Saturday, January 05, 2008

WHAT'S NEW? JANUARY 2008 NEWSLETTER

Happy New Year/Bonne Année 2008!
We’ve had four major snowstorms in New Brunswick over the holidays- pretty impressive! But we are coping and we are looking forward to 2008 with enthusiasm and optimism. This message brings our very best wishes to you and those close to you.
Posted by PicasaHere’s a picture taken during our walk on New Year’s Day at the Dobson Trail in Riverview. Our informal walking group plans to walk on this trail until the end of January. Everyone is welcome to join us on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 8:30. The parking lot is clearly marked on the Pine Glen Road.
There have been many visitors to this site, Prime Time/La Joie de Vivre (50plusNew Brunswick). If you have upcoming events, send them along so we can include them on the What’s Happening? Page. If you have information, articles, items in English or French, send them along. We’ll try to keep the blog up to date. If you have friends who do not use the computer or e-mail, show them the site when you have a chance. We encourage everyone to gain the basic skills, but not everyone has to have a computer in their own home to have access to information. We appreciate the support we have had in this venture- check back here from time to time.
We plan to continue writing a column for “Choices after 50”. For 17 years, this newspaper has been informing and entertaining the 50-plus reader. It is free and can be picked up at senior centres, libraries, Shoppers and other locations around New Brunswick. To be sure you get a copy, subscriptions ($13.50/year) are available at ECM Marketing Associates, PO Box 1291, Saint John, NB E2L 4H8. Tel: 506.658.0754. Fax: 506.633.0868. If you would like to advertise in this paper, contact Carol Maber, Editor, at the above contact numbers. The December 07-January 08 issue is now available. We got our copies at Shoppers in Riverview.
The new CARP rep for New Brunswick is Louise Gilbert of Moncton. To reach Louise, you can phone her at 389-9808 or e-mail her at Gmarlou1@aol.com. You may also reach the national CARP site at http://www.carp.ca/.
For information or to join the NB Senior Citizens Federation/Fédération des citoyen(ne)s aîné(e)s de Nouveau-Brunswick inc., visit http://www.nbscf.ca/ or http://www.fcanb.ca/ or call toll-free 1-800-453-4333. For information or to join the Coalition for Nursing Home Residents’ Rights, contact Cecile Cassista, Executive Director, 133 Canusa Drive, Riverview, NB E1B 2W6; Phone: 506.860.7682; Fax: 506.387.5194
Note: The New Brunswick Government Finance Department has released a survey for the 2008 -2009 Pre budget consultation. We would encourage everyone toparticipate in the survey making sure Seniors and Health care are given top support. Here is one way to let the government know we care about our seniors and health care. To complete the survey, go to https://www.pxw1.snb.ca/cetoolkit/takeSurvey.asp?surveyID=412&cookies=True
Bookmark our blog and check back from time to time for updates on information and events. If you have questions, concerns or corrections about anything found here, please let us know.
Wayne and Barb
E-mail: wbharrig@nb.sympatico.ca
Phone: (506) 386-2187
Fax: (506) 860-7235
Snail mail: 136 Wentworth Drive, Riverview, NB E1B 2T5

Note: Click Previous Posts (to the right) to be taken to a topic. If you click on the bottom item, it will give you more choices.

Quick Links



WHAT'S HAPPENING?

January 2008
There is a neat new site for New Brunswick drivers. The New Brunswick Department of Transportation is pleased to offer the travelling public access to its highway cameras as well as cameras operated by Brun-Way Highways Operations Inc. on the Trans-Canada Highway. These cameras are located next to the highway at specific locations across the province as part of the Department’s Road Weather Information System. Click on this link http://www.gnb.ca/0113/cameras/cameras-e.asp, accept the disclaimer, and you will be taken to the cameras all over New Brunswick. (We can imagine homesick New Brunswickers across the country checking in on a regular basis!). It should be a help to many New Brunswickers.
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Let There Be Peace on Earth
To see the closing number from the MetroTones' concert on Sunday, November 25, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9pWSp62DUQ
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1 January 2008
The Breast Cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "donating a mammogram" for free (pink window in the middle). This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know. http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/
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5 January 2008
The Seasons Baroque Ensemble (formed of baroque violinists Sari Tsuji and Katherine Moller, baroque oboist Graham St-Laurent, and harpsichordist Jonathan Addleman) will present a concert of music composed for the English theatre. Music used in productions of “Macbeth”, “The Indian Queen”, “The Fairy Queen”, and the “Tempest” by such composers as Purcell, Eccles, and Locke will be performed.
Saturday the 5th of January at 2 pm at the All Saints Anglican Church (77 King St.) in St. Andrews
Tickets will be available at the door and cost $20/adults, $10/seniors, and $5/students. For more information contact Katherine Moller at 440-3123 or katherine@katherinemoller.ca.
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6 January 2008
The Seasons Baroque Ensemble (formed of baroque violinists Sari Tsuji and Katherine Moller, baroque oboist Graham St-Laurent, and harpsichordist Jonathan Addleman) will present a concert of music composed for the English theatre. Music used in productions of “Macbeth”, “The Indian Queen”, “The Fairy Queen”, and the “Tempest” by such composers as Purcell, Eccles, and Locke will be performed.
Sunday the 6th of January at 2pm at the Germain St. United Baptist Church (228 Germain St.) in Saint John
Tickets will be available at the door and cost $20/adults, $10/seniors, and $5/students. For more information contact Katherine Moller at 440-3123 or katherine@katherinemoller.ca.
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7 January 2008
The Seasons Baroque Ensemble (formed of baroque violinists Sari Tsuji and Katherine Moller, baroque oboist Graham St-Laurent, and harpsichordist Jonathan Addleman) will present a concert of music composed for the English theatre. Music used in productions of “Macbeth”, “The Indian Queen”, “The Fairy Queen”, and the “Tempest” by such composers as Purcell, Eccles, and Locke will be performed.
Monday the 7th of January at 7:30pm at the Christ Church Cathedral (168 Church St.) in Fredericton
Tickets will be available at the door and cost $20/adults, $10/seniors, and $5/students. For more information contact Katherine Moller at 440-3123 or katherine@katherinemoller.ca.
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7 - 10 January 2008
Eastern Research is presently looking for people of ages 18 years and older to participate in a focus group discussion where the subject may be considered highly sensitive.
TOPIC – CANCER PATIENTS & Family Member/Friends (for the improvement of programs/services of a recognized charitable organization)
As a thank you for participating in this 90 MINUTE focus group, our guests will receive a cash thank you of $60.00
The research will be held in both Moncton and in Bathurst and will be French speaking groups.
MONCTON –
January 7th (8pm) with Caregivers (family/friends) of Cancer patients (who have been diagnosed within the last 3 yrs).
January 8th (8pm) with Cancer patients diagnosed within the last 3 yrs
BATHURST –
January 9th (8pm) with Caregivers (family/friends) of Cancer patients (who have been diagnosed within the last 3 yrs).
January 10th (8pm) with Cancer patients diagnosed within the last 3 yrs
The following is required for this research:
CAREGIVERS
Should be a spouse/partner, parent, grandparent, close sibling, friend or other family member AND be giving care/assistance to a person diagnosed with cancer within the last 3 years and be aware of the current condition of the cancer patient they are giving care to.
CANCER PATIENTS
For the purpose of the study we require persons who have been diagnosed with any form of cancer within the last 3 years and are aware of their current condition.
We cannot include persons who know one another to the same research group, however partners/relatives, etc. may participate in separate groups.
If someone you know is interested in participating in this session, please contact our office by email (including your telephone number) or call 902-435-2434
Thank you
Eastern Research
Donna (English or French); Rachel (English)
902 435-2434
eastern@ns.aliantzinc.ca
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12 January 2008
ADAPTATION
Saturday January 12, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Riverview Arts Centre Inc, 400 Whitepine Rd (in the high school)
Riverview, NB Ph: 506.852.7189
Tickets available online http://www.riverview-arts-centre.ca/
and at the following locations:Sobeys 535 Coverdale Road, Riverview (cash only)
Jean Coutu 438 Coverdale Road, Riverview
Fusing a comfortable balance of melodic hardcore and pop punk, Adaptation has been rocking the local music scene for the past four years. The Riverview, New Brunswick four-piece debuted their first EP, "So You're Saying There's A Chance" in the summer of 2003, solidifying a loyal local fan base. In February 2006, the band followed up with their second EP, Apart From the Screams which has been a hit, with their independently pressed CDs selling faster than they can be made. Known for their high-energy, guitar flipping stage shows, Adaptation manages to transition from choruses that are catchy as hell (Eric Lewis, Times and Transcript) to heavy, melodic breakdowns without skipping a beat. With the recent addition of drummer Philippe "Flip" LeBlanc to their lineup, the four are more motivated than ever. http://www.myspace.com/adaptationband
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13 January 2008
INVITATION
LA GALETTE DES ROIS
à 18 h 30, le dimanche 13 janvier 2007
241, rue St. George à Moncton
Venez déguster ‘la galette des rois’ en chansons, accompagnée d’un bon petit verre de jus de pommes pétillant.
Membres : 5$
Non-membres : 7$
Enfants ( -7ans ) : 3$
Merci de vous inscrire impérativement avant le mardi 8 Janvier
Contact : 387-5056 ou afmoncton@nb.aibn.co

