Walking a Dog May Help Seniors Maintain Healthier Lifestyle

from Suite 101.com
Jun 26, 2010 Katrena Wells

Look at a recent study that examined older adults who walk a dog daily and whether or not this activity helped seniors after three years.

Can walking a dog on a regular basis help a senior to maintain better overall health? According to a study cited in the September 2006 edition of Journal of the American Geriatrics Society entitled “Dog Ownership, Walking Behavior, and Maintained Mobility in Late Life,” by Roland J. Thorpe et. al., daily dog walking may help seniors maintain better mobility later in life. Look at the risks of a sedentary lifestyle and how daily dog walking may help seniors to be more active.
Sedentary Lifestyle May Negatively Affect Health in Later Years

A sedentary lifestyle is one of several big modifiable risk factors that can negatively affect a senior’s health. According to a Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s April 2007 article “Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health, Research, and Policy,” modifiable risk factors include, but are not limited to:

- Sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking
- Drinking alcohol
- Obesity and being overweight (which is often linked to inactivity)
- Diet with inadequate amounts of fruits and vegetables

According to the American Heart Association’s article “Step 5: Prevention and Treatment – Physical Activity and Blood Pressure,” people who participate in regular physical activity may improve their health in several ways, including:

- A healthier weight
- A healthier heart
- Lower stress levels
- Lower blood pressure

...read more story at Suite101.com

School is out - safety is in

THORNHILL, Ontario, June 28, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - The time has come for kids to trade in their books and pencil cases for outside, summertime fun. And with that, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is urging motorists to keep a watchful eye out for kids playing near traffic.

"With summer comes more children playing outdoors and enjoying the weather," said Silvana Aceto, Media and Public Relations Specialist, CAA SCO. "Kids are focused on having fun and not always aware of cars, so drivers need to be aware of them even more."

CAA SCO tips for a kid-safe summer:

- Watch for kids darting out into the street chasing a ball or pet.
- Slow down near parks, playgrounds and residential areas where kids are playing.
- Check for kids behind your vehicle before backing up.
- Leave extra space on the road for kids riding their bikes.

Family road trips are popular this time of year. It's important to have a plan in place for a stress free and safe drive, wherever you go. To help get you ready, CAA SCO recommends the following road trip tips:

- Keep kids occupied with DVDs, books and music.
- Plan driving breaks for long road trips.
- Pack snacks and toys for kids at rest stops.

If you are looking for somewhere fun to take the kids this summer, why not check out CentreVille Toronto Islands, Canada's Wonderland, Ontario Place or the Hockey Hall of Fame where CAA SCO members can get great discounts. To see all of CAA SCO's travel partner discounts, visit www.caasco.com.

CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club offering insurance, travel, automotive care and roadside services. There are more than 1.8 million CAA members in South Central Ontario and 5 million members in Canada. We're more than Roadside Assistance. We're Life-side Assistance.

Generic Drug Prices and Access: A Discussion Paper from the Health Council of Canada

TORONTO, June 18, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - More public and private dollars are being spent to purchase pharmaceuticals for Canadians each and every year. At a time when flattening the healthcare cost curve is at the top of many government agendas, the Health Council of Canada is pleased to see the recent attention paid to controlling drug costs and particularly the costs of generic drugs. Today, encouraged by recent calls for greater coordination of drug policies, The Health Council of Canada released a commissioned discussion paper written by SECOR Consulting, Generic Drug Pricing and Access in Canada: What are the Implications? This independent paper is designed to move the discussion of possible reforms forward on an important part of the drug file - the pricing and distribution of generic drugs - and bring transparency to this important area of public health policy.

A year ago, the Health Council of Canada published a report on the progress of a National Pharmaceutical Strategy (NPS.) At the time, we asked governments to rededicate themselves to this important element of health policy nationwide. Drug pricing was a challenge identified in the 2003 First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal. In the follow-up 2004 10-year Plan to Strengthen Health Care, First Ministers said that they wanted to "accelerate access to non-patented (generic) drugs and achieve international parity on prices." The Health Council of Canada is encouraged by some recent provincial initiatives to tackle generic prices, which some estimate could save taxpayers, consumers and businesses as much as $800 million a year.

"Canadians pay some of the highest prices in the world for generic drugs," said John G. Abbott, CEO, Health Council of Canada. "The paper we are releasing today should help policy makers and people across the country move forward to curtail the cost of generic drugs for both public and private plans while maintaining access and quality of service."

