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Caring for an older adult is not a one-person job. A strong care team improves safety, reduces stress, and helps everyone feel supported. Who Can Be Part of a Care Team? Family members, friends, neighbours, group contacts such as a faith…
Markers of health – such as blood pressure, weight, cholesterol and blood sugar levels are important. But as we age they are only part of the picture for healthy aging. Dr. Rosanne Leipzig, a 74 year old geriatrician, has studied aging for…
Turning 65 in Alberta comes with more than just a milestone birthday—it also means you’re eligible for the Seniors Alberta Blue Cross Coverage program, provided at no cost by the Government of Alberta, along with potential other benefits. These can go…
Caring for a loved one living with dementia can bring both meaningful moments and real challenges, especially when it comes to communication. As dementia progresses, conversations may not flow as easily, and it can sometimes feel difficult to connect the…
As we celebrate our golden years, it’s not uncommon to notice a few changes in our vision. While presbyopia—the age-related loss of close-up focus—is a natural and expected part of aging that is easily corrected with reading glasses, many seniors…
A dementia coach provides specialized support to individuals living with dementia and their caregivers, offering guidance, emotional support, and practical strategies to navigate the challenges associated with the condition. They help families understand the types and stages of dementia, manage…
Tips and Information to Help Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones You may not realize it, but scams targeting our seniors is a form of elder abuse. While it is sometimes tricky to spot a scam, scammers tend to follow…
At Proactive Seniors, we often get asked about when is the right time to consider retirement living. The answer is almost always: Earlier than you think! Proactively planning can help you take steps towards living well in your senior years.…
There are many reasons why seniors decide to take the big leap and move from their home into a senior’s residence. Often, we will meet seniors who are staying home longer than they should, either because the idea of a…
May 17th is World Hypertension Awareness Day. A day to learn about how we can manage blood pressure for better health. Source: AHS Wellness Hypertension means there is too much pressure in your blood vessels. Over time, this can damagethem…
Driver training for seniors can offer several benefits. It can help them stay safe, confident, and independent on the road. Upgrading or refreshing driving skills may be something to consider for several reasons. 1. Refreshing Driving Skills 2. Adapting to Physical…
GPS Tracker, Dementia tracker
Family having proactive discussion regarding memory loss.
Anosognosia is the term for this phenomenon and approximately 80% of people with dementia have it to some degree. It is very hard to convince someone to accept a companion, driver, cleaner, home care aide or relocation if they truly believe…
Music can elicit emotions and memories for our loved ones living with dementia? Watch this amazing and touching video on The Power of Music on The Brain – Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease
Advancing age isn’t an automatic indicator of when it is time to stop driving, but it is important to regularly monitor yours or your loved one’s driving skills and capabilities to ensure that it is safe for everyone on the…
When the Benefits of Moving to a Seniors Community Outweigh the Benefits of Staying Home At Proactive Seniors, our team of advisors has helped hundreds of seniors through building a Proactive Seniors Plan for staying home successfully, and through our Seniors…
Tax time is coming, and unfortunately that means that the scams are, too! There are a variety of scams and frauds happening in Canada, and new ones are invented daily. Learn how to protect yourself from scammers and be scam…
Canadian winters can be challenging! Cold weather and falls unfortunately often do often go together, and the results can be alarming, with a large percentage of emergency visits and hospitalizations due to winter falls. Seniors are even more at risk…
This blog is one way for us at Proactive Seniors to share information that may be of interest to you, our readers, which is why you will occasionally see guest posts such as this one. by Tina Castro, Mountain Cove…
Not surprisingly, this past year and a half has been like no other for retirement residences and supportive living communities. Before the pandemic the balance of supply and demand in the private and public sectors were pretty typical. Private retirement…
We want to look after ourselves as we age, including eating well, exercising regularly, looking after our mental health, and being sensible about avoiding falls and injuries. Along with the things we can do for ourselves, however, it is important…
This blog is one way for us at Proactive Seniors to share information that may be of interest to you, our readers, which is why you will occasionally see guest posts such as this one. by Gabrielle Baglino, Oak Street…
There are numerous benefits to exercise for older adults – unsurprisingly! We know that exercise is good for us, but exactly why is it good for us, and how can we make it fun? As we get older, we have…
Do you experience frequent or persistent pain? Do you accept this as a normal part of aging? Do you assume that nothing can be done for your pain? Do you avoid asking for help so that you don’t bother your…
As a caregiver, engaging and participating in activities with the person you care for has a variety of benefits – for both of you! It provides structure and routine to the day, can improve self-esteem, improve sleep, minimize the person…
At Proactive Seniors we are dedicated to sharing great information! This blog is one way for us to share information that may be of interest, which is why you will see guest posts such as this one from industry experts.…
Walking speed – what is it, why should we worry about it, and how do we measure it? First, let’s talk about mobility. Our ability to move freely and easily can be lost as we age. A loss of mobility…
It’s summer – a great time to be outside and enjoy lovely warm weather. It’s important to remember, though, that aging changes the way our bodies handle high temperatures and can make it harder to tell when you’ve had too…
At Proactive Seniors we are dedicated to sharing great information! This blog is one way for us to pass along valuable research and insights by others, and that is why you will sometimes see guest posts such as this one.…
