For Families Archives

Everyone knows Steve – the toughest and most obstinate man in the long-term care home. It is very difficult to convince him to do anything, which also includes welcoming his grandson’s dog, a three-year-old yellow lab.

“I hate dogs! They are annoying and dirty,” shouted Steve, speaking to his son on FaceTime. “Don’t ever bring that thing here…I won’t even let it in!”

Apparently, Steve’s grandson was even more uncompromising than his grandpa. He still brought the dog to the long-term care home, two weeks after the FaceTime call. His grandson gave: “The dog can’t be left in the house alone.”

The first greeting wasn’t so pleasant. Steve looked at the dog and angrily asked his son why he had brought him. However, the dog wasn’t aware of Steve’s disgust – he put his paw on Steve’s knee and wagged his tail happily, as if he were saying, “Hi Steve, it’s nice to meet you!”

After two hours of visiting, the family decided to go back. “Hey, why don’t you just leave the dog here since you will be in the city for a week,” requested Steve. “You said yourself that the dog can’t be left alone. I think I can take care of him.”

It may have been surprising for a man like Steve to say that, but it did not surprise anyone that day. Everyone witnessed how happy and gentle Steve was when he was playing with the dog and how he made Steve another different person – a person that no one had ever seen.

“Maybe animals are magic,” joked Steve’s caregiver. “They can do the tricks that we can’t.”

This is true – our fluffy friends are amazing. They don’t speak (human languages), and they don’t buy you any gifts (small dead animals and sticks don’t count, of course). However, they have the power to sweep the haze away from your life and let the sunshine in – which is also a primary reason why so many institutions are using pet therapy to cope with people’s health problems.

What Is Pet Therapy?

Pet Therapy is a type of therapy that uses specially trained animals to offer affection and comfort to a community or a single individual. It is being used in a variety of organisations, including hospitals, schools, mental health facilities, and retirement and assisted living homes.

There are three different types of pet therapy: Facility Therapy, Animal-Assisted Therapy, and Therapeutic Visitation.

Facility Therapy refers to having the pets reside at the care home and trained to monitor dementia patients. At the same time, Assisted Therapy means a specific individual owns a trained pet in the assisted living community and receives a more intensive treatment.

Therapeutic Visitation, on the other hand, is the most common type of pet therapy out of the three. It refers to pet owners bringing their pet and visiting long-term, care homes, which allows seniors to spend time with them and enjoy their companionship without having to take on the additional responsibility of caring for them all the time.

Why Do We Love Pet Therapy?

Encourages Social Engagement

It may be awkward if two strangers stand together, but if there is a pet sitting around them, the two individuals are more likely to interact with each other. Isn’t that amazing? In many cases, pets serve as excellent conversation starters. Residents can connect with each other and form new friendships when they spend time with animals.

Pet Therapy Has Many Physical Benefits

Did you feel amused when you scroll through TikTok and see pet videos? If yes, you’ve already benefited from “The Pet Effect”.

The term “The Pet Effect” refers to the miraculous healing powers of watching or interacting with pets. Spending time with dogs has been found in studies to lessen long-term care home residents’ pulse rates, as well as their stress and anxiety levels, as well as their heart rate and blood pressure.Some parents notice that their children who have depression will show alleviation in their symptoms when they have pets around, and it works for seniors, too. After all, these little animals don’t judge or give you any advice, and stay with you no matter what you do.

Senior isolation

If you have subscribed to our page, you must be familiar with the term “Senior Isolation”. Many seniors tend to have feelings of loneliness and isolation, either as a result of a lack of frequent visits from family and friends, a loss of a significant other, or a decreased level of physical activity.

Senior Isolation is difficult to tackle because so many seniors are “comfortable” in their unhealthy settings. So, for the reluctant elders, we can use our paw-friends to bring them out of their “shells”, and thus make them more open to new friendships. Feel free to check out our blog on “Senior Isolation”we have a lot of advice for you to help your loved one if he or she is experiencing loneliness.

Who Can be Our Paw-Friend?

Not all pets can be used in pet therapy, given the various personalities among the species and breeds. Normally speaking, old dogs and indoor cats are more suitable for companionship and providing comfort for seniors – they are quiet and understanding (yes, they are more sensitive to human’s needs when they get older).

There Are Limitations:

Just like many medications, pet therapy is not without its limitations. The more prominent concern of pet therapy would be safety. Many long-term care homes will ensure the animals are well-trained by doing behaviour checks. Cause, some pets may cause a threat to seniors’ safety if they are not properly trained.

Another issue is sanitation. Seniors tend to have compromised immune systems. Any unvaccinated or unwashed animals may cause allergies or infections among senior residents.

References:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/pet-therapy/art-20046342

https://thehamlets.ca/pet-therapy-benefits/

Charles hit 70 years old last week.

After his divorce, he took over the task of managing all the housework in the family. Just like other Californians, Charles likes to enjoy the sun and the little serendipities in his life. So, only three days after his birthday, Charles decided to move into a long-term care home to spend more time enjoying the idleness he deserves.

But here comes a problem: Charles wants to sell his house and use the money to cover his long-term care home expenses. However, his son is still living in his house with him. The cost of long-term care homes in California isn’t cheap, and it hurts Charles when he thinks about kicking his son out of the house as well.

Charles is in a conundrum that many seniors are.

Paying for long term care homes isn’t easy in the US. There are different types of long-term care homes. Here, we talk about nursing homes. According to the statistics from 2018, the average annual cost of a private room in a long-term care home across the US was $106,000. For some major cities, such as in San Francisco, the nursing home rate could reach $182,500 a year, and that’s why so many people choose to sell their property to live in a community.

However, selling houses isn’t the ultimate option to pay for a long-term care home There are, in fact, many benefits you should check out to relieve your financial burden.

How To Pay for A Long-Term Care Home in the US

Government Programs:

Just like in Canada, (Paying For LTC Homes In Canada) there are many government programs for senior citizens to use, and you probably already know of Medicare and Medicaid if you are living in the US.

However, there are some differences in range of what Medicare and Medicaid can cover:

Medicare

Medicare is a federal program that provides health coverage for people who are over 65 or under 65 and with a disability. Note that it only covers the expense of long term care that requires skilled services and rehabilitative care for 100 days, or a short period of time of receiving skilled home health and skilled in-home services.

Medicare works in the following situations:

Hospital deductible: the cost after you have paid a certain amount
Short stays in a nursing home to receive medical care that arose after a hospitalization
Hospice care
Outpatient care, doctor visits
Some medication costs

Medicaid

Medicaid, on the other hand, is a combined Federal and State program for low-income residents. It is only available to individuals who meet the requirements set forth by their state, and the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) and the federal poverty line are used to determine financial eligibility for Medicaid.

Medicaid covers the cost of medical care and some long-term care. However, the range it covers may vary state to state, and in most cases, the coverage is very limited. As for California, the Medi-cal program can only cover 30 days of stays and medication in a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF).

Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

While Medicaid can only cover a very limited amount of services and expenses, PACE can cover much more long-term care services (including medical and social services) for senior citizens, and it pays some or all of the long-term care expenses for the patients who have Alzheimer’s disease.

Now, PACE is active in 28 states. For more details, visit: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/long-term-services-supports/pace/programs-all-inclusive-care-elderly-benefits/index.html

Other Programs

There are also many other benefit programs or institutions designed to serve a certain group of individuals. For example, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides long-term care and at-home care for some veterans and their family. If you wish to know how to use different programs according to your situation, you can consult the National Council on Aging (NCOA). NCOA offers a free service called “BenefitsCheckUp” to screen your eligibility and find you a list of Federal and State benefit programs that can help you and your loved one.

