Kamloops Connector June 2023

D

ads do a lot for their families, and Father’s Day is the perfect time to acknowledge those efforts. The days when dads would receive a colourful necktie for Father’s Day are largely (and, for fathers, thankfully) a relic of the past. Modern Father’s Day celebrations tend to involve more careful planning, and the following are some ways to make this year’s day for dads one to remember.

in his life. This presentation can be accompanied by a subscription to a genealogy service and a tour of some of Dad’s childhood haunts before the family enjoys brunch or dinner in the neighbourhood where Dad grew up.

• Take Dad on a tour through his own history. The popularity of genealogy has skyrocketed over the last decade-plus, as various firms have made it easier than ever for individuals to trace their family histories. If Dad counts himself among the millions across the globe interested in their family histories, moms and kids can work together to create a virtual tour through that history. Present the history as a printed book or as a video, sharing interesting things you learned about Dad’s ancestors but also highlighting key moments• Take to the great outdoors. Father’s Day is celebrated in mid-June, making the day a perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors (weather permitting). Plan a day around Dad’s favourite outdoor activity. If Dad is an avid fisherman, book a family outing on a charter boat so Dad can focus on catching fish and not navigating. If Dad loves being in natural settings, camp out the night before Father’s Day so he can wake up to the sound of birds chirping in the crisp morning air. If Dad has a favourite baseball team, take him out to the ballgame so he can soak up some Father’s Day sun.

• Book a private chef. If Dad has a fascination with food, perhaps nothing can make Father’s Day more memorable than a delicious

meal served by a private chef. Private chefs will do all the work, giving moms and kids more time to spend with Dad throughout the day, and then the whole family can enjoy a special meal made by someone whose specialty is crafting delicious dinners. Offerings vary, but many private chefs handle all the cooking and cleaning. Identify Dad’s favourite dish and then look for a chef who specializes in that type of cuisine.

• Appeal to Dad’s inner adventurer. Some Dads may just want to relax on Father’s Day, while others may prefer a more adventurous celebration. If Dad falls into the latter group, book a fun and adventurous activity the whole family can enjoy together. A kayaking trip, a skydiving session, a round of paintball, or even tickets to a rock concert on Father’s Day weekend can connect Dad with his inner adventurer. There’s no shortage of ways for families to make this Father’s Day one Dad won’t soon forget.

Dave Obee shares his passion for family history Page 9 How do I get this no start to start

New Seniors’ Drop-In Program Page 11 BC Seniors: Falling further behind Page 207 Kidney

31, NO. 7

2022 POWERED BY KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK | A PROUD PART OF ABERDEEN PUBLISHING Starting and growing a food processing business with The Stir Page 2

The KAC’s Rivertown Players Page 9

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Walk celebrates 15 years

June 4th Page 12

June 2023

Memorable ways to celebrate Dad this Father’s Day

Starting and growing a food processing business with The Stir

By Ali MacBoudreau, Kitchen Coordinator, Kamloops Food Policy Council

Istarted my foodprocessing business, Honest Elixirs, in 2019. At the time, I knew almost nothing about starting a food processing or packaged food business. Truth be told, this is the way many, if not most, food businesses begin; they begin with passion, a great recipe, a family story, or a deep love of food. Food businesses don’t always start with a clear understanding of the industry, the regulations, or what it really takes to start and grow a business in this industry. It takes grit and a lot of love for food to get started.

But passion can only take a person so far! To grow a sustainable and profitable food processing business also requires a lot of resources and support. Starting any business can be overwhelming. Food processing in particular comes with an interesting set of challenges: different levels of food safety standards, federal packaging rules, wide ranging (and often slim) margins depending on how and who you’re selling to… it’s enough to stop some people from starting all together! When I was in the beginning stages of my business, I was searching for support and guidance. Around that time, I was given the opportunity to participate in a pilot project through the Kamloops Food Policy Council which looked at the feasibility of a food hub in Kamloops. The opportunity to be a part of that project and receive some coaching, while also helping to

inform the Kamloops Food Policy Council about what businesses like mine in Kamloops needed, came at the perfect time.

Back then, a physical food hub - a commercial kitchen space built specifically for food processorswas a far off goal, but the idea sounded like exactly what I needed. Suitable commercial kitchen space in Kamloops was very hard to find at the time. In my own business, I was renting out a commercial kitchen in a cafe, where I would work when the cafe was closed - often working late into the night or early morning, then packing everything up and hauling it all away with me. While I’m so grateful for that cafe and the opportunity it provided my business, it was exhausting not having a space that I could access whenever I needed it, and not having onsite storage for my product, equipment, and ingredients. Many

other business owners that I met were having similar challenges finding suitable, affordable kitchen space.

Fortunately for food businesses starting out now, the dream of a Food Hub in Kamloops has become a reality with the opening of The Stir - a food hub for the Kamloops region, developed and run by the Kamloops Food Policy Council. The Stir provides businesses with just what I was looking for back in 2019: a state of the art kitchen with specialized processing equipment, accessible 24/7, with a variety of onsite storage options. A Food Hub takes a lot of the risk out of

starting a business, as entrepreneurs don’t have to invest in their own equipment or facilities. It also provides its members with mentorship, support, and a network of other entrepreneurs to help you on your journey.

I now have the pleasure of working at The Stir as the Kitchen Coordinator, while continuing to run Honest Elixirs. It’s exciting to get to meet and work with local entrepreneurs who are in varying stages of their businesses, and to witness their growth. There are so many benefits to renting The Stir, and I’m thrilled that businesses now have this option that I

could only dream of a few years ago!

If you have a food idea that you are passionate about, something that you make for friends and family and everyone tells you is amazing, or maybe a product that you’ve been selling at markets but are ready to take furtherreach out to The Stir! We’d love to see you turn that idea into a reality and we have the resources and experience to help you out. You can email me at kitchen@ kamloopsfoodpolicy council.com or check out our website: https://www.thestir. kitchen/.

Garlic Roasted Radishes Recipe

Roasting radishes brings out the sweetness that is otherwise masked by the peppery kick that radishes are known for. This must-try recipe will turn anyone into a radish lover!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh radishes, stems removed, ends trimmed, and halved

• 1 tablespoon melted ghee, butter coconut oil or avocado oil)

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley, dried chives, or dried dill or mix

• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

* Optional toppings: Ranch dressing or drizzling or garnish of fresh parsley, dill, or chives

**Prep: 10 mins. Cook: 15 mins. Servings: 4 servings**

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425℉. In a bowl, combine the radishes, cooking fat (ghee, butter or oil), dried herbs, salt, and pepper; toss until the radishes are evenly coated. (Note: don’t add the minced garlic until step 3).

