Posts Tagged ‘caregiver’
NS Centre on Aging seeking research particpants
The Nova Scotia Centre on Aging is seeking assistance with a research study that involves caregiver assessment of older spouses living at home with their partner who has some level of cognitive impairment. They are seeking individuals in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island who are:
- 65 years or older;
- married or in a common-law relationship;
- living at home with their spouse/partner;
- caring for/ supporting their spouse/partner due to spouse’s/partner’s memory problems, cognitive impairment or a diagnosed dementia (we are looking for individuals who are caring for those at all stages of impairment, from the early signs to very severe dementia).
They encourage anyone who is aware of someone in this situation, and who might be interested in participating in such a study to make them aware of the project website and contact information below. Additionally, anyone interested in receiving more information should not hesitate to contact them:
Timing of the C.A.R.E. Tool Project
Mary Leslie, Project Manager
Nova Scotia Centre on Aging, Mount Saint Vincent University
Tel: (902) 457-6573 or Toll free: 1-877-302-4440
Email: caretool@msvu.ca
Website: www.msvu.ca/nsca/caregiverassessment (and click Timing of the CARE Tool in left bar).
Alzheimer Society of NS Family Caregiver Education Series
The Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia presents an Alzheimer Disease Family Educations Series for family/friend caregivers.
Registration is at no cost. Pre-registration is required and space is limited.
Who: Family members who are providing care and support to someone recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia (ADRD).
When: May 12- June 16, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m .
Where: Penthouse, 2615 Northwood TerraceTo Register: Call Patricia Howe at Northwood Client Services at 454-3356
No Comments »
Workshop for Health Care Professionals: realities of family/friend caregivers
The Nova Scotia Centre on Aging, and the Canadian Dementia Knowledge Translation Network are please to present a one day workshop for health care professionals on examining the realities of family and friend caregivers.
“Family and friend caregivers supporting an adult with health limitations in the community are an integral part of the Nova Scotia health system. Despite their important role, many health care professionals are not always fully aware of the strengths they have or unique challenges they face. This interactive workshop will assist health care professionals to better understand the realities of family and friend caregivers. Participants will assess their values and beliefs with regard to family caregiving, examine caregiving issues, and leave with insight about how to modify their practice to better support caregivers.”
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 9:00am to 2:00pm
Inn on the Lake - 3009 Hwy 2, Fall River
Registration required by May 7, 2010.
For more information contact nsca@msvu.ca
or 902-457-6546 or click here
Workshops for caregivers, by caregivers.
GANS, Caregivers Nova Scotia, and Dalhousie University have partnered on an exciting new project involving caregiver workshops, called Take Care! The workshops specifically target individuals who give care to older adults who are self-managing a chronic health issue and focus on the caregiver’s role as a coach, emphasizing the importance of self-care.
The workshops are free and there are three different locations in HRM.
Saturday, November 28 Caregivers Nova Scotia office
9:00 am – 12:00 pm Halifax Shopping Centre
Tower I, Suite 105
Tuesday, December 1 Morrison Room, LeBrun Centre
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm 36 Holland Avenue, Bedford
Friday, December 11 Sobeys Community Room
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm 535 Portland Street, Dartmouth
To learn more about these workshops, contact Brenda at Caregivers Nova Scotia at 421-7390 or projects@caregiversns.org
No Comments »
Whistleblower nurse wins patients’ choice at awards ceremony.
On November 10th, Margaret Haywood, a nurse in the UK, won the patient’s choice award at the Nursing Standard Nurse of the Year Awards. She was described as having demonstrated “outstanding nursing qualities and a willingness to go the extra mile”.
Margaret’s award is all the more significant because for the last four years she has been under intense scrutiny, and was even barred from practicing, due to her decision to to blow the whistle on serious lapses in care of the elderly at the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton, England.
Margaret Haywood (www.independent.co.uk)
In April 2009 Margaret was struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the UK after they determined that her decision to participate in an undercover documentary by BBC’s Panorama in 2005 went against patient confidentiality and her nursing duties. In the documentary, Ms. Haywood, who had more than 20 years experience nursing, said, “Seeing this kind of care makes me feel angry, it makes me ashamed of my profession. We’re talking about basic human needs here, basic nursing care.”
A massive public outcry against this ruling resulted in Ms. Haywood being reinstated on October 13th of this year. Ms. Haywood had the backing not only of the general public, but also special interest groups such as Action against Medical Accidents and Patient Concern,whose co-director Joyce Robins has this to say:
“The only complaint against Margaret Haywood came from the NHS Trust – the very organisation that allowed elderly people to be kept in subhuman conditions and were seriously embarrassed when their negligence was revealed to the public. Which nurse would you trust – the one who blew the whistle and saved suffering, or the ones who went to work each day, saw the appalling treatment, and did nothing?”
The Nursing and Midwifery Council now say that whistle blowing is a difficult decision for any nurse, and says they are working on guidelines that will help those who wish to raise concerns.
Go here to see the BBC article on this, with a link to the video from the Panorama show. [Note that some of the video may be disturbing to some viewers.]
No Comments »
Intimacy and dementia a topic at upcoming Alzheimer’s Society conference
The Alzheimer’s Society of Nova Scotia will be hosting its 20th annual conference next week, October 19-20th at the Harbourview Holiday Inn In Dartmouth, NS.It will be two days of updates and information on the latest research, adult day programs, challenging behaviours, adults at risk and more. 
One session not to miss is John O’Keefe, senior social worker from Northwood, who will be speaking on intimacy and dementia:
“The need for intimacy and human closeness does not disappear with cognitive decline. The challenges to
have ones’ intimacy needs met within this context are many and varied. From privacy to competency issues, to staff and family attitudes; caregivers are confronted with many challenges to providing an environment which supports
and promotes the appropriate expression of intimacy.”
You can see the full conference program here. There will also be a free public discussion the evening of the 19th of October. Details on this can be found here.
No Comments »
NSAHO launches Continuing Care Month at the Windsor Elms
The Nova Scotia Association of Health Organizations (NSAHO) launched Continuing Care Month in Nova Scotia at the Windsor Elms Village in Windsor, NS. The theme of this month is “Above and Beyond, Because We Care: Enriching Lives Every Day.” 
The CEO of the Windsor Elms, Sherry Keen, talked about this:
‘Meaningful relationships have to be established to really get to know any individual or assess all the needs of a person, Keen noted. “You have to really try to get to know people as individuals to make a difference in the lives of people here. I try to look for the smile if someone’s feeling stressed and it’s always nice to have a laugh together.”’
Read the full article in NovaNewsNow. Visit the NSAHO.
Caregiving up close and from a distance.
Writing in the New York Times blog New Old Age, Anne C Roark talks about the request her father made of her: “…my father told me not to do for them what they had done for their parents: become their caregiver when they were old” and the difficulties of caring for elderly parents, even when it is done from afar.
You can read the full article here and for more information about caregiving resources in Nova Scotia, you can drop by the info centre at Caregivers Nova Scotia. They have handbooks, numbers to call and even a planning guide to help you get started.
No Comments »
Nova Scotia Caregivers Allowance – FAQ’s
Launched by the Nova Scotia department of Health in early August, 2009, the Caregiver Allowance is a province-wide program designed to recognize the important role of caregivers in the health and well being of many Nova Scotians. 
From their site: “Both the caregiver and the person she/he provides care to must meet the program’s eligibility criteria. This is determined through an assessment process completed by a Continuing Care, Care Coordinator. If the caregiver and care recipient both qualify for the program, the caregiver will receive the Caregiver Allowance of $400 per month”
A list of frequently asked questions about this program can be found here.
No Comments »