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Financing Home Modifications

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

The foundation of the profession of Occupational Therapy is creating Person-Environment-Occupation fit.  We call this our PEO model.  What it means is that optimal function arises from the best interaction of the person, their environment, and those “occupations” that are the daily tasks they need to complete.

So, if you are struggling to complete daily activities, or are feeling that you need more support to manage at home, or are worried you might get injured falling in or around your house, perhaps you need to consider, or are considering, home modifications.

But before you get scared at the thought of a large-scale renovation, it is important to recognize that home modifications can be as small as changing some door handles to as large as installing an elevator.   There is a continuum, and your capabilities, needs, and current environment will dictate a custom approach.  So, what is the process for understanding how home modification can help, and how can you possibly fund these?  I am glad you asked…

Perhaps I am biased, but in my opinion, the process should start with an occupational therapy assessment.  If you call a contractor for a quote to say, renovate your bathroom, he will provide you with the estimate you want.  But what the contractor won’t understand is the PERSON or the OCCUPATIONS that person is struggling to complete.  For example, if there are larger issues, or bigger problems lurking, is the contractor the right person to advise you on this?  What if there are ways to improve your safety in the washroom without engaging in a full renovation of the space?  An occupational therapist will be able to problem solve your concerns with you, while recommending multiple options to consider – from inexpensive to more costly.  The few hundred dollars you will pay the OT may just save you thousands in unnecessary renovation costs.

Once you have considered all the available options, and have confirmed the scope of work, you will need to get estimates on the costs of the work involved.  It is important that you hire a vendor that has completed renovations for accessibility before, as not all contractors will have this knowledge and expertise.

Now you have your price – so how can you pay for it?  Here are some financing suggestions based on my years of experience in this field:

Insurance:

Extended Health – if you are still working, or still have access to extended health benefits, check your coverage.  Many plans have up to $10,000 in coverage for home modifications.  You will need to submit an estimate to them first for approval.

Motor Vehicle – if your disability has been the result of a motor vehicle accident, and you still have an open claim, you may be able to access funding through your insurance provider.

Veterans Affairs – if your disability has been the result of military service, Veterans Affairs may be able to provide funding.

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board – if your disability was the result of a workplace accident, and you still have an open claim, funding may be available through your WSIB.

Lenders:

Traditional Loan – if you are a homeowner with good credit, your bank may be able to provide you with a traditional loan for the monies you need.  As with all loans, there will be interested and a set repayment schedule so budgeting beforehand is important.

Line of Credit – often people borrow money using the equity in their home as collateral.  These are more flexible than a traditional loan and work more like a credit card.  However, it requires discipline to make sure you are paying off some of the principal with each payment, as only interest payments are required on a monthly basis.

Reverse Mortgage – According to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, a reverse mortgage “is a loan that is designed for homeowners 55 years of age and older.  Unlike an ordinary mortgage, you don’t have to make any regular or lump sum payments on a reverse mortgage. Instead, the interest on your reverse mortgage accumulates, and the equity that you have in your home decreases with time. If you sell your house or your home is no longer your principal residence, you must repay the loan and any interest that has accumulated” (Understanding Reverse Mortgages).  There are pros and cons to this arrangement, and not all lenders offer this.

Second Mortgage – A second mortgage is basically another mortgage against a property that already has a mortgage.  The second mortgage typically has a higher interest rate and is more risky for lenders and thus not all of them will offer this.

Talk to your lender or bank if you are looking to finance a renovation through one of these channels.

Government Programs:

March of Dimes – The March of Dimes Home Modification Program will provide $15,000 as a one-time home modification grant to people who qualify.  For information on this program, click here.

Ontario Renovates – Formerly the Regional Assistance Program (RAP), this is a municipally-based program for low-income homeowners.  The funding is provided to the municipalities to administer, but basically low-income homeowners apply based on modification needs related to a disability.  The proposed changes need to be prescribed by an occupational therapist and the funds are provided in a forgivable loan, and / or via grant.  The funding can even cover devices such as porch lifts, stair glides, etc.  Each municipality has different funding allotments and qualification criteria.  For the City of Hamilton, the program was just extended into 2019.  For more information about the program, click here or contact your municipality.

Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit – while not a loan or grant, this program does allow people to claim a taxable benefit for funds they spent on home modifications.   The maximum taxable return is 15% on $10,000 spent ($1500), and not all renovations are covered.  For more information on this grant, click here.

