Newsletter Issue 3 – June 2005

Is It Alzheimer Disease?

A 20 year old doesn’t worry about Alzheimer Disease when she forgets an appointment, or looses her keys but her 65 year old grandmother does. This “worried well” syndrome, common among today’s seniors, is a stark reminder that the incidence of Alzheimer Disease and related dementias is on the rise. By 2031 an estimated 750,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with some form of dementia.

Memory loss is just one of the warning signs a person may notice. Familiar tasks may become more difficult. Finding the right words to use, misplacing things, getting lost or becoming confused about time or place are other early signs of dementia. Impaired judgment, personality changes, mood swings, difficulty with problem solving and loss of initiative are other things to watch for.

A person experiencing any of these symptoms should go to their doctor to rule out other possible causes such as depression, thyroid or heart disease, infections, drug interactions, alcohol abuse or dehydration.

If it is Alzheimer Disease or some other form of dementia, what then? While there is no cure early treatment may keep the person functioning at a higher level for longer.

It takes time to come to terms with the meaning of such a diagnosis. Planning for the future is an important step. Powers of attorney and wills need to be in place. If the person drives he should plan for future alternate means of transportation. The family should seek the necessary resources to support themselves and their loved one. Good communication is important. It’s never too early for family members to start talking to the person with dementia and to each other about present issues and future concerns.

It’s also never too early to call the Alzheimer Society for information about dementia, care giving and coping strategies. Their resource library, support groups and counseling services are available at no cost. They can also link individuals with other community resources. If you or someone you know has Alzheimer Disease or a related dementia call The Alzheimer Society of Grey Bruce today at 1-519-376-7230.

Tobermory Information Fair

The information fair held in Tobermory on May 2nd was a great success. In the morning there was a wide variety of service providers there. This provided the community with a one stop shop, so to speak, of information on health, crafts, youth, senior information; they even had a message therapist! Lunch was served at noon and in the afternoon, group discussions were held with guest speakers and a slide presentation. We look forward to next years fair!

Spring is here, flowers are blooming... and the sunburns will soon follow! It is already time to be thinking sun safety! Be aware that the UV rating is totally unrelated to the ambient temperature. In other words, it can be quite cool out, but on a clear cloudless day the UV rays can be strong enough to inflict a nasty burn. From April to September, the UV rays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. can be strong enough to cause serious harm to your skin. Especially during this time of the day, some special precautions should be taken for prevention of burns. Cover up your skin with lightweight clothing and a hat, and put sunscreen on the parts of your skin that are left exposed. (Taken from Public Health Website)

VON SMART Program update

The VON SMART program training is being held in Wiarton from 16 May to 27 June. This training is open to all individuals wishing to further their fitness instruction skills and is targeted to help seniors with functional limitations. There will be another round of training in late September if you are interested. If you wish to participate in the program; it is expected to start in the fall.

Unfortunately, the Lion’s Head location may be changed due to the fact that there were no volunteers registered for training this session. Hopefully, volunteers will register for the September session so that this program might be available in Lion’s Head.

Are you interested in taking on-line computer courses? If so, go to www.cfdlearn.ca to review the courses. There are a wide variety of courses for business oriented and retired seniors. Fundraising raising fundamentals, board orientation, community development, customer service, Microsoft Word and Website development are a few courses that are available. If you are 55+ and live on the Bruce Peninsula you are eligible to take these courses through us. The courses are free of charge and are available until 31 December 2005. Contact our office either by phone (793-3781) or E-mail.

Story Corner

IF

IF you can start the day without caffeine or pep pills.
IF you can be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains.
IF you can resist complaining & boring people with your troubles.
IF you can eat the same food every day & be grateful for it.
IF you can overlook when people take things out on you when, through no fault of yours, something goes wrong.
IF you take criticism and blame without resentment.
IF you can face the world without lies or deceit.
IF you can conquer tensions without the help of medicine.
IF you can relax without alcohol.
IF you can sleep without the aid of drugs, then you are probably a dog!

Easter 2004 Living Well
Submitted by Dodie Elliott

Now that the warmer weather is here, we decided to do something different for our coffee connection in Lion’s Head. We went out for lunch on May 25th to Cape Chin Country Connection. The day was beautiful and the food was great! On the way home we stopped at Pottery by Ben. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and we will be organizing another outing very soon.

2005 has been declared as the Year of the Veteran!

Marking the 60th Anniversary of the end of the
Second World War.

June is Brain Injury Awareness Month

Go to www.obia.on.ca to view their website. You can donate your Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum points to a variety of charities.

Is a passport necessary to the U.S.?

Passport Canada encourages Canadians to have a passport. The U.S. Government has initiated the (WHTI) as follows: When transiting the U.S. en route to the Caribbean, etc. by 31 December 2005. All citizens that will enter the U.S. by air or sea on 31 December 2006 and by land on 31 December 2007.

If you would like further information contact the passport office at 1-800-567-6868 or Larry Miller’s office at 371-1059. Passport applications are couriered by Larry Miller’s office every Friday afternoon.

June is Senior’s Month

In appreciation of our seniors, Seniors Connect will have an open house on 22 June from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Anglican Parish Hall in Lion’s Head. Refreshments and light snacks will be served. Come join us!

Upcoming Events

Seniors Connect open house — 22 June, Anglican Parish Hall – 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Drive Wise Seminar — 21 June, Happy Harbour Club – Potluck at 6:00 p.m. – seminar at 6:45
Drive Wise Seminar — 14 July, Friendship Club – Pot luck at 5:30 p.m. – seminar at 6:15
Drive Wise Seminar — 21 July, Lads & Lassies – Potluck at 6:00 p.m. – seminar at 6:45

Drive Wise is a free educational seminar to give seniors a shopping basket of safe driving strategies. It will show you how to take preventative measures against the most likely causes of collisions and will give advice on what to do when involved in a collision. If you wish to attend one of the above seminars and do not belong to these clubs, please call our office to register.

Health Note:

Scientific studies have recently pointed to the counterintuitive conclusion that the more zzz's you catch, the thinner you’re likely to be. Yes, you burn fewer calories when you’re asleep, but lack of sleep plays havoc with hormones that affect hunger. Lack of sleep may decrease the hormone leptin, which is the hormone that tells the body it’s full. When leptin drops, you don’t know enough to stop eating. Lack of sleep also increases the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates appetite. So the less sleep you have, the hungrier you feel. Now scientists are studying how lack of sleep may fit into the obesity puzzle in other ways.

Taken from 50Plus magazine, June 2005