Canada’s food guide recommends that at least half of your grain products are whole grain. Whole grains are a source of fiber which helps you feel full and reduces cravings. When you eat whole foods you receive all of the nutritional components. For example, steel cut oats are less processed than rolled oats and are more nutritious.

Photo Credit: Philip Chapman-Bell

Steel cut oats vs Rolled oats

Steel-cut oats, also known as pinhead oats and sometimes referred to as coarse or rough oatmeal, are made by passing groats through steel cutters which chop each one into three or four pieces. Since they still contain the whole grain including the oat bran, steel cut oats are very nutritious.

Rolled oats are made by steaming groats and flattening them with a roller. These come in two distinct varieties.

Photo credit: Carol Wallis

The first variety is sometimes referred to as old fashioned, or jumbo. These are made by first steaming the whole groat for a few minutes, thus partially cooking it, then passing it between rollers to flatten it out. The second variety is sometimes referred to as quick-cooking rolled oats. These are made by putting steel-cut oats through the same process.

Whole Grain Breakfast Recipes

Steel Cut Oats

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 4 cups water
• Small pinch salt

Directions:

• Rinse oats under cold water.
• Place in a pot and bring to a simmer.
• Cook for approx 25 minutes till thick.
• Stir occasionally

Vanilla Chai Steel Cut Oats

• 1 cup pre cooked oats
• ½ cup your favorite chai mixture

Directions:

• Place oats and chai in a small pot or microwavable dish and mix.
• Heat till warm and has reached desired consistency.

About the Author: Travis Rea is a personal chef who uses local, natural and sustainable foods and lives in Langley, BC. He also owns a consulting business, Feed The Fire, which helps people live healthier and counsels athletes on their nutritional needs. See more of his recipes and advice on his Facebook page.

By Madeleine Kolb

We live in a culture obsessed with looks. From puberty (or even before), girls are inculcated with the need to cleanse, tone, and moisturize their skin, then to apply blusher, powder, gloss, mascara, eye liner, eye shadow and other stuff. So they can look good.

As girls become young women and head into middle-age, though, looking good is not enough. These days middle-aged women feel unrelenting pressure to look young, even “hot,” in their 40’s and 50’s.

And so begins the battle against age, a battle they can never win. The first weapon is “anti-aging” products with power names like Age Defiance and power prices like $55 per ounce.

The fight escalates to Botox, where ‘Bo’ refers to C. botulinum ( bacteria that cause severe food poisoning) and ‘tox’ refers to the toxin produced by the bacteria. Botox treatments cost a lot, don’t last very long, and can produce some mighty weird results.

The heavy artillery in this fight to the finish is cosmetic surgery. In the U.S., middle-aged women account for a whooping 86% of cosmetic surgery patients. But does that mean it’s a good idea? Quite the contrary!

Why you should just say “no” to elective cosmetic surgery

• Aging is a natural process. It’s part of the cycle of life which starts with conception, gestation and birth and ends with death. The years after you’ve borne your children are precious, years to be celebrated especially as your children grow more and more independent.

• Cosmetic surgery is a medical procedure, and—like all medical procedures—it involves risk. For example, a procedure may be done poorly or infection may set in. And if you are wondering what can possibly go wrong, try Goggling face lifts gone bad or breast enhancement problems to see for yourself. Quite an edifying experience.

• Cosmetic surgery is expensive and may have to be repeated as you grow older.

• Even the best cosmetic procedure often makes you look as if you’ve just had a cosmetic procedure. The pulled-up eyebrows, creating a Look of Perpetual Surprise is one clear give-away.

You are good enough the way you are

Those who pressure women to undergo certain procedures or buy certain products are saying in effect,

You need to do this, because you’re not good enough the way you are.

Sometimes the sub-text implies that a woman is Letting Herself Go if—for example—she doesn’t color her hair well into her 80’s or 90’s. (Your hair-dresser can tell you about this.)

After I stopped getting my hair colored, I started to notice how many women there were with absolutely gorgeous white hair. And I think my by-now-mostly-white hair looks good, and so does my boy friend.

There are obvious parallels between the pressure on women of all ages to look young and the pressure on black women (and, sadly, even little girls) to change their “bad,” that is, natural, hair. So all women over 35 or so and black women of any age are given the message that they’re not good enough as they are naturally, but that there is some process or product which can make them a little better for a little while.

