January 2010 Senior Living Magazine Vancouver Edition

FORMER OLYMPIAN

Vancouver’s 50+ Active Lifestyle Magazine

JANUARY 2010

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Embrace the Journey - A Care Giver’s Story

Allow two weeks for shipping.

To order, please send cheque for $19.84 ($14.95 plus $3.95 S&H & GST) payable to Senior Living. Please include your clearly written ship-ping address and phone number.MAIL TO: Embrace Book Offer c/o Senior Living 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1

Are you a Care Giver or expect to be one? You are not alone!

Valerie Green’s personal story as a care giver to her elderly parents is the most rel-evant book on “aging in place” I have read to date. It provides a powerful insight into the challenges faced by every care giver. It unveils the challenges, heartaches, struggles and agonizing decisions that often need to be made along the way. If you are currently a care giver, or anticipate being one in the near future, this book is a must-read. - Publisher Barbara Risto, Senior Living magazine

96 pagesSoftcover 5.5” x 8.5”Price $14.95

JANUARY 2010 1

MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2010

FEATURES 4 Top of the World1972 Silver Medalist Karen Magnussen is hopeful the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver will feature more Canadian world champions to join the winners’ circle.

8 Co-Housing: NOT a hippie communeCo-housing maximizes the creation of positive and sustained human relationships.

12 City of DreamsBeautiful Barcelona offers something for everyone – and more!

15 Happy FeetWith increasingly active lifestyles, more and more people are complaining of tired and achy feet.

18 The Coin TossVolunteer extraordinaire Dora Jellema owes her happy life in Canada to chance.

22 Finding Jack LondonTravel journalists Rick and Chris Millikan follow an historic trail in search of a prolifi c writer.

26 Listen Up!Hearing loss is expected to become more prevalent in a plugged-in world.

30 Cut Calories, Live LongerCan a modest lifestyle lead to a longer life?

DEPARTMENTS25 BBB Scan Alert28 Crossword29 Classifi eds

COLUMNS 2 The Family Caregiver by Barbara Small

3 Forever Young by William Thomas

20 Ask Goldie by Goldie Carlow

29 Between Friends by Doreen Barber

32 Refl ections: Then & Now by Gipp Forster

Cover: Karen Magnussen, Canada’s only medalist in the 1972 Winter Olympics. Photo: Kevin McKay

Senior Living Vancouver is available at most Recreation Centres and Libraries in the following municipalities:

• VANCOUVER • BURNABY • NEW WESTMINSTER • WHITE ROCK • NORTH VANCOUVER • LADNER / TSAWWASSEN • PORT MOODY • COQUITLAM • PORT COQUITLAM • SURREY • RICHMOND • WEST VANCOUVER • LANGLEY

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Call 1-877-479-4705 for other locations.MAGAZINE

(Vancouver & Lower Mainland) is published by Stratis Publishing.

Publisher Barbara RistoEditor Bobbie Jo Reid [email protected] Jackie Asante, Doreen Barber, Goldie Carlow, Ann Clement, Gipp Forster, Thomas Hoy, Aimee Hughes, Nadine Jones, Kevin McKay, Chris Millikan, Rick Millikan, Lynda Pasacreta, R.A. Propper, Barbara Small, Aileen Stalker, William ThomasProofreader Allyson MantleAdvertising ManagerBarry Risto 250-479-4705For advertising information, call [email protected] Sales Staff RaeLeigh Buchanan 250-479-4705Terry Cushing 250-479-4705 Ann Lester 250-390-1805Mathieu Powell 250-589-7801Contact Information – Head Offi ceSenior Living Box 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1Phone 250-479-4705Toll-free 1-877-479-4705Fax 250-479-4808E-mail offi [email protected] www.seniorlivingmag.comSubscriptions: $32 (includes GST, postage and handling) for 12 issues. Canadian residents only.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without writ-ten permission from the publisher. Senior Living is an indepdendent publication and its articles imply no endoresement of any products or services. The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. Unsolicited articles are welcome and should be e-mailed to [email protected] Senior Liv-ing Vancouver & Lower Mainland is distributed free in Vancouver, North & West Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Delta, Twawwassen, White Rock, Surrey, Cloverdale and Ladner. ISSN 1911-6373 (Print) ISSN 1991-6381 (Online)

2 SENIOR LIVING VANCOUVER & LOWER MAINLAND

the same team, and to sort out what needs to be done. It can also be an opportunity for current concerns to be aired and miscommunications to be cleared up.

Here are some suggestions for how family members can work together when caregiving:

• Start early. Clarify tasks and responsibilities. Be con-crete, specific and ensure eve-ryone has interpreted the plan the same.

• Have one person (usu-ally the primary caregiver) be responsible for co-ordinating what needs to be done and for keeping family members in the loop.

• Let others know their help is both wanted and needed.

• Be realistic in your expectations as to what each person is able to do.

• Express appreciation to each other for the help each is able to provide.

• Expect and accept differences of opinion and reactions and find ways to compromise. Keep in mind that everyone has the right to his or her own feelings and point of view. You can agree to disagree and still complete the caregiving tasks as needed.

• Take a moment to recognize what is old conflict and what is related to the current situation. Try to put aside long-time grudges for now so everyone has the energy to deal with caregiving.

Next issue: Can you prepare in advance to be a caregiver?

THE FAMILY

CAREGIVERFamily Dynamics and Caregiving

Barbara Small is the Program Development Coordinator for Family Caregivers’ Network Society located in Victoria, BC. www.familycaregiversnetwork.org

BY BARBARA SMALL

SL

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Providing care for a family member can bring out the best – and the worst – in everyone involved. People can come together to support each other or

the stress can lead to frustration and conflict between family members.

Past dynamics and family roles often re-surface when dealing with the stress of caregiving. All those old issues and unresolved tensions can often re-emerge.

Important to keep in mind is that everyone will respond to the situation in his or her own way. Frustration can occur if you expect other people to feel or act the same as you. Every-one in the family comes with a different history and perspec-tive; a different relationship with the person who is ill; and a different comfort level with illness and the associated emotions.

Also, family members each have their own strengths. Some will excel at the personal care aspect of caregiving, while others cringe from it. Others may thrive by doing housework, gardening, repairs or dealing with finances. Let people work in the areas where they shine.

Even when two people are both doing the same duty, they may still do it differently. How you provide personal care to your spouse may be different than how his sister does when she relieves you. Different does not mean wrong. Ask your-self whether it is really worth butting heads over.

Family meetings are important for keeping everyone up-to-date regarding the care-recipient’s health, as well as to delegate duties. The goal at these meetings is not to re-solve long-time family issues, but to ensure everyone is on

Everyone in the family comes with a different history and per-spective; a different relationship with the person who is ill; and a

different comfort level with illness and the associated emotions.

JANUARY 2010 3

Santa Claus

centric circles, while members of the opposing team use their brushes to keep the stone away from the goal.” Beauti-ful! Group goaltending. This is not only an inaccurate description of the game, it’s wishful thinking for the evolution of curling as a real sport.

I’ve always said the guys standing around leaning on their brooms should attack the guy throwing the rock until they beat it out of his hand. They could then pass the stone off to a speedy winger breaking down the sheet beside them, which is being used by the ladies from the local senior’s home. I real-ize this could, in many circumstances, cause action! But that’s the risk when we wake people up out of a coma on a slippery patch of ice. Mayhem, trip-ping, boarding, high brooming, kilt hik-ing, tam twirling, skip to the loo plus a fi ve minute major for fi ghting – this is the future of curling, a blood sport the whole family can enjoy.

Think of it – Tonya Harding as the enforcer skip, knee capping all eight fi -nalists in the Brier with her trademark iron shafted broom.

There are now 1,000 regular curl-ers in Russia and the reason seems to be, according to the organizers, that their winters are so long. Let me say, no winter, not even one that exclusively involves penguins, polar bears and a magnetic pole is long enough to justify curling. Honestly, I’d sooner ice fi sh with no bait.

FOREVER

William Thomas is the author of nine books of humour including Margaret and Me about his wee Irish mother. www.williamthomas.ca

Curling – a casualty of the cold war resurrected

BY WILLIAM THOMAS

SL

My views on the sport of curling are well known. I’d like the curling rinks

used for hockey and curling itself played outdoors on rivers and lakes where the ice is natural, smooth and thin.

I was fi ne with curling until they started to televise it and push real sports off the air on Sunday afternoons. Watching curling on TV is like setting up bleachers to watch the boys from the post offi ce deliver the mail.

I never minded curling as long as the sport was contained and played in places where children would not be ex-posed to it. But now that it’s spread to the world’s largest country, it’s unfair to everyone, especially the Russians.

In my mind, one of the few good outcomes of the 1917 Bolshevik Revo-lution, which left Russia in a commu-nist deep-freeze for 74 years, was that they banned the sport of curling. Along with golf, the Bolsheviks forbid the “bourgeois pursuit” of curling.

Say what you will about commu-nism but, for the better part of the last century, Russians were spared the sight of gaudily dressed men and women chasing large rocks and running after tiny white balls. A police state? Yes, but until now relatively “silly free.” Lenin was always Russia’s leading lefty but he was never once a skip!

In Russia, you saluted the hammer and sickle; a curling broom earned you a one-way train trip to the gulag. A tad harsh, but any nation that punishes its people for going into a freezing build-ing on a cold day to throw rocks into a circle called a house cannot be all bad.

Alas all good things must come to an

end and since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, curling has reared its tartan and tammed head again in Rus-sia. Although boring, curling is physi-cally demanding.

It wasn’t enough that the Scots ex-ported the game to Canada, where its athletic endurance and end-to-end ex-citement immediately matched the other popular Canadian pastime – napping.

Now, thanks to the participation of a ragtag Russian women’s rink at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, curling is hot in Moscow and other places where they apparently have not yet heard of television.

The Russians have put their own im-print on the game of curling. Much like ice dancing, all scores at Russian bon-spiels will also be fi xed. Of course, for a population who spent the better parts of their lives standing in lines only to fi nd nothing left when they got to the front – curling at least does not disappoint.

The Ice Planet, Moscow’s fi rst curl-ing rink, is part disco, part cocktail lounge, part curling rink. The game is being sold to neophyte curlers as “hip, stylish and fashionable.” Fashionable? No, sorry. I once went to a game of curl-ing in Thunder Bay and a bout of butt cleavage broke out among guys who were not even plumbers. Curling is not a fashion statement. In fact, No Snore Nose Strips can, in many cases, control the statement made by curling. When the fi rst Olympic curler tests positive for drugs, trust me, it’ll be caffeine.

