calgary senior - sept 2013

eniorCALGARY FREE

“Heart of the New West” - Your Senior Connection

Vol. 11, No. 5, SEPTEMBER 2013

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CMA calls for seniors’ health care strategy

INSIDE: 6 Editorial • 12 Health • 16 Homes • 19 Travel & Leisure • 21 On the Town

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By Colin F. SmithThe Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is calling

for the development of a national strategy for seniors’ health care.That goes along with release of the 2013 National Re-

port Card on health issues, a survey done for the physi-cians’ organization by Ipsos-Reid. The poll found that nine out of 10 Canadians (93 per

cent) believe a national strategy for seniors’ health care at home and in hospitals, hospices and long-term facili-ties is needed. “Let there be no doubt that a national strategy for

seniors’ health care should be a federal priority,” said CMA president, Dr. Anna Reid.An equal number of poll respondents believe a com-

prehensive strategy for seniors health care would im-prove the entire system by keeping elderly Canadians at home as long as possible, thereby lightening the load on hospitals and long-term care facilities.Nine out of 10 respondents (89 per cent) believe a

national strategy for seniors should involve federal, provincial, territorial and municipal levels of govern-ment. And four in fi ve (78 per cent) believe the federal government has an important role to play in developing the strategy. The CMA believes that making it easier for elderly

Canadians to stay at home while getting the care they need would be the preferred and most cost-effective health care option. According to the association, research shows that it

costs $126 a day to provide care for a patient in a long-term care facility, versus $842 a day in a hospital. The results show a majority (63 per cent) believe

home and community care should be the most impor-tant focus for governments when improving health care quality for senior citizens.

Continued on Page 7

By Colin F. SmithAffordable accommodation

has been in short supply in Calgary for some time and this summer’s fl ood worsened the situation.

That has prompted the Calgary Seniors’ Resource Society to ex-pand its HomeShare program.

“Affordable accommodation is quite limited, more so than pre-viously,” said HomeShare coor-dinator Cheryl Snider. “We have a number of people, students, people moving into Calgary for work, people having to fi nd new accommodations.”

When it began a pilot project in 2010, the program matched senior householders with post-secondary students who live in their homes, exchanging ser-vices for living expenses. Later on, home seekers other than stu-

dents were accepted, but up to this point it had been essentially for older homeowners. Now that has changed.

“We have opened up the crite-ria for homeowners,” said Snid-er. “Anyone with space to share can contact us.”

She said the organization strongly wants to be able to be able to help people.

“We really believe the Home-Share program is a good way to do that, for people who need affordable accommodation and for homeowners who can have their own needs met and help someone else,

The aim of the program is to develop a living arrangement that is benefi cial for both parties.

While the home seeker gets affordable accommodation and the homeowner will ben-

efi t from rental income and help with work around the house, both enjoy companionship and the security of emergency sup-port.

In addition, shared costs of liv-ing give each more options with their disposable income.

The program suggests matches between screened individu-als. The homeowner and home seeker each decide if they will fi t well with the other. Then the HomeShare staff work with them to develop an agreement outlining what each will con-tribute to and receive from the arrangement.

There is no fee for the services. “The reason many seniors

want to home share is because they are looking for somebody to help with shoveling snow or get-ting up on the ladder to change a

light bulb,” said Snider. “Other people just want somebody in the house. It’s quite a range and that’s all part of what we take into account.

“It’s not that one person is a servant. It’s a mutually benefi -cial arrangement.”

Snider noted that since the program was opened up to non-student home seekers there has been quite an age range of appli-cants, from their early twenties up to one in his eighties.Over the course of the program, 67 homeowners have shared their living space. The program currently has 46 homeowners and 50 home seekers involved.Home sharing is not for every-one, Snider admitted, and some people who become involved in the program drop out when they realize they are not suited for it.

“For people who it does work for, it can work very well,” she said. “Most people have good experiences. People often have short-term agreements to start off with, then renew them and keep on doing that.”Snider points to an increasing interest in home sharing ar-rangements. Home share pro-grams have opened in Red Deer and Newfoundland. She has recently shared the ex-periences of the Calgary pro-gram at a conference in Burl-ington, Ontario and attended the Third World Homeshare Con-gress in Oxford in July.“On an international level we are looking at the actual cost benefi ts of home sharing. What we are fi nding is that people are making quite signifi cant contri-butions.”

Flooding prompts home share program expansion

Taking a spin on the antique ferris wheel at Heritage Park is always fun. Events at the historic park during September include the Harvest Sale and Railway Days. See www.heritagepark.ca for more information.

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2 September 2013, CALGARY SENIOR

Canadians are plunging into the debate of our century: how we deal with aging and death. It is a debate we need to have, even if we would rather carry on as usual and avoid it.After all, Canadians these days

are extraordinarily healthy and long-lived, compared to Cana-dians of the past.In Canada an average man in

1921 lived until he was 56, and a woman lived until she was 58, according to the Canadian Mor-tality Database. As of 2009, a man lives until 79 and a woman, 83. It is an astounding accom-plishment to have lengthened people’s lives almost 43 per cent in less than one hundred years. Much of this success is at-

tributable to major advances in the study and treatment of dis-ease. Vaccines for mass killers such as diphtheria, tuberculosis, tetanus and yellow fever were all introduced in the 1920s and ‘30s. Alexander Fleming discovered

penicillin in 1928. Even lesser developments such paracetamol or acetaminophen, sold today under the familiar trade name Tylenol, made life a lot more sufferable for people facing fe-vers and pain. Such advances, combined with

improved working conditions, better incomes and education, and the pilot efforts of Saskatch-ewan and Alberta to provide

more public access to health-care, led to an increase of per-haps almost 15 years to people’s lives by 1965.In 1966, Prime Minister Lester

Pearson introduced the Medical Care Act, which provided the fi nancial backing for Canada’s provinces to set up their public healthcare systems. From that year onward, and with the ad-vent of vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella, along with a host of other healthcare inno-vations and treatments, Canadi-ans on average gained another 9.5years. No doubt more access to healthy food and more bal-anced diets is another factor. One results of this progress is

our growing centenarian popu-lation. Canada has 5,825 people aged 100 years or older as of the 2011 Census, a 35 per cent in-crease from 2001, according to Statistics Canada. The projec-tions are eye-popping: by 2061 Canada is expected to have 78,300 centenarians, the popu-lation of a small city.We may be led to think that

because Canadians are living longer they are enjoying their lives more and, in some than ever. I think this is why it is so diffi cult to listen carefully when people say they want to commit suicide. Up until 1972, attempted sui-

cide was a crime under the Criminal Code of Canada. Sur-

vivors of suicide attempts were prosecuted and, if convicted, jailed. Parliament repealed that sec-

tion of the law, but other sec-tions still bar people from aid-ing or counselling a person to commit suicide. People who encourage or help others to commit suicide can be jailed for 14 years. Depending on how ac-tively a person is involved in the other’s death, life imprisonment is also a possibility. These criminal code provisions

are disincentive enough for doc-tors, caregivers, spouses, fam-ily members and friends to be unwilling even to talk about the issue.Suicide has preoccupied our

politicians of late. In 2009, par-liamentarians across party lines passed a motion that sought to expand the scope of that Crimi-nal Code section to include counselling through electronic media, such as social media, websites and email. The impe-tus was the suicide of a young woman who was studying at Carleton University. Allegedly, a man encouraged her via the internet to kill herself. She did, yet the police laid no charges against the man. In December 2012, Parliament

passed a private member’s bill put forward by Conservative MP Harold Albrecht (Kitchen-er-Conestoga) establishing the

Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention Act. This act describes suicide as

“a complex problem involving biological, psychological, social and spiritual factors, and can be infl uenced by societal attitudes and conditions” and that “sui-cide prevention is everyone’s responsibility.” Much of the parliamentary

debate and support for the bill from all parties addressed sui-cide in the context of saving young people’s lives. In effect, it ignored the issue of whether people at the other end of their lives had a right to suicide. It is hard not to wonder wheth-

er the introduction of Bill 52, An Act Respecting the End-of-Life Care, in the Quebec legislature is a provincial response to the federal political parties’ blind-ness to the issue. Quebec is already feeling the

impact of the senior boom and with that, the complex reality of life with an older population. Chronic illness, age-related disabilities, and so many other problems face this new gen-eration of older Canadians. In many ways, Canada’s seniors are entering unknown territory in the human story. Quebec’s Bill 52, which allows

for assisted suicide in come cas-es, is not going to end this de-bate. It is inherently a cautious piece of legislation. Only those patients already in

palliative care would have ac-cess to this option. They would also have to be capable of giv-ing consent, suffering from an “incurable serious illness” and an advanced and irreversible

“decline in capability,” and be subject to “constant and unbear-able physical or psychological pain” that cannot be reduced to a point “the person deems toler-able.” If this became law, disabled

people or people who are not dying, even if they are suffer-ing tremendously, would be re-quired to carry on. The draft law also puts the

onus on the doctor to ensure this option is appropriate. Among the seven criteria they physi-cian must take into account are that the request is “being made freely and without any exter-nal pressure,” that the patient is informed about other “thera-peutic possibilities,” verifying the suffering, discussing the re-quest with caretakers and family members, and getting a second opinion from a wholly indepen-dent doctor. With a doctor’s medical li-

cense and life prospects in the balance, I think these checks are suffi cient to make this legisla-tion practical. Many advocates will push for more, no doubt, but this is a good start.Dying with dignity is the chal-

lenge before us as a nation. That Quebec is the fi rst province to try to answer the challenge with anything other than fl at denial, by keeping access illegal, is a credit to the courage of its poli-ticians. Thanks to Quebec, Canadians

now have another way to discuss this controversial but essential question of not only how elders are treated, but also how elders choose to treat themselves.

2013

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5

General ElectionAlternate Voting Options

General Election Day is Monday, October 21, 2013 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There are special provisions in place for electors who either cannot come out and vote on Election Day or who would find doing so a challenge. Electors can cast their vote in one of four alternate ways:

– If you are physically incapacitated, out of town, or working on Election Day as a candidate, campaign worker or for the Election Office, you can request a Mail-in (Special) Ballot.

– Inpatients or residents can vote in hospitals and/or care facilities on Election Day.

– Incapacitated electors can vote at home on Election Day by requesting a special service.

– All eligible electors can vote at the Advance Vote, October 9-13 and 15-16. Blind and visually impaired electors can use blind voter templates available only at the Advance Vote.

Authorized elector identification has changed. Find out what authorized form of identification you need to bring to vote!

