9 minute read
Health
Vitamin Sea
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Devon care worker prescribes vitamin ‘sea’ for dementia
Frances Lewis joined Bluebird Care as a live-in carer after being a dedicated yoga teacher for twenty years. She cares for customer Jim in his home as a live-in carer, and after discovering his love for sailing, she decided to help him relive his life on the sea by organising a boat trip on the Exe Estuary.
Frances says: “One of the things that gives me a great deal of fulfilment in my role as a live-in carer is discovering what the person I am caring for was like before the crippling stroke or dementia diagnosis. What did the person enjoy doing for a hobby? What do they value at a deep level? What were their main interests in life? Then I aim to look for ways that I can support the person to be who they were before old age and frailty made life a bit more challenging.”
Frances, who isolated with Jim during the lockdown, has been doing what she can to help him reconnect with his love of the sea. Jim, who has a deep love of the ocean and was - in his youth - a passionate sailor, has dementia.
Frances explains: “Jim enjoyed taking family members sailing to France, travelling in and out of Exmouth estuary regularly. He has many friends who enjoy sailing, and he is familiar with the whole world of navigation, boatyards, the ways of the open sea, and the rules and regulations of harbours. He seems to enjoy nothing better than sitting by the side of the ocean or the estuary, watching the waves, the tides coming and going, the clouds and the birds. Sometimes we chat about what we can see, and sometimes we just sit and enjoy the view together in silence.”
Sadly, due to suffering from occasional moments of confusion and disorientation - which is why he has a live-in carer to support him - Jim is unable to own a boat of his own. However, he is still just as passionate as he ever was about the sea and sailing, which is why Frances has been doing everything that she can to help him to feel closer to the sea. Wanting to help Jim reconnect with his love of the ocean on a more personal level, Frances recently organised to take him on a boat trip on the Exmouth to Starcross ferry. Jim thoroughly enjoyed being out at sea again, and Frances loved being able to help him relieve his time sailing, allowing him to reconnect with many of his old memories and experiences. When providing care to customers like Jim, Frances finds that outings linked to an interest or passion can be a fantastic way of stimulating happy memories and boosting mental wellbeing.
She explains: “All of these trips and all of the times by the water’s edge stimulate memories for Jim of his time with his boat; he seems to become more confident and sure of his place in the world. Being near the water seems to bring a sense of calm and an expansion of possibilities for him.”
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Support to lead a healthier life
OneSmallStep (OSS) is a healthy lifestyle service funded by Devon County Council that offers free support to help Devon residents to lead healthier lives through quitting smoking, being a healthy weight, drinking less alcohol and moving more.
The pandemic has had a far-reaching effect on all aspects of our health and wellbeing. As we come out of lockdown, now is the perfect time to prioritise your health. Steve* lost five percent of his body weight with the support of OneSmallStep. Here is his inspiring story:
‘I wanted to lose weight because I was worried about the impact that it was having on my health, especially hearing that being overweight is a risk factor for more severe Covid-19 symptoms. I could no longer ignore that it was time to make some changes to my lifestyle.
‘I was referred to OneSmallStep by my doctor and allocated Katie as a Health Trainer. On my first appointment we agreed that I would keep a food diary and count my calories. I also decided to try the ‘Couch to 5k’ App, alongside walking in my local area. I live on the outskirts of Dartmoor, I am very lucky to have such beautiful surroundings to exercise in. The great British weather was challenging at times, but I put on my waterproof and braved it most days.
‘Katie called me once a week. She helped me to stay motivated. Despite never having run before, I now go twice weekly and love it! I also used a calorie counting app. It was hard at times, but I gave myself short term goals to focus on. I have now lost five percent of my bodyweight, I am so proud of myself!
‘I will continue with my weight loss journey and I would encourage anyone else out there who is considering making changes to take those first steps. Having the support of a Health Trainer helps you to stay on track. I want to say to other people “Don’t worry about asking for help or trying out new things.”
‘Before accessing OneSmallStep I was worried that I would lose motivation. Unlike past attempts I kept going and I feel like a new person. I am able to do my day-to-day activities more
*Face to face provision is subject to government guidelines in relation to Covid-19.
easily and I feel healthier in mind and body.’
Congratulations from the OneSmallStep team to Steve* for all his hard work and determination. If you would like some support from the OneSmallStep team please visit www.onesmallstep.org.uk.
*All names have been changed to protect the client’s identity.
Would you like help and support to...
*Face to face provision is subject to government guidelines in relation to Covid-19.
Quit smoking?
Reduce your Alcohol intake?
Achieve a Healthy Weight? Become more active?
If the answer is yes, get in touch with OneSmallStep. Our support is FREE and available to Devon residents in ways that suit you, either; online, on the phone, video call or face-face* . You can take your first step to a healthier lifestyle by:
Call: 01392 908 139 Text QUIT to 60777 Email: hello@onesmallstep.org.uk Visit: onesmallstep.org.uk
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For further information get in touch on 01837 52078 or contact@lakesidecarehome.co.uk
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Pointing the spotlight on prostate problems
What exactly is the prostate? It’s pretty startling how common this question is, when this gland provides home to the most common cancer found in men, with 30,000 cancer diagnoses each year. Despite this, there is a surprising lack of understanding around the prostate.
So where do we begin? Let’s start with what it is, shall we? The prostate is a muscle that is fuelled by testosterone. It tends to grow as men age. In younger men the prostate is around the size of a walnut, but as men age, it can grow to the size of tennis ball and sometimes even larger. What increases your risk of developing prostate cancer? The cause for prostate cancer is largely unknown, however; there are certain factors that can increase your risk of developing this disease.
Age - most prostate cancer cases develop in men aged 50 or over.
Men whose father or brother have been affected by prostate cancer are at a slightly higher risk themselves.
Recent research also suggests that obesity can increase the risk of prostate cancer.
What does it do? The prostate functions to assist with fertility. It’s responsible for creating the liquid that transports sperm and produces a variety of proteins that help with conception. It also filters and removes toxins for protection of the sperm.
Where is the prostate? The prostate can only be found in men and is positioned in the pelvic area, located between the penis and bladder and surrounding the urethra.
Are there any diseases that affect the prostate other than cancer? Yes, there are two other main conditions - benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlargement of the prostate) and prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate). Men of an African-Caribbean or African descent are more at risk of developing cancer, whereas Asian men are less common to develop prostate cancer. The reasons are not yet understood as to why this is the case.
Visit https://prostatecanceruk.org/riskchecker to see how at risk you are of developing prostate cancer.
Are there any symptoms of prostate diseases? Symptoms of prostate problems can present themselves as urinary issues, pain in the lower back and testicles, blood in urine or semen and pain and problems with sexual activities. However, early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms and is only picked up during routine tests.
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Clinic in Okehampton
3 Church Court • St James Street • Okehampton EX20 1DJ Tel: 01837 338672
Also at: Abbey Mead Natural Health Centre Tavistock PL19 8AU 01822 854758
What tests can be done? There are no single tests for prostate diseases, however the most commonly used tests are:
• blood tests
• physical examination by a medical professional • an MRI scan • a biopsy If you have any symptoms mentioned above they don’t necessarily mean you have prostate cancer, but they should not be ignored and you should contact your GP. For more information, visit the NHS website or Prostate Cancer UK
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