A report in the Moscow Times, de-scribed curling as “two teams whose members use a long brush to push a 19-kilogram stone toward a series of con-


Top of the World STORY AND PHOTOS

BY KEVIN MCKAY

JANUARY 2010 5

»In February 1972, the dreams of

an entire country fell onto the shoulders of a petite 18-year-

old girl. Canada was not doing well at the 11th Winter Olympic games in Sap-poro, Japan. And as each day passed, more pressure mounted on young Karen Magnussen.

“The pressure was outstanding,” she recalls. “It’s a long program, and every day I came out of the Olympic Village with the press just down my throat re-minding me that no Canadian had won anything. Everybody was so downtrod-den and everyone was saying ‘it’s all up to you.’ I was thinking ‘stop telling me this.’ I felt more pressure there than at any other competition I was ever in. But I kept telling myself to stick to the plan and focus.”

One thing Karen had going for her was that, despite her age, the Sap-poro Games were her second Olympic competition. Four years previously, she had competed as a 14-year-old in Gre-noble, France. She fi nished in a very respectable seventh place for one of her fi rst major international competitions.

“The knowledge I got from skating in those fi rst Olympics was really vi-tal in carrying me through to the 1972 Games,” says Karen. “It grounded me and allowed me to stay focused on what I had to accomplish. Since I had been through it once, I was a little more seasoned. Had 1972 been my fi rst Ol-ympics, I would have really felt all that pressure. When I won the silver medal, it was a huge accomplishment because it was the only medal won by Canada in the 1972 Olympics in any sport.”

The other Canadian Olympians must have suspected something special would result from Karen’s performance as she was coming off a third place fi n-ish at the 1971 World Championship.

“I was voted on by my peers to car-ry the Canadian fl ag,” she says. “I un-derstand now that it’s like some freaky thing, and many athletes don’t want to carry it because they are afraid it will jinx them. I just felt it was a tremendous opportunity. And being voted on by my peers – the whole Canadian team – [it] was such an honour.”

During Karen’s skating career, the

marking system changed three times, but in 1972 at the Olympics, it consist-ed of two parts each worth 50 per cent of the skater’s score. Beatrix Schuba held the lead by such a wide margin af-ter completing the compulsory fi gures that even though she fi nished seventh in the free skate, she still managed to claim the gold medal. This meant the best Karen could hope for was the silver medal she captured after nailing the free skate portion of the competition ahead

of her American rival Janet Lynn. “Trixie Schuba was a fabulous

compulsory fi gure skater,” recalls Karen. “She did the circle eights just unbelievably. They marked her so high on her compulsory fi gures because her free skating was so poor compared to Janet and me.”

Karen developed quite a rivalry with Janet Lynn – one that lasted all the years they skated competitively – but she’s quick to point out that it was a

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one-sided fight. “We battled back and forth, but I

always beat her,” says Karen. “The Americans presented her as ‘the medal-ist,’ but they never said what medal. It was presumed she had beaten me, but I beat her every year.”

The year following her Olympic silver, Karen completed her journey to the summit, winning the World Figure Skating Championship in Bratislava, now part of Slovakia, but then part of Czechoslovakia. This was the cul-mination of a four-year ascent at the Worlds. In 1970, she finished fourth, and then moved up one spot every year until winning the championship in 1973, which is the way figure skating seemed to work in those days.

“In the skating world, you had to im-prove consistently all the way up,” she says. “And that was how you showed the judges, by your progress and your willingness to work hard.”

In 1973, there were three events, the compulsory figures, the short skate and the free skate. Karen won each of

the three events, which meant she was awarded three gold medals, one of only two women to ever achieve this feat. And her timing was excellent.

“Figure skating was one of the last sports to give out solid-gold medals, and the year I won was the last year they did. Now, they are in a safety deposit box.”

Most Canadians who saw Karen’s world championship free skate do not real-ize how fortunate they were. The satellite feed was going to go down and Karen was in the final group, which still had not skated.

“Johnny Esau had to pay the Zamboni driver to go faster, so they could show me on television in Canada.”

But this was nothing compared to what Karen had to go through to see her

world championship performance more than 20 years later. ABC covered the event on their Wide World of Sports show and after the event, Dick Button told Karen that they had lost the tape of her performance.

“They told me it wasn’t in the archives,” says Karen. “So, for 20 years every time someone from Canada wanted to see my per-formance or get a copy to put on the air, they were told it couldn’t be found. I told this to someone who was in-terviewing me years later in Boston and they went to New York where they had a friend at the network and found a copy, so I could finally have one. It was quite a thrill watch-

ing myself and thinking, ‘Wow! It was some pretty good skating!’”

Karen had come a long way from her first time on ice at Kerrisdale Arena as a young child. The eldest of three girls, Karen surprised her mother by leaving her support behind almost at once and

skating well for a beginner. “The minute I stepped on the ice, I

wanted to figure skate,” she recalls. “There was no question. My pas-

sion was for figure skating right from the get go. I used to be banging on the doors of the North Shore Winter Club at 5:45 in the morning for the mainte-nance guy to let me in. Honestly, there were 25 to 28 figure skaters there every morning at that time.”

Coach Linda Brauckmann worked with many of the skaters there, and stayed with Karen up until she won her world championship title. Karen looked up to Linda and was greatly influenced by her along the way.

“There was a great loyalty to coach-es then,” says Karen. “It takes a good 10 years for the technique of a coach to come through and, when it does, it’s really quite beautiful.”

Karen started competing at the age of seven. Her first was at the Kerrisdale Arena. She won. From there, she was identified as a skater with talent, but she didn’t win them all.

“There were some pretty ugly skates and some pretty ugly place-ments,” Karen recalls. “But I learned from those even more than I did from the events I won because I had to step

“My passion was for figure skating right from the get go. I used to be banging on

the doors of the North Shore Winter Club at 5:45 in the morning for the mainte-

nance guy to let me in.”

JANUARY 2010 7

Reflections,Reflections,��

�

and Other Breakfast Foods

A Collection of Published & Unpublished Writings

by Senior Living Columnist Gipp ForsterMAGAZINE

Limited Edition

A collection of Gipp Forster’s published columns in Senior Living magazine, with other unpublished writings thrown in for good measure. A unique blend of humor and nostalgia, Gipp’s writings touch your heart in such an irresistible way, you will want to buy not only a copy for yourself, but as a wonderful gift for friends and family members.

128 pages Softcover • Published by Senior Living

REDUCED Price: $10.00

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A Great Gift Idea!

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“Reflections” MAIL-IN ORDER FORM

Reflections, Rejections, and Other Breakfast Foods

Please allow two weeks for shipping.

Mail to: Gipp Forster Book Offer c/o Senior Living Box 153, 1581–H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1

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SHINGLES

back and analyze where I went wrong and learn from it.”

Another important lesson came from her father. Karen noticed many of the other skaters bringing stuffed ani-mals to competitions so, one day, she decided to bring one of her own. Just before she left the house, her father asked her where she was going with the stuffed animal.

“I told him I was bringing it to the competition and he said, ‘what hap-pens if you don’t skate well? Is it the stuffed animals fault or is it yours?’ I left it home, and it was quite a lesson learned. What matters is what you do out there as an athlete.”

Today, Karen lives in North Van-couver with her husband Tony, her two boys and one daughter. She stays busy coaching skating at the North Shore Winter Club but no longer is she only coaching fi gure skaters.

“I absolutely adore it,” she says of coaching. “I love the kids. And I have diversifi ed into working with hockey players, and I love that as well.”

Of her own meteoric rise to be the best fi gure skater in the world, Karen had plenty of help – loving and sup-portive parents, an understanding high school principal and an amazing coach. But the drive came from within.

“I loved the speed [of skating],” says Karen. “I loved to go fast with big fast jumps and fast spins. Despite that, I was known as a skater who could do it all because Linda coached me in all aspects of fi gure skating. It wasn’t just that I was a good compulsory fi g-ure skater. I was good in the speed, the jumps, the artistry and that’s what ended up winning me the world cham-pionships.”

Karen is a huge supporter of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver and remains hopeful some young skat-er may be inspired to become a future world champion.

“Barbara Ann Scott and Petra Burka were the only Canadian World Cham-pions before me and there have been no women since,” she says. “When we get together, we always have a great time. It’s a nice little club, but we certainly hope to make the club bigger!” SL


Bumper stickers may try to convince the masses that “Whoever dies with the

most stuff wins” but by now most have figured out that possessions don’t bring happiness.

After extensive interviews, the 2005 groundbreaking book, “Re-vi-sioning Retirement” concluded that the key to a long and satisfying life is a supportive social network.

Unfortunately, today most people live many kilometres and perhaps a world away from their families. In-creasingly, neighbourhoods and cho-sen lifestyles don’t contribute to so-cialization with neighbours. Social interaction often requires driving a distance and spending money in order to mingle with other people. Tradition-al forms of social support people once took for granted – family, community and a sense of belonging – now must

be sought out.Co-housing is

the result of envi-sioning, design-ing, arranging and building the “box-es” that society lives in, in a way that maximizes the creation of positive and sus-tained human re-lationships.

A Co-Hous-ing community usually has 20 to 30 smaller residential units grouped around a common green space with shared facilities for social-izing and sharing meals. The resi-dences “look inward” with their pub-lic face oriented toward the common green space with private spaces in the

back of the units. Parking is on the outside of the community to make the inside area more inviting.

Hundreds of Co-Housing develop-ments already exist in North America. In such developments, before the ar-

Co-Housing: NOT a hippie commune

BY THOMAS HOY

Phot

os: A

nn C

lem

ent

Gerry Kilgannon in the garden behind her house at the Yarrow Ecovillage

Working together in the back garden

JANUARY 2010 9

chitect puts pen to paper or the con-tractor puts a shovel in the ground, the people who want to live there fi rst meet to make sure the “human” issues are fully addressed. To facilitate this, workshops are held to encourage peo-ple to clarify their requirements, espe-cially around the often unspoken needs for social contact and support.

The social, as well as physical, cen-tre of a Co-Housing Community is the Common House, which features a large kitchen and dining room where people can share a meal or relax over a cup of coffee in front of the fi replace. In addi-tion, there are rooms for activities such as exercise, kids play, arts and crafts; store rooms for the residents’ extra be-longings; workshops for the handypeo-ple; laundry rooms; and even a couple of spare bedrooms for visitors. All this means homeowners can substantially reduce the space (and purchase price) of their individual unit.

Co-Housing isn’t a commune for superannuated hippies: people own their units and manage their own fi nan-cial affairs. The communities attract people from all ages and backgrounds, including singles, young families, and seniors. Most are university educated

and work in a variety of fi elds.

Seniors usually enter between the ages of 55 and 65 when they feel able to actively contrib-ute to the development of the community. Most look forward to the idea

of aging in place. Ann Clement and

Gerry Kilgannon are two senior co-housers living next to each other at the Yarrow Ecovillage (YES), southwest of Chilliwack.

