Mature Living Connacht

PROMOTING A HEALTHY & POSITIVE LIFESTYLE February 2015

The cheapest cure for Ageing

Chia seed recipes that will change your life

Are You Ready for Your Grandchild's Visit?

Guide to undoing your tech mistakes

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www.matureliving.ie

February 2015

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S the snow falls in late January the country, in tandem with other Euro states, has received a timely boost from Mario Draghi’s, with a trillion or so to be pumped into Europe in a Keynesiantype New Year present. Greece has thrown down the gauntlet to other countries by electing an anti-austerity government while here in Ireland the political parties are getting into election mode.

So, change is on the way. Whatever the fall-out from the Greek “tragedy” we have to look after our own patch as best we can . . . and since we, in the words of many anti-austerity campaigners, have “rolled over” and taken our punishment, we shouldn’t be expected to foot the bill for anyone else’s indiscretions.

A man not much noted for discretion is writer, novelist and playwright Michael Harding, who speaks to Catherine Gilmartin in this month’s One on One. Michael’s sense of humour, coupled with his directness and undoubted honesty, has earned him huge popularity through the country, particularly by virtue of his weekly column in the Irish Times.

His memoirs, which depict a man constantly searching for a meaning to life, are beginning to strike a chord with literary enthusiasts everywhere and his latest, Hanging with the Elephant, provides the subject matter for his latest tour.

Followers will be delighted to hear about his scheduled appearance in the Hawkswell, Sligo, on February 12th.

Elsewhere, in our Travel Section, we recommend that you book that cruise you have been planning for years, particularly since the value is excellent. We also explore some cities that you may not have thought of before as a holiday destination.

It is never too late to switch careers and our tips on how to re-invent your work life might be of interest to some people in addition to some employment ideas for retirees or seniors.

If you are in that age bracket and looking forward to the first visit of your grandchild have you given thought to the preparation you might have to make for such an event? Turn to page 14 to read what we have to say.

We include the usual array of health advices, including some of the additional benefits of Vitamin D and for those who definitely expect to live longer, some useful advice on Life Insurance Cover. If you find yourself divorced and having to deal with adult kids then turn to our section on Relationships, which also provides advice on second weddings.

Our Fashion page has a plea from a mature reader to fashion designers to design clothes that will “fit” the more mature person. For our food and drink enthusiasts we offer a mouth-watering taste of Switzerland.

All of that . . . and so much more in our February edition . . . oops! And did I wish you all a happy New Year. Well, it’s almost February, but a hearty happy 2015 to all our readers and advertisers.

Seamus Casey - Editor Editorial: Seamus Casey seamus@matureliving.ie Design: Stephen Finney steve@matureliving.ie Advertising Sales: Lisa Gilmartin lisa@matureliving.ie

Bad marriage, ladies? See a cardiologist Michael Harding - writing to seek a meaning to life Please make us clothes that fit!

Are you a denture wearer?

The Cheapest Cure For Ageing Time to book that River Cruise Oops, I Did It Again! - The Guide To Undoing Your Tech Mistakes A Guide to Life Insurance Cover Want to reinvent your work life?

Are You Ready for Your Grandchild's Visit?

Chia seed recipes that will change your life Second weddings: do’s and don’ts Competition The Bands of our Showband era Cooking & Recipes Agony Angel Solicitors Guide Services Directory Dating

6 10 12 13 16 32 34

36 38 39 40 43 45 46 48 50 51 58 63

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Tel/Fax: 071-9154538 / 096-77743 Web: www.matureliving.ie • Email: info@matureliving.ie

The information in Mature Living is carefully researched and believed to be accurate, but the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions. Statements or opinions expressed herein are not necessary those of the editor or publisher. Advertisements within the publication are not endorsed by the publisher. Neither are any claims made within the advertisements. Before consuming any products mentioned in the publication readers are advised to consult with their general practitioner or equivalent professional for opinion or advice.

News

Faulty Towers – the Dining Experience,comes to the TF Royal

I

Manuel and Basil will cause chaos at the Faulty Towers dining experience at the TF Royal Hotel, Sat 21st March, in association with the Mayo International Choral Festival.

nteractive Theatre Australia, in association with the Mayo International Choral Festival, will present Faulty Towers – the Dining Experience, what has been described as some UTTERLY DELICIOUS ENTERTAINMENT, in the TF Royal Hotel, Castlebar, on Saturday, 21st March at 8 p.m.

Having played over 350 sell out shows in Ireland during the last five years Basil, Sybil and Manuel return with their feast of comic delights, some familiar some off the cuff, but all with a ‘Faulty’ seasoning and a guarantee to keep you laughing all the way to the desert!

Basil is manic, Sybil domineering, and Manuel – of course – is hopelessly language-challenged.

Everything that can wrong does, in some beautifully controlled chaos.

Just don’t mention the war!

Faulty Towers…the dining experience has been winning fans and accolades at Edinburgh, Melbourne and Adelaide Festivals for the last four years. Featuring all the best gags and a great meal, ‘Faulty Towers…. The Dining Experience’ is a loosely-scripted, pitch-perfect '13th episode' of the TV series, which develops the characters made famous by John Cleese, Prunella Scales and Andrew

Sachs. We welcome Basil, Sybil and Mauel back again to the West of Ireland and guarantee that those hungry for fun will get their just desserts, during a show that was sold out each time at the Royal Theatre. The show happens (and anything can happen!) while the audience have dinnner - which may be interrupted at any given time, due to unforseen faulty circumstances!

This is a Mayo International Choral Festival Fundraiser.

“This belly achingly funny show is 100% worth every penny” aussietheatre.com ‘spot on… brilliantly played… utterly delicious entertainment’ ***** Edinburgh Evening News “the best show at the Festival… I loved Fawlty Towers, the television series, but in many ways this live production is even better… ingenious… by far the best comedy show I have ever been to” ***** Sunday Express Sell-out show, 20082014 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Tickets In-Person: Royal Theatre Box Office, TF Royal Hotel, Westport Road, Castlebar. Downtown Records, Castlebar Mayo International Choral Festival Committee Members Tickets By Phone: 094 9023111

Imagine not being able to say ‘I Love You’ this Valentine’s Day - Sharon Can’t

F

ebruary is the month of love where couples from across the world openly celebrate their affection for each other. But imagine not being able to say ‘I Love You’ this Valentine’s Day. Most people with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) can’t. Between 8095% of people living with MND will experience some loss of speech

before they die.

Sharon Friel is 40 years old from Donabate in Co. Dublin. She was diagnosed with MND in 2012. Since her diagnosis, sadly Sharon can no longer walk and is confined to a wheelchair. She can no longer speak and communicates mainly with the use of a communication aid. She can no longer speak to her husband Conall or little 6 year old boy Senan, and say the words I love you.

“Communication is made up of words, tone and body language, I've lost all three. It takes all my energy to say each and every word and I end up repeating myself several times to be understood, it's exhausting and very frustrating.

I'm missing out on parenting my son, it hard to correct a child when it takes a few minutes to type your message, he just bounces away oblivious, lucky he's such a good boy. I'm so proud of my 6 year old son, how much he accepts my disability and how he treats me normally. My husband is my rock, he does everything for us. As well as working full time he is effectively a single dad, a carer and an Irish mammy fussing over Senan and myself,” said Sharon Friel.

This February we’re asking you to take on a sponsored silence to experience what it would be like to not be able to communicate.

Stay silent for 30 minutes at work,

school or even at home alone. During this time of reflection think ‘if today were the last day you could use your voice, what would you say?’ Share your last words with us on Facebook and twitter (@IMNDA) by using #Voice4MND. All you have to do is pick a day, time and location where you will take on your sponsored silence.

Sponsor cards are available from our office, just email fundraising@imnda.ie or you can text MND to 50300 to donate €2 (100% of text goes to IMNDA across most network providers. Some providers apply VAT which means a minimum of €1.63 will go to IMNDA. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline 076 6805278), then tell us what would be the last thing you would say if you knew you would lose your voice #Voice4MND. Nominate friends and families to join you. Sometimes silence can speak volumes. Take on our challenge today. Don’t let Sharon suffer in silence; don’t let her live without a voice.

The IMNDA provides specialised services for people affected by this debilitating disease such as equipment on loan, financial assistance towards home help, advice and home visits by MND Nurse. In order to provide these vital services the IMNDA depends heavily on the generosity of the public and supporters of the association who generate over 86% of its income.

SEAMUS GALLAGHER MEMORIAL CARDS We provide a service which we hope can be of benefit to you when choosing a Memorial card, Bookmark, Wallet Card which reflects the life of a loved one. At a time when it is so difficult to choose a card, prayer, photograph etc, we will call with you personally, if you so wish, to advise & help you make the right decision.

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News

Bad marriage, ladies?

See a cardiologist

O

lder couples in a bad marriage — particularly female spouses — have a higher risk for heart disease than those in a good marriage.

That’s the finding of a new study by Michigan State University sociologist Hui Lui. She suggests there’s a need for marriage counselling and programs promoting marital well-being for couples into their 70s and 80s. “These results show that marital quality is just as important at older ages, even when the couple has been married 40 or 50 years,” said Hui. According to the study: * Negative martial quality (e.g.,

spouse criticizes, spouse is demanding) has a bigger effect on heart health than positive marital quality (e.g., spousal support). In other words, a bad marriage is more harmful to your heart health than a good marriage is beneficial. * The effect of marital quality on cardiovascular risk becomes much stronger at older ages. Over time, the stress from a bad marriage may stimulate more, and more intense, cardiovascular responses because of the declining immune function and increasing frailty that typically develop in old age.

*Marital quality has a bigger effect on women’s heart health than it does on men’s, possibly because women tend to internalize negative feelings and thus are more likely to feel depressed and develop cardiovascular problems. * Heart disease leads to a decline in marital quality for women, but not for men. This is consistent with the longstanding observation that wives are more likely to provide support and care to sick husbands, while husbands are less likely to take care of sick wives.

“In this way, a wife’s poor health may affect how she assesses her marital quality, but a husband’s poor health doesn’t hurt his view of marriage,” Liu said.

She analyzed five years of data from about 1,200 married men and women who participated in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project.

Respondents were aged 57-85 at the beginning of the study.

The project included survey questions about marital quality, and lab tests and self-reported measures of cardiovascular health such as heart attacks, strokes, hypertension and high levels of C-reactive protein in the blood. The study, funded by the U.S. National Institute of Aging, an arm of the National Institutes of Health, is published online in the current Journal of Health and Social Behaviour.

The University of Limerick invites people with arthritis or back pain in Mayo to take part in an Occupational Therapy programme 'Working with Arthritis' aims to facilitate long-term management of arthritis / back pain and support people on the pathway to work.

The University of Limerick (UL), in collaboration with Arthritis Ireland is inviting people with arthritis in the Border, Midland and Western counties to take part in Working with Arthritis, an Occupational therapyled programme which aims to impact on arthritis/ back pain symptoms such as pain and fatigue, and facilitate long-term and sustainable management of the condition. The program is led by UL researcher and Occupational Therapist Dr Katie Robinson, and people with any type of arthritis (e.g. Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia etc) or back pain are urged to make contact with Maureen O’Neill (the Research Assistant on the Working with Arthritis programme) at the Department of Clinical Therapies, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, UL. Working with Arthritis is jointly funded by the European Union Social Fund and the Department of Social Protection through the Disability Ac-

tivation Program which aims to increase the capacity and potential of people on disability or illness payments to participate in the labour market.

Therapy researchers at UL, in collaboration with Arthritis Ireland, and the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland, have developed Working with Arthritis based on the best available international evidence. The program is offered to clients in their own homes or from an office in Galway. The program involves up to eight sessions and is tailored to the individual needs of clients and typically includes; fatigue management, stress management, joint protection and career exploration.

Dr Katie Robinson comments “the number of people with arthritis or back pain who are out of work in Ireland is unacceptably high. The economic crisis in recent years has shown us that work leads to more than just financial rewards; work is good for our mental health and social inclusion. People with arthritis and back pain frequently can enact strategies to manage the troubling

aspects of their conditions in the work place. Working with Arthritis represents a real commitment on behalf of the Department of Social Protection to offer an evidence based and individual program to support people with arthritis or back pain along the pathway to education or work.”

John Church, Chief Executive, Arthritis Ireland is committed to addressing the high rates of work disability among people with arthritis: "Arthritis Ireland has campaigned for many years to improve the supports available to people with musculoskeletal diseases (an umbrella group including arthritis) so that they can continue in their jobs or get back to work”.

UL is inviting people of working age in the region of Mayo with arthritis or back pain who are in receipt of an illness or disability payment from the Department of Social Protection to participate in this programme.

To participate in Working with Arthritis or for further information please contact: Dr Katie Robinson Tel: (087) 6094209

Kilcoyne Funeral Directors & Funeral Home THOMAS STREET, CASTLEBAR Tel.: 094 9021646 anytime Fax: 094 9027930 Email: kilcoynefuneraldir@eircom.net Member of Irish Association of Funeral Directors.

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News

Irish women ranked among highest in Europe for lung cancer mortality

I

rish women are among the highest in Europe for lung cancer in terms of incidence and mortality, according to the recent report from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland.

Lung cancer mortality for Ireland is 34 per cent higher than the EU average and it accounts for 18 per cent of cancer deaths in women.

This worrying trend tells us that significantly more Irish women are dying from lung cancer than other European countries. As the Irish Cancer Society launches Lung Cancer Awareness Month, the Society is calling on the public to reduce their risk of lung cancer and to be aware of the symptoms of the disease.

Lung cancer is Ireland’s fourth most common cancer with 2,175 cases diagnosed in 2011. It was by far the single most common cause of cancer death in Ireland during 2010-2012 with approximately 1,800 deaths annually. While the incidence rate of lung cancer declined steadily in

males at almost one per cent annually during 19942012, it increased significantly in females at over two per cent annually over the same period.

Equally, the mortality rate decreased significantly at almost two per cent in males but increased at 0.5 per cent annually in females. The change in the rates of incidence and mortality for lung cancer can be attributed to smoking prevalence amongst females in Ireland.

Kevin O’Hagan, Health Promotion Manager at the Irish Cancer Society said: “We are concerned that high lung cancer mortality rates in Irish females are substantially higher than the EU average. We are attributing this to the high rates of smoking among Irish women. As 90 per cent of lung cancer is attributed to smoking, giving up smoking is the single most important thing any smoker can do to reduce their risk of cancer. We are encouraging smokers to

avail of the many supports available to them to quit, call the HSE Quit Team on 1800 201 203, get support from www.quit.ie or speak to a doctor or pharmacist.”

The Irish Cancer Society is reminding the public to get to know the signs and symptoms of lung cancer and to act quickly. With early detection, patients can have more effective treatment options and potential cures available to them. All patients can now be fast tracked through to early diagnosis and treatment through the Lung Cancer Rapid Access Clinics which are in operation in all eight of the designated cancer centres. This has resulted in a steady improvement in lung cancer survival from 10 per cent to 15 per cent over the last 15 years.

Anyone who is concerned about cancer should contact the Irish Cancer Society’s National Cancer Helpline Freefone on 1800 200 700 to speak to a specialist cancer nurse who can offer

information, advice and support or visit www.cancer.ie. Smokers looking to quit smoking can call the HSE Quit Team on Freephone 1800 201 203 or Freetext QUIT to 50100.

Visit www.quit.ie where support is available from smoking cessation counsellors.

The signs and symptoms of lung cancer are: A cough that doesn’t go away or a change in a longterm cough Feeling short of breath or wheezing Repeated chest infections that won’t go away even after antibiotics Coughing up blood-stained phlegm (sputum) Pain in your chest, especially when you cough or breathe in Feeling more tired than usual and/or unexplained weight loss Hoarse voice, problems swallowing or swelling in the face or neck

Prince Charles swaps glasses for monacle Prince Charles has reportedly swapped his reading glasses for a monocle. The 66-year-old royal is said to be conscious of being seen wearing his spectacles – which he was

first spotted in at a British Asian dinner at St. James’ Palace four years ago – and has therefore decided to opt for a less obvious style of vision aid. The heir to the throne – who has sons Harry,

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30, and William, 32, from his marriage to the late Princess Diana – unveiled his new tortoiseshell-rimmed eyepiece to his friends and family during a recent royal gathering at the Sandringham Estate during the festive season. However, the Prince of Wales’ latest accessory was not greeted with many compliments, with one guest reportedly joking that he looks like

ventriloquist Ray Allen’s dummy Lord Charles. According to the Daily Mail, they said: “You look like someone should have their hand up your jacket.” A spokesperson for the royal family has refused to deny nor confirm whether news about the Prince’s new eyewear is true. A Clarence House spokesman said: “We couldn’t comment on such matters.”

Many Older People are Working for Longer – good or bad news?

By Anne Dempsey

W

hile there is no fixed mandatory age of retirement in Ireland, many employers set 65 as the age when a staff member needs to leave. However, from the beginning of this year an issue affecting many older workers came into law.

Effective January 1, 2014, the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 has changed the age at which one can become eligible for an old age pension from 65 to 66. (This will rise to age 67 in year 2021, and age 68 in year 2028). The change, allied with pension provisions which tend to favour the employer rather than the employee, will almost certainly result in an increasing number of workers bidding farewell to any dreams of early retirement, and needing to remain on in work till 65 or beyond.

This new situation must be measured against the fact that during the boom years in Ireland, many people retired in their late fifties or early sixties, as they felt secure in their pension provision. So within a decade there has been a seismic shift to older people’s attitude and practice to work and retirement. More will feel they have no option but to work for longer, and others close to retirement may have to continue to work for some more years, whether they wish to or not.

Is this good news? For those who work to live, rather than living to work, probably not. Many employees dread Monday mornings and are unhappy at work. There are numerous square pegs in round holes, and gamut of occupation ills ranges from those who feel bored and underused to workers who are pressured, stressed and overworked.

On the other hand, there are many people who love their work. As well as giving necessary finances, work can offer companionship; a sense of belonging, challenge and routine, Work can provide purpose and meaning. Many sixty-plusses who continue to feel fit and well may relish the opportunity to continue working, to be part of the mainstream rather than being cast into the margins, which retirement can sometimes seem to imply.

The fair treatment of older workers is part of the equality and diversity agenda. The Employment Act 2004 deals with discrimination within employment on the basis of age. Older workers cannot be discriminated against in terms of job application, interview, working conditions and career opportunities.

In this context, the findings of a study ‘Labour Market Inequalities for Older People in Ireland’ published by the Equality Authority in 2002 are still valid – and all the more deserving of attention, as older people may be seeking employment. The study found the need to value the experience of older people, to promote their potential to continue to work effectively, and to provide training and retraining opportunities for older workers. Many older workers have a wealth of maturity, experience and skills to offer, which is not always recognised. Other research indicates that initiatives to encourage employers to provide options for their older workers who would prefer to keep working, or continue to work part-time, are relatively few. If we are going to have an increasingly ageing workforce, as it seems we are, there is a need for proactive measures to maintain the abilities, intelligence and knowledge of an older workforce. Older workers should not be passed over for continuous professional development, for in-house training or upskilling, particularly when they remain anxious to learn. Where it could suit both employees and employer, more companies could look at including flexible working, part-time hours or working from home as part of a timely arrangement.

Next month: a personal approach to retirement preparation compassion of all age groups.

For more information about WeDO, contact Anne Dempsey on 087-7450721

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Feature by Catherine Gilmartin

Michael Harding writing to seek a meaning to life

Catherine Gilmartin spoke to Michael Harding, Irish short-story writer, award winning novelist, playwright and columnist in The Irish Times.

Following the huge success of Staring at Lakes, Michael’s latest memoir Hanging with the Elephant is currently experiencing huge sales in bookshops.

M

ichael Harding’s indelible sense of humour, combined with his brutal honesty, is like a breath of fresh air!

His memoir Staring at Lakes starts with the protagonist (himself) wanting to pursue a goal called perfect happiness.

The antagonist of the story (his wife), who he constantly refers to as his “Beloved”, has a habit of overfilling the dishwasher, which drives him to the point of despair. Eventually he takes off and begins his quixotic travels – the great plan – and of course he fails. He speaks incessantly about his ambition to go to Paris, but only gets as far as Mullingar.

The turmoil of his mind is revealed in the opening chapter: “I wanted to leave her, even though I loved her. In my 50s I needed space to myself.

Like all men of that age, I felt I was in the last-chance saloon.

And I needed to push more. So I did. I pushed hard and bust my gut. I got sick and depressed. I spent six months in bed remembering the sorrows of my childhood, and how my attempts to find meaning in life had all ended up in failure. I had been a Catholic priest for a short time and I had tried Buddhism for 17 years. I travelled as far as Mongolia in search of meaning, but in the end I was forced to let go of

magical thinking altogether.

When I was sick, I became so helpless that for the first time in my life I began to rely on someone else. And, ironically, the someone else who happened to turn up was the woman I had left.”

When we read Michael Harding’s work we see that he eventually achieves something of what he sets out for, but not in the manner in which he initially expected or hoped for.

His new book, Hanging with the Elephant, takes up the story of his journey. Harding remains a self-reflective thinker and his exploits are related with a wry, mordent humour. He has a gift for placing the reader slap-bang in the middle of his oftenawkward, sometimes cringe-inducing situations. The book, like its predecessor, is an enjoyable read. Despite the sometimes bleak nature of the tale, Harding keeps the tone light and his elegant prose makes the reading effortless.

Born in County Cavan in 1953, Harding attended St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, initially graduating as a lay graduate.

He became a teacher for two years, before working as a social worker in a prison. He returned to Maynooth as a seminarian and was ordained in 1980, after which he went to work in a parish in Fermanagh.

He left the priesthood in 1985 and spent seventeen years practising Buddhism. He is

Michael with Comedian Tommy Tiernan

Page 10 Mature Living

married to sculptor Cathy Carmen (whom he first met in 1984) and they have a daughter Sophia. They live in a cottage close to Lough Allen in Leitrim.

Two years ago, when Michael published Staring at Lakes, an account of his struggle with depression, he never expected it to turn into an award-winning bestseller. Set over a six-week period when Harding’s wife takes a trip to Poland, Hanging with the Elephant is his second memoir. From the start he is faced with a dilemma: as much as he values the idea of extended solitude, he worries that he might struggle to cope on his own. Anyone familiar with depression will recognise the mood swings and erratic behaviour that characterise the illness. He explains the condition in a powerful image: “It’s a merciless solitude, like a glass wall surrounding the

victim, leaving them alone, even in a noisy street, drenched with their own delusions and tormented by their own personal demons.” So anxious is he about feeling isolated that, the moment “the beloved” has boarded her flight, he decides to enjoy the camaraderie of city life for a couple of days.

When he finally leaves Dublin, he visits the home of a poet friend, in whose home lives a heavily pregnant woman. It is a fitting omen as it is mothers and motherhood that will come to influence the book.

It has been two years since Harding’s mother died.

Although his stories of her are filled with great fondness and affection, he carries an uneasy feeling that he has somehow let her down. Finding her diaries when he is clearing the house, her daily entries make for upsetting reading even though

it’s clear that in his care and devotion he has nothing to reproach himself for.

Michael was motivated to write Hanging with the Elephant after his mother died.

He explains: “My mother died when she was 96, two years ago. I loved her very much, but as she grew old and became more feeble, and the years passed, I suppose I became a bit hard and careless. And then when she died I felt a great sadness. So last year I found myself alone in my work studio in Leitrim for six weeks with no company, and I began thinking deeply about her death and about all our lives, and I thought it would be nice to write a book about that. And about how meditation can bring us great peace”.

Michael likens meditation to writing books, “I enjoy writing like I enjoy meditation.

In other words it’s difficult to begin. It’s difficult to go into the room and sit alone and listen to one’s dreams floating to the surface of the water. But it’s wonderful when you have begun and you’re in the middle of it”.

Michael’s expectations for his latest book: “You can never know how a book will go down. I was very happy that so many people read and enjoyed Staring at Lakes, and the response so far with the new book is great. It’s about my mother, and so I suppose it’s about all mothers.

