juliegillOn this week’s show we are lucky enough to have Heather Campbell, Director of Care at the Wynfield in Oshawa and Tina Deszi from T & E Health Pros.
Why do we need to talk about Senior care? Well, it’s a fact of life that we’re all getting older and with that comes a few let’s say “challenges” that we need to deal with.
Don’t get me wrong…I know people are working longer and are more active now than ever before. Being a senior now doesn’t look like it did 20 years ago. Seniors are engaged and socially connected.
Did you know that Seniors volunteer more hours than any other age group?
We want our parents to live long, healthy and fulfilling lives. But what happens if that’s just not your reality?
It takes a family working together to care for an aging parent.
How many of you have prepared yourselves and your family for when the time comes that you might need some help?
Here’s some important things to remember:
1) Begin the conversation now. Be proactive and be respectful. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
2) There tends to be one child who’s the default primary caregiver for a parent. Don’t forget to support your siblings are well as parents.
3) Take the time to figure out what the best care is for your parent and how that care can be funded
AND of course,
4) Parents need to be involved in every step of the decision process so they can maintain as much control of their lives as possible.
Communication and planning is key. The simplest thing to do is call a meeting with everyone involved in your parent’s care decision. Maybe you need the help of a mediator like myself to have this conversation successfully. It’s your best opportunity to share information, talk about concerns and move forward.
Julie Gill
Host of We Need To Talk
Rogers TV Durham