“I had retired from the big city to an acreage on Salt Spring Island fi ve years ago,” says Ann. “I had lots of friends there but I wanted to have in-teraction with people as a natural part of my daily life, not to have to phone ahead to make an appointment and then drive over to see them. I wanted to be able to relate to people in a spon-taneous, unprogrammed way.”

“And keeping up the house and the grounds on my own was getting a lit-tle too much work. When I came to YES, I was looking for a place where I »

could contribute my time and talents in creating something, where my contributions would be ap-preciated.”

Gerry came to learn about Co-Housing through a book she read – a Christmas gift from her children.

“When I was near retiring from my government job my kids gave me Chuck Durrett’s fi rst book on Co-Housing and I was immediately hooked,” says Gerry. “His ideas about living in community really resonated with me. I wanted to help create some-thing meaningful. When a group of people started to talk about building

Co-Housing: NOT a hippie commune

Seniors usually enter between the ages of 55 and 65 when they feel able to actively contribute to the development of the community.

Electrician Kurtis is ready to get to work on a project


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the Windsong Co-Housing community in Langley in the mid-’90s, I immediately got involved.”

“I loved the community at Windsong, but I had grown up on a farm and liked gardening and being away from the hustle and bustle of the city, so I was one of the first to join the Co-Housing community at the Yarrow Ecovillage.”

But for both ladies, living in community has meant changes in how they relate to others.

“Before I moved in, my biggest concern was how I could balance my strong need for privacy with the presence of so many friends and neighbours passing by right outside my door,” says Gerry.

“But from the very start, we all agreed on some very simple rules: if we had the kitchen blinds closed then that meant that we didn’t want to receive any visitors just then. With all the facilities, it is easy for one spouse to be out so-cializing in the Common House, working in the workshop or puttering around in the garden, and the other to have his/her ‘quiet space’ in their own unit.”

For Ann, the most challenging – and rewarding – aspect of Co-Housing is human interaction.

“Being able to take initiatives that encour-age and inspire other people without undercutting them. Living in community, the consequences of our actions are more immediately apparent,” she says. “It is nice to be able to make mistakes and then feel free to follow through to rebuild the relationship. This really gets to the heart of liv-ing in community. Here, people are more able to step back and learn from their experiences, to work together and in so doing fine tune their communications.”

Gerry agrees.“What I learned most in my 10-plus years in Co-Hous-

ing has been about communication,” she says. “In life, it is normal to have misunderstandings and even conflicts with people. Ignoring these issues only makes them worse. We cannot always solve them, but the very effort to work on the issues that seem to divide us can often bring us together.”

Robert cleaning in the common house

Preparing a turkey dinner in the community kitchen

JANUARY 2010 11

The community makes decisions at regular meetings about issues such as maintenance, upgrades to common fa-cilities, or community rules.

“I learned a lot about dialogue facilitation and consen-sus building,” says Gerry.

The skills and resources of the members, including elec-tricians, handymen, computer techs, accountants and law-yers, enrich the community.

“None of my grandkids live in the province, so being able to babysit other people’s kids and watch them grow up is very satisfying,” says Gerry.

After moving into Yarrow Ecovillage, Ann penned the following poem “How Shall We Live”:

Husband the sun, Marry the rain, Collect the wind in trees, Grow old with the young.

Someone once said, “We thrive in companionship: lone-liness is the worst experience that a human can have.” SL

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AUGUST 2009 VANCOUVERSenior Living

Special Housing Edition

TO ORDER a copy...Please mail a cheque for $5.25 ($5 plus GST), along with your name, phone number and address, to Senior Living, 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1. We will mail you a copy of this special housing edition upon receipt of payment.

VIEW ONLINE for Free...You can view the complete special housing edition on our website -- look for the Vancouver August 2009 Edition at www.seniorlivingmag.com

Contains articles pertaining to senior housing. Find out more about• senior housing options and alternatives • how to determine what kind of housing is right for you • how other seniors are managing their housing • professionals, services and products available to seniors who are living independently (aging in place) • and much more

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONChuck Durrett is the leading North American expert in the fi eld of Co-Housing design. An architect, he has written several books including The Senior Co-Housing Handbook. A dynamic and entertaining speaker, he will make a public presentation at 7 p.m. on January 15 in room 2/3 at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre, 2499 Mc-Millan Way (north on Sumas Way from the Trans-Canada Highway, right on Old Yale Road, right on McMillan Way) and at 7 p.m. on January 16 at the Kerrisdale Community Centre, 5851 West Boulevard, Vancouver.To reserve a seat or request more information, con-tact Ann at [email protected] or 604-823-0232.

For more info on Co-Housing, visitwww.cohousingco.comwww.cohousing.cawww.yarrowecovillage.ca

Good buddies Kurtis and Chris


Somewhere around the third century BC, legend has it the father of Hannibal, Hamil-

car Barca, founded the city of Bar-cino named after his family. Another legend says Hercules founded the city 400 years before the building of Rome. Somewhere along the line, the city be-came Barcelona, now firmly settled into the 21st century as the second largest city in Spain, capital of the semi-au-tonomous province of Catalonia and its fashion capital.

Many famous artists and architects have lived and worked in Barcelona and their dreams nurtured the life and excitement of the city. Everywhere we went history flourished just a few blocks from where we stood. Roman ruins are exposed under the Plaça del Rei, and the layout of the old histori-cal centre: Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter) of Barcelona retains the typical Roman city grid-planning style. Barcelona’s cathedral, also known as the Basilica de La Sue, was founded in 343 and has remnants of Roman walls embedded in

its structure. Fought over for centuries by the Visigoths, Moors and Christians, Bar-celona’s art and architecture is a living trail of cultures that passed through the city as history unfolded.

Outdoor cafés thrive throughout the city, and some are world famous. Take the café “Four Cats” or Els Quatre Gats. This café opened in 1897 and also operated as a hostel, cabaret, pub and restau-rant. Around the turn of the century, Four Cats became one of the cen-tres of Modernisme or, as we know it, art nou-veau. The bar had revolving art exhib-its including one of the first one-man shows by Pablo Picasso. The bar closed in 1903 because of the owner’s debts. In 1989, a group of restaurateurs reopened it. Today, you can enjoy the café’s crea-tive atmosphere while dining, and im-

agining Picasso arguing with Dali and Miró about the finer points of painting.

Art nouveau’s influence abounds throughout the city – from store win-dows to whole buildings – especially in the work of architect Antoni Gaudí.

City of Dreams

STORY AND PHOTOSBY R.A. PROPPER

Street Angel – a performing artist on Las Ramblas

JANUARY 2010 13

»

Gaudí designed many architectural works in Barcelona and became syn-onymous with the city. His Cathedral of the Sacred Family (Sagrada Familia) was his greatest work. Gaudí died in 1926 with the Cathedral unfi nished. Drive by the Cathedral today and see scaffolds, cranes, and workers still fi n-ishing Gaudí’s grand dream.

Did you know that the Eiffel Tow-er was originally to have been built in Barcelona for the 1888 World’s Fair of lights and new technology? Time was too short so, voila, it was built in Paris for the next World’s Fair. The Fair’s grounds are still there, but turned into a park with the same street lights that illuminated the Fair in 1888 – and they still work!

One of the earliest submarines was built in Barcelona. The Ictineo II was originally constructed in 1862 from the plans of Narcís Monturiol i Estarriol (1819-1886), and the original Ictineo II navigated the waters of the Port of Barcelona. The Ictineo II was the fi rst vehicle of its time to submerge and nav-igate below the surface of the water. A full-size replica of the sub can be seen at the harbour.

Christopher Columbus stopped at Barcelona’s harbour after his discovery of the new world, and there is a statue in the city of the great explorer shown pointing his fi nger in the wrong direc-tion. He is pointing toward India, which he assumed he discovered – America was the other way.

Hotels in Barcelona range from fi ve stars to modest. For example: the Hotel Continental Barcelona on Las Ramblas Avenue is a modest hotel overlook-ing the broad avenue and costs about $150 dollars a night and includes all meals, with food and espresso available mostly throughout the day. Many other hotels have similar deals. Las Ramblas Avenue, a major thoroughfare, is also the stage for many street performers. Night and day, Las Ramblas is alive with crowds of pedestrians meandering down this long delightful street.

There are many places where both tourists and city dwellers mingle. Fam-ilies with kids watch puppet shows and eagerly grab balloons given out

by performers. Seniors chat with their friends on park benches fi tting in with the city’s am-bience.

Barcelona’s old city of narrow streets can be diffi cult to navigate. A ride on a modern day super rickshaw is the best way to tour this part of the city. The bicy-cle driver/tour guide, can easily pull over for a quick shot of a monument or street scene. It’s no limousine, but at bicy-cle speeds, the small bumps are hardly noticeable and passengers are at eye level with pedestrians.

Barcelona has the only pre-modern-ist arch in the world that doesn’t cel-ebrate a military victory; Arc de Triomf built in 1888. Speaking of arches, the architect who designed France’s Arc de Triomphe also designed a townhouse in

City of Dreams

Barcelona. If you happen to be travel-

ling along the Carrer de Provença, you might run by the Casa Milà, otherwise known as La Pedrera, an amazing apart-ment house designed by Antoni Gaudí, built 1906 to 1910. Located at 92 Pas-seig de Gràcia, it was originally built for the Milar family, a wealthy patron of Gaudí‘s. Much of its interior had

Casa Batllo by Gaudi


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HAPPY FEET

been abandoned and allowed to deteriorate, but it has been restored and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Free concerts are held on the roof every day from 7-9 p.m. Programs consist of jazz, classic, piano and other spe-cial events.

For an unusual outdoor experience, visit Parc Güell, an extraordinary architectural outdoor environment designed by Gaudí, originally part of an unsuccessful real estate project and named for Count Eusebi Güell. The site was a rocky hill with few trees and little vegetation. Gaudí’s intention was to enhance the beautiful views from the site. Today, it is one of the premiere places to visit and enjoy in Barcelona, taking lei-surely walks through the complex seeing Gaudí’s buildings integrated into the wide expanses of open space.

Barcelona is full of attractions. Good public transportation is available and is recom-

mended. Special bus tours are also offered, as well as the metro. Museums are plentiful, including a special one just for Picasso. The El Parc de Collserola is a preserve of Mediter-ranean forests of pine and oak trees with fields of rockrose, heather and broom.

Montjuïc, a hill overlooking the city, has many fine art galleries. On the north side of the city, the Plaça de Braus was a former bullring that now features various performances and where The Beatles played in 1966. Behind it, lies Parc Joan Miró named after the famous artist. The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya has an extensive collection of Roman-esque art. La Font Màgica, the largest fountain in Barcelona, features free musical shows on summer evenings. The Centre d’Estudis d’Art Contemporani is Barcelona’s tribute to Joan Miró, the greatest Catalan artist of the 20th century and has the largest single collection of his work.