Governments, through their own health plans, have traditionally set the price for generic drugs - the safe, effective and cheaper "copies" of brand name drugs that come to market after the patent exclusivity of the brand name drug has expired. This discussion paper explains how government pricing policies consciously and otherwise have produced a system that does not get the best price for the taxpayer or for private sector employers. The current way governments and others set generic prices leaves "too much money" with manufacturers, distributors and retailers that otherwise could create savings for the taxpayer or be used in other areas of healthcare.

"Our goal in publishing this discussion paper is to shed light on generic drug pricing issues in order to help Canadians understand what is at stake and to encourage broad public discussion," said Dr. Jeanne Besner, Chair, Health Council of Canada. "Knowing we have options for real reform should be helpful to governments in the current fiscal environment."

"This discussion paper highlights the complex reasons as to why generic drug prices are so high and the longstanding lack of transparency about how prices are set. It suggests options available to governments in order to institute reforms, reduce costs, and increase the transparency of generic drug transactions," stated Abbott.

The paper offers six basic suggestions:

- Drug insurance plans could revisit their maximum reimbursement prices since a body of evidence suggests that Canadian prices are too high;

- Reimbursement prices could be set at the pharmacy level;

- The use of alternative and competing distribution channels could be encouraged;

- Using the pharmacist to provide additional paid services would moderate the impact of reducing generic-drug prices and benefit the healthcare system;

- Drug plans, including employer-sponsored plans, could use tiered formularies to encourage their beneficiaries to use low-cost drugs;

- Provincial and territorial drug plans could ensure that newly approved drugs are listed on their formularies in a timely manner.

Discussion Paper website

Since generic drug prescriptions represent more than half of all prescriptions written in our health systems, it is important that Canadians have better information about generic drug pricing. The Health Council of Canada encourages Canadians to join in a broader public discussion on this critical health care issue and become better informed.

The Health Council of Canada, created by the 2003 First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal is mandated to monitor and report on the progress of health care renewal in Canada. Councillors were appointed by the participating provinces, territories and the Government of Canada. To download the discussion paper or view past reports, visit www.healthcouncilcanada.ca

Canadian Blood Services Celebrates National Blood Donor Week by Asking Young Canadians to Save More Lives

The Future of Canada's Blood System Depends on Younger Donors Becoming Life-long Donors


OTTAWA, June 11, 2010 /Canada NewsWire Telbec/ - Canadian Blood Services kicks off the summer with National Blood Donor Week June 14-20 and World Blood Donor Day which falls on Monday, June 14. This year's global theme focuses on young donors with the slogan, "New blood for the world."

"National Blood Donor Week is our opportunity to show appreciation for the generous Canadians who donate blood, plasma, platelets and stem cells, and to let them know how much their donation matters," says Ian Mumford, Chief Operating Officer of Canadian Blood Services. "By focusing on youth we are hoping to set the path for a new generation of blood donors."

As the demand for blood increases year over year, Canadian Blood Services needs to recruit a new generation of blood donors to meet growing hospital demand and help patients in need across the country. Canadian Blood Services is reaching out to younger donors now and trying to retain them as regular donors throughout their lifetime.

"Young people are making an important contribution to Canada's blood system by donating blood and recruiting other young people to join them, says Mumford. "Last year, Canadians aged 17-24 accounted for about 139,000 blood donations, or 15 per cent of all blood donations in Canada. We need to recruit approximately 77,000 new donors this year to grow our donor base and to keep up with the growing demand for blood and blood products."

Although this year's National Blood Donor Week theme focuses on youth, Canadian Blood Services is encouraging people of all ages to become regular blood donors.

Youth Blood Donor Facts

- 5.3% of eligible 17-24 year olds donated blood last year versus approximately 3.4% of the overall eligible population in Canada
- Last year, there were 422,847 blood donors in Canada and 85,588 of those donors were aged 17 - 24
- Donors aged 17 - 24 account for 20% of the donors in Canada
- Donors aged 17 - 24 made 138,748 blood donations last year, or 15% of all blood donations in Canada
- Donors aged 17 - 24 accounted for 46% of all new blood donors in Canada last year
- On average, donors aged 17-24 donate 1.62 times per year versus 2.18 times per year for donors of all ages
- People can begin donating blood as early as 17 years of age.

Between National Blood Donor Week and the end of August, Canadian Blood Services needs 194,342 donors to give blood in across the country in order to meet patient and hospital demand.

Please book an appointment to donate blood today. Call 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236 6283).

Version française disponible sur www.sang.ca

About National Blood Donor Week (June 14 - 20, 2010)

In 2008 a bill was passed by the federal government recognizing National Blood Donor Week as an opportunity to celebrate and thank the donors and volunteers of the blood system in Canada who ensure the health of their fellow citizens. The week also builds awareness of the importance of blood, plasma, platelet and bone and stem cell donations, and encourages Canadians to donate or become a volunteer - especially during the challenging summer months. This year, National Blood Donor Week runs from June 14 - 20.