More information is available at: calgary.ca/election YYC Vote app 403-476-4100 (option 2)

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By Jane MilburnWe do not usually associate

disabled people with sailing but a local organization is dedi-cated to getting them out on the water.Sailing on Glenmore Reser-

voir, the Calgary-based Dis-abled Sailing Association of Alberta provides recreational opportunities for disabled adults and children in partner-ship with more than 35 agen-cies.It also offers sailing lessons

that can lead to disabled people being got out on their own once they have achieved the proper certifi cation Rob Lawrence, commodore of

the association, said that boats equipped with “sip and puff” blow tube devices enable even very disabled people such as paraplegics to sail.The association owns a fl eet of

six Martin 16s, The Martin 16 is a craft specifi cally designed for sailors with mobility im-pairments. It’s a sloop, which for the non-nautical is a single-masted boat with two triangle shaped sail, with the rear sail larger that the forward sail.From a forward-facing sitting

position, the sailor has com-plete control of the sailboat. All controls can be automated to assist any degree of disability. The craft also has a 150-kilo-gram lead bulb attached to the keel, which makes it impossible to capsize. Positive fl otation, or buoyancy, makes the Martin 16 safe, even if the hull is full of water. A second seat is pro-vided for a sailing instructor or a friend.I visited the association re-

cently on a calm day, with a dramatic sky and a gentle hiss of water kissing the beach.“A light breeze picks out the

good sailors,” said Dale Keith, a member of the group. “You cannot make a mistake or move your weight about too suddenly or you create more drag in the water.”Businesswoman Sara Cooper

was assisted out of her wheel-chair and into one of the Martin

16s by student helper Mathew Schneider.Cooper has won at the Mobil-

ity Cup, Canada’s international regatta for sailors with a dis-ability in the Silver Fleet com-petition for sailors who have two years experience. She told me that she relishes

the freedom afforded by sailing. The Disabled Sailing Asso-

ciation of Alberta was started in 1994 by twelve sailors, and

now has a membership of more than 30, some disabled, some not.In addition to the Martin 16s,

their fl eet includes four Access Dinghies and that are used for lessons. The craft have sling seats for comfortable side by side seating for two and are sta-bilized with a water-fi lled drop centreboard. They also have two larger Sonar Keelboats.The association is always

looking for volunteers for a va-riety of roles including offi ce work, acting as helpful eyes and hears for challenged sailors and additionally being entertaining company on boat rides. Seniors are welcome.Volunteers will be particu-

larly needed next year when the association will be hosting the 2014 Mobility Cup at Wil-liam Watson Lodge on Lower Kananaskis Lake.

Originally conceived as an in-formal get together for sailors from Vancouver, the Mobility Cup has grown to a major event for disabled sailors from across North America. For more information about

the Disabled Sailing Associa-tion of Alberta go to their web-site, call 403-238-0589 or email [email protected].

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(Left Gary Faulkner, vice-president of the Disabled Sailing Association of Alberta, prepares to take a boat out. (Right) Disabled sailor Sara Cooper is assisted by student helper Mathew Schneider. Photos by Jane Milburn


By Rick LauberRetirement can be a major

turning point in life. You could be leaving a career behind, which can be a traumatic step. However, retirement can also open many doors and allow you more time and freedom to ex-plore your interests. You could take classes, tackle that novel or travel. As you seek out new pastimes

and pursuits, joining Toastmas-ters might be an appealing chal-lenge.

This organization, at almost 100 years old, is most recog-nized for providing its members a safe and supportive haven to improve their public speaking skills. Public speaking, you say? If the very thought of mak-

ing a presentation to an audi-ence makes your knees knock, you’re not alone. Before balk-ing at the prospect, consider that Toastmasters provides far more than speaking practice. Here are just a few of the other

benefi ts. As a Toastmasters group mem-

ber, you will be provided with a booklet of speech projects to work through. Speech guide-lines and objectives are pro-vided; however, topics are your own. Sharing from your own personal and/or professional experience is one approach but explore more unfamiliar topics to you by all means. Researching new subject mat-

ter, writing your ensuing speech notes and delivering your speech by memory will all help to keep your mind sharp. Toastmasters clubs are often

described as fun and friendly. The regular meetings can pro-vide you an opportunity to meet new people from all walks of life and, perhaps, form long-lasting friendships. Do you dislike having to ask

the grocery store cashier to ap-ply the senior’s discount to your bill? Or, maybe you’d could use help with a heavy door but don’t like asking? With Toastmasters, you will

face the fear of speaking up in public and then go on and do it – thus greatly boosting your be-lief in yourself. When you feel surer about yourself you won’t hesitate to speak up and can be more convincing when you make requests. Many Toastmasters groups

attract new Canadians – people who want to practice and im-prove their English. By chat-ting with these individuals and listening to their speeches you can travel the globe without heading to the airport, hauling a heavy suitcase around or risk-

ing losing your luggage during your travels. In addition to completing

speeches, Toastmasters’ mem-bers are encouraged to sign up for roles during regular meet-ings; plan (or even compete in) speaking and evaluating con-tests and, perhaps, even serve on their own club’s Executive committee. By taking on more respon-

sibility within your club, you can learn how to run an effec-tive meeting, within time con-straints, manage people and lead organizations. Good work doesn’t go unno-

ticed! Your decision to join a club may well affect friends and family, who might themselves look at self-growth/improve-ment opportunities – Perhaps your grandchildren might join a Toastmasters’ club when they get older and you will have that in common. Helping and encouraging

others can be very rewarding.

Toastmasters clubs truly value more mature members for their life experience. You can offer to take someone under your wing and teach him or her. Your help can take many

forms. Meeting another group member for coffee and brain-storming ideas for an upcoming speech can be very useful. Lis-tening to another group mem-ber practice his/her speech over the phone to you can also be benefi cial.You might also sign up as a

speech evaluator during a meet-ing and offer your feedback fol-lowing another member’s pre-sentation. Doing one positive thing for

yourself often results in im-provements in a number of ar-eas. Just think of how refreshed you feel after a good night’s sleep. With Toastmasters, you are helping yourself improve through many channels. Testing the waters with Toast-

masters comes with no obliga-tion. Visit as many groups as you like at no cost until you fi nd a club (and other members) to your liking. You could be spending a great deal of time here so it’s important to feel comfortable. On the website of Toastmas-

ters International, toastmasters.org, you can fi nd information about, so you can select the ones most convenient for you with regard to meeting venue and time. You will fi nd clubs meet during both the day and evening. So, if you are looking for

something more active to enjoy after 65, Toastmasters might well be just the ticket. As you can see, the organization offers plenty of benefi ts for seniors wanting to fi ll their retirement years and be fulfi lled as well.

Toastmasters can provide ideal retirement activity

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EDITORIALOFF THE CUFF Mansoor Ladha

By Marc-André Gagnon (Troy Media) -- Canada is one

of the world’s most expensive countries when it comes to pre-scription drugs. Per capita, pre-scription drug costs are on aver-age 50 per cent higher in Canada and had the fastest yearly growth in the last decade than in other developed countries.

Why is this the case?Canada is one of the few of

world’s developed countries without universal pharmacare, and we are the only country in the world with a universal medicare system that excludes prescription drugs -- as if pharmaceuticals are not an essential element of medi-cal treatment.

A staggering 10 per cent of Ca-nadians each year cannot fi ll a prescription due to fi nancial rea-sons.

Canadians understand the gaps in our current system and want them addressed. An EKOS poll released recently shows that 78 per cent of Canadians support the implementation of a univer-sal pharmacare program.

Economist Yanick Labrie from the Montreal Economic Institute has criticized a conference I co-hosted on universal pharmacare in Ottawa, and published a re-port, Wrong Prescription, argu-ing against cost-containment measures for prescription drugs.

Labrie argues that a national drug plan would be bad for Ca-nadians because it would reduce drug costs, thus reducing spend-ing in research and development for new drugs, and increase drug shortages. Private drug plans are touted as solutions because they

offer more “generous” coverage.Labrie should have attended

the conference because he would have heard each of these argu-ments discussed and refuted in turn.

More than 80 per cent of new drugs entering the market today do not represent any therapeutic advance compared to existing, cheaper drugs.

If we have drug plans reimburs-ing any new drug, whatever the cost, and even when there are cheaper, equivalent drugs avail-able, do we really provide in-centives for drug companies to invest in breakthrough innova-tion? In fact the opposite occurs: we give them a huge incentive to bring to market mere reformula-tions of existing products.

The pharmacy benefi t manage-ment company Express Script Canada estimates that private drug plans waste $5.3 billion in reimbursements for new drugs that do not provide any addition-al therapeutic benefi ts compared to existing formulations. This amount represents 56 per cent of total money spent by private drug plans.

At our conference, an executive from Great-West Life explained that, in their current form, private drug plans are not sustainable. In contrast, the universal phar-macare system in the United Kingdom employs market forces in an ingenious way.Through value-based pricing, drug companies get paid accord-ing to how much they improve the health outcomes of the popu-lation.

Continued on Page 8

COMMENTHow a national drug plan would benefi t Canada

Canada was respected through-out the developing world for the work done through the Canadian Development Agency (CIDA).

However, recently this famous name-brand agency was merged into the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, signaling a shift in the country’s development and aid priorities.

CIDA, the agency, which once upon a time had quite a reputa-tion for problem solving and other bettering the world activi-ties, has now been largely con-fi ned to promoting foreign trade.

The agency now aims to strengthen its links with the pri-vate sector, focusing opportuni-ties benefi cial to them.

Critics believe that the decision to merge CIDA with Foreign Af-fairs, Trade and Development will mean that greater emphasis will be placed on foreign policy and commerce than poverty elimination and humanitarian objectives.

International Development Minister Julian Fantino is on re-cord as saying that aid provision should refl ect Canada’s interests. The new department has been asked to “vigorously promote and defend Canadian interests and values abroad.”

According to Senator Colin Kenny, a former chair of the Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s move to pull CIDA out of some of the poorest countries in the world – including African nations such as like Malawi and Niger – and shift its emphasis to countries Canada wants to increase trade was reprehensible for a govern-ment committed to stand on fi rm moral principles in its interna-tional dealings.

Aileen Carroll, who was minis-

ter of international co-operation under Paul Martin, told a Globe reporter that CIDA – and the as-pect of Canada that the agency represented – would be missed.

“The brand once was a good brand,” she said. “Whenever I was overseas, I certainly felt that there was a lot of cachet to that name.”

Canada is making a huge mis-take by diminishing its role in Africa at a time when there ap-pears to be a new “scramble for Africa,” even more aggressive than the predatory 1884 Berlin conference which partitioned Africa according to the whims of colonial powers.

Today Africa is not only of in-terest to former colonial powers like Britain and France, or the U.S. and the European Union, but also to India, Russia, Latin America, Turkey and Iran.

Recent visits by sitting presi-dents of China and the U.S. are an indication of how important these countries regard Africa. While these countries are build-ing special relationships with Africa, Canada, which once was highly regarded in Africa for its contribution, appears to be left on the sidelines.

At a seminar titled Positioning Canada for the Africa of 2015 it was pointed that the “Canada brand” has to become more vis-ible in Africa and our diplomacy has to be expanded and become more active in order for this country to secure its interests in Africa.

Undoubtedly, Africa will con-tinue to have problems on a con-tinental scale, but the Africa of 2015 promises to show growth and development on a global scale.

In his keynote presentation at the seminar, Dr. Olayemi Akapo

suggested that Africa’s formi-dable assets make it a region that simply cannot be ignored since its 53 countries have “20 per cent of the world’s land mass, 30 per cent of the world’s sought-after metal and mineral resourc-es, 10 per cent of oil reserves and almost a quarter of the member-ship of the UN.”

It’s increasingly educated pop-ulation is approaching one bil-lion people, or some 15 per cent of the world’s population, and there is a growing middle class.

The continent’s $1.7 trillion economy growing at an average rate of 5% just before the recent fi nancial crisis hit, a rapidly ex-panding infrastructure and in-creasingly sophisticated political institutions.

“The new Africa has left behind the old political and neocolonial mindset, and has set its course on economic development in a globalized international sys-tem,” Akapo declared.

Canada could make a differ-ence in Africa because of its long history of involvement in African development and its cultural and linguistic affi nities with a large number of African countries.

We should also use the grow-ing African diaspora communi-ty, whose members believe that Canada has a moral and ethical obligation to provide assistance to the poorest developing coun-tries, most of which are in Af-rica.

The African diaspora rightly wants Canada to get involved in Africa more aggressively. One hopes the transfer of CIDA to the Department of Foreign Affairs won’t have a great impact on its aid and development policies.

