Seniors May 2010

wednesday, may 5, 2010 The VancouVer courier EW21

Seniorsmay 2010special advertising feature

by Jacquie Hooper, contributing writer

Should you quit driving at 70, 80 or 90? It’s not that easy to decide.

Talk the situation over with your doc-tor and weigh his advice. As your vision ages, common sense will dictate that you stop driving at night, especially in the rainy darkness.

A friend of mine, at 88, often drives to visit relatives in the Fraser Valley. She has always been a competent driver but recently she rear-ended a car on an exit

ramp of the freeway - she doesn’t know how it happened. Her car was totalled, she sustained injuries and had to go to Emergency by ambulance; her car was towed away. She decided then and there she would stop driving - her time had come.

An accident like this helps decision-making. But what do you do when no calamity precedes the inevitable? A speeding ticket or a policeman’s warn-ing might influence you to consider quitting. Another friend was pulled over

by the police for driving too slowly and impeding traffic. She quit driving at age 82 on the advice of the constable.

I think elderly drivers are safer than the young but may be over-cautious and delay traffic. ICBC reported the following gen-eral information about elderly drivers:

• Drivers age 70 or more: crash rate per 1,000 active driver licenses - 98

• Drivers age 16 - 19: crash rate per 1,000 active driver licenses - 132

Older drivers are alerted for a test at age 80 and if their medical assessment

shows problems, they may have to be tested every year.

Elderly drivers who want to find out their competence level can go to a driv-ing school for a fee. Holy Family Hospi-tal has an Elderly DriveAble program, at a cost of $350, and there’s a wait list.

If you doubt your driving ability, tests are available. The decision is yours.

Local senior Jacqueline Hooper, 83, was an avid hiker and skier; now she loves to paint landscapes.

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EW22 The VancouVer courier wednesday, may 5, 2010

seniors

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in the drivers’ seatmaking Decisions about your Futurecompiled by Helen Peterson

People may chuckle when referring to an older driver putt-puttering down the road well below the speed limit, having difficulty parallel parking or simply making errors like forgetting turn signals, etc.

But poor driving as a result of mental aging or medical reasons is no laughing matter. However, regulating the renew-al (or revoking) of a senior’s driver’s license (which can affect their sense of independence and in some cases, self-worth), is a subject long-debated across the country.

According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal’s (CMA) March, 2010 paper on seniors and driving, a cut-off age for licences is neither sen-sible nor appropriate. It states that because seniors are so heterogeneous with respect to health and cognition, it might be discriminatory to paint all seniors behind the wheel with the same brush.

Physicians and other health profes-sionals will always be required to report people whom they suspect are unsafe drivers, says CMA. However, only gov-ernments, using standardized driving assessments, should be responsible for revoking a driver’s licence.

The CMA also realizes that physi-cians and families need to be honest with seniors about the need to retire from driving, and seniors need to accept that, no matter how good the support system, their lives will subsequently not be as flexible.

There is a reverse graduated licence used in some jurisdictions, which should be adopted by all provinces. Such con-ditional licences could, for example, limit driving at night, when vision may be poorer, and restrict access to four-lane highways, rush-hour traffic times

or distance travelled.In my opinion, the innate problem

with the doctor’s office evaluation cur-rently in place is that an older driver with medical issues will turn up for the appointment on his/her best behaviour.

Would you go to the doctor while exhibiting extreme low blood sugar from your Type 1 diabetes? No. But once behind the wheel, if this happens, and exacerbated by diminished cogni-tive reaction time, the results could be very traumatic.

If only the doctor could sit in the pas-senger seat beside you for the evalua-tion… outside of the clinical setting. Only then would the doctor really get to see your driving capabilities.

ICBC – There for YouDo you need to take a driver’s re-exami-nation? Each year, some 4,500 drivers in B.C. are asked to take a driver’s re-exam, which consists of a re-examina-tion road test and a new vision check.

Driver Licensing Centres are located on MacDonald St. on the West Side; Commercial Drive on the East Side; and at Royal Centre, West Georgia St., down-town. Call 604-661-2255 if you have questions on renewal or voluntary relin-quishing of your B.C. driver’s licence.

wednesday, may 5, 2010 The VancouVer courier EW23

seniors

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If you or anyone living in your house has difficulty using stairs, installing a ramp is a great way to make your home safer and more accessible. A ramp can be used to overcome changes in level, either on the inside or outside of a home, as an alternative to using stairs.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corpo-ration (CMHC) offers the following tips on how to select or design an access ramp for your home:

Ramps are particularly useful for over-coming changes in level of up to about 76 cm (30 in.) from the ground level to the level of the entrance being ramped. Using ramps for greater changes in level requires a great deal of space—which may or may not be practical. Installing a lift or residential elevator may be a bet-ter strategy than constructing a ramp.