About World Blood Donor Day (June 14, 2010)

World Blood Donor Day falls within National Blood Donor Week on June 14 - the birth date of Karl Landsteiner, a pioneer of transfusion medicine. Every year, the World Health Organization selects a country to host international celebrations. This year, Spain will host World Blood Donor Day with the theme "New blood for the world". Celebrations will centre in Barcelona.

About Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the supply of blood and blood products in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec. Canadian Blood Services also oversees the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network, and provides national leadership for organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Canadian Blood Services operates 42 permanent collection sites and more than 20,000 donor clinics annually. The provincial and territorial Ministries of Health provide operational funding to Canadian Blood Services. The federal government, through Health Canada, is responsible for regulating the blood system. For more information, please visit our website at www.blood.ca

Long Term Care Waitlists Growing - Homes Challenged to Respond

TORONTO, June 3, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Ontario Health Quality Council's annual report, released today, sheds light on the stark reality in the province's long term care system - demand far outstrips supply.

"There are about 76,000 long term care beds in homes across the province, which are 98 per cent full, and there is a waitlist of over 25,000 people. It's not hard to see that this is creating backlogs in patient flow across the health care system," said Donna Rubin, CEO of the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors (OANHSS).

In an analysis of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's waitlist data, OANHSS calculates that the greatest demand exists in the not-for-profit sector. Not-for-profits account for just over 40 per cent of all homes in the province and less than one half of all beds, but they are the number one preference of two thirds of individuals on the total provincial waitlist.

"As the OHQC's report points out, not everyone on the waitlist is in need of the more complex care offered in homes and we have strongly supported government initiatives such as the Aging at Home Strategy that offer options to help seniors live independently in the community. There are, however, a growing number of people who do require that level of support and the system simply does not have the capacity to respond and alleviate the pressures hospitals are facing with alternate level of care or ALC patients," added Rubin.

The long term care homes sector is ready and willing to work with the Ontario government and the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINS) on strategies to enable homes to admit more residents with more complex care needs but OANHSS has been signalling for some time that the sector cannot perform this role without additional staffing and resources.

"While we recognize the tough fiscal situation the government faces, homes are already having serious difficulty meeting the most basic care needs of existing residents while at the same time trying to effectively deal with very complex situations such as mental health issues and aggressive behaviours. What we need is comprehensive planning to put homes in a position to contribute to an ALC solution, not short-term fixes," said Rubin.

Adding significantly to this challenge is the cost for homes to meet the new requirements in the Long Term Care Homes Act, which comes into force on July 1. Without additional funding, homes will have no option but to reduce current care and service levels to meet these new demands.

OANHSS is also looking for fulfillment of the promise made by the McGuinty government for additional nursing and personal support worker staff in its 2008-09 Budget.

OANHSS is the provincial association representing not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors. Members include municipal and charitable long term care homes, non-profit nursing homes, seniors' housing projects and community service agencies. Member organizations operate over 27,000 long term care beds and over 5,000 seniors' housing units across the province.

Canadians set sights on travel to Europe

Nearly half choose the diverse continent as their preferred travel destination, survey finds

TORONTO, June 8, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the sun-kissed Mediterranean and the rugged cliffs of the United Kingdom, Canadians have overwhelmingly (44%) chosen Europe as top of their travel list of all the places in the world to visit, reveals a Harris Decima survey commissioned by The Travel Corporation.

The survey - conducted by Harris/Decima as part of its Televox National Telephone Omnibus May 27 to June 2, 2010 - asked Canadians about European travel and their ultimate vacation.

When it comes to European travel, Vivre La...Italia? Italy (24%) and France (23%) are the leading "must-see" destinations in Europe with almost half of Quebeckers choosing France as their top Euro hot spot. The United Kingdom (15%), Germany (9%), Greece (9%) and Spain (8%) rounded out the category.

When globetrotting, one in four Canadians choose seeing and experiencing as many cities and countries as possible as their ultimate vacation.

"We realize Canadians have precious holiday time and want to cover as much territory as possible when traveling,"

says Doug Patterson, President of Trafalgar Tours.

"With an escorted coach tour you can see as many as 8 countries in as little as 14 days - paired with first-class accommodations and exciting trip itineraries - this makes for a great option for Canadian travellers."

While seeing as much as possible may not be on everyone's agenda, Trafalgar also offers leisurely-paced vacations focusing on a specific region such as Tuscany or Scotland where two or three night stays in each city are made.

