YorktonThisWeekSeniors20210630

Yorkton This Week | www.YorktonThisWeek.com | Wednesday, June 30, 2021

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SENIORS Our Monthly Feature

...For Seniors and about Seniors

Dennis Smith has been painting as an amateur for over 30 years and plans to do it until he no longer can

Staff Photo by Tanner Wallace-Scribner

Artist focuses on Western themes

By Tanner WallaceScribner Staff Writer For 20 years, a local senior has been spreading this artwork across the prairies.

Dennis Smith, who was born and raised in Fort Qu’Appelle, started painting in 1991 after his wife suggested he pick up a hobby.

“I’ve done art all my life, and for 30 years, I didn’t bother at all. I was too busy with other things,” he said. “Then my wife had to go to Calgary to get her eyes fixed, and she said you better have some type of hobby because you’ll be sitting in the dark.”

Smith, who is selftaught, said he started doodling in school, and as he grew up, his talents and interest in the arts grew and grew until his eventual three-decadelong break.

Since his return to the arts, Smith has given away or sold many of his paintings, which he describes as native, western, and portraits.

To date, Smith noted that he had sold over 40

paintings in which he draws his inspiration from books and magazines.

Smith, who was selftaught, started doodling in school said that he plans to draw and paint until he can no longer do it.

“As long as I have my health and one good hand I can draw with, why not?”

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Wednesday, June 30, 2021 | www.YorktonThisWeek.com | Yorkton This Week

just for SENIORS

June 2021

Volunteer safely during the pandemic Volunteers are vital to the survival of many charitable organizations.

Without people willing to offer their time and expertise free of charge, many nonprofits would find it difficult, if not impossible, to meet their missions.

The global pandemic that begins in late 2019 and continued into 2020 changed many aspects of life as the world knew it, and that includes volunteering. Social distancing measures and stay-at-home mandates from state and local governments discouraged people from leaving their homes, while various health organizations warned ageing men and women to stay home as much as possible. In recognition of that threat, many retirees who were heavily involved in volunteering prior to the pandemic were forced to cease working as volunteers, which could have a negative effect on their mental health as the pandemic continues. Adults

over age 60 experienced greater life satisfaction and greater positive changes in their perceived health as a result of volunteering.

Many people have continued to volunteer during the pandemic, and those that want to do

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so can take these steps to make sure their efforts to give back are as safe as possible.

• Speak with your physician first. Anyone, but especially seniors, who wants to volunteer during the pandemic should discuss those aspirations with their physicians prior to offering their services to

charitable organizations.

Doctors can discuss the acute and chronic threats posed by the COVID-19 virus and examine each individual’s medical history to help potential volunteers decide if working with a local charity is safe. In addition, doctors can check patients for COVID-19 symptoms and even have them tested to

make sure they won’t be putting anyone in danger should they decide to volunteer.

• Contact the organization prior to volunteering. Some organizations may not be allowing potentially at-risk volunteers to perform inperson tasks. Contact the organization you hope to work with prior to signing up to confirm your eligibility, but also to discuss the safety protocols they’ve put in place to protect the health of their volunteers.

• Monitor your own health. If you’ve signed up to volunteer, it’s vital that you monitor your own health. Health officials believe the COVID19 virus has spread so rapidly for a number of reasons, including the likelihood that many people have had the virus but shown no symptoms. Charitable organizations will no doubt assess the health of each volunteer when they show up to work, but volunteers also should make such assessments on their own. Check your temperature each day

and familiarize yourself with the symptoms of COVID-19. If you suspect you are unwell or are even slightly under the weather, contact the charity and tell them you won’t be showing up that day. Operating with an abundance of caution during the pandemic can save lives.

• Consider virtual volunteering. Virtual volunteering is a safe way to give back that won’t expose volunteers or others to the COVID-19 virus. Charitable organizations need behindthe-scenes help just as much as they need volunteers with their boots on the ground. Virtual volunteers can help with fundraising efforts and event planning but also help charities overcome the logistical challenges of operating and meeting their missions during the pandemic.

Prior to volunteering during the pandemic, prospective volunteers can follow numerous steps to ensure volunteering is safe, both for them and the people they’re trying to help.

Fantastic outdoor activities for seniors Spending time in nature has benefits for your mind and body.

Here are four outdoor activities that can help you make the most of sunny days.

1. HIKING Depending on where you live, you can explore trails that wind through forests, wetlands or wide-open meadows.

Just make sure the terrain and length of the trail correspond to your capabilities. Confirm if it’s a one-way or round trip before you start.

F . a s r e n o f r d o e m v o worries. l o t r a e N

2. PICNICKING Whether you choose to dine in a park or at the beach, this activity allows you to make the most of nice weather and enjoy a delicious meal in good company. Put together an assortment of salads and sandwiches or get takeout from a local restaurant.

