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Invitation to dinner & silent auction at the 3rd Annual Colliers International Mid-Island Charity Golf Tournament

August 26th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Invitation to dinner & silent auction at the 3rd Annual Colliers International Mid-Island Charity Golf Tournament)

Golf Dinner 2013Not handy with a golf club??? Skilled at wielding cutlery?

If golf isn’t your thing, but good food is, please consider joining us for dinner only at the 3rd Annual Colliers International Mid-Island Charity Golf Tournament. For $45 you get dinner, a $15 tax receipt and entry into the early bird door prize draw (dinner guests only). Dinner begins at 6:30 pm at the Nanaimo Golf Club at 2800 Highland Blvd. Registration Letter for Dinner. Hope to see you there!

Adventures to be had when you’re over 60

August 22nd, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Adventures to be had when you’re over 60)

Stories and reflections encourage and support readers in living vibrantly through wholeheartedly embracing life’s challenges

Gail Boulanger is a coach and counselor for “vibrant living” in Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island. She says that vibrant living infuses our lives with energy and enthusiasm just as sun infuses the day with light and warmth. But Gail also says that vibrant living rests on a foundation of healthy grieving. From November 2012… (more…)

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Rampant ageism is fueled by common, yet largely inaccurate, social beliefs

August 21st, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Rampant ageism is fueled by common, yet largely inaccurate, social beliefs)

Our culture promotes the belief that aging means decline, dependence and dementia, or at best isolation and depression—yet most elders are healthier, better educated and productive both economically and socially, than they were earlier in life

picture 472Researcher, writer and activist Lillian Zimmerman has grown weary with what she calls the “crisis mentality about the horrors of aging“—and the broad notions of “decline” that accompany views about aging in our society. The octogenarian says the negative views of aging fail markedly to look at the positive aspects of aging. She’s also aware of rampant ageism in society at large, but argues that older people are healthier, better educated and productive both economically and socially, than they were earlier in life. “We don’t decline when we turn 65,” Lillian writes, “In fact we continue to develop and create innovative new ways of being older.” From May 2013… (more…)

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The cost of keeping people poor is high

August 15th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on The cost of keeping people poor is high)

Governments say they can’t afford poverty reduction policies but fail to consider the cost paid for consequences of poverty

Poverty is a hardship for those who experience it; it’s also costly to society. Governments say they can’t afford poverty reduction policies like investing in new social housing, increasing welfare, or providing universal access to child care. But they fail to consider the resources spent, year after year, paying for the consequences of poverty.

British Columbia has the highest poverty rate in Canada [opens to PDF] and no plan to tackle it directly. A recent private member’s Bill proposing a BC Poverty Reduction Act, if adopted, would see the government develop a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy within one year, including legislated targets and timelines to reduce poverty in the province. From March 2012… (more…)

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Canada gets a “B” on its Society report card for 2012

August 14th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Canada gets a “B” on its Society report card for 2012)

Despite solid performance, high rates of poverty and a large gap in income between the rich and everyone else put stress on a society and on the economy

picture 458The Conference Board of Canda is an independent, not-for-profit applied research organization that specializes in economic trends, as well as organizational performance and public policy issues. The group’s 2012 “report card” on Canada’s performance has revealed that, despite a general “B” grade in the country’s “society” performance, Canada places 12th (out of 17 peer countries) on income equality. Canada has been unable to reverse the rise in income inequality – and poverty rates – that occurred in the 1990s. From February 2013… (more…)

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‘Frequent flyers’ get specific help

August 13th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on ‘Frequent flyers’ get specific help)

The Edmonton Homelessness Commission reports that a chronically homeless person costs taxpayers $100,000 annually — but one night’s accommodation in an emergency shelter costs only $42

picture 451Some of Canada’s homeless people are being described as “frequent flyers”–people frequently picked up by emergency services and taken to hospitals or police stations, often multiple times–and the costs associated can be staggering.

The Edmonton Homeless Commission reports that a chronically homeless person costs taxpayers $100,000 annually. 1 in 5 visits by EMS/Fire was to a homeless person–and a homeless person is forty times more likely to use an emergency room in severe weather than the general population. The average length of stay in hospital if homeless is 66 days (compared to the general population average of 9.4 days). The top ten ‘frequent flyers’ to emergency rooms averaged 66 times per year. From February 2013… (more…)

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