And I don’t mean figuratively, I mean literally. I heard two stories this past week of two elderly individuals who are both quite compromised with dementia. One lives in a retirement residence and the other lives in her own home with care support. In both instances, they had a fall and their caregiver called 911. The ambulance did not allow their caregiver (PSW) to attend with them. They were bundled….
Getting Lost In The System Continue Reading »
Elder Care
With the reputation of Long Term Care Homes hitting a new low, it comes as no surprise that seniors want to grow older in their own homes. A few facts: The number of seniors increased by 4.2 million over the past 38 years. Over the next 22 years Canada will need to accommodate the needs of another 4.2 million, of whom 82 percent will be 75 years of age and….
Alternatives to Long Term Care Continue Reading »
Elder Care
But for many seniors, their PSW becomes their best and closest support person. One of the major contributing factors to the poor conditions typically found within Long Term Care has been the shortage of Personal Support Workers. Simply not enough qualified hands to do the needed and necessary work of looking after and caring for frail seniors. This was a problem before Covid and sadly it took many deaths before….
This weekend I enjoyed a wonderful homemade dinner at the home of some close friends and it felt ‘normal’ – a life we enjoyed and took for granted before Covid. I am fortunate in so many ways and one was not living with the angst of not being able to visit a loved one living in Long Term Care(LTC)/ nursing home. I am however aware and working with many families….
Family = >Essential Visitors Continue Reading »
Elder Care, In the NewsOn May 26, 2020 the most horrible report detailing conditions at several Long Term Care facilities written by the Canadian Armed Forces was released. The Army was asked to assist in the five LTCs in Ontario that had a very high death rate. They included: Orchard Villa (Pickering); Altamont (Scarborough); Eatonville (Etobicoke); Hawthorne (North York) and Holland Christian (Brampton). The report detailed appalling conditions including suspected abuse, filth, bug infestation, lack….
Crisis in LTC: Worse Than We Imagined Continue Reading »
Elder Care, In the NewsI don’t know about you- but I am struggling with our new normal and the mounting deaths in Long Term Care. As you have been reading, for the last several years we have had major challenges in our Long Term Care system. I previously wrote a 3 – part article on some of these challenges ( Part 1: https://allaboutestates.ca/crisis-long-term-care/ Part 2: https://allaboutestates.ca/crisis-ltc-homes-continued/ and Part 3: https://allaboutestates.ca/crisis-long-term-care-continued-3/ and they did not….
Can A Broken System Be Fixed? Continue Reading »
Caregiving