For additional
information on Pyramids and other scams visit www.antifraudcentre.ca
Cst.
Ben Doiron (Read more in the Jan 20 - Feb 7/2011 issue of Senior Scope)
Heritage
House is staffed with Tenant Companions twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week. Ninety-five percent
of our Tenant Companions are Certified Health Care Aides,
and provide assistance to help seniors maintain their
independence. For example: medication reminders, shower
assist, cueing for ADLs (activities of daily living),
3 nutritious meals plus 2 snacks each day prepared
on-site with a home-cooked feel, weekly laundry and
housekeeping service, and a host of other daily activities.
Our Tenant Companions are like those "great neighbors
and friends you can always count on." Heritage
House staff enjoys working here and it shows in the
warm happy atmosphere our tenants call "home."
We offer a tailor-made service plan for each tenant.
If nursing care is required, Home Care will provide,
and house-call doctors are only a phone call away! Food
is an important part of our lives. At Heritage House,
we take this to heart! Our in-house chefs prepare three
hearty, nutritious meals on-site, and youll enjoy
these served by our multi-tasking Tenant Companions
in our central dining room, along with a mid-afternoon
and evening snack. We design a dietary profile for each
Heritage House tenant, taking into consideration your
needs, likes and dislikes.
Heritage
House has 28 one-bedroom suites ranging in size from
500 to 730 ft2. We are proud to say that of all the
supportive housing sites in Winnipeg, our suites are
the largest! Suites are also large enough to accommodate
couples. In a couples scenario, both can qualify
for supportive housing, or one person may need the extra
supports that come with Supportive Housing, and their
spouse can live in the same suite paying just the service
package. All suites are wheelchair accessible. Each
suite has its own temperature control for heat and air
conditioning. You can keep the temperature as warm or
as cool as you like! Suites have lots of windows, and
each window can open, if desired, to allow fresh air
on a breezy summer day. Each suite comes with an emergency
pull cord in every bathroom and bedroom, and its own
"tea and toast kitchenette" complete with
microwave and full-size fridge with a freezer on top
for those all-important midnight ice cream snacks! Suites
are spacious enough that the look and feel of your previous
home can be re-created to make it feel like "home."
All personal laundry, linens and towels, and housekeeping
are done weekly, and youll never have to vacuum
again! As well as having all meals prepared
it
doesnt get much better than this!!! Various
activities and exercise programs are scheduled throughout
the week, and you can partake in as many or as few as
you like. You can also choose just to sit in the sunny
atrium area, enjoying the sunshine and listening to
our pet Cockatiels
isn't life grand! A full-service
hairdresser visits Heritage House once a week, and our
Spiritual Care Coordinator (chaplain) leads an ecumenical
worship service, followed by refreshments, conversation
and visiting every Tuesday afternoon. Centrally
located in downtown Winnipeg, Heritage House is within
walking distance to major medical facilities. Family
members who work downtown can stop by for a quick visit
at lunch or after work. Through skywalks, you can access
many downtown destinations without having to step outside
a welcome feature especially when its -36°C
outside! Wheelchairs are available for family members
wishing to escort you on shopping excursions, if walking
a distance presents an obstacle. How
do you or your loved one qualify to be able to live
in such a fantastic establishment? Call today and find
out! Our Site Supervisor, Shauna Gladish, is happy to
answer any questions, and provide information as to
criteria for living in Supportive Housing (telephone
949.9027, e-mail sgladish@fdl.mb.ca). Perhaps youd like to arrange for a tour, and see for yourself what a wonderful place Heritage House is to live! (Read more in the Jan 20 - Feb 7/2011 issue of Senior Scope) |
|
Financial Planning:Should I contribute to an RRSP, a TFSA or both?BRIAN G. KONRAD CFP, Financial Consultant The introduction
of the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) represents the most
important change to the way Canadians save money since RRSPs
were launched in the late 50s. But the big question
on many peoples minds is whether they should contribute
to a TFSA, the tried-and tested RRSP or possibly even both? Before
shedding some light on their question, lets first get
a firm grasp on some of the innate differences and similarities.
