What can you do to celebrate Canada's 150th Birthday?

Community-driven projects form the basis for the celebrations of Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation.

Communities all across the country will have the chance to highlight regional talent and expertise, as well as the various facets of Canada’s diversity. Projects will include festivals, youth exchanges and forums, cultural projects and works of art.

Join the celebration, it’s happening in your community too! 

Here is a Webpage with community celebrations from each province: http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1475775848282

Pan-Canadian Signature projects are large-scale, participation-oriented activities, of national scope and with high impact. These projects will bring Canadians together to celebrate, participate in events and share experiences. 

Here is a page with a link to these projects

http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1475163068164 

Here are a few projects that I found interesting:

150 Years Young - Apathy is Boring

Through Creative Interventions, the 150 Years Young campaign will acknowledge and highlight millennials’ diverse contributions and mobilize their potential. Photos and Stories will be collected to illustrate how millennials make a difference then will be posted online and projected on buildings in 5 different cities as part of Street Talks events.

Edges of Canada - NYO Canada

The “Edges of Canada sesquicentennial tour” represents the most ambitious undertaking in National Youth Orchestra’s 57-year history. Travelling to top venues in 12 cities coast-to-coast-to-coast, the Orchestra will perform, some of the most complex and beautiful classical music repertoire to be heard anywhere in Canada, if not the world. This year, they will add not only a massive expansion in reach but also a massive expansion in the extent of their collaborations and artistic scope.

The special sesquicentennial tour will also see the Orchestra perform specially commissioned new works by Canadian composers, a collaboration in selected cities with the National Youth Choir, and also the performance of a very special original multi-arts component, which will be created by leading Indigenous artists from every part of Canada

Innovation150

Five of Canada’s leading science organisations have combined forces to create Innovation150, a nationwide program designed to celebrate our country’s innovative past, present and future, igniting the spark for future discoveries in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and paving the way for the innovators of tomorrow.

Innovation150 is a year-long program featuring a national science tour, a hands-on make space, innovation festivals, a quantum exhibition, educational materials for kids, and a collaborative digital innovation storybook.

Lost Stories - Concordia University

The Lost Stories Project seeks out little-known stories about the Canadian past from across the country which will be brought to light and transformed into public works of art. This process is documented through a series of short films. Watch as we embark on a creative journey into our history.

How can I get involved?

Are there little-known stories that you think are worth telling, and that are connected to a particular location where a marker could be constructed? If so, write: historylost@concordia.ca or share through Facebook or Twitter.

Red Couch Tour - ELPIO Production

The Red Couch Tour is calling all Canadians to have a seat and share their story! To celebrate Canada’s 150th Anniversary, the Red Couch is travelling cross-country to hear from Canadians on what Canada means to them.

The Northern tour kicked-off of on March 1st in Iqaluit, and continues for an 8-week national tour in June and July from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia, with many stops along the way including small towns and major urban centers. Follow the journey online and watch for a tour stop in your community!

Social Isolation of Seniors Part 2

Social isolation is: “less social contact than someone wishes, causing loneliness or other emotional distress” In “normal” ageing, a senior’s social circle may grow smaller due to:

•         Illness or disability

•         Loss of spouse or friends – more than 6% of Canadians over the age of 65 reported not having any friends

•         Caregiver responsibilities

•         Poverty

•         Lack of personal hygiene

However, senior isolation is serious. 

1.     Senior isolation increases the risk of mortality. According to a 2012 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, both social isolation and loneliness are associated with a higher risk of mortality in adults aged 52 and older.

2.     Feelings of loneliness can negatively affect both physical and mental health. Regardless of the facts of a person’s isolation, seniors who feel lonely and isolated are more likely to report also having poor physical and/or mental health, as reported in a 2009 study using data from the National Social Life.

3.     Perceived loneliness contributes to cognitive decline and risk of dementia. We evolved to be a social species it’s hard-wired into our brains, and when we don’t meet that need, it can have physical and neurological effects.

4.     Social isolation makes seniors more vulnerable to elder abuse.  Many studies show a connection between social isolation and higher rates of elder abuse, reports the National Center on Elder Abuse. Whether this is because isolated adults are more likely to fall victim to abuse, or a result of abusers attempting to isolate the elders from others to minimise the risk of discovery, researchers aren’t certain.

