September 2009 Senior Living Magazine Island Edition by INSPIRED 55+ Lifestyle Magazine

September 2009 TM

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

COMING FULL CIRCLE In the Cowichan Valley

Barry Proud

World-traveller, adventurer, author

“Every once in a while you discover love and friendship in the most unexpected places.” Barry & Millie, Peninsula residents

Renewal is what you A perfect will ﬁnd when you become pace is what you a Peninsula resident.

willand ﬁnd when you A beautiful comfortable retirement community come home to the offering many opportunities Peninsula. A beautiful to enjoy adventures and and comfortable excursions - and at your doorstep is the charming retirement community seaside town of Sidney. It’s offering-many easily accessible and a great place to discover opportunities to new friends. enjoy adventures and excursions, all at your own pace.

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SEPTEMBER 2009

(Vancouver Island) is published by Stratis Publishing. Publisher Barbara Risto Editor Bobbie Jo Reid

editor@seniorlivingmag.com Contributors Norman K. Archer, Goldie Carlow, Judee Fong, Gipp Forster, Barbara MacCormack, Chris Millikan, Rick Millikan, Sctott Morrish, Pat Nichol, Enise Olding, Michael Rice, Candice Schultz, Rosalind Scott, Barbara Small Proofreader Allyson Mantle Advertising Manager

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

4 Learning and Growing in the Cowichan Valley

20 BBB Scam Alert

Long-time friends turned a broken-down sheep farm into a property they are passionate about.

8 Born That Way

Barry Risto 250-479-4705 For advertising information, call 250-479-4705 sales@seniorlivingmag.com

Young adult ﬁction author Susan Ketchen uses her experience as a family therapist to enter the minds of her characters.

Ad Sales Staff

12 Argentine Tango

RaeLeigh Buchanan 250-479-4705 Ann Lester 250-390-1805 Mathieu Powell 250-589-7801 Barry Risto 250-479-4705 Contact Information – Head Ofﬁce

Senior Living Box 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1

Phone 250-479-4705 Toll-free 1-877-479-4705 Fax 250-479-4808 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)

The social dance and musical genre of Argentina is embracing Victoria.

15 Let’s Talk

Senior Living magazine launches a Discussion Forum where readers can chat about interests and issues important to them.

16 The Sunset Watcher

25 Classiﬁeds 30 Resource Directory

COLUMNS 2 The Family Caregiver by Barbara Small

22 Outrageous & Courageous by Pat Nichol

32 Reﬂections: Then & Now by Gipp Forster

Traveller and adventurer Barry Proud turns his real-life experiences into ﬁction.

24 Beryl Big Heart

Beryl Big Canoe continues to reach out to special needs kids in retirement.

26 Queen of Missions

Discovering Santa Barbara’s past through its missions. Cover Photo: Alison Philp and Marsha Stanley examine their lavender crop in the Cowichan Valley. Story page 4. Photo: Enise Olding

6 Destination Slideshow and Presentation at the Victoria Public Library on Broughton St. Hosted by:

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THE FAMILY CAREGIVER

arious resources exist in your community to help alleviate the demands placed on family caregivers, reduce caregiver burnout and allow the person being cared for to remain at home longer. The types of services vary dependent on the community, and the costs range from free to a fee-for-service. Below is a list of some of these services: Home support (community health workers) can provide assistance with bathing, dressing, grooming, hygiene and toileting. Subsidized home support is available through local health authorities and is based on the income of the care recipient. Private home support agencies also provide these services on a fee-for-service basis.

A variety of aids and equipment are available for purchase or loan to help individuals with communication, mobility or speciﬁc personal care needs. These include medical equipment, incontinence supplies, specialized clothing, mobility aids, vision aids and hospital beds. Community loan cupboards may exist from which you can borrow medical equipment. These services charge either a small fee, operate by donation or are free. You can also contact your local Canadian Red Cross. Several businesses focus solely on selling medical aids and equipment, such as local pharmacy chains that operate specialized Home Health Care outlets or medical supply websites.

Come Laugh With Us FILL YOUR DAYS WITH LAUGHTER. When you live at Shannon Oaks you’ll have more time to smile and do the things that matter to you most. An independent seniors living community, you’ll live well in your beautifully appointed suite and enjoy amenities and services that provide for your every need including: delicious meals, daily activities, weekly housekeeping and 24-hour emergency response from our resident managers. Come see why you’ll want to make Shannon Oaks your home. VA N C O U V E R 604.324.6257

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Help At Home BY BARBARA SMALL

Volunteer organizations may provide home visitors, walking companions and volunteers to assist with odd jobs, gardening, reading, letter writing and driving to appointments or shopping. Some seniors’ centres and residential care facilities provide meals to seniors on a drop-in basis. Meals on Wheels and some catering businesses deliver prepared meals to your home. These businesses may offer senior’s discounts and cater to special diets. Volunteer-based services exist to assist with grocery shopping. Customers can place grocery orders by telephone or online. The grocery service selects the items and makes a home delivery. The

delivery service often is free for grocery orders above a minimum amount. Check with your local grocery store. House cleaning services are a very useful resource for family caregivers. Some house cleaning companies will provide additional services, including laundry, moving furniture, taking out garbage and doing garden work. Rates and senior’s discounts, for these companies, vary signiﬁcantly. Private home support agencies may also offer some of these services. Emergency response and medical alarm/alert systems are 24-hoursa-day/seven-days-a-week monitoring services for frail elders and people with disabilities. The system typically hooks into a person’s phone system. Installation costs vary from company to company, as do monthly monitoring fees. Some systems can also provide automatic medication reminders. Other support services may be available in your community to provide help in the home and improve the quality of life for both the family caregiver and the care recipient. For resources, check your local Yellow Pages, contact the Home and Community Care division of your regional health authority, visit the senior’s centre in your community or look under “Resources” on the Family Caregivers’ Network’s website at www. SL familycaregiversnetwork.org Next month: The Financial Impact of Caregiving Barbara Small is Program Development Coordinator for Family Caregivers’ Network Society. www.familycaregiversnetwork.org

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Learning and Growing Dennis Gedney on Elk Lake

he Cowichan Valley with its lush countryside, abundance of agriculture, mountains, lakes and seashore was for Alison Philp, Dave Stanley and Marsha Stanley the stage upon which their childhoods were played. While Dave was born in Duncan, Alison moved there when she was four years old, and Marsha when she was six. The start of which was to become a lifelong friendship began when Alison and Marsha went to Bench Elementary School, albeit they were in different classrooms. Later, they had several classes together at George Bonner School, and eventually Cowichan High School from which they graduated in the same year. Other than going to the same schools, the two, who lived about three miles [4.8 km] apart, would walk to and from each other’s houses a few times a day spending countless hours together. They were both Girl Guides, members of the Pony Club and rode their horses together exploring further afield and becoming even more familiar with the Cowichan area. Unbeknownst to them, their horses were actually taking them into the very location that was to play a significant role in their futures. But in those halcyon childhood summer days, they weren’t much troubled with what might happen when they retired. Apart from living lives that seemingly ran parallel to each other, Alison and Marsha shared other interesting coincidences. “We are both Libras and think very much alike,” says Alison. “We often finish each other’s sentences,” laughs Marsha. They were born one day apart; “well, it’s really only five hours,” interjects Alison. And, their driver’s licence numbers are one number apart. While Alison and Marsha were chumming around to-

