Healthy Ageing 1

Back in 2011, the Ministry of Health for British Columbia looked at what the literature said about healthy ageing. Here is some of what was in this report which was called Planning for Healthy Ageing A Literature Review, written by Eleanor Kallio, Senior Policy Analyst, Research, Knowledge Translation and Library Services Branch, Planning and Innovation Division, Ministry of Health, Victoria, British Columbia, published in 2011

Health

Older adults need health planning because they are at risk of becoming inactive and developing a major illness, or disability, or chronic disease. The individual can do much to address these challenges: one-half of age-related declines are preventable and physical activity is one of the best antidotes to age-related disease and disability. Maintaining good health is critical to retaining independence and living at home longer.

Low intensity, low-cost activities such as moderate, regular walking are among the most simple and popular ways to be physically active. Having social support and the recommendation of a physician are both helpful for getting older adults more physically active. Practicing a healthy lifestyle is also beneficial for the brain—this is especially important, as the risk of dementia increases with age. Cognitive and physical activity and healthy eating have been linked to brain health, maintaining memory and lowering the risk of dementia.

Social Networks

The literature strongly emphasizes social networks: they contribute to general well-being and are integrally linked to health, happiness, and self-worth. They help older adults stay engaged and active—especially important for those who live alone or who have lost loved ones. They provide emotional support, assistance with daily living activities, and activities such as walking groups can even enhance health. Social benefits can also be realized through online communities.

AGE-WELL NCE Inc

Have you ever heard of AGE-WELL NCE Inc.? I haven’t and I have been writing about senior issues for about 10 years and have been involved in creating and delivering workshops on senior health and wellness. I guess they are not promoting themselves to senior populations but only to academics and technology companies. I suspect that there are some who know what they do, but I didn’t and for that, I take responsibility and will introduce you to them, as they might be doing some good for seniors. The following is from their report published in 2018.

AGE-WELL is a federally-funded Network of Centres of Excellence established in 2015 to support Canadian research and innovation in the area of technology and ageing. AGE-WELL is dedicated to the development and delivery of technologies, services and policies/practices that benefit older adults and caregivers.

Our aim is to help older Canadians maintain their independence, health and quality of life through technology-based solutions that increase their safety and security, support their independent living, and enhance their social participation. As Canada’s technology and ageing network, AGE-WELL brings together more than 200 funded and affiliated researchers from 40 universities and research centres across Canada.

Over 250 industry, government and non-profit partners work closely with us on solutions for healthy ageing.

AGE-WELL also trains the next generation of leaders in the field of technology and ageing, with almost 500 trainees now in our ranks. Our research projects are organized into eight research themes (called Workpackages), supported by four Crosscutting Activities in knowledge mobilization, commercialization, team-working and training.

Age Well is the only pan-Canadian network that brings everyone together—researchers, older adults, caregivers, partner organizations and future leaders— to accelerate the delivery of technology-based solutions that make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians. In three short years, AGE-WELL has tripled in size. Today, our network includes more than 200 researchers from 40 universities and research centres across Canada.

We have over 250 industry, community, government and academic partners who share our vision that Canada’s leadership in technology and ageing benefits the world. These are meaningful partnerships. Consider that every research project has at least one industry or community partner who makes a significant in-kind or cash investment. End-users take part in these projects. In fact, more than 4,500 older adults and caregivers are involved. This is how we ensure our products are practical and useful.

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family in Canada

We are in Australia celebrating Christmas with my daughter, and her family and her friends, and we celebrated our Christmas one day earlier than our friends back in Canada. 

So our hope is that you have a wonderful day surrounded by friends, family and loved one. Our wish is that today is a day that some of your dreams, hopes and aspirations come true. Merry Christmas for all of us in Australia and we look forward to coming home in mid-January.

We love to celebrate

Any excuse for a celebration, humans love to have a reason to have a celebration. Yesterday I listed a few of the religious holidays in December, so I thought the day before Christmas I would give a longer list than yesterday. Whatever your faith, enjoy your day of celbration

Buddhism

·       8 December Bodhi Day is a day of Enlightenment, celebrating the day that the historical Buddha (Shakyamuni or Siddhartha Gautama) experienced enlightenment (also known as Bodhi).

Christianity

·       Advent: four Sundays preceding Christmas Day

·       4 December Saint Barbara's Day the Feast of St. Barbara is celebrated by Artillery regiments across the Commonwealth and some western Catholic countries.