It’s about how sometimes we regret things when mother has passed away. So I hope that touches a chord with people”.

Harding enjoys writing memoirs and in the spirit of people like John McGahern and Marcel Proust, aims to produce

great literature. He says: “I think it’s because the most personal story is one’s own. And yet how you remember things and how you fabricate those memories into a structure is itself a creative act. Very often memories are the chosen creativity of a person in the way they live in the present”.

“I began writing books and plays about the troubles in the North and about the collapse and moral vacuity of the clerical world in the Catholic Church, and those stories also were always close to the bone. Close to my own life - so they too were memoirs. But then I got an idea to write a very long chronicle of ordinary life in midland Ireland - a kind of history of nothing. And so I suggested it to the Irish Times as a weekly column and they

In the company of some eclectic friends

agreed and that’s how the column came about. And then from them the books unfolded”.

In his books, Harding – with great honesty – has explored aspects of life which were painful to face. Does he feel it was a cathartic experience?

“Yes it’s always cathartic to tell stories about oneself. It’s a way of reforming your identity in the making of memory. This process is private. But when you do it in public it becomes, at least I hope it becomes, cathartic for the reader. And that’s precisely what story and novel have been trying to do since Aristotle was a young fellow”.

Displaced in Mullingar, Harding’s column with the Irish Times, has come to be something of an Irish personal discourse which has evolved organically over the years. The column came about after the newspaper agreed to accept six episodes of the chronicle. When the six weeks were over he kept sending the columns in and they kept accepting them. “For a long while I worried when I’d get an email saying they had had enough. But that email didn’t come and eventually I realized I was settling in for the long haul!” He laughs as he says this.

Harding‘s books are underpinned by an analysis of their underlying search for meaning in life. It seems that this is his primary fascination – defining the essence of his – and our collective – psyche. Michael agrees: “Yes. I think everyone looks in the mirror in the

morning and tries to create a narrative for the day. This morning I’m going to do this.

Then I’m going to meet someone. Then I will do something else. It’s like a plan we confront ourselves with in the morning. And at the end of the day, the day makes sense if you have achieved some of it so our lives exist and happen as narratives. And therefore creating, constructing over arching narratives that try to selectively reveal our weaknesses, our flaws, our humanity is a creative act but also a deeply therapeutic one.

There is a real thing called narrative therapy. Create yourself, that is the idea create yourself beautifully out of beautiful moments. Instead of destroying yourself by slinging together a litany of negativities”.

Michael thinks that the Ireland of his writing – from his early novels to his current book and columns has changed a lot. “It’s for the better”, he states. “At least I believe that. We have more leisure, more free time, more education. We have technologies that our parents didn’t dream of. We are not terrified by religion in the ways our parents were. But of course that’s not to say that there aren’t terrible injustices now.

Like the centres for refugees and the prisons where people are suffering appalling injustices, and the streets where the homeless live and where governments won’t spend a penny. The troubles in the North

have died down and I think people are less angry than they were; so I suppose life is always a mix. The terrible atrocities of the Nazi era in Europe may or may not happen again, and so we will go on living with unfathomable darkness, but I think we have found some insights that help us work with compassion in our small individual lives and believe that goodness accumulates, and makes people happy”. It has been said that in Michael’s book, his titular ‘Elephant’ is an Asian metaphor for the ‘unruly mind’ – and that his new book documents his attempts to tame it! Michael laughs: “When I sit still my mind is a war zone of disturbing emotions. It’s not easy to be still. To be tranquil – so I have a very unruly mind. But I laugh a lot – at the elephant!”

He laughs that infectious laugh again.

Fans of Michael will be delighted to hear that not only does he have lots of plans to write more fiction and drama in the future, but he is currently on the road touring: An evening with Michael Harding Hanging with the Elephant, in February, March and April this year. You can see him in the Hawkswell, Sligo, on Thursday, 12th February, at 8 p.m. Full details of dates and venues can be found on his website www.michaelharding.ie.

Hanging with the Elephant is published by Hachette Books Ireland and is available in bookshops.

Pictured at a book signing

Page 11 Mature Living

Fashion

PLEASE MAKE US CLOTHES THAT FIT!

An open letter to fashion designers and manufacturers from a mature reader

By Karen O Neill

M

ature women say repeatedly they simply can’t find clothes to fit them. As a sewing teacher who specializes in “fit,” I’ve observed the changes in women’s bodies as we mature – and the lack of changes noted by clothing

manufacturers.

Clothing sizes for women seem to be based on ego now, rather than standardization. I know I can wear a size 12 in some clothes but can be a 14 to 16 in other brands. What has happened – and why – is an intriguing tale that, I believe, is ready to be told.

In 1969, I was one of the first women to show up wearing pants at my bank job in Bank Of Ireland. I chose an stylish knit pantsuit from my closet because it was beautifully tailored to my then young, trim body. I was called into the bank manager’s office and cautioned: it was okay for today, but I should not make a habit of this attire. Our mothers and grandmothers never wore pantsuits. Pants were worn on the farm or maybe in the factory.

Pants were never designed to fit women. Pants were men’s clothing. Our mothers wore housedresses at home – housedresses that were straight on the sides and never

encouraged to show a female form. Dress-up occasions and social functions meant a fitted dress, but under this dress was a full-length corset or a girdle. My, how we’ve changed.

Yes, we are true pioneers for the fashion marketplace. Women in their 60s and 70s are now much more vibrant and active than in previous generations and would like to own clothes that fit their lifestyle. We exercise, travel and work in a new world.

We don’t wear cotton stockings and laced leather oxfords, but manufacturers don’t seem to understand what to do to make the clothes they design fit our mature bodies. We simply aren’t ready for polyester pants with elastic waistbands!

I’m not thinking about the tall, slim young women we see modelling in current ads. Neither am I thinking of the women who have gained a lot of weight and have special sizes needs. I’m speaking of the average woman.

She’s five feet two inches to five feet eight inches tall and may have gained five to 20 pounds since her early 20s.

Designers and pattern makers are taught to work from a dress form. These dress forms are based on the flat-stomached, five feet seven inches tall, B cup brawearing 19-year-old with a 10-inch difference in bust, waist and hip. We were like that once – quite a while ago.

I’ll start from the top and work down just to keep this request orderly.

• To the manufacturer: please hear that just because our bust lines are a little fuller in front and our bust line diameter is larger, our shoulders did not grow. Please do not increase the shoulder width. Our shoulders are the same size they were when we were 20. Never have I heard a woman who has gained a few pounds complain that her shawl is too tight! Shoulders do not grow.

• Bust lines need to be fuller. If you considered allowing for a D or C cup rather than a B cup bra, we would be forever grateful. By the way, the apex of the bust line is usually an inch lower on mature women than younger girls. Darts should be a little lower to compliment the new

Page 12 Mature Living

fullness, and bust line buttons and buttonholes placed an inch lower to eliminate the gaping.

• Whoever told designers that mature women want sleeveless dresses was getting revenge.

Mature women can often have “angel wing” upper arms. Please, give us some sleeve! We have slightly broader backs now and a little of a high, round upper back. Necklines on clothing should reach the neckline of the body. Our neckline is where a chain necklace actually sits.

• Waistlines are thicker for us.

Please reduce the depth of the darts around the waistline in both front and back. We appreciate the slight fitting giving us the “illusion of waistline,” but it simply isn’t as pronounced as it used to be.

• Okay, let’s progress to pants.

We want to wear pants that look good on us and if we find some to fit us well, we’ll probably buy them in a minimum of four colours. Yes, we have mature bodies but we have mature visa cards too.

Mature women of a healthy weight seem to fall in one of two categories. First is the curvy girl where the hips and bottoms are fuller and the waistlines smaller.

For these ladies, I have a request: please increase the length of the pant zipper so she can get them on more easily. An adjustable invisible waistline elastic in the back, just like in children’s clothes, might fit the bill perfectly. This would eliminate the gaping at the back of the pant.

Speaking of waistlines, please put the waistline at the waistline.

The idea of dropping the waistline to five or six inches below was a great promoter of the “muffin top” effect. Yikes, we hope that’s over! A few manufacturers are producing a “curvy” fit now, and that’s an appreciated gesture.

The rest of us seem to be becoming a little more rectangular than the others. If we find pants where the waist fits, the hips and butt are too baggy. If we get the hips to fit, the waist won’t fasten, and there is still some bagginess in the

seat. To address this, please widen the distance around the waist; sometimes an inch or two is perfect. Please give pant hips less shape, we’re getting closer to having hips like young boys.

Now, the baggy seat. If the waist and hips fit, chances are there simply is too much fabric in the back just under the derriere. You can reduce the width here by an inch or two, and we’d love you for it! Fly-front zippers are a great convenience, but next on my fit list would be to end using metal zippers. Women have little tummies in front, and metal zippers don’t lock. They only work well for men because men carry their tummies above their waistlines.

Now, the final request. Please drop the crotch line in the back of pants for mature women. Even in very expensive looking pants that look great in the front, it is not unusual for the back crotch to fit poorly. Usually, you see the pants sneaking into the crack between the buttocks. This happens because the back crotch is designed for a “perky younger” bottom. It is easy to lower and square off the crotch curve at the back. Ladies, when you’re trying on pants, don’t forget to check the rear-view mirror.

Women, our generation has made a lot of changes in our world, and we should be very proud of them.

I honestly believe we deserve to have clothes that fit available in our stores.

Feature with Sonya Hamill of Blue Apple Dental - Irish Dentistry’s Dental Practice of the Year 2013

Are you a denture wearer?

3 Reasons Dental Implants Could Change Your Life

Using dental implants to solve the problem of inadequate dentures or missing teeth can give you back some of the pleasures you have lost. You no longer need to limit the foods you can eat. Chewing meat will be easier, or biting into an apple.

Dental implants in the upper jaw can remove the need for covering your palate. Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy the feeling of ice-cream against the roof of your mouth again?

One patient’s dental implant journey:

1.COMFORT: Dental implants provide a secure basis for replacement teeth.

This can be in the form of either ‘fixed’ teeth which stay in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or removable teeth which clip on and off the dental implants, making it easy to keep everything nice and clean.

Either way, the movement or

rocking which often comes with a ‘conventional’, or standard, denture can be eliminated, which will greatly enhance your comfort and ability to smile and eat with confidence.

2. GENERAL HEALTH: The impact of compromised dental health and function is often underestimated. But well-

functioning teeth are much more effective in the mastication of your food, meaning you receive better nutrition from your food, meaning better general health.

Good teeth also enhance your general feeling of wellbeing, which has huge benefits for you both mentally and physically.

“I had multiple dental problems, which were a source of anxiety in social situations. At

Blueapple, on the lower jaw I have had one implant, fillings of my lower incisors, and two bridges. On the upper jaw I have four dental implants and a complete over-denture, which clips on and off a bar.

My eating and chewing have been much improved, and I am no longer hesitant about smiling.

I am now able to eat anything that is possible with natural teeth, without fear of dental pain or slippage of dentures. All the team at Blueapple are extremely pleasant and friendly.

Nothing is too much trouble, and I always feel that I am immersed in a competent, caring, and professional atmosphere when visiting Blueapple.” Jim, Sligo

3.A FULLER LIFE:

‘Blueapple Dental & Implant Team’ is an award-winning dental practice in the village of Belcoo in Co. Fermanagh, run by husband and wife team, James and Sonya Hamill.

Blueapple carries out all forms of dentistry under one roof, and focuses on helping people overcome their dental challenges, to re-establish their dental health, comfort and beauty. They believe that there is no-one they can’t help regain their dental confidence.

‘Blueapple Dental & Implant Team’ has won multiple awards, including ‘Best New Practice’, ‘Best Young Dentist in the UK & Ireland’, and most recently ‘Best Patient Care in Ireland 2012’.

www.blueappledental.com

Blueapple welcomes new patients.

Just call 048 66386111 to make an appointment for your consultation.

‘Such encouragement and support I have never experienced before and empowered me to complete the procedure without sedation….My trust in Blueapple across all aspects of my dental experience is always upheld each time I visit the practice. I cannot emphasise enough the transformation that has occurred in my life in terms of panic and anxiety. ‘ An anxious patient, Sligo.

Entertainment

Catalpa - The Great Irish Escape

O

n Thursday 12th February, Ballina Arts Centre will host Donal O’Kelly’s highly acclaimed, one-man show Catalpa, as part of its 20th

anniversary nationwide Irish tour. Catherine Gilmartin spoke to the actor-writer ahead of his visit to Ballina.

Catalpa is an epic retelling of

the true story of the daring rescue of six Irish prisoners in 1875 from Australia. The story is a mixture of Moby Dick, Gone with the Wind and The Great Escape. Donal says: “Because Catalpa takes the form of an epic adventure, audiences seem to go with their imaginations on the hero’s journey, no matter where we are, from New York to Harare, from Melbourne to Belgrade”.

Donal O'Kelly is well-known both as a playwright and as an actor.

He has performed his own solo plays throughout the Englishspeaking world and beyond. He has twice been awarded an Irish Arts Council literature bursary, and in 1999 was awarded the Irish American Cultural Institute Butler Literary Award. He is a founder member and former director of Calypso Productions and is co-director of Benbo Productions (formerly Donal O'Kelly Productions), which he set up in 2000. He is a former member of Aosdána.

One of Ireland’s leading composers, Trevor Knight performs live music throughout the show, which Donal says is an essential ingredient. Knight has created sound designs for all of the main Irish theatre companies, and Donal describes their relationship as “a bit like an oul married couple at this stage! Laughs... We’ve collaborated on loads of projects besides Catalpa, and it’s always a new adventure.”

Donal has been something of a

one-man show specialist for a number of years now and says “It’s a handy kind of creative shorthand. It suits me to combine whatever writing and performance skills I have. I decide what I’d like to write about, then work out how to do it, and usually ask someone to direct me, and it seems to work out well in its peculiar way. I’ve also enjoyed working as writer and actor with Fishamble and Director Jim Culleton on my play Little Thing, Big Thing, which will be revived in April/May in Wales, Geneva, Paris and the Project Arts Centre in Dublin.”

When speaking about what motivated him to devise and write Catalpa, Donal smiles and says: “I came across the story when I was in Australia at the Perth Festival with another show of mine, Bat the Father, Rabbit the Son, many years ago – 1992.

I researched and read as much as I could about it. I also let my imagination run riot a fair bit, which is a vital ingredient. I find the story of Marie Tondut, the French serving girl who had a liaison with Fenian jailbraker John Breslin fascinating; in that way of fact being stranger than fiction – you couldn’t make it up!”

As something of an experienced playwright at this stage – having written nearly twenty plays – Donal has one piece of advice to any young writer or actor aiming to start out on a career in theatre today.

“Make your own work!”, he states emphatically. “It’s more exciting than waiting for the phone to ring. I always have a few things on the go all the time, at different stages of development. It’s an economic matter, to paraphrase Father Jack, as well as that’s just the way my head works”, laughs again.

Of all his produced plays, Catalpa has been amongst the most successful for Donal O’Kelly. It has endured twenty years on the road and taken him all over the world. The play has been seen in Europe, the Americas and Australasia. The play won a Scotsman Fringe First Award at the 1996 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the Critics' Prize at the Melbourne International Festival in 1997. It has been acclaimed in all of these places, and here at home, where it has been called “Exuberant, exhilarating, magical … it’s a triumph, a joy, a delight” by the Irish Times, and “Brilliant writing, bravura performance” by the Sunday Times.

The play has a special place amongst the works of Donal O’Kelly and he says he never fails to be moved by the audience’s reaction. “I hope they feel like they’ve been on a journey like they’ve never been on before...That’s all.”

Catalpa is at Ballina Arts Centre on Thursday 12th February, at 8pm. Tickets: €18 / €16.

Booking advised.

Heavy drinking in middle-age may increase stroke risk more than traditional factors

D

rinking more than two alcoholic beverages daily in middle-age may raise your stroke risk more than traditional factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes, according to new research in

Page 14 Mature Living

the American Heart Association journal Stroke.

In a study of 11,644 middleaged Swedish twins who were followed for 43 years, researchers compared the effects of an average of more

than two drinks daily ("heavy drinking") to less than half a drink daily ("light drinking").

The study showed that: Heavy drinkers had about a 34 percent higher risk of stroke compared to light drinkers.

Mid-life heavy drinkers (in their 50s and 60s) were likely to have a stroke five years earlier in life irrespective of genetic and early-life factors.

Heavy drinkers had increased stroke risk in their mid-life compared to well-known risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes.

At around age 75, blood pressure and diabetes appeared to take over as one of the main influences on having a stroke.

Past studies have shown that alcohol affects stroke risk, but this is the first study to pinpoint differences with age.

"We now have a clearer picture about these risk factors, how they change with age and how

the influence of drinking alcohol shifts as we get older," said Pavla Kadlecová, M.Sc., a statistician at St. Anne's University Hospital's International Clinical Research Center in the Czech Republic.

Researchers analyzed results from the Swedish Twin Registry of same-sex twins who answered questionnaires in 1967-70. All twins were under age 60 at the start. By 2010, the registry yielded 43 years of follow-up, including hospital discharge and cause of death data. Researchers then sorted the data based on stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and other cardiovascular incidents.

Almost 30 percent of participants had a stroke. They were categorized as light, moderate, heavy or nondrinkers based on the questionnaires. Researchers compared the risk from alcohol and health risks like high blood

pressure, diabetes and smoking.

Among identical twin pairs, siblings who had a stroke drank more than their siblings who hadn't had a stroke, suggesting that mid-life drinking raises stroke risks regardless of genetics and early lifestyle.

The study is consistent with the American Heart Association's recommended limit of two drinks a day for men and one for women. That's about 8 ounces of wine (two drinks) for a man and 4 ounces (one drink) for a woman.

Regular heavy drinking of any kind of alcohol can raise blood pressure and cause heart failure or irregular heartbeats over time with repeated drinking, in addition to stroke and other risks.

"For mid-aged adults, avoiding more than two drinks a day could be a way to prevent stroke in later productive age (about 60s)," Kadlecová said.

MENS FASHION

with EJ Menswear

Fantastic Suit Sale at EJ Menswear

By Rodney Munn Here we are at the start of another new year, 2015, as the saying goes TEMPUS FUGIT, time flies. I am sure we can all look back over 2014 with some good memories and some bad because that's what life consists of. However its always a good habit to get into to look forward and anticipate better times and perhaps some up and coming events that will bring a smile to our faces.

Here at EJS we are already looking forward to some new additions to our vast range of clothes for men and boys.

Already Tom, Mark and Eamonn have been in London looking at the clothes for AUTUMN 2015, yes imagine that autumn and we haven't even got spring yet. But back to now for a moment, we always eagerly look forward to the new spring summer ranges coming in the door, we already have a new range of FARAH come in and is displayed at the back of the shop, the brighter colours for summer are a welcome sight. Some of the new brands will introduce a fresh look that will compliment our existing ranges.

Although it would not be right to write this article and not mention our FANTASTIC SALE that is still in progress, all top brands, levi’s, G-star

L&B Home Care Services Pairc Mhuire Newbridge A Helping hand in your home 24 Hour Care Contact Bridget: Ph: 087-2054857 email: lbhomerespite@eircom.net www.lbhomerespite.com Providing quality home care since 2005

,Superdry, GANT,6th Sense Lyle & Scott, Bugatti to mention just a few are all HALF PRICE, with possible further reductions to come ,keep your ear to the ground for further developments.

Thinking ahead also to some events coming up for the young lads we have a new range of suits, shirts chinos jeans, ties, bows, waistcoats.

So pop in soon and pick up a bargain, or something brand new and we will look after you in our own special way.

Home Care Provider to HSE

Health Matters

The Cheapest Cure For Aging

W

hen it comes to physical activity the more you do, the more you can do. Here, the top 10 things to start you out on the road to better health “We do not stop exercising because we grow old – we grow old because we stop exercising.” – Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the Father of Aerobics “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun, former world-class track athlete When it comes to physical activity, it is self-evident that the more you do the more you can do.

But then of course you already knew that, didn’t you?

You either knew because you’re a fitness fanatic who lives to move, incorporating exercise into your daily routines and reveling in the way it makes you look and feel, or you remember how great it was and how wonderful you felt back in the day when you were vigorous and active.

Yet despite the fact that anybody who’s ever worn a pair of running shoes knows we need exercise to remain healthy, most of us don’t get the amount we need, and we’re paying for it in innumerable ways both physiological and psychological.

According to Statistics, a mere 13 per cent of adults aged 40 to 59 and 11 per cent of those aged 60 and above meet the guidelines for moderate tovigorous physical activity, defined as 150 minutes of moderate-to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more, this in addition to “muscle and bone strengthening activities using major muscle groups, at least two days per week.”

The price tag for not paying this exercise bill is enormous, both to individuals and society; we’re aging faster, getting sicker more often and for longer periods, and constantly staving off — if not outright depression — a low-grade sense of guilt about the fact that we are neglecting our bodies, and that not a good thing, because as the entrepreneur and motivational speaker Jim Rohn put it, our bodies are the only place we have to live!

It doesn’t have to be this way.

There are many enjoyable and relatively easy ways to incorporate exercise into our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, and the benefits of doing so are enormous.

Regular exercise can significantly lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, and it can prevent and control risk factors for a variety of disease aggravators including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer. It can control obesity, boost energy levels, reduce stress, and improve both sleep and digestion.

People who are physically active feel better about themselves and have higher self-esteem, often leading them to take better care of themselves in innumerable ways, including making the right kind of lifestyle choices, such as eating better, and avoiding overeating, smoking, or excessive alcohol consumption.

Exercise also releases endorphins – the body’s natural feel-good chemicals – leading if not to the “high” many athletes claim, at least a sense of wellbeing.

And there are social benefits as well. Isolation is often a

consequence of aging, and one of the most debilitating from a psychological point of view because of its role in depression. Exercise can bring us into contact with others, people who can both encourage and reinforce our healthy choices, and broaden our social network. There are clubs and organizations dedicated to almost every exercise discipline you can imagine, from cross country skiing and canoeing to hiking and bird watching. The internet makes it easy to find kindred spirits in almost any discipline – just type the activity into Google along with word “club” and the place you live and invariably something comes up. These clubs are run by enthusiasts who meet regularly and warmly welcome new members.

Despite the fact that many aging Irish people have chronic health problems and legitimate concerns about injuries and falls, the major barrier to getting enough exercise is typically psychological. Aging Irish have what a salesperson would think of as “objections” to exercise: I’m too old to benefit from it now, I need to save my strength, I might fall and get hurt, I’m wheelchair bound and can’t do anything.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Research indicates that individuals of any age can benefit from exercise, and because exercise increases strength and stamina, reduces bone-mass loss and improves balance, it can significantly reduce the risk of falling!

Have I convinced you yet? Of course I have, but after a decade or more of sitting on the sidelines the prospect of getting started is intimidating. Well, to help you on your way we present the top 10 things you

can do to start out on the road to better health by incorporating exercise into your daily routines.

Check with your doctor if you have any concerns. Discuss the kinds of activities you’d like to engage in and the potential impact on any pre-existing conditions.

Start slow. Overdoing it at the beginning is the number one reason people give up. Pay attention to signals your body is giving you. If it hurts, don’t do it. If it makes you dizzy, stop.

Don’t underestimate the power of walking; it’s inexpensive and remarkably therapeutic.

Choose activities you enjoy doing. If you hate the idea of marching on a treadmill don’t do it. Despise running? Don’t run. Me, I love to ride a bike. I joke that it is both my gym and my psychiatrist. Even if riding it did not make me fit I’d ride it anyway, so I’m really just fit by default.

Establish some kind of routine. Commit to exercising three to four days a week for two or three months. Over time you will feel the benefits and it will become part of your lifestyle; you will look forward to it. Manage your goals. The object is not to look in the mirror and see the person you were 40 years ago, the object is to look in the mirror and see the best person you can be now.

You aren’t going to drop 50 pounds in a few sessions at the gym. This is a long-term project, see it that way and the pounds will melt away.

