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Huron-Perth Boomers Fall 2021

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A FREE magazine for adults 50+<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> — Volume X, 6, Issue X3<br />

HISTORY<br />

Old<br />

barns<br />

and<br />

sin<br />

bins<br />

Memories of a<br />

rural referee<br />

ARTS<br />

For love Of<br />

music<br />

Local musicians have<br />

“never worked a day”<br />

FINANCE<br />

Estate<br />

PLANNING<br />

Plan your gifts for family, community<br />

FREE!


Grey-Bruce/HURON-PERTH<br />

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Published every March, June,<br />

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www.greybruceboomers.com<br />

www.huronperthboomers.com


FROM THE PUBLISHER<br />

CONTENTS<br />

Who would have predicted that I would be penning yet another pandemic<br />

Publisher’s Note, 18 months after the world first shut down “for two weeks.” The<br />

year-and-a-half since has been challenging on so many fronts for many people –<br />

everyone has been affected in some way.<br />

A quote I heard that resonated with me is, “We are not all in the same boat, but<br />

we are all in the same storm.” I hope that your boat is keeping afloat and this<br />

storm will soon be over!<br />

A bright light is that we are back in print! We transitioned to only publishing<br />

online last year and, while I was hopeful it would be just for an issue or two,<br />

we published five issues exclusively online. Thank you to our loyal readers and<br />

advertisers who kept us going – it was our honour to continue to provide our<br />

demographic with relevant, meaningful and local content during such trying<br />

times. Be sure to check out all our past issues online at www.huronperthboomers.<br />

com.<br />

Winery tours • 4<br />

Local Spotlight • 10<br />

Future of health care • 14<br />

Memories of a referee • 18<br />

Estate planning • 22<br />

Mobility • 26<br />

Recipe • 30<br />

In this issue we are proud to feature memories of refereeing hockey from 88-yearold<br />

Max Demaray, of Brussels. Travel along with Jill Ellis-Worthington as she<br />

visits the wineries of southern Ontario, and discover why local musicians feel<br />

they have “never worked a day in their life” in April Taylor’s For the Love of Music<br />

article. Finally, help prepare yourself financially with Roxy Rae’s article about<br />

estate planning, and learn more about the future of health care with Kylie Pike’s<br />

story that explains why now isn’t the time to reduce services.<br />

Thank you for your continued support of <strong>Huron</strong>-<br />

<strong>Perth</strong> <strong>Boomers</strong> magazine, and may you and your<br />

family stay healthy and safe this fall!<br />

Amy Irwin, Publisher<br />

<strong>Huron</strong>-<strong>Perth</strong> <strong>Boomers</strong><br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong><br />

Publisher<br />

Amy Irwin<br />

amy@huronperthboomers.com<br />

Magazine Design<br />

Becky Grebenjak<br />

<strong>Huron</strong>-<strong>Perth</strong> <strong>Boomers</strong> welcomes<br />

your feedback.<br />

EMAIL<br />

amy@huronperthboomers.com<br />

PHONE 519-524-0101<br />

MAIL<br />

P.O. Box 287, Ripley, ON N0G 2R0<br />

<strong>Huron</strong>-<strong>Perth</strong> <strong>Boomers</strong> is distributed for free in <strong>Huron</strong> and <strong>Perth</strong><br />

counties, and is published each March, June, September, and<br />

December. Distribution of this publication does not constitute<br />

endorsement of information, products or services by <strong>Huron</strong>-<strong>Perth</strong><br />

<strong>Boomers</strong>, its writers or advertisers. Viewpoints of contributors and<br />

advertisers are not necessarily those of the Publisher. <strong>Huron</strong>-<strong>Perth</strong><br />

<strong>Boomers</strong> reserves the right to edit, reject or comment on all material<br />

and advertising contributed. No portion of <strong>Huron</strong>-<strong>Perth</strong> <strong>Boomers</strong> may<br />

be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher.


TRAVEL<br />

Travelto taste<br />

IT’S A FINE TIME FOR WINE IN ONTARIO<br />

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON<br />

4 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y Jill Ellis-Worthington<br />

TRAVEL<br />

We’re open.<br />

Oh no, now we’re closed.<br />

Sip samples on the<br />

patio at Paglione<br />

Estate Winery.<br />

Actually, we’re in Stage 3 so we’re opening up again.<br />

What is the difference between Stage 3 and 4 anyway?<br />

You can travel, but only in your own province. You can’t<br />

gather, but now you can but not in large groups.<br />

If the ever-changing restrictions have you a bit afraid to<br />

plan that big trip to Europe or the U.S. to explore those<br />

amazing wine regions, look closer to home for lovely<br />

sipping settings, interesting terroir, and some vintages<br />

you’ll keep buying.<br />

Whether you’re a dedicated enophile or a grape<br />

greenhorn, there are places in Ontario that you may not<br />

have yet discovered – wineries and their vintages, the<br />

people who make them, and their passion for the process<br />

and their products.<br />

Besides, isn’t it great to walk the talk and actually shop<br />

local?<br />

Head south<br />

Many wineries in of one of our province’s newer wine<br />

regions – Essex County – are snuggled up to Lake Erie’s<br />

shores. Viewpointe Estate Winery is one of them. Offering<br />

stunning views from its tasting and nibbling area on the<br />

patio, Viewpointe has a wide variety of wines on offer.<br />

Sampling wines or having lunch on the patio is on a firstcome,<br />

first-serve basis with no reservations taken. With 35<br />

picnic tables available, there is plenty of room for you and<br />

several other couples, or a group of girlfriends to sample<br />

together.<br />

Enjoy sampling four wines for $7.50. Along with your<br />

libations, try some of the tasty finger foods like fish tacos<br />

and pizza.<br />

If you like wine on the sweet (but not too sweet) side, the<br />

Riesling should be on your try-it list. Learn more at www.<br />

viewpointewinery.com.<br />

If the urge to visit southern Europe is strong, Paglione<br />

Estate Winery encompasses a decidedly Italian flair as<br />

the name would suggest. With handmade dough, the<br />

amazing pizza is baked in their wood-fired oven. Vegan<br />

and gluten-free options are available for these tasty discs,<br />

while other Italian treats are available, including antipasti,<br />

salads and pasta. Local ingredients are emphasized.<br />

Reservations for lunch are required. Tastings are also<br />

available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and you choose<br />

four wines to try for $10.<br />

The wines also tilt toward their Italian roots but take<br />

advantage of the grapes being grown in Ontario’s<br />

southern most region. A must-try is the Josephine<br />

sparkling for a happy mouth-feel experience.<br />

Learn more at paglioneestatewinery.com.<br />

At Cooper’s Hawk Estate Winery enjoy a sample flight<br />

of four one-ounce glasses $10 on the wine terrace. Staff<br />

is on hand to walk you through the tasting and provide<br />

information. Tastings are from noon to 5 p.m. and don’t<br />

require reservations, but to enjoy lunch or dinner in the<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 5