Editor,I heartily agree with Bryan Persson (letters, Au-

gust). I am sick and tired of all this bleeding heart stuff we see in the news media regarding Syria, Egypt and the rest of them in that area.

If you read history, every country in its develop-ment went through what they are going through now. I think the western nations, particularly the Unites States and Britain, should mind their own business and not interfere.

The west is not so great -- we have many prob-

lems here and I do not see the Arabs helping us! The problem as I see it is we have gone over-

board, even in our own country, with the words “compassion” and “charity.”

We are too emotional today, due I think to lack of discipline in the upbringing of the younger generation. We would never have won the second world war with the attitudes we have today, too emotional by far!Jean Vesey

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CALGARY SENIOR

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I have always been fascinated by the story of Caleb. He served God for eight decades and his most remarkable achievement came when he was 85 years old.

There are three clearly de-fi ned stages in his life, as there is in ours – youth, midlife and old age. Caleb was zealous in youth, consistent in midlife and adventurous in old age.

The key to his life, stated six times in the Bible: “He wholly followed the Lord.” To wholly follow the Lord means that he obeyed implicitly, he complied with, he yielded to and he imi-tated God. The testimony to Solomon’s failure was “that he did not fully follow the Lord.” (I Kings 11:6)

Caleb was born a slave in Egypt. He had every reason not to succeed. But he had godly parents. He could remember the return of Moses to Egypt, the plagues, the Passover lamb, the exodus from Egypt, the cross-ing of the Red Sea and their de-liverance from Pharaoh’s army.

While he is young, he rises to leadership. He is chosen to rep-resent Judah, the foremost tribe. He, along with others, is chosen to spy out the land of Canaan. He saw the fruitfulness and po-tential of the land. He also saw the obstacles, including giants.

When the majority voted against going into the Promised Land, he and Joshua took their stand and urged the people to faith. The 10 saw the giants but Caleb and Joshua saw God and declared, “Let us go up at once and possess it.”

What made him such an out-

standing young man? In Num-bers 14:24 we have God’s as-sessment: “My servant Caleb, because he had a different spirit and has followed Me fully.” This was the key to his success.

As we follow his story, we observe him as consistent in midlife. Imagine his feelings when as a young man he turns back from the border of Canaan, to spend the next 40 years in the wilderness. During those years he married and raised a family.

Midlife is a good and danger-ous time. People like David, Solomon, Saul and Samson all failed in midlife. Psalm 91:6 warns about the “destruction that lays waste at noonday.”

Caleb could have dropped out of the race. He could have be-come bitter and disillusioned. He had been forced to spend 40 years in the wilderness when he could have been in Canaan,

because of the unbelief of oth-ers. Then when a successor for Moses is picked, he was over-looked and Joshua, his friend, is chosen. Through it all he continues to wholly follow the Lord.

Old age came to Caleb, as it does to all of us. How will he run the fi nal lap of the race?

As a youth, Caleb had soared like an eagle; in midlife he had run without wearying. Could he walk in old age without faint-ing? (Isaiah 40:31)

To Caleb, old age was not a time for petering out, but for pressing on. In youth he stood alone, in midlife he walked alone and in old age he was ready to climb alone.

He is 85 years old when they enter the Promised Land. His friend, Joshua, is ready to pres-ent Caleb with a piece of land by the river where he can retire

and enjoy the fruits of his la-bour.

But he is not ready. He wants to run another mile. He wants to climb another mountain. He wants to win another vic-tory. His sail is ready to catch another wind. He cried out, “I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me... now therefore give me this mountain where the giants live.” So in the fi nal chapter of his life Caleb reached his zenith.

Many of us are running the last lap of the race of life. It’s not the time to quit; it’s time to press on. The fi nish line is in sight so let’s run strong until He calls us home.

Denzel Fenn was in fulltime ministry for 53 years. He was senior pastor of the Calgary Full Gospel Church for more than 30 years.

Denzel Fenn

Caleb – young at 85 after lifetime of service

Continued from Page 1“The anxiety Canadians have

about health care in their so-called golden years is both real and well-founded,” declared Reid.

Just four out of 10 (41 per cent) believe hospitals and long-term care facilities can handle the needs of seniors in their area who will not be able to stay at home. The same proportion of Canadians says they are confi -dent in the current health sys-tem’s ability to serve the na-tion’s aging population.

The poll, conducted between July 17 and July 26 by phone with 1,000 Canadians 18 and over, found that four in fi ve (83 per cent) Canadians thought their health care in retirement years was a concern.

Seventy-nine per cent were concerned about having ac-cess to a high quality acute care system, while 77 per cent were concerned about access to high quality home care and long-term care.

“The results of this year’s CMA report card send a clear and direct message to policy-makers and public offi ce hold-ers that all levels of government need to act to address the demo-graphic tsunami that is heading toward the health care system,’’ said Reid.

CMA National Report Card on Health Care Reinforces Need for National Strategy on Health Care for Seniors

The fi ndings of the survey were welcomed by the Cana-

dian Home Care Association. “The survey fi ndings reinforce what home care providers hear everyday,” stated association president John Schram. “There are clear opportunities to im-prove care for seniors, espe-cially in home and community care.”

In 2011, 1.4 million Canadi-ans that received home care, 800,000 of them seniors, 65 year of age and over, or about one in every six seniors.

“Although provinces and terri-tories have made commitments to enhancing home care for se-niors, we have not seen a shift in the funding and resources to support new programs and ser-vices.” said Nadine Henning-sen, executive director of the association.

“Of the $3,957 public dollars spent per Canadian in 2010, only $159 was spent on home care. In fact, the percentage of public health care funding to home care from the provinces and territories has either de-creased or not changed over the past fi ve years.”

The association is seeking an increase in the percentage of public health care funding allo-cated to home care to meet the long-term, chronic care needs of Canadians, along with pro-grams that safeguard the health of family caregivers, and mini-mize fi nancial burden, and pro-vide them with information and resources.

According to the Alberta Lib-erals, the poll’s fi ndings are in

line with party policies.“Alberta’s health care sys-

tem consistently fails seniors,” stated health critic Dr. David Swann. “This poll highlights how important Canadians think seniors care is and how our gov-ernment must make immediate changes to our health care sys-tem.”

Alberta Liberal leader Raj Sherman said the province is

going to face a severe crisis in seniors care if the government doesn’t start taking action im-mediately.

“Alberta’s senior population grows dramatically each year and our current health care sys-tem is not keeping up,” says Sherman. “This government’s failure to properly fund not-for-profi t care has already resulted in a lower quality of care and

greater barriers to care for many of our seniors. The government needs to change course.”

The Liberals want to see fund-ing for non-profi t home care doubled, to enable seniors to live in their homes as long as possible, and an increase in publicly funded long-term care beds to ensure every senior has a place to go if their level of care needed changes.

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Digest - Grandparents Day rally opposes senior cutsA rally to oppose public service

cuts affecting seniors is being held on Grandparents Day, Sep-tember 8, at the Alberta Legisla-ture Building.

The event, titled (Un)Fair, is being organized by the Seniors Task Force of Public Interest Al-berta.

The group opposes Alberta Government is Alberta govern-ment measures including cut-ting $18 million and privatizing homecare, cutting $180 million

in seniors’ drug plans, privatiz-ing and cutting long-term care beds and forcing seniors to ac-cept the fi rst available bed away from family and friends.

The rally will take place from 1 p.m. to 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. For further information go to www.pialberta.com or call 780-420-0471.

Hong Kong veteransMinister of Veterans Affairs Ju-

lian Fantino addressed the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative

Association Convention in Win-nipeg on August 17, delivering remarks in tribute to Canadians who served in the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941.

“Canada has a proud tradi-tion of military service and our government recognizes that this legacy would not be possible without the service and sacrifi c-es of the veterans who fought in the Battle of Hong Kong,” said Fantino.

“The Hong Kong Veterans

Commemorative Association and Veterans Affairs Canada will continue to work together to help Canadians commemorate and honour Canada’s veterans.”Harley Hotchkiss Gardens

The Calgary Courts Centre urban park has been named the Harley Hotchkiss Gardens in honour of the late community leader and philanthropist.

“For 60 years, Harley Hotch-kiss gave so much of himself to building our community and our province,” said Premier Redford at the park dedication ceremony.

“I know all Calgarians are grateful for his generous spirit and commitment to this city. Naming this park after him is our small way of giving back and honouring his tremendous legacy.”

Notable among Hotchkiss’s achievements were his key role in bringing the Flames to Cal-gary; appointment as a Com-panion of the Order of Canada; membership in the Alberta Order of Excellence; induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame; honoura-ry Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Calgary and University of Lethbridge. He died on June 22, 2011 at the age of 83.Super Visas

More than 20,000 Parent and Grandparent Super Visas have been issued since the program’s launch in December 2011, Citi-

zenship, Immigration and Multi-culturalism Minister Jason Ken-ney announced recently.

The Super Visa is a multiple en-try visa valid for up to ten years that offers parents or grand-parents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents the option of staying in Canada for up to two years at a time. This reduces the need for frequent visitors to renew their status during an ex-tended family visit.

For information go to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/su-pervisa.asp or call (1-800-622-6232). Alzheimer’s decline

A UK study reported recently in The Lancet suggests that the risk of getting Alzheimer’s dis-ease has declined.

The number of cases of the disease continues to increase. But researchers comparing the results of the Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study done between 1989 and 1994 and a follow-up study done between 2008 and 2011 found that there were fewer new cases than expected.

It is suggested that changes in health behaviour and provision, including smoking cessation and improved management of car-diovascular risk factors such as hypertension, have prevented or delayed the onset of dementia at a population level.

”“I have been door knocking and speaking with

voters in your communities. I would like to know what your concerns are as residents and voters of Ward 11. I will work diligently on your behalf to provide you with the elected representation you deserve. - James Maxim

[email protected]

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ON OCTOBER 21ST VOTE

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Continued from Page 6 Through value-based pricing, drug companies get paid accord-ing to how much they improve the health outcomes of the popu-lation. This creates formidable market incentives for drug com-panies to focus on therapeutic innovation instead of lavish pro-motion and copycat drugs.But would a bulk-purchasing agency for generics create more drug shortages because of lower prices, as Labrie argues? Canada is one of the world’s most expensive countries for generics and we pay, on aver-age, twice as much for the same generic drug in Canada as the United States. Following Lab-rie’s logic, because we pay more Canada should be less affl icted by drug shortages than countries with universal pharmacare and bulk-purchasing capacities. In fact, we observe exactly the op-posite pattern.Countries that have introduced bulk-purchasing powers use their buying clout to make sure tenders on specifi c drugs include clauses to avoid the possibility of drug shortages. In an era of glob-al mergers and acquisitions and growing concentration among

generic manufacturers, bulk pur-chasing is another smart way to use market forces to decrease costs and ensure stable supply.When it comes to prescription drugs, Canada’s current system is plagued by massive waste, massive costs and plenty of peo-ple unable to afford their drugs. Universal pharmacare does not mean an “open bar” for every-body, it means leveraging buying power and using market forces in order to contain drug costs, achieve sustainability and im-prove the health outcomes of the population.Economist Bob Evans recently described the main obstacle for the implementation of universal pharmacare in Canada: “Any-one’s spending is somebody else’s income. Universal phar-macare could save billions to Canadians, so there are powerful corporate interests that will do everything they can to make sure it does not happen.”

Marc-André Gagnon is an expert advisor with EvidenceNetwork.ca and assistant professor with the school of public policy and administration, Carleton Univer-sity. www.troymedia.com.

