Zoomer Week In Review

Mary Simon will be Canada’s first Indigenous governor general. The 74-year-old Inuk leader and former diplomat grew up in a remote village in northern Quebec and has committed her life to advocating for Inuit rights. Parallels can be drawn between Mary Simon and Canada’s 26th government general Adrienne Clarkson, this country’s first person of Asian descent appointed to the position, who also championed the rights of northern indigenous communities during her tenure. We reached the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson to get her reaction to the new appointment. AND The pandemic meant people focused on the three P’s - puppies, peletons and property as people spent more time at home. Now a new study by Royal LePage dispels some myths about boomers and property...and finds when it comes to housing, the older generation has no intention of slowing down and are turning a cold shoulder to retirement. We reached Royal LePage President CEO Phil Soper to dig deeper into these emerging trends.

Technology is enabling the discovery of unmarked graves of indigenous children on sites of former residential schools. The system is called ground penetrating radar and it is also used extensively in the construction industry. Dr. Terence Clark of the University of Saskatchewan is a practitioner and he tells Libby Znaimer that locating these burial grounds involves art as well as science. AND How does our response to COVID-19 compare to the way other catastrophes have been handled through the ages? Why have some countries been so much more successful at controlling the pandemic? Historian Niall Ferguson tackles these questions in his latest book “Doom: the Politics of Catastrophe.” Libby reached him in London.

Where is the first place you want to travel post-COVID? Zoomers are starting to prepare and plan now that fully vaccinated Canadians won’t have to quarantine when they return home from abroad. Libby Znaimer chatted with Zoomer Magazine’s Executive Editor and travel expert Vivian Vassos. And It’s a problem that plagues our healthcare system: patients who no longer need to be in hospital but can’t go home and have nowhere else to go. There are about 4000 of these patients in Ontario hospitals, and some are stuck there for years. It’s miserable for them, expensive for the system, and takes up much needed acute care beds. One organization found a solution for people with mental health and addiction issues. Libby talked with Heather MacDonald CEO of Loft Community Services.

Canadians are waiting longer for hip and knee replacements because tens of thousands of operations were postponed or cancelled during the pandemic. According to numbers from the Canadian institute for health information, 50% percent of patients did not get their new joints within the recommended 6 month wait time frame. How long will it take to catch up? Libby Znaimer talked with Dr. Peter Ferguson, the Albert and Temmy Latner Chair Division of Orthopaedics at the University of Toronto’s Department of Surgery. AND Are you anxious about going back to the office, or a concert, or finding yourself in a crowd or a close lineup? A recent poll finds more than half of Canadians are uneasy about going back to the way things were. Libby reached Dr. Steven Taylor, professor of psychology at UBC and author The Psychology of Pandemics: Preparing for the Next Global Outbreak of Infectious Disease.

It’s being hailed as the first new Alzheimer’s treatment in 18 years and the first to slow disease progression. But some experts say there’s not enough evidence that Aducanumab actually works. Dr. Sharon Cohen, director of the Toronto Memory Program, was a clinical trial investigator in the drug’s phase 3 trial and has a number of patients who are taking it. Libby Znaimer reached her in Toronto. AND New research suggests there is a hard upper limit to the human life span - but according to the study in Nature Communications, it could be as high as 150 years! Dr. Jay Olshansky is a Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His work focuses on estimating the upper limits of longevity and what that means for the aging population.

Over the last two decades, the number of Zoomers in the workforce has nearly tripled. But they are subject to pervasive negative typecasting that holds them back. A new report from Federal, Provincial, and Territorial ministers responsible for seniors, surveys the stereotypes that feed into ageism. Libby Znaimer talk to demographic expert David Cravit, CARP's chief membership officer. AND It’s the first ever cookbook inspired by the two year old Canada Food Guide and it comes just as many of us are trying to get back on track after pandemic stress-eating and weight gain. Libby talked to author Rose Reisman about what she calls a Meal Revolution.

Women executives in this country earn about 56% less compared with men and are on average slightly younger. That's according to a recent study from Statistics Canada. Economist Marina Adshade, an assistant professor at the University of B.C., says the finding about age may offer a clue as to the cause of the pay gap. AND She's been in the real estate game for decades in cottage country, but Muskoka agent Catharine Inniss says she’s never seen anything like this.

