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SMART LINK is your Gentle Exercise Facilitator information connection, brought to you by Community Support Connections
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You are receiving SMART LINK, your connection to important exercise information. SMART LINK is a monthly newsletter to keep you in the loop and to be a resource for up to date information and success story-sharing! If you have any questions, please email Jenn or unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive it to your inbox.
  CSC Waterloo Region News       
From Jenn McDonald

Our staff exercise team has wrapped up our first full month of hosting daily virtual video SMART™ (includes WALC) classes! We have had lots of great connection and conversation with all of those who have been interested to join up or try it out so far. Many are recognizing one another from pre-COVID classes and it has been our pleasure to facilitate these conversations and connections.

We’ve also spoken with a few folks at retirement homes with computer access so far interested in joining. So far we’ve been seeing some real successes: clients becoming more accountable (attending more now than they would have before), new clients/spouses of clients trying class where they hesitated before, reducing social isolation (many recognizing each other on the calls) – just to name a few.

We are able to accommodate more participants, and are opening our invitations to try out a class if you or someone you know is finding they are in need of more safe, day to day movements in order to maintain or improve functional fitness.

To try or join in a virtual SMART™ gentle exercise class with Community Support Connections simply click on the link below, and one of our staff Kinesiologists will schedule a time to chat with you:

https://calendly.com/caitlinpothrkin/meeting-with-kinesiologist 
OR
https://calendly.com/leighb_rkin/meeting-with-leigh-bouchard-rkin

After your call with our Kinseologist, you will be able to select and choose which classes you wish to attend – Monday through Friday at 10am!
 
 Links to our in-home exercises: 

In-home exercises (from March 19)
In-home exercises version 2 (from March 31)
and 
Bingo challenge (from April 17)

Client Safety Tip of the Month:

Driver distraction is a leading cause of traffic crashes. It is essential to stay focused on the task of driving and let your passengers enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of spring in safety. Before driving, consider doing a circle check of your vehicle to identify defects and safety concerns, particularly tire conditions. Potholes are a concern at this time of year, so keep extra space from the car in front of you to give yourself more time to avoid the wheel-bending potholes. If you approach a flooded road as a result of heavy spring rains, the roadway under the water could be washed out so be sure to turn around and look for an alternate route. For those who don’t drive, be alert and aware of your surroundings while walking and make sure you have time to cross all lanes of traffic. Consider wearing light and reflective colours to be more visible to drivers. 
 
Did everyone see our CSC social media post of one of our very own instructors teaching classes from home? Cindy is part of our full time exercise team and is just one of several gentle exercise instructors adapting to ensure our clients get a full class experience from the safety of their own homes.

Classes who exercise together, stay together – even when we are self-isolating and physical distancing! Our clients are loving the chance to still stay active and socially connected through our online video exercise classes!
Send us articles or readings of interest if you'd like to share them!
jennm@cscmow.org

Exercise Resource manual link here!

Constantly worrying about what the future will hold can be overwhelming. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our minds and bodies is to focus on the present. Mindfulness exercise is a great way to do this! Try some basic mindfulness exercises here.

If you’re looking for new ways to fill your time that will stimulate and challenge your brain, there are many FREE online learning opportunities from well known institutions. Websites such as coursera and edX offer different webinars, tutorials and courses!

Article: A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away!
VON Client Success stories:
 
  • "We have been actively participating in the online exercises.  We are starting to spend periods at the cottage now and when we get the WiFi started there I fully expect we can follow you all summer which will be a rare bonus this summer.  We are both 90 now so we need to keep this thing going and we do thank you and the VON for making it available. Thank you again."
  • "I'm hooked on you and your Hi Intensity workout. I'm a 78 year old...and have participated in (these) great classes as much as my time could allow. My grandkids in Toronto require a lot of sitting time, so I would miss many classes unfortunately.

    I had back surgery for scoliosis 2 years ago and my only hope for a non-recurrence of a "slipped" disc is Core -Strengthening. My back surgeon stressed this as my next step would be a fusion and that would lead to countless other weakening vertebrae issues!

    I have found your Hi intensity class excellent and I do it for the full hour 3 days in a row and then take 1 day off --I haven't missed one day from this routine since our self-isolation began, and I can't believe the difference in my overall strength and balance. This adds up to 24 work-outs per month!!

    I'm able to do your class, on my schedule, at 0830 for the hour, before walking my dog and I love it-- I feel so much stronger !!

