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“Every year in Canada approximately 1,000 seniors fall at home and then undergo emergency partial hip replacement surgery (hemiarthroplasty). The risk of death among these patients is high in the first few months immediately following surgery. A new study suggests that survival increases when patients receive home care after their surgery.” To read more about the results of the study, led by McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) researchers, and to listen to podcast, go here.
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A new University of California study confirms that “the elderly really are wiser than younger people. In part, that's because older brains produce less dopamine, so seniors are less impulsive and emotional. They're better problem solvers. In short, they have wisdom. To read a related article in the Sacramento Bee, go here.
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The InKind Centre, a community initiative of the United Way, is holding an August “furniture blowout” with all furniture up to 80 per cent off. Your agency must be a member in order to access these bargains. The membership fee is $50. To become a member, go here. For more information, email epasechnik@myunitedway.ca. The centre is open 1 to 4 p.m. on Mondays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Fridays. It’s located at 16821 - 113 Avenue, Edmonton.
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The Elder Project, a documentary written, directed and produced by Edmontonians for the National Film Board of Canada, “follows seven diverse seniors over two years and records their experiences through a series of short and candid episodic stories. As they face the possibility of increasing frailty and transitioning into more dependant living scenarios, the elders talk of their concerns and eloquently express their desire to grow older with dignity and some control over their future.” For more information and to order the film, go here. For a companion guide to the film, designed primarily to help professionals use it in their work, go here.
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The Edmonton Social Planning Council has compiled the 2010 edition of its Social Research Directory. “The directory is a current listing of libraries and resource centres in Edmonton that collect information about the individuals and groups that make up society, their welfare, and their interactions, and that provide public access to their collection, even if material does not circulate or hours and service are limited.” To check out the directory, go here. It includes numerous pages on seniors issues.
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“Caregivers provide 80% to 90% of the care required by persons with long-term conditions, saving our health system billions of dollars each year, yet remain largely unrecognized and unsupported.” The Alberta Caregivers Association (ACGA) has started a project to develop Canada’s first provincial caregiver strategy to bridge this gap. The association needs input from family/friend (unpaid) caregivers and relevant professionals/service providers to drive the initiative. To find out more and participate in a survey, go here.
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“The Canadian Research Institute has compiled findings that claim boomers are experiencing unprecedented rates of stress due to the pressures of caring for their children and aging parents.” Seventy per cent of boomers claim their responsibilities are making it difficult to juggle duties in the work place. To read more, go here.
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The Active Living Coalition for Older Adults is inviting agencies and organizations to receive its new, free Silver Times publication for distribution to older adults. The consumer-orientated publication will come out three times per year. Quantities will be delivered in multiples of 25. To order copies for your seniors, email administrative assistant Tonia Hearst at tonia.hearst@gmail.com. For more information, go here.
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The U.S. National Council on Aging worked with nonprofits for more than three years on engaging older adults in “leadership and professional volunteer” roles. The council’s report Boomer Solutions: Skilled Talent to Meet Nonprofit Needs, “shares how nonprofits can best capitalize on the coming influx of Boomer talent into the volunteer workforce”. To read the executive summary, go here. To download the full report, go here.
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“It's not about changing the volunteer; nonprofits seeking to leverage (the Boomer) talent pool may need to slightly change themselves.” That’s one of the key points in a Boomer Volunteers a Valuable Resource article in the Philanthropy Journal based at North Carolina State University. To read the entire article, written by Thomas E. Endres, vice president for civic engagement for the U.S. National Council on Aging, go here.
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“The nonprofit sector is at an inflection point that will fundamentally reshape it long after the recession, when surviving nonprofits find themselves in a new reality — not just economically, but demographically, technologically and socially. We call this shift NonprofitNext." Read what La Piana Consulting has to say about Convergence: How Five Trends Will Reshape the Social Sector, by going here.
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For a free copy of the Alberta Centre for Active Living publication Preventing Falls Through Physical Activity: A Guide for People Working with Older Adults, go here. The publication is listed on the website as a “new” resource. Practitioners can order up to 25 print copies (shipping charges apply) by emailing active.living@ualberta.ca or phoning 780-427-6949 or 1-800-661-4551 (toll-free in Alberta).
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Volunteer Edmonton’s Immigrant Volunteerism Program is a new collaborative initiative that looks at ways to help newcomers gain Canadian work experience through volunteering. The coordinator of this program, Muhammad Shahid, will work with newcomers to help them explore and identify volunteer opportunities in the community. Organizations interested in welcoming newcomers as volunteers can reach him at mshahid@mwci.ca or 780-462-6924. For more details, go here.
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The Electronic Recycling Association is a non-profit organization that donates and recycles computers and electronics. If you have computers or laptops that you would like to donate, the ERA can erase your data with RCMP standards, refurbish the equipment, and give it to someone who cannot afford to buy a new computer. To learn more about the ERA's RCMP data removal standards, and to view a list of charities waiting for computers, go to www.era.ca.
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