By Joanne Richard. Entrepreneurial Spirit Soaring In Their 70s – Spring is in sight, and with it comes new energy and opportunities, possibly even a different career path and purpose. While some of us are happy to quietly retire and leave the grind behind, other seniors are finding purpose in launching brand new careers. Studies show that what contributes to happiness midlife and beyond is essentially not the size of your bank account, but finding new challenges and opportunities to help fill your emotional bank account. March is a great month for renewal, recalibration, and joyful celebration, including the widely-feted International Women’s Day. So let’s celebrate entrepreneurial wonderwomen who are regenerating and blazing online business trails in their 70s! Forget retirement – Joan Cohen is all about rewiring. The 73-year-old launched her own jewelry company, Ever & Ivy, during the pandemic and is busy building her shiny new brand. Cohen had a series of careers prior to jewelry design, including jobs in the photography and advertising industries, as well as owning a furniture and interior design shop which she sold 20 years ago to spend more time with her family. Throughout her journey, she consistently exhibited an Entrepreneurial Spirit, exploring various avenues and seizing opportunities along the way. Making jewelry was just a hobby until she began to learn goldsmithing – she studied at Fleming College with a goldsmith who taught her the basics of creating jewelry out of sterling silver and gold. She started out by selling her handmade designs at a few specialty boutiques and the odd gallery in Canada, and more recently, scaled to increase volume for her online Ever & Ivy. Described as classically-inspired, architecturally-styled personal adornment, pieces are generally oversized but not in the extreme, she says. “Research tells us that what we wear impacts our brain and can influence mood, emotion, and performance – I offer designs that speak volumes about a person’s personality without ever saying a word.” With her entrepreneurial spirit literally paved in gold and silver, Cohen’s career speaks to the immense benefits of being vital and connected. “I have been incredibly excited to wake up and have this challenge ahead of me every day. My husband and almost all of my contemporaries are retired or winding down their careers, so at times I feel at cross purposes with some. But my husband has been incredibly supportive, which is a huge help in keeping me on track.” Her advice to get on the entrepreneurial track? Don’t let the naysayers get you down. Believe in yourself and take advantage of all of your life experiences to provide creative and practical stimulation. “An extensive study in the U.S. found that the most productive age in human life is between 60-70 years of age. The second most productive stage of the human being is from 70-80 years of age, and the third is from 50-60 years of age. The average age of the Nobel Prize winner is 62 years. Don’t waste the most productive years of your life.” Although Cohen doesn’t feel too old in the least to start a business, she says she feels the effect of ageism and the negative societal attitudes to her age. “For that reason, I have been reticent to become the face of Ever & Ivy. I don’t want to pigeonhole the brand’s appeal to only one age group as I believe it has broad appeal.” While Cohen has designs for all ages, Joan MacDonald, 75, is sweating out a new career with a focus on other seniors and motivating them to get fit and feel fabulous just like her. “You can’t turn back the clock, but you can wind it up again,” says McDonald, who has built a following of 1.6 million on Instagram @trainwithjoan, and has launched fully-guided Train with Joan workouts in the app store. The fitness influencer lost close to 70 pounds and gained a wealth of health and energy – and fans. Her amazing transformation and training tips are featured with relentless positivity while wearing trendy body-hugging outfits, which some people have weighed in on as being shameful. McDonald posted: “I think the way a society treats its older population says a lot about that culture. Older people are not shameful.We are not a burden.We do not have to stay hidden.It is my hope that more of us older people shed some light on how to age well, give some real hope to others that it is possible to keep your vitality as you get older, and that older people have something important to contribute to society.” MacDonald is energized by helping others age a better way. Just a few years ago, she got winded walking up a flight of stairs – she was overweight and on multiple meds. The doctor suggested more meds. “My daughter Michelle, who is a transformation coach, was visiting at the time and gave me an ultimatum: change my health with her help or continue to decline. You know what option I picked!” She adds, “I was slowly dying – now I’m living,” and obviously living her best life. “Since making my health a priority, I feel like I can truly live my life versus just endure it. I have the energy to complete everything I want to do, from keeping up with my daughter to travel,” says McDonald, who divides her time between Cobourg, ON, and Tulum, Mexico. She loves sharing her story: “I love seeing others live their best life. I think others would enjoy my story because if this grandma can change, anyone can!” Her advice: Instead of focusing on everything out of your control, focus on what you can do that is beneficial for your life. It may be going for a walk daily, getting eight hours of solid sleep per night, or tracking your nutrition. “Habits propel us in a new direction each day.” And age has nothing to do with your potential,” she adds. “Age is just a number! So much of success…