·       5 December Krampusnacht The Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated in parts of Europe on 6 December. In Alpine countries, Saint Nicholas has a devilish companion named Krampus who punishes the bad children the night before.

·       6 December Saint Nicholas' Day

·       8 December Feast of the Immaculate Conception Day The day of Virgin Mary's Immaculate Conception is celebrated as a public holiday in many Catholic countries.

·       13 December Saint Lucia's Day Church Feast Day. Saint Lucia comes as a young woman with lights and sweets.

·       16–24 December Las Posadas procession to various family lodgings for celebration & prayer and to re-enact Mary & Joseph's journey to Bethlehem

·       December 21 Longest Night: A modern Christian service to help those coping with loss, usually held on the eve of the Winter solstice.

·       24 December Christmas Eve In many countries e.g. the German speaking countries, but also in Poland, Hungary and the Nordic countries, gift giving is on 24 December.

·       25 December and 7 January Christmas Day celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike.

·       25 December Anastasia of Sirmium feast day

·       25 December–6 January Twelve Days of Christmas

·       26 December Saint Stephen's Day In Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic a holiday celebrated as Second Day of Christmas.

·       27 December Saint John the Evangelist's Day

·       28 December Holy Innocents' Day

·       31 December Saint Sylvester's Day

Hinduism

·       December 21 through 25 Pancha Ganapati: a modern five-day Hindu festival celebrated from in honor of Ganesha.

Historical

·       Saturnalia: 17–23 December – An ancient Roman winter solstice festival in honor of the deity Saturn, held on the 17 December of the Julian calendar and expanded with festivities through to 23 December.

·       25 December Malkh is a festival dedicated to the Deela-Malkh in Vainakh mythology. 25 December was the birthday and the festival of the Sun

·       25 December Mōdraniht: or Mothers' Night, the Saxon winter solstice festival. was an event held at what is now Christmas Eve by the Anglo-Saxon Pagan

·       25 December Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (Day of the birth of the Unconquered Sun):– late Roman Empire

Humanism

·       23 December HumanLight Humanist holiday originated by the New Jersey Humanist Network in celebration of "a Humanist's vision of a good future."[9]

Judaism

·       Hanukkah: usually falls anywhere between late November and early January

Secular

·       Mid-November and early January Yule: Pagan winter festival that was celebrated by the historical Germanic people.

·       21 December Yalda The turning point, Winter Solstice. As the longest night of the year and the beginning of the lengthening of days, Shabe Yaldā or Shabe Chelle is an Iranian festival celebrating the victory of light and goodness over darkness and evil. Shabe yalda means 'birthday eve.' According to Persian mythology, Mithra was born at dawn on 22 December to a virgin mother. He symbolizes light, truth, goodness, strength, and friendship. Herodotus reports that this was the most important holiday of the year for contemporary Persians. In modern times Persians celebrate Yalda by staying up late or all night, a practice known as Shab Chera meaning 'night gazing'. Fruits and nuts are eaten, especially pomegranates and watermelons, whose red color invokes the crimson hues of dawn and symbolize Mithra.

·       Koliada: Slavic winter festival celebrated on late December with parades and singers who visit houses and receive gifts.

·       3 December International Day of Disabled Persons

·       10 December Human Rights Day

·       13 December Salgirah celebration of Shia Ismaili Muslims of their Imam (Aga Khan IV)

·       15 December Zamenhof Day  Birthday of Ludwig Zamenhof, inventor of Esperanto; holiday reunion for Esperantists

·       21 December Soyal: Zuni and Hopi a celebration of the solstice by the Zuni and Hopi

·       21 December Solstice.

·       22 December Dongzhi Festival – a celebration of Winter

·       25 December Newtonmas As an alternative to celebrating the religious holiday Christmas, some atheists and skeptics have chosen to celebrate December 25 as Newtonmas, due to it being Isaac Newton's birthday on the old style date.

·       26 December Boxing Day.

·       26 December–1 January Kwanzaa– Pan-African festival celebrated in the US

·       31 December–before dawn of 1 January Hogmanay Scottish New Year's Eve celebration

·       31 December New Year's Eve last day of the Gregorian year

·       31 December Watch Night A day where people celebrate the ending of the year and watch for the dawn of the new year

Unitarian Universalism

·       Chalica: first week of December – A holiday created in 2005, celebrated by some Unitarian Universalists.