FALL 2012 winter 2013
northumberland/quinte
The Hawk
Ronnie Hawkins An interview with Canada’s best known rockabilly
ARE YOU READY? RRSP to RRIF Rollover
River Cruising in Europe!
5 Tips to Get
HIGH TECH
pier 21: a tiny seed
The Ebbers family journey to Canada
life | health | travel | money | technology
A beautiful smile starts here. When you visit our practice, we hope you will experience the fun, friendly atmosphere we work hard to create. We believe that a doctor and patient become a team for treating an individual’s dental needs. Dr. Brett’s experience with pediatric dentistry ensures that his younger patients get the specialized care needed for long optimal, oral health. We offer a full service family clinic and we invite you to experience Dr. Brett’s Family Dentistry today!
New patients always welcome!
69 Division St., Trenton 613-392-9586 www.drbretts.com
what does beauty mean to you?
Jane Fry
CPOD. EsthEtiCian
MaNiCureS • PediCureS • WaxiNg Fa C i a l S • M a S S a g e S
Promoting an active lifestyle for seniors
49 Front St. N. • Campbellford, ON • info@beauty-watch.ca
705.653.5550 • www.beauty-watch.ca
PublisherS Eldon Weiss Dan Weiss managing EDITOR Amy Doyle EDITOR Nigel Husing Design Lindsey White advertising & Sales Nigel & Bev Husing Administration Simone Strassburger-McDonald CONTRIBUTORS Nigel Husing, Tom Robinson, Susan Sommers, Joanne Culley, Richard Ebbers, Dr. Jinni Demine, DVM, Dr. David Evans, Sanjeev Sukumaran, AU. D. Seniors LifeStyle Magazine is owned and operated by Willow Publishing Co. 15681 County Road 2 Brighton, ON K0K 1H0 Phone: 613-475-2927 1-800-339-5662 Fax: 613-475-5331 www.willowpublishing.com info@willowpublishing.com Seniors LifeStyle is printed in Canada. Articles included in Seniors LifeStyle do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher and information provided may be subject to change without notice. Seniors LifeStyle is printed biannually.
Watch for the Spring/Summer edition of Seniors LifeStyle! Visit us online at www.seniorslifestyle.com
DAVIS REPAIR LIMITED Automobile Repair & Maintenance
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Tel: 613-475-2263 Fax: 613-475-5966 15411 #2 HWY., R.R.3 BRIGHTON, ONTARIO K0K 1H0 Please recycle this magazine. Thank you! seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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613-475-0568 or 613-475-3676 36 Prince Edward Street, Brighton www.vitosbrighton.ca 4
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
what’s inside FALL 2012 winter 2013
northumberLAnd/quinte
Th e Hawk
Ronn ie Hawki ns a’s An interview with Canad best known rockabilly
dy? are yOU rea rollover rrSP to rrif
5 tips to get
river cruising in Europe!
HiGH teCH
d a tiny see pier 21:family journey to canada the ebbers
hno log y vel | mon ey | tec life | heA lth | trA
15
rockin’ ronnie hawkins An interview with Canada’s best known rockabilly
6 7 8 10 11 12 13 19
Advertisers Directory RRSP to RRIF Rollover Are You Ready? River Cruising In Europe An Interview with Former Hamilton Tiger Cat Joe Zuger 5 Strategies for Building Your Fitness Accountability Home Alarm Systems Jack Snelgrove Honoured Immigration: A Tiny Seed The Ebbers Family Journey to Canada
23 24 25 27 29
Seniors Stats Travelling with Pets Y Grow Old When You Can Grow Better? Things That Go Squeak Aging Well With A Little Help From Technology You’re Never Too Old To Learn New Tricks
30 31
Important Numbers Fall & Winter Events
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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advertiser index Alliance Security.....................................................12 Bayshore Home Health............................................4 Beauty Watch..........................................................3
It’s Better at the RED Barn!
Bulk Plus................................................................26 CAA Cobourg..........................................................8 Cambria.................................................................14
Crazee like
a FOX
Campbellford Wine Shop.........................................3 Carm’s Pools..........................................................24 The Cellar Door......................................................26 Community Nursing Home.......................................6
Have YOU been to the Red Barn yet?
Davis Repair.............................................................3
Don’t miss out on
Downey Pharmacy.................................................30
GREAT DEALS & GREAT PRODUCTS!
Dr. Brett....................................................................2 The Ear Company..................................................28 Giant Tiger.............................................................28 Git-R-Down Tree Service..........................................3 Gryphon Books......................................................30 Hutchinson Fuels...................................................30 Island Park...............................................Back Cover Kokimo Candleland................................................24 Lant Insurance Brokers..........................................23 The Red Barn...........................................................6 Raymond James Ltd................................................7 Roseglen Village.....................................................18
Price subject to change
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Healthy Choices & Gluten Free Products
Vito’s Restaurant......................................................4 XTR Convenience..................................................26 YMCA Northumberland..........................................25 Community Nursing Home Port Hope “People you trust caring for people you love”
Proudly managed by Community Lifecare Inc.
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• 24 hour a day nursing care • Excellent home cooked meals • Wonderful array of recreation, leisure activities • Caring staff that will take care of your needs
Tel: 905-885-6367
Fax: 905-885-6368 20 Hope St. S., Port Hope, ON L1A 1L8
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
$HOP & $AVE! e Th D REarn B Country Market
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.ca
The RRSP to RRIF Rollover – are you ready? J
ust when you think it’s time to take it easy, you turn 71 and then retirement really happens. That’s when investors must convert their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) into cash, a life insurance annuity or roll the savings over into a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF).
What’s it to be? The recession and low interest rates have taken their toll on the newly retired and those soon to be retiring. Market volatility has greatly reduced the risk tolerance for many investors and lowered the value of their retirement savings and future income expectations. Under those circumstances, an annuity that can guarantee a fixed income for life starts looking good. A RRIF, on the other hand, is still an on-going investment and subject to market forces — one more thing to worry about. For most investors, cashing in an RRSP is not an option: about 50% of the net value of the plan will disappear after income tax is paid. On a tax-deferred basis, investors can purchase an annuity that guarantees a fixed income for life or convert their RRSP into a RRIF and stay invested in the market. There is also a third possibility and that is, do both.
The RRIF Alternative An RRSP/RRIF rollover keeps the investments intact after conversion and you can continue to manage the portfolio as before as a tax sheltered plan, only no new funds can be contributed. Funds are withdrawn and taxed as income each year based on a fixed percentage formula. It’s a rate that rises each year starting at about seven percent of the RRIF’s value at age 71 and rising to 20 percent for those in their nineties. The ability to manage the RRIF and potentially grow its value over time is what makes it so attractive to many investors. It gives them a fighting chance against future inflation and rising interest rates that undermine the purchasing power of fixed income retirement plans. This makes a RRIF a much more “hands-on” retirement option and not for everyone as they enter their seventh decade.
The Annuity Option The annuity option offers the purchaser a guaranteed fixed income free of investment uncertainty. Annuities using RRSP funds are bought from life insurance companies to provide a fixed annual income for life or a fixed term of years. The income level depends on size of the contract purchased and a calculated rate of return determined by the insurance company based on prevailing interest
rates at the time and their own actuarial assessment (sex, age, and health) of the purchaser. That rate of return is locked in for the duration of the contract and is not re-negotiable and the principal is non-refundable. Annuities can be purchased that allow for spousal continuation, inflation indexing, and with a guaranteed number of payments so even if an annuitant dies, income will flow to a designated estate or beneficiary. All these features will affect the calculated rate of return payable by the insurance company and reduce the amount of income the annuity will be able to pay out. The risk of an annuity is there’s no guarantee that your future costs and expenses will remain as fixed as the income you get from the annuity. Annuities can be attractive to investors who want to leave investment cares behind them. But even moderate inflation will seriously erode the purchase power over a 10-15 year time span. This material was prepared by Raymond James Ltd. for use by Thomas Robinson, Financial Advisor of Raymond James Ltd. It is provided for informational purposes only. Statistics, factual data and other information are from sources Raymond James believes to be reliable but their accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Securitiesrelated products and services are offered through Raymond James Ltd., member Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Financial planning and insurance products and services are offered through Raymond James Financial Planning Ltd., which is not a member Canadian Investor Protection Fund.
Tom Robinson Financial Advisor
Raymond James Ltd. Independent Financial Services Suite 1 – 438 Division St., Cobourg, ON K9A 3R9 T: 905-372-4333 // F: 905-372-1127 TF: 1-888-989-6239 thomas.robinson@raymondjames.ca
Raymond James Ltd., Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund.
