Health
How can you help your parent stay well for as long as possible and find their way through a complex health system?
How long does the coronavirus live on surfaces – and is my Amazon package a risk?
Here’s a useful graphic from the New England Journal of Medicine that shows how long the coronavirus can stay on various hard materials. It should be helpful if you or your family members are out and about, using public transport, pushing trollies around supermarkets, or sharing any facilities with other people. The graphic shows that […]
Read moreStaying fit when you’re socially distancing
A key difference between self-isolating and socially distancing is that you can still get out of the house and get some fresh air and exercise while you’re socially distancing. What’s important is to be as far away from other people as possible. Having taken a walk along the river today, I’ve found that’s pretty […]
Read moreWho should be practising social distancing?
UPDATE 24 March 2020: Everyone has been asked to stay home and if they need to go out for exercise, to buy food or to collect medicines, everyone is expected to stay 2 metres apart from others. This is UK Government guidance, published 16 March 2020, listing those who should practise social distancing to help […]
Read moreCovid-19 compared to cold, flu and allergies
Not sure whether you’ve got a cold or something more serious? Here’s a useful guide.
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What’s the situation with care homes and coronavirus?
With the Covid-19 virus threat moving fast, this is merely a snapshot of how government, care home owners and staff are approaching the challenge today. But it’s all useful to know when we’re worried about our loved ones. What’s the current advice? Older people and those with underlying health conditions are at most risk from […]
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With the end in mind – helping your loved ones plan ahead
When supporting an older loved one, it’s important to know if they have opinions about what treatment they would or would not want towards the end of life. The subject of what happens to our family members if they get unwell is not an easy one to think about, and we may understandably be reluctant […]
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A guide to scattering ashes in the UK
Collaborative Post It is quite common for people to wonder how to scatter ashes. It is not something we do every day or something we openly talk about. Yet the spreading of the ashes of a loved one is a significant event and one that needs to capture the precious moment of letting go off […]
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Hearing tests for older people and those with dementia
Hearing specialists recommend that once we reach the age of 55 we should have a hearing test every three years, and every ten years below that age. An early check provides a base line against which they can measure any degradation in our hearing as we age. Most people do lose some level of hearing […]
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What to do if you think your parent is self-neglecting
Signs of some degree of self-neglect is common amongst older people. Sometimes there’s a simple explanation that can be addressed through practical help. Perhaps a friend or relative that’s not visited for a while notices that your relative has lost weight. That could be a health issue, which needs checking out sooner rather than later. […]
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Avoiding Funeral Poverty: 5 Ways to Help Reduce Funeral Costs
Collaborative Post Losing a loved one is never easy but imagine not having the funds to be able to say goodbye to them. Unfortunately, this is what many grieving families are not facing due to rising costs of funerals in the UK. A Loving Tribute wants to highlight the severe issue of funeral poverty and […]
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