Darren retired three years ago and became the primary caregiver to his dad, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He cares for his dad in his home in Austin, Texas, and his two children also help out weekly. Darren is determined to help his dad find the best care possible. However, he is unsatisfied with the quality of care his dad receives. He spends a lot of his time repeatedly telling care staff his father’s care preferences and personal story. Still, it’s hard for care staff to remember all the detailed information he provides while also providing dedicated care.

“Is there any approach to bridge the gap between aging populations, their families, and caregivers so that we all know each other well and can be as supportive as possible?” Darren started looking for better care and better long-term care management technology.

Normal Care and Normal Technology in Long-term Care

An electronic medical record (EMR) is a digital version of all the information you need, such as residents’ information and the specific care, both medical care and daily activity assistance. An EMR system fosters effective communication and coordination among healthcare team members for optimal patient care. However, EMR systems also have their drawbacks —

Here’s a screenshot of an EMR system:

The EMR lists all the tasks that care staff have to perform, as well as who should provide what kind of care to which senior at what time of day.

When care staff access the resident’s documents through the EMR system, they only know residents’ names, demographic information and medical history. Care staff unconsciously influences themselves to view seniors as a bunch of tasks and to-do lists. As a result, there are many cases of medication mix-ups in long-term care homes.

Long-Term Care Culture Change Revolution

Many residents’ family members have uncovered this problem and have raised their concerns to long-term care homes. Apparently, the long-term care industry has identified the common satisfaction issues and is using dissatisfied feedback as the foundation for improvement. Therefore, a culture change in long-term care homes has taken place, moving from an overemphasis on medical issues and safety to a resident-directed, consumer-driven quality of life and health promotion.

Getting to know each resident well and staying in touch with their families closely has become a trend in the long-term care field, and the upsides of this culture change revolution are remarkable. Without focusing on the importance of the relationships between residents and long-term care staff, we cannot make this shift. Actually, culture change is an approach to continuously improving the quality of long- term care in the long run.

Why the Revolution in LTC Management Software is Inevitable

True true, the revolution in the long-term care industry is inevitable. However, so is the revolution in long-term care management systems. Seniors and families start to care more about the quality of the care and look for further and more profound connections between caregivers and seniors. Long-term care homes should make more of an effort in regard to relationship management. Indeed, it’s time to transfer from the EMR system to a more empathetic long-term care management system.

Seniors are more receptive to care from care staff they trust, those who know them better and those who can empathize and resonate. Care staff are more willing to provide quality care to residents they know better. Deep understanding and communication can build a warm relationship between residents and care professionals.

Care with Empathy

In conversations with caregivers in various long-term care homes and at the educational seminar on Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care held by Dementia Care Education, one central idea was brought up several times — Care with Empathy.

In the previous paragraphs, we have discussed why we need to care with empathy and why care with empathy will be the trend in long-term care. Now it’s time to uncover how technology can help care staff and families achieve resident-directed, consumer-driven care for our beloved seniors.

Meeting Booking & Emergency Communication Call Systems

Keeping updated on seniors’ health information is always salient, so care staff and family members should have constant meetings, which therefore raises demands for virtual meetings and booking systems. A premium meeting function could help caregivers and families have more smooth virtual communication and connection, just like face-to-face communication. In addition, the booking system should also include an emergency communication call system, just in case.

For instance, AxisCare is a software that provides leading clients and caregiver communication functions. It allows caregivers to set phone calls with seniors’ family members and have a real-time chat with them.

Innovative Profile Systems

Normal EMR systems only provide basic data of the residents, but now we need more in-depth information on residents. An innovative profile system should provide resident profiles with fact pages, life stories and video messages, so care staff can understand residents better. This would enable them to deliver individualized holistic person-centred care for senior residents. Families could also use smart devices to engage with their residents through the use of smart devices.

The power of family stories and memoirs can be harnessed to increase caregiver empathy and help provide better care for elderly people, according to researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada. In addition, personal stories can shape our brains and move us to be more empathic and generous, research has shown.

If you would like to try software that can create a life story for your loved one, MemoryWell is a good option to boost seniors, families, and care staff engagement and build more smooth communication through the life stories function!

Personalized Music Playlists

If you want to start caring empathetically, playing personalized music playlists during care is a great place to start. Playing music that seniors are interested in opens avenues of communication. If you want to know how music can calm the elderly, please check our previous music blog post.

Linked Senior is a software that provides music therapy and sing-alongs to engage residents based on their personal experiences.

Want to try another innovative long-term care management system? CareStory is a great choice! Check here to view how CareStory works! The CareStory app allows family members to share background information about the resident. Staff, caregivers, and nurses can share each residents’ unique care preferences. The platform is dynamic and easy to access with an almost zero learning curve. All stakeholders can contribute to residents’ profiles within their own privileges. Want to see the power of caring with empathy? It’s time to try a demo!

Reference:

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_stories_change_brain

As our parents and grandparents age, you may find it’s harder for you to have a “joyful” conversation than you used to – maybe, you find that conversation seems to end up with yelling and headaches. We have heard a lot of complaints from our readers about how difficult it is sometimes to have a rational and peaceful conversation with their aging loved ones. But no, it’s not necessarily anyone’s fault – the aging process challenges one’s ability to think and speak, as well as maintain control of emotions. As a result, just like how your parents and grandparents taught you to speak when you were a toddler, we need to learn to communicate with them again.

So, why does learning to communicate become so important?

Resolving family conflicts

When it comes to resolving family conflicts, communication is crucial. Unresolved conflicts can cause stress for both elder parents and their children and increase the difficulty in daily interactions and the frequency of arguments. While it is nearly impossible to eliminate family conflicts, providing clear verbal and nonverbal messages and engaging in active listening can help keep the situation under control.

Promoting understanding

When it comes to making important life decisions for our senior loved ones, such as receiving long-term care or starting a new treatment, family members need to include them in their discussions. However, the process could be quite exhausting due to the discrepancies between the younger and senior family members. One typical example is when people consider sending their parents to a long-term care home, the conversation usually doesn’t go well since nobody wants to think of becoming old and losing their freedom. Usually, a successful conversation can’t be achieved without understanding and agreements from both parties, so smooth-talking becomes vital at this point – it’s not about doing what you think is good for your loved one, it is about increasing the understanding of each other’s needs so we can attain a win-win situation.

Promoting better health

Good communication has some practical effects – not just to promote healthy mental health for our loved ones. It is proven that age-friendly conversations would significantly help patients to adhere to treatment, so better medical outcomes are predicted (report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

Whether you are in a position or not where you want to make a better connection with your loved one, or you want to address life topics or important issues that involve their understanding and support, unique communication skills and strategies are often required. Below are eight great tips that CareStory provides you with to create healthy interactions with your loved one.

Note: not all these communication tips may apply to your situation. Try to understand the logic behind each and pick out the ones you think would work. Rome wasn’t built in a day; it takes time and practice to acquire good communication skills. Remember: successful communication is not about WHAT you say. It’s about HOW you say it.

Tips for communicating with your loved one

1. Choose the right environment

Preparation first! Creating a communication-friendly environment would greatly enhance the quality of the discussion. When there is a lot of disturbing noise or distracting activities, it’s hard to conduct an in-depth conversation, especially when the senior has physical or cognitive problems requiring more attention. So turn down the volume on the TV or radio, and make sure there are no distracting sounds that make you raise your voice. Seniors with dementia need to decrease additional stimulations as much as possible.

