Home Instead
York & Ryedale newsletter
elder THE
September 2016
John’s Campaign – John’s Campaign is campaigning for the right of carers to stay with people who have dementia when they are admitted into hospital. The campaign was founded by the family of Dr John Gerrard who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s then suffered a dramatic decline after being admitted to hospital. People with dementia are often confused and frightened and a stay in hospital can be unnerving for anyone at any age. The feeling of abandonment can be terrible and the campaign supports carers of people with dementia to have the freedom to be with them in hospital whenever they are most needed.
Nicci Gerrard with her father Dr John Gerrard. Involving the carer from the moment of admission to hospital until the moment of discharge has been proved to give better quality of care and improved outcomes. Locally York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has signed up to the campaign and welcomes carers whenever the patient needs them. You can read more at www.johnscampaign.org.uk.
Do you know your body age? Our bodies cannot escape the wear and tear of everyday life but we can limit the damage. If you’d like to know what your body age is versus your actual age you can go onto the BBCs iWonder website – bbc.co.uk and do the quiz which will tell you just that! Take the test: What’s my real age? and find hints and tips about what changes you could make in your life to improve your health. You’ll just need to know your height and weight to get started.
Julia Jones is Nicci Gerrard’s co-campaigner. Her 91-year-old mother, June, lives with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. Family and carer support helps her maintain some of her pleasure in life: an unsupported hospital admission would be unthinkable. Above is her plea “To whom it may concern”.
Council Tax reduction for people who suffer with dementia Some people with dementia are eligible for a discount on their council tax bill and sometimes people who care for them are also eligible for a discount. The Alzheimer’s Society have a factsheet which looks at who needs to pay council tax, and the reductions, discounts and exemptions that may be available. The factsheet can be found on the Alzheimer’s Society web site at www.alzheimers.org.uk.
Cleaning tricks for the home and pets Distilled white vinegar has some magic cleaning properties and can be used all over the house at a fraction of the cost of household cleaners. Here’s some hints and tips on using it. Clean showerheads – Fill a small plastic bag with white vinegar. Tie it around the showerhead and let it soak in vinegar for about 2 hours. After that, just wash it off with water. You will see that your showerhead will be gleaming like brand new again. Scissors cleaner – Scissors blades often get grimy so when the blades get sticky, wipe them down with a cloth dipped in full-strength white vinegar. Unlike soap and water, vinegar won’t ruin the blades or rust the metal. Sticky stickers – When you get something new that has a sticker on the bottom, rather than breaking every nail trying to scratch off the sticky residue left behind, simply rub some vinegar
Use white vinegar onto the sticky area, let it sit for 5 minutes, and then wipe it away. Vinegar will break down the residue. Clean the dishwasher or kettle – Give your dishwasher or kettle a good cleaning by using vinegar to deodorize, break down and descale. Simply add a cup of vinegar, let it sit, run a full cycle then rinse. Clean your microwave – Easy, quick and effective, microwave cleaning will never be the same again. To clean your microwave, place a glass bowl filled with a solution of 1/4 cup vinegar in 1 cup water inside, and zap the mixture for 4 minutes on the highest setting. The steam created will literally melt off any microwave
mess. Once the bowl cools, dip a cloth or sponge into the liquid and use it to wipe away stains and splatters on the interior. Clean hands – If you like to cook but hate the smell of onions, garlic, meat, fish and spices on your hands then try this. Clean your hands with soap and water, and then rinse well with vinegar. The vinegar will remove those strong odours and leave your hands looking and smelling clean afterwards. It will also remove beetroot stains. Don’t use white distilled vinegar on stone surfaces, granite or marble as the acid can damage the surface.
Cleaning up after pets Use a window squeegee on pet hair – Squeegees are not just limited to cleaning windows. They can be very effective cleaning tools to remove pet hair from your carpet, furniture, and car seats. Just try running it through your carpet and you will see all the animal hair being removed. They work even better than your vacuum! Line the litter box with a bag – If cleaning the litter box is your least favourite chore, clean-up is about to get easier when you line the litter box with a plastic bag. No more messy business of scooping everything up.
Simply remove the bag from the box, seal shut, and throw into the bin. Rubber Gloves – A last minute, everyday failsafe for pet hair is nothing other than a set of rubber dishwashing gloves. Simply pop them on, damp them and sweep your hand over the area you need to ‘defuzz’. It’s quick, cheap and effective for small clean ups. Homemade Cleaning Solution – When dealing with toilet training accidents, quick work and a simple cleaning solution does the trick. First blot dry the stain (do not rub!), then apply a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar with a couple of squirts of gentle dishwashing soap. Slowly dab to bring the stain out, and allow to air dry. It’s a good idea to trial the cleaning solution on a hidden spot first to ensure it’s compatible with your carpet. Toys – Wash dog toys to keep them germ-free and in good shape. For soft toys, pop them in the washing machine. Line dry or put them in the dryer inside a pillowcase. Hard toys can be cleaned in the sink with a solution of 50% water and 50% vinegar or as an easy alternative put your pal’s toys in the dishwasher and don’t forget to wash their food and water bowls too.
Money saving tips Some useful tips on how to save money. Budgeting is an important tool to use at any age and there are a few practical steps you can take to save a little extra. Whether you are looking to save on your food shopping or general shopping habits, these tricks may just help keep your pockets lined with extra cash. ▶ Work out what you spend your money on. Make a list of everything you spend money on per month as this will help you determine where you can make some cuts. ▶ Don’t impulse buy. Although something may seem lovely when you see it in the shop, ask yourself if you really need it and think carefully before making the purchase. A good trick is to sleep on it as it might seem less appealing in the morning. ▶ Shop around. It is always worthwhile to compare prices and research the competition. You may find that it may be cheaper to go to a different supermarket, or buy your
Adult colouring for rest and relaxation Adult colouring books appear to have many therapeutic and health benefits as doing artwork can help reduce feelings of anxiety preventing negative and unhelpful thoughts from entering our minds. Colouring can help us focus, relax and has a calming effect, allowing us to de-stress. By utilising both sides of our brain, colouring can help exercise our problem solving and organisational skills. You can find colouring books and
clothes from a different shop. ▶ Beware of special offers. Never buy something you don’t need just because it’s on offer. Vouchers and special deals are designed to make you spend more, not less. ▶ Drop change into a jar. If you have loose change in your wallet or purse, you’re more likely to spend it or lose it in the depths of your car or couch cushions. Once you have a healthy stash, you can take your coins to the bank and deposit them- more savings! ▶ Go generic. There’s no need
to spend extra money on over-thecounter medicine just because it’s a name brand. The same goes for that box of cereal or jar of jam. In fact, generic brands are often identical ingredient-wise to name-brand products – they just lack the fancy labelling! It’s possible to improve your finances by doing a few things that actually require very little effort. Saving your pennies, shopping smarter and thinking before you buy are just a few simple ways to save a bit of money every month.
pens almost everywhere that sells books including supermarkets and they are available in a huge variety of topics including animals, vintage patterns and nature.
You can even find free patterns to download online so all you’ll need are some colouring pens. Try one out and you may just surprise yourself on how much you enjoy it.
Terrace treasures This summer Rievaulx Terrace will play host to a wonderful outdoor exhibition. Explore a unique sculpture trail that will wind through the woodland and across the Terrace. All
the work is produced by local artists and each is distinctive in style and inspiration. The exhibition is on between 11am and 4pm until Sunday 2nd October 2016. You can find out more including information on accessibility at nationaltrust.org.uk/rievaulx-terrace or telephone 01439 748283.
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