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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travel
! g n i s i u r River C Photo courtesy Stock.Xchng
The river cruise experience is catching on and Canadian travellers are enjoying it in ever-increasing numbers! The spectacular views, luxurious accommodations and fine dining may have a lot to do with our new found travel love. River cruising offers a pace that allows you to savor the journey, bringing home wonderful memories and photographs, and meet great friends along the way. Included in your river cruise will be the countless opportunities to venture out and explore. Docking just steps away from marketplaces and town squares, access is quick and easy. Knowledgeable, local guides host the complimentary walking shore excursions and you can choose a leisurely pace or even take a guided bike tour if you choose. Complimentary bikes are carried on board most ships. The river cruise experience offers many itinerary choices, including travelling on the Rhine, Danube, Main, and Rhone rivers. Visit Russia’s waterways and explore Vietnam and Cambodia by cruising the Mekong River. Travel at tulip time in Holland and Belgium, explore wine routes in Provence and Spain or take a holiday cruise to experience the traditional Christmas markets of Prague, Germany and Austria. The choices are almost endless. The staterooms are designed for comfort and efficiency and are a wonderful vantage point to sit, relax and enjoy the tranquil countryside floating by. Imagine being able to unpack once and relax the rest of the trip. The ship decks offer unmatched views of the medieval towns and villages, cathedrals and castles. River cruise ships on average carry less than 200 guests. This allows for wonderful service and attention from the accommodating staff, and many opportunities for an intimate glass of wine on the top deck. And what would Europe be without fine
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seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
dining? You’ll enjoy exceptional meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner. The chefs often use fresh local ingredients, and dinner includes a wonderful selection of complimentary free-flowing fine Regional wines, beer or soft drinks. CAA Cobourg’s Travel Consultants have years of travel experience and look forward to assisting you with your river cruise vacation or next holiday.
Discover River Cruising with CAA Travel AmaWaterways leads the way in river cruising with luxurious ships, premium amenities and warm, personalized service. Visit CAA Store - Cobourg to learn about our great cruise vacations for 2013 and CAA Member-exclusive cruise benets*. CAA Store - Cobourg
CAA StoreSt. - Cobourg 975 Elgin West 905-372-8777 975 Elgin St. West cobourg.caasco.ca 905-372-8777
*Details available in-store. Ont. Reg. #50014517. CAA South Central Ontario, 60 Commerce Valley Drive East, Thornhill, ON L3T 7P9. ®CAA and CAA logo trademarks owned by, and use is granted by, the Canadian Automobile TM-764 Association. Life-side Assistance is a registered trademark of CAA South Central Ontario.
ADVERTORIAL
There is more under your roof than you think! Currently 2 out of every 3 Canadians own the house they live in. Home insurance provides a safety net when adverse events put homeowners and tenants at their most vulnerable. There are several reasons why you require a professionally documented home inventory, one of which is especially important for insurance purposes. When you make an insurance claim, your policy will require you to show the quantity, description, and value associated with each item. Your insurance company will do their best to help you recover damages. What they won’t do is write you a blank cheque. Let’s start with an exercise: Name every major appliance and its model in your kitchen; and now, the minor appliances. Now, the cookware. Glassware, Dishware? How much did you remember, and how much did you miss? Now, consider duplicating that process with each room in your home. Relying solely on your memory, list your furnishings and electronics, jewellery and floor coverings, lamps and dinner service. Under the tremendous stress following a tragedy, you are now faced with listing virtually every item in your home. As well, you need prove that you owned exactly what you’ve written down. Were you to omit some items or fail to include an adequate description of others, you may receive less than full compensation for your losses. After that exercise, you must be exhausted! Did you remember every article of clothing?
Having a professionally conducted home inventory will also help you evaluate whether or not you have enough personal property insurance coverage. Do you know what your art and jewellery limits are? Your inventory also helps you to identify property that should be scheduled on your policy. Do you collect vintage articles or antiques, and do they require additional coverage? Bringing your professional home inventory that has photos, itemized sales receipts and appraisals to your insurance agent gives you a valuable tool for discussing your insurance needs with him/her and helps you to identify how to maximize your insurance dollars. Your home inventory is an essential part of financial planning. Lawyers and Estate Planners urge their clients to have an up to date professional inventory to assist and support future financial plans and assigning assets. A properly conducted and reviewed content inventory may also serve as a supporting document for your Estate. Although not a legal document, a Professional Inventory Service will note any heir or other party to which an article is assigned, and this indication may support a bequeathed asset designated in your Will. Contested issues are no fun. Ask any Executor.
Louise Warr and David Nixon are the owners and operators of Intercept Home Watch, with over 30 years of experience in the Security industry. They can be contacted through their website at www.intercepthomewatch.ca *Source: Stats Canada
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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An interview with former Hamilton Tiger-Cat
Joe ZugEr By Nigel Husing
Joe Zuger was born February 25, 1940, in Homestead, Pennsylvania. He played for Arizona State University from 1959 to 1961, where he played offence as a quarterback and punter. He also was a defensive back. He played for the Hamilton Tiger Cats from 1962 to 1971 and was part of three Grey Cup victories. After retirement he became the general manager of the Tiger Cats until his retirement in 1992. He presently resides in the Hamilton area. I understand you came from Arizona State, you were a quarterback, a punter and also a defensive back. You got picked up by the Detroit Lions but somehow you ended up in Hamilton, can you explain that to me? Yeah, I really had to make a decision because it was back then we’d be going in the army and being eligible for the draft and everything. I had to make a decision what I wanted to do with my life (laughing). So, I decided to pursue pro-football and I was drafted, I think, the last round by Detroit. I talked to them and [Jim] Trimble came down to see me and we hit it off pretty good because he was from McKeesport, Pennsylvania and that’s just up the river from where I was from, Homestead. And, so, he in his inamible way talked me into coming up here and the biggest thing I liked about it was the value of a kicker up here because you get points and field position, a bigger field. I thought that was a great advantage, so that’s what I did. And, Detroit, they had a good kicker at the time so I decided to come up here. Plus, where I came from was a steel town, it was exactly like Hamilton and it was like moving down the street, actually (laughing). Your first game as a starter with Hamilton, I had to check two or three times to see if these figures were right, you actually threw for 572 yards and 8 touchdown passes in one game? Ahhh, the yardage was off, I think. I think it was only four hundred and something. I would check that, I think the Spectator got it wrong. Yeah, that must have been quite a game (laughing). It was my first start because Bernie Fornie got hurt and Frank Cosentino played the week before and we were getting close to playoffs. It was my turn to start and I was
10
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
fortunate enough to throw 8 touchdown passes. It was a memorable night, it was very surreal. My parents were up for their first game to see me play so that was nice that they were here. You didn’t have the feeling that you were going to do that every game, did you? Eight touchdown passes (laughing). No, (laughing) when I was asked after the game I said “please don’t expect this after every game, this was only once in a lifetime”. You were in some Grey Cups. I remember the 1967 one, is that your favourite? Or do you have a favourite Cup game you were in? Yeah, 1967, that was the best team I ever played on. Any memories about the game that stick out? It was colder than hell in Ottawa. Slippery. We were wearing tennis shoes and the soles kept coming off and we had to change all the shoes all the time. But, no, that was a good team. That was the best team I ever played on. You played for about eight, nine years. Retirement came up, did you have your plans ready for retirement or did it hit you without you being ready? It hit me pretty good and I was in limbo for probably three, four years. What to do.. and it was fortunate I had a few jobs, I was a substitute teacher, and I did some factory work with toy manufacturers, two of them. Then Ralph Sazio called me back and wanted to know if I wanted to do some scouting and work with Canadian players, drafting and that stuff. So, I started there and I think that was in ’79, or ’78, somewhere around there. So, I was off for good, you know. Yeah, but you ended up being General Manager. (laughing) Yeah. So you were on both sides of the ball. I imagine you had a few words when you were a player what you thought of general managers. What was it like when you were a General Manager? Well, I heard a lot worse than I gave out (laughing). No, Ralph was very good with me, he was very patient with me. He let me do my own thing, I’ve always had a lot of respect for him and I’ve always been very thankful, I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for him. Continued on page 28
Five Strategies for Building Your
Fitness Accountability Team By SUSAN SOMMERS
“Every one of us gets through the tough times because somebody is there, standing in the gap to close it for us.” –Oprah Winfrey
When I decided to enter two Full Marathons in 2005 and 2007, at the age of 61 and 63, I knew I would need to find an inspirational group of people to share my dream with me – and I did. The team I created included the YMCA women I work out with on a daily basis, trainers Beverly Tyler and Chen Cohen; my daughters Andrea and Danielle; and my husband, Peter. Since 2002, I have entered, and completed, 30 races, from 5k to Marathons. A major contribution to my success was all of the women who talked to me – and walked with me - during these races and kept me going. Although I don’t know them by name, they played a major role in helping me to achieve my goals! In order to make a real commitment to your fitness and health, it is essential for you build your own Accountability Team. Look for people who believe in you, motivate you, and want you to succeed. Here are five strategies to help you to create a strong, dynamic fitness team: #1. Make health and fitness a top priority in your life. Block off times every day for physical activity and make sure your friends, family, and colleagues are aware of your commitment. Ask your partner, spouse, children or friends to share your activities. Use the weekends to bike ride, ice skate, play tennis, bowl, golf (or miniature golf), jog, or walk together. #2. Share your fitness goals, passions, and dreams with people who promise to support you. Check in with them on a regular basis, in person, online, or by telephone. Encourage them to offer help and inspiration and to celebrate your successes with you. Sign a “Fitness Pact” to keep you focused. This is a formal, written promise to achieve your goals. An excellent one, created by Experience Life Magazine, is available to download on their website, www.experiencelifemag.com
#3. Create your own walking group Ask your friends, family members, people from your neighborhood, or colleagues at work to join you. Find people with similar goals, such as losing weight, enjoying nature, starting a jogging routine, or hiking. Decide when, where, and how often you will meet and celebrate at the end of each activity. Then, register as a team to walk in a 5k race to provide you with the motivation to train and succeed. #4. Sign up for a team sport, a league, or a race Join a curling club, a hiking club, a cycling group, or a running group. The expectations of others will push you to succeed and encourage you to increase your level of activity. #5. Hire a personal trainer, coach, or mentor to get you started and to keep you on track A certified expert will provide a personalized assessment and to develop a realistic plan to achieve your fitness, health, and/or weight-loss goals. To cut costs, share personal training sessions with your partner, friends, or colleagues.
