Falls can be serious, sometimes fatal, for older adults. According to the Government of Canada, falls are the No. 1 cause of injury-related hospitalizations among Canadian seniors, and between 20 and 30 percent of older adults fall each year. On average, a senior is hospitalized because of a fall every 10 minutes.

It’s a common belief that falls are just a part of aging – that it’s inevitable seniors will fall. This is not necessarily true because most falls are preventable. Many ComForCare Home Care locations offer no obligation in-home fall safety evaluations and fall risk assessments. Our home safety check evaluates all aspects of someone’s living conditions. A trained professional will look at things such as:

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Having good physical function is important in maintaining independence for older adults. Physical function includes everyday tasks such as the ability to walk around, get up from a chair without assistance or bathe and dress oneself.

Nutrition is a key factor in maintaining good physical function among older adults. A Brigham and Women’s Hospital study that compared diet quality and physical function in over 50,000 women found those who had a healthy diet over the years were less likely to develop problems with physical function as they grew older.

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There is a chill in the air and a turkey in the oven. Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Here are some tips to make your holiday enjoyable for relatives of all ages.

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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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Even though an estimated 747,000 Canadians have dementia, you may not know much about the condition. A better understanding can help you care for a loved one with dementia. Here are five facts:

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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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