Senior Living Magazine Island Edition June 2011 by INSPIRED 55+ Lifestyle Magazine

JUNE 2011 TM

Vancouver Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50+ Active Lifestyle Magazine

The Travel Issue

The Saguenay

Bicycle Cruising Maryland Wine Tours ...and more!

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Publisher’s As you will see in this month’s content, seniors are not just travellers – they are radical travellers! They are adventuresome, inventive and enthusiastic. Whether you are a world explorer, or just an armchair traveller, you will enjoy the vast selection of adventures our intrepid writers have embarked upon. Criss-crossing exotic Costa Rica, exploring the caves of Elephanta Island, studying the industrious dung beetle while on safari across South Africa, skimming the Hawaiian Island waves in a zodiac, cycling through the historic countryside of French Canada, searching for ghosts on the island of Tetiaroa, embarking on a cruise/biking tour, or swimming with the endangered Manatees after an incident-filled cross-country train journey – these are just some of the high adventures you can read about in this month’s Senior Living. But, you won’t find all these excursions in this one particular magazine. To read about all these adventures, you will need to visit our website where you can access online versions of both our Vancouver Island and our Vancouver editions – each containing its own collection of travel tales. More and more, we will be linking our magazine to our website. The reality of magazines is that they are expensive to print and have limited space. Our website, however, can offer almost unlimited space at relatively low cost. This allows us to provide our readers with things like extra photos we could not fit into the magazines, and even videos. So, start your travel journey by turning the page, but when you’re done flipping through the last article, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com for more adventures. Happy travels! 2

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FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

6 Whirling Through French Canada

Cycling the Véloroute des Bleuets through the Saguenay proves to be an adventure extraordinaire!

10 An Island of the Imagination

30 Classiﬁeds 31 BBB Scam Alert COLUMNS

Searching for ghosts at Marlon Brando’s former hideaway – Tetiaroa.

4 The Family Caregiver by Barbara Small

12 Shiver Me Top Tubes, Matey!

Can’t decide between a cruise and a bike tour? Now you can do both at the same time!

32 Reﬂections: Then & Now by Gipp Forster

14 Glasgow to Prestwick in 60 Seconds After a fascinating holiday steeped in history and culture, the most hair-raising adventure was getting to the airport.

Cover Photo: Travel writers Rick and Chris Millikan cycle through Parc Tallon on their Saguenay adventure. Story on page 6.

16 I’ll Drink to That!

Exploring the wine trails of Maryland.

20 Meeting the Mermaids

A cross-country train journey and swimming with endangered Manatees meant two less items on this Bucket List.

24 Getting There is Half the Fun! Travelling in style on a trans-Atlantic voyage.

29 Seniors Serving Seniors Celebrates 30 Years

SSS continues to grow and welcome new volunteers. Senior Living (Vancouver Island) is published by Stratis Publishing. Publisher Barbara Risto Editor Bobbie Jo Reid editor@seniorlivingmag.com Copy Editor Allyson Mantle Advertising Manager Barry Risto 250-479-4705 ext 101 For advertising information, call 250-479-4705 sales@seniorlivingmag.com Ad Sales Staff Ann Lester 250-390-1805 Mathieu Powell 250-479-4705 ext 104 Barry Risto 250-479-4705 ext 101 WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

Head Ofﬁce Contact Information: Box 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1 Phone 250-479-4705 Fax 250-479-4808 Toll-free 1-877-479-4705 E-mail ofﬁce@seniorlivingmag.com Website www.seniorlivingmag.com Subscriptions: $32 (includes GST, postage and handling) for 12 issues. Canadian residents only. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Senior Living is an independent publication and its articles imply no endorsement of any products or services. The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. Unsolicited articles are welcome and should be e-mailed to editor@seniorlivingmag. com Senior Living Vancouver Island is distributed free throughout Vancouver Island. Stratis Publishing Ltd. publishes Senior Living Vancouver Island (12 issues per year) and Senior Living Vancouver & Lower Mainland (12 issues per year). ISSN 1710-3584 (Print) ISSN 1911-6403 (Online)

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THE FAMILY CAREGIVER

Caring from a Distance

any family caregivers are presented with the added challenge of caring for a family member long distance. Though more and more families are dispersed across the country or even around the world, the demands of caring for ill or aging family members are still present. Long-distance caregiving often involves specific concerns that are different from those families who live near each other. Although one’s initial reaction may be to move a family member closer, consider first whether this might be more disruptive and stressful for everyone involved. Are you prepared to have them live with you? Or are you prepared to be their only social contact once they have moved away from what is familiar to them? If they are coming from outof-province, when will they qualify for medical services in this province? Below are some suggestions for bridging the miles and making caring at a distance easier: • Since you can’t drop in to see how things are going, call home often. Listen closely to their comments or complaints and ask questions that can alert you to changes in their health or routines. • Establish a support network in your family member’s hometown with con-

tact people who can provide you with a clear picture of the situation. These people might include a close friend, a minister, a doctor or others who regularly visit them. Ask them to alert you if they notice changes in your family member’s behaviour, appearance, memory, mobility or food habits. • Ask someone to check in with your family member on a regular basis. Keep the contact information of this person with you at all times and ensure that they have your contact information. If you are worried, you can’t call that “nice young couple next door” to check in, if you don’t know their name or telephone number. • Gather information about services, resources and other options for care available in their community. Do this in advance, even if you don’t need these services right now. Have them on hand before a crisis happens. You can find these resources on the Internet or pick up a copy of the local telephone directory next time you visit. • Schedule regular visits. You need to make the most of your limited time there, so plan in advance for what you need to accomplish during the visit, in addition to visiting with your relative. Be obser-

BY BARBARA SMALL

vant while you are there. Are they eating regularly? Are their bills being paid? • Some communities offer telephone assurance programs usually staffed by volunteers, who check in on frail and disabled persons living alone. Many volunteer organizations also have friendly visitor programs that provide regular visits to those who are housebound. • In a non-emergency situation, try to step back and evaluate whether you need to travel or if you can send someone else. Can someone locally handle the situation? This will free up your time and money for emergencies or times when it SL is essential for you to be there. Next month: Compassion Fatigue Barbara Small is the Program Development Coordinator for Family Caregivers’ Network Society located in Victoria, BC. www.familycaregiversnetwork.org

The Family Caregiver column is brought to you by the generous sponsorship of Saint Elizabeth