Find partners. Having a little company on your walk/ride/swim/hike or whatever can be both inspiring and make things a lot more fun.

Join a club.

Contact your local community center. Most have programs directly aimed at older people ranging from swimming and aerobics to Tai Chi and walking groups. These programs are inexpensive and attending them can help establish routines and habits, not to mention bring you in contact with kindred spirits.

Consider working with a personal trainer. A personal trainer can assess your needs and work with you, providing encouragement and guidance.

Keep your fitness equipment visible and available. I keep a tennis ball next to where I sit to watch television; because it’s there I squeeze it all the time.

It doesn’t have to an exercise per se to count – yard work and house cleaning can be just as beneficial.

Believe in yourself and have fun. Over time the benefits of fitness will reveal themselves, and you will enjoy discovering them. Now get up and move, because although exercise is not a cure for aging, engaging in it will certainly get you to the finish line in style.

Ian MacNeill is the author of The Beginning Runner’s Handbook, the internationally bestselling guide to running without injury, which has been translated into Spanish, French, and Korean. His plan is to die with his (ski) boots on.

Vitamin D key for healthy bones … and maybe a lot more too

C

ould it be that vitamin D is about to become the new super vitamin? Here, how much you need and the best ways to get it If you’re over 50 you should be taking vitamin D supplements.

That’s the bottom line.

According to Health recommendations people aged 19 to 70 need 600 IU a day. If you’re over 70 it jumps to 800 IU a day. The upper limit is identified as 4,000 IU. Experts have long known that vitamin D is key to building and maintaining strong bones, and now there’s increasing speculation it could be good for a whole lot of other things too.

There has been a lot of research around vitamin D having to do with its role in immunity, preventing infections, blood pressure and heart disease, and cancer prevention, so there’s a lot of interest and research is still evolving.”

What we do know, as far as bone health is concerned, is that 90 per cent of bone building happens during the period from childhood to the end of our teens, says Debbie. “It’s like putting money in the bank.”

After that we cruise along until our 40s, but that’s when we also start to lose some of our bone minerals.

Menopause brings on even more bone loss for women and once we’re all into our 60s and beyond that’s when our bones are most at risk.

Vitamin D plays a key role in supporting bone health as we age and combined with calcium (which it helps the body absorb) it can help guard against osteoporosis, a disease characterized by low bone mass and the deterioration of bone tissue.

While there are other factors involved, such as genetic predisposition, according to Osteoporosis society, one out of every two women over 50 will sustain an osteo-related fracture, as will one in eight men over 50.

Vitamin D won’t magically repair bones in your later years, but what it can do is help to slow down bone loss, says Debbie.

Okay then, so how do we get it?

While our skin produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun, as we age our skin can’t do the job as well, plus our climate keeps us bundled up for most of the year. Even during times when we are exposed to those glorious rays, sun screen further diminishes our ability to produce the vitamin.

Certain foods like canned salmon, canned sardines and egg yolks also contain some vitamin D, and so does milk which has been fortified. Certain orange juices, plus some soya, almond and rice milks are also now fortified, but you have to read the labels to see which ones.

Debbie says even doing that can be confusing since not all manufacturers have changed their labels to take into account the new, higher recommended daily doses. For example, if a label hasn’t been updated and indicates your cup of fortified soya milk contains 15 per cent of your daily vitamin D requirements, it could mean you’re only getting 15 percent of 200 IUs, in-

stead of 15 per cent of the recommended 600 or 800 IUs. While diet is always important for good health, it is very difficult to get the recommended dosage of vitamin D from diet alone. “Most people need to take a supplement to meet their needs,” says Debbie. Vitamin D3 (the most common type) is readily available in most pharmacies and grocery stores that carry supplements. It usually comes in 400 IUs and 1,000 IU, and sometimes in 2,000 IU. From a more technical viewpoint, experts know that once we ingest vitamin D, either in food or supplements, it undergoes changes as the liver and then the kidneys work to metabolize it, making it useable for our bodies. Now, scientists are discovering it can also cause chemical changes in many other tissues as well. “That’s where a lot of the interest is happening,” says Debbie.

Okay, so we get that it’s essential for good bone health, especially as we age, but could it be that vitamin D is about to become the super vitamin of the future?

Time will tell, but we do know one thing. “It is getting the most attention right now,” says Debbie.

Women Get Stronger Bones When They Get Satisfaction

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atisfaction, like calcium, can help make bones stronger in boomer women.

Women aged 60 to 70 who are satisfied with their lives have a higher bone density and suffer from osteoporosis less frequently than their unsatisfied peers, according to research at the University of Eastern Finland.

The Finnish study included 1147 women who underwent bone density measurements in 1999, and again in 2009.

Life satisfaction was assessed by four questions relating to the study participants’ interest in and easiness of life, happiness, and loneliness.

Based on the answers, the study participants were divided into three groups: the satisfied, the middle group, and the unsatisfied.

During the 10-year follow-up, the bone density of all study participants weakened by an average of 4 per cent; however, the difference between the satisfied and the unsatisfied was as much as 52 per cent.

Changes in life satisfaction during the 10-year followup also affected bone density.

In persons whose life satisfaction deteriorated, the bone density weakened by 85 per cent in comparison to persons whose life satisfaction improved.

And what contributes to women’s satisfaction?

Why, a man’s opinion of how attractive they are.

Another series of studies published this week suggests that women who are told that men desire larger-body women are happier with their weight.

Women in three independent studies confirm that a woman’s body image is tied to her perception of what she thinks men prefer, said social psychologist Andrea Meltzer, an assistant professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

“On average, heterosexual women believe that heterosexual men desire ultra-thin women,” said Meltzer. “Consequently, this study suggests that interventions that alter women’s perception regarding men’s desires for ideal female body sizes may be effective at improving women’s body image.”

The findings could have significant implications for women’s health and well-being, Meltzer said.

Prior research has shown that women satisfied with their body and weight tend to eat healthier, exercise more, and have higher self-esteem.

They also tend to avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as excessive dieting and eating disorders, and they suffer less from depression.

In contrast, other research has demonstrated that women unhappy with their body and weight have less sex, less sexual satisfaction,and less marital satisfaction.

DESIGN STORIES WITH LEONIE CORNELIUS

Tropical Winter

Stunning lush planting to brighten up your Month

S

TUNNING orchids and ferns are a great way to brighten up the coldest month of the year. Inspired by a trip to Rio, Garden Designer and Interior Architect Leonie Cornelius creates some inspiring combinations.

There is no plant I know as beautiful and sensual as an Orchid. Its shape is so elegant and every time I see one I think of holiday and sunshine, and that’s exactly what inspired me to look a little closer at these flowers and create an arrangement. My recent holiday in Brazil, Orchid heaven I tell you, left me reeling with inspirational ideas and dying to have a closer look at the Orchid.

Everywhere you look in Rio de Janeiro, Orchids are tied to trees, producing aerial roots which feed off a minimal amount of soil and the moisture in the air. I had the pleasure of visitng the Jardim Botanico and their Orchid collection is stunningly set in a pure white glasshouse, a perfect backdrop for the colours of the flowers. Anyone that’s

ever had an Orchid knows that they are a tricky plant, fussy about soil and moisture as well as temperature. Below are some design ideas, colour combinations and tips for keeping your orchids looking great, year after year.

GET THE LOOK I chose a collection of orchid types for the arrangement based on heights and colours. I wanted to steer away a little bit from the expected Asian style single Orchid arrangement and instead create a more tropical kind of feel, a bold and fun colour explosion. For a while now orange and pink in combination have been a firm design favourite of mine. I love the peppery heat of the two combined, like a tropical sunset. The orchid colours I chose reflect every

allowing the roots to breathe.

The Wicker Man, Francis Presley, at Rathcormack Craft Village does some very beautiful ones.

These would be stunning contrast for a bright white space.

CARE There are over 21,000 types of orchid so for the sake of this article I will focus in a little on the amazing OrchiDiva® Cymbidium Supreme (top right and tallest in the main picture).

This orchid likes a place in the light, but not the full sun. The day temperature between should be between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius and a night temperature nuance of this idea. Glowing peachy oranges, golden yellows with dots of pinky-red and magenta pink with fuschia and cherry accents. Divine. If I could paint I would use those colours!

Speaking of art, having selected all these strong colours and focus plants I decided that they needed a little something to ground them. Like in a art composition or a song it is important to have both a main focus and supporting features. In this case I chose the Maidenhair fern and combined it with some moss at the base which creates a soft and moist bed for the plants.

CONTAINERS I love the idea of using wicker baskets for the this tropical idea as they give a bit of a rustic element to the very elegant and fresh arrangement, as well as

Page 18 Mature Living

between 10 and 13 degrees Celsius. Water this orchid approximately once a week, preferably with rainwater or soft water and treat once a month to plant food or special Orchid Nutrition. Tip: This orchid loves to get a dip bath of room temperature water once a month for 5 to 10 minutes, no wonder it’s called Diva!

DID YOU KNOW? Vanilla pods are the fruit of the Vanilla orchid. (V. planifolia) originally from Mexico?

Leonie Cornelius is an award winning garden designer-BLUME design house. @leonie_Cee

Health and Wellbeing

Homecare Pharmacy - Quality Patient Care with kindness and consideration

H

omecare Pharmacy located at Roemer Furniture, Pearse Road, Sligo was opened in February 2014 to provide specialist pharmacy products and services to the people of Sligo.

The business is run by Mandy Higgins, Pharmacist and Kieran O Doherty, Independent Living Advisor. The pharmacy provides care and assistance to patients who require specialist para pharmaceutical products and advice. The pharmacy also dispenses all types of prescriptions as well as traditional pharmacy products toiletries and cosmetics.

The priority of the pharmacy is Quality Patient Care with kindness and consideration.

We measure and supply elasticated compression stockings, sports injury and arthritic supports and advise on various pressure relieving cushions and an array of continence products. Visitors to the pharmacy can examine and receive advice on homecare and independent living products. Walking sticks, walking aids and rollators, shower chairs, raised toilet seating and commodes, kettle tippers, easy-grip cutlery, nonspill cups and ant-slip trays. In fact lots of helpful cleverly designed products that assist independent living.

We have a large range of foot care accessories both suitable for diabetic and arthritic conditions. We also stock the Cosyfeet Brand, the widest,

deepest and roomiest shoes you can buy. Cosyfeet shoes are suitable for anyone with problem toes, bunions, bandaging, misshapen feet or who need orthotics and are available in men’s and women’s sizes.

If you need nursing uniforms, medical clothing or tunics, you need travel no further than Homecare Pharmacy who now stock a variety of types. You can try on any of our extensive and growing range of colours and designs in our in-store fitting room.

Homecare Pharmacy offers a range of seating options with Orthopedic chairs which assist rising, ensure correct posture and minimise aches and pains. We also provide pressure-relieving cushions for medium to high risk pressure problems.

Homecare pharmacy has recently introduced its new post mastectomy prosthesis and bra fitting service. We’ve created just the right environment for women who require prosthesis, bra, lingerie and swimwear with friendly relaxed and supportive staff who are trained to meet your specific needs and ensure you are entirely satisfied with your final choice.

We have access to an extensive range of products from our supplier network throughout Europe and we are confident that we can source the most suitable items at best prices for our patients. We can also facilitate the rental of

expensive specialist equipment such as profiling beds, air mattresses, bath lifts, electric hoists, wheelchairs and riser recliner chairs for those returning home from hospital and who need these aids for a short period of time.

We recognise that healthcare is not just for business hours.

We operate a 24 hour emergency prescription service responding to the needs of our patients who have just left hospital A&E or a doctor on call service and need to access medication. We also offer a prescription collection and delivery service and will provide medication management systems to assist our patients dosage regimens.

The pharmacy is easy to access, located at Roemer Furniture on the Pearse Road and has ample free parking outside the door. We are open Monday through to Saturday with our Sunday service provided through our sister pharmacy at Wards on OConnell Street until 7pm.

Becoming a client of Homecare Pharmacy offers many unique advantages such as; • Access to a wide range of medical products and appropriate advice.

• Free and convenient parking outside the door.

• Prescription collection and delivery service for people who are unable to access their surgery or the pharmacy.

• Free Medicine Management System ensuring clients get

their proper medications at the appropriate times.

• The most cost-effective medicine prices for those who have to pay for their prescriptions.

• Customer care card offering the best rewards scheme on the market.

• 24 hour emergency prescription service to all clients of the pharmacy.

• Service with Care and Consideration.

To become a client of the pharmacy and avail of these fantastic facilities is as simple as calling in to us at the pharmacy or phoning Mandy or Kieran at 071 91 53444 who will be delighted to answer your queries.

“We look forward to being your partner in improving quality of life, promoting independent living and providing the best pharmaceutical care available”.

Homecare Pharmacy, Pearse Road, Sligo Tel: 071-9153444

Feature

More and more Irish people are deciding to take short breakaways and juding by some of the offers that hotels have all year round it is no surprise.

T

here was a time when going and staying in a hotel seemed like the impossible but nowadays there is some excellent value out there for someone wanting to getaway for a couple of nights and enjoy all that our hotels have to offer. From evening meals to spa treatments to choice is endless.

In 2012, just over 7 million trips were taken by Irish residents within the Republic, with an associated expenditure of ₏1.3 billion Sixty-five per cent of Irish residents took a domestic holiday in 2012 – up 8 percentage points on 2011. The incidence of short trips (1-3 nights) rose by 5 percentage points at the expense of longer (4+ nights) which declined by 2 percentage points.

What did they do on holiday?

Activities engaged in on holiday Visiting national parks (23%) and houses/castles (22%) were the most popular leisure pursuits for domestic holidaymakers while hiking/walking (22%) and water-sports1 (22%) were the most popular active pursuits.

Visits to a spa (20%) are important aspects of a domestic holiday break while 18% and 17% visited heritage/interpretive centres and/or gardens respectively.

Were they happy with overall value for money?

Thirty-three per cent of holidaymakers considered value for money as very good with 53% rating it good. Just over 1% were dissatisfied with the value for money on offer.

Satisfaction with holiday break Ninety-eight per cent of domestic holidaymakers reported being satisfied with their holiday in Ireland in 2012 with just 2% registering dissatisfaction. Of those who were satisfied, 77% reported being very satisfied with 21% being fairly satisfied.

Advantages/disadvantages of holidaying in Ireland Avoiding the inconvenience of air/sea travel (38%) is the advantage most often cited for holidaying in Ireland. Having lots of things to see & do (17%) and being less expensive than going abroad (14%) are the next most important advantages given.

Page 20 Mature Living

Golden Years Breaks at the Four Star Clayton Hotel, Galway Over 55's packages 1 Night Dinner B&B Package from €59pps 2 Night’s Dinner B&B Package from €109pps 3 Night’s Dinner B&B Package from €159pps (No Single Supplement Applies) Our packages include: • Luxurious accommodation with Full Irish Breakfast each morning and dinner each evening in the Enclosure Bar & Bistro • One Full Guided Day Tour of either Connemara or the Cliffs of Moher with 3 day package • Tea & Homemade Scones on one afternoon (Only applies to 3 Night Pckages) • Free Parking & Complimentary News Paper • Complimentary access to Leisure Centre incl.

20m pool, Sauna, Steam Room (The above are valid Sun – Thu. inclusive or weekends at an additional cost)

Call (091) 721900 Email: reservations@clayton.ie Web: www.clayton.ie Ballybrit, Co. Galway

Feature

Golden Moments at Mount Falcon - Free Night included!

Three nights of luxurious accommodation and dinner on one evening from our Bistro menu. Brush up on your golf with complimentary access to the driving range or spend an hour in the Elemis spa with a €25 euro credit toward a 60minute facial or massage. Relax in the 17m pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. Visit the famous Foxford Woolen Mills where you will enjoy 10% off in their bountiful gift shop.

3 nights for the p r of 2…… ice for

only €1 99 per pers on sharing !

• Subject to availability at time booking • All packages in Mount Falcon are subject to a 5% service charge

MOUNT FALCON, FOXFORD ROAD, BALLINA, CO. MAYO • TEL: 096-74472 • FAX: 096-74473 EMAIL: EVENTS@MOUNTFALCON.COM • WEB: WWW.MOUNTFALCON.COM

Ennistymon Co. Clare

Spring Bridge Breaks @ The Falls Hotel February 22nd - 26th • March 22nd - 26th

• Transport from Train Station to the Hotel included • Bridge Clinics every Morning after Breakfast • Organised Day Trips around county Clare • Afternoon Activities in the Hotel including: Dancing, Aqua Aerobics, Flower Arranging & More!

• Tea, Coffee & Scone on Arrival at the Hotel • A Choice Dinner Each Evening in Cascades Restaurant Followed by Bridge Evening Session • Entertainment in Dylan Thomas Bar Every Night

€260 per person

4 night’s Dinner & B&B No Single Supplement!

Contact Reservations at the Falls Hotel & Spa for bookings andmore details on 065-7071004 or email reservations@fallshotel.ie • www.fallshotel.ie

REOPENING FRIDAY 13TH MARCH

Over 50’s Special Offer 2 Nights B&B and 2 Dinners only €278 Tea & Scones & Newspapers

4 Course Dinners / Full Use of Leisure Centre

Special Midweek Offer B&B for 2 People only €99 20% off Spa Treatments Available Sun-Thurs

Special Midweek Offer B&B for 2 People & Dinner only €129 Includes 2 Course Meal Available Sun-Thurs

Special Weekend Offer 2 Nights B&B and 1 Dinner only €238 Includes Full Use of Leisure Centre

20% off all Spa treatments with all offers ( excludes special offers / t&c's apply )

Local Activities:

Lough Key Forest Park www.loughkey.ie, Moorlands Equestrian Centre www.moorlands.ie, Electric Bike Trails www.electricbiketrails.com Arigna Mining Museum www.arignaminingexperience.ie, Indoor Airsoft Shooting & Archery www.carrickindoorshooting.com

Irish Music Legends Tweed back and rocking in Castlebar!! laughs and says “We won’t be waiting so long next time for us to get together!” The fans of Tweed will be delighted to hear it!

This year also happens to be the 40th anniversary of The Miami Showband Massacre and Showband Stories have requested that the story of Kilkenny Rock legends, Tweed, should be featured at a Showband Stories special live event, in the coming months.

Miami Showband survivor, Des Lee, will appear as a special guest on the show, hosted by his

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he excitement is building for Tweed fans for the Irish Pop Gods highly anticipated gig in the The Royal Theatre, Castlebar, Sunday, 15th March, 8pm.

Tweed – one of Ireland’s top pop bands in the ‘70s and early ‘80s were part of the ‘new sound’ that swept across the Irish Ballroom scene in the early seventies and went on to enjoy many years of great success.

Ballina native, Liam Brennan says: “I was delighted to be approached to manage the reformed band. This is Tweed's first gig in Mayo since the 80's and they were and are still the ultimate performers, reproducing the hits of the day with amazing quality and detail.

I hope fans will book their tickets early so as they will not

former band member & survivor, Stephen Travers, to draw attention to the courage and bravery of Irish bands during “The Troubles” and to highlight how vitally important popular bands like Tweed were to both traditions in the North during those dark days.

Tweed has a long and colourful history and the band’s roots include a surprising range of diverse musical influences and Showband Stories bookends a wonderful time of hope, innocence and excitement and, above all, the new-found

freedom of a people confident enough to create its own constellation of stars whose unprecedented popularity changed the cultural, economic and social structure of a country forever.

Manager of Tweed, Liam Brennan’s parting words are: “Come to the gig and bring your dancing shoes!”

Need I say more? This will be a gem of a gig, don’t miss out.

Tickets: €18 Contact: 094 9023111 The Royal Theatre, Castlebar, Sunday, 15th March, www.theroyal.ie

Eithne Cosgrove, Director of Sales & Marketing, said that from a marketing perspective “it is assuring that when selling the Hotel, I am able to sell and

recommend with confidence.

These Awards are a quality assurance for our customers and a great differentiation in the market-place”.

be disappointed. The reformed Tweed band, which now consists of an eight piece set up with founding members, Brendan Ryder (Lead Vocals and Guitar), Michael O’Grady (keyboards), Tony Ford (Bass), Arthur Connick (Trombone), Dave Hallissey (Sax & Vocals), Johnny Scully (Vocals and Trumpet), Gay Brazel (Guitar) and Brian Doran (Drums) and a first ever album release, Title, NOW & THEN, of the band’s singles will be released later this month”. It’s available on iTunes and from SHARPE Music, Dungannon presently.

With upcoming touring commitments in support of their album, the band will have ample opportunity to further gel and hone their majestic sound. Gay Brazel, guitarist,

6 in a Row for Hotel Westport!

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t a reception in Dublin Castle on Tuesday 27th January, Hotel Westport struck 6 in a row at the 25th CIE Tours International Awards of Excellence, presented by Vivienne Jupp, Chairman and Brian Stack, Managing Director, CIE Tours International.

Thirteen overall category winners from around the country were chosen according to customer feedback. Winners ranged from Best 5 Star Hotel Award to Best Hotel Service Award. In addition a Hall of Fame Award was presented to Liam Murray, Blarney Co. Cork who has provided guiding services for CIE Tours for fifteen years.

Mr. Brian Stack, Managing Director of CIE Tours

International said: “Since 1932, CIE Tours has brought in excess of three million visitors to Ireland. 2014 was another successful year with revenues up almost 10% on 2013 levels.

We booked in the region of 400,000 bed nights across Ireland and our success is due to the excellent service provided by hundreds of service providers around the country.” He also said that “Based on the fact that the economy in our largest market, the United States is growing strongly, together with a substantial increase in the number of available passenger air seats to Ireland, we are optimistic that 2015 will be as good as 2014”.

The winners of the Awards of Excellence are chosen from an

independent valuation of feedback surveys completed by over 30, 000 CIE Tours International customers. The list includes both category winners as well as those who have received a merit award which is made to those who have achieved over 90% in customer feedback.

A delighted Hotel General Manager, Declan Heneghan said that “a commitment to quality Is proving to be a successful business strategy for Hotel Westport. This award is further testament to the commitment of all the team here to attaining and maintaining that goal.

Guests above all want standards and quality, and an engaged workforce are energised by this recognition”. Equally up beat

Motoring

Prepare Your Car for BAD Weather W intersing your vehicle is a wise idea. An investment of an hour or two to have your vehicle checked is all it takes to have peace of mind and help avoid the cost and hassle of a breakdown during severe

weather. “The last thing any driver needs is a vehicle that breaks down in cold, harsh winter weather,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “A vehicle check before the temperatures drop is a sensible way to avoid the

inconvenience of being stranded out in the cold and with the unexpected expense of emergency repairs.”

The Car Care Council recommends the following nine steps for winterizing your vehicle. Have the battery and

charging system checked for optimum performance. Cold weather is hard on batteries.

Clean, flush and put new antifreeze in the cooling system. As a general rule of thumb, this should be done every two years.

Make sure heaters, defrosters and wipers work properly.

Consider winter wiper blades and use cold weather washer fluid. As a general rule, wiper blades should be replaced every six months.

Check the tire tread depth and tire pressure. If snow and ice are a problem in your area, consider special tires designed to grip slick roads. During winter, tire pressure should be checked weekly.

Be diligent about changing the oil and filter at recommended intervals. Dirty oil can spell trouble in winter. Consider changing to “winter weight” oil if you live in a cold climate.

Have your technician check the fuel, air and transmission filters at the same time. If you’re due for a tune-up, have it done before winter sets in. Winter magnifies existing problems such as pings, hard starts, sluggish performance or rough idling.

Blindly obeying satnav 'could endanger lives'

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ne in seven admit to making illegal manoeuvres on the road to get back on track when following a satnav, which charity Brake says risks causing "a devastating crash" Obeying the commands of a satnav without thinking could place drivers in

Page 26 Mature Living

mortal danger reveals a survey which shows that more than one in seven have made illegal manoeuvres to correct mistakes.

The road safety charity Brake, which was behind the survey, said that this places “themselves and other road users at risk of

a devastating crash”. It also says that there is evidence that using a satnav can make you drive faster and be less observant.

