Why You Will Enjoy Your Retirement Village in North Devon There are a myriad of reasons to sing Devon’s praises. It’s one of the nation’s most popular spot for visitors dreaming of stunning landscape, delectable food and a slower pace of life. However, the reasons why Devon is such a wonderful part of the UK particularly ring true when it comes to the quality of life and opportunities for retirees. Nationwide, Devon and the South West have a reputation for being the place to retire. But why is this? Let’s take a look at just some of the reasons you should consider making the move to Devon on your retirement. 10 Top Reasons To Love North Devon Community: For many retirees, the community of work has now slipped away and it turns out the hectic pace of working life has left you somewhat isolated from your current local community. Yet community is essential to an enjoyable retirement. Attempting to build a new community for yourself upon retirement is tricky, without the natural contacts that working life affords. However, in Devon with the influx of retirees and communities geared to the older generations, it is considerably easier. This is particularly true […]

How You Know it’s Time for Assisted Living Knowing when you need to consider assisted living is a difficult decision for any person to face. However, it’s often a matter of loved ones being in the position to identify when a move needs to be made. Roles are often reversed with adult children taking on the position of caregiver. Knowing when assisted living is now required can feel like a complex and overwhelming decision. As Somerset assisted living providers, we see this situation play out time and again, in various different ways. There are some common signs that can help you realise that it’s time for assisted living to be considered. The Obvious Signs It is unlikely to be much consolation, and resistance can still be met, but there are some obvious signs that assisted living is needed for your relative. Falls and injuries: If your relative has fallen and been injured, it may be clear that independent living is no longer a safe option. Hospital may also only discharge an elderly person if they believe their care arrangements to be suitable. This can push the issue. Close calls: Not quite as clear cut, but frequent ‘close calls’ where an […]

What You Need to Know About Power of Attorney In a nutshell, a power of attorney for elderly parents is a means of lightening their load and anxiety. It can also help you feel less anxious about their vulnerability. However, given that we all understandably want to fervently guard our independence, knowing when you should be setting up power of attorney can be a difficult decision. This is a comprehensive guide to organising a power of attorney for an elderly parent, including the different types and how to do it.

What are the symptoms of Dementia? In our previous post, How to Spot Early Onset Dementia, we looked at the tell-tale signs and symptoms experienced during the early development of dementia. Dementia is a progressive condition meaning that symptoms will generally worsen over time. The symptoms will mostly still fit within the categories explained in our earlier article. However, in excess of these, and perpetuated by them, dementia can go on to cause the additional symptoms.

The elderly, and particularly those with dementia, can experience significant sleep challenges. It’s not unusual to end up sleeping a lot in the day and being unable to sleep at night, including frequent night-waking.

It is vital that care homes are skilled at encouraging independence in the elderly. This may seem contradictory with the aim of providing care, but we believe that quite the opposite is true. While ensuring a high level of care and safety, promoting and actively working to maintain independence in elderly individuals brings a sense of control, self-esteem and dignity.

In the winter months we are familiar with hearing how the cold weather affects our elderly. We are therefore more on the lookout for potential problems. However, we don’t always realise that the warmer months bring unique challenges too. The elderly are often particularly vulnerable to dehydration. At this time of year we need to be more aware of this.

At Eastleigh care homes, we are firm believers in the power of tailored social interaction for all of our residents. Hence we focus so much on activities for elderly with dementia. We see the benefits this brings, particularly for individuals in the grip of dementia. Dementia can make it so that people surrounding the patient step back from true engagement and offer an individualised approach; this is detrimental.

Dementia isn’t one illness alone: rather it is a collection of symptoms that are caused by a number of different conditions, for example Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, no two people with dementia will experience the same symptoms, in the same way, or in the same order. This can make it very difficult for loved ones who are concerned about their family member, and how they can help them.

Coming up with elderly day trips, which will bring pleasure and relaxation for both your parents, you, and any grandchildren, can be tricky. Day trips for senior citizens need to take in to account specific considerations. We’ve drawn up a list of the most suitable elderly day trip for families in North Devon allowing you all to have quality time together.

At our specialised dementia care homes North Devon we are proud of our outstanding reputation for offering the very best in leading dementia care. Through this, and our collaboration with Share Music South West we have been privileged to see the positive effects of music therapy for older people with dementia.

It’s an understandably difficult decision when you are considering the care needs of your spouse and your own capabilities. Coping with placing a spouse in a nursing home is enormously tough, often when you yourself need support too. It’s also difficult to know when it is the right time to make that decision, and how to go about it.