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For many seniors, doctor’s visits are stressful. There are sometimes complex health issues that need to be addressed and your loved one is unsure where to start. You can use this checklist to help ease anxiety and ensure a smooth visit.
Arrange for transportation to and from prior to the appointment. If you are unable to attend, companion/PSW services can be arranged through Alert Best Nursing & Home Care to accompany your loved one. 

Check if the appointment or associated tests require seniors to contact their insurance company ahead of time for pre-certification or other purposes. Check if fasting will be required or if there are certain foods your senior needs to avoid.
Pack everything needed for a successful appointment:

• Insurance cards
• Health Card
• Payment for co-pays or other charges
• Contact information for other doctors
• List of current medications
• List of allergies/medical conditions
• Medical records, if needed
• A list of questions for the doctor
• A notepad or device for note-taking

Verify at checkout after the appointment: 

• If further testing or labs are required
• When new prescriptions should be picked up
• If there are instructions or treatment notes seniors can take home with them
• When follow-up appointments are scheduled
• If any payment is due 

Keep an eye out for the expiration date on the health card. If you need to renew an expired card and are in the Province of Ontario, you can visit www.ontario.ca/page/health-card-renewal-replacement-and-cancellation for up to date renewal information. 

Summertime is a favorite season for most Canadians and especially older adults who spent most of the time indoors during the cold winter months. While summer is a great time for outdoor fun with family and friends, the heat and sun can be dangerous if precautions aren't taken.
If you are a senior or a caregiver, here are some tips for a fun, safe summer.

Stay Hydrated:
You are more susceptible to dehydration because you lose your ability to conserve water as you age. You also can become less aware of your thirst and have difficulty adjusting to temperature changes.
You should drink at least eight glasses of water per day to stay hydrated, more in conditions of extreme heat and humidity. Salt and potassium replacement products (Gatorade) are also helpful. Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, cola) and alcohol, which can actually dehydrate the body.

Check Your Medications
Make sure your medications won't be affected by higher temperatures -- especially if you don't have air conditioning in your home. Some medications are less effective if stored at temperatures higher than room temperature.

Keep Cool:
Even small increases in temperature can shorten the life expectancy for seniors who are coping with chronic medical conditions. Cool your home by keeping hot, humid air outdoors. Shut windows and doors as well as blinds or shutters. Stay indoors on lower floors in hotter, more humid weather. Shopping malls, movie theaters, churches and libraries provide welcome, cool spaces. They also afford a great opportunity to get out of the house and get some exercise, without the exhaustion of the heat.

Contact your city/local municipality office to inquire if there are any programs to assist seniors with fewer resources to get air conditioners or fans. Take a cool shower or bath which can lower your body temperature on extremely hot days. Temperatures inside the house should never exceed 85 degrees for any prolonged period of time.

Stay In Touch:
You should let friends and family know if you will be spending an extended period of time outdoors, even if only gardening. Do these tasks in the early morning, not during peak heat or sun. Keep track of time and do not stay outside for long periods of time.
Caregivers should check in regularly with the senior when temperatures are high.

Know Who To Call:
Prepare a list of emergency phone numbers and place them in an easy to access area. This way, the right people can be called to help quickly, to prevent any further issues or to keep medical problems from getting worse.

Keep The Menu Light:
Eating yogurt, fruit, vegetables, salads and chilled soups in smaller portions can keep your body from overworking and overheating.

Dress For The Weather:
Everyone, including seniors, should dress for the weather. When it's hot out, some people find natural fabrics (such as cotton) to be cooler than synthetic fibers. Wear light-colored and loose-fitting clothes to help feel cooler. They reflect the heat and are more comfortable.

Protect Your Body:
Sunblock will protect your skin from damage. Use at least SPF 30 or higher sunblock, along with wearing hats and sunglasses. Don’t forget the bug spray too!
Vision loss can be common among seniors, and too much exposure to the sun can irritate eyes and cause further damage. Wearing sunglasses can protect your eyes from harmful UV rays and preserve your vision.

Be Aware Of Heat-Related Illnesses:
During the summer, be particularly cautious about abnormally high body temperatures. Heat stroke is an advanced form of hyperthermia that can be life-threatening. Make sure to know the warning signs and get medical attention immediately if you or anyone you know is experiencing these symptoms:

• Body temperature greater than 104 degrees
  
• A change in behavior such as confusion or agitation
  
• Dry, flushed skin
  
• Nausea and vomiting
  
• Headache
  
• Heavy breathing or a rapid pulse
  
• Not sweating, even if it's hot out
  
• Dizziness or fainting
  

If you or an elderly loved one start to feel any of these symptoms, ask for medical help!

