Thursday, 25 June 2020

Longest Study Conducted on Aging - Preeceville's Main Street with the Mayor Garth Harris for June 25th, 2020 8:35 am

Working Draft for:

Preeceville's Main Street with the Mayor Garth Harris for June 25th, 2020 8:35 am

With GX94's Craig Wallebeck > see him @ http://www.gx94radio.com/craig-Wallebeck

This week we focus on:   Longest Study Conducted on Aging


What You Can Learn from the Longest Study Conducted on Aging

The surprising answers to aging well



"The study of aging is a relatively new field of science. It wasn’t until the last century that we started to see both lifespan and quality of life extend exponentially. And it wasn’t until the last 50 years that researchers started to take a serious look at aging.

And as a physical therapist who works with older adults, aging is a topic I research often. A simple Google search provides a plethora of information on solutions that hold the supposed “cure” to aging. How should anyone know where to start to sort this information out? And what really does work?

“Aging is not a disease, otherwise living would be a disease, but you can’t make money off satisfaction.” -Ashton Applewhite

First of all, aging isn’t a disease that needs to be “cured”. As author Ashton Applewhite would say, aging is living. And it doesn’t have to be a state of decline to be dreaded and avoided.

If any solution is touting itself as the ultimate “anti-aging” remedy, it’s likely not the answer. And if it sounds too easy or passive, it’s also likely not the answer.

Which brings me back to research on aging. Because that’s where the real answers lie.



Stop Trying to Defy Aging. Embrace It Instead.

After all, we’re all just older adults in training.




The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) is one of the world’s longest-running studies on aging. It began in 1958 and continues to date. For this study, researchers enroll participants age 20 or older and monitor them for life.

Participants undergo an extensive battery of health tests and measures every 3 years throughout their lifespan. These tests include blood work, physical tests for mobility, cognitive testing, and body composition among others.

This is one of the largest and most comprehensive data sets we have available. And after 60+ years of study, researchers have learned a lot but have also been left with questions.


What Can We Learn From the Study?

The study was set up to discover markers of aging but found there are none. One of the key findings of the study has been that aging is highly varied. And understandably this frustrated researchers at first.

They’ve realized aging is different for each individual and data predicted that. And most interesting was a huge variation among individuals observed by researchers. One thing that can be agreed on is that we all age differently and the older we get the more variation there is.

So does that mean aging is completely beyond our control? No, and below I’ll explain how this study demonstrates that aging is more within our control than we realize.

There may not have been one single marker for aging, but there were several strong predictors of how individuals would age. And researchers found these differences could be detected in middle age. For any disease, research supports that one’s aging trajectory is largely determined by our health and attitudes during middle age. The good news is that the markers for many of these diseases are malleable and depend mostly on behavior and choices.

The two strongest predictors researchers found that correlated with healthy aging were attitudes toward aging and mobility during middle age. Meaning the more positive the participant’s attitudes toward aging while in their 40’s and 50’s the better they aged. And the better their walking speed and balance in their 40’s and 50’s the better they age as well.



The great news here is that both of those factors are within our control. And better yet, it’s never too early or too late to start to improve these. Both are accessible and don’t require any financial investment.

You can use this information to check your own attitudes on aging and make adjustments as you need to. There is a balance between being positive and realistic that can be difficult to navigate. Just know your health is more in control than you believe.

The study is still ongoing. And still finding that much of aging is variable and changeable. And as Dr. Ferrucci, the director of the study, notes “That’s a wonderful thing: it’s a window of opportunity. If everyone was on the same deterministic biological trajectory, there would be no hope that we could change it. But the incredible variability shows that the potential to age well is there for everyone. A few people are showing us the way.”

Take Control Of Your Aging

Start taking control of your aging today by implementing simple solutions to improve your attitudes and beliefs about aging. Surround yourself with others in the right frame of mind to age well.

Then, get up and go for a walk. Try a balance challenge. Just keep moving in small ways every day. This doesn’t have to be complicated. Don’t overthink it, just move.

And finally, bypass flashy and expensive “anti-aging” solutions for inexpensive, accessible and simple approaches instead. The best things in life really are free."



