Nominate Your Favourite Senior Volunteer

Today’s seniors are volunteering in big numbers and in big ways. 52% of seniors volunteer their time through unpaid community service, with 87% saying it is either very important or the most important thing they do.  Watch the video.

Three in five senior volunteers in the Home Instead Senior Care network survey say they are volunteering more now because the need is greater as result of the poor economy.

“As unemployment rates have escalated, and the economy weakened, there are more people in need,” noted Dr. Erwin Tan, who serves as the expert source for the Salute to Senior Service℠ program. “One might logically think that this means fewer people will be able to volunteer. We haven’t found this to be true.

“Even during a recession, people seem to inherently understand that there’s always someone in greater need than themselves. So, while they might give less money, they are still willing to give of their time,” he said.

Their community service helps define who they are. According to research conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care® network, nearly 100 percent of North American senior volunteers say that, when compared to other things they do in their lives, volunteering is important. One in five senior volunteers says it is the most important thing they do.

Help Home Instead Senior Care Etobicoke honour seniors who service by nominating your favourite senior volunteer – http://www.salutetoseniorservice.com/senior-heroes/nominate-senior-hero/

Home Care Etobicoke helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Survey indicates physicians believe addressing patients’ social needs is as important as addressing medical conditions.

According to a new survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the social needs of patients are as important to address as their medical conditions. In a survey of primary care providers and pediatricians, 85 percent believe that unmet social needs — things like access to nutritious food, reliable transportation and adequate housing — are leading directly to worse health for all North Americans. Furthermore, 4 in 5 physicians do not feel confident in their capacity to meet their patients’ social needs, and they believe this impedes their ability to provide quality care.

The conditions we face day in, day out, where we live, learn, work and play, have a greater impact on our health and life expectancy than our medical conditions and the health care we receive.

It’s important that patients be connected to services that address their social needs. Services like fitness programs, nutritional food and transportation assistance are at top of list. Physicians say that those living in the urban and low-income bracket also need help with employment assistance, adult education and housing assistance.

If your loved one needs help fulfilling their social needs in Etobicoke ON, please call Home Instead Senior Care – we can help with needs like transportation, nutritious cooking, and helping your loved one keep moving in order to stay fit and active. Call us at 905- 276-2273.

Source: Physicians Highlight Overlooked Connection Between Social Needs and Health

Home Care Etobicoke helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

According to recent research conducted by the Home Instead Senior Care® network, nearly all senior volunteers surveyed (98 percent) gain a sense of purpose, stay active and feel better physically, mentally and emotionally as a result of their service. Nearly three-fourths are able to overcome feeling isolated (74 percent) and feeling depressed (70 percent).

What’s the secret to keeping older adults from whiling away their days in a rocker? That’s the million dollar question for any senior care professional who has encouraged, cajoled and begged a senior to keep moving.

Inactivity, as many of those who work with seniors know, is one of the biggest obstacles to healthy aging. It appears, though, that a significant motivation to get older adults up and at ’em may come from an unlikely source: helping others.

Other benefits that the senior volunteer survey respondents identified include:

I want to help others — 99 percent

I want to make a difference in my community — 99 percent

I want to provide assistance to causes I care about — 99 percent

I feel like my volunteer contributions are appreciated — 98 percent

I enjoy volunteering with my friends — 93 percent

I want to socialize and meet new people — 92 percent

I want to share my talents, skills and experience — 90 percent

I enjoy learning new skills — 89 percent

I have more time now — 86 percent

I want to occupy my free time — 84 percent

Etobicoke ON CAREGivers are available to help your senior loved ones continue to pursue their passions by providing non-medical assistance at home – call us for more information 905- 276-2273.

Learn more about how one volunteer is making a difference in his community: Salute to Seniors.

Home Care Etobicoke helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Roles that senior volunteers play have evolved over the years, according to Dr. Erwin Tan, director of Senior Corps, who serves as the expert U.S. source for the Home Instead Senior Care® network’s Salute to Senior Service program. The program, which kicked off in January 2012, includes a search for the most outstanding senior volunteer in each state and Canadian province (except Quebec) and culminates with the selection of a national Salute to Senior Service winner in May in the U.S. and in June in Canada.

As seniors’ lifestyles and longevity have evolved over time so, too, is the desire for new kinds of volunteer activities, Dr. Tan said. In a highly technological world, the “new senior” has different interests than those of the past. Seniors are being encouraged to volunteer for a cause or an activity in which they are interested or for which they feel passionate.

According to Home Instead Senior Care network research, 95 percent of senior volunteers feel that seniors who volunteer are healthier and happier than those seniors who do not.

