Newsletter March 2010
With the anticipation of spring around the corner, we thought we would focus this newsletter on feeling good and staying healthy. Sexual activity is one area that we have addressed and as March is acknowledged as National Kidney Month, we thought it was important to bring awareness to the issue of Chronic Kidney Disease. This first week of March is also Social Work week, which provides the perfect forum to say thank you to all of the wonderful social workers with whom we work everyday, including many members of our Elder Caring team. Thank you!
Understanding Kidney Disease
According to the Canadian Kidney Foundation, an estimated 2 million Canadians have kidney disease, or are at risk and over half of all new patients in 2006 were 65 years or older. We know that as people age, the risk of developing different diseases and illnesses is substantially increased, and we want to stress the importance for people to look after their own health as well as health of the people they care for.
The Canadian Kidney Foundation has a number of fact sheets that provide information relating to Kidney Disease, nutrition and the effects of dialysis on different areas of the body. To access these tip sheets and to learn more about Kidney Disease please READ MORE
Seniors and Sex
Let’s talk sex. While Valentine’s day, our Hallmark holiday, may have come and gone, romance and sex continue to be alive and well. The baby boomers are getting older and while 60 has become the new 40, and 75 the new 60, healthy sex continues to be a favorite topic.
It is important to remember that sex is not solely the act of coitus, but a concept of sexuality much broader than that. It includes all aspects of sensuality, self-esteem, communication and relationship. It includes all forms of sexual expression from flirtation and dating to physical touch and sexual partnering, whether gay or straight, lesbian, bi or transgendered, with a partner or without.
Dr. Patricia Brown presents some statistics in her publication “Sex in the Later Years” (08/17/2005) that shows 87% of married men and 89% of married women in the 60-64 age range are sexually active. Those numbers drop with advancing years, but 29% of men and 25% of women over the age of 80 are still sexually active. The increased awareness for safe sex measures is important as people meet new partners throughout the aging process. READ MORE
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