The love for Europe skews even higher among younger travellers, with a whopping 70% of Canadian students saying Europe is their top vacation choice in the world.

"An organized tour with Contiki has been a favourite with the 18-35 demographic for nearly 50 years. We're constantly expanding our travel options in Europe to meet the strong demand,"

says Brad Ford, President of Contiki Holidays.

Cultured Canadians

The majority of Canadians seek a diverse and enriching holiday with 40% wanting to experience the unique cultures and history every day while traveling. One-in-five (21%) favour tasting the many flavours of the Mediterranean while others (15%) prefer discovering the castles of Europe and touring the British Isles soaking in the folklore (12%).

"Half of Canadians aged 35-44 (51%) say experiencing culture and history every day appeals to them most in a European vacation,"

says Cris David, President of Insight Vacations.

"This is one of the big advantages of taking an escorted tour. Every day brings an exciting mix of new cultural and historical experiences."

Convenience is King

Apart from experiencing culture, Canadians seek convenience and value from a European vacation. One in four (23%) say hassle-free travel appeals to them most, followed by a travel package that offers the best value (17%). Meeting new people from around the world appealed to one in 10 Canadians most when traveling to Europe.

"We know what Canadians want out of a European vacation and Contiki, with an unmatched client satisfaction rate of well over 98%, meets those needs," added Ford. "The Contiki philosophy is simple. Create fun, hassle-free holidays with an unbeatable mix of sightseeing, culture, friendships and free time."

Colin Farrell and Penelope Cruz

When asked who Canadians would choose as their European celebrity tour guide, Arnold Schwarzenegger was beaten out by the Irish charmer Colin Farrell who was the number one pick for Canadian women. Canadian men of all ages chose the Spanish enchantress Penelope Cruz as their ideal European tour guide followed by Kate Moss in second.

"Given that we offer trips to all the countries that the celebrities originate from, we'd love to have any of them join us on a luxurious Insight tour,"

... laughed Cris David.

Drive Wise seminar coming to Guelph, Ontario

Toronto – May 31, 2010 – The Ontario Provincial Police and CARP proudly present Drive Wise – at the Evergreen Seniors Centre, 683 Woolwich Street in Guelph, Ontario on Wednesday June 16, 2010 at 9:30 AM.

Please contact Chris Zamin at 519-823-1291 Ext. 2453 or chris.zamin@guelph.ca for more details.

“The philosophical core of Drive Wise encourages all motorists to take a preventative, go-slow and common sense approach to driving. Drive Wise gives concrete advice on how to avoid the most likely scenarios causing collisions,” says Drive Wise director of logistics and communications James Pasternak.

Drive Wise is a refresher course that helps seniors preserve their right to drive.

“OPP officers are confident that seniors attending Drive Wise will leave with valuable tips and tools,” said recently retired Sgt. Bob Paterson of the OPP’s Caledon detachment.

“If all of us, regardless of age, become better informed, then we will be better drivers. If you’re a more comfortable and better driver, it will mean a lot less anxiety and I think lives will be saved.”

Drive Wise is an OPP-delivered seminar that introduces a shopping basket of succinct tips, suggestions and driving strategies, which are, in fact, preventive measures against the most likely causes of collisions and mishaps faced by older Canadians on the road. Senior drivers are the fastest-growing age cluster on today’s roads.

Drive Wise is sponsored, in part, by CARP, A New Vision of Aging. Other partners include the Ontario & Toronto Automobile Dealers Associations, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, the Ontario Seniors Secretariat and Obus Forme.

For example, Transport Canada found in 1996 that three-quarters of fatalities involving drivers age 65 and over occurred on highways and rural routes, where speed limits exceed 60 kilometres an hour. Drive Wise provides specific driving strategies to reduce the risk of collisions when travelling on these roads.

“The Drive Wise presentation includes an instructional Power Point presentation as well as handouts that reinforce and sustain targetted safe driving strategies,” says James Pasternak.

All drivers are encouraged to visit the Drive Wise Road Safety Knowledge Centre at www.drivewise.ca.

And although seniors are not involved in any more collisions than other age groups on a per capita basis, they are at greater risk of serious injury or death once involved in a traffic mishap.

“There isn’t any question. There is what is known as the frailty factor, which applies to older drivers. Put starkly, they are more likely to be killed in a collision. So when a collision is a fatality, it’s more likely the fatality is a senior driver, even though it may not even be their fault,” says Leo Tasca, team leader of special projects in Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation.

For more information on the Drive Wise program visit www.drivewise.ca or contact James Pasternak at (416) 398-8257 or drivewise@50plus.com.