Gratitude not only make us feel better, it also seems to spark physical changes in our bodies that are beneficial, concluded a recent study led by Paul Mills. Mills is a professor of family medicine and public health at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. He specializes in disease processes and he […] Read more
Stories by Shirley Byers

Woman shares dementia struggle
Author goes public with what is usually a private battle after diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at age 58
Wendy Mitchell has had her share of challenges. As a child growing up in England she struggled academically. In college she found it difficult to make friends. After her marriage ended, she struggled with loneliness as she worked two cleaning jobs to support two young daughters. By nature a self-sufficient person, she put a smile […] Read moreAuthor offers practical tips for travelling with dementia
When people first meet Wendy Mitchell, or read her book or her blog, or hear her being interviewed, they sometimes find it hard to believe that she has dementia. She travels around England speaking, attending meetings and visiting friends. Traveling alone, in a densely populated country with a robust public transportation system that is heavily […] Read more
Language choice important when dealing with dementia
Wendy Mitchell still remembers the dismay she felt when she was getting the results of her latest memory tests. “You’re a little worse than last time,” the doctor told her. She felt her heart sink inside her chest. Related stories: Woman shares dementia struggle Author offers practical tips for travelling with dementia She knows she […] Read more

Going south with Fluffy and Fido
Pet owners who want to head south this winter have a few options on how to deal with their four-legged loved ones. They can board their cat or dog at a kennel, but that can be expensive. They can ask a neighbour to feed, water, walk and care for their pets, but that is a […] Read more

Multiple studies find dementia is decreasing
The declining rate is linked to higher levels of education and better control of heart disease and high blood pressure
At a time when the only medical treatments available for dementia are providing, at best, a little help, there is some good news about this dreaded disease. Studies in England, Wales, Denmark and the United States have found that dementia rates are going down. In England and Wales, it was found that dementia rates have […] Read more
How to pass on land to non-farmers
Estate plans are key when trying to figure out how to keep non-farming children involved in the family operation
Farmers with children who will eventually inherit the farm but do not necessarily want to farm it may consider transferring the land to those individuals. This can be done in a couple of ways. In Saskatchewan, for instance, land can be held by multiple individuals in two ways: as joint tenants or as tenants in […] Read more
Keeping the mineral rights right
If there isn’t an oil well on the back 40, mineral rights may be something you never even think about, but maybe you should. “Often the family is not even aware of their existence until they are discovered during a routine title search in the administration of a deceased family member’s estate,” says Humboldt, Sask., […] Read more

When grey divorce meets estate planning
When practicing matrimonial law, the first thing Wynyard, Sask., lawyer Bill Klebeck asked farmers seeking a divorce was, “how many kids do you have and what do they do?” “If they’ve got grown children who are farming with them or who are taking over the farm, then you take a different approach, rather than saying, […] Read more

Some people divorce and some people don’t
Not all of Clive Tolley’s clients want a divorce. Some just want some space. “I’ve had several clients that have got to a time in their life where they just wanted to have some independence and do some things they wanted to do and didn’t get a chance to do. They kind of still love […] Read more