The flu season typically occurs in the fall and winter, with December through February being the peak time for the virus, but it can still be spread throughout the year, according to the CDC. Here are several flu prevention tips for senior citizens from Senior Directory Articles & Info https://ift.tt/3eYWcez via WordPress https://ift.tt/2UpwoPb via For more great blog posts check out Platinum Communities Blog
0 Comments
There need be no fear or stigma attached to recognizing that you are concerned about the state of your mental health. Here is a list of the top national mental health resources in America from Senior Directory Articles & Info https://ift.tt/3klwNNc via WordPress https://ift.tt/38z28d0 via For more great blog posts check out Platinum Communities Blog Stunned silence in the last 24 hours over the news of a possible vaccine for Covid-19, and a whole raft of emotions shared by so many. What has struck me most is in the rush to queue for the vaccine how I don’t want to forget all the extraordinary things, good and not so good, that have happened in the last 8 months …. A few of my favourites, and some less so….
The days in March, April and May when whatsapp, facebook, flyers through the door, neighbourly chats ensured we shielded our most vulnerable people in our communities; how local shops got busy with deliveries and takeaways; how we (re)-discovered the kindness of strangers and neighbours with collections of medication and other errands.
If online delivery slots could be monetised and traded, a dent in Rishi’s finances might well have been made. Remember the unseemly rush for loo roll, flour and pasta…. And then the “hit refresh” hours spent trying to get a delivery from the supermarket. Silver hour shopping and care worker shopping slots in-store were a welcome antidote, and an old-school response to the mayhem.
In lockdown#2 there seems to be a merciful absence of invitations to zoom parties, coffee catch ups etc. Zoom-face is apparently now a thing. And 8 months on still we appear on mute, with the laundry basket behind our right ear, with children and dogs providing much needed respite from yet another interminable zoomer.
The days of early summer when the sky seemed bluer, empty of planes and sounds of traffic; birdsong and nature came to the forefront providing so many people with solace and something to do during those lovely, long, peaceful days.
All of this was meant to protect the elderly and most frail, many in care homes, and so many shielding in isolation for months. Somehow, despite everyone’s best efforts, we failed so many of them. PPE, visiting, test and trace. So many lessons to be learned, the biggest one being – how do we best care for our elderly population?
Netflix, box sets, online tours, web cams, live streaming art, nature, theatre and music. The world came to us through our screens. In part keeping organisations vaguely alive, certainly keeping our brains ticking over, and providing something to actually talk about on those zoom parties……
The conversations about hair. Cutting it. Dying it. Weathermen with lockdown hair. The silvering of a generation. When would hairdressers re-open? Why haven’t hairdressers re-opened. Etc etc. The wash up from the pandemic when it finally comes won’t make for pretty reading on many counts. But there were also so many great things that will change how we live and work forever. In the meantime, with lockdown#2 firmly under way, time to sit tight, exercising the collective muscle memory to continue with all the great things that saw us through lockdown#1, in the knowledge that now there really may be an end in sight. Annabel James is the founder of Age Space. Her views are her own. The post Keeping Mum#5 Remembrance appeared first on Age Space. from Age Space https://ift.tt/2IhagUp via WordPress https://ift.tt/35gC2cB via For more great blog posts check out Platinum Communities Blog Holiday depression and anxiety. These seem to go hand-in-hand, particularly with regard to the holidays which occur from November thru December. Here are several strategies to fight holiday depression and anxiety from Senior Directory Articles & Info https://ift.tt/3mZGNxo via WordPress https://ift.tt/2JGMLET via For more great blog posts check out Platinum Communities Blog How can families best organise themselves to support elderly parents and relatives? Establishing a Company of Mum and Dad could be the way forward – plus under the current rules you might be able to meet for a business lunch…. The business lunch is literally back in business, as one of the more curious anomalies in the Govt’s current tiered restrictions. People from different households are able to continue to meet for a business lunch (and presumably a working dinner) inside bars and restaurants in tiers 2 and 3. The rationale is to enable freelancers and those particularly isolated whilst working from home to continue to meet. It must also be a tiny bit of a lifeline for the hospitality sector in an otherwise desperately bleak time. What is the actual definition of a business lunch or dinner? What should the nature of the business discussion be? Is a restaurant manager going to grill customers about their living arrangements to check that it is indeed a business outing? Government guidance puts the onus firmly on the general public to observe the rules, with fines starting from £100 and doubling for every transgression to a maximum of £6,400 – which would be quite a hefty addition to any restaurant bill. Without wishing to put ideas into anyones heads about using the business lunch as an opportunity for possibly slightly less than business reasons, it got us thinking about one of the questions we are most often asked at Age Space. How should families work well together to support parents and relatives as they become more frail and need more help? Often with emotions running high, and when big family decisions need to be made, particularly around money, the family home, the type of care etc, the situation can become very fraught. It gets more complicated when family members live in different parts of the world, have different relationships with their parents and eachother, and different views on what should or shouldn’t be done for the best. The best solution we have come across to try and minimise the potential for angst is for families to think of themselves as the management team of an organisation – The Company of Mum and Dad. The advice is to agree different