INVITATION
LA GALETTE DES ROIS
Sunday, January 13 at 6:30pm
241 St. George St., Moncton
Come and enjoy a time of singing while savouring the
‘galette des rois’ and sipping a glass of sparkling apple cider.
Members : 5$
Non-members : 7$
Children (under 7) : 3$
Reservation deadline: Tuesday, Jan. 8
Contact : 387-5056 or afmoncton@nb.aibn.com
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13 January 2008
No Limits - Openhouse and Registration
Sunday, January 13, 2008
2:00 - 5:00 pm., Wu Centre, UNB, Fredericton
Meet the instructors, learn about upcoming courses, enjoy entertainment and refreshments. Register by January 13 to receive $10 off each course. Enter to win free tuition for one course!
View courses at www.cel.unb.ca/nolimits Call 458-7106
or email nolimits@unb.ca for more information or to register
UNB College of Extended Learning
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16 January 2008
Vous êtes cordialement invités au vernissage de Georgette Bourgeois le mercredi, 16 janvier, 2008 de 15 heures à 17 heures au Musée acadien de l’Université de Moncton. L’exposition aura lieu du 8 janvier jusqu’au 2 mars, 2008. La série intitulée L’Esprit de Grand-Pré sera en exposition.
http://www.georgettebourgeois.com/
You are cordially invited to attend the opening of Georgette Bourgeois’ art exhibition at the Acadien Museum of l’Université de Moncton from 3 pm to 5 pm on Wednesday, January 16th. The show will be from January 8th to March 2nd, 2008. The series L’Esprit de Grand-Pré (The Spirit of Grand-Pré) will be on exhibition.
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19 January 2008
Riverview Knights of Columbus Community Breakfast
Saturday, January 19, 2008, 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Dan Bohan Centre, 5 Fatima Drive, Riverview
Enjoy the music of Ivan and Vivian Hicks and the Sussex Avenue Fiddlers
Tickets at the door: Adults- $5; Children (6-12)- $3, Children (under 6)- Free
Everyone welcome!
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22 January - 13 February 2008
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
Select Committee on Wellness
Public Consulations
The Select Committee on Wellness is an all-party committee of the Legislative Assembly charged with the responsibiltiy of engaging citizens and stakeholders in discussions and reporting to the House with recommendations that will promote public engagement and ownership of wellness.
Key Questions - The Committee is seeking public input with respect to Wellness and these key questions
Make a Presentation - Individuals or organizations wishing to make a presentation to the Committee should advise the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly by January 18, 2008. Telephone 453-2506, Fax 453-7154, e-mail wwwleg@gnb.ca
Submit a Written Brief - Individuals or organizations not appearing at a public meeting are invited to submit comments and/or briefs on the key questions. Submissions should be received by February 15, 2008
Public Hearing Schedule (all meetings begin at 10 a.m.)
Moncton- Tuesday, Jan. 22
Château Moncton, 100 Main Street
Miramichi- Wednesday, Jan. 23
Park Inn and Suites, 1 Jane Street
Saint John- Tuesday, Jan. 29
Hilton Saint John, 1 Market Square
Fredericton- Wednesday, Jan.30
Legislative Assembly, 706 Queen Street
Edmundston- Thursday, Jan.31
Château Edmundston, 100 Rice Street
Campbellton- Tuesday, Feb. 12
Howard Johnson Hotel, 157 Water Street
Tracadie-Sheila- Wednesday, Feb. 13
Complexe Les Deux Rivières, 100, rue Deux Rivières
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23 January 2008
THAT CANADIAN GUY
Wednesday January 23, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Riverview Arts Centre Inc
400 Whitepine Rd (in the high school)
Riverview, NB
506.852.7189
Tickets $25.00 hst included are available online
http://www.riverview-arts-centre.ca/ and at the following locations:
Sobeys 535 Coverdale Road, Riverview (cash only)
Jean Coutu 438 Coverdale Road, Riverview
Quickly becoming a household name; That Canadian Guy has been a headliner on the Canadian comedy circuit for over twenty years. He has performed on numerous television shows, including his own comedy special and six appearances with CBC's Just for Laughs and Comedy Festival. His topical and timely material on current events and popular culture strikes a chord with Canadians with his hilarious but dead-on portrayal of the conflicted Canadian psyche.

Join stand-up comedian Glen Foster (aka That Canadian Guy) and another comic in a tour de farce about current events and popular culture.
or contact Peter Brzezicki at 506.872.0002
info@riverview-arts-centre.ca
http://www.riverview-arts-centre.ca/
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24 January 2008
Running for City Hall 101
"We'd all like t'vote for t'best man, but he's never a candidate."
-- Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard.
Lunch & Learn withGrand Bay-Westfield Mayor Grace Losier and Saint John Deputy Mayor Michelle HootonThurs. Jan. 24, 2008, 12 noon to 2 pm,
Saint John Public Library, Saint John
Municipal elections will be held in New Brunswick in May 2008.
Have you ever thought "I could do better than that"? What if, instead of just fighting city hall, you joined it.Now's the time to consider getting involved. Join Mayor Grace Losier (Grand Bay-Westfield) and Deputy Mayor MichelleHooton (Saint John) in a lunch-time discussion on the importance of diversity of representation within governing agencies, and hear their stories of running for and serving on a municipal council. Light lunch provided.
FREE but you must pre-register by sending your name, phone & group/workaffiliation to: acswcccf@gnb.ca or 1-800-332-3087
Sponsored by New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
This session will take place in English. Wear NO SCENTS please.
Rosella Melanson Directrice generale, Conseil consultatif sur la condition de la femme au Nouveau-Brunswick506 444-4101 ; 1 800 332-3087 ; telecopieur 506 444-4318236, rue King, Fredericton (N.-B.) E3B 1E2 Executive Director, New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status ofWomen506 444-4101; 1-800-332-3087; fax 506 444-4318236 King St. Fredericton, N.B. E3B 1E2 rosella.melanson@gnb.ca ; http://www.acswcccf.nb.ca/ Subscribe to NB Women's News / NouvELLES, our free weekly email withnews about N.B. women. Send SUBSCRIBE to acswcccf@gnb.caAbonnez-vous a NouvELLES / NB Women's News : a chaque semaine, uncourriel de nouvelles d'interet aux femmes du N.-B. Envoyez "ABONNER" aacswcccf@gnb.ca.
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30 January 2008
THE INVISIBLE GIRL
presented by the Riverview Arts Center and the Capitol Theater
Wednesday January 30, 2008 at 7:00 pm
where:
Riverview Arts Centre Inc
400 Whitepine Rd (in the high school)
Riverview, NB
506.852.7189
Tickets $14.50 Adult $6.50 Student hst included
Available from the Capitol Theater Box Office
Age range: Grades 2 - 7
Ali isn't really invisible...In fact she used to be part of the most popular group in Grade 5. Then she made a BIG mistake. Now all her best friends ignore her. But Ali realizes she's not the only one who feels this way...
The Invisible Girl is a smart and funny look at our culture's preoccupation with fashion, beauty and popularity. It's about being yourself and standing up for what's right, even if sometimes it's easier to be invisible.
http://www.greenthumb.bc.ca/play_detail.asp?pageid=707&playid=100
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1 February 2008
GARDEN PARTY
Friday February 1, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Riverview Arts Centre Inc
400 Whitepine Rd (in the high school)
Riverview, NB
506.852.7189
Tickets $18.00 Advance $20.00 At the door (hst included) Available online http://www.riverview-arts-centre.ca/ and at the following locations:
Sobeys 535 Coverdale Road, Riverview (cash only)
Jean Coutu 438 Coverdale Road, Riverview

