In my line of work as a private geriatric case manager, there are few days that go by where I’m not reminded of the consequences of “not having one’s affairs in order.” In my last column, I spoke first-hand about my family’s personal experience with having to make difficult end-of-life decisions when my Dad was… Read more…
When I was 34 years old, my Nana Cumming died after very slow death from Alzheimer’s disease. I was 36 weeks pregnant at the time and was unable to travel back to Ontario. In many ways, I said my “goodbye” many years before her death. I remember grieving most when her dementia was progressing and… Read more…
It’s highly plausible that some readers assume I’m extremely well organized and that every file in my house has a home. If my husband is reading this, he’ll be laughing out loud. Anyone who works with me will also have a smirk on their face. Theoretically, I fully understand the importance of filing and keeping… Read more…
All of us know the expression, “Where there is a will, there is a way” and perhaps we’ve even used it when we want to motivate someone, (maybe ourselves), that with determination achieving something or anything is possible. As I thought about a topic for this week’s column, it struck me that the same… Read more…
Growing up with three siblings made for unique and highly entertaining family meetings. Given my Dad, the late Greg Johnstone was a criminal lawyer, these meetings were often coined the Johnstone judiciary proceedings. The most common crime in the Johnstone household: stealing food. In his own way, Judge Greg provided our family with a… Read more…
The Patient as Partners – Working Dialogue Group held its two-day conference in Vancouver last week. The BC Ministry of Health recently identified patient-centered care as one of their priorities and the purpose of this conference was to receive input from stakeholder on what patient-centered care should look like in BC. I was lucky enough… 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 schoolteacher… 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…
For most of us, February finally feels like life is back to normal and we are back into the swing of a more even-perhaps-less-busy routine. However, for family caregivers caring for a spouse or older parent, life is always busy juggling the many demands of caregiving and everyday life. Family members who are feeling overwhelmed… Read more…
In my previous column, we met Mr. Tinsel and discussed the importance of goal-setting as it relates to continued independence. If you missed the column, you can find it here. The seniors and family members I meet in my work all have unique circumstances leading up to a life transition. A common denominator is… Read more…
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