wednesday, september 1, 2010 The VancouVer courier EW21

Seniors september 2010special advertising feature

by Helen Peterson

Statistics Canada reports that increasing numbers of seniors are taking university classes and other programs, and there are several reasons for this.

People in the 60-plus age group may be semi-retired or retired and have time on their hands during the day. Plus, there are so many interest-ing and informative courses, workshops, speaker series and assorted interactive educational oppor-tunities available locally.

As they do each year, Simon Fraser University offers seniors programs geared at the golden set.

Julian Benedict is the coordinator of the SFU Seniors Program, and he says lifelong learning is one of the best ways to stay healthy, active and engaged in later life.

He’ll be hosting a presentation on Saturday, Sept. 25 with the Mature Women’s Network that will offer an overview of the program. It allows seniors to explore the many different courses, free forums and outreach programs that will be offered in the fall at the SFU downtown campus. And it’s in the daytime, for the convenience and safety of seniors.

Benedict not only manages the courses for the seniors program, he regularly writes articles on lifelong learning for various publications, and is a real expert on the subject. Anyone interested in pursuing classes and lectures in the fall would benefit from attending this informative work-shop.

“Exploring the Benefits of Lifelong Learning” takes place at the 411 Seniors Centre on Dun-smuir from 12:30 to 3 pm on the 25th, and the cost to attend is $4. Call 604-681-3986 for regis-tration details.

See next page for a small sampling of the upcom-ing curriculums.

learning curvefun fall courses

For More Information or to Register: www.tapestryfoundation.ca

or 604-877-8312

Dialogue on Aging Public Presentation Series

Presented by

Join us for one or all three informative sessions on the topic of dementia and other issues related to aging. Hear renowned experts discuss a number of the challenges facing society, families and caregivers.

• Friday, September 17, 2010 Guest Check In 6:15 pm Presentation: 7:15 pm• Monday, September 27, 2010 Guest Check In 6:30 pm Presentation: 7:15 pm• Wednesday, October 6, 2010 Guest Check In 2:00 pm Presentation: 2:30 pm

Visit our website at www.tapestryfoundation.ca for full speaker and program details. All sessions are complimentary, however seating is limited.

learning is good for you, at any age!

EW22 The VancouVer courier wednesday, september 1, 2010

seniors

“EUROPEAN QUALITY AT CANADIAN PRICES”

Friedrich H.G. Brumm, D.D., B.A. Denturist

22yrs exp

Are you a denture wearer who:Has loose Dentures?

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VICTORIA DRIVE DENTURE CLINIC5477 Victoria Drive, at 39th

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Consumer‘s Choice Award for Business Excellence in 2008 & 2009.”

NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

Denise DunnOffi ce Manager

Alisha KumarDenturist

Friedrich BrummDenturist

Susan LeungDenturist

Nader EslamiLab Manager

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All our Dentures

andServices are TAX FREE!GLORY EWEN

IS NOW LOCATED INThe Peter MacDonald Insurance Building5606 Victoria Drive at 40th

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Have you had a stroke and would like to participate

in an Exercise Program?You are invited to participate in this research study undertaken by the University of BC and GF Strong Rehab Centre if you:

• Had a stroke more than one year ago• Are 50 to 80 years of age

The exercise programs will:• Take place 3 times a week over 6 months in Vancouver• Commence September 2010• Be provided free-of-charge

Contact the Rehab Research Lab at the GF Strong Rehab Centre

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“Quality work you can count on” Ken Wong, Denturist

OPEN MON-FRI 10-5 SAT: By appointmentACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

EMERGENCY REPAIRS AVAILABLEVancouver’s community centres offer courses directed at seniors, as do some of the seniors’ residences. Feel free to call your local seniors facility to obtain their upcoming calendar. There are also several schools of higher learning that welcome seniors into the mix:

The university of British columbiaLifelong learning, especially in the university milieu, can be a path to enrichment and enjoyment in retirement years. Downtown Van-couver’s UBC Robson Square offers morning, afternoon and evening courses in a wide range of subjects, including arts, history, philosophy, sociology, literature, music, cur-rent events and more – all at a spe-cial price for those 65 and older.

