Community News
Local Love: Merry Maids

Need some well-deserved free time to escape your busy schedule? Merry Maids delivers industry-leading cleaning services to help you check off one more thing on your to-do list. Every member of the Merry Maids team is fully trained, undergoes a careful screening process, and is bonded and insured so you can feel comfortable taking advantage of the company’s thorough and professional cleaning services. Merry Maids offers 100% customer satisfaction guarantee with every visit and also provides a free consultation that involves meeting you and touring your home to ensure the company understands your needs and budget before cleaning takes place!

Self-Love Valentine’s Day

Many essential oils can help to enhance feelings of self-love while boosting confidence, energy and more. Rose is an obvious choice! Rose is heart strengthening and its beautiful fragrance is intoxicating and promotes relaxation while also being great for your skin. Geranium is like rose, but a less expensive alternative. It is relaxing and soothing, creating a sense of peace and cheerfulness. Ylang Ylang has a lovely warm floral scent and is often used to help relieve tension. It is also helpful for balancing emotions. These can be used for massage, natural perfumes, diffused, or diluted as scented bath.

Flowers and Their Meanings

Flowers are a great Valentine’s Day gift and can be very personal, as each flower and colour has a specific meaning. Some examples include: 1) Roses – pink is for poetic romance, red is for love and passion, and yellow is for friendship. 2) Peonies – symbolize prosperity and romance. 3) Carnations – red symbolizes love and admiration. 4) Tulips – red is for true love and white is for forgiveness. 5) Orchids – purple symbolizes admiration and respect. 6) Gerbera Daisies – symbolize happiness. 7) Gardenias – symbolize purity and love. 8) Irises – yellow is for passion. 9) Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily) – symbolizes friendship and devotion.

Roasted Mixed Mushrooms

4 Compliments Portobello Caps, cut into 1-in cubes; 2 pkgs Compliments Sliced Button or Cremini Mushrooms; 2 pkgs Compliments Shiitake Mushrooms, thinly sliced; 1 red pepper, diced; ½ cup diced onion; ¼ cup olive oil; 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 2 tbsp chopped garlic; 2 tbsp chopped rosemary; 2 tbsp thyme leaves; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; ¼ cup finely chopped parsley. Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the parsley. Spread mixture evenly in large roasting pan. Roast 10 min., stir and return to the oven. Repeat the roast-and-stir process 3 more times until mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve. Find more healthy recipes at Sobeys.com

Smart Eating Tips

Eating right plays a major part in a senior’s quality of life. Some important dietary factors that should be considered include: Sodium – OK in moderation, as long as the foods are high-quality. Fats – Monitor saturated and trans fatty acids, and lean more towards monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (like omega-3s). Carbohydrates – Spread carbohydrates throughout the day to manage blood sugar. Protein – Increase protein intake to maintain muscle mass. Fibre – Eat plenty of fibre and drink plenty of water. Sugar – Consume in moderation. Vitamin D – Consider taking a daily vitamin D3 supplement if sun exposure and dairy intake are limited.

Local WellnessBOX Winner!

Congratulations to Gayle Erlendson the winner of our January Local WellnessBox. A prize package worth over $700 filled by Local Businesses from Hashtag Balance, Yourstyle Financial, San Vito Coffee House, Christina Norris Salon and Soy Harvest Candles. Subscribe to WellnessNEWS.ca & ManitobaWellnessHUB.ca for your chance to win! Thank you for supporting LOCAL.

Bathing Comfortably and Safely

Many seniors prefer to age in place in the comfort of their own home, which allows them to maintain dignity and independence. Having a safe home is crucial to ensuring that aging in place is successful, and that can often involve making some adjustments to the home environment. Safety in the bathroom is especially important, as getting in and out of a regular tub can be difficult. Luckily, there are many affordable adjustments and products that can help with bathroom safety, including fold-up bath seats and hand-held showers, bathtub conversions to reduce height, and grab bars for added stability.

Happy (and HEALTHY) New Year!

Happy 2022! Let’s make this our healthiest year yet! If you feel overwhelmed with where to start, it turns out even small daily adjustments can have a surprisingly big impact on your health! Here are a few ways you can help yourself feel good and age well: Eat more nutrient-dense foods. You need fewer calories with aging, but twice as many nutrients. Get active. Indoor walking, swimming, and doing yoga are all great activities to ease yourself into. Stay connected and make new friends. Social engagement and participation are especially important for older adults. These are linked to better cognition and overall health, and lower risk of depression and disability.

Community Support

You are not alone – we are here to help. The Alzheimer Society of Manitoba is your first link to a community of support and resources for those living with dementia and their families. On our website, you’ll find easy access to knowledge, services, programs and information for every phase of your journey. Take the first step and reach out today – we have staff ready to provide a listening ear. We can help you navigate your dementia diagnosis. Discover more at Alzheimer.mb.ca or call us at 204-943-6622 or 1-800-378-6699.

Benefits of Walk-In Bathtubs

Did you know that slips and falls in the bathtub or shower contribute to nearly 25% of hospital admissions for people aged 65 and older? We want to help you make your bathroom as safe as possible. Consider a walk-in bathtub, which is safer and easier to access than your traditional standard tub. With a low step entry threshold of a few inches, getting in and out of a new walk-in tub is quite easy. You can literally walk right in and sit down. With a bathtub conversion kit, you turn your existing tub into a walk-in tub with multiple opening and sizing options for you to choose from.

Make The Most Of Your New Year’s Resolutions

If you’re planning to adopt a healthier lifestyle this year you need to know an important fact – no matter what stress handling techniques you use, how well you eat, or how much exercise and sleep you get, to achieve your goals and get the most out of your efforts, your body must be functioning optimally. That is why it is important to find out if your body is lacking the crucial nutrients needed to properly function. Specialized nutritional testing can help you get the answers you need to improve your health and make your New Year’s resolutions a reality.