2. Spread radishes out in a single layer in a large 9×13 inch baking dish.

3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. After the first 10 minutes of baking add the minced garlic and toss. Return to oven to bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until radishes are golden brown and easily pierced with a fork.

4. If desired, serve with ranch dressing for dipping or drizzling on top and garnish with fresh parsley, dill, or chives.

Source: https://therealfooddietitians.com/garlic-roasted-radishes/

Source: https://therealfooddietitians.com/garlic-roasted-radishes/

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Making the most of it

AVoices of Experience

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My two cents

Moneca Jantzen Editor

s I mentioned in my previous column, I opted to treat myself to a few days at Sparkling Hill Resort & Spa for my 60th birthday and Mother’s Day. I took my 24-year-old daughter along with me and we had a wonderful few of days of indulgence and pampering. As I am typically quite boring and pragmatic in my day to day life, I have to say that I found it somewhat challenging to just give myself over to the experience and thoroughly enjoy myself. Don’t get me wrong — I loved our time there. The food was incredible, the service was great, the spa was amazing. I loved the pool, the saunas and the steam rooms. I had fantastic spa treatments all from the same person and she was warm and personable and I could tell that she truly cared about what she was doing. (Thank you Kelly!) The view of the lake from our room was stunning, however scarred by the wildfires from 2 years ago, and we had perfect weather the entire time we were there. The rooms are simple but elegant and the use of crystals throughout the resort and specifically the rooms is uniquely timeless. The bed was perfect, so much so that I looked to see what kind of mattress it was, but sadly it is custom-made and branded by the resort so I’ll never know exactly what combination of springs and foam provided my perfect slumber.

I spent time in the tea room between treatments and throughout had the opportunity to bond with my kiddo in a new setting. We went for a couple of short hikes around the resort but remarkably we got lost on one occasion near dusk and had to phone and ask them to rescue us from the bottom of a long hill on a road we shouldn’t have taken. Oops! The hotel staff were very gracious and even brought us each bottle of water despite the imposition of searching for us. Embarrassed and grateful, we cleaned ourselves up and still made our final dinner reservation no worse for wear.

Unless I win the lottery I’m not sure if I will ever get a chance to go to a place like Sparkling Hill again, but perhaps if I save my pennies and try a slightly shorter stay it could be in my future again. I’m sure it is like most treats in life where the memories of the experience will linger. My time in Mali, West Africa. My couple of trips to Mexico. All my travels across Canada and the US. Anytime I’ve done something drastically different from my daily routine, it tends to stick with me—so clearly the goal should be to just keep striving for new experiences and those experiences don’t always have to cost megabucks. Just trying new-to-me spa treatments was significant like Reiki and Reflexology. The Himalayan Detox was incredible. I think my skin is still glowing two weeks later!

I have zero regrets for treating myself and my daughter to this particular trip but next time I will banish the voice in my head that worries about the final bill. Not recklessly, of course, but some things are just worth embracing wholeheartedly and without boundaries — a life lesson I have clearly struggled to learn.

As we head into the summer months, let’s embrace them with a sense of adventure and try to keep life interesting. It’s too easy to stick with routine and all that is familiar. Kamloops and BC offer amazing opportunities to do awe-inspiring things and they’re all right under our nose. Celebrate Dad by doing something unique. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have tickets to some Memorial Cup games happening right now. Do something fun no matter how big or small. Find some joy in these crazy times where everything seems a little discombobulated politically and socially. Happy Father’s Day and Summer Solstice. Make the most of it. You deserve it.

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Editor: Moneca Jantzen editor@connectornews.ca

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BC Interior Community Foundation to distribute over $654,000 in Grants, Scholarships, and Bursaries to the Thompson, Nicola and South Cariboo Region

Kamloops, BC -

The BC Interior Community Foundation has announced that they have $654,000 available to distribute for grants, scholarships, and bursaries to the Thompson, Nicola, and South Cariboo. The annual distribution is part of the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to support the communities it serves by providing financial assistance to charitable organizations and individuals.

“We are thrilled to be able to distribute these funds to the people and organizations that make our communities so special,” said Greg Peace, President of the BC Interior Community Foundation. “This annual distribution is just one way in which we can help to achieve our goal of making a meaningful difference in the lives of those in our region.”

Peace added, “We couldn’t do it without

the generous support of our donors, who have established and contributed to funds that support our mission.”

The BC Interior Community Foundation is a philanthropic organization, located in Kamloops, that aims to make significant, positive impacts in the communities they serve for generations to come. The Foundation achieves its mission by building and managing endowment funds, which are invested to generate income that is then distributed to support charitable organizations and individuals.

The Foundation’s distribution includes grants to local charitable organizations, providing much-needed financial assistance to those that are working in a wide range of areas, including health and wellness, education, arts and culture and the environment.

In addition to grants,

the Foundation also provides scholarships and bursaries to students who are pursuing postsecondary education. These scholarships and bursaries help to support the next generation of leaders.

“We are proud to support the educational aspirations of our youth,” said Peace. “By providing these student awards, we are helping to create opportunities for individuals to reach their full potential and contribute to the future prosperity of our communities.”

BC Interior Community Foundation is committed to building a better future for our region by investing in the people, projects and programs that make it a great place to live, work, and play.

For more information about the BC Interior Community Foundation and its programs, please visit www.bcicf.ca.

The first annual disbursement cheque was presented to the Kamloops Festival of the Performing Arts committee on Wednesday, May 10th. BC Interior Community Foundation secretary Cara Gates proudly presented a cheque for $2021 to KFPA members Joanne Denstedt and Annette Glover, president. This annual funding is made possible through two funds held at BCICF - the Sons of Norway, Leif Erikson Lodge Fund and the Kamloops Festival of the Performing Arts fund.

Ranking your goals: A smart move

CHIANNE V. JONES Financial Advisor

Like most people, you may have several financial goals. But can you reach them all?

It would be simple if you had great wealth. But you’ll likely need to rank your goals in terms of their importance to your life and then follow appropriate strategies to achieve them. By doing so, you may end up getting pretty close to covering each of your objectives, in one way or another.