Remember, properly planned renovations or changes to your home can have a significant impact on how you manage, and can protect you from future injury.  You may not need one solution per problem as the best solutions are often ones that impact many areas of living in one foul swoop.  Seek the services of an Occupational Therapist so they can help you to find the best PERSON-ENVIRONMENT-OCCUPATION fit for your renovation project.

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Change Your Habits, Change Your Mood

A habit is defined as “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.”  Habits can sometimes become something we do without even realizing it, until someone points it out.  Recently Time Magazine published an article on 12 habits that are bad for your mental health.  Check them out to see if you are doing any of the following, and if so, how you can change to live a happier life.

Time Magazine:  The 12 Worst Habits for Your Mental Health

 

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Back to Routine, Back to Ergonomics

With the change in routine through the summer months, it is time to rethink about how we are sitting and working all day to make sure our body can adjust to the new routines that are devoid of summer vacation and summer activities.

Today we focus on proper ergonomics to support your back.

In 2010, back pain was found to be the single leading cause of disability world-wide according to the Global Burden of Disease.   It has been estimated that 186 million work days are lost each year to back pain alone which greatly impacts workplace productivity and costs. The Mayo Clinic has found that a number of factors can contribute to back pain and back injuries at work. The four most common factors include:

1.       Force:  Job demands that require lifting or moving heavy objects exerts force on our back which can lead to injury.

2.       Repetition:  Repetitive movements leads to muscle fatigue and in turn can lead to injury, particularly if these movements involve stretching our back near the limits of our range of motion or using awkward body positions.

3.       Posture:  Posture is a critical component in preventing fatigue and injury. Slouching or sitting in awkward positions alters the natural curves in our back, increasing fatigue and can lead to pain and injury.

4.       Stress:  While we often think of the negative impacts stress can have on our mental well-being, it also impacts our physical well-being. High levels of pressure at work or increased stress leads to muscle tension and tightness, which can contribute to or worsen back pain.

If back pain is something you or someone in your workplace experience, there are some strategies you can use to help minimize existing problems and even prevent issues before they arise:

·         Ensure that your feet are flat on the floor, as this helps stabilize our pelvis and lower back

·         If you have an adjustable chair, alter the settings so that your lower back has increased support

·         Get a colleague to take a photo of you sitting at your desk or workstation and examine your posture. Can this be adjusted?

·         Take regular breaks to stretch, stand up and walk around the office to complete other tasks

For more information, take a look at our FREE downloadable resource on office ergonomics and stay tuned for more Workplace Wednesday blog postings highlighting stretches and exercises to help address common work-related concerns such as back pain.

Resources

http://www.inthefaceofpain.com/content/uploads/2011/09/factsheet_Workplace.pdf

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/inj_prev.html

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“Letting Go” in September

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

September is the month of many things – adjusting to new schedules, the end of summer vacations, changing weather, and for those with kids, a return to the hectic schedule of school and extracurricular programs.  As a mother of four, I always find September stressful (see my blog last year “Stress-tember”).  I also know, from having many Septembers under my belt, that it takes me two to three weeks to “adjust” to the changes this month brings.  However, this year, in an attempt to combat stress and move to acceptance of what is, I have decided to take a different approach.  This year, instead of losing sleep and being stressed, I am going to try and “let go”.  I will explain what I mean but first I want to explain what brought me to this concept in the first place.

First, in July our oldest child travelled out the country on her own as a part of an international school program.  Leading up to her trip, I was most worried about how she would do away from home for several weeks, if she would enjoy her trip, and of course hoped it would be an unforgettable learning experience.  Soon after she left, I realized this trip was huge for me too – it was one of the initial phases of me needing to “let go” of my daughter as she grows up.  While scary for a teenager to travel away from home, it is equally scary for a parent – especially when the traveler is your oldest and you have not experienced this before.  Not seeing or talking to her daily, her room staying untouched, the cat having no one to sleep with, not sitting with her for a tea in the morning – all things I became mindful of missing in her absence.

Second, I recently ran into some neighbors on my morning walk.  They have sold their house and are moving out of the country.  This is coming at the time where their youngest is now entering university.  In talking to them about this massive transition, my heart could feel for them in all the things they were experiencing – moving away from the town they raised their children in, where their family and friends are, becoming “empty nesters” for first time as they no longer have children at home, moving across the world to accommodate a work opportunity and not having easy access to their children that will remain in Canada.  It made me realize there are many dimensions and layers in the process of “letting go” and for some this period is gradual, and for others not so much.

