I threw my nursing cap off and became a family caregiver

Today’s health care system is faced with enormous challenges – structurally, financially and in terms of human resources. There just isn’t enough to go around. With the shift away from traditional institutional care, we are seeing more people cared for in their own homes by family, friends and neighbours. Family or “informal” caregivers are becoming the support system to the sustainability of the public home and community care sector. Some statistics say they provide more than 70% of the home care delivered in Canada. We can only expect the need for family caregivers to increase as our population ages. The number of seniors over 65 is expected to rise from 14% of the population to more than 25% over the next 15-20 years.

What exactly is a family/informal caregiver? According to Health Canada it’s defined as an individual who provides care and/or support to a family member, friend or neighbour who has a physical or mental disability, or is chronically ill or frail.

Family caregiving has been around for a long time – probably as along as families have existed. But the concept has gained attention over the past decade due to the strain that an aging population has brought to our health care system. Baby Boomers, many sandwiched in caring for their children as well as parents, have been vocal in expressing the challenges they face as caregivers.

I experienced being a family caregiver first hand four years ago when my father had his third stroke and could no longer care for himself independently. My parents lived through a world war, immigrated to Canada in the 1950s and grew with Canada as it went through its many trials and tribulations to become the nation it is today. They were proud Canadians but they were unprepared for the challenges my father’s illness created.

As a nurse working in the system I was shocked at how little I really knew about home care. I lived within the institutional walls of a hospital, not realizing there was a vast domain out there called home and community care. My health care knowledge was about to change. If it was a challenge for me as a nurse to navigate the health care system, I could only imagine how my parents would have coped on their own. We needed to know what resources were available to us in the community, how to get in touch with our local CCAC (Community Care Access Centre) and what kind of funding options were available through workplace benefits and insurance plans? So I threw my nursing cap off and became a family caregiver. I tried to utilize every resource available. I asked lots of questions, because if you didn’t ask, nobody will tell you. Together with the CCAC, private agencies, family, friends and neighbours, we created a “caring” plan for my father.

In my opinion, the biggest challenge family caregivers face is the lack of knowledge, time and money. The sandwich generation is hit with the economic burden and mental and physical stress of having to care for their own family as well as parents, sometimes over a distance. We are seeing people giving up their job to care for a loved one and people in their eighties being the main caregiver for their respective spouse.

There are more than four million family caregivers in Canada. So how can we help this growing population of caregivers? I would suggest you start by creating a checklist that covers the essentials:

·         Contact your local CCAC to determine eligibility for publically-funded home care services.

·         Look for additional home care funding through personal and workplace insurance policies.

·         Contact community resources and associations for assistance, counselling, education and respite care.

·         Look into private care services to ensure sufficient care.

·         Create a support system – someone to talk to about your experiences, frustrations and feelings.

·         Build a “caring” plan for your loved one to ensure they get they receive proper care.

We need to educate ourselves and learn what resources are available to us and accept the help. The saying “it takes a village” is 100% true. With the help of community health services, friends and family I survived the family caregiver experience and our family was able to give my father his wish to die at home and, more importantly, with dignity.

This is a job you don’t apply for – it involves workplace hazards like safety risks, stress and burnout.

Fight Alzheimer’s disease by keeping your brain healthy

January is Alzheimer Awareness Month. We know that Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, but what we may not know is that it’s the degeneration of our healthy brain tissue that causes a steady decline in our mental and social abilities. Dementia affects one in thirteen Canadians over 65 and one in three over 85. In my practice I’m finding that more and more people are touched by this family altering disease.

The impact of Alzheimer’s can become increasingly demanding for individuals caring for a spouse, parent or family member with the disease. Over time, their loved one will need increasing amounts of supervision and, eventually, hands-on help with the activities of daily living. When you speak with someone who has a family member affected by dementia, each person’s story is different and has its own unique challenges. What’s common is the need for better understanding about Alzheimer’s disease (www.alzheimers.ca).

I had a client last Christmas who missed out on holiday celebrations with her family because she was too unstable to leave her care facility. I also cared for an 83-year-old woman who was asked to leave a retirement residence because of her physical outbreaks and, most recently, we heard the heartbreaking story of a 67-year-old Toronto woman who died on the street after wandering away from her home in the early morning hours. How can we change some of the outcomes of this devastating disease and how do we prevent dangerous, life-threatening situations from occurring?

In my opinion, family caregivers need to consider turning to community health care resources for support. But will they receive the level of care they require, and in a timely manner? Our public health system is facing increasing financial challenges in delivering services to an aging population. Another option is to use a private home care agency or to hire your own caregiver. Many don’t realize that care for individuals with Alzheimer’s can be provided in a more economical manner through home support and personal care professionals, rather than more costly nursing staff.

From a preventative standpoint, healthy living habits can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. Intellectual activities such as social interaction, reading, doing crossword puzzles or playing a board or computer game have been shown to reduce likelihood of the disease. According to Dr. Jack Diamond, Scientific Director of the Alzheimer Society of Canada, exercise, eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and which are brightly-coloured, is good for your brain.

Here is my Alzheimer prevention challenge: walk a mile, eat a red apple and do a word puzzle every day. It just might help keep your brain healthy and ward off this dreaded disease.