Variety of in-home supports can make it easier for seniors to live independently
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There’s no place like home.
And despite the issues that come with age, a little bit of support is often all it takes to keep many seniors there.
“We have an aging population. If everybody needed to live in a long-term care residence and wanted to, the cost to society and government would be huge,” says Kerby Centre CEO Larry Mathieson. “But the vast majority want to live at home and stay at home.”
He says a wide range of in-home supports available today make that more possible than it was decades ago, meaning more people “get to live how they want to live and age the way they want to age.”
Services that can be summoned to the home go beyond cleaners, meal prep and nursing. Seniors can get bloodwork drawn in their home, have their hair done and visits from professionals such as podiatrists, denturists and massage therapists.
Organizations like the Calgary Seniors’ Resource Society have volunteers who make life more manageable by offering no-cost help with light house and yard tasks to walking the dog and rides to medical appointments which, these days, include a lot of COVID-19 vaccinations.
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Ken Moore with Moore Denture Clinic does house calls on occasion.
“I have a clinic bag I take with me and can do everything from repairs and adjustments to making new dentures,” the veteran denturist says.
“It’s normally because of mobility issues. For them to get out is very difficult and people are very grateful for the opportunity to have the work done, particularly if they have lost a denture.”
The Kerby Centre’s Thrive program delivers medications and groceries to seniors’ homes for just a few dollars. Deliveries have doubled in the past 18 months.
“More and more, seniors have anxiety about going into a Costco during COVID,” Mathieson says.
And the organization offers help with taxes — last year, doing more than 3,300 returns for seniors on limited incomes over the phone or via Zoom.
The 2016 Canadian census reported about 93 per cent of Canadian seniors live in private dwellings. And although that is probably where many want to be, it can be easily derailed by simple struggles such as bathing, making meals or even caring for pets.
Donna Bennington says simple interventions often keep people safe and comfortable at home.
“Our philosophy is, ‘the longer you can stay independent living, the happier life could be and the better for everyone,’ ” says Bennington, who manages Bow Centre Place, an 81-unit independent living apartment building for senior tenants.
She figures Bow Centre is one of the city’s best-kept secrets — a place where residents live independently, but have connections to resources that make life easier, ranging from information on elder abuse to where to get hearing aids or community connections for those looking for social interaction.
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There is no shame in needing a little support, whether it allows someone to stay at home or not, Bennington says.
“Sometimes, I think there is a wrong message about assisted-living facilities that offer help versus independent living,” she says.
“Even my own mother, when she finally went into supportive living, said, ‘I waited too long.’ She thought it would be jail but she didn’t lose her freedom. In supportive living, if she wanted to go to the Legion, she could go, if she wanted to go to visit family for two weeks, she could go. She was losing her independence (in her home,) trying to look after herself.”
Meanwhile, Meals on Wheels is all about offering a helping hand.
“We say, ‘If you have a lot on your plate, let us do the cooking,’ ” says philanthropy and communications manager Stephanie Ralph. “We frequently get comments from clients who are so appreciative of the service because they wouldn’t be able to stay in home if they didn’t get Meals on Wheels.”
Although the organization, which delivers about 3,800 meals a day and has seen a 30 per cent hike in requests this year, does not exclusively cater to seniors, that demographic is the non-profit’s top client.
For some regulars, the service, which operates with an in-house chef, registered dietician and tonnes of volunteers, is more than a meal.
Like many supports, it goes beyond the task at hand, which is especially beneficial for those who may be isolated or without community ties. It’s a social connection and sometimes a safety net.
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“We have had volunteers knock on a door and there is no answer and … people have had a stroke or have fallen and the volunteer contacts emergency,” Ralph says. “We have had volunteers feed people’s pets and chase after dogs when they have gotten out.”
Available resources
Kerby Centre Seniors Directory of Services
Online:kerbycentre.com
Phone: 403-265-0661
Thrive program: 403-234-6571
Calgary Seniors’ Resource Society
Online:calgaryseniors.org
Email:info@calgaryseniors.org
Phone: 403-266-6200
Home Instead Senior Care — personalized care services for those who ‘choose to age happily at home.’
Online:homeinstead.ca
Phone: 403-910-9422 or 1-888-335-0352 and follow prompts for Calgary
The story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division.
A little help makes a big difference - Calgary Herald
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