January 8, 2025

Caring for the Aging Mind – How to Prioritize Wellness in Later Life

Among the many challenges of aging, mental health is one that is rarely discussed. The normal aging process can bring with it such issues as depression, chronic grief, and anxiety. Older adults need a safe space to discuss these issues, and this month’s seminar will not only provide that, but will allow for open discussion about mental health among seniors.

December 11, 2024

Caring For Yourself Both Physically and Emotionally

We know that maintaining our physical health and mental wellness is important. We also know this takes time and energy. So what can we do when we start taking care of a loved one and that time and energy seems to evaporate? It's important and essential to prioritize our own health and wellness while supporting others, but the reality is that many caregivers just don't have the tools to make this a reality.

November 13, 2024

Downsizing Doesn't Have To Be Limiting - It's Liberating

Lifestyle changes are a natural cycle of life. At some point, we all come to the crossroads where our current lifestyle just doesn't seem to fit anymore. Maybe you're an empty nester, retired or semi-retired. You may have lost your spouse/life partner. Your current home may simply be too large for you. Perhaps some of your friends and neighbours have sold their long-time, cherished home to move into a newer, more manageable residence. Making the decision to downsize isn't easy, but if you change the perspective, it can be a liberating experience.

October 9, 2024

What You Need To Know About Condominiums and Condominium Living

Moving into a condominium is an exciting change for most people who are ready to downsize. It’s the chance to be free of the burden of home maintenance and to have a fresh start in a new home. Condominium complexes are micro-communities and come in a variety of configurations, from self-contained apartments or townhomes that are easy to lock and leave to semi-detached and detached homes where some or all of the exterior maintenance is taken care of for you. Whether you are already living in a condo or contemplating buying one, there is a lot to learn about rules, inclusions, and owner responsibility.

Video replay not available.

September 11, 2024

Updates on Medical Assistance in Dying: Lessons Learned and What Has Changed Since 2016

At this session, Sandra Andreychuk, Advance Health Care Consultant, Health Care Ethisist and Registered Nurse discussed the sensitive and very timely topic of MAID: Medical Assistance in Dying - what it is, what it isn't and what's changed since 2016.  

August 14, 2024

Slippers vs Stilettos: Protecting Your Digital Assets

This month's Empowered Seniors Speaker Series was incredibly enlightening as we learned from Lee Poskanzer (Directive Communications Systems) and Christine Brunsden (Legacy You) about the importance of protecting our digital assets and also safeguarding them to ensure they aren't lost or abused when we pass away or are incapacitated. We also learned that as we accumulate more digital assets over time the longer we wait to plan for our digital footprint will make the process more complex and time consuming. Watch this video to learn more the in's and out's of protecting your digital assets.

July 10, 2024

Top Tips and Tricky Traps of Estate Planning

This month Debbie Stanley,CEO and Senior Estate Administrator, ETP Canada shared a comprehensive look at the key considerations in estate planning, such as the role of an executor, the significance of a well-crafted will, probate procedures, and more. Debbie addressed what is crucial in estate planning, explained what probate entails, and offered strategies to make the process of estate planning and execution as stress-free as possible.

This was an incredibly informative and empowering session!

June 12, 2024

Frauds and Scams - How to Stay Safe and Protect Yourself From Being Scammed

This month, Empowered Seniors Speakers Series welcomed Detective Constable Dwain Newham from Halton Regional Police for a seminar, Frauds & Scams - Stay Safe and Protect Yourself. Detective Newham shared the latest scams happening in Burlington and surrounding communities, strategies to use to avoid becoming a victim, and how to be more aware of fraud.

May 8, 2024

The Truth about Death, Dying and Funerals - Navigating End of Life Decisions

Life's final chapter is inevitable, but our own mortality is not a topic we talk about freely. Planning for death is uncomfortable; but pre arranging one's cemetery arrangements, funeral arrangements or a direct cremation/burial enables you to give your loved ones the gift of knowledge and financial stability when you die.

Many thanks to Laurie Smith (Carpenter Hospice), Tara Mae Rusin and Denyse LeBlanc (Arbor Memorial) and Sarah Sunnucks (Smith's Funeral Home) for their insights, knowledge, and resources to us help address this universal stage of life. Please visit the Reports section of this website to access additional resources provided by the speakers at this session:

Carpenter Hospice April 2024 Newsletter  /  When Loss Feels Overwhelming  /  Life Beyond Death; Green Burials

April 3, 2024

Retirement Communities -They Aren't All The Same

At this session, Jeanette Bock of Fluid Senior Transitions facilitated a panel discussion about the similarities and differences between retirement communities. Panelists included Lindsey Burns - HomeCare Hub, Kim Routledge - Vistamere by Fiieldgate Retirement Home, Sarah Pollice - Burlington Sunrise Senior Living, Lauren Campton - Memory and Company and Burlington Councillor Paul Sharman representing PACE (Program of All Inclusive Care for Elderly).

March 13, 2024

55+ Housing Options

At the March/24 Empowered Seniors Speaker Series, Esther Goldstein and Paul Cutajar, co-owners of the Lifestyle 55+ Network and SeniorCareAccess.com provided an Unbiased Look at Housing Options ... As We Age. They covered various options for independent living right through to Long Term Care. Attendees came away with a better understanding of important considerations to ensure/enhance re housing and their quality of life as the years pass.

