Newsletter October 2009
A Word from the Managing Director
Fall 2009, I am glad to be back writing to you and I hope that you enjoyed a wonderful summer. For this October newsletter I thought I would focus on caregiving issues. Caregiving is a partnership; there is the care recipient and the care giver and both have their own separate and unique needs. Sometimes the care recipients’ needs seem to overshadow those of the care giver. It is however critical that the care giver look after his/herself or the health and wellbeing of both, will be negatively affected. This is not a new theme but one worth reviewing again. What happens when the caregiver needs assistance, when their own health is failing? We see these families at Elder Caring and I am glad we do- as recognizing the need for assistance is the first step and reaching out for assistance is the next critical step.
World Alzheimer’s Day
Creating awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia’s is an ongoing process as new developments and information becomes available. A new organization called the Alzheimer’s Foundation for Caregiving in Canada focuses on the needs and well-being of the caregiver, whether it is a paid professional or community caregiver. This organization conducted a National Memory Screening Day in June 2009 to help raise awareness and prospective for people who are concerned about personal memory loss. Participants varied in age, gender, socio-economic status and additional health concerns. They attended for varying reasons ranging from concern about their own memory to wanting a baseline score for the future. Read More
Innovative Programming
There was a recent article in the paper that highlighted an innovative program in the United States that aimed to reduce the amount of caregiver burden and stress by providing an overnight dementia therapy group. These programs are also available in Canada. There are several organizations that offer overnight programming that offers 24-hour supervision, activities and companionship for people with varying stages of dementia. The program participants can partake in crafts, music therapy, cards other recreational activities and they are free to sleep and eat when desired. The program provides the participants with a safe environment while providing respite and hopefully a good night’s sleep for the caregivers.
To help address the issue of caregiver burnout and stress, remember that there are numerous services and supports available to you in your community and that they are only a phone call away. For more information, please call us.
Phone: 416-658-8887 Toll Free:866-473-8887
Email:info@eldercaring.ca www.eldercaring.ca
Leave a reply
Leave a reply