One of the main reasons family members take on the role of caregiver is because they love their aging loved ones and they want to help them with a better life and prolonged independence.

Sometimes though, the rewards of caregiving are outweighed by the stress, physical and emotional work, which invariably leads to burnout.

Some family caregivers become so wrapped up in their caregiving duties they forget about themselves. Many family members fail to realize how mentally and physically exhausting caregiving can be.

Feeling “burned out” can be dangerous to both you and your loved one.

Take the accompanying test from www.elderwise.ca to find out if you are at risk of caregiver burnout.

Calculate your score: the higher your score, the greater your risk of burnout. If many of your responses are in the “often” or “daily” column, it’s safe to say that’s a red flag!

The best way to avoid caregiver burnout is to take action. Karen Henderson from the Long Term Care Network offers some great tips:

read full article . . .

As part of a three-part series on Care for the Caregiver, I’m pleased to have a chiropractor, Dr. Rick Houlgrave, and a registered massage therapist, Sean Murphy, provide easy-to-use strategies and tips to manage the stresses of caregiving, both physically and emotionally.

Being a successful caregiver doesn’t just require conscientious care for the one you are looking after, but also requires looking after your own health. Caregiving often involves physically demanding tasks.

Doing these tasks in a way that minimizes stress on your body can prevent injuries and allow you to stay healthy so that you can continue to care for others.

Here are a few simple suggestions for proper body mechanics that can help you avoid injuries.

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Each year around this time, I write about Family Caregiver Week in B.C. – May 5-11. It’s something I feel strongly about – acknowledging and recognizing the fact that in our province alone we have over one million incredibly giving and devoted unpaid caregivers who provide care and support for loved ones.

The Canadian statistics on caregiving are best summed up as a “Labour of Love.”  In a 2009 study conducted by the Canadian Public Research Network on balancing work and eldercare, key findings included:

(To jump straight to the caregiver resources, read the full article here.)

Figuring out how to talk to our aging loved ones about life changes and transitions is a common challenge for families. At times, communication can also be touchy and our aging loved one may not welcome the idea of help or suggestions.

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My Mom’s birthday is coming up next month and I’ve realized she’s a year shy of turning 70 years old.

It actually alarmed me for the very reason I cause alarm to my friends and clients when I spout off, “If your parents are 70 and over, you need to start talking about future care options.”

For good measure, I usually add a true story about a family thrown into crisis when a parent had a stroke and how much stress it caused.

It won’t surprise you then when I tell you what I did next. Yup, you guessed it.

I call my Mom on the phone and . . .

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When my mother had stomach cancer, I flew back to Toronto to give my siblings a reprieve and support my Mom post-surgery.

The procedure to remove her tumour was long and very painful. Post-discharge, my Mom experienced severe stomach pains, difficulty sleeping and digestive problems.

Heavily medicated (not me, her!) to reduce the pain, I drove her to a follow-up appointment with her physician. My Mom thought it was a good idea to have me sit in on the appointment with her.

Pen and paper in hand, I was ready to be my Mom’s advocate! I nearly fell off the chair when my Mom smiled and told her doctor that she wasn’t having any problems, pain or side effects.

When I opened my mouth to say something, my Mom turned and glared at me, giving ‘the look,’ which quickly reminded me of my position within the Johnstone hierarchical system.

We were in and out in five minutes. My pen never saw the paper.

Not the finest example of medical advocacy and yet, not an uncommon story.

Mr. Smith is caring for his wife of 60 years, and although he’d be pressed to admit it, he’s finding it hard to keep his head above water.

His wife has Parkinson’s disease and at the moment, she needs help with bathing, grooming and getting dressed. Mr. Smith loves his wife dearly and is happy to help with her personal care. It’s all the other stuff that adds up; the cooking, the cleaning, the shopping and managing house repairs and the yard!

Mrs. Smith helps when she can but finds she tires easily and worries about falling. Although Mr. Smith wouldn’t outright complain, he’d certainly tell you “he’s no spring chicken anymore” and could use a little extra help around the house.

We’ve been exploring the various options for finding in-home services for seniors. If you missed our last column, click here.

Some seniors and families prefer to hire a private in-home support and care. At times, it can be more affordable and customized to the care recipient’s wants and needs. With good planning, many seniors and caregivers find the perfect match for the job!

Read full article . . .

Mrs. Robson is a 92-year-old widow with Alzheimer’s disease. In her younger years, she was a schoolteacher and raised three children. She and her husband married at 20 years old and enjoyed a 60-year marriage.

She was an avid hiker, gardener and enjoyed reading. She loves her home, which overlooks a nearby park, and she has lived in the same neighbourhood for the past 40 years. Although very independent, Mrs. Robson needs some care and supervision; she can no longer make meals, drive and is a little unsteady to shower by herself. Some of her children’s concerns include Mom getting lost on one of her walks or having a fall in her home.

Before her diagnosis, Mrs. Robson and her children discussed her future and she expressed her desire to stay in her home for as long as possible. Although Mrs. Robson is eligible for home support services through the local health authority, her current income level provides the option for hiring privately.

There are several important decisions seniors and their families face when more help is needed to allow an aging loved one to stay in their home. Hiring a private caregiver to provide home support services and other household management tasks is often at the forefront.

Read full article . . .

One of the most common questions we hear from seniors (and family caregivers alike) is, “How do I get someone to help me with bathing, medications or getting dressed in my home?”

There is more than one answer to that question!

For the purpose of simplicity, I’ll start with the program called Home and Community Care. In another column, I’ll discuss why some families or seniors choose to use private pay care providers and tips on hiring the right company or individual.

Home and Community Care of Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA — often pronounced VEE-HAH) provides community-based health services to assist individuals with some form of acute or chronic illness and/or physical challenge to remain independent in their home for as long as possible. . . .

Read full article . . .

Are you confused about what kind of help you or your aging parent is eligible for in the community?

Don’t worry! You aren’t alone.

Knowing the who, what and how is challenging when you are at the start of any maze. Before entering a maze, it’s helpful to have clues at the start to help find the end.

Let’s say, you think your Mom is showing signs of memory loss but you aren’t sure if it is serious or where to go for an assessment. Although finding out the answer to this question is very important, it only helps with one part of the issue.

Memory loss may be affecting your Mom’s ability to drive, to care for herself physically, to feel safe in her home and it may be causing additional stress if your Dad is caring for her or if she is widow.

Before you walk into the maze, some of the “clues” to gather include:

Mr. Jones is an 83-year-old widower living in his own home. When asked, he’ll tell you he is doing “fair to middling.” He’ll go on to tell you his legs are tired and wobbly and he doesn’t get out as much as he’d used to.

He has a scooter, which gets him to town and back, but his vision is getting worse and he’s not sure how much longer he can safely use it. He likes listening to books on tape and watching sports. He has children but they all live out of town. They worry about him. Mr. Jones has Lifeline, a housekeeper to clean every two weeks, regular meal delivery and relies on friends to help with grocery shopping and other tasks.

Mr. Jones knows that he needs a little more help to stay in his home and is a little worried about his future care needs but doesn’t know where to go to find information or what’s available in his community.