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Changes taking place for October 21 city electionBy Cynthia McCorquhodale

When voters head to the polls in the 2013 Calgary General Election on October 21, they can expect to see some changes, regardless of who gets into of-fi ce.To begin with, Calgarians will

be electing 14 city councillors, rather than aldermen. That’s along with the mayor, seven Calgary Public School Board trustees and seven Calgary Catholic School Board Trust-ees.Also, the term of offi ce for

these offi cials is changing from three to four years. Since 1971 a general election has been held in Calgary every three years. With the term of offi ce change, an election will now happen ev-ery four years. Anyone who is interested in

running for offi ce must fi le nomination papers on Nomi-nation Day, September 23, in Council Chambers at City Hall between 9 a.m. and noon. Candidate information book-

lets and nomination papers are now available for pick up at the election offi ce located at 1103 55 Ave N.E. To be eligible to vote in the

election you must be a Canadi-an citizen, have lived in Alberta for the past six months and be a resident of Calgary. Voters will have to show identifi cation con-fi rming their name and address. While Election Day is October

21, for people unable to vote then advance votes will take place at city polling places from Oct 9 to13 and Oct 15 to 16.Electors who are unable to

vote on either Election Day or during the advance vote may be eligible to use a mail-in special ballot.You can use a mail-in ballot

if you are physically unable to go to vote because of a physi-cal disability or serious illness.

Other reasons include working, vacationing or studying away from your place of ordinary residence and working on Elec-tion Day, either for the election offi ce or for a candidate, at a voting station other than the one for your place of residence.Mail-in ballots can be request-

ed at any time up to Election Day. The ballot and information packages will be mailed to re-questors beginning September 24, following Nomination Day, or can also be picked up at the election offi ce.Patients at active treatment

hospitals will be ensured the opportunity to vote on Election Day.

Deputy returning offi cers will go bed-to-bed in the hospital of-fering every patient who is an eligible elector and resident of Calgary a chance to vote. Identifi cation is still required

in order to vote through this ser-vice, however hospital bracelets are considered authorized iden-tifi cation as the returning offi -cer has a completed attestation from Alberta Health Services.Foothills Hospital, the Peter

Lougheed Centre, Rockyview Hospital, South Campus and Carewest Glenmore Park will also have voting stations. Voting stations will be located

at city care facilities for eligible electors who live in the facility. Locations will be available

later once the voting stations have been determined and hours of voting in these facili-ties are posted 48 hours before Election Day. For more information contact

the Election and Information Services Offi ce at 403-476-4100 (option 2), email [email protected] or go to www.calgary.ca/election. Workers needed for

electionThe city needs to hire about

3,000 people to work as deputy returning offi cers on Election Day. The deputy returning offi cers

administer the voting process while the voting stations are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and then assist in the counting of the ballots and clean up. Those hired will complete an

online training course and then attend a one to two-hour in-per-son training session. Applications for the deputy

returning offi cer positions are being accepted until Septem-ber 16. They must be brought to or completed in person at the Election and Information Ser-vices Offi ce, 1103-55 Avenue NE, where applicants will also be required to take a short skills test. The offi ce is open Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Application forms can be downloaded from the elections offi ce website, www.calgary.ca/election.

Join me in my support of the Golden Age Club on Tuesday, September 19 for the 2nd Annual Calgary Seniors Walk!

VOTE SEAN CHUFor Ward 4 CouncillorMonday, October 21, 2013

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Drownings increase as baby boomers age: reportBy Colin F. Smith

A spike in drownings among Canadian baby boomers worries the Lifesaving Society, a nationwide organiza-tion aiming to prevent water-related deaths.

According to the society’s recently released 2013 Ca-nadian Drowning Report unintentional drownings were up 34 per cent for people aged 50 to 64 in 2006-2010, over the previous fi ve years. During that period the pop-ulation of the age group increased by 19 per cent.

The society believes that the effects of aging and not recognizing physical limitations are contributing factor to this increase.

“Baby boomers now account for more drownings in Canada than any other age group,” says Barbara Byers, public education director for the Lifesaving Society.

“Boomers may be reticent to admit their vulnerabili-ties and that puts them in danger as they continue to par-ticipate in high-risk behaviours around water adopted from their youth, despite reduced physical capabilities.”

Fishing, powerboating and bathing are the most prev-

alent causes of drowning, followed by swimming and walking near water. Almost two-thirds of victims in this age group were alone when their fatal incident occurred.

The report declares it crucial for baby boomers to as-sess their physical capabilities before embarking on the water, as many have medical conditions or use medi-cations that can affect swimming ability. Heart disease was a risk factor in 24 per cent of drownings among 50 to 64 year olds.

The number of drowning victims who were seniors, aged 65-plus, increased 12 per cent from 2006-10, but this was at about the same rate as the growth in their population.

For this age group, heart disease is a factor in 48 per cent of water-related deaths.

Not wearing a life jacket was a factor in 83 per cent of senior drownings, higher than that for people 50 to 64 at 73 per cent, and the same as for the highest-risk 18 to 34 age group.

Drownings of Canadians of all ages rose seven per

cent during 2006-2010, during which there was a total of 2,425 water-related deaths.

Preliminary data indicates there were 347 drownings in 2011 and 344 in 2012, down from an annual average of 487 for 2006-2010. In Alberta, 31 people drowned in 2011 and 29 in 2012.

The report also notes older victims are getting into trouble more often at times that have traditionally been “off-peak” for drowning incidents: winter/spring months and weekdays.

The vast majority of drowning victims continue to be men, who accounted for 83 per cent of Canada’s water-related deaths during 2006-2010, it states.

The Lifesaving Society is encouraging people of all ages to be cautious around water, and reminds Cana-dians to never swim alone, regardless of age or ability. Further information is available at www.lifesavingso-ciety.com.

Author provides good advice on starting a home businessStart Your Own Home Busi-ness After 50 By Robert W. Blyc.2013, Quill Driver Books 204 pages$16.95/ $18.95 Canada Reviewed by Terri SchlickenmeyerMaybe retirement from the job you are in seems like it will take forever. Or maybe you are already retired but are looking for more – more income, more

challenge – and less time on your hansds. So how would you feel about starting your own business: making good money, doing something you love, having fl exibility to travel, learning new things? If you think you’re too old for that, you’re not, and Start Your Own Home Business After 50 by Robert W. Bly ex-plains why.The fi rst step, Bly says, is to

decide which of your jobs you enjoyed and were good at. If nothing in particular sticks out, what hobbies would you like to develop into an “expert-level gig”? Can you freelance or do consulting? Would a former employer make a good client? Use your experience (an advan-tage you’ve got over younger workers) to winnow through the possibilities.Next, decide if the business

is for you. Do your strengths mesh with what’s needed to run things properly? Do you have the stick-to-itiveness enough to stay focused and work solo? Are you prepared to do your billing, tech support, and other necessary tasks, or would you hire someone to do them? Can you market yourself and pro-mote your new business? Do you need fi nancing (the avail-ability of which is another ad-vantage)?Once you’ve fi gured out the de-tails, then it’s time for launch, but Bly says there’s one thing to remember fi rst: “Make yourself happy. When you do,” he says, “those who care about you will eventually be happy for you.”Beginning with a handful of home business opportunity

ideas, Bly offers plenty of sound advice here, particularly on how to determine if the en-deavour is viable. His words are encouraging, but cautious, and he doesn’t forget to warn his readers of the pitfalls in becom-ing an entrepreneur. That kind of balance is great to see, par-ticularly if you’re on the fence about business-ownership or are just starting to think about self-employment.There’s a little bit of irksome repetition in this book but, over-all, it’s a valuable tool for any-one who needs to plan for the future or wants a good change of pace. If that’s you, then Start Your Own Home Business Af-ter 50 is a book you won’t want too far away.

Join me Tuesday, September 19 for the 2nd Annual Calgary Seniors

Walk at Stephen Avenue Mall in support of the Golden Age Club!

VOTE RICHARD WILKIEFor Ward 9 CouncillorMonday, October 21, 2013

RESPECT - RESPONSIBILITY - REPRESENTATION

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Couple seeks help after being fl ooded out The Calgary Senior “Can We Help?” feature provides fi nancial help to readers seeking money to meet an unexpected necessity or to satisfy a cherished desire. Write to us if you require a sum of money for a specifi c, one-time purpose or need, and we may be able to help. “Can We Help?” normally responds to requests of up to $100.Dear Can We Help?My wife and I are both seniors. We are still at an evacuation area temporary address. Our permanent address is at a seniors’ apart-ment that is still under repair because of the fl ood. We don’t know when we can go back to our place. Because of what happened to us we would like to ask for help from you. Thank you for your kind consideration.L.B.Dear L.B., We can appreciate the diffi culties you are facing as a result of the fl ood and have sent you a check for $100 that you can use for your immediate needs.Send your requests for fi nancial help to: “Can We Help?,” Calgary Senior, #310, 16 Midlake Boulevard S.E., Calgary AB T2X 2X7. Include your address, phone number and full name; only initials will be published. Not all letters can be acknowledged but all will be read and considered.

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By Ruth TowillBetween 1962 and 1964 I was

a hospital nursing supervisor working the nightshift at the Victoria Hospital in Prince Al-bert, Saskatchewan.It was about 5:30 a.m. and I

was sitting in my offi ce won-dering if I’d be able to stay awake until it was time to make my last rounds to pick up the night reports from all the wards. Then my phone rang. It was

the receptionist at the front desk in the lobby and he said excit-edly, “Mrs. Towill come quick! A young man just ran in calling for help saying there’s a lady in his car having a baby!”“Phone maternity and ask

them to bring an instrument tray at once,” I said. “Find the orderly and get him to bring a wheelchair down to the front door.”I got up and ran down the hall

to the lobby, out the front door, and down the stairs to the street.As I ran down the stairs, I saw

a lady squatting down in the middle of the road with her coat wrapped about her legs.“Where’s the baby?” I asked

as I knelt beside her.She didn’t answer, just opened

her coat and there was the baby, lying face down across her legs, with the cord stretched across its back. The baby began to cry as the cold night air struck its back.The nurse from maternity

came running down the stairs with the instrument tray and the orderly came running down the

street with the wheelchair.The nurse and I clamped the

cord and cut it. We wrapped the baby in one of the tray wrappers because I’d forgotten to ask for a blanket! We put the mother into the

wheelchair. The nurse took the baby immediately to the mater-nity ward and the orderly quick-ly took the mother up the street to the emergency entrance and then up to maternity.I quickly gathered up the in-

struments and tray and took them to maternity where I noti-fi ed the lady’s doctor about his patient’s delivery on the street and the fact that the placenta was still undelivered. He said he’d be right there.As I returned to my offi ce

through the lobby, there was a gentlemen sitting there, calmly reading a paper. When I asked the receptionist

who he was, I was told he was the new mother’s husband who had been on his way from Sas-katoon and had no idea about the exciting delivery of his child! The young man who had brought her to the hospital was just a neighbor.I have often wondered if that

person knows about how they entered the world and if they are still living in Prince Albert. I can’t remember if the baby was a boy or a girl. He or she would be in their late 40s by now.Needless to say, I had no trou-

ble staying awake for the rest of my nightshift!

“There’s a lady in a car having a baby!”

By C.P. HillmanCalgarian competitors were golden at the Alberta

2013 55Plus Summer Games , taking home the most gold medals of any of the province’s seven zones.

The 58 golds earned at the games held in Bar-rhead and Westlock July 25 to 28 included medals in athletics, bocce, cribbage, golf, horseshoes, slo-pitch, swimming, tennis and arts and crafts.

