Community News
Home Alone? Who is Checking on You?

This is a challenging time for many as our lifestyles are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Social Isolation, especially among seniors, is a growing problem and is associated with a number of health risks. Technology can help us stay connected through social media platforms but not everyone has access or ability to use them. The Nanaimo Lifeline Check-In Service offers a daily phone call to those who might not be connected. We provide a friendly chat that gives peace of mind and ensures someone knows you are doing Ok today. When so many people are obliged to stay at home, this could be the ideal time to sign up.

Sleep is Important for Overall Health

Sleep is a foundational component of our health. Sleep is when we regenerate, repair and heal. We age faster if we are not sleeping well. Poor sleep is known to be linked to increases in diabetes, heart disease and neurodegenerative conditions. Sleep issues are often multifactorial. They can be a combination of poor sleep hygiene, side-effects from medication, stress, eating too late, hormone imbalance, over-consumption of stimulants and excess screen time. If you or someone you know is experiencing poor sleep or insomnia, let us help you develop a customized treatment plan and get you back to feeling energetic and fully rested.

Product Review: RELEAF Stick

ACTIVE RELEAF aims to encourage active wellness through the use of nature’s most powerful ingredients. With a synergistic blend of coconut oil, shea butter, essential oils, and broad spectrum cannabinoid-rich hemp plant extract, ACTIVE RELEAF’s topicals offer a natural alternative for pain relief. Try the Original Formula RELEAF Stick as a reliable remedy to soothe everyday aches and pains. For extra stubborn discomfort associated with joint stiffness, and inflammation, the Extra Strength RELEAF+ Stick is specially formulated to soothe quickly and be long lasting. Apply liberally to affected areas 3 – 4 times a day or as needed.

Tea and Toast Syndrome

“Tea and toast syndrome” refers to malnutrition in seniors when a lack of desire or inability to prepare and/or eat proper meals results in them relying on simpler meals like tea and toast. Seniors who skip meals almost daily, have gained/lost more than 10 pounds in the past six months, take medications, have dental issues, or have a disability can be at risk for malnutrition. Some common signs to watch for include unexplained weight loss, fatigue, memory issues, digestive issues, a weak immune system, muscle weakness, and anemia. There are support services available to help seniors eat well and regularly!

Gambling Outreach Support

If you are looking for support or an alternative to counselling, you can easily access our team of outreach specialists. They can provide support, assist with personal goals and connect individuals and families with harm reduction resources and appropriate services. They are a resource that provides information, support, referrals, and accompaniment to resources, including: *peer support organizations (such as 12 Step groups or Smart Recovery), *online self-help resources, *community support organizations (legal services, housing services, community mental health services, and many others). They can be reached by phone, text messaging, web chat, or in person. All services are free of charge.

Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants are the most natural way to restore missing teeth. They distribute the forces back to the bone where they naturally belong. This is in contrast to partial dentures or bridgework that places the force of the missing tooth on the neighboring teeth, leading to a higher risk to their damage and or loss. As well, the bone where the missing tooth is will continue to shrink away with time. This leads to the loss of bony support on the neighboring teeth adding further risk to their future. The placement of dental implants will actually stop this “bone shrinking” process and preserve, not damage the neighboring teeth.

Benefits of Compounding

Pharmacy compounding offers customized care to meet the specific needs of individual patients. If you struggle to cut prescription tablets in half, they can make it for you in the strength that you require. A compounding pharmacy can combine multiple medications into a single dose, making it much easier to use. They can alter the flavour of medicines, so taking them is a more pleasant experience for both patients and caregivers. In some cases, they can formulate a medications for you that is no longer manufactured commercially. Ask your physician about compounding or talk to your compounding personal pharmacist.

Boost Your Immune System

Boosting your immune system helps keep viruses, such as the Corona Virus and other unwanted intruders, at bay. Negative emotions and feelings such as Fear, Stress, Anxieties, Pain, Guilt, Grief, and Anger lead to physical weakness in the body. In these threatening times, we all need to strengthen our immune system and heal our body. We can do so via emotional and mental balance and happiness which can be achieved with 3D-Healing. 3D-Healing, used since the 1970s by Olympic athletes, is absolutely non-invasive and suitable for all ages, purely positive, uplifting, and healing. Please call for a free, 15 min consultation.

What is Ozone Therapy?

Ozonotherapy or Prolozone Therapy is the use of medical grade ozone, a highly reactive form of pure oxygen, to create a curative response in the body. The body has the potential to renew and regenerate itself. When it becomes sick it is because this potential has been blocked. The reactive properties of ozone stimulate the body to remove many of these impediments thus allowing the body to heal itself. Ozone speeds healing, detoxification and enhances brain function. It activates the immune system; it stimulates damaged joints and degenerative discs to regenerate and it can dramatically reduce many cases of chronic pain.

Residential Care for a Loved One

It is hard to watch the health of your loved one decline. Making the decision to let someone else take over their care is often difficult. It is recommended that you begin the search for a care home before a crisis makes it necessary. Unfortunately, sometimes a medical emergency like a fall, takes the decision from your hands. Look for a place where they deliver genuine care and help residents to live life to its fullest and where they can feel at home. Exercising due diligence when choosing a home will pay off with a lot of peace of mind knowing that your loved one’s physical and medical challenges are met.

Look After the Caregiver

As the Canadian senior population grows, unpaid caregiving becomes more widespread than ever before. Over 4.5 million Canadians play a role in caring for a family member and caregiver stress and burnout is a significant issue. Caregivers need to be honest about how much care they can realistically provide. While most caregivers want to be present 24/7, this is impossible while juggling other family and career responsibilities. Today’s caregivers deserve respect and gratitude. Whether motivated by love, duty or simply a selfless desire to help others, they play an invaluable role in the care of our senior population.