Summer Update

I've been entrenched for the last three months months in prepping for my comprehensive exam, which thankfully, is now done.  Apologies for my tardiness, I've been working on a different post which promises to be very interesting.  It should be ready in time for next month.  Meanwhile, if you're starved of healthcare issues related to senior health, I recommend checking in with our neighbours from the south and the changes to their healthcare system which (still) make the headlines.  Though at this point, I've given up keeping track, the editorials and commentaries are still pretty entertaining!

Getting Tough on Elder Abuse - Are We There Yet?

On Friday of last week, the Canadian government introduced Bill C-36, the Protecting Canada’s Seniors Act. The bill, fulfilling a promise made by the Conservatives during elections, seeks to amend the Criminal Code to impose harsher sentences for elder abuse. While it has received wide support, advocacy groups are hoping the government doesn’t consider this its only step in supporting victims of elder abuse. The problem is, the bill doesn’t come close to addressing the root causes of abuse.

Take for example the case of Danae Chambers, the 71-year old Ontario woman with dementia who was discovered being anally raped by her male nurse in her nursing home last year. The horrific details of the case were reported in the Toronto Star which also reported on several other cases of abuse.

Candy at the Nursing Home?

Just over half of seniors in residential care facilities in BC are prescribed anti-psychotic medication. Let me repeat that so that the number really sinks in. 50.3% of our parents, grandparents or spouses who live in residential care were prescribed an anti-psychotic drug in the past year (April to June 2011) costing a total of nearly $9.3 million. That is an incredibly sobering number.

How many years do you have left?

I just finished submitting a manuscript that looked at the differences in laboratory testing expenditures over time (a pretty staggering increase over a ten-year period in case anyone was wondering) and tried to understand what explains these increases.  It seems pretty innocuous, a blood test here, a bacterial smear there.  But its adding up fast.  Is it that we're sicker than we used to be, is the Canadian population getting older, does new technology cost that much more or is it just plain ol' over-testing?

Top Three Ways to Keep Your Brain Healthy

The thought of developing dementia is daunting.  It's currently on par with how people felt about the C word ten to fifteen years ago.  Our perceptions of cancer have changed with the advent of treatment, but dementia is a whole different beast.  How do you deal with dementia?  It doesn't attack your body, at least not directly.  It affects your mind and memory.  How do we handle a disease that attacks an organ that makes up the very core of who we are?  I have often been anxiously asked, "what can I do to prevent dementia?".  In fact, I've been asked it enough times to dedicate a post to it.

Well, while the short answer is nothing in terms of definitely preventing the disease, like a heart attack, there are certainly lifestyle choices that can help reduce your risk of developing dementia. I decided to scrounge through the current medical literature to see what is being said.

Rule of thumb, what’s good for the heart is good for the brain.

It’s a simple and easy way to remember the sort of lifestyle choices that can make a difference.

Chocolate and Perfume

I’ve been reading a lot about long-term care facilities (or nursing homes, both terms used interchangeably in Canada) and quality of life lately. It is particularly poignant for people with dementia for whom housing options are currently pretty limited. There are really three main categories: home care, assisted living and long-term care. While there is a motley assortment of options in-between, these are generally not equipped for people with dementia and currently have limited capacity. In fact, for most, long-term care is often the only option by default if no caregiver is available for home care because one of the requirements of assisted living (in BC atleast) is that you be able to make decisions about your own care. The hope is that this landscape will change soon, but it is the current reality.

Love is Better than Anger. Hope is Better than Fear

Back from a happy but somewhat arduous life event, today's blog is dedicated to the charismatic (and handsome) leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada, Dr. Jack Layton.