5.     LGBT seniors are much more likely to be socially isolated. LGBT seniors are twice as likely to live alone, according to SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders); they are more likely to be single and they are less likely to have children and they are more likely to be estranged from their biological families.

6.     Social isolation in seniors is linked to long-term illness. In the PNAS study mentioned above, illnesses and conditions such as chronic lung disease, arthritis, impaired mobility, and depression were associated with social isolation.

7.     Loneliness in seniors is a major risk factor for depression. Numerous studies over the past decade have shown that feeling loneliness is associated with more depressive symptoms in both middle-aged and older adults

8.     Loneliness causes high blood pressure. A 2010 study in Psychology and Aging indicated a direct relationship between loneliness in older adults and increases in systolic blood pressure over a 4-year period. These increases were independent of race, ethnicity, gender, and other possible contributing factors.

9.     Socially isolated seniors are more pessimistic about the future. According to the National Council on Aging, socially isolated seniors are more likely to predict their quality of life will get worse over the next 5-10 years, are more concerned about needing help from community programs as they get older, and are more likely to express concerns about ageing in place.

10. Physical and geographic isolation often leads to social isolation. “One in six seniors living alone in the United States faces physical, cultural, and/or geographical barriers that isolate them from their peers and communities,” reports the National Council on Aging. “This isolation can prevent them from receiving benefits and services that can improve their economic security and their ability to live healthy, independent lives.”

11. Isolated seniors are more likely to need long-term care. Loneliness and social isolation are major predictors of seniors utilizing home care, as well as entering nursing homes, according to a 2004 report from the Children’s, Women’s and Seniors Health Branch, British Columbia Ministry of Health.

12. Loss of a spouse is a major risk factor for loneliness and isolation. Losing a spouse, an event which becomes more common as people enter older age, has been shown by numerous studies to increase seniors’ vulnerability to emotional and social isolation, says the same report from the British Columbia Ministry of Health. Besides the loneliness brought on by bereavement, the loss of a partner may also mean the loss of social interactions that were facilitated by being part of a couple.

13. Transportation challenges can lead to social isolation. According to the AARP, “life expectancy exceeds safe driving expectancy after age 70 by about six years for men and 10 years for women.” Yet, 41% of seniors do not feel that the transportation support in their community is adequate, says the NCOA.

14. Caregivers of the elderly are also at risk for social isolation. Being a family caregiver is an enormous responsibility, whether you are caring for a parent, spouse, or another relative. When that person has Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or a physical impairment, the caregiver may feel even less able to set aside his or her caregiving duties to attend to social relationships they previously enjoyed. This can trigger loneliness and depression.

15. Loneliness can be contagious. Studies have found that loneliness has a tendency to spread from person to person, due to negative social interactions and other factors. In other words, when one person is lonely, that loneliness is more likely to spread to friends or contacts of the lonely individual. Making things even worse, people have a tendency to further isolate people who are lonely.

16. Lonely people are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviour. A 2011 study using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) found that people who are socially isolated or lonely are also more likely to report risky health behaviours such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, and smoking.

17. Volunteering can reduce social isolation and loneliness in seniors. We all know that volunteering is a rewarding activity, and seniors have a unique skill set and oodles of life experience to contribute to their communities. It can also boost longevity and contribute to mental health and wellbeing, and it ensures that seniors have a source of social connection.

18. Feeling isolated? Take a class. A review of studies looking at various types of interventions on senior loneliness found that the most effective programs for combating isolation had an educational or training component: for instance, classes on health-related topics, computer training, or exercise classes.

19. Technology can help senior isolation – but not always. Even though modern technology provides us with more opportunities than ever for keeping in touch, sometimes the result is that we feel lonelier than ever. The key to finding technological interventions that really do help, says Health Quality Ontario, is matching those interventions to the specific needs of individual seniors.

20. Physical activity reduces senior isolation. Group exercise programs, it turns out, are a wonderfully effective way to reduce isolation and loneliness in seniors and of course, they have the added benefit of being great for physical and mental health. In one study, discussed by Health Quality Ontario, seniors reported greater well-being regardless of whether the activity was aerobic or lower impact, like stretching.