There are typically two strategies used for ramp design: a landscape approach and a structural approach. The land-scape approach incorporates landscap-ing, gently sloping walkways and grad-ing to overcome changes in level. The landscape approach is generally limited to smaller changes in level. The struc-tural approach involves building a ramp structure—usually using wood-framing

construction.The run (length) of the ramp will

depend on two primary factors: the overall rise (vertical change in level) and the slope used. For home use, most people find that a ramp with a slope of between one in 15 (for every one inch of change in height the ramp must be 15 inches in length) and one in 20 is safer and easier to use. Just remember that the less steep your ramp is, the lon-ger it will have to be.

Ramps should also be a proper width, ie: minimum of one metre (39 inches) wide. This does not include handrails, guardrails or other structural compo-nents. If someone who will be using the ramp has a walker, wheelchair or scooter and has some difficulty steering in a straight line, a wider ramp may be required.

All ramps must include a landing at the top and bottom, as well as at any point where the ramp changes direc-tion or exceeds a maximum of nine metres (30 feet) in length. Ramp land-ings should be at least 1.525 metres (five feet) long. If the landing is located where the ramp turns or changes direc-tion, it should measure at least 1.525 square metres (five square feet), or as large as 2.1 square metres (seven square feet) if it needs to accommodate

a scooter or large wheelchair.Since the ramp may also be used

by people who are walking, make sure there are at least 2.1 metres (seven feet) of clear headroom above the ramp and any landings. Be sure to take into account any protruding objects such as air conditioners, trees and shrubs, flower boxes or low awnings.

Handrails are required for any ramp steeper than one in 20. If handrails are not required, it is still a good idea to install a raised lip or edge to prevent someone in a wheelchair from rolling off the edge of the ramp.

Ramps should be well lit to create a welcoming area and ensure they are

safe and easy to use. Other recommend-ed safety features include colour-con-trasting handrails and tactile, coloured strips across the top and bottom of the ramp. Ramps should also always end on a sidewalk or the driveway, and not enter directly onto a road.

Before starting construction, contact the local building permit department at City Hall to find out if you will need a permit to add a ramp to your home.

For more information or a free copy of the “About Your House” fact sheet Accessible Housing by Design — Ramps, visit www.cmhc.ca or call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642.

the road homeDesign anD builD a ramp For your home

EW24 The VancouVer courier wednesday, may 5, 2010

seniors

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You’ll want to treat Mom right this year. And to help celebrate all that’s great with our Moms, The Courier and partners want

to give away one of three fab prizes to lucky readers:

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• $100 gift certifi cate to Pacifi c Centre in downtown Vancouver (where you can buy your Mom a wonderful gift).

• A $75 gift basket courtesy the Indulgent Foodie, with Marie Belle chocolates, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and gourmet popcorn.

• A gorgeous silver and beaded necklace made especially for Moms, by local bead artist Thunderpeep Designs (value approx. $40).

TO ENTER: Simply email [email protected] and put Mother’s Day Contest in the subject line. Be sure to include your name and daytime phone number in the email. Enter by 4 p.m., Wed. May 5, 2010.

A random draw will take place on May 6; winners will be notifi ed by phone and announced in Fresh, May 14.

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Calling all “road warriors” from the senior set! It’s hiking season once again. The BC Association of Podiatrists warns that, while hiking is a great way to keep fit and explore the great outdoors, excessive moisture and friction on the skin from improper socks and shoes can cause foot pain and lead to injuries that will stop you in your tracks. Before you climb your next hill or trail, consult your local podiatrist to make sure you are using the right footwear for your hiking adventures. For some helpful tips on hiking gear that will keep you going one kilometer after another, visit a specialty footwear retailer.

The Shaughnessy Cardiac Alumni Members Society’s “Cardiac Maintenance and Support Exercise Program” is for graduates of local Healthy Heart programs. Tailored for those at risk of heart problems and those who want preventative exercise, it takes place Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 6.30 a.m. and at 7.30 .a.m. Also Friday at 7 a.m. Cost is $45 a month, with a free one-month trial. Located in the Kerrisdale Community Centre

at 5851 West Boulevard, SCAMS welcomes new members into a friendly, supportive group. To obtain more information, contact: Don McArthur at 604-220-9037 or Poul Hansen at 604-868-3862.

Do you have loved one living in a retirement/care facility or at home? What challenges is he/she faced with? “Seniors’ Emotional Care Free Presentation” is a free presentation conducted by Full Spectrum Senior Services. Takes place Tues. May 25 at Kitsilano Community Centre from 7 - 8:30 PM. Address is 2690 Larch St.; to register, call the Centre at 604-257-

6976. There are also classes geared for seniors and their relationships. Getting back into the dating pool? The rules are different when you hit the elder years! For more info. on Full Spectrum, visit www.ssac.ca or call 604-616-8401.

