Yorkton This Week | www.YorktonThisWeek.com | Wednesday, August 25, 2021
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SENIORS Our Monthly Feature
...For Seniors and about Seniors
Greschuk headed to hall of fame Al Greschuk can call himself a Hall of Famer. Greshuk was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame over the weekend in Battlefords. “It’s an honour for me because that’s the game I really loved.” “I started playing when I was about 10 years old,” he said. “My brother was a phys-ed teacher. He showed me how to catch the ball. I would go to town and I would stop at the train station and the train operator and he’d like to play catch and showed me how to use a catcher’s mitt. What happened is he (train operator) got me a team.” After that Greschuk’s baseball career started at age 12. He started catching for the Hubbard Hurricanes. Three years at 15 he became a pitcher and started pitching in senior baseball. His first show of talent came at Hubbard Sports Day were over there games he pitched 19 innings striking out 34. In 1963, at 20 years of age, Greschuk moved to
Prince Albert, where he worked at a shoe store. He started playing for the Prince Albert Junior Lions. There he would pitch a one-hitter against Saskatoon Junior Acmes to win the Northern Saskatchewan Junior Playoffs, qualifying for the Provincial playoffs. He was later transferred from his job to Alberta where Greschuk would add many more highlights to his baseball career. While playing for the Calgary Cascades of the Alberta Major Baseball League, [AMBL} when he struck out Lyle Moffat, who was a two-sport athlete and later played 276 games in the WHA and 97 games in the NHL. He also struck out Bill Fennessey, who had competed for Willie Mays position in the Major Baseball League. He also struck out another great baseball player of the time, Bobby Taylor. After playing in Alberta for many years, Greschuk said he decided to put his family first. “The wife and I sat down and she said that
she didn’t want me playing baseball anymore,” he said. “We got three children, and it’s too hard. I agreed with her, my arm is probably at least a third gone already and I miss calling the card when I was 17. Greschuk then moved to Yorkton from Calgary in 1975 and played with Hudson Bay for over 10 years, and continued to play Twilite baseball for 50 and over, with Spy Hill, when they played in the 1996 World Twilite Tournament in Phoenix In 2000, he was instrumental in organizing a Junior baseball team in Yorkton. As well, he organized the Yorkton Cardinals of the Western Major Baseball League {WMBL}. Greschuk said that he wanted to help out because he loved baseball and wanted to see it continue. He would provide uniforms and jackets for the junior team and the WMBL Cardinals for 12 years. He said that his loved of baseball started because there wasn’t
Staff Photo by Tanner Wallace-Scribner
Al Greschuk is going to be inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame. much to do on the family farm. “When I was a kid I played catch with my dog and a rubber ball and bouncing it against the barn that we had,” he said. “That’s how it
started. I was the youngest in the family and I’d be the only one at home and there wasn’t much for entertainment those days and it’s something I’d love, Greschuk added he is
grateful for being able to play baseball and enjoy the game for 40 years, and to be inducted into the Hall of Fame is just another honour and highlight of his time in the sport.
4 apps to help prevent isolation Are you looking for ways to keep in touch with loved ones or meet new people? Here are four applications (available for Android and iOS) that will help you connect with others and avoid feeling isolated. 1. Rave Use this app to watch movies, TV shows and videos in sync with friends and family members. It also allows you
to send text or voice messages if you want to comment about what’s happening on screen. Rave is compatible with Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. 2. Smala This app makes it easy to share photos and exchange messages with loved ones no matter where you are. It also features kid-friendly
A couple of elderly men were venting their frustrations about the woes of modern technology. “I just can’t ever seem to remember my darn passwords,” grumbled one of them. The other one smiled. “Oh really? I can never forget mine!” “How do you manage it?” asked the first guy curiously. “Well, I simply set all my passwords to ‘Incorrect’ so that whenever I’m told that my password is incorrect, I’ll remember it!”
activities like drawing and writing that allow you to be creative together. Use the app to create a digital album filled with family memories you can take with you anywhere. 3. Tandem If you want to practise speaking another language, this app will pair you up with a native speaker who’s interested in learning your lan-
guage. Send text and voice messages, and make phone or video calls to practise your conversation skills, improve your accent and learn about your respective cultures. 4. Bunch This app makes it easy to host a virtual family game night. Choose from the selection of multiplayer games included on the app or play
one that’s already downloaded on your device. From drawing to racing to trivia, there’s something for everyone. The best part is, you get to see everyone’s face over video chat while you play. If you need help installing these apps on one of your devices, ask a loved one or a staff member at your seniors’ residence for assistance.