Susan Sommers is the co-author of Power Source for Women: Proven Fitness Strategies, Tools, and Success Stories for Women 45+. Her company, Power Source for Women, offers Keynote presentations, workshops, fitness retreats, and cruises for women. Visit her website at www.powersourceforwomen.com, e-mail her at susan@ susansommers.ca or call 905 889-6029.
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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Who is looking after your home while you’re gone? It’s officially fall. The days are getting shorter, the nights longer, and the temperature will spiral downwards to the dreaded winter months. Snowbirds will begin contemplating warmer climates and relaxing times to avoid the rain, sleet, snow and ice. You’re looking after yourself, but who is looking after your home while you’re gone? Certainly Joe the neighbour is going to pop in every day or two and grab your mail, water the plants and shovel the drive, but a lot can happen in a home in a twenty-four hour period. Fire can ravage a home in only a few minutes. A steady drip from a water line can ruin a rec room and result in large cleaning costs and treatments for mold and mildew. A heating failure can cause ruptured pipes and damage into the tens of thousands. An unattended house is the perfect target for thieves and vandals. They have a lot of time to take the items they want, and can cause serious damage. What options do you have? You could pay someone to check on your home regularly, but that’s still only half of the solution - there are large blocks of time with no one there. Hire a housesitter or let someone live there for free? What about the extra hydro bills, water usage, television? That’s an awfully large investment per month for peace of mind. A much less expensive alternative would be the installation of a security system with environmental protection. With monitoring rates ranging from twenty to forty dollars a month it really is a small price to pay for knowing your home could be protected at all times from anything our climate – or a burglar – can throw at it. Add to that the insurance savings and often times a system can end up paying for itself.
What you need depends on your home, its age, location and style. Burglary protection would be the logical first step. Contacts to protect entry located on all doors leading into the house is necessary. Motion detectors would be normally installed, perhaps protection on the windows either by using a simple switch or a glassbreak detector - essentially a microphone listening for the sound of breaking glass. Most people aren’t aware of other protection that can be added to a security system. Monitored smoke alarms and heat detectors can alert the fire department to a potential fire in the building while you’re away, and in the event of an incident while home, can warn you and your loved ones and summon help if needed. Most companies will offer monitored carbon monoxide detectors. Also available are water detectors which can alert a monitoring station to a flooded basement or a leaky pipe. Ask your provider about a low temperature sensor which will ensure that your heating system is still functioning properly. Your home is your castle, yet people will typically spend more replacing doors or windows than protecting it. Too often we as a company are asked to provide protection after an incident. Ask your insurance company what discounts are available to a homeowner - especially a snowbird – for the installation and monitoring of a burglary and environmental system. While it’s not likely to completely cover the monthly costs, it will make a substantial difference. In the end you need to ask yourself how much it is worth to you to protect the largest investment most people will ever make.
Medical Alert Systems Burglar Alarm Systems Digital Camera Surveillance Systems Locally Owned Locally Operated Free Consultations Insurance Discounts 24/7 Monitoring 24/7 on-call Technicians 12
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
Travelling? We have flood deTecTion furnace/ac fail fire deTecTion Alliance Security Systems of Northumberland Ltd. 8358 Dale Road Cobourg, ON K9A 4J7 Cobourg: 905-372-0353 Port Hope: 905-885-2138 Peterborough: 705-957-4663 www.alliancesecuritysystems.ca
Local Optician Honoured L
ast April, local optician Jack Snelgrove was inducted as an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Ontario Optician’s Association at the Inside Optics 2012 conference in Woodbridge, Ontario for his many years of contributions to the profession. Owner of Towne Optical 580A The Queensway in Peterborough and current resident at Chemong Lake, Snelgrove has been a Licensed Optician for more than forty years. He has served his profession as president of the College of Opti-
cians of Ontario and as a professor of Opticianry at Georgian College in Barrie. Snelgrove specializes in eyeglass production and contact lens design. “Even though I have worked hard throughout my career, I’ve also played hard,” he says. “I’ve learned that time off is important. I consider myself a ‘weekend warrior’ and my advice is that when you come back from your holidays, start planning the next one!” Snelgrove was born in Toronto to a family who had recently emigrated to “Canada” from Newfoundland (Newfoundland didn’t join Canada until 1949). He grew up in the east end of the city, the middle child of 12 children, six boys and six girls, all of whom had part time jobs from an early age. Prior to age 14 Jack had three newspaper routes – he delivered the Globe and Mail in the morning, the Toronto Star and Telegram in the evening, and on weekends he worked at the Eastwood Movie Theatre putting out the garbage, including the ashes from the coal bin, ushering, and was in charge of the marquee, bringing out the ladder and changing the sign whenever there was a new movie. To this day he says he’d rather watch a movie than anything else. Snelgrove started his career as a lens grinder in Public Optical at $32 a week in 1961. A couple of years later he switched to Bausch & Lomb, then in 1967 he went to work for
By Joanne Culley
American Optical in Toronto as lab manager, managing the factories that manufactured eye glasses. He was there for about six years. During that time, his boss encouraged him to go back to school, paying his way, saying he was too smart to be a lens grinder all his life. Taking this advice, Jack finished Grade 12 at night, and enrolled in Ryerson College for the optician course in 1968 and graduated in 1970. It was a three year course, but because he had on-the-job experience, he finished it in two years. In 1970, he obtained his Certification of Award from the Opticians Dispensers, and in 1976 became a member and fellow of the Ontario Contact Lens Association, after taking courses at St. Michael’s Hospital. He bought the retail locations owned by Bausch & Lomb, and called the company Towne Optical. He opened up the factory on The Queensway in Peterborough in 1991. During this period, he was travelling back and forth to Toronto for the meetings of the Board of Ophthalmic Dispensers of the College of Opticians of Ontario where he served as president, after being appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and in other positions for about six years. He has also been a professor of Opticianry at Georgian College in Barrie. Now semi-retired, he and his wife Lou divide their time between their home on Chemong Lake and their condo in Florida. A devoted father, grandfather and husband, Jack Snelgrove also enjoys boating and golf. He is really pleased that both his children are in the optical business. Daughter Jill Snelgrove owns Nelms Opticians at Lansdowne Place in Peterborough, and son Bill Snelgrove owns Kawartha Vision Care in the Lindsay Square Mall in Lindsay.
