When a 49-year-old woman attended Dr. Phil McFarlane’s multi-care kidney clinic with polycystic kidney disease, she had multiple health issues, including chronic flank pain and fatigue, and had been to the emergency room multiple times. She was dealing with a “high anxiety burden” from her health issues, the financial burden from the necessary medications and […]
Most people, while standing in line at a cafe, contemplate whether to get their regular drip coffee or treat themselves to a latte, and whether to also buy a croissant or scone. Canadians with insulin-dependent diabetes, standing in that same line, are doing complex calculations: how many carbs are in a latte’s milk and flavour […]
Alzheimer’s disease should be an urgent health-care priority because it robs individuals of their autonomy, dignity and quality of life and takes a mental, physical and financial toll on the individual and their families, according to Dr. Sara Mitchell, a cognitive neurologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Speaking during a session supported by Eisai Canada […]
Chronic illnesses are strongly linked to worse outcomes from vaccine-preventable diseases. Given the rising rate of chronic conditions in the workplace, employers should consider implementing benefits coverage for vaccines and hosting workplace vaccine clinics, said Ajit Johal, a community pharmacist and clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia and the founder of immunize.io. […]
It took five years for Crystal Burke to put a name to the symptoms that haunted her. Heart palpitations. Insomnia so severe she slept only two to four hours a night. A newfound struggle to make decisions in her job as a nurse. Confusion when dealing with statistics, which she used to handle with ease. […]
It’s been nearly two years since I slept through the night — my 15-month-old daughter is still waking up to nurse and I wasn’t sleeping consistently in the nine months before her birth due to typical pregnancy symptoms. I’m very tired, the kind of fatigue you just take for granted and roll into your overall […]
An article on how employers can prepare their benefits plans amid U.S. tariffs was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Expert panel: How employers can prepare their benefits plans, support employees amid U.S. tariff threat 2. […]
Most Canadian benefits plan sponsors (89 per cent) and members (73 per cent) agree their workplace environment supports mental wellness, according to the 2024 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. On the converse, about a quarter (27 per cent) of plan members disagreed. Despite the mostly positive perspectives, a quarter is still a significant portion of the […]
While the conversation around mental-health benefits is typically focused on coverage levels, it’s important for employers to unpack the entire mental-health bucket and consider the impacts of other factors like psychological safety and diversity, equity and inclusion. Paula Allen, global leader and vice-president of research and client insights at Telus Health, says there’s a great […]
Even though humans spend a third of their lives asleep, it’s often taken for granted, but people are waking up to how sleep — or lack of sleep — is affecting their health and well-being. “All of medicine has been focused on how we do when we’re awake, but now we’re trying to pick up […]