Prioritize what
matters in 2022
Inside Simple ways
to boost your cyber security Retirement planning Tips for sleeping more soundly Free learning resources for kids
LIVING YOUR BEST 40+ LIFE MATURE SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2022
A smarter way to save
VISIT SCU.MB.CA/MYSAVINGS TO SEE HOW MUCH MORE YOU COULD SAVE.
MATURE SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2022 TABLE OF CONTENTS
6 9 16 20
TIPS TO SLEEP MORE SOUNDLY Learn how to incorporate healthy sleep habits
RETIREMENT PLANNING
Discover effective ways to plan for your future
PETS Expert advice for animal introductions
BOOST YOUR CYBER SECURITY Enhance your safety in the digital world
View online at winnipegfreepress.com/lifestyles Inquiries: 204-697-7390
Editor Jennifer McFee Design Tammy Mitchell
Publisher Bob Cox
Director, Advertising, Niche Publications Charlene Adam Charlene.Adam@freepress.mb.ca
MATURE 3
G Mature is not
a dirty word! Grey hair and wrinkles were once the bane of many a Manitoban. As most of us age, worries about appearance begin to dissipate. We just have too much on our plates. And societal attitudes are beginning to adopt this philosophy, too. Goodbye body shaming, hello positivity. The grey hair trend is a good example of this. Many see wrinkles, silver streaks and even no hair as a sign of a life well-lived. This doesn’t mean some of those wrinkles are tied to good times alone. The sandwich generation has a lot going on. Stress comes from home, work, parents needing help, grumbling kids and, oh yeah — a pandemic. In this edition of Mature , we provide a few suggestions. We offer sleep advice for those going through menopause, tips on pet introductions, cyber security advice and financial recommendations. Life is complicated. But we can handle it — because we’re Mature!
• Three nutritious Meals a Day • Complimentary 24 Hour Bistro
• In suite laundry • Fitness Centre • Craft and Games Area • Complimentary Internet Access Room • Dry Cleaning Pickup and Delivery • Building Staffed 24/7 • 24 Hour Emergency Response Pendant • Weekly in-Suite Light Housekeeping Services • Weekly Linen and Towel Services • Complimentary Transportation to Medical Appointments and Outings • Heat, Hydro, and Water
ALL INCLUSIVE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
40 DUNKIRK DRIVE Call Jenna Moore to book your tour today 204.231.5777
4 MATURE
HEALTH
A & O marks a milestone 65 years
management strategies, history, art classes and more.” While encouraging older people to stay safely at home during the pandemic, A & O has also worked with community partners such as the City of Winnipeg and Manitoba Harvest to provide the 311 food security line. A & O’s Senior Immigrant Settlement Services strives to support older adult newcomers and make their settlement journey a bit easier by addressing their unique needs. The program offers a wide range of settlement services for newcomers 55 years of age and over including Settlement Orientation for Seniors, English Language classes, English Conversation Classes, Language Buddy Program, information and referral and volunteer opportunities. A & O: Support Services for Older Adults marks its 65th anniversary on June 14 at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy Qualico Centre with an AGM and celebration breakfast meeting. Details are being finalized. The agency recently moved to 200-207 Donald St., where it is easing the way safely to in-person services. While celebrating 65 years of service and experience, the agency is forging ahead in continuing to meet the needs of older Manitobans. “Age is not portrayed in a very positive light in our society — it’s often associated with frailty and decline. This is not accurate for many older people,” says Macrae emphatically. “We want to show the really great opportunities and supports that are available through A & O that can provide people with the tools they need to age well.”
BY WENDY KING
Adults over the age of 55 are a growing demographic, and now more than ever, they are wanting to “age in place” — that is, stay in their homes with a good quality of life as they age. It’s an achievable and socially sound goal — with the right supports. “Our society has a responsibility to support people in aging well. Older adults are telling us that they want and need these programs and services,” says Amanda Macrae, CEO at A & O: Support Services for Older Adults (aosupportservices.ca). A & O is a not-for-profit social service organization with a mission to improve the quality of life for older Manitobans with specialized comprehensive services and programs, which sit on three foundational pillars: safety and security, social engagement, and counselling. “It’s important for people to be proactive and know about our services rather than waiting for an issue to arise,” says Macrae. “Many of our programs and services are the first of their kind in the country.” Examples of agency firsts include This Full House, which addresses hoarding and squalor behaviour and helps prevent eviction and fires, and the SafetyAid: Falls Prevention program that aims to keep people steady on their feet, which is so important in a winter city like Winnipeg. “Senior Centre Without Walls — another first in the country — is a program where participants can call in from home and participate in travelogues or book clubs, speak with experts from different fields, learn a variety of health
A & O has worked with community partners to address food security.
