September 1, 2019 Edition 16 Volume 9

In the News

EPC Designation program now IIROC/CECAP Approved

2020 EPICs – Niagara Falls, ON & Halifax, NS Date Released. More Locations Being Considered

CIEPS Member Code of Professional Conduct # 4

Most Boomers Likely Won’t Downsize for Another 20 Years

Vulnerable Clients Need Special Care & Due Diligence

Your Trusted Contact Person

Day Centers – Stimulating environments for Older Adults

How Civic Engagement & Participation Can Benefit Older Adults

The Portfolio Diet – An Investment in your Heart Health

Average baby boomer $275,000 shy of retirement goal: RBC

We hope that you enjoyed your Summer, as we head into the Fall

“The great secret that all old people share is that you really haven't changed in 70 or 80 years. Your body changes, but you don't change at all.”…Doris Lessing

Did you know that the EPC Designation program is now IIROC/CECAP Approved!

Successful completion of the EPC Designation Program qualifies for 20 Professional Development CE credits, CECAP # 009618 & 5 Compliance CE credits CECAP # 009619 for Cycle 7 beginning January 1, 2018 and ending December 31, 2019.

Please tell your associates about this new approval if they are licensed with IIROC.

 

2020 Elder Planning Issues Regional Conferences (EPIC) are in the planning stage.

We would like to thank all of the EPC members and guests who supported the 2019 EPIC Regional conferences.

Plans are well underway for the 2020 EPICs.

Niagara Falls, ON - May 31 – June 2, 2020 has been confirmed.

Elder Nutrition 101

10 th Edition EPC Updated Materials are Available

Did you Know that CIEPS/EPC is on LinkedIn

CIEPS is Looking for Articles for the PULSE

Please Keep Your Contact Information Current

CIEPS Member Benefits

Alberta EPC Chapter Information

Vancouver EPC Chapter Information

Important Notice Regarding Your EPC Membership Dues

CE Requirements When Renewing Your EPC Designation

EPC Membership Renewal Reminder

Contact Us

info@cieps.com

www.cieps.com

EPC Member Site

If you want to print a copy of any of the PULSE editions, you will find them on your member site.

www.epcmember.org

Other locations to be announced soon.

Keep checking here - 2020 EPIC Information as updates are posted.

Our CIEPS Member Code of Professional Conduct. Have You Read It Lately?

Like any professional organization or association, CIEPS has a Member Code of Professional Conduct that all EPC designees are expected to follow, to the letter. This Code provides creditability to those we serve, so that they can expect the best from a person who holds their EPC Designation.

All EPCs have signed the Code prior to writing their final EPC Qualification examination.

The CIEPS Code of Professional Conduct is fundamentally based on seven tenets. These "Tenets"  serve as model standards of exemplary professional conduct.  They express the general concepts and approaches from which more specific rules (the principles) are derived.

View the Member Code of Professional Conduct

As a result of this code, CIEPS has taken steps in the past to censure EPC members who are in violation of it.

We wanted to revisit our Code of Professional Conduct, as to the part that is violated most often.

An Elder Planning Counselors will always:

# 4. Keep confidential all personal and business details of their clients’ affairs they become aware of during their work.

This part of the code is based on Tenet 4:

Members should seek continually to maintain and improve their professional knowledge, skill and competence.

The member shall keep informed on all matters that are essential to the maintenance of the member’s professional competence in the area in which he/she specializes and /or claims expertise.

Most boomers likely won`t downsize for another 20 years – too late for millennials…from an article by Erica Alini, Money/Consumer, Global News June 8, 2019

North Americans are known to move through a predictable “housing life cycle.”

Phase 1 is living in tiny apartments next to the downtown core during university and the first years of one’s career. Phase 2 usually kicks in when people start having kids, which prompts them to leave behind condos and roommates in favour of a home with a backyard. Then, typically around the beginning of retirement, comes Phase 3: downsizing.

Older millennials — those born in the 1980s — are now having children and entering Phase 2. Canadian women are having their first baby at 30, on average, around six years later than the typical age at first birth in the 1950s and ’60s, according to Statistics Canada. But that shift forward is much smaller compared to the delay with which boomers may hit Phase 3 of the homeownership cycle.

Forget moving to a smaller home at 65. Boomers, many of whom are now hitting their 60s, aren’t expected to start downsizing in a meaningful way until at least 2040 or later, when many will be in their 80s, according to a 2018 Ryerson University study of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) funded by the Ontario Real Estate Association.

That’s a problem for millennials who are dreaming of a home with front and back lawns — or at least one with a few more bedrooms. Baby boomers own most of those houses and aren’t inclined to move out anytime soon — if at all, according to Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs.