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in the Cowichan Valley

gether, sometimes going on camping expeditions all over B.C. with each other’s families, and carefully cementing the foundations of their friendship, Dave was making his way through childhood nearby, but without having signiﬁcantly crossed their paths. Dave went to Duncan Elementary School, then to Mt. Prevost School and then Brentwood. He found work at the local mill and was “making money and generally having a good time” when the Cowichan Rugby Dance appeared on his social calendar. Does the thought of downsizing or moving “Dave was a best friend of a boyfriend overwhelm you? of a friend of ours,” explains Alison, LET CHANGING PLACES “and he needed a date for the dance.” TAKE CARE OF THE DETAILS! Somehow or other 16-year-old Marsha Jane Dewing, �� became Dave’s “blind date” for the �� Whatever the task, you can depend on our professional team to get the job done. dance. And, she says, “That was that!” It would be no surprise for any of them NEW SERVICES that Alison was maid of honour at MarCHANGING SPACES... Adjust your home to age in place. sha and Dave’s wedding. CALL FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION! All three paths had ﬁrmly met, but Clip out this ad for future reference were now about to go in different diwww.VictoriaMoves.com rections. Their beloved Cowichan Val-

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ley was suffering from a lack of employment options, so Dave and Marsha headed to Northern Alberta. While Dave worked in the oil industry, his job took him away from home for periods, so Marsha put herself through correspondence courses eventually becoming a chartered accountant. They raised two children, a boy and a girl, became well established in their ﬁelds of work and enjoyed a successful traditional family life. “I did the total opposite,” says Alison, “I didn’t marry; I travelled through Europe and then had children [two boys] later in life.” She obtained a diploma in Leisure Studies [now Tourism and Recreation] and wanted to work in the tourism industry. Alas, there was no call for that in the Cowichan Valley, at that time, so she worked in a dental ofﬁce to make money for travelling. She lived and worked in Vancouver, Victoria, and in England and Jersey in the hotel industry. Meanwhile Alison visited her two childhood friends in Alberta, and they visited her. “Whenever we met, it was as if time had not gone by – except for the hairstyles,” they all laugh, while also taking a few digs at Dave’s one-time ponytail. Their paths had diverged, but they weren’t about to lose touch with each other. Houses were acquired, jobs changed, promotions gained, children raised and the years rolled on until it came time for each one of them to review where they were in life. By now,

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Alison was back in the Cowichan Valley and she had fulﬁlled her desire to be involved in the local tourism industry by working at Tourism Cowichan and the Duncan Chamber Visitors Centre. Dave was ready to leave petroleum technology behind, and Marsha was open to suggestions. The couple set off on what they call a soul-searching trip with an idea of returning to Vancouver Island. “At that stage, I didn’t know what I wanted,” says Dave, adding, “the kids were gone and it seemed like a good time to make a change in life.” It was while he and Marsha were travelling in Washington State enjoying the countryside and, in particular, the ﬁelds of lavender when, as Dave says, “I saw this guy sitting there with his feet on a chair and I thought, I could do that! It seemed

such a romantic type of idea.” But Dave ﬁgured “if it grew there, it would grow here” – meaning somewhere on Vancouver Island – so now the search for suitable farmland was on, and a

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lavender farm was the goal. Things just seemed to “come together” from that point on, they say. The potentially perfect property was located and the three friends were ready to

AUGUST 2009 VANCOUVER ISLAND

Senior Living Special Housing Edition

Up-to-date listings of senior housing facilities throughout Vancouver Island, including Independent/Supportive Living, Assisted Living and Complex Care. This guide is an indispensable resource to:

• seniors looking for alternative housing • seniors moving to Vancouver Island from other parts of BC or out of province • children of seniors who are assisting their parent to select a housing option • professionals who work with seniors or their families • businesses that provide services to seniors

Listings include addresses and contact information, housing costs, number of units in the housing complex, hospitality services, optional home care services, amenities and security features.

TO ORDER a copy... Please mail a cheque for $5.25 ($5 plus GST), along with your name, phone number and address, to Senior Living, 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1. We will mail you a copy of this resourceful housing guide upon receipt of payment.

All three say they see their venture carrying on successfully, as will their unique friendship. “We’re all easygoing,” says Dave. “We have a unique skill set between the three of us that works.” Alison says it’s a real outlet for creativity, and Marsha says, “I get to look out on a place that I love.” Then quips Dave, “and I get to look out and see what I still have to do!” They are all back on the same path and still learning and growing in the SL Cowichan Valley.

Page 4, friends and partners Dave and Marsha Stanley and Alison Philp. Left, Marsha and Alison pour over photos from their childhood. Above, Alison examines a crop.

launch out on a new project together. “My job was relatively portable,” said Marsha, “but we kept our house, just in case it didn’t work out.” “It was a total lifestyle change, which is what we were after,” says Dave. “I didn’t want to do what I was doing any more so I took an openminded approach.” And Alison, who was about to move out of the house in which she had been living, was able to rent the house on the chosen property. “By 2005, we were owners of a broken-down sheep farm,” she says. The very property they had ridden by on their horses when they were children. Over years of intense continuous study, research and hard physical work they learned how to grow and harvest lavender on the 13-acre farm they call Damali – a combination of letters from their ﬁrst names. Growing, harvesting and creating products from lavender keeps them well occupied, along with the B&B, vegetable garden, chickens, grape vines, farm tours, labyrinth and various special events and plans for a vineyard and winery.

Use of the la byrinth is fre e Visit to the fa rm is free Farm is ope n 7 days a week June – Sept. 10-4 and Fri, Sat, S un 10-3 in April, May an d Oct. Wine and A gri tours an d packages available 3500 Telegrap h Road, Cob ble Hill www.damali.c a 250-701-8 903

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BORN THAT WAY BY ROBERT L. RAMSAY

I am galloping ﬂat-out across a ﬁeld of tall grass on the back of a horse I have never seen before. I am so full of excitement and happiness that my chest could burst. The horse’s ears are perked and he requires no urging to keep the pace, and that’s just as well because I have no reins, no bridle, no saddle. years, she switched career directions several times, studying psychology, accounting and law. Her law studies convinced her that she didn’t have the personality for working in the adversarial atmosphere of a courtroom, and she eventually returned to her love of psychology, graduating with an M.Sc. in Marriage and Family Therapy from California’s Loma Linda University. She then set up a family therapy practice in the Comox Valley. “The only writing I did during those years were reports and case notes,” she says, “but Susan Ketchen with her horses when I retired four years ago, I Lollipop and Blazer signed up at North Island College in Courtenay for a noncredit course, How to Write asked if she could publish the second Your First Novel. Matt Hughes was the story as well. instructor and he taught me the structure While the national attention from of a novel, and what editors are looking Miss Chatelaine might have signaled a for in a good story. I spent the next two lifelong literary career, Susan put crea- years working on an adult novel.” tive writing on hold while she explored An editor invited Susan to send him other options. Over the next several the whole manuscript, saying it would Photo: Isobel Springett

he opening paragraph from Born That Way, Susan Ketchen’s young adult novel, does an excellent job of describing her experience with the writing and publishing industry: a wild gallop to success. “I wrote the ﬁrst draft in three months,” says Susan, “and after revisions, I sent queries off to 10 publishers. In June 2008, Oolichan Books of Lantzville asked to see the whole manuscript, and by October, they had accepted it for publication.” Susan, a retired marriage and family therapist, lives in the Comox Valley. Sylvia, the main character in her novel, was born to love horses. Susan says she was born to love writing. From the moment she learned to write, she began scribbling poems and writing stories. During her senior year of high school, she entered two short stories in the Miss Chatelaine ﬁction competition. She was awarded a prize for one of them along with publication in the magazine. A few weeks later, the editor

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take him two or three months to evaluate it (eventually he turned it down). Wondering what to do with her time while waiting for the editor’s decision, Susan decided to try her hand at young adult fiction. She had heard that there was a growing market for that genre, and so she set to work. Within three months, she had the first draft completed. Susan tries to be disciplined about her writing, working at it as though it’s a business, though she admits to being a pretty easygoing boss. Her writing desk is in a bright, second floor studio on her hobby farm on the banks of the Tsolum River, just north of Courtenay. From the large window, she can see an eagle’s nest in which two eaglets were raised last spring. In the field down below, her two horses, Blazer and Lollipop, quietly graze. “I like to get to my desk by 9:30 in the morning and work steadily for three to four hours,” she says, “and I don’t worry too much about the first draft because, with computers, I know it will be easy to revise my manuscript later.” Susan loves to read both non-fiction and fiction. Two of her favourite authors are Elinor Lipman and Jane Smiley, but she won’t read fiction while working on a manuscript. “I’m afraid that reading another author might interfere with my own writing voice,” she says. Having just turned 55, Susan wondered how successfully she had entered the mind of a 14 year old. While practising family therapy, she had enjoyed working with young teens.

