Video Games and Seniors

Video games that exercise the brain are becoming the new cultural phenomenon among boomers. Just as physical exercise maintains body tone, strength, and endurance, mental exercising has positive conditioning effects for people of all ages

The hot new video game “Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day” flexes the brain muscles with training exercises like simple math problems, memory and other brain puzzles. Gamers are instructed to “train” once a day and then test their brain age. The lower the better (in so much as a 20-year-old brain is more desirable than, say, a 75-year-old brain.)

The game, designed for the Nintendo DS (Dual Screen) portable Gameboy, tracks a gamer’s progress and provides updates on improvement. Using voice commands and handwritten responses, the game produces increasingly challenging exercises and puzzles. Mental “work outs” include counting people going in and out of a house simultaneously, drawing pictures on the Touch Screen and reading classical literature out loud. Gamers also have the option to play Sudoku, the popular puzzle game.

“Brain age is launching at a time when Canadians clearly feel the need to keep their minds alive,” said Ron Bertram, Vice President –General Manager, Nintendo Canada. “Nintendo of Canada’s recent survey on mind and body fitness found that more Canadians recognize the importance of keeping their minds fit (85 per cent) than their bodies (79 per cent). With Brain Age, people of all ages can flex their mental muscles daily, even those with little or no video experience.”

The same survey, conducted by Decima Research, found that 90 per cent of Canadians feel that solving puzzles and playing board games are good for stimulating the mind.

“Nintendo’s Brain Age could be just one element of a brain healthy lifestyle that includes mental stimulation, physical exercise, social interaction, and a brain healthy diet,” said Dr. Sharon Cohen, Director, Toronto Memory Program and Assistant Professor, University of Toronto. “Brain Age is a great way for people to challenge their mental flexibility.”

Inspired by prominent Japanese neuroscientist Ryuta Kawashima, Brain Age is built around the use of real-time imaging which can track which portions of the brain are being used while doing different things. While traditional video games stimulate portions of the brain used for movement and vision, brain games stimulate the important frontal lobes where learning, memory, emotion and impulse control take place.

A Japanese version of the game has sold more than two million copies and is being used in Japanese hospitals and memory clinics to provide patients with a fun and easy mental workout.

Research indicates mental acuity can be strengthened similar to muscles with brain exercises. Major studies on aging over the past 25 years (Svanborg and colleagues in Sweden, Duke University, and the National Institute on Aging) support the findings that "mental (and physical) decline with aging is not inevitable".

The American Alzheimer’s Society offers these ten tips to maintain mental fitness:

1. Head first. Good health starts with your brain. It’s one of the most important body organs and needs care and maintenance.

2. Take brain health To heart. Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s.

3. Numbers count. Keep your body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels within recommended ranges.

4. Feed your brain. Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet that features dark-skinned vegetables and fruits, foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins E and C, B12, folate and Omega-3 fatty acids.

5. Work your body. Physical exercise keeps the blood flowing and encourages new brain cells. It doesn’t have to be a strenuous activity; do what you can—walking 30 minutes a day—to keep both body and mind active.

6. Jog your mind. Keeping your brain active and engaged increases its vitality and builds reserves of brain cells and connections. Read, write, play games, do crossword puzzles.

7. Connect with others. Leisure activities that combine physical, mental and social elements are most likely to prevent dementia. Be social, converse, volunteer, join.

8. Heads up! Protect Your Brain. Take precautions against injuries. Use your car seat belts, de-clutter your house to avoid falls, and wear a helmet when cycling.

9. Use your head. Avoid unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking excessive alcohol or using street drugs.

10. Think ahead. You can do something today to protect your tomorrow.



thanks to Cynthia Ross Cravit for this great article

Coffee and Calories

Coffee has gone beyond basic black. Whether you make it yourself or sip it at your favorite coffee bar, you can choose from plain, flavored, whipped, topped, iced and even frozen versions. A plain cup of brewed coffee has zero fat and only a couple of calories. But it's how you "dress up" your coffee with "extras" that can make a difference in its fat, sugar and calorie count.

Coffee "extras"	Serving size	Fat (grams)	Carbs (grams)	Calories
Cream	1 tablespoon	6	0	50
Half-and-half	1 tablespoon	2	0	20
Plain nondairy creamer (liquid)	1 tablespoon	1.5	2	20
Plain, light nondairy creamer (liquid)	1 tablespoon	0.5	2	10
Flavored nondairy creamer (liquid)	1 tablespoon	2	2	40
Flavored, reduced-fat nondairy creamer (liquid)	1 tablespoon	0	5	20
Plain nondairy creamer (powder)	1 tablespoon	2	3	30
Plain, light nondairy creamer (powder)	1 tablespoon	1	4	25
Flavored nondairy creamer (powder)	1 tablespoon	2.5	7	50
Flavored, reduced-fat nondairy creamer (powder)	1 tablespoon	0	8	38
Whole milk	1 tablespoon	0.5	1	10
Fat-free milk	1 tablespoon	0	1	5
Sugar	1 teaspoon	0	4	15
Flavored syrup	2 tablespoons	0	20	80

Note: Values shown are an average of several brands.

