Hands with Heart Helping Seniors

09/25/2015

I just want to thank and praise the Lord for providing Hands With Heart Helping Seniors with the best financial week in HWHHS 3 year history.

06/19/2014

New inventions to keep seniors safe at home

Toronto Rehabilitation Institute’s team tackles is using cutting-edge technology to develop simple solutions to everyday, aging-related problems.

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Toronto Rehab director Geoff Fernie, left, demonstrates grab bars to help the elderly hoist themselves up more easily.
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Toronto Rehab director Geoff Fernie, left, demonstrates grab bars to help the elderly hoist themselves up more easily.

By: Rachel Mendleson News reporter, Published on Mon Jun 16 2014

Toronto Rehab director Geoff Fernie uses an adjustable staircase which helped determine the safest tread size.

With limited health care dollars and shifting demographics, the hunt is on for innovative ideas to keep seniors healthy — and living at home — longer.

Leading the charge is the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, where the team at the state-of-the-art iDAPT facility is using cutting-edge technology to develop simple solutions to everyday problems.

Getting out of bed. When Toronto Rehab director Geoff Fernie marketed the first version several decades ago, it was a floor-to-ceiling plastic pole that could be positioned near the bed or the sofa to give seniors something to grab hold of and hoist themselves up more easily. The latest model, called The Kit, features grips, and pieces that can snap together like Lego to create a series of poles and railings throughout the home.

Navigating icy sidewalks. The team is testing the grip of different types of rubber in WinterLab, a climate-controlled pod with an ice-covered floor that can be dusted with snow or made slick with water. The pod is tilted to simulate the effect of walking uphill.

Getting off the toilet. For seniors who wish to stay at home and their caregivers, it can all come down to the toilet. “If you can’t manage to go to the toilet and clean yourself up . . . that’s it, you’ll go to an institution,” Fernie said. To make it easier to get on and off, the team has developed a product called Toilevator, which safely increases the height of the toilet from the bottom. Researchers are now working on a product that would allow the toilet to be repositioned without moving the soil pipe for easier access.

Walking downstairs. The size of the run, which is the horizontal distance between risers on a staircase, can have a significant impact on stability. Using an adjustable wooden staircase in the pod known as StairLab, the team found that lengthening the run from eight to 10 inches makes a staircase three times safer. The National Building Code of Canada is now considering changing its standards to reflect these results, Fernie said.

06/14/2014

Celebrating the New World of Grandfathers this Father’s Day

Judy Gerstel | June 11th, 2014




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To paraphrase U.S. president John F. Kennedy — whose only grandson and namesake is now 21-years old — ask not what your grandfather can do for you, ask what you can do for your grandfather.

And since you’re asking, we have some answers.

But first, a big round of applause for all grandfathers this Father’s Day.

A grandfather who’s a boomer or older was born into a world where a grandfather’s role was that of paterfamilias.

He presided as head of the family.

He sat at the head of the table and often was served first.

His word was law, unless he was cajoled or humoured by a wily wife into changing his mind.

What he didn’t change ever were diapers. It’s also unlikely he ever ran after grandkids on two-wheelers when their training wheels were surreptitiously removed.

The grandfathers of many Canadian boomers grew up in another culture, often in another country or continent.

Women and children were generally regarded back then and back there as lesser creatures, requiring guidance and protection. Sons were expected to man up and make something of themselves.

Farmer, labourer or professional, a boomer’s grandfather typically worked hard and bore the burden of supporting his family. He never went out without a hat.

Grandfathers of today have no precedent for dealing with their revised role in the family or in society.

They babysit, they bake, they put grandchildren to bed, they read stories to them before turning out the lights.

They’ve had to make peace with women usurping the primacy their own grandfathers enjoyed. And also with young ladies as their cardiologists and performing their colonoscopies.

Most grandfathers have made this tricky transition to their 21st century roles and a world their own grandfathers couldn’t have imagined with grace and dignity.

They’ve managed to deal with feminism, post-feminism, offspring who text instead of calling, wives with wrinkles, butt-revealing leggings and bouncy cleavage on nubile females, metrosexuals, climate change, eggs not okay then okay, investments up and down, bosses so young they shouldn’t be driving, jobs lost and new careers started.

In short, the rules of the game changed radically for boomer grandfathers in the third period.

What we can do for grandfathers this Father’s Day is understand the challenge of navigating their shifting role and make sure they know they have respect and love for making that effort.

