The New “Netflix For Seniors” That Can Help Reduce Loneliness

● Living Memories Online offers access to hundreds of hours of archive films and newsreels from the 20th Century…

● “Netflix for Seniors” can help older people stuck at home to step back in time, triggering memories and reducing feelings of isolation

● Also helpful for people living with dementia or in residential care to bring back memories and encourage reminiscence with families, friends and carers

● “When I watch these films and chat about them they make me feel younger again”, says 84 year old Noelle Ingham

With millions of vulnerable elderly people stuck at home and with limited social contact, a new online service could offer them a valuable lifeline. Dubbed “Netflix for Seniors”, Living Memories Online brings memories back to life through archive films and newsreels from the 20th Century capturing everyday life at home and work as well as important national events.

It’s been launched by Living Memories C.I.C., a notfor-profit social enterprise, to reduce isolation and help improve the health and wellbeing of older people. As well as sparking memories, the old films encourage elderly people, including those with dementia, to reminisce with families, friends and carers.

These archive films give a fascinating insight into all aspects of life in the past. For a monthly subscription of just £5, individuals, care homes and other organisations can search for films by decade, topic (such as home, travel and work) and subject (eg. fashion, shopping, cars).

They can make a collection of their own favourites, which can be shared with other users. They can also access online reminiscence resources to help trigger conversations.

Brian Norris, founder of Living Memories CIC, says:

“Archive films are a wonderful way of prompting older people to share memories and life experiences. Long-term memory is usually one of their strengths, so reminiscence encourages them to communicate and feel more confident about themselves. Living Memories Online makes reminiscence activity much more widely available.

Living Memories was developed by Brian and his wife Leonore after long practical research with older people, including those with dementia. It already publishes DVDs and reminiscence resources and for some time has been running Tea and Memory groups where archive programmes and newsreels are shown to community groups.

Brian says:

“At the group sessions we found that many older people, including those living with dementia, who had previously been reluctant to talk started to reminisce about their lives and shared experiences, to make new friends and get to know their neighbours.”

NHS social prescribing nurses in Brian’s local area of East Devon started referring people to the sessions, and demand was so high that Brian and Leonore decided to develop Living Memories as an online service that could be used

The Abbeyfield Society, a charity which operates over 450 retirement houses across the UK, has already signed up to use Living Memories Online for its residents. It is also partnering with Living Memories to create virtual and live Tea & Memories reminiscence groups around the UK in the communities in which Abbeyfield operates.

Abbeyfield Society Chief Executive, David McCullough, said:

“The new excellent Living Memories Online streaming service helps us engage older people within our own Abbeyfield homes and also to connect with local communities to reach elderly, lonely people. It is an exemplar of the strategy for people to come together and open up friendships and initiate conversations, particularly in these difficult times of the pandemic. It is exciting to be finding new ways to be creative and to have a positive impact on people’s lives. We know that our residents’ wellbeing is lifted from the testimonies we have received.”

At Abbeyfield Residential House in Tavistock, Devon, they recently ran two Tea & Memories trial sessions using the new Living Memories online platform.

Graham Osborn, former Chair of the Abbeyfield Society

Trustees in the Devon town ran both sessions. The first, which centred around a film called Marvellous Milk, was for a small group of six residents:

“It was a roaring success, with the event almost running itself with just a little direction from me as the residents’ enthusiasm triggered lots of memories which led to others and so on. There was plenty of involvement, laughter and overall enjoyment and after 45 minutes, which went so quickly, we ended for a cup of tea - with milk!

“We had nearly a full house of residents present, so there was a vibrant and stimulating environment with much laughter and discussion about the past.

The topic from the Living Memories was on a 1958 film excerpt entitled Lovely Launderette. My vice-chair on the House Committee was helping out and I know she was quite surprised at the interaction between residents, some of whom normally are very quiet, but as she said to me afterwards, they came to life when talking about events some 60 years ago.”

“I encouraged the residents to describe what this reminiscence means to them and they told me how watching the films immediately brings a smile to their faces as they start to remember those ‘good old days’. One told me how “with the demanding challenges we face as we get older it is refreshing and stimulating to be taken back in time and to experience once again individual precious memories of joyful opportunities and adventures - moments that we never wanted to end.”

One of the Best Kept Secrets to Improve Your Life 6 Top ‘TOTAL BODY BENEFITS’ of Collagen to be Healthier and Happier

NEWSFLASH “Collagen’s benefits for the body have been hijacked by the beauty industry – its vital importance for our whole body and health are being ignored and hidden from us”. So today, I will do justice to this most valuable agent and share, why collagen is important to improve your quality-of-life �� Did you know that Collagen makes up about 30% of the body’s protein and is the most abundant protein in our body? It is a vital factor to give stability and structure to your muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs, blood vessels, skin, intestinal lining, all connective tissues and even your bones. In fact, 90% of the organic bone material is collagen! BAD NEWS: With age, the body reduces the production of collagen, and we look and feel wrinkly and ‘downwards’ on the outside and become brittle on the inside. GOOD NEWS: If the body is given the right ingredients, it can make more collagen. In other words, food and good quality supplements can help us reverse the natural aging process. ‘Collagen’ comes from the ancient Greek word “kolla”, which means “glue”. And indeed, collagen is holding our body together like superglue and gives our bodily tissues firmness and strength. Gram for gram, Type I collagen is stronger than steel. WHY DO WE LOSE COLLAGEN?