Results also revealed that one in 14 (seven per cent) of drivers have had a near miss, having to swerve or brake suddenly to avoid a hazard, because they were distracted by a satnav. This rises to 11 per cent among young drivers aged between 17 and 24.

One in 14 drivers also admitted to having a similar near miss because they were fiddling with their stereo.

Through a campaign called Drive Smart, Brake is calling on all drivers to make a New Year’s resolution to keep their eyes on the road. That means programming your satnav before you set off,

and not attempting to reprogramme it, fiddle with your stereo, use a mobile, or do anything else while driving.

Research shows that carrying out a "secondary activity" makes you two to three times more likely to crash. Last month Jaguar revealed a “360 Virtual Urban Windscreen” which projects a ghost car on the windscreen for the driver to follow. The company claims that the ‘Follow-Me Ghost Car Navigation’ technology which is still under development but could one day be a feature of its cars - will keep the driver’s eyes on the road and reduce distraction to reduce the potential for accidents. And the virtual windscreen would give the driver a better view and prevent accidents

Have the brakes checked. The braking system is the vehicle’s most important safety item.

Have the exhaust system checked for carbon monoxide leaks, which can be especially dangerous during cold weather driving when windows are closed. Check to see that exterior and interior lights work and headlights are properly aimed. Motorists should also keep the gas tank at least half full at all times to decrease the chances of moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing. Drivers should check the tire pressure of the spare in the trunk and stock an emergency kit with an ice scraper and snowbrush, jumper cables, flashlight, flares, blanket, extra clothes, candles/matches, bottled water, dry food snacks and needed medication.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council’s Car Care Guide or for more information, visit www.carcare.org.

The safest cars you can buy

T

he best performing cars in the independent Euro NCAP crash tests throughout 2014 revealed

The Nissan Qashqai scored more points for safety in the Euro NCAP independent crash tests than any other car in the small family car class tested throughout 2014. The Mercedes-Benz C-class was the best performing large family car. The new Skoda Fabia was the top-rated small hatchback. In the small MPV category, the Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan took the honours while the Land Rover Discovery Sport was named the best small off-road 4x4.

CAR INTERIOR DESIGN • Upholstery • Sunroofs • Entertainment • Glass Tint • Mobility • Accessories

CAR INTERIOR DESIGN can accomodate specific customer taste and individuality. We bring to the marketplace a professional team of craftsmen who understand the importance of the perfect interior.

From initial consultation on the design, colours, trim and materials to creating the desired driving environment. Our fully qualified staff of craftsmen, trimmers and technicians are capable of vehicle interior soultions which will delight the most demanding of clients.

We can incorporate requests from sunroofs to lumber support all combined to achieve the perfect motoring experience. From our dedicated workshops in Galway City we can service a national client base. Our good customer relations is verified with much of our business coming from existing customers or referal from satisfied clients.

We are a designated agent in Ireland for ELAP car mobility solutions.

ELAP specialise in mobility solutions for car access. ELAP is the original and leading rotating car seat manufacturer.

Phone 091 767439 • Mobile 087 7904736 • declan@carinteriordesign.ie • www.carinteriordesign.ie Car Interior Design, Unit 6, Glenrock Business Park, Ballybane, Galway

2011 Ford Focus, 1.6 Diesel 61,000 miles..................€3,950

2011 Volkswagen Jetta, 1.6 Diesel, 70,000 miles....€15,950

2008 BMW 3 Series, 1.6 Petrol, 81,401 miles...................€9,950

2012 BMW 520, 2.0 Diesel, 42,000 miles.................€32,950

2011 Opel Vivaro, 2.0 Diesel 31,317 miles.................€12,950

2012 Ford Mondeo, 1.6 Diesel, 59,000 miles....€16,950

2009 Ford S-Max, 1.8 Diesel, 67,000 miles...............€15,950

2011 Peugeot Partner, 1.6 Diesel, 57,000 miles......€8,950

2004 Toyota Avensis, 1.6 Petrol, 147,000 miles....€2,950

2002 Toyota Yaris, 1.0 Petrol, 109,000 miles.................€2,750

2005 Chrysler Pt Cruiser, 2.2 Dsl, 109,000 miles.........€3,950

2008 Mazda Mazda6, 2.0 Dsl, 149,133 miles................€7,950

Kiltimagh Road, Knock, Co. Mayo - Phone: 0949388371 - Fax: 0949388030 Email: info@kieranwheltonmotors.ie • www.kieranwheltonmotors.ie

Motoring

5%

D is c o u n Unit 2, Ardnaree, Ballina, Co. Mayo

• • • • •

Servicing • Panel Beating Tracking • Parts Light Setting NCT Preperation Valeting • Recovery

w it h t h t is Ad v e rt

www.ap-motors.eu

Ariel Dym 086-376-1953 • 086-8978395 Motoring

REPAIRS & RECOVERY Norm's Auto Repairs based in Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim specialises in Car Servicing, DOE & NCT Preparation, Trailer Repairs, Farm Machinery Repairs & Vehicle Computerised Diagnostics across Leitrim & Roscommon.

24 Hour Breakdown Assistance & Recovery • Car Service • Car Repair • NCT Preperation • DOE Preperation • NCT Failure • DOE Failure • Diagnostics • Tractor Repair • Trailer Repair • Machinery Repair • 24 Hour Break Down & Recovery

Norm's Auto Repairs, Boyle Road, Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim • M: 0871725572 Open: Monday - Saturday: 8.00am - Late • On Call Sundays Email: normsautorepairs@gmail.com

Motoring

MARTIN

Turlough, Castlebar, County Mayo • Telephone: 087 257 3949 or 094 903 1251 • www.martinmchughcars.ie

We carry a range of quality used cars and commercial vehicles.

As well as offering our personal service to all customers, we pride ourselves in our service and value.

Our motto is "What We Sell, We Service". Our stock generally consists of approximately 15 to 20 carefully selected vehicles ranging from 5years old to present day. These will generally be one or two owner vehicles complete with full main dealer service histories Martin McHugh started the business in 1989 and has 35 years experience in the motor industry.

CURRENT CARS IN STOCK 2013 Toyota Avensis Strata - as new 2012 Toyota Corolla D4d 2010 Toyota Auris TR 5 Door 2012 Skoda Octavia TDi - Sat Nav 2001 Ford Focus V-Tec TDi 2006 Toyota Avensis Strata 2003 Audi A4 TDi 2004 VW Passat TDi 2011 Volvo S40 Diesel • Selling New and Second Hand Cars • Leasing and Finance Confidentially 2005 Toyota Corolla Saloon arranged • Contract Car Leasing • Car Repair Services • Supply Quality 2001 Opel Astra Hatchback - NCT 2004 Seat Ibiza TyresFit quality tyres at reasonable prices Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 9am - 6pm / Sat: 10am - 2pm / Sun: Closed

Located in Galway, “Ken Carroll Adaptations” adapts most makes of cars and vans for drivers or passengers with physical disabilities. Our service list includes; Swivel seats, push and pull hand controls, Infra red steering wheel spinners, Left foot accelerators, Wheelchair accessible vehicle adaptations, boot hoists, child seats and safety harnesses.

KEN CARROLL ADAPTATIONS Cloonacauneen, Claregalway, Co. Galway T: 091 798 098 • M: 087 250 2923 E: kencarrolladaptations@gmail.com www.kencarrolladaptations.ie

Depression

Depression in later life W

orldwide, life expectancy is increasing. Currently about 10% of the world’s population is made up of older adults (aged 65 and above). This figure is set to rise steadily, to as much as 30% in some societies.

To put this in context we need to look at some figures: in 1950 the population of the world’s elderly was 200 million and this

is estimated to rise to 1.2 billion by 2025, a six fold increase in only 75 years. The most significant increase in older people living longer is found, not surprisingly, in developed countries like Ireland whose birth rate along with other European countries has been falling. For mental health, these changing shifts in our population structure, will mean an increase in conditions such

as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, but also in depressive disorders. Depression affects about one in ten people aged over 65, making it the most common of the mental health disorders of later life.

While this large population of older people will have greater financial resources and political influence to demand quality care when needed, the challenge will be to organise

Adjusting to becoming old and being old

healthcare services to respond by offering early intervention for illnesses to prevent them becoming chronic or disabling.

There is evidence from ongoing research into the treatment of depression, that it is a treatable condition and that the benefits of treatment, for the individual, families and society, are immense. This guide will emphasise the need to raise awareness about depression

amongst older people and their families. It will stress the need for a positive approach to detection and assessment, through to treatment and prevention. It aims to help bridge the gap between the knowledge about depression and current practice by encouraging people to seek help earlier, armed with information about the nature of depression and its treatment.

WHAT IS DEPRESSION? Depression is a disabling illness and in some cases, if undetected and untreated, can result in suicide. It is much different from the responses of grief and sorrow to the losses and changes in life, in that even the most basic everyday task is affected by a continuous and severe sadness. Those who suffer from it report that severe depression changes life completely.

The symptoms of depression are:

M

ost elderly people experience the same range of normal emotions, depending on circumstances and events, as they have done during other periods in their lives. Most elderly people are as satisfied with their lives as at any other age, and enjoy their retirement, their interests, their families and their friends. Despite the increased likelihood of losing a loved one or of physical illness or disability, old age is not necessarily a time of sadness and depression. The majority of older people have the resources of a lifetime of experience to face, in a positive way, the various changes that occur at this stage of their lives. However, for some older people the challenges can be great, and tremendous strain is placed on their ability to cope effectively. As a result they experience increasing distress, anxiety, demoralisation and loneliness. In some cases, increased distress is the start of mental health problems in old age.

In other cases, it represents a time of increased suffering which, nonetheless, is finally dealt with constructively. Various

Page 30 Mature Living

factors influence a person’s ability to cope with stress. These include: past experience and personality, the meaning given to current problems, their way of dealing with previous stresses, resources available to the person – both their own, and the friendship, love and support from others. There are, however, stresses that have particular association with mental health problems among the elderly especially: widow(er)hood moving house, especially moving into a nursing home retirement ill health and loss of independence Psychologists have studied the adjustments that older people must make such as facing death, finding meaning in life despite loss of role, status or health, and facing regrets and disappointments.

They have highlighted how inner conflict in the face of these changes could set the scene for significant anxiety and depression.

Feelings – of sadness and or anxiety Energy – lacking in energy Sleep – over or under sleeping Thinking – sluggishly or negatively Interest – lost, in food, sex, or daily events Value – not valuing oneself Aches – headaches, chest or other pains with no physical cause Living – seeing no point in living Depression affects behaviour, relationships, emotions, motivation, thinking, sleep and other bodily functions. The person who could mix well socially suddenly becomes isolated and keeps to themselves.

Everything is too much trouble and personal appearance is neglected.

The capacity for enjoyment is reduced or disappears altogether.

Appetite can be affected, resulting in the individual not enjoying food anymore and so losing weight.

Often, sleep is disrupted and waking early in the morning may be made

worse by the mood being at its lowest in the mornings. Severe depression reduces motivation and slows mind and body. Often it distorts thinking and even memories, leaving the person preoccupied with negative themes such as poor physical health, guilt, self-reproach and unworthiness.

Agitation and anxiety sometimes complicate depression and may paralyse the person’s capacity to make decisions or manifest itself in constant seeking for comfort and reassurance. There may also be more tearfulness than usual. Mania is far less common than depression in older people and often occurs in persons with a long standing bipolar disorder. If a person has experienced one or more manic episodes then they would be classified as having bipolar disorder rather than a pure depressive (unipolar) disorder.

New episodes of mania in an older person may occur following a stroke The elation in older people may be characterised less by feelings of well being and more by irritability and agitation.

If an individual has 4 or more of the

symptoms of depression, for 2 weeks or more, they may be suffering from a depressive episode and should consult their doctor.

Symptoms and signs of late life depression It is known that ageing may heighten some features of depression and suppress others.

But overall it is important to stress the similarity of depression between various age groups. Older people are often reluctant and embarrassed to describe psychological or emotional issues. Often a common feature of depression is complaints about memory difficulties that are distressing, and anxiety symptoms may dominate the clinical picture but are actually secondary to the depression.

Relatives will often point to a lack of interest and motivation.

Behavioural problems such as uncharacteristic hostility, frequent unexplained falls, irritability or increased alcohol use may also point to a depressive picture. Suicidal ideas should be probed, as older males have a particularly high rate of completed suicide often through indirect means, such as self-induced starvation or dehydration, or failure to take important medical drugs.

Causes of depression in later life There are factors in a person’s background that constitute a risk for depression and life events which often bring it about. Against these are factors which are protective, sometimes called buffers. These include psychosocial factors, such as social support and the security of a person’s surroundings. It is usually the interplay of these that determines whether a person develops depressive disorder, rather than one particular factor. This is why some people develop depression in the absence of an adverse life event, and why in others a major life event does not lead to a depression.

It’s important to emphasise two points: Firstly, that depression in an older person after a serious life

event, such as a bereavement, does not make the depression ‘understandable’ and therefore not worth treating.

Secondly, becoming old in itself does not necessarily lead to the development of a depressive disorder.

Factors associated with depression in older people include: female gender past history of depression family history of depression widow(er)hood poverty living in an institution poor physical health lack of social support personality brain changes (stroke disease)

Management of late life depression

Obstacles to recognising depression in older adults

A physical examination may also be required as may a range of blood tests or other investigations. The doctor may decide to refer the patient to specialist services if the patient is at risk of suicide or selfneglect. If the symptoms are severe (such as psychotic features) or if the patient has complex problems or lacks social supports, they may be referred to hospital.

Despite various efforts, depression is still frequently under-diagnosed in older people.

Just as becoming depressed is usually the result of a combination of physical, psychological and social factors, so the pathway out of

depression is also complex. Most elderly people with a depressive disorder will therefore require some combination of physical, psychological and social interventions to achieve the best recovery and, just as important, to maintain that recovery and prevent relapse. Ideally the management of depressive disorders involves specialists such as nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and psychologists. A treatment plan should be agreed with the patient and their families to outline the goals; when they are to be reviewed; what treatment is to be given and by whom.

Correcting the myths It is vital to stress that depression is not a normal part of the ageing process.

However, people in general still associate many symptoms of depression with ageing because less is expected of older adults after retirement. Society has long held the view that growing old is equated with misery and this has been reflected in literature, mythology and attitudes. Depression is seen as an understandable reaction to growing old. This bias towards accepting and tolerating a lower level of functioning among older people is also held by many health professionals. It ignores the potentially serious consequences of untreated depression. The symptoms are both physical and psychological and can interfere with the

person’s ability to carry out the most basic of daily activities. The diagnosis of depression may prove more difficult as carers and professionals may be unsure about vague indistinct symptoms expressed by older individuals. The older person may focus on physical ailments rather than feelings, leading the doctor to focus on possible chronic physical illness and thus overlook depressive symptoms. Many symptoms of depression overlap with all sorts of physical illness in older persons making life difficult for the diagnosing doctor. If an elderly person has dementia, the dementia can hide the diagnosis of depression and a potentially treatable aspect of this illness can go untreated.

The greatest falsehood about ageing shared by many older people, professionals and policymakers, is that ageing and mortality are synonymous. Consequently depression in later life is seen as being justified and understandable as all seniors descend into dependency and disability.

This ignores the individual experience of ageing and leads to stereotyped generalisations about older people. Old age can be a time of freedom and opportunity, new roles such as grandparenthood, perhaps part-time or voluntary working. Expectations about health

are changing and increasingly the boundaries of optimal physical and psychological functioning are being pushed back through new technology, illness prevention and holistic treatment approaches. One of the most compelling reasons for seeking treatment of an illness like late life depression is that up to 80% of clinically depressed people can be successfully treated and even substantial relief given to those with depressive symptoms being part of an illness like dementia. For that reason old age may predict to some extent, but no longer defines decline and disability.

SUPPORING ORGANISATIONS Age Action Ireland Ltd 30/31 Lower Camden Street Dublin 2 Tel: (01) 4756 989 Email: info@ageaction.ie or Library@ageaction.ie Website: www.ageaction.ie Age Action Ireland aims to improve the quality of life of older people, especially those who are most vulnerable. Acts as a network of organisations providing services for older people and carers in Ireland. Provides a library and information services.

Alone 1 Willie Bermingham Place Kilmainham Lane Dublin 8 Tel: (01) 679 1032 Fax: (01) 679 1032 Website: www.alone.ie Alone aims to promote awareness of older people’s problems.

Friends of the Elderly 25 Bolton Street Dublin 1 Tel: 873 1855 Fax: 873 1617 Email: info@friendsoftheelderly.ie Website: Friends of the Elderly aims to combat the loneliness of elderly people by providing friendship, social contact and opportunities for involvement in community activities, and helping them become

more fully integrated in their own communities. Services include social contact, home and hospital visiting, transport, holidays, outings and parties.

Federation of Active Retirement Associations Shamrock Chambers 1-2 Eustace Street Dublin 2 Tel/Fax: 679 2142 Email: fara@eircom.net Website: www.fara.ie Self help organisation which helps to make retirement meaningful and enjoyable through participation in social, cultural and recreational activities.

Senior Help Line Third Age Centre Summerhill Co Meath Tel/Fax: (046 95) 57766 Helpline: 1850 440 444 (7 days, 10am-1pm & 7pm-10pm) Email: thirdage@indigo.ie or info@thirdageireland.com Website: www.thirdage-ireland.com Voluntary helpline for older people, run by older volunteers. Offering support to isolated and lonely older people.

Article courtesy of Aware

Page 31 Mature Living

Travel -

Compiled by Gerry Walsh

I

T is that time of year again when thoughts of vacations are on the agenda . . . and our advice to readers is to give strong consideration to a river cruise.

Uniworld have just introduced some fantastic offers not to be missed and for those of you who haven’t ventured on such a holiday just yet I take an opportunity to tell you what to expect.

I can say this from personal experience as just over a year ago I had the good fortune to spend eight glorious days on the Danube, courtesy of Uniworld. I didn’t know what to expect since such a trip was a new departure for me . . . and it was late February. It is no exaggeration to say that I was blown away with the experience. Not alone did I experience some countries and cities I had not visited previously but I enjoyed a level of hospitality, friendliness, and professionalism (from Uniworld staff) I had never witnessed with any package-type holiday before this. While the guided tours, the fine dining, the views and range of activities on the programme were exceptional it was the simple things – the opportunity to relax, to make new friends, to leave the world behind and do nothing if you wished, or simply lounge for hours on the top deck – that made the cruise so memorable. Then maybe we were lucky – the weather was unbelievable for that time of year.

Page 32 Mature Living

For even more great offers log on to www.uniworld.ie or call them on 01 775 3803.

Bordeaux, Vineyards & Châteaux BORDEAUX TO BORDEAUX | 8 DAYS Departing 29th March.

Was €2,688pps NOW €1,399pps

Our group was impressed with the all-inclusive nature of the package. We could eat and drink as much as we needed, whenever we needed to, enjoy an array of on-board entertainment and signature lectures and take in the spectacular scenery. There was always somebody at hand to cater for our needs. We could retire to our state-rooms to read or have a nap . . . even avail of the library facilities – what a wonderful life!

For those of us with a desire for more physical activity we enjoyed a lovely bike ride along the Danube and a memorable trek in the hills above Passau (the visit to the lovely beer garden in the valley had its moments, also!). The guided tours (which included options of doing as locals do) of cities like

Budapest, Vienna and Salzberg and lovely quaint villages like Durstein and Passau, provided enlightenment for us and some historical perspective. It also allowed us partake of the local cuisine and experience local entertainment. As the Wachau Valley is particularly noted for wine-making we had to endure an entire morning of private organic wine-tasting. Somebody just had to do it. With every meal on board we were treated to a rich selection of complimentary craft and local beers chosen by acclaimed sommeliers.

I will never forget the exclusive concert in Vienna, given by members of the renowned Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Unforgettable, also, for me as I almost missed it. I

missed the bus from the boat (not an unusual occurrence, some of my friends would say).

However, a special taxi was arranged and three members of the “crew” were delegated to meet me at the theatre to make sure I made it to my seat. I could get used to that kind of treatment.

So, before you consider this year’s vacation check out what Uniworld has to offer. When you consider what you can experience over eight days on the Danube or Bordeaux, Vineyard and Chateau, it is difficult to look anywhere else.

The details are provided here...

Enchanting Danube BUDAPEST TO PASSAU | 8 DAYS Departing 5th April Was €2,898pps NOW €1,619pps (Based on a category 4 river view stateroom) Waltz your way along the Danube, sailing from one captivating city to the next.

Discover the plentiful UNESCO World Heritage sites as you visit Budapest, the beautiful “Queen of the Danube,” and

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

breathtaking Vienna, the “Waltz Capital of the World.”

Experience delightful Salzburg, the charming village of Dürnstein, and Passau, home to Europe’s largest pipe organ.

Stroll through the Old Town of Linz, explore the beautiful countryside, and get a close-up view of the enchanting Danube during a bicycle ride along its tranquil shores. All along the way, delve into the flavours of the region with exclusive events ranging from an organic wine tasting of the Wachau Valley’s world-famous Rieslings to a saffron workshop. Let the “Enchanting Danube” carry you away on this regal journey, as centuries of intriguing history and culture unfold before your eyes.

Included in the price is an upgrade to a Category 4 riverview stateroom. airport transfers, port taxes, 7 night cruise on board your ultra-luxury river cruise ship, all meal and drinks, gratuities, daily excursions to cities and towns that you will dock at, internet and wife, and all entertainment and cultural enrichment programmes onboard.

Discover the unparalleled riches of Aquitaine and its charming capital city, Bordeaux. From its noble châteaux to its breathtaking estuary, Bordeaux is an oenophile’s paradise and every traveller’s dream. You’ll sail three stunning rivers—the Garonne, the Dordogne, and the Gironde—on one amazing journey, all aboard your elegant floating hotel. Throughout your journey, you’ll be treated to a sumptuous display of culinary magic. Taste regional delights, including duck confit, caviar

d’Aquitaine, and oysters. And delve deeply into the Bordeaux region’s exalted wines. You’ll taste lovely Médoc vintages; visit the cellars of Premier Grand Cru in Saint-Émilion, where you’ll savour the world’s most highly rated wines; and embark upon a study of Sauternes (this region’s sweet vin), meeting the winemakers and enjoying a winepairing lunch at Châteaux d’Arche.

With great food and wine; the charming towns of Bergerac, Saint-Émilion, and Bordeaux; and

ample time to take in the breathtaking scenery, you´ll discover the douceur de vivre(sweet life) this region is known for.

Included in the price is a Category 3 riverview stateroom, airport transfers, port taxes, 7 night cruise on board your ultraluxury river cruise ship, all meal and drinks, gratuities, daily excursions to cities and towns that you will dock at, internet and wifi, and all entertainment and cultural enrichment programmes onboard.

Page 33 Mature Living

Travel -

Compiled by Gerry Walsh

I

T is that time of year again when thoughts of vacations are on the agenda . . . and our advice to readers is to give strong consideration to a river cruise.

Uniworld have just introduced some fantastic offers not to be missed and for those of you who haven’t ventured on such a holiday just yet I take an opportunity to tell you what to expect.

I can say this from personal experience as just over a year ago I had the good fortune to spend eight glorious days on the Danube, courtesy of Uniworld. I didn’t know what to expect since such a trip was a new departure for me . . . and it was late February. It is no exaggeration to say that I was blown away with the experience. Not alone did I experience some countries and cities I had not visited previously but I enjoyed a level of hospitality, friendliness, and professionalism (from Uniworld staff) I had never witnessed with any package-type holiday before this. While the guided tours, the fine dining, the views and range of activities on the programme were exceptional it was the simple things – the opportunity to relax, to make new friends, to leave the world behind and do nothing if you wished, or simply lounge for hours on the top deck – that made the cruise so memorable. Then maybe we were lucky – the weather was unbelievable for that time of year.

Page 32 Mature Living

For even more great offers log on to www.uniworld.ie or call them on 01 775 3803.