MATURE 5
For peri-menopausal and menopausal women, missing those “Z’s” is all too common.
6 MATURE
SLEEP
Simple tips to sleep more soundly
BY WENDY KING
For peri-menopausal and menopausal women, missing those “Z’s” is all too common. “It’s estimated 40 per cent to 60 per cent of menopausal women will experience some disturbance, and 25 per cent of peri-menopausal will have significant disturbance,” says Dr. Diana McMilllan. She says sleeplessness can be age-related, hormonally instigated, or be caused by social and emotional stressors. But peri- and menopausal women can get closer to the seven to nine hours of sleep they need using some non-pharmacological sleep health strategies recommended by McMillan. Keep to a regular bedtime and wake time all week to train your “internal clock.” “If you have a nap, keep that to 20 to 30 minutes As an associate professor at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences College at University of Manitoba, Diana McMillan wears many professional hats. She has a PhD, MN, RN, BNSc and BA under her belt — but the letters she most cares about are your “Z’s.” Her area of expertise is sleep health.
early in the afternoon,” says McMillan. Get some exercise out in the sunshine.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
MATURE 7
Exercise can help to reduce stress
while also supporting sleep.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
“Exercise reduces stress, supports falling and staying asleep, and makes you healthy tired as opposed exhausted tired,” she says. Watch what you consume and stop eating two to three hours before sleep. Avoid caffeine after noon. “Alcohol might make you feel relaxed, but it will disturb your rapid eye movement sleep and have you up using the bathroom,” says McMillan. Gear down for a calm body and mind. Read, craft or do a puzzle. Shut down screens and tech at least 90 minutes before sleep. Their blue light interferes with the sleep hormone melatonin. “I recommend getting rid of all the technology out of the bedroom,” she says. “Keep your bedroom for sleep and sex.” Make your bedroom dark, cool and comfortable.
Launder your sheets weekly. Replace an old mattress. White noise machines can be helpful. If you’re not asleep after 20 to 30 minutes, get up and do something quiet until you feel sleepy and try again. Challenged by worries? Write them down in a book and put it away. “It gives you permission to let that go,” she says. “I strongly recommend we practise kindness to ourselves and to others so we have a more peaceful
mind as we head into the end of our day.” If sleeplessness persists, or comes on
suddenly without explanation, McMillan says to talk to a health-care provider to rule out a medical cause. “Take your sleep seriously,” she says. “The impact on your health and well-being can be really impaired when you’re not well rested.”
8 MATURE
FINANCES
Putting a plan in motion
BY JIM TIMLICK
There’s no better time to start planning for retirement than now
Thankfully, that attitude is beginning to change, something one financial planner attributes to the pandemic and the fact people have a lot more time to think about their future and what they want out of it. “We live in a very fast-paced world and because of the pandemic, it’s kind of slowed things down. Now people are taking stock of what they have and are questioning whether they have enough going forward to retire in a comfortable manner,” says Chan Huynh, senior wealth advisor with SCU. It used to be that retirement planning was something some people felt could wait for another day.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
MATURE 9
You can begin the planning process by envisioning what you want your retirement to look like. Do you plan to travel? How much time do you want to spend with family?
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
“They’ve realized that if you’re planning for the future, you’ve got to do it now. You can’t do it a year before retirement.” Huynh says preparation is the key to developing a successful financial plan for retirement. One piece of advice he often shares with clients is the importance of adhering to the five Ps of financial planning. “The five Ps are proper preparation prevents poor performance. If you prepare now, you don’t have to worry about what’s going to happen later because you’re prepared for it,” he explains. The first part of that planning process, Huynh says, is setting a budget to determine how much money you will need in retirement. As part of that process, he advises people to begin by
envisioning what they want retirement to look like. Do they plan to travel? How much time do they want to spend with family? The average Canadian couple will require as much as $50,000 a year to retire comfortably, he adds. Huynh stresses it’s important for couples to develop a retirement plan together. They might have slightly different goals and one or both may want to continue working part-time in retirement. Another important piece of the retirement planning process is having a will drawn up or providing a family member with power of attorney in case you or your partner are unable to make decisions for yourself, he says. Likewise, you also need to consider any future financial obligations you might have down the road, such as caring for
Chan Huynh, senior wealth advisor with SCU
10 MATURE
FINANCES
an elderly parent who is unable to care for themselves. While RRSPs are an important part of many retirement plans, Huynh says timing is everything. “If you are young, just starting your career and in a lower tax bracket, you might want to hold off on RRSPs until you are making more money,” he says. “Save that valuable RRSP contribution room for the future when you are in a higher tax bracket. This will reduce the amount of taxes you would have to pay to CRA or can possibly increase your tax refund.” In the interim, for young investors, he suggests investing in a tax-free savings account (TFSA), which allows you to make money without having to pay tax on it. Huynh’s last bit of advice is to find a financial advisor you trust to help guide you through the planning process.
EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL tastes amazing and is bursting with health benefits. It contains no cholesterol, regulates blood pressure, and has high levels of antioxidants and mono-unsaturated fats. Whether you’re shopping for health or for taste, our EVOO is sure to exceed your expectations!
Shop in-store or online at frescolio.ca
MATURE 11
Tap into free learning resource for kids BY KRISTIN MARAND
Children’s education has been affected by the pandemic in myriad ways. Between full and partial shutdowns, to switching from in-person to remote learning and back again, kids have had a difficult time these past few years. A recent study from consulting firm McKinsey & Company found that some
children could be behind as much as nine to 12 months.
12 MATURE
FAMILY
ToyBox Manitoba is a free resource that helps kids develop life skills and bridge the COVID gap, while providing an opportunity for children and their caretakers to connect and bond through learning and play. ToyBox offers literacy and numeracy activities for children aged two through eight and wellness activities for caregivers and their families. The evidence- based learning activities are available for free on the ToyBoxManitoba.ca website and on social media. “I think we took for granted pre-COVID that children just learned naturally, but there’s a lot of people that can influence how they learn and what they learn. Families can do a lot of these activities at home, and those kids are just better prepared,” says Dr. Sheri-Lynn Skwarchuk, who developed the program. Each activity has beginner, intermediate and experienced suggestions, allowing caretakers to adapt to the levels of their children. The activities are Manitoba focused, and Skwarchuk and her team have worked to incorporate traditional land-based knowledge and learning styles with guidance from some directors from the Manitoba Aboriginal Head Start program.
version in the near future. “We want to grow this so that every Manitoba family knows what ToyBox is and that they can support their children to be ready for life,” Skwarchuk explains. For older children, Skwarchuk suggests a few strategies to bolster their literacy and numeracy skills in a fun way.
Six-year-old Niah Jacobs and three-year-old Lexi Jacobs participate in ToxBox activities with grandma Ria Maré. Photo by Darcy Finley
“Primary caregivers know their children best so they’re going to know where to start. They’re going to know at what level and how long to spend,” explains Skwarchuk. The activities don’t require any special
“Playing cards provides a huge opportunity for children of all ages. There are many learning values — keeping score, remembering which cards have been played, counting points, and decisions about keeping cards to introduce elements of probability,” she says. “Other games like bingo or bowling can also be played at home.” The best literacy strategies for older children involve playing some classic games that are geared for the child’s level, Skwarchuk adds. “One example is Hangman, where participants guess letters in a word or phrase, which allows children to dissect parts of words. Charades helps children to communicate ideas in different ways,” she says. “Families can play animal guessing games using 20 questions that require yes and no answers. You will be surprised at what you can learn and what your children know about specific categories of animals, which models the organization of ideas in the brain.” ToyBox Manitoba is also a childhood education research project based out of the University of Winnipeg. Program participants sign up to receive three activities per week for a period of six weeks and can opt to provide anonymous feedback. For more information, visit ToyBoxManitoba.ca.
materials, and Skwarchuk suggests incorporating the child’s interests. “If they are into dinosaurs, then count dinosaurs,” she says.
The activities are Manitoba focused, and Skwarchuk and her team have worked to incorporate traditional land-based knowledge and learning styles with guidance from some directors from the Manitoba Aboriginal Head Start program. In the future Skwarchuk hopes to make the activities available in other languages. “We’re noticing that we have families of refugees and newcomers. They’re actually taking them and putting them into their phones and using Facebook to translate,” Skwarchuk says. She is also working with a teacher from the Louis Riel School Division and a professor from Université de Saint- Boniface to potentially offer a French
MATURE 13
Stay in your home longer with help from local services
BY TODD LEWYS
When we’re in our younger years, we don’t give much thought to the amount of work that goes into maintaining our home. However, the work — i.e., mowing the lawn and shovelling the driveway, steps and front walk — tends to become more physically challenging as we age.
