Caregiver's Guide for Canadians

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Rick Lauber. Caregiver's Guide for Canadians

CAREGIVER’S GUIDE FOR CANADIANS

Preface

1. Sharing My Story

2. Defining Caregiving

Table 1: Percentage of the Population Aged 65 Years and Older

Table 2: Persons Aged 65 Years and Older in the Canadian Population

1. Understanding the Roles of Caregivers

2. Remember to Take Care of Yourself

3. What Kind of Caregiver Are You?

3.1 Independent caregiver

3.2 Sharing caregiver

3.3 Collaborative caregiver

3.4 Coordinating caregiver

3.5 Delegating caregiver

3. Caregiving from a Distance

1. The Challenges of Long-Distance Caregiving

1.1 Communication

1.2 Frequent travel

1.3 Travelling with your parent

1.4 Finding accommodations

2. What to Do When You Get There

2.1 Find the necessary information and documents

2.2 Check the safety of your parent’s home

3. Respect the Decision That Not Everyone Wants to Relocate

4. Emotional Distance

4. Finding and Moving Your Parent into Suitable Accommodations

1. The Different Types of Living Arrangements

1.1 Home care

1.2 Independent living

1.3 Supportive living

1.4 Assisted living

1.5 Long-term care

2. Things to Consider When Searching for Accommodations for Your Parent

2.1 Location

2.2 Maintenance and cleanliness

2.3 Care staff interactions with others

2.4 Additional services

2.5 Residents’ rooms

2.6 Meals

2.7 Cost and subsidization

2.8 Safety

3. Moving Your Parent

4. When Your Parent Can No Longer Drive

5. Organizing Your Parent’s Documents

1. Keep the Documents Organized

2. Understanding the Important Documents

2.1 Your parent’s will

2.2 Trusteeship and guardianship

6. Visiting Day

1. Activities to Do with Your Loved One

2. Finding the Best Time to Visit

3. Celebrating Holidays and Birthdays

7. Working with Other Family Members and Maintaining Harmony

1. What to Discuss During the Meetings

1.1 Finances and banking

1.2 Medications

1.3 Diet and personal care

1.4 Parental quality of life

1.5 Responsibilities

8. Taking a Break

1. Delegate Some of the Work

2. Socialize and Pursue Hobbies

3. Join a Support Group

4. Pamper Yourself

5. Find a Day Program for Your Parent

6. Interviewing and Hiring Help

7. Make Sure You Schedule Time for Yourself Regularly

9. Remaining Active

1. Preparing and Taking Your Parent for Seasonal Outings

2. Find Time for Your Own Physical Activity

3. Activity Isn’t All about Physical Exercise

10. Caregiving versus Career

1. Work Options

2. Compassionate Care Benefits

3. Think before You Leap

11. Mobility Aids and Emergency Safety Devices for Seniors

1. Mobility Aids and Other Useful Items

1.1 Walk-in bathtubs

1.2 Stair lifts

1.3 Lift chairs

1.4 Walkers

1.5 Scooters

1.6 Grab bars

1.7 Grab poles

1.8 Reachers

1.9 Faucet grippers

1.10 Magnifying glass

1.11 Large-buttoned telephone

1.12 Bell

1.13 Non-slip grip mat

1.14 Wall calendar

1.15 Raised toilet seats

1.16 Weighted cutlery

1.17 Medication reminder

1.18 Pill crusher

1.19 Cushions

2. Emergency Safety Devices

2.1 Personal security alarms

2.2 MedicAlert bracelets

2.3 Emergency telephone call buttons

12. Finding Joy in Caregiving

13. Final Thoughts

Resources

1. Organizations, Associations, and Government Agencies. Advocacy Centre for the Elderly

Alberta Seniors and Community Supports

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Home Adaptations for Seniors’ Independence (HASI)

Canada Safety Council. Home Adaptation Checklist

Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP)

Canadian Caregiver Coalition (CCC)

Canadian Home Care Association (CHCA)

Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association

Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)

Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Canadian Work Permits

The Live-in Caregiver Program

Government of Canada (and Seniors Canada) Healthy Canadians

National Seniors Council

Elder Abuse

Veterans Affairs Canada

Health Canada

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. Canadian Pension Plan and Old Age Security

Hiring a Live-In Caregiver

International Federation on Ageing (IFA)

Public Health Agency of Canada

Publications of the Division of Aging and Seniors

Public Trustees, Guardians, and Administrators

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Claiming the Caregiver Amount

Service Canada. Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)

Income Security Programs

Forms of Assistance for Caregivers

Telecare Distress Centres of Canada

Veterans Affairs Canada

Caregivers’ Rights

Veterans Independence Program (VIP)

Provincial Caregiver Associations

Family Caregivers’ Network Society — British Columbia

Alberta Caregivers Association

Caregiver Information and Support — Saskatchewan

Victorian Order of Nurses — Manitoba

Caring for a Senior — Ontario

Association des Aides Familiales du Quebec

Caregivers Nova Scotia

Hospice Palliative Care Association of Prince Edward Island

Seniors Resource Centre of Newfoundland & Labrador

2. Other Useful Links. The Care Guide

Complete Canadian Wills Kit and Power of Attorney Kit

Hospice Net

Mama’s Health

MedicAlert Canada

Philips Lifeline Canada

3. Articles on the Internet

Cleaning Your Wheelchair Cushion to Extend Its Life

Depression in Caregivers

How to Care for Eyeglasses

How to Care for Hearing Aids

How to Care for Your Dentures

How to Size a Walking Cane

Manual Wheelchair Maintenance

Mobility Scooters Buyer’s Guide and FAQ

Senior Driving

Your Annual Checkup

Caregiving Checklists and Worksheets. 1. Your Circle of Caregiving

2. Scheduling “Me” Time

3. Caregiving Self-Analysis

4. Caregiver’s Document Worksheet

Personal Records

5. Home Safety Checklist

6. Researching Long-Term Care Facilities

Care Centre Information

7. Driving Safety Checkist

8. Medical History Log

9. Medication Log

10. Caregiver’s Financial Expenses Log

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Notice to Readers

Self-Counsel Press thanks you for purchasing this ebook

Contents

Отрывок из книги

My decision to write this book was prompted by a situation that is not going away — caregiving. Canada’s population is rapidly aging, which means sons and daughters are scrambling to find and provide suitable care for their own parents. Unless these family members have been fortunate enough to work in the health-care field, they often lack the necessary skills, attitudes, and experience to adequately help.

There is a huge sense of responsibility, obligation, and even guilt for these adult children who may silently believe, “Mom and Dad cared for me; now it’s my turn.” In turning the tables, adult children do what they can but must frequently learn “on the job” while giving their parents the best possible quality of life. Commonly, family members serving as caregivers suffer from a sense of imbalance, stress, and myriad emotions that include anger, depression, confusion, and grief. This is certainly not the best for either the caregivers or the parents.

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Convincing Mom and Dad to move back to Alberta was a long shot. We were comparing the beauty and year-round warmth of their Vancouver Island home to short summers and bone-chilling winters. Maybe Mom and Dad still had a soft spot for their former home or perhaps they realized that their children were bringing up practical and reasonable points. In the end, my parents agreed to move back.

Despite that my parents were former residents of Alberta, they still had to apply for provincial health-care coverage. When my parents relocated from British Columbia to Alberta, they were covered by BC health care for three months from the date of their move. Upon the re-establishment of their residency in Alberta, the paperwork began. In the case of Alberta Health Care, applicants must submit photo identification (e.g., a driver’s licence), a birth certificate or passport, and proof of residency (e.g., a pay stub or a utility bill). Despite being former residents of Alberta, my parents did not receive any preferential treatment; however, their former Alberta Health Care numbers were reactivated, making for at least one shortcut. In the case of other provinces, you should confirm the application process involved with your government health agency. For quicker service, I would recommend applying in person rather than by mail.

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