Care -Giving
and -Receiving

Hot Tip for Seniors' Health!

Some home renovations are tax deductible, federally and/or provincially, for taxpayers over 65 or with disabilities.  Check the CRA website for information if you are adding safety or accessibility to your home.

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Care Readiness 

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Care Receiving Resources

• Self-Management coping with chronic conditions between medical appointments
• Self-Management resource links
• Self-Management support programs -BC
• Planning for your care - Mt. Sinai Hospital
• Driving checkup​
  • Is it time to stop driving?
  • Planning to Retire from Driving
  • When to stop driving​
• Maintaining mobility - e-lessons
  • Preventing falls​
• Going Home from Hospital - guide for patients and caregivers (Ontario)
• National Gallery art program for caregivers and dementia​​​​
• But You Don't Look Sick - dealing with invisible illness and disability
  • The "Spoon Theory" to explain  chronic illness or disability

Be Ready for Emergencies​

• Medical Info Summary sheet (sample as pdf, doc, rtf )
  • post on fridge for 911 calls
  • purse/wallet 
• Be ready to leave - have some cash on hand, fuel in car, cell phone charged,  to-go kit ready.
• Be ready to stay - Emergency supplies for home (BC list, CA list)

​Seniors' Health Resources 

• Self-Care Assessment form
• BC Gov. info for seniors
• Safety at Home BC
• CRA tax deductions for safety upgrades
• BC Seniors Guide (download)
• NIA-Ryerson - Seniors' resources-download 
• Seniors' Guide to Cancer

• NYT Aging Well
• What Seniors Need to Know  booklet
• Help Age Canada info, grants
• ' Find-it' tags for keys & wallet, eg. Tile  or AirTag
• MedicAlert bracelet 
• Music and Health

Personal care equipment suppliers

• Red Cross (NVHC)​ loaners at local hospital​
• ​Halo Healthcare.com​
• AgeComfort.com
• BathDepot.com
• ​Wellwise.ca (bath lift)​
• Stair lift or elevator
• TB Vets 

​Finding practical help at home (Merritt):

• Laundry:
  • Merritt Dry Cleaning & Coin Laundry pick-up/deliver laundry service
• Garden Work
  • TBM Services
•  House cleaning service
  • ​TBM​ Services

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Caregiver Resources

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Be Ready for Emergencies​

• How to Prepare for Natural Disasters and Evacuation (seniors or anyone!)
• Red Cross publications: Emergency Preparedness for Older Adults  and Quick Guide
• Get Prepared - Canada.ca resources
• Drug interactions checker

Local resources for Nicola Valley

• Interior Health info - Home Care services
• Interior Health info - Help with Living at Home
• 50+ Living Experience - online listing of regional resources and programs
• Interior Health - Home and Community Care, Merritt office (250) 378-3408 
• long term care / assisted living
  • Gillis House
  • Nicola Meadows
  • The Florentine
  • Phelan House
• Merritt Mental Health Clubhouse
• Mobility issues: 
  • Mobility Problems - HealthInAging.org 

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​​Caregiving Resources 

• Family Caregivers of BC support line, info, videos, resources
• Interior Health - Caregivers Info
• McMaster U. Optimal Aging
• National Institute on Ageing Ryerson University
• Advanced Care Planning forms
• Family Caregiver Alliance (USA, but useful info resources)
• Senior Safety Advice
• Activity Ideas for Seniors in care
• Managing mobility issues
  • Preventing falls​​

Health Info Sources​

• NIA Covid Risk calculator


• Mayo Clinic health info
• National Institute of Health (US medical research)
• Medline Plus health info
• Health Canada
• McMaster Optimal Ageing portal
• BC Cancer cancer info, services
• Alzheimer Society of Canada - caring for someone with dementia
• Women's Health
• ​​Women's Health and dangerous products
• Medication issues UBC Pharmacy info video
• Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation

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Caregiver Resilience 

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Caring for the Caregiver 

• How are you?
• Self-Care Assessment form
• Caregiver Stress Assessment checklist
• Family Caregivers of BC 
  • Caregiver Coaching 1-to1
  • Caregiver Learning Centre
  • ​11 Commandments of Stress Management
• Caregiver Action Network (USA)
  • Family Caregiver Toolbox
• Caregiver Burnout article 
• Alzheimer Society of Canada
  
  • Looking After Yourself
  • Caregiver Stress Assessment checklist
• Stretched Too Thin? - what to do
• Alongside Caregiver Consulting (Comox):
  • links to online resources
  • podcasts, video, articles
• The Six Caregiving Stages articles
• booklist for caregivers 
• Planning for Ageing, not just Retirement
• Employment Insurance while caregiving
• Juggling Work and Caregiving 
• The Caregiver Connection newsletter
• Caregiver resources (USA site)

End of LIfe Issues

• What if you have no close relatives for end-of Life care?  WP article
• Nidus - Personal Planning Resource Centre
• Death With Dignity Canada
• Merritt Hospice Society​
• Canadian Virtual Hospice 
• Death's Apprentice -
  • end of life resources and info 
• End of Life Plan Checklist from Cake (US based business)
• Funeral planning from Usurns (US based business)

After Death Issues

• Dealing with Grief
• book: Begin Here: Helping Survivors Manage by Kat Reed (2009)

​Be Careful about commercial online services that want  to help you through grief and funeral paperwork. Their online resources often have helpful tips, however they may not aware of Canadian laws and requirements regarding wills and estates.