If you are a caregiver living in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, here is an information and resource session that is well worth attending. It’s the Burnaby Seniors Outreach Services Society Caregiver Expo.
I spoke with Helena at the office (604-291-2258) and she gave me some info on who the exhibitors will be.
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BC 211 agent. Helena told me this is a help line where people actually answer the phone when you dial 211. You tell them your situation: e.g. “My wife has dementia, and I would like to go away for a few days. Are there any respite care facilities in my area?” Internet research is great, but this new approach to the old Redbook is personable, friendly and well resourced.
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Various care home companies (e.g. Chartwell and Harmony House) will be on site to answer questions regarding assisted and independent living. Did you know that some care homes offer temporary respite stays? What a great way to introduce your loved one to the possibility of community living. To check them out before going you may wish to research at www.comfortlife.ca
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Allies in Aging holds North Shore workshops such as : Exploring Depression and Delirium; Translink Rider Training; and It’s Not Right! a workshop exploring how to detect and report elder abuse. alliesinaging.ca/
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Citizen Support Services representative: From Burnaby City, this department offers grocery shopping and delivery for seniors, (free of charge), companionship through visitations and phone buddies, as well as lunches, bus trips and resource information.
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Revenue Canada agents will be on hand to explain the various caregiving credits available for use at tax time.
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Service Canada agents will explain the ins and outs of the newly extended compassionate care leave for those who work and still fill the caregiver’s role.
These are just a sampling of the exhibitors expected to attend. And there’s a bonus–admission and parking are free. There is something for every caregiver to enjoy at this event sponsor by the Burnaby Seniors Outreach Services Society https://www.bsoss.org/
Caregiver Expo 2018
Date: Saturday, February 3, 2018
Time: 9:30am – 2:30pm
Place: Bonsor Recreation Complex, 6550 Bonsor Ave., Burnaby, BC
Free admission and free parking!
DO YOU LOOK AFTER A RELATIVE, FRIEND OR NEIGHBOUR WHO COULDN’T MANAGE WITHOUT YOUR HELP?
If you provide unpaid support to a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has a mental health or substance misuse problem, you are a caregiver. Come along to our Expo to learn about programs and services that can support you in your caring journey.
The Caregiver Expo will feature over 20 exhibitors, Door Prize Draws, and great speakers including a keynote speech by Bee Quammie, Writer, Digital Content Creator, Event Speaker.
Any questions please call 604-291-2258 or email info@bbyseniors.ca.
Yours truly,
Margaret Jean.
For many of us who are caregivers it’s not only the physical and emotional care of those we love, it’s also navigating the medical and legal systems that can be time-consuming and exhausting.
The effort and time it takes to sort through various systems in order to first determine what resources are available, and then the protocol of accessing them, is a huge part of the caregiving process.
Here are some links which may prove to be helpful in finding and using those resources:
- In the lower mainland, Vancouver Coastal Health provides caregiver support as well as other services: http://www.vch.ca/your-care/home-community-care/care-options/caregiver-support
- Always remember that at your local Hospice Thrift Shops you can usually find brochures outlining the hospice support services listed in your area. For example, here is an overview of services provided by the Surrey Hospice Society: “We serve the people of Surrey and those who access end-of-life care in Surrey British Columbia. Our Volunteers work in the community, at Laurel Place Residential Hospice and in the Tertiary Palliative care unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital. In addition to the supports and services we offer those facing end-of-life, we also provide respite, support and grief counselling to their friends, family and loved ones. Our support is on-going and far-reaching. We provide companions for the journey.”
I’m sure you get the idea. For hospice services in your area, just google the name of your town or district and ‘hospice society’.
Resources are out there. Do take the time to access them. We are so fortunate now to be able to look things up on the computer to get an idea of the services offered and how they might fit our needs. Phoning the agency in question before setting out can also be very helpful.
These resources are intended for your use, so don’t hesitate to find those that fit your needs and go for it!
If you have any information regarding additional resources please don’t hesitate to email me at: margaretjean64@gmail.com.
Do you work with the terminally ill? Are you making that last journey with a loved one? Has someone you love just been hit with a dreaded diagnosis? Then David Kuhl’s book could be an important read for you.
I wish I had found this book when my husband was still alive. And I wish every doctor, caregiver and member of the terminally ill patient’s family would take the time to read it.
David Kuhl speaks honestly about his experiences and emotions as a doctor. The book clarifies not only the needs and desires of a dying person, but also the attitudes and challenges of the medical professional involved in diagnosis and treatment.
I found What Dying People Want: Practical Wisdom for the End of Life in the White Rock Hospice Library. Leafing through the book, I realised that much of Kuhl’s research had been done at St. Paul’s, a Vancouver BC hospital where my husband was treated in the cardiology department over a period of twenty years.
I’m finding What Dying People Want: Practical Wisdom for the End of Life an informative and compassionate read. For those who suddenly find themselves face to face with their own or their loved one’s mortality, it’s a read I highly recommend.
This Caregiver’s Journal began in August of 2014. Although the first blog article was actually written on New Year’s Day, 2015, the rest are in chronological order from August 5th, 2014. What is written here has gone before.
Caregiver Me 