Here we are at the end of May; warmer weather ( except for last week’s snow), longer days and the promise that this current stay at home order will be ending soon. Restrictions are starting to let up. Outdoor dining, in store shopping and haircuts are hopefully resuming. However for those who have family in Long Term Care, outdoor visits with more than one person are now finally being encouraged…..
Bye bye May, hello happiness….. Continue Reading »
CaregivingAs we head into holiday season and continue with restrictions on family gatherings, I am acutely aware of how many people will be on their own. I have blogged about isolation and loneliness and I think this year will be particularly challenging for many. Two years ago I had the very good fortune of visiting a Japanese nursing home. I had arranged to meet the president and CEO of the….
Would You Consider a Robodog for Granny? Continue Reading »
CaregivingWhile we are still learning how best to live under the threat of either spreading or catching Covid, our long term care facilities are starting to also figure this out. See: https://allaboutestates.ca/family-essential-visitors/ With 80% of all COVID deaths having occurred in LTC facilities, this is definitely too late for many families. In addition to all the concerns that have been previously highlighted, from a physical, structural, staffing and equipment perspective,….
Definition of (Essential) Family Caregiver Continue Reading »
Elder Care
It has been a very difficult week with the death count rising and more senior’s residences becoming infected. Yet at the same time we celebrated the first nights of Passover and Good Friday and Easter Sunday. More than ever, this has become a time of reflection and as I keep trying to remind myself, one of hope. Families celebrated together – emotionally, spiritually and maybe even in song- while remaining….
A Very Different Spring… Continue Reading »
Elder Care
It is hard to focus on anything outside of the current state of affairs and mounting challenges as a result of Covid. Everyone’s lives are impacted at some level, so today’s blog discusses a few elder care concerns I am seeing. Most recently I have read that the Ontario government is making changes to long term care homes through a temporary emergency order which is supposed to assist with staffing. The….
Here’s hoping for a Happy Monday. Continue Reading »
CaregivingIt is Sunday and around the time when I normally sit down to write my weekly blog post. However it doesn’t feel like a Sunday and I don’t think tomorrow is going to feel like a normal Monday morning either. We are not in ‘normal’ times. I had a ‘Zoom’ face to face on line call with some friends who had recently returned from abroad and were now in self….
Uber Eats on Face Time? Continue Reading »
Elder Care