When prioritizing your goals, consider following this process:

Identify goals as “must have” or “nice to have.” Making sure you don’t outlive your resources is a must-have goal, so you need to be as certain as possible of achieving it. On the

other hand, a niceto-have goal might be something like buying a vacation home. If you don’t attain the money needed for this goal, you do have room to compromise, perhaps by scaling down to a smaller home in a different area or just renting a place for a few weeks a year. Having this flexibility can provide a psychological benefit, too. Since this goal doesn’t have an either-or outcome, you won’t have to feel that you failed if you don’t get the big vacation home – instead, you can still enjoy the results of your investment efforts, even at a more modest scale.

Put “price tags” on your goals. You need to know what your goals will cost. Even if you can only make an estimate, it’s essential to have some figure in mind. As time goes by, you can always revise your projected costs. To arrive at these price tags, you may want to work with a financial professional who has the tools and technology to create hypothetical

illustrations and scenarios. Follow an appropriate strategy. The nature of your goals and their estimated cost will drive your investment strategy. So, for example, using the must-have goal mentioned above – the need to avoid outliving your money – you’ll want to balance your growth objectives with your comfort with risk, as well as maintain an appropriate withdrawal strategy when you’re retired. However, for a niceto-have goal, such as your vacation home, perhaps you don’t need the same urgency –consequently, with part of your portfolio, you might be able to take more risk in hopes of greater returns. And if you fall short, you can always go with Plan B – i.e., the smaller home or the rental experience. But if your “nice to have” is closer to a “must have” in this area as well, you might want to focus less on achieving greater returns and instead look at ways of

adjusting your budget to save more. Monitor your results. As you pursue your goals, whether must have or nice to have, you’ll want to check your results regularly. If you think you’re not making enough progress toward your desired goal, you may need to make adjustments. But don’t overreact to short-term swings in the financial markets or in the value of your portfolio, or take on an inappropriate amount of risk. When trying to reach your goals, you can alter your path, but it’s usually not a good idea to change directions altogether. The decisions involved in identifying, prioritizing and achieving your goals can be somewhat involved. But by following a welldesigned process, you can help yourself get to where you want to go.

Member Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Member – Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

Financial focus

Planning ahead in a digital age

live forever. As we get older we realize that isn’t the case. We plan ahead for most eventualities, being sick, being disabled or even death. It’s something none of us enjoy thinking about or planning for, however, it is the price of getting older.

and bills that we pay electronically sometimes automatically. So how do we plan for this?

I want to state this is certainly not legal advice, merely what my own dad did to make things easier for me when his time came.

my situation was a lot easier. Siblings and other relatives would have complicated matters greatly.

When we’re young we think we’ll

One part most people never plan for is the end of their digital life. We have friends online, communities

First he put my name on his bank accounts, as the executor it made paying bills easier. I was also the sole beneficiary so

Passwords are an issue techs see a lot. Some are easier than others. Using a face, image or fingerprint is secure but also makes it harder for those dealing with your affairs, or the techs they hire. Again I can only draw on my own experiences in this

matter. My dad kept a list of passwords in a notebook in his room, also lists of people and email addresses. Another option is providing a list to your attorney to be handed over to your executor or executrix. This makes sure they can access your accounts, online communities to announce your passing, or even with power of attorney to give your virtual friends

an update on your condition should the need arise.

Wiping a hard drive is simple, gaining access without destroying data is trickier, especially while remaining in the realm of ‘legal’ methods. None of us like planning for these eventualities but once you do it will be a lot of stress out of your life and put your loved ones at ease too. .

THAT TECH GUY JEFFREY READE

Comfor t Keepers

Beneficiaries

• How can I be fair to my children?

• Do I include grandchildren? Stepchildren? Pets?

Legal Ease

KERRI D. PRIDDLE

When we are preparing our Estate plan (what we want done with our assets when we pass on) so many questions may come to mind:

• What will my spouse need to maintain our standard of living without me?

If a Will is not properly prepared and all circumstances are not properly considered, all sorts of unintended consequences can arise.

Jointly held assets, tax consequences, unequal division of assets, previous loans – all of these issues can result in your estate not being distributed how you intended it. The way the estate is distributed may not be adequate for a spouse or child’s

needs, or they may be excluded altogether based on the effect of the unintended consequence.

In such a circumstance, your beneficiaries will have to ask the Court to review the situation and vary the terms of the Will to provide them with a remedy. This is time consuming and expensive – a trial can take years to get to and the cost of litigation may take up a great portion of the estate that you meant to flow to your beneficiaries.

Not all unhappy beneficiaries can go to the Court to ask to

vary the Will in their favour – only natural or adopted children and spouses may do so. Spouses include same-sex spouses and common law spouses of 2 years or more. There are strict timelines to take legal steps to vary the terms of a Will. If you are the child or spouse of the Deceased and the terms of the Will are such that the estate is not being distributed in a manner that is adequate or fair, get legal advice. It is so important to do so right away and protect your legal rights that you may exercise as beneficiary.

The world of floor transitions

a seamless look, we must select the appropriate transition for the application by evaluating the height, size, and colour of the flooring transition.

Transition Between Similar Materials

Our flooring would seamlessly flow from one room to the next in a dream scenario. In the real world, that may not always be possible as different rooms have different flooring or even different flooring types. With this in mind, how do we transition from one room to the next without sacrificing a nice clean look? In order to achieve

Although you may not need a transition strip between materials of the same thickness, you may still want to consider using one. There are two reasons for this. One, proper transitions cover the seams that have been used for expansion gaps between the flooring types. Secondly, a transition piece helps to blend the two flooring types together. A common transition type used in this case is a t mold. T molds can be made of many different materials and at many

thicknesses as low as 1mm high, which makes them a great option for a seamless finish. Most flooring manufacturers make either matching or coordinating transitions in the colour of the flooring you select to ensure the transition is visibly appealing.

Transition Between Different Materials

In this scenario, a transition strip is almost always required. There are a couple of reasons for this. One, different flooring materials need an edge to help with the protection of the flooring product. You would never want to leave an edge unfinished as it can be damaged or chipped which will cause an unsightly look. Two, since different

flooring materials may not have the same thickness, a transition will help hide this. When a height difference is the case, we will use a transition known as a reducer to account for this change. We can find many styles in these transitions from metal, hardwood, engineered wood, laminate, and vinyl transition strips. Selecting the proper transition can almost be as important as selecting the right flooring. Our goal is to have the transition chosen match the look and feel of, not only, the flooring but the surrounding home décor itself. As always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call or stop by our showroom.