First and foremost, both RRSPs and TFSAs provide investors
with the opportunity of tax-sheltered compound growth for
investments held inside each plan. But unlike an RRSP, contributions
to a TFSA are not tax deductible, amounts can be withdrawn
tax free at any time and withdrawn amounts are added back
into your TFSA contribution room the following year. Now that
weve established their unique characteristics, lets
get back to our original question: Which
is best? On a very basic level, looking at your pre-retirement and expected post-retirement marginal tax rates can provide you with an idea how to best allocate your investments. If you expect to be in a lower tax bracket during retirement, contribute to an RRSP is generally more beneficial. However if in retirement you anticipate being in a tax bracket that is equal or higher than your pre-retirement tax rate, the TFSA may be more tax-efficient.
Hold
on; not so fast. Although
its tempting to settle on a simple rule-of-thumb, the
decision on whether you should use a TFSA or RRSP is not that
simple your advisor needs to work with you to consider
the entire spectrum of financial strategies at your disposal
that could ultimately impact your approach. Even if
you anticipate having a lower marginal tax rate in retirement,
maximizing your RRSP contributions may not always be the most
tax-efficient long-term strategy. Since RRSP withdrawals (directly
or through your Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) or
an annuity) increase your taxable income, those withdrawals
may affect certain government income-tested benefits and credits
such as the Old Age Security benefit and the Age Credit. On the
other hand, if your expected marginal tax rate in So
where does this leave us? Generally
speaking, a TFSA may be better suited for shorter-term goals,
such as an emergency fund or saving for a major purchase,
since there is no tax on withdrawals and these plan withdrawals
are added back into your TFSA contribution room the following
year. However, for long-term objectives, RRSPs are generally
the vehicle of choice since there are strong incentives to
keep your money invested, in the form of taxes and lost contribution
room on the withdrawals from an RRSP. The TFSA can also be
a powerful retirement savings tool. However due to the ease
with which TFSA savings can be accessed (no taxes on withdrawals
or loss of contribution room) only a disciplined investor
who can resist the temptation to dip into their savings prior
to retirement will fully benefit from its potential as a source
of retirement income. Remember,
there is no one-size-fits-all solution. In fact, there is
amultitude of variables that must be taken into consideration.
In many cases, the TFSA should be used To discover
which approach is best for you, contact your Investors Group
Consultant. BRIAN
G. KONRAD CFP Written
and published by Investors Group as a general source of information
only. It is not intended as a solicitation to buy or sell Trademark
owned by IGM Financial Inc. and licensed to its subsidiary
corporations. Should I contribute to an RRSP, a TFSA or both? ©2010 Investors Group Inc. (03/2010) MP1492 (Read
more in the Jan
20 - Feb 7/2011 issue of Senior Scope) |
|
Recreation in Winnipeg, Manitoba:Lots To Do Even with Snow on the GroundBy
Scott Taylor
|
Helene
Dobel on a cruiseship waterslide.
|
Dobel
is in great shape because shes one of dozens of seniors
who get up every day and work out in the gym. Its not
always easy and there are days when its not always fun,
but its helped give Dobel and a number of other octogenarians
in Winnipeg a long, happy and active life.
Were
fortunate in Winnipeg. There are all sorts of tremendous gyms,
many within walking distance of your home Shapes, Good
Life Fitness, Curves, the Re-Fit Centre, the Rady Centre and
of course the YMCA. Every day, hundreds of seniors descend
on these gyms to stay toned, balanced and strong.
Dobel,
however, is a member at what I call My gym: the
Assiniboine Athletic Club at Fort Garry Place in downtown
Winnipeg. This gym is a haven for seniors and among the proud
members are Earl Fast, 89, and Romeo Manaigre, 86. Theyre
in the gym, early in the morning, every single day.
I
would say that were very senior friendly, said
Neil Dalrymple, 50, the gyms long-time manager. We
have members that range from their 50s all the way up to 90.
I just think they find it comfortable.
Assiniboine
Athletic Club is the home of Manitobas Masters bodybuilding
champion, 65-year-old Tom Heffner, but its also the
home of retirees and seniors such as Ken Collins, Terry Johnston,
June Wiebe, Valentina Wilson (who is nearly 70 and still does
three sets of a dozen pull-ups every day) and Pastor Bruce
Miles.