Written by

Brittany Denis, DPT

Physical therapist navigating life on a farm. With coffee in hand. Enhancing health through movement at https://www.advancedbalance.org/







 Events:

Preeceville & District Lions Club Chase the Ace - Minimum Jack-Pot is now at a $9,604.
Chase the Ace has been postponed due to Coronavirus concerns and will resume once it is safe to do so!
Latest Newsletter is out http://www.townofpreeceville.ca/calendar.html  

http://www.townofpreeceville.ca/recreation-news.html   May June 2020    2019  newsletter


Non Events:

- And as always if you wish to have an event promoted visit and post it to our Community Events  Calendar at www.townofPreeceville.ca

Follow the Mayor on blogspot at http://mayorharris.blogspot.ca/




follow  me on instagram @ http://instagram.com/garthrharris



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Thursday, 18 June 2020

Lowest number of impaired driving fatalities and injuries on record - Preeceville's Main Street with the Mayor Garth Harris for June 18th, 2020 8:35 am

Working Draft for:

Preeceville's Main Street with the Mayor Garth Harris for June 18th, 2020 8:35 am

With GX94's Craig Wallebeck > see him @ http://www.gx94radio.com/craig-Wallebeck

This week we focus on:  Lowest number of impaired driving fatalities and injuries on record


Culture change: Lowest number of impaired driving fatalities and injuries on record


Jun 17, 2020
Awareness, enforcement, legislation pushing drivers to make better choices
"A significant drop in the number of impaired driving fatalities last year suggests most people in Saskatchewan have decided it is simply not okay to drive impaired.

Preliminary numbers indicate 211 people lost their lives last year as a result of impaired driving collisions, compared to an annual average of 54 between 2009-2018. Injuries resulting from impaired driving continued to trend downward, with 332 reported in 2019, compared to the annual average of 595 over the previous decade. The 2019 impaired driving fatality and the injury numbers are the lowest SGI has on record.2

“Our government has worked with victims’ families, law enforcement, advocacy groups and other stakeholders on a number of fronts to improve safety on our roads and fight Saskatchewan’s impaired driving problem,” Minister Responsible for SGI Joe Hargrave said. “The 2019 numbers are further evidence that Saskatchewan is making major progress on the province’s historically high impaired driving rates. The result is more lives saved and fewer families having to experience the unspeakable tragedy of seeing someone they love killed or severely injured due to impaired driving.”

Minister Hargrave credited the downward trend in impaired driving casualties to several factors, giving particular credit to families of impaired driving victims who share their stories and their heartbreak in the hopes of convincing others to make better choices.

“I truly believe the work those families do – whether it’s in an SGI campaign, working as MADD ambassadors or simply by sharing their experience in conversations – has saved lives,” Hargrave said. “It’s impossible to hear their stories and not be touched by what they’ve gone through.”

“No one should ever have to experience the pain of losing a loved one to something as senseless and unnecessary as impaired driving,” said Linda Van de Vorst, whose son, daughter-in-law and two young grandchildren were killed by an impaired driver in 2016 (read the story about Jordan, Chanda, Kamryn and Miguire Van de Vorst here). “It’s encouraging to see progress on Saskatchewan’s impaired driving rates. We have the power – and the responsibility – to keep impaired driving from destroying anyone else’s life.”

“Through strong laws and sanctions, consistent enforcement and hard-hitting awareness initiatives, Saskatchewan is making great strides in the fight to stop impaired driving, to save lives and to prevent injuries,” said MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer Andrew Murie. “The progress being made is truly inspirational, and we thank Minister Hargrave, the Government of Saskatchewan and law enforcement for their leadership.”

Minister Hargrave highlighted a number of efforts and initiatives that have helped change impaired driving attitudes and behaviours in Saskatchewan:

  • Increased enforcement – An additional 120 traffic enforcement positions funded by government and SGI since 2014 via the Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan initiative.
  • Stronger legislation – New provincial impaired driving laws put in place in 2014, 2017 and 2018, which brought in tougher consequences for impaired drivers including vehicle seizures, licence suspensions and steep financial penalties.
  • More awareness – Public education efforts by SGI, law enforcement, MADD, SADD and other organizations that consistently reinforce the importance of driving sober, or getting a safe ride from a sober friend, a taxi, a bus, or a designated driving service.
  • More options – The introduction of ridesharing, providing an additional safe ride option in some communities.
  • Hospitality industry focus – Diligent efforts by owners, management and staff of many licensed establishments throughout Saskatchewan who help their patrons find a safe ride home.

