Whether it’s your parents, a grandparent, aunt, uncle or a cherished friend you’re looking out for, we understand how the responsibility can wear on you … at work, at home and in your relationships with family and friends. Do you fear for your loved one’s safety, but hope to find a manageable way for them to remain in their home? Do you feel like you want to be there for them all the time but can’t manage? Maybe you’ve thought about a nursing home or assisted living facility? Or you might have even considered having your loved one move in with you. At Home Instead Senior Care of Mississauga we have the expertise to help you discuss these important matters with your family and the experience to help you make the right decision – wherever home may be.
An emergency with older adults can happen at any time. Seniors are at particular risk because of the large numbers of medications they are taking.
A call in the middle of the night that Mom had a bad fall or Dad accidentally overdosed on his meds can strike terror in the hearts of family caregivers. It could happen at any time, often because seniors take so many different medications. According to a study conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care® network, far too many adult sons and daughters don’t have the information they need should that emergency call come, and their senior mother or father needs help.
Should you need to speak to someone immediately about arranging care we are available to support you. We are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week to receive your calls and arrange for care on short notice.
During Regular Business Hours:
Please call 905.276.2273 and explain to the receptionist that you need to speak with someone immediately about arranging care for your loved. They will ensure that you speak with a Staff Coordinator and do not get voicemail.
Off Hours:
Please call 905.276.2273 and press “2” and you will be connected with our on-call Staff Coordinator who can arrange for services on short notice during off hours.
***Although we prefer a few days to arrange for care we are able to place CAREGivers within a few hours in emergency or crisis situations.
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.
The challenges of caregiving are many and can include; working with relatives, easily managing your aging parent’s lives and health, coordinating schedules, making sure aging relatives are eating healthy meals, the upkeep of their home and yard, and putting measures in place to keep them safe.
But we know that the world is not always so tidy and supportive. Probably no family works smoothly all the time, and many families are troubled by strife of various kinds.
Antagonisms Can Get Worse
If anything, old antagonisms are likely to get worse in the urgency, and sometimes emergency, of caregiving.
How do you prepare yourself for battles that may come? We offer advice in this chapter from our book, Stages of Senior Care, about how to deal with some specific situations that arise frequently. Here are some examples of situations we explore:
- Advice on Some Common Parent-Child Conflicts
- Your Father Won’t Surrender the Car Keys
- Your Parents Refuse to Make a Will
- Your Mother Is Suspicious of Strangers–And Even Caregivers
- When Paranoia Points to Something More
- Your Mother Is Unmanageable at Home but Refuses to Go to a Nursing Home
- Coping in a Strained Relationship
Based on research, up-to-date information and the experience of 15 years in the senior care industry, the Hogans have provided a book that will take the trauma out of decision making, eliminate guilt, and build the confidence for those thrust into the position of making care decisions.
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.
Older adults are particularly vulnerable to food poisoning because many of them have weakened immune systems – are particularly vulnerable. Assisting seniors at home is a good way to ensure an older adult is eating safely.
Dr. James L. Smith, a microbiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wanted to find out if and why seniors are more at risk for food-borne illness. Dr. Smith reviewed food-borne outbreaks at nursing homes, and compared the immune and digestive systems of seniors and younger individuals. Here is what he found:
Dr. Smith found that as we age, inflammation of the lining of the stomach increases and a decrease in stomach acid occurs. Because the stomach plays an important role in limiting the number of bacteria that enter the small intestine, a decrease or loss of stomach acidity increases the likelihood of infection if a pathogen is ingested with food or water.
Older adult’s lifestyles and diets make them more vulnerable. Malnutrition, for instance, leads to increased incidence of infections, including those that result from food-borne bacteria.
There are many reasons why malnutrition occurs in seniors including a decrease in the pleasure of eating. Medication, digestive disorders, chronic illnesses, physical disabilities or depression may result in a loss of appetite. Good nutrition is an important factor in maintaining a healthy immune system.
Helping seniors buy nutritious food, maintain it properly and cook it safely also are valuable lifestyle factors. Perhaps your elderly loved one needs assistance. If so, consider discussing with your aging loved one the option of hiring in-home companionship.
