Category filter: Navigating the Health Care System

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… Read more…

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… Read more…

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… Read more…

There may come a time when your aging loved one or as an older adult, the decision to move or downsize is the right one. Most families think the hardest part is making the decision to move. That may true, however, understanding the breadth of seniors housing options is a close second! The Comox Valley… Read more…

  Raise your hand if taking your aging loved one to his or her physician causes a great deal of stress? Raise your other hand if your frustration levels skyrocket when your Mom can’t remember what her doctor said about her test results or what new medication she is taking for her high blood pressure.… Read more…

Making the decision to move a spouse or aging parent into long term care is one of the most difficult decisions families have to make. A few weeks back, I started a series on how to manage the transition to long term care. So here we are, post-holidays and into a New Year. Let’s pick… Read more…

I was going to write about stroke prevention for today’s column. Then I met Ben. Ben is a 44-year-old father, self-made cook and a community support worker. Ben had a stroke in 2008 at age 37; his kids were 12, 9, 6 at the time of his stroke. I met Ben through my work with… Read more…