A comedy for gardeners both casual and crazed! This creative show
is as fun-filled as a summer evening with music, tap dance and
battling garden gnomes.
-- or contact Peter Brzezicki at 506.872.0002
info@riverview-arts-centre.ca
http://www.riverview-arts-centre.ca/
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18 February 2008
Addictions, Addictions Services and New Brunswick Women
Lunch & Learn with: Dr. Margaret Dykeman of the UNB Nursing faculty, whose key areas of expertise and research include addictions and Marianna Stack, President, Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John - a long-term advocate of services for addicted women, especially for women in prison in N.B. Monday, February 18, 2008, 12 noon to 2 pm.
Saint John Free Public Library, Market Square
Light lunch provided. FREE but you must pre-register by sending your name, phone & group/workaffiliation to: acswcccf@gnb.ca or 1-800-332-3087.Sponsored by New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women.Wear NO SCENTS please.
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9 - 12 April 2008
Hairy Tease Productions present the comedy, "Never Too Late" at Théatre l'Escaouette in Moncton. Tickets go on sale February 25 and everyone is advised to get theirs early. Last fall's production sold out all four nights! Watch for updates on this production.
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11 - 13 April 2008
Moncton Kiwanis Lifestyle Show
Be sure to head to the Moncton Coliseum Complex April 11 - 13, 2008 for the Moncton Kiwanis Lifestyle Show. Our new show features will delight ALL of your senses. Whether you're building or renovating your home, planning your landscape or garden or are looking for new home entertainment ideas and tasty treats . . . this event will be sure to deliver. This year the Family Show offers exhibits, demonstrations and interactive displays for families of all ages. This section is focused around sport & fitness, entertainment, vacation & travel, financial & retirement planning, community services, non-profit organizations, youth products and recreation. Here’s an event you won’t want to miss!

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8, 9, 10 August 2008
We are looking for 1968 Teachers College, Fredericton, grads ( French and English) for our 40th reunion on August 8-9-10, 2008. It will be held at the Ramada ( former Ho-Jo's) in Fredericton. More details to follow as planning is ongoing. If you are interested in receiving information or attending, please contact Betty (Rioux) Smith, 404 Rue Marguerite , Dieppe, NB E1A7H1,
1-506-386-1640 or shsbas@nb.sympatico.ca
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If you have a notice of an upcoming event you would like included on this page, please contact Wayne and Barb at wbharrig@nb.sympatico.ca

SENIORS RESOLVE TO ENJOY LIFE AS IT COMES

Today's generation of seniors are not content to sit idly and watch their lives slip past them

By Jim LevineThis Week Staff
Published Saturday January 5th, 2008
Appeared on page A6
It's that time of the year again, when we make resolutions that all add up to one big denial of everything fun.
We won't, as we age, indulge in things like gravy, even though it is one of nature's most perfect sauces.
We won't overeat on leftover sweets from the Christmas season for fear it will cause us to gain a pound or two.
We will exercise every day even though just getting out of bed in the morning is becoming a bit of a chore.
And, we'll use moderation in all things, though our energy for indulging in life's excesses tempers our personalities all on its own.
As we grow older, it's a fact that we ultimately develop some kind of illness or infirmity. Hips give out, joints ache, just the simple act of remembering where the car keys are requires considerable effort sometimes.
The meanest thing of all that our society has created is the blame game when we get ill.
We develop diabetes, for example, and people can't wait to scold us for a lifetime's indulgence in divinity fudge.
Our liver gives out, and the neighbourhood sages wisely agree there were a few too many beer cartons piled up at the bottom of our drive-ways on Boy Scout bottle drive day.
We develop late onset asthma or some other breathing difficulties, and there's always a friend or relative who remembers how you loved your cigarettes in your 20s.
The underlying message is the same: You're sick now. You're going to cost the medical system money now. And it's clearly your fault.
Well, it isn't. If I have one clear resolve in 2008, it is that I will unabashedly go on living as best and as wildly I can into my old age, and refuse to be cowered into a dull existence because sometime or other, illness will strike.
We treat our cars with more respect than our older residents. When a relatively new car needs a brake job, we don't scold the vehicle for stopping when pressure was applied to the peddle.
When it needs an oil job or new sparkplugs, we accept it is part of life's maintenance plan, and fix it.
But let grandmother or grandfather get ill, and apparently it's the natural extension of an ill-lived life.
The reality of life is that if you live long enough, just about everything you enjoyed in your youth will wind up causing cancer, crippling you, or destroying parts of your brain power.
The longer you live, the more chance there is that the unwitting acts of our youth will come back to haunt us.
We need to go to the hospital on occasion to get a tune-up and continue to drive at full speed what miles are left in us.
Our aging generation is not solely responsible for our escalating health-care costs.
In fact, a 33-page study by senior economic Marc Lee with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives debunks the "myth" of runaway costs as baby boomers enter their final years.
The research paper actually shows that the ageing baby-boomer generation will add less than one per cent to health-care costs each year.
And it says the cost of maintaining the health-care system well into the future will be easily met by economic growth.
Health-care costs, the study found, do not rise uniformly just because people are aging.
In fact, most of the costs associated with aging occur in the last year of life, at rates about 50 to 100 times higher than seniors in general.
Using published health-care and population data, Lee concluded that aging contributed a mere 0.8 per cent to the cost of public health care in the last decade.
So as we seniors enter 2008, let's stop feel bad about being a blight on the health care system.
We will take reasonably good care of ourselves, since that is only common sense.
But we must resolve to stop feeling guilty if something goes out of whack, and stop feeling like a burden to the system we paid taxes our whole life to create.
Now I must run. I believe there's still a few shortbreads left from Christmas to polish off before I have a nap.

TAKING CARE OF OUR SENIORS

Published Saturday January 5th, 2008
Riverview This Week, Moncton This Week

Caregivers are family members or friends who care for a loved one at home, without any compensation. Most often, they are women caring for their husbands, or children looking after a parent. A lot of seniors still live at home, but experts estimate that 80% of the work is done by their caregivers.
Some caregivers do so by choice, others by necessity; all do it for love. While providing care at home is not a new phenomenon, social circumstances have changed over the last fifty years. Today, caregivers must conciliate their job and their responsibilities as caregivers, without neglecting their own health.
In many regions, there are support groups for caregivers. If you are in this situation, do not hesitate to contact a support group in your area. You will receive information, referrals, and support.
Support groups organize information workshops on different topics, like the services available in the area for help with housekeeping, finances, residential relief care, guardianship, etc.
Being a caregiver should not be a sentence, but rather a free choice. Knowing what resources are available, caregivers can fulfill their role in a balanced and healthy manner.
Canadians have one of the longest life expectancies in the world. On average, Canadian men live for 82.4 years and women, 85.8 years. Over the past few years in Canada, we have noticed a reduction in hospitalizations for hip fractures as well as improvements in functional health (vision, hearing, speech, dexterity"¦).
Canadian seniors consider themselves very healthy, both physically and mentally. This is great news concerning our elders, those parents, grandparents, and friends whom we love so dearly.
However, in spite of the positive trends regarding health, elderly people in Canada still face many complex difficulties regarding aging, and their quality of life tends to diminish with age.
Because health problems increase as we age, the elderly are more restricted in their activities than younger Canadians: 7% need help with everyday activities, like taking a bath, dressing, eating, and moving from one room to another, while 24% need help with tasks like preparing meals and housekeeping.
Older Canadians are also more prone to injuries and falls, which further limit their mobility and their independence.
Fortunately, there are more and more caregivers willing to lend a hand to our seniors. In 2002, 4.2 million Canadians cared for an elderly person on a regular basis. Caregivers play many different roles.
You are a caregiver if you help a loved one remember to take their medication, prepare their meals, assume the housekeeping duties, help them keep their appointments, run errands, etc. These acts, as simple as they are, can make all the difference.