TRAVEL<br />

restaurant, you must make a reservation.<br />

An enjoyable option, especially while the weather is still<br />

warm, is their Pinot Grigio – dry and delicious. Learn<br />

more at coopershawkvineyards.com.<br />

You’ll feel like you’re coming home when you drive up to<br />

Muscedere Vineyards because the tasting room is in the<br />

rear of the farmhouse on the property.<br />

A patio with a wood-fired oven is adjacent, and delicious<br />

pizzas are baked and served from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last<br />

table at 5 p.m.), from Wednesday to Sunday. Gluten-free<br />

and vegetarian options are available.<br />

Several wineries in Essex County offer<br />

stone oven pizza to enjoy with a glass of<br />

wine. Below: Locally sourced meats and<br />

cheeses provide the base for a beautiful<br />

charcuterie board at Oxley Estate Winery.<br />

Check out all three tasting flights. The white flight is<br />

$11, and you’ll try the Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc<br />

and Riesling. The $12 red flight features Pinot Noir, Cab<br />

Franc and Merlot. The one for $15 consists of Meritage,<br />

Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The Meritage gets a<br />

thumbs up.<br />

Reservations are strongly recommended. Learn more at<br />

muscederevineyards.com.<br />

Oxley Estate Winery’s restaurant used to be a tobacco<br />

kiln but now offers excellent food on the patio, which<br />

features a large wood-burning fireplace for coziness while<br />

dining on cool fall days.<br />

Tastings are offered daily and are available on a firstcome,<br />

first-serve basis from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can<br />

choose four wines – reds, whites or a mixture – for $10.<br />

The tasting fee is waived if you purchase a bottle.<br />

This small winery offers two sparkling red vintages, and<br />

they should be tried for the novelty factor as well as their<br />

enjoyable taste: Enchante and Lazy Days. Learn more at<br />

oxleyestatewinery.com.<br />

A fun way to explore Essex County wineries is on a bike<br />

tour. Windsor Eats offers bike tours, with single or tandem<br />

bikes and helmets supplied. Knowledgeable guides lead<br />

you along backroads to explore several wineries. The<br />

fresh air and exercise help build an appetite between<br />

stops. Learn more at winetrailride.ca.


y Jill Ellis-Worthington<br />

To make a weekend getaway of it and do something<br />

a little special, stay at The Grove Hotel in Kingsville.<br />

You’ll feel like you’re stepping into an old western upon<br />

first approach because of the building’s façade, but the<br />

rooms are all unique in this boutique hotel. The funky<br />

furnishings give it an edgy feel, but it’s both comfortable<br />

and clean. Learn more at www.mygrovehotel.com.<br />

Go east<br />

Niagara is one of Canada’s most famous wine regions,<br />

but there are parts of it that are perhaps lesser known.<br />

The wineries in the Twenty Valley area (west of Niagara<br />

<strong>Fall</strong>s) may get less press, but they represent the region<br />

very well.<br />

Vineland Estates Winery’s beautiful building houses the<br />

boutique where wines can be purchased, but you’ll want<br />

to taste some of the outstanding vintages first. A recently<br />

added outdoor ‘tasting lounge’ offers several levels of<br />

tasting experiences. A 20-minute self-guided tasting is $14<br />

to $17 and lets you sample three wines. The 50-minute<br />

tasting is $40 to $50 per person and includes five wines<br />

and a cheese and charcuterie cone for each guest. For<br />

the deluxe treatment, splurge for the $125 Extended<br />

Stay treatment. This includes eight wines, a vineyard<br />

introduction tour, and cheese and charcuterie cones. It<br />

lasts one hour and 50 minutes, and you get an upgraded<br />

charcuterie box and bottle of wine to take home.<br />

There’s a full restaurant with patio seating on site, as well<br />

as on-site lodgings, so you can stay in the vineyard during<br />

your getaway. Two must-try’s here are the Cabernet<br />

Reserve and the Dry Riesling. Learn more at vineland.<br />

com.<br />

Foreign Affair Winery is an intriguingly named vintner<br />

that is tucked away in a corner of Vineland, Ont., but<br />

don’t be discouraged and trust your GPS to take you<br />

there. Make sure you greet the moose before entering<br />

the building, with its wine-cave-like entry hall. There’s<br />

a recently added outdoor wine tasting area, called<br />

The Embassy, to enjoy at the edge of a cherry tree<br />

grove. There are three levels of tastings to enjoy, each<br />

explores four wines. The Staff Picks and Wine Club Picks<br />

flights are each $15; the Your Choice flight is $20; the<br />

Appassimento flight is $25.<br />

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FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 7


TRAVEL<br />

by Jill Ellis-Worthington<br />

Definitely try the Cab Franc and the well-priced<br />

Conspiracy. Learn more at foreignaffairwinery.<br />

com.<br />

Fielding Estate Winery was pandemic-friendly last<br />

winter, with small clear domes that house small<br />

tables, so it was both safe and romantic. They<br />

will erect them again in November, but, while<br />

the weather is fair, a tent has been erected on<br />

the lawn outside the sleek, modern tasting room<br />

and boutique. Tasting flights are available for $15<br />

for three two-ounce pours of your choice of the<br />

Fielding offerings. Reservations are recommended<br />

but walk-ins are accepted to enjoy the spectacular<br />

views of Lake Ontario, along with music on the<br />

weekends. Charcuterie boards are now being<br />

offered to accompany your glass of wine.<br />

The Cabernet and Gamay are both noteworthy<br />

at this winery. Learn more at fieldingwines.com.<br />

At Cave Spring Vineyard’s tasting room in Jordan<br />

Station, you’re right across from The Inn on<br />

the Twenty, which is a great place to stay while<br />

visiting this area. Quaint, luxuriously appointed<br />

rooms, a great spa and an excellent restaurant<br />

(try the mouth-watering foie gras) complete this<br />

romantic spot for a getaway. Learn more at www.<br />

vintage-hotels.com/inn-on-the-twenty. In fact,<br />

the Inn is lending Cave Spring’s tasting room its<br />

patio for outdoor tastings while the weather is fair;<br />

tastings are also available at their vineyard near<br />

Beamsville.<br />

Four wines of your choice for $20 per flight of<br />

four wines are first-come first-served. Indoor<br />

tastings, however, do require reservations at both<br />

locations. At the vineyard, pre-determined flights<br />

are available with red and white options. They<br />

serve charcuterie boards and finger foods at the<br />

Jordan Station location, and a Mediterranean<br />

plate is available at the vineyard tasting room.<br />

On a cool fall day, warm<br />

up by the fire (above) or<br />

enjoy a sumptuous meal at<br />

Inn on the Twenty.<br />

The Rose and the Riesling Dolomite are both<br />

outstanding. Learn more at cavespring.ca.


y Jill Ellis-Worthington<br />

TRAVEL<br />

A winning combination – wheeling<br />

along backroads and enjoying<br />

local vintages in Essex County.<br />

Closer to home<br />

Cornerfield Wine Co. opened in 2019 and is on Hwy. 21<br />

just south of Bayfield. Choose four samples for $10 on the<br />

patio or in the tasting room. Must-try’s include the Pale<br />

Red Rose and the Last Furrow Sparkling White, though<br />

the latter isn’t expected to be available again until later<br />

this year. Learn more at www.cornerfieldwineco.com.<br />

2nd Street Light’s tasting room offers magnificent views<br />

of the Maitland Valley from its patio and tasting room.<br />

Four samples are $15, and the Riesling is a can’t miss.<br />

Visit www.2ndstreetlightwines.ca.<br />

Hessenland Inn’s Schatz Winery, which means ‘dear’<br />

in German, is the perfect place for a romantic stop. A<br />

recently added tasting area in the vineyard provides a<br />

lovely setting to enjoy four samples for $15. The Rose is a<br />

wonderful choice to be among your four. Learn more at<br />

hessenland.com/schatz-winery.<br />

Maelstrom Vineyard and Winery’s peaceful setting is<br />

opposite to the turbulent waters for which it’s named. If<br />

you enjoy live music while sipping and nibbling, this is a<br />

great spot. The tasting area is adjacent to the vineyard and<br />

musicians entertain on Sunday afternoons. Four samples<br />

are $5 and charcuterie boards and other finger foods are<br />

available. Put the Marquette on your must-try list and<br />

learn more at www.maelstromwinery.ca.<br />

The Bayfield Berry Farm has made a successful pandemic<br />

pivot to producing wine, cider and spirits from fruit grown<br />

on the farm. Fruit wines range from sweet to off-dry, and<br />

come in varieties like peach, sour cherry, red current and<br />

Saskatoon berry among others. Flights are made of your<br />

choice of four and start at $10.95. You can enjoy them<br />

on the patio or while strolling in the orchard. Visit www.<br />

facebook.com/BayfieldBerryFarm.<br />

A unique way to tour area wineries is by helicopter.<br />

Great Lakes Helicopters offers tours starting from Grand<br />

Bend and going either north or south along the coast.<br />

You’ll land and sip at three different wineries, breweries<br />

or restaurants (including some of those listed above) for<br />

$399 per person. Learn more at greatlakeshelicopter.ca.<br />

Note: All information was valid at time of writing but may<br />

change according to changing COVID-19 protocols. It’s<br />

best to check websites or call ahead before venturing out.<br />

Jill Ellis-Worthington is writer, editor and communications<br />

consultant. Visit her at writeonecommunicationsservices.com.<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 9