 Poor diet  Excessive sun exposure  Air pollution  Genetic predispositions  Natural ageing process (starting in our 20s collagen production reduces each year and absorption of important nutrients needed to build collagen worsens) Less collagen leads to loss of firmness and elasticity in our skin; when we say ‘mirror, mirror on the wall’ we feel cheated more every day finding wrinkles and unwanted lines. What is visible to us outside, is happening on the inside, too. Lack of collagen can lead to serious health issue (see also box top right). LACK OF COLLAGEN CAN LEAD TO o Stiffer, less flexible tendons and ligaments o Shrinking, weakening muscles o ‘Creaky’ joints (wear of cartilage) o Loss of bone mass or density (osteopenia/osteoporosis) o Damage to arterial tissue

HOW DO WE GET MORE COLLAGEN?

1. Foods Contain Collagen, Like: Tough cuts of meat, like roast brisket (lots of connective tissue)  Bones and skin of fresh and saltwater fish  Bone broth or gelatine made from predominantly beef or chicken To enable absorption of the collagen from food, digestive enzymes must break down the collagen into individual amino acids and peptides. For effective collagen synthesis it is crucial to also intake other nutrients, like Vitamin C and Zinc (e.g. from citrus fruits, broccoli, bell pepper, nuts, seeds, wholegrain and legumes) and hyaluronic acid. Whilst foods deliver not only collagen, but also a great variety of other important nutrients for general health, it is difficult to eat in a way that delivers the correct combination of nutrients required to produce the collagen we want. Plus, preparing the foods, e.g. bone broth, is very time consuming and with all the additives in our food (e.g. antibiotics, hormones, pollution) you can intake strong concentrations of unwanted elements. 2. Good Quality Supplements Most collagen supplements contain hydrolysed collagen peptides, i.e. already broken down particles for easy absorption. Read the label: supplements should contain at least 5000mg active collagen and added vitamin C and Zinc to be effective. Collagen supplements are generally safe to take. Few people can experience mild side effects like bloating or feelings of fullness; watch out for allergens (e.g. shellfish) if you have food allergies. NOTE FOR VEGANS: Collagen comes from animal sources only. Supplements with the label ‘vegan collagen’ are products that contain nutrients that stimulate the body’s collagen production, but they do not contain collagen.

4 MOST COMMON TYPES OF COLLAGEN Type I: Most common; available in every tissue Type II: Mainly in joints and intervertebral discs (the spine’s shock absorbers) Type III: Generally, in reticular fibres found in your skin and blood vessels Type IV: Found in kidneys, inner ear, and eye lens

6GREAT ‘TOTAL BODY BENEFITS’ OF TAKING COLLAGEN:

1. May Improve Skin Health Collagen is a major component of your skin. Studies have shown that collagen peptides reduce wrinkles and dryness by improvements in skin elasticity and hydration and also promote the production of proteins that help structure your skin, like elastin and fibrillin. 2. May Help Joint Pain Relief Research is based on the thought that supplemental collagen accumulates in cartilage and stimulates tissues to make collagen. This may lead to lower inflammation, better joint support, and reduced pain or even improvements of symptoms of osteoarthritis. 3. Can Help Prevent Bone Loss Age related deterioration of collagen may lead to loss of bone mass and bone density, leading to conditions such as osteoporosis and a higher risk of bone fractures. Collagen supplements can help inhibit bone breakdown. 4.May Increase Muscle Mass Exercise and taking collagen supplements may help boost muscle mass in people with sarcopenia (age related loss of muscle mass). 5. May Improve Heart Health Without enough collagen, arteries may become less flexible and elastic, leading to e.g. atherosclerosis and thus possibly heart attack and stroke. Taking collagen saw a significant reduction of artery stiffness plus increased levels of of HDL (good) cholesterol which is an important factor in the risk of heart conditions. 6. May Provide Other Health Benefits  Stronger Hair and Nails; reduced brittleness and better growth.  Improved Gut Health; health practitioners notice improvements of leaky gut syndrome (intestinal permeability) which in turn has countless benefits for your health. (see last month’s article)  Better Brain Health; some people report improvements of mood and anxiety symptoms. This could be related to improved gut health, too.  Aiding Weight Loss; collagen supplements may promote weight loss and faster metabolism. Again, a healthier gut supports this, too (synergistic effect). HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SEE RESULTS?

Collagen turnover is a slow process. Some people experience health improvements within a few days, but you should allow at least 8 weeks of daily collagen supplementation to experience noticeable results. I suggest to start with Collagen Loading, a kick-start approach to rebalance collagen levels faster before maintaining them through lifestyle. “Better Health = Happier Life” - Take one step at a time towards living your best life. In my clinics I combine the power of Science, Nutrition and Mindfulness to help you become the best version of yourself, with a series of transformational programmes, designed around you and your lifestyle.  Send me your questions / feedback / ask for a free

eBook or Collagen Loading

 Book your no-obligation 20 minute ‘Explore Call’ to find out how you can level up  Do a FREE Lifestyle Analysis online: https://julia.influencersoftconnect.com/la?utm_ source=FB

CONTACT: Julia Riewald – Success & Health Coaching N +44 (0)7902 214534 E Julia@percent-edge.com