in getting help for your loved one.
Benefits of Bluetooth Hearing Aids
Bluetooth technology allows you to connect two electronic devices without using a cord. Bluetooth hearing aids connects your hearing devices to other devices like your smartphone or TV. They stream sound directly from a technology source into your ear. When watching television or using the computer, the data transfers to your hearing aid from the monitor using radio waves. There’s no need for headphones or a separate Bluetooth headset. Similarly, talking on the phone is now easier than ever. You don’t have to hold the phone up to your ear to hear and enjoy your conversation.
Golden Gamers
“Golden Gamers” is a recent term used to describe seniors who play video games. Some play to pass the time, some play to connect with their grandkids and some play competitively. There’s nothing wrong with playing video games, online or on a console. Just like gambling, some seniors may be vulnerable to the addictive qualities that the gamblification of gaming offers. This includes paying to open loot boxes for premium items, skins, coins, extended time, etc. No different than slot machines, some games can entice vulnerable seniors to spend beyond their means. For more information, contact VIGamingSupport.ca.
Managing Multiple Medications
If you take multiple medications, your pharmacist offers solutions that can help you manage them.*Synchronized Refill Dates – Adjusting quantities of medications to coordinate refill dates so all can be refilled at one time. *Blister packaging to arrange your medications in a weekly or monthly schedule. *Pre-Authorized Refills – Receive notifications when it is time to renew your medication. *Extension of Expired Refills – Your pharmacist may be able to renew your prescription if it expires before you can see your doctor. Consider booking a Medication Review at the Medicine Shoppe in Parksville.
Grinding Your Teeth?
When under stress, many people find themselves grinding their teeth or clenching their jaws. It is often something we do when we sleep. Bruxism can be caused by stress and anxiety, an abnormal bite or missing and crooked teeth, or it can be due to sleep disorders. Bruxism can lead to symptoms such as dull headache or a sore jaw. Severe grinding can lead to painful or loose teeth which can lead to fractures in your teeth. Your dentist can fit you with a mouth guard to protect your teeth during sleep.
Do You Feel Abundant?
Abundance means different things to different people. Often times we think of abundance as having a lot of money or wealth. Abundance is so much more than a healthy bank account. Abundance is a Feeling; an appreciation of life, joy and strength of body, mind and spirit! If you FEEL abundant, you will be abundant! If you aren’t feeling it, a Certified Body/Emotion Code Practitioner can help you release any unprocessed negative (trapped) emotions. These emotions can keep you feeling that you don’t deserve abundance in your life.
