Kathy Lawrence
How can I care for mum with dementia when I can’t cope myself?
Dear Lesley I’ve recently learned my Mum has mixed dementia. She was diagnosed almost two years ago but I’ve only just found out. Since then she has also got septicaemia and pneumonia, although she’s on the mend from the pneumonia now. I have three brothers and I’m the only girl. I’m also the youngest. My […]
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Christmas celebrations and dementia
Christmas and other family celebrations can be an overwhelming time for someone living with dementia. A sudden influx of friends and family can cause individuals to feel stressed, agitated and confused. Active Minds outline their top tips for supporting your loved one through the Christmas period, ensuring you enjoy a magical festive time together. Planning […]
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Gifts for grandparents 2018 – food and drink
by Kathy Lawrence This is the edible section of our Christmas gift guide for older friends and family for 2018. In some cases we have been offered samples of these products for review and we make it clear where that has been the case. Bottles Where do you start? Spirits, wines and beers are available […]
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Gifts for grandparents 2018 – what to wear
By Kathy Lawrence In this section of our 2018 gift guide for seniors, we look at ideas of what to wear – for style, charm and function. As with our other reviews, we’ve made it clear where the supplier has sent us a sample for review. Do come back for more updates over the next […]
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Gifts for grandparents 2018 – travel and holidays
By Kathy Lawrence Days out, trips and holidays are a welcome gift for many. Here are just a few ideas. Just one in our series of articles of ideas for older friends and family. We haven’t experienced them ourselves, but we could be tempted! If your family are enjoying watching the likes of Timothy West […]
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Gifts for grandparents 2018 – hobbies and pastimes
By Kathy Lawrence In this article in our series of gift ideas for older friends and family, we look at ideas that we can work on together as well as individually. If you’re spending time with someone who’s struggling a bit with dexterity or understanding new concepts, then trying out these ideas together could be […]
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Gifts for grandparents 2018 – books and calendars
By Kathy Lawrence What do you buy for someone in their later years? We wanted to offer some ideas that could add a bit of luxury or fun to life, rather than necessities. In this first of our series, we look at books and calendars. We’ve made it clear where we’ve had the opportunity to […]
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Why you need to ensure travel insurance declarations include mental health conditions
We know we need to declare physical conditions and medications when we’re looking for travel insurance, but how many of us think about notifying insurers of mental health issues? Or are even sure what constitutes such a condition? According to AllClear, a specialist medical travel insurance provider, many older travellers aren’t declaring mental health issues […]
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What does the Autumn 2018 budget mean for older people?
We take a quick look at the Autumn 2018 UK budget to see what is likely to affect older friends and family – and what leading charities and commentators made of it. Didn’t budget statements in the UK used to come round just once a year? Or did we imagine that? Either way, a […]
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When and how do we talk with GPs and hospitals about dying choices?
By Kathy Lawrence Talking about the likelihood of a loved one dying in the near future is always going to be difficult. But if we want to give them the good death that we would like, we and their physicians need to know their preferences. But how can we know if anyone has asked, let […]
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