“I want to thank everyone who has made the decision to never drive impaired, and everyone who has stopped someone they cared about from getting behind the wheel in no condition to drive,” Hargrave said. “We need to not just sustain these numbers; we need to improve upon them. We will continue to work hard to change the culture around impaired driving in Saskatchewan.” "


  2019 Impaired Driving Injuries (pdf)

  2019 Impaired Driving Fatalities  (pdf)


Footnotes

  1. Impaired driving fatality data is considered preliminary, based on information available from police forces in Saskatchewan, and may be adjusted based on additional information from the Coroner’s office or other sources↩
  2. SGI has what it considers to be reliable data on impaired driving deaths dating back to 1988. The previous lowest number of impaired driving fatalities in a single year was 39 in 2017. The previous lowest number of impaired driving injuries was 360 in 2018.↩

Contact

Media inquiries
Tyler McMurchy
Manager, Media Relations
Saskatchewan Government Insurance
306-751-1837
306-535-6207 (cell)
tmcmurchy@sgi.sk.ca


Customer inquiries
Customer Service Centre
1-844-TLK-2SGI (1-844-855-2744)
sgiinquiries@sgi.sk.ca


Safety.



 Events:

Preeceville & District Lions Club Chase the Ace - Minimum Jack-Pot is now at a $9,604.
Chase the Ace has been postponed due to Coronavirus concerns and will resume once it is safe to do so!
Latest Newsletter is out http://www.townofpreeceville.ca/calendar.html  

http://www.townofpreeceville.ca/recreation-news.html   May June 2020    2019  newsletter


Non Events:


- And as always if you wish to have an event promoted visit and post it to our Community Events  Calendar at www.townofPreeceville.ca

Follow the Mayor on blogspot at http://mayorharris.blogspot.ca/




follow  me on instagram @ http://instagram.com/garthrharris


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Thursday, 11 June 2020

Deafblind Awareness Week - Preeceville's Main Street with the Mayor Garth Harris for June 11th, 2020 8:35 am

Working Draft for:

Preeceville's Main Street with the Mayor Garth Harris for June 11th, 2020 8:35 am

With GX94's Craig Wallebeck > see him @ http://www.gx94radio.com/craig-Wallebeck

This week we focus on: Deafblind Awareness Week  


Saskatchewan Proclaims Deafblind Awareness Week


Released on June 8, 2020
"The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed June 7-13, as Deafblind Awareness Week.  Individuals are considered deafblind if they have a combined loss of both hearing and vision to the point that neither can be used as a primary source of information gathering and communication.

In this year’s budget, the Ministry of Social Services will be providing $350,000 to the CNIB’s Deaf Blind Community Services and Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services to increase American Sign Language interpreter services and Deafblind community intervenor services in the province.  This funding will significantly increase access to communication supports so people who have communication disabilities have more opportunities for inclusion.

“I am pleased to proclaim Deafblind Awareness Week to raise our understanding and awareness of deafblindness within Saskatchewan,” Social Services Minister Paul Merriman said.  “Our government thanks the Saskatchewan chapter of the Canadian Deaf Blind Association for the valuable services and advocacy they provide to those who are deafblind.”

Canadian Deaf Blind Association (CDBA) is a non-profit organization that was formed in 1975 to promote and enhance the well-being of people who are deafblind through service provision, awareness, public education and research.  There are various CDBA chapters across Canada, including one in Saskatchewan that was established in 1985.

“At CDBA Saskatchewan, the focus of our programs is on the individuals we support who experience deafblindness and rely on the talents of our Intervention Team,” CDBA Saskatchewan Chapter Executive Director Dana Heinrichs said.  “The emphasis is on empowering the individuals to be active and engaged in their homes, workplaces and communities.  We continue to strive for the best in providing person-centred supports and the support of the Saskatchewan government, makes achieving this goal possible.”