Also, face the person you’re speaking with, so they can pick up information from your facial expressions or by reading your lips. Seating is also important. Make sure your loved one is not sitting too far from you, and make sure they are sitting comfortably in a chair. When the conversation involves many family members, it’s best to put them in the middle of the group to give them a sense of the conversation that is going on around them.

2. Actively listen to your loved one

Remember that you are talking TO your family, not talking AT them. Pay attention to what your family has to say. Don’t interrupt them or try to fill awkward silences between their sentences throughout the chat. A brief silence could indicate that your family member is pondering how to respond to the topic. However, listening should go both ways, so be sure your loved one is hearing what you’re saying as well.

3. Embrace the difference

No matter how close you and your family are, no one can agree on everything all the time. Especially when it comes to decision-making, the conversation may come to a stalemate. Notably, we should agree on disagreement. Respect the viewpoints of others the same way that you would like your own to be respected. When a choice must be made, we should listen to all viewpoints and strive to compromise on the decision.

4. Speak clearly

Speak clearly and articulately. Hearing loss is common among the elderly. It is critical to talk effectively and clearly to convey your words. Make sure you speak clearly and don’t mumble or speak too hastily; instead, properly pronounce each word at a comfortable pace. Speak louder if necessary, but do not yell. For the seniors who have a cognitive impairment, try to concentrate on one idea at a time and use short, clear sentences. Avoid using slang, and describe an object or action as clearly as possible. If they still don’t understand what you’re saying, try rephrasing it or using alternative terms.

5. Demonstrate empathy

We usually perceive things through our own eyes, but we need to put ourselves in their shoes to interact with our loved ones effectively. We need to acknowledge their pain and show gratitude when they open up. When they start talking about their emotions and losses, it’s important to grab this “opened door” and be supportive of what they are saying.

6. Ask instead of assuming

Seniors need to feel respected. Try becoming an “asker” instead of being a “guesser.” Listen more to their answers before making your assumption since sometimes our assumptions are simply speculations, which will likely harm the relationship.

Don’t be afraid of asking too many questions. When talking with older adults, you can confirm their needs by constantly asking rather than ordering.

For example: instead of saying, “you haven’t had lunch, you must be hungry.” You can ask them, “Are you feeling hungry at this time? Since I noticed that you didn’t have lunch.”

7. Be careful about the language

Some terms may imply something different to seniors than to you. Some seniors are highly sensitive about the terms such as “nursing home” or “dementia.” Although you know that these are just terms we use in conversations to help our family, they might equal the loss of control and independence and trigger resistance and anger. When we use any words that address their problems, try to express them in a rather acceptable way. For example, instead of telling your parents or grandparents to get long-term care services, tell them there are professional assistants to help them gain back their control.

8. Compensating for the hearing deficit

Hearing loss is normal among seniors over 65 years old. About 25% of older adults between the ages of 65 and 75 have hearing problems, and this rate increases to 50% for individuals over 75 years old. Here are some suggestions for communicating with someone who has such problems:
Make sure the senior is wearing hearing aids.
Talk slowly and clearly without raising tones.
Face the person directly so they can read your lips.
Keep a piece of paper and a pen nearby so you can write when they can’t hear.
When about to change the subject, give clear clues.

Tips on communicating with seniors during different stages of dementia

Early-stage:

Challenges: individuals can have meaningful conversations and engage in interactions at the early (mild) stages of dementia. However, they may repeat their sentences and sometimes won’t find the right words to describe their needs and feelings.
Solutions: Minimise distractions while the conversation is going. Look for clues that the senior provides verbally or non-verbally. Be patient, be clear on the words you are going to say, and find a gentle tone and voice to deliver your ideas.

Middle stage:

Challenges: Most seniors are in the middle (moderate) stages of dementia, which can last for years. As the disease progresses, seniors will have difficulties understanding long sentences and reading facial expressions. They might show reduced interest in continuing a conversation. In some cases, they may lose part of their ability to finish sentences.
Solutions: Patience becomes particularly important at this point. Try to turn questions into answers and offer options if possible. It’s different from what we have mentioned above about “ask instead of assuming” since the individuals at this stage are most likely unable to provide a clear answer. Repeating on request is also necessary, given that the seniors need more time and effort to understand the information. If necessary, use body language to aid the conversation.

Late-stage:

Challenges: Seniors with advanced dementia are incapable of comprehending most words. In certain cases, they become non-verbal.
Solutions: Making verbal conversation is nearly impossible for individuals in the late stages of dementia, but it doesn’t mean you quit communicating with them. Body languages become quite useful in information delivery. It is highly recommended to use stimulations such as smell, touch, or music to elicit their interest in engaging in an interaction.

The bottom line

Communication deserves lifelong learning. It doesn’t stop just because you are familiar with the other person. Talking to your loved one sometimes needs more skills to achieve a satisfying result for both parties – especially when the person you talk to has some degree of cognitive issues. Still, it doesn’t mean that making a smooth conversation with them is a mission impossible. Remember, making the other person comfortable in a conversation is the key to success. It may take many times of trying and lots of observation, but it’s all worth it for building a good connection with your loved one.

References:

https://www.mentalhelp.net/blogs/eight-tips-for-talking-to-your-aging-parents-about-important-issues/

https://dailycaring.com/how-to-communicate-with-an-aging-parent-who-wont-listen/

https://gerontology.ku.edu/sites/gerontology.drupal.ku.edu/files/docs/GSACommunicating%20with%20Older%20Adults%20low%20Final.pdf

Are you a caregiver? Are you the only caregiver for your loved one？

Family Caregivers roles and responsibilities

A family member who regularly provides support or care to an older adult without pay is a family caregiver. A family caregiver can be the partner, daughter, son, sister, brother, etc.

In general, family caregivers are responsible for providing support in 3 main areas: health and medical care (such as managing medicines), daily tasks assistance (such as housekeeping), and emotional support (providing companionship is one of them!). Here’s a table summarizing significant activities and tasks family caregivers should do for older adults. Feel free to check it as a reference.

The question is, when is it time to provide regular support to our loved ones? We know that you are concerned about your aging parent’s health, and remember, we are always with you! Here are some warning signs of health issues for aging people, but again, use it only as a guide to gauge how your beloved parents are doing and what you can do if they need help!

Are your parents able to keep up with daily routines?

We know that sometimes parents may not explicitly state their needs, or perhaps they haven’t even noticed that they need help. Always pay attention to your parents’ appearance and check whether they can take care of themselves. Do they take longer to shower? Are their clothes neat? Are they neglecting housework? Reasons are always covered behind some “unusual” behavior, so be observant, be patient, and anticipate! You can encourage regular medical checkups and contact professionals for guidance.

Are your parents experiencing memory loss?

Memory loss is a noticeable sign of normal aging or even dementia. Sometimes you may see scorched pots, which could mean your parents forget about cooking on the stove. But there’s still a difference between regular changes in memory and the type of memory loss that makes it hard to do daily tasks such as driving and shopping. Please check out our previous blog for more information on aging memory loss vs. dementia signs.

Are your parents still social?

In addition to physical wellness, it accounts for social connection and emotional support. Family caregivers should always take some time every day and talk to their parents about their activities. For instance, are they still connecting with friends and engaging in daily activities? Are they still involved in clubs they used to attend? If your parents give up being with others, spend more time with them to help them stay mentally healthy.

Common family conflict seniors and caregivers may face

When considering how to provide the best quality health care for parents, siblings are often at odds when faced with what’s best. Disagreements and arguments are all-too-common among families, but no worries, CareStory is here to help you out.

Who will provide care?