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In Born That Way, Sylvia feels she is a misfit. She is small for her age. Her cousins and classmates talk about hairstyles and dream about boys. Sylvia is mortified when her mother suggests she put highlights in her hair, and she dreams only of having her own horse. “The book is not autobiographical,” says Susan, “though some of the things did happen. For example, as a young child, I always enjoyed books about horses, and I had to wait until I was in Grade 10 to finally have a horse of my own. We were living in Nanaimo, and I kept him at a boarding stable. While Sylvia’s love of horses is based upon my own interest, her parents bear no resemblance to mine. For example, my mother wasn’t like Sylvia’s mother, a psychoanalyst who attributes everything her daughter does to some sexual impulse.” Despite a busy schedule promoting this first novel, Susan is working on the sequel and has an idea for a third volume as well. “This has been a very exciting time for me,” she says, “and I would urge other seniors who have always had a passion to resurrect their dreams. The ride may not be as fast or in quite the same direction as mine, SL but the effort will be rewarding.” Born That Way ($12.95) is available from Canadian booksellers. Susan Ketchen may be reached at www.susanketchen.ca

“They are smart and not yet inhibited in what they say. They see things from a different perspective,” says Susan. She was given an opportunity to test drive her story last fall when Vanier High School had a Put Everything Down and Read Week. Susan was invited to read to two Grade 11 and 12 classes, and she was gratiﬁed to see that the students enjoyed Sylvia, and they laughed in all the right places.

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• What residential options are available? • How to research and assess Independent and Assisted Living residences. • How much does it cost to live in an Assisted Living residence? What subsidies are available? • Are there any other residential options besides Independent, Assisted Living and Complex Care facilities? • If you choose to stay in your own home, what are your opORDER FORM - “To Move” tions and what should you plan for? Name______________________________Address _______________________________ • Funding sources available to seniors - tax deductions, housCity______________ Prov ___ Postal Code____________Phone ____________________ ing subsidies, home care subsidies, equipment loan programs, renovation grants, etc. ___ BOOKS @ $14.60 each (includes $3.95 S&H plus 5% GST) = TOTAL $____________ • Selling your home - how to ﬁnd the right realtor or relocation ___ Cheque (payable to Senior Living) services to assist your move. ___ CREDIT CARD # _________________________________ Expiry ___________ • Downsizing - Where do you start? How do you proceed? Name on Card ____________________________________ • Hiring home care services; do it yourself or hire an agency? • AND MUCH MORE Mail to: Senior Living 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1

SEPTEMBER 2009

Argentine Tango A

BY VERNICE SHOSTAL

Photo: Verni ce Shostal

rgentine tango, a social dance and a unique genre of music born in the late 1800s in the booming cities of Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay, was the result of two groups of displaced persons coming together in those cities. In that era, thousands of European immigrants blended with a host of Argentine peasants, who had been uprooted from the immense grasslands where they had lived freely for centuries to give rise to a culture that expressed the solitude of the lonely immigrant. Tango was not accepted by the upper classes in Argentina until after it had been adopted in Europe in the early 1900s. It reached its golden age in the 1940s, went underground in the 1950s and ’60s and made a comeback in the mid 1980s after the stage show, Tango Argentino opened in Paris. Tango is accepted as a culture within several branches of the arts: dance, poetry in the lyrics, tango choreography, vocal, orchestral and musical interpretations, theatre or visual arts, all of which share the theme of longing for things gone or lost. Similar to the Blues or Flamenco, the artist tells his or her story as if it were a personal message. Originally from Chile, Argentine Dance tango teachers, René Alfaro, and his wife, Hilda, came to Canada to attend graduate school at SFU while they worked as sessional lecturers. René received his master’s and PhD degrees in forestry, and Hilda got her master’s in linguistics, followed by a bachelor’s degree in French at UVic. The Alfaros have been immersed in tango since childhood. “Tango music was always on at our respective houses and our parents and other relatives danced the tango at family gatherings,” says René. “In those gatherings, the older family members danced with us kids.” Later in life, the Alfaros took formal training with many Argentinean teachers mostly in Buenos Aires, but their

E T I S WEB

René and Hilda Alfaro

formal teaching didn’t start until six years ago when their children grew up and did not need them at home

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as much. Now, every year, René and Hilda return to Buenos Aires to dance and take lessons. René says that Tango is an immense source of joy in their lives. “The physical activity tones our muscles and gives us ﬂexibility and balance.” They feel that perhaps the largest beneﬁt of the dance is the psychological well-being that comes with it. “More than any other dance, tango consists of deeply embracing a partner. This could be your life partner or a friend. This intimate embrace has a very human quality, which gives us a feeling of being comforted, accepted and valued. Canadian society is more reserved than the Latin-American society in terms of person-to-person contact, which may be a source of feelings of loneliness and isolation. Tango, through its powerful embrace, helps us to break these feelings of isolation.” René and Hilda believe that this need for human-to-human contact is universal. Last year in Japan, a society in which the citizens are well-known for keeping distance between each other, Hilda and René witnessed that the Japanese also enjoyed the deep embrace that tango provides. “Japanese are a very formal society, but when it comes to embracing each other in tango, they go all out,” says René. “I use tango as my therapy,” says Liliana Hanson, a high school teacher who grew up in Buenos Aires, lived in Paris and came to Victoria in 1991. “Tango helps me relax and forget about everything else. At the end of an evening of tango dancing, I feel like a new person,” she says. Liliana became involved in Argentine tango in 2002, and began teaching two years ago. Her other interests include attending cultural events, concerts, opera, theatre, ballet, movies, gardening and working out at the gym; she enjoys the company of others and listening to tango music. She has always loved the music and was intrigued by the complexity of the dance. Industrial audiometric engineer Jorge

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  

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Sueldo, who became involved in Argentine tango in 1992 and started teaching in 1996, says Argentine tango “brings people who share this passion for the music and the dance together.”

Born in Buenos Aires, Jorge moved to Miami in 1979, Toronto in 1981, then to Vancouver and ﬁnally settled in Victoria in 1988. A golfer as well as a dancer, Jorge says he has always appreciated tango music, but did not dance until, as a more mature person, he saw the show Forever Tango. What struck Jorge about the show was his warm feeling towards this music created by the collaboration of the early immigrants to Argentina and the expression of that music through dance and friendship. Although it takes two to tango, you do not need a partner to start learning a tango dance. There are often a variety of people taking classes and it’s unusual for everyone to come with a partner. Argentine tango dances are held in Nanaimo, Saltspring, the Cowichan and Comox Valleys and several places in SL Victoria. To ﬁnd the nearest Argentine tango venue, visit www.tangovita.com and click on “venues.”