Private Payment Options

If you don’t meet the eligibility to require financial aid from your state, and you wish to explore more options other than paying from your own savings, there are some ways you can try:

Long-Term Care Insurance

This type of insurance is purchased when you are younger. Long-term care insurance covers many long-term care services including palliative and hospice care. The cost depends on the amount of services, age and health condition. Thus, the earlier it is planned, the better it can serve.

Reverse Mortgages for Seniors

A reverse mortgage is a particular type of house loan that allows a homeowner who is over 62 years old to get a portion of their property’s equity in return, so they can use the returned amount to cover their long-term care home.

Reverse mortgages have no criteria for applicant’s income or health, only age (>62). Moreover, the loan amount is tax free and can be used for any expense. However, it’s only useful for a mortgage-free property. So if you already owe money on your house in the form of a mortgage or another type of debt, you must pay it off first to get the benefit.

References:

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/paying-care

https://health.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes/articles/how-to-pay-for-nursing-home-costs#long

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/17/how-to-pay-for-long-term-care-like-nursing-homes-home-health-aides.html

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We have gotten a message from one of our readers recently.

“My dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when he was 70. He was only showing symptoms of memory loss and agitation up until recently, but now, he has started wandering. I am currently working from home so I can be with him him during the day, however he mostly wanders at night. I tried to stop him, but he won’t listen. It’s as if there’s something he needed to complete. I am a single mom and have to take care of my son and my dad. We are Italian so family means everything to us, but my dad’s behavior has really been hard to handle. Can you give me some advice on how to prevent his wandering? Thank you.” -Mia

Mia is definitely not the only one we know that has such an issue – we see it almost every day. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 6 out of 10 patients with dementia show signs of wandering, or as we are going to put it, exploring, and some explorers are never found, or found dead because of accidents. In that, keeping your exploring loved one at home becomes so important at this point. However, it is always easier said than done. So, today CareStory is going to provide you with some very useful tips to keep your loved one safe and sound.

Before You Prepare, You Need to Figure These Things Out

Step One: Find Out The Reason Why They Explore

Before you start to plan for safety for your loved one, it is always helpful to find out the underlying reason for his or her exploring. There are many reasons for someone experiencing Dementia to explore, and according our experience, they can be categorized into the following:

Basic Needs: Some seniors explore because they have necessary needs such as finding a bathroom, food, or simply looking for fresh air.
Old Routine: In our previous blog post, “The Power of Telling Senior Stories”, we have spoken about a woman who used to wake up at night and check on residents in their rooms. It turned out that she was a night shift nurse for over 30 years and she was just doing her job. (Power of Storytelling)
Fear: The surroundings may be triggering, or make them feel unsafe, so they try to find a “safe zone”.
Boredom: Of course, people experiencing dementia feel bored, too. When they are looking for something to do, as you would, they start to explore their surroundings.

The underlying cause may vary from person to person, and situation to situaton. To help you determine what’s on your loved one’s mind and what or why their are exploring, , you can ask yourself the following:

Has your loved one always been this active? It’s possible that your loved one’s exploration is linked to a certain activity they used to engage in during the day.
Is your loved one having difficulty distinguishing between the past and the present when performing daily activities (eg. picking up the kids from school)?
Are your loved ones familiar with their current surroundings?
Are there any needs for your loved one that isn’t being provided? (eg. the need to feel loved and care for, the need to go to the toilet, the need for food or water, the need to manage pain, etc.)
Does your loved one look anxious, bored, or unsettled?
Is your loved one taking any new or different medications?
Has there been any recent change in your loved one’s living environment?

After all these questions are figured out, you will know the roots of their exploration. So instead of trying to put a stop to it,you can try to help them tackle their fear and anxiety, or provide them with what they need at the moment.

If the exploration continues, you can move on to the next step.

Step Two: Identify Patterns

Now is the time that you should take out a notebook and record your loved one’s patterns of exploration. Observe the time of day they start to explore, the duration of each, and the frequency they explore in a week or a month. You can also write down any negative effects caused by their exploration. Here’s an example of how you can take your notes:

Exploration occurs daily at 1:00am for one hour, resulting in an slight injury to left leg.
Exploration occurs twice a week, around 3:00pm, resulting in turning on the kitchen stove and walking away.
Explorationoccurs once a week, between 6:00pm to 8:00pm, resulting in the person being lost outside for at least one hour.

After you take your notes, you will have a better idea of what you should do to minimize any negative effects when they decide to explore.

How to Create a Safe Environment for an Explorer

If we can’t cure a disease, we find a way to live with it. This applies to Dementia as well specfically those who love to explore! In most cases, exploring will continue no matter what. So let’s discuss how we can create an environment for our loved ones with Dementia to explore safely:

Lock Doors When You Are At Home

Always keep the door locked when you are at home. You can also purchase alarm locks for the front door. They only cost $15-$20 on Amazon, and they can help you out a lot by notifying you if your loved one leaves the house.

Add Window Locks

To prevent your loved one from any potental injuries from the wondow, it’s best to add a lock or a screen that cannot be removed.

Paint the Walls the Same Color for Continuity

It may sound novel, but painting the wall the same color or pattern to create a sense of continuity and can actually prevent the desire to explore when it may not be safe to do so.

Install a Door or Gate at the Top of a Stairway

It is especially useful if you have a basement in your house, or your loved one lives on the upper floor of the house, to install a door or gate at the top of the stairway. This prevents slips, falls, and injuries when walking downstairs in the dark or even if your loved one is sleepwalking. Note that the door should always swing away from the stairs, so if your loved one pushes the door too hard and it opens, it won’t let him or her fall because of the force.

Install a Kitchen Door

Sometimes, your loved one feel they may need to cook for the kids in the evening, and it is what we mentioned above – repeating an old routine. When your loved one with dementia wants to use the kitchen, you have to be aware of potential risks. For example, , they may use the oven, microwave and stove, but forget to turn them off after using it. Thus the best solution is to install a kitchen door and keeping it locked when you are not using it.

Hire a Caregiver to Take Care Your Loved One When You Are Not at Home

If you are a busy working person and always have your hands full, it is time to seek help from a professional. Some people who are experiencing dementia and love to explore just want to find company, or find things to do to keep them less busy, so hiring a caregiver would greatly decrease your loved one’s loneliness and boredom. It gives you respite since you don’t have to worry about your loved one when you are away running errands. You may need to look for a home care agency if you have never hired any caregivers before. However, finding a responsible home care agency isn’t easy. See our blog on “Top 10 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Home Care Agency”. It will guide you on how to spot the “best match” for you and your loved one.

It took Shannon three months to convince her father to move into a long-term care home, but now she’s facing a new problem: paying for the long-term care home.

Shannon’s father doesn’t have a lot of savings, but she knows her father has pension and other benefits. However, she is not sure if these benefits could cover for a long-term care home, and the response from each community is different.

If you are in Shannon’s shoes, we’ve got your back. Today, we are going to have a thorough conversation on paying for a long-term care home in Canada.

Brace yourself: it’s going to be a lot of information.

How to Pay for a Long-Term Care Home in Canada

Government Pensions

Senior citizens’ most common benefits in Canada are Old Age Security (OAS) and Canada Pension Plan Benefits (CPP).

Old Age Security (OAS)

When a person residing in Canada reaches the age of 65, they are eligible for Old Age Security (OAS). There are three additional supplements to the OAS that allows the senior to gain more benefits:

The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS): Old Age Security (OAS) pension recipients eligible for the GIS receive a monthly non-taxable benefits; this is only available to people with a low income who reside in Canada.
The Allowance: OAS participants’ spouses and common-law partners can get an Allowance
Allowance for the Survivor: People with low incomes, reside in Canada, and have lost a spouse or common-law partner are eligible for Allowance for the Survivor.