Often, family members may have different opinions about the best approach to caring for a senior loved one. Two major concerns are:

1. How much care does our beloved senior need?

2. Who should provide the care?

If your family is quite large and you have many siblings, the conflict may intensify. For example, a family member may feel forced to carry all of the burdens of care, probably because the other siblings live too far away. Consider whether it is possible to arrange for family members to take turns giving care to parents, and please, never overburden your siblings!

Moreover, family members who live far from their loved ones can also provide long-distance care! They can provide more financial support or arrange home care services to support their siblings caring for their parents.

Living arrangements

Decision on living arrangements is always a significant concern since seniors have many alternatives.

Is it a better choice for our loved ones to live independently or with family members? Should we send seniors to a retirement home since they can enjoy more activities and make more friends there?

Besides considering the given care aspects, emotional and social connection accounts for a great deal, and we should always talk to our seniors and discuss their willingness to go elsewhere.

How to solve conflicts and become better family caregivers

After uncovering the major factors and reasons contributing to your family conflict, it’s time to address the conflict and become united family caregivers!

Assign a sibling as the primary caregiver

Whether your parents are, it’s important to appoint one sibling as a “primary caregiver” to help when and wherever possible for parents. As primary caregivers, they are expected to regularly update parents’ information and arrange tasks for the other siblings. Like how care staff rotates shifts, the primary caregiver also needs to rotate shifts. In this way, each primary caregiver can take the lead and share caregiving responsibilities. Also, each sibling needs to have some time away from their caregiving work to prevent caregiver burnout.

Schedule caregiver responsibilities

After the primary caregiver is assigned, it’s time to schedule the responsibilities! All siblings excel in different areas, so why not use each sibling’s talents, abilities, and hobbies as a reference when assigning tasks? For instance, the sibling who is good at accounting may be far better suited for dealing with parents’ financial matters. The sibling who loves sports can be the parents’ walking and exercising companion. If you are a long-distance caregiver who lives far away from your parents and cannot visit them often, no worries, you can still contribute! Want to learn more about long-distance care and long-distance support? Feel free to read another blog post from CareStory!

Discuss different care options

However, no matter how you split up caregiving tasks and responsibilities, you may see some siblings doing more than others. For example, siblings who live closer to parents may provide more care since they are more able to do so. Therefore, sometimes additional support should be discussed.

How about using retirement home services? Should any home care services be arranged?

If parents start to face more serious cognitive challenges, which nursing homes should you choose?

We know these are topics that need further research and discussion, and here’s another blog post that might help you better understand long-term care. Check it out!

References:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/caregivers/in-depth/aging-parents/art-20044126

https://companionsforseniors.com/2019/09/senior-caregiving-family-disagreements/

https://homecareassistance.com/blog/10-resolutions-for-family-disagreement-on-finding-care

https://www.caregiverstress.com/geriatric-professional-resources/professional-development/ clinical-empathy-a-key-tool-for-client-care/

hospice-nurse-visiting-an-elderly-male-patient-picture-id895087964-1200x675.jpg

A wedding takes place in a beautiful white house with floor-to-ceiling windows that look over a tranquil lake decorated with snow. As the wedding song plays, a father walks the bride down the aisle. Everyone sheds tears, especially the father. Besides being happy for his daughter as she enters a new phase of her life, he knows that the wedding could be his last happiest memory since it is held at a hospice.

Hospice is a place for people at the very last phase of their lives. When a patient is in the later stages of a severe illness, medical therapies may no longer improve the situation but only increase their pain. So instead of treating the disease, the philosophy of care is to treat symptoms and make the patient live their remaining time as happily and comfortably as possible.

If you are new to this term, this article will provide all the essential information you need to know about hospice, which will guide you to make a better decision.

What does hospice care provide?

Palliative care and symptom control are the focal points of hospice. The goal is to help the dying live with dignity and ease physical pain and emotional needs. The care teams comprise a nurse, assistant, social worker, bereavement coordinator, and volunteers. The medical director manages the hospice team and adjusts to the patient’s needs. A hospice team’s primary responsibility is to coordinate all services for patients and their families.

These services include:

Nursing care focuses on the patient’s physical symptoms.
Hospice aide that provides personal care, including bathing and grooming.
Social work visits help coordinate resources from the community and in the family.
Volunteer companionship.
Bereavement support for the family after the patient has passed away.

How is hospice care provided?

Hospice care is available at home or in a supportive community. Usually, inpatient treatment is needed when patients have symptoms they cannot deal with at home (e.g., uncontrollable vomiting, acute pain, etc.). It can happen in a hospital, or long-term care community and patients can still return home when they are ready.

The care staff works around the clock to keep in touch with patients and their families, whether at home or hospital. Regular sessions, usually led by hospice nurses or social workers, keep family members informed about the patient’s health and prepare them for what to expect. Families can also express their concerns, learn about death and the dying process, and gain tremendous support and stress relief by attending family gatherings.

Almost everyone who lives in hospice is receiving end-of-life care, and their family is aware of this fact. Hospice care also provides “after-death” care – which we call “bereavement care” – for the families.

Bereavement is the period of grief following a loss. The hospice care team works with family members to assist them in getting through the grieving process. Family members will receive help from trained volunteers and professional counselors through regular visits, phone calls, and other forms of contact, as well as through support groups. The café team can refer family members and caregivers to other medical or professional services if necessary. Typically, bereavement services are provided one year after the patient’s death.

Who qualifies for hospice care?

When determining eligibility for hospice, a doctor must certify that the patient is terminally ill with a life expectancy of no longer than six months.

The situation certainly needs consultation and approval from professionals, such as the health care team, discharge planners, doctors, local health departments, and hospice organizations. However, whether to begin care or not could be highly personal. Even if the patient fits the conditions above, they cannot admit to hospice without agreement.

Types of hospice care

There are four types of hospice care, each tailored to a patient’s specific need. Two are in the home, and the other two take place in healthcare communities. A patient may get one or all four types during their hospice stay.

Routine home care

Routine home care is the most common type of hospice care. This is provided at the patient’s home, whether it is an assisted living home or in a senior healthcare community. The care team, which includes home health nursing aides, RN case managers, licensed practical nurses, social workers, spiritual care specialists, community educators, and volunteers, will make a regular visit at home.

Many patients prefer routine home care because it allows them to remain in their familiar surroundings. It also makes it more convenient for family and friends to visit on their own time.

The care team will bring medical equipment and medications to the patient’s home and make regular visits as needed. Some group team members may attend the holiday visit daily, while others may come once a week or as needed. Telecare services are available to the patients 24/7 to answer questions, and, if necessary, the team will send a professional to the patient’s home.

According to the stats from the Hospice Valley, the average cost of routine home care from day 1 to day 60 is $199.25, and from day 60+, the payment would be $157.49.

Continuous home care

Continuous home care is more intense than routine home care, which provides ongoing assistance to patients experiencing acute symptoms (e.g., intractable pain or nausea, breathing difficulties, bleeding, agitation, seizures, or changes in the state of consciousness). This is usually only done for a short period to enable patients to stay at home through a more challenging situation.

Just as routine home care, continuous home care comes with two different prices based on the needs. The hourly rate of constant home care is $59.68. If the care needs for 24hours, the total rate would be $1432.41 (data from the Hospice Valley).

General inpatient care

General inpatient care is recommended for treating symptoms that cannot be adequately controlled at home. This usually exists in short-term cases at a hospital’s hospice unit or a long-term care home.

Many patients and their families prefer free-standing hospice communities, which have a more tranquil and home-like environment for patients to receive general inpatient care. Also, arrangements can be made for visitors to stay overnight.