roles for family members roles that play to their availability, expertise and interest, and importantly to what is needed. Meet regularly and run it like an actual meeting with an agenda, everyone reporting back on their particular area, and together discussing new concerns. In this way it may therefore be easier for a brother who lives in Australia to manage the finances; for a sister who lives closest to parents to look after the house; and for someone else with time and enthusiasm to manage the care aspects. Grandchildren can be in charge of the tech and entertainment. Of course, all of this could and should happen without taking up the opportunity of a business lunch. So, in terms of following the rules I’m suggesting a regular virtual business lunch, and with this in mind, have considered some job titles that might be useful for a fruitful discussion about The Company of Mum and Dad: Head of Leisure Services (in charge of holidays, respite care, outings and fun); Director of Customer Services (responsible for making decisions about care), Concierge (in charge of the home); Finance Director (obvs), Medical Director (also obvs), Operations Director (responsible for smooth running of all departments) and not forgetting the all important Chief Technology Officer who should certainly prioritise setting up the family zoom meetings. Any other business? Annabel James is founder of AgeSpace.org. All views are my own. The post Keeping Mum#4: A Company for Mum and Dad – any other business? appeared first on Age Space. from Age Space https://ift.tt/2HOVxj6 via WordPress https://ift.tt/3mvqCHS via For more great blog posts check out Platinum Communities Blog In our regular blog series, with the clocks changing this weekend, Annabel ponders about time. It’s that time of year when once again I have to remind myself if the clocks go forward or back and whether it means an extra hour or not. I can confirm it’s an extra hour and the clocks are going back. An extra hour seems somewhat inconsequential given the time we’ve all had this year; the elastic quality that time has taken on, the blurring of days, weeks and months. Also, the absence of what were timebound activities, between work and home, going out or staying in. And the final bizarre reality that even with all the ‘additional’ time this year has allowed – no commute, no social life etc – I seem to have not spent the time very wisely. The to-do list remains much as it was in March; I don’t appear to have become a better person having had all this time to reflect on life, the world, the universe; books remain unread and thus far there hasn’t been a sourdough starter on the kitchen counter. I found a glimmer of light in all this timelessness last weekend. A visit to the cinema. In normal times a fairly low key, everyday occurrence. But. My Goodness. If I had known the impact it was going to have I would have got seriously dressed up for the occasion. It was FANTASTIC. The film not so much. But I didn’t dare to criticise it (as I might have done PC) because the whole experience was such a treat, and an incredibly life-affirming use of time that a trip to the cinema wouldn’t generally be. It pinged all my senses in a way I just hadn’t anticipated – vision, sound, colours, yes even smells – even the popcorn. I was out and about doing something previously an almost inconsequential use of time, but which was exciting, refreshing and exhilarating, time to be marked and celebrated. It seems a bit crazy to be quite so over-enthusiastic about a trip to see a mediocre film, but it really was so much more. Reflecting on this with a friend she explained that during lockdown a ritual had gradually emerged for her on a Saturday of taking a long bath and taking the time to indulge in all those products many of us accumulate in the bathroom – exfoliaters, rejuvenators, fake tan, things to make you younger/more beautiful/a better person. She said that this had become an incredibly important time in the week for her but one which has fallen by the wayside recently. The concept of ‘me-time’ always seemed something other people did and I was ever so slightly envious of them actually having the foresight to create such guilt-free time. We both agreed that we should take that extra hour we gain this Sunday and use it as an opportunity this, and every Sunday, or infact, whatever the day of the week. To do something that pings the senses or makes us (feel) younger, healthier, better. Or something that just takes a bit of time, a commodity we all have. I don’t think it will be a sourdough starter and it would take more than a bathroom full of goodies to turn back actual time in my case, but that’s not the point either. Just a bit of time, well spent. Enjoy your extra time. Annabel James is the founder of Age Space. Her views are her own. The post Keeping Mum#3: Extra Time appeared first on Age Space. from Age Space https://ift.tt/34hsuh3 via WordPress https://ift.tt/35osUBv via For more great blog posts check out Platinum Communities Blog For anyone who is a senior citizen and might have mobility issues and/or restrictions, these exercises are for you. Watch this informative video on the best chair exercises for seniors from Senior Directory Articles & Info https://ift.tt/2ISzQzz via WordPress https://ift.tt/3jn4duw via For more great blog posts check out Platinum Communities Blog The second in our new blog series, Keeping Mum. With Winter on the way, and uncertainty about new Coronavirus regulations, Annabel looks at some ways to keep busy in the coming months. The mum of a friend has launched her winter project: mending and darning clothes for family and friends. It has always been her passion, giving her enormous satisfaction, and particularly in later life, a sense of purpose. I have fully embraced her project with an embarrassing pile of clothes in sorry need of buttons, elbows, hems etc to give her; and if my pile is anything to go by she is going to be busy way beyond the winter. In a similar vein, one of our team has taken ownership of a beautiful desk crafted by her father-in-law from an old kitchen table; a passion he has always had, but now in retirement something he can really enjoy doing, that has a purpose. In the Age Space bunker we have been trying to see the positives of what is doubtless going to be a long, dark winter for so many elderly parents and relatives, stuck at home maybe alone, for months, frightened to go out and anxious for their health.
