February 2019 Adventures in Eldercare Respite is a term we often hear but not everyone knows what it means. If you are one of the many people new to caring for an elderly loved one and you are not sure what Respite care is then this short article is for you. Respite is pronounced RES-pit, emphasis on the Res part. It is a term derived from the Latin word Respectus, meaning refuge, but almost always we use respite to describe time, not a place, of relief. Respite is a period o

Adventures in Eldercare February 2012 Many people reading this article today remember a time when multiple generations of families lived very closely together. In fact multiple generations lived on the same farm or often in the same house. It was unusual for any family members to be more than a concession or two away, ready to help and certainly there in a flash if there was a crisis of some type. A wonderful memory of a simpler time. Unfortunately the norm today is quit

Adventures in Eldercare January 2012 The holiday season is now behind us, the decorations boxed away and some order returning to our homes. I had mentioned in my December article that the holiday season tends to be a time that families start to make inquiries regarding home-care for their elderly relatives. This has certainly been the case! Victoria Eldercare is helping more seniors stay safely in their own homes and to do this we have had to hire new caregivers. That le

Adventures in Eldercare (January 2011) Hand in hand with caring for an elderly spouse or parent is an unfortunate side-effect; Caregiver Stress. It is inevitable that there will be a certain degree of caregiver stress but with knowledge and positive pre-emptive action stress can be minimized. Caregiver stress can reach critical levels, at this point a number of societal issues and personal health conditions are often observed. At the societal level, Caregiver stress leads

Adventures in Eldercare (January 2011) Hand in hand with caring for an elderly spouse or parent is an unfortunate side-effect; Caregiver Stress. It is inevitable that there will be a certain degree of caregiver stress but with knowledge and positive pre-emptive action stress can be minimized. Caregiver stress can reach critical levels, at this point a number of societal issues and personal health conditions are often observed. At the societal level, Caregiver stress leads t

Adventures in Eldercare (March 2011) How often have you heard that same story? “I was a young woman, I met my husband at the Servicemen’s dance, and it was love at first sight….” Unfortunately, the common reaction, especially by the caregivers that have heard the story numerous times, is to tune out or try to get an elder senior to talk about something else. Often caregivers are bored by the repetition of the story, or wish their patient would not dwell as often in the pas