People may need long-term care as they age or develop illnesses such as cancer and diseases. Most long-term care today is provided at home, unpaid by a family member. It can become difficult depending on the individual’s needs. Long-term care facilities are also a choice such as a nursing home, community, or adult daycare center depending on the situation. Some may need to stay in the hospital full-time. As a caregiver or someone working in a long-term care facility, you provide services to help these people who can no longer live independently in a safe way, performing everyday activities on their own.
Continue reading the following article if you are or soon to be a full-time family caregiver or someone living in a long-term care facility or requires frequent visits to the hospital. As the following article will go over caring for someone in need of long-term medical care, how to feel at home in extended hospital stays or in short-term rentals, and educate yourself further about local Toronto medical care institutions including Toronto Western Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Kids, Mount Sinai, Princess Margot Cancer Centre, and University Health Network.
Caring for Someone in Long-Term Medical Care
Caring for a love-one in need of assistance or long-term medical care is no easy task emotionally, mentally, or physically. It is always difficult to see a loved one ill and possibly alone in their journey to health and wellness. If you are a caregiver or a family member caring for someone in need of long-term care, here are 8 useful pointers to keep in mind.
You are Not Alone - Caring for elderly parents, family members or ill friends requires time, attention, and patience. Be sure to ask for help, look up resources, adult day programs, and support groups during this time
Understand How Your Loved One Feels - This may be a scary time for them as well, they may feel a loss of control, sadness, fear or becoming a burden, anger, frustration, and denial. Provide them a sense of purpose and help them adjust to the “new normal”
Taking Care of Yourself – This is an emotionally, mentally, and physically draining time. Be sure to take some self-care time for yourself before you take care of others
Tips to Reduce Stress – Knowing your limits, asking for support, taking a short walk, reducing alcohol and caffeine intake, and spending time with others are ways to care for yourself
Plan Together – It may be a difficult time for certain topics like money, will, sickness and death to be brought up, but if comfortable, reflect and communicate on your health action plan and respect their wishes and decisions
Learn About Your New Role – A quick search on Google can lead you to organizations with resources such as MississaugaHaltonhealthline.ca, Caregiving Matters, Canadian Virtual Hospice, CaregiverExchange.ca, Canadian Caregiver Coalition, and Choosing Wisely Canada
Learn – Educate yourself as much as possible. Understand your loved one’s condition, how their behavior will come to change, and how their illness will progress through time
Medication – Help your loved one keep their medication organized and taken on time, keeping track of each dosage, and possible medication side effects. You can be sure to call your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns
How to Feel at Home in Extended Medical Stays
If you are someone who needs to be accommodated in an extended medical stay in the hospital, at this time you may be feeling uncomfortable, the situation may be unpredictable, and you will be physically and emotionally challenged. The following will present some tips on how to stay positive and comfortable for the duration of your stay.
Stay Connected with the Outside World – Spend time with a loved one, when they visit, is a great distraction from the current stress of being in the hospital. Loved ones will constantly ask how you are feeling, you can be honest and just enjoy some home-cooked food and their company. If you cannot meet in person, a virtual video chat is a click away
Take Advantage of Events – There are known benefits of healing arts being available and being comfortable in long hospital stays. Especially if you are alone and feeling comfortable, see if you can talk to your medical team about visiting therapy dogs, and taking part in music, art, and other types of pet therapy
Get Comfortable – Being in a hospital gown all day is not the same as being able to wear your own sweats or pajamas. Packing your own slippers and socks, as well as your own blankets or pillows can help you sleep better at night too. Make sure clothing is loose enough for IV, port, and other equipment to access.
Entertainment - Keep yourself entertained the best you can. Regular vital visits, blood draws, examinations, boredom, and exhaustion will fall upon you. Bring your own devices, a laptop, phone, and charger and spend some time catching up on Netflix shows, reading, learning a new craft, meditate, journal, or get to know your hospital roommate if you can. Be sure to take laps around the hospital if you are up for it or take a breather outside.
Seek Support – Close family and friends may not under what you are going through completely. Seeking out others with the same condition as you can help remind you that you are not alone.
You should also ask questions and voice any concerns you may have. Your medical team is there to help, and some will be there to sit down and explain your condition, any procedures, and your treatment options. Speak up.
