Category filter: Long Term Care > Seniors Housing

In the past few months, Family Caregivers of BC received numerous calls from individuals asking about how to hire private care, through an agency or an independent care provider. Most cases we come across involve care for the elderly. Hiring private care is sometimes an option in other cases involving other disease specific illnesses or… Read more…

Moving into a long-term care facility can feel like a rollercoaster ride for both the caregiver and the person being cared for.  It is full of twists and turns, ups and downs and they usually happen very quickly.  We know the drop is coming but the anticipation is often the worst! Even when the ride… 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. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it’s actually helpful to clarify what is meant by “long term care”. Trust me, there are so many different ways to describe this… Read more…

  In the past month, I’ve had numerous calls from individuals asking about various private home-care agencies and the ins and outs of private care. It seems like a good time to reprint this column, with a few updates. Mrs. Robson is a 92-year-old widow with Alzheimer’s disease. In her younger years, she was a… Read more…

  Most of us, regardless of age, want to stay in our own homes for as long as possible. Did you know, according to Statistics Canada, that only five per cent of seniors over 65 years old live in residential care facilities? Simple math points out that 95 per cent of people over 65 are… Read more…

  There is a saying we like to throw around in the gerontological world, “Move by choice rather than by crisis.” In an ideal world, we would all live in a particular dwelling for as long as we felt we were able to. This might be it our family home, in a housing complex where… Read more…

A big thanks to BC Housing for responding to my column on falls and the elderly by providing details on a new program for low-income seniors to make home modifications for continued independence. Would a new ramp, handrails or walk-in shower help you maintain your independence at home? BC Housing’s new Home Adaptations for Independence… Read more…

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… Read more…

  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… Read more…

It’s time to finish up the “Seniors Housing” series by reviewing options in the Comox Valley. The Comox Valley has a variety of housing choices depending on care needs and available monthly income. Independent Living or Retirement communities or housing geared at seniors (usually 55 years and over) are intended for seniors who do not… Read more…