One of my favorite journalists, Jerry Large, had an article about this in the Seattle Times some time ago. Mr. Large, a thoughtful man with a fine sense of humor, suggested that

Good hair is any hair which covers your head.

I’m not saying that looks don’t matter. I’m saying that equating looking good with looking young is harmful to all of us, including young women who dread reaching their mile-stone birthdays.

Being attractive at any age

We need to create a different message for ourselves and affirm it over and over. Something like

I’m Elizabeth, I’m 58, and I’m attractive.

Being attractive means being energetic and positive and enthusiastic and intelligent and vibrant. Attractive–not in the narrow sexual sense of being “hot” or having a “bikini-ready” body–but in the larger human sense of accepting yourself as you are and living your life to the fullest.

About the Author: Madeleine started her blog, Age Myths, after noticing her experiences with aging were different than the depressing stereotypes usually associated with growing older.

She has degrees in zoology and genetics and worked in the environmental field for 20 years. She then returned to school for a certificate in Technical Writing and worked as a technical writer for a federal agency.

She now lives in Maryland with her boyfriend and has a passion for cooking healthy food, exercising, reading, birdwatching, and writing. She has been active in Toastmasters for 10 years and is currently an Advanced Toastmaster Gold.

By Kelly Neufeld

One need not be wealthy or highly trained to make a charitable contribution to one’s community. While some seniors have medical training and can assist in refugee camps in Uganda there are many other opportunities closer to home. Everyone has the capacity to help in some manner.

The ability to drive is the main requirement for volunteers at the charity organization Meals on Wheels. But those without cars can still help out in other ways such as in the office or in the kitchen. Some volunteers even deliver meals on the backs of their bikes, combining their exercise and volunteering.

Meals on Wheels delivers free or subsidized meals to seniors, people with disabilities, and people recovering from illnesses. The program allows people to live in their own homes and provides inexpensive healthy meal options. Some chapters also prepare meals for the homeless and bring meals for school children. If you know of someone who would appreciate the meals you can order daily fresh meals or frozen dinners for them.

Many of the recipients are unable to get to the grocery store and may not be able to cook. When people are sick making a healthy meal is the last thing they feel like doing but also very important for their recovery. The meals are nutritionally balanced and reviewed by a registered dietitian.

Meals on Wheels is more than just food. As one volunteer, Barry, pointed out a volunteer may be the only person a meal recipient sees that day. While dropping off the food, volunteers can ensure the recipients haven’t fallen and injured themselves and act as a safety net. If a recipient doesn’t answer the door, volunteers will try phoning later and will also call an emergency contact, a doctor or as a last resort the police.

Volunteers are the key to the inexpensive meals the organization provides. The cost of the meals is based on the recipient’s income and doesn’t include any delivery costs. People interested in volunteering should contact their local Meals on Wheels organization. With just a few hours a week you can make a huge difference in people’s lives.

Canadian Meals on Wheels Programs
British Columbia
Alberta
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Quebec
Prince Edward Island
Ontario
Nova Scotia
Newfoundland
New Brunswick

If you live in the United States you can visit the Meals on Wheels Association of America to find out where and how you can volunteer.

By Jeanie Keogh

If you’ve a taste for the Eastern arts and have thought there is something about the way women in Bollywood movies move that you would like to emulate, belly dancing classes will give you a chance to reinvent your exotic self. Belly dancing is a powerful way to invigorate your feminine life force by rediscovering your sensuality while staying in shape.

An hour-long class works core body muscles similar to the ones you focus on in a Pilates class but belly dancing is much more fun. It’s an exercise in learning to isolate different muscle groups in the upper body and simultaneously coordinating their working together with the hips. This stimulates the mind-body connection as you teach yourself to move some muscle groups while concentrating on letting others relax – at first it feels like patting your head while rubbing your stomach. The biggest muscle groups that you’ll remember the next day will be your shoulders and triceps, abdominals, intercostals and right on down to your hips and legs. Now try making this look effortless with a playfully coy look on your face and you have your work cut out for you.

“A lot of people think that belly dancing is just shaking your hips, but there is a lot more to it than that,” says Sophia Soo who teaches belly dancing for seniors at Edmonds Community Centre in Burnaby.