14 MATURE
HOME
Come winter, a crew of two to four will provide regular snow removal .
Cole Muys from Green Blade Lawn Care. Photos by Darcy Finley
Once-supple backs ache after shovelling (especially this winter), while knees and shoulders often throb after spending two or more hours doing yard work. In short, the effort required to perform those duties might make them a drag rather than a labour of love. In turn, all that work can prompt older adults to consider selling their home to move into a condo or apartment, where they can enjoy the freedom of a maintenance-free lifestyle. There’s no need to do that, says Tim Muys of Green Blade Lawn Care. “Right now, about one-third of our clients are seniors,” he says. “They use our snow removal and yard maintenance service for two reasons: they reduce physical wear and tear and save time.” He adds that there’s a third reason why Green Blade’s home maintenance services — which range from standard to extreme programs — are becoming
increasingly popular with the over- 50 crowd. “They’ve found that the cost isn’t outrageous. For a typical property, the standard cost for year-round snow removal and yard maintenance runs between $1,500 and $1,800.” In summer, the service generally includes a spring cleanup, weekly grass cutting, basic lawn care and a fall cleanup. Come winter, a crew of two to four will provide regular snow removal. “We stick to shovels almost exclusively,” Muys notes. “For special circumstances, such as major snow events or extra-long driveways, we’ll bring out one of our six truck plows.” What if a client wants some extra work done? “If you want us to scrape your driveway right down to the pavement, you’ll have to pay a bit more. The same goes if you want us to do weed control in the summer,” he says. Muys advises folks to honestly weigh the cost of doing all that maintenance on their own.
“I think you’ll find it’s become a pain physically and a drain on your time. Having us do it will help prevent a bad back or, even worse, a heart attack. For the cost involved, you can free yourself up to take a walk or go to the cabin and enjoy the grandkids while you’re sipping a lemonade on your backyard deck.” Feedback from those who’ve invested in Green Blade’s year-round service has been overwhelmingly positive, he adds. “People tell us that once they get on it, it’s tough to stop — they can’t go back to doing it themselves because they enjoy the freedom so much. Not only that, but it also allows them to enjoy and stay in their home for longer.”
For more information on Green Blade’s snow removal and yard maintenance services, visit greenbladewinnipeg.ca or call (204) 837-1764.
MATURE 15
INTRODUCING NEW PETS
First, you must practise patience to introduce the pets to each other
SPACE BY JIM BENDER NEW FURRY ROOMMATES NEED THEIR
16 MATURE
PETS
So, your mom and dad have agreed to move in with you. Trouble is, they have a pet and so do you. Questions immediately arise. Will the resident pet be jealous of the intruder? Will the new pet want to take over its new roost? What do you do? Dr. Colleen Fisher, a Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association veterinarian and behaviourist, has great advice.
First, you must practise patience to introduce the pets to each other. “The biggest thing is don’t rush the process,” says Dr. Fisher. “The more space you can give to each other, whether it’s a dog or cat, the better.” You can start by giving each pet its own bedroom or at least a space where it can park for quiet time. Stacked baby gates allow pets to see each other while preventing physical contact once they are calm in each other’s presence.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
MATURE 17
SIGNS OF STRESS IN YOUR PET Pet owners should understand the signs of stress when introducing pets to each other.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17
“Separation is a very big part of it,” Fisher says. “Give them separate eating areas so they don’t think they’re in competition with each other.” But they can be fed at the same time. The new pet should be allowed to sniff around the new home while on a leash while the resident pet is elsewhere to get used to the other pet’s scent, Fisher says. Trade spaces so the pets can get used to each other’s scent. This allows both pets to feel less confined and can decrease anxiety. Then, Fisher recommends what she calls “station training.” “One pet will perform whatever command it already knows while the other one watches from a separate area. Maybe keep one on a leash, across a baby gate or across the room to keep them separate. If the dog that is watching stays still while the other is moving, reward that dog. If they can keep calm, reward them,” she says. “We can teach cats station training by having them move to a vertical space, such as the top of a kitty condo or onto a shelf.” The resident pet may fear the newcomer or it could see something to chase or maybe just want to have play time. “If they are relaxed when they are around each other, that’s a good thing,” Fisher says. “You start doing this in short periods, then extending that time (until they no longer need to be separated).” But pet owners should understand the signs of stress when introducing pets to each other. “Licking lips and side-eye show levels of stress in dogs. For example, dog humping is often a stress thing. It’s not a sexual or dominant thing,” Fisher says. “For cats, their eyes dilate or their whiskers go straight out to the side. When
When cats wag their tails, they’re showing signs of stress.
