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November 28, 2019
Celebrations can be a time of challenge for families with a dementia sufferer among their loved ones. However, they can also be a time to reminisce, which can provide nurturing care. It is difficult to know how to ‘get it right’. Each New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day, we ring in the New Year with our wonderful residents in our North Devon and Somerset care homes. Here are our tips on how to successfully celebrate New Year’s Eve that we’ve learned over the years.
November 27, 2019
Whether it is because Christmas is just around the corner, or because there’s a birthday coming up, or you simply want to show you care, you may struggle to think of gifts for a relative in a care home. Here are our favourite suggestions for gifts which will be appreciated by those in a care home.
October 14, 2019
We often hear in the media about the importance of healthy eating. However, rarely do we hear about its importance in later life. However, what we eat becomes even more important as we age. Our diet can impact our cognitive function, determine our energy levels and help us fight off illness. Indeed, eating well can be seen as vital in our care of the elderly.
October 14, 2019
The festive season is nearly upon us. With it come excited children, decorations in our homes, gift buying, feasts and entertainment. However, celebrating Christmas when a loved one is in a nursing home can feel complex, bewildering or anxiety-inducing. This guide is designed to address the main concerns surrounding Christmas and nursing homes or residential care, including when your loved one has dementia. We look at ways to celebrate, adjustments you may need to make and even gift ideas.
September 17, 2019
We don’t generally think about the changing needs we have of our furniture as we age. Indeed, for many there’s a lack of knowledge about how and why furniture can help. There’s also the associated cost and upheaval of change. However, the right furniture can help to reduce the risk of falls, provide greater support and comfort and even help to reduce anxiety in a dementia patient. At our care homes in North Devon and Somerset, we understand the vital importance of furniture when providing care for the elderly and those with dementia. At our Raleigh Mead home particularly, we use innovative and pioneering research regarding furniture design and provision. However, there are also changes you can make at home […]
September 17, 2019
We hear the word ‘dementia’ and automatically make assumptions. However, dementia brings with it a range of symptoms and difficulties, and our natural assumptions can lead us to misunderstand. At our care homes in North Devon and Somerset, we are experts in providing dementia care. These are 10 things that we think that everyone, including loved ones of those with dementia, should be aware of:
August 16, 2019
Caring for an elderly loved one brings many challenges. One such challenge is simply how to manage your time effectively. This is particularly true if you are in the ‘sandwich generation’ caring for both your elderly parents and dependent children who are still at home. Standard time management tips may not be useful here, so we’ve put together a list of tips for how to manage your time when you’re caring for elderly parents. The goal is that you should feel less frantic and burned out, and more in control.
August 12, 2019
Dementia can be a very distressing condition for the sufferer and for their loved ones. Often, especially in the earlier days of dementia, defensiveness and denial can lead to an individual refusing help. This refusal of help can put you in an even more difficult position. You may feel powerless or that they are making things harder for you (and themselves). You may even feel that their unwillingness to accept help is a personal attack on you, or even may lead to them being in danger.