Vancouver Real Estate Blog

Vancouver - Choosing Seniors Housing And A warning about Assisted Living In Vancouver

Seniors Housing is successful--both for the provider and for the residents--when the former successfully meets the needs of the clientele to whom they are providing housing. That calls for commitment. They cannot "go halfway."

Twice in the past few months we have had concerns about  the response from senior personnel in two different Seniors residences to the needs of  our clients who were residing in those buildings. Both residences market themselves as independent living, but  also are  registered as providing assisted living.  This means that they are able to provide  personal care services such as  assistance with bathing, dressing, medication reminders, and more. Both are on the high end in terms of costs and  the clients to which they appeal.

 

Any residence which provides support services  is going to have residents with cognitive impairment. Either these people enter with the   impairment, or as they age they  become impaired.One of the reasons people choose to live there is because they are able to have these services, and, at least to some extent, age in place.

It would seem logical that  if a residence is accepting clients with dementia, or allows residents to remain in the care home as they  become impaired, then the facility would have the appropriate structures in place to meet those needs.  Unfortunately, neither of the residences referenced above appeared to have such structures in place.  Further,  the administrators of both homes  told us such care would not be forthcoming as the residence is an independent living facility.  In fact, both residences have been registered as assisted living facilities.

 

If you are a loved one is considering seniors housing, it is critical that you familiarize yourself with types of housing and the requirements and services  provided by each type of residence.

Examples of to what an assisted living residence needs to do:

 

People who are cognitively impaired  may  be able to participate in most recreation programmes, but they also have differing needs. At the very least, they may need  a higher degree of structure to be able to take advantage of what is available.  For instance, they may need more reminding to come to a programme, they may need more instruction during the programme,  a simpler version, or an opportunity for a  longer response time. We believe that it is the Residence's responsibility to respond to these needs.

 

This type of additional structure is also necessary in other areas. For instance in a dining room, a cognitively impaired resident with diabetes may need  the serving personnel to offer them a diabetic dessert as a first choice or at least as an alternative.   They may need to be brought a diabetic main course, or at least instructed about  the main course.  This helps them to adhere to a diet.  This  means that dining room personnel need to know who is diabetic and who is cognitively impaired.  It suggests a certain level of training and  responsibility.

 

People with dementia often have impairments in what we call executive function. Whereas they may be able to tell us what they would like and be able to respond appropriately  in  emergency evacuation but may not have  the insight, judgment, and awareness they  need to make informed decisions about their care needs.  Someone needs to help them and arrange for a structure to insure needs are adequately and safely met. The residence must be aware of the needs and have a system in place. They must be  ready to involve family or other caregivers when necessary. It is not  reasonable for the residence to  depend on the resident to make decisions which he or she is not capable of making.

 

The common thread in the above examples is the  willingness of the Residence to respond to the needs of the residents they say they are able to accommodate. It speaks to an attitude and an awareness, as well as an understanding of  their clientele.

 

When considering a move to Seniors housing, be aware of present and future needs.   Ask the residence how they will meet those needs. How will it respond if a resident develops dementia or loses their sight? How does their programming reflect the needs of impaired residents?  How does management cope with  these needs as they arise?  What do they see as their responsibility?

 

If a Residence does not have nursing care, so is not a nursing home, they  will ask a resident to leave if the individual's needs  become too high. When you are taking a tour, be quite clear that you want to know what that point is, and how they will handle it.

 

Asking questions about how a Residence functions is one way  to help caregivers  understand what their present and future role and responsibilities will be. Living in Seniors housing is a great solution for a lot of people, but it does not solve all of the concerns that caregivers have.

To read more information about seniors, please go to Diamongeriatics below.

http://www.diamondgeriatrics.com/

Vancouver Seniors - Aging And Loss

Talk to someone about what they are going through or how they are feeling, as opposed to trying to talk them into or out of it. Ask what it is like to have a certain experience.  It doesn't help to say "well we can drive you," or  "you  can afford a taxi" when someone feels they are losing control of their life.  If you want to point out those things, wait until after  you have heard what it is like for them;  until after you have said, "it's really hard for you to have to make such a big change in your life, isn't it?"  You can ask if they feel some shame or regret. Often, people need an "invitation" to start talking. This is is the use of empathy and listening.