Senior Living launches Discussion Forum

ave you ever said, “I would really like to talk to other people about…”? We’ve heard this often from our readers, so out of that was born the idea to create a Discussion Forum on our website where readers could interact with each other, talk about issues and interests that don’t necessarily find their way into our printed publication, but are of informational value just the same. This month we are officially launching the Discussion Forum section of our website. We invite you to visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/discussion and join in on an existing conversation, or start a conversation yourself on a topic of interest to you. This is your place to express yourself, ask for advice, give advice, share your opinions, meet people of like interests, and much more. Do you want to talk about the latest books you’ve read and hear what others are reading? Are you dissatisfied with a government decision? Are you looking for some travel information? Are you searching for a particular recipe? Are you having trouble finding home care resources? Would you like to join a club or activity group, but don’t know what’s out there? Would you like to know how others are managing their retirement? Whatever the subject, you can raise it in the Discussion Forum and see who responds. The more people get involved in these discussions, the livelier, and more informational this area of our website will become. We already have a number of conversations started… here’s a selection of what you will currently find in our Discussion Forum: 1. Home Safe Home During Vacations – share some tips on what you do to make your absence less visible. 2. Travel and Foods in Central Europe – have you ever enjoyed goulash in Hungary, pasta arrabbiata, Italian pizza, or Ristorante Acqua al 2 in Italy? If you know a recipe for any of these, please let us know. 3. Riding Bikes Through Europe – Germany, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, France – share your experience with these other biking enthusiasts and or plot your next trip with the help of someone who’s been there, done that! 4. Downsizing in a “hot” real estate market – are you having success or challenges finding a new place? 5. Computers – would you like a place to post your questions and get answers? 6. Books – what have you read recently? Jack Whyte,

Simon Scarrow, Lindsey Davis…? Add your favorites to the list and ﬁnd out what other readers are recommending. 7. Social Seniors – want to connect socially? Get to know some people here… 8. Structured Debt Notes – someone wants to know if they are a good idea…? We are currently looking for volunteer moderators. These are people who we assign to be the facilitator of a particular conversation. Their “job” is to start a conversation on a topic of special interest to them and then monitor the responses periodically. They are ready to jump in with comments, and carry the conversation along – much like a host at a dinner table would with a group of guests. You can ﬁnd out more information about this on the Discussion Forum page. Hope to hear from you soon!

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SEPTEMBER 2009

The Sunset Watcher BY ENISE OLDING

Photo: Enise Olding

hen Barry Proud suggested to his new bride, Zoila, that he thought it would be romantically exciting to spend their honeymoon hitchhiking 2,000 miles down the Amazon River, she simply said, “Fine.” After the wedding ceremony at the Ecuadorian Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, at which the Ecuadorian Ambassador ofﬁciated, the two set off thumbing rides from whatever boat trafﬁc was on the river, sleeping in hammocks or at Indian villages. They went as far as Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas. Barry describes the trip as, “It’s a great place to lose weight – I lost 15 lbs!” And of Zoila, he smiles – “she’s a very unusual woman.” It’s an understatement to say that Barry is an adventurer since his life has been brim full of travel, exploration, living and working in interesting, often dangerous, locations. Originally from Lincolnshire, England, he came to Canada in 1955 getting off the ship in Montreal and, although he wanted to get to Vancouver, he only had enough money to travel to Winnipeg. He arrived in the middle of winter and the

cold temperatures were a shock. Luckily, it was the Christmas season so he got a job right away at the post ofﬁce. A series of jobs and a few years later, he moved to his dream job in Paris. “I was young, single, well paid, had a beautiful apartment.” He was working for the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as an agricultural economist. Barry was in eastern Turkey close to the Russian border when the Cu-

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ban Missile Crisis arose and there was a threat of Russia invading, so he and a colleague were forced to ﬂee to the Mediterranean Coast until the situation settled down. After that, he went back to Ottawa to work for Statistics Canada and later on to Ecuador working for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). It’s there that he met Zoila who is Ecuadorian. Barry now shared his adventurous life with his wife. They moved on to Colombia.

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Barry was in Colombia by himself, at ﬁrst, and he found an apartment but it had no fridge. Two men came up to the apartment “they just knocked on the door, and I was friendly to them and they asked if I wanted a fridge. But, I was careful and said I wanted a new one,” says Barry. They asked what sort, what colour, what make, how big and eventually conﬁrmed they would get one for him. “I had forgotten about them,” says Barry, “but four weeks later, one Saturday afternoon, the same two men arrived at my door.” Sure enough, the new fridge arrived complete in its new packing crate just as requested. Barry invited them in and they started talking about where it came from and after a few drinks they told him that boats take drugs to Florida unload them then the empty boats go to Panama to pick up appliances to bring back to Colombia. “I asked them how they knew I was going to pay them,” says Barry, “They said that with the group they work with there is never any trouble in getting payment!” Working locally, Barry would see the burned-out wrecks of downed drug-run planes, which were in poor condition and not well maintained. Despite the Embassy wanting to provide him with a car that had an antenna to keep in contact, Barry declined. He didn’t want the locals to think he was from the CIA or to be seen as anything more than the innocent worker that he was. “I was safe, although one of the facilities I worked in was attacked by the guerillas,” he recalls. Barry and Zoila eventually lived in Colombia, Mexico,

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and Ottawa. In Pakistan, now with their two children, they travelled, hiked and explored the Himalayas and North West Frontier Province. The whole family lived in Zambia for seven years, “it was very dangerous, I slept with a gun beside the bed there,” says Barry. Barry, himself, lived in Jamaica, Bolivia, Lesotho and more recently in Uganda. They eventually settled in Victoria. Not surprising then that Barry’s novel is set in the 1960s against the thrilling backdrop of Colombia during the height of the rise to power of the Medellin drug cartel. The Sunset Watcher is the story of a bright young Ottawa accountant, Peter, who is eagerly awaiting the arrival of his oft absent adventurous half-brother only to learn that he has been murdered. The distraught Peter decides to meet and speak with the people his brother was last with in the hopes of learning

more about him. He heads for Colombia only to ﬁnd himself in the realm of drug cartels and right wing death squads but where he is helped by, and encounters a series of, fascinating characters. There’s a priest from Quebec who has a penchant for classical music, a Colombian army man who was in the Korean War, a street kid and his scruffy dog, which has the impressive name of Simon Bolivar, the amateur social worker Maria and the vivacious La Señora who keeps a brothel run on the lines of a commune. “The plot developed as I went along,” says Barry, “and I tried to get into the heads of the characters, but they start running the story and I didn’t know where it was leading.” Such was the inﬂuence of the characters on the story that Barry had to go back and change the beginning. But Barry kept to

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his mantra of constantly asking himself: is it interesting? Do the characters act in character? Barry sticks to what he knows, “I lived and worked in nine countries, but Colombia, with the violence and the drug trade and killers, struck me as a more interesting country for the novel.” Not only would someone reading the book learn about the history in Colombia, but also how to distinguish between real and false emeralds and about butterfly collecting. Barry’s adventure into writing started when he was working for a newspaper and had trouble typing with two fingers. While teaching himself to type, he decided the best way to practise was to write his life story and put it into a book for family members. The Sunset Watcher is his first novel. His next book will be another adventure for him, this SL time into comedy. The Sunset Watcher ($19.95) can be purchased at Senior Living magazine’s online bookstore at www.seniorlivingmag.com/bookstore

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What interests YOU?