A survey of boomer homeowners conducted by Ipsos for HomeEquity Bank last year found that fully one-half said they have no plans to downsize at all.

Many reasons not to downsize

“If you’re living longer and healthier in a community that you like and you’ve already paid for your house … [you] don’t leave,” Bricker said.

Canadians who turned 65 between 2015 and 2017 can expect to live another two decades, according to StatCan. For many, the physical exertion of things like climbing stairs, cleaning gutters and picking weeds won’t be an issue for years, Bricker said.

There are many other reasons for boomers not to downsize. Some are finding that trading their single-family home for an apartment won’t free up as much cash as expected once transaction costs are factored in.

In some places, like Vancouver, where the market has turned from sizzling hot to stone cold over the past couple of years, some have been forced to push the pause button on downsizing simply because they can’t sell their home. With sales of detached homes in the city at a 28-year low, even boomers who do want to move to a smaller place are having to shelve those plans for now, said Vancouver real estate agent Steve Saretsky.

On the other hand, those who never want to downsize have more ways to do

so. Reverse mortgages, which are growing in popularity, allow Canadians aged 55 and over to draw down on a portion of their home equity in exchange for payments that typically boost their retirement income — all while maintaining the ability to live in their home.

Further down the line, at-home long-term care is also expected to allow more aging boomers to stay put until the very end, Bricker said.

Jobs tie both boomers and millennials to the largest cities

Soon, though, one major reason that’s going to keep boomers in their current homes is the desire to keep working well beyond age 65.

“They usually go through what’s called ‘bridge employment,'” scaling back their hours but continuing to work, Bricker said.

“This means they have to have some access to what provides them with working opportunities, which is usually the city,” he added.

But cities are also where the jobs are for millennials.

Take Toronto and its surroundings, for example. While the downtown core of Ontario’s capital added more than 150,000 jobs between 2006 and 2016, some of the smaller communities in the region saw net job losses over the same period, mostly due to declining employment in manufacturing, according to a study authored by urban planner Pamela Blais for the Neptis Foundation.

The Ryerson study, which focused on a similar area around Toronto and Lake Ontario, forecast a potential deficit of around 70,000 houses with backyards as millennials’ demand for family-friendly properties grows over the next decade.

Bricker sees similar forces at work in Canada’s other major real estate markets. Almost 40 per cent of the country’s population, he noted, now lives in just four cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary.

Immigration is also adding to those pressures, with most newcomers clustering around the big urban centres, he added. Thanks to immigrants, Canada has the fastest population growth among the G7 group of industrialized countries.

“More and more people are flocking to the city, and unless you’re creating a huge new supply of housing, they’re just simply going to drive the price of houses up,” Bricker said.

According to Statistics Canada, almost 85 per cent of employed Canadians live in urban areas.

Where will millennials raise their families?

Impossibly high real estate prices are pushing many young Canadians into suburbs further and further away from the big cities. A recent report by RBC found there were 13,200 more millennials who moved from Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal to areas within the same province than millennials flocking the opposite way last year. Taken together, that outflow has more than tripled since 2015 in the three cities. In Vancouver alone, the exodus has increased almost eight-fold.

But all three cities are also drawing plenty of new, young blood, the same research found. The inflow of 20- to 34-year-olds coming from out of province or another country more than makes up for those who are packing up in search of more affordable digs.

In Toronto, economist Diana Petramala, who co-authored the Ryerson report, sees generation Z — those born starting in the late 1990s — gradually joining and eventually replacing millennials in the city’s condo towers. Meanwhile, those upsizing to start families will likely be forced into long commutes between a downtown job and an affordable home in a distant suburb. A smaller group of millennials will adapt to raise kids in condo apartments, she added.

Vulnerable clients need special care and due diligence…from an article found in the Investment Executive Aug. 7, 2019 and submitted by Fenili Emanuele CFA, FRM, EPC – Toronto, ON

Financial advisors should be aware of how to identify and engage effectively with vulnerable clients

A recent study and subsequent guidance consultation released in July 2019 by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom highlights the special needs and circumstances of vulnerable financial customers while suggesting guidelines on how to treat these clients. Many of these findings can be applied to the Canadian financial customer market.

It is imperative that financial planners and financial advisors understand what vulnerability is, what drives vulnerability and how to adjust client engagement processes to accommodate potentially vulnerable clients.

A vulnerable person is defined by the FCA as someone who, due to their personal circumstances, is especially susceptible to detriment, particularly when the advice giver is not acting with appropriate levels of care. Vulnerability may be transient or short-term or be a permanent or long-term state for certain financial consumers.

Some examples of when vulnerability occurs are when a financial consumer loses a partner, has a history of a stress-related illness or possesses a lower level of financial capability.