Check out more benefits from volunteering opportunities as well as information about how to make a deserving senior 65 and older who volunteers at least 15 hours a month a Senior Hero.

Canadian provincial (except Quebec) winners will receive plaques and their story on the SalutetoSeniorService.com website. A gift of $5,000 will be donated to the national winner’s favorite nonprofit charity.

Home Instead Senior Care in Etobicoke invite our readers to share your favorite Senior Hero by visiting Salute to Senior Service.

Home Instead CAREGivers in Etobicoke ON are available to help your senior loved ones continue to pursue their passions by providing non-medical assistance at home – call us for more information 905- 276-2273.

Home Care Etobicoke helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 5.1 million people 65 and older have Alzheimer’s disease. They likely will lose one of their most treasured possessions: memories. The “I Will Remember for You Family Reunion Giveaway” contest recently launched by the Home Instead Senor Care® network can help those families keep their memories alive.

Submit a story in either written or video format about your experience with a family member living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias for a chance to win a family reunion at RememberforAlzheimers.com. Essays and videos need to:

Share how Alzheimer’s has impacted your life.

Talk about the role that memories and remembering have played in your family, especially with regard to your family member who now has or had Alzheimer’s.

Share specific stories or examples of how you and your family members cope or coped with challenges of Alzheimer’s disease.

Tell why you deserve to win this family reunion.

Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST Jan. 31, 2012. Three finalists will be notified by a judge’s panel by Feb. 15, 2012. Online voting to select the grand prize winner will occur from March 28 through June 30, 2012.

The Etobicoke local Home Instead Senior Care office can provide valuable information about Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, and support to senior – call us today at

Home Care Etobicoke helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Research reveals that there’s no end in sight to the volunteering efforts for a majority of senior volunteers surveyed, who say they’ll go on “forever.” The Home Instead Senior Care® network has announced the Salute to Senior Service program to honor these older adults who go the extra mile to make a difference for charities and community service projects throughout North America. For those seniors who haven’t volunteered but are considering it, here are some suggestions:

Find a passion. Some people live their passion through jobs and careers, but that isn’t always the case. Retirement is the time to save the whales, feed the homeless and brighten up the neighborhood. Find something that fulfills.

Look for a need. That won’t be difficult these days. A 2009 survey, conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service, found that 80 percent of nonprofit and AmeriCorps organizations surveyed reported some level of fiscal stress. To find out where volunteers are needed, contact the local Area Agency on Aging office, church or synagogue, or Senior Corps <<www.seniorcorps.gov>>.

Avoid perfectionism. It’s easy to want that special church event to be perfect or that remodeling project to look like it belongs in the nation’s leading home improvement magazine. Chill out! Perfectionism can ruin the project for everyone on the team.

Home Instead CAREGivers can help your senior loved ones stay on course with their volunteering by receiving support such as food preparation, light housekeeping and medication reminders – call us at 905- 276-2273.

Home Care Etobicoke helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

A recent study has shown that heart failure patients who don’t consume enough vitamin C-rich foods have more inflammation and a higher risk of cardiac complications and death.

The study was presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2011 – See the AHA study.

Study Highlights:

Heart failure patients who don’t eat enough vitamin C-rich foods have higher levels of inflammation and a higher risk of cardiac complications and death.

This is the first study to demonstrate that low vitamin C intake is associated with worse outcomes in heart failure patients.

Compared with those with high vitamin C intake from food, heart failure patients in the study who had low vitamin C intake were 2.4 times more likely to have higher levels of a certain protein, which served as a marker for inflammation and a risk factor for heart disease.

Adequate intake of vitamin C was associated with longer survival in patients with heart failure, said Eun Kyeung Song, Ph.D., R.N., lead study author and assistant professor at the department of nursing, University of Ulsan in Korea.

The use of diuretics also may play a role because vitamin C is water soluble, and diuretics increase the amount of water excreted from the kidneys, according to research.

Diet is the best source of vitamin C, researchers say. Eating the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day provides an adequate amount.

Call Home Instead Senior Care in Etobicoke ON to help with meal preparation and medication reminders as your senior loved one recovers from a health problem – we can be reached at 905- 276-2273.

Home Care Etobicoke helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

The doctor and other hospital staff will provide information and advice about rehabilitation programs, but the patient and family make the final choice. Hospital staff know the patient’s disabilities and medical condition. They should also be familiar with the rehabilitation programs in the community and should be able to answer questions about them. The patient and family may have a preference about whether the patient lives at home or at a rehabilitation facility. They may have reasons for preferring one program over another. Their concerns are important and should be discussed with hospital staff. Here is a list of the types of Stroke Rehabilitation Programs in Etobicoke and Mississauga.

