2024-07-31_amanda_JulyContent_Calgary_FINAL_31July2024.docx

Article 1

Personalizing dementia care to help Albertans age in place

Gail’s brother gets lost in his own stories these days. A conversation that starts about the weather weaves its way into a vivid description of catching a ride to the local pub in a convertible the night before. The details are foggy; the line between reality and fiction increasingly blurred.

“He’s still my brother,” says Gail. “You just have to meet him in the conversation wherever he is. The real struggle right now is that he wants to stay where is, and age in place. But we need sustainable caregiving support to make that work.”

Gail knows her 82-year-old brother is living with some form of dementia — a diagnosis the family is working to solidify. Progressing through a network of referrals, cognitive tests and waiting lists: it’s not a straightforward process. That said, it’s more common than many of us think. Gail and her family certainly aren’t alone.

Number of people living with dementia in Alberta will soar 286% by 2050

More than 1 million Canadians will be living with dementia by 2030. That’s a big number — one expected to increase significantly over the next two decades. Alberta figures prominently among the four provinces poised to see the biggest uptick in cases during that time. Driven by a fast-aging population, this surge in Alberta’s cases will have meaningful impacts on families across the region. Case in point: researchers predict the number of care partners in Canada to nearly triple by 2050.

“Every family navigating dementia with a loved has unique concerns and priorities,” says Chuck Terlesky, General Manager of TheKey Calgary. “But aging in place is a common theme. Many of the seniors we meet express a desire to remain at home for as long as possible. The right in-home care helps them do that, even as dementia progresses.”

Terlesky says establishing deep client relationships, focusing on caregiver fit and relying on TheKey’s Cognitive Therapeutic MethodTM are essential pieces in that puzzle. “Our approach goes beyond the tasks that must be taken care of everyday. We build relationships to understand someone’s specific needs — whether they have Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia. Then, we create a care plan with them and their family to weave together specific interventions that support overall wellbeing.”

Localizing in-home dementia care to create personal experiences for Alberta seniors

Designed by experts to boost brain health for people at any level of cognitive function, TheKey’s Cognitive Therapeutic Method touches on all five aspects of cognition:

Memory (retaining information to use later on)

Visual-spatial perception (accurately perceiving an objective person’s location and understanding the relationship between objects)

Executive functioning (reasoning, problem solving, judgement and thought flexibility)

Attention (focusing on a specific piece of information for a long period of time, even in the face of competing distractions)

Language (executing verbal functions, including spontaneous speech, speech repetition and comprehension, naming, reading and writing)

From prompts that move the client to answer questions about a picture they’ve just seen to lacing cards that help clients form patterns: individual activities are mixed and matched so folks can exercise their minds and, above all? Have some fun.

“Through in-home care, our teams can offer clients great ways to exercise their cognitive function in the place they feel most comfortable and secure,” Terlesky says. “We’re all about empowering seniors experiencing different stages of dementia to live life on their own terms, finding the meaning and purpose that matters most to them.”

That message resonates with Gail’s family, too. Her nieces and nephews are keen to provide their dad with a more well-rounded life experience, even as his dementia progresses. “To know that a caregiver is going to engage with him meaningfully, really bring a little laughter or conversation to his days? That’s so reassuring for all of us, including my brother, even if it’s hard for him to express. He feels the benefits daily.”

Article 2

Fostering longevity in Alberta through balanced, in-home care

When the women set out from their Canmore hotel for a day of easy, local hiking, they’d never heard of ‘blue zones’ before.

The term is in the spotlight these days, with a recent documentary bringing fresh attention to the link between how and how long  we live. Sparked by a National Geographic explorer’s journalistic quest to understand why people in Okinawa, Japan — and other so-called blue zones — live longer and healthier than any other place on earth, these woman have organically taken these principles to heart.

“Since that first hiking trip in Canmore, we’ve learned that people in Okinawa and other ‘blue zones’ have more seniors living to be 100 than in other parts of the world,” explains Erin. “We’re intentional about building similar life experiences to the blue zones into our lives in Canada.”

Mothers, sisters, nieces, cousins: this close-knit group of relatives comes together throughout the year to embrace the lifestyle factors highlighted at the core of the research. With their own spin on healthy diets, physical activity (a family skate through a wooded trail, let’s say) and sharp minds (think annual cottage getaways offering social connections and meaningful conversations), the women — aged 41 to 83 — are creating their version of a blue zone whether gathering in the Calgary foothills or anywhere else.