They probably don’t need any more ties, but a man can never have too many socks, good bottles of wine or framed photos of his grandchildren.
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Copyright 2014 ZoomerMedia Limited

06/14/2014

Summertime Activities for Grandparents and Grandkids

Advertising Feature

Zoomer | May 20th, 2014




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CARP APPROVED PARTNER

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Is there such thing as a stress-free summer? If you are a family caregiver who is also a parent of school-age children, you probably answered that question with a definitive “NO.” You know better than anyone that summer break can feel less like a vacation and more like survival.

What if combining your roles as caregiver and parent actually helped reduce your summer stress? Planning activities your parents and your children can do together will provide an enriching experience for everyone—educationally, emotionally, physically and mentally. In fact, a recent study conducted by the Women’s Healthy Aging Project indicates that time spent with grandkids is not just enjoyable to grandparents, it benefits them mentally as well and, in some cases, even lowers their risk of Alzheimer’s.

To reduce your summer stress as a caregiver and parent, consult the following list of intergenerational summertime fun!These seven summertime activities are fun for the whole family, from grandkids to grandparents (and maybe even you, too!).

Fun Idea #1: Set up a lemonade stand.

Nothing says summer like fresh lemonade. A lemonade stand requires just a little bit of prep for a whole lot of payoff, including fun in the kitchen, fun in the sun, and the chance to say hi to the neighbors! You may even make a little money while you’re at it.

Fun Idea #2: Do watercolor paintings.

For rainy days, watercolor painting is a great way for grandkids and grandparents to enjoy time together and witness each other’s creative juices in action. Have them paint portraits of one another for some added silliness.

Fun Idea #3: Hobby school is in session!

Ask Grandpa or Grandma to teach your kids his or her favorite hobby. Whether it’s knitting, woodworking, playing guitar or working crossword puzzles, children will enjoy learning a new skill while learning something new about their loved one, too.

Additional-image-250x188Fun Idea #4: Play a board game.

Time to break out Monopoly, Candy Land, Yahtzee, and Chutes & Ladders! Playing board games is a lost art in this digital age of video games and on-demand movies. Take entertainment old school with some classic, unplugged fun. If you’re feeling especially adventurous, make up a new game together!

Fun Idea #5: Tell stories by flashlight.

Get those imaginations flowing with a nighttime storytelling session for the whole family. Take it up a notch by grabbing an armful of blankets and enlisting some helpers to build a storytelling fort.

Fun Idea #6: Have a family yard sale.

Schedule a yard sale and encourage the whole family to participate. From putting out signs to pricing the goods, make sure everyone has a job to do. Use some of the earnings to take your workers out for ice cream.

Fun Idea #7: Take a field trip.

Need a change of scenery? Load the family up for a trip to the zoo or the neighborhood fire station (be sure to call ahead!). Getting out of the house is a tried and true antidote for summer boredom.

With a little planning and creativity, summer can go from being a matter of survival to a season the whole family can enjoy, together!

Come fall when the kids head back to school, consider hiring a helping hand to assist your aging parents and continue facilitating meaningful activities that promote social interaction and mental stimulation for them. Companionship home care services for just a few hours a week could make a world of difference for your loved ones.

04/11/2014

This a good read.

KEMPTVILLE – Ontario’s health care system is failing patients and has systemic discrimination against the elderly, according to a recently released report on the state of provincial health service.

03/26/2014

If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself. – D. L. Moody (evangelist)

01/05/2014

Beautiful!

Yes it's a frigid -25 Celsius (not factoring in wind chill) but, the beauty of winter in the 1000 Islands Region is undeniable

11/11/2013

This is a good company to follow https://centerforagingfamilies.com/

Check out https://www.centerforagingfamilies.com!

11/11/2013

TO retire with a life style Read this article.

Welcome to Kingsmere Village Your lifestyle of choice! Imagine owning a freehold property home, semi-detached or townhouse where you own the home, the land, and have access to all the age in

11/04/2013

In honour of those who served so that we may enjoy the peace and prosperity we have today. MEDIchair Halton
The 12th Annual Veterans Appreciation Luncheon took place today at the Oakville Conference Centre. Attending guests include Veterans of the Second World War, , , and personnel, local politicians, celebrities and accompanying friends and relatives. The Veterans Appreciation Luncheon reminds us of how fortunate we are to live in and encourages us all to remember the tremendous price paid by our Veterans for the we often take for granted.

10/29/2013

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