Just like being a patient, being a full or part-time caregiver to a loved one is no easy task. You too may be feeling emotionally and physically drained with the frequent hospital visits and may want to stay with your loved one long past visiting hour. The below will present some tips on looking for local accommodations close to your loved one’s care facility.
Make Sure Your Short-Term Rental Covers Your Basics - Just because you are relocating somewhere temporarily, does not mean you should sacrifice things that matter to you in a home. If an in-suite washer and dryer are important to you and parkin is a must as your main transportation, find a short-term rental with those amenities. Rather than forcing yourself to make do without them, it will make your experience a happier and more comfortable one as your short-term rental will offer what you want and need.
Save Your Boxes – Reuse what you can when you move into your short-term rental for when you move out. It may be shoving them on an empty shelf or under your bed, at least this will save you time and money later. The same goes for packing supplies like bubble wrap and packing paper. Find a space and save it.
Decorate – To make your short-term rental feel like home is to make it look like home. Add personal touches like photos of friends and family or buy a new small home plant without changing your wall art into the wall causing holes. This way, you will be able to make space feel personally like your own, is simple, and everything is easy to pack together when you move out.
Edit Your Clothes – A short-term rental will make you feel like a guest and living out of a small suitcase or searching through boxes can make it feel worse. While you might not be able to fit your entire closet into your temporary home, consider filling your closet with seasonal clothing. Choose a week or two worth of clothes and accessories and put the rest in storage. It will keep you keep organized and neat!
Pick your Appliance – some temporary living spaces may come with appliances, and some do not. IF you’re looking for a suite with a fully equipped kitchen, book with Avalon Suites. Avalon kitchen comes with a fridge, freezer, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, kettle, and Nespresso coffee machine to name a few. If you are choosing to without a fully equipped kitchen, thin of your most-used appliances to pack with you. Whether it is a blender for your morning smoothie, air fryer, or toaster oven.
Toronto Western Hospital
Toronto Western Hospital is in the core of downtown Toronto, surrounded by local communities of South Annex, Queen and King Street West, and College. It is an academic health science center facility with 272 beds focused on delivering exceptional patient care, providing a breadth of services from emergency care to specialized brain surgery.
As Toronto Western Hospital is a world leader in neurosciences, the hospital is constantly pushing the boundaries of research, pioneering treatment, and utilizing state-of-the-art technology. Toronto Western Hospital has a strong community focus, proving information and innovative programming for children, seniors, diabetes patients, and many multicultural groups. The hospital’s Emergency Department sees more than 60,000 patients every year and offers programs in orthopedic and rheumatology, with expertise in musculoskeletal health and arthritis.
Additional amenities and services offered by the Toronto Western Hospital include patient and family services in spiritual care, health records and a pharmacy, food, and retail services, patient and family library, activities and relaxation, clinics and inpatient unit, surgery, and critical care, and a medical program.
Toronto Western Hospital interests the north corner of Bathurst and Dundas. Getting to and around Toronto Western Hospital is accessible through public transit, offering drop-off and pick-up sections, and parking spaces. Avalon Suites is only 10-minutes by driving, or 30-minutes to the Toronto Western Hospital through taking the public transit like the TTC
The Hospital for Sick Kids
The Hospital for Sick Kids, corporately branded as SickKids, is a well-known pediatric teaching hospital located on University Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. SickKids is associated with the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Toronto.
Staffed with passionate and dedicated professionals, SickKids brands themselves much more than a hospital. They work each day to provide the best child and family-centered care, create groundbreaking criminal and scientific advancements, and training the next generation of healthcare professionals in the field of child health. SickKids is committed to providing a safe and healing space for patients and families, staff, medical students, and volunteers. Where everyone can be seen, heard, and are valued as part of their equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts.
SickKids is focused on child and family-centered care, innovation in child health research, teaching the next generation of healthcare professionals, and engaging in a variety of innovative initiatives surrounding childcare worldwide.
If you are planning on staying with Avalon Suites, a short commute by transit or drive to the Hospital for Sick Kids is only 10-minutes or a 20-minute work.
Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital is focused on patient care, teaching, and research center affiliated with the University of Toronto. The hospital sees patients from across the province of Ontario and the entire country.
Patients of the hospital come to access the institute's access to specialized and inclusive care focused on patient's humanity. Sinai's health-focused areas are on rehab and complex continuing care, surgery and oncology, urgent and critical care, and women’s and infant's care. Mount Sinai clinical areas are focused on women’s and infant’s health, emergency medicine, cancer, complex orthopedics, palliative care, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, geriatrics, arthritis, and autoimmune disease.
If you are planning on staying with Avalon Suites on a short-term rental, the accommodations are located very close to Mount Sinai Hospital. It is only a short 5-minute car drive, a 10-minute commute through the public transit to the TTC, or a 20-minute short walk from Avalon Suites Yorkville.
Princess Margot Cancer Centre
Princess Margot Cancer Centre is one of the largest cancer centers in the world. Their medical team is dedicated to caring, learning, and finding answers. Under the University Health Network, Princess Margot Cancer Centre is a health care and medical research organization located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The focus is on researching complex cases, which has made the hospital a national and international source for discovery, education, and patient care.
Princess Margot Cancer Centre offers many specialized programs and services to help patients and families, before, during, and after cancer treatment. Ranging from assisting in physical side effects due to treatment, emotional, and practical support. Categories of specialized support programs The hospital'sinclude appearance, finance support, health, wellness & survivorship, information, patient education, language services, professional services, side effects management clinics, and support groups and programs.
Planning to book a short-term rental with Avalon Suites allows you close access to the Princess Margot Cancer Centre. From Avalon’s accommodation, it will only be a 5-minute drive, 10-minutes transits on the TTC, or a 20-minute walk to get to the hospital.
University Health Network
University Health Network is a public research and teaching hospital located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest health research organization in North America and ranks first in Canada for research funding from 2015 to 2017. University Helth Network locations in Toronto, Ontario Canada, also include Princess Margot Cancer Centre, Toronto General Hospital, and Toronto Western Hospital. With programs focusing on medicine, surgery and critical care, rehab, medical imaging, and laboratory medicine.
University Health Network’s vision is focused on “a healthier world,” with a purpose in “transforming lives and communities through excellence in care, discovery, and learning”. The 7 essentials that represent their core priorities as a leading academic health sciences center are on being compassionate and caring, the environment, operational excellence, partnerships, people and culture, quality and safety, and technology.
The University health network has 10 medical programs and is in 8 hospital sites, some of which in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. If you are considering staying at a short-term rental close to the University Health Network for yourself or a loved one, book with us at Avalon Suites Yorkville. Our accommodations are located very close to the University Health Network, it will only be a 5-minute drive, 10-minute public transit with the TTC, or a 20-minute walk.
Avalon Suites Yorkville
No matter if you are a patient in need of short-term housing near Toronto’s medical centers or a family member looking to stay closer to the family for a short-term, Avalon Suites offer fully furnished suites with 2x the living space than a hotel room and amenities found at home and all for yourself is the perfect temporary housing solution even for a professional business traveler. Here at Avalon Suites, we offer a wide range of suites ranging from a comfortable Economy Suite for only one person to a Presidential 2-bedroom accommodation fit for five, there is one best suited for your relocation housing needs.
Avalon premium luxury suites offer a fully equipped kitchen, filled with cooking utensils; pots, pans, boards, dishes, cups, cutlery, and equipment such as a fridge, freezer, microwave, and dishwasher all in one suite. Even more, each Avalon Suites has an in-suite washer and dryer, allowing you to feel just at home being able to do your own laundry without the hassle of housekeeping and additional services. Every suite also has access to internet and wife services, smart televisions for your cable, Netflix, Prime, or YouTube viewing, complimentary coffee, tea, and bathroom necessities.
Additionally, Avalon Suites have an in-building fitness center and gym, and conference room safely available to be booked, alongside 24/7 concierge services. Located in the heart of Yorkville intersecting Yorkville Avenue and Avenue Road, not only will you get sweeping views of the city, however, you are located minutes to premium dining experiences, shopping departments, tourist destinations, and a Wholefoods supermarket for your in-suite cooking needs.
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Contact us at 416.731.1372 to learn more about our suites and to book!