advantage magazine - sample edition

1Summer 2013 | www.advantagemag.ca

Celebrating aging at the 50+ Expo

Finding new life: Volunteering in Honduras

When it’s time to downsize …

Travel with limitations

iPad hunting

Dealing with dementia

COMING SOON!

Summer 2013

SAMPLE MAGAZINE: Watch for expanded content in our 1st edition.

BACK TO SCHOOL at 60-plus!

2 www.advantagemag.ca | Summer 2013

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3 TRAVELS WITHOUT YOU: India

4 Editorial

4 LAUGH LINES

5 The 50-Plus Expo: Celebrating Aging

6 TRAVEL TIPS: Limitations

7 TECH TIPS: iPad

8 Elder Education: Returning to school gives new lease on life.

10 After Life: Volunteering in Honduras

12 HEALTH WISE: Dementia

13 When it’s Time … how to Downsize

By Sarah Marie Loupe

Why am I going to India when I need solace and peace, clarity and under-standing? There are billions of people crammed into a continent one-

third the size of my homeland, speaking hundreds of different languages. I will be the foreigner, with my prejudices and fears, adrift in anonymity and penulti-mate aloneness, surrounded by crowds, in a vast place so unknown to me. Why at this time in my life, when I am still suffering from the all-encompassing physical and emotional shock of your ill-ness and death, am I subjecting myself to yet more change and impermanence?

When you died, the world became a different place and the universe became foreign and alien. For as far into the cos-mos as I could conceive, I knew you did not exist, and the core of my very being was structurally and irrevocably altered. I was alone in a hostile environment and I seriously wondered, in what form I could continue to exist?

Soon after you died, I started to travel. I went hiking in New Zealand. I sailed 1,400 kilometres: through the Great Lakes, down the Erie Canal, the Hudson River, and the east coast of the United States. I went dancing in Van-couver and skiing in Vermont. I had held you in my arms and felt the last stroke of your lovely heart, yet I looked for you in crowds, spoke to you in the night, begged for your advice, and heard you call to me: when I was in danger, when the sun over the mountains made me cry, when I was lonely, happy, contemplative. In short, I could not be without you, no matter how hard I tried.

When my sailing trip turned nasty (I jumped ship to escape a hurricane, and a captain who could not possibly be as good a sailor, or person, as you), I went home to the serene vastness of a Nova Scotia winter, and sat on a pillow for sev-eral weeks. Widows going off to ashrams seems to have become a stereotype in our popular culture, perhaps for a reason. Meditation instruction, professional counselling, and spending the holidays with our son and his new wife helped me find some solace. I will not say “peace”, for this second year seems harder than the first. You really are not coming back, are you?

Traveling to escape the memories, leaving our peaceful cottage on the lake to others, giving up the dogs, and trying to forget, did not work. I know that now. Yet I am not ready to go back and find a new life in all the places you used to be. And there is … this opportunity. I could go to India. Our friend’s son, (the little boy you used to mentor in matters of geology), is getting married in Delhi. I was never afraid to travel alone, but now feel I need a little cushion between me and that raw experience of being the casual swimmer beneath a busting dam of human population. At least to begin with, I would have 10 days with people who had known you, loved us both, and I could learn the ropes, the logistics of getting around, before I launched out on my own.

And, this time, I will take you with me. I could question the mental health of that statement, but I really have no choice but to involve you in my travels and the process of my grief. You are the process of my grief.

Sarah Marie will be sharing her travels—and her very personal self-discoveries—in future editions.

Table of Contents

T r a v e l s w i T h o u T Y o u

india and My Grief


Volume 1 Number 1

Publisher/Editor Bruce Lantz

[email protected]

Finance Director Janet McNaughton

[email protected]

Sales ConsultantMark Pound

[email protected]

Graphic Designer Grant Tomchuk

[email protected]

Webmaster Shaun Whynacht

[email protected]

Contributing WritersGwen Boudreau Monica Graham Roger B. Jones

Sarah Marie Loupe Jody Paterson

Melanie Solomon Shaun Whynacht

Websitewww.advantagemag.ca

Mailing & SubscriptionsPO Box 36009

5675 Spring Garden Road Halifax, NS, Canada B2N 3S9

AdvantAge Magazine is published four times a year by AdvantAge Publications. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Copy-right 2013. AdvantAge Magazine is an independent publication and, unless otherwise clearly stated, its contents imply no endorsement of any product or service. Opinions expressed within are those of the writers. Cover price $4.95. One-year (four editions) subscription $17.95.

starting the Journey Welcome to the first edition of AdvantAge Magazine—a quarterly publication designed specifically for those 50 years of age and older.

