Categories for Advice

Could A Keto Diet Reduce Dementia?

June 3, 2019 8:00 am

A Keto diet, also known as a ketogenic diet is one that is high in fats and low in carbohydrates. Whilst research has shown that this type of diet is great at keeping you mentally sharp in old age, could it also be the answer to reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease? Researchers from the Mayo Clinic published research which indicated that people whose diet is high in carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, potatoes, and rice have an 89% increased risk for dementia. However, those who consumed high levels of fat had only a 44% reduced risk. Ketones are compounds the body uses to produce energy, but the latest research has shown that they are neuroprotective – meaning...

Walk Your Way To Better Health

May 28, 2019 8:00 am

Exercising regularly can help with getting fit, maintaining overall health and staying active. Walking, in particular, can be a great way to incorporate activity into your daily routine. According to the British Heart Foundation, walking can help to give your heart the workout it needs to stay in good condition. It reduces the risk of developing a heart condition as well as type 2 diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis. Here are our favourite reasons to go for a walk: Helps you to feel more energetic Activity or even a brisk walk to the shops can help you to feel more energetic and have a productive day. Helps to control your weight Whether you want to burn some calories or just maintain...

Don’t Worry, Be Happy!

May 21, 2019 8:00 am

You may have read the news stories or even seen it on social media that happiness can lead to a healthier and longer life! Being happy is not just associated with improving the quality of your life, according to researchers, it can even increase the quantity of your life, too. CNN recently reported, “older people were up to 35% less likely to die during the five-year study if they reported feeling happy, excited, and content on a typical day.” Here’s how to banish negative emotions such as sadness, anger, stress, and anxiety to live happier and longer! Be Social Connecting with friends and family are key to living a happy and healthy life. Make sure to invest time in staying...

Caring For Ageing Parents

April 15, 2019 8:00 am

Caring for elderly parents/relatives is a role reversal that few people find easy to navigate. For those of the older generation, it means having to give up a degree of independence and their life-long role as the parent figure. For the adult child, taking on the responsibility of parenting your own parent can be difficult to come to terms with. However, there are things that can be done to make this process easier: Make a Plan Many of us ‘fall’ into becoming carers as soon as it becomes apparent that one or both of our parents requires regular assistance with day-to-day living. You will need to assess your options and discuss them with other family members and friends to find...

Making Friends In Later Life

April 1, 2019 8:00 am

Despite everything we know about the importance of maintaining social connections as we get older, finding friends in later life can be a challenge. As we age, the easy social connections that we enjoyed as school friends parents and colleagues change. As a result, many older people find themselves facing shrinking social circles and needing to make new friends. The increase in technology has made our search for companionship, both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, services like Skype and Facebook allow us to stay connected with friends and family throughout the world. However, on the other hand, with everyone focused on staying “connected” online, we are losing the ability to connect in real life. Are You...

Taking Care In The Winter Months

January 28, 2019 8:00 am

As the weather gets colder and the mercury plummets below zero, it’s time to help our elderly friends and family stay healthy and warm this winter. According to Age UK, “1 older person dies every 7 minutes from the cold weather and many more become seriously ill.” But, there are steps we can take to ensure our elderly loved ones are looked after and able to stay warm and healthy in the winter. Why are elderly people more likely to become ill in colder weather conditions? Often, older people are more at risk because their bodies can struggle to adjust to sudden changes in temperature change. In addition to developing illnesses such as the flu or pneumonia, the cold weather...

How To Stay Active And Exercise As You Get Older

January 21, 2019 8:00 am

For many, getting older often may mean slowing down – retiring from work, taking it easy and for many, it also means spending much of their day seated and sedentary. But, as we get older we need to be incorporating the right amount of exercise into our lifestyle in order to live healthier. Physical activities and exercise are proven to help reduce the risk of heart disease, and early death. It’s also important to remain active in order to maintain your own independence and continue to enjoy daily activities such as; playing with grandchildren, walking to a shop, meeting friends and socialising. Whilst we don’t recommend you over exert yourself as you do get older, you should increase your activity....

How To Support A Person With A Learning Disability

December 10, 2018 8:00 am

Approximately 1 million people in the UK have a learning disability (2% of the population) and this is on the rise.* What is a learning disability? A learning disability is a “significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), with a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning), which started before adulthood” – the Department of Health. How can a learning disability affect a person? Having a learning disability will affect the way a person understands information and communicates. Although it will vary from person to person, this can mean that they might have difficulty learning new skills, coping independently or need extra help in certain aspects of their lives. Many people...

Care Fee Planning Advice

December 4, 2018 8:30 am

Did you miss Home Care Preferred Barnet’s Care Fee Planning event? We’ve rounded up the key takeaways from the evening. What is care fee planning? Care fee planning (sometimes called funding plans) are tax efficient investments enabling people needing care (or their Powers of Attorney) to buy an income for the rest of their life in order to pay for care fees. Where can the fee be applied? Care fees can be provided at home (we offer various types of support, services and live-in care options), in a care home, retirement village, a nursing home or at a hospital or hospice. What is a Power of Attorney? An LPA (Lasting Power of Attorney) is a document that allows a person, over...

Should You Consider Live-In Care?

November 27, 2018 8:30 am

Many people, as they grow older, dread the prospect of having to move into a Residential Care Home. At Home Care Preferred we provide home care for a wide range of clients, ensuring that they can remain at home in an environment that is comfortable and familiar while receiving the highest standards of care Many clients manage with hourly visits from our team at Home Care Preferred, however, Live-in care has become a successful and popular service. How does live-in care work? A carefully matched Support Assistant lives at the home of the client. Typically, they stay for 6-8 weeks and then have a one week break, at which time a second relief person steps in. Why should I consider...