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JUNE 2011

Travel & Adventure

Whirling Through French Canada BY CHRIS & RICK MILLIKAN

acking a French dictionary, beaded deerskin dress proudly relates her hardy broad beans. In the days ahead, we we’re off to Saguenay-Lac nomadic life. Dramatically drumming, enjoy crepes, croissants spread with loSt. Jean, an hour’s flight from she tells us a legend; her haunting loon cal cheeses, herbed northern walleye and cheesy poutine. Saguenay’s tiny potatoes, Montreal. Our experiences extraordinaire calls echo across the fjord! begin along the shores of Saguenay fjord Inside a gigantic barn, music soars as at Nouvelle-France. workhorses and small ponies, once esInside its Huron longhouse, we ad- sential in New France, perform intricatemire clay pots and gourd vessels, finger ly choreographed dressage; colonially plush furs and model ritual masks. Out- dressed riders execute extraordinary side, slender saplings form a palisade acrobatics. A thrilling Cirque du Soleilsurrounding flourishing gardens of corn, style aerialist, comedic bon vivant and RESEARCH WARRANTY beans and squash; a fish drying rack and MEDICAL show-stealing dog heighten this enter�� meat smoker stand nearby. We’d seen tainment. This equestrian extravaganza �� University of Technology, Sydney, - Posturalovation! steadiness improved this fascinating setting before significantly in Black earns ourAustralia standing Hot Health Systems Ltd. warranty the after 8 weeks of training and was most significant in those with the most diminished postural control. Robe, a Canadian movie depicting early The rustic cafeteria offers us a taste of Whole Body Vibration Trainer for 3 (three) �� Jesuit priests struggling to convert na- regional cuisine: savory oven-simmeredyears for parts, service and labour within �� a radius of 250 km from the home office of tives to Christianity. Also an active ar- tortiere and soupe gourgane, thick with School of Rehabilitation, Medical Sciences, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran. - Whole Lethbridge, AB. body vibration training improved proprioception and balance in athletes with chaeological site, over 100,000reconstructed artifacts ACL. The Trading Post; the Fjord and have been unearthed, some �� showing in the Parts are warrantedVillage beyond thatbackground. distance �� habitation from 3000 BC. Sports Sciences Resident, Graduate Education * Research, Canadian Memorial for 3 (three) years with manuals and/or College - Many studies have reported an increase in muscle performance carrots andavailable beets quickly become of vegSeated on wooden benches inChiropractic a small after whole-body vibration, but none have evaluated the possibility of vibration DVD videos for self-service application as therapy for functional restoration after injury. The results of this case gie favourites. Abundant after July, fresh church, a formidable nun describes study implyher that vibration therapy has the potential to aid in the management of parts replacement. acute soft tissue injury and the sequel of disuse and immobilization. blueberries inspire scrumptious desserts: harrowing voyage here, vexatious arrival �� pastries,-----------------------parfaits and tortes. and nursing duties. Surmising �� our own Department of Exercise Physiology, Katholieke Universiteit, Belgium - Knee extensor At Musee du Fjord in La Baie, we bone ailments, she sternly prescribes herbal strength increased significantly after 24 weeks of training. It has the potential to induce strength gain to the same extent as resistance training at moderate intensity. We are confident love up on so fjord science,that facts,you andwill even fancicures; wearing 17th century attire, actors �� your Vibration Trainer that we are pleased �� ful myths! We also check out soap makre-enact early Quebec’s daily life. Inside to offer a 15-day money-back guarantee of Health and Welfare, St. Catherine University, Matsuyama, Japan ing and glass-blowing studios across the Champlain’s replicated tradingFaculty post, aIncreased arterial stiffness (hardening of the arteries) is a well- Background: PROVIDED THAT all packaging materials established cardiovascular risk factor. WBV mechanically stimulates abdominal and leg arteries and may decrease arterial stiffness. WBV is feasible in vulnerable thenand return our bayside auberge buckskinned gent expounds, “Need an arestreet retained theto Trainer is returned and immobilized humans. These results suggest that WBV acutely decreases arterial stiffness. to spruce up. Thatpackaging evening, Theatre Palaxe? Shovel? Trade your furs for tools; in ALL of its original and in its ace Arvida stages Quebec Issime, traceggs or produce for beads, cloth�� or utenoriginal condition by means of the original �� Katholieke Universiteit, Belgium - After 24 weeks vibration training significantly shipper. Money musical will be returned as soonfar ing Quebec’s history. Though sils. Christians can barter for muskets!” increased bone mass density of the hip and might be useful in the prevention of No vibration side effects The mill were andobserved. falls This may be an effective way as the Trainer is received by Hot Health from fluent in French, we immerse ourAbove the shoreline in a lean-toosteoporosis. covered to modify well-recognized risk factors for falls and fractures in older women. at Val-Jalbert. Systems Ltd. selves in the power, passion and pizzazz with pelts, a Montagnais woman in a ��

Sports Medicine Laboratory, University of Rome, Italy - Whole-body vibration is a suitable training method to improve knee extension maximal strength, countermovement jump, and ﬂexibility in a young female athlete. Flexibility is important not only for performance but also for the prevention of muscle-tendon injury.

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of this sensational review. Next morning a narrated cruise acquaints us with Saguenay Fjord’s pristine beauty. “Though one of the world’s longest fjords, it’s one of the least known,” announces the captain. “Carved during the ice age, Atlantic and Gulf of St. Lawrence seawater flows into this fjord. Freshwater fish like trout and smelt as well as saltwater species like cod, Atlantic redfish and Greenland shark flourish here, along with 410 species of invertebrates.” Basking seals cluster ashore, but alas no belugas, other whales, or monsters! Sheer granite cliffs include imposing Cape Eternite, rising 457 metres. The Virgin Mary gazes over the fjord from Cape Trinite, just below. Charles-Napoleon Robitaille installed this 33-foot (10-metre) statue in 1881, in appreciation for surviving his fall through the river’s ice. Once pictured on $1,000 bills, the port village of L’Ans Saint Jean offers us million dollar views. And inside its covered bridge hangs a dazzling array of local landscapes. Up a winding road through

Gabriola Island

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We are Proud to Present ~ Our 4th Annual ~ A Taste of Amica. If you have never visited your neighbourhood Amica Retirement Community, this is the day to satisfy your curiosity… and your taste buds! Throughout the day of June 16, we will showcase one of our true passions… the fine dining experience and the culinary excellence of our Chefs and staff. Join us any time during this complimentary day! 10:00 am to Noon Self Serve Continental Breakfast Noon to 2:30 pm Chef Action Stations 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm Chef Demonstrations & Food Sampling Port Coquitlam ~ Amica at Mayfair ~ 604.552.5552 Kerrisdale ~ Amica at Arbutus Manor ~ 604.736.8936 West Vancouver ~ Amica at West Vancouver ~ 604.921.9181 Burnaby ~ Amica at Rideau Manor ~ 604.291.1792 Victoria ~ Amica at Douglas House ~ 250.383.6258 Victoria ~ Amica at Somerset House ~ 250.380.9121 Sidney ~ Amica at Beechwood Village ~ 250.655.0849

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Live Well. Age Well.

the woods, we look far over this spectacular fjord from its lofty viewpoint. Hiking from Saguenay National Park’s interpretation centre, we follow the shoreline to a huge monolith sheered from the mountain eons ago, along shaded boardwalks bordering marshes and up tranquil forested trails. Just off the highway in Parc Municipal des Artistes, Quebec’s artisans have created a surprising crèche collection of 20 life-sized nativity scenes, impressive any time of year! For the next six days, we morph into nomads and cycle around Lac Saint-Jean on the Véloroute des Bleuets. Immersed daily in splendid sights and sounds, we rest our sun-kissed faces, strained muscles and tender tushes each night! Snapping photos of brilliant roadside flowers and sunny vistas, we whiz past fields of golden grain, canola and beans, meander through tiny villages with silvery church steeples and twist through birch, pine and aspen forests with mossy glens carpeted in wild blueberries.

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Photos: Rick & Chris Millikan

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This hardy fruit inspires locals to fondly call themselves blueberries, presenting similar sweetness and tenacity. Some of these gracious blueberries appear as red-shirted volunteer ambassadors who shepherd us around this region’s bikeways. Starting from Alma on Lac Saint-Jean’s southern shore and pedalling hard to Parc Nationale de la Pointe Taillon, we enjoy a much-needed break on the park’s golden beach. Forested trails lead onward to our first welcoming chalet. Remarkable stops lie ahead. Peribonka’s Musee Louis-Hemon introduces us to Maria Chapdelaine, his blockbuster novel portraying harsh pioneer lives in this rural area. At St. Jeanne d’Arc, our picnic overlooks a 1902 watermill, one of over 200 once used. Inside St. Felicien’s Zoo Sauvage, our tram passes

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through a heritage farm, fur trading post and native village, all recalling the past. Black bears, caribou, moose, white-tailed deer and muskox appear in their natural habitats. Stopping alongside a prairie dog colony, we breathlessly watch a mama bison. Circled by calves and other cows, she coaxes her newly born calf to stand, patiently licking it clean. St. Prime’s Musee du Fromage offers us an understanding of the Perron’s 100-year-old process for making prized cheddar, and luscious samples. Along the shoreline in Mashteuiatsh, a museum docent shares her Montagnais heritage. Then, after spinning above the shimmering lake through picturesque Roberval, we come to the historic village of Val-Jalbert. Abandoned in 1927 when its paper mill closed, performers now role-play early villagers amidst 40 restored buildings. On a verandah, a guitar-toting mayor leads us in rousing song. Riding the park gondola to the top of a bluff, we contemplate the roaring waterfalls and spectacular Lac Saint-Jean. Our delicious dinner is served in a section of the refurbished mill. Returning through this ghostly neighbourhood, we bunk in a cozy room on the general store’s third floor.

