Retirement living
When it’s time to move on from the family home, what are the choices for older people?
Is a pet for your parent a good idea?
Written by Rebecca Lenton Pets are often recommended as good companions for the lonely or housebound. What are the pros and cons of pet ownership as your parents grow frailer, and how can you help them to ensure their pet continues to be cared for, however circumstances change? For parents who are lonely or socially […]
Read more
Retiring to the country – 8 things to discuss before your parents decide
Written by Kathy Lawrence Moving to a rural area can be a cherished dream for retirement. But what are the pitfalls and how can they be avoided? We asked for advice from the team behind the “Over the Hill” campaign, which aims to tackle rural isolation. Retiring to green fields after a life in the […]
Read more
Summer energy saving tips for your parents
There will forever be tips out there for saving energy in the winter months, but did you know there are steps you can take to prevent your parent’s energy bill soaring in the summer? Whether your parents are turning up the air conditioning, using more water to run showers or using more electricity to power […]
Read more
Heating guide for your parents and grandparents: how to stay warm and save money this winter
Updated October 2021 Britain’s elderly are hit the hardest by the cold at winter. In fact, according to Age UK, in winter an older person dies every seven minutes due to cold temperatures. It’s therefore crucial that their homes are a safe temperature. But for many older people on a limited budget the cost of […]
Read more
How to make downsizing a good experience
Sarah Macnaught, founder of London-based home organising company Rightsize, shares her hints and tips for helping your parent decide what to keep, what to sell and what to give away when it comes moving their belongings from the family home. When downsizing becomes a pressing need for a parent, due to illness, bereavement, finances or […]
Read more
How to make household tasks easier for elderly parents
Andrew Atkinson, Managing Director of Mobility Smart – an online independent living store – advises us on tools to help your parent manage at home if they have strength or mobility issues. Here are a few simple gadgets to help make independent living that much easier. Cleaning For an older parent cleaning tasks can take […]
Read more
Mum refuses help – what can we do?
Written by Rebecca Lenton This week’s storyteller has chosen to be anonymous. Our storyteller talks about the dilemma of a mother who lives in a home that’s no longer suitable for her needs, but refuses to move out, move nearer or get help. When my parents moved from London to their cottage in a remote […]
Read more
Retirement living to look forward to
Sara McKee, Founder and Director of Evermore, shares her vision for the future of retirement living in the UK and talks about the importance of independence in later life. We all want the best for our parents. Whether that’s driven by a sense of familial responsibility or just sheer love, it’s something you feel deep […]
Read more
Tips for caring from a distance
Helping parents who don’t live just round the corner is more complicated, but there are many things that we can do to ease their situation. Sally offers some tips gleaned from her experience of supporting a mother with physical needs and a father with mental challenges, both at the same time. It is possible to […]
Read more
How do you view ageing?
Written by Kathy Lawrence It’s worth examining our assumptions about the process of getting old to see if they’re more negative that we’d like to think. How do you view the process of ageing? Maybe trying to support your parents to be independent on the one hand, but not actually trusting them to look after […]
Read more