Short-term general inpatient care costs can range from $744 to $1045.66 per day, as reported by griswoldhomecare.com.

Respite care

Respite care is short-term inpatient treatment designed to help family caregivers and patients. Caring for a chronically or terminally ill family member can be emotionally and physically exhausting for all parties involved. The patient is usually admitted to a hospice community for a brief time if necessary. It also relieves family caregivers of their daily obligations, which reduces stress. Respite care is only available for a few days, in crises when the family needs to be away or needs a break.

The price may vary in different communities, but the average daily rate of inpatient respite care is about $416.09, as stated by Hospice Valley.

Hospice vs. Long-term care homes

Although some of the services that hospice and long-term care homes provide are mutually inclusive, their mission is the main difference between hospice and long-term care homes.

Hospice concentrates on making the dying process more comfortable and acceptable for those who have realized that death is inevitable. On the other hand, a long-term care home provides full-time skilled healthcare staff to seniors who require higher care. When the condition has deteriorated for a patient living in a long-term care home, they can transfer to a hospice.

How long do patients usually live in hospice?

According to research from the Journal of Palliative Medicine, around 35.7% of hospice patients die within a week. The average length of stay in hospice is 76.1 days.

Hospice is design for patients have less than six months to live. However, many patients can live longer.

According to the survey, 12-15% of patients can live for more than six months. It is challenging to predict how long each person will live because each situation is unique. The study found that patients under 65 are more likely to live for more than six months after being referred to hospice.

What if the patient gets better?

Miracles do happen!

People who get hospice care are more likely to recover. Because their food and medicinal needs are satisfied, and the care process provides them with additional attention and emotional support.

Patients will be discharged when their condition improves enough to start treatment or when life expectancy is determined to be more than six months.

The live discharge also happens when the patient feels better and starts to look for more aggressive treatment. As we said, hospice care is a very personal option, and it may vary hugely from person to person. A report from Health Affairs says that nearly 20% of patients are discharged from a hospice for many reasons. It could either be the patients’ own decision or the decision from the professional medical teams, but a patient can return to a hospice if needed.

Who pays for hospice care?

Knowing that taking care of patients is already burdensome for the family, many health plans can cover the expense of hospice. The Provincial Health Plans cover hospice care provided in a hospital in Canada. Medicare Health Care Benefit covers the United States. If the patients and their families choose to receive care at home, they can use private insurance to cover the palliative care services or pay from their pocket.

Takeaway

Hospice care provides care for patients with less than six months to live. Throughout the dying process, the care team provides support and resources to the patients and their families, including at home and in a community. Patients and their families discuss whether they should receive hospice care ongoing, as it is a very personal decision. See our post on“How to Communicate with Seniors” to find out the tips.

References:

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/11/542607941/nearly-1-in-5-hosopice-patients-discharged-while-still-alive

https://dying.lovetoknow.com/ideas-advice-coping-grief/average-time-person-is-hosopice-care-before-death

https://lifecare.org/news-events/7-signs/

As usual, it’s storytime. Let’s talk about Long-Distance Caregiving!

Trevor has taken care of his beloved grandparents since 2018, which is one of the reasons he applied for medical school. In 2020, he officially became an MD-PhD candidate at UChicago, but his parents and grandparents still live in Las Vegas. Currently, his grandparents are in long-term care homes. His parents still live in their home, and every day, a home care professional provides them with the required medical care and assists them with daily activities.

Indeed, Trevor is a long-distance caregiver because his grandparents are not in the same city as him, but does it also mean that a caregiver who lives in the same town as their loved ones is not a long-distance caregiver?

What is Long-Distance Caregiving?

Here’s a pop-quiz for you to see if you are a long-distance caregiver.

Q1: Is there any older adult who needs your care? For instance, your parents or your grandparents.

Q2: Do you live far away from them? Do you have to spend an hour or more to visit your loved one who needs care?

Living in the same city as your loved one who needs care doesn’t guarantee that you are not a long-distance caregiver. According to the U.S. National Institutes on Aging, all individuals who live an hour or more away from the elderly who need care should consider themselves long-distance caregivers. So if both your answers are “Yes,” you are indeed a long-distance caregiver.

What can a long-distance caregiver do from afar?

As a long-term care home volunteer in Chicago, Trevor has cared for and assisted many local seniors. But what can he do for his beloved grandparents far away in Las Vegas? You may have a similar question, and if that’s the situation you’re facing now, keep reading this blog article to check out options for the support you can provide for them!

Medical support

When you find your loved ones face some of the adverse effects of aging, you need to talk with them about their health issues. We know that sometimes it could be hard to start the conversations since older adults may resist this topic, but you should always keep trying and prepare medical support they may need in advance.

“Can my parents & grandparents take care of themselves?”

“Do they need additional assistance from others?”

If you figure out that they need additional support, arrange for in-home care and hire a professional caregiver to take care of them. Also, prepare required prescription drugs and durable medical equipment. If the situation gets worse, you should find more local resources and locate 24/7 care for your loved ones in an assisted living community or a long-term care home.

Financial support

Financial support is always a huge component. This not only means long-distance caregivers are responsible for paying the bill but also means they should be in charge of money management for their parents. For instance, check on your loved one’s health care and health care insurance coverage, and decide whether you should purchase more or different insurance for them.

Emotional support

Older adults are at higher risk for loneliness and social isolation, especially for seniors who live alone and live far away from their children. Just like how children need a connection from their parents, your parents need your connection, greetings, and psychological support as well. It’s a good idea to call them frequently, chat with them, identify their needs and fulfill them!

In addition, there are also some challenges of long-distance caregiving that are often mentioned.

How can I stay connected with my beloved aging parents and grandparents?

We understand that providing long-distance caregiving is hard, but staying connected is always an excellent start! First things first, the direct connection between you and your beloved aging family members is essential. So, always keep in touch with your parents through instant messaging. In addition to phone calls, using video calls is another excellent option! But try to find and use an App that is senior-friendly; for example, the UX design should be straightforward and transparent so seniors can quickly see how to make a call. Also, the size of the characters should be significant. Presbyopia is a pretty common aging sign, so always keep that in mind. Besides that, plan more in-person visits ahead of time.

Another way to stay in touch with them is through indirect contact. Remember that your loved ones probably only mention the positive side. Try to find people who live near your loved ones, and provide a more realistic picture of the situation, for instance, home care professionals and neighbors.

I don’t know what I can do when emergency issues take place

Always be prepared beforehand! Sometimes, long-distance caregivers may not even notice that their beloved aging adults are experiencing emergency issues! One possible way to eliminate this danger is to know and get the available resources and services near them ready, just in case.

“Are the family doctors available when my loved ones feel sick? How can I reach them?”

“Can the neighbors give the other hand when my loved ones face difficulties? How can I reach them?”

And always, always prepare an emergency backup plan. We also encourage you to have a backup plan B!

Long-distance caregiving during COVID

During COVID, individuals are more likely to face travel restrictions. Countries temporarily close their borders, cities temporarily shut down, and long-distance caregiving situations occur more frequently. Trevor is one of the populations affected, and we are sure that some have suffered far more than he has – long-distance caregivers living overseas. People have had to cancel their visits, and their loved ones rely entirely on local care services and assistance.

Moreover, virtual technology becomes another challenge for both the elderly and long-distance caregivers. Communication relies highly on wireless technology, and families adapt to virtual family caregivers and have video calls more often. Additionally, long-distance caregivers should also keep in touch with their parents’ or grandparents’ neighbors and prepare some backup resources just in case.

