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CONTENT
pAgE
04 How COVID-19 affects seniors differently
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06 Seniors safety during the coronavirus pandemic
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How can I protect myself against fraud?
pAgE 10 How seniors can prepare for natural disasters pAgE
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Home security
pAgE 12 Seniors Resource Centre reopened pAgE
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What should you keep in your emergency kit?
pAgE 14 Directory pAgE
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Power of attorney
pAgE 15 Seniors’ housing program ready to help
Neil Godbout Editor
03 Acceptance is next stage of coronavirus grief
pAgE 08 Never exercised? It’s not too late to get active
SeniorLiving 2020
Peter Kvarnstrom Publisher
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2020
Prince George Citizen
Acceptance is next stage of coronavirus grief
Tom Frieden - Special To The Washington Post
The five stages of grief provide a useful framework for thinking about crises caused by the pandemic. Although the concept sometimes oversimplifies a complex process, there are core truths: People tend to accept harsh realities gradually and with difficulty. People don’t necessarily proceed through all the stages or in linear order. But recognition of the pandemic’s impact, and widespread embrace of the final stage, acceptance, could speed our collective path to new, post-
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pandemic normal. COVID-19 has upended lives around the world. Millions of people are mourning deaths. Hundreds of millions have lost jobs. We are acknowledging, and grieving, these losses and the life rituals - family get-togethers, graduations, weddings - disrupted by the pandemic. No one has been unscathed. Familiar stages of grief have been visible. At first, world leaders and
even many experts in respiratory disease were in denial, hoping that the coronavirus would disappear. The pandemic provoked anger - at China, immigrants and the (essential) public health measures imposed to reduce spread. Some have tried to bargain, suggesting that the pandemic would be mild, harming “only” the elderly and infirm, or might even fizzle. Others succumbed to depression and considered giving up on control measures, hoping to magically achieve “herd im-
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munity.” These responses are understandable. But the sooner people come to terms with the reality of the pandemic, the quicker we can prepare for lasting changes to the ways we work, learn, relax, govern ourselves and even treat one another. Details will emerge in the coming weeks and months, but some aspects of our changed lives are already clear: There will cont. pg 7
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How COVID-19 affects seniors differently John W. Rowe Special to the Washington Post
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e have also learned a great deal since March about why seniors are so susceptible to COVID-19 - and which symptoms to look for when they present themselves at clinics and hospitals looking for help.
younger patients - fever, cough and shortness of breath. Seniors who came to hospitals or called their physicians were typically asked whether they had those symptoms and often replied that they did not.
With normal aging, we see progressive deleterious changes in our immune systems. One component, inflammation, is exaggerated with advancing age - a finding termed “ inflamm-aging” - which can worsen infections when we get them. Other components of our immune systems weaken with age because the cells that fight off invading organisms directly, or through release of antibodies, become less effective in old age. That’s why older people need stronger doses of the flu vaccine to elicit a protective response.
But many did complain of delirium, fainting or gastrointestinal symptoms. Because they did not have the symptoms that were required to be eligible for coronavirus testing, their infections often went undetected and were left to worsen without appropriate attention.
Another reason that aging complicates matters is that many diseases, and pneumonia in particular, have very different symptoms in the elderly than they do in the middle-aged. Many older COVID-19 patients did not present the “classic” symptoms so common in 4
These age-related differences are aggravated by the increased risk associated with severe underlying illnesses, such as diabetes; heart failure; lung, kidney or liver diseases; or cancer, especially those on treatments that might impair immune function. While it is likely a healthy 75-year-old is at less risk than a 60-year-old with a chronic disease, a 75-year-old with a chronic disease is at special risk. In addition, many elderly people share the same disadvantageous social determinants of health
that contribute to the special risks of populations, including the poor, who might have substandard housing, nutrition and access to health care.
social distancing and frequent hand-washing.
- Men are more susceptible than women.
Understanding an individual’s risk profile might become useful in allocating a vaccine when it becomes available. One can imagine the competing interests of health-care providers, chronically ill elderly people, and public health and public safety officers when the initial batches of vaccine become available.
- Obesity increases risk, at least in young and middle-aged adults (though not so much in seniors).
What can we do to protect older people, especially those at greatest risk?
- Having Type-A blood carries a 50 per cent greater risk of requiring respiratory support (such as a ventilator) when infected, while Type-O blood lessens that risk. (If you don’t know your blood type - and many do not - it is time to find out.)