Email us at ofﬁce@seniorlivingmag.com and let us know what YOU would like to see on our website. SEPTEMBER 2009

SCAM ALERT BY ROSALIND SCOTT

Smart Estate Planning

hether wealthy or not, everyone needs to think carefully about estate

planning. Typically, death isn’t a comfortable topic for discussion, and thoughts about what will happen to your belongings after death can be overwhelming. By taking the time while you are alive and well to think through some of these difﬁcult decisions, you can help to reduce the chances that your family will be taken advantage of when it comes time to deal with an emotionally charged issue like your estate. No matter how great or how few your assets, creating an estate plan (which includes items such as a will, living trust and living will) will help you organize and distribute your money and belongings to the right people and places. BBB offers the following guidance on the basic components of an estate plan: Will At the very least, anyone who has assets they would like to pass on to spe-

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ciﬁc individuals should create a will. A will can allocate assets as well as establish guardianship of children. Most wills have to go through probate after the individual’s death. In probate, a court oversees the payment of any debts and distributes inheritances - the process can last several months. Living Trust While a trust might sound like something only wealthy people need, it’s actually a tool for anyone who would like to set conditions on how and when their assets are distributed. A trust can also help reduce the amount of taxes paid on the inheritance and does not have to go through probate - unlike a will. Examples for creating a trust include wanting to give a child their inheritance over time, rather than in a lump sum, and restrict how the money can be spent. Living Will A living will provides a way for an individual to communicate their desire for life-saving measures in case they are incapacitated. In addition to a living

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will, individuals can also assign medical power of attorney to someone they trust, who can further ensure that their wishes are fulfilled. Be cautious when you decide who will be involved in the creation of your estate plan; this process involves a great deal of personal and financial information. You need to have confidence and trust in the lawyers, estate planners, accountants or others who will be involved in organizing your needs. BBB advises researching any estate planning companies or lawyers first at vi.bbb.org before paying for their assistance. For more advice you can trust from BBB on managing personal finances, SL 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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*Installation price you pay of $249. $50 cash back certificate will be mailed to you within 1-2 weeks after the installation purchase. To receive your $50 mail-in cash back, complete and return the original certificate to ADT Security Services Canada, Inc. with a copy of your signed ADT Residential Services Contract. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for receipt of cheque. This cash back offer is valid only with the installation of a new ADT Safewatch® QuickConnect System and customers and monitoring services contract from ADT Security Services Canada, Inc. Not valid on upgrades to existing ADT customer. Not valid on purchases from ADT Authorized Dealers. Valid only after system installation is complete. Limit one offer per new ADT customer and cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. The Safewatch® QuickConnect package includes Burglary monitoring. Two Way Voice, and Quality Service Plan (QSP) Monitored Fire protection requires additional purchase of the installation of ADT smoke or heat detection devices. Medical Alert devices are an additional installation charge. Medical Alert services not available in all markets. System to remain property of ADT. Prices subject to change. Prices may vary by market. Some insurance companies offer discounts on homeowner’s insurance, please consult your insurance company. Does not include one-time Communication Connection fee. Quality Service Plan (QSP) is ADT’s Extended Limited Warranty, 36-month monitoring agreement required from $42.99 per month, including QSP, Local permit fees may be required. Satisfactory credit history required. Additional monitoring fees required for some services. Offer subject to change. Photos are for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect the exact product/service actually provided. RBQ 3019-4070-50 © 2009 ADT Security Services Canada, Inc. ADT, the ADT logo, ADT Always There and Safewatch are registered trademarks of ADT Services, AG, and are used under license.

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Information and access to a variety of businesses and organizations whose appreciated customers include the 50+ consumer. SEPTEMBER 2009

Courageous s u o e g a r Out

BY PAT NICHOL

a little more slowly. Then came the day when he didn’t want to go for a walk and was happy just to lie in the sun. The next day, he didn’t want to move at all. Even the promise of treats didn’t excite him. By Sunday night, I knew I was going to have to make a grave decision the next morning. About 1 a.m., I said good night with a heavy heart. Being the true gentleman that he was, Obi made the decision for me. His big heart stopped beating sometime before I came downstairs at 6 a.m. This meant I had to send a very sad e-mail to Trish, who Photo: Frances Litman

t’s hard to lose a long time friend; even when that friend has four legs instead of two. For many of us, the pets we live with become an integral part of our family or perhaps the closest family that we have. Last month, we lost our big shaggy dog, Auberon (king of the fairies), who had been Trisha’s dog when she was a street kid and had acted as her guardian angel. About ﬁve years ago, when she moved to the Mainland, Obi (we could never decide on the correct spelling for the king of the fairies) came to live with us. He was the grand old gentleman of the block. With two lab friends next door and Jan across the street always good for a treat, his life was just right. He kept us ﬁt, as he demanded a walk to check out any new smells that might have come up overnight. About three months ago, he began moving a little more slowly, but daily rounds were still maintained. At the equivalent of about 95 years old, he was entitled to move

APRIL 2009 APRIL 2009

GARDENING TIPS FOR APRIL (POST GARDENING TIPS FORWINTER) APRIL (POST WINTER) Herbal Remedies For Anxiety Herbal Remedies For Anxiety

�� Newsletter for Senior Living Readers Newsletter for Senior Living Readers

Designed to Inspire, Entertain and Inform.

COOL WEBSITES TO VISIT COOL WEBSITES TO VISIT

Peace of mind, comfort and security are just part of daily life at Lakeside Gardens – your private apartment, nutritious meals, weekly housekeeping and caring staff available 24 hours a day.

Our services include recreational activities, social outings and Assisted Living care to meet your needs.

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This month you will see some interWEBSITE EXPANSION esting INTERACTIVE additions to This month you will see some interour website. We will be adding an esting INTERACTIVE additions EVENTS section, where the com-to our website. Weinformation will be adding an munity can post about EVENTS events. section,We where upcoming will the alsocombe munity can post information about adding a “social” component called upcoming events. Wevisitors will alsocan be “SPEAK OUT” where adding a “social” component called post articles and comments. “SPEAK OUT” where visitors can articles and to comments. Apost FRESH LOOK our Readers Newsletter. Tell us what you think... A FRESH LOOK to our Readers Newsletter. Tell us what you think...

My intention is to live forever. So far, so good!

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This will be something inspirational, like the Tiger TITLEblurb on the Business Newsletter. Blah, Woods This will be something inspirational, likelife. the ITiger Blah, blah....And that’s how I look at my will Woods the Business Newsletter. Blah, I be betterblurb as a on golfer, I will be better as a person, Blah, blah....And that’s how I look at my life. I will will be better as a father, I will be a better husband, as aas golfer, I willThat’s be better a person, I I be willbetter be better a friend. the as beauty of tomorrow. There better asas a father, I willThe be alessons better husband, iswill nobe such thing a setback. I learn today I will apI will be betterand as a friend. That’s the beauty of tomorrow. There ply tomorrow, I will be better.” is no suchWoods thing as a setback. The lessons I learn today I will ap-Tiger ply tomorrow, and I will be better.” -Tiger Woods

Each month, we emailTITLE signed-up members our latest inspiring blurb....personal growth, etc. newsle�er containing:Another TITLE “If you think of the story of David and Goliath,

Anotherisinspiring blurb....personal growth,inetc. Goliath thesuccessful problem you havere�rement currently front • inspiring ar�cles on you David think of the story ofone David and Goliath, of“Ifyou. needed only slingshot and Goliath is the problem you have currently in travel front felled his problem.gardening Then he got to go and onto other • seasonal recipes • computer, �ps ASK A PROFESSIONAL New articles posted this month: of you. David only each one slingshot problems. The needed point is that one of usand needs felled his problem. Then he got to go onto other • a new Sudoku puzzle every month to focus that magnifying glass of attention on one Article 1 by Advertiser A month: New articles posted this problems. Thesolve pointit,isthen that go each onenext of usthing.” needs speciﬁc thing, to the Article 2 by Advertiser B updates on changes to our magazine orHansen website to focus that magnifying glass of attention on one Article 1 by• Advertiser A - Mark Victor Article 3 by Advertiser C speciﬁc thing, solve it, then go to the next thing.” Article 2 by Advertiser B Article 4 by Advertiser • surveys toD secure your input • contests toVictor enter for prizes - Mark Hansen Article 3 by Advertiser C Article 4 • by Advertiser YOUR HEALTH - Herbal Remedies For Anxiety And lists ofD our most recent senior-focused adver�sers Stress WELCOME NEW ADVERTISERES YOUR HEALTH ar�cles - Herbal Remedies For website. Anxiety And • listsNEW ofADVERTISERES our most recent advice onhealth, our This has something on wellness, may be pharmaStress WELCOME We welcome these new businesses to ceuticals, cosmetics, herbal options, etc. Put article on This has something on wellness, health,videos may be pharmaSenior Living. It’s because to of their sup• access interes�ng websites and online website to track We welcome these new businesses to

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port that we can bring you this magaSenior Living. It’sWe because of their supzine every month. encourage you, portreader, that we bringknow you this magathe tocan let them through zine every month.ofWe encourage YOUR patronage their business you, that the appreciate reader, to let them you them asknow well. through YOUR patronage of their business that Advertiser A you appreciate them as well. Advertiser B Advertiser A Advertiser C Advertiser B Advertiser D Advertiser C Advertiser D

ceuticals, cosmetics, herbal options, etc. Put article on [READ MORE]

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FREE LAUGHS LAUGHS Can write aFREE joke here.