Flooring PAUL MORRIS Nufloors

The KAC’s Rivertown Players

by Keiko Bolen, Kamloops Arts Council

Each summer, the Kamloops Arts Council puts together an acting troupe known as the Rivertown Players, which is composed of post-secondary theatre students who work tirelessly to present accessible, free, family-friendly theatre performances at parks and events throughout Kamloops. After a year of innovative virtual performances, the Rivertown Players are thrilled to be returning to local parks and other outdoor venues live and in person! Under the tutelage of a local theatre professional, the students create a full-scale production from scratch, which they then perform live five days a week. From scripts to sets to

costumes to direction, the students are involved in every aspect of theatre production and learn just what it takes to mount a series of plays on a tight schedule.

The troupe’s debut performance kicks off at Art in the Park as a part of the Canada Day festivities and from there can be spotted all over Kamloops and the surrounding areas. Previously, the Rivertown Players have taken to the stage at Sun Peaks, Overlander Days, and a variety of local parks all over Kamloops, delighting audiences both young and young-at-heart with their interactive shows, songs, and stories. While performances are targeted at children, the Players encourage audiences of all ages

to soak up the sun during one of their comedic, one-of-akind productions. Performances typically last anywhere from thirty to sixty minutes and can cover a wide variety of topics such as environmentalism, friendship, and everybody’s favourite, superheroes. With the guiding hand of Randi Edmundson, Artistic Producer for Project X Theatre, at their disposal, the Rivertown Players are sure to create some highly inventive stories this season.

Entering its 23rd year, the Rivertown Players hopes to continue to foster the talent of the next generation of performers while simultaneously providing entertainment and inspiration for

Curbside Organic Waste Collec tion

Coming

children and families. Participants have brought the tools honed in the program to their professional careers as drama teachers, artistic producers, directors, playwrights, designers, actors, screenwriters, and facilitators. An

important fixture in the live theatre community, it is a delight to welcome the return of the Rivertown Players to our local public spaces.

For more information, visit https:// kamloopsarts.ca/ program/rivertown-

players/. If you’re interested in sponsoring the Rivertown Players, please contact Tanya Nielsen, KAC executive director at 250.372.7323 or at info@ kamloopsarts.ca.

How do I get this no start to start

By Gary Miller, Retired Service Advisor & Certified Automotive Specialist

Iwill start out with an old but current day practice for today’s vehicles, but does not apply to electric vehicles by the way. There is a slightly practised procedure of moving around a vehicle in short little hops of a hundred metres or less and then shutting off the engine and then doing the same procedure again minutes later. Eventually you will come across or introduce yourself to a “no start” condition caused from either a dead battery or the ugly “flooded engine”. As I have mentioned in previous articles, a battery is like a bank account where you make electrical

withdrawals and deposits. If you take too much out you get a clicking or no-start condition which can only be properly corrected by fully charging the battery and I don’t mean just a boost. Boosting a battery is like a temporary loan, once the cables from the start vehicle are detached you instantly lose your source of energy reserve. If you keep the vehicle running a minimum of 1/2 hour, and the charging system is not faulty, you may be making a small electrical deposit into your own battery/ reserve system. The other more major issue is flooding the engine. Many of us older

people are familiar with pre-fuel injection days when an engine was fed by a carburetor. Its job was to supply an air fuel combination to the engine as needs required for it to run. This flooding condition during start up, especially of a cold engine, was more prevalent with carburetors because you had to utilize a starting mechanism called a choke which had no correlation between the temperature outside compared to what the engine temp was like. Why? It was controlled by humans, not a coolant sensor. If an engine got too much fuel on startup it would flood and foul the spark plugs

and if there was not enough fuel there was also a no start due to starvation.

We will discuss how to clear a flooded engine. In those days the practice was to hold your foot to the floor, crank over the engine for up to 15 seconds or until the vehicle started which ever came first. If it did not start it is imperative that you do not turn off the key or lift up on the gas pedal, the engine is needing extra air and that is what you are doing with an open throttle. Wait 30 seconds then try it again, chances are good if you followed procedures it will start with a lot of smoke which will clear up within half a minute.

Utilizing the known procedures for older vehicles, today’s fuel injection manufacturer’s have built into the computer system a “clear-flood mode” which will perform the same restart function as the old carb system but works for the newer ones. Just be sure to follow the – Step 1. Crank for 15 seconds with your foot to the floor, if there is a no start – Step 2. Do not turn off key or lift foot for 30 seconds. Re-do steps one and two as necessary until start up.

Any questions or concerns please contact me at bigsix8280@yahoo.ca.

Benefits of

As we age and begin to lose our mobility and sense of balance, bathing can not only become difficult but also a cause of additional stress and anxiety. Fear of falling and a fear of not being able to get out of the tub are two of the most common occurrences with many of our seniors today Walk-in tubs have become extremely popular in the last decade and estimates show that people who go ahead and install a walk-in tub in their homes today, will be able to live independently for an additional five years.

Walk-in tubs are exactly what the name implies, tubs that have large doors that open, and you simply walk in and sit down on a 17-inchhigh seat. You close and lock the door and the tub fills rapidly while you are sitting comfortably

and safely inside All the taps and controls are easily accessible at your fingertips. Once you are done your bath, turn the dial and the tub quickly drains and you simply open the door and walk out of the tub The various models all have numerous grab bars and non-slip surfaces making getting in and out worr y free. Walk-in tubs are designed for an aging population who desire to remain independent for many years to come Manufacturers have optional tub designs accommodating ever y shape and size of person and bathroom. There is a tub size that will fit in the space where your existing tub or shower is. Walk-in tubs can be as basic as a soaker tub to as deluxe as your own personal spa. Offering numerous options such as heated back, multi-

speed warm air jets, water jets, ozone, light therapy, aromatherapy, and more. The benefits of a walkin tub are numerous Many people crave being able to confidently have a bath again and find relief by just soaking in a warm tub. Owners say they believe they sleep better after a soothing bath. The warm air or water

jets give a deep massage and help to stimulate circulation, thus carr ying additional healing oxygen throughout the body to the hands and feet This has shown positive results increasing mobility and helping to relieve the pain and symptoms of such conditions as arthritis, chronic back pain,

fibromyalgia, diabetic and peripheral neuropathy, as well as various other acute and chronic conditions.

