Ask the Senior Home Care Expert
May 2012 Article
TAKE CARE OF YOUR FEET!
Foot care is a common concern and need for seniors. Research has concluded that three out of four people develop serious foot problems as they age – putting their independence and health at risk.
Foot problems can result in;
• Pain
• Balance problems
• Falls
• Injury
• Hospitalization
To keep your feet healthy we suggest the following;
• Check your feet every day. Don’t wait until your feet hurt. Take a few minutes every day to look for cuts, blisters, bruises, sores, infected toenails or swelling. See your doctor is there are warning signs of a serious health problem such has pain, colour changes, temperature changes and soars that do not go away with proper care. Health concerns such as diabetes, arthritis
• Wash your feet every day. Use warm water. Don’t soak them longer than 10minutes, or your skin will get dry and start to crack. Dry well between your toes.
• Keep your feet soft and smooth. Use unscented cream on the tops and bottoms of your feet (not between the toes).
• Wear comfortable shoes and socks. Many people have foot problems because their shoes don’t fit, don’t give proper support or don’t have enough grip on the ground. The right shoe fit matters! Wear good shoes indoors as well to prevent falls.
• Keep Active. Walking to prevent blood clots and keep your bones and muscles strong. You can also do chair exercises and ankle circles.
• Take care of your toenails. Cut or file your nails regularly with appropriate nail care tools. Trim them straight across and never shorter than the end of your toe.
Do you need some help?
For help with checking your feet, washing and caring for your toenails, putting on and taking off shoes or compression stockings or staying active call Bayshore Home Health at our local office or toll-free at 1-866-227-3259. We are happy to help you stay health and independent in your own home.
Make the Experience a SPA- Like Experience!
We can make a basic foot care visit into a special SPA like experience and provide a little extra pampering. This service makes a great Mothers Day gift for a regular monthly or weekly at home appointment. It can be the gift that keeps giving all year for your loved one.
April 2012 Article
Reminder! – Make a Plan for your Family
Life is busy with work, kids, home management and finding an opportunity to enjoy some time alone, with a spouse or with some friends but it is relatively under control. This is, until your mom or dad or other loved one suddenly needs help with their health and activities of daily living. Now you have this added responsibility.
One of the most startling conclusions drawn from a recent Ipsos-Reid survey titled Living for Today – Ready for Tomorrow, commissioned by Bayshore Home Health, found that Canadians’ are not making plans for caring for aging loved ones and found that the of Canadians won’t be ready to take on the responsibility.
I little plan and a little help can make a big difference.
1st- Talk to your Parents
Ask your parents how there health is and what chronic illnesses may concern them or their doctor. Discuss what they would like to have happen as they age and as their health deteriorates. Do they want to stay in their home, live with family, live in a senior’s community or residence? Talking about these matters and understanding their wants, needs, hopes and concerns can greatly reduce the stress on everyone.
2nd- Know the Alternatives for Care
Alternatives for help include home health care, family and friends, seniors’ home or long-term care. Contact your Alberta Health Services, talk to your doctors or visit a seniors community centre to find out more about options in senior’s services. A little bit of help can go a long way towards maintaining an independent lifestyle.
3rd- Evaluate the Current Living Arrangement
Is your parent’s home easy to maintain and free of hazards that could cause a fall.
Fall Prevention is key to ensuring a senior can stay safe and healthy in their home. A home care agency, like Bayshore Home Health, could send a Registered Nurse to the home and provide a Falls-Prevention assessment and make program suggestions.
4th- Get Happy, Active and Healthy
It’s no surprise that those afflicted with a chronic condition can experience feelings of anxiety, loneliness and depression. You can help them combat these feelings by encouraging them to stay socially active and to talk about their feelings. If possible, get them walking, stretching or doing simple exercises. Staying active not only helps lessen the current symptoms of chronic pain, but can help generate additional energy and stave off other illnesses.
5th- Pay Attention
Learn to identify new symptoms or side effects from medications and act on them immediately by talking to their doctor, a telehealth line like Alberta Health Link or a seniors home care provider.
For help on talking to your family members about important issues including aging and home care call Bayshore Home Health at 403-229-3929 and ask for Area Director, Tyla Jones. Tyla is happy to help you with how to talk to family members about these important issues.
March 2012 Article
The overwhelming majority of people aged 65 to 85 want to lead independent lives for as long as possible. But a recent survey from Bayshore Home Health and Ipsos-Reid shows that few are actually taking the necessary steps to help ensure they can remain in their own homes.
How can you help a loved one avoid the move to a nursing home or delay it as long as possible? Here are a few suggestions courtesy of Bayshore Home Health:
• Talk openly with family, friends and health care professionals about future needs and possible living arrangements.
• Evaluate current living arrangements. A smaller house that requires less maintenance or one that has fewer stairs might make sense. Or consider making home modifications.
• Most falls occur at home, especially in the kitchen, on the stairs or in the bathroom. Make sure stairs are well-lit, eliminate throw rugs and use a non-skid bath mat.
• Consider hiring help for housekeeping, grocery shopping or traveling to medical appointments.
• Investigate the possibility of having a nurse visit to help with on-going care or recovery from a recent hospital stay.
To learn more about the benefits of a personalized home health care plan, please call our Calgary office at 1-866-227-3259 or visit
January 2012 Article
Finding Balance – Home care aims to prevent seniors’ falls before it happens
While falling may not seem serious, falls can disable, cause physical and mental distress, and seriously diminish the quality of life, especially for seniors.
