Community News
Supporting our Seniors

As we head into winter the possibility of extreme weather must be considered. Snow and/or significant rainfall with high winds are common occurrences here in the eat coast of Vancouver Island. In the event of extreme weather please be sure to check on your senior neighbours to ensure that they are safe and warm.

Take Care of Your Mental Health

Taking care of your mental health is essential for overall well-being. Here are some ways to prioritize and maintain good mental health:
Stay Connected: Maintain strong relationships with friends and family. Social support is crucial for mental well-being, and talking to loved ones about your feelings can be therapeutic. Practice Self-Care: Prioritize self-care activities that make you feel good physically and emotionally. This might include exercise, a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing. Set Realistic Goals: Set achievable goals for yourself, both short-term and long-term. Accomplishing these goals can boost your self-esteem and sense of purpose. Manage Stress: Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as practicing mindfulness, yoga, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy. Learning to cope with stress is essential for good mental health.
Limit Screen Time: Excessive screen time, especially on social media, can negatively impact mental health. Set boundaries for screen use and make time for face-to-face interactions. Stay Active: Regular physical activity has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health. Exercise releases endorphins, which can improve mood and reduce stress. Get Adequate Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Poor sleep can exacerbate mental health issues. Practice Gratitude: Focus on the positive aspects of your life and practice gratitude. Keeping a gratitude journal can help shift your perspective towards positivity. Engage in Relaxation Techniques: Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or visualization to manage anxiety and stress. Seek Professional Help: If you’re struggling with your mental health, don’t hesitate to seek help from a mental health professional such as a therapist, counselor, or psychiatrist. They can provide you with guidance, therapy, and, if necessary, medication.

Join Our Team: Be a Catalyst for Change!

Are you passionate about making a meaningful impact in your community? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable seniors? Comox Valley Senior Support Services is on the lookout for people like you to join our dynamic team as a Board Member. Why Join Us as a Board Member?
• Drive meaningful change within our organization and community.
• Hone your leadership and organizational skills to make a lasting impact.

We Are Looking For:
• Diverse perspectives – we value diversity in thought, background, and experience.
• Commitment – A willingness to commit time and energy to our mission.
• Passion – A genuine passion for our cause and a desire to see change. For more info and how to apply: Check out our website: https://comoxvalleyseniorsupport.ca/volunteer/ Or call: 250-871-5940

Getting Seniors Online

About 71% of seniors are online every day. Of those who are online, their main reason is to stay connected with family and friends. Whether it’s joining forums or sharing photos and stories with loved ones, social media and email allow seniors with limited mobility the opportunity to interact with others. If you’re interested in getting online but don’t know where to start, community centres and local senior groups often have programs to teach seniors about the internet and how to participate in online communities. It is important as we age to continue to stay socially connected to friends and loved ones.

Screening for Oral Cancer

Regular screening for oral cancer is an important step in detecting the disease and starting treatment as soon as possible if there is evidence of cancer. During the oral exam, your dentist will check various parts of your mouth, as well as your face and neck, for any indications of potential oral cancer. You can also report any concerning symptoms to your dentist at any time, including bleeding, a sore throat that won’t go away, swelling, lumps or lesions, unexplained loose teeth, ear pain, difficulty swallowing or chewing, burning or numbness, or difficulty moving your tongue or jaw.

Alzheimer’s & Home Safety

If you are part of a family that includes a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease, it’s important to remember that one of the keys to aging at home is doing so safely. Safety at home begins with adapting the environment to support the changing abilities of the person with Alzheimer’s. Tips to help safeguard the home include: Install safety latches/locks on the doors and fenced/gated exteriors; Limit access to knives and harmful chemicals; Install grab bars for safe movement; Keep furniture in the same spot to avoid confusion; Install alarms on the doors, and store car keys in a locked container.

Community Announcement

NOVEMBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN MANITOBA
THE ISSUE
Intimate partner violence (IPV), also know as spousal or domestic violence is a prevalent form of gender-based violence (GBV). It refers to multiple forms of harm caused by current or former intimate partner
or spouse. Children who are exposed to IPV have serious impacts, and is considered a form of child maltreatment. IPV can happen in many forms of relationships including:
• Within a marriage, common-law, or dating relationship
• Regardless of the gender and sexual orientation of the partner
• At any time during a relationship even after it has ended
• Whether or not partners live together or are sexually intimate with one another

IT IS A GLOBAL PROBLEM: The World Health Organization (WH0) identifies IPV as a major global public health concern, and a pervasive public health, human rights & development challenge. It affects millions of people, resulting in immediate long-lasting health, social and economic consequences. Its effects reverberates through families, and across generations. It is a leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults in most parts of the world. Exposure to IVP increases individual’s lifelong vulnerability to a broad range of emotional, behavioural, and physical health problems. IPV directly effects health care expenditures, & indirectly national and local economies worldwide.(WHO).

