I have come to realize five key things about caregiving. These steps have helped my mother, have helped me, and have helped make this year better than the last. Now, I would like to share them with you.
For people with dementia and their caregivers, it can be difficult to find activities that strike the right balance between being supportive, being socially appropriate and, of course, being fun. As the disease progresses and abilities change, it’s common for friends to withdraw and activities to start to fall away. A person is left with few things that can offer joy, a sense of purpose and human connection. I’ve seen this firsthand—my father had dementia for 18 years. As it…
Dr. Christopher Frank, of Kingston, Ontario, particularly appreciates the caregiver’s role—after all, he focuses on areas where caregivers provide crucial help, such as geriatric rehabilitation, acute care consultation and palliative care. In this guest blog, Dr. Frank shares five pieces of inspirational advice from one of his patient’s relatives, a caregiver herself.
Our caregiver tax refund series continues! So far, we’ve talked about the difference between tax credits and deductions, and demystified the Canada Caregiver Credit. You may now be wondering, what are the tax credits that caregivers tend to overlook? Glenn Hayter, Certified Financial Planner with Hayter and Associates Inc., answers some of the most common to get his insights on the credits that may apply to you! I support someone who is living with dementia. How do I qualify for…
March in Ontario can be a drag: Our New Year’s resolutions are losing their spark, flu season has taken a toll, and now we’re about to be hit by the dreaded Tax Season. Not to worry, we have some information to help you through the Tax Blues. The good news: If you’re a caregiver in Ontario, you may be eligible for caregiver tax credits! We reached out to Glenn Hayter of Hayter and Associates Inc., Certified Financial Planner, to get…
There is no question that caregivers are the unsung heroes of Ontario’s health system. While we can’t send you all a certificate of our appreciation, we can point you in the direction of some helpful caregiver tax credits that may relieve the financial burden that comes with caregiving. The Canada Caregiver Credit (CCC) is a tax credit that is made available to people residing in Canada who must submit an Income Tax Return. It’s provincial counterpart, the Ontario Caregiver Credit…
The last Wednesday of January is Bell Let’s Talk Day, an initiative to encourage conversations, increase awareness and end the stigma around mental illness. One aspect of the conversation that’s not often talked about is mental health among older adults and seniors, and how this intersects with dementia. So today, let’s talk about it. Here are five things you should know about dementia, mental illness and mental health: 1) Dementia caregivers experience higher rates of depression than all other caregivers….
by Elaine MacLachlan My mother died of Parkinson’s disease and dementia two weeks before her 88th birthday. That was over 5 years ago. It was a long and often difficult journey. Looking back now, instead of regret and sadness, I choose to remember the gifts she gave me during that time. And, there were many. Those are the things I cherish. Her health started to decline around the age of 80 when she fell down the stairs fracturing her pelvis….
We all know that a healthy lifestyle is important for reducing our risk of dementia and many other chronic diseases. But did you know that it’s equally important for people who already have a diagnosis of dementia? Research shows that lifestyle choices such as healthy eating, staying social, challenging your brain and being physically active can improve quality of life, may help to slow the progression of the disease and can improve your capacity to cope with some of the…