Broadly speaking, the following are the main drivers of actual or potential vulnerability, according to the FCA:

health conditions or illnesses that affect the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks;

major life events such as bereavement or relationship breakdown; a low resilience to financial or emotional shocks; and a low knowledge of financial matters or a lack of confidence in

managing money.

The study showed that low financial resilience was the top driver of vulnerability.

The FCA found that some of the major impacts of vulnerability were:

Financial exclusion. Vulnerable consumers are more likely to be unbanked and have no savings.

Difficulty in accessing services. Older people may struggle to use digital communication channels. A disabled person may not be able to visit a physical branch.

Partial exclusion. Vulnerable consumers may not be able to get the best deal because of their inability to search for it. They may also be declined a good deal because they represent a greater risk or because of discrimination.

Disengagement with the market. Vulnerable consumers may hold a product for a greater period without switching because they find the process of switching overwhelming.

Vulnerable consumers are more likely to fall victim to scams. Over-indebtedness. Vulnerable consumers are more likely to fall

behind on key household bills or credit commitments. Exposure to mis-selling. Vulnerable consumers may be more likely

to fall victim to buying products or services from providers who do not understand their circumstances.

Inability to manage a product or service. Vulnerable consumers may be less likely to understand how to manage their use of a product or service.

Financial planners and advisors need to adjust their client engagement process to assess new clients and existing clients for signs of vulnerability. Although existing clients may not be vulnerable now, their personal circumstances may change, making them susceptible to vulnerability. Therefore, an ongoing monitoring of existing clients is very important.

Further, a client inquiry and discovery process should be developed and implemented around the four key drivers of vulnerability and their underlying causes. This is to ensure that your clients understand your solutions and,

moreover, that your solutions are still appropriate for their personal circumstances.

The following is an example of a suggested discovery and compliance process to assess client vulnerability.

Health:

Inquire about any physical disabilities. Inquire about any severe or long-term illness. Inquire about hearing or visual impairments. Inquire about state of mental health. Test mental or cognitive abilities.

Life events:

Inquire about care-taking responsibilities. Ensure that there are no bereavement issues. Inquire about ability to deal with an income shock. Identify if there is a relationship breakdown. Identify any non-standard requirements.

Resilience:

Identify any over-indebtedness issues. Identify any low savings issues. Measure emotional resilience. Determine if a proper support structure exists.

Capability:

Determine knowledge and confidence in managing financial matters. Judge literacy or numeracy skills. Measure English language skills. Measure digital skills. Inquire about any learning impairments.

Vulnerability is a key issue when advising and helping clients — especially as your clients are growing older. Financial planners and advisors who take the time to understand and deal with vulnerability issues will ensure that they provide their clients with the utmost level of care

Your trusted contact person…from an article written by Brian A. McMillan CFP, CLU, CH.F.C, EPC, DFP, Collingwood, ON

In our day to day business, we come across many people who understand the need to have a power of attorney (POA) for property and personal care. I am astonished though at the number of people who have heard of the need but have yet to do anything about it. In other words, they appreciate it is

IMPORTANT, to have a properly completed power of attorney, they however haven’t done it since it isn’t URGENT. Appointing someone to manage your affairs when you can’t, including issues surrounding your health is just good planning.

Recently I attended a seminar on aging. The speaker was talking about the need to have on file the name of a Trusted Contact Person in addition to a POA, your trusted contact person can be someone other than your power of attorney for personal care. They can be a neighbour or friend. Someone who cares about you and looks in on you from time to time. Maybe you are that person who looks in on others? The trusted contact person can be someone who you confide in when you are seeing the doctor, or you share with regularly your day to day activities.

One of our clients had seemed disoriented in a recent phone conversation. A phone call to the trusted contact person revealed that the person was being treated for a bladder infection and her disorientation was a result of the infection. Having authorization on file ahead of time allowed our team to be proactive. The client’s power of attorney for personal care, lived several miles away and wouldn’t likely have known about the infection. The neighbour down the hall was the trusted contact person.

The benefits of having a trusted contact person for the record, allows your financial team to check in with someone to make sure you are ok. In this world of privacy and compliance, it is important for us to have ahead of time a few names of people you have given us permission to call to look in on you should we think something doesn’t seem right.

In the times of people living longer and diagnosis of dementia on the rise, we need to proactive. As part of our review process we are asking our clients for a few names and contact information of their Trusted Contact Persons. Its just one more way in helping our clients and assurance our relationship is more than just about their money!

Day Centres: safe and stimulating environments for older adults in loss of autonomy…from an article found on the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal

The Bottom Line

Many older adults and caregivers are benefiting from day centres, which offer programs of activities in professional care settings.