LOCAL SPOTLIGHT<br />

Tom Waschkowski’s old band<br />

Chimes of Britain.<br />

For love Of<br />

Music<br />

“(MUSIC) OPENS THE SECRET OF LIFE BRINGING PEACE, ABOLISHING<br />

STRIFE.” – KHALIL GIRBRAN BY APRIL TAYLOR<br />

10 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y April Taylor<br />

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT<br />

Music transcends age, culture, and time.<br />

It evokes passion, allows an outlet to release our sorrow,<br />

and brings us joy.<br />

Music makes us dance, and it’s with us at every celebration<br />

and a friend when we find ourselves alone.<br />

Music marks history – the styles may come and go but the<br />

feelings stay the same.<br />

Most importantly it joins mankind and has the power to<br />

heal. For that reason I consider the role of a musician to<br />

be one of our species’ most important. The world can<br />

learn a lot from this beautiful language. We are all the<br />

same, yet music allows us celebrate our uniqueness and<br />

our individuality all the same.<br />

Creative people are my favourite people. Marching to<br />

their own drummer, I find them to be authentic and<br />

interesting. It’s as though they can’t be anything else; their<br />

art lives within them, and they have no choice but to let<br />

it out.<br />

In the village of Bad Neustadt, Germany, near the Black<br />

Forest, Tom Waschkowski began his music journey when<br />

he was four years old, before the family emigrated to<br />

Canada. His father, a violinist, gave him an accordion.<br />

While his friends were chasing a soccer ball, Tom was<br />

instead playing old gypsy tunes under his dad’s tutelage.<br />

“‘Feel it Tom’ he would say,” Tom later recalled, from<br />

his home in Stratford. “From that day on there was no<br />

turning back. I love to connect with people through my<br />

music. I don’t know where the songs come from. They<br />

seem to flow through me.”<br />

Tom considers himself fortunate enough to have made<br />

music his means to make a living.<br />

“Music is not a job, it’s who I am.”<br />

At a young age, Tom found himself with a record contract<br />

playing guitar, singing and writing for a band called The<br />

Folklords, alongside Martha Johnson (later of Martha and<br />

the Muffins). He has also shared the stage with groups<br />

Bill Dallier rocks<br />

on the vocals.<br />

such as Lighthouse, Trooper, Murray MacLachlan, Dr.<br />

Hook, Toronto and many others.<br />

In 1978, Tom bought an old church in Carlingford and<br />

built a state of the art recording studio, purchasing the<br />

recording console from the record plant in New York,<br />

and the multi-track recorder from Daniel Langois. There<br />

he produced numerous records and played on many<br />

sessions. Some people that came through the studio were<br />

Helix, members of the Stampeders, Bob Burchill <strong>Perth</strong><br />

(County Conspiracy), Cookin’ B.W. Pawley, John Till,<br />

Kenny Kalmusky and Mel Shaw. Tom also produced<br />

and wrote advertising jingles for two Ford dealerships,<br />

clothing stores, bars, and many more.<br />

“I am so fortunate to have travelled and met and made<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 11


LOCAL SPOTLIGHT<br />

by April Taylor<br />

friends with a lot great people. Music opened doors<br />

for me, offering wonderful opportunities. I am not an<br />

actor but had the chance to play Jesus in Jesus Christ<br />

Superstar. The music from that play moved me... it<br />

touched my soul.”<br />

Tom also hosted a local cable show called ‘The<br />

<strong>Perth</strong> Music Scene’ where he interviewed people in<br />

the industry. He has also written music for films and<br />

commercials, and is appreciative for every opportunity<br />

he’s been given.<br />

“I’ve always wanted to reach people through my<br />

music,” Tom said. “I want them to make the songs<br />

their own and relate them to their own feelings.<br />

There’s no greater gift than when I receive a letter<br />

from someone telling me that my song as touched<br />

them. It’s very rewarding.”<br />

So what does the future hold for this singer/songwriter?<br />

Above: The cover of Tom Waschkowski’s<br />

book ‘Looking Back.’<br />

Below: Tom played in the band The Folklords<br />

with Martha Johnson.<br />

“I am now working on my second book titled Looking<br />

Back and recording a new album called My Songs for<br />

You with Bill Dallier, Wayne Brown, and Dan Ward,<br />

as well as other guest musicians. This never gets old<br />

to me. I am as excited to do this project as I was with<br />

my first.”<br />

In recent years, Tom has been promoting and hosting<br />

concerts – including Valdy, Howard Jones, Helix, and<br />

Rik Emitt – and he hopes to continue with that.<br />

Some of us never find our true calling in life and some<br />

find it early on. Vocalist and guitarist Bill Dallier,<br />

Grand Bend, found his genuine vocation at the age<br />

of four, already able to hit the notes with ease. He<br />

performed on stage for the first time at age six and<br />

had his first paid gig at just 12.<br />

Thus began a lifelong journey of writing, playing and<br />

creating.<br />

Always a singer but wanting an instrument to<br />

accompany his voice, Bill got an acoustic guitar,<br />

finding it more of a challenge to learn than singing. It<br />

took him years to become proficient, but he eventually<br />

found himself doing a one-man show. One night,<br />

12 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y April Taylor<br />

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT<br />

Bill Dallier, right,<br />

and Uncle Jack Smith.<br />

by chance, he met Keith Kissner, an electric violinist.<br />

He immediately knew they were supposed to create<br />

something together, and they formed the band Rebound,<br />

a progressive five-piece group that included drums,<br />

keyboards, bass, electric violin and Bill on guitars and<br />

vocals. Twelve years later, they’re still together and have<br />

toured the majority of Ontario.<br />

“I have inside of me a huge desire to create music,”<br />

Bill said. “I feel my best when I am playing live shows<br />

or working on a recording project. Growing up in those<br />

days, with the drug culture a prominent force, I have<br />

music to thank for keeping me out of that scene. I wonder<br />

where I would be without music. I truly can’t imagine life<br />

without it.”<br />

Bill has had the opportunity to meet his idols and has<br />

played on the same stage as Helix, Robin Trower,<br />

Chilliwack, Tom Cochrane, and Streetheart. He’s also<br />

worked in the recording studio with Tom, and played on<br />

many other recordings.<br />

“I’ve courted with success, but it has never been about<br />

making a name,” Bill said. “It’s a fickle and merciless<br />

industry. I do it because I love it and need it to feel<br />

complete. Looking back I can say it has been a blast and<br />

filled my life with many great moments and memories.<br />

As a guitarist, vocalist, composer and session player, it has<br />

allowed me to create or at least be part of the creative<br />

process of some great players over the years.”<br />

When asking these gentlemen about retirement, I quickly<br />

learned that musicians don’t retire. It’s impossible to<br />

separate the person from the music. As Bill says, “It’s<br />

never been a job so retiring would only happen if and<br />

when my hands couldn’t do it, or my voice gives out. I’ll<br />

stop when I quit breathing. There are still a lot of projects<br />

to do and people to meet.”<br />

As I am writing this I find myself envious of the passion<br />

that exudes from these seasoned professionals. I have<br />

always been a music buff and have enjoyed my career as<br />

a hairdresser, but this dedication and enthusiasm is a level<br />

I have not experienced.<br />

Musicians are a special breed and I for one am very glad<br />

they exist.<br />

April Taylor is a hairstylist and freelance writer in Stratford.<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 13


