There are some big differences between home care and residential care. In today’s blog article we are going to look at home care versus residential care in Alberta. Home care and residential care are complex subjects, so let’s look at them one at a time. Home Care Home care refers to someone coming to your home to provide you with a wide range of services. The services might include things like helping someone get dressed or helping them eat or even cooking or cleaning. This is just a partial list to illustrate the point. In Canada, in all provinces, the provincial health authorities default t ..read more

Sometimes there can be some difficulties communicating with seniors. Below, we are going to mention three potential barriers to communication with seniors, and how to address them. Hearing Hearing is a big barrier. One of the reasons that this is often a problem is because seniors often do not even realize that they are having difficulty hearing. They also may be reluctant to admit that something is not working as well as it used to. And seniors may not realize that hearing-aid technology has improved considerably in the last 20 years. If this is problem you are experiencing with a senior, try ..read more

Seniors move into independent-living communities for multiple reasons, but one of those reasons is the wealth of services that the best of these communities offer to residents. In today’s blog article we would like to talk about which of these services we think are most important. Food Food services have to be some of the most important. While residential suites have kitchens, most senior independent-living communities offer one or more professionally prepared meals that are served in a common area. There are several advantages to having food services. First, the meals are prepared by professi ..read more

Lots of us are stiff and sore when we get up in the morning or after we have been sitting for a long time. Some simple flexibility exercises can help with that, as well as prevent injuries, improve balance, and relieve pain. In today’s blog article, we will describe for you some simple flexibility exercises that are perfect for seniors. Torso Stretch An easy torso stretch can be performed while standing or sitting. If performed while standing, it is perfectly okay to hold onto something for balance like a wall or table top. Just lean forward and relax your back and head and neck. Then lean bac ..read more

Occasionally, a senior community offers both independent living and assisted living within the same environment. This is what we do at the Hamlets at Cedarwood Station in Airdrie, Alberta, and it offers considerable advantages to the residents. In this blog article, we are going to go over with you what some of these advantages are. Separation of Spouses Sometimes in a couple, one partner needs more care than the other, and unfortunately this often means separating the couple to meet their different needs in different senior environments. When a senior community offers more than one level of c ..read more

Sarcopenia refers to several age-related changes in body composition. These changes include loss of lean muscle mass, loss of bone density, increase in fat, and decrease in metabolism. Interestingly, the changes are related. For example, when one loses muscle mass, that is associated with loss of bone density. And loss of muscle mass and skeletal bone is associated with a decrease in metabolism and possibly appetite. None of these changes are good for you or make you feel better. Quite the opposite. Loss of skeletal muscle and bone make you more fragile and prone to bone fractures. These chang ..read more

There are so many things that one can do to unleash creativity. Here are a few simple ideas to get your creative juices flowing. A New Hobby Consider trying a new hobby like knitting or crochet. Needlework is not just for women, there are plenty of male yarn artists. It’s a very simple activity requiring a needle or two and some yarn. There are thousands of stitches, and you can make up your own, as well. There are free tutorials available online, on YouTube, for example, and every town has clubs or guilds you can participate in, even virtually. Drawing Many of us have some talent that we are ..read more

You may have heard or read about certain foods having an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effect. In today’s blog article, we’re going to talk about what an anti-inflammatory diet is and why it’s important. What is an anti-inflammatory diet? An anti-inflammatory diet is not a specific strict diet. It is more like a style of eating. Foods that have been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect include most plant-based foods, like fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and foods that are high in omega fatty acids such as nuts or oily fish like salmon or mackerel. Some foods like olive oil are good ..read more

At the age of 80, Eileen Colbourne is an independent senior who drives herself and her wheelchair-bound husband, Gerry, just about everywhere. The couple recently joined their children, who moved to Alberta years ago, by making the trek to Airdrie from their native Newfoundland. They arrived as strangers but are now living among friends. The Colbournes are nicely settled in their new home at The Hamlets at Cedarwood Station, an independent seniors residence next to Fletcher Park in Airdrie. “I knew when I walked through the door, this was going to be home. It was welcoming,” Eileen says. The c ..read more

Using your brain is always a good thing. Today we know that the brain has extraordinary plasticity, and we create new neurons and neural pathways throughout our lives. Now that the weather is not so great, we would like to tell you about some great memory games for seniors that are easy to play, free, and you can do them inside. You can exercise your brain during the winter months. Playing Cards Believe it or not many card games require a lot of memory to play well. For example, in straight gin, you need to remember what has been discarded in order to know what is remaining in the deck. In bri ..read more