Day centres have four main purposes: providing social and preventive services; supporting independence; supporting health and daily living needs; and providing respite to caregivers.

Before deciding if a day centre is right for you (or your loved ones): discuss with your health and social care providers to identify your health and social

needs, find a listing of existing and recognized day centres near you, and plan to visit at least three day centres to ask questions and get a general feeling of the environment.

Many community-dwelling older adults have complex health and social needs, particularly those in loss of autonomy or suffering from debilitating illnesses. These older adults rely heavily on informal and family caregivers to support them. The job of a caregiver can be an emotional rollercoaster and they often require much needed breaks. As for the older adults, they may be at greater risk of becoming socially isolated and may require safe and stimulating environments that could help to maintain their autonomy.(1; 2)

Many older adults and caregivers are benefiting from day centres, which offer programs of activities in professional care settings. These activities are designed for older adults who require supervised care during the day, or those who are lonely or socially isolated. Day centres enable older adults to socialize and enjoy planned activities among a group of older adults, while still receiving needed health and social services. In doing so, day centres also offer informal and family caregivers’ respite from caregiving duties while knowing that their loved ones are in a safe and stimulating environment.(3)

But what does research tell us about these day centres?

What the research tells us

A recent scoping review examined 77 English-language studies published between 2005 and 2017 on how day centres are perceived, their benefits and their purposes.(4) Of note, the review focused on "general" day centres and thus excluded studies of day centres exclusively for older adults with dementia, or for those receiving palliative care or end-of-life care.

What are the purposes of day centres?

The review identified four main purposes of day centres:

1. Providing social and preventive services By offering these types of services, day centres aim to:

promote the maintenance of physical, psychological and social capacities (older adults attending day centres feeling more stimulated and confident and are more likely to pursue social activities outside day centres);

develop a support network for older adults (and thus encourage them to continue to attend day centres);

improve their mental health (less depression and anxiety) or prevent the decline of their mental health; and

provide access to other services, such as occupational therapy, nutrition or screening services for example.

The studies identified in this scoping review revealed a diversity of programs offered in day centres aiming to provide social and preventive services, including: programs based on humor; transportation, exercise and self-help programs; organized volunteer programs; psycho-social group work; group discussions to promote social engagement and learning; health awareness programs; or auditory and visual screening programs.

2. Supporting independence

It seems that attending day centers delays the time when long-term care is needed. By allowing older adults to maintain their functions longer, it allows them to stay longer at home.

The studies revealed many programs offered at day centres to support the independence of older adults, including moderate intensity exercise programs aimed at improving stability and flexibility, and fall prevention programs.

3 . Supporting health and daily living needs

The studies identified a multitude of programs offered at day centres to support health and daily living needs, including: blood pressure monitoring programs offered by nurses (sometimes via a telehealth kiosk); self-management education programs; or medicine review programs offered by pharmacy students. Research evidence shows that, in day centres with exercises and nutritional programs, older adults experienced fewer falls and reported better overall health.

4. Providing respite to caregivers

Lastly, another key purpose of day centres is to provide respite to caregivers. Research evidence suggests that caregivers of older adults who attend day centres may have a better psychological quality of life than others.

Who benefits from day centers?

Older adults who are socially isolated and lack support networks seem to be more likely to visit day centres. Research evidence shows that these are mainly elderly women living alone or who are widowed, divorced or single, low-income, who have different health issues and who take multiple medicines.

How are day centres perceived?

Although they are recognized in the continuum of care in many countries, day centres are not always fully recognized by health professionals. Some studies found that managers of day centres felt that the terms used to describe their services (for example, "day care centres") could contribute to the stigmatization of day centre clients as being disabled and very old. In

addition, these managers had the impression that health professionals do not understand the added value of day centres.

As for older adults, they have mixed perceptions of day centres. Some of them do not want to define themselves as old, isolated, sick or unhappy, and are thus reluctant to use services offered in day centres. Others view day centres much more positively as community places to practice different activities and to socialize. Canadian studies show that day centers seem to be part of our culture and are quite well recognized and respected by their clients.

Are day centres right for you (or your loved ones)?

There may be many day centres out there. While some of these day centres are providing services to older adults with a wide range of health and social needs, others are dedicated to older adults suffering from specific conditions (for example, Alzheimer's disease and related forms of dementia) or receiving certain types of care (for example, palliative care or end-of-life care).

Before deciding if a day centre is right for you (or your loved ones):

discuss with your health and social care providers to identify your needs, and to identify a day centre that could respond to them;

check the websites of your ministry of health, your regional health authority, or disease-specific organizations (for example, the Alzheimer Society of Canada) for any listing of existing and recognized day centres near you; and

plan to visit at least three-day centres (if possible) so that you can meet the personnel, ask all your questions, and get a general feeling of the environment of each day centre.