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was coming home from Europe several days later. I had to tell her that her guardian angel had ﬂown away and had been unable to wait for her to return. One day soon, we will take his ashes down to the lagoon, throw a stick in the water, throw the ashes after it and say “Okay Obi, fetch!” Then, as certainly as if he was really there, we know that his spirit will leap joyfully into the water and take that stick wherever all beloved pets are waiting.

“Dogs have a way of ﬁnding the people who need them, ﬁlling an emptiness we don’t even know we have.” –Thom Jones

I know many of you feel the same way we do; it takes a long time to realize they are no longer around. I still come downstairs in the morning thinking “Got to let Obi out,” only to realize “No, I don’t.”

Leave your mark for future generations. A gift to the University of Victoria can create many bright futures.

“This award has signiﬁcantly impacted my university life and allowed me to focus on my studies. The generosity of contributions such as the Summerhayes bursary has allowed me to succeed in obtaining my degree.”

Your generosity will help ensure that future generations of talented students like Alex receive a quality education. You can establish a fund in your name, or the name of a loved one, to support any university program you wish.

Find out how you can create a lasting legacy in your will or estate plan by contacting Natasha Benn, Planned Giving Development Oﬃcer at 250-721-6001 or by e-mail at nbenn@uvic.ca

Pat Nichol is a speaker and published author. She makes her home in Victoria, but travels the world. She can be reached at www.patnichol.com

E T I S WEB

100s OF ARTICLES • CURRENT MAGAZINES

To Move Or Not To Move?

A Helpful Guide for Seniors Considering Their Residential Options $9.95

The Sunset Watcher

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My Patchwork Life by Patricia O’Connor $14.95

by Patricia O’Connor $23.95

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Read Us ON-LINE Identity Theft

In Your Good Name by George Greenwood $26.95

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The Spoils Of Angel’s War by Dave Sheed $20.00

Nude On A Fence by Eliza Hemingway $17.95

Purchase any of these items online at www.seniorlivingmag.com

Embrace the Journey

A Caregiver’s Story by Valerie Green $14.95

Reﬂections, Rejections And Other Breakfast Foods by Gipp Forster $14.95

GST and Shipping Costs will apply. Please allow 2 weeks for delivery

Red Tomatoes by Les NacNeill $14.95

Nature’s Bounty: Why Certain Foods Are So Good For You & Nature’s Bounty: More About Foods For A Longer And Healthier Life by Dr. Bala Naidoo $21.95 Each SEPTEMBER 2009

BERYL BIG HEART BY JUDEE FONG

SENIOR LIVING

Photo: Judee Fong

n unhappy childhood in her grandmother’s beautiful but cold house was the impetus for Beryl Big Canoe to nurture a warm, loving home for her own family. A testament to her success was the troubled schoolmates her children would occasionally bring home, who needed a stable home with a big heart. Beryl fondly recalls one of the kids who came to stay. “My son brought Henry home to stay for awhile. He was struggling with the trauma of divorcing parents and a custody battle,” she says. “When Henry went back to his home, my kids talked to me and said he really needed a place he could stay all the time. Christmas was coming and we decided we wanted Henry to remain with us, so we had a scroll made up that said we’d like him to be a part of our family. My kids were too excited to wait for Christmas morning and asked, ‘Can we please give Henry’s gift to him tonight?’” Henry read the scroll, and wanted to become a part of the family. He even wanted to change his surname to Big Canoe. “But we told him, ‘No, because when you and your dad become closer, it will hurt him if you changed your name.’ But, he always called my husband Bill ‘Dad,’ even when his real dad was there. His dad didn’t mind, seeing that Henry was happy.” When Bill passed away, Henry spoke at his service and told of how he had joined the family. He pulled out his scroll, which he had kept all those years. Of her children’s compassion and concern for their young friends, Beryl says, “I always worry that Bill and I weren’t good parents, but it seems to

have worked out okay.” Beryl worked for many years at both Victor School and, later, Blanshard School as a teaching assistant, gaining the love and friendship of her many “kids.” “Working with special needs students, a teacher either has the ability to work well with them or not,” she says.

“All the training in the world won’t necessarily make you better, if your heart’s not in it.” Common sense, compassion and an endless supply of patience and humour are necessary for workers who enjoy being with their special charges. “Victor School kids are taken to Hillside Mall, so they can learn how to

behave in public. Each child would be with an assistant,” recalls Beryl. “I had this darling little boy who loved his ice cream. I just didn’t realize how much he loved it. He saw this elderly lady, walking with her cane and holding her icecream cone. My angelic-looking little boy went up to her and grabbed the cone right out of her hand. It happened so fast and the look on her face was absolutely priceless. I apologized and replaced her cone. I told her I had no idea how much he loved his ice cream!” Retired from the school system and coping with Bill’s death, Beryl searched for an activity to occupy her time. A short piece in the local newspaper asking for “KidStart Mentoring Program” volunteers caught her eye. “I didn’t want to do something that would take a paying job away from someone,” she says. “It was an exciting program that needed volunteer mentors for young people, 18 years and under, who needed to be steered away from possible trouble. I felt I had come ‘full-circle’ from my experi-

ences with my children’s friends, so I promptly volunteered!” Eventually, Beryl was matched with a 13-year-old girl. “It’s incredible the things we have in common when we weren’t even asked what we like or dislike. We both love classical music. We both talk a mile-aminute or simply enjoy our quiet time. We tend to doodle on napkins and all kinds of other small things.” When they’re together, these unlikely friends do different activities, and visit some of the girl’s favourite spots, including the Royal BC Museum and the Bug Zoo. “I bet I must be the oldest person to spend an hour at Johnny Zee’s!” Beryl says with a smile. “I have a terriﬁc friendship that I think will be there forever. She knows I’m there for her in good times and bad. It works in reverse, too, as she kept in touch by phone when I had my knee surgery.” Beryl is also involved with “Success By 6,” which is a program to make parents aware that the ﬁrst six years of a

child’s life are the most important and the most formative. It also supports other programs preparing children for school and providing them with conﬁdence when entering the next level of their young lives. The active retiree and former union rep for the Greater Victoria School District, explains why she still works with children. “When I was a child, I tried to ﬁgure out what I could do,” she says. “There weren’t any social workers or helpful organizations back then. Today, when kids talk to me about what they’re going through in their lives, I understand them. I want them to have their chance in life; to know someone SL cares about them.” For information or to volunteer for the KidStart Mentoring Program, e-mail or call Laurie Chesworth at laurie@johnhoward.victoria.bc.ca or 250-386-3428. For information on Success By 6, email info@successby6victoria.ca

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 midlife, 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 $19.84 ($14.95 plus $3.95 S&H & GST) payable to Senior Living. MAIL TO: Embrace Book Offer c/o 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.