Produced by, for and about Nova Scotians, AdvantAge focuses on the events and issues that are important to those of us in that age group—health and fitness, finances, lifestyles, travel, entertainment, technology, and much, much more. We know, because we are in the same age group, what occupies your mind, what you want to read, and what will be useful to you as you move into and through this important stage in your lives.

This is not a ‘seniors’ magazine, or one for the ‘elderly’ or ‘golden agers’ or similar labels. We know you don’t care to be categorized that way. Many of you are the ‘Baby Boomers’ who grew up in a different time and have different attitudes than your par-ents. You are used to setting goals and achieving them, whether it be in business or your personal lives. You want the same for life after 50. You see the decades ahead as being rife with opportunity and adventures.

Our goal is to provide you with the information you need—useful information— to make the coming years healthy, exciting and productive. We know that people in this age group aren’t content just to watch the grass grow. We know you want to make the best of the years ahead, to live life to the fullest, but we also know that you need infor-mation in order to do that effectively.

Yes, there may be challenges ahead, and we want to give you the information you need to deal with them. But we also know that this can be the time of your lives when you can reach for your dreams.

Welcome to our journey.

– Bruce Lantz, Editor

Three retirees, each with a hearing loss, were playing golf one fine March day. One remarked to another, “Windy, isn’t it?”

“No,” the second man replied, “It’s Thursday.”

And the third man chimed in, “So am I. Let’s have a beer.”

My wife sat down next to me as I was flipping channels.

She asked, “What’s on TV?”I said, “Dust.”And then the fight started …

* * *My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary.

She said, “I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds.”

I bought her a bathroom scale.And then the fight started …

A man was telling his neighbour, “I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me $4,000 but it’s state of the art. It’s perfect.”

“Really,” answered the neighbour. “What kind is it?”

“Twelve-thirty.”

While riding the bus, my mother noticed a young man, who was holding onto the same pole, staring at her. Eventually, he said, “Excuse me. This is my stop.”

Since she wasn’t blocking his way, she was confused.

“Well,” she said, “Go ahead.”“And this is my pole,” he said.My mother was completely

perplexed until the young man added, “I just bought it at the hardware store to hold up my shower curtain.”

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The 50-Plus expo: Celebrating AgingBy Bruce Lantz

Valerie White has steered the Nova Scotia Department of Seniors from its inception as the Senior Citizens’ Secretariat back in 1980, when she was the coordinator, to its present incarnation, where she serves as CEO. It’s the only department of its kind in Canada. Through it all, her com-mitment to the older generation (and she takes considerable pride in being one) has never wavered. She sees the aging population as a great resource and a great opportunity for those who understand their needs - and their wants.

“The aging of the population should be embraced and celebrated,” White told AdvantAge Magazine after opening the 50-Plus Expo in Halifax last June. “The huge aging population is ready to explode. Later in life they may need some extra care but they’ve earned it.”

The 24th annual expo drew more than 100 trade show exhibitors and more than a thousand people who came to enjoy the entertainment, which included EMA and JUNO award winner David Myles, along with a workshop on fresh flowers by Nev-ille MacKay from my Mother’s Bloomers, and events showcasing seniors in action such as Zumba Gold, Nordic Pole Walk-ing, and Chair Fit and Strength Training. Attendees also got to examine creative ideas in the arts, crafts and leisure fields, and enjoy a dance featuring Sugartime and Musical Friends.

Another featured event was the Remarkable Seniors and Intergenera-tional Awards, designed to recognize older citizens, youth and volunteer groups for outstanding efforts that inspire inter-action between younger and older Nova Scotians.

“Fostering respect and caring across the generations strengthens our families, our communities and our workplaces,” said Premier Darrell Dexter, who pre-sented the awards. Noting that every month 1,000 Nova Scotians turn 65, Dexter said their contribution every day to the province is “important and immea-surable”.

Falmouth District School received the Outstanding Volunteer Service Award

for Community Groups for establish-ing the ‘Grand Friend’ program, which brings students together with older peo-ple during classroom visits. Kayla Mallery of Halifax received the Outstanding Vol-unteer Service Award for Young Nova Scotians. Mallery established the Happily Ever Active program that trains youth to help seniors with physical, mental, social and financial limitations. Don and Mary MacMillan of Dartmouth received the Outstanding Volunteer Service Award for Older Nova Scotians for mentoring generations of youth involved in scout-ing. The MacMillans have been active in Scouts Canada since 1958.

Six Nova Scotians also received Remarkable Seniors Awards for making their communities better places through leadership, volunteerism and service work: David Cleaver, Barrington; Mar-ion Dotten, Pugwash; Pauline Wadden, Catalone; Phillip Smith, Lower Sackville; Robert Goyetche, Louisdale; and Sally Anne Mombourquette, Lower L’Ardoise.

