Raynia Carr MSW, RSW
You may find yourself here as one of the over 7 million Canadians who are 65 years of age or older. You may be healthy and happy like many older adults who are living longer. But you may also find yourself struggling with any one of a number of age-related issues: a diagnosis of a chronic or degenerative health condition, a finding of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, a recent retirement, a change in living environment, a loss of someone close to you, a change in your family. Or perhaps like many, you have questions in your mind as you approach the final chapters of life.
You may find yourself here as one of the 8 million Canadians who are providing unpaid care to someone you love. While caregiving can be rewarding for so many, it can also be a significant life stressor causing fatigue, burnout and other health related issues. You may have guilt stemming from feelings you are not doing enough as you try to balance being there for a spouse or an aging parent while also taking care of the other areas of your life.
Our society tends to view problems as something to be fixed. But issues related to aging are not necessarily fixable, rather they are the changes and challenges that we face. Connected exists to offer psychosocial support for the difficult emotions, thoughts and stresses resulting from the normative aspects that can come with aging. Counselling can be seen as a space to take care of oneself and learn how to adapt and live with what is before us.
I am a registered social worker who discovered my passion for health and aging thirty years ago during my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in social work. From there I went on to practice in acute care hospitals helping older patients and their families deal with issues related to illness, transitions, loss and grief. I also spent several years in corporate social work where I provided consultation nationwide to working Canadians on their individual eldercare experiences.
My extensive direct experience in the field lays the groundwork for my practice. I am empathic, strengths-based, knowledgeable, and deeply committed to helping older adults and those who care for them.