Denture Fit and Health

Improperly fitting dentures can cause mouth damage, including blisters, sores, cuts, and scrapes. These injuries lead to inflammation, bleeding, and increased risk of infection. Ill-fitting dentures may also hinder chewing, resulting in poor nutrition and health problems. Jaw pain caused by poorly fitting dentures can lead to headaches and earaches due to inflammation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). A misaligned bite affects facial muscles, leading to TMJ pain and temporomandibular disorder (TMD). TMD limits mouth opening, impacting eating, speaking, and oral health. Book your yearly exam to make sure your dentures still fit you perfectly.

Mental Health in the Workplace

Recently, society has made big strides in understanding mental health. Yet, one area that needs attention is mental health at work. Although things are improving, talking about mental health at work is still tricky. This can lead to silence and misunderstandings. It’s really important to change this and make a workplace where everyone understands, cares, and works well together. The Struggles We Don’t See. Many more people struggle with mental health than we think. It affects millions globally. However, because of the shame around it, lots of people feel like they have to hide their problems, especially at work. They’re scared of being judged, treated badly, or hurting their careers. This forces them to suffer in silence, hurting how they feel and how they work. What Happens When We Ignore Mental Health.
Ignoring mental health at work doesn’t just hurt individual workers; it hurts the whole company. Studies show that when workers feel good mentally, they do better at their jobs. If we don’t help with mental health issues, it can lead to less work getting done, more time off, and more people quitting their jobs. These problems cost a lot of money, and businesses can’t just ignore them. Changing How We Think.
To get rid of the shame around mental health at work, we need to change how everyone thinks. It starts with the bosses. Leaders and managers set the tone for how everyone feels about mental health. If they show that mental health is important and create a place where people can ask for help, workers will feel better about getting help when they need it. Talking About It. We need to encourage people to talk openly about mental health. This is a big step to ending the shame. When workers can talk about their mental health without worrying about what will happen, they’re more likely to get help early. This stops things from getting worse. Training that teaches workers and bosses about mental health, its signs, and where to get help can make a big difference. Being Flexible. It’s important to have flexible rules at work to help with mental health. Letting people take time off for their mental health without feeling bad about it shows that you care about how they feel. Having flexible hours or letting people work from home can also help those struggling with mental health take care of themselves while doing their jobs. Finding Help. Companies should offer ways for workers to get help with their mental health. Things like counseling, employee assistance programs (EAPs), and activities to help with wellness can really help. If companies make these things normal, it won’t feel like asking for help is weak. People will see that mental health is as important as physical health. Leading by Example. When bosses and managers talk about their own mental health, it sends a powerful message. It shows that mental health struggles are normal and getting help is a sign of strength. This can make a big difference in stopping the shame and making everyone feel supported. Checking How We’re Doing. To have a healthy workplace, we need to keep working on it. We need to check how well our mental health programs are working and make them better. Asking workers what they think and keeping an eye on things like how often they miss work or leave the company can show us how we’re doing. Good for Everyone. Ending the shame around mental health at work helps everyone. Workers can feel better, work better, and enjoy their jobs more. Companies benefit too, with more work getting done, fewer people leaving, and a better reputation. In the End. Taking care of mental health at work isn’t just a nice thing to do. It’s also really smart. Companies that care about their workers’ mental health do better in many ways. To stop the shame, we need to keep working on it, teaching people about it, and creating a place where everyone feels safe. This helps everyone have a better future.

Local Spotlight: Monarch Family Therapy

At Monarch Family Therapy, we offer a variety of therapeutic and educational services for children, adults, families, and professionals across Manitoba and provide an inclusive atmosphere that welcomes all identities and abilities. We provide children and their parents/caregivers opportunities to build connection and healing with an emphasis on developing secure attachment relationships. Areas of support include: Attachment & Parenting; Grief & Loss (death, divorce, child welfare involvement/foster care, ambiguous loss); Complex Developmental Trauma/Childhood Trauma; Emotion Regulation (ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing & Trauma); Behaviour Challenges (home/school/community); Sensory Processing Disorders; Developmental Delays; Depression & Anxiety; Adoption; Abuse, Neglect & Child Welfare Involvement; Children in Care & Permanency Planning; and Developmental Assessments by our on-site occupational therapist.