We must heighten our detection of coronavirus infection through increased testing and education of health-care providers, particularly at nursing homes, regarding the signs and symptoms older patients might display.
Beyond these factors, several additional risk factors for severe COVID-19 have been identified, and more are sure to come:
- And a genetic marker, called ApoE4, which increases the risk of Alzheimer’s, also increases the risk of severe COVID-19. This makes individuals with dementia an ultra-high-risk group, especially given their difficulty in following guidelines such as
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All older people must receive the flu vaccine this fall, for if COVID-19 returns during a strong flu season, the effects might be devastating. John W. Rowe is a professor of health policy and aging at Columbia University and president of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics. Prince George Citizen
Prince George Citizen
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Seniors safety during the corona virus pandemic Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff
It’s not forever and it’s serious. That’s what B.C. Seniors’ Advocate Isobel Mackenzie has said about the coronavirus pandemic and what seniors need to do to stay safe even as restrictions are eased and stores and restaurants are open once again. B.C. residents 80 years and older are more vulnerable to the coronavirus as it is a respiratory illness. The mortality rate for seniors 80 years and older who
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get COVID-19 is 15 per cent, which is the same percentage that is seen for pneumonia. In response to the Provincial Health Officer’s limit on public gatherings, the Prince George seniors’ centres have recently reopened and are now limited to members gaining entrance with most offering pick-up only meals and no activities on the schedule as yet. Some centres have memberships of more than 1,000 people and some of them rely heavily on the
midday meal provided at low cost from Monday to Friday. Along with getting nutrition at the centres many socialize during time spent at the centres. Finding themselves with no where to go, self-isolating at home could be a mental health risk as well as a nutritional challenge. “The message to the whole Prince George community is we’re coming together now, it’s neighbour helping neighbour, really reach out to the elderly people you know in your life, whether they are family, neighbours and friends,” Mackenzie said. “Don’t assume they’re OK. Reach out, try to get phone numbers, knock on a door, leave a note under a door with your phone number - ‘give me a call, I want to make sure you’re OK.’ Once you establish those connections you can continue those connections.” There will be heightened anxiety amongst some seniors because COVID-19 is most serious for seniors, she added. Because it is a respiratory illness those most vulnerable are the elderly who have COPD, asthma, heart disease, diabetes and compromised immune systems, Mackenzie said. As far as dealing with the anxiety caused by knowing there is a risk regarding this new virus Mackenzie encourages seniors to talk to others about their concerns. “So if connections in the community are established neighbour to neighbour, family member to family member to say ‘I’ll go and get your groceries for you and I can put them away for you or even drop them off at the
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door for you’ and ‘I can go pick up your medications and bring them to you, I can make up some meals and bring them over’,” Mackenzie said. That’s the calm reassurance seniors need so they can feel good about continuing their isolation for their health’s sake. Mackenzie said it’s of the utmost importance that seniors stay connected to the community even if it’s just a phone conversation. The Prince George Council of Seniors has sent their volunteers home from the resource centre but the four staff members are in the restricted access office answering questions by phone Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are available in person by appointment only. The Friendly Phone Call program is in full swing as volunteers are working from home and are open to more seniors looking for some conversation. To request a friendly phone call seniors can call 250-564-5888. Other seniors will need help of a different kind. “Some seniors will just need people to look things up on the internet for them,” Mackenzie said. Because seniors will be more isolated than usual there is no one solution, she added. “All of us are part of the solution,” Mackenzie said. Reach out to seniors. “This isn’t for the rest of your life,” Mackenzie said. It’s important to keep ourselves safe and if not for ourselves for our loved ones - our loved ones want us to keep ourselves safe as well, she added. Prince George Citizen
cont. from pg 3
be more remote learning and telework and fewer in-person meetings. Travelers may have more space on planes, trains and buses. They’ll probably also face new barriers, including periodic border closures and quarantines. Schools and workplaces will better accommodate people vulnerable to severe disease, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. Universities may shift to more online learning; many could close or be forced to adopt different economic models, including lower tuition. Facilities will change, too: Chairs and tables can no longer safely be close together for now. More elevators and doors are likely to be made touch-free, hand sanitizer and masks will be abundant, and disinfection will become routine. Our leisure habits will shift. Instead of large indoor gatherings, we’ll enjoy the outdoors. We may go to fewer restaurants and bars, at least for a while, but, as many already have in lockdown, we’ll find alternatives to meaningfully