    What is so important to me when my self-isolation is over, is that I can continue daily with your program when I'm back in Toronto with grandkids again. All I need is my laptop computer!

    Thank you and Wightman -- with keeping me active 24 days/month, you have given me confidence that my back and balance will remain strong!!"


VON Guelph Wellington News:  
From Kelly Gee
 

VON News:

Every year, VON Week provides us an opportunity to raise VON’s profile in the communities we serve. This year, celebrating all of VON’s incredible staff and volunteers was especially important as they all continue to deliver the best and safest care possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of VON staff are working on the front lines or supporting front-line work behind the scenes. Everyone in this effort is making a remarkable difference in the lives of our clients and their caregivers.

We encouraged our VON community and beyond to show their support for the VON team and recognize the important difference their caregiving and work makes. 

Our community delivered. 

Notable buildings and landmarks across Ontario and Nova Scotia were lit up in VON blue in honour of our team.  Including:  CN Tower, Niagara Falls, Nova Scotia Province House, Halifax City Hall, Nova Scotia Government House Flying the VON Flag, Belleville Bridge, City of Hamilton Sign, Peterborough City Hall, Toronto City Hall and Toronto Sign, Brampton City Hall Clock Tower.

Proclamations for VON Week were made by several municipalities in Ontario, as well as across the entire province of Nova Scotia. We also received some heartfelt video greetings from a few political leaders, dignitaries and some well-known Canadian talent including;

·        His Honour the Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia

·        Her Honour the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

·        The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Labour

·        The Honourable Mary Coyle, Canadian Senator

·        The Honourable Wanda Thomas Bernard, CM ONS, Canadian Senator

·        Rick Hansen, CC OBC, The Rick Hansen Foundation

·        George Canyon, Country Music Singer

The full playlist of VON Week video greetings from mayors, MPPs, celebrities and more can be viewed on https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6Ap7cgdoA67b0zV85LBH4NoAjw7DxAnI


It so important to Stay Active!!
The VON is offering a number of way that one can participate in the SMART exercise Program while social distancing:

Zoom is a video conferencing platform that can be used through a computer desktop or mobile app, and allows users to connect online for video conference meetings, webinars and live chat. 
The app is available to download for free, and Zoom users can choose to sign up to the free service, or for a number of paid plans. The free services allows users to create unlimited meetings with up to 100 participants, although the time limit for group meetings is 40 minutes.
How does it work?
Zoom allows users to create and join virtual meeting rooms where they can communicate with each other using video, and audio. Additional features can give participants the ability to share their screen, share files, and use text chat within the meeting group or privately with others in the meeting.
In order to join a Zoom meeting, a participant needs to have the Zoom app, and either the meeting link, or a Meeting ID and a password.  While you do not need Zoom account to access a meeting, users need to set up an account in order to host a meeting.

Click here for the VON SMART exercise class schedule Monday through Friday

If you would like to join a live Zoom Class email Kelly Gee and she will send you the Zoom Link to access the live classes.
Kelly.gee@von.ca
 
VON SMART Exercise Programs:
The VON Exercise classes can be accessed through this playlist on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EC9a0rQKBvQ

Wightman Channel 6:  
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 7am Low Intensity, 8am Moderate Intensity, 9am High Intensity.
VON Fall Prevention Series: Monday, Wednesday and Friday's at 9 AM. Modules rotate through all 12 of them. The VON Falls Prevention Series is also on our Wightman YouTube page here: ://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt3MmNNNKrHWftstS-sjexx357ysQ09kp

 Check out our VON Facebook Page for activity challenges!

VON SMART Bingo

Check out our VON SMART Exercise Website and Facebook Page for updates as to when our programs will continue to run in the community.
www.vonsmartexercise.com!

Kin-formation
Click on the links HERE for video demonstrations of all of our SMART Gentle Exercise components.
See these video links of our standing and seated options for our SMART Routine.

If there are questions regarding safety of SMART exercises, exercise ideas, etc., from CSC contact Caitlin Poth (Registered Kinesiologist) caitlinp@cscmow.org or Leigh Bouchard (Registered Kinesiologist) leighb@cscmow.org
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Community Support Connections - Meals on Wheels and More · 61 Woolwich St. N. · P.O. Box 29 · Breslau, Ontario, ON N0B 1M0 · Canada

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