Classes with Soo involve warm-up movements, choreography and stretching to cool down. Soo adapts her class to accommodate those with limited mobility with a be-good-to-yourself, do-what-you-can approach. Some attend her classes for rehabilitation; she has taught a woman who was trying out belly dancing as a complement to her physical recovery program after she underwent a hip replacement operation. Soo said it helped restore her mobility and proper body alignment.

Photo Credit: Eleda1

Soo’s classes are intergenerational attracting students in their twenties as well as those in their late seventies. This creates a nice camaraderie amongst women from different walks of life and at different stages of life and no one feels threatened to be who she is. The best part about belly dancing is you can tailor it to suit your needs. It can be a vigourous workout or a gentle, lyrical dance performed in homage to womanhood.

But seniors have an advantage that younger women do not, Soo said, which is that they are more open-minded and willing to take in new information. They also understand instructions better than their youthful counterparts.

Don’t worry if you haven’t got a clue what to expect in the first class. Be thankful that belly dancing isn’t a dance form where you have to suffer an onerous hour with a horrible partner. Belly dancing is intended to entice a lover but is not reliant on one so you are free to live up to the maxim “dance like no one is watching”.

Soo admits that sometimes there are a few embarrassed red faces when she teaches the shoulder shimmy.

“I tell them, don’t worry, the girls are just going to come along for the ride,” Soo said, adding that this usually elicits a few giggles.

If you live in Burnaby you can contact Soo through Edmonds Community Centre in Burnaby at 604-525-1671 or check out course schedule through the City of Burnaby website . Many other recreation centers offer dance classes as well.

By Dr. Larry Anderson

In 1910, the average life expectancy was close to 50 years and only about 12% of the population lived past the age of 65. For the baby boomers, beginning with births in 1954, the average life expectancies are between 75 years for men and 80 for women. This means that many people will be spending considerably more time in retirement.

Regardless of when people are born, as they approach retirement, they express concern about finances and health. Many of the boomer population also expect retirement to be a new beginning, particularly with regard to social activities. When the question is asked; ”What gives you meaning and purpose in life?” Many reply that making a contribution to society and helping others is very important for them.

Persons between 65 and 74 often take special interest in relational competence and social involvement and,  when successful, tend to experience higher levels of self-esteem. While there is no magic key to happiness, it is necessary to have good relationships with those around us. It does appear that as we move on past 74 that we become more selective in our social relationships, increasing our emotional closeness with those remaining.

Those of us, who are still in the workforce, face a considerable amount of ageist beliefs that we are less productive and efficient than younger workers. When we experience this prejudice we may find it difficult not to buy into the stereotype and experience reduced self esteem. We may then carry this over into retirement. In fact, while seniors tend to maintain social skills and increase understanding of interpersonal relations, those who have been subjected to ageism during their work life, are more likely to experience forms of depression.

Retirement can relieve us from the daily pressure of work and allow us to pursue other interests and activities. It can be seen as a new beginning. I have been teaching in the University system for almost 35 years. This Fall 2010 will be the beginning of my last year (I will turn 71 in October.) In preparation for my new beginning, I am busy creating workshops through my company, BC Community Building and exploring intergenerational relations as the current chair of ICAL Intergenerational Centre for Action Learning.

Although I no longer have to work I enjoy researching and teaching and want to keep doing it on some level. I might even end up being busier being retired than I was while while working. I’m looking forward to retirement and all the changes it will bring.

Did you take on any new hobbies or interests after retirement or are you planning to?

About the Author: Dr. Larry Anderson is university professor of psychology who is retiring soon. He has started a company called BC Community Building and plans on presenting workshops to prepare people for retirement. Dr. Anderson is on the board of the Langley Senior’s Resource Society. Read more of Larry’s articles at his blog.

Impowerage held its 2nd Seniors Boot Camp on June 28th in Langley, British Columbia. The Impowerage Seniors Boot Camp is a unique event that covers a variety of topics. This year seniors were given a crash course on the keys to aging well.

Dr. Carolyn Anderson talked about following an anti-inflammatory diet to prevent age related diseases. She also went into detail about macular degeneration, a progressive disease that affects over 1/3 of people over 55.