Coming this fall: “Critical Issues in Aboriginal Life and Thought” is a col-

laboration of the UBC First Nations Studies Program, the First Nations House of Learning, the Irving. K. Barber Learning Centre and UBC Continuing Studies. Takes place six Tuesdays - Sept. 21, Oct. 19, Nov. 2, 9 & 30, Dec. 7, 7-9pm; UBC Robson Square. Free, with limited seating.

For general info, contact UBC Continuing Studies at 604-822-1444; email: information@cstud-ies.ubc.ca.

Simon Fraser universitySFU’s Seniors Program offers non-credit courses featuring Canadiana, world politics, music and theatre analysis, and more. The Lifelong Learner’s Society presents a series of informative lectures on topics of general interest to the public; the first one begins Sept. 11 and focus-es on “Afghanistan issues”. Each forum is about 45-50 minutes long, followed by a question and answer

session.Admission is free and is on a

first-come, first-served basis, no reservations required. Each forum begins promptly at 1:30 pm, and ends at about 3 pm. All forums are held at SFU at Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings in downtown Van-couver. Call 778-782-5098.

vancouver School BoardFor very little expenditure, seniors can take a variety of classes geared towards them, in computers, sing-ing and dancing, and even life-saver instruction. A discount on the tuition portion of most regular courses is also available to all per-sons 65 and over. Cost for materi-als is extra and locations vary. The VSB course description / registra-tion catalogue arrived recently on the doorstep so take a look at it, or call 604-713-4550; register in per-son at 1580 W. Broadway.

higher learning

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seniors

The rooming houSe liFeby Jacquie Hooper, contributing writer

The West End of Vancouver—now high-rises and condos—used to be populated by rooming houses and tenants; there are still quite a few on the scene. A typical rooming-house, say in 1940, would provide tenancy for as many as 30 people, all sharing one bathroom, and using the washbasin or bathtub for drawing water and for dishwashing.

Housing was hard to find in those days, and when a room wasn’t available in a rooming house, a prospective tenant might choose to head down to False Creek and join the squat-ters under the north end of Burrard, who lived on old fish-boats or battered shacks built on abandoned scows.However, rooming houses were in the majority as places to bed down permanently. I remember house addresses where I spent adoles-cent years while attending Lord Roberts Elementary, Dawson

School at Burrard and Helm-cken Streets, and King George High School at Burrard and Nel-son... 1301 Davie, 1642 Robson, 1330 Pendrell, 1163 Cardero (where war was declared,) 1055 Denman and many more.

The usual routine for my wido-wed mother, older sister and I was to cook on a two-ring hot-plate in our room, share a bed (separated by a line of pillows so my sister and I wouldn’t fight,) and wait in line for the use of the bathroom, the only place where water was available.

The rooming-house latch-key kids used English Bay for swim-ming and sun-tanning, Second Beach for high-bar and rings for stunts and the Brockton Point Oval for training for the yearly track meet at Hastings Park.

We didn’t go away (who could afford it?) for holidays in the summer like privileged kids, but used Stanley Park’s offe-rings for our amusement. In the Depression and war years, everyone shared the rooming-house life and thought nothing of deprivation.

Sometimes we lived in an attic above a store and had the roof-top to serve as a patio. 1243 Davie was just such a place, where we were allowed by a lenient landlady to keep a cocker spaniel puppy called Baby, and a tomcat called Tama, on the roof. Pets were not always allowed in rooming-houses.

Rooming-house people were a friendly lot, usually mothers with kids, whose husbands were overseas. Everywhere in town were men in uniform, and women too - CWACS, WRENS and Air Force girls.