So, back to the fall.  I have several things I need to let go of.  I need to move from feeling that I need to control everything because that is what has always kept my kids healthy and safe.  I need to help them “self-regulate” their time and behaviors around the choices they will make at school and after school.   I need to stop being “right” (“mom knows best”) about everything and let some natural consequences be their teaching tool.  I need to support them in their decisions and in those life events that will confront them this year, without solving their problems for them.  And I need to “let go” of the concept that as parents we can “do it all” and “be everything” to our children.  At work I plan on “letting go” of the thought that “if I could only clear my inbox I would feel less stressed” as the reality is that as a business owner my inbox will never be empty, and if it was, that would actually cause me more stress!  Personally, I want to “let go” of how hard I can be on myself when I don’t get it all done, or when I take time for myself amongst things that still need my attention.

I love this quote from Ajahn Chan:  There will never be a time when life is simple. There will always be time to practice accepting that. Every moment is a chance to let go and feel peaceful. 

The Tiny Buddah sites 40 strategies for “letting go”…I will share my personal favorites here:

Focus all your energy on something you can actually control instead of dwelling on things you can’t.

Remind yourself these are your only three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it. These acts create happiness; holding onto bitterness never does.

Hang this statement somewhere you can see it. “Loving myself means letting go.”

Consider this quotation by Eckhart Tolle: “Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose.” Questioning how your stress serves you may help you let it go.

Replace your thoughts. Notice when you begin thinking about something that stresses you so you can shift your thought process to something more pleasant, like your passion for your hobby.

Organize your desk. According to Georgia Witkin, assistant director of psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, completing a small task increases your sense of control and decreases your stress level.

Laugh it out. Research shows that laughter soothes tension, improves your immune system, and even eases pain. If you can’t relax for long, start with just ten minutes watching a funny video on YouTube.

So, Happy September.  Whether you are changing jobs, retiring, returning to a job you love (or not), are starting a new volunteer position, hobby or exercise routine, are putting your child in day care, kindergarten, into high school or university, embrace it.  In the words of Trace Adkins in his song “You’re Going to Miss This”:

you’re going to miss this

you’re going to want this back,

you’re going to wish these years hadn’t gone by so fast…

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Swim to Stay Safe As you Age

Swimming has many benefits.  It is an excellent form of exercise that works the entire body and the cardiovascular system at the same time.  It is low impact so can be done during injury recovery and by those with aches and pains associated with aging.  The following article from E-Care Diary discusses how research is now showing another benefit of swimming:  fall prevention.  Check out the article to see how you and your loved ones could swim yourselves to safety as you age.

E-Care Diary:  Swimming Could Prevent Falls!  Protective Benefits For Seniors

 

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The State of Mental Health at Work

21% of working Canadians report they currently struggle with mental health illness and issues.  This is a problem that is affecting the economy, individual businesses, and more importantly, the health of our Canadian population.

Check out the following infographic created by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety which delves deeper into the issues and suggests ways both employers and employees can work to to reduce stress and improve this growing problem.

mentalHealth

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Pack A Healthy Lunch

Back to school is just around the corner!  A main concern of parents when the kids are in school is providing proper nutrition in school lunch bags every day.  Ensuring kids have a healthy breakfast to start the day and a healthy lunch mid-day is important for concentration and productivity throughout the day.  The following from Best Health Magazine provides some tasty and nutritious school lunch ideas that are kid tested and parent approved!

Best Health Magazine:  15 healthy back-to-school lunch ideas

 

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How To Have A Stress Free Back To School Transition

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Last year, my September blog was called “Stress-tember”. For many, the September transition brings about new routines, adjustment chaos, and change that can be met with resistance, fatigue and stress. This year I wanted to take a different approach. I thought instead I would start the conversation early and give parents, teachers, and even kids some proactive strategies they can use to manage this transition as smoothly, productively, and as positively as possible.