In total Calgary, Zone 3, won 93 medals, putting it in third place behind top fi nisher Zone 5 and sec-ond place Zone 6.

Zone 5, made up of communities to the north and west of Edmonton, including the two host towns, took a total of 129 medals, 53 gold, 42 silver and 34 bronze. It was awarded the Alberta 55 Plus Zone Championship Trophy for achieving the most points.

Participants from Zone 6, Edmonton, took home a total of 99 medals, for a second place fi nish.

In addition to its harvest of golds, Calgary gained 22 silver and 13 bronze medals.

It was followed by Zone 4, Central Alberta, with 87 medals.

Zone 1, Southern Alberta, collected 77 medals, while Zone 8, Northwestern Alberta had 60 med-als and Zone 2, the area around Calgary, took 55.

Northeastern Alberta, Zone 7, trailed with 52 med-als.

Zone 4 was presented the President’s Spirit of Participation award for exemplifying the true spir-it of good sportsmanship and personal integrity in and out of competition.

The most improved zone was Zone 1, which re-ceived the Lieutenant Governor’s Cup. The Alber-ta 55 Plus Wild Rose Award went to 93-year-old Minnie DeZutter of Wetaskiwin. The award goes to the oldest participant in the games who hasn’t previously won. DeZutter competed in military whist.

A total of 1,100 participants from across the province were expected at the games, which re-quired hundreds of volunteers for organization and staging.

The participants, all aged 55-plus, had won play-offs in their sports in their zones.

The winners in these games are now eligible to compete in the 2014 Canada 55 Plus Games, which are will be held in Alberta, in Strathcona County (Sherwood Park), from August 27 to 30.

Held every two years, the Alberta 55 Plus Games are coordinated by the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation with support from the Alberta 55 Plus Association. Through the foun-dation, the Alberta government supports the host community with grants totaling $175,000.

The 2015 Alberta 55 Plus Summer Games will be hosted by Strathmore, near Calgary.

Calgarians harvest gold at 55 plus summer games

Calgarians harvested gold at 55 plus summer games.

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HEALTHBy Reuel S. Amdur

Wet age-related macular de-generation (AMD) is the most common cause of loss of vision in the elderly in the Western world.

That is according to Dr. Ber-nard Hurley, a retina specialist at the University of Ottawa Eye Institute of the Ottawa Hospital.

Other conditions causing loss of vision in the elderly are dry age-related macular degenera-tion, cataract, retinal vascular disease, and glaucoma.

The macula is a small yellow spot near the centre of the ret-ina. It is responsible for sharp vision. Drusen, white or yellow deposits under the macula, are common signs of AMD. There are two types of AMD, wet and dry. The dry form is the most common and is less severe. Ten per cent of the population aged 55 or older has dry AMD.

Wet AMD is an aggressive form of the condition that can cause sudden loss of vision. It is marked by fat deposits and fl uid in the retina and by the growth of new leaking blood vessels. Eventually scar tissue develops in the retina, along with fi brosis -- development of scar tissue below the retina.

While there is no cure for the

more common dry AMD, there are things that can serve to pre-vent it and slow down its prog-ress. It’s recommended that those affl icted quit smoking, eat fruits and green leafy veg-etables, keep a healthy weight, exercise, avoid high blood pres-sure and reduce exposure to ul-tra-violet and blue light.

Vitamins and minerals can reduce progression of the con-dition, Hurley stated. Vitamins C and E, beta-carotine, zinc, and copper are helpful. Recent research calls for less zinc that previously recommended, as it causes stomach upset.

New substances on the list are lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega 3 fatty acids (fi sh oil). Lutein is found in green leafy vegetables and zeaxanthin is found in red and yellow produce and spices (corn, saffron, and paprika).

In a trial of dietary factors related to AMD described by Hurley, when participants used all four of beta-carotene, vita-mins C and E, and zinc, risk of AMD was reduced by 35 per cent. It was necessary to take all four to get the result.

These various substances pro-duce antioxidants, which com-bat oxidants, forms of oxygen that can cause cell damage. An-

tioxidants are not synthesized by the body and must come from diet. Because diet alone is often unable to provide a suf-fi cient quantity of antioxidants, Hurley recommends supple-ments such as Centrum Silver or Vitalux.

Wet AMD has seen some sig-nifi cant advances in treatment. Older treatments such as la-ser therapy and photodynamic therapy slowed down the rate of vision loss but were not re-storative.

Newer treatments can actually restore vision and increase life expectancy. These treatments involve blocking vascular en-dothelial growth factor. This factor is implicated in produc-tion of new blood cells, which leak, in wet AMD.

The “big three” in injectable drugs for this treatment, ac-cording to Hurley, are Lucentis, Avestin, and Afl ibercept, also known as VEGF Trap-Eye, trade name Eylea.

Treatment of wet AMD is an off-label use for Avastin, a can-cer drug. It lacks clinical trial support. However, the cost for a dose lasting six weeks is about $60. By comparison, Lucentis costs $1,600 and lasts a month. Eylea, at a comparable cost per

injection to Lucentis, lasts two months.

Cataracts are another cause of vision loss. World-wide, they are the most common cause. They consist of a clouding over of the lens of the eye. Treatment consists of surgical removal of the lens and insertion of a new one. Surgeons can now implant custom lenses, eliminating the need for glasses or contact lenses.

Glaucoma is a spectrum of disorders in which the optic nerve is injured by the pres-sure of fl uid. There are various treatments available, including drops, drainage implants, and laser surgery.

A new procedure is the im-plantation of a stent, a micro valve implant to regulate intra-ocular pressures. It drains ex-cess fl uids. This stent is often used in combination with cata-ract surgery for treatment of glaucoma.

Another condition is venous

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In the acute form, there can be macular hemorrhaging or edema, along with the block-age. When the condition is chronic, along with these acute symptoms, blood supply to the macula is restricted. A sheet of fi brous tissue may cover the macula and sub-retinal fi brosis may form.

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By Lisa M. PetscheWhen the loved one they have

been living with passes away, many older adults face the chal-lenge of learning to live alone, often for the fi rst time.

If there was a division of labour with their partner, they must either learn new life skills – for example, managing the household fi nances, maintain-ing their home’s condition in-side and out or performing do-mestic tasks such as cooking, cleaning and doing laundry – or obtain help.

If their spouse was the more physically or mentally able of the pair, living independently may pose special challenges.

If you have a parent or other close relative who is new to living alone, read on for some areas of potential concern and how to help.

Request a medication review by your relative’s primary phy-sician to determine if all the prescriptions they take are still necessary.

Ask their pharmacist about available aids for organizing and remembering to take medi-cations. Ensure all prescriptions are fi lled at one pharmacy to better keep track of them.

Set up a schedule to take your relative grocery shopping, ar-range for a grocery delivery service, stock their freezer with heat-and-serve foods or arrange for Meals on Wheels service. Signing them up for a “cooking for one” class at an adult educa-tion centre or community centre is another idea.

If they fi nd it hard to eat alone, encourage your relative to tie

mealtimes to radio or television programs of interest, look into communal dining programs and regularly have them over for dinner.

Arrange for regular house-cleaning service and, if applica-ble, yard maintenance service. If your relative has limited income, they may qualify for a subsidized community pro-gram.

Call the Support Network’s 211 number for information on a wide variety of programs and services or the City of Edmon-ton Information Line at 311.

If your relative doesn’t drive, or shouldn’t, provide them with a bus pass or taxi gift vouchers, or investigate volunteer driver programs for seniors. If neces-sary, fi nd out about accessible transportation services in their community.

If your relative has been deemed unsafe to drive, remove any vehicles from the premises, or at least take away the keys so they can’t be driven.

If your relative has vision problems, ask their doctor for a referral to an ophthalmolo-gist. If nothing can be done to improve their vision, get them a magnifi er for reading small print, and other adaptive items such as a large-keypad tele-phone and a clock with over-sized numbers. List important phone numbers on a poster board (use black lettering on white), and place it on the wall by their phone.

Perform a safety assessment of your relative’s home to iden-tify potential hazards. These can include clutter, poor light-

ing and lack of proper stair rail-ings. Then do what you can to rectify them.

Visit a medical supply store and check out the many prod-ucts that might make daily ac-tivities easier and safer. Sign up your relative with a personal emergency response service, which will provide them with a lightweight, waterproof pen-dant or bracelet that has a but-ton to press if they run into a crisis and need help.

If money management is an issue, arrange for direct deposit of pension cheques and auto-matic bill payment from your relative’s bank account. Assist your relative with contacting a lawyer to assign power of attor-ney for property to one or more people they trust.

If they are experiencing fi -nancial hardship without their spouse’s income, ensure they apply for all possible govern-ment and private benefi ts, such as survivor’s pensions and in-come supplements.

If necessary, assist them with taking in a boarder, if it’s fea-sible and they’re receptive. Moving to a smaller house or apartment unit or applying for rent-geared-to-income housing

are some other avenues to ex-plore.

If your relative has cogni-tive impairment and their part-ner was compensating, defi cits may now be more pronounced or perhaps apparent to you for the fi rst time. If this is the case, arrange through their primary physician for an assessment by a geriatrician. Research home supports such as telephone reassurance services, thera-peutic day care programs and home health services that offer personal care, homemaking, nursing, dietary consultation, physical and occupational ther-apy and social work. A live-in caregiver is another option if fi nances permit.

If your relative needs more help than community programs can provide and the cost of pri-vate-pay services is prohibitive,

options include moving them in with you or another family member and fi nding a residen-tial care setting that meets their needs.

If feelings of isolation and loneliness are the main con-cern, your relative may wish to consider sharing accommoda-tions with a friend, relocating to an active adult community or, if their health is frail, moving into a retirement home. They shouldn’t make such a major decision hastily, though – en-courage them to carefully con-sider all of their options.

Lisa M. Petsche is a regis-tered social worker and a free-lance writer specializing in boomer and senior issues. She has personal and professional experience with elder care.

Tips for helping a relative who is newly alone

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(NC) -- Outdoor events go hand in hand with warm weather and long days. Unfortunately, many of the 10 per cent of Canadians living with osteoarthritis may not be able to enjoy their fa-vourite summer activities due to pain and infl am-mation.

Chronic pain can be extremely burdensome, and pain associated with of the knee in particu-lar can signifi cantly inhibit the mobility of those affected. And while the physical pain is hard enough to bear, chronic pain can also manifest in other ways; as many Canadians experience a variety of social and psychological impacts, in-cluding depression.

“Those suffering from chronic pain experience negative effects on quality of life, both physically and emotionally,” says Lynn Cooper, president of the Canadian Pain Coalition. “Social isolation is common as many individuals are scared to par-ticipate in activities they once enjoyed. This soli-tude may lead to feelings of helplessness, anxi-ety, fear and even depression.”

There are steps that sufferers can take to bet-ter manage their osteoarthritis of the knee so they can continue doing the things they enjoy during the summer.

A long-term study on the effects of weight loss on osteoarthritis of the knee in overweight and obese patients, for example, suggests that los-ing a pound results in a four-pound reduction in knee-joint load for each step.

Making healthier food choices can help shed excess weight. Paying attention to portion size can also reduce unnecessary calories.

Exercise can do wonders to improve both mus-cle strength and joint stability. Participating in low-impact exercise such as walking, swimming, physiotherapy or yoga is ideal.

It important to be mindful of limitations and not to over-extend or put unnecessary stress on the knees. Before beginning any type of exercise regimen, it is best to consult your healthcare pro-vider.

