85 year old Miss X was contact by a man claiming to be from her bank. He asked for her help in catching someone who was trying to defraud the bank. Miss X agreed to meet him and gave him $3,000. Her niece contacted us shortly thereafter. Mrs. Y lives in a nursing home. She [read more…]
Posts
Walkers: Basics You Need to Know
by Barbara Purdy, Reg. OT, Reg. PT Most people using walkers are over 65 years old and have problems that are musculo-skeletal (muscle/bone) or neurological. They most commonly have arthritis, mainly in their knees and hips, or they have fractured a bone, are post surgical, or are recovering from a debilitating illness. Conditions which lead [read more…]
If You Are Looking for Work as A Caregiver
Caregiving can be an enormously rewarding experience, but it can sometimes lead to difficulties for the person giving care. You can lessen the possibility that your employment will not work out if you do some planning and are clear about some of the aspects of this work. First, remember that when you are caring for [read more…]
Listening and the Elderly
90 year old Mary has lived in her assisted living residence for two years. She was admitted directly from hospital, after having fractured her hip. Despite the time that has lapsed, her house sits empty; her art studio is dark, the yellows and greens of dripped paint still mark the floor where she fell. She [read more…]
Medications and Behaviour
One of the fears caregivers often have about placing a loved one in a Nursing Home is that the home will “drug” them to keep them placid and manageable. While it is true that there are often situations when medication is prescribed to control an elderly person’s behaviour, both in a Nursing Home and in [read more…]
Depression and the Elderly
The good news is that most older people do not suffer from depression. The bad news is that a significant number do so. Estimates of the incidence of clinical depression among the elderly range from 5-10% in the community, and up to 40% or more who live in Residential Care. If you add in the [read more…]
Getting Good Care In Nursing Homes
There is a wide variation in the quality of care that people can find in Nursing Homes. Even within the same Home, there can be a difference. Homes that have terrible reputations can be turned around, and good ones can go downhill. Quality of care is dependent on many factors. Key is the Administrator and [read more…]
Sleep and Sleep Problems in Aging
Sleep studies have found that up to 50% of people over 65 have chronic sleep complaints. These can include problems with falling asleep, restlessness or waking during sleep, and shortened sleep period. It is often assumed that older people don’t need as much sleep as younger people. This is not true: older people need the [read more…]
Supporting One Parent Caregiving the Other
Adult children who are trying to support either a mother or father who is caregiving for the other parent are in a situation which has some unique aspects. They may become upset at the caregiver parent’s actions, but not know what it means or how to help. Sometimes it seems like there are conflicting demands–who [read more…]
Checklist For Care: Seniors and Medications
Over-medication and mis-medication are serious problems for older people. One study found that as much as 50% of all medication used by seniors is used inappropriately. Caregivers and professionals who are involved with older people need to be aware of the reasons this occurs and the symptoms which indicate there is a problem with medications. [read more…]