The Canadian Government website states that 1 in 4 seniors fall ever y year, and 25% of these falls are serious, leaving the victims permanently disabled and bedridden. A large percentage of these falls take place in the bathroom. Aside from all the pain and suffering it also ends up costing the Canadian medical system two billion dollars annually. Therefore, the British Columbia and Federal Governments are helping many people who decide to purchase a walk-in tub now The help comes in the forms of a tax credit, a Provincial Sales Tax waiver, and in certain qualifying cases a$7,500.00 Government Grant.

As we all age and the years fly by, many seniors are faced with the reality that taking proactive steps today and deciding to retrofit their homes with a walk-in tub is one of the best investments they can make to help them age in place, comfortably and independently in the home they love.

Sponsored content provided by Walk-in Tubs Thompson Okanagan.

K AMLOOPS’ BEST SELECTION OF VQA WINES AND BC CRAFT BEER

Kidney Walk celebrates 15

years

Join us on June 4th to celebrate this milestone

The Kidney Foundation’s annual Kidney Walk is marking its 15th anniversary this year, having raised a total of $3.6 million in support of people living with kidney disease. As the event returns to inperson, participants in communities across BC and Yukon are gearing up to celebrate their efforts once again on Sunday, June 4.

Linda Bonner-Brown, a Kidney Foundation volunteer of 26 years, is one of those people. Linda, who lives in Kamloops, has been an active champion of the Kidney Walk in Kamloops since it began, raising an incredible $55,000 for the cause.

The Kamloops Kidney Walk will be held at McDonald Park on June 4. Participants will register at 10:00 am and the walk starts at 11:00 am. A pancake breakfast for participants of the Kidney Walk will be available, by donation.

Participants also will celebrate Linda’s work as she is this year’s honouree for the Kamloops Kidney Walk. The Kidney Foundation of Canada, BC & Yukon Branch has named her an ambassador.

Linda knows all too

well how serious kidney disease is, having lost her husband, Doug, to the disease in January 2000. There isn’t a cure for kidney disease, which is far more common than people think, affecting one in 10 Canadians.

“Before my husband was diagnosed with kidney failure, I didn’t know anything about kidney disease,” Linda said. “When my husband started going to the hospital three times a week for dialysis, that is when I started connecting with other patients and knew then I needed to do whatever I could to help.”

Over the years, Linda has become a fixture in the community, demonstrating extraordinary passion and dedication to make a difference for kidney patients, including establishing Linda’s Team of Memories in memory of her husband and others in the community who have passed away from the disease.

She has spent countless hours helping to increase awareness about the importance of kidney health through media interviews and community outreach at her local hospital, community centres and

shopping malls.

“My greatest joy has been volunteering for the Kidney Foundation,” she added. “It saved my life after my husband passed away.”

“As a volunteer-based grassroots organization, the success of the Kidney Walk depends heavily on the support from members of the community, like Linda,” Marie Hesse, director of Community Initiatives at the BC & Yukon Branch of the Kidney Foundation, said.

“We could not do what we do without the thousands of volunteers, donors and sponsors who show up each year and contribute whatever they can to make a difference. Every dollar counts, and these funds have a direct and positive impact on kidney patients and their families who depend on our programs and services to help improve their quality of life.”

It’s not too late to register, get a team together, fundraise and join the 2023 Kidney Walk celebrations on June 4th in Kamloops. Together, we are stronger than kidney disease.

For more information on Kidney Walk, visit kidneywalk.ca.

Photo Credit: kidneywalk.ca

A COUNTRY BOY’S ADVENTURES

Story by Rita Joan Dozlaw

There were no swing sets, paved sidewalks nor storebought toys in Dean’s world. But, there was a landfill. That’s where his mom, Martha, said his creativity developed. All I know is it must’ve been a lot of fun, a long time ago, to be a little boy named Dean. Like the song goes, ‘Summer time and the living is easy,’ it was true in the ‘30s. It was easy because Dean’s mom was happy with her life; happy to be raising a son and watching a deeply spiritual nature grip her boy’s young heart. She enjoyed seeing the junkyard stuff, he found and hauled home, turn into something useful when he experimented with available-from-theneighbours’ tool kits. Regularly measuring his growth spurts, Martha charted his height and knew he’d be a tall slender lad some day and often told him and others that she was proud of him.

The family was comfortable living on a small acreage outside of Edmonton, Alberta. Their little corner of the world was heaven on earth. Besides keeping the home fires burning, Martha worked at the Great West Garment Factory in the big city. Dean learned to be independent and dependable. He had certain chores to do after school. In all four seasons, he fired up the wood stove and sometimes put a soup pot on it and boiled veggies from the root cellar.

The day came when, for the first time, the lad was tasked

to catch a lively hen from the pen. His mother showed him what to do with it and, without balking, he chased ‘Ralphine’ around the yard until, with his bare hands, he caught the feistyfeathered creature. Holding it away from his body by its legs and feet, he marched over to the wood pile and laid its balking head on the chopping block. To butcher it good n’ proper, he mustered the courage to hold it down with one hand and sling the hatchet with the other. The critter didn’t stand a chance; with one swing it was doomed to be cooked for dinner… or was it?

Something stranger-than-fiction happened. The headless creature fled from Dean’s grip, off the block, and out the gate! It reached the pot-holed country road just as a farmer clambered by in his jalopy. Lucky thing there were no people around to witness the zombie’s final slaughter. Splat! It wasn’t a pretty sight, and you don’t want to know what happened next…or do you?

Well, in case you’re curious, you might as well learn the rest of the story. Dean scooped the carcass up off the dirt, swung the fowl-smelling fowl by its deformed feet, and went inside the house. At the wood stove, where he left water boiling, he dangled the revolting carcass over the surface, let go of it, and slosh-dunked it through the rising steam and drowned it. The limp glob boiled for a long time before Dean got the nerve to haul it out.

Flinching from the heat, the boy fixed

his mind on how he’d seen his mother rip out the feathers. She’d sit on a bench outside and pluck away at them. So, with the bird on his lap and a bucket between his feet, he yanked at the plumage until the slimy thing was naked as the day it was born. Needless to say, if Dean had been a proud boy, he’d have heaved his torso like ‘Boy-marvel’, the hero in his comics, but he had other emotions about what he’d done. Later, at the dinner table, he lost his appetite and almost up-chucked when he saw the roasted bird on a platter. He couldn’t get the image out of his head of Ralphine, the headless hen, sprawled on the dirt road.