HEALTH & WELLNESS<br />

FUTURE<br />

of health care<br />

NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO REDUCE SERVICES<br />

BY KYLIE PIKE<br />

14 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y Kylie Pike<br />

HEALTH & WELLNESS<br />

Though this won’t be news to you, the current state of<br />

the world is like no other time in history.<br />

Exposure to information is immediate and plentiful.<br />

Generations young and old are accessing copious amounts<br />

of information on a daily basis. The so-called facts and<br />

figures we are exposed to, through various entertainment<br />

avenues and social facets, can be overwhelming.<br />

Yet we still seem to be in dire need of clarity and concise<br />

information that is applicable to each of our situations.<br />

Our lives tend to be a moving target when striving to<br />

capture wants and needs with changing self-abilities, due<br />

to overall health and well-being. Attempting to manage<br />

perceptions that really are realities to everyone and trying<br />

to manage priorities that may change and vary between<br />

those caring for an individual can create an extremely<br />

challenging situation.<br />

Confusion, anxiety, and a sense of being overwhelmed<br />

when trying to help oneself, a loved one and/or being the<br />

caregiver for several people, is very common. Sometimes<br />

these negative emotions can seem to be the only guarantee<br />

for those in need of and/or providing home care when<br />

everything else tends to be changing.<br />

First, there’s the need for reflection. For generations,<br />

Canadians have known, or should have known, about<br />

the importance of helping thy neighbour as well as thy<br />

family. The sad state of our health care system, regarding<br />

the overall support and one-on-one personal care<br />

provided in Long-Term Care, has been widely exposed<br />

during the COVID-19 pandemic. Society, through<br />

media and information released by our provincial and<br />

federal governments, seems to have turned a blind eye to<br />

the tragedies occurring in the home care sector, and yet<br />

the cries for help are plentiful.<br />

Should it have taken a pandemic to force us to look<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 15