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connect with people and groups. When the gym reopens and I’m able to play squash again, my partners and I will skip a match if we feel unwell; we’ll enter the court through a sanitized doorknob, might wear masks and won’t shake hands after the game. Professional athletes will learn to compete without in-person spectators, at least for a time, and may skip the high-fives after touchdowns or home runs. In the long run, COVID-19 will make health care safer. Hospitalassociated infections have been a leading cause of death; as hospitals adopt measures to control COVID-19, they can reduce other preventable infections too. The pandemic could also make health care smarter: To improve personal and community resilience, people with chronic diseases need to receive better care. This crisis is poised to force overdue changes that will make health care more convenient and efficient, with clinicians shifting to telemedicine and administrators
making electronic health records interoperable. The pandemic may change where and how we live. Elderly people may increasingly choose to remain with family as they age rather than relocating to retirement communities or nursing homes. Cities may lose some of their lustre as density and public transit, once so central to urban life, may hamper efforts to tamp down disease transmission. When it comes to our collective investments, there may be more appetite to adequately fund global health and strengthen international institutions to protect against future threats. If we’re rational, we will address many gaps in epidemic prevention around the world, including support for communities and enforcement to close exotic animal markets. Perhaps there will be broader recognition that government has essential, irreplaceable functions - and should be held accountable for protecting citizens.
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Of course, effective treatment could minimize the health and economic harms of the pandemic. And if a safe, effective and accessible vaccine is developed, we could return to a largely preCOVID reality, with most people gaining appreciation for the value of vaccines. But at this point it’s clear: Our lives will be altered by the pandemic for months or years to come. As a society, we may become more reliant on younger people and those already exposed to the virus, and more attentive to shielding the vulnerable. Caring for others and prioritizing the collective good could lead to a positive societal change: First by necessity and then by choice, we may come to accept that we are all in this together.
- Tom Frieden is a former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a former commissioner of the New York City Health Department.
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Never exercised? It’s not too late to get active Marissa Cruz Lemar - Special To The Washington Post
Diana Bridger was 59 years old and a self-described “committed couch potato” when she saw a photograph of herself at a birthday party and decided she needed a lifestyle change. “I thought, ‘I need to just move,’” she said. “If I lose weight, great. If not, that’s fine. But I need to get moving, just for my health.’ “ Although she had never been active, Bridger, a retail store manager, signed up for a group fitness class. “I had to force myself to walk in,” she said. The workout, which involved a treadmill, rowing machine and free weights, was challenging. But she was hooked. And after six months, she was confident enough to try something she had always wanted to do: a 5K race. She hasn’t stopped running since. Her new active lifestyle, she said, has benefited her physically and emotionally. If you’re a sedentary adult, as Bridger was, meeting the recommended goals of at least 150
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minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week may seem overwhelming. You may even think there’s no way you can counter years of inactivity. But Bridger’s experience illustrates what recent research is showing us: It’s never too late to start exercising and reap the health rewards. Consider a study published last year that looked at the activity levels of 315,059 participants from 50 to 71 years old at four different points in their lives (15 to 18; 19 to 29; 35 to 39; and 40 to 61). Researchers found that the participants who were previously inactive but increased their physical activity in later adulthood (40 to 61 years old) to four to seven hours per week had a 35 per cent lower mortality risk than those who remained inactive. Participants who were already active and maintained their exercise levels into later adulthood achieved a 29 to 36 per cent lower risk. The fact that older adults who had maintained their exercise levels and older adults who were new to exercise
experienced a comparable lower risk of mortality suggests midlife is not too late to start physical activity. A University of Cambridge study of 14,599 adults aged 40 to 79 published this year reached similar conclusions. Researchers found that adults with cardiovascular disease and cancer gained substantial longevity benefits by becoming more active, regardless of their past physical activity levels. Those who had been inactive at the start and increased to an average of 30 minutes of moderate activity per day showed about 24 per cent lower mortality risk. “There are clearly benefits at all levels [of activity],” said lead researcher Soren Brage, a principal investigator with the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge. “The most encouraging is you don’t have to be a super-athlete, and it’s never too late.” And the health benefits were seen no matter a participant’s body mass index, blood pressure or cholesterol. “Even if you have an established risk factor profile, you will still reap