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By Joanne Richard. As seasons change, so do moods. Chilly temps, shorter days, and being cooped up inside can zap our energy and have us feeling a bit blue. And that steady diet of doomscrolling – a new variant spreading, another pandemic winter – is messing with our brain. The cold, dark days of winter have the potential to add negative stress and create unpleasant moods such as sadness, worry, frustration, lethargy, and irritability,” says wellness expert Dr. Haley Perlus, of drhaleyperlus.com. Your sleep, appetite, physical movement, and overall energy levels can all be impacted, and take a toll on all aspects of your life. However, incorporating the right foods for good mood can make a significant difference. If you’re tempted to reach for bottomless bowls of chili or bag after bag of junk food, you’re not alone. “People have evolved to have subconscious urges to over-eat, and limited ability to avoid becoming obese, especially in winter,” reports a study by the University of Exeter in the U.K. Yikes. Obviously, mindful eating is tough, especially as we’re parked close to the fridge, but taking stock now – of what goes into your mouth – may help keep your spirits up in the toughest season of the year. “Eating light and often is a great way to boost your mood. It’s good practice to eat every two to three hours, never going four hours without food,” says Perlus, who specializes in sport and performance. “Just think, when is the last time you went more than four hours without eating and all you craved was kale? Never.” “Going hours without eating can have us craving unhealthy foods because our bodies crave quick glucose.“ It’ll help eliminate bouts of being hangry – being so hungry you get angry. Going hours without eating can have us craving unhealthy foods because our bodies crave quick glucose. “Although we do get a quick boost in energy, we feel worse in the long-term,” Perlus adds. “Eating light and often will steady your mood with the added benefits of consistent brain energy, decrease unhealthy cravings, maintain muscle mass, and prevent excessive fat storage.” Chef Michael Stevens-Hughes is witness to the power of food and its health-boosting benefits. Stevens-Hughes is a Chef de Cuisine at Ste. Anne’s Spa where healthy dishes are the primary ingredient in nourishing overall wellbeing. He sees firsthand how good food makes people feel good. His fresh and delicious dishes are created to deliver relaxation, healing and gastronomic joy. “A nostalgic dish can trigger fond memories of family or comfort and really help people relax, while exciting new flavours can help people forget about some of their troubles.” Times may be troubled and food can soothe the soul but not so much fats and sugars. While “our bodies crave comfort and the solace of a good show, a cozy couch and potato chips,” everything in moderation, says Stevens-Hughes. What will boost your mood, energy and immunity are nutrient-dense foods, including lots of dark leafy greens, beans and legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, dark berries, and sustainably-caught fish like salmon and trout. Add in grass-fed beef, oats, bananas, and fermented foods, says Perlus. And dark chocolate, hot cocoa and coffee too – just regulate amounts. Meanwhile, delicious hot soup is especially soothing for the soul in the cold months and a great way to incorporate lots of good-for-you ingredients. Enjoy these health-boosting soup recipes from the cookbook Everyday Recipes from Ste. Anne’s Spa: Herbed Tomato Soup Ingredients: Method: • Heat oil over medium heat and sauté carrot, onion and celery for about 2 minutes. • Add garlic and spices and then add sugar; let cook for 1 minute, add vinegar and simmer for 2 more minutes. • Add tomato paste and stir until blended, then add diced tomatoes, vegetable stock and bay leaf. • Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes. • Skim impurities from top. • Add salt and pepper to taste and remove bay leaf. Yields 6 portions. Apple & Parsnip Soup Ingredients: Method: • Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat; add shallots and cook for 1 minute. • Add parsnips and cook for 5 minutes; add apples and vegetable stock. • Cook approximately 20 minutes on medium until parsnips are tender. • Purée soup if desired; add honey and seasonings. Serves up 6 portions. Pureed Carrot, Ginger & Rosemary Soup Ingredients: Method: • Heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat and add onion; cook approximately 3 minutes until transparent. • Add carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes. • Add ginger and rosemary and stock. • Bring to a boil and add potato; bring back to a boil, then simmer 15-20 minutes. • Purée the soup and add salt and pepper to taste. Maple Sweet Potato Soup Ingredients: Method: • Heat oven to 350ºF. • Roast unpeeled sweet potato, flesh-side down, until brown and soft (about 20 minutes); this can be done a day or two ahead of time while roasting something else. • When cool, peel off the potato skin, which should now be quite loose. • Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. • Add onion and softened sweet potato; sauté until onion is transparent (about 4 minutes). • Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for 15 minutes. • Purée for a smooth soup; mash if you prefer a chunkier texture. Yields 6-8 servings. For a different flavour, try pumpkin instead of sweet potato and honey instead of maple syrup. *Recipes reprinted with permission from Ste. Anne’s Spa.

