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 that 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.
Community News
Grief Can Be Confusing
Grief can catch us in surprising ways. When someone dies, our reaction may be gentle and accepting — or it may be unexpectedly unsettling. Our relationship with the person who has died may come up for reconsideration in uncomfortable ways. Old family concerns can arise, for example. Siblings may have had quite different experiences and argue about how the family story gets told. We may need to grapple with who this person really was, including the difficult parts of them. Counselling is a safe and neutral place to explore loss and find a story that makes sense.
Community Profile – Soul Comfort
Soul Comfort Sheepskin, Sheep’s Wool & Hemp has been dedicated to creating natural wool products for more than 38 years. Wool’s natural healing qualities have been known by holistic practitioners around the world for centuries. Soul Comfort’s goal is to spread the word to healthcare professionals and patients that health-grade wool offers both preventive medicine and pain relief. They have extensive knowledge of the benefits of wool and are always learning more to help create even better products for you and your loved ones. Soul Comfort is continuously committed to bringing you the finest quality sheep’s wool products.
Holiday Blues?
For most people, the Christmas holidays are a time of celebration and good cheer. Unfortunately, not everyone feels the same way at this time of year. For some, the holidays can be a sad time if there has been a past trauma or if they are depressed. If you feel sad, lonely, or become depressed during the holidays, don’t struggle alone. Talk to your health care professional or reach out to family and friends. If you don’t feel you can share your situation with anyone you know, call a support line. Help is a call or text away. 14-Hour Crisis Line in the Comox Valley: 1-888-494-3888.
The Right Footwear for Your Foot Type
There are 3 general foot types and there is a right type of shoe for each. Over-pronators (flat feet or fallen arches) would benefit from a motion-control shoe. These are made of a stiffer material, correcting normal heel-to-toe mechanics, as well as helping maintain the dome shape of the arch. Supinators (high arches) would benefit from a cushioned/neutral shoe. This type of shoe is much lighter and focuses on cushioning the foot. Normal pronators (medium arches) would want to look for a stability shoe. This shoe is the lightest and has arch support only on the medial aspect of the shoe. The proper shoe makes all the difference!
Acupuncture and Seasonal Affective Disorder
Are you suffering from the Winter Blues? The cold, dark and damp days of winter can literally dampen your energy. Acupuncture has been proven to be an effective treatment for depression, without the unwanted side effects. Acupuncture needles move energy throughout the body, releasing endorphins and improving the flow of energy throughout the body, while eliminating blockages and bringing balance to the mind and body. Endorphins counter the symptoms of depression and allow the person to resume a normal life. Do you or somebody you know suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or depression and are looking for a natural way of dealing with it? Don’t hesitate to reach out for help.
Words to Live By
Christmas magic is silent. You don’t hear it — you feel it. You know it. You believe it. Kevin Alan Milne
Words to Live By
Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love. Hamilton Wright Mabie
Book Club
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. by Angela Duckworth. In this must-read book for anyone striving to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth shows parents, educators, students, and business people, that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called “grit.” Winningly personal, insightful, and even life-changing, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that—not talent or luck—makes all the difference.
Words to Live By
Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most. Ruth Carter Stapleton
Healing Cell Signaling
The human body has between fifty and three hundred billion cells. Inside every cell, we have mitochondria (some cells have thousands). Mitochondria, when functioning properly, produce redox signaling molecules. Cell signaling carry life-sustaining messages to cells, and your cells respond to those messages, keeping you alive and healthy. As we age, cell signal weakens they can disrupt gene expression. But if you had a way to regulate gene activity with redox signaling molecules, cellular communication would remain strong. Our bodies heal on a cellular level, and the genetic instructions that dictate healthy body function don’t get through without redox signaling.