Talking with a doctor about options to relieve pain and increase functionality is extremely im-portant. This will allow for a better understanding of one’s condition, and will help determine possi-ble benefi ts and side effects related to treatment.

In addition to non-pharmacological treatment options, there are prescription and over-the-coun-ter medications that can provide effective pain re-lief, are non-addictive and well-tolerated.

There are also a variety of devices that can help take unnecessary stress off joints. Select shoes that are comfortable and supportive, and a cane or walking device should be within reach, if needed.

Community support groups are also a great way to learn about management options, and share stories and tips with those who are experiencing similar pain.

Take steps to ease pain of osteoarthritis

(Special) -- A new 160-bed continuing care centre is being constructed in the south Calgary community of Midnapore by the Father Albert Lacombe Home (Society).

The $38.5 million facility – to be known as the Providence Care Centre – will be owned by the Sisters of Charity of Provi-dence of Western Canada across from the Sisters’ 114-bed Fa-ther Lacombe Care Centre that opened in 1966.

The Providence Care Centre is being built in response to current and anticipated needs, according to Raymond Cormie, the soci-ety’s chief executive offi cer.

“Unfortunately, there comes a time for some when living at home – even with help – is no longer the right or safe option,” Cormie said “At any given time, more than a thousand Albertans are awaiting placement into con-tinuing care homes. That chal-lenge is now being compounded by a wave of baby-boomers who will double the population of Al-bertans over the age of 75 within the next 20 years.”

One hundred and twenty rooms in the Providence Care Centre will be designated for supportive living, for residents with stable or predictable health needs.

Thirty rooms will be desig-nated for long-term are, for residents with complex, unpre-dictable medical needs. The re-maining 10 rooms will be funded in partnership with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary and designated for the use of retired priests and other clergy.

“We are pleased to be working with DIALOG as the architects,” said Cormie. “We have a strong collaborative approach to design a home that will work for the se-niors of today and many genera-tions to come.”

The building design focuses on small community settings, natural light and ample com-mon areas including lounges, libraries and secure courtyards with walking paths and gardens. Residents will have private stu-dio rooms.

Father Albert Lacombe Home (Society) has announced that Bird Construction has been se-lected as general contractor for construction of the Providence Care Centre.

“Like the Father Lacombe Care Centre, Bird has a long re-cord of client satisfaction and a deep commitment to safety, fair-ness, teamwork, honesty and in-tegrity,” said Cormie.

Bird Construction president and chief executive offi cer Tim Talbott said the project is an ex-cellent fi t for his organization.

“Bird and its employees are very proud of the work we do outside of our job sites and of-fi ces to build strength in our communities,” he stated.

“It’s truly a pleasure to apply our skills and expertise to a fa-cility like this that helps to as-sure care, respect and dignity for those who have helped to build this province.”

The Father Albert Lacombe Home (Society) received $16.2 million through the Alberta Gov-ernment’s Affordable Support-ive Living Initiative to cover a portion of capital costs required to complete the Providence Care Centre.

The society founded by Father Albert Lacombe O.M.I. and the Sisters of Providence in 1910, has established a non-profi t reg-istered charitable organization, the Father Lacombe Care Centre Foundation, to raise $15 mil-lion for purchase of specialized equipment such as lifts, baths, and beds. For more information call 403-254-6280.

Construction beginning on new Calgary care centre

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Garden fl ora and fauna provide joyful momentsBy Don Wilkes

I’ve had a fair bit of experi-ence with the joys and sorrows of landscaping over the years.

In the early 70s, when my fi rst wife and I moved from Toronto to Aurora, Ontario, about an hour’s drive north, we inherited groomed gardens in the back of an old house we purchased.

Within a year or so these gar-dens had become beds of weeds. Such was our interest in land-scaping at the time, although we did cut the grass, albeit after battle about who would do it.

Having lived in or around To-ronto for several decades, we then moved west to Vancouver Island.

Some years afterward, and remarried, I shared a dwelling situated just below Duncan with an avid gardener who wished to add an arbour to the landscap-ing.

So, although my carpenter skills were debatable, I tackled the project, telling my wife that at least it wouldn’t fall down.

It didn’t, although once it would have blown apart in a storm, had I not dashed outside in the wind and rain to run some screws into parts that I’d previ-ously glued, assuming that such a fastening would be suffi cient.

We later relocating further south on the island, settling into a ranch-style bungalow across the street from a park the Victo-ria suburb of Langford

Otherwise all but devoid of improvement, the property came with some forty metres of tall hedge that impressed me.

Over the years, though, the vertical greenery began to haunt me, as I became less able to deal with it. At age 77 I fi nally ad-mitted defeat and hired some-one to trim it.

About time, you say! True, but I hated to give up and the ac-countant in me objected to pay-ing someone $900 per annum to do the trimming. Although the feeling was tempered by the fact that I’d been able to cut costs over the years by doing it myself, arduous as that was.

I’m strictly a “brown thumb” guy, so I stick to the property donkey work assigned to me by my wife. But I’m always ready to comment on foliage layout, and the resident compulsive fl ower and plant lady might even adopt a suggestion on oc-casion.

Our bungalow faces greenery across the road and we appre-ciate being able to look out the front window and see trees rath-

er than another house. However, on windy days park debris from beyond the asphalt ends up in our gutters.

When younger that wasn’t a problem. Now, aside from clearing the four downspout openings a few times a year, I try to stay off ladders and must now also pay someone annually to clear the gutters.

Last winter – also known as the rainy season -- moss thrived like never before on the lawn. Moss patches swelled and gob-bled up what’d been a green carpet, some of which had ben-efi ted from the previous year’s grass seed dispersal.

Come spring, we scattered killer dust over the offending portions. When we raked up the brown residue, the lawns looked like a war zone! Liberal scatter-ings of grass seed and soil went toward fi lling in the gaps the gaps.

The birds seemed to see the scattered grass seed as com-pensation for removal of feed-ers hung during colder months. While I considered the birds’ plundering fair ball, my wife did not. She geared up for bat-tle, committed to outwitting the fl ying critters, in particular the golden-crown sparrows that made their home in the hedge, along with a crew of quail that daily popped out for a grass-seed snack.

Netting achieved little. Still undaunted, my wife dropped by a dollar store and bought sev-eral inexpensive and colourful whirly-gigs, assuming the birds would be disturbed by the spin-ning fans.

In motion they were kind of nifty, but as for effi cacy, no win there. In short order the spar-rows were back scratching away at the earth, at times right next to rotating blades. Within days one whirly-gig disintegrated -- so much for bargain prices!

My partner wasn’t able to come up with a third plan, but

no matter, grass did indeed emerge, although after addition-al applications of grass seed.

Personally, I’m fond of the quail and enjoy watching them trot around with heads bobbing. We’ve seen quail in groups as large as 20 in the yard.

In late May ten tiny ones followed mama across the front lawn, with vigilant papa perched above on a tree branch.

A couple of days later the chick count had diminished drastical-ly, likely due to predators.

Out in front of the house we have a large conifer and a couple of slightly smaller ones, edged by heather and other shrubs.

From the front bay window we can watch what birds lands on some suet hung above a gener-ally inactive bird bath.

A few days ago a large fl icker,

after pecking away at the suet and providing chunks for small-er birds below in the heather, dropped to the bath edge, took a few sips and then plunged in, to scatter water everywhere.

This was a sight to behold indeed, as were a pair of gros-beaks spotted on the suet days later. Ah, the joys of fl ora and fauna.

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CROSSWORD PUZZLECLUES DOWN 1. About pope 2. Largest Nebraska city 3. Cuts 4. Printing speed measurement 5. Periods of time 6. Large body of fresh water 7. H.C. Andersen story 8. Paxillosida: Luidiidae 9. Manpower10. A mythical Greek hero11. Lasso12. Ancient Greek dialect spoken in Thessaly 13. Austere18. Utter sounds22. Helps little fi rms25. Sign on the ______ line29. Neither30. Type genus of the Anatidae32. Seesaw motion33. Baseball referee (abbr.)34. Sergeant major of the army36. Certain38. Divides39. Cape Verde monetary unit (abbr.)40. A unit of play in tennis43. Feline46. Members of U.S. Navy50. English dictionary (abbr.)52. Traditional Hindu music53. Type of infl orescence54. A mean or despicable person55. 1963 Nobel chemist Giulio57. Vampire59. Gum obtained from Burseraceae60. Rabbit _____, Updike novel63. H. Hopper’s birth name64. Redirect67. Mineral valuable enough to be mined69. Bind

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By Joanne SasvariIn every region of British Co-

lumbia, there’s an old school house or railway station, private home or grain elevator that has been rescued from the ravages of time and transformed into a museum or gallery. Renovated, restored and re-

vitalized, these charming old buildings with their columns, porticoes and historic orna-mentation have become vibrant modern centres for creativity and social life. For the visitor, they provide

a welcome introduction to the local community, to its past, its present and its hopes for the fu-ture. Here are a number you’ll want

to visit right across the prov-ince.

Station House Studio and Art Gallery When it was built back in

1919, the Pacifi c Great Eastern Railway station was destined to be the vibrant heart of Williams Lake. Nearly a century later, it is the oldest public building still in use in the city. But it has taken on a whole new role. In 1981, local art groups came

up with an idea that would both preserve part of the city’s histo-ry, and give them a place to tell its story. They formed the non-

profi t Station House Studio and Gallery Society, and began re-storing the old railway station. In 1982, the main fl oor gal-

lery and gift shop opened and, a year later, the upstairs gallery and workshops did, too. Today the Station House is one of the most important tourist attrac-tions in a city best known for its rugged cowboy culture. 1 Mackenzie Avenue North, Williams Lake, 250-392-6113 www.stationhousegallery.com. Island Mountain Art GallerySpectacular mountain scenery,

fascinating history and end-less outdoors activities would be enough for most communi-ties. But not for Wells. This tiny former mining community east of Quesnel, pop. 245, has also transformed itself into a Mecca

for arts and culture. It is home not only to the annual Arts Wells Festival of All Things Art, but the terrifi c Island Mountain Art Gallery.The gallery was established

in 1988 in a bright and airy restored heritage meat market. It hosts a variety of art exhibi-tions, and offers professional development for both emerg-ing and established artists and craftspeople. It also stages special events year round, in-cluding concerts, coffeehouses,

literary readings and artist pre-sentations.Over the past three decades,

the gallery has become both a creative outlet and a must-visit destination — no small feat for the small, far-fl ung community in the Cariboo Mountain foot-hills.2323 Pooley Street, Wells, 1-800-442-2787 or 250-994-3466 www.imarts.com/public-gal-lery. The Robert Bateman CentreThe Steamship Terminal

building is, along with The Fairmont Empress Hotel and B.C. Legislature, one of the historic landmarks of Victoria’s Inner Harbour. One architect, Francis Rattenbury, played a role in designing all three, but

only the Steamship Terminal has become a monument to art inside as well as out. The terminal was constructed

in 1924 (architect Percy James also had a hand in the build-ing’s design), and its neoclas-sical style was intended to pay homage to Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. After decades of heavy use, the building closed in 2009 for seismic reinforce-ment and reopened three years later with a whole new role. Today its marquee tenant is

the Robert Bateman Founda-tion, which promotes conser-vation and awareness of nature and wildlife issues. The Robert Bateman Centre also displays the largest exhibit of original works by one of the world’s greatest wildlife artists, more than 100 magnifi cent pieces spread throughout 10 galleries.470 Belleville Street, Victoria,

250-940-3630 www.batemanThe Old School House Arts Centre

Qualicum Beach is one of Vancouver Island’s prettiest communities, known for its award-winning gardens, cosy chowder restaurants and this wonderful gallery. Built in 1914 for the Brit-

ish Columbia Department of Public Works, the Old School House is a two-storey Classical Revival-style building located right in the town centre.