Tips on reducing isolation
It is understandable to be feeling worried about your parent(s) feeling isolated as we head into Winter. Read out guide to reducing isolation for elderly parents. It may not be sewing or carpentry, but everyone has a skill, a passion or area of knowledge they can share. Alongside this, everyone wants to feel valued and to play their part in their communities, something that has been so absent for so many older people since March this year – often the beating heart of the neighbourhood. It may not be sewing or carpentry, but everyone has a skill, a passion or area of knowledge they can share. Alongside this, everyone wants to feel valued and to play their part in their communities, something that has been so absent for so many older people since March this year – often the beating heart of the neighbourhood. Time we think therefore to unleash these passions, the tinkering away in a garage, the meticulous hours over decades perfecting a skill that many of us could only dream of. And even if your parent or relative struggles to think of something they can share they most likely have that most valuable commodity of all – time. And all from the comfort of their home, and certainly within whatever the rules are or become.
Age Space’s top entertainment picks!
Don’t forget that there is plenty of television to watch, books to read, games to play and podcasts to listen to. Find out more from our Coronavirus entertainment guides, full of top picks for the elderly. So, in the spirit of a purposeful winter herewith a quick fire round of a few ideas to help our elderly parents and relatives survive and hopefully thrive: /* widget: Agespace :: Accordion */ .uc_border_accordion .uc_ac_box Telephone BefriendingEncourage them to become befrienders themselves making regular calls to someone who might be isolated or lonely; Age UK is currently running a campaign to encourage more people to become phone friends over the winter. The Slow Map of BritainThe Slow Map of Britain – this is genius; a walking map of Britain currently being developed. They need 10,000 volunteers to help them create a network of walking routes that connect all of the UK’s towns, cities and thousands of villagers. You don’t need to walk far to help – what a lovely way to spend the winter. A Community KitchenIf they like cooking, perhaps prepare an extra portion or two to give to someone who would really appreciate it: a family struggling to put food on the table, an elderly neighbour no longer able to cook, a local charity providing meal deliveries; or go the whole hog and start a community larder – a cool, dry cupboard or box – located somewhere in the neighbourhood where anyone can leave food to be collected by those who need it. Reading with the kidsWith so many school children struggling to catch up, reading with the grandchildren or local kids over the phone or zoom is a way to stay connected and to really help out. Share a skillWhether it be darning, carpentry or sorting out paperwork – everyone has something they like that someone else hates doing! Along with the sewing I’m actively looking for someone to sort out my filing, and maybe once they’ve finished that, they could move on to putting my photos in albums… Armchair gardeningIf your parents have green fingers, perhaps they could help someone with a planting plan for the year whether in pots, window sills or gardens; what to plant, where and when; worth it’s weight in gold. Or again, grow their own veg for someone else. Start a cook clubLive skype or zoom demonstrations/chats to share (some) secrets of decades of pastry making, store cupboard cooking, the perfect Sunday roast. Dog/cat sittingYour parents may not feel able to own a pet any longer so perhaps instead they could look after someone else’s pet; wonderful company and certainly in the case of a dog, all that unconditional love, without the wet dog walks. Annabel James is the founder of AgeSpace. All views are her own. The post Keeping Mum #2 – Let’s get busy appeared first on Age Space. from Age Space https://ift.tt/2Fzf6eN via WordPress https://ift.tt/37bPYWF via For more great blog posts check out Platinum Communities Blog We all know that it’s important to look after our heart, but it can be difficult to know how. It’s never too late to begin taking steps to look after your heart; and through a few, simple lifestyle changes, you can improve your heart health. Here Dr Luke Powles, Associate Clinical Director at Bupa UK, shares his top five ways to boost your heart health, along with some easy heart-friendly meals to try. 1. Ditch the saltConsuming too much salt can raise your blood pressure, and this can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Watch out for salty foods, such as crisps, bacon and cheese. Look for substitutes where you can, for example, instead of snacking on crisps try nuts or fresh fruit? Lots of people turn to salt to add flavour to dishes, but there are lots of healthier alternatives and you can use a variety of herbs and spices to keep your food flavoursome, instead. Becoming familiar with food labels and what they mean can help you monitor your salt intake, too. Food packaging usually includes a traffic light system including nutritional value – try to opt for healthier foods that are green for their salt portion. 