It doesnt
hurt that the music thats played through the gyms
sound system comes directly from the new FAB 94.3 a local
station that plays music that is 40-50 years old and Dalrymple,
himself, who has been here forever, is well-known
to all of his members. Thats why, for seniors, its
a pleasant, friendly place, in a city where many gyms are
full of 20-something stick-figure women and huge, strutting
muscular men.
L-R:
Back Row: Earl Fast (89), Romeo Manaigre (86). Front
Row: Helene Dobel (86, but at 85 pictured as the oldest
person to go down the 3 story waterslide on the Norwegian
Pearl), Valentina Wilson, Helen Yakiwchuk.
|
I
think its the comfort level we provide that encourages
our seniors to come back every day, said Dalrymple,
who always jumps to provide advice when a member has a problem
with a fitness machine or the free weights. Were
a small gym and we dont provide any group activities
for seniors, but many of our members have been here for a
long time because there is no pressure and they can do whatever
they like to stay fit. Its pretty obvious that we dont
care if youre big or small or old or young. We only
care about you and the fact you want to stay fit.
Its
been said that youre never too old to learn something
new. We all know its true.
But heres
an adage that can be proven, too: Youre never too old
to get in shape and stay active.
Winter
is upon us and that means if you arent getting up early
to walk around the mall, youd better find another way
to stay active. Heading off to the gym every morning is one
way to get in shape, but not every one is comfortable with
the big machines, free weights and the stick-figure 20-somethings.
However,
that doesnt mean you just say, I cant be
bothered. There are plenty of fun ways to get in shape,
often at no cost, no matter your age.
Like ice
skating? Did you know that you can skate every day of the
week inside a Winnipeg Arena for free? Its true. On
Sunday, you can skate at the Billy Mosienko Arena on Keewatin
from 3:30 to 4:30. You can skate Monday from 11 a.m. to Noon
at the St. James Civic Centre; on Tuesday at the Bertrand
Arena in St. Boniface from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.; Wednesday
at the Eric Coy Arena on Oakdale Dr. from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45
p.m.; on Thursday at the Maginot Arena from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30
p.m., on Friday at the River East Arena from 5:45 p.m. to
6:45 p.m. and on Saturday at the Terry Sawchuk Arena on Kimberly
Ave., from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. Just visit www.winnipeg.ca
for the entire free skating schedule at more than 13 arenas
in Winnipeg.
If youd
prefer dancing, and youve definitely decided not to
go to a gym for a dance-aerobics class, there are plenty of
great opportunities in Winnipeg for not a lot of money. You
can take a 10-week line dancing course at the St. James Civic
Centre ($52), you can join Zumba gold, a dance fitness program
designed for seniors at either the Cindy Klassen Rec. Centre
on Sargent, the Elmwood/EK Seniors Centre on Poplar, the Fort
Rouge Leisure Centre on Osborne or the Pan Am Pool at 25 Poseidon
Bay, depending on the day or the region of the city thats
most convenient ($57).
Speaking
of the Pan Am Pool, you can swim at any one of 12 pools (including
the Pan Am Pool) or three city-operated leisure centres every
single day or evening of the week. A 30-visit pass is $153.00
while a full three-month pass costs $137.00. Swimming is a
wonderful way to stay toned and strong without all the wear
and tear on your joints, bones and muscles.
There
are so many places in Winnipeg to get fit, be active and feel
healthy that its almost impossible to list them all
here. Quickly, here are 10 ways to feel good about yourself
this winter and spring:
1. Go
bowling: Just get on your personal computer and google Bowling
alleys in Winnipeg. Its incredible. Youll
come with a list of more than two dozen alleys around the
Capital Region. Bowling, five- or 10-pin, is a great way to
get together with friends, socialize and have a little workout
all at the same time.
2. Aqua-fitness:
For those who are aging this is the perfect way to get some
cardio-vascular and muscle-toning exercise without beating
up your joints. Bonivital Pool and Sherbrook Pool both have
Aqua-fitness programs that will cost about $60 for a 10-week
program.
3. Pilates:
a system of exercise where smooth motions and proper breathing
will tone and lengthen your muscles. For $75 you can get involved
at half-a-dozen pools, arenas or leisure centres in Winnipeg.
4. Cardio-fitness:
the city has a 10 week cardio-fitness program for those over
the age of 50 (it began last week but Im told you can
still register) at the St. James Civic Centre. Its just
$31 to join up.
