Recent surveys have shown that more than 5 million Canadians are currently providing care to ill family members. For more than ¼, this is a full time job. Many caregivers have made the decision to have the elderly family member live with them so that they can better provide care for the senior and their own family. The Home Instead Senior Care Company has reported that one in four caregivers have no additional help while caring for a senior. The following information provides additional details on data that was collected from a survey.
1. The average Canadian caregiver has been caring for a senior loved one for more than four years and spends more than 20 hours per week helping senior family members. While this is a decent number, more than 61% of seniors in Canada report the need for additional assistance.
2. 34% of caregivers in Canada spend less than 10 hours providing care while 25% spend more than 40 hours. These caregivers have made their responsibility a full time position, in addition to their jobs and family obligations.
3. More than 30% of all caregivers have children of their own living at home. This can make caregiving even more challenging if the senior is not living in the home as well. Caregivers must find a way to establish a balance between the care they provide and their responsibilities as a parent.
4. Even though this is a huge responsibility, there is not much more understanding and support available to caregivers. People realize the sacrifices that must be made and many will offer their help in any way possible.
With more seniors desiring to remain living in their own homes, the need for home care for seniors is on the rise. In the next few years, the populations of seniors in Canada is expected to double, which means even more services will be needed for those who are receiving care in their homes. The following list contains facts on the demographics of Canadian seniors.
1. More than 13% of the population in Canada is made up of senior individuals over the age of 65.
2. It is believed that by the year 2030, there will be 40 retired people for every 100 that are still in the workforce.
3. There are currently more than 1.7 million adults who are providing informal care to seniors that have physical limitations or disabilities.
4. Being a caregiver disrupts the normal life routines of those providing care. 10% of male caregivers between the ages of 45 and 64 have reported that they are having trouble sleeping. This number is 20% for female caregivers.
5. The vast majority of female caregivers, 63%, are also working a full time job in addition to being a caregiver.
6. As a result of the huge caregiving responsibility, many working caregivers have had to reduce their hours at their paying jobs.
7. Many women have reported that becoming a caregiver would be a reason to retire.
8. 10% of seniors who are receiving home care are residing with an adult child. This is more common in seniors who are over the age of 85.
Seniors who live at home are at an increased risk for having a house fire. There are many causes of fires and seniors should know what to avoid and some simple things they can do to protect their home from a possible fire. By being aware of what could cause a fire, seniors can increase safety measures. The following list contains the 10 most common causes of house fires.
1. Cooking equipment is the main cause of house fires. Seniors need to stay in the kitchen while they are cooking and avoid leaving things near the stove.
2. Heating equipment should be inspected annually and space heaters should always be used with caution. Never leave a space heater on when you are not home.
3. Avoid smoking in the bedroom. Many seniors become drowsy while smoking and this can lead to a mishap causing a fire.
4. Electrical equipment with frayed wires and loose cords cause fires. Do not overload outlets and do not place cords under rugs.
5. Candles should be used only while at home and on a flat and stable surface. Blow them out before leaving the room.
6. Keep matches and any source of fire out of the reach of children.
7. Make sure older homes have updated wiring. If fuses blow out regularly or one appliance has to be unplugged before another can be used, it is time to update the electrical system.
8. Flammable liquids should be stored properly and away from all heat sources.
9. Christmas trees and decorations cause many fires. Never leave lights on when not at home and keep the tree away from heat sources.
10. Barbecues should only be used outside. Keep them away from the house and make sure they are cleaned and inspected on a regular basis.
During the winter months, most seniors are not as physically active as they should be. By doing some simple indoor exercises, seniors can maintain their fitness levels, make sure muscles stay strong and remain flexible and improve overall health. These exercises are not strenuous and only take a few minutes each day, but they benefits are amazing. Below are some suggestions for seniors regarding indoor exercising in the winter.
1. To help with flexibility, seniors should circle their arms. This will stretch the upper body. Another thing to do for flexibility is to sit with one knee straight out. Pump the ankle up and down, which will stretch the leg muscles. Do this with both legs.
2. Maintaining strength is important for all seniors. Small knee bends while standing at the kitchen counter will help improve and maintain leg strength. Sit to stand exercises will also help with the legs and hip muscles. While standing, gentle raise up on the toes to stretch and strengthen the calves. Marching in place will also provide exercise to help with leg strength.
3. Balance exercises can help seniors maintain and even improve their sense of balance. This can be done by balancing on one leg. Make sure to be standing next to something that can be grabbed if there is loss of balance. Tap steps include moving one foot forward, to the side, to the rear and back to the starting position. Repeat with the other foot.
4. Build endurance by staying active. Walk as often as possible and keep being physical.
The winter is one of the worst times of year for seniors. This is when many seniors experience falls and injuries from slipping on snow or ice. It is also a time that seniors get ill because of extreme temperatures and the failure to face the weather appropriately. The following list provides some great tips that will help keep seniors safe during the winter.
1. Make sure to protect seniors from the cold. Watch weather reports and plan ahead. Seniors should dress in layers of clothing so they stay warm outside but can easily remove clothing when indoors. Always wear a hat to prevent the loss of body heat and use gloves to protect the hands. Many seniors suffer from arthritis and the pain gets worse when exposed to the cold, so dressing appropriately is important.
