Zoomer Week in Review

Women executives in this country earn about 56% less compared with men and are on average slightly younger.

That's according to a recent study from Statistics Canada.

Economist Marina Adshade, an assistant professor at the University of B.C., says the finding about age may offer a clue as to the cause of the pay gap.

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She's been in the real estate game for decades in cottage country, but Muskoka agent Catharine Inniss says she’s never seen anything like this.

The term "war crimes" has been thrown around a lot amid the fighting between Israel and Hamas. Libby Znaimer turned to Janice Stein, an expert in Middle East studies and conflict management and Founding Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs.

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What will happen to COVID-19 patients who leave the ICU with long-term side effects of the illness? Dr. Raphael Rush is clinical director of Complex and Continuing Care at the Salvation Army-Toronto Grace Hospital. He says their recovery will require many more resources and he is warning that rehabilitation could become the fourth wave.

Alzheimer’s disease afflicts half a million Canadians and there is still no effective therapy. A pilot study from baycrest and Sunnybrrok finds that low dose radiation can bring remarkable improvement at least for awhile. And it started when a researcher had an idea to help a friend. Researcher Jerry Cuttler joins Libby to share his experience.

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Perdita Felicien’s memoir is a love letter to her mother Catherine, who faced racism, abuse and hostility after coming to Canada from St. Lucia as a domestic worker. Felicien tells the story of how the two beat the odds together as she went on to an illustrious career as a ten-time Canadian hurdling champion, a world champion, and an two-time Olympian.  Libby talked to her about the book, My Mother’s Daughter: A Memoir of Struggle and Triumph.

Like most things during the pandemic, there’s been a stampede to pivot online. This includes the health care system. Family physician, and U of T professor, Sheryl Spithoff recently wrote an op-ed piece condemning health care’s pivot to virtual learning arguing that with so many corporations wanting a slice of the pie, it’ll drive up costs, create fragmented care and pose a risk to privacy.

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Two Toronto-based engineers have created a texting tool to help us all amid the confusing world of booking COVID-19 vaccines. It offers a more user friendly way to book without navigating website portals or calling around to different pharmacies. It’s just one more tool in the province’s fight against COVID-19. Christine Ross spoke with Zain Manji, one of the two men behind it, to find out how it works.

This week, two devastating reports detailed the failure of Ontario’s long-term care sector to protect elder residents. Where should we look for the right kind of change? Author Moira Welsh takes us through unique facilities that show how the right living arrangements can help people live with purpose and connection. We talked about her book "Happily Ever Older: Revolutionary Approaches to LTC.”

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Most of us don’t give it much thought: polite small talk with a co-worker or a quick conversation with a stranger we pass in the park. Some of us write off these interactions as meaningless. But the pandemic has shown that they are integral to our wellbeing and sense of belonging and we miss them more than we realize. Psychology Professor Dr. Francis McAndrew has done research on the subject and Libby Znaimer reached him at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.

An independent review recently found systemic discrimination contributed to deficiencies in a number of missing-persons investigations conducted by Toronto police.

The review, led by former judge Gloria Epstein, examined policies and procedures related to missing-persons cases, as well as how officers investigated the disappearances of residents who were later found to have been killed.

It focused on 10 cases, including the eight men murdered by serial killer Bruce McArthur. Epstein says she found ''serious flaws'' in how missing-persons cases, even beyond those at the centre of the review, were investigated.

For reaction, Bob Komsic spoke with Justin Ling, author of "Missing from the Village" the story of Bruce McArthur.

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Community organization needs and volunteer roles are changing rapidly as a result of the pandemic. The slogan of this year’s National Volunteer Week is "The value of one. The power of many". Volunteer Canada is a charity that helps to increase the giving of one’s time. Its president is Paula Speevak.

Despite a turbulent year of grounded air travel around the world, experts predict travel will be cleared for take off post pandemic but with some noticeable changes. Post pandemic air travel will be more complex and carry a few unavoidable features, like higher travel and insurance costs, and possible vaccine passports. Christine Ross spoke with Richard Smart, CEO of the Travel Industry Council of Ontario.

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After more than a year of lock down, many of us have lived a more sustainable lifestyle, sometimes not by choice, whether driving less to work or shopping less.

And there’s been hope amid a dark year as we celebrate Earth Day this coming Thursday, as vaccines were rolled out quicker than even the experts predicted leaving some to argue if the world can unite to tackle an unseen monster like COVID 19, surely we can defeat an invisible beast like climate change.

Not so fast says Douglas Macdonald, with School of the Environment at the University of Toronto, who argues they are distinctly different.

Half of all Canadians now say COVID-19 has impacted their mental health. A recent survey finds for women it’s 6-in-10, jumping to 7-in-10 for those aged 18 to 24 as the current stay-at-home order has some wondering just when will the pandemic end. This has led many to reach out for, or consider,  mental health support. And with so many taking long walks, more and more counsellors are offering nature-based sessions. Among them is Adrian Juric of Vancouver Walk & Talk Therapy.

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Spring is not only when homeowners have to clean up their yards and gardens. It’s also the time some get the urge to purge and organize their place. It doesn’t matter whether one’s looking to prepare to possibly downsize in this hot market or stay put, organizing and moving expert Kathy McEwan of Second Set of Hands is here to help.

Flexibility of working from home and the desire for larger living spaces have fuelled a boom in finding a place away from big cities this past year. With that in mind, ratesdotca set out to identify the best small towns or rural areas to live in. Mortgage editor Rob McLister is here to talk about their "Livability Report".

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While robins remind us spring’s here, the temperatures sometimes slap us in the face, literally, and we remember it’s EARLY spring. But it’s not too soon to think about returning to our gardens or starting one. Just ask Charlie Dobbin, host of the Garden Show, Saturday’s at 9 on Zoomer Radio.

This week’s Ontario budget doubled the child benefit for parents. But for those caring for their elders, there was nothing - despite the increased financial burdens caused by Covid-19. Aimee Roberto cares for her mother Julieta Pante and she shared the struggles of the last year.

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By now, it’s old hat, the internet is full of pandemic Passover memes and e-book offers. But for the second year the community won’t be able to gather around crowded family tables and next weekend churches will only be able to accommodate a small number of worshippers to celebrate Easter. I reached Rabbi David Seed of the Adath Israel Congregation and Father Michael McGoarty of St. Peter’s Parish.