1) For many people a first major loss  as they age is retirement.

2) A second major loss is often the loss of a spouse.

3) Giving up one's license, voluntarily or not, is another loss.

4) Continuing as we age, a fourth major loss often occurs when someone moves from their home.

5) There is the loss of mobility that may lead to someone needing a walker or a cane. 

6) Lost most or all of their friends.

7) Loss of siblings, cousins, or  other family members.

8) Loss of health and strength which may be accompanied by chronic pain.

 

In terms of health, we can encourage and help people to eat well, socialize, and exercise. Exercise especially gives people a sense of well being through the release of endorphins in the brain, increases their strength and mobility, and helps maintain and improve overall body functions. All of these assist in fighting helplessness because people are doing something to help themselves.

Please read the full article below and contact:

http://diamondgeriatrics.com/newsletter/newsletter-march12.html

 

 

 

Seniors, Caregivers - When Is "The Right Time" For A move??

 

People have often asked us during consultations or lectures  when "the right time" is for someone to move to seniors housing. There is no easy answer, but generally, our response is that there are two right times to consider-- one for the person who is receiving care and  one for the person who is caregiving. Hopefully, they arrive at the same time but  often they do not. This month Elder Voice looks at the point at which Caregivers need to consider seniors housing for their loved one.

 

Caregiving can be seen as a series or set of tasks,which can be divided into two areas. One is called  " IADL: Instrumental Activities of Daily Living" and include  helping with shopping, cooking, house or yard work, banking and laundry.   The second area is called "ADL: Activities of Daily Living." These are personal care tasks such as helping with  dressing, bathing, washing, grooming, eating, and toiletting.The scope of caregiving increases as the number of those tasks or the frequency with which you  assist in providing them increases.

 

Every caregiver has a different tolerance level for caregiving and helping with those tasks. It depends on your work life, your health, your marriage and family,and your finances, as well as the history of your relationship with the person you are caring for. Your situation may look the same as someone else's, but almost certainly it is not. Even after hiring a home care worker, you can reach a  point at which Seniors Housing becomes the most viable option for you.     

 

There are a few practical behavioural "markers" which indicate from a caregiver's perspective that it is  time to look at Seniors Housing.  Are any of the following occurring in your situation?    

1. Is your loved one starting to become incontinent?  

2.  Is he wandering from the home and getting lost, or is he so unsafe outside by himself that you have to monitor the doors? 

3. Are his sleep patterns changing  or he is up all night causing your sleep to be interrupted to the point where your functioning is affected?  

4. Is he starting to become resistant to the care you are trying to provide  or aggressive with you while you are trying to do so?

5. Is he overwhelming you by asking the same question over and over again?

6. Does he become so anxious when you are not nearby, that it is difficult for you to go out or have some time for yourself?

 

Keep in mind for your sake as well as that of the person you are caring for,that the best time for a change is BEFORE you start to suffer from burn out. Burnout is a physiological state  at which the immune and other systems in the body become compromised, putting one's health at risk.  

 

The following are indicators that you may be burning out:  

1. Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.

2. Irritation and anger which seem spontaneous.

3. Overuse of alcohol or prescription medications to deal with emotions.

4. Fatigue and loss of energy.

5. Changes in appetite, sleep patterns, and libido.

6. Crying and overwhelming sadness.

 

These above are your body's way of telling you that  you are reaching your limit.  To continue caregiving as you are puts both yourself and the person you are caring for at risk.  If you are experiencing two or more of these symptoms, the time is right to seriously consider Seniors Housing. 

 

A third way to  assess whether the time is right is to look at  what we might call environmental factors--your personal environment. Ask yourself:   

1. Is caregiving taking too much time from your children or marriage? Are you choosing the person you are caring for over your spouse or children? Are you fighting more with your spouse? 

2. Have you given up your friendships and involvement with your community?

3. Have you given up your hobbies or interests?   

4. Are you turning down invitations and opportunities because she is not able to participate in them any longer?  

 

Finally, pay attention to how you talk to yourself; there are clues in one's self-talk  that will  tell you now  is the time. Do you tell yourself:  

1. Things aren't that bad or others have a more difficult situation than you do.

2. Buck up, get a grip on yourself.

3. You promised to do "X" or not to  put  "Y" in a home, so you are going to keep your promise no matter what. 

4. Your family should just  understand why you are doing this.

5. You couldn't live with yourself if you did anything different.   

6. Your mother/father/husband did/would do this for you.

 

All of these thoughts indicate that you are in conflict with yourself and you may be pushing yourself  when it is no longer good for you and maybe your loved one.  These are signs that the time to reconsider your options is now.  