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just for SENIORS
August 2021
100th birthday celebrated in city By Bonnie Rohatynsky Ruth Smith recently celebrated a rather significant birthday at Yorkton Crossing. Born, Ruth Beck Aug 12, 1921 at Victoria Cottage Hospital in Yorkton, to Henry and Christie Beck, she marked her 100th birthday with a tea. The Becks lived on Fourth North, (house no longer there), and Ruth was the oldest of three children. Father Henry owned ‘Henry Beck Dry Goods’. Ruth went to Simpson School and graduated from Yorkton Collegiate in 1938. She went on to take a business course and worked three years at the city office. After that she got her Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts at the University
of Saskatchewan. Beck would work 34 years for the Yorkton School Board, retiring in 1981. She met Geoff Smith who was training here for the Royal Airforce (England) during the Second World War. He was a pilot. Once the war was over he returned to Canada and they married in 1949. Once retired Ruth and Geoff travelled the world; places like a cruise of the Mediterranean, a tour of the South Pacific, Egypt, the Panama Canal, Italy Turkey, and most of Europe. They travelled many times to England, with the last trip celebrating Geoff’s moms 100th birthday. Ruth has lived the whole time in Yorkton, with a small cottage at York Lake.
Ruth Smith, left, recently reached a milestone turning 100. The occasion was marked by a birthday party at Yorkton Crossing where friends gathered to enjoy cake and share some time with Ruth. Above, Brian and Paula Beck and Carol and Dick Bolt with Ruth Smith. (Submitted Photos).
How to make moving less stressful If you’re downsizing from a house to a condo or moving into a seniors’ residence, you may be worried about making the change. Here are a few tips to ensure your move is a positive one.
an extra bedroom for when family comes to visit. Knowing that you’ll be comfortable in your
FIND THE RIGHT HOME
ASK FOR HELP
Take the time to select a place that provides you with everything you need and want. Consider the area you want to live in and whether you require
new home can help alleviate your concerns about moving.
Moving can be physically demanding and emotionally draining. In particular, it may be difficult to get rid of belongings and say goodbye to a home filled with mem-
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ories. Consider asking friends and family members to lend a hand and provide moral support during your move. There are also a variety of professionals you can reach out to such as housing counsellors and social workers.
GET ORGANIZED Make a list of tasks that need to get done before your move and start completing them as soon as possible. This way, you’ll spread out the workload and avoid having to do too many things at the same time. What’s more, being organized is a great way to maintain a sense of control over your move and alleviate your worries. Lastly, remember to make time to unwind. Moving-related stress can be managed by meditating, doing yoga, listening to music, going for walks or whatever else helps you to relax.
F . a s r e n o f r d o e m v o worries. l o t r a e N
Retirement community living: create a budget Have you recently moved into a seniors’ residence, or do you plan to make the transition in the near future? If so, creating a budget will help you avoid unpleasant surprises, enable you to treat yourself on occasion and ensure financial security during this chapter of your life. Here’s how to do it. Identify your sources of income To determine how much money you’ll have available each month, add up your various sources of income. These may include: • A registered pension plan (RPP) • Canada pension
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plan (CPP) payments • An old age security (OAS) pension • A registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) • A tax-free savings account (TFSA) Calculate your monthly expenses Start with the price of housing at your seniors’ residence, which may include the costs for heating, electricity and meals. The amount might also cover expenses for nursing care, television, leisure activities and more. Additionally, list any monthly expenses that aren’t included in your rent like laundry services, parking and haircuts.
Give yourself some leeway Once you’ve determined how much money you’ll have left each month after paying for your various expenses, remember to set your remaining income aside in a savings account. This way, if your rent increases or you have an unexpected expense (car repair, new medication, etc.), you can cover the cost without experiencing financial hardship. If you’re having trouble creating a budget, don’t hesitate to speak with a financial adviser or ask a staff member at your residence for help.