If we could stay six months in Barcelona, we still couldn’t see and do all that Barcelona has to offer. After all, a city that has its history written in millenniums defies easy understand-

ing. The dream still lives and thrives, and will do so long into the 21st century.

Trixi taxi driver/tour guide and prospective tourists

Sculpture on the corner of 4 Cats Café building

SL

JANUARY 2010 15

According to artists’ depictions, humans’ bipedal an-cestors had problems with flat feet, and seemingly had very large big toes. So perhaps present-day foot

problems began as far back as life in the cave. Though feet form platforms for mobility, stability, and can help keep people fit and trim, it seems people and their feet have had a few issues over the millennia.

For instance, for hundreds of years Chinese women had their feet bound as a status symbol, and the wealthiest were carried around on litters because walking was difficult. Today, many people would like to be carried around on litters because of foot pain.

Dr. Roy Mathews, DPM, a Vancouver- and New Westmin-ster-based podiatrist started his studies in the Kinesiology De-partment at Simon Fraser University and is now employed at their Athletic Department. He took further studies in Chicago and finished his residential surgery in North Hollywood before opening his practices in l997.

Dr. Mathews estimates that seniors account for about 50 per cent of his patient list. Their numbers are increasing rapidly be-cause of a rise in the population of active seniors, who are no longer satisfied with sedentary lifestyles.

“Tired and achy feet” is the most common complaint among older Canadians. The causes of these problems are many and diverse.

Pronation and supination are terms that describe the motions of walking. Pronation allows feet to absorb the shock when walk-ing, but flat feet distribute that shock unevenly, which can lead to overpronation. Overpronation (ankles rotating inward) can cause misery. Most of the stress with flat feet is caused by the inner part of the foot taking most of the pressure. This, of course, causes the knee, hip and often the rest of the body to become unaligned. Technology, used to find out how the foot strikes the ground with each step, is no longer confined to elite medical offices, but is now becoming increasingly accessible to all.

“Foot mapping is a relatively new technique in which the pressure points of [a patient’s] feet are noted, making the correct diagnosis for orthotics more precise than ever before,” says Dr. Mathews. There are pharmacies in Metro Vancouver that now feature foot-mapping kiosks, which measure each foot’s unique characteristics and recommends the most appropriate orthotic.

However, Dr. Mathews cautions, Buyer Beware. “Many [consumers] think that because they have gone into a shoe store and been fitted with orthotics by salesclerks wearing white coats, they were qualified foot specialists.” Instead, people can be duped into paying ridiculously high prices for the same products they could have bought for a fraction of the cost at their local pharmacy. Dr. Mathew’s suggests visiting a local podiatrist, if a good off-the-shelf orthotic doesn’t bring noticeable relief.

Incorrectly diagnosed foot problems and the wrong orthotic insert may cause irreparable damage. And sore feet can dampen

lifestyles. Walking is touted as the least expensive and most effective remedy for all sorts of physical ailments, but if walking is modified because of pain, further damage can en-sue and normal activities curtailed - often resulting in weight gain, which presents another set of problems.

Afflictions such as ingrown toenails, flat feet, nerve pain caused from diabetes, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis and bunions are a few of the problems feet encounter, which can worsen with age.

“The main cause of tired, achy feet described by seniors can often be due to the fact that older people will go around the house in bare feet or slippers without support,” says Dr. Mathews. “Strong, structured sandals for indoor wear are ideal. Our feet need support - at every age.”

The instruction to “use it or lose it” is often quoted by Dr. Mathews in his diagnoses because “not only structure (pro-vided by good footwear) but strength is important.”

Persistent foot pain as soon as a person gets out of bed in the morning is a sure sign to “look at the soles of your feet,” advises Dr. Mathews. “Any areas you notice that are red or sore looking may be signals your feet need professional care and attention.”

So don’t delay! Call your podiatrist today and say, “I have Happy Feet.”

HAPPY FEET BY NADINE JONES

SL

Dr. Roy Mathews applies plaster casts

for a patient suffering from plantar fasciitis.

Phot

o: J

acki

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ante


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Many people look forward to their retirement years so they can sit back, relax

and enjoy their time of leisure in peace and contentment. Not Dora Jellema. Af-ter retiring from nearly 30 years as a busy physiotherapist at Royal Colum-bian Hospital, Dora had other plans.

Ironically, she started her volunteer career at the very hospital she worked at for close to three decades. She claims this came about because the Columbian has an entrance where the old emergen-cy ward had been.

“My former boss retired the year before me and he stayed involved,” says Dora. “When I retired, he thought I might enjoy volunteering in the small gift shop and helping to direct visitors at this satellite entrance. It was quieter than the regular gift shop and became a place where people would stop to chat. I have been there since 1989.”

The gift shop is not the only place Dora has volunteered at the hospital. She is now in the new Resource Cen-tre, which offers health information along with material available on the Internet. In November, she escorted a group of 10 high school students on a tour through the hospital as part of Take-Your-Kids-to-Work day.

A job vacancy at the Royal Colum-bian Hospital was what brought Dora to British Columbia in the first place. She had been working in Hamilton, Ontario when she applied for an opening as a physiotherapist at the RCH. She landed the job and started work there in 1960 at the tail end of a polio epidemic. At the time, she was the only physio work-ing in the wards. Because of the polio, she spent a lot of time working in the isolation ward until those patients were transferred to a rehabilitation hospital.

“The doctors were very insist-

ent that if these people were going to get well, they needed to listen to their physio, so that made me feel very good,” recalls Dora.

While helping a host of patients over the years, Dora watched the department grow to a staff of 16 physiotherapists by the time she retired. During the early years, the work quickly started to get more complicated.

“After the freeway opened with close access to RCH, we started to see more trauma cases with spinal injuries, burns and amputees be-fore special care units for them were developed in Vancouver,” says Dora. “We had to treat them until they could either move on to GF Strong for reha-bilitation or be discharged home. We had a feeling of really making a dif-ference and contributing to the qual-ity of their lives.”

Dora treated Rick Hansen for a short

The Coin Toss

STORY AND PHOTOBY KEVIN MCKAY

Hostess Dora Jellema at the

Dogwood Pavilion in Coqutilam.

JANUARY 2010 19

up to be a hostess at the front desk, greeting people and help-ing at events, something she still enjoys twice a month after nearly 20 years.

In 1994, Jill Rowledge, then director at Dogwood, called a meeting to explore ways to make the centre more welcom-ing to new Canadians. Dora was at that initial meeting and has been secretary of the multicultural group ever since. “We meet monthly and the goal is to help everyone accept each other and their different cultures. We go on outings and have one big event each year with food and entertainment from around the world. Some come to improve their English and many of those people wind up volunteering at the centre. We have language buddies to speak with them.”

One of the great successes of this multicultural commit-tee is the Living in Harmony article that Dora writes for the newsletter six times each year. In the column, she high-lights points of interest and items to illuminate aspects of different cultures.

In addition, she also serves as a peer counsellor to fellow seniors who need to talk.

“One of the highs of my life now is volunteering as a peer counsellor and helping other people cope,” says Dora.

Dora’s life in Canada, along with her husband Theo and their two sons began as a game of chance. She says, “I was glad the fl ipped coin brought me [here] because Canada has given me a good life, and it’s good to be able to give some-thing in return during my retirement.” SL

time, after his spinal injury brought him to RCH. He became a paraplegic from a traffi c accident, on the way home from a fi shing trip in the B.C. Interior. She remembers him as an angry, frightened teenager whose athleticism and strong character pulled him through to the role model he is today. But there was a long process to go through fi rst at RCH, then on to GF Strong Rehab Centre.

In time, Dora became the head of the physiotherapy de-partment and, eventually, she was asked to open a tempo-rary Extended Care Unit for patients who were waiting for placement in care homes. Her team aimed to improve the mobility of these people and it proved very successful, as well as rewarding.

Dora remembers a stroke victim, who, as a young man, had been in the Polish cavalry. One day, his neighbour brought in a suitcase full of newspaper clippings, all about the story of his life.

“There was this great picture of him on horseback hold-ing his sword up,” Dora recalls. “We put it on the wall beside his bed to show the staff what his life had been. This became our policy, to put up a photo representative of the patients life so staff would know these people had a history. They were not just the frail seniors before them. It helped us all to improve our interaction with them and their families.”

Part of the therapy included preparing one meal a week together. Patients enjoyed the slow process: contributing to their own daily life instead of being passive in their care.

But more than the programs or ideas, what stays with Dora are the people.

“There was this woman with totally paralyzed arms from polio who did everything by mouth, writing, paint-ing and so on,” says Dora. “Over years of doing this, she developed neck strain, which I was treating. She was such an outstanding character that when her husband showed up to take her home, he asked for his wife the artist, not his wife the polio victim. This is what inspired me. Their spirit shines through overcoming all kinds of adversity.”

Born and raised in Yorkshire, England to two teachers, she credits them for instilling her interest in the outside world because of their inquisitive minds. During summer vacations, the family would travel all over the United King-dom, visiting museums and historic castles.

Her parents expected her to become a teacher, but her brother’s girlfriend, a physiotherapist, helped steer her ca-reer choice and Dora moved to London to train.

“What I discovered is that doing physio is teaching after all,” says Dora. “You teach people exercises and about ways to overcome their disabilities.”

Once she was established in her career, Dora and a friend sought adventure. They noticed both Canada and Australia advertised for healthcare workers and decided to give it a try. Unable to decide, they tossed a coin and wound up on a ship bound for Montreal – and a new life in Canada.

Shortly after retirement, Dora took out a membership at Dogwood Pavilion in Coquitlam. Once there for a year, she saw how vital volunteers were to senior centres and signed

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��Newsletter for Senior Living Readers

APRIL 2009

��

GARDENING TIPS FOR APRIL(POST WINTER)

Herbal Remedies For Anxiety

COOL WEBSITES TO VISIT

YOUR HEALTH - Herbal Remedies For Anxiety And StressThis has something on wellness, health, may be pharma-ceuticals, cosmetics, herbal options, etc. Put article on website to track[READ MORE]

HOME REPAIRS (POST-WINTER)We will do a section that’s related to home renovations, repairs, etc. Handyman tips, etc. We will put these articles on our website to track them.[READ MORE]

HOW FULL IS YOUR LIFE?This is an inspirational, motivational article designed to be uplifting but thoughtful at the same time. We will put this article on our website to track it.[READ MORE]

YOU’LL WANNA SEE THIS!Something really extraordinary -- like the sand on the ocean, or this month, a car that plunges over an embank-ment in Arizona missing a drop into a ravine by inches.[READ MORE]

COOL WEBSITES TO VISIT (in addition to ours!)Will find interesting places readers can go on the web -- starting with www.iserenity.com and www.howisitmade.com

A CHANCE TO WIN ANDRE RIEU CD OR DVDNo entry necessary - this month every newsletter recipi-ent will be entered in the draw for several CDs and DVDs. More details about prizes. Draw date: April 15/09

TRAVEL ARTICLEWe have an article to put in this issue - RB [READ MORE]

Designed to Inspire, Entertain and Inform.