Bordeaux, Vineyards & Châteaux BORDEAUX TO BORDEAUX | 8 DAYS Departing 29th March.

Was €2,688pps NOW €1,399pps

Our group was impressed with the all-inclusive nature of the package. We could eat and drink as much as we needed, whenever we needed to, enjoy an array of on-board entertainment and signature lectures and take in the spectacular scenery. There was always somebody at hand to cater for our needs. We could retire to our state-rooms to read or have a nap . . . even avail of the library facilities – what a wonderful life!

For those of us with a desire for more physical activity we enjoyed a lovely bike ride along the Danube and a memorable trek in the hills above Passau (the visit to the lovely beer garden in the valley had its moments, also!). The guided tours (which included options of doing as locals do) of cities like

Budapest, Vienna and Salzberg and lovely quaint villages like Durstein and Passau, provided enlightenment for us and some historical perspective. It also allowed us partake of the local cuisine and experience local entertainment. As the Wachau Valley is particularly noted for wine-making we had to endure an entire morning of private organic wine-tasting. Somebody just had to do it. With every meal on board we were treated to a rich selection of complimentary craft and local beers chosen by acclaimed sommeliers.

I will never forget the exclusive concert in Vienna, given by members of the renowned Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Unforgettable, also, for me as I almost missed it. I

missed the bus from the boat (not an unusual occurrence, some of my friends would say).

However, a special taxi was arranged and three members of the “crew” were delegated to meet me at the theatre to make sure I made it to my seat. I could get used to that kind of treatment.

So, before you consider this year’s vacation check out what Uniworld has to offer. When you consider what you can experience over eight days on the Danube or Bordeaux, Vineyard and Chateau, it is difficult to look anywhere else.

The details are provided here...

Enchanting Danube BUDAPEST TO PASSAU | 8 DAYS Departing 5th April Was €2,898pps NOW €1,619pps (Based on a category 4 river view stateroom) Waltz your way along the Danube, sailing from one captivating city to the next.

Discover the plentiful UNESCO World Heritage sites as you visit Budapest, the beautiful “Queen of the Danube,” and

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

breathtaking Vienna, the “Waltz Capital of the World.”

Experience delightful Salzburg, the charming village of Dürnstein, and Passau, home to Europe’s largest pipe organ.

Stroll through the Old Town of Linz, explore the beautiful countryside, and get a close-up view of the enchanting Danube during a bicycle ride along its tranquil shores. All along the way, delve into the flavours of the region with exclusive events ranging from an organic wine tasting of the Wachau Valley’s world-famous Rieslings to a saffron workshop. Let the “Enchanting Danube” carry you away on this regal journey, as centuries of intriguing history and culture unfold before your eyes.

Included in the price is an upgrade to a Category 4 riverview stateroom. airport transfers, port taxes, 7 night cruise on board your ultra-luxury river cruise ship, all meal and drinks, gratuities, daily excursions to cities and towns that you will dock at, internet and wife, and all entertainment and cultural enrichment programmes onboard.

Discover the unparalleled riches of Aquitaine and its charming capital city, Bordeaux. From its noble châteaux to its breathtaking estuary, Bordeaux is an oenophile’s paradise and every traveller’s dream. You’ll sail three stunning rivers—the Garonne, the Dordogne, and the Gironde—on one amazing journey, all aboard your elegant floating hotel. Throughout your journey, you’ll be treated to a sumptuous display of culinary magic. Taste regional delights, including duck confit, caviar

d’Aquitaine, and oysters. And delve deeply into the Bordeaux region’s exalted wines. You’ll taste lovely Médoc vintages; visit the cellars of Premier Grand Cru in Saint-Émilion, where you’ll savour the world’s most highly rated wines; and embark upon a study of Sauternes (this region’s sweet vin), meeting the winemakers and enjoying a winepairing lunch at Châteaux d’Arche.

With great food and wine; the charming towns of Bergerac, Saint-Émilion, and Bordeaux; and

ample time to take in the breathtaking scenery, you´ll discover the douceur de vivre(sweet life) this region is known for.

Included in the price is a Category 3 riverview stateroom, airport transfers, port taxes, 7 night cruise on board your ultraluxury river cruise ship, all meal and drinks, gratuities, daily excursions to cities and towns that you will dock at, internet and wifi, and all entertainment and cultural enrichment programmes onboard.

Page 33 Mature Living

Travel Technology

OOPS, I DID IT AGAIN! The guide to undoing your tech mistakes How to undo and redo typing & other actions On your iPhone/iPad To undo something you just typed, just shake the phone. To redo, shake it again. Sometimes I wish I had an iPhone.

On your computer Ctrl-Z (Command-Z on a Mac) deletes the last action you took, whether it’s a copy-paste, a deletion or something you typed. I can’t believe I’ve been writing for 30 years and never knew this. If course, backspace is pretty handy as well.

If you’ve deleted a sentence by mistake and you’re using Word, click on the little curvy backwards arrow at the top and it will restore it. Or use Ctrl-Y.

I

t goes something like this: You’re having a candid discussion about your boss over happy-hour drinks and someone comes up with a sidesplitting nickname for her.

(OK, it’s “The Incredible Sulk.”)

But instead of texting it to your sister, you send it to--dun, dun, dun--the Sulk herself. Wanting to die is an understatement.

Instead of resigning on the spot (or avoiding eye contact for all eternity), what you need is a crash course in Tech Damage Control. That is, a lesson in how to solve all those horrifying rookie mistakes.

Whether you need to un-send an email or change an Instagram caption (damn you, autocorrect), head over to the slideshow with a notebook in hand. Your reputation is counting on it.

How to unsend email in Gmail If you use gmail, there’s a nifty way to unsend email. First, you have to set it up: Click Settings (the little gear icon on the upper right) Choose Labs (near the end of a list of selections in blue type

Page 34 Mature Living

across the top) Look for Unsend and click Enable Scroll all the way down and click Save Changes.

Extra tip: Labs gives you the option to enable all kinds of bells and whistles. I had no idea this setting existed and clicked a few other options while I was there, like the Google Calendar gadget that shows my Calendar on the left side of my email.

Very handy.

You have at least five seconds to unsend the email; you’ll see an “Unsend” link in the “Email sent” notification that appears after you hit send; just click on that link. If you think you need longer to unsend, check out this tip from About.com on how to increase the time before the email gets delivered: Click the Settings gear in your Gmail’s toolbar Choose Settings from the menu that comes up Open the General category Pick the desired time to undo message delivery for Send cancellation period: __ seconds under Undo Send Click Save Changes.

How to unsend a text message Download the Tiger Text app It works for both iPhone and Android. You can recall any message and even set a time limit that the recipient has to view it.

The iPhone trick Pure Wow explains that “though you can’t un-send a text once it’s gone out, you can stop one that’s in the process of being sent (i.e., the little gray bar is still loading).” How? As soon as you’ve sent the text, put your phone on Airplane Mode. Of course, the text will fail to deliver because you have no signal; then you can delete the message. (Warning: This only works for texts sent through iMessage and for texts that are sending particularly slowly.) To enable Airplane Mode, go to your iPhone’s Settings, then move the slider next to Airplane Mode to On.

How to restore a closed browser tab Did you just close a browser tab or a bunch of tabs, either accidentally or because your computer slowed down? Lost that link to a great deal on a pair of shoes and can’t figure out how to find it? Hit CtrlShift-T (Command-Shift-T on a Mac) and the pages will pop right up again. (This works for all browsers.)

How to find a lost document If you use Word, I guarantee this has happened to you. Your document has disappeared and you are sure you have lost it forever.

Check your Temp folder on a PC This is the default folder for docs that Word wants to bury forever.

I’ve found many “lost” docs there. To find your Temp folder, go to Windows Explorer, paste C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Lo cal\Temp into your navigation bar and you may spot it there.

FYI, “<username>” is the Administrator name that pops up when you open Windows. I use <Erica>. Also check your <downloads> folder. It may have wound up there somehow.

Oops – you haven’t saved it? On PC, if it’s not in the Temp folder,

go to the File menu, click Open, then Recent Documents. Scroll to the end of all recent documents and then click “Recover Unsaved Documents.” If you find the Word doc you’re looking for, double-click to open it. Save immediately. I have lost hours of work accidentally closing docs without saving them. On Mac, look in your trash for a “recovered Items” folder.

Not there either? If neither of these work and you’re still having a panic attack, click the Start Menu ( in Windows 7 and above) and see “search programs and files” at the bottom. Put in any word or phrase in the lost document. This incredibly nifty little feature will search your hard drive and come up with a list of documents that contain the words you entered. This works for all kinds of documents, including PDFs. It’s also very handy when you’re looking for an old document and you can’t remember what you named it or where you put it. On Mac, use your Spotlight tool – the little magnifying glass at the top right of your Finder window.

How not to make mistakes in the first place Use a backup program I recommend Dropbox, which will save drafts of documents as you go along so you won’t lose anything, including those brilliant ideas that you mistakenly deleted. Check out my column on it. Never hit “send” in the heat of the moment Let that angry email to your ex sit until the next day, re-read it and then send it. There is nothing that can’t wait a day. I sure wish I’d waited to send that email to my tenant until the next day and called my lawyer instead.

Be very careful with group emails Make sure you’re not hitting “reply all” unless you really want all those people to see what you’re writing.

Mistakenly hitting “Reply all” has resulted in disaster for many hapless email senders.

It’s Never Too Late … Take Up A New Hobby

W

e pursue hobbies because they fulfill a need that we wish to address. The billiard player might have an inner love of geometry, or of Newton’s third law of physics, “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Some hobbies require problem-solving skills such as playing bridge, canasta or poker, or learning

sewing, quilting, or bead work.

Little known to many, such hobbies provide a variety of benefits.

Besides being enjoyable pastimes, hobbies keep one mentally sharp, and some can double up as social activities.

Your love of card games may stem from an inner quest to create order out of disorder.

Grouping cards in like-suits or

by similar rank, and playing your cards to overtake an opponent involves strategy, detection, luck, and anticipation, as well as timing, symmetry, and odds.

Boomers often find that enjoyable hobbies from their youth, that they forsook as the years rolled by, are still there for the taking. Coin collecting, stamp collecting, or assemblytype activities require investigation, forethought, decision-making, spacial arrangement, and financial considerations.

The web provides many resources to help you get started on a hobby, or to reengage in one. Discover a Hobby at www.discoverahobby.com offers a compendium of amenities for identifying and initiating a hobby. The site provides information on how to get started, where to find lessons in your area, and materials you can assemble such as books, audio CDs, videos, instruction guides, and equipment. Wise Geek, at www.wisegeek.com, and All About You at www.allaboutyou.com offer

search engines that take you deeper into the site, in the areas of hobbies, crafts, and the resources you’ll want to tap into to engage in your pursuit.

For one-person hobbies, a world of opportunities awaits.

Beyond exploring those sites mentioned above, type the name of your desired hobby into a popular search engine for numerous ideas for getting started. Alternatively, find the “Hobby” section of a bookstore and discover a wealth of information on the hobby of your choice. Used bookstores often prove to be a bargain since many pastimes don’t require cutting-edge instruction–the way you engage in a hobby today is much the way people have been doing so for years.

With many hobbies, local groups meet (usually monthly) for exchange of information, support, and fellowship.

Some problem-solving type hobbies can be financially rewarding. If you can make money by buying rare postage stamps at one price and selling them at a higher price, the psychic as well as monetary

rewards are obvious. Collectors are often proud of their assemblages. After all, it takes planning, execution, and prudent acquisition techniques to cost-effectively accumulate items that, in the aggregate, will be more valuable than the sum of all the initial outlays for each item.

One major caveat associated particularly with problemsolving type hobbies is that the hobbies can sometimes consume you. With collection-type hobbies, be careful that your collection does not grow beyond a manageable number of items, and that you do not irk others in your household as your collection impinges upon them.

With pool, bridge, and other table games, the tendency to play another rack or one more hand is omnipresent–a fine alternative compared to, say, vegging out in front of the television. In summary, as we enter the second decade of the third millennium, the opportunity to engage in a mentally-challenging, enjoyable hobby has never been greater, and the number of hobbies themselves is expanding.

Cracked Paws: Natural Winter Care For Dogs S now falls, cold winds blow.

Winter serves up a host of things for dogs and their people to contend with. Salt and other de-icing agents are hazardous to dogs’ paws and skin throughout the season, and moving from cool air outdoors to warm air indoors can result in dry, irritated skin.

There are several simple things you can do to help your dog deal. To prevent salt from irritating paws, apply a coat of Musher’s Secret paw wax, made from a blend of several foodgrade waxes, before heading outside. When your dog comes in, wipe her paws with warm water to remove de-icing agents. (Don’t forget to check her legs and stomach, too.) If your dog has long hair, trim the hair between her pads to prevent painful ice balls from forming. Or, avoid these foot problems altogether by putting booties on your dog—which might be easier said than done.

Increasing indoor humidity will help alleviate dry, itchy skin.

A simple oatmeal bath can ease irritated skin, but don’t bathe your dog too often, as

this strips natural oils and further contributes to dryness.

(Vets suggest a once-a-month bathing schedule.) Regularly grooming your dog with a soft brush like Pet+Me can also help improve her skin by stimulating the oil glands to produce more natural oils.

A number of supplements are considered to be helpful in maintaining a healthy skin and coat. Add Omega-3 and Omega6 fatty acids (found in fish oil) to your dog’s food (this takes four to nine weeks to have an effect); vitamin E can be taken internally and/or applied topically. A deficiency in vitamin A may also contribute to skin problems; ask your vet about supplementing with vitamin A if the other options aren’t helping.

DIY Paw Wax Based on a recipe from Frugally Sustainable Supplies Six 1-ounce tins (or about 20 standard lip-balm tubes) Small pot or double boiler Ingredients 2 oz. olive, sunflower or sweet almond oil

2 oz. coconut oil 1 oz. shea butter 4 tsp. beeswax Optional: Essential oils

1. Over low heat, melt the oils, shea butter and beeswax. Stir continuously until everything is melted and well blended.

2. Pour the mixture into tins or tubes. Let cool.

3. Cap and label. Keep away from extreme heat.

Retirement

A Guide to Life Insurance Cover from the financial impact of your premature death, your Financial Broker will research your options.

If your Financial Broker recommends life insurance cover as the most suitable option for you, they will recommend a plan from the range of life insurance companies they deal with, providing you with a “fair analysis” of the market.

How can I protect my family financially if I die?

Nobody wants to think about the worst happening, but death is a fact of life and it’s a good idea to have a plan in place to protect your loved ones financially in the event of your death.

If you die prematurely this could have serious implications for your family; it could mean a significant and sudden reduction in their financial wellbeing as: Your earned income will stop.

Loans may become repayable.

Inheritance Tax could arise for your dependants, depending on what and how much they inherit from you.

While social welfare benefits payable on your death, such as the widows/widowers/ surviving civil partner’s pension may replace part of your earned income, the benefits they provide are low and are designed to cover only the basic necessities of life.

By taking out a life insurance policy you can ensure that in the case of your premature death, your family will be on a firm financial footing.

What is life insurance?

A life insurance policy provides money for your dependants when you die. As with any financial product, there are a number of things to consider before choosing a life insurance policy: If your children are young, you may need more cover than if you have older children, as younger children will be dependant for a longer period of time. Essentially, you need to think about buying enough

Page 40 Mature Living

insurance to: • Provide an income for your family for as long as they need it.

•Clear any loans or mortgage you may have (note: you may already have mortgage protection insurance to cover your mortgage repayments).

• Ensure there is money to cover larger costs that may arise in the future, i.e. third level education costs for your children.

Do bear in mind that you may not need life insurance or you may need less cover if: • You don’t have any dependants or your family is grown up and financially independent.

• You have sufficient death-inservice benefits through your job or pension plan.

• You have enough money or you have investments that could provide a sufficient income for your dependants to live on if you died.

• Your partner earns enough money to support themselves and any dependants.

Talk to your Financial Broker who can help you understand if you need life insurance.

What is a Financial Broker?

A Financial Broker is an expert in financial and pension matters who works with you to understand your financial goals and helps you create a plan to meet those goals. In helping you to make a decision about protecting your dependants

Why would I need to use a Financial Broker?

There are two key decisions you will need to make when taking out life insurance cover: • How much cover do you need?

• Which type of cover is best suited to your needs?

Your Financial Broker will be able to explain the choices available to you in simple language allowing you to make an informed decision. They can guide you on the level of cover you need and the best type of cover for you, based on your personal and financial circumstances.

They will then help you through the process of setting up your life insurance cover, help you to make sense of the cover provided and the restrictions and limitations of such cover.

Ultimately, your Financial Broker will ensure you choose the cover and product best suited to your needs and circumstances.

What are the different life insurance policies?

With life insurance, you have a number of options: you can arrange cover for a limited period, called ‘term life insurance’ or cover to last throughout your life, called ‘whole of life’ cover. You can also opt for a ‘joint policy’ or ‘dual-life policy’ with your spouse/long-term partner or joint borrower. There are also a number of optional extras you could add to your policy, including: conversion, indexation and income benefit.

Term life insurance: Life insurance policies pay a lump sum to your named beneficiary or your estate if you die during the term of the policy. Term life insurance is the most straightforward and one of the most affordable forms of life insurance. For example: you might take out a term life insurance policy on your own life for €100,000 over 10 years.

If you die within 10 years (the term), the policy pays out €100,000 to your dependants. If you don’t die within the term of the policy, no benefit is paid out and the policy ends.

Whole of life insurance: Whole of life insurance guarantees the payout of a lump sum whenever the policyholder dies, so long as the required monthly premiums are maintained. Premiums for whole of life cover are more

expensive than ‘term life insurance’ as the cover can potentially run for the whole of your life.

With whole of life cover, some of your monthly premiums may be invested by the insurer into investment funds. This exposes you to the risk of your premiums increasing. Some companies offer guaranteed whole of life rates. This means the premium will not increase for the same level of cover throughout your life and the policy and life cover will remain in force as long as you pay the premium.

Joint Policy/Dual Life Policy: If you are in a relationship and have young children, it may be worthwhile considering a joint life policy. This covers two people on the same policy and could pay out a lump sum when the first of you die (a joint life policy) or a separate lump sum on the death of each of you (a dual life policy).

Conversion: If you add a conversion option to a term assurance policy you can renew or extend the term of your policy at a future time for a cost appropriate to your age and the terms offered by the company at the time, regardless of your state of health at that time. This protects you in case your health deteriorates and you can’t get cover in the future. Make sure you talk to your Financial Broker about the

terms of conversion - when can conversion be exercised and are there restrictions on the options you can select on conversion?

Indexation: This allows you to guard against inflation eroding the real value of your cover over time. Premiums and cover increase annually at your policy anniversary date. Pay attention to the rate of increase in premium versus the rate of increase in cover. Some policies have a cheaper premium to begin with but have a higher rate of increase in premium over time.

Income Benefit: You may prefer to have a benefit paid as an income to your family rather than a lump sum (or in addition to a lump sum). This may be appropriate if you have a young family and need to provide for their day-to-day expenses until your children reach maturity.

Your Financial Broker can advise you on all of the options and their costs to help you to select the most suitable plan for you and your family.

How much does life insurance cover cost?

Your monthly life insurance premiums will depend on a number of factors: • How old you are when you take out the cover • How long you want the cover • The level of cover you want, and whether you want this cover to increase annually, say at 3% per year.

• Your general health • Whether you smoke or not (smokers will be charged more than non-smokers for the same cover) • What additional benefits and options you want to add on Remember: Extra benefits may be added to a basic term policy for an extra cost. Some of these benefits could include: serious illness cover, where you could make a claim if you were diagnosed with one of the serious illnesses covered; indexlinking, where your cover increases in line with inflation each year; and a conversion option, which allows you to convert your policy into a new policy before the end of the term without having to prove your good health.

What are the medical obligations of taking out a life insurance policy?

Insurance companies will not usually request you take a medical examination unless you have a history of illness, you are over a certain age or you are applying for a large amount of cover on a life insurance policy.

Note: Life Insurance policies will generally not pay out if your death is caused by a medical condition that you were aware of when you first applied for cover and did not disclose to the insurer before your policy started.

You must fill out the application

form correctly, disclosing all material facts about your health and circumstances. A material fact is one that is likely to influence the acceptance or pricing of the cover by an underwriter. If you fail to disclose a key fact you could render the policy void and the life cover would not be paid on your death. If in any doubt, disclose the fact. Your Financial Broker is experienced in completing these application forms and will be on hand to assist you with any queries.

What are the tax implications of life insurance for my family?

Although life insurance benefit is paid out as a tax-free lump sum, whoever inherits the money after your death, depending on their relationship to you, may have to pay inheritance tax. The amount of tax they pay depends on how much they inherit; their relationship to you; other gifts and inheritances they may already have received and Revenue rules at the time of your death.

There is no inheritance tax on sums received from spouses/civil partners; your life cover benefit will be paid tax free if the beneficiary is your wife/husband/civil partner. For couples outside spousal/civil partnership relationships, it may make sense to arrange cover so that one partner owns (and pays) for the cover on the other. This ensures cover is paid

to the intended party tax free.

Your Financial Broker can give you further advice on this option if applicable.

Inheritance Tax currently applies at 33% if your child inherits more than €225,000 from you or your spouse/civil partner. You can arrange life insurance cover to pay this anticipated Inheritance Tax liability to ensure that your child will be able to take their entire inheritance tax free.

Can I claim tax relief on my life insurance premiums?

Income tax relief is not generally available on life insurance premiums. However if you’re self employed or working for an employer who does not include you in a pension scheme for retirement benefits, you can arrange life insurance cover payable to your estate and the premiums may qualify for income tax relief at marginal rate, within certain Revenue limits.

This type of cover cannot be assigned to a lender; the proceeds on death must be paid to your estate.

RETIREMENT PRODUCTS

PROTECTION PRODUCTS • Life Cover • Mortgage Protection • Serious Illness • Income Protection • Accident Cover • Cancer Cover • Over 50s Life Cover

• Pensions • PRSAs • Approved Retirement Funds • Buy-Out Bonds • Annuities • Company Pensions

Contact us for Details of our Over 50s Life Cover Plan WEALTH MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENT PRODUCTS • Savings Plans • Lump Sum savings • Deposits • Children's education

BUSINESS PROTECTION PRODUCTS • Employees pensions schemes • Employees Death In Service • Income Protection • Key-man Cover • Partnership Cover • Pension term cover

MONEY TREE FINANCIAL SERVICES • 5 OWENMORE VIEW, COLLOONEY, CO SLIGO Telephone: 071-9130984 • E-mail: info@moneytreefinancial.ie • www.moneytreefinancial.ie Mark Gilmore: Mobile: 087 678 8975 • E-mail: mark@moneytreefinancial.ie

Retirement and Work

WANT TO REINVENT YOUR WORK LIFE?

Tips for switching careers in later years More and more Baby Boomers are deciding to either postpone retirement or take a completely different career path in their later years.

According to Statistics , the number of working people aged 65 and older has recently increased and will continue to do so.

So what if you’re one of those people who want to keep working, but do something totally different? What should you think about and where do you start?

“First of all you should think about doing something you not only love, but something you

feel passionate about,” says Kate Doyle, a certified retirement coach and clinical counsellor. “This is about the opportunity to optimize this chapter in your life.”

Kate says there are roughly seven to 10 core needs for people. That includes things like having a sense of purpose, a sense of autonomy, making a contribution, the need for growth, for variety, a level of certainty, freedom, status, selfexpression, spiritual nourishment of some kind.

Identifying your top three core needs is a good first start. Maybe in the past your job had to bring you a certain level of status, but that’s not so important now.

Perhaps having more freedom is more important, or a sense of purpose.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for a new job or creating your own new business, Kate says the process is essentially the same.

The next step is to identify your skills – “skills which you may well have been developing your whole life. But most importantly, identify the skills you enjoy using the most,” advises Kate. “What we’re most skilled at isn’t necessarily what we’re energized by the most.”

