Seniors

Chef Rob Field with the Salvation Army made it out of the kitchen at Maple Ridge Alliance Church, to serve food. (Colleen Flanagan/The News)

Hundreds of seniors from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows enjoy Christmas meal

More than 250 came out for the Community Services event

Chef Rob Field with the Salvation Army made it out of the kitchen at Maple Ridge Alliance Church, to serve food. (Colleen Flanagan/The News)
Name-changing rules in B.C. have been eased slightly, following a report from the Ombudsperson that showed the requirements were, at times, too stringent. (Credit: Pixabay/ Sabinevanerp)

B.C. name-changing rules eased following finding of discrimination against senior

Woman in 70s faced barriers when trying to correct misspelled name on birth certificate

Name-changing rules in B.C. have been eased slightly, following a report from the Ombudsperson that showed the requirements were, at times, too stringent. (Credit: Pixabay/ Sabinevanerp)
Lynda Lawrence, Debbie MacRae, Karen Gallello, Julie Friesen, Claire Viktoa, and Ineka Bockhorst, with Meadow Ridge Rotary Club helped to pack 300 gift bags for the Community Services Seniors’ Christmas Luncheon. (Community Services Facebook/Special to The News)

300 Christmas gift bags packed for Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows seniors in need

Bags will be handed out at a luncheon at Maple Ridge Alliance Church

Lynda Lawrence, Debbie MacRae, Karen Gallello, Julie Friesen, Claire Viktoa, and Ineka Bockhorst, with Meadow Ridge Rotary Club helped to pack 300 gift bags for the Community Services Seniors’ Christmas Luncheon. (Community Services Facebook/Special to The News)
Joyce Herrod (right) wrestled presents back from the Grinch at her Dec. 9 lunch event for seniors in need. (Brandon Tucker/The News)

99-year-old Maple Ridge resident donates $20,000 to local programs

Joyce Herrod provided seniors in need with a free lunch event, topped with jazz performances

Joyce Herrod (right) wrestled presents back from the Grinch at her Dec. 9 lunch event for seniors in need. (Brandon Tucker/The News)
Claire of Burnaby took part in the survey conducted by the Office of the Seniors’ Advocate in 2016-17. She found the experience very rewarding, as she connected with Cantonese-speaking seniors in their own language. (Special to The Star)

Asking long-term care residents their views

Comprehensive survey from Seniors’ Advocate seeks volunteers to connect with residents

  • Dec 5, 2022
Claire of Burnaby took part in the survey conducted by the Office of the Seniors’ Advocate in 2016-17. She found the experience very rewarding, as she connected with Cantonese-speaking seniors in their own language. (Special to The Star)
FILE - Jamie Lee Curtis appears at the Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Nov. 19, 2022. Curtis is this year’s recipient of AARP The Magazine’s Movies for Grownups Awards career achievement honor. The group announced Thursday that Curtis is receiving the honor at the AARP’s annual Best Movies and TV for Grownups ceremony. The event is hosted by returning host Alan Cumming and is premiering on PBS on Feb. 17, 2023, at 9 p.m. E.T. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Jamie Lee Curtis to receive award for overcoming ageism in entertainment

‘Curtis’ longstanding, ever-increasing career shatters Hollywood’s outmoded stereotypes about aging’

FILE - Jamie Lee Curtis appears at the Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Nov. 19, 2022. Curtis is this year’s recipient of AARP The Magazine’s Movies for Grownups Awards career achievement honor. The group announced Thursday that Curtis is receiving the honor at the AARP’s annual Best Movies and TV for Grownups ceremony. The event is hosted by returning host Alan Cumming and is premiering on PBS on Feb. 17, 2023, at 9 p.m. E.T. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
A White Rock senior says current government representation doesn’t go far enough when it comes to regulating rent increases at some retirement homes in B.C. Unsplash.com image

B.C. senior says more protection needed for rental rates at retirement homes in the province

Private facilities may raise rent, hospitality costs as inflation rises

A White Rock senior says current government representation doesn’t go far enough when it comes to regulating rent increases at some retirement homes in B.C. Unsplash.com image
Michael Marshall, 25, UBCO physics student living at the Vinyards. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

UBCO students rent affordable units at senior’s residence in exchange for fun

Two students in their 20s are living at the Vinyards residence for seniors

Michael Marshall, 25, UBCO physics student living at the Vinyards. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
Frank Duralia, 82, waited in a hospital bed at the Boundary District Hospital in Grand Forks with a broken hip for 59 hours before an ambulance transported him to Trail for surgery. (Credit: Marion Duralia)

‘Excruciating pain’: B.C. man waited 59 hours with broken hip for ambulance transfer