Canada Pension Plan Benefits (CPP):

Another most used benefit would be the well-known “CPP”. As you may have started putting money in it since your first job. And now, it’s time to return.

A full CPP retirement pension is available at the age of 65, but you can apply for and get it as early as the age of 60 with a reduction, or wait untill as late as the age of 70 with an increase. All those who have contributed to this during the course of their working careers are entitled to a monthly benefit.

An additional benefit for those who have paid into the CPP system while receiving CPP benefits is the Post-Retirement Benefit (PRB). CPP Disability Pension and the CPP Survivor’s Pension are two other variants of CPP. So check your eligibility and “get the most of it.”

Workplace Pension Plan

Many people benefit from workplace pension plans that are privately administered by their employers. So, if your loved one’s employer offers a generous pension, you’re unlikely to have a problem paying for high-quality senior housing.

Investments

Investments means the home equity, savings, and other accounts that allows your loved one to use the money to pay for a long-term care home, rather than dipping into the their monthly benefits.

It also includes dividend stocks, mutual funds, index funds, bonds, Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GIC), etc. They do carry some risks alongside with the rewards, but as long as the market is “favorable”, they can also be used in later life planning. But before you or your loved one make any decision, don’t forget to seek out the advice from an experienced financial counsellor first.

Insurance Products

If your loved one keeps investing in financial products such as long term care insurance, then it is the time to use it during his or her retirement year.

If your loved one is diagnosed with a critical or chronic disease, and are no longer able to care for themselves, long-term care insurance will cover a fixed part of the expenses, tax free. In addition, long-term care insurance may also cover some personal care services, however, it depends on the policies of each home care agency, so consult with the administrator to see if your loved one could get reimbursed.

Personal Savings and Incomes:

If your loved ones have managed to have a lot of savings, or continue to work by choice, then the payment will become much simpler.

Personal savings do not just refer to the money in the account. Equity, Registered Retirement Saving Plans (RRSPs) and investments can also be considered as part of personal savings.

Another common method that many seniors would choose is renting out their primary home and using the rent payment to cover the long-term care home expense.

What If I Can’t Afford Long Term Care Homes?

It happens. The cost of living in a long-term care home could be huge, and not all families can afford the full payment. However, in Canada, there are several financial assistant programs for long-term care that can help seniors spend their later years in peace with fewer expenses.

Government Assistance

Financial Hardship Assistance is a government subsidized service for those who are experiencing significant financial hardship and in a long-term care home. Financial hardship means the client, the client’s spouse, or the client’s children can’t help to pay the following each month:

Food
Mortgage/Rent
Home Energy (Hydro)
Telecommunications (Phone Bills, Internet)
Prescribed Medication
Transportation

The amount that the program offers depends on assessment of the client’s income statement, and how much the family can afford.

Government-Subsidized Nursing Home

Although health insurance in Canada does not pay for nursing-home care, there are government-subsidized nursing homes that offer rates based on the senior’s income. It doesn’t mean that the government will pay the full cost of the nursing home; the residents would still be required to pay a portion of their “room and board”.

In the End:

Paying for a long-term care home does not necessarily mean you have to pay it in full from your pocket. Make sure you plan your finances well, and make the best use of benefits, insurance and tax credits – these will all make the transition go more smoothly.

References:

https://www.comfortlife.ca/retirement-community-resources/funding-options-for-retirement-homes

https://cubetoronto.com/canada/what-happens-if-you-cant-afford-a-nursing-home-in-canada/

https://www.advantageontario.ca/AAO/Content/Resources/Consumers/About_Long_Term_Care

Being-Kicked-Out-Of-His-Long-Term-Care-Home-1200x675.jpg

The day begins, busy as usual at nursing home.

Ann arrived at her office early to sort and organize her files that she’s going to need for the day. Suddenly, the phone rings, interrupting her work.

“Hey John, what’s going on?” Ann asked as she answered the phone. John is Ann’s brother, and he never calls her on weekday mornings, so she knew that something unusual must have happened.

“I just received a call from the nursing home,” replied John. “The staff told me that dad is going to be be evicted.”

“What? What for?” asked Ann, shocked.

“They said he always screams and is rude to the caregivers and other residents. He always says he wants to leave,” he explained

“Did you argue with them?” asked Ann, irritated. John, you know that’s the dementia talking. He can’t help it. What they’re doing is just so unfair and cold-blooded!”

Ann hung up the phone. She felt angry, confused and ashamed, all at the same time.

We know situations like this are awful, and it makes people angry, too. But it does happen. Today, we’ll discuss about becoming evicted from a long-term care home and what we can do to safeguard our loved ones if this happens.

Why Nursing Home Evicted Residents:

Normally speaking, a nursing home can’t evict a resident and there are regulations to prevent this from happening. However, if the reason for eviction falls under the exemptions to the law, their actions may be justified.

If the nursing home follows regulations carefully, their eviction will be legal. The common exemptions of eviction would be as follows.

Financial Issues

If the resident is not able to pay the bill, and his or her health benefits don’t apply in the nursing home, it could be the reason for eviction. However, there are always government funded assisted living homes that could help low-income seniors.

Behavioral Issues That Create Risks For Other’s Health and Safety

Although most nursing homes have developed senior behaviour management strategies, if the senior’s behaviour is hard to control and causes a threat to other residents and the staff, the home will have sufficient reason to ask the resident to leave.

Nursing Homes Can No Longer Meet the Medical Needs

If the resident needs more personal care and personal assistance, and these needs cannot be provided by the nursing home, the home will suggest his or her family to transfer the resident somewhere else that can assist them better.

The Home is Closing Down

It is obvious – if the nursing home is going out of business, no one is going to stay!

What Is There To Do When Facing Eviction?

Understand Your Loved One’s Situation

If the nursing home that your loved one resides in states that they can “no longer meet his or her needs”, ask them what excatly has made them come up with the decision, and explain what type of care your loved one actually needs. Is it because your loved one’s situation is too severe that the nursing home doesn’t carry enough resources to make their quality of life sustainable? Or do they think that your loved one has regained her or his health so nursing care is no longer needed? If so, what situation is your loved one is facing and what type of long-term care do they suggest you to consider?

The nursing home should have a justified reason to propose an eviction, so you can make better relocation choices according to your loved one’s health condition.

Find A New Home

Not all eviction is legal; some involuntary eviction is actually against laws that protects senior citizens. In that, you have rights to ask the nursing home to transfer your family somewhere else that can “meet their needs”. When transferring to another home, try to be honest about your loved one’s situation. We understand that occasionally families minimise their loved ones’ health conditions in order for the community to accept them, but this is not beneficial in the long term – you never want your loved one to transfer from one place to another on a regular basis.

Find Home Care

Home care is quite a good alternative for families that love to keep their loved ones at home. If nursing homes make you upset, it is time to consider hiring a caregiver for your loved one and let him or her enjoy family vibes. In our blog post “In-Home Care vs. Nursing Homes: Which One is Better?”, we have summarized the pros and cons of each option, so feel free to check it out if you are undecided.

What If I Don’t Agree with Their Decision?

Assessing The Eviction: carefully assess written notice given 30-60 days in advance, a summary of reasons for eviction, and post-discharge plan (alternative care)
Appealing the Fischarge: to appeak, contact the local ombudsman, get a lawyer involved, or ask for legal aid.

In order to have voluntary eviction, the eviction notice should contain the following:

Written notice given 30 days in advance
A summary of reasons for eviction
Post-discharge plan of alternative care
The full contact information of ombudsman program

If you are not satisfied with the eviction, you can always appeal an involuntary discharge notice, and it is your right to do it.