Continued on Page 19

B.C. heritage buildings become creativity centres

The Robert Bateman Centre in Victoria. Credit: GVHA Photo

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Continued from Page 18Like so many old buildings, it

fell into disrepair in the latter half of the 20th century. Restor-ing it took years, but in 1988 the Old School House re-opened as an arts centre that encourages the development of artists and musicians throughout central Vancouver Island.

The Old School House has also become a signifi cant tourist at-traction, each year welcoming more than 30,000 visitors to its exhibitions, concerts and other events. No question, this land-mark building is once again an integral part of the cultural life of Qualicum Beach. 122 Fern Road West, Qualicum Beachwww.theoldschoolhouse.org.Burnaby Art Gallery

Burnaby’s historic Ceperly House is one of the province’s fi nest examples of Edwardian architecture, and one of its most idyllic places to spend an artful afternoon.

Around 1910, the English ar-chitect R.P.S. Twizell designed Henry and Grace Ceperly’s dream home, Fairacres, with a grand river rock verandah, hand-crafted woodwork, stained glass and tile throughout the house, which was located amid 20 acres of lawns, terraces, rockeries, greenhouses and stables.

But the 20th century wasn’t always kind to Fairacres, which became a Benedictine monastery and a fraternity house. The City of Burnaby purchased it in 1966 and then began restoration work 30 years later. When Ceperly House reopened in 2000, it was as the new home of the Burnaby

Art Gallery.Today the gallery hosts art ex-

hibitions and offers art education for children, adults and seniors as well as projects throughout the community.6344 Deer Lake Avenue, Burna-by, 604-297-4422 www.burnabyartgallery.ca. The Fort Gallery Artist Col-lective

Just over a century ago, as the village of Fort Langley was un-dergoing a building boom, one of the community’s leading en-trepreneurs built what would one day become the Fort Gallery Artist Collective.

Charles Edward Hope, who was an architect, civil engineer and fi nancial agent, designed the Coronation Block in what has become known as the Boom-town style: a large, two-storey wooden building with retail stores on the ground level and living space above. It became an instant landmark for the commu-nity, and today is part of Lang-ley’s fi rst Heritage Conservation Area, which includes the Fort Langley National Historic Site.

But the building’s story isn’t all set in the past. It is a vibrant and essential part of the community, providing space for artists to display their works and engage with the community where they live.9048 Glover Road, Fort Lang-ley, 604-888-7411www.fortgallery.ca. Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art and History For a city with a proud mining

past, the metaphor of the touch-stone -- a device used to test the purity of gold or silver alloys

-- is particularly apt. But Touch-stones Nelson is not just the cul-tural touchstone for the area; it is also a means of preserving one of its most historic buildings.The stone Chateauesque-Rich-

ardsonian Romanesque struc-ture on Vernon Street was built in 1902 for the Postal, Customs and Inland Revenue services. In 1956, the Post Offi ce moved out, and the space was briefl y transformed into a museum be-fore City Hall moved in; after 30 years, the city left as well. That set the stage for the Nelson and District Museum, Archives, Art Gallery and Historical Society to move in and, after some major renovations, open Touchstones Nelson in 2006. Fittingly, the museum is as

dedicated to preserving regional artifacts as it is to displaying contemporary art. It truly has become a touchstone for past and present.502 Vernon Street, Nelson, 250-352-9813www.touchstonesnelson.ca. Langham Cultural CentreIn 1974, the old Langham Ho-

tel was a derelict hovel. Built in 1896 during the mining boom, it had been a popular hostelry

before incarnations as a bottling plant, bank and, during the Sec-ond World War, an internment centre for Japanese Canadians. Following this, it served as a boat works and even a rehearsal space for the local high school band before being abandoned in disrepair. Then a group of local volun-

teers calling themselves the Langham Cultural Society set about the Herculean effort of re-storing it. In 1977 it opened as a cultural centre and ever since has offered gallery shows, con-certs, theatrical performances, readings and workshops. The Langham also provides artists with studios at low rents.Perhaps most signifi cantly,

though, the Langham houses the Japanese Canadian Museum, an

archival display that commemo-rates a chapter in the province’s history. 447 A Avenue, Kaslo, 250-353-2661www.thelangham.ca.Dawson Creek Art GalleryIt was agriculture that opened

up northeastern British Colum-bia in the 1920s and ’30s. Today, a symbol of that agricultural past is opening up the area’s creative future. This was one of the British

Empire’s most productive grain-producing areas, and by the mid-1940s, the local farmers were so busy that 13 wooden elevators had been built to deal with de-mand.


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Continued from Page 19 By the 1980s, only two eleva-

tors were left standing, and that gave the community a great idea. In 1983, the Dawson Creek Art Gallery moved into the reno-vated annex of a prairie elevator conveniently located in a mu-nicipal park.

The Dawson Creek Art Gal-lery, which is celebrating its 30th year, was the fi rst gallery in Northern B.C. and features both

local artists and touring shows, as well as a variety of commu-nity programs. 101-816 Alaska Avenue, Daw-son Creek, 250-782-2601www.dcartgallery.ca. Whistle Stop Gallery

Located in the restored heri-tage railway station at First and Main in downtown McBride, the Whistle Stop Gallery provides a showcase for more than 80 Rob-son Valley artists and artisans. It

has become one of the Robson Valley’s top indoor attractions, and has seen tens of thousands of visitors from around the world since it was founded in 2000.

The beautiful landscape of this remote mountain community inspires many artists and pho-tographers, and the culture of the town refl ects the community pride that has brought forth mu-rals, painted fi re hydrants and other artistic touches through-out McBride. It’s a community of creative, independent people, and at the heart of the commu-nity lies this gallery, and the past and future it celebrates.1000 1st Avenue, McBride, 250-569-8891www.whistlestopgallery.org.Kamloops Courthouse Gallery

Built in 1909, right in the city centre, the old Kamloops court-house is an elegant, if somewhat formal-looking, brick heritage building. But step inside, and you’ll discover a world of vi-brant innovation and creativity.

In 2007, a group of local art-ists founded the non-profi t, co-operative Kamloops Courthouse Gallery to provide a venue for member artists to sell their work while offering the community an opportunity to experience differ-ent forms of visual and function-al art in a wide range of media.

The result? Two galleries showcase rotating art displays and offer demonstrations, work-shops and exhibits. Pieces are sold at artisan fairs and at the

courthouse’s impressive gift shop, which boasts everything from pottery to jewelry, glass art, paintings, sculpture and fi bre art, both for casual shoppers and serious collectors.

The Old Courthouse Arts and Culture Building, Kamloops, 250-314-6600www.kamloopscourthousegal-lery.ca. Salmon Arm Public Art Gallery

Most visitors to the Shuswap come here for the natural beauty and laid-back life on the lakes. But they really should take a de-tour to this glorious little gallery.

The Palladian-style brick building was built in 1937 as the local post offi ce. Later on it

became the community’s public library and, in 1994, after sig-nifi cant restorations, the Salmon Arm Arts Centre.

It took a great amount of volun-teer time and labour on the part of the Shuswap Art Gallery As-sociation, but now this exquisite building is home to a rotating schedule of exhibitions, as well as regular musical performances and family events.

70 Hudson Avenue Northeast, Salmon Arm, 250-832-1170

www.salmonarmartscentre.ca. For more on the province’s vi-brant arts culture, visit www.HelloBC.com/artsandculture. For more on British Columbia’s destinations and travel informa-tion, visit www.HelloBC.com. ALSO

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In 1983, the Dawson Creek Art Gallery moved into the renovated annex of a prairie elevator conveniently located in a municipal park.

Credit: Photo by Kit Fast


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ON THE TOWN Compiled by Denise Daubert

ATTRACTIONS AND EVENTS Broadway Across Canada – September 10 to 15 War Horse Performances at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Tickets through TicketMaster: 1-855-985-5000.2nd Annual Calgary Se-niors Walk – September 19 This unique walk event will take place over the noon hour and cover the four blocks on Stephen Avenue Mall in the downtown area. Starting point is Third Street S.W. with fi n-ish line at First Street S.E. in front of the TELUS Convention Centre. Funds raised will go to-wards programs of the Golden Age Club which offers a variety of social, recreational, health and outreach programs for Cal-gary seniors. Various categories of walkers: walkers 65-plus, walkers under 65 and corpo-rate teams. Pledge information available by calling 403-543-4786.Calgary Home & Interior De-sign Show – September 19 to 22 Hours: September 19 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., September 20 from noon to 9 p.m., September 21 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and September 22 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Seniors 60-plus ticket category offered. BMO Centre, Stampede Park. Ph: 403-253-1177.2013 Calgary International

Film Festival – September 19 to 28 This is an 11-day celebra-tion of visual arts and cinema, screening 200-plus fi lms from around the globe. Various the-atre venues in the city centre area. Ph: 403-283-1490.Calgary Artwalk 2013 – Sep-tember 21 and 22 This event takes place provides an oppor-tunity for the general public to visit galleries and artist studios throughout downtown, Ingle-wood and the Beltline. The event is free and many venues will be providing refreshments and special events. For a list of venues and hours check out www.calgaryartwalk.com. Chinook Country Historical Society – September 24 The September program is Music In Early Calgary with guest speaker Egmont Lee, emeritus professor of history at the U of C. 7:30 p.m. Free and every-one is welcome. Venue is Fort Calgary`s Burnswest Theatre, 750 9th Avenue S.E. Ph. 403-261-3662.2013 Alberta Culture Days – September 27 to 29 An annual province-wide three-day event to raise awareness, accessibil-ity and participation in and with cultural events. Enjoy theatre, concerts, dance presentations and a variety of other cultural events. For information click on the “Find Events” link at www.culture.alberta.ca/culture-

days or call toll free province-wide: dial 310-0000.Doors Open Event – Septem-ber 27 to 29 Doors Open allows people free access into build-ings and spaces in Calgary, cre-ating enthusiasm for heritage and contemporary architecture. This event is planned and orga-nized by the Doors Open Cal-gary Association. Check their website for further info: www.doorsopenyyc.org. Heritage Park – September 28 and 29 Railway Days Pre-sented by Canadian Pacifi c. Demonstrations, competitions and model railway exhibits. Event runs 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each date. October 12, 13 and 14 Thank You Weekend at Heri-tage Park Free rides throughout the weekend. Thanksgiving dinner available all weekend between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Event runs 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each date. 1900 Heritage Drive. Ph: 403-268-8500.Scandinavian Centre Choir – Wednesdays Between Septem-ber and May This mixed adult choir provides lots of learning and fun singing and the chal-lenge of performing in different languages. New members are welcome! Rehearsals are held at 739 20th Avenue N.W. on Wednesday evenings. Further info: 403-283-1299.Calgary T.A.L.E.S. Monthly Tellaround – Ongoing Second Wednesday Monthly 7 p.m. $3 per person, includes tea and goodies. Nose Hill Library,

1530 Northmount Drive S.E. Further info: 403-283-9489.Calgary T.A.L.E.S. Monthly Story Café – Ongoing Fourth Wednesday Monthly 7 p.m. $10 per person admission. Shelf Life Bookstore, 100, 1302 4th Street S.W. Further info: 403-283-9489.Calgary Music Makers Se-nior Citizens Choir - Ongoing Practices on Thursdays Con-sider singing for fun by join-ing this group of enthusiastic seniors! This mixed-voice choir welcomes new members aged 50 and over. The Music Makers perform once a month a seniors’ residences and community events between Sept. and June. Membership fee: $20 per per-son per year. Practices are held at the Fairview Baptist Church, 230 78th Avenue S.E., between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Fur-

ther info: 403-243-8503 or 403-289-9326. Seniors Alpine Ski Club – On-going If you are 55-plus and en-joy downhill skiing, you’ll want to learn more about becoming a member of the Seniors Alpine Ski Club. This club offers af-fordable prices for ski tours. Also featured are ski days, ski improvement programs, social functions and a newsletter. Fur-ther info: 403-266-0003.Calgary Farmer’s Market – Ongoing Friday, Saturday and Sunday year-round More than 75 permanent vendors. Hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 510 77th Ave. S.E., just off of Blackfoot Trail and Heritage Drive S.E. Further info: 403-240-9113



Indulge yourself on New Zealand’s North IslandBy Ruth Atherley Going on vacation always seems like a bit of a splurge, no matter what your budget. For many, a trip to New Zea-land is tied to a festive occa-sion. For some, it’s a milestone anniversary, a family reunion or a honeymoon; for others, it al-lows them to tick off a bucket

list location. While there are plenty of bud-get and reasonably-priced plac-es to stay on both the North and South Islands, there is a grow-ing trend for even the most bud-get-conscious visitors to take a night or two and indulge them-selves by staying at one of the country’s fi ner lodges or hotels.