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BEFORE YOU GO: • For general Saguenay-Lac St. Jean information, check out www.saguenaylacsaintjean.ca/en/home • Plan your Veloroute des Bleuets tour magniﬁque at www.veloroute-bleuets.qc.ca/ • Learn more about Val-Jalbert at www.valjalbert.com • Discover Quebec’s unique zoo at www.zoosauvage.org • Find out more about Chicutimi’s grand museum at www.pulperie.com

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Making Lives Better One Visit at a Time

Rolling from Desbiens to Saint-Gédéon, a popular microbrewery provides a timely spot to refuel for the final push to Alma. Our 256-kilometre odyssey complete, we relinquish trusty two-wheelers and drive to a downtown hotel. Before leaving Alma, we stroll through an Eden of glorious flowers bordered by cultured forests. The owner transformed an abandoned farm into Jardin Scullion, one of Quebec’s most beautiful gardens. Moving on to Chicoutimi’s historic centre, our 1899 heritage hotel proves ideal for investigating the city’s early architecture. Hopping a red tourist bus to La Pulperie, we sight this pulp mill’s monumental granite structures. Once nicknamed industrial cathedrals, the most prominent of these buildings is restored as a museum enclosing captivating exhibits. One reveals the city’s enterprising past and the mill workers’ difficult lives. The main gallery showcases self-taught local painter Arthur Villeneuve, whose folk artwork and home vividly detail local life. Wandering amid fresh produce stalls at Vieux Port’s Farmer’s Market, we find boxes of prized chocolate-covered blueberries for homefolks. Though wishing to bask longer in this region’s splendour, beguiling culture and hospitality of 270,000 sweet “blueberSL ries,” we bid au revoir, until next time!

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Travel & Adventure

An Island of the Imagination BY IAIN FERGUSON

LOOKING

for

Income

Perhaps no one desired such perfect isolation more desperately than the star that became synonymous with Tetiaroa: Marlon Brando. It seems Brando’s craft, as much a curse as a blessing, literally and figuratively brought him to Tetiaroa. He had come to fear Hollywood. Everywhere he went, he saw masks. He suspected the motivations of almost everyone he ever called a friend or an adviser.

Tetiaroa

Perhaps that was why, when he saw the empty white shores of Tetiaroa, he wanted to escape from the swashbuckling industry that had brought him here to film Mutiny on the Bounty in 1961. His paradise was his wife Tarita and an extended family. Tetiaroa has long been an object of star-crossed desire. It first appeared on Western maps when Captain Cook spied it as he tracked the Transit of Venus in 1769. Twenty years lat-

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had come as a cynical journalist to interview an art teacher. Our topic was to be a new luxury hotel on an island off the coast of Tahiti. After five minutes, I was a small part of a grand misunderstanding between two cultures that has defined the islands of French Polynesia for 240 years. This middle-aged man, let us call him Tuapaa, was Polynesian born and bred. Every exposed part of his body, save his face, was tattooed. He sat intently across from me on the verandah, where the temperature was over 85 degrees F. But I was chilled to my core and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. He spoke as one might talk about the weather; matter of fact. But instead of that morning’s light showers and sunshine, he was talking about the sacred stones, the marae (a communal or sacred place, which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian society) and covering the bloody corpses of defeated warriors. He also spoke about ghost queens and tabu (a Polynesian cultural concept, from which the word taboo derives). Next morning at dawn, I boarded a fishing boat and set out on a two-hour trip to Marlon Brando’s former hideaway – Tetiaroa. In less than an hour, my dreams of a tropical paradise had been dashed on the rocks of this ancient reality. Before long, I was ferried across the reef into the calm lagoon of Tetiaroa and left alone on the beach with only my troubled thoughts for company. I had left the green earth for a blue planet. Tetiaroa is a microcosm of the South Pacific’s own splendid isolation from the continents, a constellation of coral around water as blue as Michelangelo’s heaven. This is an island of islands. The one you dreamed of as a child when the storybook was closed and you stepped barefoot into your imagination.

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er, three deserters from Captain Bligh’s Bounty landed there – the first ever European guests. Of course, they were not the first to enjoy the island. For century piled on century, the ancestral stones of the marae resounded to the shouts of royal archery tournaments. Whilst Tahitian princes sharpened their war skills, the queens retreated to the deep shade of the palms to be pampered. These were the sacred pleasure gardens of royal Tahitian bloodlines. Here, royal marriages were consecrated and consummated, honeymoons blessed by the gods – oro – who traversed the skies on the many rainbows that straddle the Pacific. At Tetiaroa, I was not even standing on terra firma. Motus are really the ghosts of islands. Charles Darwin’s theory of motu formation is correct. He presumed that fragments of coral and limestone boulders left behind by the drowned volcano were washed up onto the coral by high seas.

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So too Brando’s volcanic past subsided, leaving him to pile up debts on Tetiaroa. A failed hotel, crazy business ventures and failing health eventually forced him to leave. But he left the island partly in response to his divorce from Tarita and the untimely death of his daughter Cheyenne. Now I was surrounded by marae, the stones that marked the sacred places of the gods. I was searching for the aircraft runway that Brando had commissioned, now hidden by brush and trees. Here the ghost queens walked and guarded the spirits of all who came to stay in Tetiaroa. In a clearing, I found the remnants of Brando’s tiki bar, decrepit and overgrown with trees. In the absolute silence, it seemed to have fallen from the sky. It struck me then how I too was out of place, an alien species. My imagination saw the deserters from the The Bounty coming ashore. Not too many years later, they would be dead. It was with some relief that I heard the outboard motor of the fishing boat many hours later. I had learned how tabu works, through the power of the overactive imagination. I had also learned that paradise is not a place, but a state of mind. It is a 240-year-old paradox: the only way Tetiaroa can remain a SL paradise is if no human stays here to disturb the ghosts.

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JUNE 2011

Travel & Adventure

SHIVER ME TOP TUBES, MATEY! Two Wheels on the Seven Seas

BY GERALD O. RYAN

shorts are the most comfortable garments you own because of their elastic properties, you’ll know what I mean. Packages are available to cruise the Caribbean, the Hawai-

Photos: Gerald O. Ryan

t started last January. I was reading the Travel Section in the newspaper line by line as I pedalled on my stationary bike. I was suffering from light deprivation associated with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and the boredom associated with ATFCIAWIWS (Already Tired From Cycling Indoors And Wishing It Was Summer). I wanted to go where the sun was shining and put on some miles. But my better half had been reading the Travel Section too and lobbying for that cruise I’d been promising. Was I worried? Not at all. I’d found the solution: a Bicycle Cruise. Just the answer for cyclists who have a bit of the Sybarite in them, Bicycle Cruises are becoming popular with those who wouldn’t mind a little pampering with their pedalling. Cruising is a great value for your travel dollar. Accommodations, meals (and I mean MEALS), and the most courteous and considerate staff available on this planet conspire to make your time on-board ship truly memorable. Imagine elegant evenings, dining and dancing aboard ship as you sail from port to port. Then feel yourself stretch as you wake each morning at a new destination, ready for a day of guided tours as you cycle through sun-drenched islands filled with sandy beaches and palm-covered back roads. Not your typical stop and shop, port-of-call experience, the bicycle portion of your trip truly puts you into another country and culture as you ride roads less travelled by other cruising tourists. You’ll also enjoy the opportunity to work off some of the extra pounds you’ll put on while aboard ship. Despite the best intentions, you will put them on. After our last cruise, if I could have adopted the pastry chef and brought him home with us, I would have. When you realize your Lycra cycling

ian Islands, the Greek Islands in the Mediterranean, or Alaska. Yes, Alaska. Go figure. Representative of the trips available is the package offered by Bike and Cruise Tours, in full co-operation with the Norwegian Lines. A typical seven-day cruise, starting at and returning to Miami, includes stops at Samana in the Dominican Republic, Tortola, Antigua, Barbados, and St. Kitts. The trip prices out as follows: • Cabins – Inside Cabin $1813.55 pp, Port Hole Cabin $1913.55 pp, Balcony Cabin $2033.55 pp • Port Fee, Bicycle Rental, Shipboard Meals/Entertainment – All included • Airfare – Not included, but can be arranged by the cruise line