3. CAMPING Are you getting too old to sleep on the hard ground? With an RV, you can escape to the great outdoors without leaving behind the comforts of

home. Spend your days fishing, hiking or sitting on the beach, and relax

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by the fire in the evening.

4. BIRDWATCHING It’s easy to take up birding, as it requires very little equipment and can be done almost anywhere. All you need is patience and a keen eye. To make the most of your next excursion, determine where the best birdwatching spots are in your area.

From gardening and golfing to cycling and playing tennis, there’s no shortage of ways to be active outdoors in summer.

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Happy Canada Day to you and your family.

Please take a moment to reflect on our history and who we were, who we are now, and who we want to be in the future.

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Yorkton This Week | www.YorktonThisWeek.com | Wednesday, June 30, 2021

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just for SENIORS

June 2021

How to stay connected with loved ones after moving into an assisted living facility Many seniors relied on technology like Zoom to stay connected with loved ones during the pandemic. Residents of assisted living facilities can continue to utilize such technology to maintain connections with their families after the pandemic.

Decisions surrounding assisted living facilities are not always easy.

Men and women may be reluctant to leave their homes, while family members may be worried about how their ageing loved ones will adjust to life in an assisted living facility. Though modern assisted living facilities cater to residents with an array of needs and interests, the hesitation about whether or not to move into such a facility

is understandable.

One of the concerns seniors and their families may have about assisted living facilities is how

to remain in touch with loved ones. Thankfully, staying connected is easier than ever before.

That ease of connection

has been on full display throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, during which ageing men and women have been urged to limit

3 strategies to beat the summer heat The dog days of summer can be challenging.

As the mercury rises to potentially unhealthy heights, spending time outdoors can become less comfortable and even dangerous.

Finding ways to beat the summer heat can help people avoid injury and illness and ensure they still get to enjoy their summers. The following are three ways to beat the summer heat, though it’s important that seniors, pregnant women, parents of young children, and anyone with a preexisting health condition speak with their physicians about the precautions they should take before going outside on hot days.

1. Change your exercise routine, if necessary.

Summer is a great time to exercise outdoors.

However, it’s important that people who are used to working out in midday change their outdoor exercise routines on hot days. Training early in the morning before the sun gets too high.

During the dog days of summer, early morning temperatures tend to be more mild than midday temperatures. That can reduce athletes’ risk of injury or illness, though it’s still important to avoid exercising in especially hot temperatures regardless of the time of day.

2.

Practice passive cooling at night.

Nightflushing is a passive cooling technique that involves opening the windows in a home at

night. Doing so can make indoor areas healthier and more comfortable for a home’s inhabitants during the dog days of summer. HVAC systems keep homes cool in summer, but over time hot and stale air can accumulate inside a home. If that air is not removed, a home can feel stuffy and airborne pollutants like carbon dioxide can reach potentially unhealthy levels. By opening their windows at night, homeowners can let that stale, potentially unhealthy air out and let the cool air of summer evenings in.

week when you can communicate directly with them. If family lives nearby, this might take the form of a weekly family meal at a loved one’s home. If family lives too far away for routine inperson meals, set up a time each week for a family Zoom call.

• Continue to engage with your interests and fellow hobbyists. If you were an avid reader who loved to discuss and recommend books to your loved ones, then continue to do so after moving into an assisted living facility. Sports fans who bonded with their loved ones over a shared passion for a favourite team can keep following their team and discussing the latest big game with their friends and family via email, texts or video calls. Various studies have discovered the positive effects that hobbies can have on longterm physical and mental health. Staying engaged with your passions can keep lines of communication open with friends and family and benefit your overall health.

Keeping the lines of communication with loved ones open can help ageing men and women as they transition to life in assisted living facilities.

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3. Stay hydrated. It’s easy to become dehydrated at any time of year, but especially so during the dog days of summer.

However, conditions on mid- to late-summer days make it necessary for many people to consume more water than that, especially if they plan to spend time outdoors.

On hot days, make sure you’re taking in more fluids than you’re losing. Take water with you

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Summer heat can be a formidable opponent, but it can be overcome in various ways.

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contact with people outside their households in an effort to reduce their risk of contracting the virus. When the pandemic is in the rearview mirror, seniors can continue to employ various strategies to stay connected with their families after moving into an assisted living facility.

• Embrace technology. It’s understandable that seniors are sometimes hesitant to utilize technology. Having spent much of their lives without smartphones and Zoom calls, it may seem like adjusting to a world where such things are now widely utilized will be incredibly difficult.

However, modern technology is user-friendly, meaning seniors won’t need much if any, technical expertise or experience to utilize an assortment of devices that can help them stay in touch.

Ask a relative to show you the ropes of a new device or request that staff at the facility teach residents the basics of using devices to stay connected with family. Staff may help set up Zoom calls or help residents learn the ropes of texting.

• Make a weekly communication commitment.

Work with family members to set up a time each

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OUR NEXT FEATURE - WEDNESDAY, JULY 28