Wouldn’t it be nice to have meals prepared for you, be free from chores and have the company of others while enjoying organized activities? If the response is yes, then Independent Living might be what you are looking for. Independent Living can offer wonderful support and services in a safe and secure residence. Most people who live in Independent Living get to enjoy the privacy of having their own apartment, and the perk of daily activities, nutritional meals prepared in-house and served in a dining room, weekly housekeeping, and an emergency response system for your safety and security. Dawn Stocks, Site Manager, LaRosaGardens.ca
Community News
Time for a Wellness Resolution
Looking to start the new year off in the right direction? How about making a wellness resolution?
Wellness is an active, lifelong process of becoming aware of your choices and making decisions that help you live a more balanced and fulfilling life. Talking to a counsellor can help you address relationship issues, learn to forgive and let go of anger and resentment. When we are compassionate to ourselves we can begin to address these issues. Now is the time to take care of yourself. You’re worth it.
Michael Kuntz, MSW, RSW, MichaelKuntzCounselling.com
Teaching Gambling Sense to Children
Gambling in the 21st Century has become a sophisticated, and in some cases, a more subtle wagering activity. The Responsible & Problem Gambling Program and the Centre for Addictions Research have partnered to create lesson plans for the BC’s new K-12 curriculum. Teachings include themes such as: 1 Every human society appears to have accepted gambling in some form; 2 Gambling can be fun but can also lead to significant harm; 3 As humans, we need to learn how to manage gambling and; 4 We can learn how to control gambling by examining the different ways people have thought about it, engaging in critical self-reflection and listening to each other.
Karen Hlady, Community Engagement & Prevention Service Provider, BCResponsibleGambling.ca
Self-Improvement Tips for Better Health
With the beginning of a new year, we may be asking ourselves things like; What were the highlights of the past year? What did we learn? How can we improve? Many people like to set goals for self-improvement in January. Here are some tips that may help get your own planning underway: Identify the “Why” – It’s often easy to know what healthy habits you want to incorporate into your life, but identifying the reason will often be the secret ingredient to success. Stick with it – A London study followed 96 subjects who were trying to make a change and found that on average it took participants 66 days to make a behaviour a habit. Incorporate the 3 R’s Pattern – REMIND ourselves why we are trying to create a healthy habit, establish a regular ROUTINE that develops that habit and REWARD ourselves along the way for our successes.
Tammy Toor, City of Nanaimo, Nanaimo.ca
Make Self-Care a Priority for 2018
Self-care is key to good health and happiness. Its many benefits include lowering blood pressure, slows aging, improves sleep and provides effective ways to deal with stress. It will help you experience more energy, mental clarity and inner peace. It supports you both internally and externally to take back control of your life. Self-care was once considered selfish but not anymore. Studies show that it is essential for good health. Massage is fantastic for self-care because you can let go of the worries and burdens of life. Simple breathing exercises and meditation are other great options.
Tammy Phye, R.A., EOT, Lifestyle Harmony LifestyleHarmony.ca
Active Programs for the Whole Family
We hope that one of your healthy habits for 2018 includes being more active. If so, please take a moment this month to check out the City of Nanaimo Activity Guide which has programs for every family member starting in January. It is available online or pick up a copy at our recreation centres. From all of us here at Parks and Recreation, we wish you and your family a happy, healthy and active new year.
City of Nanaimo, Nanaimo.ca
Make a Committment to a Healthy Weight
Many overweight people think that they have a healthy diet and don’t understand what causes them to gain weight. Living at an unhealthy weight is a long term health hazard. This can be overcome by learning how to make smarter lifestyle choices. The first step to overcoming a weight problem is to understand what caused the weight gain in the first place. The next step is to use that knowledge to loose the excess weight and then maintain a stable weight for life. Once you have made a commitment to weight loss, look for a program that offers ongoing support that will help you achieve your goal.
Holiday Wishes
With all the hustle and bustle of deadlines and meetings, we sometimes forget to take the time to reflect on the important things in our lives; our health, our family and our friends. We are grateful for these and many things that we take for granted; clean air, water from the tap and feelings of wellbeing. With Christmas just around the corner, we want to take the opportunity to wish our many readers, advertisers and friends, Peace, Happiness and Good Health this Holiday Season.
Coping with Holiday Stress
The holiday season is a special time but for some, it can be a time of grief and sadness. Sometimes the holidays include stressful situations that lead to more time and money spent on gambling than anticipated. If you plan on gambling during the holidays, here are a couple of strategies to keep things fun and mitigate the risks: Don’t gamble alone; keep it a social activity; leave your bank cards and credit cards at home; and finally, set time and money limits and stick to them. If you feel the need for a distraction such as gambling to escape the holiday stress, look for a healthier alternative: take in a movie, go out for dinner, connect with a friend and please feel free to call our 24/7 confidential helpline at 1-888-795-6111. Our counsellors and support workers are here to help!
Fear of Falls Causes Unsafe Behavior
When someone is fearful of falling, they start to avoid everyday activities by staying at home and doing less. This lack of activity leads to loss of strength, reduced muscle tone, and loss of coordination and balance. This physical deterioration increases the risk of falling and, if a fall does occur, it further heightens the fear. Turn your fear of falling into positive actions: remain active, exercise regularly, use assistive devices such as walkers or grab bars, and wear sensible shoes. Consider joining a group session designed especially to teach balance exercises for fall prevention.
What not to buy for Christmas!?
A popular woman’s magazine ranked socks as the number 2 item on the list of things men definitely do not want for Christmas. What do they know? What could be better than sharing the feeling of wellbeing with someone you love? When you fill the man of your life’s Christmas stockings with the right socks, he will enjoy a gift of wearable technology that can reduce pain, increase strength and endurance and increase stability and balance for months to come. And to make sure that you are fair in your gift giving, don’t forget the women in your life. They too will thank Santa Clause for the socks.