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the benefits of increasing activity levels,” Brage said. The health benefits of starting to exercise later in life specifically extend to the heart and muscles, research shows. A 2018 American Heart Association study of 61 healthy but inactive adults ages 45 to 64 found that participants who started exercise were able to reverse the cardiac effects of sedentary aging. Those who exercised showed a 25 per cent improvement in elasticity of the left ventricular muscle of the heart - the chamber that’s responsible for pumping blood out to the rest of the body, said Benjamin Levine, director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine in Dallas. Restoring the heart’s elasticity prevents the increase in cardiac stiffness that’s linked to sedentary aging. There is one caveat, however. Because the stiffening of the heart starts in late-middle age, training needs to start before it’s too late, Levine said. That means before age 65, while the heart retains plasticity and the ability to remodel itself. “Older
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individuals get heart failure not because their hearts stop pumping well, but because the hearts become hard and stiff,” Levine said. “There’s no medication that treats that problem,” so prevention through exercise training is the key. As for the muscles, researchers from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom compared “master athletes,” men between 60 and 80 who had undertaken high-level endurance training at least twice a week for at least 20 years, with men the same age who didn’t have a regular workout routine. The study, published in Frontiers in Physiology last year, concluded that both groups had equal ability to build muscle in response to exercise. In a statement, lead researcher and senior lecturer Leigh Breen said: “Our study clearly shows that it doesn’t matter if you haven’t been a regular exerciser throughout your life, you can still derive benefit from exercise whenever you start.”
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Bridger said exercise has helped relieve her migraines. Her back issues, including arthritis and a herniated disk, have also improved. Becoming stronger continues to motivate her to try new things, including longer race distances (10K) and stand-up paddle boarding. “I never felt fit enough to even attempt something like [paddle boarding],” Bridger said. During a recent lake trip, however, “I knew I was strong enough to get up on the board. I loved it!” Bridger rejects the idea that there’s anything special about her. “I want people to know my age, and that at [almost] 60, I actually could make these improvements,” she said. “If I can do it, anybody can do it.” Here are tips for establishing a safe and sustainable exercise routine. Start slowly. “Some exercise is better than none,” said Pedro F. Saint-
Maurice, lead researcher for the JAMA study and postdoctoral fellow with the National Cancer Institute. If you can’t get 30 minutes a day from the beginning, progress slowly and gradually increase your exercise. In the AHA study, for example, researchers progressively increased participants’ activity over six months, ultimately reaching a sustainable practice of 30 minutes of exercise per day, four or five times a week. Starting slowly is not only safer for a previously inactive body, but it helps keep you from getting discouraged if you try to do too much too fast. Think beyond formal exercise. Don’t limit yourself to structured workouts. “It’s very important to try and incorporate activity into daily routines,” Brage said. “There are opportunities for being a little active in every domain in life,” such as parking a little farther away, taking the stairs more frequently or adding walk breaks to your workday. And all
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those small bursts of activity add up. Mix it up. Include a variety of cardio, strength training and stretching, and include moderate- and high-intensity workouts to get the best impact. Multiple study results demonstrate that there are whole-body impacts to starting exercise, so incorporate all styles of activity to achieve the best results. Enlist a partner. Exercising with a friend or family member can keep you motivated and consistent. Bridger, for example, was intimidated to start running at first, limiting her runs to nighttime when no one would see her. But when a neighbor learned Bridger was starting to run, she suggested they run together. Eighteen months later, the two have shared countless miles of encouragement and support, and Bridger has completed 18 races.
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HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF AGAINST FRAUD? PHONE FRAUD 1 Do not give out your credit card information or other types of personal or financial information over the phone. 2 Resist the pressure to “act now”. If you are being pressured to make a decision about a big purchase immediately, then it probably is not a legitimate deal. 3 If you are suspicious about the person you are talking to, HANG UP! EMAIL AND MAIL FRAUD 1 Never provide your PIN, banking passwords, or SIN, in an email. 2 Check to see that you have received all statements and bills that you are expecting. 3 Carefully review all your statements and bills. 4 A missing statement could be a sign that a thief is taking your mail. 5 Sign all credit cards and debit cards as soon as you receive them. 6 Destroy or shred all your account statements and bills before you throw them away. This includes applications for credit you receive but do not use. AREA CODE SCAM Individuals receive a message telling them to call a phone number with a 705, 416, 905, 284, 649, or 876 area code in order to collect a prize, find out information about a sick relative, etc. The caller assumes the number is a valid Canadian area code; however, the caller is actually connected to a phone number outside of the country, and charged international call rates. Unfortunately, consumers are unaware that they have been charged the exorbitant rates until they receive their bill. PREVENTION TIP: Return calls to familiar numbers only that contain recognizable area codes. You may call your phone service provider to check the area code location. Carefully read your telephone bill. Make sure that you receive charges only from your service provider of choice and have authorized additional fees invoiced.