In between the speeches a personal trainer, Susan Manning, led the group in a warm-up, exercises and a cool down. Following exercises from the senior’s guide to fitness she showed everyone how you can always do some form of exercise no matter your current physical level. She showed everyone how to stretch properly and reminded us that simply moving in whatever way we can is beneficial to our health.

In a surprise twist, Heather Compton, our resident financial expert, didn’t talk about finances. Instead she talked about how to have a rich retirement regardless of one’s income. She taught us that an abundant life comes from our relationships, health and meaningful activities.

Congratulations to Marianne G for winning the raffle for an iPod Nano and to Catherine K for winning a Chapters Gift Card.

It was a great event with positive feedback from the participants. We are already discussing plans for the next boot camp. We’d love to hear suggestions on topics you’d like to see covered. Make sure you’ll be notified about the next boot camp by signing up for our monthly newsletter or following our facebook page.

Thank you again to our sponsors for making this event possible. Special thanks to Novartis for an unrestricted educational grant and to the Retirement Rocks team for speaking

By Heather Compton and Dennis Blas

Q:   How can seniors know if they are on track financially?

A:   Check your financial report card!

Your Financial Report Card – Part 1

It’s July, school is over and that means report card time.  Its report card time at our house too!  Every June 30 and each year-end our assignment is to prepare and review a two part Financial Report Card.  Part one is a current Net Worth Statement..

Net Worth Statement

A Net Worth Statement looks at everything we OWN minus everything we OWE.  It is our ASSETS minus our LIABILITIES.  That remainder is our NET WORTH.  We call that our retirement pot or nest-egg.  We calculate a Net Worth statement semi-annually and we prepare it at the same times every year. That way we can measure year over year changes.  Your Net Worth Statement, like a report card, points out where you are doing well and where you have some work to do

Assets

Let’s look first at the asset side of the statement. What assets do you hold?  To complete the asset side of the Statement you need to gather all your June 30 (or December 31) month-end financial data pertaining to assets. That includes investment statements for RRSP or RIF accounts, property value assessments for personal and investment real estate, Defined Contribution pension plans, bank savings accounts, perhaps a new Tax Free Savings Account, maybe even grandma’s valuable diamond broach.

After we list and total the assets we examine the quality of those assets.  Are they long-life appreciating assets such as good quality stocks or investment real estate, or are they depreciating assets like recreation vehicles or televisions that go down in value over time? Do the assets absorb income like your own home or a gas-guzzling truck, or do these assets produce income like rental properties, or dividend paying stocks?

Your home doesn’t generate cash to fund your retirement unless you plan to rent out that basement bedroom!  There are two schools of thought on including your own home as an asset on your net worth statement.  We do NOT include our home, vehicles or personal use assets like jewelry or art – our own philosophy is that because the net worth statement represents our retirement nest-egg it should only reflect those assets we can actually use to feed and water us and send us out travelling.

Now there is nothing inherently wrong with income-absorbing assets like cars and recreation properties or homes but we do have to consider how many income-absorbing assets we can afford to carry on the books when we no longer have the cash flow of a regular pay cheque.  You can retire sooner with a smaller retirement nest-egg if you reduce the assets that absorb income and those that don’t appreciate in value.

Liabilities

Our next step is to gather June 30 month-end (or December 31) credit card statements, mortgage documents, loan agreements – all the financial data pertaining to our debts to complete the liability side of the Net Worth statement.  We list our debts from the highest interest rate debt on down. For some, this will be the first time they’ve read the fine print to discover they are paying 24% to 28% on a department store credit card!  In a perfect world, we won’t carry any debts into retirement.  Mortgage or other debt payments require us to have greater retirement income in order to service the debt.  If we are debt-free we get to retire earlier or certainly more comfortably.

There is no such thing as good debt but there is bad debt and better debt.  If we borrow for investment purposes, for example to buy an investment portfolio or a rental property – the interest cost of that debt is tax deductible.  So we prefer deductible over non-deductible interest expense.  A conversation with an accountant or a financial advisor can help you determine if it is possible to rearrange your financial affairs so your non-deductible interest expenses could become deductible.

The Bottom Line

Add up your assets and subtract your total liabilities – that’s your net worth.  Your mission is to increase or grow your net worth prior to retirement by paying down debt, growing your savings and getting a good return on your investments.  The plan when retired is to draw the pot down at a sustainable rate.

