Community News
Grandparent/Grandchild Relationships

How close are you to your grandchildren? Are you in regular contact with them? Many do not live close enough to each other to meet in person so it is lucky that technology such as FaceTime, What’s App and Zoom has made it easier to build a relationship with grandchildren from far away. There are health benefits to establishing these relationships. One study published in “The Gerontologist” as well as other studies show that grandparents who are part of their grandchildren’s lives perform better on cognitive tests and have sharper minds. Many reports feeling younger and being more interested in the world around them.

Help to Remain in Your Home

As we age, it may become more difficult to stay in our own home and enjoy an independent lifestyle. Home care services can help. There are a range of services available including; companionship, homemaking services, personal care and nursing care. These services are easy to initiate with a phone call. At an appointed time, a nurse who adheres to all safety protocols comes to your home to provide an assessment of your needs. This assessment is free with no obligation to purchase. One or more of these services can help you remain in the comfort of your own home.

Community Partnerships & Resources

At Wellnessnews Choices for Healthy Living®, we are proud to be active in our communities. We promote events and activities that help bring health and well-being into people’s lives. This month, we have partnered with the Victoria HarbourCats and the Nanaimo NightOwls Baseball Clubs, The Victoria Goddess Run and the Aging Well Seniors Expo in Cowichan. Our health and wellness resources include our printed newsletters, our online WellnessHubVancouverIsland.ca, the “Wellness Wednesday” radio show on CHLY 101.7 FM or CHLY.ca and our Expos. Check out the Hub for more information and to enter our June contest.

Self-care Is Important

Seniors can benefit from incorporating self-care into their daily routines. Self-care activities include; *Choosing healthy foods, * Daily exercise, *Interesting hobbies, *Spending time with others, *Taking time to relax and *Getting enough sleep. For seniors, having a routine and ongoing self-care support from others is vital. Habits are easier to maintain with consistent actions. Others can support your self-care goals by encouraging you to keep them up if you feel discouraged. They can also help you find ways to overcome any limitations that may arise as you age or walk alongside you as you build these routines into your life.

An Antioxidant Powerhouse

In the spectrum of nutrition, berries rank near the top, and among berries, none are more nutritious than the Aronia berry. That’s because powerful antioxidants in Aronia berries remove harmful free oxygen radicals from cells. Research shows that in diabetics, Aronia berry juice reduced blood glucose, and its extracts reduced inflammation and improved immunity. An extract of Aronia berries injected into highly malignant brain tumor cells killed malignant cells within 24 hours without harming healthy cells. And in hard-to-treat cancers, combining Aronia with chemotherapy improved the effectiveness of conventional drugs.

Train for Everyday Activities

Functional Training is a classification of exercise which involves training for activities performed in daily life and is designed to help individuals move and perform better in their everyday activities. These types of exercises typically involve the use of your full body and multiple muscle groups, and consistent adherence can lead to a range of benefits including improved energy, body composition, metabolic function and sleep, and decreases in fat mass, stress, depression and risk of lifestyle diseases. At F45, we do Functional Training. Trial memberships are available.

Complete Dental Care

Taking care of their patients’ teeth for life is important at the Westshore Dental Centre. The dental practice is devoted to restoring and enhancing the natural beauty of your smile. They offer a broad range of services, including: *Routine family dental care including cleaning, *Cosmetic dentistry, *Zoom!®/Sapphire™ bleaching and *One-appointment Crowns. For the comfort of their patients, they offer oral or IV sedation and a TV on the ceiling. Understanding that some patients may feel uneasy about their dental visits, the entire team is dedicated to providing excellent, personalized care and service to make your visits as comfortable and pleasant as possible.

Computer Vision Syndrome Relief

This syndrome (CVS) causes eye issues from the use of computers and other digital devices. Painful symptoms include *Eye irritation, *Blurred vision, *Headaches and *Muscle fatigue. Luckily, CVS is not permanent but it can affect your quality of life. To help alleviate CVS, rest your eyes at least 15 minutes after every 2 hours of computer use. Every 20 minutes, look into the distance at least 20 feet away from the computer or digital device. You are more likely to have CVS if you have other eye issues, if you need glasses or if you wear the wrong prescription for computer use. We can help.

Clean Eating Recipe

“Crisper” Chopped Salad with Tahini Dressing: 1/4 cup lemon juice. 2 tbsp olive oil. 2 tbsp tahini paste. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1/2 tsp each ground cumin and sea salt. 4 cups any combination chopped ‘crisper’ vegetables, such as celery, cucumbers, carrots, fennel, cabbage, radishes, broccoli and/or cauliflower. 1 cup halved grape tomatoes. 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed. Directions: Whisk together lemon juice, oil, tahini paste, garlic, cumin, and salt. Toss with chopped “crisper” vegetables, tomatoes and chickpeas. Tip: Substitute chickpeas with lentils, and for a little spice, add a pinch of cayenne to dressing. Sprinkle salad with za’atar seasoning.

Join Today!

Brella Society allows individuals to stay engaged in the community even if it is from the comfort of their own home. We offer programs that stimulate individual’s cognition, provide emotional support, food security and have them engaged in physical activities. Our priority is the well-being of the seniors in our community; therefore, we take initiative in advocating for them and assisting them in navigating support. Visit ComeShare.ca or SHAREvirtually.com for a list of our programs and events.