5. Body
toning: This is a flexibility class and we all know that flexibility
is one of the first things to go. Its held at the Elmwood/EK
Seniors Centre and the Greendell Park Community Centre. A
10-week program costs $44.
6. Aerobic
fitness: Improve your cardio at the St. James Civic Centre
for 10 weeks and just $44. You can use your Active Living
Passes to drop in on these classes.
7. Sing:
You can sing at the Glee Club at Fort Rouge Leisure Centre
at 625 Osborne St. every Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m.
8. Play
Badminton: You loved it in high school. Why did you quit?
The Greendell Seniors 55-Plus Badminton players meet every
Monday and Thursday from 12:45-2:45 p.m. and on Wednesday
from 9-10:45 a.m. at the Greendell Park Community Centre,
75 Woodlawn Ave. Call them at 253-9112 if you have
any questions. Meanwhile, the Glenwood Community Club Seniors
also have a badminton program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Just
call Ray at 253-2542.
9. Yoga:
There is a yearly drop-in yoga class at St. James Assiniboia
Centennial Pool on Parkdale. Yoga is perfect for older, active
adults who want to maintain flexibility, balance and range
of motion.
10. Basketball
and volleyball: If you want to work on your game, join a team
or meet people who just like to play, head straight to the
Winnipegs Central YMCA. Monday to Friday from Noon to
1 p.m. its open basketball at the Ys big gym and
if you want to play volleyball try Wednesday nights between
8-10. Who knows, you might find some folks whod like
you to play on their team.
There
is no excuse for any healthy senior in the Capital Region
to find a place to stay active, keep fit and be healthy. In
fact, there are so many recreational programs in this part
of Canada, that you couldnt possibly do it all.
So get up, get out and get active. Just ask my 86-year-old friend Helena at Assiniboine Athletic Club. You could be the next octogenarian zooming down the water-slide on your next cruise.
(Read more in the Jan 20 - Feb 7/2011 issue of Senior Scope)
LAKE
BUENA VISTA, Fla. So youve been to Floridas
Walt Disney World with the kids and the grand kids and you
loved it. You loved it because it was fun and because there
is nothing better on this earth than seeing your grand kids
with great big smiles on their faces.
Well,
fellow 60-plussers, guess what? A trip to Walt Disney World
(WDW) can be a lot more fun without the kids. Honestly. There
is no better place on the planet to take a vacation for so
many reasons. In fact, there are so many great reasons to
go to WDW that there isnt enough space here in Senior
Scope to list them all.
But, just
for chuckles, lets start with safe, convenient and economical.
For older couples, a Disney vacation is a great vacation.
Now, in
the time-honored tradition of full disclosure, we are Disney
regulars. In fact, we are annual passholders. Weve often
considered taking vacations at more adult resorts
or in big American cities (and yes, we love Washington, D.C.,
Boston, Phoenix, Seattle, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Chicago),
but after adding up the cost and the effort, we, more often
than not, return to WDW. We love the weather, the location,
the safety, the service and, most of all, the price.
Contrary
to popular belief, a Disney vacation is not expensive. In
fact, as a sportswriter, when I go south to cover the NHL,
the NFL, the NBA, and Major League Baseball, I stay at a Disney
resort for two important reasons: (1) the location, just west
of Orlando on Inter-State Hwy. 4 gives me instant access to
nine major league sports franchises all within 30 minutes-to-four
hours by car (plus all those spring training baseball games
in March) and (2) because Disney is so economical.
Its
also safe. When we go to WDW, I can leave the hotel at 4 p.m.
to head off to a Lightning game in Tampa or a Magic game in
downtown Orlando, and Sally can go off on a Disney bus and
do anything she pleases, all by herself. In fact, many of
her favorite moments at Disney have happened when shes
alone at Epcot or Animal Kingdom or Downtown Disney and she
doesnt have a husband to drag around.
In recent
years, its become extremely easy to get to WDW now that
WestJet has a direct flight and, take our word for it, its
a great flight. Of course, you can always use your airline
points or Air Miles and make one easy stop along the way.
