Category Archives: Home Care
How to care for a person with COVID-19 at home – Advice for caregivers
If you are caring for a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, follow this advice to protect yourself and others in the home, as well as those in your community. Limit contact -Only one healthy person should provide care. -Do not share personal items with the ill person, such as toothbrushes, towels, bed linen, utensils or electronic devices. -Use a separate bathroom from the ill person if possible. If not possible, the ill person should put the toilet lid down before flushing. Protect yourself - If possible, people who are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 should not care for someone with COVID-19. These people include elderly persons, those with chronic medical conditions (e.g., heart disease, diabetes) or compromised immune systems - If you need to be... Continue reading »
Home Remedies for Burns
When can you treat a burn at home? Whether you burn your hand on a pan of cookies, spend too much time in the sun, or spill hot coffee on your lap, burns are certainly not pleasant. Unfortunately, burns are one of the most common household injuries. Burns are categorized by their severity. A first-degree burn is considered the least severe because it only affects the outer layer of skin. It usually only causes mild pain, redness, and swelling. Second-degree burns affect deeper layers of the skin and cause blisters and white, wet, and shiny skin. Third-degree burns involve damage to all layers of the skin, while fourth-degree burns may involve the joints and bones. Third- and fourth-degree burns are considered medical emergencies and should only be treated in a hospital. You can... Continue reading »
The Dangers of Senior Isolation
There’s no question that humans are social creatures and that today’s technological advances have made it easier than ever to connect with each other. A couple of taps on a smartphone and you can see the face of a loved one on the other side of the world. A quick email or text elicits an immediate response. We may be more connected, but studies show we lonelier than ever. Learn more about chronic loneliness in Canada and how it negatively affects the health of seniors. CHRONIC FEELINGS OF LONELINESS ON THE RISE John Cacioppo, the director of the University of Chicago’s Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience and author of Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection (W. W. Norton & Co., 2009) defines loneliness as the “perceived social isolation, or the... Continue reading »
When a Loved One is Terminally-ill
Life will never be the same for people who are told that they are in their last days. Suddenly, every moment becomes precious, and it’s both heartbreaking and comforting to know that soon they’ll be in a far better place with no illnesses or woes to pester them. And now in their final moments, here are some things you can do before they leave for a better place. 1. Seek to mend old wounds. 2. Say the things you need to say. 3. Learn to accept. 4. Be with them always if possible. 5. Openly say words of affirmation. #seniors #TerminallyIll... Continue reading »