What is sustainable?  How soon do we dip into our principle? The idea is to draw down the pot slowly. But how slowly? Most of us are painfully aware that even if we pick a conservative number like 5%, our retirement pot won’t grow at a consistent 5% every year.

Fidelity Investments studied a portfolio of 50% equities or stock, 35% bonds or fixed income, and 15% short-term instruments or cash. They assumed a constant rate of inflation of 2.25%. Their research shows you could withdraw 4% of the retirement pot in the first year and then increase withdrawals by the forecast 2.25% inflation rate each year and the money would last for your lifetime in 95% of the scenarios generated. There were 5% of scenarios where you would run out of money before you run out of life, but most of us would be pretty comfortable forecasting with a 95% probability.

Keep your eye on the ball – this is a semi-annual exercise.  If we experience a really poor year in the stock market and the value of our assets decline we need to be very aware of it and adapt our spending habits – or perhaps delay that big trip or the new car purchase.

Calculate Your Own Net Worth

OK students, complete that Net Worth statement.  You will find an excel model for a Net Worth statement on our website that you can easily download at Retirement Rocks.. Go the bottom of the spreadsheet to go to the 2nd and 3rd pages to fill out your assets and liabilities. It will automatically calculate your net worth on the first page.

Join us next month for part 2 of your homework assignment!

About the Authors: Heather Compton has presented seminars on financial and retirement lifestyle issues for over 30 years. She retired as Vice President and Senior Investment Advisor with a major financial services company. Heather and husband Dennis Blas co-present retirement seminars for a variety of corporate clients and are the co-authors of Retirement Rocks! Canadian Boomers Invest in Life. You can find their book online or in independent bookstores. See more of their advice at Retirement Rocks.





[contact-form]

Reader Question: How much water should I drink while exercising? Should I be using a sports drink?

Susan’s Answer: Whether you are an athlete in training or just starting a fitness program for the first time keeping your body hydrated is very important to the function of our body’s cells and our performance in our sport.

When you are thirsty your body is already dehydrated at the cellular level. It is important to drink water throughout the day to keep our hydration levels up. Dark yellow urine is one indication of dehydration whereas a light and clearer color shows a hydrated body.

With many fitness events/races and opportunities for senior athletes coming up the following information is a guideline for fluid intake before, during and after training and/or competition.

Before Exercise

• All athletes should consume 400 to 600 ml (about 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups) of fluid two to three hours before exercising. This amount of fluid will help ensure that the athlete is not dehydrated and will allow the athlete enough time to absorb the fluid and comfortably eliminate urine before training or competition begins.

• Athletes who exercise in the heat should consume an additional 250 to 500 ml (1 to 2 cups) within two hours of the onset of exercise.

• Athletes who train or perform more than one hour may choose a carbohydrate beverage (CHO) instead of just water. The concentration of the carbohydrate beverage should not be more than 8%, although some athletes can tolerate higher concentrations.

• Fifteen to 30 min. before exercise, 300 to 500 ml more of a CHO beverage is consumed.

• Consuming a sports beverage before prolonged activity gives the endurance athlete the advantage of being able to delay fatigue (through carbohydrate intake) and prevent dehydration.

During Exercise

Events lasting less then one hour:

• Athletes competing in events lasting less than one hour may not have any opportunity to ingest fluid during the event.

• If competition lasts less than 60 minutes, it is recommended that 180 to 240 ml (¾ to 1 cup) of cold water is consumed every 10 to 15 minutes to prevent dehydration.

• Cold water is an excellent choice because it leaves the stomach faster than room temperature water, is absorbed rapidly, and is well tolerated.

• If the athlete has consumed proper amounts of dietary carbohydrate, muscle and liver glycogen stores should be sufficient for optimal performance, and only water needs to be consumed during exercise.

Exercise more then one hour or high-intensity intermittent exercise for one to four hours:

• Athletes engaging in continuous exercise for more than one hour (such as marathon runners) or athletes performing high-intensity intermittent exercise for one to four hours (such as soccer or basketball players) are at risk for hypoglycaemia, dehydration, and fatigue, factors known to decrease performance. Since both carbohydrate and fluid are needed, as a practical matter many athletes consume carbohydrate beverages.

• These athletes should consume 150 to 300 ml (approx. 6 to 12 ounces) of a carbohydrate/electrolyte beverage every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise.