“I’ve been a volunteer for many years,” said Cleaver. “My experience helping seniors stay active and involved in their communities has been valuable and rewarding. I get personal satisfaction trying to do my best for them. I believe communities need to look after their seniors because they play important, meaningful roles in society.”

White said Nova Scotia is fortunate to have the fastest-growing seniors popula-

tion in Canada. Her department and the province recognize the opportunities this presents. “Never before in the world have we seen this quantity of an aging population,” White said. “They’re better-educated, healthier and more informed. And they’re living longer.”

She said society must move away from the “doom and gloom” perception of seniors as frail elderly people draining the health care system and forcing younger people to care for them while they wait to die. She prefers to look at the aging popu-lation as an opportunity for business, particularly as seniors from all over the world come to Nova Scotia to retire or to return home after working elsewhere, perhaps for decades. In many cases, these people are successful entrepreneurs who will start their own businesses in the province. And they’re good at it. White said the most successful entrepreneurs are in the 50-plus age group and they have the skills and the energy to make continu-ing contributions to their communities.

“There’s a richness to retirees and Boomers coming back to the commu-nities that really adds something to the community,” she said. “In particular, they are the backbone of most rural communi-ties.”

At the same time, new markets are being created by the changing needs of this age demographic and that presents great new opportunities for people in business to meet those needs. The issues most affecting this age group, as identified in the Positive Aging Strategy, include transportation, income security, making health programs available when needed, and housing that includes barrier-free ‘smart homes’. Other issues facing White’s department include working with employers to ensure opportunities exist for seniors who want to work, either for money or social connections, and provid-ing information on entrepreneurship by getting people together to discuss ideas.

“All these are opportunities for busi-ness,” White said. “Anything we once would have called an issue really is an opportunity now.”

David Cleaver (right), a Remarkable Senior, with Premier Darrell Dexter.

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By Roger B. Jones

Anyone can travel if they want to.

My friend Linda explores the world. She has multiple sclerosis, limited mobility, uses a scooter and travels

by herself ! After being diagnosed, Linda immediately booked a flight and walked the Great Wall of China.

We aren’t all as adventuresome as Linda, but some form of travel is possible for everyone, regardless of age, ability or even finances.

Some of my best trips have been short or close to home. When we were in Halifax my Japanese girlfriend wanted to visit tourist spots. Because I use a large power wheelchair, we couldn’t rent a car or book a taxi. Luckily, I was able to hire

Need-A-Lift Transportation Inc. They offer door-to-door service with expe-rienced drivers and accessible vehicles. We visited Peggy’s Cove and other local tourist sites with friends and family. Prices are reasonable and one companion travels for free. In Truro we traveled with the Colchester Transportation Co-oper-ative Ltd. Both of these companies have airport service. Most major cities (and some towns) have similar offerings.

Trip planning is important. A lot depends on the type of trip, e.g. business or vacation. The mode of transportation, location, traveler’s experience, number in party, and accessibility requirements are other factors to consider. We can-not cover everything here but I have included a few travel tips.

1. Know your capabilities and limitations.

I had to fly from Vancouver to White-horse for meetings in a small plane with limited seating room. Although I knew the trip would be uncomfortable, it was a short flight. Whitehorse also did not have a walkway from the plane to the air-port, meaning I had to be carried down the stairs. This was not easy, but I was traveling with an experienced assistant and I had dealt with a similar situation before.

Much of your travel knowledge will be gained over time but you can also practise in advance. Some airlines, buses and trains will let you test boarding and departing.

2. Decide on the type of trip and plan accordingly.

In 1999 and 2000 I participated in a wilderness adventure called Access Chal-lenge and we made an award-winning documentary with the same name. Sev-eral people with disabilities climbed the Cascade Mountains in British Columbia, with the help of able-bodied ‘Sherpas’ and a device called the Trailrider. The trip required an extensive amount of

planning and we were prepared to rough it and sleep under the stars.

This summer I went to the Calgary Stampede and Napa, California. Each trip required a different approach. In Calgary, our hotel was close to transit and eliminated transportation head-aches. We were mostly outside, so I booked a basic hotel. An experienced personal attendant accompanied us.

California was a more luxurious vacation. Our upscale hotel was centrally located and we rented a wheelchair accessible van for wine tours. I hired California attendants and my girlfriend spent any leftover money shopping in the outlet stores!

3. Google is your friend.There are hundreds of online websites, forums and blogs that cater to travel for seniors and/or people with disabilities. They are too numerous to list, but I will mention a few.

Spinal Cord Injury BC has an Acces-sible Travel Website with travel tips, stories and videos. I’m featured in a video talking about my escape from Venezuela.

Senior Tours Canada specializes in fully escorted, worldwide tours for people over 50.

