UV safety tips from CancerCare MB
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Child hospitalized as 44 measles cases confirmed in northern Nova Scotia
The IWK Health Centre in Halifax, N.S., is pictured on Sept. 9, 2024. A child has been hospitalized as the number of measles cases jumps to 44 in northern Nova Scotia. That number is up from the 35 confirmed cases announced on Wednesday. Nova Scotia Health says the child is in stable condition at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax. It says the family notified the IWK before the child arrived, and the hospital has taken all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of measles to other patients and staff. 'Thanks to the family and IWK Health Centre's diligence, there is no risk to others from this hospital visit,' said Dr. Cristin Muecke, the regional medical officer of health for the northern zone, in a news release Friday. Nova Scotia Health says it has not identified any new public exposure sites in the northern zone and all previously reported exposures are now beyond the period of time when symptoms would typically appear. Those who get sick after a measles exposure usually start to show symptoms within seven to 21 days. The health authority says it does anticipate more cases, but the risk to the general public remains low, since most people are protected through vaccination or past infection. What is measles? Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious health issues or even death. It spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Initial symptoms of measles include: fever cough runny nose red, watery eyes small, white spots, which may appear inside the mouth and throat two to three days after symptoms begin. While most people fully recover within two to three weeks, more severe cases can lead to pneumonia, ear infections, swelling of the brain, blindness, deafness and brain injury. Complications are more likely in infants, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems. Anyone who has been exposed to measles and is experiencing symptoms is advised to call 811 for advice on seeking medical care. 'If you need to see a healthcare provider for assessment, such as your family doctor, call ahead to make sure they are prepared to see you,' said Nova Scotia Health. 'Measles is highly contagious and healthcare providers need to take special precautions to protect other patients and themselves from being exposed. ' Measles vaccine Nova Scotians born after 1970 should receive two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine after their first birthday. People can receive vaccinations from their routine vaccine provider, including family doctor, nurse practitioner, primary care pharmacist, public health office and special measles clinics. The vaccine is free. More information about the vaccine can be found online. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
Children's play kitchen recalled in Canada and U.S. after death of Oregon toddler
A photo of the KidKraft play kitchen impacted by the recall is seen in this photo released by Health Canada. A children's play kitchen sold in both Canada and the United States is being recalled following the death of a 23-month-old in Oregon who reportedly got caught on one of the product's metal hooks and died of strangulation. The recall involves the KidKraft Farm to Table Model Play Kitchen with the model number 53411. According to Health Canada, there have been no reported injuries associated with the product in Canada. 'In the United States, the company has recently received one report of a child's clothing getting caught on one of the product's metal hooks while climbing and crawling through the opening at the back of the play kitchen where the toy kitchen accessories are held,' the recall on Health Canada's website read. 'The child was unable to rescue himself and died from strangulation and asphyxia. The unit involved was not securely fastened to the wall creating a gap between the unit and the wall where a child was able to climb and have their clothes entangled with the hooks.' There were no additional reports of incidents or injuries in the U.S. According to Health Canada, about 192,000 units were sold in the U.S. and just under 5,800 units were sold in Canada. The recalled kitchens were originally imported by KidKraft, Inc. from 2018 to 2023 and the company distributed and sold the products until May 2024. 'KidKraft, Inc. has filed for bankruptcy and is not able to conduct a recall. Backyard Kids purchased the remaining 2,900 units from KidKraft, Inc. in June 2024, and continued distribution of the products under the KidKraft brand. Backyard Kids sold approximately 400 units to retailers/consumers,' a news release on KidKraft's website read. Backyard Kids will provide replacement hooks to all customers who purchased the units in the United States but will only provide replacement hooks to Canadian consumers and retailers who purchased the units through Backyard Kids. The company reported that only 12 units of the affected products were sold in Canada by Backyard Kids and approximately 5,770 units were sold by KidKraft, Inc. Health Canada says consumers should 'immediately stop using' the recalled units and contact Backyard Kids for replacement hooks. 'Ensure that the play kitchens are always securely anchored against a wall using the tip-over prevention kits that were provided with these units,' the notice continues. 'The company will provide new tip-over prevention kits upon request.'
Vancouver Sun
21 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Opinion: I do not want to spend my waning years staring out a window in an LTC facility. Is there an alternative?
The number of seniors on waitlists for publicly subsidized long-term care (LTC) in B.C. has increased from 2,381 in 2016 to 7,212 in 2025. That's a whopping 200-per-cent increase. Dan Levitt, B.C.'s senior advocate, has called on the government to invest in the creation of 16,000 new LTC beds, at an estimated cost of $16 billion, to offset the needs of an aging population. By 2036, almost a quarter of Canada's population will be over 65. But here's the thing. Seniors don't want to be sequestered in LTC. When I worked as a private caregiver in LTC, I never met one person happy to be there. I personally do not want to spend my waning years staring out a window in an LTC facility watching the world go by. And while proponents will highlight social interactions, activities, and the peace of mind of medical care to match needs, the reality is that LTC is not a home with familiar surroundings and a lifetime of memories. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. I am not alone. The 2024 Ageing in Canada Survey by the National Institute on Ageing reveals that 91 per cent of older adults in Canada would prefer to age at home. In Quebec, a 2021 study found that government costs for long-term care services delivered through home care would be less expensive than services delivered in LTC settings. Of course, B.C. is not Quebec, but as a general rule in most provinces, individuals pay rates based upon taxable annual income and services required — community nursing, meal support, etc. As care needs increase, so do costs. Private agencies can fill gaps in care support, but often their services are not covered by public monies. For those unable to continue to afford the high costs of private health care, publicly funded LTC often becomes the solution. It is the hardest decision any family can make. It was heart-wrenching when my father found himself in LTC as his needs grew beyond what home support could offer. In fairness, progress on the home care front has been made in B.C., but it is slow. The Vancouver Coastal Health Visits to Vancouver's Elders initiative , for example, has, since 2008, been providing integrated home-based primary care, nursing and rehabilitation services to a diverse population of moderate to severely frail homebound older adults. And last December, the Office of the B.C. Seniors Advocate released its Monitoring Seniors Services Report in which it reported that the Better at Home Program, which delivers transportation, housekeeping, meal programs and non-medical services to help seniors living at home was indeed providing more aid to seniors, but alongside this, the waitlist had increased 56 per cent over the past five years. These programs matter. According to a 2022 report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, one in 10 newly admitted LTC residents potentially could have been cared for at home if there were supports in place. Just a note that one bed in an LTC facility, according to Levitt, costs the government $1 million annually. For a while, during the early days of the COVID pandemic, the conversation on how to improve elder care was top of mind. In Quebec and Ontario, as the army moved in to care for neglected seniors in LTC, our collective hearts ached and politicians made promises. But the discourse ended. Maybe it's time to revive it. Is investing in more LTC beds the answer — maybe, but what if the vision of the National Seniors Council became a reality? The council was created to look at strategies and recommendations for Canadians to age at home. Their final report in 2022 envisioned a country where everyone can maintain a quality of life as they age, with access to public funds and support to help offset the cost of aging at home. Jennifer Cole is a Vancouver-based freelance writer with a particular interest in senior issues related to long-term care, having worked as a private caregiver.
