Quebec’s population is aging rapidly, yet loss of independence remains a taboo subject. In this context, a new guide has been launched to help seniors take care of themselves and stay at home as long as possible.
Older adults often struggle to recognize that they are losing their independence. This guide offers simple tips to promote active aging and encourage healthy lifestyle habits. It also lists existing programs and services for when certain tasks become more difficult.
The 40-page booklet entitled “When Life Changes” was developed by the CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal. It was distributed in various strategic locations within its territory, such as private seniors’ residences and pharmacies, but the complete guide is also available online at laviechange.ca.
It includes several sections with advice and signs to look for when it’s time to ask for help. For example, it emphasizes the importance of eating well (especially protein) and drinking water even if your appetite is reduced.
Moving every day is also very important. “We want to maintain what we’ve gained. We want to maintain strength, flexibility and cardiovascular capacity. So, moving, even a little bit, helps,” explains Dr. Stéphane Ahern, a specialist in general internal medicine and intensive care, who contributed to the guide’s content.
Working on memory and learning new things are also essential. “You need to exercise to maintain your muscles, but you also need to keep your brain very active. And we see this in studies. So, playing memory games, doing crossword puzzles, playing board games with friends, reading,” suggests Dr. Ahern. He adds that breaking social isolation is one of the extremely important indicators.
The mourning of a certain autonomy
The most difficult thing for older people is not exercising every day or organizing a structured routine. It is simply accepting help from others, whether a loved one or a professional.
“I often explain this to my patients,” says Dr. Ahern. “Sometimes, accepting help seems counterintuitive. You think to yourself, ‘I’m going to lose my independence,’ but accepting help means gaining independence. And gaining the ability to be happy, to stay in your own environment.”
Francine Gravel, a 71-year-old retired teacher, experienced this firsthand with her mother, for whom she is a caregiver. “I think my mother, like many others, is afraid of being ‘placed’ if they ask for help,” she says.
“I can hear myself telling him: ‘This isn’t about placing you, it’s the opposite. It’s about keeping you at home as long as possible.’”
Gravel’s mother finally agreed. A CLSC employee came morning and evening to administer medication and assist with meals. Two or three times a week, someone also came to help her with bathing. “I surrounded her with all sorts of resources, so despite the Alzheimer’s diagnosis, I think I certainly gained her four or five years at home,” Gravel believes. Her mother, now 96 years old, lives in a long-term care facility due to the progression of the disease.
“When you’re losing your independence, especially when it’s accelerating rapidly, sometimes grief hits you a little faster. […] At that point, you need a little more help quickly. But you have to talk about it!” Dr. Ahern is quick to add. “The more you talk to your family about it in advance, the better supported you’ll be and the more able you are to move forward. […] If you’re a senior living alone, you’re not alone. There’s a community around you, there are services available.”
Bringing humor to aging
Dr. Ahern points out that for “so-called normal aging,” autonomy is lost very gradually. “And there are people who remain extremely healthy. […] That being said, it’s certain that if we add other factors, if I add loneliness and isolation, lack of stimulation, poor lifestyle habits, uncompensated hearing loss, uncompensated vision loss, then your autonomy (falls) more rapidly,” he explains.
“I don’t want the message to be: ‘getting old means losing your autonomy’. It’s: ‘getting old, you lose some autonomy, but the more you take care to be active, the more you are able to postpone it or maintain this ability to be active’.”
Francine Gravel isn’t afraid to ask for help. She recently moved into her son’s duplex. She believes you shouldn’t wait until your health deteriorates before reaching out for assistance. She’s considering getting help with housework soon, even though she’s still able to manage it herself. “My arthritis… when I have to bend over… Grandma’s starting to have trouble getting on her knees,” she says, laughing.
Moreover, Gravel finds that some seniors lack humor when it comes to aging. “Try to laugh about it. In my case, it’s a useful tool that I use extensively. The word ‘old’ contains the word ‘life,’ and that’s beautiful. I’m not young, so I’m old. But I accept it with a laugh. […] It’s about accepting that we’re at a different stage, that’s all.”
—The Canadian Press’s health coverage is supported by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this journalistic content.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