ADVERTISE HERESize??

ADVERTISE HERE

Size??

FREE LAUGHS

Can write a joke here.

Can we put a link to a pop-up cartoon (pdf), or a link to a funny video on our website?

SUDOKU OF THE MONTH

WEBSITE EXPANSIONThis month you will see some inter-esting INTERACTIVE additions to our website. We will be adding an EVENTS section, where the com-munity can post information about upcoming events. We will also be adding a “social” component called “SPEAK OUT” where visitors can post articles and comments.

A FRESH LOOK to our Readers Newsletter. Tell us what you think...

“ASK A PROFESSIONAL”

RECIPE OF THE MONTHGARDEN TIPS FOR APRIL

ASK A PROFESSIONAL

New articles posted this month:

Article 1 by Advertiser AArticle 2 by Advertiser BArticle 3 by Advertiser CArticle 4 by Advertiser D

WELCOME NEW ADVERTISERES

We welcome these new businesses to Senior Living. It’s because of their sup-port that we can bring you this maga-zine every month. We encourage you, the reader, to let them know through YOUR patronage of their business that you appreciate them as well.

Advertiser AAdvertiser BAdvertiser CAdvertiser D

TITLEThis will be something inspirational, like the Tiger Woods blurb on the Business Newsletter. Blah, Blah, blah....And that’s how I look at my life. I will be better as a golfer, I will be better as a person, I will be better as a father, I will be a better husband, I will be better as a friend. That’s the beauty of tomorrow. There is no such thing as a setback. The lessons I learn today I will ap-ply tomorrow, and I will be better.” -Tiger Woods

TITLEAnother inspiring blurb....personal growth, etc. “If you think of the story of David and Goliath, Goliath is the problem you have currently in front of you. David needed only one slingshot and felled his problem. Then he got to go onto other problems. The point is that each one of us needs to focus that magnifying glass of attention on one specific thing, solve it, then go to the next thing.” - Mark Victor Hansen

My intention is to live forever. So far, so good!

QUICK LINKS APRIL ISSUE BUSINESS DIRECTORY EVENTS BOOKSTORE ASK A PROFESSIONAL SPEAK OUT COMPUTER TUTOR

��Newsletter for Senior Living Readers

APRIL 2009

��

GARDENING TIPS FOR APRIL(POST WINTER)

Herbal Remedies For Anxiety

COOL WEBSITES TO VISIT

YOUR HEALTH - Herbal Remedies For Anxiety And StressThis has something on wellness, health, may be pharma-ceuticals, cosmetics, herbal options, etc. Put article on website to track[READ MORE]

HOME REPAIRS (POST-WINTER)We will do a section that’s related to home renovations, repairs, etc. Handyman tips, etc. We will put these articles on our website to track them.[READ MORE]

HOW FULL IS YOUR LIFE?This is an inspirational, motivational article designed to be uplifting but thoughtful at the same time. We will put this article on our website to track it.[READ MORE]

YOU’LL WANNA SEE THIS!Something really extraordinary -- like the sand on the ocean, or this month, a car that plunges over an embank-ment in Arizona missing a drop into a ravine by inches.[READ MORE]

COOL WEBSITES TO VISIT (in addition to ours!)Will find interesting places readers can go on the web -- starting with www.iserenity.com and www.howisitmade.com

A CHANCE TO WIN ANDRE RIEU CD OR DVDNo entry necessary - this month every newsletter recipi-ent will be entered in the draw for several CDs and DVDs. More details about prizes. Draw date: April 15/09

TRAVEL ARTICLEWe have an article to put in this issue - RB [READ MORE]

Designed to Inspire, Entertain and Inform.

ADVERTISE HERESize??

ADVERTISE HERE

Size??

FREE LAUGHS

Can write a joke here.

Can we put a link to a pop-up cartoon (pdf), or a link to a funny video on our website?

SUDOKU OF THE MONTH

WEBSITE EXPANSIONThis month you will see some inter-esting INTERACTIVE additions to our website. We will be adding an EVENTS section, where the com-munity can post information about upcoming events. We will also be adding a “social” component called “SPEAK OUT” where visitors can post articles and comments.

A FRESH LOOK to our Readers Newsletter. Tell us what you think...

“ASK A PROFESSIONAL”

RECIPE OF THE MONTHGARDEN TIPS FOR APRIL

ASK A PROFESSIONAL

New articles posted this month:

Article 1 by Advertiser AArticle 2 by Advertiser BArticle 3 by Advertiser CArticle 4 by Advertiser D

WELCOME NEW ADVERTISERES

We welcome these new businesses to Senior Living. It’s because of their sup-port that we can bring you this maga-zine every month. We encourage you, the reader, to let them know through YOUR patronage of their business that you appreciate them as well.

Advertiser AAdvertiser BAdvertiser CAdvertiser D

TITLEThis will be something inspirational, like the Tiger Woods blurb on the Business Newsletter. Blah, Blah, blah....And that’s how I look at my life. I will be better as a golfer, I will be better as a person, I will be better as a father, I will be a better husband, I will be better as a friend. That’s the beauty of tomorrow. There is no such thing as a setback. The lessons I learn today I will ap-ply tomorrow, and I will be better.” -Tiger Woods

TITLEAnother inspiring blurb....personal growth, etc. “If you think of the story of David and Goliath, Goliath is the problem you have currently in front of you. David needed only one slingshot and felled his problem. Then he got to go onto other problems. The point is that each one of us needs to focus that magnifying glass of attention on one specific thing, solve it, then go to the next thing.” - Mark Victor Hansen

My intention is to live forever. So far, so good!

QUICK LINKS APRIL ISSUE BUSINESS DIRECTORY EVENTS BOOKSTORE ASK A PROFESSIONAL SPEAK OUT COMPUTER TUTOR

The Coin Toss


ASKGoldie

BY GOLDIE CARLOW, M.EDPhot

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Senior Peer Counselling Centres (Lower Mainland)New Westminster 604-519-1064North Vancouver 604-987-8138Burnaby 604-291-2258Richmond 604-279-7034Vancouver West End 604-669-7339Coquitlam – Tri-Cities 604-945-4480Vancouver Westside 604-736-3588

Goldie Carlow is a retired registered nurse, clinical counsel-lor and senior peer counselling trainer. Send letters to Senior Living, Box 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria, BC V8T 2C1.

Dear Goldie:I hesitate to take issue with you, but feel your Novem-

ber column does not respond adequately to O.L.’s problem when a previous fiancé meets her again many years later and wishes to renew their relationship.

Granted, O.L. was jilted, but wars do impact people’s lives, especially those facing danger and loneliness far from home. They can result in heartbreak and more. Granted, too, that she has neither forgotten nor forgiven but, since she enjoyed his company, I question why the possibility of rapprochement and other options was not considered before suggesting alternative ways to deal with loneliness and a pos-sible new relationship.

The problem is far too complex to be resolved without more information (was there contrition? The whys and hows of the divorce, what sort of life had he led since then? Even what is meant by relationship – it is not necessarily marriage, and exploration of O.L.’s current life).

Perhaps this is the difficulty in a brief column. –D.H.

Dear D.H.:Your last paragraph hits the nail on the head. It is impos-

sible to indicate resolution to a difficult problem in a con-fined space. Occasionally, problems can only be dealt with in a clinical counselling session, as I have stated in previous columns.

I do have to condense my answers. However, when prob-lems are multiple and serious, I reflect on them from various viewpoints before replying. In this particular case, I contact-ed the client, and I assure you all possibilities you mention were explored.

As you state, my “November column does not respond adequately” and perhaps this was not a suitable topic for condensation. Thank you for expressing your concern. I will keep it in mind.

Dear Goldie:

I read with interest the letter in the October 2009 issues of the Senior Living magazine from W.S. expressing concerns about the issue of dividing “non-titled” property, a dilemma shared by many seniors.

Several years ago, when I retired and researched the same issue, I sourced some research and writings from a cross-sec-tion of authors. I ended up putting together a short workshop that I have offered several times at places where seniors gath-er. The workshop is a discussion stimulated by an excellent

practical workbook, which I found in the U.S. and which can be used in a self-guided process. I have an extra copy that I can send to W.S. ($20 postage included – the manual retails for $12.50 US, plus postage of $6.50 US). If it is not useful to her, I will gladly buy it back.

One of the authors of the manual writes:“Almost everyone has personal belongings such as wed-

ding photographs, a baseball glove, a pie plate, a clock or jew-elry that contain meaning for them and for other members of their family. What we’ve learned by listening to families and attorneys is that often the non-titled property is what creates the greatest challenges for families when estates are divided - not the money. When doing real estate planning, families too often talk about the house or the investments; but they forget to plan ahead or discuss personal possessions.”

One of the examples given was:“Just before Anna Krueger was about to enter a nursing

home at the age of 85, she held a family gathering to discuss who should gather personal belongings. With each of her four children gathered, Anna shared family history and stories that went with the important possessions in her life, wishes were expressed, and decisions made. When Anna died six months later, her children not only held onto her possessions, but they also cherished the stories of her life. By making inheritance decisions ahead of time (about non-titled possessions), Anna also prevented disagreements about who should receive what items.”

I hope this is helpful. –A.G.

Dear A.G.:Thank you for the information regarding the manual

workshop for seniors who are involved with dividing non-titled personal property. This certainly is a troublesome issue, especially in large families. It is truly amazing to discover what some descendants deem valuable when grandparents or great-grandparents die.

