TIPS TO STAY COOL DURING THE WARM SUMMER MONTHS

By Christina Uppenkamp - Home Instead

loose, lightweight, light coloured and breathable, such as a white linen or cotton shirt.

4. Cool down – take cool showers and baths when possible. If you’re out and about, use a cotton hankie soaked in cool water and place it on the back of your neck and on your wrists.

Welcome to the latest edition of Senior Snippets: the monthly advisory column with the older members of our community in mind, brought to you by Christina Uppenkamp, Director of Home Instead Dartford.

With the temperatures rising now, it is important to recognise that older people’s bodies are often unable to adjust to sudden changes in temperature, which makes them more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Doctors have warned that hot nights are particularly dangerous for elderly persons as it is more difficult for their bodies to recover from heat stress caused during hot days.

With this in mind, here are a few tips on how to stay safe during the warm summer months:

1. Avoid the hottest times of the day (between 11am – 3pm). If you do need to venture out, make sure you aren’t outside for long periods of time and find shady spots when you can.

2. Keep hydrated – even if you don’t feel thirsty, it’s important to drink plenty of water or fruit juice to replace fluids lost during sweating. Avoid caffeine or alcohol which increase dehydration.

3. Think lightweight – choose clothing which is

5. Cover up – in addition to wearing cooler clothing it’s also important to remember a hat. No matter whether it’s a cotton baseball cap or a straw boater, headwear will help to keep your face in the shade.

6. Pick the perfect spot – seek out the coolest areas of your home during warmer weather. Keep curtains and blinds closed to prevent sun heating up rooms, especially your bedroom.

7. If safe, leave windows open during the night.

8. Turn off non-essential lights and electrical items.

If you would like to speak to someone at Home Instead, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We also welcome any suggestions for future topics from you all. All you have to do is write to me at c.uppenkamp@dartford.homeinstead.co.uk or by post to Home Instead, St Fidelis House, St Fidelis Road, Erith, DA8 1AT.

By Dhiren Ganesh

In this month’s article we look at new electric vehicles including something quite quirky…

2024 is the brand’s new flagship model, combining chunky SUV styling with a sleek, coupé-like roofline and plug-in hybrid power. The distinctive front grille looks like it’s backlit in bright blue and its appearance changes depending on the angle it’s viewed from. All versions come with adaptive headlights that shape their beams around cars ahead, giving you maximum visibility at night without the threat of dazzling other drivers. At launch, the sole engine option will be a hybrid, combining a 1.2-litre petrol engine with two electric motors and have a combined power output of 197bhp. It will be able to run solely on electric power. Plugin Hybrid will be available from 2024. The interior features a 12.3in digital instrument cluster and a 12.0in infotainment touchscreen in a portrait format. The boot is on large size due to the car so can fit in lots of luggage. Available from Spring 2024 prices may start from £40,000. electric car. EX30 can be specified with a single 268bhp motor that powers the rear wheels, or with two motors for a total of 422bhp and fourwheel drive. With the 64kWhbattery version it can manage 298 miles on one charge. Design cues includes headlights that resemble a hammer when illuminated and C-shaped tail-lights. The minimalist interior manages to feel very Volvo, while putting a fresh spin on the material, with a 12.3in portrait-orientated touchscreen replacing the 9.0in one. Other luxuries fitted to every EX30 include dual-zone climate control, heating for the front seats and steering wheel, a wireless phone charging pad and a rear-view camera. The EX30 costs from £33,795 for the 49kWh version, while the rearwheel-drive 64kWh model starts at £38,545 when available from early 2024.

2024 Fiat Topolino electric car – New Fiat Topolino electric quadricycle can be driven from the age of 16, and should offer up to 46 miles of range. This car is underpinned by the current Citroen Ami. Technically classed as quadricycles, the Ami and Topolino are limited to 28mph, and that means 16-year-old AM (50cc moped) licence holders can drive them; you don’t need a full car licence. Fiat is yet to confirm details about the Topolino’s battery or electric motor, but it’s likely to share the Ami’s 8bhp electric motor and 5.5kWh battery and match the Ami’s 46 miles. The Topolino, though, could fit in with an altogether breezier lifestyle. Fresh air fanatics might appreciate its minimalist bodywork, with ropes in place of doors and a roll-back canvas roof. Prices are expected to start from around £9,000 when it goes on sale in 2024.

Joe Pasquale

The New Normal: 40 Years Of Cack The Orchard Theatre, Dartford

TUE 22 AUGUST 2023

Win a pair of tickets to see Joe Pasquale at The Orchard Theatre.

Joe Pasquale has been showing off on stage for 40 years and he’s bringing his favourite things for another airing to show that things have never been normal… If you have ever wondered why chicken breasts don’t have nipples? Then this is the show for you…

Joe will be supported by comedian Lee Carroll.

What reality show did Joe win in 2004?

A: I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!.

B: Dancing on Ice

C: Celebrity Big Brother

D: Strickly Come Dancing

Email competition@dartfordliving.com by the 20th July to be in with a chance of winning.

