Zoomer Week In Review

This week, the Biden administration took power in the U.S. with 25,000 national guard troops standing by. Since the storming of the capitol two weeks earlier, security experts agree that right wing extremists pose the biggest domestic threat to America. Libby Znaimer talked with Bryan Hughes, associate director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University. AND As if caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s wasn’t hard enough, the pandemic has magnified the challenges for both caregivers and patients and for many, it has hastened the course of the disease.  Kerri Thompson is the essential caregiver for her mom Joyce, who lives at a retirement residence in Aurora.

Next week, Kamala Harris will be sworn in as the first female, first Black, and first South Asian Vice-President of the United States. She will also grace the February cover of the iconic Vogue magazine. But there’s growing backlash over the casual styling of the cover shot, which you can see here, and which critics say is disrespectful. Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour says there was no disrespect intended. Libby asked Suzanne Boyd, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Zoomer Magazine, to decode the controversy. AND Given that the pandemic is hitting the older population especially hard, we think it’s a good time to take another look at the science behind aging well. Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin’s book, Successful Aging has just come out in paperback and Libby reached him, in lockdown, in Los Angeles.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has delivered a blunt message for Canadians wanting to head south - If you get stuck in the US or elsewhere, Canada won't help you get home. But a growing number of Zoomers are ignoring his advice now that they can get vaccinations in Florida. Travel Insurance broker Marty Firestone’s phone has been ringing off the hook with Snowbirds changing their minds about making the trip. AND If there is anything we are learning from the pandemic, it is the urgent need to reform homecare so that most of us can age in place and stay out of nursing homes. Libby Znaimer talked to Andre Picard, the Globe and Mail’s award winning health columnist , when he was part of a panel on a special edition of the Zoomer, on our sister station VisionTV. You watch the special homecare edition of the Zoomer Monday Jan. 11 at 11 PM Channel 60 on Rogers 261 on Bell satellite TV.

What are your resolutions for 2021? Do they include the usual ones? Eating better, exercising more, or keeping up your physical fitness regime? A lot of Canadians walked more than they probably ever have in the past year but if you’re stuck in making resolutions Bob Komsic spoke to University of Regina psychology professor Katherine Arbuthnott and began by asking just how difficult is it to make for THIS year. AND Have you decided when to start collecting your Canada Pension Plan? A thousand Canadians make that decision every day and most start taking CPP early at the age of 60. But if you can afford it, delaying until age 70 means an extra hundred-thousand-dollars over the course of your retirement. Libby Znaimer spoke to actuary Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, who crunched the numbers in a paper for Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing.

There’s less than a week left to make a tax deductible charitable donation for 2020. Normally nearly two thirds of Canadians would be scrambling to get those contributions in before the deadline. But pandemic financial pressure means fewer people will be donating and those who are able to give will give less. Libby talked with Bruce Macdonald, CEO of Imagine Canada, about a survey on the state of our giving. AND Are you looking forward to enjoying a meal out? It’s a simple pleasure that many of us took for granted before Covid-19. But with many places forced to close up for good, what will the post-vaccine, post-pandemic restaurants look like? Libby talked with food writer Corey Mintz.

Are you still debating your holiday plans even though most of the authorities are recommending that we celebrate with our own households only? There’s an online questionnaire to assess your risk depending on your answers to a whole raft of questions. Leading gerontologist, Dr. Samir Sinha, designed the tool called "My Covid Visit Risk" for Ryerson University's National Institute on Ageing. AND This Christmas, big family gatherings are out...so what do you do about the big festive Christmas meal that is so much a part of the holiday, the tradition, and family history? Libby gets some ideas from food columnist, editor, and cookbook author Lucy Waverman.

A quarter of Canadians over 65 are caregivers and it's no surprise that the pandemic has been especially hard on them. With less outside help, they are spending more time and money on their loved ones, making it much more difficult to manage. Libby talked with Amy Coupal of the Ontario Caregiver Association about the group’s latest spotlight survey. AND Have you ever heard of Pitseolak Asuna or Robertine Barry? They are two of eight short-listed candidates to be the face of our new five dollar bill. Public opinion polls show that Terry Fox is the popular favourite but that may not be a deciding factor in who gets to replace Louis St. Laurent, our 12th Prime Minister. Bank of Canada spokesperson Amelie Ferron Craig filled Libby in.