• Water in the beverage helps prevent dehydration, and the carbohydrate provides glucose to prevent glycogen depletion. Both dehydration and glycogen depletion hasten the onset of fatigue.

• The electrolyte sodium helps the body retain fluid and stimulates the drive to drink more fluid.

• Some loss of electrolytes occurs during exercise because sodium and chloride are lost in sweat.

After Exercise

• Eating and drinking properly after training or competition is important because carbohydrates, water, and electrolytes lost during exercise must be replaced.

• Immediately after exercise and for the next six to eight hours, rehydration is imperative so athletes do not begin the next training session or competition in a compromised state.

• After exercise, sodium is beneficial because its presence influences the body to retain fluid and helps to maintain the drive to drink.

• Sodium and water are found in sports beverages, but the amount of sodium is low. In general after exercise, athletes could also lightly salt their food.

• Weigh yourself before exercise and then again after, for every pound lost drink a pint and a half (three cups) per pound lost. This is a minimum.

• Studies have shown that athletes do not voluntarily rehydrate after exercise. They need to have a plan to replenish fluid lost during exercise.

• Fluid consumption (and carbohydrate consumption) should continue for at least the next four to six hours.

Setting a plan for yourself to keep hydrated is a great way to ensure that your body is getting what it needs and that you are performing to your best ability. Good Luck in any upcoming events you are involved in and keep hydrated.

*As always before beginning any exercise program, please consult your physician.

About the Author: Susan Manning is a BCRPA TFL, ACE, ACSM, TWIST certified Advanced Health & Fitness Specialist in BC. She is Dr. Carolyn Anderson’s co-author of It’s Never Too Late To Be Fit, a comprehensive guide for seniors’ fitness.

References:
Advanced Exercise Nutrition, Marie Dunford, Ph.D, R.D., Human Kinetics
Clinical Exercise Specialist Manual, American Council on Exercise, 2007

Working as a mental health officer in Sudan and Uganda
By Claudia Blume

When Catherine McGarva trained to be a nurse and midwife in the 1960s, she dreamed of going overseas and using her skills for humanitarian work. But she never found the time. She got married, had four children and a busy career in her native Scotland.

After working as a nurse for ten years, McGarva went back to university to study psychology. She specialized in health psychology, addictions and severe mental illness and eventually became a consultant clinical psychologist for Scotland’s national health system. At age 62, McGarva had achieved everything she wanted to achieve professionally. Her children were grown, and she even had two grandchildren. If she was ever going to follow her dreams, she realized, it was now or never.

In 2006, she contacted the international medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)/Doctors without Borders in London. She was worried about her age, but to her surprise she was invited to an interview a few weeks later and was soon offered a position as a mental health officer in Uganda.

For seven months, she supported local mental health specialists in helping patients in several refugee camps with up to 40,000 inhabitants. Each counselor was responsible for hundreds of patients.

It was a tense time. The Lord’s Resistance Army rebel group was involved in an armed struggle with the Ugandan government. Ambushes and kidnappings were common. Many people in the camps were suffering from post-traumatic stress, especially children. Some child soldiers, who had been abducted by the rebels, were coming home after years of abuse and displayed severe mental health problems because of the trauma they had suffered. Many were rejected by their communities because of the atrocities they had committed.

McGarva says that in many ways the mental health problems she found in Uganda — such as anxiety and depression — were similar to those she had been treating in Scotland. But in Uganda, there was a lot of stigma attached to mental illness. Accusations of witchcraft were common. The way in which communities dealt with mentally ill people was something the Western-trained psychologist had trouble getting used to at first.“People with mental illnesses and learning disabilities are often chained to trees to protect the community, because they can be aggressive.” But she says that they were treated well, given food and clothing, and that they were also chained up for their own protection. “One night a mentally ill woman was wandering outside the camp and she was immediately killed by soldiers,” she recalls.

Despite working in very difficult circumstances, she found the job very rewarding.”You have to think on your feet. It’s challenging, but I love a challenge,” she says. “I like to be able to use my knowledge and skills to do good work and improve people’s lives.”