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• Liquor – Not included • Tips on board – Not included The tour fee includes a support vehicle to carry your beach gear, water, snacks and lunches. The Guide and Escort Service, local riders in each port, provides bus and truck transportation for you and your bike; helps you change flats and make minor repairs and adjustments; and takes care of bike licence fees, and park and beach facility entrance fees. The 21-gear mountain bikes are from the Gary Fisher Collection by Trek and all sizes are available. You may bring your own bike but it’s not recommended. It must be a mountain or a hybrid bike. No road bikes allowed. Helmets are required and you must bring your own. Also, bring a handlebar bike bag. It’s a real hassle to bring your own bike on one of these tours. Make life easy and go with the rental program. Be sure to bring your own bicycle saddle to mount on the rental bike to help avoid saddle sores and discomfort. All prices are based on double occupancy. Singles pay double rate to have a cabin alone. Non-riders are welcome to join the group just for the cruise. All prices are subject to availability at the time you book.

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                           

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IF YOU GO Bike & Cruise Tours Johnny and Linda Black 239-431-6219 www.bikeandcruise.com

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Johnny Black, owner and tour operator, says the typical tour group numbers about 25 and are veteran international cycle tourists looking for a more relaxed ride. They pack and unpack once in their cabin, enjoy shipboard activities, dine as a group or alone, and are often accompanied by a non-cyclist along for the cruise. When building your Bike/Cruise budget, don’t try to save a few bucks by booking your own airfare unless you’re a gambler at heart. If you miss the ship’s departure because of airline delays and the cruise has handled your air travel, they’ll get you to the next port on their dime. Otherwise, you pay. For more information on Bicycle Cruises, contact your travel agent or use your web browser to find packages that will take you from San Juan, Puerto Rico to the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound. Bike and Cruise Tours are the best SL of both worlds. Happy cruising and happy cycling!

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JUNE 2011

Travel & Adventure

Glasgow to Prestwick in 60 Seconds

five-day, 1,000 km drive surrounded by castles, highlands, cathedrals and pubs was a crash course in Scottish culture and history. After touring Edinburgh, Inverness, Isle of Skye, the Highlands and Glasgow, a short jaunt to the airport to fly home seemed little more than an afterthought. Sometimes perceptions are misleading. It didn’t matter that my wife, Joanne, and I had concierge’s directions in hand mapping the 16 km route to the airport, because our flight was leaving from a destination 57 km due southwest. If not for a helpful young woman at a tourist information centre along Highway M8, we would have missed the last flight to Shannon for our connecting flight the following morning. We drove out Great Western Road in a rented Peugeot without a care in the world. A sign reading 15 km to the airport indicated time to relax before the flight. But after 15 minutes, we looked at one another and asked, “Have you seen an airport sign lately?” I anxiously pulled into a tourist information centre to confirm our directions. A young lady working at the counter answered my question with one of her own, “Which airport, International or Prestwick?” The “or” in that question triggered an uneasy feeling. I weakly replied Glasgow and she calmly explained that two major airports served the Glasgow area. When I pulled out the boarding passes, I noticed for the first time Glasgow (Prestwick PIK). Typically optimistic, an undercurrent of panic pulled at me. She sensed I was about to blow a fuse, so took control and calmly 14

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wrote new directions. She pressed the paper into my hand like a baton in a relay race and shouted encouragement as I ran out the door and sped away. We scanned the horizon for the first landmark on the revised directions, the Erskine Bridge over the River Clyde. I accelerated around the entrance ramp only to jam on the brakes to avoid crashing into traffic that was moving at a snail’s pace through construction. As we drifted down the other side of the bridge

BY JIM BRENNAN

ing noise. I veered to the shoulder and climbed out to discover a front tire like a week-old pint of Scottish Ale – flat. Our margin for error was shrinking. I threw open the trunk, sprayed luggage along the roadside and unfastened the tool kit, car jack and a spare tire with, “MAXIMUM SPEED 50 KPH” printed on the side. As I raised the car from the ground, the jack punched a fashionable crease into the body so I lowered it, reset the jack onto the frame and pumped again. Once the tire cleared the road surface, I replaced the flat and returned the Sheep create a trafﬁc jam. car to earth. Oblivious to the speed limit and our safety, I pushed the pedal to the floor and counted down the kilometres. The airport exit quickly approached, however, there were no signs for our car rental return. When the attendant read the perplexed look on our faces he asked the company we rented from. “Budget,” I replied. The attendant pointed into into the tiny town of Erskine, I estimated the distance and said, “Glasgow.” “That’s not happening, buddy,” I cried. we still had adequate time to make our He told me to pull over and call Budget to flight, barring any more surprises. No sooner did the tension drain from arrange a pickup. I ran into the terminal, my body than we hit a second round of found a pay phone and called the car rental gridlock. Jo rolled down her window and at Glasgow. A helpful representative was asked a driver the fastest route to Prest- instructing me what to do when suddenly wick. He saw the manic look in our eyes the phone died. I sprinted across the terminal to the seand told us to follow him as he manoeuvred through the traffic jam with effi- curity office and a startled officer stared as ciency. After only a few minutes, his arm I begged to use his phone. He reluctantly reached from the window and pointed to opened the door and I redialed the Budget a sign for M77, the highway leading to representative who told me to co-ordinate the airport. with another rental agency to leave the car Speeding down the open highway overnight. I pleaded with the security offiwatching the countryside fly past our cer not to hang up the phone until I returned window, the car started to make a thump- and ran out the door. WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

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A woman at Alamo agreed to store my car on her lot until morning under the condition her company would not be liable for any damage. I had no leverage to negotiate. When I went back into the security office, I noticed black fingerprints all over the officer’s white phone. For the first time, I realized I was covered with grease. No wonder everyone stared at me like I was a madman. When I finally went to park the car, the barrier to the lot would not open. I pushed the emergency button as cars honked from behind. A guy walked up to my window and demanded I move so he wouldn’t miss his flight. He looked into my manic eyes and saw the greasy hands, then meekly returned to his car. A voice over the intercom told me to enter, followed by a chuckle, “Are you that guy with the greasy hands?” With the Peugeot safely parked, I walked back to the terminal and gave the keys to the woman from Alamo. I breathed a sigh of relief, and then got excited to find 20 minutes until boarding. The author and his wife at Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland.

1/10/2011

10:25 AM

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Harp Sandhu, BA, Econ., CSA, Investment Advisor T: 250 978 5362 | E: harp.sandhu@macquarie.com W: www.macquarieprivatewealth.ca/sandhu Macquarie Private Wealth The comments contained herein are not intended to be, nor should be construed to be, legal or tax advice to any particular individual. Accordingly, individuals should consult their own tax advisors for advice with respect to the tax consequences to them, having regard to their own particular circumstances. No entity within the Macquarie Group of Companies is registered as a bank or an authorized foreign bank in Canada under the Bank Act, S.C.1991, c.46 and no entity within the Macquarie Group of Companies is regulated in Canada as a financial institution, bank holding company or an insurance holding company. Macquarie Bank Limited ABN 46 008 583 542 (MBL) is a company incorporated in Australia and authorized under the Banking Act 1959 (Australia) to conduct banking business in Australia. MBL is not authorized to conduct business in Canada. No entity within the Macquarie Group of Companies other than MBL is an authorized deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Australia), and their obligations do not represent deposits or other liabilities of MBL. MBL does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of any other Macquarie Group company. Macquarie Private Wealth Inc. is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and IIROC.

