With Halloween and Thanksgiving finally behind us here in Canada, the cooler weather is making us prepare for the Christmas and holiday season. Lights are going up in neighbourhoods, shopping is beginning, and stress is increasing. For individuals of all ages, the holidays can bring a fair amount of stress – but for seniors, the effects can be more disastrous. Make the holidays that much more enjoyable for you this year by keeping these 3 tips in mind:

1. Take advantage of soothing scents – fill your home with candles and potpourri that have scents of a holiday theme. Smells of cinnamon, fire and cedar can all be soothing and help seniors to relax and enjoy the season.

2. Prepare in advance – if entertaining, don’t do it all at once. Pre-preparing baked goods and other meal specialties can reduce the stress of preparation when holiday visits take place. Having cookie dough already prepared in the freezer, or other items that simply need to be popped in the oven can greatly reduce holiday chaos.

3. Take on less – you don’t need to overdo it over the holidays, even for gift giving, instead of braving the malls, try to focus on giving back to the community and encourage your family to do the same

Via: Ecological Living

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Over the holidays, it’s not uncommon to give seniors gifts like holiday and seasonal plants, or for them to use them in decorating their homes. But, did you know that many holiday plants can actually be poisonous, so having them around the home, particularly at the eye level of children and pets can present a major danger?

Plants such as holly, Jerusalem cherry, mistletoe and bitter sweet all have toxic properties that can have dangerous consequences if pets or children get their hands, or rather their mouths on them  over the holidays. So, think again about choosing these plants as a holiday gift for a senior if they’re likely to have grandchildren in their homes over the holidays, or if they have pets. Seniors who receive them or choose to have them around the house anyways, should ensure that they are well out of reach of little hands and mouths, or choose the artificial variety to prevent any unfortunate medical emergencies!

Via: Healthy Ontario

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

As a family caregiver, particularly for a senior with Alzheimer’s, it’s crucial that you understand something about the medications that your loved one takes on a day-to-day basis whether or not you’re the one who’s administering it.

Here are the common medications used to treat Alzheimer’s symptoms in Canada, and some basic information about their purpose. If your care recipient is suffering from Alzheimer’s in older adulthood, it’s likely he or she is taking one of these medications, and by understanding them, you can help to make better informed decisions about their care.

1. Cholinesterase Inhibitors – the main class of medication used to treat Alzheimer’s in Canada which include Aricept, Exelon, and Reminyl. These drugs help to reduce the breakdown of a chemical called acetylcholine, which is important for learning and memory.

2. NMDA Receptor Antagonists – medications which are believed to help with transmission of information to the brain. Only one drug is currently approved in Canada that falls under this class and that is Ebixa

Via: Forgetful Not Forgotten

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Health and safety should be a priority for everyone over the holidays, but seniors and caregivers in particular need to take steps to make sure that they put caution first because while younger demographics might be able to escape from dangerous situations that result from carelessness, older adults just might not be so lucky. Here are some tips from the Canadian Red Cross for holiday safety:

1. Prevent fires with smart measures – ensure that holiday candles are placed in areas where they cannot start fires and that all holiday lights used in the home are certified by the Canadian Standards Association. Choosing fresh Christmas trees versus ones that are dried out are also less likely to combust

2. Make sure home maintenance is up kept – fireplaces and chimneys and other areas that can cause a fire if their maintenance is not a priority. Before the holidays when it’s likely that these things will be used more frequently

3. Use designated drivers – whether you’re hosting a party or attending one, encourage others to use a designated driver if they plan on drinking over the holidays. This is especially important for seniors who might be taking medications that can cause different affects with alcohol

4. Take first aid – for caregivers in particular, but for anyone who might be hosting a holiday event, a first aid training course is always beneficial

Via: Canadian Red Cross

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

In every country around the world, there is a senior population, which means that questions of senior care are ones that families across the globe find themselves having to address. So, the question is not if family caregiving itself is universal, but if the approach to family care is the same across cultures and countries.

In North America alone, there are some notable differences in the care structure that US and Canadian families face. The issues are the same, the concerns are the same, and the love and desire to make elders have the best lives possible do not vary. But, in some ways, caregivers in Canada do deal with some different elements that caregivers in the US do not, and the most noticeable differences are presented by the healthcare systems.

In Canada, we have universal health care, giving our seniors added security because they don’t need to worry as much about having extensive funding available to pay for a long-term hospital stay, when the bulk of medical services are covered by provincial health plans, like OHIP in Ontario. What this means for the care structure is that Canadian seniors have more options when it comes to their care decisions. Instead of devoting their savings exclusively for medical emergencies like American seniors, Canadian seniors can better look at the options available to them should they require home care. Senior care services, don’t come with the same financial burden in Canada, because the health care costs are removed.

