November is Falls Prevention Month

Protect, check, and improve hearing and vision

November 2025

Released July 30, 2025 – McMaster University –
Authors – Dr. Paul Mick, MPH, MD, FRCSC, Dr. Roslyn M. Compton, Dr. Walter Wittich, Natalie Morog

The Bottom Line

• Early self-screening of hearing and vision can be done online.
• If problems are found, get help from a health professional that specializes in hearing and/or vision care.
• Strategies to improve hearing health may include using hearing aids or other technologies, learning new communication strategies, practicing safe listening, and having regular hearing health checkups.
• Strategies to improve vision health may include using lenses or other technologies, using eye protection, and having regular vision health checkups.

Sensory abilities naturally decline with age. In a large Canadian-based study, it was estimated that by 75 years of age, almost 50% of older adults have mild hearing or vision loss. By the age of 85 years old, about 40% have both mild hearing and vision loss. Males are more likely than females to have hearing and dual sensory loss. Since hearing loss often occurs gradually over time, many people don’t realize they have it. Sensory loss affects communication, cognition, and social relationships and is even associated with an increased risk of falls. Some signs of hearing problems include needing to ask for repetition and difficulty communicating in noisy environments. Some signs of vision problems may be blurred vision, difficulty seeing at night, sensitivity to light, double vision, loss of colour perception, seeing floaters or flashing lights, or severe eye pain. There are a number of effective strategies you can take to protect, check, and improve hearing and vision.

What the research tells us

Protect your senses: To prevent vision loss, wear sunglasses in bright sun. When in noisy environments, wear earplugs. Exposure to loud sounds can cause preventable noise-induced hearing loss. You could be at risk of noise-induced hearing loss if you spend considerable time in noisy environments, use loud machinery, use firearms, or listen to amplified music. Strategies to reduce the risk include turning down the volume, limiting your time in noisy environments, and using properly fitted hearing protection. Decibel X is a free phone app to measure noise levels. Decibel levels of 85 dB HL have the potential to be damaging to your ears.

Test your senses: Check your hearing and vision using your smartphone to recognize if there are sensory problems. You can also check your hearing using the free Hearing Numbers app (iOS or Android), which will help you track changes in your hearing. The World Health Organization recommends vision screening every 1-2 years for adults over 50 years old, as well as hearing screening every 5 years for adults aged 50–64 years old and every 1–3 years for adults 65 years or older. Most age-related changes to your hearing and vision can be corrected or treated if identified early. Use these links to find your closest hearing or vision healthcare provider.

Seek help if you have sensory problems: Seek help and information about how to live with sensory impairments as soon as you notice sensory problems. Additional vision rehabilitation options are available through Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada. Many of these services are designed to consider the possibility of having more than one age-related impairment (i.e., vision and hearing loss). Adaptations and accessibility solutions are just around the corner.

Embrace technology and adopt new strategies: Depending on an individual’s situation, they may be helped by using technologies (e.g., hearing aids or glasses) and modifying communication strategies and environments (e.g., turning down noise, using closed captioning, or increasing lighting). Hearing and vision healthcare professionals can help you decide if you are ready for hearing aids or glasses. Use your technology on a regular daily basis and encourage friends and family to use their devices as well.

Hearing aids: The research tells us that hearing aids and other technologies can improve quality of life. Hearing aids can make communication easier, improve our psychosocial well-being, and provide tinnitus relief. The better the quality of input, the better one can understand and remember. Other technology aids that can improve hearing include remote microphone systems and personal amplifier systems.

Use good communication strategies: Whether you or a loved one is using hearing technology or not, good communication strategies are a must. Communication strategies are easy to use and cost no money. Some examples you can start using right away include:

• getting someone’s attention before speaking;
• facing the person you are speaking to and ensuring they can see you;
• reducing background noise when possible or moving to a quieter location;
• rephrasing rather than repeating when something is not understood;
• taking turns speaking when in groups; and
• having a positive attitude!

The above article, along with additional material can be found at www.Preventfalls.ca.  Prairie Mountain Health is committed to providing continuous education and resources to staff, clients and families to assist in reducing falls and injuries related to falls. 

For more information related to falls prevention, including risk checklists, resources and videos, visit PMH’s website.

World COPD Day

The 2025 theme for World COPD Day is “Short of Breath, Think COPD.” World COPD Day takes place on November 19th. This year’s theme aims to emphasize that although COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide, it is often not diagnosed correctly. COPD is a common, preventable, and treatable disease, but extensive under-diagnosis and misdiagnosis lead to patients receiving no treatment or incorrect treatment. Appropriate earlier diagnosis of COPD can have a very significant public health impact. Earlier diagnosis and treatment results in better clinical outcomes, including improvements in symptoms, lung function and quality of life.  A diagnosis of COPD should be considered in any patient who has shortness of breath, chronic cough or sputum production, a history of recurrent lower respiratory infections and/or a history of exposure to risk factors like tobacco, cooking fuels, or occupational hazards.