How civic engagement and participation can benefit older adults… from an article found on the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal on Aug. 27, 2019

It is estimated that 5% to 15% of the population lives with a feeling of loneliness and that over 30% of older adults in Canada are at high risk of loneliness. Civic engagement, including volunteering, can address social isolation amongst older adults and provide a sense of accomplishment and belonging to the community. This feeling is accompanied by positive benefits for your health and quality of life.

Civic participation aims to help others, solve community problems, or produce a common good and may include actions such as helping friends and neighbours, donating to a charity or organization, or volunteering for a community organization. Civic participation (especially volunteering) seems to be the key to meeting the needs of older adults in terms of proximity,

meaningful relationships and reciprocity.

Read more about what the latest research says about civic engagement and participation and the many benefits of both for older adults.

The Portfolio diet: An investment in your heart health?... from an article found on the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal

The Bottom Line

The Portfolio diet is a plant-based diet that consists of four cholesterol-lowering foods: nuts, plant-based proteins, soluble fibre, and plant sterols.

In combination with a National Cholesterol Education Program Step II diet, the Portfolio diet can reduce “bad cholesterol” and other types of fat found in the blood, inflammation, blood pressure, and the ten-year risk of coronary heart disease.

More research is needed to determine if these positive effects translate into real changes in heart health. 

Think of the Portfolio diet as a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods. Invest in the right ones and you may see gains in your heart health.

Heart disease is an umbrella term for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels . These diseases most often result from the narrowing and blockage of arteries by plaque deposits, and this is often caused by high cholesterol . Luckily, healthy lifestyle choices—like diet modifications—are a good way to combat heart disease .

Enter the Portfolio diet—a plant-based diet that is made up of four core foods: ≥ 45 grams of nuts, ≥ 50 grams of plant protein from soy or beans, ≥ 22 grams of viscous fibre from things like oats, eggplant, apples, or barley, and 2 grams of plant-sterols from items like plant-sterol-enriched margarine . The premise of this diet is simple: grouping foods that have their own cholesterol-lowering ability when eaten alone will have a larger effect when there are combined into a “portfolio” as part of a regular diet. Preliminary research supports this idea , with the diet’s benefits being recognized by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Diabetes Canada, and other world-renowned experts in heart disease and diabetes.

While the Portfolio diet is backed by emerging evidence, a recent systematic review took a closer look to find out if this diet provides a good return on investment for one particular group of people: those who are overweight and have high cholesterol, but have not yet developed heart disease or diabetes. In this review, people started out on a low-fat National

Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP Step II) diet, where ≤30% of their energy came from total fat, <7% of their energy came from saturated fat, and they consumed <200 milligrams of cholesterol per day. They then switched from an NCEP Step II diet to a version of the Portfolio diet or to receiving nutritional advice encouraging the consumption of foods within the Portfolio diet.

What the research tells us

The current evidence is encouraging! The review found that, compared with people who followed the NCEP Step II diet alone, people who followed the combination of a Portfolio diet and NCEP Step II diet lowered multiple risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. “Bad” LDL cholesterol and other fats found in the blood such as non-HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were all reduced, as were inflammation and blood pressure. Even better, this was accompanied by a reduction in the ten-year risk of coronary heart disease. In contrast, the Portfolio diet did not have any effect on weight or “Good” HDL cholesterol. Although promising, larger, high-quality studies are needed to confirm that these beneficial findings translate into real improvements in heart health.

Struggling to keep your cholesterol levels under control? The Portfolio diet may be a good way to manage your cardiovascular risk.

Average baby boomer $275,000 shy of retirement goal: RBC…from an article found on BNN Bloomberg, July 18, 2019

Canada’s baby boomers are growing increasingly concerned about affording their retirement years.

According to a report released Thursday by Royal Bank of Canada the average boomer is $275,000 shy of the amount they want to have saved for their retirement.

As a result, many are adjusting their expectations for their golden years.

Among the 900 Canadians aged 50 and over with investible assets worth $100,000 or more surveyed by RBC, 52 per cent plan to downsize or move once they retire if they need more income. An additional 41 per cent intend to keep working after their retirement.

“When you peel back the layers, many boomers worry about their savings shortfall because they just don’t know where to start,” Rick Lowes, RBC’s vice-president of retirement strategy, said in a release.

“The best approach is to start with expectations including: the lifestyle you hope to lead in retirement, retirement income options, and then build a plan

to get you there.”