By Joanne Richard. Aging is sparking innovation. In exploring the future of aging, business leaders and entrepreneurs are strategically adapting their products and services to match the demands of seniors and deliver on unmet needs and consumption habits. Empathy and wellness are driving designs for the ever-growing population of older adults – the 60+ global population will encompass more than one in five human beings by mid-century, climbing from 962 million to 2.1 billion by 2050! As we contemplate this demographic shift, it’s imperative to consider the future of aging and develop solutions that promote dignity, independence, and fulfillment for seniors worldwide. Adults are not only living longer, they are expecting to “live longer better” and that, according to Colin Milner, requires solutions that embrace active aging. Older people want to retain their function abilities at as high a level as they can, for as long as they can, including physical, cognitive, and social function. “The better we function in all areas of life, the better our lives,” says Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) and a leading authority on the health and wellbeing of the older adult. According to ICAA research, 59% of senior living communities see themselves moving from a care-based community with wellness, to a wellness-based community with care. There is a stream of wellness trends that are empowering active aging, including innovative places and spaces, growing person-centered wellness solutions, and harnessing technologies to boost health, wellness, and quality of life, says Milner. These smart innovations and new approaches championing older adults will also fuel healthy economic growth. Older people have purchasing power! “The 50+ market now accounts for 70% of disposable income, a number that has grown from 50% twenty years ago,” says Milner, who hosts the podcast Colin Milner Rethinks Aging With… and features researchers, best-selling authors and thought leaders to help transform the conversation on aging and envision the future of aging. Here is what Milner is seeing on the new aging-driven frontier:

By Joanne Richard. As the pandemic lingers, so too the suspicion of touch. Do you flinch when someone reaches out to touch you? Anxious about a spontaneous hug or an encouraging pat on the back? If you’re feeling out of touch, you’re not alone. Eighteen months into the pandemic, and we’ve forsaken casual touch, from handshakes and hugs to pats, rubs, squeezes and strokes. And with dreary winter days looming ahead and continuing social distancing measures, who knows exactly the after-effects of this global experiment in touch deprivation. According to experts, people can experience touch starvation. “Human beings are uniquely wired to crave touch and to be touched,” says registered psychotherapist Joshua Peters, and we’re hungering for this form of communication but touch has become synonymous with fear and sickness in the pandemic. “Being held is one of the first ways we communicate feeling loved and connecting with others… touch reminds us that we are loveable and safe,” says Peters, a clinical supervisor at the Centre for Interpersonal Relationships, adding that there’s an increase in people in therapy describing their need to be touched and held. It’s an essential life ingredient but the pandemic has some of us enduring a solitary confinement of sorts, says Peters, and being touch deprived can make individuals more irritable or depressed. “Public health restrictions are essential for our greater health, but have no doubt taken a toll.” According to the 2020 BBC and Wellcome Collection survey, as the pandemic progressed, even those who lived with other people began craving more touch. Touch was the most vital nonverbal behaviour in the nursing profession when treating older patients. And the desire for touch may be felt more intensely by older adults, suggests a study published in Nursing Older People. It reports that touch was the most vital nonverbal behaviour in the nursing profession when treating older patients. “In old age, the tactile hunger is more powerful than ever, for it is the only sensuous experience that remains,” write the study researchers. Touch makes us tick, but according to Dr. Tiffany Fielding, we’ve actually been falling out of touch for quite some time. “It seems that the pandemic has only exacerbated the touch deprivation that was already happening.”  Fielding has been researching therapeutic touch for decades: “We studied touch at airport departure gates before the pandemic and folks were only touching 4% of the time. They were mostly on cell phones – and not talking – just texting and scrolling,” says Fielding, founder, and director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School. One of her studies shows that in the U.S., couples in a café touched once every 30 minutes. In Paris, it was 20 times every 30 minutes. The no-touch culture isn’t good for us – we need a daily dose of touch, says Feilding. “We know from our research that moving the skin is critical for health.” Practices like massage and exercise can help us find calm and cope better. Skin stimulation actually slows down the heart rate and the release of stress hormones like cortisol, says Fielding. “When you reduce cortisol you can save natural killer cells