February 14, 2024

Ask The Experts - What do Estates, Finances and Taxes Have To Do With Each Other?

This session is packed with financial, legal, and tax information from some of the region’s best estate planners. Neela White, from the Blue Wing Advisory Group Raymond James, Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) Stephen Jones, and lawyer Gosha Sekhon were on hand to discuss and answer question about how to prepare and protect yourself and your estate from unexpected taxes and legal challenges.

January 10, 2024

Healthcare for Seniors - Navigating Ontario's Health Care System for Home and Long Term Care

Start the new year off right with this value-packed seminar! The first presentation of 2024 features a trio of guest speakers who will help you understand the options for home care services, how to access them, and the criteria applied to each.

Taking the time to understand your options for everything from future health care needs to the types of home care are vital to ensure you can maintain your desired quality of living.

There are a lot of choices to be made. Starting by examining your values, wishes, and beliefs can put you on the road to making good decisions, now and into the future. It is vital to be informed, to have a plan, and to appoint someone you trust who can make decisions for you that align with your desires.

December 13, 2023

Discovering Your Gift

Studies have shown that people with strong social ties are generally happier. This is extremely valid for older adults. Social connectivity can give us purpose and meaning, but it also vital to our well-being. Meeting with others and getting out helps us stay well, and it allow us to use our gifts - the things we are good at doing and that lights our spark.

This month, our guest, Rishia Burke, Executive Director of Community Development Halton, brings us an interactive presentation that will help you identify your gifts, learn how to leverage them, and how your gifts can help build a community.

November 8, 2023

Unlocking the Door to Benefits You Didn't Know About

Did you know there is a federal program that offers you a tax break for impairments? The disability Tax Credit is often overlooked by many aging Canadians simply because of the misconception around "disability". The program can offer you or your supporting family member a tax break for prolonged visual or hearing impairments, requiring the use of a wheelchair or walker, and other impairments. The tax credit aims to offset some of the extra costs associated with the impairment.

This month, our guest, Christine Brundsen from Provide Calm Inc. will outline how the criteria for determining what constitutes a disability has changed. She'll explain the qualification criteria, common conditions that qualify and the resulting benefits, credits, and supplements that are available.

October 18, 2023

The Top 10 Topics to Discuss with Your Family

Conversations about finances and future plans are never easy. How do you bring this up with your adult children? How can you open the conversation with your parents?

This month, our guest, Jeanette Bock of Senior Fluid Transitions will offer some guidance on how to start these conversation and why it’s crucially important for you to do so. Jeanette is a passionate and professional consultant who launched her company, Fluid Senior Transitions, in order to help seniors and their families through challenging times and complicated scenarios. She has worked with seniors for the last 8 years, supporting them through decisions about retirement living, and home care, guiding people through crisis situations, later in life transitions and aging in place.

September 13, 2023

Stay In Your Home and 'Age In Place' With Additional Revenue, Increased Equity and Comfort!

This month, our guest, Garth Brown, shared his expertise on creating legal secondary (and tertiary) suites in your home or on your property. Since 2012, Garth, a resident of Oakville, has been building legal secondary suites in homes throughout the GTHA. He knows first-hand that by-laws now allow for additional apartments, and you don't have to ask your neighbours for permission. Building a additional legal dwellings not only adds equity to your home, it can put extra money in your pocket for maintenance, retirement, or your dream vacation.

In addition,Geeta Pathak, Manager - Halton Housing Help discusses supports Halton Housing Help offers seniors wanting to create additional suites in terms of client matching, landlord information and support.

August 9, 2023

What is an Advanced Care Plan and Why Does Everyone Need One?

Nobody wants to spend a minute of their time thinking about an illness or emergency that may never happen. But during a decade as an ICU Registered Nurse, Carly Hickey saw first-hand how unprepared most people were for a debilitating illness, a sudden emergency, or death. She realized most Canadian families are caught off guard by medical emergencies and (un)expected death. Advance care planning is a process to help begin preparations and conversations while we are healthy so we don’t have to deal with these difficult transitions during a medical crisis. It’s better to be prepared than to make decisions under stress.

July 12, 2023

The Silent Worry and Being Prepared Financially for Aging

In Canada, more than 600 people a day turn 65, and almost half of these people will require long-term care. Most of us have nothing saved for that care or even a health crisis and this is the big silent worry. Your plan for affording care shouldn’t be “I hope I just die in my sleep.”

Aging expert Neela White, guided us through what we should know surrounding the challenges of aging and demystifies some common assumptions, the largest being that the government will take care of us.

June 14, 2023

Understanding how your Will, Real Estate law and your Taxes play out on death

Do you know how and when your assets, such as your home or other properties transfer after death? In this seminar, Estate and Real Estate Lawyer Andrea Parliament outlines four methods of transferring assets on death and explain the tax implications of each.

Testimonials

  Marion's knowledge of the neighbourhood and all aspects we should consider when buying a home, her understanding of our needs, her availability and patience, her willingness to revisit and concern of us making the right choice, her prompt answers to all our questions, her guidance through all things legal, together with her pleasant personality is a winning combination. She is a gem!

Peggy Shepherd , Burlington, ON

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