According to the survey, baby boomers with fewer assets were even farther away from their retirement saving goals. Boomers with less than $100,000 in investable assets report they think they will need to save an average of $574,000 to retire and – as a result – are more than $500,000 away from their goal.

An additional 21 per cent are relying on an expected inheritance to buffer their income once their working lives come to an end, while 22 per cent of respondents admitted to not even having a plan yet.

Respondents from Alberta and Ontario had the highest estimates of how much they’d need to retire, with expected coffers of $1.1 million and $1.01 million, respectively. However, both provinces ranked behind only Quebec in the percentage of respondents that did not expected to work after retirement (50 per cent in Ontario, 47 per cent in Alberta).

Elder Nutrition 101: Ten Foods to Keep You Healthy…from an article found on aging.com

Proper diet and a healthy life go hand in hand, especially for older adults over the age of 65. According to reports by World Health Organization (WHO), a majority of the diseases that older people suffer are as a result of lack of proper diet.

For instance, fat in food is linked cancer of the prostate, colon, and pancreas. Degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis and diabetes are also diet-related, more specifically with micronutrients.

Micronutrients deficiency is shared among the elderly due to factors such as reduced food intake and lack of variety in their diet.

Age-Related Challenges that Hinder Proper Nutrition:

Decreased Sensitivity

As you advance in age, your senses become numbed down; it takes more energy and time to trigger a stimulus. Your sense of smell and taste decreases reducing your appetite.

In some cases, you may even have trouble differentiating fresh food from stale since your senses are compromised. This, without any doubt, would be detrimental to your health.

Medication Side Effects

Some medications cause nausea, reduced appetite, and change food tastes perceptions. In this case, the side effects can discourage you from eating,

and you end up skipping meals.

Poor Dental Health

Dental issues are more likely to come up as you grow older such as missing teeth, receding gums that cause your teeth to be shaky, mouth sores, and jaw pain.

All these factors make chewing painful and uncomfortable hence reducing the likelihood of taking healthy foods among seniors.

Lack of Finances

Older people have limited resources and worry more about money. They may, therefore, cut back on groceries and buy cheaper food, which, in most cases, is less nutritious. This lifestyle can result in many nutritional deficiencies.

Lack of Transportation

To shop for fresh cooking ingredients, you have to drive to the store, wait through heavy traffic, and park the car a distance from the door.

If it’s raining or snowing, it’s even more challenging. Chances of slipping and falling are high. These activities may discourage you from going to shop altogether.

Physical Difficulty

Seniors become weaker with age, especially when dealing with conditions like arthritis and disability. Pain and poor physical strength can make simple tasks appear to be challenging.

Performing basic functions like standing for long while cooking, carrying groceries, or even peeling a fruit may become daunting tasks.

Memory Loss

Memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease are fairly typical among seniors. A senior may forget to follow their recommended meal program or skip a meal or even forget to buy food from the store. This poses a nutritional challenge.

Depression

As you grow older, a lot of changes take place, (your children move away, you lose your friends and loved ones due to death, you feel lonely—especially if you live all by yourself, you experience physical changes).

All these issues compounded can lead to depression. Seniors may become apathetic about their health and avoid eating. If left untreated, depression can lead to much more significant health problems.

Let us look at foods that are good for elderly people. Begin with the basics. By this, I mean have a balanced meal, or elderly nutrition program, which constitutes:

Carbohydrate-rich foods like sweet potatoes and brown rice Protein-rich foods like salmon and beans Fruits and vegetables (five portions a day)

Besides this, you can prepare meals rich in the following nutrients:

Foods High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

These fatty acids are important for people of all ages including elderly people as they help prevent inflammation which can cause cancer, rheumatoid, arthritis, and heart disease.

It has also been found to slow down the progression of Macular Degeneration (AMD)—a condition that leads to poor vision. Recent evidence has shown that these fatty acids can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and keep the brain alert.

They can be found in fish mainly sardines, Tuna, Mackerel, and Salmon. They are also found in flaxseed, soybeans, canola oil, and walnuts.

Nutritionists recommend a serving of omega-3 fatty acids twice a week. Supplements are also available but be sure to consult your health provider before getting started.

Foods Rich in Calcium

Calcium helps our bodies build and maintain healthy bones. It has also been known to lower blood pressure. Unfortunately, surveys have shown that as we grow older we consume less calcium.

The body’s need for calcium is so essential that, if you are not getting enough calcium, it begins to reabsorb it from the bones. This makes your bones fragile and brittle leading to osteoporosis.

Foods rich in Calcium are mainly dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, as well as in leafy green vegetables and cereals fortified with calcium.

The World Health Organization recommends that people aged above the age of 50 consume 1200 mg of calcium daily. This translates to 4 cups of

fortified orange juice, milk, soy, or almond milk.