Rural hospital lost its in-patient services in March due to a staffing shortage

Frank Duralia, 82, waited in a hospital bed at the Boundary District Hospital in Grand Forks with a broken hip for 59 hours before an ambulance transported him to Trail for surgery. (Credit: Marion Duralia)
Residents are shown at Idola Saint-Jean long-term care home in Laval, Que., February 25, 2022. In B.C., long-term care residents and their family members are being promised a stronger voice with the creation of new regional councils and a provincial committee. CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

B.C. long-term care residents, family promised greater input with new councils

Ministry of Health creating provincial committee to address concerns

Residents are shown at Idola Saint-Jean long-term care home in Laval, Que., February 25, 2022. In B.C., long-term care residents and their family members are being promised a stronger voice with the creation of new regional councils and a provincial committee. CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
The Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Katzie Seniors Network is hosting a talk on depression and anxiety. (Special to The News)

Free event in Maple Ridge tackling anxiety and depression in older adults

Guest speaker, Nadine Jans, from Uptimize Coaching, Counselling and Training Inc.

The Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Katzie Seniors Network is hosting a talk on depression and anxiety. (Special to The News)
Volunteers helped build new garden beds at the Intergenerational Garden on Saturday. (Special to The News)

Maple Ridge Intergenerational Garden given makeover

Volunteers construct new planting beds before garden closes for winter

Volunteers helped build new garden beds at the Intergenerational Garden on Saturday. (Special to The News)
A bottle of Prozac is pictured at a company facility in Plainfield, Ind., Jan. 11, 2008.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Darron Cummings

Seniors in long-term care 3 times more likely to receive antidepressants than others

Just over 65 per cent of seniors living in long-term care were prescribed antidepressants in 2021

A bottle of Prozac is pictured at a company facility in Plainfield, Ind., Jan. 11, 2008.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Darron Cummings
Pamela Garrity, 77, has been confined to a wheelchair since falling out of bed in late September, and relies on a Sarastand (right) to get in and out of bed, get on and off the toilet and do other things. (Eric J. Welsh/ The Progress)

Chilliwack senior felt ‘absolute despair’ after Fraser Health no-show

Confined to wheelchair, woman was twice left sitting in incontinence underwear for 20-plus hours

Pamela Garrity, 77, has been confined to a wheelchair since falling out of bed in late September, and relies on a Sarastand (right) to get in and out of bed, get on and off the toilet and do other things. (Eric J. Welsh/ The Progress)
Norah Theilade, a volunteer at the Intergenerational Garden, with Dylan Meunier, Natasha Oaknan and Madisyn Bolognese, Grade 3 students at Eric Langton elementary. (The News files)

Maple Ridge garden wins $5,000 in nationwide contest

Intergenerational Garden won the Scott’s Gro for Good Social Media contest

Norah Theilade, a volunteer at the Intergenerational Garden, with Dylan Meunier, Natasha Oaknan and Madisyn Bolognese, Grade 3 students at Eric Langton elementary. (The News files)
Terry Dance-Bennink speaks to seniors during a rally in support of a senior-friendly park at the former S.J. Willis Junior High School field in Victoria, B.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. The protesters say they are being shut out of open green space near their homes, while the city recently opened a new skateboard park for youth in the area. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

VIDEO: B.C. seniors stage protest at vacant school field, seeking fair share of park space

100 Victoria area seniors, many using walkers and scooters, point to emphasis on rec space for youth

Terry Dance-Bennink speaks to seniors during a rally in support of a senior-friendly park at the former S.J. Willis Junior High School field in Victoria, B.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. The protesters say they are being shut out of open green space near their homes, while the city recently opened a new skateboard park for youth in the area. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Joan Martin turned 107-years-old Sept. 12. (Colleen Flanagan/The News)

Maple Ridge super-centenarian turns 107

Joan Martin was born Sept. 12, 1915

Joan Martin turned 107-years-old Sept. 12. (Colleen Flanagan/The News)
Greater Victoria residents are being encouraged to reflect on how common ageism against seniors is in society ahead of National Seniors Day on Oct. 1. (Pixabay photo)

B.C. group shines a light on ageism ahead of National Seniors Day

Oct. 1 marks the contributions seniors make and the challenges they face

Greater Victoria residents are being encouraged to reflect on how common ageism against seniors is in society ahead of National Seniors Day on Oct. 1. (Pixabay photo)
Family confirmed that Sheri Onstein’s medevac plane was landing just before noon on Friday. (Submitted photo)

B.C. senior in serious condition finally flown out for treatment

Medevac delayed after post surgery infection

Family confirmed that Sheri Onstein’s medevac plane was landing just before noon on Friday. (Submitted photo)
Rebecca Onstein with her mom at the Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace on Sept. 22. (Submitted photo)

‘No place will take her’: No help for B.C. senior in “life or limb” condition

“If they don’t get my mom out she’ll lose her leg or she will die. And that’s not fair,” says daughter

Rebecca Onstein with her mom at the Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace on Sept. 22. (Submitted photo)