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12-The Cariadian Champion, Friday, March 23, 2001 eveçi~~~~ht foi -rp rtv pr~d f tv By FANNIE SUNSHINE The Champion A s we gel eider, eur eyesight wen't be as (:Cuartie ai the age of* 65 as tl \vas at _30. Keeping thati n mmd.(l ît's, teperaýtîve te have yeur eyes exaînined, especîally il'veul'e epet ating a vechiele, said ian Nlewhr-ay ef' the 'Mîiltoin Read Salhty Cemiiuee. "Mayhe around lie aîge ol 70> people shîmuld notite chaniges ii iheir eysgî"she said. -We're noil alking 50) year îilds. ('unsulting with a diicîir and wearing prescrpption glasses could hclp with vision, she said. Tb'ades & Technology Exploration gives you a first-hand look at skilled careers. Give us two weeks and we'II show you a great job with great money! For more information about this No Fee program, contact The Centre at (905) 333-3499 or 878-1240. ln partnership wîth AUM. nTh Cendu HW Skills Devdlopment & Training 1-rorir ree ar..h. thore seeus iii bc a general prih- leii iii Noiih Aiica anid t lingpe lis'ý,ailiniiî' loi of attliioniiii su îrldss idec lliiu Drpiiiiiiirs. , sa Mlii )ir i ocriulî aid peoippe iiiighii [lot iucsl Iý slisa\ i seîî iiidica.iig licre's ai priîhleiii vh itiheii vsin *s"Fî ire irardesi tiig 1 base i.ii doiis ti llireilîe Iliey cati't drive anyrnire,' he said. "Most people diiî'i kniiw ihey have priiblems. 'Fle hmggcsti mistake yîîu can make s tinking an cye exanrination is jusI tir see il- you need glasses. Il's lii make sure yîîur eyes are heahthy.- Dr. Strohan suggcstcd children up lii the agc of« 19 should have their cycs checked annually and every lwo ycars aller thal utitil the age oii 50." theri eye examntioîiis sbiîild be doncr yearl\. "A loii of- people miii gel leiu li enice ai I6 an d ireser lunie aîiiiilir esc esaii. lie saiîl .X\o gelî Cciurder wîîirsilî cei srse Soitie peopleI dîsuîi Kîîîî iii e\ e priihiciii suclihsi î,ri.i and gliiiLiiii, (ss hici A, caarcti,r, a i Iîidiiie ii (liec Ier eus oi flic ew S\ ilîii o L airai,. iiicliîîl blitirCd s iîii ,ceilig S[pots anîd doubîle Moist cmiaracis, are tic reu ik oi (lie mgîing prîiuess. Abut 30 lier centio iitI people aged ilver 65 cars viii riase aI Icasi onie cataract mn tîrcir liiletiir. Giaucîîna eccurs whii tire pressure ofihe iluid iii the eye bauds and vision is dcslroycd. The discase cani be cînirîîlied thrîiugh încdicatirî and surgery. Accîîrdîng le the Ontanr Assorciation ol Oplîrncîrisîs, siîln visioîn changes ihal occur wilh-aging iclude: - The cyes fîrcusing abiiity decreases and il becîrnes more dilffi- cuit il change biens frornt distant iii near objecis 'MTe puptis hecîrîe smaiier and nmire iighî is nccded tir sec wcii *The cyc lens causes lighî tir scatter mnaking night dniving nmire dîllicuit " Reaciîn limes tends te bc, stîver " Colîrur distinction may dimnrrish " Various iighîiîrg conditions may affect yîrur sharpness mîf vision " Quickly changing focus tir differeni distances wili be harder Oiher laclors thai can affect an individual's abilvt lu drive sale- iy include muscle or skeletal probrbims, puer driving habits, decin- ing perception or awareness and sleeping pils. Tips for vision enhancement include: *Avoiding tinted spectacles when driving aI nîght *Keeping spectacles, car mirrors and car windurws dlean aI ail times " Turning up the lights at home, particularly for close work tasks " Carrying a llashlighl when out aI night 10 increase lighlîng on lootpaths Il you experience ciouding oM'vision, haioes around iights, pain or redness, intermittent or constant biurred visiorn or liashes oil iight, sec your îrptometrist iînmediately. Dietitians:. Helping Patients Make The Healthier Choices Halton Healthcare Kerstin Frcdriksson is a registcred dietitian at Milton District Hospital, helping both inpatienls and outpa- tients undcrstand how eating habits affect their health. Most of Kerstin's work is done wiîh the outpatienîs who