2. Be mindful of your alcohol intakeDrinking too much alcohol can be harmful to your heart, as it raises your blood pressure and can increase your weight. As a general guide, aim for no more than 14 units of alcohol each week. Some of our favourite alcoholic beverages have more units than you may think: A 330ml bottle of beer contains 1.6 units and a standard glass of wine has 2.2 units. It’s really important to be sensible with your consumption and spread these units out over the week. Aim for a few alcohol-free days, too. 3. Get active everydayRegular exercise can boost your heart health – aim to get active each day and build up to a total of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity (such as a brisk walk, dancing or cycling) each week. Exercise can help, even if you already have a heart condition. If you do have a pre-existing condition, make sure you speak to your doctor before exercising. Exercise can be fun too – why not join an online dancing or aerobics class with a few friends?
Easy home exercises for the elderly
Exercise can also be done from the comfort of one’s own home! Read our guide to Easy Home Exercises for the Elderly, which includes yoga, pilates, dance and chair-based exercises. 4. Keep any stress at bayIf you’re stressed, you may be more likely to turn to unhealthy habits, like smoking, drinking or eating unhealthily. Whilst it’s not yet clear if stress alone affects your heart health, the unhealthy habits it can lead to will. Fortunately, there’s lots of ways to keep your stress levels low, such as mindfulness, speaking to loved ones or making lists to organise your thoughts. Exercise can also be a great stress buster: if you feel yourself getting stressed, why not head out for a brisk walk? It can help clear your thoughts and heading outside has a heap of benefits for your mental health; such as boosting your mood, improving your self-esteem and giving you a greater sense of satisfaction with life. 5. Re-connect with old friendsAccording to some studies, loneliness can affect your heart health by raising your blood pressure. Loneliness can also increase your stress hormone – cortisol – and this can negatively impact your heart. Even though we may not be able to physically see our loved ones right now, there’s lots of ways to connect with your family, and re-connect with old friends. Social media and video calls help us keep in regular contact. There’s also plenty of online classes available if you’re feeling lonely – a quick search online pulls up lots of online groups.
Want help setting up video calling?
Age Space has written some super simple guides on how to set up video calling for older people. Read our guides to setting up and using Skype and Whatsapp Video. Feeling lonely can also have a negative impact on your mental health, especially if these feelings have lasted a long time. Loneliness can increase your risk of certain mental health problems, including anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. It’s really important to speak to your doctor if you’re feeling lonely and it’s impacting your mental health – there’s always support available. /* widget: Agespace :: Accordion */ .uc_border_accordion .uc_ac_box BreakfastEating high-fibre foods may also help to lower your risk of heart disease. Try to include wholemeal options like muesli, porridge or wholegrain toast with boiled eggs. LunchSandwiches with brown or wholemeal bread, with fillings such as lean meats (ham, beef, turkey and chicken without the skin), and moderate amounts of cheeses like mozzarella or low-fat cream cheese. Salads can be a good option too, especially if they include some starchy, wholegrain foods such as rice, pasta or couscous. DinnerOily fish – like salmon or tuna – is rich in omega-3, which can help keep your heart healthy, so aim to have at least two portions of these type of fish each week. Pair it with roasted vegetables cooked in vegetable oil and wholegrain foods like rice and pasta.Fresh fruit, unsalted nuts and popcorn. SnacksFresh fruit, unsalted nuts and popcorn.
