Trail, Rossland residents invited to learn about arranging long-term care for people living with dementia
By Contributor
When Trail and Rossland residents living with dementia require full-time support due to complex needs, moving to a long-term care home may be the next step for caregivers or family.
Researching long-term care can be an overwhelming process for people in the West Kootenays. The Alzheimer Society of B.C. is here to provide support for area residents by offering free weekly webinars, including “Considering the transition to long-term care.” It’s for caregivers considering arranging a move and finding out how to access long-term care and what other factors need to be taken into account.
The hour-long webinar is on Wednesday, August 25 at 2 p.m. PT.
Tips on finding the right long-term care home
* Consider what your priorities and expectations are in a long-term care home.
* Contact your local community health centres for information about the long-term care application process in your area. Some communities have a number of homes to choose from. Make a list of long-term care home options and narrow the list down to ones you would like to visit.
* Visit each home on your list to see firsthand what each one has to offer. Bring your list of priorities, expectations, and any questions you may have so you don’t leave out anything important. Some long-term care homes allow the person living with dementia to visit the home and become familiar with it through day programs or respite services.
* Try to be flexible and consider whether you could work with the staff to meet the needs of the person living with dementia. Even after an extensive search, you may not find everything you want in a single home.
To learn more about transitioning to long-term care, register for the webinar at alzbc.org/webinars.
A follow-up webinar, “Adjusting to long-term care,” continues discussing the experience of transitioning into long-term care and explores different ways to ease the transition.
The session includes how-to’s on preparing for a move, adjusting to the move for both caregivers and people living with dementia, and working with the care team. The session is on Wednesday, September 1 at 2 p.m. PT.
To learn about other topics related to the dementia, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. invites you to sign up for one of its free webinars. Upcoming webinars in August include:
* Planning for health-care, legal and financial decisions (Wednesday, August 11, 2 p.m. PT): Plan now, before dementia affects the ability to communicate. Learn how to begin early legal, health-care and financial planning to prepare for your future.
* Community changes (Wednesday, August 18, 2 p.m. PT): Explore how communication is affected by dementia and learn effective communication strategies.
To register for any of these webinars, please visit alzbc.org/webinars.
The Alzheimer Society of B.C. is here to help
The Alzheimer Society of B.C. is committed to ensuring that people affected by dementia have the confidence and skills to live the best life possible. First Link® dementia support is the Society’s suite of programs and services designed to help them. First Link® is available throughout the progression of the disease, from diagnosis (or before) to end-of-life care.
Connect to First Link® by asking your health-care provider for a referral or by calling the First Link® Dementia Helpline at 1-800-936-6033. The Helpline is available Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Information and support is also available in Punjabi (1-833-674-5003) and in Cantonese or Mandarin (1-833-674-5007), available Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