“C’mon Sonny, you have to eat to get big n’ strong!”

“I ain’t hungry mama, n’ I’m strong ‘nuf already!” He left the table and sat on the porch steps to settle his stomach. That night, he went to bed hungry. Saturday, as he tucked his allowance into his coveralls pocket, his mother suggested, “You can earn a good living, when you grow up, by raising chickens!”

“No thanks, mama, I’d rather be a pig farmer.”

Leaving his mom laughing, Dean rummaged through a box of junk in the shed. Anything electrical intrigued him and, among his salvaged ‘freebies’ from the junkyard, was a collection of wire strips, electrical fixtures and even some unbroken bulbs. He’d already figured out how to splice wires and had

run them across their back yard… taking the same route the clothesline took.

From the rigged up wires for lights in the house to lights out in the shed, Dean intended to wire clear out to the loo; he envisioned a hanging lightbulb! Shockingly, pardon the pun which I intended, during that summer’s worst electrical storm, Dean’s ingenious idea blew up in smoke.

To a guy years later, he told the unbelievable story.

“I declare to this day,” he swore, “I’m a lightning-strike survivor cuz the wires, or the shed, was hit while I was inside of it! Window glass blew out, and lights in the house went out. Ma’s radio went silent in the kitchen, and the charge damaged our shed; me n’ ma rebuilt it. Ma tells me I was knocked out cold, stunned ya know, from that jolt. On all fours, I laid flat-out on the floor, sprawled, like Ralphine, my smushed hen! Ma’s my hero cuz she not only got me back up and into the house but she brought me back to my senses!”

The ‘buddy,’ (some buddy!) blasted Dean, “I don’t know about that last comment, Dean! Ya never did have any sense in that no-good noggin’ o’ yers!”

Dean simply sat there remembering that he got the scare of his life and, following the storm, was numb with pain all over. He was always convinced that he could have been killed that evening but for the grace of the Almighty.

It’s the help, where and when you need it. Senior

Services:

• Transportation/help with errands and community activities

• Companionship

• Cooking

• Light household chores and cleaning

• Light yard work

• Help with technology

• Connecting you with activities you enjoy • And more!

Golden Seal Senior Support is passionate about helping seniors at affordable rates!

Give Christian a call to find out how he can help you today!

250-819-4450 goldensealkamloops@gmail.com goldensealsupport.com

ACROSS

1. Flat tableland with steep edges

5. Where there’s __, there’s fire

10. Talked incessantly

12. Skill

14. Without shame

16. Where teens spend their days (abbr.)

18. Boxing’s GOAT 19. Used to anoint 20. Cluster cups 22. Footballer Newton

23. They make up a forest

25. Split pulses 26. Self

27. Post-office box

28. Test for high schoolers

57. Atomic #52

58. Relating to position north of south of equator

63. Gadget whose name you forget

65. Another recording

66. Small blisters

67. Dark brown or black

DOWN

1. Licensed for Wall Street

2. “__ and flow”

3. A very large body of water

4. Accumulate on the surface of

5. Central cores of the stem

6. Angry

7. Ceramic jar

8. Scraped a car

9. __ route

36. Came from behind to win

39. Fall back

40. Nellie __, journalist

43. Great places to kayak

44. Suffer patiently

46. Majestic bird

47. Electroencephalograph

49. Organic compound used as an antiseptic

51. Objects connected to the web (abbr.)

54. Ship as cargo

59. The bill in a restaurant

60. Upper-class young woman (abbr.)

61. Judge in OJ Simpson trial

62. One’s grandmother

64. Siberian river

We

Everyone in the Community Why not COME AND TRY ONE OF THESE ACTIVITIES or just have a Visit

Our Ladies Auxiliary Gift Shoppe is open Tuesday – Friday from 10:00am to

10. Soviet labor camp system

11. Strong hostilities

13. Vitamin of the B complex

15. Go quickly

17. Toast

18. A team’s best pitcher

21. A Philly culinary specialty

23. Small child

24. Unhappy

27. Trims away

29. Characterized by crying eyes

32. Soft touch

34. American spy organization

56. Encourage

35. A person’s chest

Seniors’ Resource Centre - Salmon Arm

By Marilyn Brown

World’s Greatest Dad Jokes Appleseed Press Book Publishers 2021, 285 pages

Merritt Senior

SUDOKU

Father’s Day coming up soon may be a perfect time to increase your dad’s repertoire of cringeworthy corny jokes that make eyes roll. This little book is a compilation of humour that includes puns, tongue-twisters, absurdities, and unexpected answers to simple questions. The intent is to have some good clean fun with words and the illogic of a good joke.

The book is divided into three categories: Did you hear …?, Why …?, and What …? For example, “Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon? [Great food but no atmosphere.] Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl go to the bathroom? [Because the “P” is silent.] What do you get when you cross an insomniac, an agnostic, and a dyslexic? [Someone who stays up all night wondering if there really is a dog.]

Although it is correct that anyone can tell one of 350 plus jokes in this book, it is common knowledge that a dad is the fungi of the family! (This is my contribution to the genre.) After all, “What do you call it when someone who doesn’t have kids makes a Dad joke? [A faux pa.]

As a bonus to the aging dad, this book has only one or two jokes per page, so the font is easily readable!

Out of the ordinary

MUNICIPAL PENSION RETIREES ASSOCIATION

Kamloops Birdwatch

FMI:

2023 Payment Dates

January 27

February 24

March 29

April 26

May 29

June 28

Along cold winter. A spring, ignited. Sky rocketing temperatures then throw a lone American white Pelican trying to befriend a Great Blue Heron and everything is beginning to feel out of the ordinary!

July 27

August 29

September 27

October 27

November 28

December 20

On our first ride of the season, Daniel and I took off to inspect the newly reconstructed Highway 8. We passed the burnt out forest around Tunkwa Lake and despite the charred environment, it was teaming with

life. Woodpeckers, sapsuckers and creepers, alongside Mountain Bluebirds, Western Tanagers and Bullock’s Oriole dined on a smorgasbord of bugs and seeds. We rode past ponds teaming with Northern Shovellers, Northern Pintails and Cinnamon Teals. The charred earth is slowly beginning to be overtaken by vibrant green, and grown foragers like chipping sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, Robins and Western MeadowLarks flicking in and out of the rejuvenated landscape. Further down the road, chasms still remained scarred into the embankments from the torrid of water that rushed down the valley, reshaping the geography forever. But the downed trees piled up, still offer, food and shelter for

the plethora of birds and animals that were also affected.