Here at Proactive Seniors we love to share information, whenever and in any way that we can! This blog is one way for us to pass along valuable research and insights by others, and that is why you will sometimes…
Did you know that June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month? It’s a great time to take advantage of all the fresh produce that is starting to come into season and add some more colour to meals and snacks!…
May is Huntington Disease Awareness month. What is Huntington Disease? From Huntington Society Canada – click HERE to learn contact them directly Huntington disease (HD) is a hereditary, neurodegenerative illness with physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms. Huntington disease is caused…
The proportion of seniors in the population is on the rise with a large bubble of baby-boomers on the very near horizon. Life expectancy is increasing year-by-year, with advances in healthcare technology and chronic disease management. These facts are common…
Tips for Tax Time for Seniors
Patricia McMorrow Apr 18, 2018 From Alberta Health Services Journeys 2 for Caregivers What would happen to a car that, day in and day out, simply never stopped running? Easy: it’d break down. This is what happens to caregivers when…
As the pandemic continues to impact our daily lives and travel remains a dream for future days, we can still witness some amazing places and maybe even learn something along the way! Click on the links below to experience some…
From Home Instead Care Resources / Senior Health & Wellbeing March 2021 Maintaining a nutritious diet is no easy task, but for many, eating well becomes even trickier with age. Add in medications that require dietary changes or chronic health…
These supportive statements will help you reduce your burnout quotient. Begin each statement with I will: R equest the help I need from my family and friends. E nhance my life by taking time out for myself every day. D…
March is National Kidney Month Kidneys perform several vital functions for our bodies: Remove waste products from blood through production of urine Produce hormones to regulate blood pressure Help make red blood cells Help regulate water and mineral levels in…
You can’t have good overall health without good dental health. Poor oral health has a negative impact on quality of life. Mouth pain, missing teeth or infections can influence how one speaks, eats and socializes affecting their physical, mental and social well-being. …
Parkinson Disease 101 by Emma Torneiro from the Parkinson Association of Alberta. www.parkisonassociation.ca 1-800-561-1911 Or, to find a support group in your area, contact Parkinson Canada 1-800-565-3000, www.parkinson.ca or info@parkinson.ca. Parkinson disease affects 1 in every 100 individuals over 60 years…
What Does a Heart Attack Look Like? Provided by Comfort Keepers Calgary – Social Media Most of us have a specific idea of what a heart attack looks like: someone feels an abrupt, strong pain that causes them to stop in…
Spring always seems to inspire people to “get organized”. If you are interested in decluttering and you haven’t seen it yet – check out Marie Kondo, on Netflix, Youtube or get her book from the library. I have watched a few…
By Chuck Terlesky – Owner Home Care Assistance Calgary It’s late in the evening when your elderly father calls complaining about a sudden headache when he moves, and his speech is slurred and he sounds confused. Is he just tired? A…
by Amie Hautz 403.852.0262 Guest blog post Q & A for RiverLife Real Estate by Kathy Mendham, Founder of Proactive Seniors. February 2021 This week’s guest blog Q&A is with the lovely Kathy Mendham, an expert in all things related…
Tough Topic – When Caregivers Fall out of Love
Sleeping well can lead to better health and a longer life. Quality of sleep is important!
Upper body strength building for seniors. No gym required!
Brenda Josephs, Proactive Seniors Consultant Recently, both Betty White (99!) and Dolly Parton (75) celebrated some milestone birthdays. As I read through the various social media posts I thought – wow, doesn’t she look great for (insert age here). Reflecting…
January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month Sign 1: Memory loss that affects day-to-day abilities Are you, or the person you know, forgetting things often or struggling to retain new information? It’s normal to occasionally forget appointments, colleagues’ names or a friend’s…
“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” Oprah Winfrey After the challenges of 2020, it feels good to say goodbye to the old, and hello to the new year. Despite the rocky road…
There are few things that strike fear into the heart of older adults like the thought of slipping or tripping and landing hard. 30% of people over 65 have one or more falls per year, and many of those can…
Compilation of great ideas from the Proactive Seniors Team This holiday season will be unique and challenging for many seniors and their families. Staying connected will take some creativity, but the results will be worth the extra effort. Here are…
Social isolation and loneliness have a detrimental impact on seniors health. Read these tips and strategies to help moderate this concern.
As heard in the news, long term care centres have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to protect residents and staff, these facilities have implemented strict protocols and routines, restricted visitation and eliminated most activity…
Sorry for the initial screen capture shot on the video, just click play to get past that quickly 🙂 There are many services and companies in Calgary that love to work with seniors. We have built a great network of…
Interview – Proactive Seniors on City News Often discussing health, finances and your wishes for aging are difficult conversations to have with family. Seniors may be worried about their future health and wellness and may not want to discuss these…
Live Video Q&A with Robin Spiers Listen to this informative video where the audience asks questions about seniors care and seniors support services in Calgary. Please feel to reach out to us if you have any questions. We are most…
Many of us like to hibernate a bit in the winter, staying warm and cozy inside our homes. However, for seniors, particularly single seniors, reduced social interaction might lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. You can technically have one without the…
There is a growing trend in the delivery of health and wellness services: the return of the house call! For Calgary seniors, there are many reasons why getting out of the house to attend a health-related appointment is challenging, so…