Internal appeals are available in some homes. However, if internal appeal does not fix your issue, or the home doesn’t have an internal appeal process, it is time to look for a local ombudsman and ask for their help – helping residents in assisted living communities and resolving problems with other senior living communities are their primary responsibilities.

A lawyer could also be useful in this situation. They can ensure that the home is not trying to skirt the law, and it is better to seek legal representation as soon as you get the result.

At the End:

Being kicked out of a long-term care home could definitely be stressful for the senior’s family, but there are ways to defend our loved one’s right of being a resident and protect them. Sometimes leaving is not necessarily a bad thing: You can still have lots of alternatives to choose from, and provide your loved one a happy, healthy lifestyle. Remember, always allow yourself and your family to breathe – take your time, don’t add pressure on your loved one, and get professional help if you need it.

References:

https://ncler.acl.gov/getattachment/Legal-Training/upcoming_event/Basics-NH-Evictions-Practice-Tip.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US

True love can happen at any age.

Jay’s wife died 12 years ago, however they had separated many years before her death. Just when everyone thought Jay would “die alone”, he found “the one” just two weeks after moving into a long-term care home.

“Rose is a special woman,” gushed Jay to his family and friends. “I never really thought I could fall for someone after 50.”

Actually, everyone knew Jay met someone before he started talking about her. He started buying flowers, paying much more attention to his looks, and always had a smile on his face. These are all telltale signs to indicate that someone is in love.

Doing all kinds of romantic things with Rose makes Jay feel young again; however, there is one topic that can’t be avoided, especially with elderly lovers: SEX. This has been bothering Jay for a while.

“We love cuddling naked and fondling one another, but I can’t stop thinking about how old I am,” continued Jay, shyly.

“We have a couple age-related concerns when it comes to sex, but it is a little embarrassing mentioning it to others. An 80-year-old man wanting to have sex? It would make people’s jaws drop!”

It’s not uncommon that Jay possesses such a thought. Sex is a relatively sensitive topic itself. However, people more so tend to intentionally ignore the sexual needs of the elderly because it is uncomfortabl. This is why some seniors feel embarrassed to even put it on the table.

There are some beliefs about sex in seniors that are commonly held by society, and not all of them are true.

Common Beliefs of Sex in Old Age. What’s Wrong & What’s Right?

Wrong:

Sex Is For the Young

It is right that sexual functioning declines after middle age, but sex is never just for young people to enjoy. In fact, a study at Duke University has shown that 30% of married couples over 75 years old are still sexually active.

Old People Are Not Interested In Sex

Human sex interest can start as early as age 10 to 12, and last throughout life. In fact, according to statistics from the same study, 50% of 80-year-olds still have moderate libido.

Right:

There Are Physical Restrictions

Changes in physical conditions after you age does limit your sex performance and safety. For women, a change in hormone level in old age will cause the vaginal walls to become thinner and drier, and thus more prone to viruses and bacteria. For men, erectile dysfunction is common in old age. Losing feelings in the genital area and a decrease in sex drive will happen when humans hit a certain age, and it is completely normal.

There Will Be Emotional Barriers

In men, the most common emotional barrier is worrying about sexual performance. While in women, the most common concern is body image and a fear of being unattractive to their partners. The effect of psychological barriers are still less than the impact of physical challenges, which will further decrease the chances of having a satisfying sex life.

However, having challenges doesn’t mean that good sex doesn’t exist after you enter old age. We at CareStory did our research, and found some pointers to overcome these challenges, and help you to have a healthy sex after 60!

How To Overcome Challenges

Nutrition and Exercise

When it comes to intense feelings from sex, no matter if you are male or female, it’s all about blood flow. Some foods containing antioxidants, such as dark chocolate, can boost your blood circulation and give you stronger feelings of arousal. Also, exercising three times a week can greatly enhance your stamina and libido. So, stop being a couch potato! Step foot in a gym and get active!

Use Non-Penetrating Methods

Sex without intercourse can still be considered “good sex”. Skin on skin touching or doing full-body massages can also provide satisfying sensations. This especially works for women. Clitoral stimulation, for example, can help most women reach orgasm. Teasing and exploring each other’s bodies can also ignite the joys of sex.

Explore More Positions

Diseases such as arthritis causes pain and can make many sex positions uncomfortable. So, it is important to discover more positions with your partner that help to alleviate pain but also allow you to be active.

Speak To Health Care Providers (Family Doctor, Sex Therapists)

Some of your health care providers, such as your family doctor or a nurse, might not bring up the topic themselves. You need to prepare your concerns or questions and display them in from of them. It’s best to bring your partner with you on an appointment so that the health provider can determine what causes the issues and how to avoid them.

If they can’t provide useful suggestions, ask them to refer you to a family therapist or a sex therapist. there are always solutions to your problems.

Communicate With Your Partner

Whether you are with your lifelong partner or a new partner, communication is always the key! You can talk about your concerns, desires, and boundaries with your partner and exchange ideas. Try not toset too many expectations and definitely don’t judge your partner. You can add a little humor to the conversation and make the whole process more comfortable and relaxing.

Build Confidence

Having wrinkles and knee problems might intimidate you from enjoying good sex, but who doesn’t get old in this world? You are more sexually experienced as you get older, and this is your privilege! So embrace your experience, discard your self-doubt, and don’t forget to encourage your partner to do the same!

Safe and Better Sex

Use a Condom and Lubricant

Lubrication is especially important for older women who suffer from vaginal dryness. Condoms also have lubricants. To make sex more enjoyable, simply use lubrication and condoms to enhance the experience. Also, condoms can reduce chances of contracting STIs such as HIV, HPV, herpes, and trichomoniasis, which are more transmittable in seniors due to compromised immunity.

Foreplay

Lack of foreplay can make it harder for you to enjoy sex, which you have probably heard. So tease and kiss your partner’s body in a gentle way, and take it slow. Foreplay will relieve your tension and fatigue, and is specifically essential in female arousal.

Use Sex Toys

With or without a partner, a decent sex toy can do wonders for you to set the mood and experience maximum pleasure in sex. For the most part, some soft, lightweight, and ergonomic devices work well for the elderly. A vibrator or a massager will greatly increase your interest in sex, and help you to reach climax in an easier and safer way.

Use Your Month or Hands

Sex isn’t always about penetrative intercourse. Outercourse (sex without penetration), on the other hand, can elicit an orgasm even easier because of its lack of warmth, pressure, and wetness. In some cases, oral sex might be suitable for some seniors since it can add wetness to the whole process, but hand jobs can also give you and your partner strong sensations. Don’t be afraid to share what feels nice with your partner!

Sexual Positions

As we have said before, some physical or mobility issues will hamper you from having an enjoyable sexual experience. So, try sexual positions that can decrease stress on the knees and back. Here, we recommend missionary and spooning positions, which are less aggressive than many other positions.

Explore Erogenous Zones

As we grow older, our erogenous zones may change places. Let go of the assumptions about where you’re “supposed” to experience stimulation. Instead, try touching different spots to observe how you or your partner respond. Trust us, this could be a new form of “body language” to communicate with your partner.

Although people in old age still has a sex drive, some seniors with dementia can be overly interested in sex, which is called “hypersexuality”. Seniors with cognitive impairment may demonstrate inappropriate sexual behavior and cause distress in both family members and caregivers. Here, CareStory has summarized some common inappropriate sexual behaviors you may see in seniors with dementia.

Sexual Expression and Dementia

Behaviors Expressed Publicly Without Regard For Others

Some seniors with dementia will masturbate or behave sexually in public since the change in brain function causes a lack of control of urges. Sometimes, it can also be attributed to tight clothing or the hot temperature of a room.