How to deal with these issues

One possible way to address this issue is to use technology to track your parents’ health indicators and daily performance regularly. Try to find an approach to record their daily activities and collect instant information and messages from home care staff and neighbors. Moreover, find a senior-friendly communication app so your parents and grandparents can quickly start and answer calls. Most importantly, provide as much detailed information as possible so that home care professionals and neighbors can better help your parents. And you know what? CareStory is perfect for that!

So, how does CareStory work? Well, try it. Scan Jasmine Levy’s QR code in the picture to experience the transformative power of how CareStory promotes connection and empathy and improves your provided long-distance care. You know what? We want to offer you a demo and start your free trial of CareStory!

Reference:

https://www.rensco.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Aging_NYC_long-distance-caregiving.pdf

Sending an elderly family member to a long-term care home sometimes feels like placing a bet, and a series of obstacles that follow make the process even more daunting. Weighing the pros and cons of each community, not to mention the number of options, can be highly Taxing. You have probably heard many terrible stories about how things can go wrong in a care home. Thus, setting metrics for your selection has become vital at this point.

After doing lots of research and talking to our professionals, we are here to provide you with a set of pointers to help you size up a long-term care home.

Today you will learn:

What to look for when choosing a long-term care home.
How to evaluate a long-term care home.

What to look for when choosing a long-term care home:

Here’s a checklist of what you should consider.

Things should check before visiting:

– Is the community accredited?

– Have any critical incidents/complaints/abuse reports happened in its history?

– Do they still accept new residents?

– How long is the waitlist?

– What are the waitlist rules (do they prioritize the people in critical situations?)

– Do they offer tours, and how do you book one?

Things to check during the visit:

Physical Surroundings:

Is the community conveniently located for family members to visit?
Whether there public transit in the area?
Is the community clean, well maintained, and nicely decorated?
Would be the neighborhood smoke-free, or are there areas where smoking is prohibited?
Is a community nurse call system provided in each room?
Are there accessible emergency call devices equipped around beds and toilets?
Are the locks on residents’ room doors/washroom doors readily releasable and easy to open outside?
Is the room temperature controlled separately in each room?
What types of rooms do they provide?
What furnishings does the community provide?
Is there a safe outdoor environment accessible for the residents?
Are there clear signs for residents to get around the community?
Is it easy for inhabitants to access phones, television, and the internet?
Are there specific units for residents with dementia?

Resident Care:

Does the community have policies regarding residents’ privacy and safety?
Are there doctors on call?
Do they have procedures in place in case of an emergency?
Do the residents have flexible daily routines?
Is there a wide variety of recreational activities provided (more than 10)?
Are the residents taken to the activities if they cannot go on their own?
Can residents choose their meals?
Are healthy snacks available and accessible between the meals?
Can residents bring their furniture?
Are there spiritual/religious services provided?
Do they provide personal care services (hairdresser, barber, etc.)?

Staff:

Does the staff seem friendly to the residents?
Do the caregivers seem to talk to the residents with respect?
Is there a healthy rapport between the residents and the staff?
Do the staff patiently answer your questions?
What is the caregiver to resident ratio? (The support worker to resident ratio in most Ontario long-term care homes is 10:1)

Others:

Do the residents look generally happy, friendly, and well-dressed?
Do you and your family members feel welcome while visiting?

How to evaluate a Long-Term Care Home:

Use certifying agency searching tools:

Some local public agency websites provide complete reports of long-term care homes in the area. For example, ltchome.net provides details of inspection and licensed beds in long-term care communities within Ontario. Check these sites to see if the homes you’ve selected are certified.

You can also see the history of critical incidents and complaints inspections on a government website like ltchome.net(Canada) or medicare.gov (the U.S.). Try to pay special attention to their past three years of critical incident inspection reports. Note that the lower the number of health citations, the better the community performs in the inspection.

Call the community:

Call the long-term care homes before you visit. Ask if they still accept new residents and find out about waiting lists. If your loved one is over 80 years old or has severe physical/mental impairment, ask them if they could prioritize applicants in critical conditions. Figure out these questions before you go there.

Tour the Long-Term Care Home and take notes:

When you arrive at the long-term care home, calculate how long it takes to get there. If it is convenient for you to get there, it will give the care workers a sense that their services are being watched and you are actively involved in your loved one’s living. Also, ask yourself if you feel the surrounding area is quiet and safe. Since you never want your loved one to live in a noisy and dangerous neighborhood that has many break-in cases.

It is helpful to print and bring the checklist we provided with you. Aesthetically appealing furnishing is desirable, but don’t be impressed just by that. It is better to walk around and check wherever the residents may access. Pay attention to the details, and jot them down. Also, don’t forget to smell – it is a non-neglected indicator of the community’s cleanliness.

Talk to the caregivers:

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! They should understand your concerns. Ask how they take care of the residents, and observe if they are patient when answering your questions. Then, you can ask yourself if you feel comfortable with their response and attitude – they likely communicate with the residents the same way.

Ask for references:

Ask to speak to the families that have their loved ones living there, and ask the questions above to see how well the community has held up. If the staff at home seem reluctant to have you speak to families, this is not a good sign.

Check online reviews:

Using professional agency review sites is not the only way to help you find out the community’s accreditation. You can also go to online review platforms such as Google Reviews to search about the general feedback for the long-term care home or use professional agency review sites such as Medicare to find out their accreditation. Recruiting sites are also helpful. You can use Indeed or LinkedIn to see how staff rate the home and check the hiring requirements of the community so that you’ll know if they perform background checks and training for the employees.

Revisit the facility:

You can drop by unannounced on another day. If you can, try to visit the community at a different time to get a sense of how caregivers interact with the residents. If you haven’t seen it there at mealtime, this is time for you to do so. Ask them if you can buy their meals to investigate the quality and the taste of the food. Sometimes a second visit can either confirm the community is suitable for your family or turns out the total opposite.

Takeaway:

Try to search and visit several long-term care homes (preferably five of them) instead of just focusing on just one. Put each of them into the checklist and use checkmarks to evaluate if they meet the requirements. Taking time to do the comprehensive research on choosing the best long-term care home might sound arduous, but at the end of the day, it will give you peace about your selection and secure a better quality of life for your loved one.

Download the free checklist.

Checklist

Resources:

https://affinityhealth.ca/5-answers-about-long-term-care-homes-in-ontario/

https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/ltc/docs/home_design_manual.pdf

http://healthcareathome.ca/hnhb/en/care/patient/Pages/LongTerm_HOME_%20E1016%20final%20website.pdf

http://healthcareathome.ca/Northwest/En/Documents/Selecting-A-LTC-Home.pdf

https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/

Should-I-Send-My-Parents-to-a-Long-Term-Care-Home-1-1200x675.jpg

Have you ever struggled with whether or not you should send your parents to a long-term care home? After we see our beloved parents start to experience aging and disability, we often try to provide care for them by ourselves first.

After Tammy noticed her mother, Madeline, began to experience aging and disability, she often went home early to ensure her mother was doing well. But one day, her mother fell while at work, and she could do nothing about it.

She started looking for information about senior care services from that day on. Initially, she chose home care services. Home care professionals provided medical and personal care for Madeline when Tammy was working. When the home care staff was off duty, Tammy took their place and became a caregiver.

But as Madeline got older, the situation became worse, and Madeline often needed care at night. Tammy hadn’t had a proper sleep for a while, and she stayed up all night again. She only slept 5 hours in the past three days, and she was exhausted and burned out.

