Simple Memory Aids for the Elderly Many elderly people fit the stereotype of being forgetful. It’s a normal and natural part of getting older. However, there are various strategies and approaches we can take to help with the memory needs of the elderlies. From our nursing homes in Raleigh, we have experience of using a range of different memory aids for residents. Before we look at the specifics, you need to understand that what works for one may not work for another. We’re all different, but these are general memory aids for the senior that we have generally found to be helpful. You may find that you build a repertoire of your favourite methods, or adapt one to suit. What Do You Need? To do this, you need to first identify what the problem is. For example, is remembering the day a problem? Or perhaps remembering your usual routine? Identify the problem and rate how important it is will help you find the best solution. The strategies that prove most successful are often ones based on familiar processes and use existing skills. Then practice the strategies you put in place. Memory Aids for Elderly People Below are some suggestions that […]

How to Deal with the Guilt of Putting Your Parent in a Nursing Home There’s no doubt that wrangling with the decision over the most suitable care for your parent can feel like a mammoth task: one in which there are no winners. The result of this decision often leaves you with a hefty dose of guilt. While outsiders can easily see the logic of the situation, and therefore often see it as a clear cut decision, you feel the emotion. It’s difficult to pull out the different contributing factors and to assuage the guilt. However, as we’ve learned from our experience of countless adult children dealing with the guilt of putting a parent in a nursing home at our nursing homes in Somerset, there are ways to manage the guilt effectively and come to feel content with your decision. The Psychology of Guilt At our nursing homes, we tend to see the decision to move an elderly relative into care coming on the back of an exhausted adult child. The generation who are caring for today’s elderly at home and within the family are often retired or nearing retirement themselves. Or managing a busy or young family with dependent […]

It’s easy to think you should avoid board games for people with dementia. You don’t want to stress them out or highlight their difficulties. With dementia come problems with memory and cognition – obstacles to successful board game enjoyment. However, the right board games, chosen wisely, can actually help. Indeed one study into the use of Bingo with dementia patients concluded that “a simple cognitive activity such as Bingo can be of great value to the daily management of Alzheimer’s patients”.

Benefits of Care Homes We don’t often realise that care homes bring with them immense and diverse benefits. Fear that the disadvantages of care homes outweigh the benefits usually rest on the inconsistency of care between different homes. At Eastleigh, we are focused on maximising the many and varied benefits of care homes at all of our nursing homes in North Devon. The Benefits of Eastleigh Care Homes Time: For families with time-poor lives, and elderly individuals needing time, we can ensure that your loved one gets the time they need. In turn, this impacts on the quality of the time you spend with your loved one knowing that there needn’t be other demands vying for your attention. At Eastleigh, we consider it a privilege to spend time sharing memories. Exceptional Diet and Nutrition: We find that many elderly people struggle to enjoy a delicious yet nutritious diet regularly. At Eastleigh, we ensure exceptional menus. You can see our care homes sample menu here. Practical Housekeeping: A benefit to care homes is that all the housekeeping is taken care of, there’s nothing for the elderly person or the family to do. Personalised and Appropriate care: Under the same Eastleigh umbrella […]

Top 10 Most Effective Chair Exercises for the Elderly Exercise for elderly people should focus on core strength and flexibility. It can help improve balance, prevent falls, and even help to give mental health a boost. However, when mobility or weakness is already a problem due to age, this can seem a daunting prospect. Fortunately, there are plenty of chair exercises for elderly individuals which involve graduated effort according to ability.

How to Get All the Essential Vitamins When Living in a Care Home Fundamentally, you should be getting all of the vitamins you need, and in the right amount, from your diet. In a care home, you may be concerned that this isn’t the case. It’s important, therefore, to choose a care home which takes nutrition and diet seriously. Food should be tasty, satisfying and well-balanced. At Eastleigh we pride ourselves on our delicious and varied menus. Take a quick look at a sample menu at an Eastleigh home here.

The news that a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia does not necessarily come as a shock. After all, the diagnosis was likely spurred on by suspicion that they were struggling with things like memory. But it’s still a time of adjustment for the individual and their loved ones. Here we look at three of the most common aspects you need to bear in mind when a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia. We also look the most common FAQs loved ones have immediately following diagnosis. full full full My Loved One’s Just Been Diagnosed with Dementia h2 It can be difficult hearing that a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia, even if you had suspicions. You are likely concerned for the future and unsure of what happens next. You may not know much about the disease. These reactions are normal. Stay calm, patient and understanding as you and your loved one adjust to the diagnosis. Nothing will change overnight and you have time to learn more about the disease and consider options for the future. FAQs for Loved Ones of Those Recently Diagnosed with Dementia What happens if you are diagnosed with dementia? What can I […]

What Preparation Is Required For Your Move To A Care Home? It can be a trying time for all involved when a loved one finds themselves moving into a care home. Confusion, disorientation and isolation can easily take hold, especially among those contending with a mental affliction such as dementia. Fortunately there are several methods available for easing the transition. Moving day The day of the move to their new address should be as undisruptive as possible, so if you can, try to do it at a time that will least likely interfere with their routine. Give them some guarantees by providing them with a solid timeframe and ‘reward’ for when the entire transition will be over. For example, if they regularly watch Channel 4’s Countdown then reassure them that the move will be completed in time for that day’s episode – accompanied by their new home’s delicious tea and cake offering! Familiarity Help make your loved one’s new environment feel less alien by bringing some of their personal items along. For visual comfort adorn the walls of their room with treasured photos, fill shelves with their favourite books and ornaments, and ensure any special, sentimental items they have are […]

Why Should You Consider Assisted Living For Your Loved One? Daily chores can become increasingly difficult as the years creep up on us. Some of the routines we take for granted such as cooking, cleaning and even getting dressed can seem like mountainous tasks. Just because peeling potatoes or reaching for the top shelf are no longer possible, however, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we want or need someone with us 24/7.

How many types of dementia are there? The word ‘dementia’ is really just a blanket term covering a range of illnesses which can affect brain functions such as memory, thinking, language, and even mood and behaviour. Often accompanied by depression, symptoms depend on the type of dementia the sufferer has, which is usually the consequence of brain damage by a disease such as Alzheimer’s, but can also result from a series of strokes. Due to the variegated nature of the condition, it can be difficult to articulate briefly how many types of dementia exist, with many people even suffering from a combination of more than one mental health affliction. In order to help gain a better understanding of it though, below we explain what the 3 most common forms currently affecting people in the UK are: Alzheimer’s Disease Affecting an estimated 850,000 people in the UK alone, the most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. It is a progressive condition, which means that its severity increases over time, usually over a number of years. A struggle with day to day memory is usually the first symptom, but this is then followed by problems such as difficulty making decisions, recalling […]

Why Is Specialist Dementia Treatment More Effective? If you have been caring for an elderly relative with dementia then you will be painfully aware of how challenging it can be. One moment they are familiar and compassionate people, the next they can seem alien and aggressive. Even when they are at their most uncooperative it is important to continue treating them with respect and dignity, not just as a matter of tolerance of their condition, but as an acceptance of their needs as people. Such highs and lows can be difficult to manage, so it is vitally important that they receive care from those who are expert at handling such situations. 

We can go to great lengths to ensure our elderly loved ones receive the very best care they need. Heaps of research can be undertaken in selecting the most appropriate home, special attention heeded upon their comfort needs and even exceptional dietary requirements taken into consideration. Then, after devoting all that effort to their wellbeing, why would we want to just sit them in front of a TV and let them mentally deteriorate as the result of a passive, sedentary life?