RULES: 1. The winner(s) will be the first correct entry/entries drawn. 2. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 3. Prizes are as stated and no cash in lieu or an alternative prize will be offered.. 4. Winners will be notified by telephone or email by the Orchard, within 5 working days of the competition being drawn. 5. Employees and the immediate families of participating companies are ineligible to enter. 6. Closing date for the competition is stated above. 7.. All entries will be added to the Dartford Living mailing list to receive a copy of the magazine by email once a month. Please state when you enter the competition if you don’t wish to be added

by Bhavesh Ganesh

Manchester City won their first-ever Champions League and a treble after a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in June. Midfielder Rodri scored from 15 yards out to secure a victory in Istanbul - capping an unforgettable season for Pep Guardiola’s side.

They outpaced closest rivals Arsenal to comfortably win the Premier League, and beat fierce rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final. It means City have become the first English Premier League club since United to win a treble of all three major trophies in one season.

City’s detractors will continue to point to the number 115, representing the amount of Premier League charges against them for breaches of financial rules - which the club strenuously denies.

Sporting events in July include:

1-23 July: Cycling - Tour de France

3-16 July: Tennis - Wimbledon

8-17 July: Para-athletics - World Championships, Paris

9 July: Formula 1 - British Grand Prix, Silverstone

20-23 July: Golf - Open Championship, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake

20 July-20 August: Football - Women’s World Cup, Australia and New Zealand

23-30 July: Cycling - Tour de France Femmes

Rock Painting in Dartford

For City fans, though, the only figures that matter are the remarkable ones resulting from their team’s brilliance on the pitch and which illustrate what has been the most successful season in their history.

By Maria Kingsford

Local people from ‘Dartford painted rocks’ on Facebook have been busy this month painting and hiding them around the town. The rocks can be exchanged at Stephen Oliver: Studio and Gallery located at the Orchards Shopping Centre .

are some of the photos of their latest painted rocks.

By Dr Julie Taylor

Hay fever, or seasonal rhinitis, is a common allergy that affects people from February to September. It affects 10-15% of children and as many as 1 in 4 adults. Grass pollen is the most common cause of hay fever, affecting people from May to June. Tree pollen (February to June), especially birch pollen, and weed pollen (June to September) can also cause hay fever symptoms.

The symptoms of hay fever include:

• Sneezing

• Itchy nose/palate/throat

• Blocked or runny nose

• Red, itchy or watery eyes

• Post nasal drip

• Cough

• Sinus inflammation

• Wheezing, tight chest, breathlessness or worsening of asthma symptoms

These are caused by the body responding to harmless allergens (eg pollen), releasing mediators such as histamine in the nose, eyes or airways. These mediators cause the symptoms described above. It is the same process for other airborne allergens, such as dust mites, moulds and animal dander.

Do I need a test?

For most allergies, the history of when and where symptoms occur helps us to identify the cause. The first step would be to keep a diary. If the cause is not clear then tests blood tests for specific allergen IgE or skin prick tests can be done. We still need to have an idea of the cause as there are many thousands of allergens that can be tested for.

Isn’t

hay fever just a minor issue?

Hay fever has a huge impact on quality of life. It impacts on sleep and affects the ability to concentrate and carry out tasks. If you are a teenager, May-June is the time of important exams and hay fever has been shown to affect exam performance. It can also trigger asthma symptoms – if nasal symptoms in particular are controlled, people find their asthma is often better.

How do I manage hay fever?

The first step in managing any allergy is to avoid the allergen that causes it. The following steps can help to reduce exposure:

• The main route of entry is through the nose, so using an allergy balm or Vaseline around the nostrils and/or a saline nasal rinse can help

• Stay indoors when pollen counts are high

• When indoors, keep the doors and windows shut, especially in the early morning and evenings

• If you must go outside, wear wrap-around sunglasses

• When pollen count is high, shower and wash your hair when you arrive home

• Avoid drying clothes and bed linen outside when the pollen count is high

• Pets can carry pollen on their fur, wipe them down with a damp microfibre cloth if they have been outside

• Limit time in rural areas, escape to the coast

Medications that can help

• For some people, who have mild symptoms of sneezing or an itchy runny nose, antihistamines are enough. It is recommended that you use one that you take once daily and doesn’t make you drowsy.

• If symptoms are more severe or you have eye or nasal symptoms despite taking an antihistamine, a nasal steroid spray can help.

• Eye symptom are often controlled with antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays, but you can also buy eye drops from a pharmacy.

• Rarely, some people may need oral steroid tablets. The steroid injection, Kenalog, is not licensed or recommended for treatment of hay fever as the risk of side effects outweigh the benefits.

• If severe, you may be referred to an allergy specialist for consideration of immunotherapy.

Your local pharmacist can advise on all of the above treatments. You should start using treatment around 2 weeks before the ‘season’ starts and take them every day. Stopping and starting when you have symptoms is less effective.

See your GP if your symptoms aren’t controlled with the treatments above.

Allergyuk.org is a useful website for information on all types of allergies.