Mom and Dad are getting older, and guess what? You may be looking after them one day! But don't worry, help is on the way. Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care and TV Ontario have teamed up on a show that is essentially a crash course in looking after an aging parent.
Taking Care is a 13-part television series that will air Thursdays, starting September 30th at 2:00 p.m. EDT. Hosted by radio personality Mary Ellen Beninger, each half-hour program will address a different challenge along the caregiving road, such as identifying the early signs that a relative may need help, strategies for organizing homecare, coping with dementia, and shopping for a long-term care facility.
Beninger is no stranger to caring for a frail parent. When her mother suffered a series of debilitating strokes, Beninger's father cared for her mother at home. Beninger took time from her busy schedule to help out whenever she could.
"I've seen what elder care can do to families--both the ups and downs," says Beninger, who co-hosts the morning show on Energy Radio in Toronto. "It can be an enriching experience if we can find ways to help people cope better. The key is knowing what support services are out there."
Each of the 13 programs begins by taking viewers into the home of a family who candidly shares their experience caring for an elderly relative. This is followed by a studio discussion with community and health care professionals who provide insight and practical information. At the end of the program, viewers are given community resources and contacts that they can follow up with.
"By educating families with practical information, we're giving them a ray of hope that help is out there--they just have to know where to look for it," says Sorele Urman, Associate Director of Social Work at Baycrest Centre and a consultant on the series. Baycrest gets calls every day from family members who are concerned about their relative's physical or mental state and their ability to continue to live independently.
The premiere show on September 30th is aptly titled The First Signs. Three caregivers talk about the early signs of illness in their parents, how they reacted, what they did about it, family disagreements, and how they made plans for homecare and other supports. Additional topics in the series include transportation and mobility, depression and isolation, and maintaining good health in later year.
Taking Care airs Thursdays, starting September 30th at 2:00 p.m. EDT, repeated Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 5:30 p.m. Produced by TVO and supported by Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care.
