Health issues
Meeting the physical challenges of later years
Adjusting to life in a wheelchair
Older parents can find themselves in a wheelchair for all sorts of health reasons after which life can change significantly from the norm. Katherine Pyne, creator of online disability shop designed2enable, found herself in this unexpected position at a younger age but her experience gives us an insight into the impact disability has on many […]
Read more
Independent living with hearing loss
It can be a worry if your parent has significant hearing loss. Do you worry if they don’t answer the phone, and even rush round or send a neighbour to check if they’re all right? Or maybe they don’t hear the doorbell because the television is on too loud to hear. Today there are many […]
Read more
How do I help my elderly parent bathe?
For anyone with limited mobility, enjoying a bath and shower can be difficult. We asked Annette Greenwood of family business Bath-Knight, inventors of the belted bath-lift, for some tips on choosing and funding bathroom aids so that parents can continue to enjoy bathing with dignity and confidence. Many elderly people struggle to bathe and sadly, […]
Read more
How to choose the right mobility scooter
Written by Rebecca Lenton When a parent begins to have issues with their mobility it can be a hard thing for them to accept and adjust to. If they’re having trouble getting out and about unaided it may be time for them to invest in a mobility scooter to help them on their way. If […]
Read more
Caring for a dad with dementia, blindness and hearing loss
Written by Rebecca Lenton This week’s storyteller is Jacky. Another urgent call from mum but fortunately this one is less of a crisis than many others. Dad has walked unaided and sat himself in a low chair from which neither he nor mum can move him. When I arrive dad is singing a hymn at […]
Read more
Caring for a father with Parkinson’s
This week’s storyteller is Chris. Chris tells the sad story of his brilliant father’s degeneration due to Parkinson’s, and how the family managed his care with love and respect. My father at 83 started to become very slow, and slightly doddery, and for him that was not normal. He was a very smart, neat and […]
Read more
Respecting my parents’ wishes
This week’s storyteller is Clare Tanner. Clare was taken by surprise when her aunt told her that her mum was having heart surgery. She had no idea and she told us about her initial reactions in her story here. Now she explains the changes her and her mum have made in their relationship to foster […]
Read more
Caring for a disabled mother-in-law
Caron Sprake, author of eldercare blog Caron Cares, shares how she cared for her disabled mother-in-law whilst juggling family responsibilities. When I said “I do” I acquired not only a husband but a disabled mother-in-law as well. After leaving my training as a student nurse because of back trouble I became a carer which helped […]
Read more
Caring for a mother-in-law with cancer
Adrienne Gruberg, founder of The Caregiver Space, shares how she adjusted family life to care for a mother-in-law with Lymphoma whilst her own husband battled lung cancer. My mother-in-law, Sylvia – all four-feet-ten inches of her – was a spitfire of a lady! At eighty-nine, she was one of the most resilient people I had […]
Read more
Mum didn’t tell me about her major heart surgery
Written by Rebecca Lenton This week’s storyteller is Clare Tanner. When your aunt mentions that your mum’s having surgery and you had no idea – what do you do? Clare shares her experience of her parents’ preference for privacy and desire to not worry her by not telling her about it! Mum is 70 in […]
Read more