Misinterpreting Touches, Smiles, and Hugs as Sexual Invitations

Some intimate behavior can deliver the wrong messages to seniors with dementia since, again, the disease will change how the person understands other people’s behaviors and actions.

Sexual Acts With Someone Who’s Not Their Spouse.

It is usually hurtful for a spouse with dementia to see their loved one act like a stranger. But what’s even more frustrating is when their loved one behaves sexually toward caregivers or other residents around him or her. Note that this kind of behaviour does not reflect ttheir “true identity”. People with dementia will sometimes interpret sexual behavior as a way to communicate, so try not to be too upset about it.

Your Loved One Has Dementia and is Demonstrating Hypersexuality – Now What?

If your loved one has dementia and expresses the above inappropriate behavior, we, as their family, need to be responsible for it. So – how do we intervene?

Use a Calm and Firm Tone of Voice

People with dementia are sensitive to your tone, so stop them by using a calm voice without being judgemental or scolding. See our blog post on “How To Communicate With Seniors” for more details.

Call Their Preferred Names to Get Attention

Calling your loved one by their preferred name is a way to grab their attention, reminding them that they are not forgotten. Also, calling them by their preferred name gives them reassurance and thus calms them down. CareStory offers a function that records your loved one’s preferred name and shares it with caregivers.

Use Distractions

Just like calling their preferred name, a distraction in the form of other activities can provide your loved one with comfort and keep their hands busy. You can show your loved one family pictures or give him or her a stuffed animal for cuddling and petting. It will greatly relieve stress and satisfy their need for warmth.

Take Them to a Private Environment

When your loved one’s behavior seems “unstoppable”, remove them from the scene and provide privacy. Sometimes your loved one’s behavior indicates that they are in need of using the bathroom, so take them to a nearby washroom and see their reaction.

Eliminate Triggers

Magazines, TV shows, or other forms of entertainment may all contain visual triggers for your loved one’s ihypersexuality. Sometimes, intimate acts such as touching, hugging, or kissing also can be misunderstood. Make sure to be aware of your body language and have clear boundaries.

At The End

Sex should never be perceived as an embarrassing topic no matter what your age is. Be true to your needs and don’t be afraid to share your ideas with your partner – your sexual needs are an important part of your routine. However, as for those with physical restrictions, it is encouraged to find other ways to have safe sex and consult with professionals.

References:

https://alzheimer.ca/en/help-support/im-caring-person-living-dementia/understanding-symptoms/sexual-behaviour

https://www.greatseniorliving.com/articles/senior-sex

What-Is-Elder-Financial-Abuse-In-Long-Term-Care-Homes-1200x675.jpg

A 97-year-old woman with dementia has found that tens of thousands of dollars are missing from her bank account without her knowledge, so she reported it to her bank.

The bank has found that all her money was transfered to another person’s account – the woman’s power of attorney.

However, when the police asked the power of attorney about the money, the power of attorney said it was because the the woman wanted her to have the money and leave everything to her.

You might be confused about who is telling the truth, but this is a real case that happened in Ontario, Canada, back in 2020, and is a typical example of elder financial abuse.

What is Elder Financial Abuse?

According to the definition. Elder financial abuse means “any inappropriate behavior, with or without the informed consent of the older person, that results in monetary or personal gain for the abuser and/or monetary or personal loss for the older person.” which means elder financial abuse is the most common form of elder abuse.
Trust takes years to build, but destruction takes only seconds and can have a serious impact on a person’s health.
In the story above, the woman’s savings were misappropriated by someone she trusted and was destroyed both financially and emotionally. It sounds harsh, but unfortunately, that’s how most stories of financial abuse in older adults go.

Financial abuse can be categorized into the following three ways:

Stealing an elder’s valuables
Taking control of an elder’s power of attorney
Using the elder’s cash or credit cards without permission

Most of these cases are done by someone that the older person trusts, or someone who has always been with the senior – which means they could be family, friends, lawyers, or caregivers.

Today, we are going to talk about elder financial abuse that happens in long-term care homes, and what we could do about it as their family.

How to Recognize If Someone Is Experiencing Financial Abuse

Your Loved One Suddenly Has a New Good Friend”

When family members are not around, older adults tend to seek companionship. Therefore, they become more vulnerable and passive when people with bad intentions approach them. It is important to be on the lookout for any new “friendships” that seniors may form. If your loved one begins to rely on this new “best friend” in many ways, even defending their relationship when you have doubts. It is not a good sign, as a good friendship will not keep this person out of their family.

Reporting Missing Belongings

If your loved one starts to complain about losing or missing something, it could be that someone has taken them from him or her. Note that seniors with cognitive impairment such as dementia may accuse others of stealing from them as well, so it is better to observe for a period of time to see if it is true.

Unusual Banking Activity

If you and your loved one have a joint account and see unusual activity. For example, a large bank withdrawal, or a large payment to an unfamiliar account. That’s when it’s time to pay attention! This would be a “deadly trap” where someone is pressuring or enticing your loved one to make a payment, or worse! Your loved one’s card is stolen or controlled by someone else. This would be a “dead giveaway” that someone is pressuring or enticing your loved one to pay, or worse, if your loved one’s card is stolen or controlled by someone else.

Sudden Change Of Will Or Power Of Attorney

As in the story above. You already know that a financial power of attorney represents the financial and legal affairs of a client. Therefore, if it is transferred to someone other than a close friend or family member for no apparent reason. This would be a red flag that someone is trying to take advantage of you.
There are some other indicators. Such as signed documents that the senior does not understand, overdue bills and a decline in standard of living. Seniors may not notice these signs, so it is the family’s responsibility to watch their financial situation. There are many agencies and programs designed to combat financial exploitation, and you should get them involved as soon as any of these signs appear.

How To Report Elder Financial Abuse

Financial Institutions

Remember what you do when you have suspicious activities going on in your bank account? For senior financial abuse, the bank and credit unions can help to investigate if there’s any misappropriation happening to the card holder as well. If the case is confirmed, the employees at the financial institution will report it as financial abuse immediately.

Law Enforcement Agencies

It is always crucial to work with the police and investigate the abuse. Financial exploitation is a crime and you have right to report it and protect your loved one. Also, it will help to prevent more victims from falling into the trap of financial fraudsters.

Long-Term Care Regulation Institutions And Senior Abuse Prevention Lines

There are many long-term care regulation institutions across North America. In Ontario, we have the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care that is in charge of this. The ombudsman will investigate and escalate the case for you. In addition, you can call the senior’s safety line, where staff will be on the line 24/7 for you, and it is toll free.

How To Prevent Financial Abuse As Their Family

Prevention is better than a cure. It is always good to prevent senior financial exploitation before it is too late. There are some ways to help you with it, which include:

Signing Up For Services That Track Their Account

You can use tracking tools such as EverSafe to track missing deposits, unexplained withdrawals, or abrupt changes in spending patterns that take place in your loved one’s account. Or, you can have a joint account with your loved one and see the activity.

Setting Up a Trusted Contact For the Account

If there is abnormal activity going on in the account and the bank is unable to reach the one who holds the account. Then, the bank will report it to the account’s trusted contact. The trusted contact may be given access to the account’s details as a view only user. However, he or she will be unable to make any transactions on account holder’s behalf.

