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Planning Ahead: Why it’s Imperative for Long-term Care

Start early and research wisely to retain control of your long-term care

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There will come a day when you fall and can not get up without assistance. There will come a day when someone needs to oversee your medication. There will come a day when the knowledge of how to perform the Acts of Daily Living fade from your mind, the lawn overgrows, the roof leaks, food labels are confusing – and you can no longer manage any of it. Or perhaps there will come a day when you feel your heart pause, your vision dim and you wake up in a hospital bed surrounded by the faces of your children and a list of long-term care homes on the nightstand.

Nobody wants to lose control over the trajectory of their life just as much as life happens whether we want it to or not. The key is this – take control now. Learn about the options for long-term care even if you are not ready to, or need to, make the move. Know where you want to go and what makes your care community of choice appealing (location, amenities, rooms for couples, etc.) so when the time comes, be it a choice or a medical emergency forcing your hand, you go where you want to go.

And know this – you don’t need to be in crisis to make the move. Graduated care is an option, as is simply moving into a care community while in good health so you can enjoy not making meals, not doing house maintenance and not having to own and maintain a car.

Rick Lauber is a former co-caregiver who supported both of his aging parents through challenging health journeys—his mother faced Parkinson’s Disease and Leukemia, while his father battled Alzheimer’s. Passionate about supporting other caregivers, Lauber has contributed as a board member for Caregivers Alberta, playing a key role in guiding the organization’s growth and impact. He has also penned two books: Caregiver’s Guide for Canadians and The Successful Caregiver’s Guide (both available on Amazon).

“Seniors and family members can put off thinking about, or discussing, long-term care needs for various reasons,” says Lauber. “Moving a senior into long-term care signals an increased mental and/or physical decline, which can be difficult to deal with. Seniors can fight tooth and nail to keep their prized independence, and family members may consider a loved one’s future bleak and not want to accept things. The reduced health of a loved one or increased chance of sickness, injury and death are unpleasant issues to face. Seniors will have also lived at home for many years and may be unwilling to give up the familiarity of their home and community. Giving up the home involves much work with downsizing belongings, finding and working with a Realtor, as well as packing up and moving.”

The complications continue, “Seniors may also feel embarrassed to admit they could use additional care and family members could be hesitant or shy to ask the delicate questions or make this recommendation. If a senior has Alzheimer’s disease, for example, they will quickly forget that important matters have been discussed, leading to conversations having to be gently and patiently repeated.

“As a former co-caregiver, I was also challenged by my parents’ preference for privacy. As a family, we rarely discussed personal issues, so sharing became even more difficult as they aged.”

There is an option that helps address all these concerns.

Lauber explains, “Graduated care, where further care is provided in the same long-term care facility, has to be one of the best-kept secrets of healthcare. Having this available is greatly beneficial for both resident seniors and their family members as it reduces difficult moves. It’s far easier, faster and safer to transport a senior to another building floor or wing than across the city. With graduated care, long-term care staff will better know the resident, their medical condition, their family and their likes and dislikes. The senior will benefit from seeing more familiar faces.”

One such location that provides graduated care is the Canterbury Foundation. For 50 years this community has quietly served the Edmonton region with a range of accommodations for seniors, from independent living to supportive, memory care, long-term and ultimately palliative care. Canterbury Foundation has rooms for couples and singles.

Heidi Hadubiak, CEO, notes, “We do not have investors to report to, so all funds are re-invested for the support and care of our residents. Under this model we are able to open our campus of care to include not only a long-term care wing, but also end-of-life care. Residents can enter as active and independent seniors and remain at Canterbury as life changes and they require the additional care that can come with aging.”

She continues, “We are very proud of this, as we are the only site in Edmonton that transitions residents through all the levels of care, right within our community. We also have no wait lists, ensuring we can promptly address the changing needs of the residents that stay with us. The ability to ensure couples can remain in the same community despite dementia or Alzheimer’s is something we specialize in.”

Canterbury Foundation’s culture of care extends well beyond its walls. The organization is committed to helping individuals and families explore their long-term care options before a health crisis dictates urgent decisions. Canterbury understands that talking about topics like end-of-life care or independent living can feel daunting. That’s why they prioritize education and support—whether or not Canterbury becomes the care provider of choice. Families can reach out to Canterbury for guidance or request a helpful questionnaire they created which is designed to identify key questions to ask when evaluating care homes.

Another option to consider is HolSome Place. While the focus at HolSome is not on graduated care, this new-to-Edmonton community focuses on bringing a home-style environment to residents who require Type A care.

Truman Severson, executive director, LeeCaring Communities, explains, “HolSome Place is a 136-bed Type A program. Type A is a designation under the new Continuing Care Act and is what used to be called long-term care. A Type A program provides 24-hour registered nursing care as well as in-house therapeutic services. This is what distinguishes HolSome Place from assisted living programs. We strive each day to live our mission, which is to create resident-focused communities that are respectful, caring and compassionate, where residents are encouraged to live each day with purpose and belonging. HolSome Place is a new community in as much as it has been open for a little over a year. We are happy to say that it is characterized as kind, caring, compassionate and a good place to live.”

HolSome Place is part of Alberta’s publicly funded continuing care system. Any adult who is assessed by Alberta Health Services and requiring the services provided in long-term care can reside at HolSome, which means it is not only for seniors.

Severson notes, “Moving into long-term care is a big change in life for residents and their families, particularly if they are moving in from living independently. Prior to moving in, they have often been cared for by spouses, family members or friends but their care needs have become more than what can be safely provided at their home. Still, it is tough to leave one’s home and the network of care that has helped keep them there. For many, this is the last phase in their life.”

“Some residents move in from the hospital where they have been waiting for a long-term care space to open up,” Severson continues. “For these residents and their families, there is often a sense of relief. Moving into HolSome is a bit like getting back to regular life even though they have needs that prevent them from moving home.”

Severson advises that starting the search early and collaborating with your doctor.

“People and/or their family members need to start thinking about continuing care as they begin to experience changes in their health that are making it difficult to live in more independent settings. A person’s physician is key to this.”

Lauber, Hadubiak and Severson confirm the value of taking the reins and researching options before a crisis takes place.

Lauber reinforces this sentiment, saying, “The best time to start planning and looking at care options is as soon as possible. In this case, it is far better to be proactive, rather than reactive. Having more time will result in seniors and family members learning more about what is available, allow for related family discussions to happen, let family members and seniors tour and evaluate properties and reduce associated stress.”

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