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
13
NEW 2012
Rosslyn
TM
Jewel Collection
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STUDIO TORONTO 91 Parliament Street • Toronto, ON M5A 3Y7 • 416-363-8801 Monday – Friday: 10AM – 6PM, Saturdays: 11AM – 4PM © CAMBRIA 2012
rockin’
with the
HAWK An interview with Canada’s best known rockabilly
By Nigel Husing Photo submitted
Ronnie Hawkins is a living legend. Just ask any musician, singer or rock ‘n roll fan, and they’ll tell you The Hawk is the finest rockabilly singer that ever came out of the Deep South. In 1958, Ronnie left his home state of Arkansas, also the birthplace of his good friend former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and travelled to Canada in his sister’s ’55 Chevy with a young drummer, Levon Helm. Ronnie’s friend, Harold Jenkins who attained fame as Conway Twitty, preached American rockers were in hot demand in Canada, and Ronnie was convinced the big time was just around the corner. He never looked back. To this day, Ronnie calls Canada “the promised land.” He became a permanent resident in 1964, and Canada is home for him, his wife Wanda and their three children. It wasn’t long before Ronnie became Canada’s rock star and the king who helped many a young musician get their start. He ruled the Yonge Street strip, playing at the legendary Le Coq D’or and other hot spots, like Friar’s Tavern, where fans would line-up to hear The Hawk belt out his classic hits, like 40 Days, Marylou and Bo Diddley. All the big stars, when in town, would come out to see Ronnie Hawkins and his Hawks performs – Johnny Cash, Mel Tillis, Van Morrison and many more. But it was a visit from Bob Dylan, on Thursday, Sept. 16, 1965 at Friar’s Tavern that made rock ‘n roll history. Dylan was looking for a back-up band for his revolutionary electric debut world tour, and he was interested in The Hawks. They ended up backing Dylan, then formed The Band, which became an internationally acclaimed act with hits like “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”
“Hawkins’ good humour, musicianship, generosity and longevity clearly establish and qualify him as a unique Natural Resource to our Nation. As to his value, he is, therefore Priceless.” Can you tell me how you got here? We came up in 1958, I told you my guitar player Ed played in Canada before with Harold Jenkins and Billy Lee Riley and a bunch of those rockabillies that were just starting. He was that good. He was the best guitar picker in Memphis, I thought. And so he knew the connections and we put that little band together and practiced until Levon Helm got out of high school. His dad said “he’s not going nowhere until he finishes high school”, so we just played on weekends. And then we decided to make the trip to Canada, and I think I had an old ’39 Ford but I borrowed my sister’s to see what it was like. ’55 Chevrolet six. They’re not real powerful pulling a trailer. (laughs) But anyway, we made it to Canada and the first night was Hamilton, Ontario and boy, the first night was going to take us out because there wasn’t but six people in there when we started and after the first number, they jumped up and left. So the owner was calling the agents. But anyway, we had a friend there in Hamilton that helped us out and borrowed a bunch of people there on Tuesday and that saved us. And we went from there to London to Brass Rail and from there to the Le’ Coq D’Or in Toronto. Then I came back, did that circuit again and then we brought the Go-Go girls there at Le’ Coq D’Or but before that we’d seen that the Twist hype was starting in New York and we talked Mr. Jack Fisher, he was the owner of the club I played, got the Go-Go Girls with us and it really worked good.
But Canada’s been
When The Band called it quits, So I’m here, I’m they staged The the Promised Land. alive – half-alive – Last Waltz, which and just a-rockin’. became a hit movie, and there was Ronnie, back with his So why did you stay in Canada? Was there something here that Hawks, performing at the Winterland Ballroom in San wasn’t in Arkansas? Francisco on American Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 1976. Oh, well Arkansas has everything too but there’s only three What a ride it’s been for Ronnie. Being part in John Lennon or four people that owned everything in Arkansas – you and Yoko Ono’s Peace Tour, performing for Prime Ministers know, the Walmarts, and Tysons are two of the families. But and Presidents, including Clinton’s recent 65th birthday in Canada, you know, when I first came to Canada, there was California, and counting among his closest friends stars like no tax on capital gains. Can you remember that? Kris Kristofferson and Gordon Lightfoot. His fans included That was a long time ago. Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and many more. That was a long time ago. But boy, could you imagine having For the past several years, Ronnie has been a brand no.. you could do some good with that. But Canada’s been advocate for Cambria, a family-owned, privately-held North the Promised Land. I told Kiefer Sutherland, his granddad American manufacturer of natural quartz surfaces. Rock was the one that got Medicare in, [Tommy] Douglas. hard for hard rock, Ronnie performs at company functions
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and in Cambria-sponsored radio campaigns recounts his Road Tales. Winners of contests Win A Countertop and Kitchen Party with Ronnie, love it when the legendary rocker shows up to entertain 20 of their closest friends around their new countertop.
I know with all the hits you’ve had, it’s amazing to me that all the musicians that have played behind you – your musicians in your band – have gone on to.. they became The Band.. How did you find them, what did you look for in a musician for your band?
The following is a recent interview with Ronnie, which proves that at 77 years young, he’s still rocking and has a lifetime of great memories. As President Clinton stated when he enacted The Hawk Endangered Species legislation:
We were always looking for young musicians and I always wanted to hire Canadians because of the trouble going back and forth at the border all the time. So I just started looking and Robbie Robertson was the first one I think I picked
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
up. Young genius kid on the streets of Toronto and Richard Manuel, we helped his little band to get started, and I took his band down to Arkansas and had him play my club and we booked him everywhere. He wrecked a Cadillac of mine. Then he came out of the Rockin’ Rebels, that was his band. Then Ricky Danko’s little band, they did weddings and we played in Port Dover and he volunteered to play there for nothing, so that I could see him. And you know, Ricky was a good looking young kid and had talent, so I had him practice bass three months while we finished our tour in Grand Bend. He stayed there and practiced with us and practiced with Rebel, my bass player. He was leaving to get married. Garth Hudson, I hired him to teach Richard, because Richard wasn’t near/here. Garth was some kind of a genius, I don’t know what kind he is but he’s something. His job was to teach Richard an hour a day and have him practice and Richard practiced an hour on his own and then he’d practice with us, and then if we played, that’s four hours a day Richard was practicing and he got good. Just talking with you, I think you most likely know every musician that ever lived in North America but you had a few of them at your house and I always heard the story about John and Yoko coming to your place. That was exciting. How much they liked telephones up there apparently. I never seen a woman as popular as she was. The Queen’s sister was calling her all the time, Margaret. And Peter Sellers, that great actor. And a whole bunch of people I didn’t know were there but they were rockers. She knew everybody. Did they really leave you with the telephone bill? Well, I paid some of it but somebody felt sorry for me and got some of it but it was supposed to have been the company that brought them in, the promotion company to get everything. I can’t forget one little thing. You happen to know a former president of the United States, how did that happen? Well, he’s an Arkansas boy, and they used to come in down there when I played. But this time it was big for me because they sent a big jet and took me to play for his 65th birthday. Me and Jerry Lee Lewis, that was months ago, and Lady Hillary, that’s what I call her, Lady Hillary was there. So he called me up to take a picture with Lady Hillary and me and I said “you know, Mr. President, the harder Lady Hillary works, the better she looks”. I said “you may have yourself a winner”. (laughs) She laughed, she couldn’t believe it. Are you still friends now? Oh yeah, I think we’ve got twelve letters from him. It’s quite an honour. Three or four hundred years from now, that’ll be worth some money! You had some health problems, cancer.. That’s why it’s so great to be in Canada. My gosh, quadruple heart bypass. You know what that costs in the States? Half a Continued on next page
Career s Highlight
1950s Took Conway Twitty’s advice to start touring Canada. Became an overnight success after their first gig at the Golden Rail Tavern in Hamilton, ON. Ronnie decided to move to Canada.
1970s
Formed his first band, The Hawks, while attending the University of Arkansas, and toured Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Owned/operated a club in Fayetteville, AR, where some of rock & roll’s earliest pioneers came to play, such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Conway Twitty.
1958 Invited Pat Travers to join his band after a performance in a nightclub. Travers became one of the most influential guitarists of the 70s hard rock genre.
Cast as Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan in the movie Renaldo and Clara. Featured performer at The Band’s Thanksgiving Day farewell, which was shown in The Last Waltz. Hosted a television show, Honky Tonk, and appeared in films such as Heaven’s Gate and Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II. Celebrated his 60th birthday by throwing a concert at Massey Hall in Toronto. Featured Hawkins, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Band and Larry Gowan.
2002 Awarded an honourary degree from Laurentian University.
1995 October 4 was declared “Ronnie Hawkins Day” in Toronto as he was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.
2005 Source: Wikipedia.org
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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was him, this is the one. But if it’s just one, that can happen by an accident or by someone else or by anything. Just to bring us up to date, you’re working with a company now, you’re the spokesman for Cambria.
