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30FOCUS-OCTOBER2012ThereisanewcommitteeintowndesignedtomakelifealittleeasierforoneofScugogx19sfastestgrowinggroupsofresidentsseniorcitizens.x1cSeniorsareprobablygoingtotakeovertheworldinalittlewhiletheyareincreasingrapidlyx1dchucklesHowardDansonCouncillorforWard5citingthatin2017therewillbemorepeopleover65inOntariothanintheunder-14agecategory.ItwasHowardalongwithScugogcouncillorWilmaWottenofWard4whosawtheneedforacommitteedesignedespeciallybyandforseniorsamongtheexist-ingrosterofcouncilgroups.x1cBasicallywesawallofthecommitteesthatwereforaccessibilityeconomicdevelopmentheritageandthatsortofthingbuttherewasnothingforseniorsx1dexplainsHoward.x1cWethoughtweshouldthinkaboutsettingupaseniorx19scommitteetoadvisecouncilonseniorx19sissueswhatevertheymaybe.x1dThatx1cwhatevertheymaybex1dcanbequitealistWilmaandHowardheardastheyhostedmeetingsaroundthetownshiplisteningtoresidentsofeachward.x1cTheytoldustheyhaveissuesoftransitthatrestrictwhatpeoplecandohealthservicesrecreationalservicesthataremoreexpensivethanseniorswanttopay.Anotherissuewasaffordablehousingandpeoplelivingaloneandndingithardtomakeendsmeetx1dexplainsHoward.x1cWeaskediftherewasinterestinformingaseniorx19scommittee.Theanswerwasaresoundingyesx1dThenextstepwastoformtheactualcommitteewithinterestedpeopleapplyingtoserveonit.PatrickBowdenofNestletonwasoneofthem.x1cIwenttoseveralofthemeetingsandIthoughtitwouldbeusefultoputsome-thingbackinthecommunitytoserveonit.IdecidediftherewasgoingtobeacommitteeformedIwouldputmynameforwardIlledouttheformsandIendedupbeingselectedx1dsaysPatrick.x1cThewholeissueofseniorsischangingsomuchnowbecauseofthegeneraldemographicstherex19sawholerangeofissuesthatcomefromeachendofthespec-trumx1dhesays.x1cThereareseniorswhoare80-90yearsoldandactiveandhealthythentherearethosewhoarenothealthyandneedassistance.Therearesomanyissuesoutthere.Ix19mretiredandhavetimeonmyhands.Icanaddsomethingtothemixandtrytohelpout.x1dMarthaCottsonanotherappointedcommitteemem-berdoesnothavemuchfreetimeonherhandsinfactjusttheopposite.Shedescribesherselfasax1cyoungse-niorx1dbutshespendsagooddealoftimehelpingoutherelderlymother.Herbusypaceasacaregivergivesheranotherimportantperspectivetobringtothecommittee.x1cTherearepeopleintheir50sor60sworkingwiththeirparentsorauntsandstartingtoseesomeofthechallengeswithinformationandtransportationx1dsaysMartha.x1cThisisaverytimelyinitiative.Wewantseniorstoknowthatthereisnowanentityendeavouringtorep-resentthem.WehaveadirectlinetotheCouncil.x1dHowardagrees.x1cWex19vetriedtoimpressonpeoplethatwhateverissuestheyraisetheywillhaveavoiceontowncouncil.Wex19llmeetonceamonthitx19sabona-decommitteeofcouncilthatgivesavoicetoseniorsandallowsthemtoliveamoreengagedkindoflifeinthecommunitythatiftheywanttoaccesssomethingtheycanaccessit.x1dTheSeniorx19sCommitteeisawareofthemanyexcel-lentservicestoScugogseniorsthatalreadyexist.Infacttheirrstinitiativeistocreatemoreawarenessaboutthosealreadyexistinggroupsandservices.Theyareplanninganinformationfairtoshowcaseservicestenta-tivelyscheduledforearlyNovember.x1cWex19renotincompetitionwithotherseniorgroupsintheareax1daddsPatrick.x1cWex19retheretoaddtowhatisalreadytherex13totryandbringitalltogether.x1dByKarenStillerFocusonScugogVertebroplastyreliefforbackpainTotheEditorAnyonewhohasacomputercanlookupwhatavertebroplastyinjectionisbuttomeitwasamiracle.Since1987whenmyrstvertebraeT12col-lapsedIhavehadbackpainwhichwasgettingworseastheyearswentby.Thisyeartwomorevertebraecollapsedcausingmorebackpain.IthendecidedtocontactmynieceintheUSAwhoisahaematologistoncologist.Sheisveryfamiliarwiththeaboveprocedureandsentmeane-mailwhichItooktomydoctor.HearrangedfortheprocedureastherearetworadiologistsinOshawawhodothis.InJuneitwasdoneandsincethenIx19vebeenpainfreeandnowabletobendlieonmybackandsitwithoutpain.Ionlywritethisastheremustbeotherssuffer-ingwithosteoporosisandcollapsedvertebraeswhocouldperhapsbehelped.ApparentlythisprocedureisnotcommonlyknownaroundherebutisdoneinVancouverandintheUSA.InezMorleyPortPerryDearFocus...MailboxSeniorsforSeniorsNewcommitteewillbeanadvocateandvoiceforissuesrelatedtoseniors