Staying In Touch With Your Loved One

Nothing is better than maintaining a close relationship with your loved one. In fact, more senior financial abuse cases happen to the ones who are chronically lonely. After all, if your loved ones can’t reach you when they need, they can only trust the people that approach them

Geting To Know Their Caregivers

No matter if it is in-home care or long-term care, it is important for the family to know the caregiver of their loved one. In one of our previous blog posts, we talked about how screening caregivers is crucial in the hiring process (Top 10 Questions To Ask When Hiring A Home Care Agency). Screening and observing do not stop after you hire the caregiver. Do this by using the CareStory profile service, which will allow you to track caregiver activities during care.

References:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/power-of-attorney-seniors-elder-abuse-senior-financial-crime-1.5476820

https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/elder-abuse/types/financial-abuse/

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2021/prevent-elder-financial-exploitation.html

https://www.rbcwealthmanagement.com/en-ca/insights/financial-elder-abuse-five-common-signs-

The question of whether to send our ageing parents to a long-term care home or not is a question that has been distressing Amy and her sister for months. As their father’s primary caregiver, Amy finds it getting harder and harder to keep up with the speed of his aging.

“I really do think we should send dad to a long-term care home,” says Amy. “They have better equipment and professionals to deal with any situations that may occur.”

“Well, sending him to a novel environment could only exacerbate his symptoms,” replied Amy’s sister. “And he clearly said he’ll never leave the house. If you are feeling overwhelmed, we can hire a caregiver for him.”

“It’s not about me feeling tired and overwhelmed,” sighed Amy. “It’s about him getting a better quality of care.” “Frankly speaking, you don’t really know his situation. After all, it has been me taking care of him all this time.”

Another unpleasant conversation ends, just like usual.

Keeping ageing parents at home may cause distress for many families, but sending them to a long-term care home isn’t a panacea to every problem, either – there are pros and cons you need to take into account to make the best solution for you and your family.

Today, we are going to talk about the good and the not-so-good in each option. Hope it helps to make your decision easier.

Let’s get started.

What’s Good About Aging In Place?

1. Familiarity

First and foremost, familiarity is the main reason why seniors want to age at home. Familiarity of the home environment provides security for senior. Living in a familiar surrounding can ensure happiness and comfortability, which is greatly beneficial for seniors’ well-being.

2. Remaining Independent

Although some seniors need companionship and helpers with their daily activities, they still care about their independence. Ageing at home makes seniors think they are still capable of taking care of themselves, which will further help them to acquire the ability to live independently; a virtuous circle for healthy seniors.

3. More Control Of Life

Who doesn’t love freedom? Ageing in place allows seniors to have more control of choosing the lifestyle they want. For example, instead of following the routine and diet that other people have set for them, they can have their own flexible schedule and preferences when it comes to food. This, again, maintains independence for seniors.

4. Closer amily Bonds

Whether family members are living with the senior or not, it is more helpful in maintaining good family relationships if your loved one stays at home. Family members can visit the senior whenever they want and can spend more time doing fun things together. Home is always home, no matter how far you travel – it is always a place for you to reunite.

However, There Are Drawbacks

1. Physical Safety

Without question, the home environment can’t provide enough safety measures for seniors, especially those with mobility issues. Remodeling a home for seniors to live takes time and effort, but in not doing so, seniors may experience a deterioration of their symptoms in a very short time. We have all heard about the tragedies of seniors falling down and not getting help in time, leading to agonizing consequences for both the senior and the family.

2. Nutrition

Some seniors with mobility or cognitive issues may be unable to prepare meals, or go grocery shopping, which may lead to malnutrition. Hiring a caregiver or even someone to cook may help with this.

3. Increased Responsibility For Families

Just like Amy, seniors who live at home will certainly increase the workload of their families. Especially when the children have their own career or family to focus on, squeezing time from their hectic life to take care of their ageing parents may not be beneficial for both parties. In this case, hiring a caregiver may relieve the burden a lot.

4. Isolation

Many grown up children choose not to live with parents, and when they live too far, senior isolation may occur. We have previously published a post on “Senior Isolation” and explained how detrimental it could be to the senior’s quality of life. So, check it out and see how to decrease the harm if you are not able to be around your loved one enough.

Now, let’s talk about seniors living in a long-term care home.

What’s Good About Living In A Long-Term Care Home?

1. Staffed With Professionals To Meet Different mMedical Needs

There are not just personal care workers in long-term care homes. In fact, some long-term care homes provide various professionals that focus on different conditions, and even emergency situations. Plus, the care they provide is around the clock, which is something barely achievable for in-home care.

2. Seniors Have Social Connections With Staff & Other Residents

Maintaining a social circle is specifically important for seniors. Long-term care homes create multiple opportunities for seniors to actively engage in social interactions. These opportunities include various clubs, social events, performance and volunteer opportunities. Participating in these activities can give seniors a sense of purpose, prevent loneliness and improve their social skills, which in turn benefits the seniors’ relationships with their families.

3. Suitable For Seniors With Cognitive & Mobility Impairment

Long-term care communities are designed for seniors with different types of challenges. Most have alert systems and different accessible equipment. All long-term care homes need to follow the government’s design manuals to ensure their residents to age safely.

4. Relieves Burden On Senior’s Families

If the senior requires a lot of care, sending him or her to a long-term care home greatly alleviates some burden for families. It’s not only about decreasing care duties, but also about relieving financial obligations. Hiring a full time caregiver, in most cases, is more expensive than living in a long-term care home.

There Are Drawbacks, Too.

1. Seniors May Need Time For Transition

Although there’s “home” in “long-term care home”, it’s hard for strange places to feel like “home” immediately once moving there. It usually takes quite a period of time for seniors to adapt to their new life in long-term care communities, and such a transition could result in many negative psychological and physical responses. See our blog post on “Tackling Fear And Anxiety During The Transition Into Long-Term Care” to see the details.

2. Loss Of Dependency Make Seniors Feel “Old”

Yes, your loved one is old according to his or her age, but no one wants to “feel old” and “live old”. Living in a long-term care community may make the seniors feel that they have lost independence and privacy. This would make them feel “old” and “vulnerable”, which is not good for both the seniors and the staff. Seniors may behave strangely in the way that they feel about themselves.

3. More Preparation Is Required On Choosing The Right Long-erm Care Home

In our provious blog post on “How to Select a Long-Term Care Home”, (CTA)we discussed how it takes a lot of time and effort to choose a “good” home for your loved one. If you haven’t read it yet and are considering whether or not to send your family to a long-term care home, check it out now and don’t forget to download the free checklist!

4. Not Easy For Family Members To Visit

Long-term care homes aren’t like shopping malls – you need to make appointments to visit most of the time, especially during a pandemic. Some long-term care homes may even cancel visitation depending on the circumstances. In that, the family members may feel rejected and distant from their loved ones.

At the End:

There are many factors you need to consider when deciding on whether to send your loved one to a long-term care home or let them stay at home. It’s important to communicate with your loved one and respect their feelings. So, instead of deciding “for” your loved one, try deciding “with” them. Respect and empathy are always important traits of happy senior living.

References:

https://www.innovativehomecare.com/home-care-vs-nursing-home/

https://environmental-conscience.com/nursing-homes-pros-cons/

https://www.caringseniorservice.com/blog/home-care-vs-nursing-home

“Just one more week, your mom would be good to go.” Says the doctor.

Jane’s mom just finished her pacemaker implantation surgery, and it went perfectly well. Now, it’s time for home.

Excited yet overwhelmed, Jane feels like she’s not ready for her mom’s to come back home – she knows there are so many things to do to welcome her, and she’s feeling lost.

We feel you.

Helping your loved one recover from surgeries requires patience, organization, and well-thought-out planning. Here are some helpful tips for seniors recovering from surgery at home.

Things You Should Do to Help Your Loved One Recover from Surgery at Home

Talk to the medical team

If you don’t trust yourself, trust the professionals. The very first step you should take is to speak with the medical staff who’s caring for your loved one.