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Leaning back with stout foam hanging from my beard, Jo and I looked at one another and laughed heartily. After 32 years together and raising four children, we thought we’d seen everything, but our frantic ride to Prestwick would be added to a growing list of travelling tales. As I pondered over my final pint in Scotland, I realized a journey isn’t measured only in distance, but how you navigate obstacles along the way. SL

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JUNE 2011

Travel & Adventure

I’LL DRINK TO THAT! STORY AND PHOTOS BY R.A. PROPPER

hen the conversation turns to American wine, California’s Napa Valley comes to mind. The wines they produce are known around the world. Then there’s Maryland. Yes Maryland! The Old Line State has more than 40 producing wineries. Marylanders have been making wine since the 1600s but it’s only recently that wine production has taken off in response to an increase in demand for gourmet wines to accompany gourmet foods. Many of Maryland’s wines have won top prizes in competitions, which benefits the local economy and tourism industry. Maryland has five wine trails in different parts of the state with each winery associated with a particular tour: Piedmont Wine Trail, Carroll Wine Trail, Chesapeake Wine Trail, Frederick Wine Trail and Patuxent Wine Trail. Typically, it takes a full day to drive one wine trail. Different wineries offer festivals on special occasions where they showcase different selections. The Piedmont Wine Trail is situated along the western side of the Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore and Harford counties with farms, historic gardens and interesting old towns. The Carroll Wine Trail is east of Frederick County and on the border with Pennsylvania. It is home to Maryland’s oldest wine festival.

The Chesapeake Wine Trail is located on Maryland’s eastern shore touching the Atlantic Ocean. Waterfronts abundant with wildlife create a distinctive grape growing environment, which is a hallmark of the area.

The Frederick Wine Trail lies in the Middle Western part of the state at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains close to the historic town of Frederick, which has many antique stores and other special places. The Patuxent Wine Trail is located in Calvert County, also

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known as the Pleasant Peninsula, part of historic Southern Maryland. Here, vistas overlook Chesapeake Bay as well as rolling farmlands. The region’s soil is close to that of Italy’s Tuscany region: ideal for wine growing. Spring, summer and fall are probably the best times to explore Maryland’s wine trails, with harvesting in the fall. Competition among wineries is fierce, offering visitors many opportunities to sample the best of Maryland wine. The Black Ankle Winery in Frederick County, on the Frederick Wine Trail, is the only winery that makes estatebottled wine from grapes grown solely on their own property. The winery is totally green, meaning everything is made from what’s found on their land. The two owners, Sarah O’Herron and Ed Boyce, were not brought up in a “wine family” and didn’t begin their careers making wine. Ed and Sarah were both management consultants for the same company, where they met and married. After some time in the “business world,” they knew it was time to “do something else.” The couple loved wine and decided to establish their own winery. “Can we make fantastic wine here in Maryland?” they asked themselves. They chose Maryland because, well, that’s where they lived with their five children. In 2001, Ed and Sarah became serious about this new venture. They trav-

elled extensively between 2001 and 2004 visiting various wineries and attending seminars and programs on wine production. Sarah spent a few weeks working in a French winery in Bordeaux learning the fine points of wine produc-

soil with plenty of water available, finding the right conditions for winemaking is a demanding process. Wine grapes need to survive, but should grow “being a little bit nervous,” according to Sarah. The grapes should

tion. Meanwhile, Ed and Sarah spent a year driving around Maryland researching many farm areas with hillsides and good drainage that might be suitable for grape cultivation and wine production Sarah explained that grapes, unlike any other agricultural product, want to grow in land where they have to struggle. While many farmlands have rich

have some access to water but be hard to get to. The land should have lots of hillsides and very low fertility. This seems strange to an outsider, but growing wine grapes always focuses on future production. The more the grapes are “uncertain,” the more energy is put into creating the next generation of more interesting grapes, which means

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wine with more complexity. In 2002, they settled on farmland that had the right combination of soil structure that they believed would produce the best wines. Ed and Sarah run many types of workshops and seminars for both visitors and wine growers. Wine and food education is the cornerstone of their business. They consider wine a food that should be combined with other food for a most delicious experience. Black Ankle’s “Fireside Fridays,” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., feature a variety of jazz, blues and classical music played by local musicians. Black Ankle’s main house and restaurant is also “green.” In keeping with their philosophy that everything should come from their own land, the couple thought, “Shouldn’t our restaurant and wine tasting building also be ‘green?’” The building has a timber frame construction, built with trees culled from their land. The outside of the building is finished with lime plaster and the inside walls are made with clay/sand plaster sealed with linseed oil. Ordinary straw is packed between the inside and outside walls for insulation.

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In 2005, French winemaker, Lucien Guillemet, started to work with Black Ankle. The proprietor of the Chateau BoydCatenac in Margaux, Bordeaux, he visits twice a year: in the fall to help with harvesting decisions, and in the spring to sample last year’s wines and assist Black Ankle with the creation of various blends. Each season in Maryland’s wine country has its particular charm. Fall is harvest time, the culmination of all the hard work, when the full ripe grapes begin their journey to become prize-winning wines. Spring brings everything to life with the promise of a new season. Winter, though slow and quiet, offers visitors a snug cozy treat by the fireplace in Black Ankle’s restaurant. While summers are hot, the vineyards are in full swing offering a look at the techniques and loving care applied to the vines in order to bring the year’s production to a successful SL conclusion. To find out more, visit the Maryland Wineries Association’s website at www.marylandwine.com for a full list of Maryland’s wine festivals and activities.

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JUNE 2011

Travel & Adventure

MEETING THE MERMAIDS BY NADINE JONES

s we age, our Bucket List shortens. I love travel, accommodation, which we ended up – route by route – learnand luckily I’ve chalked up a good list of “been ing the hard way. First, in the coach sections of trains, there are theres” and “done thats” over time. I’ve marvelled large seats that recline, and sleep is possible but with limited at the pyramids in Egypt; interacted with spectacu- comfort, and no privacy. Secondly, and taking a step up in price, lar animal life on the Galapagos Islands; been overwhelmed at there are “roomette bedrooms:” small spaces with sliding doors, meeting elephants face to trunk in Kenya, and couldn’t fathom which are curtained off for privacy from the passing parade in the height and depths of chasms in Mexico’s Copper Canyon. the passageway. Roomettes have plenty of space for a single I’ve also experienced Iceland in its ferocious hot and cold glory; traveller, but two people in the space must sit knee-to-knee and travelled the Trans-Siberian Railway from Vladivostok to Lake nose-to-nose. In the evening, two very narrow beds are lowered Baikal (stopping just long enough to dip my toes in the deepest lake in the world), and have enjoyed numerous canal-boat trips in Britain and Russia – the best was a historic waterway cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Even with all those wonderful adventures under my belt, there are still a few left on my list. One included a train trip from Seattle across the U.S. (and back) on Amtrak. The goal of the journey was to see old friends, and swing by a marine preserve on the northern-Florida Gulf coast - one of the few places on earth where visitors can swim with endangered manatees. I crossed that wish off my Bucket List a few months ago, when my daughter Jackie and I set off on Amtrak’s Empire The author (left), her daughter Jackie (right) Builder route from Seattle to Chicago. and their family friends Ginny and Carol. While I highly recommend travelling the U.S. by rail, you should know exactly what you want before for sleeping overnight. And yes, there is a tiny private potty in you get a reservation agent on the phone. We encountered com- some roomettes (at the end of the lower bunk), but absolutely no plete – and repeated – disconnections, between Amtrak’s book- room for luggage, which may be stored down a set of stairs, in racks provided. ing agents’ knowledge, and the actual rooms on their trains! Finally, for full-scale comfort, passengers can opt to book Amtrak provides three distinctly different forms of sleeping

