Reading Time: 2 minutes Everyone worries about memory loss, but keep in mind that losing keys is not memory loss. Everyone misplaces their keys sometimes! The Alzheimer’s Society’s 2020 numbers have 569,600 Canadians living with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and almost two-thirds are women, but women live longer than men and Alzheimer’s disease is a disease of older […] Read more
Guide Health: Drugs for your brain’s health
Guide Health: Yes, your eyes are getting old
As you get older, you’ll be bothered more by the glare of headlights, and you’ll find it harder to read small print too. But don’t hesitate to get checked out, especially if you notice any pain
Reading Time: 2 minutes As with any part of your body, your eyes change as they age. Often, in fact, eye conditions are attributed to old age. It is estimated that 500,000 Canadians are affected by macular degeneration, plus 2.5 million by cataracts and 250,000 by glaucoma. These conditions seem to occur in older people more often. They are […] Read more
Guide Health: A cascade you don’t want
Almost everyone can benefit from these measures to avoid taking drugs unnecessarily
Reading Time: 3 minutes You may think of a cascade as a soothing brook bubbling over some rocks, but a prescription cascade is not as pleasant. The term refers to the treatment of the side-effects of one drug when a new second drug is prescribed. These side-effects can be mistakenly identified as a new condition, and of course this […] Read more
Guide Health: Reducing your risk of hearing loss
Hearing loss does increase with age, but that doesn’t mean it’s inevitable. These steps can help provide lifelong hearing protection
Reading Time: 3 minutes The number of times you say “Pardon me” may be the only sign you have that your hearing has gradually lessened. It happens with age, but even so, it’s important to recognize there are steps you can take to reduce your risk and to maximize your hearing. About 10 per cent of all Canadians have […] Read more
Guide Health: When does a bloody nose become worrisome?
Trauma to the nose is usually the cause, but certain medications can also make nosebleeds more easily occur
Reading Time: 2 minutes A nosebleed can be both bothersome and alarming, even if you don’t know its technical name is epistaxis. Most people have at least one nosebleed between the ages of three and 30. Children younger than three usually do not have nosebleeds because they do not often experience nasal damage, and older people may have nosebleeds […] Read more
Guide Health: Memory and drugs
Reading Time: 3 minutes Everyone is concerned about memory loss in old age, but before you resign yourself to dementia, check your medications. Some drugs may actually cause adverse effects that can be mistaken for memory loss. For instance, benzodiazepines used to treat stress, anxiety, and sleep problems may remain in the body causing daytime drowsiness and confusion, which […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
