Good news from
the medical front

vintage years

GOOD news today.
From two directions.

Every once in a while,
‘old age gets a little less haz-
ardous to your health, which
- is-lovely. If this keeps up,
hey, sve could find ourselves
still observing and reflecting
“and chiding into the next

i century, and still able to

maintain our: independence.

One of the things to cheer —
us up is that they’re getting a.

handle on osteoporosis,

“which not long ago was still

thought of as a disorder only
in women, and which was

“believed to be pretty irre-

versible.: :
Jt has been established
that men-can suffer from this

‘bone. deterioration in old age:
hough only half as fre---

juently, (One can't help but
think that heavy physical

ny way, hey’ now think.
te where to start

7 uesday, uly 23
100 - 7: ‘00 PM

Thursday, July: 25°
x 4: 00 - 7:00 PM ©

Tues day, July 30°
» 4:00 - 7:00 PM

sibility of developing the
disease by testing one’s bone
nlass.

Thus it may come about
that prevention may soon
become available. Tests have
been established — you
won't believe how simple: it
is revealed through having
an ultrasound of your heel.
Astonishing.

Men and women of any
age are urged {o have this
simple test, and it will be
possible for you and me to
do this beginning July 29,
right through the week to
August 2. It will take place
in the West Van Seniors’
Centre for the first round.
You can call starting now to
make your appointment,

66 It has been

tried and found

exhilarating by
the patients... 99

- 925-7280, or if that's bad

timing, you can plan to get it -
done early in September in
‘North Vancouver (the date
isn’t fixed yet, Ml remind

. you).

The other good news has

‘to do with Alzheimer’s dis-
ease, not with correction, not
"yet, but with an interesting

form of treatment, which

_invalves the lovely memo-
2 Ties all us old people have.

oA young woman whose

.. mother is resting in
a Inglewood Hospital's’

“Drop in Clinies

Alzheimer’s unit called to
tell me about this litde
break-through, and how you
and {can help get it going.

It's a sort of re-creation
of memories that two young
therapists are employing:
those happy times on the
seashore, and in Grandma's
kitchen, warm and gentle
and Joving memories of days
gone by.

It has been tried and
found exhilarating by the
patients, and there are a lot
more memories that they
could re-create if they
weren't short of what you'd
call “props.”

Wilma, one of the two
therapists, the other half
being Rob, tells me they've

found they can recall happy .

memories just by showing a
piece of driftwood, with a
background tape of waves
on the shore, or a sea shell,
or a muffin pan and oven
mitts, or an old-fashioned
meat-grinder.

Faces light up and anima-
tion takes over.

. So it's their hope that you
will dig out that old gold-
framed picture of Great
Uncle George, or the fish-
ing-hat you're ashamed of
* but hang on to, or the rock-
ing-chair you used when the
babies were born. Well, you
know what I mean. .
Memorabilia.

Items from the past can

. trigger happy responses from

these people who are locked
up inside themselves — and_
for a while they are fresh
and young again.

It's called the Gentle
Care System. It needs some
gentle help. Telephone 922-
9394,

St Catherine's Anglican Church
1058 Ridgewood - Edgemont Village

“St Stephen's Catholic Church
; ~ 1360 E 24th Street (at Mountain Hwy)

t. David's United Church
1525 Taylor Way (at Upper Levels Hwy)

If you are unable to attend one of
.these clinics, please call 983-6700
_ to schedule an appointment at

North Shore Health

132 West Esplanade
North Vancouver

NEWS photo Paul McGrath

Snooker face |

LORNE Retty lines one up during the B.C. Senior.
Snooker playoffs at the West Vancouver Seniors’
Centre. The tournament was the Zone 4 qualifier
for the B.C, Senior Games iri Kamloops. Se

A British Columbia Study of Osteoporosis Risk
for Men & Women of Ali Ages
July 29 - Aug. 2.
9:00am - 5:00pm
West Vancouver. Seniors’. Centre :

“, 695 - 21 Street, West Vancouver

Call 925-7280. for your appointment

E All it takes is the time 10 fit out a questionnaire and have an itratound of your” '
heel. Ultrasound and bone densitometer machines can predict the risk of fracture.

Vv Compiete range of
_ professional nursing ..

‘af After hospital care -

/ Home making and’
Cleaning

/¥ Companion / respite care ©

/ infant and Child care
v Paramedical

/ Transportation to appts.

Stephen Wong,’ Pharmacist
CAPSULE COMMENTS

Everyone wants to’ slow up. the. .o

aging process. A diet that goes 2°
tong way toward ‘this goal ineludes :
the allowing reduce far to less thian ‘
30% of toral caloric intake; increase’

“fibre intake to 25-35Gin ee day; :
“eat foods rich in Vitamins and,

beta-carotene, the patie vita-'

if mins; eat tow-fat foods high in cal-
good

cium “and “just

‘We ‘spend “about. 1000" hours. per *
“year eating. Ne can use these hours
to keep our bodies in working

y feeding it t fuck
"Food SGuide i is re idea!

eee to follow. For nutrition:
ct a irpinered

al ‘information, regi

auuidonist. -

y desi important t ‘to be an advocate for

“your own health. Be an active learn-.-
t about all health matters inchiding’
the drugs’ you take. Me! sure can’

‘help there!’ F