that ward off bacterial, viral and cancer cells. Ironically, during a viral pandemic we need more natural killer cells and natural killer cell activity but with less touching that is not happening.” “Human touch is a critical and powerful part of our existence, and integral to our bodies ability to heal and regenerate” Until now, few comprehended the strength of touch, and most took it for granted. “It’s silent but potent. Human touch is a critical and powerful part of our existence, and integral to our body’s ability to heal and regenerate,” says Jim Corcoran, a pioneer in the health and wellness industry and founder of Ste. Anne’s Spa in Grafton, ON. “When we’re deprived of positive human touch, there’s lots of cascading negative side effects to our health – that’s why we’ve required therapeutic treatment as part of our spa experience since we opened 30 years ago.” Corcoran is seeing an overwhelming demand for their holistic services, particularly body massages, head massages and facials. People don’t feel comfortable traveling far and have faced very restricted access to the health/wellness sector, and this has resulted in a surge to satisfy an insatiable hunger for stress relief and rejuvenation in the form of restorative, prolonged, well-intentioned touch at his destination spa. He has witnessed touch taking a backseat in modern life: The rise of busy lifestyles and technology have replaced healthy skin contact. Cell phones are held instead of hands. In addition, “we’ve seen western medicine move away from human touch – there’s latex, paper or stainless steel between you and the caregiver,” says Corcoran. We need to prioritize touch as an important component of wellbeing, agree experts. It will take time to decondition our fear response to touch but “our deeply human yearning to touch and be touched will no doubt re-emerge with time and patience,” adds Peters. Take therapist Joshua Peters’ tips to buffer against touch deprivation

By Joanne Richard. Aging isn’t optional, but growing old is, says Chip Conley, mega hospitality entrepreneur and best-selling author, who’s inspiring a new kind of midlife learning and living, and bringing attention to the benefits of rewiring, not retiring for regeneration. Conley, 60, is shifting negative mindsets on aging through his midlife wisdom school, building regenerative communities, and frequent lectures on the benefits of age diversity in the workplace for regeneration. Regenerating rather than retiring is the way to remain relevant in your bonus years, believes Conley, who did just that as the leader at Airbnb. At the age of 52 and twice as old as the average Airbnb team member, the rebel boutique hotelier joined the promising home-sharing tech startup and helped grow it into the global hospitality giant it is today for regeneration. “The technical definition of retirement is to move into seclusion while regeneration means to bring something back to life,” says Conley, and that’s where purpose, instead of going out to pasture, comes in. “Wave goodbye to conventional and welcome intentional: Think golf courses being replaced by wisdom schools…“ His social projects provide a place and the tools to reframe a lifetime of experience for a relevant and exciting “middlescence.” His Modern Elder Academy (MEA) located in Baja California Sur offers learning, growth, and a fresh perspective through workshops and sabbaticals to help master elderhood. And he’s reimagining retirement communities. Wave goodbye to conventional and welcome intentional: Think golf courses being replaced by wisdom schools, says Conley, where purpose and connection flourish in regenerative communities of interconnected, interdependent living. The first of a collection of communities will open in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2023 on 2,500 acres. “People are more thirsty for community given their experience with the pandemic,” says Conley, who writes a daily blog called Wisdom Well. Aging isn’t to be feared as long as you embrace purpose, wellness and community, says Conley, adding that Yale professor Becca Levy has shown in her research that when you shift from a negative or neutral perspective on aging to a positive mindset, you add 7.4 years of additional, happy life. Instead of becoming like turtles and retreating into our shells as we age – which is actually isolating and speeds up the aging process – consider sticking out your neck and embracing curiosity. Along with increased EQ and happiness, Conley says that “it’s with our necks stuck out that we will also stay curious, interested and inspired… just because we age doesn’t mean we stop growing and exploring the future of aging..” His advice for aging wise and well? “We tend to think of wellness as a personal endeavour when, in fact, The Blue Zones research shows that ‘social wellness’ is one of the key determinants of longevity and happiness later in life. ‘Illness’ starts with the letter ‘I’ while ‘wellness’ starts with the letters ‘we.’ “So, don’t think that your healthy aging is just about your personal exercise, nutrition and sleep. It’s also about who you spend time with and what kind of meaningful relationships you have in your life” “So, don’t think that your healthy aging is just about your personal exercise, nutrition and sleep. It’s also about who you spend time with and what kind of meaningful relationships you have in your life,” he says. Conley is proof that sharing wisdom acquired from a lifetime of careers can fuel personal fulfillment, businesses, and communities, and that age diversity at work makes for better workplaces and intergenerational rejuvenation. His book Wisdom@Work: The Making of a Modern Elder, tells the tale of being an Airbnb mentor and, surprisingly, an intern at times too. Older and younger workers need each other, and all ages can learn from each other. “We have five generations in the workplace for the first time and 40% of employees have a boss younger than them. By 2025, the majority of American employees will have a younger boss. This means we need to create intergenerational collaboration like we’ve never done before. “Often, this could mean that a younger employee is teaching an older employee DQ (digital intelligence) while an older employee is teaching a younger one EQ (emotional intelligence) especially around leadership skills. Both employees and the company are better off for this kind of mutual mentorship.”  The idea of retiring and rehiring is big now. And there’s a real opportunity to collaborate and transfer wisdom. Conley says we need to help companies see that age diversity on teams can make a big difference in companies while also “acknowledging that everyone should be a ‘mentern’ – a mentor and intern at the same time.” One of the cofounders at Airbnb told him that he was the perfect alchemy of curiosity and wisdom – a modern elder, and that’s how he got the title. “It’s that beginner’s mindset that we need to have our whole lives,” adds Conley. “And it’s often shared across generations, in both directions—as a modern elder may have as much to learn from a young person as vice versa” Learning and community make for meaningful second and third chapters: “We’re living longer, organizational power is shifting younger, and the world is changing faster. That leaves people bewildered. I wanted to create a place where people could get the tools and support to feel confident and inspired in the second half of their adult life.” To date, over 1,000 people from two dozen countries have enrolled in his ocean-front academy. Learners range in age from 30 to 88, with an average age of 54. More than 60% are women. Conley is hopeful that his social ventures will be “a catalyst for a new kind of inclusive, intentional community that helps mainstream the idea that wisdom isn’t taught, it’s shared. “And it’s often shared across generations, in both directions—as a modern elder may have as much to learn from a young person as vice versa. Unlike a traditional business focused on amassing massive market share and squeezing out the competition,…
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By Joanne Richard. “Live longer better” is Colin Milner’s motto but to do that we need a seismic shift in how we view the aging population and cater to their needs, prompting us to rethink aging. “The 50+ market now accounts for 70% of disposable income, a number that has grown from 50% twenty years ago” There’s immense untapped potential in industries and services: “The 50+ market now accounts for 70% of disposable income, a number that has grown from 50% twenty years ago,” says Milner, CEO of the International Council of Active Aging, and a leading expert in the health and wellbeing of the older adult. That simple statistic is now impacting virtually event segment of society and most industries, directly and indirectly, says Milner. “What this means is the creation of new industries, products, education, programs, policies, marketing efforts, built environments, expertise, and investment.” But we need to pick up the pace to embrace active aging. At least the aging conversation is more balanced and, instead of a one-dimensional focus on disease management and fixing issues, it recognizes and celebrates that many challenges of aging can be minimized, delayed, or managed to enable us to live our best lives longer, shaping the future of aging. “From how long we can or want to work, to the types of vacations or trips we take, to going back to school in our 60s or 70s, to opening new businesses later in life, the world for its old population is ready to be explored – yet, we are still lacking in our response,” he says. “Many people think active aging is just about being physically active, but it’s not.” “Organizations and government need to up their games, as do individuals who lack the belief in their capabilities,” says Milner, who has launched a podcast called Colin Milner Rethinks Aging With… and he interviews thought-leaders, researchers and aging-well disruptors so we all rethink aging. The greatest barrier to active aging is language, says Milner. Many people think active aging is just about being physically active, but it’s not. “It is about being engaged, versus not, in as many areas as life as you wish.” Rethink aging and its implications on our perceptions of what it means to age actively are crucial in breaking through these misconceptions. A recent survey shows that 90% of older adults believe that healthy aging is about being able to do what you want to do when you want to do it. “But you need to build this foundation to be able to achieve this new life that science, experts, media, and peers