Kate has seen a lot of Boomers over the years transform their work life and priorities. One woman, who was a very successful financial advisor, decided to free up a huge whack of time to become a full-time foster parent. “She devoted her heart and soul to it,” Kate recalls.

Kate also advises you “try things on” before jumping into something whole hog. If you’ve dreamed of opening a jewelry store, first try working in one to see how you like it. “See if there’s a way you can downsize that dream where it’s still energizing and can still contribute to your overall satisfaction in a major way.”

“I knew a couple in their late 50s who used to work in the movie industry before they

decided to open a store,” recalls Kate. “It was the cutest storybook store in a heritage building with baskets of organic produce outside and they made lattes. What they discovered was it was also a lot of paperwork and unpacking boxes. Two years later they said, ‘whoa, this is way different than what we thought – and we’re really tired’.” It’s also important to assess the financial implications of becoming an entrepreneur.

“Only build a new business with discretionary income,” cautions Kate, “since there’s only so much time to recover any losses and new businesses come with a

very high risk. Some don’t make a profit for five years.”

(Needless to say, you also have to do a formal business plan, which as Kate puts it, “is just Business 101.”)

Regardless of what path you choose, aligning your priorities with your time can open doors, expand your heart and make the later years some of the most rewarding.

“Baby Boomers are looking at their retirement years very differently,” says Kate. “They have a sense of purpose and a need to feel connected. There’s certainly no disengagement going on here.

a number of companies allow customer service representatives to work from home.

Teaching Assistants and Tutors.

Retirees who enjoy working with students might enjoy being a teaching assistant or a tutor.

Universities sometimes hire teaching assistants for a small hourly wage or a flat fee. Tutors, on the other hand, can be selfemployed or work with a larger organization.

Childcare Services. Childcare remains a constant need for busy families. You can babysit as needed for friends, family, and neighbors for extra income, or offer daily childcare services in your home.

and data processing positions.

Assignment duration can range between one day and several weeks. If you need a break, you can pass on one job and wait for the next to come along.

Moreover, many temporary jobs don’t require a specific skill set, significant work experience, or an advanced degree.

Job Ideas for Retirees & Seniors Work as a Consultant Retired individuals with advanced degrees or specialized experience can consider a career in consulting. Consultants can leverage their years of expertise, training, and connections and set their hours to avoid a full-time workload.

For example, retirees with experience in programming, website development, finance, and litigation are highly sought after. In fact, many companies can afford to pay consultants high fees because they don’t have to pay for their benefits.

One drawback, however, is that you might find demand for your skills sporadic. This depends on where you live and how quickly you build your clientele.

When you begin working as a contractor or a consultant, think of ways to find more work once your current assignment ends.

Taking on short-term or part-time jobs can expand your network of

professional contacts, which may help you find work in the future.

Another option for consultants is to sign up with a headhunter or job placement firm. Though these companies may take a cut of your earnings, they have access to a large database of companies that may need your services.

mortar store, or rent a booth at a flea market.

If you plan to start your own business, look to your local chamber of commerce and the Small Business Administration for resources. You can also start a website to advertise your services, and utilize social media to promote your business.

Start a Retail Business Many retirees opt to open their own retail business. If you have a large collection of any kind, an attic full of dusty antiques, or boxes of books you no longer read, you may have the initial inventory needed for your own retail business.

The Internet makes it easy to start a new online business because of the relatively low overhead costs of selling and advertising online through sites like eBay and donedeal.

Additionally, you can sell items in a rented space at a brick-and-

Seek Out Low-Stress, Part-Time Work If you just want to stay active and in touch with other people, look for low-stress work with light responsibility. Here are some of the most popular parttime jobs for retirees: Retail Positions. These jobs don’t pay high salaries, but they do offer flexible schedules. Plus, they exist everywhere.

Call Centre Jobs. In a call center, employees spend most of their time sitting and talking on the phone, which can be great for seniors with low mobility. In fact,

Work as a Temp Temporary jobs can be an opportunity for you to alternate work with leisure. These jobs vary, but might include general labor or office jobs, including bookkeeping, customer service,

Give Back A number of retirees want jobs that allow them to give something back to the world.

These jobs tend to pay very little and might include teaching, tutoring, or working at daycare centers. Many retirees also enjoy volunteer positions, such as working with animal shelters or organizations. If you like the idea of giving back, but want an income while you’re doing it, consider a job in the healthcare industry. You can become a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in as little as one year.

Grandchildren

Are You Ready for Your Grandchild's Visit?

P

reparing your home, and yourself, for a visit from the grandchildren can be complicated, and intimidating, especially if you're concerned about making your home safe for small kids. But a little advance planning can go a long way toward making the visit a memorable one — without leaving you desperate for a vacation of your own.

install a new car seat in your own vehicle, get help from SeatCheck.org.

After car crashes, drowning is the second-greatest risk to kids.

Experts remind families every year that even children who appear comfortable in the water can drown. In fact children under 4 cannot be trusted to “swim,” even if they’ve taken lessons.

Child-proofing ... and Houseproofing Serious accidents seldom happen at home — to the children, that is. But you may have legitimate fears that your prized china, delicate fabrics, and pristine wallpaper may be at risk when the kids come over.

First, take steps to eliminate or cover up any dangers to the kids — sharp edges, choking hazards, anything that can tip over with just a push, and breakable objects within reach of little arms. Then, look to protect your things: cover or relocate delicate upholstery and antique wood surfaces that can be threatened by crumbs, orange juice, sticky fingers, or sandy feet.

The Fun Stuff Preparing for the grandchildren to visit is about more than safety, of course; it's also about making them feel at home — and special. Before they arrive, make up a goodie bag stuffed with inexpensive toys and treats. “There’s just something about opening a bag" that gets visits off to a great start.

Snacks are key to spreading that welcome feeling, too. “The most important thing for teenage grandchildren is to have the foods that they love, and not to complain about the health or quality of their preferences, But don't go overboard: Before kids visit, check with parents on their usual limits for daily snacks, as well as their limits on TV, computer, and video game use. You may decide to violate those rules — it's a grandparent’s prerogative, after all — but you should at least know the baseline.

Anything but Routine Even on vacation, most children benefit from having a schedule.

But don’t plan every hour of every day. It’s just as likely that your grandchildren will be fascinated by quiet free time

Safety First, Second, and Third There are some crucial safety measures every grandparent needs to take before grandkids come over for an extended stay: Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for young children. Make sure your grandchildren's parents let you know what the kids need in terms of car-seat support. If they're not there to help you

with you. Sort through old family photos with them or tell tales about your own childhood, or, even better, stories about “when your parent was bad."

Still, if you do have a list of activities you're considering, let the kids help make the choices.

Write a half-dozen possible outings for a given day on slips of paper, and let a child pull one from a hat. But don’t be surprised if they prefer just to stay home and talk. In today’s overscheduled world, a sleepover may be the only time the kids don’t have anything to do. Let them savour it.

And keep in mind that you’ll enjoy their visit all the more if your own routine isn’t completely disrupted. If you always walk on the treadmill on

Wednesday morning, don't give it up — see if your gym has childcare.

Make sure your grandchildren have books of their own.

Visit libraries and bookstores.

Reading Activities for a Rainy Day These literacy activities will keep your grandkids smiling 'till the sun comes out!

Libraries It would be impossible, not to mention incredibly wasteful, to try to buy copies of every book that might possibly work for your child. Libraries allow you to choose a variety of books on every visit, and to try books out before you buy the ones that your child really loves. This is a true gift. The library will have the big-name popular books, sure, but they'll also have books that you would never have heard of on your own. The array of choices can be dazzling.

Some of those books might become your child's favourites.

But there's much more to it than just the chance to try out books for free. A library is a celebration of books and reading, day in and day out.

Taking your child to the library is a way to show her that you aren't the only one who values books. Lots of people, from all sorts of backgrounds, work in and visit the library, and think that books are important.

Libraries also have events and read-alouds, programming centered around showing kids that books are fun. Yes, you can (and should!) read books aloud at home. But being surrounded by other kids listening to the same book delivers a powerful message to pre-schoolers.

Hearing someone besides Mum or Dad reading books aloud tells kids that literacy is a universal thing. All of this reinforces what you're already doing at home.

Sometimes a rainy day is a welcome change, but if you’re finding yourself short of fun ideas for the grandkids, we have a few that can help you keep the learning going when you’re stuck inside.

Discover a new book: Don’t forget that a day inside is a perfect time to read. Make sure you have a nice, comfy and well lit location for your grandchild to read.

Revive the art of letter-writing: Invite your grandchild to create a card or send a letter to someone. Maybe they can create something nice for mom, dad, or to send to their other grandparents.

Go on a letter scavenger hunt: Can you find something in your house that starts with every letter in the alphabet? If you have a digital camera or smartphone you can take a picture of each item and make a picture book later!

Tip for Growing Bookworms: Visit Libraries and Bookstores Here are five tips (translated for grandparents): Read aloud.

Read the books your grandchildren read.

Choose books your grandchildren enjoy.

Page 39 Mature Living

Healthy Living

CHIA SEED RECIPES THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE T

his tiny black seed is packed with beneficial nutrients from fibre and protein to antioxidants and calcium. It does not have a distinct flavour making it easy to incorporate into almost all of your meals. The best part is it absorbs up to 12 times its weight in water – with a gel-like consistency – expanding in your stomach so it tricks your body into thinking it is fuller with less calories. We’ve scoured the web for the best recipes using chia seeds.

6 BENEFITS OF THE CHIA SEED

G

rown in South America, chia seeds were commonly used by Mayans to help sustain energy.

Now, they are popular again due to their incredible nutrients.

If you’re on the fence, here is a list of why they are good for you.

A Dieter’s Dream Because the seed is filled with so much fibre, it absorbs up to 12 times its weight in water – with a gel-like consistency – expanding in your stomach. This tricks the body into thinking it is fuller with less calories.

Protein Power Protein is a key component in losing or maintaining any weight. Filled with amino acids, the chia seed is one of the highest plant-based sources of

complete protein. Since it is a complete protein, it does not need to be paired with any other foods for full benefits. This especially beneficial to those who don’t eat animal proteins.

Full of Fibre Who needs bran when there are chia seeds? Chia seeds contain more fibre than wheat bran, and eating chia seeds will not cause bloating. Fibre plays a significant role in weight loss and also helps the body regulate blood sugar levels.

Balances Blood Sugar Levels Speaking of blood sugar, chia seeds help the body modulate the conversion of starches and sugars so you don’t

VANILLA CHIA SEED PUDDING

T

he key to making this recipe work, is in how you handle the chia seeds.

Start by mixing the first five ingredients together {almond milk, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla and salt}. Next, stir in the chia seeds. {Don’t hold back on the chia… use the whole 1/4 cup! I know it seems like a lot, but it’s needed to thicken the pudding, not to mention… it adds a ton of nutrition}!

Allow the pudding mixture to sit on the counter for 30 minutes.

Stir occasionally so that the seeds don’t settle on the bottom. By the end of the 30 minutes, the mixture should resemble a thinner pudding consistency with chia seeds evenly distributed throughout.

Refrigerate the pudding overnight. By morning it will be perfectly chilled, thick, and completely delicious! Top with fresh berries, sliced almonds, and a drizzle of pure maple

feel sleepy after a meal. The body distributes energy evenly throughout the day.

Bone Benefits Chia seeds contain essential nutrients that aid in bone health. The nutrients include: phosphorous, magnesium, calcium and protein. In fact, chia seeds have five times more calcium than milk.

All About the Antioxidants Antioxidants are key in fighting the production of free radicals in the body that contribute to diseases like cancer.

The antioxidants found in chia seeds also protect its sensitive fats from going bad.

NO BAKE ENERGY BITES

syrup. Finally, report back to us and let us know how you liked the recipe! I promise, it will be a healthy staple in your house!

Enjoy!

Ingredients 1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk 1 cup plain low-fat (2 percent)

Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus 4 teaspoons for serving 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract ⅛ teaspoon salt ¼ cup chia seeds 1 cup strawberries, hulled and chopped 1 cup blueberries ¼ cup sliced almonds

Prep time: 40 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 45 mins Serves: 10 Ingredients 1 cup oats ½ cup mini chocolate chips cup organic unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter cup pure honey 1 tbsp pure maple syrup ¼ cup ground flax meal 1 tbsp whole flax seed 1 tbsp chia seeds 1 tsp vanilla extract pinch of salt (optional)

mixture into balls, about 1 inch diameter (makes about 15-20) Store in airtight container in fridge for up to a week

Method Toast coconut until golden brown in a fry pan over medium heat and set aside to cool (no oil needed) Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes Remove from fridge and roll

Win one of 2 Chia Bia hampers valued at €50 To be in with a chance of winning a Chia Bia hamper sponsored by Chia Bia Waterford simply answer the following question

When was Chia Bia founded?

Send your answer along with your name, address and telephone number to: Chia Bia competition, Mature Living, Office 3, unit 7, Northwest Business Park, Collooney, Sligo

BLACKBERRY CHIA BREAKFAST BOWL

LEMON CHIA SEED MUFFINS These Lemon Chia Seed Muffins are the perfect spring breakfast! Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sweet and tart, and chia seeds give them an extra boost of fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids!

Just like Lemon Poppy Seed, but so much better! And adding pudding mix to the batter makes them extra soft and fluffy, plus it adds a little extra lemon flavour!

Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 tsp baking soda

4 tbs chia seeds 1 cup almond milk (can use any dairy non-dairy milk) 1 medium banana, halved and divided 6 oz fresh blackberries 1/4 cup greek yogurt 1/2 tsp honey 1 tsp bee pollen In a small bowl, mash half of banana. In a separate small bowl, mash 3 oz blackberries with a fork. Combine

1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest or 1 tsp lemon extract 2/3 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 Tbsp chia seeds 1/2 cup milk 4 tsp lemon juice 1 package lemon flavored instant pudding mix Optional: 1/2 cup powdered sugar Optional: 1 tbsp. lemon juice Instructions Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, lemon

extract or zest until creamy.

Mix in remaining ingredients until smooth.

Distribute batter evenly among muffin tin cups (about 15).

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Optional: whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice to make a glaze (add more lemon juice for a thinner glaze, add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze). Dip the tops of the muffins in the glaze before serving for an extra sweet lemon kick!

bananas, blackberries, chia seeds, and milk. Stir thoroughly to combine and refrigerate, at least an hour to overnight.

To serve, spoon chia seed mixture into a bowl. Mix greek yogurt with honey and spoon in a dollop atop the chia seeds.

Slice remaining banana and place atop bowl. Add blackberries, sprinkle with bee pollen and serve.

(ALMOST) INSTANT DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE PUDDING Vegan, gluten-free, grainfree, no bake/raw, oil-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free This chocolate chia pudding is decadent-tasting yet healthy at the same time.

Packed with protein, fibre, and omega-3 fatty acids this is a pudding you can feel good about! When blended with the almond milk ice cubes it's a treat you can enjoy immediately without waiting for it to chill. The texture is a cross between a smoothie and a pudding. It will thicken up even more if you put it in the fridge for a few hours. I recommend using a highspeed blender for best results since the dates, chia seeds, and ice cubes are

S

challenging to blend super smooth.

Ingredients: 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 4 large almond milk ice cubes (see note) 1/4 cup chia seeds 5-6 pitted Medjool dates, to taste 2-3.5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (see note) 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, to taste pinch fine grain sea salt or pink Himalayan sea salt Directions: Fill an ice cube tray with almond milk. Freeze until solid. You can use leftovers in smoothies or for more

pudding in the future!

To make the pudding: Add 3/4 cup almond milk into a high speed blender. Now add the rest of the ingredients, including the almond milk ice cubes.

Blend on the highest speed until super smooth. Enjoy immediately or chill in the fridge where it will thicken up even more.

Notes: Add the cocoa powder to taste. Some brands will be more pungent than others.

3.5 tablespoons of cocoa powder is great with my brand (camino) however you may need to use less depending on what kind you use. My advice is to add the cocoa powder slowly to

taste. You will want around 12 tablespoons of almond milk ice cubes added to the pudding. For my tray, this equaled 4 large cubes.

You can skip the almond milk ice cubes and simply add a splash more almond milk. Chill in the fridge the old-fashioned way.

If your dates are firm, I suggest soaking them in hot water for at least 30 minutes before you begin.

Drain well.

To turn this into a chocolate "frosty" add more ice cubes to make it super icy.

To make this nut-free, use a nut-free non-dairy milk of your choice.

ince its foundation in 2009 by Ray Owens and Barrie Rogers, the Waterford based company has taken the health food market by storm with demand for their product doubling year on year. From launching in 100 health stores in February 2010, Chia bia now supplies to over 2,000 outlets across the UK and Ireland. In 2013, the company signed a new distribution deal which sees its range of products listed in Tesco stores across Ireland and the UK. In the UK, Chia bia is available from Selfridges, Holland & Barrett and is listed with all major health distributors and an increasing number of independent health food stores. The company supplies directly to customers in the Middle East, Iceland, Germany, Slovakia and is growing fast in many other international markets. www.chiabia.com

CHIA SEED PORK MEATBALLS WITH SPICY GINGER-SOY GLAZE

LEMON WATER WITH CHIA SEEDS

Ingredients: 1 pound ground pork 3 cloves garlic, minced 1½ teaspoons fresh grated ginger 1/3 cup minced yellow onion ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped 1½ tablespoons low-sodium tamari 2 tablespoons chia seeds

Have you tried Chia seeds?

This superfood is gaining popularity as a top “Superfood”. At One&Only Palmilla in Mexico, I tried chia fresco which is made by soaking chia seeds in fruit juice or water. I knew this was a fabulous idea because it’s SO healthy! If you’re not familiar with the health benefits of Chia seeds? Read on:

-Use your hands to mold the pork mixture into 1-inch meatballs, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they aren’t touching. (You should have approximately 20 meatballs.)

Transfer the meatballs to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned and

cooked through.

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the glaze. Pour the glaze into a large non-stick pan over medium heat. When hot, add the meatballs and toss to coat.

Serve meatballs warm over your stir-fried vegetables or noodles of your choice.

For the glaze: ¼ cup low-sodium tamari 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

Chia seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber at 10 grams per ounce (about 2 tablespoons).

They contain protein and minerals including as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. New research suggests that including chia seeds in your diet may help improve cardiovascular risk factors such as lowering cholesterol,

Preparing your Chia Seed Pork Meatballs with Spicy GingerSoy Glaze: -Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.

-Place all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl.

-Using your hands, mix all of the ingredients until well combined. (Kind of gross, but kind of fun.)

Cover and refrigerate the pork mixture for 20 minutes to allow the chia seeds to work their gelling magic.

5-MINUTE RASPBERRY CHIA SEED JAM Let me assure you that the texture of this jam is not funky at all. It’s just, well, like jam.

The awesomeness of this jam is in its simplicity: 3 ingredients. 5 minutes.

You are in control of what goes into your jam.

It’s much lower sugar than most jams.

And it’s full of chia

seeds! Are you new to chia seeds? They are powerful little guys.

Check out their healthy stats: they help prevent blood sugar spikes, are full of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and other minerals, and are also a good plant-based protein source!

Chia seed jam is a

triglycerides and blood pressure. It’s said that the amounts of omega 3′s can also work reduce symptoms of depression and increase brain function. You can also eat chia seeds raw or sprinkle ground or whole chia seeds on cereal, rice, yogurt or vegetables.

Enough said?

healthy, low-sugar alternative to regular jam. You can whip this up in 5 minutes and have an incredible, homemade jam in your fridge! I used this post as my guide for this recipe.

2 cups raspberry (if using frozen, defrost first) 2 tablespoons chia seeds 2 tablespoons warm water 2-4 tablespoons honey (preferably raw) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional) Add all ingredients (start with 2 tablespoons of the honey) to a blender or food processor, and pulse until the it is the texture you prefer. I didn’t want mine chunky, but you may leave it that way if that’s how you like it.

Taste and add more honey if you would like a sweeter jam. (I like it with 2 tablespoons, but with the raspberries being a tart fruit, it isn’t as sweet as regular jam, so add more if you want it like more traditional jam.) Transfer the mixture to a container with a lid (I used a mason jar) and allow to set in the fridge, about an hour. Enjoy!

BANANA CHIA BREAD Banana Chia Bread is moist and makes a great snack or quick breakfast; you could add just ¼ cup almond milk to the mixture and still get lovely bread.

But I added a ½ cup of almond milk the second time I made this bread and the bread took longer to bake.

I found that you should eye ball the mixture to see if you need the extra milk. It really depends on the size of your bananas.

If you cannot find muscovado you can always use maple, raw or brown sugar instead.

Banana Chia bread is loaded with chia seeds and lots of banana flavour. Cinnamon is a nice variation to the bread if you’re looking for a little more flavor.

Especially if you’re in the mood for that nice cinnamon flavour 1 ½ cup flour 2 tsps. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt 1 large egg (room temperature) 2 tbsps. whipped butter, softened ½ cup sugar (I used muscovado) 1/3 cup chia seeds 2 large bananas (smashed) ½ cup almond milk Recipe Directions: Preheat oven

to 400 degrees and grease a medium loaf pan and set aside. In a large bowl mix butter, egg, banana and sugar. In a medium bowl add flour, salt, baking powder and mix until combine.

Slowly add flour mixture

and milk to wet ingredients, alternating until incorporated. Fold in chia seeds. Place batter in loaf pan and place in the oven for 60 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Relationships

Second weddings: dos and donts H ere, dos and don’ts in second weddings when you’ve got adult kids Getting married for the second time in your 50s, 60s, even 70s can be an exciting time and a big cause for celebration. But if you’re planning a wedding ceremony, big or small, and some kind of party or reception afterwards, there are things you might want to consider if there are adult children from a previous marriage involved.

“Above all, it’s important to stay sensitive to everyone’s feelings,” says Danielle Andrews Sunkel, owner of the The Wedding Planners journal. “It’s often a little difficult for older children who may be used to having their mother or father all to themselves. Now they have to learn to share that person. They’ve been an important part of their parents’ lives and they should also be an important part of the wedding itself.”

Here are a few ‘dos’ Danielle says can help make a successful and happy occasion: – Have a son or daughter walk the bride or groom down the aisle or through the garden, whatever the case may be. (Sometimes the wedding invitations come from the adult

children themselves. ‘Please join us for the marriage of our parents…’)

– Adult children can also be witnesses to the marriage and sign the marriage licence. Or the ‘kids’ might do a reading during the ceremony. Danielle has also organized second weddings where the entire wedding party was made up of adult children from both sides.

“The important thing is everyone feels a part of it.”

– At the reception, encourage the children to give brief speeches welcoming the other person and their children into the family. If any of the adult children don’t want to do this – perhaps they’re just shy – then don’t force the issue. “It all comes back to being sensitive,” says Danielle. “I wouldn’t push them at all.” You can also set up a family table at the reception which still shows you’re building a new family but you’re not forcing anyone to speak.

It might be obvious, but always include the spouses of married adult children.

Here are a few of Danielle’s ‘donts’: – Never spring the news on your children. In other words, don’t run off and get married then inform your

kids – “Hey, guess what? We got married! Let’s celebrate!’ That’s very insensitive to the children,” says Danielle. “If you choose to do a quiet destination wedding for just the two of you, fine. Just tell them beforehand. I think that’s the biggest no-no. It’s an emotional time for children when their parent is marrying someone who isn’t their mother or father and you need to be sensitive to their emotions. Even when you’re dealing with your parents as an adult child, you’re always their little kid at heart.”

– Don’t expect your adult kids to warm up to your fiancé the day of the wedding if they haven’t had the chance beforehand to get to know them. Same goes for the step-siblings.

Try and have them all meet well before the wedding so everyone can get acquainted – even a little. Distance can make this difficult, but it’s a goal worth shooting for when you can.

A lot of the weddings Danielle plans are second marriages of older couples.

Are those weddings more challenging? “They haven’t been for me,” she says.

“Most of the children are genuinely happy for their parents.”

Divorced with adult kids?