If you have questions about COPD or other chronic lung conditions like Asthma or Pulmonary Fibrosis – please contact the Lung Health Clinic 204-578-4203. The Lung Health Clinic offers education & self-management skills to better manage chronic lung disease and live life to the fullest. The Lung Health Clinic also offers Pulmonary Rehab Classes for people living with chronic lung disease:

• In-depth education and exercise
• Free, 12-week course
• 2 sessions per year (Spring & Fall)
• Held Wednesday afternoons 1-4pm at BRHC

Occupational Therapy Lymphedema Cancer Care

In October 2024, Prairie Mountain Health received funding through the Cancer Care Manitoba, Centre of Hope, to hire a part-time Occupational Therapist. The Occupational Therapist’s role was intended to provide lymphedema management services for cancer survivors. Before this time, there was either a long wait for service or clients had to travel to Winnipeg for care.

Lymphedema is an abnormal accumulation of protein-rich fluid, which, when left untreated, can lead to chronic inflammation, hardening of the tissues, a decrease in function, and a decrease in quality of life.

Kayla Bueckert assumed the role of Occupational Therapist at that time and quickly completed extensive coursework to become a certified lymphedema therapist. She worked hard to integrate herself into the Cancer Care practice environment to work with referred clients effectively.

She works with clients who experience lymphedema in their breasts, upper extremities, lower extremities and in their head and neck areas.

Since Kayla started, she has had nearly 200 individual patient visits. She has begun collecting program data on how frequently clients need to see her before they can transition to self-managing their symptoms. She has also started to recognize the value of early intervention, where clients seen earlier in their symptom onset can have their symptoms treated and actively managed, preventing or delaying chronic symptom progression. She is actively working to reduce wait times for service and to expand the role of Occupational Therapy to meet clients’ needs beyond their experience of lymphedema.

Here is some feedback from clients who were seen by Kayla:

How long did it take you to get into lymphedema treatment? How knowledgeable were you about lymphedema before your symptoms?

It took 9 months to schedule an appointment with a lymphatic therapist in Brandon. However, I understand the new wait time after Kayla has begun is 4 months. Upon meeting my oncologist in Winnipeg for the first time, I had never heard of Lymphedema. The oncologist explained the type of surgery I would need and that I would be prone to developing Lymphedema. She briefly explained what to expect, but I didn’t fully understand it, and we didn’t go into detail about what can be done or how to be referred to a lymphatic therapist.  ~Gerharda Reuvekamp~

How has lymphedema impacted your quality of life?

My quality of life was dismal at best.  I was very depressed.  I cried at the thought of how bad my situation would be as a senior in a care home and told my husband that I will be seriously considering MAID in my future. Kayla Bueckert at Cancer Care Brandon quite literally changed my life.  My will to live.  She was able to see me for 2 weeks straight, and I improved 50%!  Since then, I have only been able to see her periodically due to her enormous case load, and my progress has slowed. ~Michelle Green~

What would you say the difference is after receiving some treatment and education on the topic?

The information I received from Kayla was so helpful. I felt (and feel) I was taken care of very well. She taught me how to manage the swelling, the importance of wearing my garments daily and how to do skin stretch massages. She also taught my husband how to do these for me. Many primary caregivers don’t know about lymphedema, which is a serious side effect of cancer treatments and also don’t know how to treat this (many think that taking a diuretic pill and deep tissue massage will help, but neither is the wrong treatment and might even make the condition worse). ~Gerharda Reuvekamp~

What are your thoughts on those in rural areas with little to no treatment for lymphedema?

It is setting these patients up for a life of misery.  The aftercare for women after breast cancer surgery is abysmal.  ~Michelle Green~

It’s very frustrating that not only has there been minimal access to lymphedema in Brandon prior to April 2025, but there is also very little KNOWLEDGE about it. I saw my oncologist, radiologist, physiatrist, three rheumatologists, two neurologists, two massage therapists (external to CancerCare), and two physiotherapists (external to CancerCare). I also had a nerve test done, and NO ONE thought of lymphedema as the cause of what was going on. The CancerCare team members are AMAZING, but the actual clinical help for managing side effects from cancer treatment is not there. After one hour with the OT at Brandon’s CancerCare Centre, I was able to start moving my arm.  I wish I had known more about the risks of lymphedema, cording, and seromas. ~Elizabeth Glaseman~

If there is one thing you would like to say regarding your journey through cancer care, what would it be?

