The voice of West End seniors.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our engagement question for October! We had many individuals contribute their responses both at Barclay Manor and online. A photo of the responses can be seen below.
The question: What gets you out into your community?
In a summarizing study conducted by Svantesson, Jones, Wolbert, and Alricsson (2015), a positive inverse correlation was found between increase in physical activity and decrease in cognitive decline. The mechanisms for this relationship are being researched, but one theory is that physical activity increases blood flow to and around the brain. This increase in blood flow promotes the release of chemical factors in the brain, which in turn stimulates neurogenesis. Neurogenesis is the growth of brain cells called neurons. The generation of neurons is related to increased memory function and thus decrease in cognitive decline (Svantesson et al., 2015).
As the rain and snow approach, walking outdoors may not be an option for you due to safety concerns. Walking is one of the most accessible forms of physical activity however, and it is heavily encouraged by health and fitness professionals. An alternative to walking outdoors when the weather is poor is to walk indoors, such as in a mall.
We are interested in hosting a Mall Walking Group and we have a willing volunteer leader, but we need people to indicate their interest! We are thinking of having the group walking at 11:30AM on Mondays and/or Wednesdays in Denman Place Mall. Participating in this group involves 30 minutes of walking and socializing at a coffee shop.
If you are interested in signing up, please contact Kaitlin, Manager of Programs, at programs@wesn.ca or 604-669-5051.
Svantesson, U., Jones, J., Wolbert, K., & Alricsson, M. (2015). Impact of Physical Activity on the Self-Perceived Quality of Life in Non-Frail Older Adults. Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, 7(8), 585–593. http://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr2021w
Halloween is just around the corner, and the West End Seniors’ Network has two themed events for the occasion.
First, join us for an interactive play called “Vampire’s Murderous Kiss” on October 24. Doors open at 2:00PM, and the show begins at 2:30PM. Play detective and try to solve the murder! Prizes and food will be offered during the play. Admission is $10, please purchase your ticket from Barclay Manor front desk and register at 604-669-5051.
Second, we will have a costume party on October 31 from 1:30PM – 3:00PM! Show up in your best costume or Halloween-inspired outfit and enjoy treats and activities. Share stories of your trick-or-treating days with your peers! Every attendee in costume will receive a raffle ticket to win a small prize.
You may have noticed some changes at our Kay’s Place location if you have stopped by the Denman Place Mall lately. We have flipped around the furniture to open up the space and increase the focus on our information and referral services.
But if you don’t have a pressing question and instead just want to stop by for a cup of coffee or to read the paper, there is still plenty of space to sit and socialize with your peers.
There are some more changes still to come, but for now we encourage you to come see for yourself what we have to offer at Kay’s Place.
With the closure of the Coast Plaza Hotel above our Kay’s Place and Clothes and Collectibles locations in the Denman Place Mall, we have a new location for our annual Holiday Luncheon.
This year, this event will take place on Sunday, December 10, 2017 at the Century Plaza Hotel at 1015 Burrard Street.
There are just a few tickets left, so please stop by Barclay Manor or Kay’s Place to get yours today!
For more information about this event, please visit our Holiday Luncheon page.