Refugees in the Zam Zam camp in the Darfur region of the Sudan. 1/Jul/2004. Sudan. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe. www.unmultimedia.org/photo/

After an extended break in Scotland to look after her ailing son, Catherine McGarva went on a second seven-months mission for MSF — this time in Sudan’s Darfur region, where she worked in the biggest camp for internally displaced people in the world.

The camp was often under attack, preventing McGarva and her colleagues from visiting patients. Her working conditions were tough. Threats against her and her colleagues were common. To reach the camp, the team members had to pass several military checkpoints and were never sure if they would be let through. The psychologist’s work involved convincing families not to kill unmarried girls who were pregnant because they had been raped. She also used her nursing skills whenever there was a need.

McGarva had one big advantage compared to many of her female colleagues working in this conservative society, where women play a subordinate role: Her age. “They listened to me more than to a younger woman,” she says. “The fact that I was older also made things more human. Even the soldiers would call me hoboba Catherine, which means grandmother. At one point, the soldiers only agreed to let our car through a checkpoint after I had talked to them. From then on, the team made sure I was always on the passenger seat!”

Just as in Darfur, local people in Uganda, where the average life expectancy is 45, always had a lot of respect for McGarva. Being older also had another advantage: unlike many younger doctors and nurses, McGarva was used to working with the low tech equipment available in Darfur and Uganda . “A lot of basic treatments in the field are done in exactly the same way we used to do them in the 1960s,” she says. “The drugs and skin treatments we learned about back then –in those countries, they are still used today.”

This year, the Scottish psychologist shared her experience with Canadians, volunteering as a guide for MSF’s ‘Refugee Camp in the City” exhibition. More than 80,000 Canadians, many of them school children, visited the mock refugee camp in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Waterloo this spring, getting a glimpse of what life is like for the more than 42 million people living in refugee camps all over the world. “In some ways it was like working in a real refugee camp, ” Catherine McGarva laughs. “At the end of each day I was dirty, sweaty and tired!”

The 66-year old is still not quite ready for a quiet life in Scotland. She wants to take on yet another volunteer job for MSF this year. But first, another important mission needs to be accomplished: her daughter’s wedding in September.

If you are interested in volunteering- Doctors Without Borders recruits medical, administrative and logistical support personnel to provide medical care to people in crisis in nearly 60 countries worldwide. Every year, around 3,000 MSF field staff provide lifesaving medical assistance to people who would otherwise be denied access to even the most basic health care. They bring their motivation, professional abilities and practical experience to their work in the field. If you live in New York, Toronto or Montreal you can volunteer in their office as well.

About the Author Claudia Blume is the Interim Press Officer for Doctors Without Borders. She has more than 18 years of experience working as a television, radio and newspaper reporter for major international news organizations in Europe and Asia. She has a passion for international development, which started when she worked as a communication adviser for a Swedish rural development project in Vietnam. She later worked as a consultant for the Asian Development Bank in Manila and went back to school to do an M.A. in Communication for Development. Her work and studies have taken her all over the world including Hong Kong, London, Phillipines, Singapore, Vietnam and France. She currently lives in Canada with her family.

Impowerage is pleased to announce our sponsorship of the 2010 BC Senior Games. The games for BC residents over 55 are being held in the Comox Valley and Campbell River on September 15-18^th.

If you’re interested in registering for an event you have until July 15^th. No matter what your activity level, skills or abilities you can find an event to compete in. Being involved in a competition is a great way to get involved in your community and gives you a clear goal to work towards.

There are a variety of events you can compete in including Archery, Badminton, Bocce, Pickleball, Disc Golf, Curling (ice and floor) and Tennis. Athletic Seniors can race others in Cycling, Swimming or Track and Field.

Photos from BCSeniorsGames2009.ca

If you have developed your skills at Bowling (Carpet, Lawn or 5-pin), Darts, Snooker, Golf or Horseshoes you have already unknowingly trained for the BC Senior Games. For the more artistically inclined  people, you can compete in Square Dancing or produce a one-act play. Even if you don’t consider yourself an athlete you can compete in Cribbage, Darts, or Whist.

Bridge Game BCSeniorsGames2009.ca

2009 BC Senior Games Hockey Champions BCSeniorsGames2009.ca

For more information and to register visit
BC Senior Games

If you’re competing in the 2010 BC Senior Games we would love to hear from you and possibly share your story with our readers. Contact Kelly at Kelly@Impowerage.com