Cancer takes so much away from people; it’s difficult to survive but not be able to thrive because of side effects from life-saving treatment. You want to be able to put cancer behind you, to live the life you’ve been given a second chance at. But when you’re constantly dealing with things like pain, incapacitation, declining movement ability, etc., it takes a real toll on your physical and mental health. To go from someone who hiked 10 km every weekend, swam twice a week, and did yoga to now not being able to grab soup from a top shelf is really frustrating. I am 40 years old, and cancer treatment has left me in the body of an elderly person. ~Elizabeth Glaseman~

They have been a Godsend.  My quality of life has improved dramatically.  I wish I could see my OT more often.  To think that each breast cancer patient is not automatically referred after surgery displays a failure of the Manitoba health care system. ~Michelle Green~

Based on the professional treatment and education I received from Kayla. I am very supportive of an additional certified lymphedema therapist in Brandon and/or rural areas, so that more people can get access to timely and effective treatment of this serious side effect condition from cancer treatments. ~Gerharda Reuvekamp~

Prairie Mountain Health is grateful to Kayla for her efforts in helping the clients she serves and for her fearless entry into a new practice environment for Occupational Therapy.

October of each year is National Occupational Therapy Month. Prairie Mountain Health has Occupational Therapists who work in hospitals, clients’ homes, long-term care homes, schools, preschools, and management. Occupational Therapists make a difference in the lives of Manitobans every day!

Canadian Patient Safety Week

October 27 – 31, 2025 | All Voices for Safer Care

Provincial Shared Health, Prairie Mountain Health and all Healthcare Organizations across Manitoba are working together in promoting Canadian Patient Safety Week.

This year’s national theme is an invitation to listen more deeply, ask important questions and take meaningful action – together. This includes all voices in making care safer; voices of patients, clients, families, the public (our future patients/clients) and all healthcare team members.

Recent data shows that in 1 in 17 hospital stays involved at least one harmful event.  This data is only for acute care services.

In the past, patient safety efforts have been focused on potentially preventable physical harm.  But healthcare harm can come in other forms, such as psychological, spiritual and social harm.  Despite best efforts, rates of patient harm are not decreasing.  Partnering with patients, families, communities and the public to learn and work together is important to strengthen safe care.  Learn more at Healthcare Excellence Canada’s Spotlight Series page (Canadian Patient Safety Week)

Did you know?  Many Manitobans wonder about what questions to ask?

Some patients, clients and residents may be worried about how their healthcare team will respond to questions.  Comfort level with asking questions of healthcare team members may be affected by:

• How they have been treated in the past while asking questions
• Relationship with their healthcare provider
• Experiences of trauma, systemic racism and/or stigma
• Health literacy (a person’s understanding of their health, finding information about their health needs and using it to make health decisions)

It’s Safe to Ask is a resource for patients, clients, residents and their families on how to ask questions about their health and fully participate in their plan of care. 

Events: 

Access Canadian Patient Safety Week Activities on the Patient Safety Week – Shared Health – Health Providers page.

• Tuesday Oct 28 – 12:00-1:00pm Have your lunch and Learn in collaboration with CHI
• Tuesday Oct 28 – 11:00-12:30pm Live Webinar – From Awareness to Action: Beyond Harm, Toward Safer Care (English- with French translation available)
• Wednesday Oct 29  11:00-12:00pm Live Webinar – Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network – Taking multiple medications? 5 questions to ask
• Thursday Oct 30 – 11:00-12:30pm Live Webinar – From Awareness to Action: Beyond Harm, Toward Safer Care (French- with English translation available)
• Friday Oct 31 – 12:00 – 1:00 pm Live Webinar Shared Health Provincial Patient Safety Team It’s Safe to Ask

Enter the Draw HERE! Chance of winning a $50 Gift Card

This year, we are putting a spotlight on Manitoba’s It’s Safe to Ask resources.

Encourage Clients, Patients and Residents to Ask Questions about their Health, Medications, and Medical tests.

Learn more about Patient Safety Here: Patient Safety – Prairie Mountain Health or  Patient Safety – Shared Health

Mental Illness Awareness Week | October 5 – 11, 2025

Mental Illness Awareness Week is a time to listen, learn, and work toward a better understanding of the realities of mental illness. Across Canada, one in five people will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. This week serves as an important reminder of the value of mental health education and awareness.

We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to increase understanding, share accurate information, and build mental health literacy within our communities.

The Canadian Mental Health Association is an excellent resource for learning about mental illness, including facts and myths, treatment options, mental health in the workplace, and how to support yourself or a loved one when concerns arise. Visit their website for more information: » General info on mental illnesses

Despite growing awareness, stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to accessing mental health care. Knowledge and compassion are two of our strongest tools in breaking down that stigma. This week, we encourage you to take time to educate yourself, start conversations, and support those around you on their mental health journey.