Health & Wellness
 

Commit to reset your work-life balance this Mental Health Week Canada's leader in employee services launches public tool to get back in balance TORONTO, May 7 /CNW/ - This year's theme for Mental Health Week is Work-Life Balance, putting the focus on the majority of Canadians who say they feel their lives are overloaded. "The latest figures from the Canadian Mental Health Association say that58 per cent of all Canadians feel they've simply got too much on the go," said Shepell-fgi CEO Rod Phillips. "That is certainly a trend we're seeing reflected in the work we do through our Employee Assistance Programs. More and more Canadians are feeling work completely controls their lives - and also feel they are not able to get that control back." For Mental Health Week, Shepell-fgi has launched The Balance Challenge -(http://www.shepellfgi.com/balancechallenge) - a new online resource for all Canadians to use to help restore health and balance to their lives. It has the latest information on why it's important to make work-life balance a health priority, tip sheets to help you find areas to work on, and a challenge to work on those areas over the next few days. "People need to start seeing work-life balance as something like keeping your cholesterol in check - it's about one small manageable behaviour change," said Karen Seward, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing. "It's really an ongoing challenge, even for those of us who work in the field." Phillips himself adds everyone has room for positive change - and the best way to enact it is to lead by example. "I think because this is our business we try to be more acutely aware of our work-life balance," says Phillips. "I feel pretty good about my own work-life balance, but when I went through the tips, 'plan for fun' is something I hadn't considered before. Over the next 30 days I'm going to make a commitment to pay attention to that. And I think our family's dog will be particularly pleased."

Emergency Preparedness Week http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/emu/emerg_prep/ep_week.html Emergency Preparedness Week (EP Week) runs from May 6-12, 2007. The week will include activities and awareness events hosted by governments, community groups, and first responder organizations across the province and Canada. The theme for the week is “Personal Preparedness” and to help your organization celebrate the week, the Emergency Management Unit has created an on-line resource: The EP Week Virtual Kit for Health Care Organizations. The kit includes the following materials to help make your events and activities informative and successful! - An "Ideas List" with helpful suggestions on how you can promote EP Week in your organization and amongst staff, colleagues, and stakeholders; - Articles that you can use for your organization’s newsletters or post on-line and on bulletin boards; - A personal preparedness tip sheet for health professionals; - A cross word puzzle and word search that you can distribute to staff members in your workplace; - An emergency contact card that you can give employees to keep their emergency contact information handy; - A guide to creating your own personal preparedness plan; - Emergency kit checklists - including supplies you'll need to prepare for a flu pandemic. To access these resources and download materials, please go to bottom of :- http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/emu/emerg_prep/ep_week.html

Protect Your Interests During Refinancing TORONTO, May 10 /CNW/ - Spring is when many a consumer's thoughts turn to homebuying. But for thousands of Canadians, spring is also the time to think about mortgage refinancing. People may have caught the renovation bug and require funds to finance home improvements. Or they're wanting to capitalize on lower interest rates to perhaps buy a cottage or investment property. Or the term of their existing mortgage could be coming to an end and it may be time to re-negotiate their mortgage. No matter what the scenario, a mortgage is typically a family's single largest financial commitment, and professional advice can be invaluable in helping them save money, and protecting their interests. "We know of cases where homeowners entered mortgage loan transactions without legal advice and didn't understand the deal or the implications of it," said Kathleen Waters, an experienced real estate lawyer and Vice President of TitlePLUS title insurance. "For example, sometimes people don't realize their home may be security for a line of credit - which then needs to be repaid when the property is sold. Another example can involve borrowers not understanding the legal implications of proposed changes to names on title or of being a guarantor or co-borrower. Having a lawyer involved in the process helps borrowers understand the transaction and know their legal options." Waters suggests homeowners take the following steps when considering refinancing their mortgage. 1. Determine whether you wish to borrow from your current lender again, or if you wish to work with a different lender - perhaps based on who is offering better terms or a better interest rate: - Individuals borrowing from the same lender will find the process to be fairly straightforward. Usually, the lender will notify you and request that you attend at the lender's office or bank branch to sign some documents. Some lenders even send you the documents and you sign them at home and mail them back. - However, individuals borrowing from a different lender need to apply for a new mortgage, and this process can be more complex. It is possible to apply to the lender directly, or engage the services of a mortgage broker to help with the process. 2. Don't just sign the mortgage documents. Protect your interests and be sure you understand what you're signing, both in term of your obligations and those of the lender. Many people routinely sign documents as borrowers, effectively waiving the right to legal advice. They don't realize their real estate lawyer can provide advice during refinancing just as he or she did at the time of home purchase. Your lawyer will counsel you and work to protect yourinterest, in terms of: - The specifics of what you are borrowing; - The security that you are giving to the bank in exchange for borrowing the money; - The lender's Standard Charge Terms (including what the lender can do if you do not make your mortgage payments or other payments on time, such as condominium common expense payments, property tax payments); and - An explanation of what is currently on the title to your home. The lawyer will also work to ensure that the old mortgage(s) get paid off from the money provided by the new mortgage, and that the old mortgage(s) get discharged (that is, get removed) from the title to your property. Otherwise old mortgages can be a problem when it's time to sell. 3. Reconsider your protection in case of fraud. When you refinance your home, it is a good time to have a legal check-up on various issues, such as whether your will is up-to-date and whether you need additional protection for the title to your property. One of the things that title insurance policies generally cover is fraud. If you did not get a title insurance policy when you bought your home, you can obtain a TitlePLUS OwnerEXPRESS policy with the assistance of your TitlePLUS lawyer, to give you solid financial protection and legal assistance in case your property is the target of a fraudster in the future. "Refinancing the mortgage on your home is an important transaction for most homeowners, with both benefits and risks, depending on the circumstances," Waters said. "Canadians can protect their interests by educating themselves about the process, and working with a trusted advisor, such as their real estate lawyer." A Free Guide The TitlePLUS program has created a free online Real Simple Real Estate Guide to educate home buyers on the role of a real estate lawyer and the key issues around title, as well as specifics for individuals interested in refinancing their mortgage. The Guide also includes financial calculators, a glossary of terms, and a locate-a-lawyer tool. The Guide is available at www.titleplus.ca.