When you
reach Orlando International you are arriving at one of the
worlds great airports. Just listen to the flight attendants
instructions and follow the signs and we guarantee, you cant
miss your baggage claim or your ground transportation and
when you return to the airport to head home, there are plenty
of places to eat and relax before you catch your flight.
During
the recent winter baseball meetings at Walt Disney World,
I was talking to my old friend, Buck Martinez, the Toronto
Blue Jays play-by-play announcer. Buck lives near the beach
in Sarasota, Fla., but during our conversation, he said, I
was thinking why so many people were moving to the Orlando
area and its pretty simple really: No taxes, plenty
to do, great weather and the best airport in the country.
Hes right about that.
If you
have no plans to rent a car (we always do and we rent from
Alamo because of the convenience of having a number of outlets
on Disney property), you have two options. (1) You can wait
and take Disneys Magical Express. It will pick you up
at the airport and drive you to your Disney Resort for free.
It could take some time, but youll save $70. (2) If
you arent staying on Disney property or if youre
just in a hurry to get settled into your resort, a taxi ride
is anywhere from $60-$80 depending on where youre staying.
Disney
resorts come in three price categories: value, moderate or
deluxe. We love the deluxe rooms, but when you stop and think
about it, if youre really planning on enjoying your
Disney experience, you arent going to spend all that
much time in your room, so why spend all the dough. We usually
choose the moderate resorts, but have had some great times
at the value resort, Pop Century.
The
Waterfall at Wilderness Lodge Resort.
|
Of course,
if you havent taken your grand kids to the parks and
if youre going as first-timers, your initial question
is: What do we do once weve arrived? Fear not, you have
an abundance of choices.
In fact,
you probably have three days of choices without even going
to a theme park. There is shopping, eating, a great movie
theatre and of course Cirque de Soleils magnificent
La Nouba, all at Downtown Disney. You could play four sensational
18-hole golf courses (our favorite is Lake Buena Vista) or
you can walk nine holes at Oak Trail and thats always
fun and cheap, too.
Fultons
Crab House at Downtown Disney.
|
If youre
staying at a moderate or value resort, get on the monorail
(it counts as a ride) and head over to a deluxe resort and
just hang out. If were staying at Pop Century, we often
go over to the Grand Floridian for a swim and a meal. And
if you have some disposable cash and a few extra friends,
book a fireworks cruise. Its the best way to watch Wishes
at the Magic Kingdom or Illuminations at Epcot. Or grab a
spot on the beach at the Polynesian Resort and watch Wishes
from across the lake. Its relaxing and very entertaining.
Walt
Disney World Monorail.
|
However,
lets assume youre going to WDW to take in the
theme parks. Youve purchased your Hopper Pass, the pass
that allows you to go to all four parks on an unlimited basis,
and youre ready to take on the crowds. Lets take
an adult look at the four parks (we love thrill rides, but
for this piece, well leave the thrill rides to the kids):
Hollywood
Studios
Hollywood
Studios is filled with attractions and shows: the Indiana
Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, the 33-minute Lights, Motors
Action Extreme Stunt Show, the live stage show of Beauty and
the Beast and then, at night, Fantasmic.
Its
a fun theme park to walk (especially at Christmas time) but
we usually dont eat here. Instead, well take the
two-kilometer walk to Epcot, where youll find our favorite
park, the one where we eat, drink and, to be frank, spend
most of our time.
Epcot
We love
Epcot. Its the adults park. We love walking the 2.4-kilometre
circle thats called the World Showcase. We spend more
time eating at this park than we do eating at Florida restaurants.
Thats probably because we eat on the go and we seldom
sit down to eat. It just takes too much time.
Epcot
Theme Park.
|
Our favorite
snack-and-go spots are the new La Cantina de San Angel (Mexico),
the Lotus Blossom Café (China), the Yakitori House
(Japan), the Boulangerie Patisserie (France) and the Yorkshire
County Fish Shop (United Kingdom).
We also
have two favorite times of the year to be at Epcot: From March
2-May 15, 2011, for the Flower and Garden Festival and from
Sept. 30-Nov. 13, 2011 for the annual Food and Wine Festival.
The Food and Wine Festival is always a highlight of any year.
We tend
to justify what we eat by how much we walk.
Animal
Kingdom
Animal
Kingdom has the best thrill ride at all the parks, Expedition
Everest, but were not here to stand in line
waiting to lose our lunch.