To ensure that your loved one’s recovery from the surgery is as successful as possible, ask them the following questions and take notes; these questions will help you through the whole process of caring.

How long will the recovery take?
What medication and supplement will we need?
How to help him or her get better faster?
Physical and nutrition plans?
What behaviours should be done/avoided during the recovery?

Stock up items that your loved one would need

This step will be done after you consult the medical professionals. Once your shopping list is done, it’s time to head to pharmacies and grocery stores to stock up all the items. What drugs does your loved one need? the foods that your loved one will eat? Are there any things she or he needs to help with the recovery? It is good to prepare the stuff ahead of time.

Create a safe environment for them

Senior’s at-home recovery always requires additional preparation than younger people. Other than purchasing things like compression socks or elevation pillow according to their needs, you can make the home environment safer and more comfortable by installing grab bars and nightlights, while removing unnecessary staff that might cause falls or slips. Put phone, lamp, and other frequently used items accessible around your loved one’s bed – a little makes a huge difference, your family will appreciate all these details.

Plan their diet

it should be cleared when your loved one is about to leave the hospital. Follow the nutritionist’ advice, or search for a diet that is complementary to their recovery. Also, don’t forget to encourage your loved one to eat and drink. Some patients lose appetites after a surgery, but you should ensure they gain enough nutrients to expedite the recovery.

Observe and help

Recovery is usually a long and frustrating process, and the patients may not notice the change to their physical and medical conditions themselves. So they will need your efforts to detect if there’s any change during the healing process, and offer help when they need it.

Be attentive to their emotions

There are so many uncertainties during the recovery process! So it is normal that your loved one becomes more sensitive than usual. As their family, you should be careful about what you say or act. Also, you can take them to some recreation activities or provide them some entertainment. See our blog on “How to Accompany a Senior” to find the details.

We are always kids no matter how old we grow, playing fun games would excite your senior family, too.

Accompany them to follow-up appointment

Some seniors are able to go to the follow-up appointments themselves. But it is still helpful if someone would accompany them to finish this task. It will not only allow you to know how to take care of your family better, but also give you a sense of participation. By doing so, you are basically telling them that: “you are not alone, I’m always here for you.”

Ask for help when you need it

Taking care of a patient can be stressful, so if you feel that it is getting hard for you to keep up all the work, don’t be afraid to reach for help.

You can hire an in-home caregiver to come home regularly, and help your loved one with dressing, bathing and housekeeping. It will be a life saver for you if you are a busy person.

Hiring a caregiver does take some work to do, too. Don’t panic, CareStory has prepared you 10 questions to ask on the way of looking for a home care agency.

References:

https://www.homecareassistancedesmoines.com/how-to-help-aging-adults-at-home-following-surgery/

https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/insurance/long-term-care.html

After a long discussion about home care agencies with her colleagues, Cindy was intimidated.

The voice of her colleague kept ringing in her head. “My experience was awful!”

“Maybe I should hire a private caregiver?” Cindy asked her friends.

“Cindy, hiring a private caregiver isn’t as easy as it seems sometimes.” They replied.

“There will be a lot to consider.

This is true.

Nothing is perfect in this world, there will always be benefits and drawbacks beneath each choice. Today, CareStory will discuss and compare the pros and cons of each option. Options that Cindy was debating,, and perhaps options you may be debating yourselves. Hopes this helps you, too.

Home Care Agency vs. Private Caregivers

Hiring Through an Agency:

Pros:

Background Checks

Home care agencies usually carefully interview and screen their caregivers. Conducting background checks is usually time-consuming and costly, yet it is very important in the hiring process. So, if you hire an agency, the hard work would be on them.

Professional Development

A good home care agency (Top 7 Home Care Agencies in the GTA) will require their caregivers to attend periodic training seminars and renew their knowledge of best practices in caring. This goal is hard to achieve when you hire a private caregiver.

Flexibility

Caregivers at home care agencies work as a team. When the customer has concerns with a current caregiver or needs to change schedules, most agencies will replace the caregiver with a new one quickly. Also, when the caregiver doesn’t show up, the agency can send a secondary caregiver immediately to ensure the senior receives the care that they should have.

Supervision

Some home care agencies will arrange professionals to assess a client’s situation occasionally, and modify the care plan according to the client’s needs. Also, the caregiver’s work is monitored and assessed by the care coordinator, which ensures they stick to the plan and provide quality service.

Payroll and Taxes

Remember how tedious and annoying it is when tax season comes around? Yeah – you’ll be taking care of that. You also need to make sure you follow all Employment Standards. Hiring a home care agency means that all of this is handled by them, which will relieve some of your stress when dealing with numbers.

Cons:

More Expensive

The most prominent drawback of hiring a home care agency is certainly the cost. The cost of home care agencies in the GTA area differs considerably, which could range from $28 to $65 per hour – most being over $30/hr. It is much more expensive than hiring a private caregiver, since there are operational fees such as administration fees, training fees, legal fees, etc. Clients are responsible for all of these fees.

Inconsistent Caregiving Staff

This is another concerning problem with hiring an agency. Some agencies have a high turnover rate, so it is important to figure out their situation before hiring one.

Hiring a Private Caregiver:

Pros:

Effective Communication

Without question, you have more direct control when you hire a private caregiver. Since you manage tasks and modify the caring process yourself, you and your family would have a closer connection with the caregiver. Communication is more effective this way, too – you don’t need to go through a long and dragging process of reporting and getting feedback from the agency manager if you have any concerns.

Broader Range of Services

Since caring tasks are managed and regulated by law, there will be many limitations for services if you hire through an agency. However, you will have more freedom on deciding what care you’d like your family members to receive if you hire a caregiver privately.

Choose Your Own Caregiver

If you hire a private caregiver, you’d be the boss. You will be the one who does all the screening and selecting, rather than letting the agency send you an assigned caregiver themselves. Again, you will have more control on who your caregiver will be, and your family member will appreciate it!

Cheaper

Price, price, price! This is always an inevitable thing to discuss. Hiring a private caregiver will definitely be cheaper than hiring an agency, and the average hourly rate in the GTA will be around $18 to $20. If you add up the hours in the long run, it will save you a lot of money.

Cons:

Payroll and Taxes

If you are not someone who’s good with numbers, this is going to be a “punishment” for you. Not only do you need to follow Employment Standards, complicated set up of payment duties such as payroll, EI, taxes and even legal fees, will drain your energy when you choose to hire a caregiver yourself.

Liability Insurance

Some people would find it necessary to purchase liability insurance coverage for injury or theft when they hire a private caregiver. If you don’t do so and the caregiver gets injured when taking care of your loved one, you need to pay the bill – the cost would be no less than hiring an agency.

So, are you clear on what to choose? Or have you become even more hesitant on your decision? Don’t worry, there are scenarios that allow you to hire a private caregiver hassle free. In our experience, the people who can do the following are able to hire caregivers themselves without being panicked about it.

How To Determine If You Can Hire a Private Caregiver

Previous Management Experience – People

If you have hired a caregiver before, or you are just “born to be a leader”, and managing someone isn’t a problem for you, you can probably hire a private caregiver for your family, given that you already know how things work.

Previous Management Experience – Payroll, Taxes, and Insurance

These things would be a big deal-breaker for most people who don’t hire a private caregiver. But if you are good at handling checks and numbers, and you have time to do so, then you will do fine with hiring a caregiver yourself.

At the End:

Hiring a caregiver directly, or hiring through an agency is a totally personal decision. Private caregivers can easily build connections with your family members, while home care agencies will offer you more reassurance during the hiring and managing process. No matter what you choose, be careful in the screening and interviewing process and you will never go wrong.