attend the I-lton Diabetes Programn aI MDH. "Diabetes is a condition you have 10 live with and il affects every meal that you cal. It becomes very important for people with diabetes to be aware of exaclly what they are ealing." says Kerstin. Through the program she teaches peuple the impor- tance of îhings like reading food labels and more specihically sehat lu loork for on labels. They leamn about different types tif carbohydrales and fats and how rnuch they should be eating. -We provide themn wiîlr information and give them advice but we encour- age themr le take conîrol tof their condition," says Kerstîn. Kerstin f'iids that the gruup lonirat of'the session is ellteclive. "Peuple really benefit from the group ses- siuons,- she says. Tbey icaro a lot about eoping from mther people iii the grîiup wbîî are in a similar situa- tiiii.- 'l'ie tonrnrai ilsîr ssîrks sveliin tie l-eart He.iitby classes she teacîres oince a nirnîi. 'l'lie cliasses deai Stir litiestle issues people vatt ireart discase l'ace 55 iti a1 i0uts oî nuli iiifl. Kerstiti aise coutîseis itîpalileirs coiîg v tir nurii lion issues. Sîrtîe trI irese patiets ;îte ret'erred tirfici b> nurses anrd piNsîci,îns tiOr lrutritioin intet seîîlîîîn" le iretp idleilîluý, patienris tlrt are ath up risk l'or îîî,îi ltitritiîir a ,0lii iii s iiiade aîs ,ît,île iii aii patiîenris andi ilîcît laîiffi lii liii oui Kerslîir is e tirese iî riîti v irichir nclude general qtuestionîs tîke age. s iîrg situa- tien, beight and weiglîl aird miore specialiîed ques- lions regarding diet, weighî loas and any bealîh prob- lems such as vomiting or losn of appetite. When a patient is identitîed as high risk, a visit from the dieti- tian will follose. "When you are sick, your appelite often is poor but Ibis is often the lime when your body needs more food 10 gel wcll," explains Keratin. "The challenge is finding ways that will increase a patient's food intake." Patients who arc being îreaîed for conditions such as heart altacks, strokes, renal disease, liver disease or diabetes are put on "therapeutie dicta." For example, if a patient is admitted due 10 a heart attack, there is a very specifie "care path" 10 be followed. Part of Ibis -care paîb" invoives îeaching a low fat, higb fibre and iow sotdium diet. Some patients, sucb as patients admitîed because of a stroke, Kerstin will sc in con- junction with a Speech Language Pathoiogist 10 assess their swaiiowing abilities. For these patients, the tex- ture of their food is exairined and modified. "It's ver diffîcuit f'or people tii change their eating habits," says Kerstim. "it can be tough le interpret the dîet, restrictions at first and then to live by filleul. Cen- eraliy, rny wîrrk învmîives beling îlîcm wîîb that." Ollen Kersîîn bas clients irraîntain a "lord recoîrd' wbîcb is a log îîf eseryting lbey have cateir. iîmrv rîruch and wlren. Tis betps ber crecate a tocai plan. "i 1 caii tcaoî a littie aborut the fenods tbcy are .iiready cal- ing I cati crcaîe a mneal plan lIrai tbey are tmoîre lîkeiy iii tîrllrw. 1 v'ork tir gradually adjust itîcîr ealtrpg habits, iinating had babils and cxpandiirp oîî tIre 1îîîîd mies.- sbe explaîns. -Olten times people knoîv v ,iai unes sbmîuid he e.tîne. -There ,mre îften social aird psychmîlîrpcal faciers învorised, Kerstîn says. -That, mitre fihair anytbing. is what we have 10 help the client overcome. One of the most common problems Kerstin secs is lack of lime. "Il's not just a problemr for people with conditions that eall for a meai plan adjusîment," she says. "Oflen limes, we ail opt for the quick alternative rather than the healthy one." Keratin advises people to look for the altemnative. "Even in fast food restaurants, there are some heallhy items on the menu," she says. "People make food choices more ouI of habit. Il's a malter of breaking these habits." Written by Rebecca Stonenran, Public Relations Associate ai Halton Healthcare Services