Community

How to Give Like Santa to Your Elder this Christmas

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” I’ve always thought, “that song must have been written by a man.” I looked it up. It was. Two men, in fact. Edward Pola and George Wyle in 1963. It was first performed and made famous by another man, Andy Williams, the same year. I love Christmas, […]

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Finding Practical Ways for Elders to Emerge From Depression

Roger had been taking the anti-depressant for two months now. The doctor had warned him that they were starting with a small dose and would raise it slowly as needed. He said he would monitor closely, and that it often took some time to find the correct drug and dosage for each person. “Covering his

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How to Prepare For End-of-life With Your Elder

Decisions. More decisions. Agonizing, frightening decisions. Besides the emotional tsunami of losing a love one, end-of-life contains so many difficult choices. I remember panic rolling through me as I thought, “What do I do? I don’t know what to do.” This week, we are going to look at these decisions and try to take the

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Creative Ways Your Elder Can Give to Others

    All their lives, many of our elders loved to give. They volunteered, cooked and baked for the grieving or those in need and supported their children and grandchildren in many ways. It mattered. It gave life purpose to be able to help.      When they are less able, and can’t see, hear,

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How to Improve Your Elder’s Life With This Radical Idea

Elders caring for others is a radical idea. I know, because I had difficulty researching the topic. No matter what words I put in the search engine, it took me to ways to care for elders. Elders contributing, caring, volunteering and giving is unheard of. Let’s change that. Elders already care for others in many

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Dealing with Behaviours: A Trip to New Brunswick, a Journey Down the Hall and a Fat Man.#wandering

Jean looked out her kitchen window to see her mother striding down the sidewalk. Although her mom had dementia, she remained physically strong and she was making tracks. She dropped her dish towel and raced out the door. “Mom!” she called. “Where are you going?” “To New Brunswick.” Her mother had grown up in that

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7 Positive Ways for Elders to Attain A Connection

When my dad was in university taking his pharmacy degree, he took an elective in art. I remember years later finding a folder with pencil and charcoal drawings from that time. Astounded, I discovered he had remarkable talent. Talent he never once pursued in all the years of building a business and raising a family.

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How to Find Variety in Community For Your Elder

“No.” All her life, Maggie had been in the middle of everything. A little raucous and “off the wall,” irreverent and fun, full of life. But life had almost drained from her, and as a widow, blind and in a wheelchair, she didn’t bubble as she used to. She barely simmered most days.  So when

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How Loneliness and Isolation Are Toxic for Elders

We sat on our swing on the deck. At mid-afternoon it looked like dusk. Our solar lights sprung to life and an eerie stillness descended. We wore our special glasses and watched with awe as the eclipse of 2024 slipped across the sky.  As awed as I was by the whole event, something else struck

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Finding Creativity for Your Elder in Unexpected Places

“What happens in knitting group stays in knitting group.” Seriously? What crimes could possibly be committed in knitting group? Perhaps not crimes, but lots of interesting stories and long held secrets emerged while needles clacked. What? I can’t tell, because, what happens in knitting group… Last week we looked at the benefits of creativity for

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