This ad-hoc approach lays the groundwork for what each hopes will be a flourishing path through the golden years. It’s the very same theory that formed the basis of TheKey’s Balanced Care MethodTM  more than 20 years ago.

Providing Alberta seniors with balanced care to age in place

As a leading in-home, senior care provider in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane and Okotoks, TheKey’s team built its reputation by adopting a proprietary, holistic strategy for living and aging well at home. First and foremost, the Balanced Care Method is centred around moderation and variety. It’s also geared to create a sense of purpose in someone’s day.

“Aging well at home requires everyone to share a vision for what good looks like,” says Chuck Terlesky, General Manager of TheyKey Calgary. “It means connecting tasks like bathing and meal prep with bigger-picture activities that help seniors to feel purposeful, connected and happy.”

Research shows those elements are essential to longevity. Studies reinforce the fact that happier people live longer. A greater sense of purpose in life is also tied to a lower risk of early death. In Canada, more than eight in 10 people who report high life satisfaction also cite a strong sense of meaning. Terlesky is intent on furthering that momentum in Alberta.

Whether making trips to a local garden centre, so a client can get close to the plants and flowers they once loved to work with, or playing a round of cards in the comfort of home: TheKey’s caregiving teams help clients stay active, pursue interests, eat healthy, enjoy companionship and maintain a strong sense of purpose as they age.

“There really is no place like home. Our Balanced Care Method allows seniors and their families to age in place, knowing that our team will support them in cultivating a truly well-rounded daily experience,” says Terlesky. “It’s amazing to play a part in that process.”

Article 3

Ready to explore the upsides of in-home care? TheKey Calgary shares insights

It’s the little things that take in-home care from good to great. A game of cards on the back deck. Fresh air on a walk around the block. Special outings to enjoy Alberta’s scenic views. Moments like these create opportunities for seniors to connect, stay sharp and incorporate a little bit of happy variety into the day.

Incorporating these elements into in-home care can help seniors at any age or stage. By 2051, one in five Albertans will be a senior, making it essential for families to plan ahead for caregiving needs and establish a shared vision for what good looks like. At TheKey Calgary, we encourage folks to ask five questions as part of that process:

How do we pick the right care solution? It takes a special kind of person to provide gold-standard care at home. When we hire, we think beyond the basics, get to know our caregivers and ensure they’re as passionate about providing personalized care as we are. Explains Chuck Terlesky,  General Manager, TheKey Calgary: “Caregiver fit is so important. When we hire, we look for people who will think holistically about what a good day looks like for a senior at home. Then, we’re thoughtful about matching caregivers and clients based on personal needs, interests and priorities.”

Why is balanced care so important? Great caregiving doesn’t happen by chance. “The feedback we get from clients’ families tells us that our Balanced Care MethodTM approach to caregiving sets us apart in Alberta,” explains Terlesky. “Our caregivers support a senior’s healthy mind, body and spirit. Through ongoing training, we make sure everyone who works within our caregiving teams understand what’s required, and has the skills to create those factors for seniors.”

How much care is enough care? In Canada, older people want to have choices about their living arrangements. That includes aging in place, where many seniors believe they’ll be able to maintain social connections and continue feeling a sense of community and social belonging. Our caregivers help families balance that goal. Our services are flexible. We offer personal, companion, dementia or other forms of care for just a few hours or 24/7. Says Terlesky: “Behind every caregiver is a full-time Care Team. That’s how we provide oversight and guidance to caregivers, and support you and your family at the very same time.”

How will we manage a caregiver on top of so many other responsibilities? Hiring a caregiver independently can be hard. By taking on the management piece for families in Calgary and beyond, we make it easier for seniors to get the quality care they need and deserve. At TheKey, we hire caregivers as employees — not contractors. Our team is vetted, trained and well-supported by us, so families can focus on enjoying time together instead of administration. We build a care plan around clients’ individual needs, accounting for the tasks that must get done as well as the little touches that make life enjoyable. Then, we keep families posted along the way.

What kind of support and funding is available to us? Many families we work with are eligible for the Alberta Paid Client-Directed Home Care benefit. These programs can offer basic coverage at no out-of-pocket costs, and premium coverage at significantly reduced rates. At TheKey, we help families demystify benefits and tailor in-home caregiving to exact needs. As an approved provider of the Client Directed Home Care Invoicing Program, families can now use funds to heavily subsidize the care a loved one needs to remain safe, comfortable and happy in their own home as they age.