I am quite sure some senior groups wishing to hold a workshop for their members will contact you. Their volun-teers are asked to help elderly clients with these concerns and this manual could prevent many headaches and even lasting feuds in their families. SL

JANUARY 2010 21

Mail to: “To Move” Book Offer c/o Senior Living Box 153, 1581–H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1

If you are a senior who has been wondering lately whether you should consider moving - either because you find the maintenance of your current home more difficult due to diminishing ability or energy, or you simply want a lifestyle that allows you more freedom and less responsibility - then this is the book that can help you ask the right questions and find the solution that is right for you.• What residential options are available?• Define your current situation - What residential option is right for you?• How to research and assess Independent and Assisted Living residences.• What do Independent, Assisted Living and Complex Care facilities have to offer?• How much does it cost to live in an Assisted Living residence? What subsidies are available?• Thinking of moving in with family members? Questions to consider before making your decision.• Are there any other residential options besides Independent, Assisted Living and Complex Care facilities?• If you choose to stay in your own home, what are your options and what should you plan for?• Who can help you decide what you can or cannot afford?• Funding sources available to seniors - tax deductions, housing subsidies, home care subsi-dies, equipment loan programs, renovation grants, etc.• Selling your home - how to find the right realtor or relocation services to assist your move.• Downsizing - Where do you start? How do you proceed?• Adapting your home to meet your mobility needs - tips and suggestions• Hiring home care services; do it yourself or hire an agency?• Legal matters - how to make sure you receive the care you desire should you not be able to communicate due to some incapacitating condition• AND MUCH MOREAdvice from professionals who are experts in the area of assisting seniors with their relocation questions and concerns. A handy reference guide for seniors and their families wrestling with the issues around whether relocation is the best option. This 128-page book provides helpful, easy to read information and suggestions to help seniors and their families understand the decisions they need to make.

Published by Senior LivingJANUARY 2009REG. PRICE: $14.95Buy it now! �ONLY $9.95

To Move or Not to Move? A Helpful Guide for Seniors Considering Their Residential Options

ORDER FORM - “To Move”Name_______________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________City_________________________________ Prov ___________ Postal Code_______________ Phone _____________________Email _______________________________________________

____ BOOKS @ $9.95 each = $____________SHIPPING $3.95 FIRST BOOK, $1.95 PER ADDITIONAL BOOK = $____________ SUBTOTAL = $____________ GST (5% on above SUBTOTAL = $____________ TOTAL = $____________

Shipping rates apply to British Columbia addresses ONLY. To have book mailed to addresses outside of BC, please call Senior Living 250-479-4705 for shipping costs. Please allow 2 weeks for shipping.

___ CHEQUE (make payable to Senior Living)___ CREDIT CARD ____VISA ____MC ____AMEXCARD NUMBER _________________________________________EXPIRY DATE ________________NAME ON CARD ________________________________________

BC EDITION


On two recent trips to Califor-nia, we became literary pil-grims tracing Jack London’s

remarkable life of struggle and success around San Francisco Bay. Though born in San Francisco, only a plaque remains at the site of the first home of America’s greatest adventure writer. After cross-ing the bay, the Londons struggled with poverty. Ten-year-old Jack sold newspa-pers, supplementing his family’s meagre income.

The city’s prominent Jack London Square memorializes their most famous resident. Tracking brass paw-prints along an interpretive walking route, we read the colourful storyboards describ-ing Oakland’s early history. We can pic-ture him escaping his daily turmoil, hik-ing up nearby Washington Street to what was California’s second earliest public

library. Flaubert, Tolstoy and other prominent novelists first stirred Jack’s imagination.

Along the waterfront, a life-sized bronze statue embodies Jack as a young man in a rumpled suit gazing pensively across the bay toward San Francisco and considering his next venture. Its rugged portrayal conveys Jack’s constant striv-ing. Even as a lad toiling long shifts in a local cannery, he dreamed of sailing into a better life.

In this turn-of-the-century society, his black foster-mother Virginia Pren-tiss loaned him money to buy his first sailboat, the Razzle-Dazzle. Using this, he pirated oysters. Later he went legit, joining the California Fish Patrol. At age 14, he signed onto a sloop bound for Japan’s coast to hunt seals. After re-turning to Oakland, he worked in a jute

mill and power station then, at 15, trav-elled the rails east as a hobo.

Back in Oakland, Jack entered high school, hanging out at Heinolds’ First and Last Chance Saloon still standing on the edge of today’s Jack London Square. Walking over to the saloon, the owner sees our interest and invites us inside. Since the 1906 earthquake tilted the building’s floor southward, we enter gingerly, sitting at one of its levelled tables, bolted onto the old oiled floorboards. Gas-lamps dimly light its interior; memorabilia covers walls and ceiling, photos and news items often depicting Jack London. Serving hooch on the docks since 1883, this timeworn saloon well reflects the times of its most famous customer. Jack referred to this saloon 17 times in his novel John Barleycorn.

Barkeep Carol Brookman tells us, “I bought this saloon from the Heinolds in

Finding Jack London: Down By The Bay

STORY AND PHOTOSBY RICK & CHRIS MILLIKAN

A statue of a young Jack London on the

Oakland docks.

JANUARY 2010 23

»

1984, promising to keep it as original as possible.” She points out Jack’s favourite table continuing, “He’d listen to early sailors spin their sea tales right there... and he’d use their accounts in his writings. In fact, he modelled captain Wolf Larsen in The Sea Wolf after a notoriously cruel captain Alexander McLean, who commanded a vessel nicknamed The Hell Ship.”

We also learn that in those early days, Johnny Heinold encouraged Jack to study inside the sa-loon, even supplying him with a dictionary. And Johnny loaned him the tuition to enter university at age 19. But after a year of study at Berkeley, London sailed off to Alaska to prospect for gold.”

An adjacent small park replicates an acre of northern wilderness, where Jack’s Klondike cabin was reassembled in 1970. During the 1887 gold rush, he endured a winter of scurvy in this tiny sod-roofed log cabin, fi lling his notebook with ideas. The park’s bronze wolf reminds us of Call of the Wild and other northern thrillers based on his time there.

Returning from the Klondike at age 22, he and his mother moved into a Victorian house on Foothill Boulevard, just 3.4 miles [5.5 km] south of London Square. Among the 22 homes London occupied in Oakland, this one remains much the same as when he developed his tales at a small desk, writing six days a week, 1,000 words a day. A year later, his fi rst magazine story appeared: “To the Man on the Trail,” a Klondike adventure featuring the Malam-ute Kid. He received $5. After that, he landed a contract for his fi rst book, Son of the Wolf, a col-lection of short stories.

Travelling the world next as a correspondent, Jack kept coming back to Oakland, twice cam-paigning as a socialist for mayor. His career as a prolifi c writer skyrocketed his impressive income allowing him to buy Beauty Ranch, his dream estate lying 60 miles [97 km] north.

So, crossing San Pablo Bay, we roll through a pastoral coun-tryside into old Sonoma, fascinated that in 1846 a handful of frontiersmen had proclaimed California’s independence in its large central plaza. On the northern edge of this sizeable green square, we enter Historic State Park, checking out the restored Toscano Hotel and Mexican barracks, now a museum com-memorating California’s 22-days as an independent nation.

Jack seldom referred to this very historic town; like most of his contemporaries, he was more interested in the future than the past and probably experienced Sonoma as an uninspiring, rundown community.

In the adjacent block, San Francisco Solano’s whitewashed adobe walls sparkle in the sun. Jack may have seen this most northern Franciscan mission, California’s last of 21, when it served as a brothel and its chapel functioned as a liquor outlet, or perhaps later when its buildings were used as a barn, black-smith shop and winery. As a critically minded atheist, Jack may have considered this mission’s disuse, abuse and resurrection as

Finding Jack London: Down By The Bay

human evolution.Continuing our journey, we parallel

a former rail line into Glen Ellen. Jack discovered his own Eden near this little whistle stop, like the main characters of Valley of the Moon, halfway up the narrow Sonoma Valley. Turning off the highway, we ascend the dry hills into Jack

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Inside London’s old hangout – Heinolds’ First and Last Chance Saloon (exterior pictured above).


Jack succeeded in a similar fashion. Vineyards now flourish on terraces made to prevent hillside erosion; he raised fine horses, cattle and pigs as breeding stock. Atop another hill, stands the highly reported concrete “pig palace” designed to raise health-ier pigs at a time when many died of cholera.

Learning his extraordinary friend had resided nearby, we head up the valley and wind through bustling Santa Rosa to vis-it Luther Burbank’s Home and Gardens. After admiring many of Burbank’s plant creations, we enter the greenhouse museum noting his tools and reading items highlighting his amazing horticultural work. A 1920s Santa Rosa brochure describes this plant wizard as “California’s Best Citizen.” A news clipping outlines Burbank’s stature in early science circles, equaling Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.

We can imagine Jack and Luther Burbank discussing a visionary agriculture, upholding Jack’s belief that “natural resources, managed with intelligence and loving care, might sustain countless future generations.” In these gardens and in nearby Sebastopol, Jack may have witnessed some of Burbank’s crossbreeding experiments. During this friend’s 50-year career,

this botanical wizard introduced more than 800 new plant va-rieties, including over 200 types of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, plus hundreds of flowers, including the beautiful white Shasta daisy. He also created the blight-resistant Burbank po-tato and the plum cot, crossing an apricot and a plum. Unsur-prisingly, in Valley of the Moon, London refers to Burbank and two of his hybrids: logan and mammoth berries.

Shortly before his death at 40, Jack extolled, “I go into farming because my philosophy and research taught me to recognize the fact that a return to the soil is the basis of eco-nomics... I devote two hours a day to writing... and 10 to farming. My work on this land and my message to America go hand in hand.”

During our journey, we’d followed Jack’s footsteps through a life of local struggle, into far-flung adventures, writing ac-claim, idealistic endeavours and prosperity. As Jack London said, “The proper function of man is to live...” and he did so passionately producing popular books that continue to encour-age us all to explore life’s possibilities.

BBB SCAMALERT

Better Business Bureau Better Business Bureau Better Business BureauBetter Business Bureau

BY LYNDA PASACRETA

Scams to Watch for in 2010

London State Historic Park. Here Charmian, his second wife and soulmate, bequeathed their 1,400 sprawling acres to Cal-ifornia for perpetuation of her famed husband’s memory.

From the parking lot, we amble up a shaded forest trail to first visit House of Happy Walls. After Jack’s death, Charmian built this two-story stone house filling it with artifacts from their global travels. From south sea adventures, wooden tikis guard the premises; tapa weavings, clubs and spears cover the walls; wooden bowls serve as light shades. Glass cases display their sailboat Snark’s navigational equipment, wood-en sandals, miniature totem poles and other mementoes.

In another display case, Jack’s first rejection letter encour-ages him to write cheerier prose; news clips announce later successes. His 50 world-famous books appear in numerous translations, including Call of the Wild in both Hebrew and Bengali, White Fang in Afrikaans, The Sea-Wolf in Norwe-gian and The Cruise of the Snark in Swedish. Compelling videos and photos reveal this turn-of-the-century writer’s en-thusiastic interest in modern agriculture.

Another trail in the woods leads us away from the House of Happy Walls and toward the Londons’ simple gravesites. After paying our respects, we proceed upward into a grove of giant redwoods and see the burned-out ruins of Wolf House, the couple’s dream home. Never attempting to reconstruct this magnificent log and rock mansion, they continued their lives in the original ranch house from 1905 to 1916.