��

Senior Driver Refresher

 Build Conﬁdence  Learn new rules & regs

 Prepare for re-examination  Compensate for age related changes

Scooter Safety and Awareness – September 14 – St. Pauls Church, Sidney • Register @ 250- 656-3213 What’s Driver Re-examination all about? Bring your ques�ons – Berwick Royal Oak • Register @ 250-386-4680 Refresher Course - September 20 & October 1 – St. Pauls Church, Sidney • Register @ 250- 656-3213 - October 3 & 10 – Berwick Royal Oak • Register @ 250-386-4680 - October 7 & 14 – Saanich Silver Threads • Register @ 250-382-3151 “55

ALIVE” Refresher Course Developed by the Canada Safety Council

Roadmasters Safety Group Inc. (250) 383-6041 www.roadmasters.org SEPTEMBER 2009

QUEEN OF MISSIONS STORY AND PHOTOS BY W. RUTH KOZAK

Santa Barbara Mission. Left, Statue of Junipero Serra, founder of the mission.

anta Barbara, California is a city of whitewashed Spanish style buildings with red tile roofs tucked between the mountains and sea. The palm-lined streets and long stretch of white sandy beach give it an exotic allure. Some call it the American Riviera. No palms lined the beaches and boulevards when the Spanish came, nor were there wooded hillsides. It was simply a barren swath of coastline occupied by the Chumash people, who were hunters and gatherers oriented to the sea. I’ve come here for a very special occasion, my grandson’s graduation from the prestigious Santa Barbara University. But on this sunny afternoon, I have another destination in mind: a visit to the Old Mission Santa Barbara to discover the city’s past.

I hop onto a tourist trolley down by the Presidio. On the way through the picturesque streets of this little town, the handsome driver tells us that he’s a descendant of the Chumash Indians who occupied this land long before the arrival of the Spaniards. In 1602, a Spanish explorer named Sebastian Vizcaino sailed up the channel between the coast and Channel Islands, and claimed the land in the name of the king of Spain. He gave it the name “Santa Barbara” because it was the Saint’s Feast day. The tour bus passes by various historical buildings in the old town and heads up the winding road. On the outskirts, a majestic building crowns the hillside, glowing like an opal in the bright California sun. The Queen Mission of all Franciscan missions in California, the tenth mission founded by Pa-

LEARN MORE: Look for our article at www.seniorlivingmag.com “Ask A Professional”

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dre Junipero Serra, was established December 4, 1786. And though Serra planned the building and raised the cross here, he wouldn’t live to see its completion. Disembarking from the trolley, I stand in awe as I observe the impressive building with its twin bell towers and the imposing architecture that combines Moorish, Mexican, Chumash Indian and Spanish design. In the mosaic-paved entryway, a Moorish fountain dating back 200 years burbles with a spray of water. The large basin in front is the lavandaria, where Chumash women washed their clothes. A Chumash artisan carved the crude lion’s head at the front of the lavandaria. Nearby is a botanical garden dedicated to native plants used by the Chumash people. I climb the steps to the portico and main door and set off on a self-guided tour. Inside, the small, dark rooms contain a colonial art collection of the baroque or neoclassical eras, imported from Mexico and South America that demonstrate the life of the Franciscan monks and the pioneers who lived there alongside the Chumash Indians. Three stone statues depict St. Barbara and the Virtues, carved by a mission Indian who used pictures in books as a guide. Over time, the original buildings were damaged or destroyed by earthquakes. The present friary was restored then later built after another quake in 1927. The church represents an amazing engineering achievement combining the efforts of the Chumash, Spanish and Mexican artisans. I tour the rooms where the missionaries slept, the kitchen where a meagre

“I wished I moved in sooner!” Carefree Living & Peace of Mind Enjoy Great Meals, Activities & Outings Call for a Lunch & Tour Today

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Water conservation tip 4: Stop the leaks. Most people are actively ﬁnding ways to conserve water. You can make a difference too. Even a small leak in a hose or connection can waste up to 1,000 litres of water a month. Check your hoses and connections regularly and repair leaks as soon as you ﬁnd them. For more water-saving tips, visit www.crd.bc.ca/water, or call 250.474.9684. www.crd.bc.ca/water

SEPTEMBER 2009

Courtyard garden of the Mission.

menu is shown; little more than beans and rice. In the chapel room are displays of skills taught at the mission including: candlemaking, pottery, weaving and ironwork. Galleons from Manila and China clippers brought Asian culture to the area and some of this reﬂects in the artifacts and embroidered silk vestments

displayed in the chapel museum. The church itself is decorated with Mexican art, some 200 years old. Passing under a low doorway decorated with skulls, I enter the mission cemetery where Santa Barbara’s culturally diverse early settlers are buried along with approximately 4,000 Indians. When the Presidio was formed in 1783, the Spanish soldiers were of varied ethnic origins including Mexican Indians, Sephardic Jews and Africans. The heritage of Santa Barbara is reﬂected in the names and backgrounds of those buried in the mission cemetery. In the tranquil Mission garden, I pause to meditate and try to imagine what life for the Chumash people was like back then. This garden was once a work area where many of the Indians learned trades. Their workshops and living quarters were located in the surrounding quadrangle of buildings. Today, many descendants of the Chumash, such as the driver of the tour trolley, still live in Santa Barbara. Fortunately, their

customs didn’t die out and today local native communities provide support for the preservation of their ancient culture. The Mission’s original purpose was the Christianization of the Chumash, but once Spain lost California to Mexico in 1822, it was secularized although missionaries were allowed to conduct services. Eventually, it was returned to the Catholic Church and used as a school and seminary. Today, it is used by the Parish of Santa Barbara and stands as a monument to the cultural diversity of SL California’s heritage. Mass is celeb rated daily fr om 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. an d on Sunday s at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m. an d 10 a.m. and noon. Admission is $4. 2201 Laguna St. Santa Bar bara CA 805-682-471 3 www.sbmis sion.org Santa Barbar a Trolley Tou rs 805-965-035 3 www.sbtro lley.com

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Classiﬁeds CLARE’S CREATIVE CUISINE. Gourmet meals delivered to your home. Low sodium. Nutritious and delicious. Since 1999. www.clares.ca. Phone 250-388-0154.

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

BUSINESS / VIRTUAL ASSISTANT Correspondence; general bookkeeping; faxes; document editing/finishing; office organizing. Business services for small businesses and individuals. 100% Confidential. CHW Inc. 250-886-3975. sparebrain1@gmail.com

HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE - Would you like a little assistance? Meal preparation, light housekeeping, laundry, shopping, appointments, or respite. We also hire seniors. Call 250-382-6565.

SAANICH VOLUNTEER SERVICES needs volunteers to drive clients to medical appointments. We pay 30 cents/km. Call Heather at 250-595-8008. HEDGES AND EDGES. Reliable garden help regular maintenance, or occasional heavy work. Pruning and rejuvenation of hedges and shrubs. Seniors references. 250-893-5285. PRIVATE ASSISTED LIVING AVAILABLE RESIDENTIAL CAREGIVER has a vacancy for a resident (or a couple) in a modern duplex home located on a quiet cul-de-sac in Courtenay, in the beautiful Comox Valley. Large main ﬂoor apartment with w/c accessible shower stall, private entrance, and a large deck. Services include personal care, housekeeping, laundry, meals, and companionship. NOTE there is a cat on the premises. Fee is $2,000 minimum per month depending on degree of care required. Available for October. Phone Elaine at STUPENDOUS SERVICES at 250-8988329 and leave a brief message to arrange for an interview. RUTH M.P HAIRSTYLING for Seniors in Greater Victoria. In the convenience of your own home! Certiﬁed Hairdresser. Call - 250-893-7082.