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How seniors can prepare for natural disasters Did you know that seniors suffer more disaster-related deaths than the general population? According to the Red Cross, older adults are more at risk of injury and fatality during all phases of a disaster, including the time leading up to and the time following the event. While not all seniors are equally vulnerable during disasters, with advanced age many adults develop health conditions that make staying safe during a hurricane, tornado, fire, flood or other type of crisis more difficult. Seniors are also more likely to be socially isolated, have slower response times and experience cognitive decline, all of which impact their ability to navigate perilous situations. The good news is that many disaster-related fatalities and injuries can be prevented with the right planning and resources. Here are three steps seniors can take to prepare themselves for a local emergency. 1. Form a support network. Make sure you have at least three people in your community who you can rely on during an
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emergency. Keep their contact information current and accessible at all times. 2. Establish meeting places. Designate two meeting places — one near your house and one that’s further away but still in your neighbourhood — where friends and relatives will know to find you in case of an emergency evacuation. 3. Prepare your own emergency kit. All households should have an emergency kit, but seniors should take extra precautions to ensure their kit is easy to access and contains a three- to six-day supply of all medications and devices they require. Older adults with certain health conditions, such as diabetes and dementia, should also wear medical ID bracelets so that first responders will have the information they need to proceed with any needed treatment. Given the increasing number of natural disasters taking place across North America, it’s essential that Canadians of all ages have access to the support they need to survive a catastrophe. If you have elderly relatives, friends and neighbours, make sure to check on them during storms, power outages and other types of local emergencies. Prince George Citizen
Home Security Tips for protecting your home from Break-Ins Did you know that most alarm systems are only installed after a break-in? Because we tend to underestimate the likelihood of bad things happening, many of us fail to be proactive when it comes to preventing burglaries. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself. Preventing break-ins Summer is a popular time for break-ins and research suggests that most of them happen Monday through Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Intruders often gain entry through a door. To avoid being targeted by burglars, make sure valuables aren’t visible through a window and don’t leave them on your porch or in your backyard. It’s also a good idea to put
away your tools, especially things like ladders and crowbars. Garages are easy to force open, so make sure to lock any interior doors connecting your home to your garage. Finally, never hide spare keys outside your home. When you’re on vacation If you’re going on a trip, fight the temptation to announce it on social media. While you’re away, take steps
to make your home look occupied. Suspend your newspaper subscription, have someone mow your lawn and put your mail delivery on hold. Don’t leave your lights on unless you can put them on a timer to simulate human activity. Remember, you can always ask a neighbour or friend to come around regularly to make sure everything is in order. You can also get someone you trust to house-sit while you’re away.
SMART TIP!
If you install a security system, call your insurance company as soon as possible so they can lower your premiums.
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Seniors Resource Centre reopened Lola-Dawn Fennell, general manager for the Prince George Council of Seniors Resource Centre, demonstrates the new normal when entering the resource centre during an appointment. Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff
Don’t come by if you don’t have an appointment. Knock to get in at your appointment time because the door is locked. Use the hand sanitizer once you’re in the door and don’t go past the red crowd control barrier because gone are the days of wandering around the Prince George Council of Seniors Resource Centre. The re-opening protocols are precautionary to protect the most vulnerable population - seniors from the threat of coronavirus. The Seniors Resource Centre, 721 Victoria St., is open by appointment only Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Call 250-5645888 or 250-552-2820 to arrange an appointment. “We’re seeing each extreme here and this doesn’t just apply to seniors,” Lola-Dawn Fennell, general manager of the Prince George Council of Seniors Re12
source Centre, said. “One is fear and anxiety and people aren’t wanting to go anywhere or see anybody and they’re really seriously anxious. But I’m also seeing the other extreme. Some people are saying ‘well, it’s over now, everything is reopening and it’s back to normal’ and that really frightens me.” The Seniors Resource Centre staff will err on the side of caution and take their time with the reopening process, Fennell added. “We know that’s hard because we know that seniors have been isolated and lonely over the last couple of months and some are really excited about us reopening and having somebody to talk to,” Fennell said. To keep everyone safe access won’t be permitted on a drop-in basis for the time being as they abide by WorkSafe BC regulations and the guidelines set out by the provincial health officer. “This pandemic is still with us and we’ve been lucky in numbers
in Prince George but it’s still around and it’s never very far away from us,” Fennell said. During the closures seen through the first hit of the coronavirus, the Meals on Wheels program of home delivery of healthy meals to vulnerable seniors continued as did the Friendly Phone Calls program where volunteers at home would call seniors who wanted to chat with a phone friend. “So we’re here to provide information and resources for those who need them because that’s our biggest role in the community,” Fennell said. “We’d like to thank everyone for their patience. I know it’s been challenging for people to get hold of us but we haven’t had anybody in the office full time.” Going forward there will be somebody answering phones from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Monday to Wednesday. There’s no word on when those days and times will be expanded. “This is a learning process for us, too,” Fennell said.