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.
A study appearing in an issue of the Journal of American Geriatrics Society says centenarian offspring retain important cardiovascular advantages from their parents compared to a similarly-aged group. The findings show that centenarian offspring have a 78 percent lower risk for heart attacks, 83 percent lower likelihood of stroke and an 86 percent lower risk of developing diabetes mellitus.
Additionally, the study found that centenarian offspring who were followed in the study were 81 percent less likely to die than the reference group of similarly-aged patients during the follow-up period. The survival rate is evidence that longevity runs in families, and the results reinforce the notion that there may be physiological and genetic reasons that longevity runs in families.
The authors claim the study is the first to assess the health of centenarian offspring over time and could be important for future research, as the subjects may be used as a model of healthy aging.
The results also are consistent with previous research, which suggested that the avoidance or delay of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors, including high blood pressure and diabetes, runs strongly in the families of centenarians, particularly amongst their children.
Be sure to stay current on all your health screenings and discuss with your doctor ways to continue to keep a healthy mind and body. Have you thought about volunteer work or a part-time job? There’s nothing like helping others to renew the spirit and soul. Check with your local senior center about needs in your community.
Why not talk with your local Home Instead Senior Care® office? The company hires CAREGiversSM to help seniors with services at home such as companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders and light housekeeping. Many are seniors themselves who can better relate to the interests and needs of older adults. Sharing your life with others could also bring more meaning to your own.
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.
Nearly 90 percent of seniors say they want to stay in their home. Doing so gives them a wonderful sense of continued independence. But having mom or dad live alone can be a source of worry for their adult children. The, “What if?” scenarios can often overwhelm the mind. “What if she falls down?” “What if he forgets something on the stove?” “What if she doesn’t tell me it’s getting harder for her to get around?”
If you feel like this, you’re not alone. In 2007 the AARP surveyed boomer women and found that two-thirds are concerned about their parents’ ability to live independently. Most caregivers have other important and pressing responsibilities, so the added responsibility of caring for a senior loved one is likely to cause both emotional and physical stress on the caregiver. In fact, according to a survey by Home Instead Senior Care, 31% of family caregivers admit they’d like more help. Companionship Contributes to Healthy Aging and Better Nutrition for the Elderly. The Home Instead Senior Care® network is arming seniors and family caregivers with nutrition resources for healthy aging.
Healthy aging is a goal we all share and, for seniors, a well-balanced diet can be even more important. Good nutrition is the first line of defense for older adults who are striving to maintain their independence as they age, helping to protect them from illness and disease.
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.
Caregivers who are still employed may face some challenges. Since caring for an elderly family member will require some flexibility, many individuals will have a hard time finding a balance between being a caregiver and maintaining their job. This can be a challenge for many adults. The following list contains some useful information about caregivers in the workplace.
1. Caregiving employees are the reason for an eight percent differential in health-care costs for most companies.
2. Currently, one out of three working adults are also taking on the role of caregiver, providing unpaid services and care to elderly relatives or friends.
3. Caregivers have different needs in the workplace. Many will require a flexible schedule, the ability to telecommute and unpaid eldercare leave. All of these things increase the cost for the company.
4. Some employers are trying to work with caregivers by offering support services in the workplace. One of the most common forms of this is providing a community resource list. Many employees have stated that these lists are helpful when they are available.
5. As seniors continue to require extra care at home, the number of people in the workforce who are also a caregiver will be on the rise.
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.
The family caregiver non refundable tax credit is becoming more prevalent in today’s tax returns because many of adult children are taking care of aging parents. There are a few conditions of the tax credit - here are a few of the them:
The dependant person has to be living with you at sometime during the year and cannot be just visiting.
The dependant needs to be a resident of Canada.
The dependant can be a child, a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew.
The dependant must be 18 years and older.
The dependant’s net income from line 236 of their tax return cannot exceed $18,645.
The person you are claiming needs to have been dependent on you for support due to a physical or mental impairment.
There are three places in the income tax return where this claim needs to be recorded.
The first is on Schedule 5 where the details of the dependant are entered as well as the nature of the infirmity.
