Please join Greg Bechard on March 26 at The Palisades, On the Glen, at 2pm to hear Home Instead Senior Care educational program called “The 50-50 Rule”. To learn more, please call 905- 276-2273.
Primary caregivers spend 14 hours a week providing care, compared with five hours a week each for their other siblings. This puts sibling relationships and the quality of their parents’ care at risk. But with new approaches and a focus on building better family relationships, caregiving can make families stronger.
In Canada, in contrast to the United States, birth order is not a factor when it comes to being the primary caregiver: 55% of oldest siblings, 50% of middle siblings and 58% of youngest siblings say they are the primary caregiver, statistically similar figures. In the U.S., nearly two-thirds of youngest siblings (64%) say they are the primary family caregiver, while only 57% of oldest siblings and 49% of middle siblings say this is their role. The youngest siblings surveyed are more likely than the oldest to describe themselves as the ones with the closest relationship with their parents.
Here are the facts of Sibling Caregiving Dynamics:
Among a group of siblings, on average, the primary caregiver is a 50-year-old sister caring for an 81-year-old mother or a 50-year-old brother caring for an 81-year-old father, and has been providing care for 3.3 years.
Care is not equally shared. In 41% of families, one sibling has the responsibility for providing most or all of the care for Mom or Dad. In only 3% of families, the siblings split the caregiving responsibilities equally between them. In all other families, caregiving is shared based upon skill sets or some other criteria.
The sibling who is the primary family caregiver reports putting in nearly triple the hours of care than their brothers and sisters (on average primary family caregivers provide 14 hours of care per week versus five hours of care for their other siblings).
Please join Greg Bechard on March 26 at The Palisades, On the Glen, at 2pm to hear Home Instead Senior Care educational program called “The 50-50 Rule”, helping siblings overcome family conflict while caring for aging parents. The program is for family caregivers dealing with sibling rivalry when caring for aging relatives and addresses their inability to effectively work together. This sibling rivalry often leads to one sibling becoming responsible for the bulk of caregiving (true in 41% of families) which can contribute to a deterioration of sibling relationships.
Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Home Instead Senior Care in Mississauga knows the stress that our public home care system is under and we can provide the professional care that our aging seniors need. Please call 905- 276-2273.
It may be difficult to find the information or help that is needed when caring for a senior. Some caregivers do not know of available resources that can provide a great deal of help and information. Seniors can also benefit from learning of these resources so they can in turn learn more about their specific medical conditions. The following list contains some useful resources for caregivers and seniors in Canada.
1. Healthy Ontario http://www.healthyontario.com/ is a site that provides health information and advice for healthy living.
2. Those living with Alzheimer’s can get some support and advice from the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada at http://www.alzheimer.ca/english/care/intro.htm.
3. Cancer affects millions of people and those in Canada can learn about the disease, warning signs and treatment methods available at http://www.cancer.ca/.
4. Caregivers also need means of support and to interact with other people who are providing elder care. Caregivers in Canada can receive information and support from http://www.cymakcanada.com/demos/cca/web/aboutus.htm, the Caregivers’ Association of Ontario.
5. Since fitness and physical health is a major concern in the senior population, there are many fitness tips geared towards seniors from the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute. This information can be found at http://www.cflri.ca/eng/.
6. Medicare information is essential for seniors as well as caregivers. To learn about new changes to Medicare and about eligibility requirements, visit http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/medi-assur/index-eng.php.
Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Home Instead Senior Care in Mississauga knows the stress that our public home care system is under and we can provide the professional care that our aging seniors need. Please call 905- 276-2273.
Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Home Instead Senior Care in Mississauga knows the stress that our public home care system is under and we can provide the professional care that our aging seniors need. Please call 905- 276-2273.
Home Instead Senior Care Mississauga is kicking off an education program for family caregivers dealing with sibling rivalry when caring for aging relatives and the inability to effectively work together. This sibling rivalry often leads to one sibling becoming responsible for the bulk of caregiving (true in 41% of families) which can contribute to a deterioration of sibling relationships.
A national study of Canadian family caregivers, sponsored by the Home Instead Senior Care® network, shows that the dynamics of family relationships can thrust one sibling into the role of primary caregiver for an aging parent. This can create an “anything you can do I can do better” tug and pull between brothers and sisters who should be working together for the best interests of their senior loved ones.
The study, conducted by The Boomer Project, included 383 adults ages 35-64, with living siblings or step-siblings, who said they either currently provide care for a parent or older relative, or did provide care in the past 18 months.
Over the next six weeks, leading up to Greg Bechard’s educational class for families and their seniors on March 26, Mr. Bechard with Home Instead Senior Care will discuss the four key factors that determine if relationships between the adult children will deteriorate. The four factors that determines whether the quality of care to the parent will be compromised are:
Sibling teamwork
Consideration for each one’s ability to help
Willingness to help
Ability to make important decisions together
The lower the self-reported scores on these measures, the lower the overall grade they give themselves and their siblings in working together to provide care to their parents.
Please join Greg Bechard on March 26 at The Palisades, On the Glen, at 2pm to hear Home Instead Senior Care educational program called “The 50-50 Rule”, helping siblings overcome family conflict while caring for aging parents.