HEALTH & WELLNESS<br />

by Kylie Pike<br />

closely at the travesties suffered by those in need of<br />

personal care? Anyone who has experienced the stress<br />

of helping someone diagnosed with an illness or disease,<br />

is recovering after an accident, surgery and/or medical<br />

treatment, has mobility concerns, is aging, etc., knows the<br />

fear and anxiety that often engulfs those needing the help,<br />

as well as the caregivers.<br />

The aging population is growing at exponential levels in<br />

Ontario and will continue to increase over the coming<br />

years. Therefore, health care demands for in-home and<br />

community-based care will also rise at an exponential<br />

rate. Access to qualified, experienced and empathetic<br />

frontline support workers is – terrifyingly – at an alltime<br />

low, despite the increasing demands. Particularly in<br />

our rural areas, it’s reaching crisis levels. With the rising<br />

cost of living, increasing gas prices and the shortage of<br />

affordable living options, frontline support workers are<br />

leaving the profession or the area completely.<br />

There are additional challenges to encouraging young<br />

people to choose this profession, and the educated tend<br />

to work in cities. There is also a tragic burn-out rate, as<br />

many in frontline health care have been forced to stop<br />

working due to their own personal health and well-being.<br />

So as the demands for home care continue to rise, the<br />

access to the necessary supports is diminishing, creating a<br />

magnitude of crisis.<br />

Home care refers to health care services that are<br />

provided for individuals within their homes. Services are<br />

performed via in-home health agencies through regulated<br />

and unregulated health care professionals including<br />

nurses, social service workers, rehabilitation specialists<br />

(such as occupational therapists and physiotherapists),<br />

personal support workers (PSWs) and home support<br />

workers. Services can include restorative care, with the<br />

intention of providing clients with tools and support for<br />

recovery, and range all the way to home care services<br />

that provide palliative or end-of-life care. Home care is<br />

ever-changing to accommodate for unique and complex<br />

medical needs. This means duties and responsibilities are<br />

being shared or are shifting in response to regulated and<br />

unregulated health professionals being spread thin.<br />

Tasks that are usually carried out by regulated health<br />

care professionals such as nurses and physiotherapists<br />

are now the responsibility of PSWs. Yet the demand<br />

for PSWs is at an all-time high, so many home support<br />

workers are forced to perform PSWs’ duties. In addition,<br />

the role of PSWs has expanded to include care activities<br />

previously performed by other various registered health<br />

care professionals. The field and careers of PSWs is not<br />

currently regulated and yet the need and demand for this<br />

profession to become regulated is evident.<br />

The role of a PSW<br />

PSWs are considered unregulated health care providers<br />

who perform personal and supportive care for a wide<br />

variety of clients under the supervision of their regulated<br />

employers. As an unregulated position, PSWs have no<br />

clear-cut scope of practice, so duties will vary amongst<br />

home care placements.<br />

Examples of typical duties and responsibilities for<br />

PSWs may include:<br />

• Assisting with activities of daily living (dressing,<br />

hygiene, showering, toileting).<br />

• Mobility assistance (help with transfers and walking<br />

assistance to help ensure safety and reduce the risk<br />

of falls).<br />

• Basic wound and skin integrity care.<br />

• Light housekeeping.<br />

• Psychosocial care (i.e. respite, companionship).<br />

• Basic medication assistance, prosthetic and brace care.<br />

New PSW responsibilities include:<br />

• Range-of-motion and home exercise programs.<br />

• Bowel and bladder care (ostomy and catheterization).<br />

• Tube feeding.<br />

• Oxygen administration.<br />

• Application of topical medical creams.<br />

• Assistance with inhalers and drops.<br />

• Skilled wound care.<br />

• Donning/doffing compression stockings.<br />

• More in-depth prosthetic and brace application.<br />

PSWs are expected to complete the duties for which<br />

they’ve been trained during their certification courses.<br />

In order for PSWs to legally and ethically take on<br />

additional tasks, which are usually assigned to regulated<br />

health professionals, there needs to be a specific form of<br />

16 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y Kylie Pike<br />

HEALTH & WELLNESS<br />

delegation of these services. Delegated services are to be<br />

highly routine, repetitive activities that can be completed<br />

with training and appropriate supervision.<br />

However, it is becoming more commonplace for PSWs in<br />

certain home care placements to take on non-traditional<br />

client care activities. This is typical of those working<br />

with individuals who have extremely complicated plans<br />

of care and medical histories. Although it may be costeffective<br />

and save time to push these additional activities<br />

onto the PSWs, there needs to be a consideration for<br />

intervention effectiveness and safety of the patients, as<br />

well as the PSW.<br />

The roles of home care workers encompass individuals<br />

who typically have years of experience as a health care<br />

aide or nurses’ aide (both professional titles that do not<br />

currently exist, however they did a few decades ago) or<br />

experience as a primary caregiver for a loved one (child<br />

with complex medical needs and/or a spouse, friend,<br />

neighbour, aging parent, etc.).<br />

Attempting to navigate the health care system can be<br />

overwhelming. Trying to advocate for yourself or a loved<br />

one, when there are numerous agencies and individuals to<br />

communicate with, is daunting. Having so many questions<br />

and concerns that tend to multiply the more we learn can<br />

be emotionally draining and completely encompassing.<br />

It can be terrifying emotionally, and physically draining,<br />

and completely encompassing. There needs to be a better<br />

way, no matter how complex.<br />

This does not overshadow the need for celebration. By<br />

almost any standard, there is no better place to live than<br />

Canada. Few countries make outstanding health care<br />

available to all. Even fewer seek to accommodate so much<br />

diversity, whether it be language, ethnicity, faith, creed<br />

and sexuality. It is why millions stand in line for the chance<br />

to become Canadian. They choose Canada because we<br />

are open, tolerant, curious, and humble. Is there room<br />

for improvement in the home care sector – absolutely. As<br />

Canadians, I hope we humbly appreciate all that we have<br />

and yet work together to provide solutions and rally to<br />

help those in need and those that tend to not be able to<br />

advocate for themselves.<br />

Resources<br />

southwesthealthline.ca<br />

ontario.ca/page/homecare-seniors<br />

healthcareathome.ca/southwest/en<br />

cno.org<br />

ontariopswassociation.com<br />

How to get home support<br />

The place in life where someone needs home care support<br />

can vary significantly, so whenever possible, speak to your<br />

family physician or call Home and Community Care<br />

Support Services (HCCSS), which was previously known<br />

as the Local Health and Integration Network (LHIN) and<br />

the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC).<br />

If you feel that you or your family member needs health<br />

care support at home, school or in the community,<br />

HCCSS can open the door to a world of options and<br />

opportunities.<br />

Anyone can make a referral on your behalf – a family<br />

doctor, friend, family member, even you. The first step is<br />

to call 310-2222, which will automatically direct you to<br />

your local home and community care office (no area code<br />

required) – or you can call the number for an office close<br />

to you by visiting healthcareathome.ca/southwest/en/<br />

Contact-Us or calling 1-800-811-5146. Let them know<br />

you are making a referral for services.<br />

Their helpful staff may ask some questions to better<br />

understand your needs. Then, you will either be connected<br />

with a Care Coordinator, or they will refer you to the<br />

program or service that may be right for your needs.<br />

Kylie Pike owns Rural Home Care and lives in Ripley with her<br />

family. She has worked in both the frontline and administrative<br />

avenues of home health care for over 20 years. Learn more at www.<br />

ruralhomecare.ca.<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 17


HISTORY<br />

Old<br />

barns<br />

and<br />

sin<br />

bins<br />

MEMORIES OF A RURAL<br />

HOCKEY REFEREE<br />

BY MAX DEMARAY<br />

18 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y Max Demaray<br />

HISTORY<br />

was born in 1933 in Dorchester Ont.<br />

I<br />

By the 1950s, I was just old enough to be impressionable<br />

during the golden era of hockey greats like Gordie Howe,<br />

Syl Apps, Howie Meeker, Ted Lindsay and Maurice “The<br />

Rocket” Richard.<br />

I got to meet a number of the hockey legends, including<br />

Canada’s hockey Dad Walter Gretzky and Hall of Fame<br />

goalie Ken Dryden, but more about that later. Of course,<br />

I would have loved to have been a hockey star just like the<br />

other fellows my age, but fate had other ideas, so I grew<br />

up to be a mild-mannered farmer, insurance director<br />

adjuster and nice guy by day, who took the opportunity to<br />

be someone else more fun at night.<br />

My love of the game started with watching my dad play<br />

in Ingersoll with his nephew Don Abbott. George Hayes<br />

was refereeing there before he went to the NHL. He<br />

seemed like a giant to me and I loved the game, but I<br />

hero-worshipped him.<br />

When I was in high school, we played hockey on an<br />

outdoor rink. In Grade 10, the first closed-in area in<br />

Belmont, Ont., was built. It was mostly with volunteer<br />

labour, including we teenagers who were allowed<br />

to go help build by driving spikes – but only after our<br />

schoolwork was completed. I played for the Dorchester<br />

Juniors during my teen years and continued as a young<br />

adult to play for Gorrie and then Jamestown.<br />

Jamestown is now just a sign, but back then we two<br />

Jamestown boys would go into Brussels early and referee<br />

the Peewees and Bantams. After their games, the Tri-<br />

County Intermediate League would play. One night,<br />

while playing in Brussels, a Kurtzville skater and I got<br />

into an altercation. One referee pointed at the Kurtzville<br />

player as deserving of the penalty, while the other referee,<br />

Jack Lee, pointed at me as the instigator, and said that I<br />

deserved to be kicked out of the game.<br />

Of course, I was kicked out of the game.<br />

About a year later I really wanted to become a carded<br />

referee. I had started refereeing informally because that’s<br />

how it was done back then. However, we needed that card<br />

to be registered, and it cost me a whole $1. The rule was<br />

that you had to referee with someone who had already<br />

been carded. The carded referee available was Mr. Lee,<br />

and luckily for me he was happy to help me along. I sent<br />

in my dollar and my card. I still have it, dated 1966,<br />

and signed by Hugh McLean, who was president of the<br />

Western Ontario Athletic Association at the time.<br />

I refereed for the next 27 years. A few years in, I got<br />

a call from Alf Lockridge, secretary of the WOAA, to<br />

pick up a young fellow from Belgrave who wanted to<br />

start refereeing. Alf wanted to tell me how well he did.<br />

That person was Harvey (Harve) Black, and we spent<br />

many hours and travelled many miles together over the<br />

following years.<br />

Harve and I always told Alf that we would go anywhere,<br />

anytime, except for Saturday nights which were reserved<br />

for our wives. Alf called us one Saturday morning to ask<br />

if we would do a game in Listowel that night. We agreed<br />

but said that we wanted to take our wives and go to the<br />

dance at the Legion afterwards. It appeared that Listowel<br />

had started their party in the afternoon because there<br />

were lots of fights and we never did finish that game. The<br />

arena manager and the police wouldn’t help keep the fans<br />

away from the penalty box and at one point, we had three<br />

fights going at once. A fan later told us that there was<br />

another fight we never did see.<br />

So, we called that game off and went to the Legion dance.<br />

We needed to wind down, and I guess we did, because I<br />

remember that our wives drove us home that night.<br />

One night, when Harvey and I were coming out of the<br />

old Ripley arena, a curious fan stopped me and asked if<br />

that was really my son with me. I replied that, “If he was<br />

my son, I would have drowned him.” The poor guy didn’t<br />

know what to do and Harve just laughed.<br />

But it wasn’t all fun and games. One season, Dave Nielson,<br />

who assigned referees, wanted me to ref a playoff game in<br />

Brussels, which was my hometown. Referees never liked<br />

to work in their hometown for fear of being accused of<br />

favouritism. I tried to refuse, but eventually did agree. It<br />

was a very lopsided game with Brussels winning by 15 or<br />

20 goals. On the way out there was an intoxicated fan<br />

blocking the way to our dressing room. He was cursing<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 19