Eldertreks caters to the same age group but focus on exotic adventures.

Travel review sites like Trip Advisor are a valuable trip planning resource.

Working with a travel agent may be beneficial. Locate a specialist or simply find someone you are comfortable with.

The major search engines like Google and Yahoo have been my best sources for travel information. Before I do anything, I start exploring the possibilities online.

Remember, anyone can travel if they want to.

“I travel not to go anywhere but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move”. – Robert Louis Stevenson

Roger B. Jones, ‘The Ability Guy,’ is a recog-nized expert on disability issues, and has spoken nationally and internationally.

T r a v e l T i P s

Planning Travel with limitations


By Shaun Whynacht

Thinking of buying an iPad?

I’m not sur-prised! The iPad is one of the fastest-selling pieces of technology among those over 50. If

you are new to tablet technology, this undoubtedly begs the question: What should you know before you buy?

If you plan to use your iPad at home, you will need to ensure you have a wire-less Internet connection. Most Internet providers will be able to install this for you in a single visit.

What next? Well, there are different versions of the iPad available. If you are looking to simply surf the Internet, send and receive email, and video chat with your family members, in most cases you

will be able to pick up an iPad2 (previous model) for less than the latest version.

The iPads come in various versions of storage capacity (16/32/64 Gig). Here is a rule of thumb for choosing the right model: If you just want to use it for the Internet, then 16 Gig will work; if you plan to take photos with it, choose the 32 Gig; and if you want to use it for recording video, then 64 Gig would be best.

Mini vs Full Size: If you’re looking to use your iPad for business, then I would suggest the iPad mini due to its portable size. If you just want something at home, then go with a full-sized iPad. The text on the screen of the Mini can be small and, if you struggle with your sight, you will find the full size much easier to use.

Wondering about accessories? I rec-ommend you pick up a screen protector for your iPad and install it before your

first use. This will help keep the finger-prints to a minimum and protect against scratches. If you plan to type a lot with your iPad, the best accessory I can rec-ommend is a Bluetooth keyboard. You may need help syncing it with the iPad initially, but once you do it will make typing much easier.

Now, the question is not which iPad to buy, but how soon you will be leaving to go pick one up at your local tech-nology store! Now that you know the differences between the storage sizes, the Mini vs regular size and which acces-sories make the experience easier, I’m confident you will be a more informed consumer.

Shaun Whynacht is the owner of Blue Cow Creative Design & Productions, a Nova Scotia company specializing in creative marketing for business. He can be reached at 902-300-3030 or [email protected]

iPad hunting? Here’s what you should know.

T e C h T a l K


By Melanie Solomon

As a 71-year-old, Eleftherios (Terry) Michalopolous hasn’t let his age slow him down.

With the energy of a 20-something, Michalopolous has walked the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, an 800-kilo-metre hike from France to Spain, and is now preparing for a bike ride across Can-ada in 2014-15 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Earlier this year he spent six months in Mexico teaching English in the state of Campeche, following a six-week visit in 2011 that enabled him to teach 3,000 students at 36 colleges, many in isolated communities.

Michalopolous also is one of approxi-mately 150 senior students (above the age of 60) taking credit courses at the univer-sity or college level in Nova Scotia.

Last year he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Latin American Studies from Dalhousie University, and he’s now working on his Honours degree in the same subject.

It’s part of a promise to his wife to fulfill his dream of going back to school and helping others with the educa-tion he receives. Since applying and being accepted at Dalhousie, he hasn’t looked back.

It wouldn’t be possible, however, if it wasn’t for the university’s discount for seniors aged 65 or older.

Michalopolous, originally from Athens, Greece, is on a fixed income, having retired from a career as a restaurant manager of five stores in Halifax. He arrives at Dalhousie at 7:30 a.m. from Monday to Friday, usually getting home around six, insisting that he

does his schoolwork on campus before leaving for the day.

On weekends while he’s in school he also works part-time at Wal-Mart in Dartmouth, in addition to spending time with his five kids and nearly 20 grandchil-dren and great grandchildren.

Not all of the province’s post-second-ary academic institutions are jumping on the free-for-, or discount-for, seniors bandwagon—only eight of the 11 uni-versities and community colleges in Nova Scotia currently are participating.

Steve Proctor, communications man-ager at Saint Mary’s University, said the school offered a tuition discount for seniors in the past but decided to cut the program because better services are pos-sible if more students pay tuition.

“We have to look for what benefits the maximum number of students in the best way,” he said. “What are the services that we can offer most effectively with the greatest impact for the greatest number of students?”

Proctor said the university is open to reviewing that decision, but even with-out the discount, a number of senior students would have the ability to attend courses. He said that’s because many of the students are newly retired and are just looking to increase their skill set.