Photo submitted
million to start with. Then I had that pancreas thing. Cut wide open. What else was there? Three or four things. Some of my friends just had one of what I had, and they all died because they couldn’t go to the hospital. You ran into a fellow from Vancouver called Adam McLeod and he’s seemed to change things for you? Well, we don’t know if it was him or someone else, of all the people. But you give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and he was a smart intelligent young boy but cured nobody but me. If he had cured about fifteen people [with pancreatic cancer] then I’d say it
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I have been for a while. Wonderful people, wonderful, wonderful. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Third generation farmers. That’s what they are. And they’re building a big company. I think they have the biggest dairy in the world. They ship a few million things and proteins to Japan every day. I don’t know how many million dollars every day. So they’re big time. How’d you get to meet them, or how did they meet you? They were fans of The Last Waltz and my old roadie – can you remember my old roadie – I had the only roadie of any act ever that won four Stanley Cups. I wonder who’d that be? Peter Pocklington. From Edmonton, eh? He traded Gretzky. But he was my roadie in London in the old days so we went around promoting early in the morning on morning shows. I want them to meet my roadie. I said “The
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
Rolling Stones, they’ve never had a roadie like this.” Final question. My favourite Ronnie Hawkins song is called “Days Gone By”... ...that’s one of my favourites too. A friend of mine wrote that, from Arkansas. And he wrote it right after Richard Manuel killed himself. He was a Band fanatic, you know, and a good writer, and he’s in Canada here, may come down and see me. Name is Ronnie Thompson. He wrote that song and I recorded it years after, I even had the Band sing along with me, Levon and them. Final word is that a lot of seniors have got “Days Gone By” but we’ve got days ahead of us. What’s going to be ahead for Ronnie Hawkins? I’m going to make a comeback. I’ve come back several times from Sudbury.. (laughs).. North Bay.. Ronnie will be playing at The Regal Theatre in Oshawa on December 1, 2012. “An Evening With Ronnie Hawkins” ticket information is available at 905-721-3399 Ext. 2 or 905-668-2229.
PIER hali 21 f ax
Immigration: A Tiny Seed
The Ebbers Family Journey to Canada By RICHARD EBBERS
I
am a senior. Most of us reading this are probably over sixty-five years of age and still very active. True, we may not all be able do the physical activities that we once could, but we do try to keep ourselves active. The Minister Responsible for Senior Affairs, MPP Linda Jefferies, is the daughter of immigrant parents, and they remain her dearest advisors. I can personally relate to this feeling, as I am sure many of us in this country can. My parents and their ten children were immigrants. I was the eighth child; a boy of eight years old with four brothers and five sisters. The children ranged in age from one through eighteen as my parents began their life changing journey to a new land. We hardly knew one word of English, but we all went on a trip; the trip of our lives. Some type of amazing ‘force’, or need, caused my parents to ‘pick up’ ten children and move nearly a quarter of the world around to the west. It was a true ‘West Wind’ adventure. Young and naïve, and no English vocabulary, however, did not prevent me from having a Dutch or English temper. To look at the past and to search the future’s unknown; one must know where they stand now. I am happily married to my angel, Marilyn, and we have three wonderful sons and daughters-inlaw and six grandchildren. This is actually a love story of country and family. Marilyn and I are retired teachers; seniors, living in Cobourg; spending time in Florida.
As with all seniors, our life story is too long to tell, but a few highlights are in order as it is a full sixty years ago that I landed on beautiful Canadian soil and chose to become a proud citizen. Over the years we had visited the Maritimes often, but in sixty years I had not returned to the place of my landing, Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This year – I did. My memory of April 1, 1952 was clear but not a pleasant one. It was cold. Snow was everywhere and people were crying. There was a celebration but it was not the kind of celebration remembered fondly. Eight hundred and thirty six (836) men, women and children were
trying to make their way down the ramp to step unto the “new found land” which had an entirely different climate and language than the place they left seven days earlier. The ship that carried us here was named, “Waterman”. It might have been better known as the watermen, as the land we left is known for its low lands and much water. The Nederland that we left was in full bloom with flowers and trees and green grass, and possibly roses that spring of 1952. Mom was Dad’s angel. Mom was crying too, as we made our way through the long queue to be ‘inspected’ by the Immigration Officer. Continued on next page
A 1951 photo of the Ebbers family. Front row (from left to right): – Richard, Herman, Grace, Mr. Herman Ebbers and his wife Aleida with baby Lena on her lap, Joanna, Alicia. Back row – Jerry, Bill, John, Dina.
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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The officer told my Mom to keep quiet and not to cry—I became very angry and my temper flared. I knew no English but I could figure out quite easily what he had said and I did not hesitate to tell him what I thought about it, in no uncertain “Dutch”. He told me: “shut up you little prick”; but I was not going to be pushed around by anyone! Mom told me to obey, and Dad took my hand with a firm grip. We walked over the snow and cinders, all twelve of us and hundreds of others, to a smoking, whistle blowing, old dirty train that was waiting for us, on a cold, snow covered windy hill, a few hundred yards away. Cold, hungry and very tired - I was far from happy. Not too many were. My parents, Herman & Aleida Ebbers, had sold everything. The farm they left is today (2012) a museum, just east of Winterswijk NL, on the German border. They had to wait two years after the sale of their farm in 1950 to board a ship for Canada because my sister Alicia had become deathly ill and was in the hospital for many months. But now here we were, on the cold rattling train, no money, as it took every penny to pay for the ‘one-way trip’, little food (bread and diluted milk) and speaking only a very few words of English. This was a devastating journey to say the least. In those days All photos courtesy Dick Ebbers we thought we would never see anyone from across the seven day Atlantic again. Friends from school, family and other acquaintances were left behind. We were now on that “thing” for two nights and almost three days before landing in Belleville Ontario. There are many immigrant stories to be read from Pier 21 that were on the same boat and train. The Irony was that the farm in Nederland was on the “Vrede Weg”, or Peace Road, in English; and the road that we were on now was far from that description; I remember it far too well. As a boy, the most excitement I got on that train was to see a few dead squirrels and dead coons, and thousands of railway ties passing by as I watched through the toilet hole. We were to go to Cochrane. How would one stay alive if you had nothing and arrived in early April? Dad had received word that Cochrane was not the place to go, and his sister, and her family, was near Bloomfield Ontario. So our destination became Belleville where our relatives, the Huiskamp family, came to pick us up. In Nederland our family was “inspected” by physical examinations by Doctors and government officials from both countries. The seven day ship ride was not too bad
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seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
Left: Dick and wife Marilyn. Above: Dick stands in front of the Netherlands Consulate.
as long as you did not become sea-sick. Most were very sick, especially on the 5th and 6th day as we were in an east coast storm, but I was lucky and stayed well most of the time. Sleeping quarters on the ship were bunk beds in small quarters with the men and women in different parts of the ship— not pleasant. As a young boy, I do remember not appreciating all those hugs and kisses from friends, uncles and aunts, cousins and others, when we left Rotterdam; not expecting to see them again. But as a boy, I do remember that my oldest sister, who turned eighteen onboard, seemed to want more. She had found a handsome man on deck, and I can remember they seemed to enjoy the before mentioned activities a lot. She married that wonderful, timber like man, almost two years later. As we journeyed into ‘The County’ of Prince Edward there were no immigration officers, but only warm greetings from those that were waiting for us. They must have killed the ‘fatted calf ’. We ate; we drank; we cried and laughed and we stayed for two days at my Uncle and Aunt’s place on highway 14, now Hwy #62 near Bloomfield. We had found a New Land! Reality is not always easy to understand. On April 5, 1952 we ‘moved’ to Gilead road, about five miles further down into the county. Our furniture, as it was, was in about a 2m x 2m square box (7’ x 7’ cube) and it had gone to New York by mistake. We did receive it about a week later, but in the mean time, my Mom and sisters took tomato crates for benches and chairs; piled crates up to make a nice large table; then, with borrowed white sheets, covered them respectively, and made it all really look very pretty. It must have been very nice, as it impressed an eight year old who now, sixty years later, still remembers it well. We had moved into a small tenant house, owned by
Jerry and Grada Spriggings, the farmer and his wife for whom my father worked. My Dad and Jerry developed a language all their own: neither Dutchman nor Englishman could understand them. We all worked. The first few months at school were difficult for six of us children, but we learned the language very quickly and Mom made us speak English to her even though she spoke Dutch (our plat dialect) to us. Lena, my youngest sister, had just turned one in February 1952. The oldest three children went to work on other farms and a telephone switch board office , if I remember correctly. I do know that all the monies earned went into the same ‘pot’, and when that summer came, we (me included) picked strawberries and then raspberries, to put the money into the same pot. Less than two years later we bought a farm of our own. I grew-up on this farm. Played hockey and all types of sports, through elementary and high school years, the farm at then Ben Gill cheese factory, was my home. Not all of us liked to farm, and I for one, went to work in Wellington and earned my Interprovincial trade licenses for Automotive and Diesel Technician. My B.A; and B.ED; degrees came afterward. How is this a love story? The paperwork for immigration at Pier 21 insists: State your “Reason for Entry into Canada”. At the time, the reason for me was that I did what my parents told me to do. For my parents, on the other hand, this question is huge. What a decision to leave everything behind and start anew in a foreign land, but with ten children and themselves aged forty-five and forty-seven years of age, only great love for their children and a boundless hope for greater opportunity could be the driving force.