The heart of Beauty Ranch requires a drive to another parking lot and climb over a parched grassy knoll. Two old stone buildings lie below. Originally a winery, Jack convert-ed them as shelters for his stallions and for storage. Beauty Ranch Cottage perches on another hill. When Wolf House perished, the Londons enclosed front verandas, creating Charmian’s sunroom and Jack’s study, where he wrote over 1,000 words nightly. Arising late each morning, he’d fre-quently lunch with celebrity guests, filling afternoons with horseback rides and other vigorous activities. The dam built to conserve water created a pleasant lake for swims.

Jack London’s prose often imitated his life. In Valley of the Moon, he portrays a struggling couple moving to this same idyllic valley, adapting new farm methods and prospering. Tending a variety of grains, vegetables and fruits himself, SL

London’s Wolf House

Jack London’s friend Luther Burbank’s home and greenhouse.

JANUARY 2010 25

Lynda Pasacreta is President of the Better Business Bureau of Mainland B.C. Contact the BBB to check a company report or Buyers’ Tip before you purchase or invest: www.mbc.bbb.org or 604-682-2711. To contact Lynda Pasacreta, e-mail her at [email protected]

BBB SCAMALERT

Better Business Bureau Better Business Bureau Better Business BureauBetter Business Bureau

BY LYNDA PASACRETA

Scams to Watch for in 2010

SL

Each year the Better Business Bureau compiles a list of the scams that have most significantly impacted consumers across British Columbia. The follow-

ing is a brief summary of the top scams from the past calen-dar year and simple tips to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud in 2010.

Credit Repair Schemes – Be wary of promises of fast, easy ways to fix or even erase damage to your credit history.TIP: For credit help, contact the Credit Counselling Society at nomoredebts.org

Not So “Free” Trials – Many websites that offer a free trial for products do not disclose the billing terms and con-ditions or do not prominently display such details on their website. TIP: Before giving the company any credit or debit card in-formation, review the website fully and be aware that free trials typically result in repeated billing.

ID Theft – ID theft is when someone uses your personal information to obtain loans, goods, or services and does not pay the bills. TIP: Never give out your personal information (especially your SIN, PIN, account numbers and passwords) to anyone, unless you have a personal reason to initiate a conversation in which such information is required.

Home Repair Rip-Offs – Beware of “contractors” who use scare tactics to encourage you to perform unnecessary or over-priced home renovations. TIP: Do your research and comparison-shop before starting a renovation. Start with the BBB and search for a company reliability report at vi.bbb.org

Free Government Money Schemes – Consumers have reported a number of companies that promise “free” advice on how to get government grants when in reality they charge a fee for participation. TIP: Federal grant-related information is readily available for free on the Service Canada website servicecanada.gc.ca

Investment Opportunities – Watch for investment op-portunities that appear lucrative, but often are more hype than substance. TIP: Go to the BC Securities Commission’s investright.org website for information on what to look out for when choos-ing to invest.

Cashback Fraud – Be aware of situations in which you are sent a cheque for a sum of money and asked to return a portion via money transfer. TIP: Never wire money to a stranger. If you believe you are a victim of fraud contact phonebusters.com

Mystery Shopping – Be skeptical of mystery shopper ads in newspapers or on online job listings.TIP: If you are looking for mystery shopping work, go to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) website at mysteryshop.org

For a more detailed description of the top scams impact-ing consumers and tips to protect yourself, visit mbc.bbb.org


After returning from my “baby” brother’s surprise 50th birthday party, I began

to think about hearing loss. For years, he had grumbled about the difficulty he had hearing. We assumed it was a combination of a genetic predisposi-tion (hearing loss was experienced by both our father and uncle), his work as a young heavy-duty mechanic and his later exposure to gunfire and other oc-cupational noises as a fish and wildlife officer. Now in an administrative po-sition, he recognized that he was not able to hear all of the conversations and comments in complex planning meet-ings. At the party, he was delighted to show off his new hearing aids and dis-cuss the world of hearing that he had re-entered.

My younger sister had, from time to time, also commented that she had increasing difficulty hearing conversa-tions – especially in crowded, noisy en-vironments.

Whenever I asked her why she had not had her hearing tested, she replied

with “Well, you can get used to read-ing lips” and “I just avoid really noisy settings.” She never mentioned one of the most frequently unstated reasons for avoiding exploration of hearing loss: “I don’t want to look old.”

These family interactions led me to an interview with Harry Lam, a regis-tered audiologist in Vancouver. He not-ed that it is not easy for people to deal with hearing loss. It takes most people seven to 10 years after they realize they are losing their hearing acuity to arrive for an assessment. Even then, it is not the concessions they were making in their lives that forced recognition of the need for an appointment, but because their spouses or relatives were annoyed by having to repeat information and in-sisted on an examination.

“The concern about looking old because of wearing hearing aids is often there in the background,” says Henry. “But there is nothing that makes a person look older than having to ask for information to be repeated, re-sponding inappropriately or appearing

confused because of misunderstand-ing words, becoming socially isolated because of avoiding noisy settings and living with a nagging family member related to hearing loss.”

Other significant consequences that result from unattended hearing loss in-clude depression and mental health is-sues. Safety issues when driving, being a pedestrian or within paid work situa-tions are also areas of concern.

Hearing loss may occur at any age and results from a number of causes. For individuals who were born with normal hearing and experience hearing loss in adulthood, it may be because of illness, (e.g. Bell’s Palsy) or infections, tumours, drugs, disease processes, interruption of the blood supply to the inner ear or noise/work-related causes. Some hear-ing loss inevitably occurs with aging.

Sadly, hearing loss is expected to be-come more prevalent in the future. To-day’s children and teens who are ex-posed to loud music, an increase in urban noise pollution and the constant boom of a plugged-in audio world may

Listen Up!BY AILEEN STALKER

JANUARY 2010 27

in young people say, “Listen up.” If you have to continually ask for verbal information to be repeated, need to lip-read, avoid social situations, miss the sounds of nature or become the recipi-ent of angry comments about your lack of response to requests or in conversa-tion, it may be time to have your hearing assessed. And it won’t hurt a bit! SL

arrive in their 40s for assessment of sig-nificant hearing loss.

Once a person acknowledges that he or she has hearing difficulties, there are a number of ways to obtain an assessment. Following an examination by either a family physician or an ear-nose-and-throat specialist, a referral to an audiologist or a hearing aid dealer/consultant will generally be made.

Audiologists have a master’s degree and specific skills in defining hearing loss, hearing testing, test interpretation, hearing aid fitting, hearing rehabilita-tion and counselling clients who range in age from infants to seniors. They are trained to manage situations such as seniors with dementia or blindness and those with other medical conditions. The Hearing Aid Consultant/Hearing Instru-ment Specialist is trained to test hearing, to fit hearing aids and to help individu-als accept and learn to wear their aids.

The price ranges from $1,800 to $4,000 per hearing aid, so it is essen-tial to select a reputable resource for the assessment, possible purchases and fol-low-up. Many clinics offer free initial assessments, but it is important to ask questions before arranging an appoint-ment to avoid any “hard sell” of expen-sive or unnecessary aids during the as-sessment.

With the above in mind, and af-ter visiting and talking with the audi-ologist, I made an appointment with a well-established company for their free assessment. I didn’t really think I had a hearing loss (although I was re-cently finding the sounds of sirens and fire engines increasingly loud) but I approached the assessment with mild anxiety. What if I really did have hear-ing loss and they suggested hearing aids? Could I face my own and possibly others’ perceptions that wearing hear-ing aids meant that I was “old”?

Response to a client medical his-tory preceded a visual exam of my ears. Next, as I sat in a soundproof room, I was asked to press a button each time I heard a beep or to repeat a word spo-ken with varying loudness. The ability to identify speech sounds with interfer-ing noise is another part of the assess-ment, but was not used in my case. The

consultant tested both my external hearing as well as bone conduction hearing. Throughout the test, I worried. “Was I hearing the sounds correctly?”

At the end of the assessment, the consultant showed me the graph related to my responses. Although the majority of responses were accurate, the errors I made were with soft sounds such as f, sh, ph. This indicated mild hearing loss suggesting a need for yearly monitoring – although there is no way to determine how quickly my hearing might deterio-rate.

After entering my hearing profile into a computer program, customized hearing aids were placed in my ears. The amplification meant soft sounds that had become somewhat fuzzy for me were back to their original clarity.

A variety of hearing aid styles are available. They range from open canal aids to ones custom fitted to the ear canal. Some interconnect to cellphones and the TV. The smaller aids may be less powerful and those that go directly inside the ear tend to break down more quickly, although on average an aid should last about four to six years.

Hearing loss will be a reality for most at some time in their lives. However, to-day’s seniors and those in the future may not be as concerned about the stig-ma of a hearing device. The earplugs of an iPod or cellphone appear similar but are often larger and more obvious than many of the hearing devices. “No one thinks wearing glasses makes you look older – and that is what we hope will happen with hearing aids,” says Harry.

In the meantime, as those plugged-

Listen Up!QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN

MAKING A HEARING ASSESSMENT APPOINTMENT:

• What is included in the costs? For example: examination, ear mould, follow-up support.

• Are the costs of the initial test put towards the hearing aids, if aids are needed?

• What are the qualifications of the person conducting the test? For example: an audiologist or Hearing Aid/Instrument Specialist.

• What are the usual follow-up procedures?

• What is the trial period after fitting the hearing aids? (A mini-mum of 30 days is standard.)

• What warranties exist on the hearing aids?

• What are the exchange and refund policies?


GAMESMind CrosswordPUZZLE

ANSWERS

Across

1. Lease holders6. Condescends10. Harvests12. Rules14. Building material16. Asian country17. Miles per hour20. Rots22. Male swine23. High-pitched tone25. Circles27. Brother28. Wife of Jacob29. Dandy31. Little job34. Carabiner36. Reliable38. Italian city39. Farewell

41. 11th letter of the Greek alphabet44. Lead astray46. Dance47. Did possess50. Browns52. Inhabitant of Serbia53. Large cat55. Draw again57. Indian dish58. German port59. Sailor61. Clothes-pins62. Female name63. Barren place64. SE Massachusetts town

Down

1. Quiver2. Curve

3. Requirement4. Domesticates5. Small spots7. Readily fluent8. Influential person9. Vow11. Gastropod mollusks13. Powerful15. Oppressor18. Noble19. Heartfelt21. Apostle24. Lighthouse26. Above30. Preens32. Teams33. More inanimate35. Innate37. Fleshy fruits39. Carry with great effort40. Yielding an acid42. Female name43. Moved at an easy pace45. Merited48. Directed49. Evade51. Fine fur54. Promontory56. Farm wagon60. Son of Jacob

JANUARY 2010 29

Between FriendsOFFENCES

SL

BY DOREEN BARBER

Offences are as common as a puddle of water when it is raining – and

just as difficult to avoid. Offensive words seem to fly un-

erringly to our emotional centre like an arrow striking the bull’s eye of a target. Unkind words have the same effect; they too seem to hit the core of our emotional vulnerabilities.