Dalhousie University offers a full tuition waiver for students aged 65 and older who fit within its criteria: a Cana-dian citizen taking an undergrad course or program.

Currently, of its 18,000 students, a mere 20 are over the age of 60—the vast majority taking one to two classes with a large focus on the arts, history, classics and languages.

The university, however, has noticed the benefits of offering the discount.

“I think that any time we can diver-sify our classrooms and bring different perspectives into the classrooms, it’s important to the learning experience of all of our students,” said Nikki Comeau, a communications officer at Dalhousie.

elder education: Returning to school gives new lease on life

Different Strokes for Different Folks.There are few places left on earth where you can find nature truly unspoiled. At the north eastern corner of mainland Nova Scotia there is one such a place: The District of Guysborough.

On land and water, there’s something for everyone here. Play a round, paddle the coast, look for gold in the hills or trout in the streams. Or just sit and listen to what the world sounded like not so long ago.

The Natural Advantage

www.modg.ca

Eastern Shore | Nova Scotia | Canada


“I think it’s a great opportunity for those who are on a fixed income, who need extra support, to go take a class for interest. It really helps them in that perspective.”

Michalopolous agrees, adding that he thinks, from his experience, that Dal-housie is ready for senior students to walk its halls.

“I’ve been treated as well as the other students. There’s no mercy on me, believe me,” he said with a laugh.

“I think Dalhousie likes the (senior students). We give some more wisdom and experience of life, and I think this is important. You go there, you raise your hand like any other stu-dent, you don’t interrupt, you don’t try to show off. I’ve given lectures about hiring, about training, but that’s not my position here. It is my position to learn.”

It seems the other students have enjoyed hav-ing an older one in their classes as well. He said he has been “adopted” by a number of students and staff at the school as a sort of honourary grandfa-ther—something he finds humbling.

“They never say ‘that old man’. Always they say, ‘That’s Terry’. It’s a won-derful thing. I found that, without realizing, I have an impact on the lives of the students about dreams, goals, scheduling, planning and enjoying education.”

Michalopolous said he doesn’t want to be alone as a senior enjoying the edu-cation experience, adding he’s surprised at the low number of senior students attending Dalhousie.

Eleftherios (Terry) Michalopolous graduated last year from Dalhousie University with a degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies. The 71-year-old is working on his Honours degree in the same subject and is proud to call himself a Dalhousie Tiger.

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“You’ve got a perfect environment, you have no costs but your books and a bus pass that costs $120 a year, and you can take your time, you can choose whichever course you want in whichever area,” he said, adding that the staff in the Spanish Department have been vital to his success.

He said he thinks the numbers are low because older people are often scared to talk to the younger generation but, if given the chance, seniors would probably see it as less daunting than they expected.

“One of the reasons that it feels so good is the environment, and this is a close environment, that’s the way it’s designed. It’s not intimidating.”

Michalopolous is planning to com-plete his Honours degree and graduate in April 2015. Following that, he’s think-ing about dabbling in some anthropology and sociology courses—a new subject that has piqued his interest.

“I’d like to finish at Dalhousie very energetically and then I can carry on my life as a student here, taking courses, one or two, without any degree or Honours degree and so on . . . just interest,” he said.

One thing is for certain, there’s no slowing him down—and he doesn’t want to.

What keeps him so youthful?“I say, well, 18,000 students’ knowl-

edge and commitment to giving something back—what else do you need?”

Breakdown of senior students in schools (60-plus)

School Students (2012-2013)

NSCC 26

MSVU 23

Dalhousie 20

Saint Mary’s 9

St. FX 1

Universite Sainte-Anne 2

Atlantic School of Theology (65+) 10

NSCAD 15 (one is 75)

University of King’s College 2

Acadia University 28

Cape Breton University 1


Jody Paterson and Paul Willcocks out for a ride.

life after: Volunteering in HondurasBy Jody Paterson

When our friends and family found out that my spouse Paul and I were moving to Honduras to be volunteers for a couple of years, their reactions generally fell into one of three categories.

Some acted as if we were clearly out of our minds. They didn’t even want to talk about it because the whole idea was just too weird. Others suddenly reimagined us as saints, presuming that only a saint could possibly consider giving up good jobs, all worldly possessions and proxim-ity to friends and family for the chance to ‘do good’ in a developing country.

But then there were the ones who were instantly intrigued by the idea of just packing it all in and doing something really different for a while. They had a million questions, wanting to know all the details of why and how we’d decided to do it, and how they might go about doing the same one day. They were good and ready for something completely different, and in fact had been quietly wondering whether working as a volun-teer in a foreign, troubled land just might be the change they were looking for.