This proclamation supports the Saskatchewan Disability Strategy by helping to create awareness and understanding of the rights of people with disabilities.  Saskatchewan residents and communities that have done work which aligns with the Disability Strategy are encouraged to share their accomplishments using the hashtag #SKDisability."

For more information about CDBA, please visit www.cdbanational.com.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Rikkeal Bohmann, Social Services, Regina
Phone: 306-787-5283   Email: Rikkeal.bohmann@gov.sk.ca


www.cdbanational.com.




Mission Statement
To promote and enhance the well-being of people who are deafblind through awareness, education and the provision of support to our chapters, members and community partners.


Vision Statement
All people who are deafblind will live rich meaningful lives.


Beliefs
  1. Individualized lifelong Intervention is a right for every person who is deafblind. Intervention will provide the best possible opportunity to:

    • Communicate- Access information
    • Make choices (Regarding: education, recreation, vocations, accommodation, medical, physical, spiritual, and emotional care)
    • Be included in the community
  1. All persons who are deafblind should live in a safe, healthy environment and have the self respect and dignity due every Canadian.
  2. People who are deafblind should have access to continuous appropriate education and training from the time of identification.
  3. Partnership is important and must include: the individual who is deafblind, the family, the community and the professionals involved.

Links
CDBA Chapters


Intervenor Services in Canada





Independent Living/Group Home Services in Canada







How do I become a member of CDBA?

Becoming a member is very easy; you may either download a copy of our 2018-19 membership form below or complete the membership form online.

Once completed, please mail/fax/scan and e-mail your form to our main office.

Memberships may be paid by cash, cheque, or credit card.

Download our membership form now!


Why should I become a member of CDBA?

There are many benefits to becoming a member of CDBA including…

  • Share the Mission
    Join with families, consumers, professionals, advocates and Intervenors to assist all persons who are deafblind to achieve, with Intervention, the best quality of life.
  • Advocacy
    Participate in a wide range of activities on behalf of individuals with deafblindness, including political action, public awareness, communications, and fundraising.
  • News Magazine
    Receive every edition of the acclaimed publication Intervention. Each edition is packed full of articles from Chapters and facilities across Canada, personal profiles, professional information, and news from the international scene.
  • Networking
    Share knowledge and ideas with fellow family members, advocates, professionals, peers, and Intervenors at meetings and conferences and through the Internet via Facebook, Twitter and the CDBA website.

  • Conferences 
    Participate in Canadian conferences on deafblindness through attendance, participating, organizing, volunteering, sponsoring and fundraising.
  • Information
    Receive the quarterly President’s Message electronic newsletter, CDBA fact sheets on a variety of topics related to deafblindness including Congenital Rubella/CHARGE Syndrome/Usher Syndrome, and up-to-the-minute “Deafblind News” announcements delivered directly to your inbox. Membership also gives you complete access to CDBA archived presentations, articles, reports and more.
  • Chapters
    Benefit from automatic membership in the provincial Chapter where you reside. Through a Chapter you can be involved in ‘grass roots’ activities and service programs, participating hands-on in improving the lives of individuals who are deafblind. Provincial Chapters of CDBA currently include British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.
  • International Connection
    Opportunities to meet and learn from professionals, consumers and family members from around the world and discover similarity of goals through CDBA’s international connection with Deafblind International (DbI).
  • Research Discover the latest research on causes of deafblindness, including Congenital Rubella, CHARGE and Usher Syndrome. Submit your suggestions for needed research, and even explore opportunities to participate in research.



Did you know?



What is Deafblindness?

  • Persons are considered deafblind if they have a combined loss of both vision and hearing, such that neither of the distance senses of vision and hearing can be used as a primary source of gathering accurate information.”
  • The combination of these sensory losses results in significant difficulties in accessing information, learning, communicating and participating.
  • Congenital deafblindness occurs when a baby is born with severe losses of both vision and hearing.
  • Acquired deafblindness occurs later in life through accidents, disease or – the leading cause of deafblindness – aging.