The term "war crimes" has been thrown around a lot amid the fighting between Israel and Hamas. Libby Znaimer turned to Janice Stein, an expert in Middle East studies and conflict management and Founding Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs. AND What will happen to COVID-19 patients who leave the ICU with long-term side effects of the illness? Dr. Raphael Rush is clinical director of Complex and Continuing Care at the Salvation Army-Toronto Grace Hospital. He says their recovery will require many more resources and he is warning that rehabilitation could become the fourth wave.

Alzheimer’s disease afflicts half a million Canadians and there is still no effective therapy. A pilot study from baycrest and Sunnybrrok finds that low dose radiation can bring remarkable improvement at least for awhile. And it started when a researcher had an idea to help a friend. Researcher Jerry Cuttler joins Libby to share his experience. AND Perdita Felicien’s memoir is a love letter to her mother Catherine, who faced racism, abuse and hostility after coming to Canada from St. Lucia as a domestic worker. Felicien tells the story of how the two beat the odds together as she went on to an illustrious career as a ten-time Canadian hurdling champion, a world champion, and an two-time Olympian.  Libby talked to her about the book, My Mother’s Daughter: A Memoir of Struggle and Triumph. 

Like most things during the pandemic, there’s been a stampede to pivot online. This includes the health care system. Family physician, and U of T professor, Sheryl Spithoff recently wrote an op-ed piece condemning health care’s pivot to virtual learning arguing that with so many corporations wanting a slice of the pie, it’ll drive up costs, create fragmented care and pose a risk to privacy. AND Two Toronto-based engineers have created a texting tool to help us all amid the confusing world of booking COVID-19 vaccines. It offers a more user friendly way to book without navigating website portals or calling around to different pharmacies. It’s just one more tool in the province’s fight against COVID-19. Christine Ross spoke with Zain Manji, one of the two men behind it, to find out how it works.

This week, two devastating reports detailed the failure of Ontario’s long-term care sector to protect elder residents. Where should we look for the right kind of change? Author Moira Welsh takes us through unique facilities that show how the right living arrangements can help people live with purpose and connection. We talked about her book "Happily Ever Older: Revolutionary Approaches to LTC.” AND Most of us don’t give it much thought: polite small talk with a co-worker or a quick conversation with a stranger we pass in the park. Some of us write off these interactions as meaningless. But the pandemic has shown that they are integral to our wellbeing and sense of belonging and we miss them more than we realize. Psychology Professor Dr. Francis McAndrew has done research on the subject and Libby Znaimer reached him at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.

An independent review recently found systemic discrimination contributed to deficiencies in a number of missing-persons investigations conducted by Toronto police. The review, led by former judge Gloria Epstein, examined policies and procedures related to missing-persons cases, as well as how officers investigated the disappearances of residents who were later found to have been killed. It focused on 10 cases, including the eight men murdered by serial killer Bruce McArthur. Epstein says she found ''serious flaws'' in how missing-persons cases, even beyond those at the centre of the review, were investigated. For reaction, Bob Komsic spoke with Justin Ling, author of "Missing from the Village" the story of Bruce McArthur. AND Community organization needs and volunteer roles are changing rapidly as a result of the pandemic. The slogan of this year’s National Volunteer Week is "The value of one. The power of many". Volunteer Canada is a charity that helps to increase the giving of one’s time. Its presiden

Despite a turbulent year of grounded air travel around the world, experts predict travel will be cleared for take off post pandemic but with some noticeable changes. Post pandemic air travel will be more complex and carry a few unavoidable features, like higher travel and insurance costs, and possible vaccine passports. Christine Ross spoke with Richard Smart, CEO of the Travel Industry Council of Ontario. AND After more than a year of lock down, many of us have lived a more sustainable lifestyle, sometimes not by choice, whether driving less to work or shopping less. And there’s been hope amid a dark year as we celebrate Earth Day this coming Thursday, as vaccines were rolled out quicker than even the experts predicted leaving some to argue if the world can unite to tackle an unseen monster like COVID 19, surely we can defeat an invisible beast like climate change. Not so fast says Douglas Macdonald, with School of the Environment at the University of Toronto, who argues they are distinctly different.

