Articles
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What are heart palpitations?
Palpitations, faintness and shortness of breath are the signs of a possible heart arrhythmia. An arrhythmia happens when the electrical signals regulating your heartbeat, malfunction. These malfunctions can cause irregularities or unusual rhythms in a heartbeat that should be stable.…
Laundry and the Ageing Population, by Laundrapp
Laundrapp are partnering with HomeTouch; get £10 off your first order when you use the code “hometouch” It’s no secret that the UK has an ageing population: according to a report from the ONS (Office for National Statistics), the population…
It’s never too late to quit smoking
You can help your parent to stop smoking by identifying their triggers, distracting them from their cravings, supporting them by being patient and encouraging them to take up a hobby. Why it’s important to quit At HomeTouch we’re all about…
The Importance of Grandparents
School holidays provide a great opportunity for travelling to visit elderly relatives, or arranging for your children to spend a couple of days with their grandparents. The change of scene is good for your kids, and free time away is…
Healthy Eating Isn’t Just For The Young
At Mindful Chef we started with a simple mission – to make healthy eating easy for everyone. Often, when we think about healthy eating we only think of the young, but we should be equally concerned with the ageing generation as well. Far more people are living longer than ever and wouldn’t it be great if all of these people were able to live life to the fullest. At Mindful Chef we know first hand the positive effects nutrition can have on people’s lives, and the World Health Organisation has stated that many of the diseases suffered by older people are the result of dietary choices. As we get older our bodies change. Our goals change, our daily activities change and our nutritional needs change. In order to live life to the fullest we need to fuel our bodies with the right types of food so they can function at…
Help us end the stigma of dementia with Unforgettable
James Ashwell, founder of Unforgettable dementia products, spent five years caring for his mum who had early onset dementia. They were the hardest years of his life, but they gave James a passion to help others on the dementia journey. Here James explains how Unforgettable might be able to help you. Mum was in her fifties when she was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, but it wasn’t until Dad died suddenly that the full extent of her illness became clear. I quickly realised Mum couldn’t live alone, so I gave up my job in London and become her carer.I was very fortunate to have three siblings Simon, Gemma and Mark, who were prepared to help practically and financially, and we also employed professional carers when necessary. Even so, those first few months were absolute hell.Eventually, we realised that if Mum wasn’t to sit staring at the TV all day, we needed…
Changes in Behaviour that Require Specialist Live in Care
Self-neglect, accidents around the house, trouble keeping up with medications, and withdrawal and isolation could all be indicators that your loved one needs specialist live in care. Changes in behaviour that require specialist live in care When someone starts to develop dementia, their deterioration in function can be gradual. Too often, mishaps, memory lapses and near-misses can be explained away as natural and normal effects of ageing, but there can come a time when it is no longer safe to live alone. So, when you start to notice these signs in excess, it could be a time to find a specialist live in care. So how can you tell when someone you love needs live-in care? You may have known and relied on your loved one for many years, so the idea that they could be unsafe living alone can be difficult to contemplate. However, the increasing memory loss and…
Workout Tips for Baby Boomers
5 tips for exercising your way to a better, healthier, longer life. Workout tips for baby boomers We understand. You have a job, you are a parent, a grandparent or a caring partner and your day is usually very busy. Do you find yourself saying things like: “I would love to do more exercise, but I’m just too busy at the moment.” If so, don’t worry! At MindMate, we want to help you to be more healthy and fit. 10 minutes per day can really make a difference. MindMate’s daily activities plan is perfect for those who just want to get started. A workout routine is important for you, regardless of your age. Why? Because research suggests that it might ward off a number of age-related diseases such as: Cardiovascular diseaseDementiaWeight gainDiabetesStrokeDepressionAnd even some cancer types Here’s how to start: 1) Every step counts If you are not already doing so, activity…
Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia is a type of dementia and is caused by an interruption to the blood supply to the brain, usually caused by a number of small strokes, not by Alzheimer’s disease. What is vascular dementia? Many people use the terms dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease interchangeably, but Alzheimer’s is not the only cause of dementia. As many as one in five people affected have vascular dementia, and if you’ve never heard of it, it’s not surprising. It’s also known as multi-infarct dementia (MID) or vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and it is actually the second most common cause of the condition. In vascular dementia, the brain is damaged by an interruption to the blood supply, usually by a number of small strokes. When the blood flow is interrupted, the brain cells do not receive the nutrients and oxygen essential for life. These so-called ‘mini’ strokes can be so minor that they’re…
The early signs of dementia
The early signs of dementia include forgetfulness, misplacing of objects, struggling to find the right words, personality changes, and confusion. We all walk into the kitchen and forget what we came for, or misplace our keys every now and then. So, what is normal forgetfulness and what could indicate that there may be a problem? Dementia is the term for a set of symptoms that include memory lapses, difficulties thinking and solving problems, impaired communication and behavioural changes. The early signs of dementia can often be subtle to begin with, but they may gradually escalate until they can affect every aspect of daily life. Dementia can affect different people in different ways, each individual is unique. However, there are some key signs to look out for: Memory loss Forgetfulness is often a significant early sign. Dementia tends to affect short-term memory more than reminiscences from the past. So, an individual…