Things To Consider When Choosing a Rehabilitation Program

• Does the program provide the services the patient needs?

• Does it match the patient’s abilities or is it too demanding or not demanding enough?

• What kind of standing does it have in the community for the quality of the program?

• Is it certified and does its staff have good credentials?

• Is it located where family members can easily visit?

• Does it actively involve the patient and family members in rehabilitation decisions?

• Does it encourage family members to participate in some rehabilitation sessions and practice with the patient?

• How well are its costs covered by insurance or Medicare?

• If it is an outpatient or home program, is there someone living at home who can
provide care?

• If it is an outpatient program, is transportation available?

A person may start rehabilitation in one program and later transfer to another. For example, some patients who get tired quickly may start out in a less intense rehabilitation program.After they build up their strength, they are able to transfer to a more intense program.

***If you are seeking home care services for loved ones who have had a slight stroke call 905- 276-2273.

Get your free Stroke Guide.

Home Care Etobicoke helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

How Stroke Affects People Effects on the Body, Mind, and Feelings

Each stroke is different depending on the part of the brain injured, how bad the injury is, and the person’s general health. Some of the effects of stroke are:

Weakness (hemiparesis–hem-ee-par-EE-sis) or paralysis (hemiplegia–hemee-PLEE-ja) on one side of the body. This may affect the whole side or just the arm or the leg. The weakness or paralysis is on the side of the body opposite the side of the brain injured by the stroke. For example, if the stroke injured the left side of the brain, the weakness or paralysis will be on the right side of the body.

Problems with balance or coordination. These can make it hard for the person to sit, stand, or walk, even if muscles are strong enough.

Problems using language (aphasia and dysarthria). A person with aphasia (a-FAY-zha) may have trouble understanding speech or writing. Or, the person may understand but may not be able to think of the words to speak or write. A person with dysarthria (dis-AR-three-a) knows the right words but has trouble saying them clearly.

Being unaware of or ignoring things on one side of the body (bodily neglect or inattention). Often, the person will not turn to look toward the weaker side or even eat food from the half of the plate on that side.

Pain, numbness, or odd sensations. These can make it hard for the person to relax and feel comfortable.

Problems with memory, thinking, attention, or learning (cognitive problems). A person may have trouble with many mental activities or just a few. For example, the person may have trouble following directions, may get confused if something in a room is moved, or may not be able to keep track of the date or time.

Being unaware of the effects of the stroke. The person may show poor judgment by trying to do things that are unsafe as a result of the stroke.

Trouble swallowing (dysphagia–dis-FAY-ja). This can make it hard for the person to get enough food. Also, care must sometimes be taken to prevent the person from breathing in food (aspiration–as-per-AY-shun) while trying to swallow it.

Problems with bowel or bladder control. These problems can be helped with the use of portable urinals, bedpans, and other toileting devices.

Getting tired very quickly. Becoming tired very quickly may limit the person’s participation and performance in a rehabilitation program.

Sudden bursts of emotion, such as laughing, crying, or anger. These emotions may indicate that the person needs help, understanding, and support in adjusting to the effects of the stroke.

Depression. This is common in people who have had strokes. It can begin soon after the stroke or many weeks later, and family members often notice it first.

Read more on Strokes: Process of Recovering from a Stroke

Get a Free Copy of Recovering After a Stroke: A Patient and Family Guide

Home Care Etobicoke helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

If you are an older adult living in Ontario and want to venture out during the winter months, you will most likely have to tread on slippery surfaces at some point. There are many things that can be done to prevent senior falls in the winter. A large number of injuries are a result of slipping while outside. Taking precautions and using some of the tips provided below will reduce these chances and allow seniors to go outside during the winter months safely.

1.            Always remove snow and ice that accumulates on steps, driveways and walkways. Place sand or salt on paths that are walked on to prevent slips and falls.

2.            Most falls in the winter are due to slipping on the ice. Wearing the correct footwear can help prevent these falls. Seniors should wear shoes that provide good traction on slippery surfaces.

3.            Winter boots should be waterproof, insulated, have low heels and should be light in weight.

4.            Additional precaution can be taken by using ice grippers on footwear. Always remove these from shoes before walking on smooth surfaces because they can be very slippery and actually be the cause of a fall.

5.            If seniors have balance problems, they should be using a cane when outside in the winter. If using a cane, an ice pick can be attached to the bottom, making it easier to navigate slippery surfaces.

6.            When walking on the road, always wear clothes that are bright in color. Also be sure to wear hats, gloves and scarves to prevent loss of body heat.

7.            When travelling on snowy or icy surfaces, move slowly. Take your time and be careful. Paying attention will help prevent many falls.

Home Care Etobicoke helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.