Some individuals find it difficult to absorb this much calcium daily through diet, in which case it can be taken as a supplement as directed by your health provider.

Foods Rich in Fiber

As we get older, our digestive system slows down. The walls of the gastrointestinal tract thicken, and the contractions are slower and fewer which may lead to constipation.

Foods rich in fiber promote proper digestion by moving food through the digestive tract. These foods have also been known to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Foods rich in fiber include nuts, wholegrain cereal, wholegrain bread and pasta, brown rice, brown bread, fruits, and vegetables.

Water

According to a pyramid for older adults created by researchers from Tufts University, drinking eight glasses of water daily was next to physical activity in importance to health.

As you age, your body’s ability to conserve water decreases, so you don’t feel thirsty as often. However, your body still needs water.

Dehydration causes drowsiness and confusion among other side effects, so it is essential to stay hydrated. If you are taking the recommended high fiber diet, you need to drink a lot of water this is because fiber absorbs plenty of water.

In order not to get overwhelmed by the quantity, you can put the water in small bottles and drink it throughout the day as opposed to storing it in a big container.

The surest way to check for dehydration is to observe your urine. If it is light and transparent, that means you are hydrated, if it is dark or bright yellow and cloudy that is a sign of dehydration.

There is an exception for seniors with kidney or liver disease; please consult your healthcare provider about a suitable amount of water for you.

Foods Rich in Iron

Iron plays a vital role in the body. It produces hemoglobin which carries oxygen in the blood from the lungs to the rest of the body.

When you are not consuming enough iron, there’s a limited supply of oxygen to the body tissues. This results in feeling tired and lethargic. Iron deficiency is known as anemia.

Foods Rich in Vitamin C

Vitamin C has antioxidant properties which are believed to prevent cancer and heart disease. It is also involved in the production of collagen, which gives your skin elasticity and gets rid of dead skin cells giving you healthy skin.

It also helps repair bones and teeth and aids in healing wounds. This essential vitamin can be found in fruits and vegetables. Supplements are also available with approval from your healthcare provider.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium in the body slowing down the rate at which bones lose calcium. It aids in the maintenance of bone density; therefore, preventing osteoporosis.

New evidence shows that it may also protect against chronic conditions like multiple sclerosis, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and rheumatoid osteoporosis. Vitamin D is produced by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight.

Some foods come fortified with it such as cereals, milk, yogurt, and juices. Naturally, vitamin D is found in eggs and certain fish (salmon and tuna). A vitamin D deficiency also increases your chances of falling.

Some people argue that exposure to the sun predisposes us to skin cancer, so it is advisable to take vitamin D supplements instead following a consultation with your physician.

Foods Rich in Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is responsible for maintaining nerve function, production of red blood cells, and DNA. As you age, absorbing the vitamin from food is more laborious.

You can, therefore, consult your health care provider about supplements. It is found in dairy products like milk and meat and poultry products.

Foods Rich in Potassium

Surveys show that many older Americans do not take the recommended 4700 mg of potassium daily. Potassium aids in cell function reduces blood pressure and lowers your chances of kidney stones. It is also believed to strengthen bones.

It is found in fruit and vegetables like bananas, prunes, and potatoes. While lack of potassium is a problem, too much of it is dangerous, so consult your doctor before getting started on supplements.

Magnesium

Magnesium plays a crucial role in 300 physiological functions. It keeps your heart healthy, your immune system, and your bones strong. As you grow older, your body’s ability to absorb magnesium decreases.

Some medication for older people decreases the absorption of magnesium. It is mainly found in whole grains, nuts, fresh fruit, and vegetables.

10th Edition EPC Materials are Available

The revised 10th edition of the EPC materials are available now for you to update your elder knowledge and provide the best information that you can for your clients, prospects and families.

You will receive the 4 manual 10th Edition Desk Reference Set, the 10th Edition EPC Student Workbook, and the EPC PowerPoints.

They are available for $159 + taxes and includes shipping.

If you reside in AB, BC, SK, MB, QC, NT, NU or YT,  your cost is $166.95,  all taxes & shipping included.

If you reside in ON, your cost is $179.67, all taxes & shipping included.

If you reside in NS, NB, NL or PE your cost is $182.85,  all taxes & shipping included.

You can order them securely here - 10th Edition EPC Desk References

Did you know that CIEPS is on LinkedIn?

EPC member Paul Fawcett started a group on LinkedIn, and it is now an open group. Why not join it so that you can keep up to date with trending discussions that would be of interest to the Elder Planning Counselor.