Of course the Second World War was not truly over in 1945. The oppression, fear and terror of the Third Reich, and the effect of the war on Europe in 1950 cannot be understated. What were the reasons for them leaving… many, many stories have been, and are being written, but I am sure the Third Reich was the biggest reason of them all. Our parents loved us enough to ‘pick us up’ and move to Canada. The pressure must have been terrible. They had to leave, for us. Immigration is like a tiny seed, blown from one land to the next, taking root and multiplying. Canada allowed great things to happen and opened the way for immigrants to help shape and mold this fantastic nation and immigrants, such as my family, quickly multiplied to make Canada the great country it is today. The future was and IS bright!
Photo of entire family: Jeff & Leanne, Jason & Harmony, Richard & Marilyn, Jim & Wilma.
The next generation of the Ebbers family: Grandchildren (from left to right): Emma,Josie, Wyatt, Abbey, Riley, Martina.
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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Discover the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, © SteveKaiserPhotography.ca
The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 collects, shares and pays tribute to immigration stories that span our nation’s history and geography. Today a National Historic Site and the only national museum in Atlantic Canada, Pier 21 was the gateway to Canada for one million immigrants between 1928 and 1971 and the departure point for 500,000 military personnel during the Second World War. One of the last standing ocean immigration sheds in Canada, Pier 21’s brick walls are deeply steeped in history and brought to life by the Museum—dedicated to sharing the stories of all immigrants to Canada, regardless of when or where someonefirst set foot on Canadian soil. Visit the Museum to learn about the experiences of immigrants as they arrived in Canada, the vital role immigration has played in the building of our nation and the continued contributions of immigrants to Canada’s culture, economy and way of life. Take a guided tour, offered in both official languages, of our main exhibition dedicated to the Pier 21 years. Hear stories about trans-Atlantic crossings by ocean liner, sausage-smuggling, cross-country train journeys and what it was like upon arrival in Canada. Don’t miss Oceans of Hope, the moving multimedia film that chronicles various
Scotiabank Family History Centre, © SteveKaiserPhotography.ca
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seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
immigration experiences during this period. Our Visitor Experience team is eager to welcome you, whether an individual, family or large group. Uncover your family roots in the Scotiabank Family History Centre with the help of our Reference Assistants. The Centre houses and has access to a wealth of historical and genealogical resources and our staff love to help you solve family puzzles and mysteries. We invite you to share your immigration story with us through an oral history interview or your own written personal account. Take part in one of our public programs, with offerings for all ages, which give visitors the chance to delve more deeply into topics surrounding immigration through hands-on workshops, film screenings, authors’ readings and much more! Be sure to explore onsite and online our temporary and community partnership exhibitions, periodically on display, that highlight themes of immigration, diversity, cultural heritage and identity. To learn more about the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 or to share your immigration story with us visit www.pier21.ca or email info@pier21.ca.
Residents aged 65 or older account for about
1/ 5
19
%
of persons in Canada aged 55 years and older are considered regularly active.
th
of all residents in Cobourg.
14
%
almost
three of every four
of seniors said they did not have any friends they felt close to compared to 5% of individuals aged 25 to 54, 18% of older seniors (aged 75+) were likely to report having no close friends.
seniors (55-65) say that computers have made it easier for them to find useful information and
almost two-thirds
59
say that computer have helped them communicate with other people.
22
31.6
%
considered inactive
%
considered moderately active Source: Statistics Canada
%
of seniors in Canada reside in one of Canada’s three largest urban areas Toronto, Vancouver and MontreĚ al.
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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pets
Travelling with pets? What you need to know By DR. JINNI DEMINE, DVM trenton pet hospital Headng south this winter to warmer climates? Taking your pet with you? Remember that health concerns in various states can be quite different from Ontario. The biggest example would be heartworm disease. In Ontario we need to prevent our canine friends from heartworm disease from June to November, while in the southern states, like Florida and Arizona, temperatures are warm all year, thus we must protect them year round. Before you leave make sure to pick up extra box of prevention for your pet. The prevalence for heartworm disease in cats is also much higher in cats in the United States then it is in Ontario. Ensure protecting your feline friends as well. Did you know that if your pet is on a special prescription diet, you need to have a prescription from your veterinarian before your cross the border? It serves 2 purposes. First, you will be allowed to take pet food with your over the border, and secondly, should you need more food, you should be able to pick it up at any pet hospital in the USA. Lastly, if you have a long drive ahead of you and your pet drives you crazy by panting, being restless, salivating, vomiting and unable to settle down, ask your veterinarian about the new anti-nausea medication for travelling pets called Cerenia. Your pet can take it 2 days in a row, then break for 4 days and have another 2 days in a row if needed. Ask your Pool Sales veterinarian for more information on this wonderful drug.
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seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
Y grow old when you can grow better? Research shows that individuals can continue to see gains from exercise well into their 80’s and 90’s . In fact many of the ails that we ascribe to getting older are the results of a decline in fitness, rather than the aging process itself. The good news is that this decline is reversible. How do we make sure we continue to be the best we can be? Health Canada says we should all have 30-60 minutes per day of cardiovascular exercise most days of the week. While this might sound like a lot, exercise may be divided into smaller chunks of time. Adding 10 or 15 minutes of exercise several times a day will add up. Throw in a couple of classes at your local fitness facility every week and you are well on your way to reaping all the benefits of undertaking a regular exercise program. Benefits such as weight loss, lowered blood pressure, better sleep, improved blood sugar levels, less fatigue, improved sexual health.. the list goes on and on. In fact, you should make sure to book regular visits with your family doctor, as your health improves you may have to decrease the number and amount of medications you take! So if we all know we should move more, why don’t we? Once again science comes to our aid to help us fool the impulse to remain on the couch. The number one factor in adhering to a regular exercise program is having a commitment to a friend. Scrap going out for lunch, go for
a walk instead. You will be glad you did, and in the process you will have improved the physical and mental health of your friend and yourself. Welcome to Active Living! Another way of committing to regular exercise is to sign up for a class at your local fitness facility. This will not only provide the means to improve your physical fitness, but you will gain social opportunities, meet new friends and perhaps even have a chance to inspire someone else to start down the road to better health and fitness. For many of us our last encounter with an organized fitness program may have been a dreary school gym, smelling of wet wool, and on overly enthusiastic gym teacher blowing a whistle at random intervals. Sound familiar? Fitness classes have come a long way since then. The movement toward yoga and tranquil stretch based classes has been a real revelation for many. When we add what science tells us about the value of maintaining our range of motion as we get older, yoga with its slow and controlled movements, serene environment, gentle music and verbal cues becomes a “must try.” Your local YMCA offers drop in yoga classes, emphasizing the numerous health benefits of yoga, without the eastern spirituality offered at more traditional yoga studios. Or maybe you’re the life of the party? Feet get twitchy at the sound of music? Zumba, the latest dance fitness craze Continued on next page
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
25
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1.888.420.4567 set to festive Latin American style rhythms, might be just the thing for you. Check out one of the many classes offered in your local community. Perhaps your hips and knees can no longer survive the dance floor. No problem! Now you can Zumba away in the Pool. The Cobourg YMCA offers Aqua Zumba; same great music and dance movements, performed in the water, to give sore joints and bones a break. Nature lovers can try hiking, birdwatching or check out your local dragonboat club. You will enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow boaters as well as the beauty and serenity of being on the water. Nordic Polewalking is another great outdoor physical activity that anyone can do. Thanks to the large number of muscle groups used, Polewalking greatly increases the amount of calories burned compared to regular walking. The poles also help relieve stress and pressure on joints by shifting part of the load on to the back and shoulders, improving strength and posture in the upper body in the process. As with any new activity it is important to seek expert guidance. The Brighton YMCA, in conjunction with the physicians of the Brighton Family Health Team, has designed a special activity pass based solely on the needs of seniors. YMCA certified Fitness Specialists will work directly with health care providers to design a unique exercise program for each user based on their needs as determined by the physician. Drop in to the Brighton YMCA and ask about the Family Health Team Pass today! In the words of the Earl of Derby, “those who do not find time for exercise will have to find the time for illness.”