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“deluxe bedrooms,” which are a delight. A comfy bench and facing chair (with a small table between for card games and books) are wonderful during the day, and two beds – a large lower and slightly smaller upper – are converted at night. There is ample room for luggage in the space, which includes its own small bathroom with a compact but efficient shower. Deluxe bedrooms also boast a basin and mirror unit for washing hands and face and brushing teeth. They are by far the most expensive on-board accommodation but, without a doubt, the most comfortable and private. Be aware that, regardless of what an agent tells you on the phone, deluxe bedrooms are lettered: A, B, C, D, E and F. Compared to the two other options, these rooms are limited and therefore must be reserved well in advance. While we thought we had booked deluxe bedrooms, (and had that fact repeatedly confirmed by Amtrak ticket agents) several times we found ourselves in roomettes, and needed to make changes on the fly. In retrospect, these challenges – which all ended well – added mystery and suspense to our cross-country adventure. Once the bedroom caper on the Empire Builder was sorted out, we spent a wonderful two-night journey eastbound to Chicago, travelling just south of the Canadian border most of the way. From Chicago, we travelled overnight on the Capital Limited to Washington, D.C., where we had enough time between trains to book an extensive city tour. Maybe I’m the only person in the world who thought the Smithsonian Institute was housed in a single building, but once in D.C., you quickly learn that assumption is incorrect. There are, in fact, 17 separate Smithsonian buildings in the capital city and another three galleries in the state of New York. We were advised two or three times to visit the Air and Space Museum but, alas, we didn’t have enough time for that length of stay. After ogling the White House and many other historic landmarks, we left D.C. and enjoyed the overnight trip to Orlando on Amtrak’s Silver Star. Our friends met us and drove us northwest to the Gulf side of the state where the endangered Florida manatees congregate over winter. These strange animals are accessible to divers for a few months each year at the very special Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Also known as sea cows, these gentle herbivores gather in shallow inlets to give birth, and wait until the waters in the Gulf of Mexico warm up enough for their young to tolerate. At my advanced age (I’m in my late eighties, and overweight), it was a difficult task to shoehorn myself into a slithery black wetsuit, but I was determined, and I did it! Also highly challenging was the fact that I have upper and lower dentures, which were dislodged by the mouthpiece of my snorkel and very nearly lost in the depths, so I didn’t stay in the water too long. Even so, I made it into the inlet of the Crystal Spring River for a short while, and did have a mommy manatee and her baby swim just under me as I headed for the steps back up into the boat. It was a magical moment. After being spoiled by friends Carol and Ginny for three wonderful days, they drove us back to Orlando for our homeward journey. During our return trip on the Silver Star, we switched to a more southerly route, and took the Cardinal from D.C. through Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio, and back to Chicago. Leaving Chicago it was

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south and west on the California Zephyr, a two-night journey through seven different states (as well as Denver and Salt Lake City), before terminating in San Francisco. From San Fran, we boarded Amtrak’s beautiful Coast Starlight train for the final leg of the journey – the trip north to Seattle. For me, there is nothing more enjoyable than lying on my tummy with my chin in my hands, looking out the window of the moving train passing through small town U.S.A. It was a joy I could repeat every night on board. Gazing at the countryside – especially while on the Zephyr – gave me an overall impression that the Midwest was all about corn, corn and more corn. Thankfully, over the seven legs of our journey we saw no tornadoes or hurricanes. We crossed Old Man River, the Mississippi, and marvelled at mountain passes and lush valleys as we clickety-clacked our way past squatter’s cabins, million-dollar homes and Cypress trees growing in swamps with water up to their thighs. But best

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of all, we saw, swam and fell in love with those curious creatures called manatees, which means there’s one more thing I can cross off my bucket list!

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Getting there – by rail Prices for train routes vary from season to season, year to year and booking to booking. Current Amtrak information is available at 1-800-USA-RAIL (872-7245) or online at www.amtrak.com. All meals are included, if you book a sleeping car option (roomettes or deluxe bedrooms), and there were always several entrees available. One of the joys of the trip for Jackie and I was meeting people from all over the world at mealtimes. Passengers are always seated four to a table, so if you are a single or a couple, be SL prepared to break bread with happy travelling strangers.

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Planned Giving

Jim loved to coach, not just because he loved soccer, but because he believed sports could teach important lessons. To continue those lessons, Jim placed a bequest to fund camp scholarships in his will.

Thanks to Coach Bindley, a few more kids will reach their goals. Include your favorite cause in your will or estate plan. Contact a charitable organization, lawyer, financial advisor or local LEAVE A LEGACY™ program to learn how.

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JUNE 2011

Travel & Adventure

Getting There is Half the Fun! BY VALERIE GREEN

hese days, cruising is a very popular pastime with young and old alike and there are certainly many options to choose from. If, however, you want to be treated like royalty, sail aboard one of Cunard Cruise Line’s three Queens – the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Victoria or the Queen Mary 2. Actually, it’s not “cruising” at all, but rather what is described by Cunard as a “voyage” reminiscent of the golden age of travel when crossing an ocean was the event and half the fun was getting there. In July 2010, my husband and I crossed the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Southampton aboard the Queen Mary 2 (QM2) and for six memorable days experienced to the fullest all the pleasures of that historic golden age of travel. Cunard’s history began back in 1839 when founder, (Sir) Samuel Cunard, won a bid to carry the British Royal Mail to the U.S. and Canada with his British & North American Steamer Packet Co. (later named Cunard). By 1840, four steamships were making weekly transatlantic voyages carrying both passengers and cargo. In 1934, the first Queen Mary (QM1) was launched and early passengers included notables such as Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Hope, Gary Cooper, Loretta Young, Walt Disney and Winston Churchill. Since its original departure over 170 years ago, the Cunard Line’s high standards of travel have been nurtured and expanded. The QM2 made her maiden voyage in 2004 and today a transatlantic voyage aboard her includes six nights of firstclass accommodation, a wide variety of delicious meals in no less than 15 different restaurants and all the many “perks”

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of a first-class resort hotel. As you sail, daily time change is gradual, which enables passengers to enjoy a more leisurely, civilized way to travel, as well as a way to avoid long airline flights and airport hassles. Both embarkation in New York and disembarkation in Southampton were carried out with precision and ease. For us, it was a pleasant travel alternative on our way to a holiday in Europe. During the voyage, there are so many activities available, all guaranteed to entice even the most cynical traveller. Each day a list of these activities is delivered to your stateroom and the most difficult decisions are: where to eat,

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what to do that day, which movie or live show to see that evening and how you will ever be able to fit so much into a mere six days. In addition to the wide choice of restaurants, the QM2 amenities include five swimming pools, a casino, a ballroom, a theatre and a planetarium (the first ever at sea.) The lowest passenger deck (Deck 2) is home to most of these facilities as well as the Grand Lobby. The Britannia Restaurant, where the majority of passengers dine and enjoy

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JUNE 2011

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the formality of “dressing for dinner,” is situated on two levels on Deck 2. In addition, there is an exclusive shopping arcade, a wine bar, the “G32” Nightclub, a champagne bar, the Golden Lion Pub and the “Queen’s Room.” On various mornings during the voyage, an array of stalls is set up marketstyle in the Grand Lobby area, offering less expensive items for sale such as costume jewelry and T-shirts. Deck 7 (another main public deck) houses a spa, the Winter Garden and the King’s Court, where numerous restaurants lure your tastebuds and entice you to sample delights from a carvery, or a choice of Asian, Mexican, Thai and Italian cuisines. The Todd English

day, passengers could watch cooking demonstrations, listen to Juilliard Jazz classics, go backstage to meet the actors or simply have an educational and insightful tour of the ship. For the more active aboard, dance (both ballroom and line dancing) lessons, table tennis tournaments and the swimming pools were available. Swift walks around the deck enjoying the ocean breezes, or visiting the gym to stay in shape were other pleasant options. Our six days at sea were smooth and warm with sea conditions ranging from “slight” to “moderate.” It was hard to imagine that the Atlantic Ocean could ever be described as “The Cruel Sea.”

Restaurant (yet another dining choice) is on Deck 8 along with an 8,000-volume library and a bookstore, which ironically stocks many versions of the Titanic story! There is also a large outdoor pool and terrace at the stern of the ship, plus kennels for your pet and a supervised nursery. On the first night aboard, Captain Nick Bates invited guests to a cocktail party in the Queen’s Room and later in the week, he delivered a humorous presentation in the Royal Court Theatre. On other evenings, we enjoyed spectacular live stage productions such as Crazy In Love and Viva Italia. Others chose to watch a movie or be entertained by The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) students in The Taming of The Shrew. During the

If you simply want to relax in your stateroom, your personal steward is always available to cater to your every need. Room service is speedy and courteous and everyone is made to feel special. On one occasion, my husband lost a button on his dinner jacket. Within minutes, the jacket was whisked away to a seamstress and an hour later was returned with a complete new set of matching buttons. Our biggest problem (and perhaps our downfall) was far too much delicious food. After two days at sea, we realized we had to cut back or we would be gaining weight at an enormous rate. Nonetheless, we were glad we did not cut out the tradition of afternoon tea in the Queen’s Room served by numerous hovering, white-gloved waiters. While listening to a string quartet,

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Next Month in Senior Living...