18 MATURE
PETS
Licking lips and side-eye show levels of stress in dogs.
cats wag their tails, they’re showing signs of stress.” To reduce stress between cats, there are pheromone diffusers you can get from veterinarians. They can promote a calm, relaxed environment. “Giving space and practising calm behaviour is really important,” Fisher says. But if these recommendations don’t work within three weeks, get a trainer, she advises. Prevention of fighting between new pets is key. Owners who interfere may get bitten themselves, Fisher says. And if they get punished for bad behaviour, they might blame the other pet. Audrey McPhaden has been introducing new dogs to resident dogs in her home for years. “We have always introduced them on neutral ground and once they have sniffed each other, they basically ignored each other, which is the ideal outcome,” says the retired nurse, who has adopted older, sicker dogs to give them a better life during their twilight years. “The dogs will figure out their positions and I’ve tried not to interfere with that process.” Because she has adopted dogs with cancer or other terminal diseases, McPhaden and her husband have said goodbye to a number of them over the years, but they almost always have two. “They are inherent pack creatures and we feel, by having two, it provides companionship when we are not home,” says McPhaden, who currently has a female (Charlie) and male (Rojo). “If this translates to security and less stress, it has done what we intended.” So, there could be a bright future in store for the owners once the pets get along with each other.
MATURE 19
Simple ways to boost your cyber security
BY JENNIFER MCFEE
As cyber security continues to evolve, a few simple steps can bolster your digital safety. Eddie Phillips is an instructor with CyberWave, Manitoba Institute of Trade and Technology’s hub dedicated to addressing the current labour shortage in cyber security. From his vantage point, Phillips offers several ways we can become empowered and take control of our digital data. “If we’re not careful, cyber criminals can use data against you,” he says. “If they get any kind of information, no matter how little value you think it might have, they can try to infiltrate your other services.” To safeguard against this situation, Phillips suggests using two-factor or multi-factor authentication whenever possible. “This is where you have to enter an extra six-digit number to log into a service,” he says.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
20 MATURE
TECH
Phillips suggests using two-factor or multi- factor authentication whenever possible.
MATURE 21
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
“Whenever a website or service offers this option, I highly recommend to take advantage of it, especially for banking and email.” At the same time, Phillips suggests taking stock of your passwords. “Too many people reuse passwords. If hackers figure out your password, cyber criminals can try to use it with your email address and start applying it to other services like Facebook and Amazon and Google,” he says. “My recommendation is to use a password manager to track your passwords and keep them complex.” These days, phishing attacks and ransomware remain some of the biggest threats, he adds. “Phishing attacks are basically fake emails or attempts to get you to download something or give away your password,” Phillips says. “For ransomware, cyber criminals might have an automated system to send out emails or infect websites to spread a virus. Once it gets in your computer, it steals your data silently in the background and sends it to a cyber criminal. Then it can encrypt your data and make it unusable.” A pop-up screen might appear demanding you pay a ransom to recover your files. “I highly recommend that you don’t pay the ransom,” Phillips says. “Ideally, you have a proper disaster recovery or backup in place, but the problem is that your data has been stolen already. We need to be careful what we’re storing and how we protect it.” Another tip to stay a little safer: don’t publicize online when you’re going on holidays. Not only could someone break into your home while you’re away, cyber criminals could also impersonate you for email scams. While there’s no need to live in fear of getting hacked, we also shouldn’t bury our heads in the sand. “Too many people feel they’re not a target or their data isn’t important. They might also feel that it’s all too technical for them,” Phillips says. “It comes down to not being afraid of the technology. It’s not hard to protect yourself using these basic steps.”
" These days, phishing attacks and ransomware remain some of the biggest threats. " - Eddie Phillips,
instructor with CyberWave, Manitoba Institute for Trade and Technology’s hub dedicated to addressing the current labour shortage in cyber security
22 MATURE
For Manitobans, by Manitobans
mb.bluecross.ca ®*The Blue Cross symbol and name and Colour of Caring are registered marks of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans, independently licensed by Manitoba Blue Cross. †Blue Shield is a registered trade-mark of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. 2022-0210
Learn more about the games in the Free Press special feature publishing Saturday, April 23, 2022
Manitoba 55+ Games June 7-9, 2022, Selkirk
View more Free Press publications online at winnipegfreepress.com/lifestyles INQUIRIES: 204-697-7390
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24Powered by FlippingBook