Summer Travel Assurance

STEP THREE: SET UP HELP. BEFORE YOU NEED IT

Think of this as "travel assurance", although, it could quite possibly be "travel insurance" too. Setting up trusted Companion Care now, [hopefully] a long time before any actual help is needed, will be one of THE best travel plans you can make this spring (or any season).

"But she would never accept help." Or at least that's what you imagine. You're not alone in this belief. Imagined resistance is by far the most common deterrent to setting up a companionship safety net.

"It's not that you need help, I just want to know I have someone we both trust if something were to happen while I'm away this summer."

Suggest a trial period. Ask about household chores that your loved one might want to hand off in favour of something more enjoyable; grocery shopping or laundry.

Have questions? Call a trusted in-home care provider to ask how you can create a simple companionship support strategy that's a win-win for your loved one...and your summer plans. Call 250-382-2328 , or visit our seniorcarevictoria.ca hit the brakes on your summer plans, keep reading. Here are three simple steps you can start taking today to provide valuable peace of mind so you can start getting excited about summer travel again.

STEP ONE: BE HONEST

Do you have a loved one who would depend largely on you in the case of an accident or health challenge? Or maybe their dependence is more on your companionship or regular assistance with upkeep around the home.

Either way, underestimating your presence isn't helpful here. Take stock. How many hours do you currently dedicate to supporting your loved one?

STEP TWO: IMAGINE THE WORST

This is hard. No one wants to go there, especially where our loved ones are concerned. But ignorance won't feel like bliss if something happens and you suddenly need to cancel your plans.

Take a moment to think of friends who have supported their parents through a fall or illness. What extra was required of them? Not sure? Ask. Take a friend out to lunch or coffee so you can formulate an accurate picture of what may be required.

Ask The Dentist!

by Dr. C Ross Crapo DDS

Q: Dear Dr. Crapo: I’m hard on my teeth. My dentist brings that to my attention just about every time I go in, which is regularly. I’ve had crowns done on breaking teeth on my molars. I’ve worn, off and on, a night guard. The last visit he said I’d have to get my front teeth capped because I’m breaking the edges and he’d filled them about three times, so they weren’t strong enough to hold

What Comes First?

more fillings. He also pointed out I had some gum recession and I’d need grafting to hike up the gums on my bottom front teeth and secure them so they wouldn’t recede anymore and the same would have to be done on the top front teeth. He laid out a plan of what needed doing but I don’t know what to do first. I haven’t been bothered by the recession, so I thought let’s get the crowns done; then worry about the gums. I asked him about straightening my teeth because when I was a kid, they took out my upper right eyetooth because it was coming in wrong. People don’t notice it, but my upper front teeth don’t exactly line up with my lower front teeth. He said the teeth could be made to look straighter, but crowning couldn’t compensate for the amount of drift that occurred after they took out my eyetooth. I know I need to get this done but where do I start? I don’t want braces.

A: Your situation is complex; giving you a definitive answer is difficult, so I’ll give you principles and an ideal scenario with the hope it falls into your timeline, budget, and personal commitment. Bite instability due to misalignment is common. Destructive bite instability is less common and often hard to manage or correct because it is unpredictable in what is causing the forces on the teeth to wear and break them. Bite imbalances, stress, physical exertion, sleep apnea, anxiety, grinding and clenching while in delta or deep sleep are causes for forceful tooth on tooth destruction. Some people are functional grinders, meaning they chew their food with excessive force for longer than the average period of time before swallowing. In your situation talk to your dentist about getting the teeth balanced as best possible. Sometimes tooth breakdown and gum recession go hand-in-hand.

After this is accomplished, have the grafting done that is necessary to support the bone around the teeth that show recession – there is a direct correlation of gum loss to bone loss. Three millimeters of gum recession means three millimeters of bone loss around the roots.

After grafting, wait about three months for maturing of the gum grafting, then have the teeth crowned in a way that promotes ideal tooth-to-tooth function.

Good planning and execution will give you a strong and beautiful result.

If we can help, we’d like to. Call 778-410-2080 for a consultation. Based on actual patient cases

©Calvin Ross Crapo

By: Laura Van Sprang, Manager of Sands

When people nd out what I have chosen to do for a profession by working in end of life care as a funeral director, embalmer and now a manager, I am often asked how I do it. Many people will comment on how depressing it must be dealing with bereaved people everyday and the morbid and scary thought of handling the deceased. People feel awkward asking me if I am busy at work, assuming that would be a bad thing, as being busy must mean a lot of people are dying. And it is rare someone will say “have a nice day”, without following up with, “well as nice as it can be working at a funeral home”.

Once people have given me the time to explain a little bit about why people become funeral directors and the daily running of a funeral home, I am always met with comments of, “wow, I never thought of it that way” or “that is very different than I imagined”.

So, if you have a moment to continue reading I would like to share with you a little bit of the how and why we do what we do and the incredible trust and honour it is to serve a community through funeral service.

First of all, yes, people are sad, yes, people are grieving and yes, someone they loved has died. It’s never easy for a family to come in to make arrangements and the realization of the immense loss that comes with it. But then, we get to know each other and once we have gathered the required their dignity, respect and proper care is of the utmost importance to us. Don’t forget we also just heard all about this person, so it is even more of an honour to care for them and give the family the best possible experience for their nal goodbye. What an honour to curl a woman’s hair for the last time, pin a medal of honour on a veteran or even just place that special family photo in their hand to hold forever. We do not take this privilege lightly.

Finally, if you ask me if we’re busy at work, and we are, it is actually a good thing. It does not mean more people are dying, we have no control over when and how people die. It means the families in and around our community are choosing us to care for their loved one and serve their family. It means we are doing our jobs properly, it means we are providing the important and necessary care and guidance that is so needed when a death has occurred and it means our community trusts us enough to pick up the phone and let us in to assist with one of the most intimate and important moments in their lives. We feel honoured when we are chosen and will do everything we can to assist with our support, guidance and professionalism. Our days are like most people in the working eld, in any eld. Some days are tougher than others, some days are busier than others and it takes a team of committed individuals to make each day be as positive and productive as possible to ful ll the role we have chosen in the community. And as previously mentioned, it is a privilege and an honour to assist in any way we can for those in need. So please do not hesitate to tell a funeral service professional to have a nice day, we do have them and it is appreciated. information needed to register the death with the government… we start to chat. We get to hear all about these amazing people who have passed away, where they came from, what they did for a living, their hobbies, their accomplishments, their passions and the list goes on. There is always a fresh box of tissue in the room and it is used, however once the door is closed it is usually not long until laughter can be heard and you know a precious memory or story has been shared. And we so appreciate the trust and openness of our families to share these with us.

Then there are the decedents. They are not “dead bodies” to us, they are someone’s, mother, father, sister, brother, child, relative or friend. Yes, we talk to them, yes, we call them by their name and