Here are some interesting, unique and special places to stay on New Zealand’s North Island.The Boatshed on Waiheke Is-land, just a 40-minute ferry ride from Auckland, offers visitors a charming piece of Kiwi life. It offers an eclectic mix of dif-ferent buildings, spaces and room types – all with a view of the ocean. The fi ve suites and two bungalows are designed to suggest “baches” – a New Zea-land term for a holiday home. Exclusive to guests is fi ne din-ing at The Boatshed’s restau-rant. Service is in a relaxed, alfresco setting, with excep-tional New Zealand seafood and gourmet meat cuts ac-companied by organic, locally sourced produce, some grown at The Boatshed itself. The fact that this luxury accommodation is located on Waiheke Island, which is home to a number of beautiful vineyards and local artists and offers lovely beach-es, just makes it that much more of a treat.Also for wine lovers, there is Black Barn, located in the wine-producing region of Hawke’s Bay. This winery and vineyard produces fabulous wines and

also offers accommodation – right in the vineyard. There are 14 distinctive, self-contained accommodations of-fering character and style, from an eight-bedroom luxury retreat to a two-bedroom turn-of-the-century cottage in the heart of the vineyard.Black Barn offers wine lovers something special, including the fact that everyone at Black Barn loves to talk wine. One question to the staff turns into a half-hour conversation between wine-loving friends. For music fans, Black Barn presents a series of summer concerts where you can sit outside, put your feet up, sip a glass of wine, and enjoy the good life.In the Bay of Islands, travellers can fully indulge themselves at Eagles Nest, which offers a choice of fi ve magnifi cent villas nestled into a beautiful penin-sula with stunning ocean views. The breathtaking scenery blends with the creative and sophisticated architectural and interior design, making the vil-las feel completely connected to nature. Culinary resources include resident chefs, a superb wine cellar and fresh, locally

sourced foods. Eagles Nest is often used by larger families or groups for weddings and other celebra-tions, allowing event guests to stay together in the villas, creat-ing even greater memories.Air New Zealand, www.airnewzealand.ca, has direct non-stop fl ights from Vancou-ver to Auckland and offers fl ights from many other North American cities. For more in-formation about New Zealand, check out www.NewZealand.com. Info to go:The Boatshed: Bed and break-fast rates for July to September 2013 start at $531 CAD per room per night. http://www.boatshed.co.nz/ Black Barn: Retreats start at $321 CAD per night. http://www.blackbarn.com/ Eagles Nest: Rates start at $1,066 CAD per villa per night and include a bottle of Laurent Perrier Champagne upon ar-rival, fresh fruit platter (replen-ished daily), gourmet breakfast provisions (replenished daily), selected mini-bar items, high-speed wireless internet access and daily servicing of the villa. http://www.eaglesnest.co.nz/

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THEATRE Theatre Calgary – Sept 3 to 29 Kim’s Convenience Oct 15 to Nov 10 The Great Gatsby Performances at EPCOR Cen-tre. Box offi ce: 403-294-9494.Stagewest Calgary – Sept 5 to Second Week of Nov I Love You Because 727 42nd Avenue, S.E. Box offi ce: 403-243-6642.Jubilations Dinner Theatre – Sept. 13 to Nov 10 Johnny Be Goode Jubilations Dinner Theatre is located at 1002 37th Street S.W. Ph: 403-249-7799. Lunchbox Theatre – Sept 16 to Oct. 12 Shopaholic: Wed-ding Bells Show times Mon-day to Saturday at 12:10 p.m., Friday nights at 6:10 p.m. and “Date Night” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday nights. 160-9 Avenue S.E. Box offi ce: 403-265-4292. IN CONCERT

Music At Noon Series – Wednesdays Throughout the Year Music At Noon is pre-sented by The Pro Arts Society. Concerts take place each and every Wednesday from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Redeemer, Seventh Avenue and First Street S.E., across from Olympic Plaza. Bring your lunch and enjoy music in the midst of the day. Concerts are free but donations gratefully accepted. Info: 403-269-1904.Calgary Folk Club – Sept 13 Kevin Welch and Eliza Gilkyson. Sept 27 Main act: Valdy. Opening act: Michael Je-rome Brown. Oct 11 Main act: Gordie MacKeeman. Opening act: 100 Mile House. Concerts at Dalhousie Community Cen-tre, 5432 Dalhart Road N.W. Box offi ce: 403-220-7202.


Calgary Philharmonic Or-chestra–Sept 20 & 21 POPS Series: A Tribute to Elvis 8 p.m. both dates. Oct 3, 4 and 5 Rush Hour and Classics Show-case Series: Wagner’s The Ring Without Words 6:30 p.m. per-formance on Oct 3 and 8 p.m. performances on both Oct 4 and 5. Oct 11 and 12 Specials Se-ries: Disney in Concert A 7:30 p.m. performance on October 11 and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. performances on Oct 12. All concerts at the Jack Singer Con-cert Hall at EPCOR Centre. Box offi ce: 403-571-0849.Spiritus Chamber Choir – Sept 27 and 28 Ukraine: Sa-cred Choral Concert The Sept 27 concert will be held at 8 p.m. at St. Stephen Protomar-tyr Ukrainian Church. 4903-45 Street S.W. The Sept 28 concert will be held at 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 219-18 Av-enue S.W. Tickets $20 seniors. Ph: 403-922-7021.Classical Guitar Society – Oct 5 Carlos Perez 8 p.m. Leacock Theatre, Mount Royal Univer-sity, 4825 Richard Road, S.W. Tickets: 403-605-1724.Calgary Pro Musica Society – Oct 6 & 7 Masters Series: New Orford String Quarter Oct 6 concert at 7 p.m. and Oct 7 concert at 8 p.m. Venue is Eckhardt-Gramatte Hall in the Rozsa Centre at the U of C. Ph: 403-244-8277.MUSEUMS AND ART EX-HIBITS The Military Museums Exhibits – June 2 to November 1 Hid-den Treasures – The Military Museums Art Collection An

exhibition which features art-works from each of the Military Museums collections. June 25 to Dec 1 Defending A Nation: Canada and the Korean War 4528 Crowchild Trail S.W. Fur-ther info: 403-974-2847 or 403-974-2850.The Military Museums Art Collection–June 2 to Nov 11 Exhibit entitled Hidden Trea-sures features a variety of art-works from the collections. Seniors admission $5. 4520 Crowchild Trail S.W. Further info: 403-974-2850. Art Gallery of Calgary – Sept 6 to Oct 26 Two exhibits: Where the Heart Is and Artifi cial Turf. The Art Gallery of Calgary is located at 117 8th Avenue S.W. Closed Sundays. Ph: 403-770-1350.Glenbow Museum – Sept 8 to Jan 19 Two exhibits. Made in Calgary: the 1980s is the third installment of a year-long celebration of artists who have lived, worked and created in our city. Transformation: A.Y. Jack-son & Otto Pix is organized by the Canadian War Museum.The Glenbow Museum is located at 130 9th Avenue S.E. Further info: 403-268-4100DANCEAlberta Ballet – September 26 to 28 Madame Butterfl y Perfor-mances at 7:30 p.m. on all three dates, plus a 2 p.m. matinee on September 28. Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Box offi ce: 403-245-4549.BEYOND CALGARYAirdrie Farmer’s Market – Ongoing Wednesdays Until October 3 More than 60 ven-

dors each week. 3:30 to 7 p.m. Plainsman Arena, 320 Centre Ave. East. Ph: 403-948-5759.Nose Creek Valley Museum Monthly Tea– Ongoing Last Thursdays Monthly Enjoy the exhibits at the museum. 1701 Main Street S.W., south end of Nose Creek Park. Ph. 403-948-6685.Alberta Culture Days in Banff–Sept 27, 28 & 29 En-joy various events and activi-ties including artist receptions, live performances and heritage interpretation presentations. Banff Tourism Bureau: 403-762-8421.Canmore Mountain Market – Until Sept 26 on Thursdays This market showcases a va-riety of locally and regionally produced items. At the Can-more Civic Centre Plaza, down-town. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. www.tourismcanmore.com.Cochrane Classic Car Club Show and Shine – Sept15 Event is being held downtown. Admission per vehicle is $10 plus a non-perishable food item for the Cochrane Activettes Food Bank. Ph: 403-932-1677.Cochrane Fall Fair – Sept 20-

22 Midway, concessions, dis-plays, demonstrations, eques-trian sports and a community garage sale. Venue is the Co-chrane Agricultural Society grounds. Ph: 403-932-3250.University of Lethbridge Art Gallery – Aug 30 to Oct 25 A Canadian Abroad: Photographs by Roloff Beny Sept 12 to Oct 24 Dr. Soane’s Odditorium of Wonders Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday with late opening to 8:30 p.m. on Thurs-days. 4401 University Drive. Further info: 403-329-2666.Lethbridge Arts Days – Sep-tember 22 to 29 An event showcasing the importance of arts in the Lethbridge commu-nity. Venue and schedule info from The Allied Arts Council 403-320-0555.Medicine HatWho`s Live Anyway? – Sep-tember 26 An evening of im-prov comedy and song based on audience suggestions with comedians Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Chip Esten and Jeff B. Davis. 8 p.m. at Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre. Tickets: 403-502-8777.A Cultural Harvest in

Okotoks Variety Show – Sept 27 A night of live entertainment with the Dewdney Players The-atre Group. 8 p.m. Rotary Per-forming Arts Centre (3 Elma Street). Ph: 403-938-3204.First Annual Okotoks Harvest Fest – Oct 6 Activities such as antique tractor displays, live en-tertainment, movies, food ven-dors, and old-fashioned carni-val games in Olde Town, at the Okotoks Art Gallery and Ethel Tucker Park plus the Rotary Performing Arts Centre. Ph: 403-938-8950.Alberta Arts Days in Red Deer – Sept 28-30 A celebra-tion of the arts at various venues throughout Red Deer. Further info: 403-348-2787.Sunnybrook Farm Museum Turkey Supper – Oct 1, 2 and 3 Two sittings each date: 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets only. 4701 30th Street. Ph. 403-340-3511.

ON THE TOWN Continued from page 22

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