 

Senior isolation is neither inevitable nor irreversible. Getting the facts can help us prevent loneliness in our senior loved ones as they face the life changes of ageing.

Social Isolation of Seniors Part 1

Being socially active and connected is at the core of having a good retirement and ageing well. Being connected is an important social determinant of health and social connectedness is beneficial to your health. Feelings of loneliness and isolation can lead to serious consequences for senior health. 

Understanding the causes and risk factors for senior isolation can help us prevent it. Nobody relishes the prospect of ageing without a spouse or family member at their side, without friends to help them laugh at the ridiculous parts and support them through the difficult times. Yet that is just what many North American seniors face. The quality and number of connections you have with others are important to your health. These connections include

•         family

•         friends

•         neighbours

•         acquaintances

•         Also, known as social support, social capital, and social engagement

As the baby boomer generation crosses the over-65 threshold, it grows; but many of our ageing loved ones are still feeling alone in the crowd.

A key determinate of health and one that we can control the choices we make/ An example of this is where one lives. One’s neighbourhood may provide an opportunity for social interaction with others through the availability of organisations (e.g. community centres, clubs, etc.…) and community-based programs. Similarly, living in a neighbourhood where neighbours know each other builds a sense of trust and community: Having a high sense of community is associated with improved mental and immunological health

According to the U.S. Census Bureau 11 million, or 28% of people aged 65 and older, lived alone in 2010. As people get older, their likelihood of living alone only increases. Additionally, more and older adults do not have children, reports the AARP, and that means fewer family members to provide company and care as those adults become seniors

While living alone does not inevitably lead to social isolation, it is certainly a predisposing factor. Yet another important consideration is how often seniors engage in social activities.

Statistics Canada reports that 80% of Canadian seniors participate in one or more social activities on a frequent basis (at least monthly) – but that leaves fully one-fifth of seniors not participating in weekly or even monthly activities.

Social contacts tend to decrease as we age for a variety of reasons, including retirement, the death of friends and family, or lack of mobility. Regardless of the causes of senior isolation, the consequences can be alarming and even harmful. Even perceived social isolation – the feeling that you are lonely – is a struggle for many older people.

Fortunately, the past couple of decades has seen increasing research into the risks, causes, and prevention of loneliness in seniors.

Fact: Loneliness and social isolation impacts the health of seniors more than 6% of Canadians over the age of 65 reported not having any friends

It is in our best interest to combat these changes because social participation and social support are both strongly connected to good health and wellness over the life course. The interaction of poverty, a function of one’s income, with social participation displays conceptually how income may act as a social determinant of health. Although social connectedness plays a significant role in health, seniors are more likely than any other age group to feel lonely or isolated

For seniors, social exclusion is found in several forms:

• Exclusion from society due to laws or societal discrimination (e.g. mandatory retirement)
• Failure of society to provide for the needs of seniors
• (e.g. affordable housing)
• Denial of opportunities to contribute and participate actively in society (e.g. not being represented on a community planning committee)
• Economic exclusion (e.g. unequal or lack of access to resources)

Year books

Yearbooks bring back memories, a member of my FaceBook community, who I thought I only knew through a third friend, posted a picture of himself from his time at Simon Fraser University. We had been at the university at the same time. As soon as I saw his picture, I recognised it from the 1966-67 yearbook. I then realised that I knew him because of the activities we both had been involved in at the university. 

A few weeks later I had a Message from a person that I went to Elementary School with who had seen me at our high school reunion and although we did not have a chance to talk, reminded me via FaceBook of some of the good times we had when we were very much younger.

On another occasion I went to lunch with a few people I had worked with as a beginning teacher, some I had not seen in about 10 years. One of the people in attendance was the person who hired me, and who I had not seen since 1975. Neither one of us recognised the other. I had changed as he had. He looked good for 90 and as we talked, he spoke fondly of his time at the school and in the district. He was enjoying retirement and was looking forward to his next trip. He also brought his yearbooks from his time at the school, and everyone at the table was enjoying looking back. I found my picture and showed it to him and he laughed and said, I would never have recognised you.

I wonder how many use posts and groups on FaceBook or their yearbooks and from high school or university to bring back or sharpen our memories. I know that from time to time I do, and I enjoy the experience of remembering.