This one is for you guys.I wish that Paul and I could spin

something saintly out of our tale of how we came to be working as volunteers in Honduras for Cuso International. But it was nothing more than a whim that first got us browsing through the list of volun-teer placements on the Cuso web site that fateful day in July 2011.

We’d been enthusiastic budget travel-lers for years, and had been talking for more than a decade about living on the Pacific coast of Mexico someday. We knew we weren’t ready (or able) to live on savings yet, or ready to give up our com-munications work, but a six-week trip to Vietnam the year before had whetted our appetite for longer travel.

At first we considered a six-month motorhome tour of the US, because our beloved old dog Jack was still alive and we knew we wouldn’t be going anywhere without him. But then he died, as old dogs do, and all of a sudden the door was wide open.

Free to consider a whole new plan, we started musing on the possibility of international volun-teer placements. That got us thinking about Cuso (formerly Canadian Uni-versity Service Overseas), which we both remem-bered from our teen years in the 1970s. We searched Cuso’s web site and hap-pily discovered that as long as a person is pre-pared to live on a modest annual stipend (in the range of $13,000), there were positions in all kinds of countries where we could work, and the abil-ity to go as a couple even if only one of us got a posi-tion.

And, in January 2012, we did it. Cuso placed us with two Honduran non-profits to help them improve their communications. We moved from Victoria, BC, to Copan Ruinas, Honduras, a small town in the western part of the country known for its great Mayan ruins.

Our jobs are still very much a work in progress, and endlessly challenging. We feel fortunate that we came as a couple—for ranting purposes on the days when all the crazy things that go on in this poor country push one or the other of us briefly over the edge, for support during the difficult moments of being a stranger in a strange land. There are many things that can be said about how it feels to be an international volunteer, but ‘easy’ isn’t one of them.

But we’re loving it. For one thing, it’s like we’re back to the early days of our work careers—unproven nobodies hav-ing to demonstrate our capabilities all over again. Admittedly, that prospect probably sounds like a nightmare to some people, but nothing shakes up the routine and sharpens up the old skill set better than having to prove yourself in a new

job. I’ve always liked that rush.For another, we’re slowly inching

toward fluency in Spanish, a gift from the heavens when you’re curious journal-ist types who like asking lots of questions wherever you go. We’re also living where it’s always summer, something we’ve always thought we’d like. We’re experi-encing what it’s like to live and work in a different culture—again, not easy, but never dull.

We’ve even taken to hanging out with children from a local orphanage every Sunday and doing projects at the ram-shackle place where they live, an unusual turn of events that I guess we must have opened ourselves to just by coming here. I had no idea that I would ever want to do such a thing, but it’s quite compelling work once you get the hang of it.

So if you’re one of those people look-ing for something completely different, this just might be it. For professionals who like what they’re doing at work but want to reach deeper for new skills, inter-national volunteering could be the ticket. If you think you’d like to experience new

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cultures in a much more personal way and are prepared to live on less, the world is waiting for you.

It’s not necessary to ‘give it all up’ to spend a year or two volunteering, but for us it made sense.

We’d been renters for years, so had no house ties. Our debts were paid. Our fur-niture was largely junk. Our five kids were grown. Our jobs were well paid but a bit old hat after long careers in journalism. And now the dog was dead—sad, but at the same time almost like a sign that it was time to cut loose.

The plan was to leave for Honduras in January 2012, so we spent the end of 2011 foisting off on our families the few posses-sions that we loved (piano, flat-screen TV and surround sound, 1992 Nissan pickup, a painting of the Peterborough locks, two plastic kayaks), giving away the rest, and agonizing over the things we’d bring with us in the two 20-kilogram suitcases we were permitted.

The months of paring down were wrenching and stressful, and put our rela-tionship to its biggest test. But there was a complete sense of freedom once it was done. We threw a big farewell party our last week in Canada, hugged our families hard and headed off on a new adventure.

Cuso and a few other volunteer-placement organizations pay volunteers a stipend that’s roughly equivalent to the higher end of the wage scale for that type of work in the country you go to. In the case of Honduras, that’s about $10,000 a year, and Cuso tucks another $3,000 or so into your bank account back home over the course of the year as well.

Sure, that’s about 80 per cent less than what I was earning in Canada as a com-munications consultant for non-profits. But you can live quite comfortably on that salary in Honduras. We live in an attractive, fairly stylish house near the town centre that we rent for $325 a month, and it has cable TV, Internet, cell phones and hot showers. No dishwasher or washer/dryer, and the kitchen is the size of our old bathroom back in Victoria, but a person adjusts.