tout.” That requires a big rethink because the common thinking is that we’re not capable and feeble, and it’s wrong. That mindset impacts everything from the way people view and treat you, to the way we view and treat ourselves, Milner stresses. Negative thoughts about aging influence our longevity: “From the workplace to social cohesion to whether you live an engaged and vibrant second half of life or whether your own self-perception of aging can potentially take 7.6 years off your life, due to negative thinking, according to Becca Levy at Yale University.” “… if you embrace a lifestyle that keeps you fit, engaged, cognitively sharp, less stress, lower alcohol intake, that you will live better longer.” However, Milner sees changes happening globally: Sarah Harpers, director of Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, says that we should look at all older people as active adults until the point we are frail and need care. And the cover of MIT Technology Review magazine stated, Old Age Is Over and in small letters, If You Want It. “What they are really saying is that if you embrace a lifestyle that keeps you fit, engaged, cognitively sharp, less stress, lower alcohol intake, that you will live better longer.” A study by the American Heart Association shows that if in our 50s we maintained a healthy lifestyle with those five habits, women would live 14 years longer and better, and men 12 years. “It’s a new day for all of us, we just need to understand this and embrace it. A life of inactivity, social isolation, junk food, alcohol and tobacco all come with a cost,” says Milner. The problem for most is that we come late to that realization. We need to understand that we need to own our longevity and health span. “And be curious … curiosity keeps us interested in learning more and exploring more of life.” Milner’s RX for living longer better? And be curious! Curiosity is powerful, and it’s been a running theme brought up by his podcast guests –one that Milner admits he did not expect. “Whether Chip Conley professing that this (curiosity) is his superpower, or Ken Dychtwald naming his book Radical Curiosity because that is how he is, or my 109-year-old grandmother who is as curious as you can get, I think that we all could benefit from becoming more curious. “Curiosity keeps us interested in learning more and exploring more of life,” he adds. *** This is what Conley, a bestselling author and hospitality entrepreneur, had this to say about curiosity on Milner’s recent podcast: “Peter Drucker was quite prescient, a real forecaster. Now, he wrote two-thirds of his 40 books after the age of 65. But the reason I bring him up around curiosity is because I have emulated something that he used to do. “Every two years, he would study a topic that he knew nothing about but he was passionately curious about that topic and he wanted to become one of the world’s leading experts. It was everything from Japanese ikebana, like flower arranging, to medieval war strategies. “He felt like curiosity was the elixir of life, and it lubricated the heart, the mind, the soul.” *** In addition to curiosity, Milner and his guests discussed the idea of regeneration instead of retirement. The term retirement should be retired – “as we live well beyond the age…
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By Joanne Richard. Social isolation is worsening and detrimental to seniors’ health. Dr. Nancy Jecker embraces robot companions as an answer for the aging and loneliness in the age of AI. “Companion robots can help the elderly age in place better and longer” Companion robots can help the elderly age in place better and longer, and provide much-needed social interaction and even physical affection, according to Dr. Nancy Jecker, a professor of bioethics and humanities at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. Jecker has been studying aging for decades and she sees a future of robotic technology integrated into the social lives of older adults in many supportive ways, including supporting emotional health and wellbeing and countering against ageism. It’s crucial to rethink aging and consider innovative approaches like robotic technology to enhance the lives of older adults. “Future robots could be designed to help alleviate the unmet social and emotional needs of older people. This could include being available 24/7 to serve as friends, caregivers, confidantes, and sexual partners,” said Jecker, who was interviewed by Custodia. “Being socially isolated not only feels bad, it literally makes people sick“ The bioethicist has witnessed the declining ranks of workers to help care-dependent older adults and the rapidly growing ranks of senior citizens who are living longer but are isolated. “Far more than any other age group, older people are socially isolated and lonely. Being socially isolated not only feels bad, it literally makes people sick,” and is strongly associated with an increased risk of dying, Jecker said. Robot-human relationships can fill a void and serve as an important new alternative to human-human relationships, said Jecker. She has written extensively about some of the key roles sociable robots can play for older people as caregivers (carebots), friends (friendbots), and in her most recent paper, as sexual partners (sexbots) and intimate companions. Jecker