LEISURE

TOP HOBBIES TO TAKE UP BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT

If you are looking for a new hobby, it can be tough to decide what you want to do. Maybe you are coming close to retirement, perhaps you have some extra time on your hands, or maybe you are just looking to set yourself a challenge. There are so many potential hobbies out there and also so many benefits to taking on something new in your life. If you are looking to add something new to your set of skills or interests, here are some top hobbies that you should look into before 2021 is over…

Classic Cars

Classic cars are a fantastic hobby to partake in and you are likely to meet a really great community of like-minded enthusiasts too. You can start your hobby by reading up about classic cars and perhaps watching shows about them. You could look into purchasing your own classic car which you can take to races (be sure to look into a Car Transporter to make sure it gets there in one piece) Or you can just attend and watch different races – the choice is yours!

Photography

Photography is an interesting and useful skill to have and can even lead to you making some money on the side. You can figure out what you like to photograph, whether it is nature, people, sunsets or skies and then learn the different skills and settings on your camera. Why not head to a local photography class or do an online course to help you on your way?

Painting

As with photography, painting can cover a broad spectrum of things and just because you may not enjoy one type of art, doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy this. Dabble around in all different areas of painting such as fine art, life drawing, modern art and more. You can try watercolour, acrylics and pastels too. It can be a good idea to visit art galleries where you can get inspiration for future projects and decide what you would like to do yourself. There are many art galleries all around the country from large ones with famous art, to smaller ones with lesser-known artists.

Cooking

Whether you have always been interested in cooking and never really done it, or you are looking to startup cooking, there is no time like the present! Find recipes online, starting with more simple ones and then progressing into those that are more complex. You could watch cookery shows online, read cookery books and also look into any local cookery schools. There is also a range of online classes that you can partake in which show you how to cook and will teach you a range of useful skills and knowledge within this. The world is your oyster!

These are just a few hobbies that you can look into picking up as the year nears to a close. It is never too late to take up something new, so why not challenge yourself – you might be surprised at just how much you love it!

The on-going dilemma of am I receiving the right type of care?

The trouble with deciding to have, or not to have, care is an issue many of us grapple with only when we need it and not before. As someone once said “you only need care when you need it”. The decision to have care is usually foisted upon us by circumstance, which when you consider it is a great pity. After all, there are stigmas associated with receiving care, such as being seen to not cope, or being a drain on family and resources – nobody in fact ‘likes’ to be the recipient of care because of just that. But with this new concept Helping Old Friends has introduced that ‘stigma’ need no longer apply. In fact, to avoid stigma this is one reason why our able staff are called ‘companions’ and not ‘carers’. Helping Old friends offers a service which, as its title suggests, can be tailor made to suit your circumstances long before you require professional carers to come in. Families who live remotely can have peace of mind that a visit by one of our experienced staff will take place on the allotted date and time and be there to offer whatever is required. Whether it be just to have some companionship, or help with household chores, or even to help you write your memoirs. Here’s just one example of how a traditional care company wasn’t the right solution.

Mrs C initially employed a care provider to visit two to three times a week to perform some routine household chores around the house. Initially the service was good, but after a while she found the carers were being rushed off their feet, often not having the time for niceties which Mrs C looked forward to the most.

She became disappointed that she was being treated less as a person and more as a commodity that ‘required servicing’. The personal touch had gone. Different carers would come and there was little continuity. This was not what Mrs C was looking for. What Mrs C really wanted was not care at all, but companionship. She realised, after discussing it with her family, that perhaps she did not need to employ a traditional care company, she could instead use the services of Helping Old Friends. Mrs C called our offices here at Helping Old Friends, found the process of matching the right kind of person to visit was refreshingly easy, and all-in-all it was quite a bit more reasonably priced. The same companion came at the time she had arranged and she found that they were far more able to intuitively understand what her needs were. As she said, “I will only need to go back to a care provider once I need that service and not before.”

Of course, if and when she does need a more traditional care company, she and her family will be used to the idea of some support being provided, which will make the decision a much easier one.

If you would like to know more about our services at Helping Old Friends, either for yourself or for a loved one, please do give Katrina a call on 01793 550895 just to have a conversation to see if we can be of any assistance. You can also find more information on our website http://helpingoldfriends.co.uk/. Our aim is to change people’s lives for the better.

HELPING

Old Friends

Offering services & companionship to people, who for whatever reason find themselves living alone and isolated.

With over 25 years of experience, we recognise that there is a necessity for a service that provides, more than anything, companionship to people who, for whatever reason find themselves living alone and isolated.

We can provide a check in call when required or a longer visit which could include; l Light housework l Putting home deliveries away l Shopping calls l Preparing and cooking meals l Assistance in attending doctors appointments l Hairdresser appointments l Attending hospital appointments l Social calls l Assistance with writing memoirs l Gardening and home maintenance l Accompanying to social events l Or just somebody to have a chat and cup of tea with. (We do not provide any Personal Care or assist with medication administering). All our staff have an enhanced police check and relevant training annually. They are Covid Vaccinated and use full PPE following Government Guidelines.

Sometimes you need to have a person just to talk to, someone to replace that lightbulb, someone to help navigate around the internet to fill in a form, Mow the lawn or find a handy man to do the job that has been left undone for ages.

That is where Helping Old Friends comes in…

We can set up regular visits to suit your requirements with well matched companions who will listen, help do the odd jobs or just be there for you. Through our advanced scheduling software, we can ensure that you will get the visit when and where you want them with a companion best suited to your character. Having a caring companion by the side of a family loved one can make all the difference to the family as well as to the persons themselves. We aim to change people’s lives for the better. If you have any questions about our services, please get it touch

01793 550895

Katrinasimms@helpingoldfriends.co.uk

Helping Old Friends Ltd | Suite 4a | Lucena House Shaw Village Centre | Swindon SN5 5PY