We’ve got fresh, cheap Central Ameri-can fruits and vegetables all year round at the public market a couple of blocks away. We’ve got a pretty good grocery store and a water-purification plant nearby that means we can buy 20-litre bottles of drink-ing water for a buck. Our holiday options are amazing: a beautiful Caribbean coast five hours away; the Guatemalan border a mere 10 kilometres from us; some of the best snorkelling and diving in the world just a day away in the Bay Islands.

As for the work we’re doing in Hon-duras—well, communications is a hard sell among small non-profits in Canada, and even tougher in a country that is still very much in the having-a-conversation-over-the-fence mode of communicating. Almost 70 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, most without computers and many without electricity. That’s the group our Honduran organi-zations work with, and they have more to worry about than effective communi-cations.

We basically had to define our jobs ourselves once we got here, and the lan-guage barrier was horrendous for a while. But the other day I heard my boss bring up communications with the work team without being prompted. The Facebook sites, web pages, photos and stories we’re producing are eliciting praise from our workmates. We are inching forward.

We’re here in Copan until March 2014. In my dream world we would spend a few months back home on Vancouver Island after that and then set off on a new Cuso adventure in the fall. Everything that was hard about this life change will be a little easier the next time around, so why not make the most of that? And to have enough time to really get to know a country has been an incredible experi-ence.

Check out our blogs sometime if you’re curious about this new life of ours. Maybe we’ll see you on the road.

Jody Paterson is a former journalist and communications consultant.


By Gwen Boudreau

Dementia is not a disease, but a group of symptoms affecting thinking and social abilities enough to inter-fere with daily functioning. It’s a

progressive decline in cognitive function where the brain cells change and cause problems with memory, communication, judgement and reasoning, leading to mood swings, depression, irritability and disorientation.

Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia in adults over 65, is caused by an abnormal build-up of proteins in the brain, leading to cell death. When nerve cells are destroyed there is a decrease in the chemicals that help them

send messages to one another and, as a result, areas of the brain that normally work together become disconnected.

The early signs are subtle. A problem with memory is usually the first thing noticed, particularly remembering recent events. Some common warning signs are: memory loss, difficulty communicating, confusion, inability to perform everyday tasks, difficulty with coordination and motor functions, disorientation, changes in personality and behaviour, agitation, poor judgement, and the tendency to misplace things.

If you are concerned that you or someone close to you may be suffering from dementia, consult your family doc-tor. Tests used to diagnose dementia or rule out other medical conditions may include: physical and neurological tests evaluating balance, movement, senses,

and reflexes, memory, orientation and language skill; brain imaging such as a CAT scan or an MRI to identify signs of stroke, bleeding, brain tumours and brain shrinkage; blood and urine tests to check overall health and rule out physi-cal problems. If dementia is diagnosed, your doctor may refer you to a specialist.

Dementia is progressive. In some cases, it can be reversed after treatment. In most cases, dementia gets worse over time. Typically two medications are used in the treatment of dementia. Cholin-esterase inhibitors increase the levels of acetylcholine, which is involved in memory and judgement. Memantine is used to regulate the activity of glutamate, which is involved in brain functions such as learning and memory.

Dementia has an overwhelming impact on those who develop the disease, their families and support systems. Mak-ing a plan for the future should include making your wishes known concern-ing care and support, and ensuring all your important documents are in order including mortgage papers, pension details, your will, power of attorney, insurance policies, living arrangements and healthcare options.

Someone with dementia can live alone but as the disease progresses they may need help looking after their home and themselves. As the dementia progresses, caregivers may look for sup-portive living, group homes, retirement residences or long-term care homes.

Ultimately, caring for a loved one with dementia is a family affair involv-ing many people and resources in the community—all with a common goal of providing a loving, supportive and posi-tive experience for the patient, creating meaningful moments and maintaining quality of life.

Gwen Boudreau is the author of ‘7 Keys to Freedom’, and co-founder of SEVEN: Global Leaders Setting Higher Standards for Thought and Performance.

h e a l T h w i s e

Dementia: What you need to know.


when it’s Time … how to DownsizeBy Monica Graham

Lloyd Tattrie sits in his office, a converted bedroom stacked with the books, baskets and boxes that tell his family’s history.

It’s one room of many in a big house—too big for Tattrie and his wife. They want to move to a smaller place, so they’re faced with the overwhelming task of reducing their possessions.

“We had a yard sale last summer,” Tat-trie says. “We carried a lot back into the house.”

A recent illness made it even more obvious that they need a smaller, more accessible home.

“I couldn’t do stairs, so I was stuck on the second floor and Mary had to bring me my meals,” Tattrie says. “We’ve accepted that we need to move to a smaller place.”

His is the second generation of Tattries to live in the two-storey home, located in a New Glasgow neighbourhood of simi-lar big houses. His father was an amateur historian and genealogist who treasured every artifact dealing with the family’s establishment in Nova Scotia some 300 years ago. Relics, from buttonhooks to Bibles, fill the closets and shelves. No one else in the family wants it.