1. Plan Ahead
The last few weeks of August will go quickly as we all try to cram in those last care-free moments of outdoor time, vacation, and a less chaotic schedule. But, don’t let September catch you off guard! It is best to look at your schedule now and find time when you will be able to fit in back-to-school related tasks. Start with a list of jobs that need to be done to get back-to-school ready. Personally, with four kids, my list includes: closet and drawer clean-out to compile a list of needed clothing items, shoe inventory, looking at our available school-supplies and backpacks to determine what needs to be replaced, and sitting down with each child to ask them about the lunch foods they will happily consume if these land in their lunchbox. With one child transitioning to an out-of-catchment high-school we need to understand her new schedule and arrange transportation including some city bus trials and carpooling. Once we know what needs to get done, we need to have structured schedule to do it. When can we shop for clothes, shoes, supplies, groceries? When the first week of school arrives, it is best to have the shopping done and even meals prepared, so that the stress, anxiety and chaos of the new routine is easier to manage.

2. Get a Family Calendar
Having a calendar placed in a common area (e.g. the kitchen or back hall) can help with organizing weekly plans. Using a different coloured marker for each family member can help you to easily identify who needs to be where and at what time. You can also encourage or assist your kids with keeping track of homework deadlines, school events like picture day, and other social outings. Once school begins, set aside a time each week for the family to go over the week ahead to ensure everyone is on board and prepared (i.e. “we need a birthday present for Tuesday, rubber boots for the trip on Thursday” etc.).

3. Establish Routines
Due to vacations, sleepovers, and the unstructured nature of no school, daily routines are often disrupted over the summer months. A consistent nightly routine for kids is critical to them getting a good sleep. Be consistent with when they are to start getting ready for bed, which nights will be for baths / showers, teeth brushing, and how they enjoy falling asleep (story time, hugs and kisses, that favorite stuffie, nightlight etc.). The importance is in the consistency of the routine as this is what cues your child that he/she is ready for sleep. Set up a routine that works for you and your family and start early. Having an established bedtime routine in place BEFORE school begins will help to make the transition go smoothly.

In addition to bedtime routines, it is important to re-establish what after-school time should also look like. We have our “after school routine” typed, laminated and posted in the back hall. This includes “shoes and back-packs away, lunch boxes emptied, dry snacks and water bottle packed for the next day, paperwork from school in the “in box”, have a healthy snack, do any homework, then play (no technology)! We review this with the kids before school starts, confirm the expectations, get their commitment, and make any changes.

4. Re-Adjust Sleep Schedules
Just as the overall bedtime routine is disrupted during the summer months, so is the timing of sleep. It is important to get back into a regular routine before school starts to avoid tired and cranky kids. A good way to ease into it is to adjust your child’s sleep/wake routine by ten minutes each night, so you can gradually get back to the regular routine by the time school begins. Having alarms in the kids’ bedrooms will help them to wake at an appropriate time so that they are not rushing, skipping breakfast or brushing their teeth in order to make a bus. And watch out for the snooze button! Letting your child delay waking will only become a bad habit harder to break as they get older. Put the alarm clock on the other side of the room if you have to – walking to turn it off will deter them from returning to bed.

5. Honour Your Child’s Anxiety
If your child is nervous or anxious about getting back to school, acknowledge this. Let them know that these feelings are normal. Ask them what you can do to make this easier. If your child is going to a new school or concerned about a new teacher, call the school and see if you are able to visit the school and/or classroom teacher before the school year begins. Or, see if there is a friend also in the same class they can meet with over the summer to ease their concerns. Often just being in the new environment, or being exposed to other kids transitioning prior to the school year beginning can ease fears and calm nerves.

6. Be Consistent
The most important aspect of making the transition back to school easier is consistency. With a familiar and consistent schedule in place, children are more prepared for what is to come which minimizes anxiety, reduces behavioural episodes, and provides kids with clear expectations and structure to their day. And when kids adjust more easily, so do parents!

7. Check your Expectations
Sometimes the worst part of any transition is not having reasonable expectations in the first place. Expect that your kids will need time adjusting, allow them to be tired, out of sorts and cranky, know that you too will need some extra time for yourself to unwind or get some extra rest. Don’t be reactive to the adjustment but rather just acknowledge this as one of the toughest times of the year and accept that in good time new routines will be established and the family will once again be in sync.

So, I hope the above tips will be helpful as you make this necessary transition back to “normal” – whatever that looks like for you. Personally, I will still find September stressful and hectic, but I expect nothing less in a household of six. Like with all things, some preparedness, patience and consistency will make it easier on all involved!