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Currently each staff member occupies their own office and the front desk volunteer is protected by a clear plastic shield. Everything is washed down on a regular basis and everyone adheres to the COVID-19 handwashing protocol. The new normal means other things may have to be done differently as well so Fennell is asking those interested in being part of a Zoom book club to let her know because that would be something she’s interested in starting. Email info.pgcos@gmail. com or call to leave a message 250-564-5888. More volunteers will be needed to cover the front desk when the Seniors Resource Centre opens full time in the future and anyone interested in volunteering can call and leave a message. “I don’t know how long we’re going to keep these limited hours,” Fennell said. “We’re just asking everyone to be patient.”
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What should you keep in Your emergency kit?
Crime PRevention Resource:
According to the Government of Canada, every family should have an emergency preparedness kit on hand with enough supplies to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours.
The kit should be kept in a portable container or in multiple backpacks in case of an evacuation. Everyone in your home should know where the emergency kit is stored. Your kit should have all the basics of survival including two litres of drinking water a day (per person) and water purification tablets. All food items should be non-perishable. You should also include small amounts of cash, especially change for payphones, as well as a first aid kit, phone chargers and extra keys for your cars and home. In case of a power outage, it’s recommended you have a crank or battery-powered flashlight and radio. Batteries should be replaced once a year. When preparing your kit, keep in mind your family’s unique
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situation. Always have enough medication, pet food and infant formula on hand, and make sure to develop a plan for transporting needed medical devices. Finally, you should make and print an emergency plan to keep with your kit, including an evacuation route, health information, details about required drug prescriptions and shut-off instructions for your home’s natural gas and water valves. This plan should include a designated emergency contact for each family member to reach in case of separation. Remember, you can never be too prepared for an emergency.
BC Crime Prevention Association The BC Crime Prevention Association (BCCPA) is an integrated team of citizens and police dedicated to preventing crime and improving community safety through awareness and education. For additional crime prevention and community safety information and resources, visit BCCPA at www.bccpa.org, email: info@bccpa.org or call toll-free 1-888-405-2288.