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seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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health
Are Your Feet Getting Old? Experiencing the Agony of De “Feet”? You are not alone. Foot problems are especially common in seniors for a variety of reasons. Feet lose cushioning as they age, and the skin and nails can grow dry and brittle, and nails often become difficult to trim. Many seniors have poor circulation, and this can slow the healing of foot sores. There are many different problems seniors commonly face. Keep in mind that most of these problems can be prevented and treated. Here are a few of the most common problems: Dry Skin: Apply a thick cream to your feet TWICE daily. Avoid putting cream between your toes. Athlete’s Foot: Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection which can infect you anywhere on your feet: soles, between the toes and the toe nails are the most common areas. Feet are the best place for this fungus to cause problems. The fungus loves a warm, moist and dark environment. Common signs and symptoms are redness, peeling, itching (sometimes), and tiny blisters. If you suspect that you may have athlete’s foot, please seek professional help. To prevent this infection, keep your feet dry and clean and avoid walking barefoot in public areas. Hammer Toes and Claw Toes: Arthritis, heredity and a muscle imbalance in the foot or other foot dysfunction can cause hammer toes and claw toes. Though they are not always painful, they can be. Generally, the most common reason for pain is the development of a corn or callus on top or at the bottom of the toes. This is generally due to shoes fitting too shallow in the toe area. Always make sure to wear shoes with a deep toe box to avoid the pressure on the top of the toes.
The very best thing you can do for your feet is to wear comfortable and SUPPORTIVE shoes. Keep in mind that your feet can become wider, and seemingly longer (the arch may collapse) as you age. Your foot size will then change. You should always have your feet measured (while standing) before buying new shoes. Spending a lot of money on shoes does not guarantee that the shoes are supportive…neither does the brand. To find a supportive shoe look for three things: The heel counter (back of the shoe) should be stiff when squeezed. The arch of the shoe should not bend easily and the shoe should be stiff if twisted from side to side. Proper footwear is essential in preventing foot problems and falls. If you think you may have a foot problem, visit the office of a Chiropodist. Members of the College of Chiropodists of Ontario are your regulated medical foot health specialists in this province. They are designated as primary health care professionals, and they are the only practitioners in Ontario trained and regulated exclusively to provide advanced foot care and orthotics. We-Fix-U Physiotherapy and Foot Health Centres has a highly educated and highly trained team of Chiropodists who can help you get the results you need. We-Fix-U understands that pains and disability impact your life and you don’t always have enough time to take care of yourself. That is why We-Fix-U’s goal is to get you better, faster, and keep you going, longer. Employing a large team of experts: Physiotherapists, Chiropodists, Massage Therapists and Chiropractors, We-Fix-U has the ability to give you the best and most comprehensive approach to getting you better.
Corns and Calluses: Sometimes caused by ill-fitting shoes, but not always. Most are caused by a mechanical problem in the foot, causing excessive pressure which causes a callus or corn to develop. Wearing properly fitting shoes and consulting with a chiropodist is the best way to prevent these often painful areas. If they do arise, you can file them down with a pumice stone or foot file. Avoid medicated corn pads sold in drugstores as they can cause damage to the healthy skin and cause serious problems and pain.
We-Fix-U co-founders David Evans (Physiotherapist) and Cristol Smyth (Chiropodist), employ a standard at each clinic, appropriately called “The Dave and Cristol Standard”. Through this standard, We-Fix-U takes a three-pronged approach to treating your ailments: The first is to resolve your symptoms so you can start to feel better, faster. The second is to discover the root of the problem so we can prevent it, and new ones from returning. The third is to make your treatment fun, friendly and effective. Visit www.we-fix-u.com
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seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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Interview with Joe Zuger By Sanjeev Sukumaran, AU. D.
(continued from page 10)
A while ago, I had a patient that had a high frequency hearing loss whom I fit with hearing aids. He purchased an excellent pair of hearing aids. I typically do a follow up two weeks after the fitting to see how the patient is doing and to make adjustments that may be needed. When the patient came in for his follow up, he reported that the hearing aids cost him a lot of money. I started to explain the cost versus benefit to the patient but he stopped me. He was not complaining regarding the cost of the hearing aid, but was referring to related costs. When he exited his fitting appointment and turned his car on, he became aware of a hole in his muffler. At home, he had to fix creaking floors and squeaky doors, thus the commentary that his hearing aids cost him a lot of money. Another patient having just been fit was sitting in his kitchen enjoying the peace and quiet until he detected a persistent, loud ticking sound. It dawned on him that this new sound in his kitchen was rather out of place and was convinced that there was a ticking time bomb. He ran as fast as he could out of his house. After viewing his house from across the road for a few minutes, he realized he did indeed have new hearing aids and that perhaps he was hearing something other than a ticking time bomb. As it turned out the wall clock that he previously believed was silent actually did indeed tick. The examples I can give of the shock of improved hearing range from the flushing of a toilet sounding like Niagara Falls to the clicking of one’s dentures being heard. Some of these sounds need to be dealt with by the audiologist, given that they go beyond what is necessary and normal but others really are long forgotten sounds. I have had patients tell me that they believed that new cars had soundless blinkers, that is, until they got their new hearing aids. There is such a thing as auditory deprivation, this is the effect on the brain relative to the long term absence of sound. Simply put, when one has not heard certain sounds for a long period of time, the brain forgets the sound exists. The longer the sound is missing the harder for the brain to reconnect to that sound rendering a useful component in the processing of information. So while clicks and squeaks can represent long forgotten sounds more important is the high frequency speech signal that is integral to the discrimination of sound (understanding speech). The longer one has a hearing loss the harder it is for the brain to reacquaint itself with that formerly missing sound. So yes, things that go squeak are important in the context of conversation and understanding speech optimally.
He had a great football mind and a nice person, too, eh? Oh, yeah. Super. I think, players respected him. He was a lot like Frank Kush was. Frank was my coach in Arizona. His first year as a head coach was my first year at Arizona State officially. Oh, so you had a tie there then. Like, he was only like 28 years old. Oh boy, pretty young for a coach. That was older than me (laughing). You’re retired now, how are you filling your days? You did a lot of work as an artist. Are you still doing that type of thing? Yeah, I paint. You know, modest gardening and stuff. I just try to keep myself busy, not to think about everything. It’s hard to see a game on or something and memories come back. Some are hard things, some are good. I’d rather not watch a game than go through some of the stuff. It’s the older you get the more -- especially you see some of these guys now making a hundred million dollars. Yeah, football’s a different game now, isn’t it? They seem to love each other. I think in your day, you hated each other, didn’t you? Yeah. It was kill or be killed (laughing). Monday – Saturday 8 am - 9 pm Sunday 9 am - 6 pm
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Everything related to hearing.
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seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
Yo u r A l l C a n a d i a n D i s c o u n t S t o r e Store carries: • Footwear • Kids Fashion • Ladies Fashion • Ladies Plus • Mens Fashion • Mens Workwear • Nurse Scrubs • Dairy • Deli • Dry Good Grocery • Frozen Food • Produce • DVDs & Electronics • Holiday / Seasonal • Home Décor & Linens • Housewares • Small Appliances • Health & Beauty • Lottery • Paper Products & Cleaning Supplies • Pet Supplies • Toys
705-632-1377
547 Grand Road, Campbellford, ON, K0L1L0
technology
Aging well with a little help from technology With the largest segment of the population becoming seniors, technologies and services to help people age well and independently are in demand. Enter the Technologies for Aging Gracefully Lab, or TAGlab. Based out of the University of Toronto, the lab has been researching and developing innovative, creative solutions for the aging population since 2009. “TAGlab was started to develop technologies that help seniors maintain their autonomy, connect to their communities, and retain dignity,” explains Mike Massimi, a founding member and a recent PhD graduate. “I became involved because I found memory very interesting, and with a background in computer science, it just seemed to be a great fit.” Recently, Revera, a Canadian leader in accommodation, care and services for seniors, partnered with TAGlab to support its research initiatives. The three-year, $50,000/year partnership will help advance the research, development and advancement of technology and innovation for the health, well-being and graceful aging of seniors. Details of the partnership can be found at www. reveraliving.com. “Our hope is that this research will lead to new advances in technology that will have a positive impact on the lives
of Canadian seniors,” says Trish Barbato, the senior vice president of home health and business development for Revera. “According to Statistics Canada, nearly 30 per cent of seniors 75 years of age and older are online, up from just five per cent in 2000. This number will continue to grow and we want to make sure we’re supporting seniors through care, service and technology that meet their changing preferences.” The TAGlab team has various projects on the go, all geared to make life easier for the aging population. One project that inspired Massimi involved photo diaries. “The Digital Life Histories project has been a major focus,” Massimi explained, “We worked with a type of wearable camera, called SenseCam that takes up to 3,000 photos a day. These images are used to help the individual remember their day and the interactions they had. For those living with memory loss, such as dementia, the photos are a tangible and visual record of their day.” When asked how Massimi feels about TAGlab, he answered with absolute certainty. “To see the evolution of the lab over the last few years has been amazing. I can’t imagine a more interesting field.” - News Canada
You’re never too old to learn new tricks There’s something about Mary… what is it? It’s the glow that learning can bring to the life of someone who once thought her days of schooling were behind her. At nearly 80 years old, Mary McFadyen has just recently discovered the wonders of texting, Twitter and Facebook—igniting a passion for technology that she never knew she had. “My family can’t believe that I now read a lot of my news on Twitter, and can share photos with them on Facebook,” McFadyen said. “While more of us than ever are learning to use cell phones and computers, a technology gap still exists that isolates many of us from our younger, tech-savvy grand-kids,” McFadyen says. She notes that Internet and cell phone access has enabled her to connect with her family and other sources of social support more easily, “I never feel alone these days,” she adds. Recent studies demonstrate a positive relationship between an
increased use of technology and happiness among elderly populations. Experts tell us that spending time online has been shown to cut the incidence of depression and enhance brain function and cognition among seniors. As well, computer-based brain fitness games for the elderly have even been shown to slow, and in some cases reverse age-related declines in perception and cognition. Based on a growing demand, many Canadian seniors’ residences have begun offering residents technology workshops, and companies like Doro are developing ‘senior friendly’ devices that feature large, easy to read buttons for simpler dialing and messaging, hearing aid compatibility and security functions. McFadyen reminds seniors that it’s never too late to learn something new – and is proving it every day as she texts, tweets and emails away. - News Canada
seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
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important numbers Emergency 911
Police, Fire, Ambulance
Hospitals Northumberland Hills Hospital, Cobourg 905-372-6811 Campbellford Memorial Hospital
705-653-1140
Trenton Memorial Hospital
613-392-2541 1-800-267-1373
Poison Control
Municipalities Alnwick/Haldimand Township, Grafton
905-349-2822
Municipality of Brighton
613-475-0670
Town of Cobourg Municipal Offices
905-372-4301
Township of Cramahe, Colborne
905-355-2821
Township of Hamilton, Cobourg
905-342-2810
Municipality of Port Hope
905-885-4544
Municipality of Trent Hills, Campbellford 705-653-1900 City of Quinte West, Trenton
613-392-2841
We buy and sell good quality used books.
