I’m exhausted! My parents need help, my kids need help, I am working full-time and need some time to myself.

Does this describe you? You embody the Sandwich Generation; you want to support everyone which leaves little time for yourself. 

This is why community support is so important. How can you get your parents some help without them feeling you’re abandoning them? How can you convince your previously independent Mother to accept help from someone other than you?

At Shylo, we have over 40 years of experience supporting families through these transitions.

We find the easiest, most effective way to find some relief is to start slow. Instead of saying yes to taking time off work to drive your Mom to every appointment, let her know that you’ll contact Shylo to have one of our mature and experienced Companion drivers help her out. 

While assuring your Mom that she is still managing her home, and her meals nutritious, you can gently suggest that she have a Shylo Homemaker come in to help her with the heavier chores such as changing the bed linens, the weekly laundry and floor cleaning. As little as four hours a month can get her comfortable  having someone around the house and for her to see just how helpful it is.

 

From this place of comfort with having help as needed, care can increase. The Shylo Home Healthcare care team range from Homemakers and Companions, to highly trained Home Support Workers, and all staff and clients receiver complementary RN Support and supervision. 

Shylo Caregivers can help with basic housekeeping and meal preparation, all the way through Palliative Care to ensure a smooth transition as your loved one ages in place in their community. 

#seniors #homecare #ageinplace #seniorcare #homemakers #homesupportworkers #nursing

Concerned About a Senior?

I’m concerned about my elderly neighbour. She has no family and seems to be declining.  What should I do?

At Shylo we often get calls from concerned friends and neighbours when their normally independent senior friend seems to be forgetting things or not taking care of themselves or their home. They wonder how to help or who to call to help with the situation. 

There are several supports in our community for this person. The first call we suggest they make is to Vancouver Coast Health, in Vancouver call 604-263-7377, in Richmond call 604-675-3644, and on the North Shore call 604-986-7111. Here you can request that your friend have an assessment to see what in-home support might be available to them. We also suggest contacting the family doctor; sitting down with your friend while you make this call works best as you can be their advocate while they describe their situation and see what suggestions the doctor has and note them down. 

Ideally, as neighbours and friends, we can watch out for the seniors in our community who might not have local family support. Ask them about if they have support and their plans for the future. Ask how you can help them to be prepared for the future. Discuss setting up a Healthcare Representative and determining if they want to stay at home or move into a facility when the time comes that they can’t manage everything on their own. They may also want to speak wot a lawyer about arranging a financial Power of Attorney. If you do not know a reputable estate lawyer, Shylo can refer you to one we know and trust.

If they want to stay home and age in place, there are many supports that Shylo has to offer. Our Rides by Shylo service is used by people who need help getting to appointments, help with grocery shopping or running errands, need a ride home from Day Surgery, or who just want to get out for a walk or some socialisation. A study published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry found that seniors who reported feeling lonely — regardless of how many friends or other residents surrounded them — were more likely to experience dementia than those who lived on their own.

We have Homemakers who can help around the house, prepare meals and be a companion. When help is needed with bathing or toileting, medication reminders, and more hands-on care, our Home Support Workers step in. We also have many Caregivers with specialised training in dementia care, transfers and mobility, working with TBI clients, as well as stroke recovery and post-op rehab.

 

For suggestions on how to have this conversation or questions about our services call Shylo at 604-985-6881 today to speak with one of our Geriatric Nurse Specialists.