And, oh, the happy day when the man of the fami-ly was home on leave from the war, even though the roo-ming-house tenancy was hard-pressed to accommodate an additional body.

One helpful aspect of roo-ming-house life was that the rental rooms were furnished adequately. Wheelbarrows could be borrowed to move personal belongings from one address to another, usually a move to gain a cheaper rent for when wages were low.

Landladies of rooming-houses were not always lenient and friendly sorts - they gover-ned the rents, put signs up everywhere restricting noise (and sometimes visitors and pets). I recall one memorable Christmas day when we got the

current landlady to roast our donated turkey in her oven. When we went to claim it, we found that she and her family had enjoyed our bird for sup-per.

Such was the rooming-house life!

No one plans to get sick, however, you can plan to get better!

If you or a loved one will be discharged fromhospital and need a little time and assistanceto recover – or perhaps a physical impedimentmakes it hard to immediately return to yourfully independent lifestyle, consider a short-term stay at Amica at Arbutus Manor tobridge the gap.Our special respite and convalescent programis ideal for anyone requiring short–term care and/or medically supervised recovery.Registered Staff provides excellent personalcare services, which can include bathing,dressing, grooming, medication supervisionand nursing services 24/7.

VITALIS™ Assisted Living Open HouseMarch 1st to 7th ~ 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Amica at Arbutus ManorA Wellness & Vitality™ Residence2125 Eddington DriveVancouver, BC V6L 3A9604.736.8936

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Luxury Independent Rental Retirement LivingAll Inclusive • Full Service Fine Dining

Wellness & Vitality™ ProgramsAmica VITALIS™ Assisted Living Suites & Services

www.amica.ca

September 2nd to 8th ~ 10am to 4pm daily

EW24 The VancouVer courier wednesday, september 1, 2010

seniors

FREE TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEERS OFFERED THROUGH ACTIVE CHOICES PROGRAM

Volunteer Coaches NeededThe Active Choices Program offers FREE training in your community. Come, learn facilitation and coaching techniques to encourage participants stay physically active. Research shows if a person remains physically active for a period of 6 months it then becomes a lifestyle. Your take away skills are facilitation, coaching, time management and your own physically active program. Time commitment begins with once per week and then perhaps twice per month for a total of 6 months. Your commitment to build-ing a healthy active community!

TRAINING WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:

Bring pen and lunch, all other material will be supplied

Lower Mainland 604-522-1492; toll free 1-866-902-3767www.selfmanagementbc.ca

Wednesday, September 15th at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, 2305 – 2325 W 7th,

from 9:30 – 5:30

Monday, September 20th, at Mount Pleasant Community

Centre, 1 Kingsway,from 9:30 – 4:30

Thursday, September 30th, at Renfrew Community

Centre, 2929 – 22nd Ave,from 9:30 – 4:30

Experience the warmth of our welcome by visiting us at:

2835 Sophia Street at 12th Ave.Vancouver, B.C. V5T 4V2Call 604.637.1207 www.cavellgardens.com

CAVELL GARDENSA Full Service Retirement Community in the Heart of Vancouver where

meeting the social needs of our seniors is a matter of priority.

“A single rose can be my garden, a single friend

my world”– Leo Buscaglia

Creating Beautiful Dentures Precision Cosmetic Dentures, Relines and EmergenciesFree Ultrasonic Cleaning Seniors discount available

Fall in love with your smile

116 West Broadway (at Manitoba)

604.677.0061 • 778.389.5072w w w. l o p a r e v a d e n t u r e c l i n i c . c o m

Svetlana Lopareva R.D.BPS(Biofunctional Prosthetic System) Certifi ed Denturist

Payment Plans + All Insurance CoverageCall now for your Complimentary Consultation

604.263.7478Emergency Number 778-868-6776

201-2152 West 41st Avenue, Vancouver www.kerrisdaledentureclinic.com

Kerrisdale Denture Clinic

GuaranteedComfortable Fit!