Research shows falls are the result of a complex interaction of risk factors, one of which is age. The risk of falling and being injured increases as people get older. One in three persons over 65 will fall at least once a year.
In Alberta about 62,500 seniors fall every year. In 2006, fall-related injuries among seniors resulted in more than 6,900 hospital admissions and 18,700 emergency department visits.
The hospitalization costs for fall-related injuries currently are estimated at $96 million per year not including visits to emergency departments, physicians, physiotherapists, the costs of medication or home care. Hospitalization costs will reach $228 million by 2033 unless something is done to counter the trend.
Many falls can be avoided and researchers have identified numerous simple but effective falls-prevention strategies. Health Care Aids in Homecare work every day with seniors helping them to stay health, independent and help them avoid a fall. They do this though checking for safe walking paths through the home, safe bathing procedures, medication management, exercises and many other ways.
The Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research in the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health and the Alberta Medical Association have developed an information and advocacy campaign called Finding Balance focused on reducing the number of falls among seniors in Alberta. Bayshore Home Health is a Bronze Sponsor of the campaign and is actively participating in the planning and implementation.
November is Falls Prevention Month and Finding Balancewill be launched early in November targeting independent, well seniors. The campaign’s themes are based on current research and evidence-based practice.Finding Balance is guided by an Advisory Committee of multi-disciplinary health care professionals from all over Alberta.
The themes of the informational materials are:
• Check Your Medications: Talk to your Doctor or Pharmacist
• Keep Active: Exercise for Strength and Balance
• Watch Your Step: Wherever You Are
Seniors and caregivers will be able to find falls prevention programs in their communities throughHealth Link Alberta and the Finding Balance website at www.findingbalancealberta.ca.
Bayshore Home Health will be having a Coffee and Cake Event
DATE: November 15, 2011
TIME: between 10am and 12pm
LOCATION: Calgary Elks Lodge and Golf Club at 2502 – 6th St. NE.
The Elks Club is wheel chair accessible and we invite the public to join and learn about how you can help prevent a fall for yourself or a family member through some fun activities and talks. Please RSVP at 403-229-3929. We look forward to seeing you there.
October 2011 Article
Is the time right for home health care?
You’ve likely heard of the “sandwich generation”: the children of aging parents who are still raising their own families and working full time jobs on top of it all.
This situation may even describe you. It’s the profile of thousands of Canadian families, and the numbers are increasing as our population continues to age.
With so many seniors living longer, healthier lives today, the right mix of nursing, personal care, home support and companionship services is allowing them to live comfortably in their own homes for a longer period of time. Home health care can be paid for privately, or funded through government care programs, through personal and group insurance plans, and with workers’ compensation insurance.
Talking openly with aging parents about options and services is an important first step in arranging for the best quality care that will meet the needs of the entire family. It may not be an easy subject to broach, however. We suggest that asking yourself and your parents these questions is key to deciding what kind of care is appropriate:
• Do my parents have a large home to maintain?
• Is it necessary to use the stairs frequently?
• Are they eating properly?
• Do they require additional care for a health issue or following a hospital stay?
• Are they isolated or do they see other people?
Home care is designed to deliver just the right support to keep your parents independent, happy and healthy in their own home.
To learn more about the benefits of a personalized home health care plan, please call our Calgary office at 403-229-3929 or visit www.bayshore.ca.
September 2011 Article
How to choose a home health care provider
Today nearly three million Canadians receive care at home – a number that will continue to climb as our population ages. Knowing what to look for and the right questions to ask is an important part of choosing the home health provider that is right for you.
Home health care lets seniors who want to stay in their homes remain independent for as long as possible. But hiring the right help can be confusing, so we suggest you ask all of the following questions to be sure you find the right provider for you.
• What kind of services do you provide?
• What type of training has your staff received?
• How do you ensure the quality of your service?
• How do you evaluate the skills and abilities of your staff?
• How long have you been in operation?
• Do you provide a personalized care plan?
• Will you consult with my doctor?
• Will my caregiver be supervised by a nurse? Will you assist in investigating my home care funding options?
• Do you ensure your staff are bonded, insured and professionally licensed or certified?
To learn more about the benefits of a personalized home health care plan, please call our Calgary office at 403-229-3929 or visit www.bayshore.ca.
August 2011 Article
Advice from the Care Experts at Bayshore Home Health
Quick answers on home health care
For seniors with health issues, home health care could mean greater independence. But is it a viable option? To help you better understand if home health care can meet your needs, here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
What is it?
Home health care is an alternative to a hospital, long-term care facility or a retirement residence. Services are varied and include nursing care, personal care, home support and companionship. These are services that can literally change people’s lives.
Where is it available?
Services are delivered right in the home or care facility. No travel is required by the individual.
Who is it for?
Home health care is for people with a wide range of health conditions who live in their own home or in an institutional facility. Home health care is available for people of all ages including seniors, the chronically ill and people living with disabilities.
Why will it make a difference?
Staying in your home preserves independence and dignity while enhancing quality of life. It can also reduce the pressure felt by family members to provide care during challenging times.
When is the right time?
The need for home care is generally triggered by an on-going health issue, release from the hospital or a sudden event such as a fall or stroke. It can also be used by seniors who need help with daily activities or companionship.
How is it funded?
Payment can be made privately or funded through government care programs, personal and group insurance plans and workers’ compensation insurance.
To learn more about the benefits of a personalized home health care plan, please call our Calgary office at 403-229-3929 or visit
www.bayshore.ca.
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