HISTORY<br />

by Max Demaray<br />

Max’s souvenir yardstick, signed by<br />

NHL greats Dennis and Bobby Hull.<br />

us and wouldn’t let us in. I kind of lost it and gave him a<br />

good one to the jaw, which got me suspended for the rest<br />

of the year. That meant that I missed the vaunted Young<br />

Canada Week in Goderich, a premier event for referees.<br />

Ed Daer, who was a police officer in Wingham, and I were<br />

sent to Paisley one night to referee an Intermediate game.<br />

I don’t remember much about the game except at one<br />

point the captain wanted me to go and talk to the coach.<br />

I should have known better. As I got near the coach, he<br />

took a swing at me and caught me with a glancing blow<br />

on the cheek. He was suspended for one year. I guess it<br />

works both ways.<br />

Another time, Brussels was playing Wingham and there<br />

was a fan standing right at the blueline on the boards,<br />

with a lot to say. I asked him to keep the noise down and<br />

told him again and again. The third time, I got the arena<br />

manager and asked him to put the loud guy out. As they<br />

were leaving, a long time Brussels fan said, “Max, do you<br />

know who that is?” I replied, “I don’t care if it’s Pope<br />

John, he is going.”<br />

There was a game in Wingham the next night and the<br />

same person, an otherwise important and upstanding<br />

citizen, was there, and he didn’t say a word.<br />

Cliff Stewart and I were often sent to Drayton to referee.<br />

One time the team was having a fundraising draw and<br />

the tickets were ‘pay-what-you-pull,’ which was extremely<br />

popular at that time. Cliff and I each spent a couple of<br />

dollars, and when we started the third period, they asked<br />

Cliff to draw the winning ticket and he drew mine first,<br />

and the first prize they said was a big bottle of whiskey<br />

and we shouldn’t drink it till we got home.<br />

By the time they got behind the glass, they decided<br />

the first ticket drawn was for third prize, so instead I<br />

got dinner for two at the Drayton restaurant and the<br />

arena manager’s wife got the big bottle. I guess on the<br />

ice they had to go by our rules and off the ice we had<br />

to go by theirs.<br />

On another occasion, when Cliff and I were in Drayton,<br />

I don’t remember much about the game except near<br />

the end, the puck went over the boards and, of course,<br />

someone in the crowd kept it. So, we just got another<br />

puck and finished the game. As we were going off the ice,<br />

I felt the breeze of a puck go past my nose – lucky that I<br />

didn’t swallow it! A hazard of the game is that you don’t<br />

know what the crowd will do.<br />

Another time Wiarton and Owen Sound were involved in<br />

a playoff series and it was tied at three games each. They<br />

asked Alf to send referees that they had never had before.<br />

Bruce Griffith and I were sent to the game. It was a great<br />

game, but Wiarton lost 3-2. After the game, the teams<br />

were shaking hands at centre ice and the Wiarton coach<br />

came walking across to where we were. Bruce turned to<br />

me and said, “We may have a problem.” But the coach<br />

just said, “Boys, that’s the best refereed game we’ve had in<br />

a long time.” He shook both our hands. That is something<br />

referees don’t see very often and it is a nice memory.<br />

In 1976, the International Plowing Match was held<br />

near Walkerton. I was working with Howick Mutual<br />

20 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y Max Demaray<br />

HISTORY<br />

Insurance Company at the time and<br />

giving out yardsticks. I was standing<br />

there, yardstick in hand, when Bobby<br />

Hull came into our exhibit. He<br />

autographed the yardstick for me,<br />

and I took it with me in 2017 when<br />

Dennis Hull was in Goderich and<br />

he autographed that same stick. In<br />

2018, Justin Peters, a former NHL<br />

goalie from Blyth, autographed<br />

it for me and then in 2019, local<br />

hero, Stanley Cup champ and<br />

Conn Smythe Trophy winner<br />

Ryan O’Reilly etched his name on<br />

it. Finally, in 2020, Stephen Miller<br />

gave me a Boston Bruins puck and<br />

baseball cap with “Zebras Care”<br />

written on it, and an autographed<br />

sweater with his number 89 on it.<br />

My keepsakes include books<br />

written and autographed by<br />

Ken Dryden and Kerry Fraser.<br />

With each of the keepsakes, I<br />

was fortunate enough to have<br />

10- or 15-minute conversations<br />

with these hockey legends. My<br />

collection is probably the only<br />

one like it in the world and I<br />

consider myself incredibly lucky<br />

to have met these men.<br />

In May 2014, Walter Gretzky came to the Dublin<br />

Mercantile Store. I was there to invite him to our Crime<br />

Stoppers Golf Tournament. He and I had about 15<br />

minutes with just the two of us to visit. He asked me if I<br />

was involved in hockey and I told him that I was a referee.<br />

He laughed and said, “No wonder you wear glasses, you<br />

can’t see,” and gave me a pat on the back.<br />

He said that he would love to come to the tournament<br />

and asked if I knew what his handicap was. I said “No,<br />

I have no idea.” He replied, “The other three guys that<br />

I play with.” We shared another chuckle. He was just a<br />

fantastic down-to-earth guy to visit with.<br />

Refereeing has changed over the years, just as the game<br />

has changed. Players are much bigger, rules have evolved,<br />

but the basic love of the game remains. Most nights when<br />

a game is on, I will watch it on TV and keep an eye out to<br />

see that the referees are doing a good job.<br />

For young refs, I offer the advice to know the rulebook<br />

thoroughly, try to keep your cool, and keep your skates<br />

sharp.<br />

Max Demaray, a great-great grandfather, and retired farmer,<br />

insurance adjustor and bus driver, spent many years in arenas across<br />

southern Ontario, and now enjoys hearing stories from his son and<br />

great-grandson, who are also referees. He lives in Brussels where he’s<br />

been an active member of the Lions Club for over 40 years, and a<br />

Legion member for 35.<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 21


FINANCE<br />

Estate<br />

PLANNING<br />

PROVIDE FOR YOUR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY<br />

BY ROXY RAE<br />

22 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y Roxy Rae<br />

FINANCE<br />

Let’s be honest, no one wants to think about their own<br />

mortality.<br />

Like it or not, it’s something each and every one of us<br />

will have to face – hopefully later. Much, much later. But<br />

detailing what you want to happen with your finances<br />

and assets after you’re gone is important.<br />

In the spring of 2020, when the global pandemic was first<br />

announced and the world shut down, estate planners and<br />

online will sites saw a sharp increase in people creating<br />

and updating their wills as they contemplated the worst.<br />

While it shouldn’t take a global pandemic to put your<br />

wishes on paper, it has opened the conversation for many<br />

families – how do I want to be remembered?<br />

Of course, providing for your family and loved ones is a<br />

priority, but perhaps you’ve been a lifelong volunteer for<br />

an organization or there’s a cause that is close to your<br />

heart and you want to see it supported after you’re gone.<br />

Have you considered including a charitable gift in your<br />

estate and financial planning? You can provide for your<br />

family and support the causes you care about most. You<br />

don’t have to choose.<br />

It has been estimated that only five per cent of Canadians<br />

have included a charitable donation in their wills. Over<br />

the next 10 years, if that number can be increased by as<br />

little as 3.5 per cent, it would result in $40 billion being<br />

directed to charities. The past 18 months have opened our<br />

eyes to the vulnerability of the charitable sector and how<br />

much it relies on individual donations and fundraising<br />

events, so you can imagine what that kind of increase in<br />

donations would mean to your favourite charity.<br />

You may ask yourself, ‘How can I support my loved<br />

ones and the charities I love? I’m not a wealthy person.’<br />

Wills are powerful tools and it’s easier than you think,<br />

no matter the size of your estate. Many gifts left in wills<br />

are larger than anyone could leave during their lifetime,<br />

creating meaningful impact.<br />

If you are thinking of leaving a gift to charity in your<br />

estate planning, here are some things to consider:<br />

Discuss your plan and your passions with loved<br />

ones. Having an open conversation with your loved<br />

ones about your passions and causes close to your heart<br />

will provide insight and understanding into your wishes.<br />

It may spark inspiration and get others involved in<br />

charitable giving and volunteering.<br />

What kind of impact do you want your gift to<br />

make? Depending on the size of your estate gift, you<br />

may want to consider a more strategic giving plan. Large<br />

gifts can be impactful to any organization, but instead<br />

of providing one lump sum to your charity perhaps<br />

you’d prefer to support them over several years, or<br />

maybe forever. In that case, you may want to consider<br />

creating an endowment fund at your local Community<br />

Foundation. You can outline the terms of your fund<br />

during your lifetime to ensure the cause you’re passionate<br />

about has financial support forever. Every organization,<br />

no matter the size, has costs to run their programs and<br />

projects. Supporting their operating costs, or a specific<br />

project, year-over-year through an endowment fund will<br />

give them the freedom to focus on the good work they<br />

are meant to do and worry less about fundraising to keep<br />

the lights on.<br />

Explore your estate planning options. This is<br />

where your advisor plays a key role. Communicate with<br />

them so they can provide customized solutions for your<br />

unique situation. The reality is that your estate will be<br />

taxed, likely more than you’d like, and your advisors can<br />

help maximize tax advantages – in life and through your<br />

estate – for your specific situation. Making a charitable<br />

donation will allow you to direct where your money goes,<br />

while reducing – and sometimes, even eliminating – the<br />

taxes to be paid from your estate. Again, talk with your<br />

advisors for what is best for you.<br />

Gifts in wills. Making a gift through your will, also<br />

known as a bequest, isn’t hard and it can be as simple<br />

as including a clause in your existing will. You will need<br />

to consider how much you want to leave – is it a specific<br />

sum? Or would you prefer to leave a percentage of your<br />

residual estate? Leaving just five per cent of your estate<br />

to charity will provide a generous donation while leaving<br />

95 per cent of your estate for your loved ones. Discuss<br />

your intentions with your lawyer and they can explain<br />

the options that are right for you.<br />

Gifts through life insurance. There are three ways<br />

to leave a gift of life insurance, each providing their own<br />

tax benefits, including:<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 23


