Among Canadians who have missed work due to disability, 30 per cent cited mental illness, according to a new survey by RBC Insurance. The survey, which questioned about 1,500 Canadians, found that while 65 per cent of respondents, respectively, view physical accidents and multiple sclerosis as disabilities, about half (47 per cent) cited depression as a disability, […]
The escalating cost of drugs and benefits plans are among the top priorities for Canadian employers, according to a new survey by Aon. The survey, which polled nearly 200 Canadian plan sponsors about their priorities related to group benefits and their workforces, found rising drug costs, in general, escalating specialty drug prices, in particular, and the increasing cost of extended health are the […]
With diabetes on the rise, how well employees manage the chronic disease should be a concern for employers, Diana Sherifali, an associate professor at McMaster University’s school of nursing, told Benefits Canada‘s 2018 Healthy Outcomes conference in May. Since diabetes often comes with other chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, hypertension and high cholesterol, mitigating it […]
Motivational interviewing can be a powerful way for health coaches to improve patient outcomes, said Ann Stirling, senior director at CAREpath Inc., during her presentation at Benefits Canada‘s 2018 Healthy Outcomes conference in Toronto. For people having difficulty managing a chronic disease on their own, motivational interviewing can help them take on the challenge, she […]
The Great-West Life Assurance Co. is covering continuous glucose monitoring devices for eligible plan members beginning Aug. 1, 2018. The devices include a reader, wearable sensors and a transmitter that sends measurements of glucose levels to a smart device every five minutes. Measuring by day and at night, the device helps avoid glucose spikes and drops […]
Rising survival rates are making cancer one of Canada’s fastest-growing chronic diseases. Dina Linardos, the nursing director at CAREpath Inc., explained to attendees at the Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at Work conference that cancer retains a certain image in public consciousness that has varied little over the last 30 or 40 years. “Most people don’t […]
A positive attitude is the key to a long and fulfilling life with chronic disease, according to a man who has spent almost four decades dealing with rheumatoid arthritis. “The mental approach you take to anything in life and the perspective you have is absolutely critical,” said Jeff Aarssen, who provided a patient’s perspective during […]
Employers and insurers could reduce their pharmaceutical spending by embracing medical cannabis, according to the chief medical officer for a licensed producer of the drug. Dr. Peter Blecher, a pain medicine specialist who works for Starseed Medicinal Inc., told attendees at Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at Work conference that cannabis holds a great deal of promise […]
Tiny habits have a huge role to play in the management of Type 2 diabetes, according to a researcher in the field. Diana Sherifali, an associate faculty member of McMaster University’s school of nursing, told the audience at Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at Work conference that much of her work in combating Canada’s diabetes epidemic focuses […]
Workplace accommodations and new targeted medications promise to transform the experience of migraine sufferers after decades of neglect, a speaker told participants at a recent event. Dr. Christine Lay, head of the neurology division at Women’s College Hospital, told an audience at Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at Work conference that the condition has largely flown under […]