A guide to help caregivers manage the long-term care experience is NOW AVAILABLE from www.ottawacaregiver.com
Ottawa – On November 15, the Ottawa Citizen reported that there had been 7,157 confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents and staff of long-term care facilities since late August. Of those, 181 residents were hospitalized and 106 died. As of November 14, there were 105 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care homes across Ontario.
Early in the pandemic, long-term care residents accounted for more than 60 percent of COVID-19 deaths in Ontario. Although death rates have dropped significantly since then, many unresolved issues point to the province’s ongoing failure to protect residents of long-term care institutions. These issues include room crowding, poor air circulation, lack of infection control procedures and training, and the many risks associated with the transmission of disease, often caused by staff working at more than one care facility.
More than ever, caregivers need to arm themselves with all the information they can gather about the long-term care experience, and There’s No Place Like Home by Lise Cloutier-Steele can help them get it right for themselves and their loved ones.
In her book, Lise writes about the conditions in care facilities and her experience and lessons learned as her late father’s guardian and advocate. At the same time, he resided in a long-term care home for over three years. It’s a reality check combined with practical advice to help caregivers navigate healthcare systems and maintain healthy family relationships that are often tested to the limit if all are not prepared for the challenges associated with long-term care.
The book includes a chapter to guide caregivers in their search for a good care home, complete with lists of important questions to ask before agreeing to admit a loved one to a facility. Another chapter discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the long-term care sector and what our governments are doing or not doing about it. The chapters on where to go to complain and what to expect from authorities responsible for the oversight of long-term care facilities are equally helpful as they suggest ways to work around healthcare systems that are sometimes too rigid to allow for common sense and compassion. Lastly, the book includes information on changes that can be made at home to enable aging in place, which most seniors prefer over a nursing home where adequate primary care is not guaranteed.
Caregivers seeking practical advice on managing the long-term care experience can benefit significantly from this guide.
All proceeds from book sales will be used to buy quilts
for residents in care without family or friends.
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