Q. How many hours can caregivers work a day? My mother shouldn’t be alone.

A. In most cases, the number of hours a caregiver works in a day is divided by a two-week period of time, rather than per day. This allows caregivers to work three to four 12-hour shifts in one week without working overtime, but also helps maintain consistency with the same caregiver. Continue reading →

It’s in the weekend papers and Boomer magazines—top tips for downsizing and de-cluttering. Useful advice, of course, but what is it really all about? Is it just another to-do list, a rite of passage or a major life event?
In… (Read more)

1. When should a person move from living alone to a retirement or nursing home?
It is hard to make an exact determination, but one of the main things to be concerned about is the person’s safety when living… (Read more)

A good financial plan helps you consider what you want your future to look like, makes achieving your goals more possible and helps you live through unexpected changes with more confidence. Financial planning can also help answer a number of… (Read more)

A loving touch
By Penny Hathaway
My mother, Katherine Eichenberger, was very ill when she arrived at the Beattie Haven Retirement Community in Wardsville, Ontario. Her health had deteriorated significantly in a short amount of time and her… (Read more)

Q. What exercises or exercise classes could my aging mother and I do together to help us bond and get a good workout at the same time?
A. Before starting new exercises with your mother, make sure she is physically… (Read more)

A helping hand
By Gina Fonzo
I retired to become my mother’s primary caregiver. After five years, when she lost her battle with cancer, it was a difficult period. I was grieving for my mother, while also deciding… (Read more)

A Few of my Favourite things
By Rilla Sommerville
My fried Gail’s parents were living in two different care facilities, hundreds of miles away from her. Gail knew that a personalized approach to caregiving was best, but it… (Read more)

Tuesday date nights
By Marie Ackman
Tuesdays have always been special for me and my husband Rob because we met on a Tuesday 40 years ago. Since then, Rob has made Tuesday nights our date nights. Every… (Read more)

Mrs. S’s “diaper rash” defied diagnosis, until she confessed to a church friend, “I daren’t use the retirement home call button because it costs money—and my daughter says I must save my pennies.”
Ms. B spent hours dodging her boss… (Read more)