Friday, January 04, 2008

SENIOR CARE WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE

By KEN MCGEORGE
For The Daily Gleaner
Published Friday January 4th, 2008

Care for our seniors and elders has come on the political agenda in North America in recent years and, in 2008, we will hear more of this.
Population statisticians tell us we are seeing the beginning of the baby boomers' move into elder care.
Since baby boomers represent such a critical and large segment of the population, the implications for health care and social services are immense.
Last January, the waiting list for admission to nursing homes in the greater Fredericton area was 20 names long; by November it had climbed to 71, an increase of 355 per cent.
The numbers may not be great, but nursing home beds don't turn over as they do in acute care, so the numbers are profound.
If we are at the early stages of the baby boom generation needing such services, and if the waiting lists have increased that rapidly in one year, what will it be in five years?
Yet, there are no official plans at this point for providing significantly more beds in nursing homes.
Another crisis in the making?
The crisis is probably already here, since the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital has, on any given day, 40 patients waiting for admission to nursing homes. And when the average citizen needs to get into hospital for urgent surgery, heaven help him or her.
It has been the pattern of decision-making in health and social services in our country that we have to come up to a crisis period to spur us into action.
The reason for our hesitancy to act on what we know?
The health agenda is dominated by the forces of large drug companies and powerful professional associations and unions, the net effect of which makes it nearly impossible for governments to make good and timely decisions.
The impending crisis has been known and predicted accurately for well over a decade, yet year over year inaction at the public policy level has failed to create a realistic strategy.
The current government of New Brunswick, having had the foresight to include a commitment to excellence in seniors' care in its election platform, is positioning itself to respond to the crisis.
Already the government has authorized more beds in advance of the release of its long-term care strategy.
In response to expressions of need by the New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes, the government has dramatically improved staffing for nursing homes.
Institutionalizing the elderly, however, is not the sole answer to our society's problems. The economic impact of providing institutionalization for the frail, elderly and baby boomers, who are feeding that age group, would be unaffordable.
There are many ways in which our society can provide wonderful and appropriate care for the elderly and for those with physical or mental challenges, other than simply institutionalizing them.
Hospital accommodation is brutally expensive.
Nursing homes can provide the same service for the elderly, and some would say more appropriate service, at 20 per cent of the cost.
Yet we need better strategies to help people remain at home or in lesser-care facilities longer.
The province's minister of family and community services has spoken of the Australian model which, we are told, resembles the nursing home in the home model.
Others have advanced the idea of using the smart home as another model for assisting seniors to maintain independence.
When we get beyond the normal resistance to change, the following are things that must happen in New Brunswick in 2008, if we are to effectively deal with the rapidly growing seniors population:
* seriously conserve spending in acute care by reducing infrastructure and competitiveness;
* create more nursing-home beds, which are a less expensive way to provide institutional care for seniors;
* provide regional infrastructure to let nursing homes and regional health authorities work together better;
* create a series of seniors' health centres where seniors can receive emergent care without visiting an emergency department and where they can get information on the vast number of services available to them;
* overhaul the single entry point system to reflect the electronic way of doing business;
* create a series of services that will be an alternative to institutionalization such as foster care, nursing home in the home, supportive housing and such;
* move the control of the education and training of health professionals back from professional interest groups and training facilities to the service providers.
This is the model that was in place years ago and did, in fact, serve the public very well.
Some of these strategies and many more will, I expect, be included in government's long-term care strategy. The public should look for it to emerge early in 2008.
Once released, we need to encourage government to be strategic in the implementation of its elements.
The issues are so profound that dealing selectively with them will not lead to resolution of the long-term care issues in the province.

Ken McGeorge is the executive director of York Manor.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

SUSSEX AVENUE FIDDLERS: MUSICAL MILESTONE

Published Saturday January 5th, 2008

This fall, the Sussex Avenue Fiddlers, under the direction of Ivan and Vivian Hicks, kicked off a special milestone - their 30th Anniversary season. The group was formed in the late 1970's in the Hicks' music room of their Sussex Avenue home in Riverview.
It began with a half dozen adult students who met for practice on Wednesday evenings and went out into the community to entertain seniors, do benefits, play for various organizations and church events.
Now numbering nearly 50 members, the group is made up of folks from their pre-teens to their eighties. Of the more than twelve fiddle groups now existing in New Brunswick, the Sussex Avenue Fiddlers was one of the first to have been formed.
As one of the special planned events for their 30th season, the group will be taking their Maritime music on a showcase tour with Fairway Tours of Riverview in 2008 through the Eastern United States to Louisiana.
This 17 day journey from late February to mid-March will see them play many venues, sharing their Eastern Canadian style of music with audiences in places such as Bristol, VA, Nashville, TN and Lafayette, LA.
While in Nashville, the fiddlers will have the opportunity to visit the famous RCA Studio B and record something of their own. Throughout the tour, they will also have various radio and television appearances, including one at the Lincoln Theatre on the "Songs of the Mountain" program that airs on PBS.
With a main destination of Louisiana, they hope to make this trip a cultural exchange as they meet Cajun musicians and fans. This is especially exciting for the many members of Sussex Avenue Fiddlers who are of an Acadian ancestry.
For the three younger members of the group that will join the adults on this adventure, they hope to make this a learning experience both musically and culturally.
A special event for the "hometown fans" took place on Oct. 20, 2007 in the form of a concert entitled "An Evening with Ivan and Vivian Hicks and the Sussex Avenue Fiddlers". To the delight of the sold out audience, the show highlighted the many and various talents within the group.
The group will all perform at a Community Breakfast hosted by the Knights of Columbus on Jan. 19 from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Dan Bohan Centre at 5 Fatima Drive in Riverview.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

C.D.'S BY SYLVIA CAMPBELL, GERALDINE CHARTERS

Sylvia Campbell

Echos and Strings


















To purchase your copy of Echos and Strings, contact Sylvia Campbell at
506-386-4601 or e-mail sylarch@nb.sympatico.ca. They can also be purchased at Frank's Music, 245 Carson Dr. Moncton,NB
Sylvia's web site is www.myspace.com/sylviacampbell
Here you can find her bio and listen to a cut from the c.d.








