Seniors

While the vast majority of Alberta’s family caregivers go-it alone, resources are available, including Caregivers Alberta, a non-profit that offers free programs to caregivers. Photo courtesy Caregivers Alberta

Alberta’s family caregivers struggle under the weight of what they carry

Alberta’s unpaid caregivers didn’t plan to become the main caregivers for their…

  • Feb 20, 2023

 

Pictured here are participants in the last Minds in Motion program in Lacombe, which wrapped up this past June. Another session is set to begin Sept. 27. photo submitted

‘Minds in Motion’ program in Lacombe helps those affected by dementia

Program is run through the Wolf Creek Primary Care Network

 

Liberal MP Hedy Fry speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, on June 15, 2017. Fry introduced a private bill in late June, Bill C-295, that would amend Section 215 of the Criminal Code to specifically criminalize owners and managers of long-term care homes for failing to provide the “necessaries of life” to vulnerable adults. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Ottawa exploring criminal reform as Liberal MP tables bill on long-term care neglect

Bill C-295 looks to criminalize care home owners who fail to provide residents with necessities

 

The Caregivers Together 2022 conference aims to build awareness, community and knowledge around the challenging role played by Alberta’s nearly one-million caregivers.

Conference builds knowledge + awareness around Alberta’s caregivers

May is Caregivers Awareness Month. Caregivers Alberta, Alberta’s only organization dedicated to…

  • May 2, 2022
The Caregivers Together 2022 conference aims to build awareness, community and knowledge around the challenging role played by Alberta’s nearly one-million caregivers.
Residents are shown at Idola Saint-Jean long-term care home in Laval, Que., Friday, February 25, 2022. The latest census release on aging marks another milestone on the slow march to what experts warn will be a crisis in care for Canada’s elders. CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

2021 census shows number of seniors over 85 expected to triple in next 25 years

Last year the oldest baby boomers turned 76, and most probably live independently

Residents are shown at Idola Saint-Jean long-term care home in Laval, Que., Friday, February 25, 2022. The latest census release on aging marks another milestone on the slow march to what experts warn will be a crisis in care for Canada’s elders. CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
People are shown inside Maison Herron, a long-term care home in the Montreal suburb of Dorval, Que., on Saturday, April 11, 2020. An advocate for seniors in British Columbia says a rise in volunteer services supporting the elderly has been one of the “brightest lights” throughout the pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Volunteers who supported seniors a lasting legacy of pandemic: B.C. seniors advocate

Isobel Mackenzie says nearly 26,000 seniors benefited from the generosity of over 13,000 volunteers

People are shown inside Maison Herron, a long-term care home in the Montreal suburb of Dorval, Que., on Saturday, April 11, 2020. An advocate for seniors in British Columbia says a rise in volunteer services supporting the elderly has been one of the “brightest lights” throughout the pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
A health-care worker looks out of a window at Maison Herron, a long-term care home in the Montreal suburb of Dorval, on Saturday, April 11, 2020. The physical and mental health impacts of isolation periods are high for seniors living in care facilities.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Advocates say lengthy COVID isolation for seniors in care may do more harm than good

Authorities asked to reconsider guidelines as to when residents must isolate

A health-care worker looks out of a window at Maison Herron, a long-term care home in the Montreal suburb of Dorval, on Saturday, April 11, 2020. The physical and mental health impacts of isolation periods are high for seniors living in care facilities.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
A woman tries to speak to her mother, through a window at Orchard Villa Care home, in Pickering, Ont. on Saturday, April 25, 2020. The expert spearheading new draft national standards for long-term care says they must strike a balance between residents’ safety and their quality of life. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

New Canadian care home standards to emphasize fact that they are homes, not wards

Consultations showed pandemic policies hurt mental and social well-being, balance called for

A woman tries to speak to her mother, through a window at Orchard Villa Care home, in Pickering, Ont. on Saturday, April 25, 2020. The expert spearheading new draft national standards for long-term care says they must strike a balance between residents’ safety and their quality of life. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie is photographed at her office in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, December 15, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Seniors advocate calls for reporting line for abuse and neglect amid rising reports

49 per cent increase in reports of abuse, neglect and self-neglect over past 3 to 5 years

Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie is photographed at her office in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, December 15, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Coroner Géhane Kamel speaks during a news conference in Trois-Rivières, Que., on Oct. 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

No ‘euthanasia’ in Quebec care homes during COVID-19, expert tells coroner’s inquest

Inquest examining people who died in residential settings during first months of COVID-19 pandemic.

Coroner Géhane Kamel speaks during a news conference in Trois-Rivières, Que., on Oct. 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
A Quebec coroner reminded an inquest into deaths at a privately-owned Montreal long-term care home that both the regional health authority and the care home’s management were responsible for the care of vulnerable patients. Flowers are shown outside Maison Herron, a long term care home in the Montreal suburb of Dorval on April 12, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

‘Beyond what’s humanly acceptable’: Testimony ends at Quebec long-term care inquest

Coroner examining the failings at Résidence Herron has concluded the factual portion of her inquiry

