Health & Wellness
 

Ontario Marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Ontario Government Initiatives Help Address And Prevent Elder Abuse TORONTO, June 14 /CNW/ - Ontario is at the forefront of the battle to address and prevent elder abuse, said Minister Responsible for Seniors Jim Bradley today on the eve of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.  "Our government is committed to improving the quality of life for seniors," said Bradley. "By marking this day and implementing key initiatives to address elder abuse, we are helping Ontario seniors to live safely and with dignity." Between 64,000 to 160,000 of Ontario's 1.6 million seniors have experienced, or will experience, some form of financial, emotional or physical abuse. That's why the government has an Elder Abuse Strategy, the first of its kind in Canada, which focuses on three priorities: - Co-ordination of community services - Training for front-line staff - Raising public awareness about this important issue. As part of the strategy, the government recently announced $1.65 million in new funding over the next two years to support the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA) its regional elder abuse consultants for another two years. The consultants have helped support more than 50 elder abuse networks or coordinating committees across the province. "I'd like to congratulate the government of Ontario for all it's done to increase awareness of elder abuse," said Chair of ONPEA Bill Ryan. "Together, ONPEA and the government have launched a number of effective initiatives, such as public service announcements, workshops and conferences, to help educate the public and senior service providers on elder abuse in our communities." Working together, Ontarians have achieved results in improving the quality of life for our seniors. Other McGuinty government initiatives to support seniors include: www.OntarioSeniors.ca

Planning for Retirement: Are Canadians Saving Enough? TORONTO, June 14 /CNW Telbec/ - Only one in three Canadians expecting to retire in 2030 are saving at levels required to meet basic household expenses in their retirement, and many may need to sharply increase their annual savings or continue working past age 65 to avoid financial hardship, according to a study sponsored by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. The study, titled "Planning For Retirement: Are Canadians Saving Enough?", conducted in April 2007 by a research team based at the University of Waterloo's Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, developed a total of 72 household profiles to assess whether Canadian "baby boomers" born in the early to mid-1960s are putting aside adequate savings for their retirement. It focused on two different income levels: households earning the Average Industrial Wage ($40,000 in 2005) and those earning twice that amount. "The message for most Canadians in their early to mid-40s is they will need to save more if they expect to enjoy an independent retirement," said the Institute's president, Normand Gendron. "Governments need to provide Canadians with more education about the role that different savings vehicles can play in generating retirement income, and provide tools and incentives that encourage more households to save." According to the study's findings, those households saving adequately are doing so using some combination of home equity, company-sponsored pension plans, registered retirement savings plans and personal savings to supplement the modest base income they will get from Old Age Security and the Canada/Quebec Pension Plan. Those relying solely on one type of savings vehicle, however, are consistently identified among those falling short, and will either have to increase their savings significantly or continue to work past age 65.

Top 10 tips to get fit for summer http://www.stoneycreeknews.com/scn/news/news_814239.html Suzanne Conroy, Stoney Creek (Jun 15, 2007) Summer is a great time to start something new. All of us think about fitness, losing weight or toning up. Here's how to do it. 1. Eat breakfast. That's a key fact. Studies show that if you eat breakfast you keep your weight off better than if you skip this meal. If you're in a hurry, have a backup breakfast plan. 2. Set goals. This is essential. You need to make a goal. Make one right now. Ask yourself is it SMART? Specific - Measurable - Action Oriented - Realistic and Timed? To see what I mean check www.work-fit.ca. 3. Get support. Whether it's your best friend, spouse, pet or your personal trainer - it always helps to have someone with you through thick to thin! Hire a personal trainer and Stats Canada points out your success rate will approach 90 per cent. 4. Water. Water. Water . I always say water equals weight loss. Drinking water speeds up your metabolism. Isn't that enough to make you want to drink it? It is recommended that we drink eight to 12 glasses per day. 5. Get rid of the snack food. I know it's hard to throw it out . Why not freeze it? Just get it out of your kitchen. Stock your cupboards with food that is good for you - instead of tempting you. 6. Log your food. You can do this - just try it for two weeks and see your results happen. Give your log to your personal trainer or even to a friend or family member to look at. You'll be amazed at the difference. 7. Intervals. The latest on fat loss research from Australia shows that a 20-minute short burst planned interval program leads to significantly more weight loss than 40-minute aerobic sessions. 8. Schedule your workouts. Have a plan of what you're going to do and when you're going to do it. For example, I'm going to workout three times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning before work. Planning is essential to your success. 9. Weight train. You've all heard it -- the more lean muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Weight training is essential to losing weight but it also makes you look awesome! 10. Think positively. We are so hard on ourselves. Be nice to yourself. Think positively. You can do it. Fitness will work for you. See your doctor before you begin any fitness or life-style changing program. For more information on fitness and personal training, check www.work-fit.ca