Hello
It is often observed that "it takes a village to raise a child".
The past few months dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has also sadly reminded us that it takes a village to care for an older adult.
Over the past few months the Canadian national press and publications (e.g. Zoomer, MacLean's) have been addressing the concern that in Canada more than 80% of COVID-19 deaths have occurred in seniors homes.
There are many reasons being proposed for the causes of this tragedy and a range of responses coming from all of us about lessons to be learned. This problem is one we will all need to engage more creatively, as we hope to improve our care for ourselves and others in this time of a significantly growing number of older adults in all of our communities. The number of Canadians over 85 is expected to quadruple over the next two decades.
CHAT is committed to helping with this conversation and developing and promoting resources related to healthy aging through the middle and later years of life including the support needed by care partners. We will continue to need your ideas, resource suggestions and financial support to maintain and develop the web site as a virtual centre.
The web site will continue to be a way to stay connected regardless of the changing ways we will have to network and support each other through this unusual time of "distancing" and beyond the COVID-19 experience as the "village" entrusted with caring for this generation of older adults.
Paul Pearce