Deafblindness in Canada:

  • Deafblindness is a relatively low incidence disability in Canada but needs to be appropriately recognized.
  • Some estimates say deafblindness can be found in approximately one of every 3,000 Canadians.
  • Many of Canada’s congenitally deafblind individuals were born during the Rubella outbreak of the 1960s and early 1970s. Those individuals are now adults and require specific services to meet their needs.

Did You Know:

  • Deafblindness is a unique disability but is not recognized as distinct by the Federal Government.
  • There are 2 types of deafblindness: congenital and acquired. Those with congenital deafblindness are born with significant losses of both vision and hearing. Those who become deafblind during the first two years of their life, prior to the development of language, are considered to have early acquired deafblindness. Those with acquired deafblindness develop or acquire this disability after the development of language through accidents, disease, genetic conditions or aging.

  • Currently about 1 in 3,000 people in Canada are deafblind. This is expected to grow as the Canadian population ages, as deafblindness is a major condition of the ageing process. This is expected to contribute significantly to the health care concerns of our country.
  • The combination of the loss of these two sensory modalities results in significant difficulties in accessing information, learning, communicating and participating in everyday life.
  • Individuals who are deafblind remain quite isolated in their communities. They are in desperate need of greater means of accessing information in order to lead more inclusive lives in the Canadian main stream.
  • Canada was a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007. To date it has not ratified this convention. Ratification by the Canadian Government would ensure that proper legislation would be developed by all levels of government to ensure that the full rights of the disabled described in the Convention would be recognized in Canada. For people who are deafblind in Canada, this would mean increased accessibility through better information technology, widespread provision of Intervention services and Intervenors. Furthermore ratifying the convention should ensure better living conditions for those who are deafblind and more inclusive opportunities for early and lifelong education.
  • These are but a few aspects where fully ‘ratifying’ rather than simply ‘signing’ the UN convention will lead to giant steps being taken to ensure that those people with deafblindness in Canada will have every opportunity to lead more inclusive and meaningful lives within mainstream Canadian society
  • The concept of “Intervention” for persons who are deafblind now recognized internationally was in fact developed in Canada and we are the only country in the world with college programs to train Intervenors.
  • The Canadian Deafblind Association employs over 200 Intervenors across the country to try to meet the needs of individuals who are deafblind.

 
Principles of the Canadian Concept of “Intervention”





  1. Total and unconditional belief in and respect for an individual who is  deafblind.
  2. Total and unconditional belief in the value of intervention for all individuals who are deafblind. 
  3. The amount of intervention and the form it will take must be individualized to meet the specific needs and desires of each individual who is deafblind. 
  4. Individuals who are deafblind have a right to access information in their modes of communication. 
  5. Intervention is “Doing With, Not For.” 
  6. No assumptions should be made regarding the abilities of an individual with  deafblindness.
  7. Never underestimate the importance of the relationship between the  intervenor and the individual who is deafblind. 
  8. The process of intervention must always provide the individual who is deafblind with the information required for anticipation, motivation, communication, and confirmation.
  9. Every experience is an opportunity to provide information and encourage  interaction. 
  10. The focus of intervention should always be on the needs of the individual who is deafblind. 
  11. Intervention is recognized as a process that requires intervenors to have specific skills, knowledge and experiences in order to be effective in providing the best possible opportunity for people who are deafblind to gather information, process it and develop communication, concepts and skills
"Little Canada leading the World" 
 Events:

Preeceville & District Lions Club Chase the Ace - Minimum Jack-Pot is now at a $9,604.
Chase the Ace has been postponed due to Coronavirus concerns and will resume once it is safe to do so!
Latest Newsletter is out http://www.townofpreeceville.ca/calendar.html  

http://www.townofpreeceville.ca/recreation-news.html   May June 2020    2019  newsletter


Non Events:
Preeceville Safe Grad was last Friday and all that hard work paid off with many happy families and Grads. 

- And as always if you wish to have an event promoted visit and post it to our Community Events  Calendar at www.townofPreeceville.ca

Follow the Mayor on blogspot at http://mayorharris.blogspot.ca/




follow  me on instagram @ http://instagram.com/garthrharris






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