As home care providers, we at ComForCare Home Care are often called due to an emergency: someone has fallen and injured themselves, or they have had a stroke. Understandably, people usually do not explore the topic of in-home care until it becomes a necessity. At ComForCare, we want to try and demystify in-home care, so when you need help, you are starting on solid ground.

To begin, what exactly is home care? Home care is care provided wherever a person calls home. There are two kinds of home care: medical and non-medical.

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You don’t stop learning when you grow old; you grow old when you stop learning. Simon Fraser University used this motto for decades for their continuing education program. Results of a study done by the University of Manitoba suggest that participation in educational activities has “positive effects on successful aging” and can contribute to physical and psychological well-being.

Moreover, learning a new skill can boost self-confidence and slow the cognitive decline associated with aging, according to the Harvard Health Blog.

Here are a few options, with varying degrees of commitment, to incorporate lifelong learning into your routine.

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Increased age combined with dementia and hospitalization can lead to increased risk for delirium, a serious medical condition. Delirium comes on suddenly and causes fluctuating changes in thinking and behaviour. Other factors that can contribute to delirium are infections, injury, surgery, malnutrition, dehydration, medication effects and poor sleep.

Here are seven ways you can help your loved one with dementia during a hospital stay:

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Census Canada has released its 2016 report and, for the first time in Canada, seniors outnumber children. With the life expectancy reaching 79.9 years for men and 84.0 years for women, according to Statistics Canada.

Numerous news outlets covered the story, with an almost universally negative tone. Most articles were peppered with phrases like “slow-moving train wreck” and featured worries about strains on the health care system. At ComForCare Home Care, we feel many of the headlines reflected ageism in our culture and over-generalizations that can complicate the national discussions around aging.

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Are you tired right now? Nearly 58 percent of Canadians say they often feel groggy and in need of more sleep. And, 55 percent of women say they have sleep issues. Somehow, our culture sees sleeplessness as a badge of honour as we tote around our ever-growing coffee cups.

Sleep is crucial to good health. Without sleep, we become more susceptible to health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and depression.

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Cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and lung disease are the leading causes of preventable death and disability in Canada. The Public Health Agency of Canada refers to them as “The Big Four.”

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“I can talk to my dad about anything,” Dave of Winnipeg, Manitoba said. “But for some reason, I had a lot of trouble broaching the subject of home care.”

For many, talking to a loved one about getting help causes anxiety. Here are some tips for making the conversation less stressful.

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