FINANCE<br />

• Purchasing a new policy and naming the charity as<br />

the owner/beneficiary. You’ll receive a charitable tax<br />

receipt every time you pay the premium and 100 per<br />

cent of the proceeds will go to the named charity.<br />

• Donating an existing term policy. If your existing<br />

term policy is up for renewal or about to expire<br />

and you don’t want its coverage, you can choose to<br />

donate it and receive an immediate tax receipt for<br />

the fair market value.<br />

• Naming the charity as a beneficiary of your existing<br />

life insurance policy. Your estate will receive a tax<br />

receipt when the proceeds are paid out.<br />

Like the idea of leaving a gift in your will, but<br />

want to see the impact the gift will have in your<br />

lifetime?<br />

While donations made in life are less than what would be<br />

left to a charity from an estate, they are still important and<br />

valued donations to help your chosen charity complete<br />

its important work. Providing donations during your<br />

lifetime allows the charity to build a trusting relationship<br />

with you, the donor, and can give you the opportunity to<br />

become more engaged with the organization’s work. You<br />

will see the impact of your immediate gift, as well as what<br />

your larger estate gift will mean to the organization.<br />

During your lifetime gifts can be made by:<br />

• Cash/credit cards<br />

• Gift of securities (stocks, shares, government bonds)<br />

• Gifts from registered funds like RRSPs,<br />

RRIFs or TFSAs<br />

• Gifts of real estate<br />

Check with the organization before initiating a donation<br />

to ensure they can accept the type of gift you’d like to<br />

make. Some smaller organizations may need to work with<br />

another organization, like a Community Foundation or<br />

through CanadaHelps, to accept gifts of securities or real<br />

estate.<br />

Let the charity know of your intentions.<br />

It can be important to let the charity know that you have<br />

included them in your estate planning. You don’t need<br />

to share how much you are leaving them and you don’t<br />

need to be included in their “legacy societies” if you<br />

choose not to be, though being named can encourage<br />

other like-minded individuals to leave a gift in their will.<br />

By choosing to share your intentions with the charity<br />

you can work with them to outline how you’d like your<br />

24 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y Roxy Rae<br />

FINANCE<br />

gift allocated. Perhaps you’d like to support a specific<br />

program or capital campaign that is important to you or<br />

your gift can be unrestricted. Leaving an unrestricted gift<br />

can show you trust the organization and allows them to<br />

use your donation in whatever way is needed at the time<br />

the gift is received.<br />

While every charity does its best to predict future needs<br />

through research and planning, there can be unforeseen<br />

needs arise too. Five years ago, not many would have<br />

predicted a worldwide pandemic, shifting businesses<br />

to work remotely and social gatherings to happen over<br />

Zoom (even grandparents!), but here we are.<br />

As mentioned earlier, if your plans include creating an<br />

endowment fund that will provide annual support to<br />

your favourite cause forever, it is also advised to speak<br />

with your local Community Foundation or wherever the<br />

fund is created, to outline your wishes and draft a fund<br />

agreement. This can alleviate unnecessary stress for your<br />

loved ones during their time of grieving. Pre-planning<br />

can also encourage your family to be involved in the<br />

process of creating a fund and you can name them as<br />

future advisors. It is a way for your loved ones to remain<br />

connected to you through your charitable giving long<br />

after you’re gone.<br />

Whether you wish to support the causes close to your<br />

heart during your lifetime, through your estate, or<br />

both, it is possible to provide for your family and your<br />

community through a well thought out legacy plan.<br />

Roxy Rae is the Marketing and Outreach Manager of the Stratford<br />

<strong>Perth</strong> Community Foundation – a registered charitable foundation<br />

serving Stratford, St. Marys, and <strong>Perth</strong> County. As partners in<br />

philanthropy for the region, the SPCCF helps donors fulfill their<br />

charitable goals today with legacies that will last forever. Visit<br />

www.spccf.ca for more information or contact Roxy directly at<br />

roxy@spccf.ca.<br />

BY PLAYING A CRITICAL ROLE IN<br />

CANADA’S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE.<br />

brucepower.com<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 25


HEALTH AND WELLNESS<br />

Rock,<br />

not<br />

roll<br />

MODERN TECHNOLOGY HELPS KEEP<br />

US MOBILE BY DR. SUSAN HUNTER<br />

AND MARGUERITE OBERLE THOMAS<br />

26 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y Dr. Susan Hunter & Marguerite Oberle Thomas<br />

HEALTH AND WELLNESS<br />

We were the coolest generation. We had the best<br />

music, the best hair, and lots of peace and love.<br />

We had it all, just like Bogie and Bacall. Now, we may<br />

need to get a little help from our friends.<br />

The same people who remember Woodstock probably<br />

no longer dream about being on that farm, climbing that<br />

hill. Today we love our creature comforts. However, we’re<br />

fortunate that we still can stay on the move with the help<br />

of modern technology and devices.<br />

It starts out innocently enough. One day we get up from<br />

a chair and our knee or hip feels a bit wonky. It keeps<br />

happening, so we take over-the-counter pain medication<br />

and maybe try those rubs that are advertised on TV.<br />

Unfortunately, it gets a bit worse over time, but then<br />

someone has a cane that is no longer needed, so we give<br />

it a try, putting our weight on the cane on the side that<br />

hurts, not knowing that the cane should be used on the<br />

side opposite of the one that is causing us problems for it<br />

to reduce the pain.<br />

We mean well, but would be much better off by rethinking<br />

our self-care by getting professional help.<br />

As we are fortunate enough to grow older, we may notice<br />

a shift in our gait. We don’t necessarily do that brisk and<br />

purposeful walk of our youth, rushing here and there.<br />

Now, we slow down a bit and look for hazards that might<br />

cause us to trip or to interfere with our path. What we do<br />

is still very meaningful; we just need to do it somewhat<br />

differently. That can sometimes mean being prescribed a<br />

gait aid, such as a cane or four-wheeled walker. About 25<br />

per cent of older adults in Canada use a gait aid.<br />

Mobility, which is our ability to move freely and<br />

independently through our home and community, is<br />

fundamental to successful and active aging. Unfortunately,<br />

mobility disability is common in adults over age 65,<br />

affecting one-third of older adults, who report difficulty<br />

with climbing stairs and walking. Additionally, about 20<br />

to 30 per cent of adults over age 65 will fall at least once<br />

each year, and half of the people who do fall will have<br />

recurrent falls. <strong>Fall</strong>s in older adults is the leading cause of<br />

injury-related hospitalizations, and the absolute number<br />

of falls occurring among this group is increasing. (Public<br />

Health Agency of Canada, Senior’s <strong>Fall</strong> Report, 2014)<br />

WHEN SEEING A PROFESSIONAL<br />

• Discuss your needs, preferences and concerns.<br />

• Ask how these assistive devices can meet your<br />

needs. Will they help with independence, mobility<br />

and being out socially?<br />

• Determine if these devices help you to age at<br />

home and if they improve your quality of life.<br />

• Request to see a variety of samples and choose<br />

the one that is most attractive and useful to you.<br />

• Find out what decision aids are available about<br />

assistive devices and resources for publicly<br />

funded programs and charities to aid in the cost.<br />

• Obtain information as to the timing and frequency<br />

of maintenance and repairs for your device.<br />

Adapted from the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal July 29, 2020, https://<br />

www.mcmasteroptimalaging.org/blog/detail/blog/2020/07/29/<br />

assistive-technologies-it-s-not-for-me-i-m-not-there-yet<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 27