Here, tips on how to ease their stress Special holidays and other occasions like birthdays and weddings can be especially stressful for adult children of divorced parents. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

“Children are innocent victims of divorce but they can do really well if the parents have handled things positively right from the start,” says Gwen RandallYoung, an award-winning psychologist. “It’s important to remember that with divorce their world is suddenly divided into two.

The parents each still have their one world, but the children have Mom’s world and Dad’s world.”

And those worlds often come loaded with each parent’s expectations – including hopes of fairness and equality – all of which causes stress for the children trying to navigate them.

“While growing up it’s the

parents’ jobs to keep things fair for the children – as in if you buy a present for one child, you buy one for the other too – but it’s not the children’s job when they grow up to keep things fair for Mum and Dad,” says Gwen. “That’s because fair is for children. Wise adults don’t keep score. The inner child in the parent might say, ‘oh, you’re spending more time with your Dad than with me,’ but that’s not a wise adult response and it creates so much stress for the child. ” Here are Gwen’s top tips for divorced parents who want their adult children to actually be able to enjoy holidays and special occasions: Parents, adjust your plans to fit the kids’ plans, not the other way around.“It’s the parents who need to be adaptable. And don’t expect them to always be with you on the actual day – be it

Christmas, Easter or birthdays.” As Gwen points out, if your adult kids are married and their spouses also have divorced parents, there can be four or more parents to accommodate at big events. “Celebrate together when it can work for everybody. Be flexible.”

2) Don’t ever pull a guilt trip. “Don’t say anything if they don’t put you first or if they spend more time with the other parent. Just enjoy them and be positive when they are with you,” Gwen advises. “That will also make them want to spend more time with you. If you’re pouty, they won’t want to be around that.”

3) When adult kids get married: “Parents need to be gracious and get along throughout the planning stage and the actual day,” says Gwen. “Remember, it’s about the bride and the groom. Let the couple create the day they want, not what you want.”

Relationships & Family Matters ANTHONY ANSWERS There are many challenges and difficulties that can arise in relationships that can cause deep distress to our wellbeing. Relationship mentoring can create the vital emotional space. This space allows individuals to grow in the very strength which makes it possible to face and resolve conflict maturely.

Anthony Cross is a qualified Parent and Relationship Mentor, he is a member of IARM ( Irish Association of Relationship Mentors). Anthony runs courses and workshops and is also available for one to one and group consultations. Tel. 0872493878. Email apcross@eircom.net . www.apccounselling.com

The body never lies Q. Dear Anthony For the last two years I have been minding my two grandchildren (both under five) in my own home. My daughter drops them to me at 8am each weekday before heading off to work. By the time she returns around 5.30 in the evening I’m exhausted and worn out and just ready for bed. I initially offered to mind my grandchildren when my daughter decided to return to work because of the high cost of childcare and crèches, but I’m not sure I can continue. My daughter and her husband now need to work to pay for their mortgage etc. I’m very reluctant to say anything to my daughter about any of this as it will only cause her distress and I will feel I’m letting her down. Any suggestions on what I should do? Karen. Dublin A. Karen I believe some part of you already recognises that you have to let your daughter know that minding the grandchildren 5 days a week is affecting you.

Your inner voice should not be ignored but listened to. As Freud said “the body never lies” so take your lead from the message your body sends to you. Avoiding letting her know is a neglect of SELF. While the guilt of letting your daughter down is also passing judgement on the SELF. I suspect your daughter already senses that minding the children 5 days a week has put a big strain on you. The responsibility of arranging or facilitating child care always lies with the parents.

Of course you can contribute, you can support and stay open to any requests for child minding. There a needs to be safety in this relationship, which allows you to say when you don’t feel able to take care of the children 5 days a week. Talk with your daughter, speak “your truth” let her know how difficult it is for you lately. This authentic communication is much more likely to be met with compassion and understanding.

Social Safety Q. Hi Anthony, I’m 60 years old and have worked in the same company for the last 20 years. My employer has recently hired his young niece to help me out in the office. From the beginning I feel she’s been trying to take charge by making throw away remarks and changing the way I do things, in effect undermining me. I don’t want bad feelings or an atmosphere in the office. I’ve only 5 years to go to retirement and don’t want to leave as I love my work. What do you think I should do?

Kaye. Navan A. Whether in the workplace or the home no one has the right to demean or lessen the presence of another human being. It may be that your employer’s niece is keen to prove her worth in the office. However the way you describe her behaviours suggests they’re possibly coming from this young lady’s insecurities. It’s critical that you challenge any violation of your social safety from the time they occur. You need to create strong boundaries of what’s acceptable behaviour towards you in the office. Without healthy boundaries we are more likely to ignore any abuse, manipulation, imbalance or control in our relationships with others. My experience has shown me that if ignored “defensive behaviours” such as this young lady’s tend to escalate. So Kaye, in challenging not only will you be taking firm assertive action for SELF but you will also be educating her how to communicate and co-operate in a mature and respectful way.

Plumbing & Heating

Home Energy Tips That Save You Money

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your Computer monitor off, as it too wastes electricity if left on.

Appliances When purchasing kitchen appliances such as fridges, freezers, dishwashers and washing machines, opt for a more energy efficient appliance.

An EU Energy Label should be displayed (A to G Scale) on appliances for sale in order to help you make a choice, "A" being the most efficient and "G" being the worst guzzler for energy.

E A

nergy is vital to nearly all aspects of our daily lives - but we rarely stop to think about how or why we use it. s the price of energy continues to rise, now is the ideal time to consider what you can do to be more energy efficient. The good news is that there are many simple ways to use energy more efficiently that will save money and benefit the environment.

Hot Water Of course it should be hot, but it doesn't need to be scalding. For most people, setting the cylinder thermostat at 60°C/140°F is fine for bathing and washing. This can save up to €15 per year.

Light bulbs If you use a particular light for an average of four hours or more a day, then replace it with an energy-saving equivalent - which will use around a quarter of the electricity and last up to 12 times longer.

Each energy efficient bulb fitted could give you an estimated saving of €10.50 off your energy bill per year.

Kettles Heat the amount of water you really need and if you're using an electric kettle, make sure you cover the elements. More modern kettles have no visible element so you use less water, you could also try to fill a cup and use it as a guide to fill the kettle, so that you boil the right amount of water.

Curtains At night, pull the curtains to stop heat being lost through the windows.

Take care not to drape curtains over radiators as this will funnel heat straight out of the windows.

Heating Turning the thermostat down by just 1°C can cut as much as 10% off your heating bills.

You can also save on running costs by heating your home for an hour less each day.

Television, Hi-Fi and Computers Switch off your TV, video and Hi-Fi at the set. Standby can use as much as 10%-60%of the electricity that would be used by the device if it was switched on. Also don't forget to turn

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Fridges/Freezers These are the most hardworking appliances in the home.

Avoid putting Warm or Hot Foods in the fridge, let them cool down first.

Don't leave the Fridge or Freezer door open, this means the fridge uses more energy to cool itself back down due to the cool air lost opening the door.

Switching Energy Supplier In the current rising trend of energy prices it could well be worth shopping around to save money on your energy bills, further discounts are available if you switch both gas & electricity to the same supplier. It is a simple process and there is no disruption to your existing energy supply.

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The Bands of our Showband Era Memories

T

here were hundreds of them. Irish bands of every size, description and musical genre travelling the roads and borheens of Ireland. They travelled the length and breadth of the country from the 1950's through the mid 1980's.

Although "officially" the term showband was coined in the late fifties and was used to describe bands that played a wide variety of music and usually included a "show" during the night, the term was gradually applied to all the bands that played in the 1960's. As the Irish music scene splintered in the late sixties into pop, country bands, the term was dropped but we still find it the best overall description of the bands of the "ballroom" era. In the early days, they travelled in whatever they could find...bread vans, hearses, and even cars (roof racks

and all). In later years, many (if not most) of them travelled in converted Ford Transit vans (like the one pictured right) that were normally used for delivery services. After a couple of windows were popped into the centre panels, a row or two of old airplane seats were installed and the band was ready to travel "in style." Although style was a matter of opinion...if you're stuck in the back of a van on a cold and rainy winter's night, it may seem like "a long way to Tipperary," but it's even further to Castletownbere, Co. Cork! It will be impossible to list all the bands that played the dance halls, ballrooms, marquees, parochial halls, community centres, hotels, and town halls across Ireland but each month we are planning to feature a band from the west with the help of Gerry Gallagher and www.irish-showbands.com . Apart from a few who enjoy near mythical status (such as the Royal Showband and a handful of others), most bands came together, played for a few years and then either reinvented themselves, changed their name, or just disappeared, their members either returning

All editorial and photographs are kindly supplied by Gerry Gallagher from www.irish-shownbands.com Over the years Gerry has built up what can only be describe as the definitive guide to the showband era. I would like to thank Gerry for allowing us to reproduce the articles and photos in Mature Living. If you would like to know more about your favourite band or who was number one in a particular year visit www.irish-showbands.com

to civilian life, or scattering to two or three new bands. For such a small country, it is difficult to comprehend the sheer number of bands that the country produced. Almost as hard to imagine, is the number of dance halls that once dotted the countryside, many out in the "middle of nowhere."

Pick up next months issue for another blast from the blast from the showband era...

Pioneer/Premier Aces Story (1954-1973)

by John Baird and Gerry Gallagher

T

he pride of Ballintubber, Co. Roscommon, The Premier Aces started their careers known as The Pioneers Aces as none of the band drank alcohol and all were members of The Total Abstinence Society. The band was put together, in part, by the late Peter Shanagher, who had been the leader of the Ivy Caste Dance Band, also based in Ballintubber. However, Peter emigrated to England in 1956 before the band hit the road and handed over the reins to Stephen Treacy and Paddy Malone. The original line up was: Paddy Malone (alto sax), Andy Malone (drums), Sonny Ward (tenor sax), Stephen Treacy (accordion) Liam Treacy (RIP-sax) and Mickey Slyman (vocals and trombone).

In 1958, the band decided to turn pro and expanded to an eight piece adding Co. Galway man Frank O'Brien on Hawaiian/Steel Guitar as well as a very young (13 year old) trumpet player, Johnny Carroll (the same Johnny Carroll that is so popular in cabaret these days). This is Page 46 Mature Living

the lineup in the photo at the right.

The lads started to command quite a following on the regional scene and the bookings rolled in. However, after several years a dispute within the Total Abstinence Society as to their eligibility to continue to be associated with the society forced them to change their name, so they became The Premier Aces around 1959.

Around this time, the Treacy brothers (Stephen and Liam) decided to form their own band, The Rhythm Stars (also from Ballintubber) with three of their brothers, Aidan, Al and Sylvester, this made them somewhat unique on the showband scene at the time....five brothers in the same band at the same time.

At this point, the band added Larry Carolan on bass, and Jimmy O'Neill (brother of Glenamaddy's Joe O'Neill) on guitar. Jimmy would eventually switch over to keyboards.

The band would undergo another change when Frank O'Brien was replaced on guitar by Corkman, Billy Ryan. While playing the usual Lenten trips to the UK, they came to the attention of an English Country

singer, Houston Wells who was fronting his own band, The Marksmen. Houston, born as Andy Smith in Northumberland had a varied career and was once a

lumberjack in Canada before becoming a singer. He fit in straight away with the band and was very popular on the ballroom and marquee circuit as were the Premiers.

Left to right: Sonny Ward (sax), Paddy Malone (sax), Johnny Carroll (trumpet), Larry Carolan (bass), Jimmy O'Neill (keyboards),and Houston Wells (vocals).

Front: Billy Ryan (guitar) and Andy Malone (drums).

Article and Photos courtesy of Gerry Gallagher www.irish-showbands.com Now a nine piece, the band enjoyed new success across Ireland and had a number of Irish chart entries with Above and Beyond, When my Blue Moon turns to Gold, and Only the Heartaches.

The band went from strength to strength, becoming one of the top bands in the West of Ireland. Shortly after Houston joined, long time member Michael Slyman called it quits and the band reverted to an eight piece for the next few years. Although Houston's tenure with the band wasn't long (around a year), his impact on their popularity was immense. In late 1966, the band toured the United States and continued to draw large crowds in Ireland.

In April 1968, a major change took plan in the band when Houston Wells was replaced by former Royal Blues singer Shay O'Hara. At loose ends, Houston talked of forming his own band in an April interview in Spotlight, but ended up returning to England where he formed a group called The Masters.

After recording a couple of records with them, he would eventually return to Ireland to join The Trident Showband from Limerick.

Contributed by John Baird

Meanwhile Shay O'Hara, an excellent vocalist with a large following in the West of Ireland, recorded a single with the Premier Aces, the A side entitled Your Lily White Hands. Another change took place when Billy Ryan left and was replaced by guitarist, Bob Madden.

As the sixties came to close, the Premiers had undergone several changes, but were still at the top of their form, a 1969 Spotlight Poll ranked them as one of the top twenty showbands in the country in the same company with bands like the Capitol Showband. Yet, after a very successful run on the showband scene, over which they gave dancers and fans great entertainment, they played their last date at the Oranmore Carnival, Co. Galway in 1969. The band did come together for a time in 1970, but it was shortlived. However, in 1972, several ex-members of the Rhythm Stars formed a new version of The Premier Aces with local singer, Patsy McCaul out front. The lineup included Aidan, Sylvie and Al Treacy (brothers of original Pioneer Aces, Liam (RIP) and Stephen). Also in the lineup were Dene Lane

and Johnny Staunton. None of the band members had even been in the Premiers Aces themselves though. By 1974, both the New Premiers and the Rhythm Stars were history and Patsy McCaul went on to form a country band, Southbound. Since then, the Premier Aces have reunited a few times one of them being at a special dance in the Seapoint Ballroom, Galway just a few years ago.

Following the Premier's breakup in 1969, Sonny Ward, Jimmy O'Neil, and Johnny Carroll formed a country outfit, The Swallows, in 1970 which enjoyed some success early in the 1970's. By 1974 though, Jimmy and Johnny were on the move again and they formed Magic and the Magic Band with only Johnny Carroll and drummer Mickey Belton coming from the Swallows. The new band was originally Magic and the Swallows but soon became The Magic Band. Magic broke up in the early 80's, but Johnny Carroll went on to a solo career known as Ireland's "Man with the Golden Trumpet."

(Our thanks to Eddie Kelly for assistance with some details in this article.)

Top singles - 1971

1. Dermot Henry & Virginians - If Those Lips Could Only Speak (Ruby) 2. Pat Lynch & Airchords - When We Were Young (Ruby) 3. Brendan Shine - O'Brien Has No Place To Go (Play) 4. Red Hurley & Nevada - Sometimes (Play) 5. Hugo Duncan & Tall Men - Dear God (Release) 6. Red Hurley & Nevada - Kiss Me Goodbye (Play) 7. Brian Coll - These Are My Mountains (Release) 8. Tina & Real McCoy - I Don't Know How To Love Him (Ruby) 9. Dermot Henry & Virginians - Ballyhoe (Ruby) 10. Pat Roper & Spotlight - The Ring Your Mother Wore (Release) 11. Sands - Knock Three Times (Release) 12. Dubliners - Hand Me Down My Bible (Tribune) 13. Murphy & Swallows - Don't Take Advantage of Me (Play) 14. Tommy Drennan & Monarchs - O Holy Night (Columbia) 15. Tim Pat - Poor Poor Farmer (Dolphin) 16. Dermot O'Brien - The Old Claddagh Ring (Release) 17. Dana - Who Put the Lights Out (Rex) 18. Johnny McEvoy - Three Score and Ten (Target) 19. Gene Stuart & Mighty Avons - Don't Go (Velvet) 20. Angela Farrell - One Day Love (Rex) 21. Sands - Candida (Release) 22. Philomena Begley & Country Flavour - Here Today Gone Tomorrow 23.

Dermot O'Brien - The Galway Shawl (Release) 24. Sands - Lend A Helping Hand (RCA) 25. Dermot Henry & Virginians - What's the Reason Daddy (Ruby) 26. Brendan Bowyer & Big 8 - You Gave Me A Mountain (Play) 27. Dubliners - Free the People (Plough) 28. Brendan Shine - Sailor Boy (Release) 29. Dermot Henry & Virginians - Daddy What If (Ruby) 30. Dickie Rock & Miami - My Heart Keeps Telling Me (Pye) 31. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - Sally Sunshine (Play) 32. Tommy Drennan & Monarchs - Taxes By the Score (Columbia) 33. Smokey Mountain Ramblers - Just Beyond the Moon (Ruby) 34. Gene Stuart & Mighty Avons - I'd Rather Love You and Lose You 35.

Mick Roche & Arrows - My Woman My Woman My Wife (Ruby) 36. Roly Daniels & Green County - Sunny Tennessee (Release) 37. Michael Landers - If I Could Be A Sailor Man (Ruby) 38. Pat Lynch & Airchords - Three Good Reasons (Ruby) 39. Big Tom & Mainliners - Back To Castleblaney (Denver) 40. Dickie Rock & Miami - Cathedral In the Pines (Pye) 41. Dermot Hegarty & Plainsmen - Two Little Girls In Blue (Release) 42. Dermot Hegarty & Plainsmen - I'll Be There (Release) 43. Roly Daniels & Green County - My Wild Mountain Rose (Release) 44. Larry Cunningham - Pride of the West (Release)

Page 47 Mature Living

Food and Drink

T

hinly grated potatoes, panfried until crisp and golden, rosti is one of Switzerland’s iconic national dishes. Though no one knows when the first rosti was cookedup, farmers in the canton of Bern would traditionally eat it for breakfast.

Prep:25 mins Cook:1 hr, 25 mins Serves: 5-6 Ingredients 5 rashers streaky bacon

1½ kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled 5 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion butter, for greasing Method Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Dry-fry the bacon in a pan for 5 mins until crisp, then chop into small pieces. Boil the whole potatoes for 5 mins, drain, then place in a bowl of chilled water.

When cool enough to handle, pat the potatoes dry and roughly grate into a large bowl. Toss with the oil as you go, to stop

them from sticking. Roughly grate the onion and squeeze out any excess juice, then stir into the potatoes along with the bacon. Place a baking sheet in the oven for 5 mins to warm through. Liberally grease a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin with butter. Scatter the potato over the tin, trying not to pack it down, then dot all over the top with butter. Place on the hot baking sheet and bake in the oven for 1 hr 20 mins until the potatoes are cooked through and crisp on top.

L

eckerli have a long and treasured history in Switzerland, particularly at Christmas time. Though their ancestors, Lebkuchen, are German sweets, these spiced, gingerbread-like biscuits were given a tender hazelnut rendering in the Swiss capital of Bern centuries ago. Sticky, spicy, sweet, Leckerli are more than worthy of your Swiss culinary bucketlist, particularly when dunked in tea.

Ingredients: 3-3 1/2 cups flour 1 tablespoon yeast 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup rice milk 1/3 cup vegetable-based margarine Glaze: 1-2 tablespoons vegetable-based margarine, melted 2-3 tablespoons cumin seeds Method: 1. Whisk together the dry ingredients—flour, yeast, sugar, and salt—in a large bowl.

2. Heat the rice milk to a very warm temperature and add the margarine.

Stir to melt the margarine

completely. Mix this with the dry ingredients until it forms a dough.

3. Remove the dough onto a flat surface and knead it for about 5 minutes. Let the dough rise and double in size in a bowl covered with a dish towel or plastic wrap.

4. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and use a rolling pin to form oval shapes about 15 cm/6 inches long.

5. Use a sharp knife to cut four slits into each piece. Then, carefully stretch and place the rolls on a baking sheet. Let them rest for another 30 minutes.

6. Preheat your stove to 200°C/400°F. Brush the melted margarine over the rolls with a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, and then sprinkle cumin seeds over them.

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

F

ondue in Switzerland may seem clichéd, but it is indelibly woven into the country’s fabric. For centuries, Swiss living in the mountains relied on fondue as a way to use bread and cheese during colder months.

Ingredients For the fondue 2 tbsp cider vinegar 1 tsp cornflour 250g cheddar, grated 250g Gruyère, grated 3 tbsp crème fraîche Suggestions for dipping 4 thick slices bread, such as sourdough, chopped into chunks 2 tbsp olive oil 2 carrots, cut into batons 2 peppers, deseeded and cut into strips

2 celery sticks, thickly sliced 200g pack mini salami or 1 thin salami cut into bite-size chunks Serves: 5-6 Method Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the vinegar with the cornflour and place in a heatproof bowl with the cheeses.

Set over a pan of boiling water. Slowly melt the cheese, stirring occasionally.

When it’s nearly melted, add the crème fraîche and a little black pepper, if you like. Lower the heat and keep warm.

To make croutons, toss the bread in the oil and a little seasoning on a baking sheet, then bake for 10-15 mins until golden and crisp.

To serve, put the cheese fondue on a large platter and arrange the croutons, veg and salamis alongside it.

Food and Drink

S

cents of wood-burning fires and pine waft through Switzerland’s roads in cooler months. Step into most hillside haunts and the fragrance of pungent melted raclette cheese will also greet you. Hailing from the canton of Valais, raclette is a local cheese customarily grilled slowly over a fire, with layerby-melted-layer sliced off to blanket boiled potatoes, pickles and onions.

Contemporary raclette machines make grilling commonplace in Swiss homes, where friends gather for hours, waiting for slices of raclette to melt, while drinking copious glasses of local Fendant wine.

Ingredients 1 bunch tarragon (about 30g), leaves picked 100ml groundnut oil 900g-1kg pink fir apple potatoes (or Charlotte), washed 6 medium or 9 small tomatoes, halved walnut oil, for drizzling 2 red onions, thinly sliced

squeeze lime juice 450-600g mixed wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, ceps and trompette des morts, trimmed generous knob butter 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 200ml double or whipping cream 450g raclette cheese, rind removed and thinly sliced 2 tbsp broken walnut pieces, optional Prep:30 mins Cook:45 mins Serves: 6 Method To make the tarragon oil, chop the tarragon leaves, then warm the groundnut oil in a small pan. Add the tarragon, season with a pinch of salt, then liquidise until smooth with a stick blender. Set aside. Can be done up to 2 days ahead.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 20-25 mins.

Cooking them a bit longer than usual will give them a very soft, almost creamy texture.

Drain and halve the potatoes

lengthways and season with salt and pepper.

While the potatoes cook, arrange the tomatoes on a baking tray, season, then drizzle liberally with walnut oil. Put under a pre-heated grill and cook for 6-8 mins until they start to colour and soften.

Set aside to be served at room temperature. Add the sliced red onions to the cooked potatoes, with the lime juice.

Cover and keep warm. Heat oven to 220c/fan 200c/gas 7.

Rinse the mushrooms briefly and pat dry. Sauté in butter over a high heat, then season.

Add the mushrooms to the potatoes and red onions. Stir the mustard into the cream, then lightly whip the cream (see tip, opposite). Season and stir it amongst the potatoes, onions and mushrooms, then spoon over a large ovenproof platter. Lay the strips of cheese, overlapping haphazardly, on top. Can be done up to 1 hr ahead.

Now finish it in style. Bake until the cheese begins to melt and is tinged to a light golden

brown, about 10-12 mins.

Arrange the grilled tomatoes down either side of the platter, scatter the broken walnuts (if

T

artiflette was conceived near the French-Swiss border in the department of Haute-Savoie, home to the local Reblochon cheese.

Though the cheese dates to the 16th century, tartiflette was fashioned only in the 1980s by the Reblochon trade union in an effort to help sagging sales. And it worked.

Today, tartiflette is a staple dish at most ski resorts, particularly those in Swiss-Romande. This rustic plate is a starchy combination of thinly sliced potatoes, smoky bits of bacon, carmelised onions and oozy, nutty, creamy Reblocohon cheese (of course).