For more information about emergency kits, visit getprepared.gc.ca
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Northern Home Care 250-563-3501
Directory Crisis/Support Lines Blockwatch Society of British Columbia 1-877-602-3358 Crisis Prevention, Intervention & Information Centre for Northern BC 1-888-562-1214 Public Guardian and Trustee and Community Resource Network 1-604-660-4444 Seniors Abuse & Information Line 1-866-437-1940 VictimLinkBC 1-800-563-0808
Emergency Dial 911 Legal Information/ Financial Services British Columbia Securities Commission 1-800-373-6393 Canada Benefits 1-800-622-6263 Canada Revenue Agency 1-800-959-8281 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 1-800-668-2642 Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-663-1919
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Parkinson Society British Columbia 1-800-668-3330 Prince George Hospice Society 250-563-2481
Food Services Curb Your Appetite 250-960-9797 Meals on Wheels 250-564-5888
Seniors Health Care Support Line 1-887-952-3181
Health Resources
Housing
Alzheimer Resource Centre 250-564-7533
Aboriginal Housing Society 250-564-9794
Arthritis Answers Line 1-800-321-1433
BC Housing – Northern Region 250-562-9251
BC Association of Lifeline Programs (Lifeline Representative) 1-866-406-3001
Gateway Lodge 250-565-5572
BC Cancer –Prince George 1-855-775-7300 Canadian Mental Health Association Prince George 250-564-8644 Cariboo Home & Health Services 250-649-8783 First Link Dementia Helpline 1-800-936-6033
Northern Health 250-565-2649 Northern Health Connections Bus 1-888-647-4997
Jubilee Lodge 250-565-2286 Laurier Manor 250-645-6188 Parkside Care Home 250-645-6420 Prince George Chateau 250-277-1688 Riverbend Manor 250-596-8097
HealthLink BC Dial 811 (711 for the deaf and the hard of hearing) HearingLife 250-564-2593
Country Acres Seniors Community 250-962-5570
Simon Fraser Lodge 250-563-3413 Two Rivers Seniors Lodge 250-562-8466
Police Services Community Police Office 250-561-3366
Prince George Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Prince George 250-561-3300
Prince George City Resources City of Prince George 250-561-7600 Regional District of Fraser-Fort George 250-960-4400
Recreation/ Activity CentRES Elder Citizens Recreation Association 250-561-9381 Prince George Council of Seniors 250-564-5888 Prince George Senior Activity Centre 250-563-1915 Spruce Capital Senior’s Recreation Centre 250-563-6450 Volunteer Prince George 250-564-0224
Reporting/Fraud Resources Better Business Bureau Interior BC 1-888-803-1222 British Columbia Crime Prevention Association 1-888-405-2288 Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre 1-888-495-8501 Consumer Protection BC 1-888-564-9963
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Seniors’ housing program ready to help Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff
Power of Attorney
Provided by BC Crime Prevention Association
A power of attorney is a legal ited to financial and legal decidocument that appoints another sions. They do not permit your person to make financial and representative to make personal, legal decisions for you. You do medical or health care decisions not necessarily require a lawyer for you. For these decisions you to create a power of attorney, can make what is called a “repbut it’s a good idea to seek resentation agreement”. professional advice. Consider A representation agreement carefully who you want to apallows your representative to point and what powers you make your personal, medical want to give. It is important and health care decisions for that your trust that you when you are person’s honesty incapable of making Consider and judgment. You your own decisions. carefully who may cancel a power Your representative you want to of attorney by giving must consult with appoint and your representative a you and, unless your written notice saying what powers you representative is your that their power has want to give. It spouse, the agreeended. Or an end is important that ment must name date may be stated in another person a your trust that “monitor” to ensure the document itself. A power of attorney person’s honesty that your representaautomatically ends and judgment. tive lives up to their when your die or responsibilities. Or become bankrupt. It the agreement must state that a also ends if you become mental- “monitor” is not required. ly incompetent, unless you state that the power should continue. In that case, you have made an enduring power of attorney. Enduring Power of AttorIf you have signed a contract ney allows your representative and are concerned that the to make financial and legal other party has broken the decisions for you in case you contract, or suspect that become mentally incapable bein some way they have cause of age, accident or illness. not abided by the terms The document must state that of the contract, seek legal the arrangement will continue advice immediately. Any to be in effect when you are legal recourses are usually unable to make decisions for monitored by strict time yourself. limitations and conditions. Power of attorney and enduring power of attorney are lim-
There’s a Prince George Council of Seniors housing information coordinator at the Seniors Resource Centre who will be able to answer questions for those 55 years and older about the local housing market. Susan Tapp will be at the office at 721 Victoria St., available by appointment, and is ready to answer all kinds of questions. One-on-one Tapp will help people navigate the assisted living, complex care route, SAFER (shelter aid for elderly renters) and BC Housing applications. Tapp will be a resource for those who need a guiding hand when it comes to relocation planning including information about landlords, caretakers and building managers, where accessible or pet-friendly housing can be
found, what’s available that’s close to bus stops and which grants are available to people who wish to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. Tapp wants to get creative and find out what housing options are missing in the community. “Let’s think outside the box,” Tapp said. Maybe there’s seniors who are living alone who might want another senior as a house mate, Tapp suggested. Maybe there’s other options that need to be shared and considered. The housing information coordinator position was made possible by a Ministry of Health grant provided through the Northern Health Authority. For more information about the program or to make an appointment call 250-552-2820.
SMART TIP!
Prince George Citizen
SeniorLiving
2020
15
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SeniorLiving
2020
Prince George Citizen