“I just want my mom to get the best care she deserves.” Tammy stressed this matter with us many times, “But at the same time, I also have other concerns, like budgeting and my mom’s will. So, should I send my parents to a long-term care home?”

Unfortunately, CareStory cannot answer the question for you, but we are here to help you make the decision easier. Check out some essential factors with us before you make the decision!

Factors to Consider for Transferring Seniors to Long-Term Care Homes

When we talked to professional care staff, seniors, and their families, some issues kept coming up —

How to predict whether seniors need a long-term care home or not
When should seniors and their families start to consider arranging a long-term care home?

Unfortunately, it is difficult to predict how much or when an individual might need long-term care. However, several factors might increase the probability of needing long-term care. If your parents are in line with most factors mentioned below, plan for long-term care services!

Age

In general, the risk of needing long-term care increases as people get older. According to the U.S. Administration for Community Living and Administration on Aging research, seniors over 65 have an almost 70% chance of needing long-term care services and support for their remaining years. If your parents are about to turn 65, it’s a good idea for you to consider arranging a long-term care home in advance!

Health and Family History

A family history of health problems also contributes to the need for long-term care later in life. Conditions can be physical disabilities, sensory disabilities, cognitive disabilities, and other chronic diseases. The most common aging health issues are arthritis, heart disease, dementia, and chronic lower respiratory diseases, where most patients need professional treatment and care in the long term. Therefore, you need to raise awareness of common aging disease symptoms and inherited or acquired disabling conditions. It is crucial to check your parents’ health conditions regularly and book professional long-term care services in advance, just in case!

Independent Living

If your parents live alone, boom, pay attention! They are more likely to need care from paid caregivers than elderly adults who live with their family members. Keep in touch with your parents at all times and ask them how they are doing daily. If you’re too busy and there are no home care services available, a nursing home should be the best option.

From a Budget Perspective, Is A Long-Term Care Home The Best Option?

Budget and cost are always huge components in our decision-making. When approaching whether or not I should send my parents to a long-term care home, spending accounts for a lot! If you want to know more about other kinds of long-term care homes, please check our “What is Long-term Care” blog. Here, we will discuss three different scenarios, calculate the budget and inform you, from a budget perspective, whether a long-term care home is the best option.

Scenario 1: You become a full-time caregiver and take care of your parents at home

In this scenario, you will not send your parents to a Long-Term Care Home. Your parents can stay at home, like what’s happening now, for good. But at the same time, you should gain more professional personal care skills. The most common way to achieve that is to take a private caregiver training course and get certified. Nowadays, those programs can be taken both in-person and online, so you can choose the program that works best for you.

The benefit of this scenario is that you can provide the most personalized care for your beloved parents. After you take the training and become a certified caregiver, there’s no doubt that you are the best caregiver for them. But on the other hand, it will be pretty costly. To become a full-time caregiver, you have to give up your current career. Therefore, the total annual cost will be Personal Caregiver Training Course + Your Annual Salary and Bonus, an annual expense of at least $55,000.

Scenario 2: You choose live-in home care services

In this case, you are in a similar situation that Tammy and Madeline were in. Your parents still stay at home, and they can receive professional care from long-term care nurses. Home care professionals can provide similar care and services to average nursing homes. What’s more, since your parents are the only clients for home care professionals, they know your parents better than standard care staff in a long-term care home, so they also provide personalized care for your parents.

However, when your home caregiver is off duty, there is no professional care for your parents! So now, you need to take responsibility, and take care of your parents after work. But you are worried that you are not a professional. So if your parents need emergency medical treatment and care at night, unfortunately, you cannot handle this issue, and no one can help your parents in time.

On average, senior home care costs $16-$26 per hour or $150-$280 for 24-hour live-in care. So the total annual cost will be around $46,720 – $102,200 per year.

Scenario 3: You send your parents to a long-term care home

Nearly half of the families end up sending their parents to long-term care homes. Why? Because long-term care homes can provide the best 24/7 care for seniors. Long-Term care homes can provide daily assisted living, nursing care, and emergency medical care and are on hand 24 hours a day. Moreover, long-term care homes are designed for seniors and are often community-based, so your parents can meet more friends there and use the more friendly communities to seniors.

Long-term care home staff will also provide housekeeping, feeding, and bathing services. However, that means the residents not only need to pay for the medical and non-medical care services, they also need to pay for accommodation and food! But the good news is, some of the long-term care homes’ costs can be reimbursed by the national health insurance program!

The bad news, however, is that elder abuse happens in long-term care homes, and you even need to wait for a long time for long-term care home beds. In Canada, there are only 29 long-term care beds per 1,000 people aged 65 and older. So most of the time, you need to conduct both online and field research on different nursing homes and plan far in advance for your beloved parents!

The total expenses of long-term care homes vary widely. The monthly cost of a basic (public and non-profit) long-term care home is approximately $1,800 – $2,300, the cost of a private one is around $2,900 per month. Some residents can also receive a subsidy to help pay for basic long-term care accommodation. So, the total annual cost will vary from $0 – $34,800 per year, depending on your health plan and insurance.

Here’s a summary of the recommended options for you and your parents:

If you and your parents are looking for the care services that cost the least, long-term care homes are the best option.
If you and your parents are looking for more personalized care services, you should consider home care or become a full-time caregiver, but that will cost A LOT!!!!
Always remember that long-term care homes are the place that provides more comprehensive professional care, and if your parents need care as well as friendship, long-term care homes are probably the best place!

The last note from CareStory: we will try our best to provide a more holistic view of long-term care and more objective opinions on the pros and cons of long-term care homes. However, we CANNOT make the decisions for you. You should always discuss this question with your parents and other family members and find the answer that is best for all of you. From your beloved seniors’ perspective, what matters more to them? From your perspective, what turns out to be more important? It’s a trade-off, so consider different factors, such as your parents’ will, the budget, waiting time, etc. When making the decision, and choose the most beneficial long-term care plan.

Still, find it difficult to evaluate the situation? Carestory just created a checklist for you! Feel free to download the checklist here and find your answer!

CheckList

References:

https://www.cihi.ca/en/how-many-long-term-care-beds-are-there-in-canada

https://www.statista.com/statistics/323253/average-number-of-certified-nursing-facility-beds-in-the-united-states-by-state/

https://www.hebrewseniorlife.org/blog/difference-between-nursing-homes-and-skilled-nursing-facilities

All You Need to Know About Long Term Care

The time finally comes that you decide to find a home for your loved one(s)-no matter how much you love and miss them, there will be times when you need someone else to take over, and long-term care homes are an inevitable option for most families. What is a long-term care home? What do they offer? ” You may start searching for answers to these questions.

If the mass of research reports and ads intimidates you, CareStory is here to help. In this article, we will provide you with a clear walkthrough of the basic concept of long-term homes and everything you need to know about them.

Let’s jump in!

What you will learn today:

– Long-term care homes, what are they?

– What are the types of residents in long-term care homes?

– Understanding the different types of long-term care and what are their functions?

– What has changed in the long-term care culture revolution?

Long-term care homes, what are they?

A long-term care home, just as its name implies, is a healthcare environment that provides nursing care. Specifically, it provides the necessary assistance to its residents for a long period of time during the day (up to 24 hours). Primarily, it offers daily assistance with eating, toileting, and bathing. Furthermore, long-term care homes also provide wellness services such as dietary instructions, life enrichment programs, and recreational activities.

Still confused? The following example may help you picture the concept.

A day in Kay’s life:

Kay is an 80-year-old resident who has been living in a long-term care home for 10 years. She has mild cognitive impairment and several physical issues that require occasional assistance from the personal care workers.

