Zoomer Week in Review

This week learned that at 8.1%, inflation has hit a 39 year high. As if we wouldn’t have known that from buying groceries and filling the gas tank. Galloping inflation is especially hard on people on fixed incomes. But rising interest rates can be good news for your portfolio and are making products like annuities more attractive. The Longevity Pension Fund is only a year old and bills itself the world's first income-for-life mutual fund for Canadian retirees. Libby Znaimer talked with Fraser Stark of Purpose Investments

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Every day, 48 Canadians die and 634 are hospitalized because of falls. It’s the leading cause of injury deaths, hospitalizations, emergency department visits and disabilities in Canada. Especially for older people. It was shocking to learn that Ivana Trump died from a fall in her apartment at the age of 73. A spilled coffee cup was found beside her body. Libby turned to falls prevention expert Dr. Geoff Fernie, for some practical tips.

Last week’s massive Rogers outage left more than 12 million Canadians without access to everything from the internet to emergency services and banking. The government is demanding a plan to ensure it won’t happen again. Author and pollster Darrell Bricker says the fallout goes beyond communications and points to a wider breakdown of the basics.

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It’s a completely new way to view what aging is. Instead of a relatively short, unhealthy period of decline, aging now becomes a positive time of life – much longer, and with plenty of scope for personal development, accomplishment, and fulfillment. Libby Znaimer talks to author and Zoomer Media VP, David Cravit, about his new book.

Conservative activist Tasha Kheiriddin went to Calgary during the Stampede to launch her book which offers a prescription on how to unite the deeply divided party. But the disqualification of Patrick Brown has overshadowed all aspects of the leadership race and thrown the fundamental questions into high relief: will the Conservative party of Canada choose populism or the moderate centre? Will Canadians accept it as a viable alternative to the Liberals? Libby Znaimer reached Tasha Kheiriddin in Calgary.

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It’s a stunning life-saving achievement! A study published in the Lancet Infectious Disease estimates that COVID-19 vaccines helped reduce the global death toll by 63% during the first year they became available. That adds up to 20 million lives saved. I reached Dr. Oliver watson at Imperial College London.

Air Canada is canceling dozens of daily flights in an attempt to alleviate the chaos at our airports. The move will see more than 9,500 flights, or 154 per day on average, dropped from the airline’s schedule, and it will affect about 400,000 passengers. The flights are mainly domestic and Canada-U.S. routes out of Toronto and Montreal. What does it mean for your holiday? Libby Znaimer talked with travel expert Vivian Vassos, Executive Editor of Zoomer Magazine.

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For more than 2 decades, neurologist and medicinal chemist Donald Weaver has been pursuing a novel approach to Alzheimer’s Disease. He believes it is actually an auto-immune disease and that theory has now won him the silver Oskar Fischer Prize, worth US$400,000. Libby talked to him about his research.

This week brought more tragedy for the victims of drunk driver Marco Muzzo. Edward Lake, father of the three children who were killed with their grandfather, died by suicide. That prompted a petition signed by thousands to remove the Muzzo name from a hospital building. It’s part of a larger controversy over the rights to naming rights. Libby Znaimer reached Prof. David Soberman of the Rotman School of Management to discuss.

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“Creature Comforts” is a new VisionTV series that explores the elevation of pets to full family members. More than 50% of Canadians own pets and Zoomers say their animal companions help them enjoy life and feel loved. Libby talked with the show’s creator Erin Oakes.

Canada’s Jewish Immigrant Aid Services has been supporting refugees to this country for a remarkable 100 years, an anniversary marked this week here at the Zoomerplex.

June 20th is World Refugee Day and this year it carries more significance as beleaguered Ukrainian refugees crossed their nation's border to various destinations including Canada. Ukraine has the fastest growing refugee crisis since the second world war and the numbers are growing. Whether it’s this crisis or others, JIAS has welcomed newcomers forced to flee their homeland. Elise Herzig, herself the daughter of an immigrant, is executive director Jewish Immigrant Aid Services, Toronto.

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There’s an urgent call for more blood donors as demand is back amid the smallest donor base in a decade. And officials warn it’s not sustainable. In fact, Canadian Blood Services needs to find another 100-thousand donors over the next year. That number is more than double that which currently donate on a regular basis. Rachel Solomon is development manager for the Toronto area

Delayed and cancelled flights, huge waits on the tarmac after landing, even longer delays to get through security and customs. That is reality around the world as tens of thousands of people rush to fulfill their delayed holiday plans. Travel insurance expert Martin Firestone experienced it all first hand this week. Libby Znaimer reached him a few hours after he got home to talk about what to expect and how to prepare.

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This week marked the 78th anniversary of D-Day amid an ongoing effort to re-consecrate the graves of Jewish soldiers who were killed in World War 2. While many were keen to join the Allied forces to fight the Nazis - some concealed their faith because they feared worse treatment if they were captured. The result? They were buried under Christian crosses and given Christian rites. The work of finding those graves, replacing the headstones and offering descendants the proper religious ceremonies has resumed for the first time since the pandemic. But the work began in the U.S. when Shalom Lamm, an amateur historian, started Operation Benjamin.

The Progressive Conservative’s huge majority victory this week means it will be harder to hold that government to account. But CARP has a plan to push its healthcare priorities to the top of the agenda. Anthony Quinn, CARP’s Ontario Election Lead, shared the strategy.

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Langdon Hall, in Cambridge - is one of Canada’s most luxurious and celebrated country inns and it boasts one of the best restaurants in the country. Now home cooks can try their hands at recreating some of Chef Jason Bangerter’s sumptuous dishes. I talked to him while flipping through “Langdon Hall: A Cookbook.”

Experts say we should expect more extreme weather events like last weekend’s devastating storms which killed 11 people. But are we doing the right things to limit the damage? Libby Znaimer reached Blair Feltmate, head of the University of Waterloo’s Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation.

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Maye Musk’s billionaire son Elon has been all over the news lately, but now she is making headlines of her own. The 74-year-old Saskatchewan-born model, author and dietitian has become the oldest person to appear on the cover of the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. She appears wearing a one-piece beige and orange bathing suit accentuated with ruffles. What does it mean for Zoomers? Libby asked Zoomer Magazine Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Suzanne Boyd.

This week’s whirlwind Royal visit by Prince Charles and his wife Camilla focussed on reconciliation with Indigenous people. But for many Canadians it raised the question of whether it’s time to cut ties with the monarchy. Recent polls show a slim majority think that should happen when Charles becomes king. Libby talked with David Onley who served as the Queen’s representative, the Lieutenant Governor, from 2007 to 2014.

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Huge lineups at security and customs. Passengers held on the tarmac for hours because there is literally no room for them in the airport. The government, the airlines, and the airports are all blaming each other. Even transport minister Omar Al’Ghabra is pointing the finger at inexperienced passengers.

Al-Ghabra denied that the government asked airlines to cancel flights to ease the backlog. That is where Libby started her conversation with Duncan Dee former COO of Air Canada.