This week, the Trudeau government announced a 1.5-billion dollar Safe LTC Fund. Advocates worry that there aren’t enough strings attached to the money to ensure that the provinces will do the right things to protect vulnerable residents now. Libby Znaimer talked with Minister of Seniors Deb Schulte. AND The stress of the pandemic is making things worse for many people suffering from conditions like chronic pain, arthritis and fibromyalgia. Medical cannabis may be the answer. Libby Znaimer reached Dr. Arash Taghvai, Apollo Cannabis Clinics Manager of Clinical Affairs.

For more than a year, Toronto City Councillor Jaye Robinson has been sidelined by a gruelling and lengthy treatment for a complicated case of breast cancer. She went through most of it at the height of the pandemic. Libby Znaimer talked with Jaye about her experience after she returned to her first council meeting this week. AND There’s no question that the pandemic has disrupted the spectrum of cancer care, delaying diagnoses and treatment for many patients, and halting some clinical trials. And although healthcare systems have been reorganizing to meet the challenge, it’s also made things much harder for the doctors provisioning care. Libby talked with Dr. Sharlene Gill, a BC Medical Oncologist, and President Elect of the Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists.

"What About Black Lives?" is the the new single from Dan Hill's first album in 11 years. It's been about 4 years since we talked to the award-winning singer-songwriter, as he took time out to deal with personal and mental health issues. It was a pleasure to chat with him again. AND This week there was great news about the promising results of two potential Covid-19 vaccines. The federal government has purchased millions of doses of both the Pfizer and the Moderna versions, which have yet to be approved. In addition to the logistics which have to be sorted out, there are big ethical questions to answer, about who will get vaccinated first. Libby talked with Dr. Alison Thompson, a university of Toronto bioethicist, who is advising the province. 

This week began with the good news that Pfizer and its partner, the German company, BioNTech, have a vaccine that is 90% effective, at least according to preliminary results. How good is that news and what will it take to vaccinate Canadians. Libby Znaimer reached Dr. Jillian Kohler, professor at the University of Toronto's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. AND This year's Scotiabank Giller Prize winning book, "How To Pronounce Knife" is part of a long tradition of Canadian literature about the immigrant experience. Author Souvankham Thammavongsa was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and arrived with her parents at the age of one. Libby chatted with her after she won the $100,000 prize.

Either the 74-year old Donald Trump, or Joe Biden, who turns 78 on Nov. 20, will break the record for oldest president ever inaugurated. There have been questions about both their mental states, but both have come through grueling campaigns. Will this change society's view of aging? Libby Znaimer reached Brent Green, an American expert in demographics and generational marketing. AND This holiday giving season presents the perfect storm for frontline charities. The pandemic is causing a huge drop in donations along with a massive increase in demand. Charity intelligence is out with its annual top 100 ratings to help you make sure to get the biggest impact from the dollars we donate. Libby talked with managing director Kate Bahen.

What is Q'Anon? People around the world are asking that question now that this extreme American conspiracy theory keeps gaining followers and heading closer to the mainstream. It centres on the belief that the US is run by a Liberal cabal of child sex traffickers who can only be stopped by Donald Trump. Libby Znaimer talked with Josh Pasek, a University of Michigan professor and expert on political communication and misinformation. AND You probably know her from television. Veteran broadcaster Marci Ien is trading one microphone for another after winning the federal bi-election in Toronto Centre for the Liberals. She's the daughter of immigrants from Trinidad eager to bring her experience as a Black woman to the political scene. We chatted a few days after her victory.

Zoomers are a demographic that is key to success at the polls in America - as well as other countries including ours.  Even though younger generations have surpassed baby boomers in sheer numbers, an overwhelming proportion of the older generation votes. In 2016, they were regarded as the most pro-Trump demographic and they were instrumental to his victory. Where do they stand now? Libby Znaimer checked in with in Dr. Charles Zelden, a political science expert from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. AND She was Ontario's first female and openly gay premier. Kathleen Wynne led the Liberal party to regain a majority in 2014 only to suffer a crushing defeat in 2018. Libby talked with Kathleen Wynne about her career after she announced she won't be running again in 2022.

