The Prosperity™ Long-Term Care Fund (Prosperity™ Fund) is currently accepting nominations for potential recipients of the Caregiver Award and encourages members of the public to nominate local, volunteer caregivers of seniors, who are deserving of recognition. Nomination forms and details on the nomination process, including eligibility criteria, can be accessed through the Prosperity™ Fund website (www.prosperityfund.ca). The deadline for nominations is January 21, 2009. It is anticipated that the top 5 finalists will be announced on February 9, 2009 and that the Caregiver Award will be presented to the winner on February 25, 2009 at the Prosperity™ Fund’s official launch and evening soiree entitled “Setting the Path to Prosperity™”. The winner of the Caregiver Award will receive a “weekend getaway in Ottawa” package, which includes the following:

• Personal care and home support services for your loved one, provided by Retire-At-Home Services. Up to 48 hours of service is included, customized to the needs of the senior. Value of $1,300.
• 2 nights stay for two at the Fairmont Château Laurier, including complementary parking and breakfast;
• The Ultimate Spa package from Westboro Spa and Hair Studio, with a market value of $250;
• A $300 gift certificate at Carlingwood Mall; and
• Dinner for two at the Foundation Restaurant, with a market value of $150

The Prosperity™ Fund is a new endowment fund, administered by the Community Foundation of Ottawa, which will provide our regional non-profit long-term care homes and other seniors’ care organizations with an additional source of funding to improve the quality of care for Ottawa’s seniors.

Caregivers provide more than 80 percent of care needed by individuals with ‘long-term conditions’ and it is estimated they contribute more than $5 billion of unpaid labour annually to the health care system (Fast, J., Niehaus, L., Eales, J., & Keating, N. 2002a, A profile of Canadian chronic care providers). The changing demographics and aging population are expected to place further burdens on caregivers. Through its new Caregiver Award and other activities, the Prosperity™ Fund is responding to the current and future needs of seniors and caregivers in our community.

For additional information about the Caregiver Award, contact:

Adam C. Nihmey, CFA, CBV
Founder and President
The Prosperity™ Long-Term Care Fund
www.prosperityfund.ca
613-866-0924

The 2008 Ottawa Business Achievement awards were handed out in a spectacular gala event on Thursday, November 20th, 2008. Awards were presented to companies in six different categories which highlighted success in a wide range of industries. There were as many as eight finalists in each of the six categories.

The theme of the night was celebrating success in business during troubled economic times. A representative from each nominated company was asked to give advice on how to lead during a recession. Although there has been a drastic decline in the overall economy in recent months, Retire-At-Home has shown consistent growth for its home health care services.

“During uncertain economic times it is important for all companies to reevaluate ongoing projects and programs to ensure that each is one is contributing directly to the growth of the company or and the quality of service”, stated Jonathan Martin, Vice President of Franchise Development for Retire-At-Home, when giving his advice in a recorded session. “Our focus during such times is to ensure that the quality of our service is consistently maintained. By focusing on our clients satisfaction and delivering what they need, we believe that this will ensure our company’s continued growth.”

Each finalist was ranked in five eligibility categories which included the following:

• Business Growth – Sales, Profitability and Expansion
• Job Creation and Employee Relations
• Customer Service and Quality
• Innovation, Research & Development
• Community and Charitable Involvement, and Environmental Responsibility

Mr. Martin accepted the award on stage with his mother, Irene Martin, a registered nurse who founded the company in 1994 as a home-based business. The company has won many awards over the past several years for its business achievement and ethical business practices.

Continued growth and development is on the horizon with the expansion of five new franchises awarded in 2008. With its continued growth, Retire-At-Home still emphasises high ethical standards and service excellence for its clients.

It’s not unusual to find senior citizens who have lived in the same house for decades. “If you’ve lived in your home for forty years you are not only most comfortable there, you are likely safer because you know the space so well,” explains Irene Martin, president of Retire-At-Home, a company she founded with the desire to provide the support and services needed to help people continue to live in their own homes as long as they wish.

“With seniors, the biggest worry is falling. Ninety per cent of broken hips come from falls, so safety and accident prevention are key,” explains Ms. Martin. “Often there are medication issues which can lead to falls so it becomes extremely important to try to identify and remediate any potential problems in the home environment,” she adds. “As part of our comprehensive and ongoing assessments, we not only monitor a client’s health issues – our care workers also constantly check on safety issues when they are in the home and can make recommendations or direct people to the equipment available to make life easier as mobility declines,” says Ms. Martin.

