What are Personal Care Services for Seniors?

There are a range of services available in Canada for the elderly. But we are often asked what actually qualifies as personal care services for seniors.

Short-Term Personal Care Services for Seniors

Short-term personal care is offered for residents who have spent time in hospital, had an accident, or their usual caregiver is away. In some cases, short-term senior care services can mean moving into the centre to spend their last days in comfort, with professional care.

Physical and Social Activities

All residents are invited to enjoy ongoing, planned physical, social and recreational activities such as exercise classes, music programs, crafts. and games.

24-Hour Nursing Care

The primary personal care service a facility can offer is round-the-clock nursing, so if a senior resident wakes up in the night with a medical issue there will be a trained and well-rested nurse available to help.

This could be as basic as getting them an extra blanket in the winter and monitoring their temperature in the summer. It could also mean ensuring they take daily medications or providing emergency care.

Convalescent Care

Convalescent care allows residents a safe and supervised environment to recuperate after a surgery or acute illness. Any after-care checks can be carried out by nursing staff. Residents can then receive assistance in reactivation, to make sure they are feeling strong and back to their old selves before returning home.

End-of-Life Care

Facing the end of a loved one’s life is a painful reality. We do all we can to help residents be as comfortable as possible, maintain their dignity, and offer them the best possible quality of life in their final days or weeks. Our compassionate team is supportive towards residents and their families alike during this tender time.

Laundry and Cleaning Services

Naturally, each residents clothes and bed linens are washed after use and their rooms are kept clean and tidy for a healthy environment.

Long-Term Personal Care Services for Seniors

A care centre is a community, often with residents living in comfort and companionship for many years. The care staff get to know each resident’s complex needs and come up with a care plan for each one. The staff are specially trained to treat memory conditions (dementia and Alzheimer’s), note any signs of new health problems, and support residents through palliative and end-of-life care. Care centre staff is made up of Registered Nurses, Care Aides, and Licensed Practical Nurses to provide the best of long-term care.

Personalized Dietary Services

At Lynn Valley, the on-site dietician and specially trained chef work in tandem to make sure every resident gets the right meal for a healthy personalized diet. This can be based on preference, philosophical or religious beliefs, aim to boost their immunity, counteract any deficiencies, and take into account intolerances and underlying conditions.

Personalized Care Services for Seniors

No two people are alike, so there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to caring for the elderly. Working as a team, the care staff will carefully decide on each person’s care plan. Each resident may need:

• Regular medical consultations with their physician
• Daily medication
• Transportation to medical appointments and other necessary appointments
• Help with hygiene and bathing
• Help getting dressed
• Assistance getting in and out of bed
• Mobility assistance (walking up and down the stairs, standing up, etc.)

Building Skills and Friendships

Residents are encouraged to be as independent as possible to maintain their sense of self, keep their agency, and have the best quality of life. Activity programs are designed to be sociable and allow residents to maintain and improve their skills, or even learn new ones!

Social events include concerts, BBQs, birthday parties, theme days for special occasions (Christmas, St Patrick’s Day, Halloween), therapeutic music programs, even belly dancing. There are specialized fitness programs, clubs for niche interests, and game days too.

As we’ve said, no two residents at Lynn Valley will be part of the community for the same amount of time or need exactly the same care. Our aim is that the consistent factor is each resident receiving the right care for their needs, 24-hours a day, and living a happier, healthier life while in our care.

If you found this useful, you can find more articles on seniors here.

This article was originally posted to Lynn Valley Care Centre and is intended for informational purposes only.