What goes into the brew that you buy at your local coffee bar also matters. For example, here's how your choice of milk affects the calories, fat and carbohydrate content of a 16-ounce cup of latte at one popular coffee franchise.

Starbucks caffe latte espresso (16 ounces)	Fat	Carbs	Calories
Whole milk	14 grams	21 grams	260
Fat-free milk	0 grams	24 grams	160

Caffeine the stimulant

Caffeine is a mild stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate and many soft drinks. Too much caffeine can cause nervousness and jitters. It may also increase your blood pressure. The amount of caffeine in two to three cups of coffee can raise systolic pressure 3 to 14 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and diastolic pressure 4 to 13 mm Hg in people without high blood pressure.

It isn't clear how caffeine increases blood pressure. Some research has found that people who regularly drink caffeine have a higher average blood pressure than those who drink none. Other research has suggested that regular consumers of caffeine develop a tolerance to it — and as a result, caffeine doesn't have a long-term effect on their blood pressure.

In another twist, a 12-year study of 155,000 women found that drinking caffeinated cola may be associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure. However, the same causal relationship was not found with caffeinated coffee. In fact, the study suggested that women who drink caffeinated coffee may actually have a reduced risk of high blood pressure.

Among people who don't consume caffeine on a regular basis, caffeine can cause a temporary but sharp rise in blood pressure. Exactly what causes this spike in blood pressure is uncertain. Some researchers suggest that caffeine narrows blood vessels by blocking the effects of adenosine, a hormone that helps keep them widened. Caffeine may also stimulate the adrenal gland to release more cortisol and adrenaline, which cause your blood pressure to increase.

As a precaution, some doctors recommend limiting caffeine to 200 milligrams a day — about the same amount as in two 12-ounce cups of brewed coffee. Keep in mind that the amount of caffeine in coffee and soft drinks varies by brand. Also, avoid caffeine right before activities that naturally increase your blood pressure, such as exercise, weightlifting or hard physical labor.

Coffee " good or bad"

Coffee has a long history of being blamed for many ills — from the humorous, "It will stunt your growth" to the not-so-humorous claim that it causes heart disease and cancer. But some recent research indicates that coffee may not be so bad after all. So which is it — good or bad for your health? The best answer may be: It doesn't seem to hurt and it may help.

One large study of 128,000 men and women showed no increase in the risk of heart disease from drinking filtered coffee. The findings — which will publish on May 2, 2006, in the journal "Circulation" — indicated that it didn't matter how much coffee participants drank.

But another study of 4,000 coffee drinkers published in March 2006 in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" found that two or more cups of coffee a day can increase the risk of heart disease in people with a specific genetic mutation that slows the breakdown of caffeine in the body.

The design of a study can have some effect on the interpretation of results, which may be another reason for the different conclusions. Given the large number of participants in the study that showed no risk, it would be reasonable to conclude that coffee poses little or no threat to health.

However, this is not to say that you should disregard the old maxim, "Everything in moderation." Although coffee may not be harmful, other beverages such as milk and juice contain important nutrients that coffee does not.

Regarding other health effects of coffee, some evidence suggests that drinking coffee may protect against type 2 diabetes and colon cancer. But there is much more evidence of a protective effect from fruits, vegetables and whole grains than from coffee. So enjoy your coffee as part of a healthy diet that includes a wide variety of foods.

Protecting your Pension

Is Ottawa paying attention?

Article By: Gordon Pape

A few weeks ago, I wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper in which I encouraged his government to move quickly to address the serious issues facing current and future retirees and, in particular, the looming crisis in our private pension sector.

I certainly did not expect any quick reaction from Mr. Harper – he has plenty of other matters on his plate right now. Rather, I hoped to sow some seeds of concern among politicians and the public that might lead to a higher prioritization for these issues in the coming months.

Since I wrote that letter, two new developments have occurred that underscore the need for new policies to be introduced before the huge wave of baby boomers leaves the labour force – and remember, the leading edge of the boomers turns 60 this year.

First, health care benefits for retirees, an issue which has been increasingly in the news. Hewitt Associates, a highly-respected human resources company with international operations, recently released the results of a survey it conducted among 218 Canadian companies that now offer post-retirement health benefits plan. Hewitt found that 57 per cent of the firms plan to reduce these benefits over the next three years. Another 4 per cent said they will eliminate them entirely. Almost all cited the rising costs of health care as one of the main reasons for the move.