Geraldine Charters

One day at a time





To purchase your copy of "One Day at a Time", contact Geraldine by e-mail, phone, or snail mail- contact information below. Cost is $20 (plus $2 shipping if necessary)

Check out Geraldine's page at www.myspace.com/geraldinecharters



Contact:
Geraldine Charters
89 Kendra Street, #4
Moncton, NB E1C 8V8
Phone: (506) 854-7045


Sunday, December 16, 2007

HALIFAX WRITER PUBLISHES FIRST NOVEL





Our friend, Susan Cameron, of Halifax, has written her first novel, “These Four Walls”. Susan and her husband Keith are the CARP reps in Nova Scotia. Published by McArthur & Company, the novel is described as “beautifully written and compelling, the story of three generations of a Halifax family from a major new Atlantic writing talent”. To be sure of a copy, check out your local bookstore. Chapters has copies. You may also check out more information about the novel by visiting Amazon.ca. Just above, click on the Amazon icon and search for Susan Cameron. You’ll be glad you did!
Wayne and Barb
**************************************************************************
Reader review from Indigo Books
A Must Read!
These Fours Walls was a wonderful book to read! I absolutely loved it! The story centers around Rose, a girl who lives her teenage years in Halifax during the years of World War II. Having lost both parents, Rose, and her sisters Lily and Violet, each learn to deal with their future in her own way. The essence of this story is the relationship between a now elderly Rose and her grown daughter, Barbara. Their relationship is fraught with the challenges facing mother-daughter relationships everywhere. However, the reader is allowed to see Rose's life from her early teenage years to when she becomes a new mother. So much becomes understood when this history, which is unknown to her daughter, is revealed. Susan Cameron has written a tremendous book. Her beautiful writing reveals complex relationships in a way that every reader will understand and to which she will likely relate. Rose's life was such a triumph while, at the same time, entrenched with such sadness. This is Cameron's first novel. I will be watching - and waiting - for her to write another!
December 30, 2007 - 5:50 pm
****************************************************
Article from Halifax Sunday paper-
HFX SUNDAY - LIFESTYLES & TRENDS
16/12/07
Two tales of the city

AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
STEPHEN CLARE
Novels by local authors set in Halifax's historic recent past, and dot-com present
Off Book Mark Sampson Norwood. 362 pages. $24.95
These Four Walls Susan Cameron McArthur & Company. 398 pages. $29.95

Two recently released novels by Halifax-related authors are now on local bookshelves, offering up distinct impressions on life in our city. And while both Mark Sampson's Off Book and Susan Cameron's These Four Walls paint unique portraits of life in the Nova Scotian capital, each work echoes with familiarity.Mark Sampson was born in Prince Edward Island, and later graduated from the King's College Journalism Program. Though his short fiction has appeared in numerous literary journals, Off Book - an intriguing story of individualism set against the backdrop of Halifax's emerging IT industry - is his first full-length novel."The initial inspiration came to me in 2000 while I was working as a business journalist in Halifax," he says. "This was at the very peak of the so-called dot-com boom and I was covering a lot of stories about emerging technologies and the effects they had on the way businesses ran and treated their employees. I was fascinated by the endless possibilities that seemed to exist on the Web - but also by the ludicrousness that many online businesses got roped into."Sampson recalls the moment the muse took hold."I was covering a press conference for some start-up and I remember the owners going on and on about how they were bringing 'innovation' and 'best human-capital practices' to their workplace - and it just seemed like so much empty corporate rhetoric. Some of the young employees in attendance, the programmers and designers and so forth, didn't look all that happy to be there despite receiving what I assumed were decent salaries and 'revolutionary' perks and benefits. And it kind of set my imagination ablaze as I trudged back to the office."The experience sounded all too familiar to the author."I pictured one of these workers to be sort of like me," he says. "A cubicle denizen during the day but harbouring deep-rooted literary aspirations in his private life, and this being the source of his aimless dismay. When the idea hit me, I knew I had something more fulsome on my hands than just a short story or a poem - two other media in which I work - and I soon made the long-term commitment to the characters and situations that began taking up residence in my mind."That inspiration did not immediately give way to perspiration however. "It was another two and a half years of thinking and planning, doing character sketches and research, before I actually sat down to begin a first draft," said Sampson. "I weathered a lot of false starts with this novel and considered moving on from it in the beginning. But I eventually found the tone and atmosphere I wanted, and managed to push through various drafts until it began to take the shape I wanted."The experience of putting the work together changed Sampson's perspective on the craft of writing."I'm of the belief that writers need to embrace three core habits," he says. "They need to read every day, write every day and live life to the fullest every day. I'm a writer because it's the only thing I do even remotely well. I heard another novelist say recently that fiction writing is all about ambition and anxiety, and that describes me to a tee. I possess in equal parts a tremendous sense of dedication and a tremendous sense of insecurity and self-loathing. So the writing life suits me very well."
The writing life seems to appeal to Susan Cameron as well. The former journalist and author of two previous works, March to Etna and Bridgewater Bound, says that her latest work, These Four Walls - the story of three generations of a Halifax family - was inspired by her own past."I had a growing realization over the last decade - as my own parents and aunts and uncles have died - that they and others of their generation often left with much still left unsaid, questions unanswered, secrets kept, half truths only hinted at," says the author. "They were unable and/or unwilling to share certain aspects of their lives with us, their children - that the Great Depression, the war, with its losses, chaos, and sacrifices, were forces and realities so, so different to those that my generation - the Baby Boomers - have had to contend with."Cameron admits that the crafting of the book was not without its challenges. "The biggest thing was dealing with the structure of the story," she says, "how to tie in Rose's voice and perspective - as a child and later as she aged - with that of her daughter, Barbara. I didn't see the story as a linear one; but for a long time wasn't sure I could wrestle into shape a more circular, layered telling."Nonetheless, the author persisted, knowing that at some point the story would come together and make its way out into the world."I suspect that every writer hopes that their published work will be able to 'hold its own' in the readership world," she says. "It's rather like your child who you've conceived, given birth to, nurtured through those first important years. When he goes to school, you so hope and pray that you have prepared him well, dressed him appropriately, that he will be well behaved, as well as accepted, liked, appreciated; that he will do well in his life."She says that she is proud to be a part of the great heritage of Atlantic Canadian literature. "We come from long traditions of story telling," says Cameron. "And the pace of life here, the ocean fogs, the dark, whispering forests, the sandy stretches, allow us to immerse ourselves in our stories, give us time to sift and sort out the tales in our heads, and prompt us to grab a notebook, a scribbler, and write them down ... perhaps, over time, we have become hard-wired to the art of making stories."
16/12/07

Thursday, December 13, 2007

PREPARE FOR RETIREMENT FOR BETTER ENJOYMENT

For the unprepared, retirement is no walk in the park

By Steve MacNaull THE CANADIAN PRESS
Published Thursday December 13th, 2007

KELOWNA, B.C. - Stop treating your retirement like a long weekend.
"I see it all the time," says Barry LaValley of the Nanaimo, B.C.-based Retirement Lifestyle Centre.
"People plan and start their retirement like it's a 30-year long weekend. They take the things they used to do on long weekends when they were working and just plan to do them all the time in retirement. It's unrealistic."
That means many new retirees golf every day, travel, finish off projects in and around the house, play with the grandkids and then within two years have nothing to do and wish they were back at work.
LaValley outlined all this at a recent retirement planning seminar in Kelowna, B.C.
In all, LaValley says he talks to about 12,000 Scotiabank clients annually at 60 speaking engagements across the country.
"Money plays a role in retirement, definitely. That's why a bank is putting on this seminar," said LaValley.
"But what I'm here to tell people is clarify your vision of retirement because the reality is going to be different than most of you think."
LaValley's Retirement Lifestyle Centre develops programs for life coaches, counsellors and financial planners to help people plan the non-financial aspects of their retirement.
While retirement is a challenge for retiring employees, it's even harder for the self-employed.
Seventy per cent of the self-employed who retire return to some form of work within two years.
Men who are retiring especially find they gave almost everything they've got to work and now they have to give almost everything they've got to leisure.
It also means the man is spending way more time with his wife, even if she doesn't want that.
"I talk about the theory of continuity," explained LaValley.
"You are who you are. You aren't going to magically change in retirement." That means if you weren't a heavy traveller before, you are unlikely to be in retirement.
For instance, LaValley said 75 per cent of those retiring make ambitious travel plans. However, only 25 per cent actually take those trips.
It's also hard to pick up new hobbies in retirement, so those dreams of playing golf or tennis every day when you didn't before aren't likely to come true.
People who spent freely before will likely continue to do so in retirement. Savers will probably be savers in retirement too.
Retirement isn't a happiness pill either.
"Happy people tend to have happy retirements," said LaValley.
"Miserable people tend to have miserable retirements. If you're unhappy now, it's unlikely retirement will be able to switch that around."