Animal
Kingdom is loaded with some tremendous attractions (Kilimanjaro
Safaris), walking trails (the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail,
Maharajah Jungle Trek and Rafikis Planet Watch), shows
(Finding Nemo the Musical and Festival of the Lion
King) and the daily parade (Mickeys Jammin Jungle
Parade).
When it
comes to food, its not our favorite park, but we enjoy
snacks at the Yak and Yeti Counter Service or at Pizzafari
and there is nothing better than watching people while enjoying
a cold beverage at the Dawa Bar (we suggest an ice cold Safari
Amber).
The
Magic Kingdom
You cant
escape children or families here and we find that everyone
is a child at the Magic Kingdom (remember, there are no adult
beverages served here), but if you want to stick to your adult
schedule, how about avoiding the park and spending a day enjoying
the Magic Kingdom Resorts?
The Grand
Floridian, the Contemporary and the Polynesian are all on
the monorail line that passes through the Magic Kingdom, so
visit the resorts, enjoy a meal, stop in at a bar, take a
dip (They do frown upon it, but wholl ever know?). You
can get off the monorail and take a boat from the Grand Floridian
to the Polynesian and back to the front gate of the Kingdom.
You can walk from the Kingdom to the Contemporary and stop
in at the Wave for a drink. Take a walk from the Polynesian
to the Grand Floridian and stop in at Mizners Lounge
(open from 5 p.m. to midnight) for a little jazz, a beverage
and a snack.
Its
scooter world at Epcot.
|
There
is so much to do at WDW without spending time at a theme park
and without spending a lot of money. In fact, you can always
save the cost of a couple of theme park tickets and use the
money to see La Nouba, take a fireworks cruise, play some
golf (mini-golf, as well) rent a boat and go fishing on Bay
Lake or spend time in a spa.
Always
remember this: At Walt Disney World, youre never too
young and youre never too old and that means there is
always something to do without the grand kids.
(Note: If youre looking for travel packages, we recommend WestJet Vacations or CAA. If youd like that personal touch in Winnipeg, we recommend calling Constance Torossi at Enchanted Dreams Travel Company which specializes in Disney vacations, at 204-229-0296, connie@enchanteddreamstravel.com, www.enchanteddreamstravel.com)
(Read more in the Jan 20 - Feb 7/2011 issue of Senior Scope)
By
Sherrie Versluis,
Owner of The Preferred Perch Wild Bird Specialty
& Gift Store
Growing up, I was
lucky enough to be able to spend my summers in the great outdoors
of Lake of the Woods. It was there that my love of nature
flourished into what has literally become my livelihood. The
smell of the fresh green forest filled with the sights and
sounds of wild birds turned me into a true nature nut. The
birds left an impression that has not only stayed with me
but become my job. It has now been over 15 years that my business,
The Preferred Perch Wild Bird Specialty & Gift
Store, has been in operation. It has been nothing
short of an honour to introduce people to the 2nd biggest
hobby in North America, attracting and feeding wild birds
in your own backyard.
Many people who
start feeding wild birds usually begin with a basic wooden
feeder and wild bird mix. Unfortunately this usually results
in seed spilled all over the ground and nothing more than
masses of House sparrows visiting. House sparrows are the
bad guys of backyard birding. They not only make
a mess but they dominate feeders and intimidate songbirds
people want to see. House sparrows are an introduced species
that has learned to adapt to life here and they do whatever
it takes to succeed. Besides dominating feeders, House sparrows
will break the eggs and even kill the chicks of our native
birds that may be nesting in their territory.
It is important to try to not attract House sparrows to your
feeders but sometimes its not possible. They tend to
live in cedar trees and shrubs so if you have such housing
it is unlikely they will ever go away no matter what you do.
Evening
grosbeaks at a heated birdbath.
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House sparrows
are attracted to the seed white millet in wild bird mixes.