Morning

6:00 a.m.: Kay wakes up at this time, as usual. She’s been getting up no later than 7 am since she turned 70.

6:30 a.m.: Kay has finished dressing and washing, and a care worker enters her room and starts to take Kay’s blood pressure. After making sure Kay has taken her morning medicine, the worker proceeds to the next room, and Kay starts heading to the dining hall for breakfast. She usually eats with her friend Lara.

7:17 a.m.: Kay is starving at this moment. When she is about to ask for a banana shake, Lara reminds her that the dietitian told Kay to avoid foods containing high potassium due to the medicine she’s taking. So, Kay orders a cup of milk and has some biscuits.

8:25 a.m.: Kay finishes her breakfast with Lara, ready to go to the lounge and enjoy some sunlight at the seats beside the window. This is the best time of the day, not too hot, and the sky is still bright.

10:00 a.m.: Activity time! The place that Kay lives has multiple activity programs and this is what they call “Morning Inspiration Session”, which offers many different activities such as yoga, meditation, Tai chi, and even baking class.

Kay chooses Tai chi; she’s not able to do yoga because of her osteoarthritis, and the health worker at her nursing home told her that a short daily practice of meditation would help to alleviate signs of dementia.

Afternoon

12:00 p.m.: Lunchtime has arrived; the nutritionist has designed the residents’ menu according to each one’s need. Kay goes to the dining hall with Lara and has some chicken pasta.

2:00 p.m.: For afternoon activities, residents have the choice of singing in the choir, dancing, or doing light exercises. Kay loves to dance but her body doesn’t let her do so. Due to the deterioration of her brain function, she feels tired easily, so she decides to nap.

3:00 p.m.: A personal care worker gently wakes her up and gives Kay her medicine. The care worker asks if Kay wants to use the toilet since someone will come and help her bathe later

“You can rest after the shower,” the worker says,

“We need to make sure everyone’s taken care of.”

Evening

5:00 p.m.: Kay has finished showering, and here comes dinner time. After dinner, some of the residents need to take sedatives to go to bed, and some go back to their room and watch TV.

8:00 p.m.: This is the time that most of Kay’s neighbours become very quiet. Kay is feeling tired, too. She grabs a book and begins to read, and soon she falls asleep.

Now, you already know how a typical long-term care home works from Kay’s perspective. Actually, the service that the residents receive varies from person to person – depending on each individual’s health condition.

So, who are the people living in long-term care homes?

The types of residents in long-term care homes

There are five levels of priority, from low to very high, that determine a client’s urgency in needing long-term care. In Ontario, they use the Method for Assigning Priority Levels (MAPLe) to classify clients’ needs and allocate limited home care resources effectively.

As you can see, the need for long-term care increases as clients’ independence decreases. But placing seniors who fall within the eligibility criteria of long-term care homes isn’t like a mix-and-match game. Without proper differentiation of individuals’ needs, it would only cause chaos in in-home care systems. Therefore, CareStory has compiled four different categories of long-term care communities that allow people with different needs to find the “right home.”

Understanding the different types of long-term care and what are their functions?

Independent Living Communities

Independent Living Communities, also known as Retirement Communities, are designed for people who can live on their own. They are the least restrictive type among the four kinds of long-term care communities—if a person can maintain his or her independence and with few medical issues, then this is the right place.

This type of community offers fully equipped homes or apartments that allow people to have their privacy. It also provides social activities and recreational gatherings that enable its residents to build a sense of “community”.

The cost of independent living communities in Canada ranges from $1400 to $4500 per month (data from aplaceformom.com).

Seniors with low priority MAPle levels are advised to live in Independent Living Communities.

Assisted Living Communities

People who need 24-hour supervision can live in assisted living communities. Assisted Living Communities provide services such as eating, bathing, toileting, taking medication, transportation, and housekeeping, and just like Independent Living Communities, they offer recreational activities as well.

According to the updated data from wheredoyoulivematter.org, the monthly cost of assisted living communities in Canada can range from $1500 to $5000.

Seniors who have a mild or moderate priority of care are recommended to live in assisted living.

Skilled Nursing

Another type of facility that delivers 24-hour service would be nursing homes.

Skilled nursing is for people who have lost their ability to live independently and also require ongoing medical attention. Therefore, nursing homes have skilled nursing care, which can provide a higher level of care than independent living and assisted living communities.

Taking care of a person with complex medical conditions can be exhausting, but nursing homes give patients’ family and friends a little time of “respite,” as they can be used as an alternative option for after-hospital care. In that way, nursing homes can also be referred to as “respite care”.

The average monthly rate of nursing homes in Canada that comfortlife.ca has reported ranges from $1453 to $4500.

Individuals with a high to very high priority of needing care are encouraged to opt for skilled nursing.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC)

Don’t get confused! Although it has “retirement communities” in its name, this type of community is still a little different from the retirement communities we mentioned above. In fact, CCRCs offer options for independent living, assisted living accommodations, and skilled nursing care. In that, CCRCs can also be called “life plan communities”, as the residents can access the full continuum of care for the remaining years without relocating, and a senior from any level of the MAPle priority chart can choose to live in a CCRC.

Sounds like a one-stop place for seniors to age? But it comes at a cost.

According to comfortlife.ca, the average monthly payment of a CCRC is around $3038 in Canada, which is not that big a difference from the other three types of communities, but there is also an upfront entrance fee-based on the report from CBRE, the average initial payment to enter a CCRC is $329,000.

Although the entrance fees of CCRCs are expensive, people who are applying for CCRCs are in droves—most CCRCs have a long waitlist and the applicants on their lists must wait for years to join the community.

So why are these people so keen on moving into CCRCs?

Here we can affect the perception and cultural change of long-term care.

What has changed in long-term care?

Let’s rewind time by 20 years: What does it mean to you when you hear “long-term care homes” at that time?

Well… you might think it’s a lifeless place. The atmosphere was hopeless and dull, and the endless sounds of sneezing, coughing, and grumbling filled your ears. You could even smell the harsh antiseptics mixed with human body secretions. It was just an awful experience for most of us!

Not only you, but also the elderly, were resistant to it because they felt mistreated and neglected.As the contradictions between health care providers and residents emerge, a culture change in long-term care communities has taken place.

Instead of solely focusing on medical issues and safety, the emphasis on long-term care has gradually steered toward establishing a person-directed environment that provides the elderly with dignity, self-determination, and purposeful living.

As a result of the long-term care culture revolution, getting to know each resident and staying in close contact with their families has become a trend in the long-term care industry. This explains why people tend to choose CCRCs even if they cost a pretty penny – the residents can just stay in the same environment without being moved around for their remaining years. These types of communities provide their families with peace of mind that they are being cared for and allow them to have a closer relationship with the caregivers.

Building rapport can be exhausting, but CareStory can assist you in doing so without spending a fortune. More precisely, you can now store all of the information about each senior in one place, scan it with a QR code, and allow caregivers to help your loved one more efficiently.

Worry-free is just one click away!

Takeaway:

Long-term care homes are home-like health care communities that provide 24-hour nursing care and assisted living according to the clients’ needs.

The residents of long-term care communities vary from those facing a low risk of independent living to those who have several physical and cognitive impairments.

There are four types of long-term care communities: independent living communities, assisted living communities, skilled nursing, and continuing care retirement communities (CCRC).

The focus of long-term care homes has transformed from task-centred to human-centred in cultural evolution.