Now accepting new patients Care home visits available

Our team of Denturists are BPS Denture certifi ed to provide you with the latest technology available. Our clinic’s associates have experience ranging from new graduates to 30 years, so you will benefi t from our knowledge and our fresh outlook.

We look forward to achieving the best possible results, while providing the highest professional standards.

BPS dentures are precision dentures that use high standard materials to restore form and function while providing exceptional fi t and a beautiful, natural smile.

Our BPS dentures also come with a 5 year warranty.Please ask us about our Geneva 2000 dentures.

DENTURES

Giao Le B.Sc., R.D.Are your dentures...Over 5 years old?Loose, cracked or stained?Making your mouth sore?Keeping you from enjoying food?

If you’ve answered YES to any of thesequestions... WE CAN HELP!!!

SeniorS’ cinemaoakridge centre is happy to showcase these great movies during seniors’ cinema at the empire theatre, located inside the shopping centre’s atrium at 41st and cambie.

coming up: “last chance harvey” at 1 pm on Wed. Sept. 1 and “valentino: last emperor” at 1 pm on Wed. oct. 6.

a fundraiser for canuck place children’s Hospice, seniors 55 and older are invited to see big screen films by donation (min. is $2 per person; tickets at the door). www.oakridgecentre.com; seniors’ centre: 604-263-1833.

WhaT’S on For SepTemBerJoin in a fabulous fund-raiser at South Granville Seniors Centre when the annual “High Tea & Fash-ion Show” takes place on Thursday, Sept. 9. From 1 to 3 pm, enjoy traditional sandwiches, scones, des-serts as well as coffee and tea. As well there will be a fashion show present-ed by My Best Friend’s Closet. Tickets available in advance are $10 for members and $12.50 for non-members. Located at 1420 West 12th Ave. (cor-ner of Hemlock St.) Call 604-732-0812 to register.

The Kerrisdale Senior

Singers’ fall program will begin on Sept. 9, and recruitment of new mem-bers (men and ladies 55 years or over) is still ongo-ing. Practices take place every Thursday morning (from 9:30 to 11 am) at Ker-risdale Community Cen-tre (West 42nd and West Boulevard). Please contact the conductor, Marilyn, at 604-876-8666 if you are interested in showcasing your pipes along with this marvelous chorus of dedi-cated singers.

Members of the Point Grey Chrysanthemum Associa-tion have been nurturing

their mums and are getting them ready for two shows! Many seniors enjoy grow-ing mums in their gardens or on the patio. The Asso-ciation cordially invites readers to join them at the “Early Chrysanthe-mum Show” taking place Sept.11 (noon to 4 pm) and Sept. 12 (10 am to 4 pm) at VanDusen Garden - 5251 Oak Street at 37th. Admission is free! Contact Marie Ogryzlo at 604-261-9219 for more info.

The Vancouver Women’s Musical Society offers “Classical Concerts” of exceptional value. A $65

membership gives you a ticket to 10 Wednesday morning concerts at the Unitarian Church (West 49th & Oak St.). The first is Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 11 am, featuring West Coast Chamber Music. A light lunch follows with an opportunity to meet the artists. For further info check the website: www.vwms.ca or call Bernice at 778-279-6789.

The University of Victoria’s Centre on Aging is offer-ing active choices from its menu of free “Self-Manage-ment Workshops.” These workshops are designed to

help all adults (including seniors) manage life to the fullest. Active Choices will match you with a trained coach who will support and support you with a physical activity program of your choice. Call now for a trained coach in your community, at 1-866-902-3767, or email: angela.activechoices@shaw.ca.

If you have a non-profit event or activity focusing on Healthy/Active Seniors, contact: Helen Peterson or e-mail: hpeterson@vancourier.com; or by fax: 604-738-4739, by

the last Wednesday of the month. One listing per organization, please.