Support your local food bank

June is a beautiful month, many songs have been written about it June is Bustin' Out All Over" from Carousel, June Night, On the isle of May to name a few. June is a month of hope, Spring is ending and Summer is on the horizon. We are thinking of holidays and fun in the sun. June is also a great time to consider the role that food banks have in our communities.  Here is some insights into the services that food banks provide to better help recipients meet their own long-term needs from March 2017.

Community kitchens. Many food banks operate community kitchens which are programs that bring together community members. These programs provide workshops to teach participants teach vital cooking skills.  Having food literacy skills like cooking shopping can go a long way to help learn how to use food hamper to make healthy meals.  

Kids programs. Approximately one third of those helped by food banks are children. Good nutrition during infancy and early childhood years is vital to long-term growth and health. That's why food banks often provide special hampers for families with infants and small children. Local food banks will also point their clients to community programs to help educate parents and children on proper nutrition.

Fresh food recovery. Surplus food is an essential part of the food bank ecosystem. Food banks typically access perishable foods by picking up from local grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and cafeterias. In addition to feeding our communities, food recovery programs also help to reduce food waste.

Food hampers. Food hampers remain one of the staple services of food banks in their efforts to help people in need. Food hampers will help provide recipients with essential food items to augment existing food supplies at home when times get tough. According to a 2016 report from the Mississauga Food Bank, only 11 per cent of clients visited the location once or more per month. Community programs, nutritional education and support for other community organizations help relieve food insecurity issues. But they could not operate without the help of volunteers and a steady stream of donations.

This spring, local food banks across Canada partnered with stores like Loblaws and Real Canadian Superstore to collect donations and help feed our communities. 

As the lazy, hazy days of summer come toward us, we need to continue to remember and support our local Food Bank

What if

In the email, my daughter said that my grandson was so excited because he was now tall enough to ride on some of the big rides at Luna Park in Melbourne. It made me wonder if we could still feel the excitement and adrenaline rush that a youngster feels the first time on an exciting ride. There are a number of factors at play with my grandson. First is the fact that he has grown taller, which is important to him, second, this growth allows him to stretch his experiences and allows him to do things that he could not do last year and third it allows him to show how big and brave he is to tackle rides which are meant to be scary.

Over time many of us have become addicted to habits that are comforting but not exciting. I believe we need changes and challenges in our lives to keep us young. What challenges have you tried or been faced with over the past few months that have given you an adrenaline rush? If we stop seeking adventures and challenges we may end up at the end of our lives wondering what if.  

And God Looked Down upon Seniors

Most seniors never get enough exercise. So, in his wisdom,
God decreed that seniors would become forgetful that they
would have to search for their glasses, keys, and other things
misplaced and move around more. And God looked down and saw that it was good.

Then God saw there was yet another need. So God in his wisdom made seniors lose coordination that they would drop things, which would require them to bend and reach and stretch. And God looked down and saw that it was good.

Then God considered the functioning of senior bladders and
decided that in His wisdom there might be calls of nature more frequently, requiring more walking to the relief station, which would burn calories. God looked down and saw that it was good.

Seniors were obliged to exercise more from these senior
shortcomings and did become more active as a result. So if you find you are required to get up and down more as you age, remember it's God's will and in your best interest, even though you mutter under your breath.

Ageing at Home

A growing trend among retirees is the desire to remain in one's home as long as possible. In fact, a recent study quoted by AARP shows 87% of those 65+ want to age in place for as long as it is safe. Even among those 10 years younger, 71% would opt to stay put. Familiarity and community ties are the biggest draws.

In BC 93% of seniors live independently, with 80% owning their own homes and 20% renting. The three biggest challenges to senior homeowners are:

• Taxes and utilities increasing faster than inflation
• Maintenance costs
• Major repairs may force a move
• Home equity becomes difficult to assess.

The biggest challenges to senior rentals are

• Affordability
• Availability
• Appropriateness

 The following chart from the office of the Senior Advocate of BC shows how in BC senior renters and homeowners are in trouble:

Homeowners and renters Living expenses 2016
Metro Vancouver	Home Owner	Renter
After Tax Income	1902	1902
Total Homeowner Expense	966
Basic Cost of Living	1064
Remaining Funds	-371
Average Rent 1 Bedroom		1079
Basic Living Costs		1008
Safer Subsidy*		108
Remaining Funds		-81

*Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters

So We want people to age in place, but we make it almost economically impossible to do this, so we have to advocate the government to give more consideration to this particular aspect of ageing. 

The research shows that if more seniors end up in homes than the health care costs will go very much higher. This issue is not just an issue for us in BC, but it is an issue in almost every jurisdiction. Allowing seniors to age in place reduces costs to society, and makes ageing a more pleasant experience.