Check The Weather Report:
A heat wave is at least 48 hours of excessive heat and high humidity. It is difficult and dangerous for everyone, especially seniors. A heat index tells how hot it feels as it combines the air temperature and relative humidity. Direct sunlight can increase this temperature by several degrees.

Know Your Risk:
These health factors may increase the risk and threat of a heat related illness:

• Poor circulation, inefficient sweat glands, and changes to the skin by normal aging
  
• Heart, lung, and kidney diseases, as well as any illness that causes weakness or fever
  
• High blood pressure or conditions that require changes in diet. Low salt diets may face added risk
  
• Taking several different prescriptions for various conditions
  
• Being overweight or underweight
  
• Drinking alcoholic beverages
  

Keep cool and stay safe this summer in the heat!
 

Summer is finally here but does the thought of ticks and Lyme disease make you a bit nervous of going outdoors this summer? Here are some information and tips for how to protect you and your family while hitting the great outdoors this summer:

What is Lyme disease?
We Ontarians are fortunate to have an abundance of wilderness that provides us great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.  But one thing to keep in mind when outside—especially in wooded areas and those with tall grasses, bushes and shrubs—is Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is spread to humans through the bite of an infected, Blacklegged Tick and health officials are seeing an increase in the number of cases in the province.
“We’ve seen a marked increase in the number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Ontario, particularly in the last year,” says Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. “This is partly due to an increase and expansion of Blacklegged Tick populations to new areas of the province.”

The most common symptom of Lyme disease is an expanding skin rash, which can appear between three and 30 days after a bite. However, many people never get or see a rash.
If the disease is left untreated, other symptoms may develop including fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, problems with your heartbeat, breathing, balance and short-term memory. In rare cases, Lyme disease may result in death.

“It is important to see your health care provider as early as possible if you have symptoms or if you feel unwell in the weeks following a tick bite,” says Dr. Williams. “The earlier treatment is received the better.”

How do people contract Lyme disease?
Blacklegged Ticks cannot fly, but settle in brushy areas until they attach themselves to a passing person or animal. The ticks are known to feed on migratory birds and can be carried throughout the province. Lyme disease is not transmitted from person-to-person; however, dogs and cats can carry Blacklegged Ticks inside and place families at risk of being bitten.

Check your pets for ticks daily and talk with your vet about keeping your pet protected from ticks. If your pet is found to have a tick, remember that you are at risk when spending time in the same environments.
 
When you’re out in tick habitat, protect yourself by taking these precautions:

• Wear light-coloured clothing. It makes ticks easier to spot
• Wear closed footwear and socks and a long-sleeved shirt tucked into long pants. Tuck your pants into your socks
• Use a tick repellent that has DEET or icaridin on your clothes and exposed skin (be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions)
• Search your clothes and body for ticks at least once a day, paying special attention to areas such as the groin, navel, armpits, and scalp and behind ears and knees. Use a mirror to check the back of your body or have someone else check for you. Don’t forget to tick check children in your care
• Take a shower as soon as you can after being outdoors to more easily find and wash off any ticks crawling on you
• Place outdoor clothing through the dryer cycle for 60 minutes on high heat before washing to kill any ticks that may be hard to see. Ticks thrive in wet environments

What if I find a tick?

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible
2. Pull the tick out slowly with even pressure to ensure mouth parts are removed and body is not crushed
3. Wash area with soap and warm water
4. Put the tick into a container with a lid or a sealed plastic bag
5. Bring the tick to your local health unit for identification

DO NOT

• Grasp around bloated belly and squeeze the tick
• Use a match, heat or chemicals to try and remove it
• Twist the tick when pulling it out

Current Lyme disease risk areas in Ontario
While not all Backlegged Ticks can cause Lyme disease, there has been an increase in the number of areas in Ontario where Blacklegged Ticks have been identified or are known to exist.
Infected ticks are continuing to spread and can now also be found in in the Simcoe-Muskoka district, York Region and all of Eastern Ontario as well as Hamilton and parts of Northwestern Ontario.
For more details, review the Lyme disease risk area map:
 
While the probability is low, it is possible to encounter an infected tick almost anywhere in the province.

For more information please consult the Public Health Agency of Canada or the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.