Day Trippin’ B.C. travellers delight in holidays close to home, both locally and in surrounding areas. Join them as they share their adventures in the July issue.

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reminiscent of that golden age of travel, we sampled finger sandwiches, scones, cream and jam and other delights that were unbelievably scrumptious. Our overall impression aboard the QM2 was one of excellence and we would most definitely recommend it as an alternative way to travel. We had little to complain about other than there was so much to do and so little time. Obviously another “voyage” is called for in the future! SL After all, it’s the civilized way to go. ��

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Seniors Serving Seniors Celebrates 30th Anniversary

One Call Does it All!

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BY MICHAEL NERPIN

his year, Seniors Serving Seniors (SSS) celebrates its 30th anniversary. It’s an exciting time for the organization that offers Victorians the indispensable 55-page Seniors Services Directory: a simple, easyto-understand one-stop-shop for many vital seniors services in the region. SSS does more than simply manage the directory. Since 1981, they have managed SeniorLink, an information and referral telephone help line for seniors. Volunteers respond to questions and concerns of seniors and link them to services they need. Since 1987, SSS has provided the Senior Peer Counsellors program, a dedicated team of volunteers who offer one-on-one personal counselling to seniors. Over the years, SSS has grown to provide additional volunteer services to seniors. These include the Return to Health program: trained social support and encouragement to seniors living alone to transition from a hospital stay.

Seniors in Stitches is a monthly knitting group that provides a much-needed social outlet for seniors, and knitted items for children at the Cridge Centre for the Family. Each year, roughly 90 volunteers contribute over 5,000 hours to provide support to over 10,000 seniors. As SSS prepares for the future, they are looking for more volunteers to add to their team.

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Contact the program nearest you:

The organization will continue to grow, adapt and change to accommodate the influx of baby boomers, providing the opportunity for volunteers to remain active in their community. For more information on SSS, conSL tact Jane at 250-382-4331.

Embrace the Journey - A Care Giver’s Story

by Valerie Green The very personal story of her own journey as a care giver to her elderly parents. This is a story which will touch many hearts and be relevant for numerous adult children who, in mid-life, are faced with a similar challenge and must make agonizing decisions and choices. It painfully addresses the problems encountered of ‘aging in place’ and the desire for loving couples to stay together in their home until the end of their lives. 96 pages. Softcover. 5.5” x 8.5” Published by Senior Living. Price $14.95

To order, please send cheque for $20.12 ($14.95 plus $3.95 S&H & taxes) payable to Senior Living. MAIL TO: Senior Living 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1 Please include your clearly written shipping address and phone number. Allow two weeks for shipping. WWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM

Victoria Lifeline • 1-888-832-6073 Eldersafe Support Services • 1-866-457-8987 South Vancouver Island and Ladysmith Nanaimo Lifeline Program • 250-739-5770 or 250-947-8213 Mid Island, Cassidy to Bowser Comox Valley Lifeline Society • 1-866-205-6160 North Island, Cowichan Valley and Chemainus/Crofton

Tony Duke Appraisals antiques • collectibles personal property ��

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JUNE 2011

CLASSIFIEDS WRITTEN A BOOK? Aldridge Street Editing can get your manuscript print-ready. Transcription - Editing - Cover Design - Book Layout. www.aldridgestreet. com Call 250-595-2376. COMPUTER BASICS IN YOUR HOME. Patient senior computer lady to show you e-mail, surfing. Hourly fee. Connect with your world. 250-516-5980. MOBILE FOOT CARE NURSE home visits in greater Nanaimo, Cedar to Parksville. John Patterson LPN, qualified nursing foot care for toenails, corns and calluses. 250-390-9266. HOME FOOT CARE by Nurse Foot Care Specialist Marcia Goodwin R.N.,B.Sc.N. 35 yrs. Nsg. Experience • Caring • Comprehensive • Professional • Gentle 250-686-3081. (Victoria Area) SAANICH VOLUNTEER SERVICES seeks drivers, gardeners and visitors to help a neighbour. To volunteer call Heather at 250-595-8008. WANTED: OLD POSTCARDS, stamp accumulations, and pre-1950 stamped envelopes. Also buying old coins, medals and badges. Please call Michael 250-652-9412 or email fenian@shaw.ca THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU of Vancouver Island is located at 220-1175 Cook St., Victoria BC V8V 4A1. Toll-free phone line for Up-Island 1-877826-4222 (South Island dial 250-386-6348). www. bbbvanisland.org E-mail: info@bbbvanisland.org RUTH M.P HAIRSTYLING for Seniors in Greater Victoria. In the convenience of your own home! Certified Hairdresser. Call - 250-893-7082. DEBI’S MOBILE HAIR SERVICES in the comfort of your home for everyone in your family. Serving the Victoria area. Please call Debi at 250-477-7505.

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HOUSESITTING Retired male college teacher available from end of May. Five years experience. Pet/Garden care. References. 250-668-5442. COLLECTOR SEEKING vintage/collectable cameras, binoculars and microscopes. Nikon, Leica, Contax, Rolleiﬂex, Zeiss, Canon, etc. Mike 250-3836456 or e-mail: msymons6456@telus.net RELAXING, LIVE PIANO Want soothing background music at your next event? Local composer plays original piano pieces for you. CD also available. Listen at http://greenvelvetmoon.com Lisa: 1-877-6VELVET. LAWN AND GARDEN SERVICES starting at 30/hr. Certiﬁed Horticulturist - Fully Insured. References on request. Call Jason @ 250-893-8620 or email oliphantgardens@gmail.com iCARE COMPASSIONATE CARING private home support. Companionship, respite, light housekeeping, laundry, shopping meal prep, transportation and hospital visits. First Aid, CPR, Food Safe, References. Dianna 250-381-1951, Cell 250-881-8123. dianna.icare@gmail.com IN HOME FOOT CARE done by an experienced registered nurse. Includes foot soak and massage. (Saanich Peninsula). Barbara at 250-818-4326. COMPUTER TUTOR FOR SENIORS Private computer lessons specially designed for seniors in their own home. Apple & Microsoft friendly. (250) 8188835 tutorforseniors.com WENDY’S SUPPORT SERVICE and Companionship for Adults. Helping individuals and caregivers to handle the stresses that can come with caregiver burnout, isolation & loneliness. Let’s have some fun. Bonded. Call 250-216-6927.

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SENIOR SUPPORT SERVICE Providing non-medical services. Tailored to support your Independent Lifestyle. Companionship, personal and grocery shopping, outings, appointments and pet care. Call Bernadette for free in-home consultation. 250-6864749 www.seniorsupportservice.ca PERSONALS HELEN, CHARMING WIDOW, Glen hopes friends will tell you that Grapes of Wrath, yourself and especially imps intrigue him. glenk29@yahoo.ca LADY SEEKS COMPANIONSHIP of gentleman 70+ for dancing, the theatre and traveling. Lives in Comox Valley. 250-338-1987.

