Health
How can you help your parent stay well for as long as possible and find their way through a complex health system?
Age and swallowing problems – how speech therapy helps
Swallowing difficulties can be associated with ageing, or might be the symptom of another health issue. Speech and language therapist Laura Dawson describes how problems can be identified and addressed. Swallowing food and drink is something we take for granted. It’s part of everyday life, and without the ability to swallow we would compromise our […]
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Living with blindness
Written by Rebecca Lenton Blindness affects almost 2 million people in the UK and as our parents get older there’s an increasing chance that they may experience some degree of sight loss. 1 in 5 people aged 75 and over are living with sight loss and for those with a service record accepting their blindness […]
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How speech therapy can improve communication
As our parents age they can face challenges that make speech more difficult. Speech and language therapist Laura Dawson explains how to identify the issues and how our parents can be helped. Why is communication important? Communication is vital. We communicate our decisions, needs and opinions verbally. It’s the basis of forming relationships. When anyone […]
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Banishing the fear of falling with reflexology
Written by Amanda Weller This week’s storyteller is Amanda.Amanda Weller tells us how her reflexology knowledge has helped a friend, who’d become fearful of falling, to take back control of her feet and start living again. I have a lovely ninety-year-old friend who lives in Cornwall. She loves reflexology but I don’t get my hands […]
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Thoughts on living with an enlarged prostate
Written by Kathy Lawrence Is your dad peeing often and little? Maybe painfully? It might not be cancer, but it might be an enlarged prostate. Here are some thoughts from our own experiences on what you can expect to happen once you’ve persuaded them to see a doctor. At the beginning of 2013 comedian Bill […]
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The plight of Parkinson’s
Written by Rebecca Lenton In honour of Parkinson’s Awareness Week 2013 we have a special story from the grandchild of Britain’s leading 20th-century naval historian whose death marked the loss of a great man who gave his all as a naval officer, father, grandfather and historian. Parkinson’s made him pay the price for his amazing […]
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In, out, shake it all about
This week’s storyteller has chosen to be anonymous.AKA the endless saga of life with and without a catheter. An eurgh yuk ow sort of story. This is a story that began back in the days before I started paying attention. In those golden years when my parents could get in the car and drive themselves […]
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How to help your elderly parent avoid anorexia
Written by Rebecca Lenton Anorexia may not be an illness that’s commonly associated with ageing parents and yet it’s a condition that can stem from lack of motivation, lack of control or bereavement – all of which are often experienced by the elderly. Losing loved ones, losing control over their health and coping with feelings […]
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How to keep your parent’s fridge fresh and organised
Written by Rebecca Lenton We’re always told to watch what we eat but when it comes to our parent’s diet we can’t always be around to ensure they’re getting the nutrients they need or that their fridge is full of fresh food that’s not passed its best-before date. If you’re concerned your parent isn’t eating […]
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How to help your elderly parent avoid malnutrition
Written by Rebecca Lenton As people age their appetite can start to wane. The cause can simply be less need for calories and therefore nothing to worry about. But malnutrition can become a problem, and its causes could lie in physical issues such as difficulty in chewing and swallowing, or more emotional and mental issues […]
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