That is why you will see them throwing seed everywhere, they
are digging for what they want. To attract other birds, it
is a good idea to give sparrows their own feeder at the back
of the yard filled with pure white millet. Closer to your
home where you can see best, place a good quality sunflower
feeder filled with Black oil sunflower. This will attract
Black-capped chickadees, nuthatches, bluejays, and finches
to name a few. These birds can be found in Winnipeg and surrounding
areas throughout the entire year. A good choice for a sunflower
feeder is called a Tube Feeder. These are tall cylindrical
feeders that have feeding ports from top to bottom with perches
attached. This design reduces waste significantly and you
dont have to fill the feeder so often. Trays are available
separately to attach to the bottom which helps in keeping
the ground free of shells but it also encourages other species
that are too large to land on the perches.
A
Black-capped chickadee along with a pair of Purple finches
eating from a sunflower feeder.
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Feeding wild birds
is a hobby that is known to reduce stress as watching the
antics of bird behaviour can free your mind of negative thoughts.
It is also very beneficial to those who may be homebound as
it provides an easy and pleasurable source of entertainment.
To me, it is rewarding in so many ways but especially when
I hear from others how feeding wild birds has become a way
of life for them and their family. Bring nature into your
life and just feed the birds! Happy birding!
The Preferred
Perch Wild Bird Specialty & Gift Store
Open 7 days a week.
Call 25-PERCH (257-3724)
1604
St. Mary's Rd Winnipeg
(Read more in the Jan 20 - Feb 7/2011 issue of Senior Scope)
Its
the little things that tell the big story. Like that image
of a little old lady on a corner waiting for a Good Samaritan
to help her across the street. Well soon there will be a dozen
elderly ladies on that corner kicking each other in the shins
over whos first in line and the Good Samaritan, a.k.a
the government, will be a no show.
That lovely
scene of two men playing checkers in the park. Soon there
will be more checkerboards than benches in that park because
the worlds population is aging at an accelerated rate
never seen before in history. The number of older people is
increasing much faster than the number of young people. The
Golden Girls are cancelling Sesame Street.
The elderly
used to worry about being a burden to their families, now
theyre about to become a big problem for the planet.
By 2018, 65-year-olds will outnumber those under the age of
5 for the first time ever.
This will
also turn the global economy on its head. Experts believe
that maintaining a decent standard of living for the old will
place a crushing financial burden on the young.
Next year
the first wave of baby boomers in the United States will be
eligible for full Social Security and Medicare benefits setting
off a two-decade, astronomical spending spree by a government
thats already in mile-high debt. So Sarah Palins
insane claim that President Obamas healthcare plan called
for euthanizing the elderly is starting to look
like a viable option somewhere down the line.
By the
year 2050 there will be 300 million people over the age of
65 in China and not nearly enough toothpicks to go around.
The Chinese government is passing the buck to the families.
They have a name for it: the 4-2-1 problem. Thats
one child caring for two parents and four grandparents. Not
too much pressure on a young Kemei, circling help-wanted ads
in the Shenzhen Times while riding around on a bike with a
flat front tire.
To man
their massive factories the Chinese government is flooding
the biggest cities with young people and driving the old out
of their homes. Its called age apartheid.
All of
this information is covered by the Global Again Preparedness
Index compiled by a Washington think tank and when it comes
to todays forecast and tomorrows crisis
you couldnt do better than the acronym GAP.
But what
will Canada do? The government of Canada, unlike those of
many unprepared countries has some concrete plans in place.
First, when Elderquake hits home hard over the
next twenty years, our government plans to act really, really
surprised.
They plan
to blame Stats Canada and a software program short on zeros.
While claiming to have made provisions for the health and
financial well-being of 1.5 million elderly, they will claim
to have no idea the real number was 15 million.
Were
mad as hell, the Prime Minister will say. But not as
mad as the ninety-year-olds living in their grandsons
garage.
They will
blame the failure of the system on the previous government,
who will in turn blame it on their predecessors who will blame
it on Paul Martin. Walking through Lafontaine Park in his
undershorts, Paul Martin will say: I cant recall.
Then the
photo ops will begin showing that the crisis is not nearly
as bad as the experts claim and the elderly of Canada, now
living in an abandoned airport north of Toronto are receiving
water, ration packs left over from Afghanistan and warm socks.
Its called warehousing.
Those
requiring serious medical attention will be offered Varadero,
one week, all-inclusive, air, hotel, meals, bar drinks and
hospital transfers.
The federal
health minister, later to be reprimanded for it, will characterize
the elderly as lazy and unproductive pointing
out that Hey, why dont they try their luck at
the casinos!