It's an unintended consequence of the pandemic's devastating toll in long-term care. A majority of Canadians are reevaluating their plans, hoping to avoid ever moving into nursing or retirement homes. That's the conclusion of a poll From The National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University. Libby Znaimer reached executive Director Michael Nicin. AND It's the scourge of humanity, but war also drives massive change in society and technological innovation. Eminent Canadian historian Margaret MacMillan lays this out in sweeping detail in her latest book:"War: How conflict Shaped Us"'. Libby reached her in England.

Her election to lead the Green party of Canada marks a series of firsts. Annemie Paul is the first Black, Jewish woman to lead a federal party in this country. We had a chat to get to know her earlier this week. AND Here's something to be thankful for and lift our spirits in the midst of the pandemic. Fall colours are at their peak and it's easy to enjoy the majestic reds and glorious golds safely. Libby Znaimer reached Sarah MacMichael of Ontario parks.

As we head into the second wave of the coronavirus, it's instructive to remember that Canada went through this a hundred years ago. The death toll was staggering - pegged at between 50 and 100 million worldwide. But many, like Edward G.R. Ardagh of Toronto, survived and he wrote his experiences down in his diary for us to be able to read today. Some of his symptoms are eerily similar to today, as was the rush to try unproven remedies. But we've come a long way, starting with our ability to get a handle on the numbers. Libby Znaimer spoke with historian Neil Orford. AND Love fresh Ontario produce? Or did you grow way more than your family can eat in the backyard garden and want to preserve it for year-round access? Preserving food has been handed down from generations and it's making a comeback. From canning, to pickling, preserves to jellies. Collette Murphy owns seed company Urban Harvest and she's been preserving food for half a century. No matter the reason, nostalgia, saving money or if you want to eat

It's more fallout from the pandemic. At a time when the need is greater than ever, Canadians are giving less to charity. According to the Angus Reid Institute, 37% of donors who have to given to at least one charity in the last two years have decreased their donations because of COVID-19. It adds up to a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars for the country's 86,000 charities. Libby reached Angus Reid's Research Director Dave Korzinski. AND On Friday, the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the first woman to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol - after her body lay in repose at the Supreme Court earlier in the week. It culminated a distinguished career full of firsts, giving the public a chance to pay respects as the national outpouring of grief continued unabated since her death from pancreatic cancer on September 18th. It also deepened partisan divisions as Republicans moved to name a replacement before the November election. We'd like to revisit the 2018 interview with Julie Cohen a

VisionTV has a new documentary called "Blasphemy." And if you think it's an outdated concept, you'd be mistaken. Blasphemy laws are still on the books in about a quarter of the world's countries with devastating results. And not all blasphemy relates to conventional religion. Libby talked with filmmaker Martin Himel. AND The idea has been around for decades and it spawned two major experiments over the years. Now there is speculation that a guaranteed basic minimum income is on the Liberal government's agenda amid reports that it was a major topic at this week's cabinet retreat. Sheila Regehr is chairperson of the Basic Income Canada Network.

COVID-19 has hit Canadians and their families hard, none harder than those in long-term care and assisted living facilities. In B.C., older residents and their family members are being asked to take part in a survey examining their experiences. Seniors advocate Isobel Mackenzie told Libby Znaimer why she feels it's important to gather such information. AND Late last year the airline industry forecast a 4-percent increase in global travel demand for 2020 with post-tax profits for North American carriers of $16.5 billion American. This summer the International Air Transport Association is predicting that 2020 will go down as the worst financial performance in the history of commercial aviation. In light of COVID-19, will Zoomers, who love to travel, be so eager to return to the skies? To discuss, Bob Komsic reached John Gradek, who, before becoming a lecturer and coordinator of the Global Aviation Leadership Program at McGill University, held senior management jobs with Air Canada and CP Rail.