Support aging and independent parents
For Medcan clients who would value the support of a caregiver for a loved one, or who prefer to recover from medical treatment or surgery in the comfort of their homes, we provide homecare services through our trusted partner, The Care Company. Laura Harris, owner of The Care Company, answers some of our questions on homecare for aging parents.
As we approach the holiday season, what advice do you have for those caring for elderly parents?
Our biggest tip is to slow down. The holidays are usually an important time of year for seniors, and there is risk of having them feel isolated and depressed. Try to make the time you spend with your parents not about "getting things done", which is easy to happen as holiday preparation can limit our already depleted time and energy reserves. Instead, have a professional caregiver take care of the support tasks. This lets you focus on being the son or daughter making wonderful memories. Have a cup of tea with mom and dad and talk about happy holiday times.
Why would someone in the so-called sandwich generation turn to a professional caregiver?
While juggling raising children, careers and taking care of elderly parents, there is not always time or energy for all three. These responsibilities can suffer and the person trying to manage is susceptible to burnout. This is especially true if a parent is living with dementia or had a recent injury. A qualified caregiver can provide support to loved ones with their daily needs, freeing up valuable time for daughters and sons to spend quality time with their parents. We allow daughters to be daughters and sons to be sons.
What distinguishes this service from others?
Provincially-funded services such as those provided through Community Care Access Centres (CCAC) provide task-based care with limitations of how many visits one can have. These visits have been more restricted. For instance, CCAC-funded caregivers are no longer allowed to assist with housekeeping and their meal preparation is very basic. CCAC services are provided within their delivery window and support staff may arrive at a different time each day and the caregivers may vary.
Homecare through Medcan can be used to top up hours of CCAC seNice. We will provide
attentive visits with everything from life's essentials, bathing, dressing, toileting, preparation of delicious meals and light housekeeping to daily, 24/7 or end of life care. We have personal support workers to registered nurses available to help. We provide consistency and continuity of caregivers and we work around the client's schedule. Unique to this industry, we offer a concierge service that is available 24/7 to all our clients and we guarantee the perfect caregiver match.
Which Medcan clients should talk to us about homecare?
Anyone who needs a little extra help for a loved one to stay comfortable and safe living in their own home, or who feels they are just a number in a retirement facility. Our clients will receive help with everything from companionship, meal preparation and light housekeeping, all the way to complex medical care. If you are even a little bit worried about mom or dad when they are alone, now is the time to reach out before a crisis situation. A little help goes a long way.
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