Join and share with the group here – EPC LinkedIn Group

CIEPS/EPC is always looking for interesting articles from the EPC membership for submission to the PULSE

If you have any interesting articles that you would like to have submitted into the EPC PULSE pertaining to senior issues etc., please send them to me and if suitable, we will put them into the monthly PULSE and give credit

where it is due. You can send them directly to me – registrar@cieps.com

Please keep your contact information current with us

In order to help us keep your contact information up to date, so that you do not miss any timely information, renewal notifications and the PULSE monthly email newsletter, please use our Member update form if any of your information has changed. You can access the form here -EPC Member Update Form

CIEPS Member Benefits

CIEPS has recently added 2 new member benefits for those EPC members in good standing.

1. Major Hotel Discounts – Now you can use many of our CIEPS hotels across Canada and enjoy EPC member discounts when travelling in those areas. For more information, view here - EPC MEMBER HOTEL DISCOUNTS

2. CARP – CIEPS is pleased to now offer EPC members in good standing a special rate for a 1-year CARP Membership, including a subscription to Zoomer magazine. For more information, view here - EPC/CARP MEMBER DISCOUNTS

3. CIEPS is pleased to announce a new partnership with frames4diplomas.com. They provide professional looking customized certificate and diploma frames for your EPC suitable for framing certificate indicating that you have qualified to be an Elder Planning Counselor. These frames are very reasonably priced and can be ordered directly from Frames4diplomas.com. We will ship a certificate directly to the company after you submit your order to them.

Go here - EPC Customized Diploma Frames to find out more information and how you can order them.

Alberta EPC ChapterIf you live in Alberta and would like to be involved in starting an EPC Chapter please contact Earl Robertson - earl_robertson77@yahoo.ca

Vancouver EPC ChapterIf you live in Vancouver, BC area and would like to be involved in staring an EPC Chapter please contact Jane Chang at jchang@ashtoncollege.com

If you are interested in starting an EPC Chapter in your area, please let us know. CIEPS will be happy to provide any assistance necessary to get you started.

Important notice regarding your EPC Membership duesWhen you pay your EPC Membership Dues, please include applicable taxes (GST/HST) for your Province of residence.

If you are sending a cheque for your EPC Membership, please reference that the cheque is for.

Annual renewal fee—$150.00 + Applicable taxes for the Province you reside in. This can be paid by Cheque, Visa or MasterCard

If you reside in AB, BC, SK, MB, QC, NT, NU or YT your yearly renewal is $157.50 all taxes included.

If you reside in ON, your yearly renewal is $169.50 all taxes included. If you reside in NS, NB, NL or PE your yearly renewal is $172.50 all

taxes included.

CE requirements when renewing your EPC Designation

CIEPS has a requirement of 30 CE credits annually when you renew your EPC membership.

Lately we have been receiving questions about the Continuing Education requirements when renewing your EPC Designation.

The following should clarify this for you.

If you are in a profession that requires CE Credits, then we accept that number of CE hours towards your EPC Membership renewal.

If you are in a profession that does not require CE Credits, then you do not require any CE to renew your EPC membership.

EPC Membership Renewal Fee Reminder Please ensure your membership dues are up-to-date.

Annual renewal fee—$150.00 + Applicable taxes for the Province you reside in. This can be paid by Cheque, Visa, MasterCard or email transfer to alex@cieps.com and it will be processed for you.

If you reside in AB, BC, SK, MB, QC, NT, NU or YT your yearly renewal is $157.50 all taxes included.

If you reside in ON, your yearly renewal is $169.50 all taxes included. If you reside in NS, NB, NL or PE your yearly renewal is $172.50 all

taxes included.

Don’t forget to add the taxes for your Province of residence.

Not sure when your renewal is? Check the date on your EPC Certificate. The date you passed your EPC Qualification examination is your renewal date each year.

We email receipts for renewal payments at the end of the month which you paid your dues.

To renew securely online RENEW HERE

ReminderRemember, only an EPC member in good standing may use the EPC mark, the words EPC Designation, or logo on any advertising, business cards, stationery, signage, voice mail or email. This is in accordance with the CIEPS tenets and standards.

PLEASE NOTE!

Just a reminder that when you use your credit card to pay for your EPC tuition, Renewal fees, or purchase anything from the EPC Resource Library, it will show on your statement as CNDIAN INTIVE FOR ELDR ST… Beamsville, ON. With a phone number of 866 833-8606 don’t panic, as this is the Elder Planning Counselor Designation (EPC).

If you would like to stop receiving this publication, please respond to info@cieps.com with the message “STOP MY PULSE!”

To contact CIEPS:

Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies4438 Ontario Street, Suite 203 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B5 Phone: 866.833.8606 Fax: 866.209.5111