Imagine a lifetime of caregiving for your child with a lived experience of having a disability from birth right through to adulthood. Of being thrust into a space early-on where you have to constantly advocate and push the envelope to ensure your child’s quality of life. And then having to deal with your own mortality as you begin to grow older. This episode attempts to shed light on Martha Ware’s shared journey together with her son Brian—a story imbued with both love and determination. (*Content presented in the following podcast is for information purposes only. Views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests and may not represent the views and opinions of Home Healthcare Network. Always consult with your physician for any medical advice and always consult with your attorney for any legal advice.)

What happens when a primary caregiver's pleas for help from family go unheard? Does that impact the quality of care they're able to provide for their loved one? And how much of a toll does feeling alone on the caregiving path eventually take on their well-being? These questions and more as we delve into Mary Caros’ heartfelt journey into caregiving for her mother.  (*Content presented in the following podcast is for information purposes only. Views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests and may not represent the views and opinions of Home Healthcare Network. Always consult with your physician for any medical advice and always consult with your attorney for any legal advice.)

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About Tom Grant:

Tom is an experienced Occupational Therapist, registered with the College of Occupational Therapists, BC and a member of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. He transitioned into healthcare after starting out working as an Elementary school teacher in England, before moving to BC over 20 years ago. He now shares his time between living and playing on the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver’s North Shore.

Tom has worked in both the public health system and in private practice. He is on the Clinical Faculty at the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia, enjoying his role of mentoring future occupational therapists. He finds great satisfaction in supporting clients to achieve their goals, and in helping them to maintain autonomy and independence. He works with a diverse range of diagnostic population groups including people with traumatic brain injury, orthopedic injuries and dementia. Having had both professional and personal experience of working with people experiencing the challenges associated with aging and dementia, he understands the issues firsthand and he is motivated to find innovative ways to make a difference. Tom has taken several additional courses in home modifications and aging-in-place including the Canadian Home Builders Association’s Adaptiv Home Renovations course.

Tom is a good listener and he brings empathy, creativity and a sense of humour to his work. In his downtime, he is a health and fitness enthusiast, running fitness bootcamps in the local community. He is also a father of three active kids and he can be spotted on the sidelines of soccer fields or whacking a field hockey ball on the weekends.

As Canada’s law surrounding the process of accessing Medical Assistance in Dying (M.A.I.D.) continues to evolve, it’s with great honour that this episode serves as a platform for Allan Forest's story of devotion and unparalleled love in shepherding his spouse’s decision to choose M.A.I.D...and how the experience has changed his life.   (*Content presented in the following podcast is for information purposes only. Views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests and may not represent the views and opinions of Home Healthcare Network. Always consult with your physician for any medical advice and always consult with your attorney for any legal advice.)

Our first conversation with a medical professional—retired physician Carla Paetkau—who after years of guiding families through their trek with dementia found her own family having to shepherd and care for a loved one, and how her experience as a doctor helped process that journey with her mother as they embarked along the path together.   (*Content presented in the following podcast is for information purposes only. Views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests and may not represent the views and opinions of Home Healthcare Network. Always consult with your physician for any medical advice and always consult with your attorney for any legal advice.)

According to the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, one in four Canadians currently identifies as a caregiver, and one in two will be caregivers at some point in their lives. We can be grateful for passionate souls such as Cindy Naude who—after overcoming personal adversity—now views her own “sunset career” in caregiving as a journey of the heart.    (*Content presented in the following podcast is for information purposes only. Views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests and may not represent the views and opinions of Home Healthcare Network. Always consult with your physician for any medical advice and always consult with your attorney for any legal advice.)

What happens when the power of music allows those with Alzheimer’s or other dementia disorders to access their long-forgotten memories? In this episode with Bruce Devereux—who coordinates recreation programs in facility—we delve into how reconnections such as this permit individuals to feel “a part OF” as opposed to “apart from”, with some surprising benefits for those lucky enough to witness it!   (*Content presented in the following podcast is for information purposes only. Views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests and may not represent the views and opinions of Home Healthcare Network. Always consult with your physician for any medical advice and always consult with your attorney for any legal advice.)

Our first guest conversation is with frontline health care provider Jan Lee who shares her insights, challenges and wins while engaging daily alongside those living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia while working in facility. Jan’s experience parallels those faced by many family caregivers immersed in the “ground” game of caregiving for a loved one.   (*Content presented in the following podcast is for information purposes only. Views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests and may not represent the views and opinions of Home Healthcare Network. Always consult with your physician for any medical advice and always consult with your attorney for any legal advice.)

From subtle changes in the language we invoke while in the presence of a loved one to presenting them with choices while those choices can still be made, there are countless ways we can respect and preserve that person’s autonomy.   (*Content presented in the following podcast is for information purposes only. Views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests and may not represent the views and opinions of Home Healthcare Network. Always consult with your physician for any medical advice and always consult with your attorney for any legal advice.)

This episode highlights the need for primary caregivers to strike a balance between caring for their loved one and taking care of themselves by focusing on just a few examples of in-home respite and how caregivers’ self-care is essential.   (*Content presented in the following podcast is for information purposes only. Views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests and may not represent the views and opinions of Home Healthcare Network. Always consult with your physician for any medical advice and always consult with your attorney for any legal advice.)