Sage Solutions for Independent Living is one local supplier of products designed to ensure seniors remain safe in the home. “From non-slip stair tread coverings to curbless shower stalls to accessible bathtubs with a transfer seat, we have a wide variety of specially engineered products to help you adapt your home to changing needs as mobility decreases. Best of all, these products are specifically designed for residential settings, so your home will not look institutional,” explains Robert Howlett, president of Sage Solutions.

“We supply products as well as renovation services designed to make it easier to carry out the tasks of daily living and to maintain independence,” he adds. “With our experience, we can help determine what are the best and most cost-effective ways to make your space work for your current and future needs.”

The most common home modifications, according to Mr. Howlett, are in the bathroom. “Doorways can be widened and repositioned, pocket doors can be installed. Often we remove bathtubs and replace them with ceramic or prefabricated low-threshold showers. Counter tops can be lowered and traditional sinks can be replaced with accessible wall-hung sinks. We can also install a higher toilet that is easier to lift off from or one that can accommodate a commode.”

Access to and safety within the house are other key areas of concern. According to Mr. Howlett, access to the house usually involves constructing ramps, landscaping walkways to ensure they are level and, if necessary, installing mechanical lifts. Access within the house might involve improvements to lighting, widening doorways, replacing doors and door hardware and installing stair lifts. Other possibilities, says Ms. Martin, include installing support poles or rails that can make getting in and out of chairs or beds much easier, as well as removing scatter rugs and poorly-fitted or thick carpets which do not provide solid footing.

Mr. Howlett advises that when making modifications for seniors, you should follow the same golden rule for any renovation, which is to make your space pleasing and functional. “Resale shouldn’t be a concern as many modifications can be as easy to remove as they are to install. For example, we are an authorized dealer for Best Bath Systems, the leader in barrier-free showers and baths. This product has a beautiful, ceramic-like appearance and because it’s modular it can be taken out very easily.”

When it comes to implementing modifications, expert advice can go a long way. “There are lots of products out there, says Mr. Howlett, “but some are better than others.

In particular, we’ve sourced architectural products that are very functional but much more esthetically pleasing than you might expect. Having done all the research, we are glad to share this expertise with our clients and save them time, money and frustration.”

Both Ms. Martin and Mr. Howlett caution that it is also very important to work with a contractor who understands mobility issues and how to correctly install the appropriate products. Both Retire-At-Home and Sage Solutions have a network of trusted contractors and provide an integrated approach to home modifications, involving family members, physical therapists, caregivers and medical staff to be sure everyone is on the same page and the senior’s needs are being properly addressed.

“The concept of aging in place is really important due to both demographics and the cost of retirement living. When an environment is modified, the attitude of the individual changes. A safer environment is not only more comfortable, it’s seamless to use and does not reinforce the fact that you are aging,” says Mr. Howlett. “A safe home can provide you with a much more positive self-image.”

“Modifications to the home are often not very costly but can bring great peace of mind,” adds Ms. Martin. “It serves to acknowledge that people love their homes and treasure their independence.”

Paula Roy, The Ottawa Citizen

The CCHSA is a national, non-profit organization that helps companies across Canada and internationally examine and improve the quality of service they provide to their patients and clients. Their accreditation process is both rigorous and thorough, through which organizations examine all areas of their service, obtain advice from industry peers, and involve partners and clients during on-site interviews.

“Retire-At-Home is extremely proud of this accomplishment” stated Jonathan Martin, Executive Director of Retire-At-Home, during their company announcement. “Our team’s hard work and dedication to improving our services, systems and processes will benefit our clients greatly, but also provides our employees, community partners and future franchisees with a proven, systematic approach to providing quality service.”

Retire-At-Home provides home and health care services to seniors who are dealing with a health related crisis. The company was founded in 1994 as a home-based business and has grown to 175 employees in Ottawa. It has recently launched its franchise division and is receiving applications from across Canada.

“Retire-At-Home would like to give special thanks to every one of our employees who dedicate themselves each day to improving the quality of life of our clients,” stated Irene Martin, the founder and President. “Many employees contributed a lot of extra time to this accreditation process over the last 18 months and we couldn’t have achieved this recognition without them. We are all proud to contribute to our great health care system that continually aims to improve its services to clients”.

Retire-At-Home in Ottawa was recently awarded with the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for marketplace ethics. Mrs. Martin was also recognized as Ottawa’s 2006 Business Woman of the Year in the Entrepreneur category.

For an interview or more information please contact:

Jonathan Martin, Retire-At-Home Services, (613) 798-5111 ext. 225.

Donna Anderson, CCHSA, 1-800-814-7769, ext. 262.

For more information on the CCHSA, please visit their website at www.cchsa.ca.