A Quebec coroner reminded an inquest into deaths at a privately-owned Montreal long-term care home that both the regional health authority and the care home’s management were responsible for the care of vulnerable patients. Flowers are shown outside Maison Herron, a long term care home in the Montreal suburb of Dorval on April 12, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021 file photo, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, Patron, leaves after attending a Service of Thanksgiving to mark the Centenary of the Royal British Legion at Westminster Abbey, in London. Queen Elizabeth II is Britain’s longest-lived and longest-reigning monarch. But don’t call her an oldie. The 95-year-old queen has politely declined the honor of being named “Oldie of the Year” by a British magazine. The Oldie magazine on Tuesday Oct. 19, 2021, published the queen’s response to its suggestion. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool, File)

Thanks but no: UK queen turns down “Oldie of the Year” title

Queen Elizabeth says she does not meet ‘the relevant criteria’

FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021 file photo, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, Patron, leaves after attending a Service of Thanksgiving to mark the Centenary of the Royal British Legion at Westminster Abbey, in London. Queen Elizabeth II is Britain’s longest-lived and longest-reigning monarch. But don’t call her an oldie. The 95-year-old queen has politely declined the honor of being named “Oldie of the Year” by a British magazine. The Oldie magazine on Tuesday Oct. 19, 2021, published the queen’s response to its suggestion. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool, File)
This combination of two undated photos released by Guinness World Records on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, show sisters Umeno Sumiyama, left, and Koume Kodama at separate nursing homes in Shodoshima island, left, and Oita prefecture, Japan. The two Japanese twin sisters have been certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest living identical twins, aged 107 years and 300 days as of Sept. 1, 2021, the organization said Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. (Guinness World Records via AP)

Japanese sisters certified as world’s oldest twins at 107

Pair was born on Nov. 5, 1913, and were separated after elementary school

This combination of two undated photos released by Guinness World Records on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, show sisters Umeno Sumiyama, left, and Koume Kodama at separate nursing homes in Shodoshima island, left, and Oita prefecture, Japan. The two Japanese twin sisters have been certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest living identical twins, aged 107 years and 300 days as of Sept. 1, 2021, the organization said Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. (Guinness World Records via AP)
The landing page for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit is seen in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. An internal government document is shining a light on how low-income seniors were abruptly cut off from monthly federal payments based on which bureaucratic body handled their emergency benefits last year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Giordano Ciampini

Lost seniors’ income supplement hinged partly on what agency handled their CERB

Unknown to most, supplement was coming from two streams, one of which can be excluded

The landing page for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit is seen in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. An internal government document is shining a light on how low-income seniors were abruptly cut off from monthly federal payments based on which bureaucratic body handled their emergency benefits last year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Giordano Ciampini
Chris Sherlock, a 65-year-old resident of British Columbia’s Cowichan Valley, is seen in an undated handout photo. Sherlock, who relied on the CERB last year, says he was never told his monthly income would drop by nearly $500 as a consequence. New Democrats say they’ve have been flooded with calls from seniors who suddenly find themselves cut off from monthly government payments due to emergency benefits they received last year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Chris Sherlock, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Seniors cut off from federal income supplement after receiving emergency benefits

$2,000 a month in Canada Emergency Response Benefit has rendered some ineligible

Chris Sherlock, a 65-year-old resident of British Columbia’s Cowichan Valley, is seen in an undated handout photo. Sherlock, who relied on the CERB last year, says he was never told his monthly income would drop by nearly $500 as a consequence. New Democrats say they’ve have been flooded with calls from seniors who suddenly find themselves cut off from monthly government payments due to emergency benefits they received last year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Chris Sherlock, *MANDATORY CREDIT*
A health care worker leaves after finishing her shift for the day at the Eatonville Care Centre in Toronto on Friday, April 24, 2020. A report published this morning by parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux estimates ending wait lists, increasing staff pay and benefits, providing more hours of care each day and expanding home care could cost around $13.7 billion. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Fixing long-term care in Canada could cost $13.7B, budget watchdog estimates

Pandemic infected more than 1/4 of Canada’s 205,000 long-term care residents, killing over 15,000

A health care worker leaves after finishing her shift for the day at the Eatonville Care Centre in Toronto on Friday, April 24, 2020. A report published this morning by parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux estimates ending wait lists, increasing staff pay and benefits, providing more hours of care each day and expanding home care could cost around $13.7 billion. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Minister of Seniors Deb Schulte speaks during a press conference on Parliament Hill during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Thursday, June 4, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

One-time payments to seniors over 75 likely to also go to the dead

Government wouldn’t seek to recoup the deposits made to the deceased, documents say

Minister of Seniors Deb Schulte speaks during a press conference on Parliament Hill during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Thursday, June 4, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux waits to appear before the Commons Finance committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday March 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Boost to seniors benefit this summer and beyond could cost $10.7 billion

Parliamentary budget officer is estimating the Liberals’ plan might be cheaper than anticipated

Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux waits to appear before the Commons Finance committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday March 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Minister of Seniors Deb Schulte responds to a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Liberal government moves to define ‘elder abuse’ to better target ways to stop it

Increasing cases of abuse, neglect, financial abuse or abuse of power-of-attorney being flagged

Minister of Seniors Deb Schulte responds to a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
Dr. Howard Njoo, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer at Public Health Agency of Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Kawai

Canadian seniors vaccinated in higher numbers for COVID-19 than for the flu: PHAC

Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo says almost 9 in 10 Canadian seniors were vaccinated from COVID-19, compared to 7 in 10 for the flu shot

Dr. Howard Njoo, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer at Public Health Agency of Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Kawai