Health
Canada posters and billboards will spring up extolling the
virtues of the aging initiative showing a photo
of 94-year-old Mable Spark who won ten dollars at her nursing
home for guessing the number of jelly beans in a canning jar.
And, the ad will say, she also got to keep
the jelly beans.
A spry
95-year-old Julie Andrews will appear in a feel-good video
extolling a few of her favorite things like: Air bags
on walkers and seatbelts on rockers.
The minister
of consumer affairs will almost lose his post for buying millions
of cheap canes from China made of rubber. The recall will
be ugly but not without comical incidents.
In a Hail
Mary move to save its skin, the government will come up with
its own 4-2-1 formula. Thats one care giver
for every two rooms full of elderly with four minutes maximum
in the bathroom, each. Do you get the feeling this government
believes that this trend too will pass?
Oh, and the real bad news? Were all healthier than our parents and on track to live a lot longer.
For comments, ideas or a signed copy of
The True Story of Wainfleet,
go to www.williamthomas.ca
(Read more in the Jan 20 - Feb 7/2011 issue of Senior Scope)
So now
that we know how and why sugar is creating an epidemic of
illnesses lets talk about what we should be doing about
it.
Refined
and synthetic sweeteners are used extensively by processed
food manufactures. The main reason they include sweeteners
is to give the product some taste and of course its
a cheap filler.
As consumers
we have come to think of sugar as a comfort food, we expect
and desire it. In fact the majority of us have become addicted
to sugar and sweeteners. This is of course the intention of
food manufacturers. Not unlike nicotine in cigarettes.
This is
the big nasty bit of dirt they dont want us spending
much time contemplating. But the fact is sugar and artificial
sweeteners are now recognized as addictive as alcohol and
nicotine (cigarettes).
Putting
sweeteners into processed foods will ensure you get the taste
and sugar craving fulfillment you are in need of. As we consumers
get more clued in and able to read labels we watch labels
more closely looking for how much sugar is in a product.
BUT what
you dont know is new synthetic sugars (and sugar alcohols)
are coming along quicker than we can keep up with. Food manufactures
do list them in the ingredients but you wont recognize
their names because they dont sound like a sugar. A
few examples include barley malt, polysaccharides and alitame.
If you would like to see a more comprehensive list check out
this link: www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/sweetslist.php#a6,
scroll down for the whole list.
Since
many of these sweeteners are new few long term studies exist.
However studies of older generation(aspartame) synthetic sweeteners
reveals that manufactured sweeteners are hundreds of times
sweeter than plain sugar and even more destructive to our
health. Did I mention they are cheap and addictive.
The take
home message is this: do all you can to eliminate refined
and synthetic sugars from your diet. These sweeteners are
causing your pancreas to over produce insulin which is in
turn triggering a fat storage signal plus they elevate your
blood sugar levels and can eventually lead to pre-diabetes.
Are there
any natural or safer sugars? Fortunately yes.
A popular
one is Stevia. It might take a bit of getting used to because
this plant based sweetener is very sweet. Also look for Xylitol
or Lo Han. The best place to find them is at a health food
store, youll have a much better chance of getting high
quality product. Also available are natural sugars made from
cane sugar and other plant sources. While these are far better
than refined sugars they are still interpreted as sugar where
your pancreas is concerned, so too much is not good.
Note:
Food manufactures keep tabs on the health food industry and
watch for trends. When they see something selling well they
find a way to make it cheap and then add it to their product
offering hoping youll think it is the same high quality
as found at health food stores.
Steven
Denault
River Heights Good and Natural
Weight Loss Clinic
1102 Corydon Ave., Wpg.
204-415-1308
steved@goodnnaturalweightloss.com
(Read more in the Jan 20 - Feb 7/2011 issue of Senior Scope)
Senior Scope - highlighting the programs, services and savings for seniors.
Anyone who is
a senior or knows a senior enjoys reading it. And who doesn't have
a parent, grandparent, relative or friend who isn't aging? Better
yet, who isn't aging? We all are.
Senior Scope offers useful and entertaining information with a focus on active, inspiring individuals, 55 and over, who are happy to share their stories.
Send your comments or story suggestions to kelly_goodman@shaw.ca.
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