Forward

The Healthy Living Workshop for Seniors program, which took place from March 19 to June 4, 2008, was a tremendous success. Each Wednesday, a fabulous group of seniors met at the Southend Community Centre in Sydney to read, write, talk and participate in learning about healthy lifestyle issues that affected them.

During those twelve weeks, notable topics included: the importance of being physically and mentally active during senior years, healthy eating, food labelling, falls prevention, visiting your health care provider, understanding prescription and non-prescription labels, exercising safely, and depression.

Guest speakers graciously gave up time from their busy schedules to present on topical issues related to the course and that were of benefit to the participants. One project undertaken during the course was the making of this recipe book. Most recipes were chosen with a conscious focus on healthy eating, but some are down right delicious comfort food. The seniors’ group deserves a special acknowledgement for the time and thought they put into this cookbook collection. Since the recipes are “tried and true” favourites, they will enjoy preparing them and sharing them with their friends and families.

Special acknowledgements go out to those who have been instrumental in making the first Seniors’ Healthy Living workshops a huge success. Thanks to the Nova Scotia Seniors’ Secretariat for initiating the program in Nova Scotia, to Karen Blair, Coordinator of the Adult Learning Association of Cape Breton County, for supporting and promoting this worthwhile endeavour, to Clotilda Yakimchuck, and members of our partnering organization, the Cape Breton Council of Senior Citizens and Pensioners, who were instrumental in promoting the seniors’ project and in recruiting participants, and to Margaret Cooke for her administrative assistance behind the scenes.

A very special and well deserved thank you to the participants; your enthusiastic involvement made the workshops such a success. Have a great summer and stay healthy.

Irene Donovan
Program Facilitator