Half of all Canadians now say COVID-19 has impacted their mental health. A recent survey finds for women it’s 6-in-10, jumping to 7-in-10 for those aged 18 to 24 as the current stay-at-home order has some wondering just when will the pandemic end. This has led many to reach out for, or consider,  mental health support. And with so many taking long walks, more and more counsellors are offering nature-based sessions. Among them is Adrian Juric of Vancouver Walk & Talk Therapy. AND Spring is not only when homeowners have to clean up their yards and gardens. It’s also the time some get the urge to purge and organize their place. It doesn’t matter whether one’s looking to prepare to possibly downsize in this hot market or stay put, organizing and moving expert Kathy McEwan of Second Set of Hands is here to help.

Flexibility of working from home and the desire for larger living spaces have fuelled a boom in finding a place away from big cities this past year. With that in mind, ratesdotca set out to identify the best small towns or rural areas to live in. Mortgage editor Rob McLister is here to talk about their "Livability Report". AND While robins remind us spring’s here, the temperatures sometimes slap us in the face, literally, and we remember it’s EARLY spring. But it’s not too soon to think about returning to our gardens or starting one. Just ask Charlie Dobbin, host of the Garden Show, Saturday’s at 9 on Zoomer Radio.

This week’s Ontario budget doubled the child benefit for parents. But for those caring for their elders, there was nothing - despite the increased financial burdens caused by Covid-19. Aimee Roberto cares for her mother Julieta Pante and she shared the struggles of the last year. And By now, it’s old hat, the internet is full of pandemic Passover memes and e-book offers. But for the second year the community won’t be able to gather around crowded family tables and next weekend churches will only be able to accommodate a small number of worshippers to celebrate Easter. I reached Rabbi David Seed of the Adath Israel Congregation and Father Michael McGoarty of St. Peter’s Parish.

There is another scourge that has come along with the pandemic and it’s so bad that the World Health Organization has given it an official name, "The Infodemic". Tim Caulfield is a professor at the University of Alberta who specializes in health law and has written extensively on debunking junk science and misinformation. He’ll be one of the speakers at the Vaccine Summit presented by CARP on Thursday March 25th. To sign up go to: carp.ca/vaccinesummit AND It is an all too common affliction that affects more than 3 million Canadians, mostly women and costs the economy billions in lost productivity. But there has been progress in treating migraine. To mark Brain Health Awareness Week, I talked to Peter Goadsby, professor of neurology at UCLA and one of the winners of the 2021 Brain Prize.

Millions of  people around the world watched last week’s explosive interview with Harry and Meghan. They accused the royal family of racism and callous indifference to a mental health crisis. It left many people questioning the value of the institution - here at home, more Canadians than ever think it’s time to drop the monarchy. Libby Znaimer talked with pollster Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. And One year on, the pandemic has found its way into culture and art. Toronto’ s Poet laureate Albert Moritz captured the tragedy in long term care in his poem, “Exactly Here the Marvel Spoke” to commemorate one year since the beginning of the pandemic.

Interview 1: Andre Picard What will it take to finally fix our eldercare system in Canada? It’s a question that is at the top of our agenda and now award-winning Globe and mail Health columnist Andre Picard has a prescription in his new book "Neglected No More: The Urgent Need to Improve the Lives of Canada's Elders in the Wake of a Pandemic," Libby reached Andre in Vancouver. Interview 2: Sarah Willen Usually, history is written only by the powerful. That’s the starting point for the Pandemic Journaling Project - which wants to ensure that what you and your family are living through is not forgotten. Libby talked with Sarah Willen at the university of Connecticut.

Interview One: Dr. Michael Verbora Zoomers remember psychedelic drugs and the backlash against them, as part of the counterculture of the 60’s. Now they are re-emerging as a promising area of research and treatment for mental illnesses like anxiety, depression and PTSD. Libby talked with Dr. Michael Verbora. He’s a practitioner of psychedelic-assisted therapy and he was a presenter at the Psychedelic Summit held at Zoomer Hall. Interview Two: Mark Hawkins Most of us think of boredom as something very negative. And it is easier than ever to distract ourselves from it with social media, binge-watching, and busy-making activities. But author Mark Hawkins argues we can use boredom to create a life full of purpose and meaning.