Pastimes
We share tips, ideas and tools for making home and garden care easy and enjoyable
Gardening tips for older people
Written by Kathy Lawrence Gardening can be a joy. It’s satisfying, can be productive and it’s very good exercise. Age makes some tasks harder – the digging, mowing and pruning – but with a bit of thought there’s still plenty that can be done at any age. The Horticultural Trade Association in the UK has […]
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No more digging
My dad has always loved his garden, and I’ve always assumed that he will be tending it to the end. So it took me a long time to realise that despite all the treatment and care he’s received for problems large and small over the last few years, he’s not going to get back out […]
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Travelling with a parent who has dementia
There are over 100 different types of diagnosable dementia, from Alzheimer’s to vascular dementia. Each individual will face differing symptoms which means their care will have to be tailored to meet their individual needs. Despite the challenges, a holiday can be a rewarding experience for you and your parent as well as other family members. […]
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Holiday destinations for older people
As people get older, their travel priorities may change to suit their needs. But many continue to have a list of places they would love to visit. So if you’re thinking of a break for your parents, here are a few ideas to make it a special holiday. Once in a lifetime Canada and New […]
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Tips on choosing a holiday with parents
A family holiday can be a joy or a nightmare, depending on whether we’ve decided upon the right location, accommodation, and remembered everything we need for the trip. Here are a few tips to get the choice right: Proximity Choose a central place to stay that’s in walking distance of shops, pubs, the beach or […]
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Tips for travelling with ageing parents
Collaborative Post As our parents get older, we need to put some thought into the issues surrounding long-distance travel. We might be going on holiday together, or they might be travelling separately. Here are some quick tips to make the journey go smoothly. Planes Why travel by plane? It’s fast. There aren’t many other benefits […]
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How tea parties help to ward off loneliness
Written by Rebecca Lenton This week’s storyteller is Gemma. Gemma tells us how she became a volunteer driver for Contact the Elderly. She describes the benefits of attending the charity’s free monthly tea parties for everyone involved. I’d decided that I wanted to give something back to my community. I saw a poster advertising the […]
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