Community News
Communication Tips for Dementia

1. Set a positive mood. Use warm facial expressions and tone of voice to help convey your message and show your feelings of affection.
2. Listen with your ears, eyes, and heart. Be patient in waiting for your loved one’s reply. Watch for nonverbal cues and respond appropriately.
3. Remember the good ol’ days. Reminiscing is a soothing activity. Many people with dementia may not remember what happened 30 minutes ago, but they can clearly recall their lives 30 years earlier.
4. Laugh a little or a lot! Use humour whenever possible. People with dementia tend to retain their social skills and are usually delighted to laugh along with you.
Alevtina (Alia) Tuhari, Reliable Home Care Agency Inc., ReliableHomeCare.ca

RAPID Adhesion Release Technique

RAPID Adhesion Release is a new soft tissue movement-based therapeutic technique that addresses the central nervous system’s role in releasing tension and restrictions within muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. Over-used muscles from acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc.), accumulation of small tears (micro traumas), and not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia) can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue, which binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. Muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped, causing reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain, as well as tingling, numbness, and weakness. Brent Konantz, Ortho., RMT LCSP C PED (C), HealthWest Prothotics, MyHealthWest.com

Financial Fitness

Many of us have multiple income streams from side businesses or part-time/seasonal jobs. It’s important that we track multiple income streams properly to ensure we don’t end up with a large bill at tax time. One way to do this is to use a spreadsheet that includes the following categories: Employer, Gross Income, Income Tax, CPP, EI, and Net Income for each stream of income. Total all streams so that you can calculate the total earnings, tax, CPP, and EI deducted so far. Then determine what the actual deductions should be based on the combined income. The Canada Revenue Agency has a Payroll Deductions online calculator that is useful for this (http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/esrvc-srvce/tx/bsnss/pdoc-eng.html). A qualified accountant can also help with any questions you might have.
Brian Denysuik, CREDITAID.ca

No “Quick Fix” for Hearing Concerns

There’s more to hearing loss than just hearing aids. The growing market for over-the-counter amplification devices has concerned the Speech-Language and Audiology Canada (SAC) and Canadian Academy of Audiology (CAA) associations. According to these associations, hearing loss can be affected by a number of factors such as earwax, genetics, illness, medication, trauma, noise exposure, and age. Determining the underlying cause of one’s hearing loss through a complete hearing assessment should be the first step in your hearing healthcare. Purchasing an over-the-counter amplifier ignores the possibility that further medical assistance may be necessary. Don’t self-diagnose. If you have questions about your hearing, see a certified hearing specialist. Enhanced Hearing Centres, EnhancedHearingCentres.com

How to set SMART fitness goals

What better time than the New Year to set goals? SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. These are the qualities that help to create a fitness goal that is more easily achievable.
Specific: be very specific in your goal setting – what is it that you want to achieve?
Measurable: it is important to set goals that you can measure – how will you track your progress?
Attainable: set a goal you know is realistic – it’s not wrong to want to dream big, but setting lofty goals can sometimes set you up for disappointment!
Relevant: goals need to be relevant – why is achieving this goal important to you?
Timely: ensue that you don’t give yourself too much time to accomplish your goal – too long of a timeline and you might get bored and give up!
For more information on how to set SMART goals, come chat with one of our trainers!

Set Intentions, Fulfill Your Dreams

People set intentions on all kinds of dreams. When you set an intention and then act on it to demonstrate your commitment, amazing things occur. Intention can also give us fortitude for dealing with tough times. I am currently rebuilding my home. I simply wanted to add on a new bathroom, but with all the surprises an old house can offer, every turn has been a shock, sometimes even a nightmare. My intention is to live through this process with dignity and grace. I am tested daily. It’s often not easy, but this intention has helped me maintain composure, sanity, and on a good day, a sense of humour.
Rev. Anne Ahokangas, Spiritual Director, Centre for Spiritual Living Winnipeg, CSLWinnipeg.org

Medication-Related Falls among Seniors

According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada, falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospital visits among Canadian seniors. Between 20% and 30% of adults 65 and older have at least one fall per year. Medications are increasingly being recognized as contributors to falls, and common problematic medications include opioids, sedatives, anti-depressants, cardiac medications, and hypoglycemic agents such as insulin. It is important that seniors and their caregivers are aware of possible side effects of medications, and that correct dosages are given and any negative drug interactions are avoided. A pharmacist can assist in determining how and when to use medications to help avoid injury from falls.Source used: https://www.ismp-canada.org/download/safetyBulletins/2015/ISMPCSB2015-12_Falls.pdf. Care at Home Pharmacy, CareAtHomePharmacy.ca

Sciatica? Try Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the treatment of choice for sciatica, an excruciatingly painful condition. The sciatic nerve is the largest in the body; it carries sensory and motor information down to the legs. Most people present with a sharp pain running down the back of the upper thigh and, in very severe cases, reaching the foot. It can also involve a pain that runs down the side of the leg or, less often, the front of the leg. The exact position of the pain determines the choice of the acupuncture points to be used. The longer you put up with the pain, the more muscles and structures are affected, and the more treatment is required. Straight to the Point Community Acupuncture, Sttpca.com

Book Club:

The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact
by Chip Heath, Dan Heath
Many of the defining moments in our lives are the result of accident or luck—but why would we leave our most meaningful, memorable moments to chance when we can create them? The Power of Moments shows us how to be the author of richer experiences.

Where Is Love?

You’ve decided enough is enough. You have plenty going for yourself and you want to share your life with someone special but where on earth are you going to find them? Times have changed. We live in an electronic world but computers don’t have hearts and you don’t know if the person behind the screen is authentic. You have asked your friends and coworkers if they know anyone right for you and you have been insulted by who they have suggested! A matchmaker specializes in finding love for people who are looking for one special partner. An effective matchmaker meets with all potential clients in person and determines who the right person is for them. A criminal record check should be conducted on each client. When choosing a matchmaker it is important that you work with a service that has been in business for quite some time and has many success stories. Lianne Tregobov, Camelot Introductions, Camelot Introductions.com