As a member of the Canadian Home Care Association (CHCA), Équinoxe LifeCare offers an integrated service model focused on supporting clients who continue to live at home.  According to their website:

The CHCA defines home care as an array of services, provided in the home and community setting, that encompass health promotion and teaching, curative intervention, end-of-life care, rehabilitation, support and maintenance, social adaptation and integration and support for the informal (family) caregiver.

Last week, the Canadian government re-asserted its support for an integrated service model by, in addition to providing funding for the CHCA to do so, commending the organization for taking the initiative to develop a home care planning and evaluation tool.  For more information about this initiative, you can read the full press release below:

Government of Canada supports the development of a home care planning and evaluation tool

January 23, 2012 
For immediate release

Factsheet: Home Care Services – Developing a Planning and Evaluation Tool for the Health Care System

MISSISSAUGA - Ms. Eve Adams, Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Brampton South, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Federal Minister of Health, today announced support to the Canadian Home Care Association for the development of a policy planning and evaluation tool, called the Home Care Policy Lens.

“I commend the leadership of the Association for taking the initiative to develop this valuable policy tool,” said Ms. Adams.  “I encourage all health care sectors to work with the Association to help enhance home care’s role in the continuum of health care services for Canadians.”

“The Home Care Policy Lens project will help achieve the Canadian Home Care Association’s vision of an integrated system that provides accessible, responsive services which enable people to safely stay in their homes with dignity and independence and quality of life” confirmed Nadine Henningsen, Executive Director, Canadian Home Care Association.

Delivered by the provinces and territories, home care programming provides an array of health and social services which enable clients with various health and functional limitations to live at home, rather than in a hospital or a long-term care facility.

Integrated care and cross-sector planning are key to a high-quality and sustainable health care system. The Home Care Policy Lens promises to be a much needed planning and evaluation tool to support collaboration across health sectors and optimize home care services for Canadians.  It will also help policy makers better develop and evaluate integrated care policies and identify issues that impact performance and responsiveness of the home and continuing care sector.

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Media Enquiries:
Health Canada
(613) 957-2983

Tyler McMurchy
Saskatchewan Health
(306) 787-4083

Cailin Rodgers
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200

Public Enquiries:
(613) 957-2991
1-866 225-0709

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/nr-cp/_2012/2012-10-eng.php#share

Although we all wish that it was not the case, the reality is that elder financial abuse is indeed on the rise as indicated by the following article:

http://www.yorkregion.com/print/1284146

As our top priority at Equinoxe is the health and safety of our clients, we are aware of the reality in terms of elder financial abuse and our caregivers are well versed on the warning signs related to this issue.

One the most valuable services that Equinoxe offers is called Care Management. For those of you who may not be familiar with this term or with this service, Care Management is the coordination and supervision of a wide range of in-home services to maximize the well-being and comfort of clients.

Our Care Managers are skilled nurses or social workers, with recognized credentials in gerontology, home care and nursing. Their expertise enables them to structure the most appropriate support for short or long-term care.

Part of the great advantage of hiring an Equinoxe Care Manager is that doing so enables families to feel secure that their loved ones` interests are completely protected. Our Care Managers act as both consultants and advocates for our clients, which can provide peace of mind to family members.

For more information about our Care Management services, please contact us:

Tel: 514.935.2600
Toll Free: 1.877.935.2600

Email: info@equinoxe.ca

Happy New Year, everyone!

We came across this interesting and practical list of “caregiver resolutions” on the web and thought that it was worth sharing. As you know, our goal at Equinoxe is not only to provide our clients with professional caregivers but also to support family caregivers who are providing care for their loved ones at home.  We hope that this list of “resolutions” comes in handy as you look forward to, and prepare for, a happy and healthy 2012!

Caregiver Resolutions (online only)
The Best of Times News — January 2012
By Dr. Marion Somers

http://www.thebestoftimesnews.com/articleprint.php?article=815

The new year always makes me think about starting fresh and making plans for the future. What should my “caregiver resolutions” be? Jolene, 59
I’m so glad you asked this question. Too often, we’re caught unprepared when it comes to caring for others, let alone ourselves. Planning ahead can greatly alleviate the financial, emotional, even physical toll of caregiving and aging. Here are my suggestions:

· Prepare for a crisis. Don’t wait till an emergency hits. Choose a hospital in advance, create a emergency chain of communication, and put critical documents together in a handy place, including insurance cards, allergy information, a list of current medications, and legal documents like DNR orders and living wills.

· Talk about caregiving now. Talking about finances, legal issues, and other caregiving topics can be tricky – but you just can’t tiptoe around these issues. Communicate in a direct, positive manner, and always make sure you’re taking your loved one’s feelings and opinions into account.

· Make your home safe. This is a good idea for all of us as we age. Create a safer living environment with a few easy steps, from adding grab bars in the shower to simply increasing the wattage of light bulbs throughout the home. For room-by-room tips, download my free home safety guide at www.MedicalAlert.com.

· Think long-term. 3 out of 4 of every us will need expensive long-term health care services like assisted living, nursing homes, and the like – and are not prepared to pay for it. Take time now to consider your and your loved ones’ health risks, research the local cost of care, and educate yourself on options like long-term care insurance, reverse mortgages, government programs, and more.

Good luck, and happy new year!

Dr. Marion (Marion Somers, PhD) is the author of \”Elder Care Made Easier\” and has over 40 years of experience as a geriatric care manager, caregiver, speaker, and expert in all things elder care. She offers practical tools, solutions, and advice to help caregivers everywhere through her book, web site, iPhone apps (Elder 411/911), cross-country speaking tours, and more. Visit www.DrMarion.com for more information.