Our little slice of earth has endured many out of the ordinary events over the past few years, leaving some to wonder, why the change? Seeing these areas once again erupting with life, made me ponder our reliance on “ordinary” or reliable pattern and routine. As a birder, it is second nature to assume that when I pass through an area I know what I “should” see and what would be considered “out of the ordinary.”

But as we rode along and I saw a lone American White Pelican seeking company alongside a Great Blue Heron, I began to realize the importance of how expecting the unexpected plays a role in the survival of many migrating birds. From colder migratory conditions,

to atmospheric rivers that cause a fallout, and monstrous forest eating fires that spew out plumes of thick smoke, birds must literally think on the fly and be prepared for whatever comes their way.

So the next time you feel down and out by the troubles life has thrown at you, just take a moment to ponder a migrating bird like the Ruby Throated Hummingbird, who flies 450 miles, non-stop over the Gulf of Mexico, battling 20 mile an hour headwinds and skimming just above the waves. Our reliance on the ordinary can often make us forget that we are capable, resourceful and most importantly, extraordinary creatures!

Stay curious Kamloops and never give up!

Happy Father’s Day Everyone!

Here we are beginning June and it has already been hot and “smokey” out there. All our activities welcome new folks to come and join. Just give us a call at 250372-5110 if you are unsure of the day and time or refer to our calendar in The Kamloops Connector

We are still open Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 1:00

p.m. for coffee and scones, muffins and sweets. We would love you to join us and visit for awhile.

Our activities are still taking place and welcoming everyone to join in.

Do refer to our calendar and feel free to come down and meet us and join in an activity or coffee/ tea. Our cookies and muffins are

sure to win your heart. Hope to see you soon.

Until next time, Happy Father’s Day and enjoy the beautiful sunshine

and first day of summer.

Don’t forget to slap on that sunscreen, wear a hat and drink plenty of water.

“ Thank you Kamloops for your support for the past 24 years. We will continue to serve and make a difference in our community.”

250-374-1191

Submitted by Penny Ouchi, Seniors’ Community Centre at Desert Gardens

If you have signed up for direct deposit, your Old Age Security (OAS) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payments will be automatically deposited in your bank account on these dates:

Wildfire Smoke and Your Health: A message from Health Canada

As summer begins, it’s important for us all to prepare for wildfire smoke. Wildfires produce thick smoke that can be a big source of poisonous air pollutants. This pollution contains gases and fine specks (not visible to the human eye) that enter our lungs and bloodstream, sometimes leading to serious health issues.

Smoke can carry hundreds or thousands of kilometres from the fire zone. There is no safe level of exposure for most of these pollutants. This means that smoke can damage your health even at very low levels. Air quality may go down even if you can’t see or smell smoke.

Everyone is at risk from wildfire smoke but especially small children, pregnant people, elderly people, people with existing lung or heart conditions and

people involved in outdoor work or sports. You can help raise awareness about this important subject. Please pass this information on to your organization’s members or post on your website, share through social media, or on bulletin boards.

What you can do:

1. Visit Canada.ca for resources such as our fact sheet Wildfire smoke 101: How to prepare for wildfire smoke, and our video Wildfire smoke and your health.

2. Speak with a health care provider about making a plan for wildfire smoke events if you or your family are in at-risk groups.

3. Learn how to use recirculation settings on your HVAC system to prevent smoke from entering your home.

4. Buy a clean, good quality air filter (for

example, HEPA filter) for your ventilation system or portable air purifier.

5. Make sure you have at least one working carbon monoxide alarm in your home.

6. If you can’t keep the air clean inside your home during a wildfire smoke event, look for places in your community where you can find clean air. Libraries, shopping malls and community centres often have filters and air conditioning that make them safe places to take a break from the smoke.

7. Download the WeatherCAN app, available on iOS and Android devices, to get free notifications about weather events, extreme heat and special air quality statements.

8. Learn how to use the air quality health index (AQHI) to check air quality conditions in your community.

9. If you are responsible for creating or managing community-based cleaner air spaces for wildfire smoke events, find advice and a checklist within the Cleaner Air Spaces Guidance.

A 10% penalty will be applied to any outstanding amounts (including outstanding Home O wner Grant amounts) after the due date.

You may claim a Home O wner Grant without mak ing a payment on your tax account. This will reduce your tax balance owing.

pm. Closed on statutor y holidays

You must apply for your Home O wner Grant direc tly with the Province The City of K amloops no longer accepts applications To avoid penalties and interest, apply with the Province before

about death and dying

Submitted by Erin Chambers, Life Coach/End of Life Doula

Let’s talk about death and dying. Are you curious about it? What do you want to know? Or is it uncomfortable for you? Making you think about stuff you’d rather not. Maybe you don’t know where to start, what to say or who you should even talk to. This is all normal stuff. Most people don’t want to talk about death because it is uncomfortable. Let’s face it, this subject is emotional, sensitive, vulnerable…hell, it can even become political. Who wants to open that can of worms? I mean, we’re going to die anyway, right?

Spoiler Alert: Talking about death does not make it happen. Sounds obvious, doesn’t it? However obvious it may be, we do need to rewrite our learning about death being an impermissible topic of discussion. I think one of the very important things to remember is to take small steps. Everyone’s threshold is not at the same level. Not every conversation

What’s the cost?

needs to be a deep dive. Not everyone’s starting point will be the same. Recognizing it might be difficult or emotional might be a good way to start, “I know this might be hard to talk about…” or “This is really important to me. I hope it doesn’t upset you to talk about this…” or “Hey…I want to have a living funeral. Did you want to help me plan it?” perhaps for those more at ease discussing end of life options.

The more we talk about death, the more we make it ‘normal,’ less awkward and more acceptable to those around us. We can then share a safe space to get vulnerable and talk about decisions and choices that are important to us.

Stay curious, keep having those conversations. Need support? Join my monthly Doula Chat. It’s held online the last Saturday each month. Register on my webpage: griefenergycoach.com.