The next spot is line 306 for dependants that are 18 and older.
As a family caregiver you may be eligible for benefits such as compassionate care benefits from employment insurance if you need to take time off work to care for someone that is terminally ill or near death. If you are self employed, you can elect to register for EI and may be eligible for compassionate care benefits. Sometimes you may need a break from taking care of a physically or mentally infirm dependant for a day or a few hours. You may opt to have someone come in and live at the home to provide the care giving services. If so, please give us a call at 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 in Mississauga and Etobicoke has designed a Senior Emergency Card and will be distributing them at their presentation with tips and suggestions on handling this emergency.
Come join us on June 28, 2001 at 7pm at:
VILLAGE OF HUMBER HEIGHTS
2245 Lawrence Avenue West
Toronto [Etobicoke], ON
M9P 3W3
RSVP Home Instead Senior Care, Etobicoke at 416-239-2200.
Book early to guarantee your seat. Light refreshments will be provided.
An emergency with older adults can happen at any time. Seniors are at particular risk because of the large numbers of medications they are taking.
Here’s a stat: older adults represent just over 13 percent of the population, and this percentage is expected to keep rising. Statistics Canada’s A Portrait of Seniors in Canada says seniors will make up 17 percent of the population in 2026 and 27 percent in 2056. This means that even more seniors will need care in the future.
What’s worse: Many family caregivers who live in fear of getting “the call” don’t have the information they need to help their loved ones. In fact, research has confirmed this.
The Home Instead Senior Care® network commissioned a survey of future family caregivers – those who are expecting to be family caregivers within the next 10 years.* Less than half (44 percent) say they are knowledgeable about their parents’ medical histories in case of an emergency. And just over half (51 percent) are unable to name any of the medications their parents take daily. Furthermore, 40 percent of those future caregivers don’t know where their seniors’ financial information is located.
One of the greatest services Home Instead Senior Care provides is the opportunity to assist seniors with medication reminders. Assistance at home can help older adults prevent accidents and maintain their independence. That support is one of the best ways that family caregivers can be ready for an emergency.
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.
If you aren’t prepared with all the necessary documents in case of an emergency involving your loved one, it can be a very stressful time. Home Instead’s Senior Emergency Kit, contains all the information you need to put together the necessary medical documents in case a crisis arises. Some of the checklists featured in the kit include:
• Relevant medical information.
• Power of attorney forms.
• Pharmacy and insurance company details.
• Information on your loved one’s doctor.
More Caregiving Resources
After you have completed your Senior Emergency Kit, peruse the other available online resources. Home Instead offers a page of links that feature resources dealing with everything from costs to medication to family conflicts. Some of the sites Home Instead refers caregivers to include:
• Life Legacies (www.lifelegaciesandwishes.com) – This site provides tools to ensure that your loved one’s last wishes are carried out.
• National Alliance for Caregiving (www.caregiving.org) – The National Alliance for Caregiving has resources for caregivers.
• Stages of Senior Care (www.stagesofseniorcare.com) – The guide provides a plethora of information including costs, what to avoid, care options and more.
There are many other online resources available through Home Instead. To look into all of them visit this site at CaregiverStress.com.
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.
Primary caregivers must be aware of any discomfort or pain a loved one is experiencing. It can be hard to identify how much pain a loved could be in so here are some things to keep in mind:
• Use a pain scale to measure the level of discomfort your parent is experiencing. This will help you judge if medications are working properly.
• Be sure pain isn’t going untreated. It is common for men to try and endure pain to be tough so ensure you have open communication about any health changes with your parents.
• If your parents suffer from dementia or another disease that renders them unable to properly communicate there are ways to identify pain. Moans or changes in demeanor could mean your loved one is suffering.
• Everyone has different levels of pain tolerance. People who haven’t experienced a lot of pain may find something like a headache excruciating.
• Side effects from pain medications can cause falls, dizziness or hallucinations. If your parent has started a new medication and is experiencing any of these symptoms, contact their doctor.
• Pain comes in two forms. Acute pain is short and typically has a cause. Chronic pain is long lasting and may not have any particular cause.
To get more information on pain management, read this article. Source: Annarbor.com