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

ATLANTIC SENIORS WANT TO STAY PUT

Atlantic seniors want to stay in their own homes, communities.
Jo-Ann FellowsHealth Matters
Published Tuesday December 4th, 2007. Daily Gleaner

Atlantic seniors want to stay put.
They want to stay in their own homes as long as possible and if they do need to move one day, they want to stay in their communities.
Those are the main findings at the three-year mark of a five-year study of seniors' housing needs in the Atlantic provinces undertaken by a university/community research program funded by the federal government.
The Atlantic Seniors' Housing Research Alliance just issued an interim report on housing and support services. The report summarizes the survey of 1,702 independent seniors aged 65 and older, of whom 520 live in New Brunswick.
I am co-chairwoman for New Brunswick on this study.
The alliance study was designed to answer two questions: what will housing needs of aging Atlantic seniors be over the next 20 years, and what options, support services and government policies should be developed to meet these needs.
In New Brunswick, 59 per cent of the respondents were female, and 63 per cent of respondents were living with a partner. They are between 65 and 94. More than two-thirds live in rural areas, and predominantly they live in a home they own. About three per cent live in a mobile home, in contrast to Canada as a whole where one per cent do so. More than half of respondents still live in the same community as they had 35 years ago.
The largest number of seniors not only live in their own homes, they want to stay there. A majority said their current home meets their needs. However, more detailed questions point to some problems.
Half the seniors reported that they need some home repairs, and 20 per cent indicated that the repairs required were major. There was an indication that major repairs presented difficulties.
This is not surprising when you look at the income figures. There is a large gap between the poorest and the richest of the seniors. Twelve per cent of Atlantic seniors live on $15,000 a year, the same percentage have an income of more than $50,000 a year. Close to half report having an income of less than $30,000 a year. The accepted percentage of income is 30 per cent for shelter. Nearly 20 per cent of Atlantic seniors spend more than 40 per cent of their income on shelter.
About one third of seniors had made minor modifications in their homes to accommodate aging. These included grab bars or installing showers. Seniors were worried about falling on icy front steps, and almost half admitted their homes needed upgrading to increase energy efficiency.
Seniors said they needed help with yard work, regular visits, repairs around the home and heavy cleaning. Generally, they had family help for these chores.
Nearly 80 per cent of the seniors still drive so transport is not the major problem it often is with a rural population. The seniors anticipate a problem once they can no longer drive.
Generally, seniors in New Brunswick are aging in place, they are long term residents of their communities and they are mostly assisted by family. Although they knew about such things as reverse mortgages, they made no use of such means of capturing equity because they wanted to pass on the family home to their children. Even if they need to move one day because of frailty, they wanted to remain in their communities.

Jo-Ann Fellows is an elected board member of Region 3, River Valley Health, representing Fredericton South. The opinions are hers alone. Please send comments to letters@dailygleaner.com.

Monday, December 03, 2007

GROUP AN ADVOCATE FOR N.B.'S SENIORS

JANE BARRY
COMMUNITY PROFILE
Published Telegraph-Journal, Monday December 3rd, 2007

The New Brunswick Senior Citizen Federation,( NBSCF) is a powerful body and growing in numbers as more and more of our population reaches 50. The group welcomes members in this age demographic and can offer a great deal to New Brunswickers from all walks of life.
The NBSCF, founded in 1968, serves as an advocate for its 21,000 members. The federation's goals are to ensure the well-being and leadership of New Brunswick senior citizens 50 years of age and over, regardless of language, race, colour, sex and creed; to maintain a line of communications with all their members and to establish good relationships with government, corporations and provincial and national organizations.
There are 13 senior senior citizens zones areas in New Brunswick, affiliated with the NBSCF, whose head office is in Moncton. They are Bay of Fundy, Capital, Chaleur, Dairy, Kent, Loyalist, Maple Leaf, Miramichi, Nepisiguit, Nord-Ouest, Péninsule, Saint John River and Sud-Est. Next year will mark the federation's 40th anniversary. Provincewide celebrations are planned in June to mark the occasion when the first group was established in Sussex.
Ralph Smith heads the bilingual, New Brunswick organization of some 205 local clubs. He explains that they represent the wide-ranging interests of seniors. They recognize the fast-growing pace of this population, from about 107,000 seniors in the last census, to a projected 170,000 in 2011. Their input into the provincial long-term care and health strategies has been a priority. He stands behind the group's slogan, "The stronger our membership - The stronger our voice."
Members enjoy special discounts and privileges. In many zones, dedicated members approach businesses to offer discounts or rebates. Through Aviva Traders, the federation offers a group home and auto insurance plan, as well as health, dental and travel insurance. Members of the NBSCF receive the quarterly Horizons newspaper and the Bulletin, communications tools that serve as links between the federation and its members. Membership costs, including federation membership, vary from club to club, and can be as low as about $10. Stand-alone N.B. federation membership costs $20 for an individual and $30 per couple. It entitles the holder to a quarterly newspaper and substantial discounts from many businesses. One Arc-en-Ciel member was delighted with her combined auto and home insurance savings and another received discounts for a new hearing aid.
The Loyalist Zone reaches out to Saint John area seniors' clubs with monthly meetings regarding new benefits, news from the Federation. and activities. Loyalist Zone president Bertha Boyles explains that their spring and fall celebrations, hosted by the City of Saint John, are a highlight. The federation's annual meeting is hosted by a different zone each year.
"Last year," Boyles said, "the Loyalist Zone received a government grant and we took 87 seniors, who do not get out much, on a St. John River cruise, gave them a nice meal and took them back home. They really enjoyed it. We try to encourage our clubs to have fun; they have card games, dances, bingo, potluck or barbecues, and banquet for special occasions."
One of the Loyalist Zone Clubs is le Club Arc-en-Ciel. Elizabeth Godin, the president, and Eddie Gaudet are dedicated members and enthusiastic about the group of 100. It is the only francophone club in southwestern New Brunswick and even has its own band.
"We cater to all seniors," Godin stresses, it doesn't matter about religion, race or colour. The federation is the voice of seniors."
They gather for meetings, social activities and most important, says Gaudet, sharing information about the myriad programs and services available to seniors. Spreading the word to his peers is his primary reason for involvement.
"We have to tell people what's available for seniors," he said. "They don't know what's there."
For information about the New Brunswick Senior Citizens' Federation Inc. or how to join a golden age club in New Brunswick, call 1-800-453-4333 or write the Federation at 36 Albert St., Moncton N.B. E1C 1A9 or visit www.nbscf.ca

Community Profile is a weekly column highlighting community causes and work done by non-profit organizations in the Greater Saint John area. It is contributed by Jane Barry, executive director of The Greater Saint John Community Foundation. Contact the foundation at 506-672-8880. To view other Community Profiles go to www.saint-john-foundation.nb.ca

Saturday, December 01, 2007

SHORTCHANGED SENIORS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED

Shortchanged seniors should be compensated for accounting glitch: Layton

Jered Stuffco, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Published Saturday December 1st, 2007

