'What is it?" A very powerful 331 second video, please check it out!

CAG & Globe article

I'm posting from Montreal where I am attending the Canadian Association on Gerontology's 39th Annual Scientific and Educational meeting as a representative for my own organization, NICE. So far the event seems to have an excellent turn out and many of Quebec, Canada, and North America's leaders from the field of aging.

Two friends also sent me links to the article below today so I think the message is that I should make sure blog followers and interested people check out this story about an older woman (with dementia) whose tree was wrongly cut down by the city of Toronto. Take a look here. I'm also including the Globe & Mail's copyright information as they seem to be becoming active about intellectual property and I want to give everyone their due credit.  Now it's off to bed as tomorrow morning is the first full day of CAG and I want to make sure I bring my A game. Night night.

Publication:	Globe and Mail
Article:	Wrongfully-cut tree leads to plans for Toronto dementia policy
	© CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Will you be there when I'm old?

I went to this event last night, took notes, and there's a lot to say about it. That will come soon, but here's the description:

Will you be there for me when I'm old?: How Canada's aging population will impact the health care system

[ PDF (667 KB) Thursday, November 25, 2010, 6:30 p.m.
Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen Street West, Toronto


It's a fact: we're all getting older. Over the next thirty years, the proportion of Canadians over 65 is expected to double. It's also a fact that seniors need more health services. What impact will this demographic shift have on Canada's health care system? Will seniors swamp the system? Will health costs skyrocket? And will we be able to provide dignified and appropriate care to all who need it? Please join us for a lively discussion of the latest research evidence on this important subject.
This event is presented by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Institute of Health Services and Policy Research and its Knowledge Translation Branch. Refreshments will be served.

Experts:

Dr. Pat Armstrong
CHSRF/CIHR Chair in Nursing Research
Department of Sociology
York University
Dr. Peter Coyte
CHSRF/CIHR Chair in Health Services Research
Faculty of Medicine
University of Toronto
Dr. Christopher Patterson
Professor, Division of Geriatric Medicine
Department of Medicine, McMaster University
Dr. Karima Velji
Vice-President, Clinical and Residential
Programs and Chief Nursing Executive
Baycrest

Moderator:

Megan Ogilvie

Health Reporter, The Toronto Star

Hospital or Homecare - "Little old ladies are crashing the system"

I read the article "Little old ladies are crashing the system" from the Globe and Mail, after having just had coffee with a friend who works very hard as a social worker with older adults who have been hospitalized. We were just discussing many of the challenges of trying to help older adults within this system, as well as what is involved in giving older adults safe, appropriate, and respectful care according to their needs and wishes.
 

This article hits on some of those issues, though Margaret Wente only skims the surface of the extreme circumstances faced by many older adults who enter and exit the Canadian hospital system. I think the point that care needs to be designed for the comfort and well-being of an older adult in the present is salient and points to an area where over-stressed and under-paid staff, a desire for system "efficiency" above all else, and a financially strained system, are resulting in over-processing older adults while failing to actually account for their immediate and future health and comfort.

Click HERE to view the article. I tried to embed it...but it looks like doing so would violate Globe and Mail copy write...

Now Businesses Can Be Certified "Elder Friendly"

Described in The New Old Age section of The New York Times (to read the article, click here), Elders in Action is a non-profit advocacy group based in Portland, OR, with the following mission: "To assure a vibrant community through the active involvement of older adults".

http://www.eldersinaction.org/about/

The organization provides a range of services including personal advocacy, speakers, workshops, a commission (to advise local members of government), and an "Elder Friendly" business certification. 

Want to see their video? Click here

I'm impressed with what this group is doing. How many places do you think have something like this? If you know of one, post a link or let me know. It's time to find out what is actually happening out there!