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Yorkton This Week | www.YorktonThisWeek.com | Wednesday, August 25, 2021
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August 2021
Sask-led research team shows alternate form of brain protein that causes Alzheimer’s actually protects against the disease SASKATOON – Findings from a new study on Alzheimer’s disease (AD), led by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), could eventually help clinicians identify people at highest risk for developing the irreversible, progressive brain disorder and pave the way for treatments that slow or prevent its onset. The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports in early January, has demonstrated that a shorter form of the protein peptide believed responsible for causing AD (beta-amyloid 42, or A 42) halts the damage-causing mechanism of its longer counterpart. “While A 42 disrupts the mechanism that is used by brain cells to learn and form memories, A 38 completely inhibits this effect, essentially rescuing the brain cells,” said molecular neurochemist Darrell Mousseau, professor in USask’s Department of Psychiatry and head of the Cell Signalling Laboratory. Previous studies have hinted that
A 38 might not be as bad as the longer form, said Mousseau, but their research is the first to demonstrate it is actually protective. “If we can specifically take out the A 42 and only keep the A 38, maybe that will help people live longer or cause the disease to start later, which is what we all want.” A 42 is toxic to cells, disrupts communication between cells, and over time accumulates to form deposits called plaques. This combination of factors is believed responsible for causing AD. Experts have long thought that all forms of A peptides cause AD, despite the fact that clinical trials have shown removing these peptides from the brains of patients does not prevent or treat the disease. Mousseau said the idea behind the study was simple enough: If two more amino acids is bad, what about two less? “We just thought: Let’s compare
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these three peptides, the 40 amino acid one that most people have, the 42 amino acid that we think is involved in Alzheimer’s, and this 38 one, the slightly shorter version,” said Mousseau, who is Saskatchewan Research Chair in Alzheimer disease and related dementias, a position co-funded by the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation and the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan. The project confirmed the protective effects of the shorter protein across a variety of different analyses: in synthetic versions of the protein in test tubes; in human cells; in a worm model widely used for studying aging and neurodegeneration; in tissue preparations used to study membrane properties and memory; and in brain samples from autopsies. In the brain samples, they also found that men with AD who had more A 42 and less A 38 died at an earlier age. The fact that they didn’t see this same pattern in samples from women
suggests the protein peptide behaves differently in men and women. The USask team also included Maa Quartey and Jennifer Nyarko from the Cell Signalling Lab (Department of Psychiatry), Jason Maley at the Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre, Carlos Carvalho in the Department of Biology, and Scot Leary in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology. Joseph Buttigieg at the University of Regina and Matt Parsons at Memorial University of Newfoundland were also part of the research team. While Mousseau wasn’t surprised to see that the shorter form prevents the damage caused by the longer version, he said he was a little taken aback at how significant an effect it had. “As soon as you put A 38 into it, it brings it back up to control levels, completely inhibiting the toxic effects of A 42. That’s what was pleasantly surprising.”
5 facts about heatrelated illnesses
As heat waves become increasingly common during the summer, the risk of developing a heat-related illness becomes more likely. Here are five things you should know about conditions such as heatstroke and heat exhaustion. 1. They can present in numerous ways. Symptoms of heat-related illnesses include dizziness, fainting, headache, fatigue, flushed or clammy skin, muscle cramps, confusion, heat rash and an elevated body temperature. 2. Older adults are at a higher risk. A loss of mobility can make it difficult for seniors to stay hydrated. Plus, the sensation of thirst decreases with age. Older adults who live alone are particularly vulnerable. 3. Some medications reduce heat tolerance. These include medications for high blood pressure, Parkinson’s disease, allergies and certain heart conditions. Always ask your pharmacist about the side effects of your medications. 4. Extreme heat can aggravate chronic conditions. Conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, lung disease and diabetes decrease your body’s ability to adapt to changes in temperature. 5. There are ways to reduce the risks. During a heat wave, be sure to drink plenty of water, perform physical activities in air-conditioned places, reduce caffeine and alcohol intake, wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and frequently rest. In addition to learning the risks and signs of heat-related illnesses, be sure to check your local news for extreme heat warnings and safety tips. By staying informed, you’ll be able to safely enjoy the summer weather.
Do you struggle to walk on your own due to an injury, illness or condition associated with aging? If so, a walking aid could help you regain some of your mobility. Here’s how to know if a cane, walker or rollator is right for you.
CANE Ideal for mild vision or balance problems, a cane can make it easier to navigate around obstacles. It can also provide onesided support for mild leg weakness or joint pain. While a wooden model has a classic look, metal canes are easier to adjust. Alternatively, you can select a fourpronged cane, which is heavier but offers more stability. Be sure to test a few options to find the handle grip that works best for you.
One, two, three… After Adam stayed out late a few nights, Eve became suspicious. “You’re running around with another woman—admit it!” she demanded. “What other woman?” Adam shot
back. “You’re it!” That night, Adam was fast asleep when he was awoken by Eve poking him in the chest. “What are you doing?” “Counting your ribs.”
WALKER If you have severe balance problems or weakness in your lower limbs, a walker may be beneficial. This four-legged mobility aid typically has two wheels in the front and posts in the back, which allows the user to easily move forward. A walker also provides enough stability to assist with standing up. When shopping for a walker, opt for one in a lightweight material so that it’s less cumbersome.
ROLLATOR Similar to a walker but with four wheels, a rollator can greatly improve mobility since it requires less effort to push. Most have brakes on the handles, but these require good reflexes to use safely. Consider opting for a model with large wheels that can handle both soft interior and bumpy outdoor surfaces. Many rollators also include practical accessories such as a basket, seat and
hesitate to speak with your doctor or consult a physiotherapist.
reflectors. If you need help finding a walking aid, don’t
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