“I have to get rid of the stuff that’s been collected for years,” Tattrie says. “If I don’t, it’ll land in a garbage bin. It’s better to do something with it now, while I can.”

He doesn’t want to discard his father’s research, so he hopes to share old docu-ments, photos and artifacts with museums in the area.

Tattrie has the right idea, says Dayle Crouse, director and site manager at McCulloch House Museum in Pictou. It makes her cringe when she hears about heirs throwing items in the trash because they don’t realize their historical signifi-cance.

But donations should be made care-fully, she says. It’s helpful to have a list or collection of photos describing the arti-facts, including any available information such as the names of people in photos, places, or dates—and the item’s origin.

“If it was in your grandfather’s barn for 15 years, and that’s all the information you have, please tell us,” Crouse says. “It’s

a start. And start documenting now—for the person who will have to clear out your stuff when you can’t.”

When people consider sending posses-sions to a museum, they need to decide their purpose, Crouse says. They may want to preserve history, or they don’t know what else to do with their stuff, or they can’t bear to trash it but it’s okay if someone else does it, she adds. The donor should speak with representatives from the museum to see if their wishes can be met. For instance, if a museum closes, an artifact may revert to the community, or it could be sold and the money kept by

the museum operators. Whatever hap-pens, the donor should be agreeable with it ahead of time, she says.

“And a museum might not take every-thing,” she says. “For instance, our focus is Pictou County, so we wouldn’t accept something with no connection to this area. But we could help the person find where it belongs.”

If an item connected with the fishing industry arrived at McCulloch House Museum, it might be offered to Nor-thumberland Fisheries Museum, she says.

Aside from historical artifacts, the Tattries have a house full of furniture, appliances and other possessions they use daily or have been stashed away for future use. For years Tattrie thought he could use it someday but now he knows he won’t, so they plan to hold another yard sale.

“I went through the house once last year to see what could go. This year I’ll do it again and this time it will be a lot more serious,” Tattrie says. “I’m down to reality now.”


The Tattries also plan to contact an auction house about selling larger items. While there are no rare or highly valuable objects, they own some antiques and qual-ity furniture.

Auction houses often take a few items from different places to add to a sale, says Bill Brayley of Crowther & Brayley Ltd. of Fall River.

“We have to have enough to warrant holding an auction,” he says.

But sellers should realize that auc-tioneers take a commission and the items must be moved to the auction location, both adding to the cost. Today many Baby Boomers are downsizing but few people want the items they so lovingly collected, Brayley says.

“Younger people demonstrate little interest in Limoges dishes,” he says. “But buying at auction is a good way for young people with little money to get good qual-ity items.”

Clients should be comfortable with their auctioneer, and Brayley advises that anyone unfamiliar with the process, or worried about it, should take a family member or another trusted person when making the arrangements.

“Most auctioneers and buyers also feel more comfortable when older people who seem vulnerable have someone with them,” he says. “It’s easy to make mistakes when you’re in a hurry and there is pres-sure on you to get things done.”

As an extra service, Crowther & Brayley will help people pack, move and store their belongings, clean their houses, remove trash, recyclables and hazardous items, and deliver non-saleable but useful items to charities. The sheer number of older Canadians moving to smaller quar-ters has given rise to a new industry aimed solely at downsizing.

“Right-sizing,” corrects Wendy Russell, founder and operator of Embrace Your Move in the Halifax area. The former saleswoman and safety consultant rec-ognized a niche for the business because of her years volunteering with seniors’ groups, so she established Embrace Your Move a year ago. The industry is relatively new in Nova Scotia, but more common in central Canada and the United States where there are large companies doing the work.

Typically, her clients have no family living nearby to help them make decisions

about their possessions, so Russell listens to their stories about treasured belong-ings, a necessary step that helps them let go of their attachments, she says. Most people need help with the physical labour of downsizing, and can’t deal with the emotional stress and fatigue involved in examining the artifacts of their lives.

“It’s all right if you’re young, but these people just need a new set of arms,” Rus-sell says.

Russell sells items on her client’s behalf, takes bags of clothing to charities, sorts out long-forgotten basement clutter, helps them move to their new home, pre-pares the old one for sale, and advocates for them when necessary. She also helps them distribute items to family members and friends, and tries to involve her cli-ents’ families in decision-making as much as possible.

In Canada, the average fee to right-size a three-bedroom, two-level home ranges from $1,500-$2,500, depending on what needs to be done. Selling items helps off-set the cost, or may cover it entirely, and clients can move to their new homes knowing that everything has been taken care of, Russell says.


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