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$30 for 20 words or less. $1.25 per extra word. BW only. Boxed Ad - Small (2.2 x 1.2) $110. Boxed Ad - Large (2.2 x 2.4) $210. Add BW Logo - $25. Red spot color 10% extra. Plus tax. All Classiﬁed ads must be paid at time of booking. Cheque / Credit Card accepted. Ph. (250)479-4705 or toll-free 1-877-479-4705. Deadline: 15th of the month. Make cheque payable to: Senior Living, Magazine 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1

SCAM ALERT BY ROSALIND SCOTT

Vacation Scams

acation scams and travel-related frauds cost consumers tens of billions of dollars every year. As it is with many industries, scam artists are unscrupulous when it comes to ripping people off and upsetting travellers’ holiday dreams. The key to protecting yourself from becoming a victim of a vacation scam is to become educated about the tactics used in the most common vacation frauds. 1) Unsolicited Free Holiday Prize Offering This is probably the most common form of vacation scam. A telemarketer (often using the name of a reputable company, organization or financial institution) contacts victims to tell them they have won a free holiday prize offering. Whether it is a free cruise, all-inclusive resort, airfare or other holiday travel package, the scammer usually requires that victims secure the holiday or confirm the booking of the vacation package through their credit card. The scammer collects the credit card information and other personal information for the purpose of identity theft. 2) Vacation Rental Scam In this fraud, scammers typically use classified advertising sources in local or national newspapers, on bulletin boards or online (such as Craigslist) to lure in victims. Promising a fabulous vacation rental destination, the scam artist may provide pictures, testimonials and offer great discount rates on a vacation rental. In many cases, the scammer has no affiliation to the rental property advertised, or has made up a great-sounding accommodation. Victims are required to pay in advance for the rental property, usually via cheque or money order or sometimes credit card. Once the payment is made, the scam artist disappears with the money, and the victim is left out-of-pocket for the cost of the accommodation.

3) Prize Pitch Similar to the above scams, victims are informed they have been specially selected to win a prize or vacation or the option to choose from a variety of prize or vacation options. In some instances, the victim may have recently filled out a ballot or entered to win a vacation (often at a home, boat or auto show). Victims are then told that in order to receive the vacation prize, they must purchase a product or service or pay an amount in advance. In some cases, victims end up purchasing a real product or service, without ever receiving their vacation prize. In other circumstances, the victims send money and personal information to never hear from the scammer again. 4) Foot-in-the-Door Scam While this “scam” may not actually be fraudulent in its entirety, the victims have often been deceived into participation. In some instances, businesses will contact consumers and offer them the opportunity to win, or to be entered to win a vacation prize, by merely sitting through some sort of sales pitch. Timeshare and door-to-door sales companies sometimes use this tactic. While the prospect of winning a free vacation may sound enticing, the reality is that the high-pressure sales tactics often employed by the company offering the prize, result in victims purchasing products that SL cost much more than the prize offering is worth. For more information on protecting yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or to check out a company’s BBB Business Review, visit vi.bbb.org If you believe you have been the target of a scam, call the Better Business Bureau Vancouver Island at 250-386-6348 in Greater Victoria or at 1-877-826-4222 elsewhere on the Island, so others can beneﬁt from your experience. E-mail info@vi.bbb.org

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JUNE JUNE 2011 2011

ReﬂTHEN ections & NOW

BY GIPP FORSTER

t’s funny – at least to me – I’m 74 years old, but I don’t feel like a senior. Granted, my body has a few creaks and I don’t move as fast as I once did. But I still move and my shadow manages to keep pace with me. My best friend is seven years older than me and has the energy of a teenager. My wife is full of energy too and, admittedly, I get lost in their dust! But that’s understandable. I got lost in their dust 20 years ago, so I don’t see why it should be any different now. It’s my kids and my stepkids I’m worried about. Every time I see them, they look and seem much older. One had the temerity to turn 56 recently! In another nine years, he’ll be what the government considers a senior. And that’s what makes this whole thing ridiculous! We can’t both be seniors at the same time! I never think of my wife as a senior, and she’s 11 months older than me. My dad was 92 and my mother 87 when they graduated from this place to the next. I saw them as elders, but never seniors. In my mind, my dad could still leap over tall buildings in a single bound. He had just decided not to leap anymore, that’s all. Many of my younger friends move faster than me, but only because I’m resting. In fact, I’m enjoying my rest so much

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that I may never move fast again (My wife just murmured, “What do you mean ‘again’?”). I guess it’s true that my body is getting a bit older, but not my mind. More mature, to be certain, but not old. Experienced. Debonair perhaps. Granted, I will be the first to admit I am computer illiterate. But that’s only because I don’t want some machine “thinking” for me. I can think on my own. It may take me longer to come to a conclusion, but at least it’s mine and my brain trudged the miles to find it. Computers scare me. I don’t think we’ll ever be friends. Computers are fickle. You never know what they’re going to do next. The other day, I glanced over my wife’s shoulder when she was on her computer and the screen said: “You’ve got mail.” I went to the mailbox and it was empty. Computers are evil, I tell you! They can’t be trusted. At least that’s what I think, which proves I’m still thinking. Years mean diddlysquat when it comes to a functioning brain – not always, but a good portion of the time. And even then, if the brain chooses to switch to another channel, who’s to say it isn’t thinking there? I think that needs to be thought about – without the aid of a computer

Photo: Krystle Wiseman

SENIOR? I DON’T THINK SO!

– the old-fashioned way. I have 74 years under my belt. So what? That doesn’t mean I can’t party to the wee hours of the morning, rev my car engine at a red light or wink at a pretty girl. I just don’t feel like doing any of those things anymore. I think I may be growing up! But that doesn’t mean I’m getting old. I have a cane, a walker, a scooter and an electric wheelchair – just in case I ever DO get old. But they’re just props so I don’t razzle dazzle everyone with my hidden youth. I’m a deep thinker and though my body gets a little confused, at times, my mind is always on the go! Teenagers think about what they consider to be good times, fun times. But the true thinkers, like you and me, think about important things, like not getting medications mixed up, or slipping on the ice, or finding something on TV that we can understand and doesn’t offend. Our minds are constantly on the go. The racers of time who refuse to give up. What’s so senior about that? SL

“Reﬂections” MAIL-IN ORDER FORM Reﬂections, Rejections, and Other Breakfast Foods Name_____________________________________ by Gipp Forster A collection of Gipp’s humorous and nostalgic columns. A wonderful read for Reflections, �� yourself, and a and Other Breakfast Foods thoughtful gift for friends and family members.

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Grand Opening of

Creative Retirement at Ross Place...

Join us for the Grand Opening of our Art Gallery

Wednesday, June 30th • 2 pm to 4 pm Unique to Ross Place Retirement Residence, this combination of studio space provided to an artist in Residence and Gallery will showcase the art of those over 65, and will encourage creativity within the community. All are welcome to join Ross Place to celebrate the opening of this new gallery, tour the property and enjoy meeting fellow artists and art admirers. RSVP by June 29 th, 2011

2638 Ross Lane, Victoria 250.381.8666

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Sanibel. Our New

Women’s Sandal

Sanibel. Our New Women's "Flip Flop" style sandal has been designed around our most popular walking sandals, the Relaxed & Huggy. The contoured foot bed with a "Super Suede" cover is molded to the natural arches and curves of your foot to maximize comfort and shock absorption.

High Quality. Exceptional Comfort. Real Service. MEN’S SIZES 6 - 15 WOMEN’S SIZES 4 - 12 SLIM, NARROW, MEDIUM, WIDE, 2W, 3W

2950 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC V8T 4N4

250.382.7463 www.SASshoes.ca

�� Senior Living Housing Directory is a valuable online resource for seniors and family members looking for alternative housing to match their desired lifestyle, or medical/mobility needs. Over 500 senior residences and housing communities throughout BC are listed in this comprehensive directory. Compare services, amenities, and prices. Sort your selection by region, or type of care. This directory is published by Senior Living, a monthly magazine distributed to approximately 850 locations across BC.

�� Coming soon: residential listings for Alberta and Saskatchewan.

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Senior Living’s online searchable senior housing directory is a perfect complement to its semi-annual senior housing special editions in February and August. Senior Living also publishes a 128 page book called “To Move or Not to Move? A Helpful Guide for Seniors Considering Their Residential Options.” We have sold over 3,000 copies of this book. No other magazine we know of has such a comprehensive, interconnected group of housing resources. For more information about any of these products or services, call (250)479-4705 or toll-free 1-877-479-4705. Or email ofﬁce@seniorlivingmag.com

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