“Vintage”

Written by Stephen Grant, Risk & Resilience Advisor, Commissionaires Nova Scotia, Retired RCMP

I’m not personally keen on the term “senior.” As a member of the gray-haired set, I prefer “vintage” – like a fine wine or a good single malt scotch. 

My biggest concern as a vintage person is the growing sense that my wife and I are more vulnerable than we used to be. We are more conscious we may be called upon to help the other during a health emergency. Two recent trips in the back of an ambulance made this awareness even more real for me.  

I’ve taken first aid courses throughout my life, and I married a nurse, so I know I’m in good hands. However, I’m always surprised to learn that many of my friends have never learned CPR or basic first aid. They admit that, if they had to, they would be lost if their significant other suffered a stroke, heart attack, or severe fall.

First aid is a life skill that everyone should learn – both the vintage and the young. 

I remember when I bought my first house and wondered what I would put in the medicine cabinet. All those bathroom shelves turned out to be for pills, ointments, and various medications that I didn’t use, need, or even knew existed at the time. The medicine cabinet, when properly equipped, proved to be insurance for the future. It’s the same when it comes to first aid – you never know when you’ll need to stop a parent from losing blood or resuscitate a grandchild who fell into the pool.

The best time to learn to save a life – whether someone else’s or your own – is before the emergency, not after it’s too late. For vintage couples, taking a first aid class may not be the most glamorous idea for a date, but it’s training that could help you protect the ones you love. 

Courses to prepare you for an emergency are provided to the public by my workplace, Commissionaires Nova Scotia, a certified Red Cross Partner. Our First Aid & CPR/AED training combines leading-edge theory and tactics with hands-on practical skills. Qualified instructors with relevant, real-life experience are behind each course.

Please consider this essential preparation. 

Learn more here: https://commissionaires.ca/en/nova-scotia/course/emergency-first-aid-cpraed-level-c