HEALTH AND WELLNESS<br />

by Dr. Susan Hunter & Marguerite Oberle Thomas<br />

The World Health Organization predicts that by 2050, the<br />

number of people aged 60 and over will reach two billion.<br />

Many of them will experience physical and cognitive changes<br />

associated with aging, including vision loss, hearing, memory,<br />

strength problems, and mobility challenges.<br />

Osteoarthritis of the hip and knee affects about 45 per<br />

cent of Canadians over age 60. This condition causes<br />

joint pain and stiffness, which can lead people to restrict<br />

their activities or sustain a fall. A restriction in physical<br />

activity has the adverse consequence of leading to muscle<br />

weakness, reduced endurance, and balance problems,<br />

which makes us more at risk for mobility disability. The<br />

good news is that the proper use of a cane can relieve<br />

pain by reducing stresses on the affected joint and allow<br />

greater levels of activity with better comfort. To use a<br />

cane, use it in the hand opposite to the affected leg to<br />

reduce pain.<br />

Also, as we get older, many body functions change slowly<br />

with time; our sight, hearing, muscles and nervous system<br />

can all decline, and these can contribute to mobility<br />

disability. Changes in our gait includes walking slower,<br />

and reduced or stiff movement in our hips, knees and<br />

ankles, which means we take shorter steps. We become<br />

more unsteady. A gait aid can compensate by providing<br />

28 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


y Dr. Susan Hunter & Marguerite Oberle Thomas<br />

HEALTH AND WELLNESS<br />

engagement and social participation, including a possible<br />

recommendation to use a gait aid.<br />

HAZARDS OF USING GAIT AIDS<br />

• Incorrect fit and/or inadequate training due to<br />

obtaining aids without professional consultation.<br />

• Device or aid may not safely be maintained.<br />

• Devices that require hands-on use for holding<br />

may interfere with effectively reaching for support<br />

when there is a loss of balance.<br />

• Devices can use up a lot of our powers of<br />

concentration if we are trying to multi-task.<br />

extra support, which gives us the independence to<br />

continue to be engaged with activities in our community.<br />

If you’re having problems with walking, it’s important to<br />

see a health care professional. A health review can provide<br />

options to improve your gait, comfort, and continued<br />

Gait aids can help increase balance, strength,<br />

coordination, and broaden our base of support. They<br />

can also help relieve pain and compensate for weightbearing<br />

in one or both lower extremities. You should<br />

get an aid or device before a crisis, because we learn best<br />

when we feel well and eager. Your gait aid should provide<br />

the appropriate amount of support, be customized<br />

for you and meet your individual needs for your life<br />

and circumstances. It’s important to be aware that the<br />

incorrect type, inappropriate size, unsafe use, and lack of<br />

mechanical maintenance are all problems that may mean<br />

you don’t get the benefits you should.<br />

When a health care professional helps you choose your<br />

new gait aid, all these factors are considered to ensure that,<br />

with a little help from our friends, we can still have our<br />

independence and quality of life maintained or improved.<br />

Dr. Susan Hunter is an Associate Professor in the School of<br />

Physical Therapy at the University of Western Ontario. She has<br />

been a physical therapist for 30 years and completed her PhD in<br />

2009, evaluating fall risk in community-dwelling older adults.<br />

Dr. Hunter’s research interests are the rehabilitation of older adults<br />

and their experience of falls, frailty and mobility decline. She is the<br />

Vice-President of the International Association of Physiotherapists<br />

Working with Older People (IPTOP). Marguerite Oberle Thomas,<br />

RN., BScN., is the Consultant Liaison for the <strong>Fall</strong> Prevention<br />

Community of Practice (www/fallsloop.com), sponsored by<br />

Parachute (www.parachute.ca). She is also a senior devoted to<br />

preventing injuries and a former caregiver.<br />

Lasting Legacy<br />

the Promise of Tomorrow<br />

Ordinary people show Extraordinary generosity by<br />

leaving legacy gifts to our hospital in their wills<br />

‘Ask about our 10 Year Impact Funds’<br />

SGHFOUNDATION.ORG<br />

519.272.8210 EXT. 2626<br />

FALL <strong>2021</strong> • 29


FOOD & DRINK<br />

Pumpkin sour<br />

cream cheesecake<br />

Preparation time: 15 minutes<br />

Cooking time: 1 hour, 30 minutes<br />

Servings: 18<br />

INGREDIENTS<br />

Filling:<br />

2 lb Cream cheese, softened<br />

1 cup granulated sugar<br />

4 eggs, lightly beaten<br />

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten<br />

3 tbsp all-purpose flour<br />

2 tsp cinnamon<br />

1 tsp ginger<br />

1 tsp cloves<br />

½ tsp all-spice<br />

1 cup whipping cream<br />

1¾ cup cooked Pumpkin purée<br />

Crust;<br />

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs<br />

3 tbsp butter, melted<br />

2 tbsp granulated sugar<br />

Topping:<br />

1½ cups sour cream<br />

3 tbsp granulated sugar<br />

1 tsp vanilla<br />

Chocolate glaze:<br />

2 oz semi-sweet chocolate<br />

1 tsp butter<br />

Instructions:<br />

Crust: In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs, butter and sugar.<br />

Press into bottom and halfway up sides of a 10-inch springform<br />

pan. Bake in 325 F oven for eight to 10 minutes or until<br />

browned. Let cool on wire rack. Grease sides of pan.<br />

Filling: In large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until fluffy.<br />

Beat in eggs, egg yolks, flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and<br />

allspice, beating well after each addition. Beat in cream. Add<br />

pumpkin purée; beat until blended. Pour into prepared crust<br />

and bake in 425 F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 275 F<br />

and bake for one hour longer or until centre of cake is barely<br />

firm to the touch. Immediately run knife around rim to loosen<br />

cake. Turn oven off; let cheesecake cool in oven with door ajar<br />

(a wooden spoon stuck in between the door and oven works<br />

well).<br />

Topping: In a bowl, stir together sour cream, sugar and vanilla;<br />

evenly spread over cooled cheesecake. Bake in 450 F oven five<br />

to seven minutes or until set. Let cool in pan on wire rack.<br />

Chocolate glaze: In the top of a double boiler, over hot (not<br />

boiling) water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth.<br />

Using waxed paper cone to piping bag, drizzle chocolate over<br />

cheesecake to make a jack-o’lantern face.<br />

Refrigerate covered for up to one day.<br />

Recipe courtesy of Foodland Ontario<br />

30 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM


OUR TEAM<br />

Wayne Young<br />

President/Funeral Director<br />

Greg Young<br />

Managing Funeral Director<br />

Don Munro<br />

Funeral Director<br />

David Ayers<br />

Funeral Director<br />

Tonia Catcher<br />

Pre-Arrangement & Estate<br />

Care Counselor<br />

Marcel Peper<br />

Funeral Director<br />

Basic Simple Cremation<br />

• Arrangements with family/executor<br />

• Transfer from place of death (100km)<br />

• Unlimited Death Certificates<br />

• Province of Ontario Death Registration<br />

• Coroner’s Cremation Certificate<br />

• Cremation Casket • Cost of cremation<br />

• Transfer of deceased to crematorium<br />

• Transfer of cremated remains back to family/executor<br />

• Cancellation of Canada Pension and Old Age Security<br />

• Filing of CPP Death Benefit, Survivor’s<br />

Benefit and OAS Survivor’s Benefit<br />

• Funeral Home Estate Care Booklet and<br />

Meeting with Estate Care Counsellor<br />

$1895.00 *plus HST and NO HIDDEN FEES<br />

Contact us today to get started.<br />

519.271.7411<br />

wgyoungfuneralhome.com<br />

430 <strong>Huron</strong> Street<br />

Stratford, ON N5A 5T7


Thank you!<br />

Every issue of <strong>Huron</strong>-<strong>Perth</strong> <strong>Boomers</strong><br />

is always available online at<br />

www.huronperthboomers.com<br />

Your support during<br />

these difficult times<br />

has meant the world<br />

to us and other<br />

businesses in<br />

<strong>Huron</strong> and <strong>Perth</strong><br />

counties.<br />

To advertise or write for our Winter <strong>2021</strong>/22 issue, contact<br />

Amy at 519-524-0101 or amy@huronperthboomers.com<br />

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