TORONTO - Seniors shortchanged on their pension payments after Statistics Canada incorrectly crunched inflation numbers must be reimbursed by the federal government, NDP leader Jack Layton said Saturday.
"The government has admitted that they have not been paying the seniors who receive government of Canada pensions the appropriate figure, so there's millions of seniors out there who've been shortchanged," Layton told The Canadian Press.
Between 2001 and 2006, Statistics Canada low-balled inflation rates by 0.1 per cent each year on its Consumer Pricing Index, meaning payments to seniors were lower than they should have been for the five-year period.
According to Layton, some of the most vulnerable people in the country have been punished for an error made by Statistics Canada.
"The government has an obligation to make sure seniors are getting their due, and we've formed a coalition to make sure that happens," said Layton after meeting with several seniors' groups at his Toronto constituency office.
The government uses the CPI to calculate how much is paid out to seniors. But the agency responsible doesn't appear to ready to ante up.
A statement released from Human Resources and Social Development Canada, which is responsible for pension payments, states that like all western countries, "Canada does not adjust the CPI retroactively," and that if the CPI "was found to be too high, we believe it would be wrong and unfair to claw back seniors' hard-earned dollars."
It goes on to say the government "has continued to deliver for seniors by cutting taxes, investing in programs that matter to seniors, and continuing to ensure our public pension system remains a world leader."
While the government admitted to the accounting error in August, seniors complain Ottawa hasn't done anything to fix the problem.
Annie Lois, a retiree living on a fixed income, said that with rising living expenses and prescription costs, she barely has enough money to make ends meet.
"This week alone I've spent over 50 bucks on prescriptions, and then we hear that we've been cheated on our Canada Pension Plan - which we paid in for? I mean, c'mon."
John Campbell, president of the Retired Ontario Firefighters Association, said the miscalculation amounts to "stealing money out of our pockets."
Campbell added the CPI affects Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement payments as well.
"How many mistakes have they made in the past? How many will they make in the future?
The CPI is also used by other sources like the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System when calculating payments, said Don MacLeod, president of the Municipal Retirees Organization of Ontario.
"We think it could be as much as $500 per year for some people," he said, adding that more than 100,000 seniors receive OMERS payments.
"They've admitted a mistake was made but they're not willing to do anything about it."

LET'S BRING THEM HOME!

Letter to the Editor, Telegraph-Journal 1 December 2007

Self-sufficiency in New Brunswick by 2026! A population increase of 100,000 people by that time, and 5,000 new immigrants by the year 2015.
In the Speech from the Throne we heard, "Our growing economic strength will help retain our family and friends in our home province and make New Brunswick a more attractive place to return to or to settle in as new residents." Ah, there's one of the keys.
Over the years, many New Brunswickers have headed to other parts of Canada by choice or by circumstance. Now they are approaching retirement age. Let's bring them home!
The fastest growing population group in Canada are those who are age 65 and over. Between now and 2026, the number of seniors is expected to double to almost 8 million, one in every five Canadians. These seniors are healthier, better educated, more active, and more aware than at any time in our history.
New Brunswick is a wonderful place in which to retire. In previous years, when people considered this, they feared that a need for long-term care would drain them of the resources they had spent their whole lives working for. Often they decided to remain where there was no risk of that.
Now that the province of New Brunswick treats the residents of long-term facilities much more fairly, many more Canadians will make the decision to return. Those who consider returning home to retire will bring their pensions and investment incomes with them. They will be spending, not saving for a rainy day. They will have a positive impact on the economy of the province; we know seniors are taxed till their last breath on every cent of income. But even more important, seniors bring a wealth of experience and a willingness to work for the good of New Brunswick. Our message to the provincial government: send out a clear welcome to retirees across Canada.
Let's bring them home!
WAYNE AND BARB HARRIGAN
Riverview

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

RETIREMENT MORE ENJOYABLE WITH FINANCIAL PLAN

Investing
Bob Hillier
Published Wednesday November 28th, 2007 - Miramichi Leader

Atlantic Canada, it appears, is a good place to be retired. In a recent national survey, retirees from the region reported the highest level of satisfaction with life after work, at 81 per cent, compared to the national average of 74 per cent. The Prairie region reported the lowest level, 67 per cent, followed by Quebec, 78, Ontario, 74 and British Columbia 72.
"There's obviously something very special about Atlantic Canada," says Peter Drake, vice-president of retirement and economic research with Fidelity Investments, which commissioned the survey. "Obviously part of being satisfied in retirement is being secure in your financial situation."
Quality of life in retirement is becoming a major issue as the baby boomers get older. Every day some 800 of our citizens turn 65, and one in eight Canadians, or more than four million, have already reached that milestone. Statistics Canada projects that by 2041 that number will more than double to some 10 million.
Having a plan in place makes all the difference, Drake adds. Retirees who have worked with a financial adviser and have a written retirement income plan report the highest levels of satisfaction. These sentiments are echoed by pre-retirees who are working with a financial adviser and already have a written retirement income plan. They expect to be more satisfied in retirement because they know they are better prepared.
"Planning and saving for retirement can be hard work and does require diligence, but it does not have to be a negative experience," added Drake. "Working with a financial adviser and setting out your goals for retirement can help ease the uncertainty for the next stage of your life. The vast majority of Canadian retirees who are enjoying their retirement are the ones who planned for it."
A plan should include a projection of essential expenses during retirement, such as food, clothing and lodging.
"You would want to fund your essential expenses from your most secure sources of income, such as Canada Pension, OAS, company pension plans and annuities."
A plan should also take into account the five key risks to any retirement plan:
• Longevity: Advances in health care mean people are planning for a retirement that could last as long, or even longer, than their working years.
• Inflation: Even at a relatively low rate of two percent annually, inflation erodes your purchasing power. In 25 years it is reduced to 60 percent of where it began. "CPP and OAS do have some compensation for inflation, but you also need to be able to compensate for it with your other sources of retirement income."
• Withdrawal rate: How much can you withdraw each year and maximize the life of a portfolio? "The difference between taking out four percent and six percent each year can be quite substantial in terms of how long a portfolio will last, " Drake adds. "As you move through retirement you can obviously adjust the withdrawal rate."
• Asset Allocation: You want to reduce your exposure to risk as you approach retirement, but Drake advises against abandoning equities entirely.
• Health Care: While Canadians enjoy universal health care, there is a growing list of medical services that the government may deem not medically necessary, but which an individual may find essential for a full quality of life.
Having a meaningful way to spend your time is the other key component of retirement satisfaction, Drake adds. Some people are continuing to work by choice, whether for the social interaction or sense of routine. Others turn to volunteering. "For people who do want to work in retirement, there's going to be plenty of opportunities," Drake says. "The key issue is to have choice. If you're working because you want to, and not because you have to, you're probably going to enjoy your job a lot more."
Source: Halifax-Chronicle Herald…Joey Fitzpatrick

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

SENIORS DESERVE PRIVATE WASHROOMS

Letter to the Editor, Moncton Times&Transcript, 27 November 2007

To The Editor:
In response to " Show respect to senior citizens" in the Times & Transcript Nov. 23, I would like to support Oliver Leger in his quest for individual, private washrooms in nursing care facilities.
At the present time, I am not personally affected but when the time comes that I must avail myself of nursing care homes, I would most certainly appreciate and expect, if not demand, the privacy of a personal washroom.

Louise Gilbert
CARP representative for New Brunswick,
Moncton

Monday, November 26, 2007

THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS STILL HUNGRY IN N.B.

Published Monday November 26th, 2007 - Miramichi Leader

The Canadian Association of Food Banks has released its Hunger Count 2007 report. It indicates that hunger remains a problem for too many citizens in New Brunswick.During March 2006, over 16,000 New Brunswickers visited a food bank to help them in their daily survival.Of those citizens, an appalling 33 per cent were children, meaning the problem of poverty risks being transferred from one generation to the other. As a province, we must stop that process if we want to reach self sufficiency as the Shawn Graham government is promoting.Citizens from this province have to understand that social conditions are also the cause of poverty, which are not always the sole responsibility of individual citizens.For instance, in New Brunswick:
* the minimum wage is one of the lowest of all Canadian provinces ($7.50 an hour);
* more than 40,000 persons are getting welfare allowances;
* the New Brunswick welfare allowances are the lowest of all four Atlantic provinces;
* a person living alone receives a $521 monthly allowance.
We are seeing an increase in the number of poor workers and seniors going to food banks or soup kitchens to get the food they need to survive. With the decision to build a casino in the province, we will have to get ready to see an increase in despair for many citizens and their use of food services to get by. It is time for this government to adopt a policy to reduce poverty and not to increase it.The Common Front for Social Justice calls on the New Brunswick government to follow Newfoundland and Labrador's 2006 strategy to eradicate poverty in that province.The measures implemented are improving the overall living conditions of its poor citizens.They include an increase of the minimum wage to $8 an hour in April 2008, important investments in affordable housing, the improvement of childcare services, the increase of the number of young people graduating from High School and the increase of literacy programs for adults.The front is asking the New Brunswick Government to adopt a poverty reduction strategy. Before implementation, a consultation of welfare beneficiaries, workers paid minimum wages and business must be consulted. Shawn Graham must lead those consultations.The front is fighting to build a more human New Brunswick society based on the respect and the dignity of everyone.
Visit our web site at :
www.frontnb.ca/en/Home_en.htm
Linda McCaustlin
Co-chair the Common Front for Social Justice