Reference:

https://www.laservices.ca/blog/choosing-right-home-care-provider

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Everyone knows Steve – the toughest and most obstinate man in the long-term care home. It is very difficult to convince him to do anything, which also includes welcoming his grandson’s dog, a three-year-old yellow lab.

“I hate dogs! They are annoying and dirty,” shouted Steve, speaking to his son on FaceTime. “Don’t ever bring that thing here…I won’t even let it in!”

Apparently, Steve’s grandson was even more uncompromising than his grandpa. He still brought the dog to the long-term care home, two weeks after the FaceTime call. His grandson gave: “The dog can’t be left in the house alone.”

The first greeting wasn’t so pleasant. Steve looked at the dog and angrily asked his son why he had brought him. However, the dog wasn’t aware of Steve’s disgust – he put his paw on Steve’s knee and wagged his tail happily, as if he were saying, “Hi Steve, it’s nice to meet you!”

After two hours of visiting, the family decided to go back. “Hey, why don’t you just leave the dog here since you will be in the city for a week,” requested Steve. “You said yourself that the dog can’t be left alone. I think I can take care of him.”

It may have been surprising for a man like Steve to say that, but it did not surprise anyone that day. Everyone witnessed how happy and gentle Steve was when he was playing with the dog and how he made Steve another different person – a person that no one had ever seen.

“Maybe animals are magic,” joked Steve’s caregiver. “They can do the tricks that we can’t.”

What Is Pet Therapy?

Pet Therapy is a type of therapy that uses specially trained animals to offer affection and comfort to a community or a single individual. It is being used in a variety of organisations, including hospitals, schools, mental health facilities, and retirement and assisted living homes.

There are three different types of pet therapy: Facility Therapy, Animal-Assisted Therapy, and Therapeutic Visitation.

Facility Therapy refers to having the pets reside at the care home and trained to monitor dementia patients. At the same time, Assisted Therapy means a specific individual owns a trained pet in the assisted living community and receives a more intensive treatment.

Why Do We Love Pet Therapy?

Encourages Social Engagement

Pet Therapy Has Many Physical Benefits

Did you feel amused when you scroll through TikTok and see pet videos? If yes, you’ve already benefited from “The Pet Effect”.

Senior isolation

Who Can be Our Paw-Friend?

There Are Limitations:

Another issue is sanitation. Seniors tend to have compromised immune systems. Any unvaccinated or unwashed animals may cause allergies or infections among senior residents.

Charles hit 70 years old last week.

Charles is in a conundrum that many seniors are.

However, selling houses isn’t the ultimate option to pay for a long-term care home There are, in fact, many benefits you should check out to relieve your financial burden.

How To Pay for A Long-Term Care Home in the US

Government Programs:

Just like in Canada, (Paying For LTC Homes In Canada) there are many government programs for senior citizens to use, and you probably already know of Medicare and Medicaid if you are living in the US.

However, there are some differences in range of what Medicare and Medicaid can cover:

Medicare

Medicare works in the following situations:

Hospital deductible: the cost after you have paid a certain amount

Short stays in a nursing home to receive medical care that arose after a hospitalization

Hospice care

Outpatient care, doctor visits

Some medication costs

Medicaid

Medicaid covers the cost of medical care and some long-term care. However, the range it covers may vary state to state, and in most cases, the coverage is very limited. As for California, the Medi-cal program can only cover 30 days of stays and medication in a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF).

Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

While Medicaid can only cover a very limited amount of services and expenses, PACE can cover much more long-term care services (including medical and social services) for senior citizens, and it pays some or all of the long-term care expenses for the patients who have Alzheimer’s disease.

Now, PACE is active in 28 states. For more details, visit: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/long-term-services-supports/pace/programs-all-inclusive-care-elderly-benefits/index.html

Other Programs

Private Payment Options

If you don’t meet the eligibility to require financial aid from your state, and you wish to explore more options other than paying from your own savings, there are some ways you can try:

Long-Term Care Insurance

This type of insurance is purchased when you are younger. Long-term care insurance covers many long-term care services including palliative and hospice care. The cost depends on the amount of services, age and health condition. Thus, the earlier it is planned, the better it can serve.

Reverse Mortgages for Seniors

A reverse mortgage is a particular type of house loan that allows a homeowner who is over 62 years old to get a portion of their property’s equity in return, so they can use the returned amount to cover their long-term care home.

We have gotten a message from one of our readers recently.

Before You Prepare, You Need to Figure These Things Out

Step One: Find Out The Reason Why They Explore

Before you start to plan for safety for your loved one, it is always helpful to find out the underlying reason for his or her exploring. There are many reasons for someone experiencing Dementia to explore, and according our experience, they can be categorized into the following:

Basic Needs: Some seniors explore because they have necessary needs such as finding a bathroom, food, or simply looking for fresh air.

Fear: The surroundings may be triggering, or make them feel unsafe, so they try to find a “safe zone”.

Boredom: Of course, people experiencing dementia feel bored, too. When they are looking for something to do, as you would, they start to explore their surroundings.

The underlying cause may vary from person to person, and situation to situaton. To help you determine what’s on your loved one’s mind and what or why their are exploring, , you can ask yourself the following:

Has your loved one always been this active? It’s possible that your loved one’s exploration is linked to a certain activity they used to engage in during the day.

Is your loved one having difficulty distinguishing between the past and the present when performing daily activities (eg. picking up the kids from school)?

Are your loved ones familiar with their current surroundings?

Are there any needs for your loved one that isn’t being provided? (eg. the need to feel loved and care for, the need to go to the toilet, the need for food or water, the need to manage pain, etc.)

Does your loved one look anxious, bored, or unsettled?

Is your loved one taking any new or different medications?

Has there been any recent change in your loved one’s living environment?

After all these questions are figured out, you will know the roots of their exploration. So instead of trying to put a stop to it,you can try to help them tackle their fear and anxiety, or provide them with what they need at the moment.

If the exploration continues, you can move on to the next step.

Step Two: Identify Patterns

Exploration occurs daily at 1:00am for one hour, resulting in an slight injury to left leg.

Exploration occurs twice a week, around 3:00pm, resulting in turning on the kitchen stove and walking away.

Explorationoccurs once a week, between 6:00pm to 8:00pm, resulting in the person being lost outside for at least one hour.

After you take your notes, you will have a better idea of what you should do to minimize any negative effects when they decide to explore.

How to Create a Safe Environment for an Explorer

If we can’t cure a disease, we find a way to live with it. This applies to Dementia as well specfically those who love to explore! In most cases, exploring will continue no matter what. So let’s discuss how we can create an environment for our loved ones with Dementia to explore safely:

Lock Doors When You Are At Home

Always keep the door locked when you are at home. You can also purchase alarm locks for the front door. They only cost $15-$20 on Amazon, and they can help you out a lot by notifying you if your loved one leaves the house.

Add Window Locks

To prevent your loved one from any potental injuries from the wondow, it’s best to add a lock or a screen that cannot be removed.

Paint the Walls the Same Color for Continuity

It may sound novel, but painting the wall the same color or pattern to create a sense of continuity and can actually prevent the desire to explore when it may not be safe to do so.

Install a Door or Gate at the Top of a Stairway

Install a Kitchen Door

Hire a Caregiver to Take Care Your Loved One When You Are Not at Home

It took Shannon three months to convince her father to move into a long-term care home, but now she’s facing a new problem: paying for the long-term care home.

Shannon’s father doesn’t have a lot of savings, but she knows her father has pension and other benefits. However, she is not sure if these benefits could cover for a long-term care home, and the response from each community is different.