published a paper in the Journal of Medical Ethics entitled “Nothing to be ashamed of: sex robots for older adults with disabilities.” She is also the author of the E-book and print book: Ending Midlife Bias: New Values for Old Age (Oxford University Press, 2020). According to Jecker, robots are already increasingly emotionally intelligent and capable of serving as friends and companions. They can relate to us on a personal level, read our non-verbal cues, sing, play games, and be good companions. “This matters because sexual fulfillment is not just about physical satisfaction, it’s about being in a relationship and affiliating.” These robots present the possibility of forming a relationship and feeling close to another, which differs from other assistive devices, she said. Future robots will be able to touch, rub, hug, pat, and hold hands with older people without causing injury. “A promising new field of research is soft robotics. Soft robotics mimics soft-bodied creatures in nature, replacing hard metallic surfaces of traditional robots with softer, pliable surfaces.” She added that soft robots will be safe for older end users who, as a group, tend to be more frail, less agile, have worse balance, more porous bones, and less muscle mass. “This would all represent a massive rethink on our part regarding how we view ageism, sex and seniors, and robots as friends/lovers.” “… since people tend to attribute race to humanoid robots, we should deliberately design robots to cater to a racially diverse clientele.” Today’s sex robots are sexist, racist, ableist, ageist, and heterosexist, she said, and her latest paper is a bid for reimagining them. “From an ethical perspective, we need to support human dignity and to take seriously the claims of those whose sexuality is diminished by disability or isolation. Society needs to make reasonable efforts to help them.” She hopes that future robots will target more diverse end-users, including people of all ages, genders, abilities, races, and cultures. “For example, since people tend to attribute race to humanoid robots, we should deliberately design robots to cater to a racially diverse clientele. “As robots become increasingly integrated into our homes and workplaces, they bring with them implicit social norms and values. They have the capacity to rapidly reproduce and reinforce implicit social biases or to expand people’s thinking to be more inclusive,” she said. Robot-human relationships can enhance our quality of life and support human social needs in important ways. We could take a cue from our Japanese counterparts, offered Jecker. Some Japanese end users may find it easier to bond with robots compared to their Western counterparts. They may be less likely to think of robots as “empty” inside. For instance, the integration of technology like the Chaton AI chatbot reflects how technology can bridge cultural gaps and foster connections. “We can learn from the Japanese to avail ourselves of the rich possibilities human-robot relationships will increasingly offer. Robot-human relationships can enhance our quality of life and support human social needs in important ways. They will not be the same as human-human relationships; they will be something else.”

By Joanne Richard. Spring is here and what’s certain is that warm weather and sunshine will replace the dark days of winter. “Your brain wants to know what’s around the next corner so it can keep you out of harm’s way.” While sunnier days beckon, uncertainty lingers as the pandemic and intermittent lockdowns continue to cloud our horizons. As human beings, we crave security and a sense of control, and the pandemic has disrupted routines and everyday tasks, and given us lots to worry about. Even with vaccinations on the rise, many of us can’t help but feel stressed and unsettled about what our new normal will look like. Our brain dislikes uncertainty, says author and psychotherapist Dr. Bryan Robinson. Your brain wants to know what’s around the next corner so it can keep you out of harm’s way. “It always assumes the worst… You’re hardwired to overestimate threats and underestimate your ability to handle them  all in the name of survival.” • Identify things you can control To thrive, not just survive, in these uncertain times of uncertainty, identify things that you can control, Robinson recommends. “It can be simple things such as wearing a mask in public, arranging furniture, healthy self-care such as meditation, exercise, nutrition, and sleep.” Asserting our will over our living space and getting things in order give people a sense of mastery and control, and lowers stress and anxiety. Tackle chores, projects and home repairs that may have been neglected over the past year. Asserting our will over our living space and getting things in order give people a sense of mastery and control, and lowers stress and anxiety, reports research by Darby Saxbe, assistant professor of psychology at the University of California. COVID fear has taken its toll on us, and the winter has taken its toll on your house and property – having a tidy backyard will provide a calming oasis that can make you healthier and happier, and reduce the risk of falls. Getting small home repairs done now can prevent larger, more expensive problems and worries in the future. “As things go downhill, create