Osteoporosis can affect many seniors, and the damage is permanent. Learn more about how to help yourself or a family member. The Vancouver/Kerrisdale Osteoporosis Branch will host a lecture: “Future Directions in the Management of Osteoporosis” by David Kendler, MD, of Prohealth Clinical Research Centre, on Tues. May 25, 7:00 PM, at the Seniors Centre, Kerrisdale Community Centre, 5851 West Blvd. Free admission. For further information, call: 604-731-4755 or 604-224-5063.

If you have a non-profit event or activity focusing on Healthy/Active Seniors, contact: Helen Peterson or e-mail: [email protected]; or by fax: 604-738-4739, by the last Wednesday of the month. One listing per organization, please.

“What’s on” for may

wednesday, may 5, 2010 The VancouVer courier E25

seniors

Whether it’s sorting through canned goods at a food bank, devoting a weekend to help build a house with Habitat For Humanity, or giving tours at a local historical site, most people decide to volunteer in order to help make an impact on another person’s life.

But according to a sur-vey recently conducted by American Express Canada, a growing num-ber of Canadians are choosing to engage in activities such as volun-teerism and charity work in order to enrich and enhance their own lives. This group—which con-sists of more than a quar-ter of Canadians—are considered “potential-ists” and defined as peo-ple who choose to take less traditional paths in order to realize their own potential.

One Canadian who has found her own path to realize her potential through volunteerism is Margaret Bedi. Bedi, an American Express employee for nearly 35 years, has served as a vol-unteer her entire life.

But it wasn’t until the death of her mother that she found her true call-ing.

Overcome with grief, Bedi searched for an activity to help fill the gap of time she once spent with her mother. Her search led her to the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) Hospice, and since 2006 she has devoted a considerable amount of time caring for the people who reside there, includ-ing an extended period in which she took a sab-batical from her day job in order to spend more time volunteering. Her volunteer activities at the hospice include provid-ing emotional support, respite and care to indi-viduals living with pro-gressive life-threatening illnesses.

“I find it to be a very fulfilling and rewarding experience to be part of the lives of some amazing people who live with ter-minal illnesses,” she said.

“It makes me realize how precious life is and how little time we have to live, laugh, and love.”

According to David

Barnes, VP Commu-nications at American Express, Bedi’s passion and dedication to her volunteer work is in line

with the results of the survey—people simply want to do more with their lives.

“This is very much the

attitude of the potential-ist, the type of person who is getting on and doing the things that excite them and not won-

dering ‘what if?’,” said Barnes.

Article courtesy www.newscanada.com.

volunteerism helps Canadians realize their potential

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Whether it’s sorting through canned goods at a food bank, devoting a weekend to help build a house with Habitat For Humanity, or giving tours at a local historical site, most people decide to volunteer in order to help make an impact on another person’s life.

But according to a survey recently conducted by American Express Canada, a growing number of Canadians are choosing to engage in activities such as volunteerism and charity work in order to enrich and enhance their own lives. This group—which consists of more than a quarter of Canadians—are considered “potentialists” and defined as people who choose to take less traditional paths in order to realize their own potential.

One Canadian who has found her own path to real-ize her potential through volunteerism is Margaret Bedi. Bedi, an American Express employee for nearly 35 years, has served as a volunteer her entire life. But it wasn’t until the death of her mother that she found her true calling.

Overcome with grief, Bedi searched for an activity to help fill the gap of time she once spent with her mother. Her search led her to the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) Hospice, and since 2006 she has devoted a considerable amount of time caring for the people who reside there, including an extended period in which she took a sabbatical from her day job in order to spend more time volunteering. Her volunteer activities at the hospice include providing emotional support, respite and care to individuals living with progressive life-threatening illnesses.

“I find it to be a very fulfilling and rewarding expe-rience to be part of the lives of some amazing people who live with terminal illnesses,” she said. “It makes me realize how precious life is and how little time we have to live, laugh, and love.”

According to David Barnes, VP Communications at

American Express, Bedi’s passion and dedication to her volunteer work is in line with the results of the survey—people simply want to do more with their lives.

“This is very much the attitude of the potentialist, the type of person who is getting on and doing the things that excite them and not wondering ‘what if?’,” said Barnes.

Article courtesy www.newscanada.com.

volunteerism helps Canadians realize their potential

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: “Slumdog Millionaire” at 1 pm on Wed. May 5 and “Flash of Genius on Wed. June 2 at 1 pm.

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.

may days, may daysSalmonberry Days in Dunbar is happening throughout the month of May. Bird-watching, horticulture walks, sidewalk sales and more. The Dunbar Community Centre and Vancouver Public Library are pulling out all the stops to educate and engage local residents.

Fun for seniors and people of all ages!For further info., visit www.dunbarvillage.ca or call

604-692-2885 for more information.

margaret beDi helps out a senior.