Aging

Want to know where we are with cancer care? Don’t ask Ontario

A provincial election and talk of tariffs have taken up much of Ontario’s attention recently but we shouldn’t lose sight of that other problem: health care.

Empowering choices: The importance of advance care planning

Advance care planning empowers individuals to have their health-care preferences honoured, offering peace of mind to both themselves and their loved ones. Yet, despite the importance of these conversations, many people delay or avoid them altogether.

‘Are you going to have dementia’? Parkinson’s community struggles to overcome stigma

Parkinson's Disease stigma can cause excessive fear for those newly diagnosed. Advocates are working to change that.

Barriers to Paxlovid are exacerbating our health inequities

Access to Paxlovid has become increasingly challenging. Canada needs to do a better job at making it more accessible to those who would benefit most.

MAiD’s vanishing slippery slope

New data on MAiD sheds much needed light on a topic so broiled in hysteria and unforced errors to seem like some sort of deranged game of political and health-care tennis.

AI levelling playing field in rehabilitation medicine

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing rehabilitation medicine, removing barriers inherent in traditional services and offering novel methods to patients.

Peto’s Paradox: Large mammals may hold clues in preventing cancer among humans

Despite their large size, mammals like whales and elephants have dramatically lower rates of cancer than humans. Understanding how these creatures suppress cancer cell growth could hold answers for human health.

Dementia patients deserve more than coloured balls and matching games

If that’s the best we can do, we haven’t learned anything about dignity, respect, and authentic life enrichment

Quebec’s move to allow advance requests for MAiD ‘the worst news imaginable’

Quebec’s decision to forge ahead with advance requests for Medical Assistance in Dying could put the elderly and those with dementia at risk, critics say.

Patients with cognitive decline deserve more than just sympathy – they deserve action

Prioritizing Alzheimer’s care isn’t just a health issue; it’s a societal imperative informed by research. We must invest in early detection, expand access to innovative treatments and craft policies informed by patient experiences.

From hospitals to encampments – the devolution of mental illness care in Canada

Solutions to the mental health and homelessness crises are not easy. It will take years to improve it. But if we want to call ourselves a civilized compassionate country, we have to do it.

Breaking the silence: Violence, harassment isn’t ‘just part’ of homecare jobs

PSWs understand their work to be physically and emotionally challenging. But it doesn’t have to be dangerous. Health-care employers can and must intervene.

Essential exposure: The case for mandatory palliative care clinical rotations

Clinical exposure to palliative care is not afforded the attention it deserves in undergraduate medical curricula. To rob medical learners of such experiences is a travesty.

A new voice for dementia advocacy

Dr. Saskia Sivananthan and Alexandra Whate discuss the formation of the Brainwell Institute and its mission to advocate for people living with dementia, their families and their care partners.

Excuse me for living: MAiD, autonomy and feeling like a burden

With the option of MAiD squarely on the table for so many, is staying alive becoming a path that requires justification?

Private equity and health care: Should Canadians be concerned?

As Canadians, we should be asking questions about why private equity investment firms are so interested in owning parts of our health-care system.

‘Nothing for most and no easy way to fight back:’ Advocates skeptical as regulations for Canada Disability Benefit Act outlined

Persons with disabilities in Canada need and deserve access to justice, or they will continue to be pushed to the margins. The federal government has the opportunity to learn from mistakes and ease the way for people with disabilities who rely on social assistance to survive. Now it just needs to act.

Sidelined and underutilized: Red tape, finances discouraging thousands of internationally trained nurses already here

Ontario needs to hire 24,000 nurses to meet the national average. Internationally-educated nurses that are already in the province could help fill this gap.

Clarity, compassion and dignity: Communicating a dementia diagnosis effectively

Health-care providers often face challenges in communicating dementia diagnoses, as it involves navigating complex emotional and practical considerations. The toolkit can help.

‘We shouldn’t have to work 2 or 3 jobs to survive’: Lisa Allen, personal care attendant, St. John