Even though caregivers are providing care to elders, their own healthcare benefits are far from adequate. When a patient has an impairment, the doctors will focus on that patient, paying little mind to the caregiver. Caregivers often experience increased depression and stress as a result of the added burdens of being a caregiver. The following information depicts how caregivers are ignored by providers.
1. A recent study has shown that there is in fact a link between being a caregiver and heightened levels of depression.
2. The study focused on caregivers who had an impairment, such as blindness, deafness or both. Caregivers between the ages of 65-93 were involved in the study and 6 had vision loss, 8 with hearing loss and 5 with loss of both senses. Six were control participants who had no impairments.
3. 21% of seniors in Canada with a disability have vision loss and more than 50% have hearing loss.
4. Spouses who have a partner with a sensory loss have higher levels of depression.
5. Those with no sensory loss feel a greater burden that those with hearing loss.
Keeping seniors safe is not always as easy thing to do. While the inside of their homes may have been arranged so that they remain safe inside, there are many other things that can affect safety. One of the major issues is that many seniors are unaware of issues that could directly relate to their personal safety. Since some seniors are shut-in and do not hear about current trends and issues, they become very vulnerable. The following information discusses a police program aimed at increasing awareness and senior safety.
1. The program will be delivered through email to a director of the program. This person will then be responsible for sending the information to members.
2. Hard copies of the information will also be made available for those who do not have internet access.
3. The most vulnerable seniors are those who are shut-in. Any member who receives the information is encouraged to pass it along to others.
4. The purpose of the program is to make sure seniors are aware of issues that could affect their safety.
5. The more information seniors have, the more they will be able to protect themselves. Seniors safety is not always something that can be controlled by family members and friends, which is why may police departments are getting involved.
Accidental fires are a common occurrence in the homes of seniors. There are many causes for a fire, but seniors who are over the age of 65 and living at home are at a higher risk for experiencing a home fire that is accidentally set. In the event of a fire, it is important for seniors to know what to do in order for them to remain safe. Below is some information that will help seniors learn about fire safety at home.
1. While many seniors feel the cold in the winter, they should try to avoid using electric blankets. Frayed cords and lengthy use can start a fire.
2. If seniors smoke in the home, ashtrays should be large and deep to help prevent ashes and lit cigarettes from falling out.
3. There should be no smoking in the bedroom. The number one cause of fires with seniors is falling asleep while smoking.
4. Update electrical appliances and use timers so things are shut off in a timely manner.
5. If seniors are cooking at home and have physical or mental impairments, Meals on Wheels is a great alternative. This will reduce the chances of a kitchen fire.
6. Have a bag packed and easily accessible if there is a fire. This should contain extra medication, important documents and anything the senior holds near and dear. Always test escape routes on a regular basis and make sure the senior has two routes planned. Locks and security bars should have quick releases.
7. Seniors need to know where all fire exits are. If they live in a retirement home, they should learn of the evacuation plan.
Seniors who live in Canada know how hard it is to stay warm during these months. This is why it is so important to dress appropriately for the weather. During these cold times, seniors will often experience increased joint pain and will become ill more often. To help prevent this, staying warm is essential. The following tips will help seniors stay warm and healthy during the long Canadian winter.
1. Dress in layers of clothes. This will allow you to add or remove clothing as necessary. Start with a thin layer the cover that with a fleece or polyester. The top layer should be waterproof and wind resistant. Remember to wear layers on the legs as well.
2. Make sure there is plenty of room to move in clothing. Do not wear anything to tight. Loser clothes will provide better insulation.
3. Do not overdress. Sometimes less is more. When planning on being outdoors for any length of time, it is better to choose fewer clothes of higher quality.
4. Do not wear clothes made from cotton if they will be touching the skin. This material will absorb water, making you feel the cold. Choose synthetic fabrics when they will be touching skin.
5. Do everything possible to keep feet warm and dry. Wool socks are the best choice covered with a waterproof and insulated shoe.
6. Remember the hats, gloves and scarves during the cold weather. These will help retain body heat, keeping you warm.
It is a known fact that being a caregiver is one of the most stressful positions anyone can be in. A recent study has indicated that people who are caring for an elderly family member will experience high levels of stress. However, those levels can be even higher for the spouses who are providing the care. When there is Alzheimer’s involved, the stress levels soar even higher. Below, the issues and causes of stress as a caregiver are discussed further.
1. Caregivers will become stressed for many reasons. They may be overwhelmed at the amount of work and time is needed to help the senior. Others may have trouble maintaining schedules for medications and appointments. Since there are so many aspects to being a caregiver, stress is the leading complaint.
2. Based on information gathered in the study, 55% of Canadian seniors are receiving help from a spouse. 75% of those seniors who are not married are receiving care from an adult child.
3. For the spouses of the senior in need, these individuals tend to feel the stress much more than a caregiver who is another family member. When the senior has Alzheimer’s, the stress levels have been reported to be three times as much.
4. It is important for all caregivers to have some type of outlet available to help them manage this stress. This could be a hobby or physical activity, support groups or just a strong family network. Caregivers must be able to discuss their stress and having others as a means of moral, emotional and mental support can make a world of different.