or rebirth something new. It’s invigorating and energizing.” • Helping others helps you Besides asserting control over a few simple things, further diminish stress by creating something new, suggests Robinson. “You don’t have to be an artist. But there’s an old saying that as things go downhill, create or rebirth something new. It’s invigorating and energizing.” In addition, help others and, in return, receive something known as “the helper’s high.” Robinson says that helping others takes the focus off ourselves, gives us purpose and makes us feel good, not to mention making things better for another person. “Thinking of the common good actually enlarges our perspective and helps us appreciate the blessings we already have.” • Focus on what you’re grateful for Practice gratitude, advises Robinson. Make a list of all the things in your life you are thankful for. That requires you to focus on the positive instead of the negative.  “Your attitude is everything if you want to thrive.” “I had a multi-millionaire older man who built skyscrapers and was mad because he had to pay $1 million in taxes. He had lost count of the fact that he made $15 million that year. He was a rich man leading an impoverished life. Your attitude is everything if you want to thrive.” • Reduce stress with self-care Keep in mind that self-care is your first line of defense against the damage of ongoing uncertainty. “Self-care makes your use of time more sustainable. Healthy eating, rest and regular exercise increase your stamina to withstand any perceived threat to your survival.”  Indulge in restorative activities that rejuvenate your mind and body and restore your energy and peace of mind, Robinson recommends. “Make a 10- or 15-minute appointment with yourself daily, and schedule personal time – a hobby, hot bath, manicure, yoga, facial, reading, contemplate nature, or meditate.” Read also, A note from our founder on the COVID-19 Pandemic. • Stress compromises immune system Your perspective is the most powerful thing you can control in a situation that is beyond your control, Robinson adds. Fear, panic and worry are not preparation or productive – “they add insult to injury, another layer of stress that can compromise the immune system and, paradoxically, make us even more vulnerable to the virus.” “Changing your perspective and reminding yourself that many gifts await you in the unknown future, that it contains many positive outcomes as well as negative ones, is a game changer.” Offset negative thoughts by finding an upside to a downside situation, he suggests. “Changing your perspective and reminding yourself that many gifts await you in the unknown future, that it contains many positive outcomes as well as negative ones, is a game changer.”

April 3, 2:47 PM – Today is an important day for everyone in our province, and the Premier has been clear about the need for all of us to stay home as much as possible. Premier Ford also asked us all to step up and to do our part to help seniors stop the spread of COVID-19. Here are the articles cited that relate to our business, giving Custodia the opportunity to step up and help seniors in our communities. All property maintenance, essential personal support, handyman services, phone support, will all be active for seniors throughout the pandemic. Custodia will only be performing essential personal support and home management services for seniors at this time. Maintenance Maintenance, repair and property management services strictly necessary to manage and maintain the safety, security, sanitation and essential operation of institutional, commercial, industrial and residential properties and buildings. Health care and social services Organizations and providers that deliver home care services or personal support services to seniors and persons with disabilities. Articles #20 and #36 from the Ontario Government are our queue to continue our work helping seniors in our communities. Read more about the Custodia COVID-19 Work Day policy Read out message from our founder on COVID-19 Watch and read more on CBC For more information contact 1-833-410-4357 or email service@custodia.com.

COVID-19 Work Day Policy Procedure: Information Facilitation Workplace Sanitization Social Distancing Measures Sick Leave Policy Taking Employees’ Temperatures as a Screening Mechanism (optional) Some franchise systems across Canada have started to implement temperature screening prior to allowing an employee access to the office or a worksite. Custodia believes it is imperative that we check temperatures of employees prior to working inside with vulnerable seniors. This is not yet mandatory in our FDD but is highly encouraged as we help to battle this pandemic. Health Canada: Given the nature of COVID-19 policy and infection rates across Canada, it is arguable that, in certain workplaces, temperature checks may be a reasonable screening mechanism in the circumstances. Read about Uncertainty During COVID-19 However, franchisees should be mindful of the following COVID-19 work day policy: PROPER HAND WASHING PROPER SNEEZE AND COUGH ETIQUETTE This policy was adapted from the Government of Canada’s guidelines available on the Health Canada website. QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE CUSTODIA COVID-19 WORK DAY POLICY: CONTACT SERVICE@CUSTODIA.COM.