Remember to stay hydrated
As well as eating well, it’s important for older people to keep hydrated. Read more about the importance of Avoiding Dehydration. The post 5 Ways to Boost Heart Health appeared first on Age Space. from Age Space https://ift.tt/2SXqOD2 via WordPress https://ift.tt/340xTsT via For more great blog posts check out Platinum Communities Blog In our new blog series, Keeping Mum, we’ll be reflecting on a whole range of topics and subjects. With care homes high on the agenda, Annabel wonders why we seem to feel how we do about them. Care homes are back in the spotlight: the Government’s lack of response to the challenge of John’s Campaign’s over their guidance regarding family visits to care home residents during and after lockdown. This has set me thinking about care homes. From early March BoJo, Matt et al kept telling us that the elderly and frail were most susceptible to Covid-19 and care homes in particular needed to be protected. And yet here we are 6 months on with a terrible Covid related death toll in care homes; only the first inklings of the emotional and physical damage lockdown has had on thousands of residents; the shambles that was PPE supply and now testing in care homes not a priority; and appallingly, nearly two months since shielding was lifted, so many families still unable to visit their loved ones. I know, I know, unprecedented times and all that. But seriously. In part I wonder if it’s something to do with how we collectively think about old age and care. Very few people –if any – make a plan to end their days in a care home; certainly no-one wants to put Mum into a home unless absolutely necessary. Most of us want to stay in our own homes and ultimately “be carried out in a box”. How many of us have “the care conversation” with our parents/relatives before it becomes an emergency? Perhaps this contributes to a perception that care homes are places of last resort, end of the line, where dragons might just be. The history of care homes is itself fairly bizarre and as such also may contribute to how we reached this point. Before 1914, those who needed care but couldn’t afford it were sent to the local workhouse. These institutions were originally introduced in the 1830s under The Poor Laws in response to mass unemployment caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the industrial revolution. In a weirdly but possibly predictable Victorian way, many were impressive buildings and the healthcare was free, but the conditions were harsh, partly to act as deterrent. The more rural workhouses soon only housed “the incapable, elderly and sick”, and in 1905 a Royal Commission decided they were no longer serving their initial purpose. However, workhouses continued, well past a change in law at the end of the 1920s when local authorities took over their control, alongside various other pieces of legislation including the introduction of pensions and of course the start of the NHS. Local authorities over time transformed workhouses into municipal hospitals or care homes for the elderly, with improvements obviously in living conditions and healthcare over time. The next transformation came with privatisation under Maggie Thatcher at the end of the ‘80s, since when a whole sector has emerged. Today, it is a ££ billion business, with 11,000 homes owned/managed by over 5000 operators from small owner managed businesses to large national private equity backed providers. Almost half a million elderly people are residents. Local Authorities now only account for 10% of care homes across the UK. This, along with a decade plus of austerity has meant the economics of running care homes are now increasingly complex, with self-funding residents paying more to make up the difference in fees paid by local authorities for the same care in the same care home. There seems to be more than a lack of joined up thinking by local authorities who remain responsible for the planning and delivery of care with those who now provide care homes. To some extent the PPE fiasco was a good example of this; a fragmented and competitive market in normal circumstances with no obvious way of collaborating, with the result that many were left to fend for themselves in the rush for PPE, in direct competition presumably with eachother, and of course, with the NHS. When we talk about value, emotional or financial, what we’re really talking about is parents, relatives and friends who we love, who have worked all their lives, contributed to their communities, raised their families etc – who get to a point where they need specialist care and help. How best can we enable them to live out their lives as happily and comfortably as possible? A care home provides the answer for some. And when it is the answer, it’s not a place of last resort, but the only place to be. There’s a subtle difference between the two that we can’t ignore when we finally get around to talking about the future of care and care homes. As restrictions tighten up again families must be able to visit loved ones in care homes; its not just a human right, but a vital part of the care of the individual. Whether family members become key workers and follow the same stringent rules as care home staff, or other measures are put in place: from screens to bubbles or weather-dependent garden visits, as a humane society we just cannot consign the hundreds of thousands of frail elderly people to places of last resort. More information about John’s Campaign is available here: https://www.agespace.org/coronavirus/johns-campaign-explained Annabel James is the founder of AgeSpace. All views are her own. The post Keeping Mum#1 – We need to talk about care homes appeared first on Age Space. from Age Space https://ift.tt/30tBOMF via WordPress https://ift.tt/34d4r1C via For more great blog posts check out Platinum Communities Blog |
Golden gardens
Platinum Communities’ Golden Gardens makes finding the right place to live easy when you or a family member are looking for home-like care matching your personal lifestyle and needs with the appropriate level of assistance. Archives
November 2020
Categories
|