Exercise for the elderly

Exercise is crucial in maintaining health and wellbeing for older people. However, mobility-related or cognitive conditions can make it difficult to establish a regular exercise regime Exercise is crucial in maintaining health and wellbeing for older people. However, mobility-related or cognitive conditions can make it difficult to establish a regular exercise regime. Not only does exercise have many short-term mood-boosting effects, it also helps protect against muscle deterioration, and can build self-esteem by enabling people to feel active and involved. Older people can exercise in their own homes, or join up with a group for additional social interaction. Safety considerations Exercises should be supervised by a carer or another trained healthcare professional to ensure that your loved one receives adequate ...

Support and encouragement from live-in carers

We’re thrilled to share the heartwarming story of Irene and the impact our live-in carers have had on her life! Almost a year ago, Irene fell and broke her hip. But with the help of our excellent carers, she received the support and encouragement she needed to make a full recovery and look forward to the next stage of her life in new surroundings. Her son has expressed his gratitude and said, “I would like to thank you and the whole team on behalf of Irene and the family for the great service which you have provided. You have enabled her rehabilitation and mobilisation and, crucially, to maintain her independence and positive attitude towards life. It has also given us ...

Dying Matters Awareness Week 2023

Discussing topics related to death, dying, and bereavement can be a challenging and uncomfortable task for many individuals. Sometimes, it can be difficult to find the right words to express oneself in such situations. However, Hospice UK’s Dying Matters campaign aims to change this by breaking the stigma surrounding death, challenging preconceptions, and promoting public openness about end-of-life issues. Dying Matters Awareness Week, which is held annually, provides an opportunity for people across the country to encourage their communities to engage in discussions about death and dying in whatever way feels most comfortable for them. This year, Dying Matters Awareness Week will be taking place from 8th – 14th May. Here are some resources to help with grief, bereavement and ...

A landmark study confirms healthy eating and exercise are the key to good health in old age

A landmark study run over 35 years has revealed that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of ill health and disease in old age. A landmark study run over 35 years has revealed that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of ill health and disease in old age. The study, funded jointly by the Medical Research Council, the Alzheimer’s Society and the British Heart Foundation, is the largest of its kind. Started in 1979, the study has recorded the lifestyles of 2,500 men from Caerphilly, Wales at regular intervals. At the beginning of the study, the men were asked to eat well, keep trim, exercise regularly and refrain from smoking. Every five years, their diet, weight, ...

Understanding and improving nutrition for the elderly

Nutritional needs change as we age for a number of reasons. Here’s our advice for tailoring nutritional intake to the needs of the elderly. Nutritional needs change as we age for a number of reasons: some are related to the aging process itself; some to physical ability; and some to cognitive impairment. Many elderly people recognise that their body has started to work less efficiently, and 71% of over 65s globally have stated a willingness to modify their diet to improve their overall health. However, without the right information or measures in place, it can be difficult to know where to start. Here’s our advice for tailoring nutritional intake to the needs of the elderly: What types of food become ...

How to ease sundowning symptoms

Find out how you can help ease sundowning symptoms for older people with a little help from the friendly team at The Good Care Group. Understanding how to help ease sundowning symptoms is immensely important. Sundowning is a symptom of dementia and Alzheimer's that can cause older people to become restless, agitated and confused as day turns to night. However, there are steps you can take to help support older people affected by this condition. In this article, we'll provide you with some ideas you can use to ease sundowning symptoms for your loved one. Options that could help ease sundowning symptoms There are a number of actions you can recommend to help ease sundowning symptoms for your loved one. ...

Our live-in carers are equipped to spot infection early

How we are enabling effective prevention and detection of infections within our live-in care service. Image 1 illustrates the different trajectory for a client with a UTI pre and post implementation of urinalysis kits The first key learning from the project was that urine samples obtained from catheter bags cannot be reliably tested for indicators of a UTI using the dipstick method. For The Good Care Group this meant emphasising these clients as high risk in training material in order that carers observe more closely for signs and symptoms unique to clients with indwelling catheters. The second key learning was that carers needed to be encouraged to pass on the results of a urinalysis test, irrespective of the results. It ...

Rosemary Conley provides wellbeing support to live-in carers

We launched an initiative aimed to boost physical and mental wellbeing of our live-in carers. The COVID-19 outbreak will have an impact on everyone’s lives and it is important to look after our body and mind during this challenging time. At The Good Care Group, we launched an initiative aimed to boost physical and mental wellbeing of our live-in carers, central and regional teams who are working tirelessly through COVID-19. We partnered with online fitness and wellbeing provider Rosemary Conley. For a duration of twelve weeks, Rosemary Online is available to The Good Care Group’s team free of charge. This gives our dedicated team access to a range of exercise videos, healthy eating recipes as well as chat forums, coaching ...

Dementia: Lifestyle changes that could lower your risk

Nearly everyone can lower their risk of dementia, even if it runs in the family, by living a healthy lifestyle, research suggests. Nearly everyone can lower their risk of dementia, even if it runs in the family, by living a healthy lifestyle, research suggests. The study of nearly 200,000 people showed the risk fell by up to a third. The team at the University of Exeter said the results were exciting, empowering and showed people were not doomed to get dementia. The findings were revealed at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. What counts as a healthy lifestyle? The researchers gave people a healthy lifestyle score based on a combination of exercise, diet, alcohol and smoking. This is an example of ...

How gardening can improve elderly health

Find out how The Good Care Group helps older people continue to engage in the activities they love by calling on our friendly team. Gardening can be a fantastically rewarding activity for older people, with numerous health and social benefits. In honour of National Gardening Week, we’ve taken a closer look at what makes it such a great activity and how you can help an elderly friend or relative get involved. What makes gardening such a great activity for older people? Health Even light gardening is a form of low-impact exercise that can have a dramatic effect on your loved one’s health. Spending a few active hours in the garden a couple of days a week can help improve strength, endurance and ...

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