Thanks to Elder Voices for this informative article. This is great reading and helps out my senior clients. Please click on the website below to learn more.

 

 

www.DiamondGeriatrics.com.

 

      

Seniors - 170 Recommendations To Improving Life For Seniors

Ompbudsperson of BC, Kim Carter released her report on services to seniors on February 14th.  It includes over 170 recommendations aimed at improving the quality of life for seniors and caregivers and helping them to access care and information.

 

To read the report click here.

To read The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority Recommendations and Facts click below

http://www.ombudsman.bc.ca/images/pdf/seniors/VCHA_Regional_Profile_2012.pdf

 

Vancouver Senior Care Team - Hearing Loss In Seniors

Estimates of hearing loss in the elderly vary, but at least 25%  of people from 65-75 and 35% of those over eighty have some degree of impairment, as reported in the published edition of Elder Voices.

Hearing loss can have profound physical, emotional, and social impact. At a physical level  someone is at risk if they cannot  hear an alarm, an intruder, a warning shout, or the honking of a horn.  Hearing loss  often causes people to isolate themselves from family  and friends, withdraw from activities, become depressed.

Most disturbing, hearing loss can also contribute to  a misdiagnosis of dementia, or the degree of dementia  when someone answers tests or questions inappropriately and the cause is attributed to  cognitive impairment and not understood as hearing loss.

 

The most common cause of hearing loss is presbycusis, the slow hearing loss that occurs as people age. Presbycusis occurs when the small  hairs of the inner ear are damaged or die. When functioning properly, they enable hearing by picking up sound waves and changing  them into nerve signals that the brain interprets as sound. They do not regenerate and the hearing loss is permanent.

 

"The Vancouver Senior Care Team" is an interdisciplinary association of Health Care, Real Estate, Legal and Financial professionals who have come together to provide support, information and guidance to seniors, caregivers, businesses and non profit organizations. To help decrease the difficulties presented as they try to solve the emotional and practical issues they experience.

Our mandate is to educate and assist Seniors through the enjoyable yet challenging times of health and retirement.

 

To read more about this article please follow the link below and the website below of one of our members.

Peter Silin, MSW, RSW [eldercare@diamondgeriatrics.com]

 

http://diamondgeriatrics.com/newsletter/newsletter-July11.html

 

www.DiamondGeriatrics.com.

Vancouver Senior Care Team

After the death of a loved one, we can become immobilized even though we have had time to prepare. Even before death or a prolonged illness Susan Moore of Bell Alliance Transitions and a member of Vancouver Senior Care Team will come in and help with the overwhelming number of details associated with illness and bereavement support.

"There's an incredible amount of work" says Susan. "As much as people offer help, it's hard to accept from friends and family. Grief is personal and intimate. It can also be isolating. So it's important for families to know there is help and support in the community. If you want somebody by your side, I can help."

The other aspect that makes alot of sense to me, as a member of Vancouver Senior Care Team with Susan Moore, "is the support caregivers need in keeping their own lives running while still taking care of their loved ones", as Susan Moore said. 

The last two points I want to point out are quotes from Susan Moore "Anything that needs to be done" and  when Moore likes to think she made "his worse day a little easier". These two quotes give me comfort knowing that Moore is on your side and understands the difficulty and stress one goes through and will support you when you need it most.

Please read the entire article, the link is below:

http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/betweenus/2011/07/05/susan-moore-and-bell-alliance-transitions-offer-support-coping-illness

 

More about Susan follow this link:

http://bellalliancetransitions.com/about-us/

Senior Housing Report For British Columbia Released By Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

CMHC released it's Senior Housing Report today for British columbia.

Some of the key findings are as follows:

1) More senior housing units were put on the market in the last year. A total of 1860 independent living suites. This caused the average vacancy rate to rise to 11.5%.