We feel the fiery dart of pain, hurt, embarrassment, and disrespect. Negative emotions rule over our log-ical thoughts and start us on a path of doubt. Self-doubt raises questions about our relationship and stand-ing with the other person or persons involved. It can often seem like a personal attack even though, from their perspective, it may have been intended as “constructive criticism.”

Lady Astor said to Winston

Churchill: “Mr. Churchill you are drunk.”

Churchill replied: “I may be drunk, My Lady, but in the morning, I will be sober and you will still be ugly.”

Another exchange between them reportedly went like this: “If you were my husband I’d give you poison.” He replied, “If you were my wife, I’d drink it.”

There is a grace given to allow other people their own stupidity that comes from the realization that individual change comes from within.

We can either be bitter or we can be-come better by the response we choose to give.

Offences have the tendency to tear down relationships, distort facts and cut deep into our emotional fabric. Fam-ily offences are often the most diffi-cult because of the intimate emotional investment that is involved. It hurts deeply when compatibility, understand-ing and intimacy are lost, threatened or

impaired. “When differences come between

family members it takes a hero to step up. Someone needs to be the hero.” –Dr. Phil McGraw

McGraw also holds the belief that we need to pick our battles and we should only pick the ones we can win.

When it comes to words of of-fence the old adage applies and we need to treat them like water off a duck’s back. In so doing, they will do us no harm.

Let hurtful words simply roll off and free us from the snare of of-fence.

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The Okinawan people in Japan are known to

have the largest percent-age of centenarians, (those living to or past the age of 100). They have an incred-ibly healthy diet, consist-ing of nutrient dense foods: large amounts of green vegetables and sweet pota-toes, small amounts of fish and soy-based foods, whole grains and no meat, eggs, or dairy products. While the foods they eat are essential to their longevity, how they eat may be equal-ly vital.

Okinawans eat 17 per cent less food overall than the Japanese average and 40 per cent less than the typical North American. Recent studies suggest a ma-jor key to longevity is calorie restric-tion. Eating foods rich in nutritive val-ue but low in calories may be the most important step towards joining ranks with centenarians around the world.

Hara hachi bu is a reminder used by Okinawans, meaning eat until you are 80 per cent full. In his book Secrets of Longevity: Hundreds

of Ways to Live to Be 100, Dr. Maosh-ing Ni says, “After analyzing the di-ets of about 100 centenarians, I found that the majority lived under modest circumstances. They ate less than the average amount, and some fasted at times because they were poor and sim-ply had no food.” Ni also found that most centenarians he surveyed around the world follow the “three-quarters” rule: they stop eating when they are three-quarters full.

This likely doesn’t sound like the average Westerner. A person can tell when they are about 80 per cent full

by eating mindfully. Start by eat-ing less than normal, waiting 20 minutes and assessing hunger lev-els. Try putting about 20 per cent less food on the plate – or taking a smaller plate. The stomach’s stretch receptors take about 20 minutes to tell the body how full it is.

North Americans are begin-ning to catch on and scientists are continually interested in the topic. Could a diet lower in

calories help Westerners live longer? Calorie Restriction (CR) is one of the few die-tary disciplines that has been documented to increase both the median and maximum lifespan in a variety of spe-cies, among them yeast, fish, rodents, dogs and non-human primates. For mice and rats, there is a 30-40 per cent in-crease in lifespan.

American scientists have been researching the theory that calorie restriction is ben-

eficial for health and perhaps a prereq-uisite for leading a longer life. One rea-son for this has to do with free radicals. According to a study at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, calorie restriction in non-obese people results in less oxidative damage to muscle cells; oxidants, otherwise known as free radicals are created when food is converted to energy by mitochondria. By inducing the formation of efficient mitochondria, less free radicals form. Oxidative damage is linked to aging. The idea is that a CR diet, when ex-ecuted correctly, provides all the nutri-ents necessary for optimal health, but minimizes the energy, or calories pro-vided by food.

Recently, the New York Times pub-lished a report about calorie restriction and the rhesus monkey. After 20 years of a CR diet, the monkeys are show-ing less diabetes, cancer, and heart and brain disease. This was a breakthrough study because most previous evidence of calorie restriction showed longev-ity in rodents. Here, evidence that a calorie restrictive diet slows aging in

Cut Calories, Live Longer

BY AIMEE HUGHES

JANUARY 2010 31

SL

primates, makes it more likely that humans would benefit as well.

A 2009 research paper showed that a calorie restricted diet can improve memory in normal to overweight elderly. The diet also resulted in decreased insulin levels and reduced signs of in-flammation. Scientists believe that memory im-provement in this experi-ment was caused by the lower insulin levels, be-cause high insulin levels are usually associated with lower memory and cogni-tive function. Calorie re-striction benefits people of all ages (although one needs to start calorie re-striction after they are fully grown).

A CR diet does not mean malnourishment or anorexia, which cause more harm than good to the body. It means smaller portions of intensely nourishing foods. The CRON-diet (calorie restriction with optimal nutrition) was devel-oped from data by the late Dr. Roy Walford and compiled during his participation in Biosphere 2. In their book, The Longevity Diet, Lisa Walford (Roy’s daughter) and Brian M. Delaney (president of the Calorie Restriction Society) propose three meals a day, with variation allowed according to life schedules. The idea is to create meals to combine cal-orie-dense foods and calorie-lean foods in different ways.

This particular approach works well because the body does not have to deal with empty calories, excess fat slowing down the system, or processing tremendous amount of waste.

“How to Stay Warm in Your Walk-In Bathtub”

“Annuity With a Twist”

“Does Aging Mean You Need to Move?”

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Cut Calories, Live Longer

Those who practice calorie restriction take vitamins as well as nutrient-rich foods such as kombu, brewers yeast, wheat bran, wheat germ, soybeans and tofu. CR calls for a diet re-duced in intake of calories by 20 to 40 per cent. However,

observations from a study in Free Radical Biology and Medicine indicate that even an eight per cent reduction in calories may provide protec-tive effects against muscle and skeletal aging.

The caloric needs of a person are determined by their Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the energy needed for normal metabolic activities such as breathing, digestion, maintaining body temperature, etc., plus the energy required for physical activities. According to Dr.

Roy Walford, caloric reduction should take place gradually while intensifying the nutritive value of food choices – rap-id weight loss releases harmful toxins into the body.

To find out more about the CR diet, visit www.crsociety.org and www.walford.com

SUGGESTED READINGBeyond the 120 Year Diet: How to Double Your Vital Years by Dr. Roy Walford

The Longevity Diet by Brian M. Delaney and Lisa Walford

The CR Way: Using the Secrets of Calorie Restriction for a Longer, Healthier Life by Paul Mcglothin and Meredith Averill

Detailed meal plans and sugges-tions are included in these books.

32 SENIOR LIVING VANCOUVER & LOWER MAINLAND32 SENIOR LIVING VANCOUVER & LOWER MAINLAND

Refl ections

BY GIPP FORSTER

Phot

o: K

ryst

le W

isem

an

THEN & NOW

ARM-A-JELLO

SL

If anyone should happen to fi nd some loose arm muscles lying about, I’d appreciate it if you

would pick them up and put them in a safe place. They’re mine!

I’m sure I had them yesterday (or maybe it was the day before!). But when I woke up this morning, some-one – without so much as an “If you please” had put “arm-a-jello” in their place. I don’t know who coined the term arm-a-jello, but they will know what I’m talking about.

Where my biceps (I call them arm muscles) used to bulge, they now jig-gle like a bowl full of jelly. I mean, what’s the world coming to? Go to bed feeling like Charles Atlas or Sylvester Stallone, and then wake up feeling and looking like George Burns on his 100th birthday! Something strange is afoot.

Someone said, “It comes with years.” What comes with years? Sadistic thieves? They have no right to take away my yesterday and disrupt my to-morrow. What nerve!

It’s too bad there isn’t a law against years. They’ve been getting away with this nonsense far too long. They’re okay for the fi rst half-century, but then they seem to lose control.

They draw lines on your face when you’re asleep. Wrinkle your lower arms and paint ugly spots on your hands that even lemon won’t take off! And, of course, steal your muscles and leave arm-a-jello to infuriate and frustrate.

What is it they used to say about the progression of years? “Some bring cheers, some bring fears, some bring tears, followed by leers and then

comes sneers.” I’m right in the middle of leers and sneers!

I’m afraid of turning red from sunburn in the summer in case kids come racing at me with spoons in their little hands.

It’s bad enough when one’s chin starts to grow other chins. And one’s second stomach overlaps the origi-nal. But when your upper arms on the underside start waving like fl ags in a gentle breeze, that’s just a bit too much to take!

I remember when the theft oc-curred in my Mom and Dad’s lives. Even friends before and now are going

through the same thing.I wonder if there’s a lost-and-found

for missing muscles and taut skin. If not, there should be. But I refuse to quit or surrender!

I still wear runners though I can no longer run. And sneakers though I’m now too tired to sneak. I even wear a windbreaker when there is no wind and continue to belong to the human race even though my racing days are over!

No sir! I’m not used up yet!But at the rate those outlaw years

keep stealing from me, I wonder about tomorrow.

If years steal away any more “parts,”

I may not be able to part-icipate! Get it? “Part”-icipate. At least they haven’t sto-len my sense of humour! My wife just advised me to check again. “Corn,” she says, is not humour. (How did corn get into this?) She’s a strange woman, but I

love her! Corn?I’m starting to be afraid to go

to sleep at night. I never know what will be missing or traded come morning. But at least I don’t have to wear Coke-bottle glasses to see, although I still need glasses. I own my own teeth (I should, I paid a fortune for the plate!). I can still drive, as long as it’s not at night. And I can still dance, as long as I’m

sitting down.But I’m upset that my arm muscles

are missing and arm-a-jello keeps jig-gling around with me wherever I go!

Until I get my arm muscles back, I guess I’ll wear long-sleeved shirts and sweaters – even in the summer so as not to advertise the theft of years.

But all of you over 50, be warned! The thieves are out there and when you least expect it, they will pounce! Go to bed one night; wake up the next morn-ing with your arm muscles missing.

The time bandits leave arm-a-jello where youth used to be. Ah yes! I re-member it well.

Go to bed feeling like Charles Atlas or Sylvester Stallone,

and then wake up feeling and looking like George Burns on

his 100th birthday!

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January 2010 Senior Living Magazine Vancouver Edition