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Tips for Caregivers
According to Statistics Canada, in 2018 an estimated 25 percent of the population provided some form of long-term caregiving to a loved one. As those with illness face multiple losses and grief, and adjustments to a different life routine, so do caregivers. Caregivers may face losses such as the loss of a job, broken or challenging relationships, and having to learn to adjust to new caregiving routines and skills. Caregiving is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding, yet demanding, jobs a person will ever have. Listen to this week's podcast for some tips to help ease the burden of caregiving.
Healthy Aging and Advance Care Planning
September is Healthy Aging Month. Healthy Aging Month was created to empower people over the age of 45 to take charge of their lives, their health, and their passions. This is not just about eating right and getting exercise. It is also about planning ahead. This includes planning for your end of life care. It can be hard to do, but creating an Advance Care Plan could save you and your loved one’s stress and time should you develop a palliative illness or become unexpectedly incapacitated. Learn more about healthy aging and advance care planning in this week's podast.
Poor Communication is Compromising Care for the Dying
In a recent CARENET report, poor communication was cited as a contributor to compromised care for palliative patients. Find out how to improve communication at end of life in this week's podcast.
Death Doulas Provide Comfort at End of Life
Just as a birth doula advocates for and cares for mothers in their pregnancy and birth journey, death doulas advocate for and care for the dying in their final days and death journey. While the health care team attends to needs of the body, a death doula attends to the needs of the spirit and mind, and to the practical needs of both the client and their loved ones.
Demands of Caregiving on Older Adults
Caregiving is often a physically, not to mention emotionally demanding job. For those who are aging, this can have an even greater negative impact on health and general well-being than on younger caregivers.
Receiving Care in a Hospice Residence
A hospice residence is a home away from home where people come to live their final days. When a person enters a hospice residence, it allows their family to hand over all the intricate details associated with pain and symptom management and focus on being a family member or friend.
Guilt and Caregiving
At Hospice Quinte we meet, and talk to, a lot of people who have become family caregivers for loved ones who are facing a terminal illness. We hear a lot of stories and many of these involve emotions such as sadness, hope, exhaustion, happiness, grace, despair, longing, love, and even anger. Yet, perhaps, the common emotion we hear about is guilt.
Confronting Our Death Denying Culture
Dying is a part of living. We will all experience it ourselves and we will all lose someone we love. Find out how you can confront our death denying culture in this week's podcast.