COLLECTOR SEEKING vintage/collectable cameras, binoculars and microscopes. Nikon, Leica, Contax, Rolleiﬂex, Zeiss, Canon, etc. Mike 250-383-6456 or e-mail: msymons6456@telus.net WHAT’S FOR DINNER? now offers delicious healthy single serving meals. Introductory offer of free delivery. Call 250-298-4346. 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. HISTORIAN FOR HIRE. I can help you capture your personal or family history and genealogy, for the beneﬁt of your children and grandchildren. In Victoria, 250-477-6989. A LOT OF JUNK, WON’T FIT IN YOUR TRUNK? You’re in luck, I own a truck! 25% Seniors Discount. John 250-891-2489. BROUSE CREEK B&B, Nakusp, BC. 2 bedroom cottage. Single room, wheelchair accessible bathroom, private entrance, kitchenette. 250-265-4625. www.brousecreek.com

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

$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 5% GST. All Classiﬁed ads must be paid at time of booking. Cheque or 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, 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave.,Victoria BC V8T 2C1

Advertise in our Vancouver magazine - same rates apply. CAREGIVER SEEKS FT POSITION to support independent living at home. HSRCA qualiﬁed, bondable, excellent references. Live-in preferred. Telephone 250-818-3748. PERSONALS 6 YRS SINGLE, female, 62, love to connect with 60 to 70 single male. Important-family, travel, wine/dine, theatre. 250-598-4411.

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A brand new reception room. Elegance with a personal touch. �� SEPTEMBER 2009

RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY

RESOURCE DIRECTOR A concise reference guide of services and products offered by businesses and organizations on Vancouver Island

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Contact the program nearest you. 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

250-812-0400

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RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY RESOURCE DIRECTORY

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Are you looking for an economical way to advertise your product or service? Success in advertising isn’t a one shot effort. To get the best results, marketing researchers tell us that it usually takes 4-6 exposures before advertising starts to reap the rewards most businesses are looking for. Why is this? At any given time, only 3% of consumers are ready to make a purchase right now. 7% are open to buy, but not really looking. 30% are not thinking about buying right now but could be convinced by the right offer or message. What does it mean for the advertiser? It means you should budget your advertising dollars to extend over the longest time period possible. A radio ad played once won’t produce results, will it? A billboard put up one day and taken down the next isn’t effective, is it? The same is true for any kind of advertising. Planning your advertising budget to extend over a year gives you the best bang for your buck. Senior Living’s Resource Directory provides frequency at a price small businesses can afford. It keeps your company name in front of consumers where they see it every month. Call us for more info.

• ECONOMICAL • 12-MONTH EXPOSURE • TO LIST YOUR BUSINESS IN THIS DIRECTORY, CALL 250-479-4705

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MAGAZINE

Name __________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________ City ___________________________________________________ Province ________________ Postal Code ____________________

Mail to: Senior Living 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1

Letter to the Editor “I was tremendously impressed with the housing directory you published for August, 2009. It was so comprehensive and at the same time interesting. And what a huge help to those looking for various kinds of senior living! Despite computers, compiling the information must have been an enormous job.” – Betty Gordon Funke

SPECIAL HOUSIN G EDITIO N AUGU ST

Vancouver Islan d’s 50+

2009

Active Lifest yle Magazine

Retirem Home Trenent ds

Seniors He Build Homelp s

AGING IN PLACE

Senior Living magazine welcomes your feedback. E-mail ofﬁce@seniorlivingmag.com or mail to 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave.,Victoria BC V8T 2C1. SEPTEMBER 2009

Reﬂections THEN & NOW

BY GIPP FORSTER

used to take my legs for granted. My eyes too and my hearing. I actually needed a comb and I could shop for clothes in a normal men’s wear store, and not a big and tall store. (I’m still not tall.) I could run up and down stairs. I could get by with a few hours of sleep after burning the candle at both ends. And I could eat what I wanted and never put on a pound! Of course, that was three or four hundred years ago. When milk came in glass bottles and Elvis Presley hadn’t discovered Brylcreem yet. I was not only slim then, I was taller. I’ve lost two or three inches in height over the past 25 years or so. I haven’t actually lost the inches, I’ve just relocated them to my waist. When my wife is asked how tall her husband is, she answers: “four foot seven.” But, of course, that’s when I’m lying down. Boy! What an exaggerator she is. Four foot, maybe, but not four foot seven. Now that I’m a senior, each day, I seem to discover something missing that I once took for granted. It doesn’t take me long to brush my teeth because I don’t have as many teeth as I used to. But I have spares, so I guess I shouldn’t worry.

I don’t have the mobility I once had and always took for granted. But, I have a walker to help me walk and a scooter to ensure that I can scoot. But it’s not really the same; I can’t do stairs with either of them! I’m ashamed to admit I take my wife for granted. I don’t give it much thought when I put on a clean shirt – a shirt that was dirty and wrinkled a few days ago, and now is clean without a single wrinkle. My wife does tons for me that I don’t really notice or take as my due. Still, she lets me stay. I guess I take that for granted too! I take tomorrow for granted. I make plans for tomorrow. Save for tomorrow. Talk about tomorrow like it’s already here. I sometimes live for tomorrow, but there’s no guarantee I’m going to arrive there. My wife says if I continue to leave my clothes lying around, she can guarantee I won’t arrive there. When I ﬂy in an airplane, I take it for granted that I will arrive at my chosen destination. I’ve never met the pilots of the plane. I could pass them on the street and not even know them. I put my life in the hands of total strangers, which means I take strangers for granted too. When a light turns red, I take it for granted the trafﬁc will stop so I can go

“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. Limited Edition

128 pages

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SENIOR LIVING

MAGAZINE

A Collection of Published & Unpublished Writings by Senior Living Columnist Gipp Forster

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Photo: Krystle Wiseman

TAKEN FOR GRANTED

forward on the green. I even take for granted that my car will start each time I turn the key in the ignition. And I’m indignant if it doesn’t! I guess living in the free world, and especially in North America, we take life for granted – or at least what we consider life. Three meals a day with snacks in between; Gas, oil or electric heat, a refrigerator, a stove with an oven, a television, a radio and a stereo; And now there’s the Internet, fax machines, voicemail, cellphones and digital cameras! It’s hard to keep up with what we take for granted these days. But it sure is good to have so much to take for granted. In other parts of the world, starvation and privation are taken for granted. So are disease and suffering. I think we should stop each day and thank the good Lord for the many things we take for granted and make our lives easier. But, then again, perhaps we take Him for granted too. Well, I guess we’ll all keep moving along taking all the new things that seem to pop up every day for granted. But we can’t take all things for granted for all time. For instance, I went in search of the old chip wagon recently. You know, those carts that went from corner to corner selling hot-to-touch fries, shaken into a cone of brown waxed paper and then showered with vinegar and salt. There wasn’t one to be found! They say the good die young. SL Pity!

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enhancing lives. The Kensington 250-477-1232 3965 Shelbourne Street, Victoria Parkwood Court 250-598-1575 3000 Shelbourne Street, Victoria

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www.reveraliving.com

Lifestyle Retirement Community Managed by Revera

Our residences offer a range of retirement living options to suit your unique tastes and needs. At Revera, your options may be endless, but your choice is easy.

V i c t o r i a ’s P r e m i e r R e t i r e m e n t R e s i d e n c e

Nowhere else. Can give you all this. As a resident of Berwick Royal Oak, you will enjoy unprecedented amenities, – and it all starts with our well-designed, spacious and bright suites – each a sheer joy to live in. Compare amenities such as our charming in-residence pub, our Art Deco-inspired theatre, and beautiful gardens and you’ll quickly discover that Berwick Royal Oak is beyond compare.

EA RI VI NG SI T CO US M TO PL DA ETI Y. ON .

We are nearing ﬁnal completion of our residence and grounds, so now is the time between 10am and 4pm daily.

4680 Elk Lake Drive, Victoria. Call 250-386-4680 www.berwickrc.com

to start enjoying life to its fullest. Call 250-386-4680 for a tour or drop in