Via: WorkingCaregiver

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Those of us who have older adults in our families know that even if they receive home care assistance at home, at some stage they’re likely to require medical treatment in a hospital or clinic. We hope for the best that the doctors will be able to provide the highest quality of care; but like anyone, medical professionals can make mistakes too. When it comes to dealing with human lives, however, simple mistakes can mean so much more, which is why Canada has introduced a new Disclosure Policy that all medical organizations need to abide by if something goes wrong.

With this policy, mistakes won’t be swept under the rug, they will be discussed open and honestly to ensure that they can be rectified and understood. Here are some additional guidelines that families of senior patients can expect, should the unexpected happen:

• Medical professionals are expected to be open and honest with families about what they suspect, and the course they will take to investigate and further rectify the situation

• In some cases, families might be requested to provide feedback and their take on the situation that occurred

• An apology will be issued whether an adverse event actually occurred or if it’s suspected that one did

• Hospitals and medical professionals will work to regain the trust and respect of their patients and their family

• Any adverse events will be seen as a learning opportunity for medical professionals

Via: Hospital News

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

If you’ve recently relocated to a new area, you might find yourself in a bit of a bind when it comes to finding a family doctor. There’s no secret that in Ontario, and other areas across Canada, there is a shortage of General Practitioners accepting new patients.  A family doctor can make a huge difference when it comes to managing common illnesses that many seniors face; while going to a walk-in clinic or an emergency room is fine for treating a common cold or other ailment, it’s not enough for ongoing care. Seniors who are diagnosed with heart conditions, diabetes, or even something that seems as minor as high blood pressure that is controlled should receive regular care from one doctor who’s aware of their history. Finding a family doctor is easier said than done, but here are some guidelines for how to find one and what to expect from the process:

• Go to the College of Physicians and Ontario website (or similar resources if you are in another Province) to find a list of doctor’s offices listing as accepting new patients

• Check lists provided by local hospitals, either online or through newsletters

• When calling doctor’s offices, if they aren’t accepting patients, ask if they know anyone locally who is

• Expect that just because a doctor says that they’re accepting patients doesn’t mean that they’ll take you

• Doctors might request you to take a survey that will help them assess if they have time to treat a patient with your health background – often they will select patients that don’t seem to have any pre-existing health conditions because they anticipate treatment and care will take less time

Via: Hospital News

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Throughout our lives, our jobs, our roles as parents and spouses, and other distractions can make it harder for us to really focus on who we are as people. We adapt to our roles, we change, and we love it every step of the way; but in older adulthood, it’s often the first time where we have a chance to really take a step back and connect, learning more about ourselves and those most important to us. Seize the opportunity for discovery in the senior years.

1. Push aside the roles that have been set for you – don’t look at yourself as the person created by adaptation to a career or family life, take a long hard look at who’s really in there and consider your goals, dreams and aspirations

2. Pursue self-exploration – in order to really get a grasp of who you really are, pursue new hobbies, explore interests, travel, form relationships; all of these things can aid in self-discovery

3. Find ways to look inside yourself – getting in touch with the person inside can be as simple as trying yoga or meditation; activities that cut out the noise and allow us each to focus on ourselves

4. Reconnect with loved ones – take the time to really get to know the important people in your life in older adulthood. You’ll find that with defined familiar roles no longer in the forefront, you’ll be able to see your adult children for who they really are as people and re-connect with your spouse or partner on a deeper level

Via: Second Journey

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

There is a trend, according to a survey conducted by Home Instead Senior Care, that very few seniors and their families are aware of the real costs that are relevant to senior care in Mississauga. What this means, is that few families are prepared to take on the costs of senior care, because they don’t understand where coverage comes from and exactly how much money they will need.

The survey indicated that only about 20% to 30% of Canadians admit with being familiar with the various senior care options, including long-term care seniors centres and in-home care. But even those who know that these options are available, don’t necessarily have an in-depth understanding as to what it costs to sustain a senior with one of these care styles.  Many families believe that the funding provided by the Canadian Pension Plan or Old Age Security will cover the costs of senior care, but in reality, both benefits combined will not even cover the costs of long-term care in Ontario which are around $1,600 for a basic room. Insurance and other benefit programs typically only cover about one hour of in-home care per day, which means that seniors need to come up with additional finances to meet their care needs.

Families need to make sure that they inform themselves about available care options in Canada and their associated costs. Without this knowledge, decisions will be made based on what seniors can’t have; not on what they should, and that’s not something that should be sacrificed.

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Shoppers Drug Mart Home Healthcare played host to an amazing event for Home Instead Senior Care. The event was put together to help raise money and build awareness about the Alzheimer’s Society. With the population over 85 expected to more than triple between 2008 and 2050, old-age health is definitely a high priority in our society today.

Luckily, there are organizations out there like Home Instead that can help families deal with worry, reduce stress and reinforce personal freedom. Home Instead works with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients to help them get the care they need and live the life they want as well as providing many other in-home care services. The event was a great time for many to come out and learn something new about Alzheimer’s, knowing that the first step through anything is knowledge on the subject. This provided the opportunity for many people to learn.

Source: SnapSouthMississauga.com

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.