Here are some home security tips from the RCMP’s Seniors Guidebook to Safety and Security.
• Conduct a security check of your home to determine possible entry points and any weaknesses they may have. • Keep all entrances and garages well-lit at night. • Don’t leave tell-tale signs that you are away, such as leaving your curtains undrawn at night, or an absence of a car in the driveway.
• Install good locks and always use them. • Install a wide-angle viewer in your front door which allows you to see visitors before you open the door. • Never open a door to strangers without credentials. • Change your routine often. Burglars often watch activities in a neighbourhood. • Mark valuable items for identification. The operation identification program has been developed by police to assist people in marking their property.
• Keep valuables in a safety deposit box at your bank. If this isn’t possible, keep them locked up in a reasonable hiding place in your home.

Did you know? Comox Valley Senior Support is now providing outreach services to the Cumberland 50+ Drop In on the first Friday of each month from 10 till Noon. That’s right! CVSS staff are striking out into the community to trial outreach supports. We are starting with Cumberland, but plan to expand outreach to all the outlying communities by mid-2023.
If you know of a place where CVSS might be a good fit, please contact Chris at [email protected].

There is still a significant period of unpleasant weather ahead this winter. Please think of isolated and vulnerable seniors in your community who may need assistance in inclement weather. If you are unable to assist them yourself, please help them connect with CVSS and we will help them find what they need.

The Board of Directors and Staff of Comox Valley Senior Support wish everyone a calm and healthy 2023! Moving into a new year provides an opportunity for us to acknowledge the remarkable community that CVSS works with. Thanks to the community for its incredible support and entrusting CVSS to work with seniors who call the Valley home. The ongoing relationships CVSS enjoys with LUSH Valley Food Action Society, Better at Home, Geriatric Support Services, Community Health Services, the Comox Valley Transition Society, the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness, United Way BC, Driving Miss Daisy, Home Instead, the Comox Valley Presbyterian Church, Comox Valley Dodge, St. John the Devine, and so many more all highlight the power of collaborative community efforts. We thank the 120 volunteers who work with CVSS, supporting 300 seniors per month, providing their skills, commitment, passion, and their time. To our community’s most fabulous residents, the hundreds of seniors we come across every year… Thank you for letting us assist you. We look forward to continuing to see you with you in 2023.

Many older adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia enjoy and want to be included in holiday festivities. However, the added activities could cause increased agitation and confusion, unpredictable behavior, or mood swings. To create a stress-free, happy holiday season, try to scale things back and modify activities so they’ll feel calm and safe. Focus on a few of the most meaningful traditions. Ask which activities they value most. That could mean trimming the Christmas tree, lighting the menorah, singing songs, or baking special holiday treats. Even if your older adult might not remember these holiday activities later, the warm feelings they’ll have is a different kind of memory their body will carry for a while.

The Board of Directors and Staff of Comox Valley Senior Support wish everyone a peaceful holiday season. As we move through the final days of 2022, we would like to thank our community for its incredible support and entrusting CVSS to work with seniors in the Comox Valley.

As Christmas nears, please think of isolated and vulnerable seniors in your community when considering charitable donations. Comox Valley Senior Support provides supports to seniors year-round in a number of ways, but the requests for support always become more urgent as the Christmas holidays approach. While donations are always appreciated, they are especially needed at Christmas time.

Mobile sports betting is becoming normalized in our society. Advertisements abound, as do apps and opportunities to play. Unlike traditional parlay betting on 2-3 games and waiting for the outcome of a game, modern sports betting is usually done on a phone app that includes single games, in-game, and prop betting options. These micro-bet opportunities and early cash out features mimic day trading behaviours and language. If your play is based on emotions and reactions with little time to reflect before you place that bet, it might lead to problematic gambling. Take a break. Tap out. Avoid bet regret.