2) Most of all the large residential buildings of 100 or more units were found in large urban centres in the Lower mainland.

3) The average cost of an independent living suite in the lower mainland rented out for $2,400 per month. The average suite in North and West vancouver rented out for $4,155.

4) The mix of new units(1-2 years of age) consisted of 502 were for independent living. The balance of 1409 were designed for heavy care units. This is a 25% increase since last year.

5) Fewer respite beds and subsidized units compared to 2010

To read the full report follow the link below:

http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/esub/66231/66231_2011_A01.pdf

'Vancouver Senior Care Team" - Safe Guarding Our Parents From Kitchen Fires

Hey did you know that most accidents happen at home? Well it is true. So this is a simple method to help stop kitchen fires. Everyone has this at home. It's called a wooden spoon. It's lite and very easy to pick up and handle, that's the reason why this method of preventing kitchen fires is so easy. Say the phone rings or the grandchildren distract you from your kitchen cooking for a short period of time. By holding the spoon in your hand, this is a constant reminder that you have something on the stove. It's that easy. So if you or your parents do not have a wooden spoon, go out and invest a few dollars....I could result in saving your life or the lives of those around you.

Mitchell Mingie of Re/Max Crest Realty(Westside) is an Accredited Senior Agent and is the founding member of " Vancouver Senior Care Team".

To read more about preventing Kitchen fires follow the link below:

http://www.toronto.ca/fire/prevention/too_hot_to_handle.htm

Download PDF brochure.

Toronto maps | Get involved | Toronto links

Vancouver Real Estate - Seniors Protect your Home While Traveling

Planning your next getaway? Unfortunately, an empty house can be a tempting target for would-be burglars. Follow a few simple precautionary measures to secure your home, whether you’re leaving for weeks or just a weekend. Mitchell Mingie is an Accredited Senior Agent with Re/Max Crest Westside in Vancouver. He is the founding member with Cory Bretz of The Vancouver Seniors Care Team.

Make your home look lived in - Install automatic timer switches on lights, radios, and the TV. They’re inexpensive and many include variable timing schedules to create the appearance of activity in the house. Take extra steps to make your home seem occupied by turning off the ringer for your phone and parking a car in the driveway.

Alert the neighbors - Ask your neighbors to keep an eye on the house and leave them an emergency phone number. You might also consider hiring them to mow the lawn, water the plants, and put the trash cans out.

Stop all deliveries - Make sure things don’t pile up on the porch while you’re gone. Newspapers, mail, packages, and door flyers are all tell-tale signs that you’re away.

Secure your doors and windows - Use high-quality deadbolt locks on your doors, additional blocking devices on sliding glass doors, and sash locks on your windows. These can be easily retrofitted.

Install an alarm system - Deter would-be intruders with an alarm system and stickers on the exterior of your home. Many systems offer monthly monitoring for added protection. However, make sure everyone in the home knows how to properly use the system to avoid false alarms.

Remove valuables and keys - Leave your house key with a trusted friend (not hidden outside your home), and take valuables to a bank safe deposit box.

Spending a little time to protect your home before you go on vacation is well worth the effort. You’ll reduce your chances of being targeted and ensure a happy homecoming

Vancouver Seniors Care Team - Meet For The First Time- Powerful Session

On May 26th 2011 a group of highly trained individuals came together for the first time and met at my Re/Max office. Their goal was to develop a "Seniors Care Team". Topics of discussion were on interesting Facts about the demographics of Seniors, What is the Transformation seniors are seeking and how do you provide that service, to name a few.

The goal is to develop a "Care Team" to best help out and nurture the growing seniors market. We have made an amazing leap forward with everyone of like mindedness in this group. We are still looking to build our team and seek out other top key professionals in their fields.

From left to right top row: Richard Nash from Investors Group, Matthew Buie from Assante Wealth Management, Susan Moore from Transitions Bell Alliance Bereavement and Life Management Support Inc., Michele Davidson from Modern Celebrant, Cory Bretz from Heirloom Films Videos and Storybooks, Mitchell Mingie from Re/Max Crest Realty(Westside) specializing in seniors (ASA) qualifications - Accredited Seniors Agent.

From left to right bottom row: Jan Gazley from One to One Home Health and Limor Friedman from Vancouver In The Box packing services and organizing solutions.