LOCAL FIRM THRILLED WITH OLDER STAFF

Published Monday November 26th, 2007 - Moncton Times&Transcript

Mark Stubbs, manager of Moncton's Home Depot, is seeing it more and more -- retirees who decide to re-enter the workforce, whether full-time, regular part-time or on a more occasional basis.
"We love their expertise," says Mark. "In a typical department, we'll have someone 55-plus working with a 21-year-old. It makes for a great dynamic."
To take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and experience of older workers, Home Depot Canada formed a hiring partnership in 2005 with Canada's Association for the Fifty-Plus.
Locally, the store draws many workers who have retired from careers such as at CN and the military, says Mark.
"Some have taken early retirement and found that life's not as full as they would like," he says. "We provide flexible shifts. They usually want part-time. Their availability is dependent on what stage of their life they're in."
Of the 120 employees currently working at the Moncton Home Depot, 19 are over the age of 55, five are over 60 and two are 65-plus.Much of the buzz about the company being open to hiring older employees has been generated by word of mouth, says Tina Smith, the store's manager of human resources.
"When people come in, they see that there are many people on their third career," says Tina. "In the retail industry, they're choosing us. We're not choosing them. That's wonderful. And it's building customer confidence. Do you want to buy a $500 power saw from a 19-year-old or from a 55-year-old who's used it?"
The "seasoned" workers take their jobs seriously and generally make for excellent employees, she says.
"I very rarely have to have a talk with someone who is 58 about showing up to work time," she says. "Usually they're here too early."
Tina, who is also a director on the Moncton executive of the Human Resources Association of New Brunswick, says a key issue that needs to be addressed provincially when it comes to the older workforce is matching the right person with the right job.
"You have to link the workforce with a reliable product or service that generates that customer confidence," says Tina. "If you're going to put someone who is 60 in a fast-paced coffee bar, you may be doing yourself a disservice, also them and your customers.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

SENIORS FEAR FALLOUT OF I.D. THEFT

Consumer advocate says theft of government computer containing personal information of over 1,200 Maritime pensioners a 'wake up call' for privacy laws
By Kate Wright, Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday November 24th, 2007

OTTAWA - New Brunswick pensioners affected by a "horrific breach" of security after a Service Canada computer was stolen from a government employee's home earlier this month could be feeling the affects of the fallout for years to come, a consumer watchdog warns.
Consumers' Association of Canada president Bruce Cran said yesterday the private records of over 1,200 seniors on the stolen laptop could be in jeopardy for longer than the federal government realizes.
"Someone who has that kind of information is not going to attack every name overnight -- they're going to use it over a period of time," he said.
Cran said the incident raises questions about why a government employee could have taken a computer with such private and sensitive information out of the department in the first place.
"What sort of process is involved here that would allow him to download this stuff," said Cran. "How did this person get a hold of this computer and what penalty has been given.
"It's frightening at a time when privacy concerns are greater than ever."
The laptop contains personal information of old age pension clients in the Maritimes and was stolen in Summerside.
The digital data includes names, addresses, birth dates, social insurance numbers, mothers' maiden names, monthly payment amounts and bank information for direct deposits.
An arrest had been made but the computer had yet to be recovered. A national RCMP spokeswoman said she could not comment on an ongoing file.
Service Canada has sent letters to the pensioners affected.
Canadaeast News Service received a call from one Fredericton-area resident who was affected by the theft and was very concerned.
The man, who chose not to comment, said he spent hours changing his banking information but still did not know if his SIN was safe.
Despite calls from the Opposition benches, there was little explanation from the federal government yesterday as to why the employee was able to take the computer home.
Lynne Yelich, parliamentary secretary to Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg, would only say that the government was taking the matter "quite seriously."
"There is a process in place and we are doing everything possible to make sure that this is taken care of," she said.
But Prince Edward Island MP Joe McGuire said the federal Tories aren't doing enough to assure the victims that the incident won't happen again.
"Although the government initially notified the people whose identity has been compromised, it has done nothing since, not even notifying banking institutions of the breach or providing counselling to those seniors," he said in Question Period.
"These seniors are very concerned and nervous."
This week, the federal government introduced legislation to help combat identity theft.
The misuse of another person's identity information is an offence under the Criminal Code, but the preparatory steps of collecting, possessing and trafficking in identity information are generally not captured by existing offences.
The proposed legislation would create three new offences related to trafficking of information and possessing identity information with the intent to use it criminally.
These crimes would be subject to five-year maximum sentences.
While the legislation is a step in the right direction, Cran said the federal government needs to act quickly to ensure there are no further security breaches in their own departments.
"There's been very little action or accountability from the government and this will be a wake up call across Canada," he said.

Friday, November 23, 2007

SHOW RESPECT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

23 November 2007, Moncton Times-Transcript

Letter to the Editor:
I would like to bring to the attention of the different New Brunswick associations that are the support system for the senior citizens of New Brunswick concerning the Level 1 and 2 of nursing homes that do not offer private bathrooms in their establishments.
I have mentioned this preoccupation to numerous members of the French Senior Citizens of NB Federation, but nothing seems to have been done about this, since nursing homes offering 1 and 2 levels are still to this day being built without private bathrooms.
Last time I checked we are far from the 1930s, I do not think that it is normal in 2007 for N.B. senior citizens living in level 1 and 2 nursing homes to share a bathroom with six other residents. I do not understand why the senior citizens federations do not address this preoccupation; the seniors are often left without a choice or do not have self defence in a situation like this.
Personally, I hold the senior citizens associations responsible for not taking the necessary steps to improve the system. I wonder if the members of these associations would like to spend their last days in a nursing home where they would have to share the bathroom with six other residents.
I think the association should exercise their power to bring this situation to the different government agencies responsible for nursing homes and the services offered in N.B. The associations should lobby the request that when a new Level 1 and 2 nursing home is being built anywhere in N.B., it should be built with a private bathroom for each room.
I do not expect a full bathroom in each room, but at least a lavatory and a toilet.
The senior citizens of N.B. have the right to be treated with respect and dignity.

Oliver Leger,
Caraquet

SPEAK OUT AGAINST CLOSURE OF CANADIAN HEALTH NETWORK

23 November 2007

Canada's leading web-based source for health information is slated for closure on March 31, 2008. 80% of the 15 million Canadians on-line seek health information on the internet. Canadian Health Network www.canadian-health-network.ca fulfills the federal government's commitment to individual engagement and responsibility for health and supports organizations building healthy communities. It is used by 395,000 people (unique users) monthly- 5.4 million+ a year, 40% are health professionals, who share info with clients. It has 20,000+ quality, peer-reviewed resources in English and French, in-depth information on 25 health topics and population groups, a bi-weekly electronic newsletter.
1. Write to the federal government to stop the cut in grants and contributions required of the Public Health Agency of Canada and reinstate the funds for CHN.
2. Ask your organization, board, other organizations to write letters.
3. Join Friends of CHN at friendsofchn@click4hp.ca .

The Right Hon. Stephen J. Harper, Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington St., Ottawa K1A 0A2
Telephone: (613) 992-4211
Fax: (613) 941-6900
E-Mail: Harper.S@parl.gc.ca
PM's website: <http://www.pm.gc.ca/

The Hon. Tony Clement, Minister of Health
Minister's Office - Health Canada
Brooke Claxton Building, Tunney's Pasture
Postal Locato