At the end,

Now you’ve learned that long-term care homes can be differentiated according to the needs of the senior residents—the more critical the situation, the higher the level of care required. Nursing homes specialise in providing seniors who need continuous attention and care. As a result, nursing homes have become a primary choice for seniors who have severe physical and/or mental diseases. When you type in “nursing homes near me” on your search engine, there will be plenty of options popping up in your browser.

However, not all nursing homes are created equally—there are actually bad ones! And choosing the wrong nursing home can be disastrous for you and your loved one. On that note, extra caution and effort are needed when choosing a suitable nursing home. See our blog post “How to Choose a Nursing Home” to find out what and how to assess a nursing home. A free checklist is available for download!

Resources:

https://www.homecarebyseniors.com/4-types-long-term-care-facilities-elderly-loved-one/

https://www.thca.org/for-consumers/resource-center/types-of-long-term-care/

https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/choosing-long-term-care#2

https://www.exploreretirementliving.org/the-different-kinds-of-long-term-care-facilities-what-you-need-to-know/

https://www.oltca.com/oltca/OLTCA/Public/LongTermCare/Services.aspx

https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/basics/info-2017/continuing-care-retirement-communities.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/powell/2014/10/18/continuing-care-independent-living-assisted-living-powell/17447609/

https://www.care.com/c/continuing-care-retirement-community-pros-and-cons/

https://www.pioneernetwork.net/elders-families/what-is-culture-change/

https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-help-paying-long-term-care

https://arborsassistedliving.com/entrance-fees-vs-month-to-month-whats-a-better-buy/

https://elizz.com/planning/cost-of-assisted-living/

https://www.aplaceformom.com/planning-and-advice/articles/canada-seniors-housing-guide

https://www.umh.org/assisted-independent-living-blog/bid/245242/the-difference-between-assisted-independent-living

https://www.whereyoulivematters.org/how-much-does-assisted-living-cost/

https://www.soa.org/globalassets/assets/files/resources/research-report/2020/covid-19-aging-essay-rappaport.pdf

“Is there any approach to bridge the gap between aging populations, their families, and caregivers so that we all know each other well and can be as supportive as possible?” Darren started looking for better care and better long-term care management technology.

Normal Care and Normal Technology in Long-term Care

Here’s a screenshot of an EMR system:

The EMR lists all the tasks that care staff have to perform, as well as who should provide what kind of care to which senior at what time of day.

Long-Term Care Culture Change Revolution

Why the Revolution in LTC Management Software is Inevitable

Care with Empathy

In conversations with caregivers in various long-term care homes and at the educational seminar on Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care held by Dementia Care Education, one central idea was brought up several times — Care with Empathy.

In the previous paragraphs, we have discussed why we need to care with empathy and why care with empathy will be the trend in long-term care. Now it’s time to uncover how technology can help care staff and families achieve resident-directed, consumer-driven care for our beloved seniors.

Meeting Booking & Emergency Communication Call Systems

For instance, AxisCare is a software that provides leading clients and caregiver communication functions. It allows caregivers to set phone calls with seniors’ family members and have a real-time chat with them.

Innovative Profile Systems

If you would like to try software that can create a life story for your loved one, MemoryWell is a good option to boost seniors, families, and care staff engagement and build more smooth communication through the life stories function!

Personalized Music Playlists

If you want to start caring empathetically, playing personalized music playlists during care is a great place to start. Playing music that seniors are interested in opens avenues of communication. If you want to know how music can calm the elderly, please check our previous music blog post.

Linked Senior is a software that provides music therapy and sing-alongs to engage residents based on their personal experiences.

So, why does learning to communicate become so important?

Resolving family conflicts

Promoting understanding

Promoting better health

Tips for communicating with your loved one

1. Choose the right environment

2. Actively listen to your loved one

3. Embrace the difference

4. Speak clearly

5. Demonstrate empathy

6. Ask instead of assuming

Seniors need to feel respected. Try becoming an “asker” instead of being a “guesser.” Listen more to their answers before making your assumption since sometimes our assumptions are simply speculations, which will likely harm the relationship.

Don’t be afraid of asking too many questions. When talking with older adults, you can confirm their needs by constantly asking rather than ordering.

For example: instead of saying, “you haven’t had lunch, you must be hungry.” You can ask them, “Are you feeling hungry at this time? Since I noticed that you didn’t have lunch.”

7. Be careful about the language

8. Compensating for the hearing deficit

Hearing loss is normal among seniors over 65 years old. About 25% of older adults between the ages of 65 and 75 have hearing problems, and this rate increases to 50% for individuals over 75 years old. Here are some suggestions for communicating with someone who has such problems:

Make sure the senior is wearing hearing aids.

Talk slowly and clearly without raising tones.

Face the person directly so they can read your lips.

Keep a piece of paper and a pen nearby so you can write when they can’t hear.

When about to change the subject, give clear clues.

Tips on communicating with seniors during different stages of dementia

Early-stage:

Challenges: individuals can have meaningful conversations and engage in interactions at the early (mild) stages of dementia. However, they may repeat their sentences and sometimes won’t find the right words to describe their needs and feelings.

Solutions: Minimise distractions while the conversation is going. Look for clues that the senior provides verbally or non-verbally. Be patient, be clear on the words you are going to say, and find a gentle tone and voice to deliver your ideas.

Middle stage:

Late-stage:

Challenges: Seniors with advanced dementia are incapable of comprehending most words. In certain cases, they become non-verbal.

The bottom line

Are you a caregiver? Are you the only caregiver for your loved one？

Family Caregivers roles and responsibilities

A family member who regularly provides support or care to an older adult without pay is a family caregiver. A family caregiver can be the partner, daughter, son, sister, brother, etc.

Are your parents able to keep up with daily routines?

Are your parents experiencing memory loss?

Are your parents still social?

Common family conflict seniors and caregivers may face

When considering how to provide the best quality health care for parents, siblings are often at odds when faced with what’s best. Disagreements and arguments are all-too-common among families, but no worries, CareStory is here to help you out.

Who will provide care?

Often, family members may have different opinions about the best approach to caring for a senior loved one. Two major concerns are:

1. How much care does our beloved senior need?

2. Who should provide the care?

Moreover, family members who live far from their loved ones can also provide long-distance care! They can provide more financial support or arrange home care services to support their siblings caring for their parents.

Living arrangements

Decision on living arrangements is always a significant concern since seniors have many alternatives.

Is it a better choice for our loved ones to live independently or with family members? Should we send seniors to a retirement home since they can enjoy more activities and make more friends there?

Besides considering the given care aspects, emotional and social connection accounts for a great deal, and we should always talk to our seniors and discuss their willingness to go elsewhere.

How to solve conflicts and become better family caregivers

After uncovering the major factors and reasons contributing to your family conflict, it’s time to address the conflict and become united family caregivers!

Assign a sibling as the primary caregiver

Schedule caregiver responsibilities

Discuss different care options

However, no matter how you split up caregiving tasks and responsibilities, you may see some siblings doing more than others. For example, siblings who live closer to parents may provide more care since they are more able to do so. Therefore, sometimes additional support should be discussed.

How about using retirement home services? Should any home care services be arranged?

If parents start to face more serious cognitive challenges, which nursing homes should you choose?

We know these are topics that need further research and discussion, and here’s another blog post that might help you better understand long-term care. Check it out!

References:

If you are new to this term, this article will provide all the essential information you need to know about hospice, which will guide you to make a better decision.

What does hospice care provide?

These services include:

Nursing care focuses on the patient’s physical symptoms.

Hospice aide that provides personal care, including bathing and grooming.

Social work visits help coordinate resources from the community and in the family.

Volunteer companionship.