March is here and many of us have spring on our minds. It often feels like there’s a lot to do once winter is finally over—cleaning, organizing, making appointments you’ve put off, and planning for the weeks and months ahead. If you help care for an aging family member, here are some seasonal reminders that may help life run smoothly. Thanks for reading and please contact us if you’d like to know more about high quality homecare services in Toronto, Mississauga and the surrounding communities. We’d be glad to hear from you.
Spring clean your medicine cabinets
In addition to deep cleaning your house, spring is the perfect time of year to clean out medicine cabinets (including those of your aging loved ones). Look for expired items as well as prescriptions that need refilling or replacing. Make a list of items that need to be purchased (more toothpaste and Advil, a new package of Band-Aids, a tube of Icy Hot cream for sore muscles, etc). Consider reviewing a list of current medications with your doctor and/or pharmacist (this can help identify harmful drug interactions or items that should be removed/added to one’s medication schedule). Be sure to include non-prescription vitamins and supplements in this review. If your aging loved one isn’t using blister packs to manage their medication, speak to your pharmacist about setting up this convenient and helpful option. We recommend repeating this process every six months—put it on your calendar for both spring and fall!
Book medical appointments as needed
It’s not uncommon for families to put off non-urgent medical appointments during the winter months. After all, if something isn’t time sensitive, why not wait until the ice and snow are gone before taking your aging loved one out in the community? If this is the case for your family, springtime is an excellent opportunity to schedule these appointments: dental cleanings, osteopathy or massage therapy, footcare, optometry visits and more. If your aging loved one hasn’t seen their family doctor over the winter and you’ve noticed changes in their physical and/or cognitive abilities, we recommend scheduling a check-up this spring.
Plan ahead
If you have a family gathering coming up for Easter, Passover, a loved one’s birthday or another special event, remember to consider how to include your elderly relatives in these celebrations. (We’ve shared accessibility tips here, in another blog post.) We also recommend looking at your spring/summer travel schedule to ensure that respite care can be booked as needed. A little forethought goes a long way, especially when you’re caring for aging relatives (and other dependents) as well as yourself. Remember, Living Assistance Services is here to support your family’s needs, providing exceptional care and peace of mind.
Thanks as always for reading, and please share this blog post with anyone who may find it helpful. If you’d like to know more about hiring a Personal Support Worker (PSW) in the Toronto area, please contact us. We’d be glad to answer your questions and provide a quote.