End of Life Doula

outsideColouring the lines

REV. LEANN BLACKERT Wild Church

“If you pay attention, you’ll learn something every day.” After sharing these words, the tall elder wearing a brown Stetson cowboy hat sat down in his seat and another person stood to share. I was attending a workshop in Illinois down in the United States and never did hear what the second person said because I was writing down those words. I’d heard something similar from my grandfather and understood the wisdom of that simple declaration. All wisdom

teachers offer similar advice. Jesus often pointed to the natural world to make a point. When teaching about worry he said this: “So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat, drink, or wear. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but the Creator of all feeds them...And why do you worry about clothes? Look at the wildflowers in the field. See how they grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. If God makes what grows in the field so beautiful, what do you think

God will do for you?”

[Matthew 6:25-30]

I’m learning to pay attention. What did I learn yesterday? I learned that gnats can find you whether you are hiding in the shade or sitting in the sun. And gnats are annoying when they find you. They eventually drove me back into the house. I learned that those small, insistent annoyances can be circumvented by changing locations. So next time I find myself annoyed by something or someone’s actions, I’ll ask myself if a change in location is possible and if it might help.

I’m still on the watch for today’s lesson. But I’m paying attention. Because the paying part doesn’t cost me anything but maybe a bit of time for pausing and a little brain power for discerning what my attention is trying to

show me.

It’s what we do in our Wild Church gatherings – pause and pay attention. Creator’s wisdom is all around us in creation. Sometimes that wisdom comes from a wise elder sharing advice in a workshop far from home. Sometimes it comes from an observant loved one. And sometimes is comes from a swarm of gnats. What will you learn today?

Rev LeAnn Blackert works with Michele Walker, Lesly Comrie and Linda Clark in ministry with Wild Church in Kamloops, Sorrento and the Okanagan. She considers herself a seeker in her faith journey and wanders the wild world looking for the wisdom of Creator in creation. To find out more, visit wildchurchbc.com and be in touch!

Drake, should I sell my house and move away?

decisions. “Don’t do anything major for a year!” they say.

Other helpers advise Alice to just ‘go with the flow of the grief process.’ Some folks say she should go and live with her children on the other side of the province, country or world!

Director

Murray has just died. His widow Alice is receiving lots of support from friends and family. Her freezer is full of casseroles and pies; her friends don’t want her to starve now do they? Alice is overwhelmed by the generosity. But she’s noticed that something almost always accompanies the food: ADVICE! It almost always starts with “Alice, now that Murray’s gone, you should…”

Even the ‘grief experts’ (the ones who write books or give seminars) are full of ‘shoulds.’ Friends and experts tell Alice she should take time before making major

“That’ll do you good, Alice” they say. Still others say the ‘secret’ is to get through all the ‘firsts’ before making any major life changes. This includes the first birthday without Murray, first anniversary, first Christmas, etc. “Don’t do anything radical until you’ve gone through the ‘firsts,’” they proclaim.

Dear readers, if you recall I’ve been guilty of the ‘should syndrome’ as well. Remember about 25 columns ago I suggested that Alice might consider volunteering as a way to reconnect with the world and focus her mind on a new worthwhile purpose (helping others). Is that good advice?

Maybe yes, maybe no.

But there’s no denying that it’s a ‘should’! Recently I spoke with someone whose husband died about 10 years ago. Right after he died she contemplated moving back to Vancouver Island. “I’d lived there for years and really loved the nature there” she said. Friends advised her to stay put in Osoyoos for at least a year, so she did.

“I got involved in hobbies and served on committees in Osoyoos” she said. Years passed. She’s still in Osoyoos; she never moved back to Vancouver Island. “I’d still love to live on the Island” she said a few weeks ago, “but there’s no way I could afford it now.” The ship has sailed, if you’ll pardon the pun.

Would she have been happier had she moved to Vancouver Island shortly after her husband died, when she could still afford to? Who knows! But the point is she stayed in Osoyoos because friends told her she ‘should,’ at least for a

year. After that, the opportunity to move slowly slipped away. How does the subject of ‘shoulds’ affect you? What would (or should) you do if you find yourself in a similar situation? After thinking about this a lot I have come to this conclusion: perhaps we shouldn’t automatically follow advisors who tell us what we should do. Perhaps it’s a bit more complicated (and personal) than that. Whatever you decide to do when your Murray (or Alice) passes, I hope you make a thoughtful decision and – because you have ultimate control over your life – you look back on that decision knowing that you did the best you could at the time. There’s an old proverb (Proverbs 22:15) that says a wise person has many counsellors, so advice from others is definitely valuable. That makes sense to me. In the end, however, the decision is yours. I wish you well!

Explaining the summer solstice

ENJOY THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR!

Each year, people in the Northern Hemisphere eagerly await the arrival of the summer solstice. The solstice was a key cultural event in many ancient communities, but in modern times, it marks an opportunity to celebrate the arrival of summer as well as the longest day of daylight and the shortest hours of night. The summer solstice occurs as a result of the tilt of Earth’s rotational axis. According to Time and Date, as Earth orbits the sun over the course of each year, its axis always points in the same direction in space. The Northern Hemisphere angles toward the sun for half the year and away for the other half. When the North Pole is nearest to the sun, this is known as the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the solstices are reversed. The exact day that the solstices occur can vary by a day or two depending on the Earth’s rotation. For 2023, the summer solstice occurs on Wed, Jun 21, 2023 7:57 a.m.

Ask Drake DRAKE SMITH Funeral

Know the types of Hearing Loss

There are three types of hearing loss — sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss. It occurs when the inner ear nerves and hair cells are damaged perhaps due to age, noise damage or something else. Sensorineural hearing loss impacts the pathways from your inner ear to your brain. Most times, sensorineural hearing loss cannot be corrected medically or surgically, but can be treated and helped with the use of hearing aids.

Conductive hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss is typically the result of obstructions in the outer or middle ear perhaps due to fluid, tumors, earwax or even ear formation. This obstruction prevents sound from getting to the inner ear. Conductive hearing loss can often be treated surgically or with medicine.

Mixed hearing loss

Mixed hearing loss is just what it sounds like a combination of sen-

Degrees of hearing loss

There are four clinically labeled degrees of hearing loss:

Mild

If you have mild hearing loss, you may hear some speech sounds, but will have difficulty with soft sounds.

Moderate

If you have moderate hearing loss, you’ll struggle to hear/ understand speech when someone is talking at a normal level.

Severe

If you have severe hearing loss, you will hear littleto-no speech when spoken at normal levels, and hear only some loud sounds.

Profound

If you have profound hearing loss, you may only hear very loud sounds and no speech at all.

Bythetimewe reach65, one inthree ofus willhave a hearingimpairment.