2. Keep the inside of the home warm. While it may cost more, it is important to maintain a warm temperature. Be sure all air leaks have been sealed and that the home is well insulated.
3. Keep all walkways and driveways around the home free of snow and ice. Seniors should take breaks often when removing snow. Use a lightweight shovel and try to push snow instead of lifting.
4. Be sure to take precautions when driving. Drive slowly when the weather is bad. Again, watch the weather andprepare ahead. If there will be a storm, try to avoid being on the roads.
5. Wearing non-skid boots and using canes while walking will help to reduce the chances of falling.
6. When out walking, be sure to wear clothes that are highly visible.
As a senior, if you become sick and have to go for medical help, one of the worst things is having to wait at a walk-in clinic. ClinicBook is a new tool that is available to seniors and their caregivers that will help locate the closest clinic with the shortest waiting time. In many cases, seniors have no choice but to go to a clinic, so being able to find one that will quickly attend to the medical issues at hand is very important. Below is some additional information on ClinicBook and some other benefits it can offer.
1. In addition to helping locate the closest clinic in a time of need, ClinicBook can be helpful in booking appointments with other medical professionals. This is a great thing for caregivers, allowing them to have a fast and organized way to make necessary appointments.
2. ClinicBook will also help caregivers find the earliest appointment for emergencies, such as a dental emergency. Instead of having to be on the phone with multiple offices, ClinicBook takes away that hassle and provides the information quickly.
3. One of the great things about ClinicBook is that doctors and other medical professionals do not have to change how they do things. ClinicBook taps into the clinic management software that is already being used, making this one of the recommended options for caregivers.
It is often the desire of most seniors to stay living in their own home for as long as they can. In some cases, safety may be an issue. However, there are many things that can be done to make a home safe for seniors and even adapt it to their physical needs. Being at home is a comforting thing for most seniors, which is why it is so important for it to be as safe as possible.
1. If mobility is an issue, the layout of the home may have to be altered. This may sound like a huge project, but it can be as simple as rearranging furniture and changing doorways to allow for easy and safe access.
2. Bathrooms often need to be updated or remodeled to help seniors at home. Installing shower handles and grip bars on the walls of the bathroom will help make the room safer. There should also be an anti-slip mat or grips on the bottom of the tub or shower to help prevent falls.
3. Increase lighting. Falls at home are the leading causes of injuries for seniors. By increasing the amount of light in the home, seniors will be able to see things better and reduce their chances of falling.
4. Remove all rugs or carpets from stairs and make sure a hand rail is installed.
5. In addition to the physical safety at home, seniors need to be concerned over emotional safety. If they feel they are being harassed or targeted, there are many crime prevention programs that can help. These programs will monitor the home from the outside and can even offer discounts on security systems.
Being a caregiver is tough enough, but when the caregiver also has children of their own, things can get very stressful and complicated. Joanne Hough, who has relocated to care for her aging mother, has four children of her own.
However, she has been able to divide her caregiving roles. Hough has also hired a caregiving service to fill in the gaps when she cannot be there to care for her mother. The information below discusses the various roles of being a caregiver and how to find a balance in life.
1. A recent survey has revealed that 69% of Canadians between the ages of 43 and 63 have a living parent and one third of these people are providing care to them.
2. Many of these caregivers are using a lot of their own income to help pay for the services and care that are needed by their elderly parents.
3. These caregivers also have dual responsibilities. Not only are they providing care for an aging parent, but they are also caring for their own family as well. Most of these caregivers still have children living at home.
4. While having multiple responsibilities may seem overwhelming, there are ways for caregivers to effectively manage their responsibilities. Identifying how others can help with care and assigning different responsibilities to other family members can be helpful.
5. Social service support is also available. This will help the caregiver and will allow them to have more time to spend with their own children while still ensuring the well being of the aging parent.
6. When the caregiving is done in your own home, things can get overwhelming, however, having other family members in the home can be beneficial because they can also help with the care, even the children can be involved in caring for Grandma.
Greg Bechard of Mississauga Home Instead Senior Care, hosted the Be a Santa to a Senior program. A gift-wrapping party was held December 9th at the Mississauga Senior Centre. Brenda Enright, Managing Director of Home Instead, told SNAP that this event brings many groups together for this worthy cause. Participating groups include the Alzheimer’s Society of Peel, Peel Senior Link, staff and volunteers from Mississauga Senior Centre, and many others.
The annual Be a Santa to a Senior program provides holiday gifts for isolated and deserving seniors in Mississauga. The program encourages holiday shoppers to pick up an ornament at participating locations, buy items on the senior’s wish list (which is written on the ornament), and return gifts unwrapped to the participating location with the ornament attached. The program’s goal is to collect and distribute more than 200 gifts to seniors in their homes and in care facilities throughout Mississauga. Home Instead Senior Care provides in home care and companionship services for seniors in Mississauga. For more information about the Be a Santa to a Senior program, visit www.beasantatoasenior.com or www.homeinstead.com/mississuga-on.
