FREE workshops!
The following workshops are available as of August 2008:
1. Safe Use of Medicines for the Caregivers of Seniors
2. Pharmacare
3. Challenging Behaviors
4. Legal Issues (Wills, Powers of Attorney, “Living Wills”)
Please see below for more details.
Call Alyson at 421-7390 or 1-877-488-7390 to register.
Safe Use of Medicines for the Caregivers of Seniors:
Some things you may not know:
∗ The medicine cabinet in your bathroom is not a good place to store your medications.
∗ It is important for all of your health care providers to know all of the prescribed medications, over the counter medications and natural health products you are
taking.
∗ You should not take oral medication with grapefruit juice as it interferes with
absorption.
∗ People react differently to medication as they age.
Although the title suggests this information is only for caregivers of someone over the age of 65, this practical workshop and workbook are suitable for all.
This two hour workshop covers some of the basics of medications, such as what they are and how to store and take them. More in depth information covers common medication mistakes, how to monitor for adverse reactions, how to receive accurate information and how to be as safe as possible when you are responsible for any aspect of providing medication to another individual.
The workshop consists of a 40 minute presentation of information, followed by more than an hour of time to ask questions directly of the Pharmacist who co-facilitates the workshop. Caregivers who have attended this workshop felt the most valuable aspects were learning things they did not realize about medications, and having the opportunity to ask the Pharmacist questions specific to their medication concerns.
It is important for caregivers to be informed about medications to help them identify problems, make informed decisions about care and be prepared in case of an emergency.
Pharmacare:
Do you not have health insurance coverage for medication costs? Do you have a health care insurance plan that cuts you off once you reach a certain amount per year? Do you have questions about what the government offers to people to assist them in covering the costs of medications? Have you heard of the new Family Pharmacare program but aren’t sure if you qualify? Would you like a comparison of the Family Pharmacare plan and the Seniors Pharmacare plan? If so, this workshop is for you.
Caregivers are often responsible for assisting, in or choosing, health care cost management. Medication costs can be quite stressful on individuals and their caregivers, especially if they have little or no private health insurance. This workshop is here to help you explore the other options to assist you in minimizing this cost.
With the recent implementation of the Family Pharmacare program in Nova Scotia, many people aren’t quite sure what it is or if it is a good choice for them.
In this workshop we describe the Family Pharmacare program, how it works, who it works well for, how to apply and what to expect. We are also able to explain the basics of the Seniors Pharmacare Program and help you to compare them and how each may benefit you.
Challenging Behaviors:
Have you ever been at your wit’s end with the person you care for? Does their behavior ever concern you or challenge your ability to cope with it? Do you have a specific ongoing issue with the behavior of the person you are caring for such as aggression, inappropriate behavior, behavior that places them or others at risk? Would you like to learn some techniques that may help you to deal with these behaviors or even stop them? If so, this workshop is for you.
Many caregivers find some of the behavior of their care recipients to be quite challenging to deal with. Care recipients may act out in ways that are strange or uncharacteristic for them for many different reasons.
This workshop will help you understand what may be happening to cause such behavior and offer suggestions to alleviate the negative impacts of such behavior on all involved. The facilitator of this workshop is a long time nurse in geriatric mental health, however her strategies can be used with anyone of any age. She is quite frank and wants people to ask questions that may be difficult for them to bring up. She is always open to being slipped a question on a piece of paper if you are too shy to ask.
Legal Issues (Wills, Power of Attorney and “Living Will”):
Do you have your affairs in order? Do you find it hard to breach the subjects of death, dying and wishes for health care interventions with your care-recipient? Are you ready for these things but not quite sure where to start with your planning? Would you like to know more about what counts as a legal document when it comes to you or your care-recipients last wishes?
If so, this workshop is for you. Spend two hours with a lawyer, getting information on all of the above and asking questions. Although our legal beagle can’t give advice specific to your individual situation, she can give you the general information that will point you in the right direction.