“The affordability of post-retirement health care benefits weighs heavily on the minds of companies,” said Naveen Kapahi, a senior benefits consultant in Hewitt’s Vancouver office. “Escalating health care costs, combined with the economic and political changes currently under way in Canada, will force many to actively look at strategies beyond traditional cost-shifting to manage rising health care costs.”

These are expected to include reduction in total coverage, stricter eligibility requirements, and increased cost sharing by retirees. In short, retirees will have to pay more of their personal health care costs in the years ahead than they expected, or budgeted for.

We recently saw an example of this in the U.S. where General Motors announced that it will cut health benefits for retirees in an effort to reduce costs. GM hasn’t done this yet in Canada but it appears to be only a matter of time.

Switching to the pension plan problem, there was a little-noticed court decision in New Brunswick that could turn out to be a milestone in the battle over retiree rights. Citing Charter issues, a judge granted a temporary injunction on Feb. 28 that stops the New Brunswick government from arbitrarily redistributing the assets of an underfunded pension plan set up for workers of the now-closed St. Anne Nackawic pulp mill.

The action, launched on behalf of 250 former mill workers who are paying the fees out of their own pockets, aims at overturning a provincial law which would have the effect of cutting the pensions of Nackawic retirees by anywhere from 27 per cent to 35 per cent. That money would be redistributed to employees who were under 55 at the time of the closure.

“It would mean that some people would lose their cars and maybe even their homes,” Craig Melanson, himself a retiree and spokesman for the group, told me. “The judge agreed, saying it would cause ‘irreparable harm’ to pensioners and violate their Charter rights.”

This is a real David versus Goliath battle: a small group of retirees from a town few people have ever heard of taking on a provincial government. So far the underdog is winning but this fight has just begun and it could conceivably end up at the Supreme Court of Canada a few years from now.

Given the large number of underfunded pension plans in Canada, the Nackawic fight may be just the start of a long series of political and legal battles. That’s why I believe it’s important to tackle these issues now, before they explode in our faces. Let’s hope someone in Ottawa is paying attention.

This article originally appeared in the Internet Wealth Builder, a weekly e-mail newsletter that provides timely financial advice from some of Canada's top money experts. For more information about becoming an Internet Wealth Builder member, go to http://www.buildingwealth.ca/promotion/50plusproducts.htm

Income Tax time is running out

If you have not collected all of your tax slips yet, here is a good method for getting ready to file.


Sympatico / MSN's tax preparation checklist
Posted 2/2/2006

By UFile.ca

We all know that the hardest part of filing your tax return can be pulling it all together. To help you out, we have put together this handy checklist of all the things to do to get started filing your tax return with UFile.

1. Collect all your tax slips. Tip: Look in all the spots where you normally put important papers that come in the mail.

2. Separate your tax slips according to the name appearing on the slip: yours, your spouse's, your son's, your daughter's, etc.

3. Organize them within those piles according to the type of slip: T4, T5, charitable donations, etc.

4. Make sure you know everyone's social insurance number. (Yes, even the kids', who should have a SIN so you can open an RESP for them if you haven’t already.)

5. Consider expenses for which you don't get a slip (e.g. your safety deposit box).

6. Tally up your medical expenses. It’s a good idea to make a list. Sort them by date, and consider using a non-calendar year-end in order to benefit from more medical expenses in a given 12-month period.

7. Finally, pull out last year's tax returns and assessments and find out what deductions you’re able to carry forward. This includes items such as your RRSP deduction limit, charitable donations carryforwards, medical expenses -- if you don’t claim them in the calendar year – as well as unused home office expenses for SOHO folks. Tip: If you used UFile last tax season, you will find this carryforward information waiting for you when you return this year.

Now for the easy part: Sign in to Sympatico.MSN Tax powered by UFile with the same user ID and password you used last year, or launch your UFile program from your desktop. Enter the information from the slips you have for each family member into their respective files.

Remember, UFile will calculate transfers and optimizations of charitable donations and medical expenses, and provide for such important credits as the eligible dependant amount, any amount for infirm dependants, and provincial tax credits.

Here’s one final tip: don’t be in a hurry! Once you have prepared your return, wait a day or two and then go back and review it. You may think of something you left out or find an input error you did not see before.

Your health

On the way home today I was listening to the radio and one of the comments from one of the hosts of the program said, " If you have a two storey house you should keep a set of cleaning supplies on the second floor to save you the climb up and down stairs while doing your house work".

I thought at the time, what a waste of money and opportunity to get some exercise.

But lets go back to what is happening in our society to a lot of us.

All of the news we hear and see on TV, is about the way we are getting heavier and heavier, our children are doing the same.

It seems that we are always looking for ways to do things with the least amount of effort.
There is a price to pay for all of this, the increased risk of a bunch of ailments, which can be traced directly to the lack of exercise and poor eating habits.