Sharon Writes

January 13, 2010

Why Haiti’s quake was so devastating

Filed under: CBC.CA, Magazines and newspapers, Online media — Sharon @ 12:26 pm

CBC.CA

January 13, 2010

by Sharon Oosthoek

The green line south of Port-au-Prince shows the fault line where the 7.0-magnitude quake was centred. The epicentre was 10 kilometres beneath the surface. (U.S. Geological Survey)

The green line south of Port-au-Prince shows the fault line where the 7.0-magnitude quake was centred. The epicentre was 10 kilometres beneath the surface. (U.S. Geological Survey)

Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti was especially destructive because its epicentre was close to a major city and its hypocentre, or focal point, was close to the Earth’s surface, says a Canadian seismologist familiar with the area.

Natural Resources Canada seismologist John Cassidy says the 7.0 quake — centred just 15 kilometres southwest of the capital of Port-au-Prince — happened roughly 10 kilometres below ground.

“If the earthquake had happened further below, it would have lost its energy as it moved up,” he says.

When Seattle was hit with an earthquake measuring 6.8 in 2001, the damage was much less severe because it happened 60 kilometres below ground.

Full article

January 8, 2010

Ski industry lagging behind public on helmet issue

Filed under: CBC.CA, Magazines and newspapers, Online media — Sharon @ 5:23 pm

CBC.CA

January 8, 2010

by Sharon Oosthoek

Patrick Richard, project manager for helmet testing and certification at CSA International, conducts an impact test on an alpine ski and snowboard helmet. (Courtesy: CSA)

Patrick Richard, project manager for helmet testing and certification at CSA International, conducts an impact test on an alpine ski and snowboard helmet. (Courtesy: CSA)

As the ski season hits its stride across Canada, the issue of mandatory helmets on the slopes is once again gaining traction.

“The market demand is out there,” says Anthony Toderian, spokesman for the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). “It’s really up to the manufacturers now.”

The CSA, which recommends alpine skiers and snowboarders wear helmets, says they can reduce the risk of head injury by 60 per cent.

Last March, it approved standards for ski and snowboarding helmets for the first time, but manufacturers have yet to make a helmet to those standards.

Full article

January 6, 2010

Alzheimer Society of Ontario – Ruth and Ted Simmons

Filed under: Alzheimer Society of Ontario — Sharon @ 9:56 am

Alzheimer Society of Ontario’s website

January 2009

Mornings with Ruth and Ted

Parents of young children will immediately recognize the morning routine at Ruth and Ted Simmons’ Hamilton home.

While Ruth makes breakfast, she checks in on her husband to see how he’s managing.

Ruth and Ted Simmons at home in Hamilton. (Photo by John Rennison)

Ruth and Ted Simmons at home in Hamilton. (Photo by John Rennison)

When Ted finally comes into the kitchen, sometimes he’s dressed, sometimes not. Some mornings he’ll be pleased with what she’s made for breakfast, others he’ll complain.

And when it’s time to leave the house, he may need to be reminded of where they’re going.

Ted, 79, has Alzheimer’s disease.

“I call the whole process we’re going through right now backwards kindergarten,” says Ruth, a retired teacher. “He’s unlearning things about the same order and rate as my kindergarten kids learned them.”

He’s not just being a jerk

Ruth has worked hard since Ted was diagnosed in 2005 to learn all she can about his illness. He first began showing symptoms by missing appointments and making significant banking errors. She’d get angry with him.

“I didn’t know what was going on and it made me really mad,” she recalls. “I’d say, ‘Listen to what I’m telling you.’ But I didn’t know his brain wasn’t working. I thought he was just being a jerk.”

Ruth, who speaks regularly at community groups about what it’s like to care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, says she can’t stress this point enough.

“They will blame you for things. If you take that personally, you’re a basket case all the time. That’s Alzheimer’s. That’s what they do. What a difference it makes when you know what’s going on.”

It’s OK to be overwhelmed

Ruth is also a strong advocate of community programs for caregivers: “Get help. Get all the help you can get,” she says.

A personal support worker visits their home nine hours a week; Ted attends an adult care programs at the Alzheimer Society of Hamilton-Halton three times a week, and when she needs it, Ruth uses overnight respite care.

Her four children and brother also pitch in.

Last summer, she and her children visited local long-term care homes, picking out two they thought would suit Ted once the time comes. While Ruth wants her husband with her as long as possible, she has accepted there will come a day when she’ll need even more help.

“You need to recognize your inability to do it all,” she says. ”But you know what? We tend not to do that, so we break down. It’s OK to be overwhelmed. It’s not OK to be a superwoman.”

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