Gryphon Books Quality Used Books
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do you have a story idea? comments? Let us know! Contact Simone Strassburger-McDonald at: simone@willowpublishing.com â&#x20AC;˘ 1-613-475-2927 Toll Free 1-800-339-5662
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seniors lifestyle | fall 2012 & winter 2013
fall & WINTER COBOURG
Friday, November 9
Thursday, November 8
Tuesday, October 30
October 26 - 28
Mystery Movies and More 2-4 pm, Cobourg Public Library Saturday, November 10-11
Brighton and Batawa Chess Club 1-3 pm, Batawa Community Centre, Batawa
Warkworth Community Diners 12-2 pm, St. Paul’s United Church
Make It Indie: Fine Craft & Decorative Art Show & Sale 10-5 pm, Cobourg Lion’s Centre
Friday, November 16
Thursday, November 1
Santa Claus Parade & Light up Brighton – 6pm www.brighton.ca
Thursday Night Ladies Pool League 7:30-9:30 pm, Royal Canadian Legion-Hastings-Branch 106
Marie Dressler Foundation Vintage Film Festival www.vintagefilmfestival.com www.northumberlandplayers.com www.cobourg.library.on.ca twitter@poced Wednesday, October 31 Violence Prevention Awareness Art Exhibit 5:30-7 pm, The Human Bean Rocky Horror Picture Show Costume Party & Movie 10pm-12 am, Park Theatre & Performing Arts Centre Friday, November 2 Child Development 10-11 am, St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School, Cobourg Mystery Movies and More 2-4 pm, Cobourg Public Library,Cobourg Saturday, November 3 Cobourg Farmers’ Market 7-1 pm, Market Square Northumberland United Way Rock the Rink 9-2 pm, West Northumberland Curling Club Sunday, November 4 Northumberland Film Sundays 4-6 pm, Northumberland Mall Theatres Monday, November 5 Free Monday Comedy Movie Matinee 2-4 pm, Cobourg Public Library
Sunday, November 11
PORT HOPE
Northumberland Film Sundays 4-6 pm, Northumberland Mall Theatre
Friday, October 26
Monday, November 12 Choral Legacy 7:15-9:30 pm, Baltimore United Church Sunday, November 24 “Christmas In Cobourg” 10th & Final House Tour Join us for a tour of distinctive homes dressed for the Holiday Season 10pm-4pm, tickets $20, avail early September at Victoria Hall Box Office 905-3722210 or 1 888 262-6874 ext. 4153, Marlin Travel at Northumberland Mall, Cobourg Tourism Office at Marie Dressler House, The Buttermilk Café, 44 King Street West Proceeds to Local Charities BRIGHTON Tuesday, October 30 Brighton Computer Club 9:30-11 am, King Edward Park Community Centre Wednesday, October 31 Lions Club Bingo 6-9 pm, Brighton Community Centre Thursday, November 1
Northumberland’s Largest Christmas Chorus for Women 7-8:30 pm, Auditorium in Golden Plough Lodge
Brighton and Batawa Chess Club 1-3 pm, Batawa Community Centre, Batawa
Thursday, November 8
Massive Fall Book Sale 9-1 pm, Brighton Community Centre
Cobourg Ecology Garden Committee Members Meeting 6-8:30 pm, Legion Village Recreation Hall, Cobourg Cobourg Ecology Garden Volunteer Committee Members Meeting 7-8:30 pm, Legion Village, Cobourg
Saturday, November 3
Christmas at Presqu’ile 10-4 pm, Presqu’le Provincial Park (Nov. 3, 4, 7, 10, 11) Wednesday, November 7 Lions Club Bingo 6-9 pm, Brighton Community Centre
Smoking Cessation Support Group 9:30-10:30 am, Port Hope Community Health Centre Art de Triomphe 10-4 pm, Cameco Capitol Arts Centre (Oct. 26 & 30, Nov. 2, 6 & 9) Saturday, October 27 Port Hope Farmers’ Market 8-12 pm, Port Hope Farmers’ Market Sunday, October 28 Pumpkin Fest 1-3 pm, Memorial Park Tuesday, October 30 Classic Movie Matinées 2-4 pm, Port Hope Public Library Mary J. Benson Branch Wednesday, October 31, Nov 1
Sunday, November 4 Colborne Cramahe Figure Skating Club Fashion Show & Tea 2-4 pm, The Keeler Centre, Colborne Monday, November 5 Campbellford Horticultural Society Meeting 7:30-9 pm, Christ Church Anglican – Campbellford Thursday, November 8 Thursday Night Ladies Pool Leauge 7:30-9:30 pm, Royal Canadian Legion-Hastings-Br. 106 HASTINGS –QUINTE Oct 31 – Nov 24th – Photo courtesy Jackie Marshall Fall Countylicious – throughout Prince Edward County www.countylicious.ca
Laughter Yoga 9:30-10:30 am, Port Hope Community Health Centre
Nov 1 – 21st – A Village Christmas – Stirling www.stirling-rawdon.com
Friday, November 9
Nov 2 – 4 – The Maker’s Hand – Prince Edward County’s Art show and sale – Picton Fairgrounds www.themakershand.com
Smoking Cessation Support Group 9:30-10:30 am, Port Hope Community Health Centre Sunday, November 11 Horizons’ Writers & Friends Gala Literary Evening 3-8:30 pm, Trinity College School TRENT HILLS Friday, October 26 Arthritis Self-Management Program 1-3 pm, CCAC Campbellford Branch (Oct. 26 to 30) Saturday, October 27 & 26 Cannington Haunted Trail 6:30-9 pm, Cannington Nature Trail (by arena), Cannington
Nov 2 – 4 – Heart of Hastings Studio Tour www.hastingsstudiotour.com Nov 3 – 100th Anniversary Open House – Campbellford/Seymour Carnegie Public Library 98 Bridge St Campbellford Nov 3 & 10 – Fall Fibre Fun with Alpacas – 127 Sine Rd. Stirling www.amazinggrazealpacas.ca Nov 16 & 17 – Fibre to Fabric Show and Sale – Belleville Weavers & Spinners Guild – Fri 4 – 9pm, Sat 9:30 – 5pm Belleville Rec Centre, 116 Pinnacle St, Belleville.
Event dates were current at time of print. Please contact organizer to confirm.
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“It’s almost a perfect place.” Bram Langdon Fo Island Park Retirement For Co Community resident Bram Langdon, th choice of his new home was easy. the ““It had nice surroundings, nice people – and I could bring Spot!” Bram and his 10-year-old Jack Russell Terrier Spot Spo moved to Island Park in 2010 and find that everything about the residence suits their taste – especially the location. “The outside is nice – the green grass, the birds – and the water makes it even better. I like looking out my window or sitting on the patio. And Spot and I love to go for walks along the canal.” Discover for yourself what makes Island Park the residence of choice for so many area seniors like Bram.
Why not join us for lunch and a personal tour. Call Cindy at 705-653-3100 to arrange.
18 Trent Drive, Campbellford I www.specialtyliving.ca
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