Ingredients 2 medium waxy potatoes, about 350g/12oz (try Vivaldi) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, sliced 175g smoked back bacon, not too thinly sliced, rind

using) Over the tomatoes and drizzle with tarragon oil. Serve the rest of the tarragon oil separately.

removed, cut into 1cm strips 100g vignotte cheese, cut into 1½ cm cubes (including the rind) 100ml double cream sprinkling of crushed chilli (optional) 25g fresh white breadcrumbs Ready in: 40-50 minutes Serves: 2 Method Peel and thickly slice the potatoes into about 1.5cm slices. Boil them in salted water for 6-8 minutes until just tender, then drain.

While the potatoes are boiling, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the onion over a medium heat for 5 minutes until it becomes transparent. Add the bacon to the pan and carry on frying for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns lightly golden.

With a slotted spoon, remove the onions and

bacon from the pan to a bowl, leaving as much fat in the pan as possible.

Heat the grill to high. Add the potatoes to the pan and brown briefly in the fat. If your potatoes are on the floury side they may break up or stick a bit, but this isn’t a problem, just keep everything moving and avoid too many burnt bits. Return the onions and bacon to the pan and lightly mix everything together.

Nestle the chunks of cheese among the potatoes and bacon then drizzle with the cream. Sprinkle with the chilli, if using, then evenly scatter over the breadcrumbs. Protect the pan handle with foil if necessary and grill for 5 minutes, until lightly browned and just on the point of bubbling.

Transfer to plates with a wide spatula – no hurry, the dish will not spoil – and savour with a glass of wine.

Angelscope for February

with Fiona Faery

F

iona Faery is an Irish Psychic Medium who unites people regularly with their loved ones in spirit & also offers psychic guidance with her Faery oracle card readings. She is a regular on Irish radio & has monthly columns in various publications. Fiona is known for her optimistic no-nonsense approach to life. She teaches workshops on mediumship and helps 'baby' mediums build their confidence & step into their power. Her spiritual poetry has found a home on her Facebook page; Fiona Faery where she posts a daily poem. Her poetry is aimed to motivate & empower, as Fiona believes in helping people connect with their soul purpose. She reads internationally through her website www.fionafaery.ie

Aries

Taur$s

Angel of celebration As you shake of the January blues, it's times to let you hair down! This month sees you get excited about new plans and projects on the horizon. Remember to carefully map out the year ahead and watch as things unfold.

Lucky Day: 14th February Lucky colour: Purple

Angel of Retreat Solitude is good for the soul. Taurins are quite comfortable with their own company. This month sees you take stock of where you are going in your life and the inner circle that surrounds you. Late February sees you rejoin a happy group that brings out your more sociable side again.

Lucky Day: 10th February Lucky colour: Blue

Leo

Virgo

Angel of Miracles What a lucky card! make a wish or write a letter to your angels. Know that heaven is helping you. Bring your own miracle into reality. It's time to start believing in yourself And look for the opportunities in life. When your truly start to let go, miracles can happen.

Lucky Day: 21st February Lucky colour: Gold

Sagi"arious

Angel of support So much love surrounds you at this time.

Know that your angels are always listening. For one who always give so much support it's time to allow support around you in. When you allow support in you life, you will truly see who your true friends are. Value your worth.

Lucky Day: 19th February Lucky colour: Pearl white

Angel of Dreams This angel reminds you to keep a dream journal and write down any interesting dreams upon waking. Your sub-conscious maybe trying to communicate with you. This card also urges you to get rest as the mercury retrograde in late January may have affected your sleep patterns. Be gentle with yourself.

Lucky Day: 29th February Lucky colour: Red

Capricor#

Angel of spiritual growth Be gentle with yourself this month Capricorn. As the old energy clears around you, you may be feeling slightly down and pensive. Believe in yourself and know that the best has yet to come for 2015. Know the hard lessons for 2014 will not be repeated this year( as you won't allow them!) it's time to look up not down.

Lucky Day: 23rd February Lucky colour: Yellow

Gemini

Angel of forgiveness It's time to start this new year of on a clean slate. Let go of any heavy burdens that 2014 may have brought you.

Bring hope and excitement with you as 2015 promises to be a year of joy and new opportunities. Don't bring your past into your future!

Lucky Day: 27th February Lucky colour: Green

Libra

Cancer

Angel of Listening It's time to listen to your gut feeling. If something feels to good to be true, it usually is! Your angels have been giving you signs lately, so pay heed to repetitive conversations or synchronicities that are around you at this time. It's time to go within for the answers.

Lucky Day: 17th February Lucky colour: White

Scor!io

Angel of ideas and inspiration Wow libra! You have started February with a spring in your step! The scales are tipped in your favour this month. Clearing out clutter, finishing projects are in full swing for the year ahead.

You are being guided to make changes in your lifestyle at present.

Go for it! A very productive month lies in store for you.

Lucky Day: 15th February Lucky colour: Emerald

Angel of mediation Only you Scorpio can decide what feels right. When we are faced with different opinions it can be hard to decide on the right course of action. You angels are guiding you to step back and gain some perspective on your current situation. A walk outside in nature can help you connect to your truth. The power lies with you!

Lucky Day: 17th February Lucky colour: Light Pink

Guardian Angel This beautiful card is a reminder that your guardian angel is always with you.

You may pick up a feather, hear a repetitive song to let you know you are being supported. Your free will dictates you must ask for your angels help.

So what are you waiting for?

Lucky Day: 20th February Lucky colour: pink

Soulmate It's all about communication this month. For those of you in relationships, it's about communicating your needs. Don't sweep things under the carpet. Deal with issues as they arrive. For those single pisceans, there is communication via, text, social media, email etc from an unlikely admirer. It's nice to be noticed!

Lucky Day: 26th February Lucky colour: lilac

Aquarius

Pisces

Fiona Faery gives private 1-to-1 sittings at The Sligo Park Hotel on the last weekend of every month. She is also available for private consultations or One Question readings on her website www.fionafaery.ie You can contact Fiona to Book a Private Reading @ 0863736143

Solicitors

Vulnerable older people at greater risk from inequalities in health behaviours: CARDI report

O

lder people on lower incomes and living in deprived areas across the island of Ireland have considerably worse health than better off people of the same

age, according to a study (released Thursday 29 January 2015) by researchers from Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin.

This may be linked to

VINCENT DEANE & CO.

SOLICITORS Tel: 094 -9022980 094-9022981

Thomas Street, Castlebar, County Mayo Email: vincentdeane@eircom.net Fax: 094 9022 922

Deerpark Business Centre, Claregalway Road, Oranmore, Co. Galway

Tel: 091-795941

Email: law@obriensolicitors.ie Joan C. O’Brien, B.Comm., LL.B. John Keane, B.Comm., LL.B., Dip. Emp. Law

• Wills & Probate • Property Sales & Purchases • Personal Injury Claims* • Employment Law • Family Law • Court Attendances * In contentious business a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or portion of any award or settlement.

differences in health behaviours, especially smoking and physical inactivity. The research, led by Dr Eibhlin Hudson and funded by the Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI), explores these differences by analysing existing datasets in Ireland, North and South. The findings show that older people on low incomes are more likely to smoke and have insufficient exercise. In contrast regular alcohol consumption is more common among those on high incomes.

When comparing Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland the research found that smoking rates among people aged 50+ are similar (18% and 17% respectively). Many older people north and south do not have enough exercise but low physical activity is much more common in Northern Ireland (54%) than in the Republic of Ireland (30%).

The research also highlighted

the particular vulnerability of older people who are single or widowed and disabled or in poor health. People aged 50+ who are single, widowed or separated/divorced are more likely to smoke and have low levels of exercise.

Dr Eibhlin Hudson, lead researcher, said: “When examining datasets on health among older people in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland it is apparent that lower incomes are associated with poorer health and certain health-related behaviours such as smoking and low levels of physical activity. The research also highlighted that vulnerable older people may need to be targeted to help improve health outcomes in these groups.”

Dr Roger O’Sullivan, Director of CARDI, welcomed the findings: “This research clearly illustrates the inequalities that exist in health behaviours and health outcomes in the older population.

It contributes to a growing body of evidence that policy actions should be targeted at low income and other vulnerable groups to help improve the health and quality of life of older people in Ireland, North and South.”

Research Team: The research team consisted of Dr Eibhlin Hudson, Trinity College Dublin (now with Novartis); Professor David Madden, University College Dublin and Dr Irene Mosca, Trinity College Dublin.

CONOR A. MAGUIRE

SOLICITORS Conor A. Maguire BA (ES)

T: 071-9855983 • M: 087-6739454 E: mail@camsolicitors.com skype: conor.maguire31 Lower Main Street, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim (Sub Office) High Street, Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim (Tuesdays 4-7pm)

Tel: 071-9144479

Elphin Street, Boyle | 19 Chapel Street, Sligo

At Murphy Ballantyne, Solicitors, our service combines the personal touch of the family solicitor with a range of specialist advice relevant to clients. We provide a strictly confidential, courteous service, all at the highest professional standards.

Please contact John or Carol on the above number to arrange an appointment or email john@murphyballantyne.ie or carol@murphyballantyne.ie

www.mcgregorsolicitor.com Contact Mary for a quote Tel: 096-33456 Market Street, Killala • mary@mcgregorsolicitor.com

• Personal Injury Claims* • Employment • Property Sales & Purchases • Family Law • Wills & Probate • Court Attendances Efficient, Confidential & Affordable Legal Services * In contentious business a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or portion of any award or settlement.

Alternative Therapies

Health Benefits of Complementary & Alternative Medicine

M

any people across the world use complementary and alternative medicine or "CAM" in addition to traditional or conventional treatments and therapies. In the United States alone, according to the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), the most recently available survey data indicates that about 38% of all American adults use one form of CAM or another. In a recent joint study by researchers from UCLA and the University of California, San Diego, 75% of the medical students surveyed reported that "conventional Western medicine would benefit by integrating more CAM therapies and ideas" into traditional medicine.

What is CAM? According to NCCAM and other experts in the field, CAM is defined as a broad range of "medical and health care systems, practices, and products...not generally considered part of conventional medicine."

Medical Doctors and Doctors of Osteopathy are among the health professionals you'll find in traditional medicine.

Physical therapists, psychologists, registered nurses, among others, are also important providers of traditional and conventional medicine.

But, many of these same providers today have enhanced their health care practices, offering a CAM portfolio of viable treatments and therapies.

Expanding the Boundaries of Conventional Medicine Today, the boundaries between CAM and

conventional medicine are not absolute, and specific CAM practices have become increasingly accepted by the larger medical community.

Health care professionals also use both conventional and CAM treatments, blurring the boundaries between traditional and CAM. This is especially the case as patients themselves have become increasingly sophisticated health care consumers, so much so that they ask important questions about their treatment options.

What Makes CAM Attractive Today? Why is CAM growing increasingly popular? As health care costs soar and conventional treatments fail to produce intended results, more patients and their caregivers today seek kinder and gentler treatments and therapies

Holistic Therapies Aromatherapy • Massage • Reflexology

Carmel is a qualified nurse and has Diplomas in Reflexology, Therapeutic Massage & Aromatherapy coupled with Post-Graduate training in reflexology in pregnancy , working with people undergoing cancer treatment including their Carers.

1 0%

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Page 52 Mature Living

CranioSacral Therapy It’s gentle, deep and it works!

A Light touch approach to body work, addressing tensions deep into the Nervous system...

Relieves: • Stress and Tension related problems • Nerve entrapment issues • Chronic pain syndromes • Habitual patterns, insomnia Facilitating somato-emotional release work A treatment that works with the body, helping you to naturally free yourself from pain, improving vitality and general well-being.

For enquries / Appointment contact Bridget Mangan CST-T, IACST, MNRRI

Mind and Body Centre, Rosbeg, Westport Tel: 087-2544660

Killala, Ballina, Co. Mayo • T: 096-33898 • M: 085-2404817 Develop your knowledge and self understanding, Open your mind to new possibilities, Validate who and what you are and Experience positive living.

• Personal Counselling & Psychotherapy • Relationship Counselling • Therapeutic Art/ Mindful Art • Nutritional Therapy E: info@dovehouseretreat.com • www.dovehouseretreat.com Learn to understand and accept your self

Henry Schwab Healing

Hypnotherapy & Psychotherapy(Dip.Hyp./Psych.,ADHP),EFT Master Practitioner (AMT), Advanced Practitioner of Meridian Therapies, Master in Reiki & Seichem (Tera Mai)

LEARN TO UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT YOUR SELF calm, relaxed and in control REIKI may help you to heal pain in your body, back and joints, relaxing and balancing your body and mind.

TAPPING ( EFT = emotional freedom therapy) may be very effective to overcome your anxiety, fears, phobia and negative thinking to free you from mental and emotional stress.

TAT(Tapas Acupressure Technique) may heal old trauma and many allergies.

Matrix Reimprinting = transforming your past, present and future.

Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy are available.

ANXIETY , BEREAVEMENT , CHILDHOOD ABUSE , CONFIDENCE , DEPRESSION , EATING DISSORDER , FEARS & PHOBIAS , PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT , RELAXATION , STRESS MANAGEMENT, STOP SMOKING , WEIGHT MANAGEMENT , and any other problem of a psychosomatic nature, i.e. caused by the mind

Home treatments available on request

Airport Road, Strandhill, Co. Sligo Contact Carmel Clarke: 087-6323903

to manage their diseases and health conditions, including pain. Patients and caregivers are increasingly tired of throwing pills at their medical problems, opting for alternatives that may produce the same health outcomes at a fraction of the cost and without the side effects of costly drugs and treatments.

CAM's Greatest Potential in Health Care Today CAM shows its greatest potential, it seems, when combined with conventional medicine.

For example, CAM allows patients to manage pain without resorting to prescription drugs that may be addictive or whose side effects pose problems for patients. Or, patients can manage the side effects of muchneeded cancer drugs with CAM treatments and therapies. Mindfulness meditation, yoga, and acupuncture, among others, demonstrate the power of complementary and alternative therapies and treatments that capitalize on the mindbody connection.

it is never too late to turn your life around - www.henryschwabhealing.com (Holistic therapies Sligo)

Evikeens, Boyle, County Roscommon • Tel: 071 96 62114

Cora Langan Physiotherapy and Acupuncture Clinic “ENHANCING LIFELONG WELLNESS” Personal Profile: I am a Chartered Physiotherapist with over 13 years post grad experience. I qualified in 2002 with an Honours degree in physiotherapy from Salford University, Manchester, and have a particular interest in chronic pain management and acupuncture .I am Traditional Chinese Medecine trained since 2003 (AACP, Chester,UK) and have recently upskilled in Japanese Sawada style technique in 2012 (Integrative Acupuncture, Brunswick Heads, NSW, Australia).

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes acupuncture as a suitable for treatment of over fifty common disorders.

Conditions include back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis (foot pain), restless leg syndrome, fibromyalgia, insomnia, headaches, migraines, shingles, TMJ syndrome (jaw pain), smoking cessation, chronic pelvic pain and constipation. Also individuals with neurological conditions such as MS, Parkinson’s, Dementia and post stroke may benefit from acupuncture treatments.

“NICE guidelines UK (2013) recommend 10 sessions of acupuncture for low back pain” How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture was developed on the understanding that there are twelve main

channels, or "regular meridians" running vertically across and throughout the human body connecting the internal organs. It is a tenet of acupuncture that Qi flows along these meridian lines. Qi is somewhat equivalent to the western idea of vitality or life-force.

The operating philosophy of traditional acupuncture is that disease is caused by interrupted energy flow at specific points on the body's surface. Acupuncture thus involves the insertion of a needle(s) at the affected point(s) in order to stimulate Qi flow and harmonize energy flow in the body.

From a Western medicine perspective, acupuncture treatment works to regulate the nervous system. When certain acupuncture points are stimulated with the needles, biochemicals are released that can ease pain. When other acupuncture points are activated with the needles, immune system cells are stimulated to help aid in healing. Some studies indicate that the brain chemistry of the individual receiving acupuncture treatment changes, causing neurotransmitters and neurohormones to be released that help the body to be more healthy overall.

Acupuncture helps stimulate nerves that transmit impulses to the hypothalamic-

pituitary system at the base of the brain.

The hypothalamus-pituitary glands are responsible for releasing neurotransmitters and endorphins, the body's natural painkilling hormones and regulating serotonin, the “feel good” hormone. This, in turn calms the pain that the patient is experiencing. Endorphins also help the entire body to relax, thus relieving stress and tension in the patient. This overall relaxation of the body can also help emotional problems like depression.

Moreover, Acupuncture acts on the autonomic nervous system and enhances neuro-immune modulation. As a result it helps reduce blood pressure, heart rate and alleviates stress. It is estimated that endorphins are 200 times more potent than morphine. Endorphins also play a big role in the functioning of the hormonal system. This is why acupuncture works well for back pain, arthritis and also for menopausal symptoms. Some of the physiological effects observed throughout the body include increased circulation, decreased inflammation, relief from pain, relief of muscle spasms and increased Tcell count which stimulates the immune system.

At Cora Langan Physiotherapy and Acupuncture, I offer a holistic physiotherapy service and my aim is to

enhance lifelong wellness. I provide a comprehensive assessment and tailor your treatment to your individual needs, incorporating Western and Eastern philosophies as appropriate.

Your physiotherapy appointment will include a thorough assessment and “hands-on” treatment. This treatment may incorporate manual therapy, acupuncture, postural analysis and advice and exercises. Additional specialty areas include lymphoedema management, biomechanical assessment and orthotic prescription, pilates/core stability work and functional rehabilitation.

Testimonials: “After months of pain in my shoulder, Cora sorted it out and it's given me no bother since. Fantastic physiotherapist.”

Martina, Nov.2014

“As a migraine sufferer I never found a drug that was capable of neutralising the pain and nausea associated with it. So it was that while in the early stages of such an attack and with a fair amount of scepticism that I agreed to an acupuncture treatment from Cora. To my astonishment the pain never arrived. Cora is a highly skilled practitioner gentle and intuitive and it really works!!”

Adrian Sept 2014

6 Top Natural Therapies to Ease Menopause Symptoms

I

f you’re a woman between the ages of 45 and 55, you’re either approaching, done with or currently living through menopause . You may be surprised to learn that menopause actually lasts only one day -- it’s technically the day your menstrual periods stop, and you’re considered to have been through menopause when your period stops for a full year. All of the hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, trouble sleeping and other uncomfortable symptoms that occur during this change of life actually occur during perimenopause, which is simply the time leading up to your last period. As a woman you are probably well aware that virtually any change involving your reproductive cycle -whether it’s your monthly cycle, PMS, pregnancy, etc. -- can send you reeling, physically and emotionally. And menopause is no different. While some women will experience no symptoms whatsoever, others will struggle with a range of

distracting, difficult and sometimes severe symptoms.

1 Exercise If you’re not yet exercising regularly, now’s the time to start. Studies show that exercise may ease feelings of stress, anxiety and depression postmenopause3 while helping you avoid middle-age weight gain as well. This is important, as research shows that overweight women who lose weight experience improvements in hot flashes.

Specifically, for every 11 pounds lost, the likelihood of your hot flashes improving increases by one-third.

2. Healthy Diet A diet rich in vegetables, proteins and healthy fats is essential for women approaching menopause. Foods that contain naturally occurring phytoestrogens, such as the lignans in flaxseed or the isoflavones in whole grains and beans, may also help provide some symptom relief by acting as a weak form of estrogen in your body.

3. Acupuncture Women who received traditional Chinese acupuncture had less severe hot flashes and mood swings than women receiving a placebo treatment, one recent study found. Past research has also found that acupuncture works as well as the drug Effexor, which is often used to treat hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms that may occur with breast cancer treatment.

4. Stress Relief Emotional stress can wreak havoc on your hormonal balance at any stage of your life, while also making symptoms like insomnia, anxiety and depression worse. This is why any strategy that helps you reduce stress is a good one.

Exercise, yoga and acupuncture, along with deep breathing, guided imagery, meditation, or even relaxing with a good book, can all help you to regroup from stress.

5. Herbal Remedies A number of herbs have been explored as potential

treatments for menopausal symptoms.

Among the most promising are: Ginkgo Biloba: Clinical studies have shown ginko biloba supports mental alertness.

Dong quai: Commonly referred to as the "female ginseng," Dong quai may support treatment for hot flashes.

Sage leaf extract: May help reduce night sweats due to menopausal hot flashes.

Combination remedies: One double-blind trial of a formulation containing licorice, dong quai, wild yam, burdock and motherwort was found to reduce symptoms of menopause.

6. Bioidentical Hormones A final option is to consult a health care practitioner who can recommend a combination of bioidentical hormones. An alternative to synthetic HRT, bioidentical hormones, such as certain progesterone creams, are identical to the hormones produced in your body, and some studies have shown them to be very effective for symptom relief.

P h n Spiritual Holistic Healing y a s i g o n t h a e L r a a Divine Intuitive Healing of Mind, Body and Soul Cor & Acupuncture Clinic py Cora Langan, Chartered Physiotherapist offers an holistic range of treatments.

Specialist clinical areas include acupuncture, lymphatic drainage and pilates.

3 Moy Court, Batchelor's Walk, Ballina, Mayo Tel: 087 104 6010

Here at Spiritual Holistic Healing our therapies are proven beneficial in treating: • • • •

Birth Shock • IBS • Depression • Anxiety/Stress Lack of Energy • Autism/ADHD Effects of Geopathic Stress Joint Pain

Hidden Mind Therapy is a non invasive sound corrective therapy that helps promote positive mental health.

Especially effective for people going through cancer treatments to help keep a positive mental outlook and alleviate stress in the body.

Spiritual Holistic Healing - Jacinta Hession - Phone: (087) 6433793 hession.healing@gmail.com • www.spiritualholistichealing.vpweb.ie

Scams

Scams to be aware of money from you. Any items you give will be sold on.

Legitimate charities must be registered with the Charity Commission and their registration details displayed on collection bags and envelopes.

Doorstep scams Doorstep scams are when someone comes to your door with the aim of scamming you out of your money. Or a fraudster may pose as an official in order to access your home and steal money and valuables.

While there are many legitimate tradespeople and officials, it’s wise to be on your guard when you answer your door. Doorstep scammers can be pushy and persuasive and it can be easy to fall victim.

You don’t have to let any stranger into your home. Call your local garda station if you want to report an incident.

Watch out for these common doorstep scams: Rogue traders A cold-caller may offer you a service you don’t really need.

They may try to push you into agreeing to unnecessary home repairs or improvements, often at extortionate prices.

Don’t agree to sign a contract or hand over any money until you have talked to someone you trust.

Never disclose your personal identification number (PIN) or let anyone persuade you to hand over your bank card or go to the bank to withdraw cash for a payment.

Don’t be afraid to ask a salesperson to leave. If they refuse, call the police.

Bogus officials A common trick is when someone pretends to be from your electricity or gas company as a way to get into your home and steal from you.

Ask for their identity card and check it carefully. Keep your utilities services phone numbers handy so you can easily call and check an official’s identity.

Join your utilities companies password schemes. This is where you arrange a password with the company to check their representatives are genuine.

Bogus charity collections A fraudster may ask you to donate money or clothing or household goods for a charity. In fact this is a trick to steal

Phoney consumer surveys Some scammers ask you to complete a survey so they can get hold of your personal details, or use it as a cover for persuading you to buy something you don’t want or need.

Ask for an identity card and check it carefully. Phone the company they represent – get the number from your phone book rather than calling a number they give you.

Someone with a hard luck story may come to your door and ask you to help them out with cash.

The story they tell you is made up and intended to con you out of your money.

Never feel pressured into giving money to someone you don’t know. Call the police if you think you’re being scammed.

If you think you’ve been the victim of a doorstep sales scam: Report it to Action Fraud – they may be able to track down the fraudster. You can also contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service for advice.

Protect yourself - put a ‘no cold callers’ sign up on your door.

You don’t have to let any stranger into your home.

Whenever you answer the door remember to lock, stop, chain, check.

Lock: secure all your other outer doors. The person at the door may intend to distract you while an accomplice gets in through a back door.

Stop: think about whether you’re expecting anyone.

Chain: put the door chain on or look through the window or spyhole to see who’s there.

Check: ask for an identity card and examine it carefully. You can always tell the caller to come back another time when someone will be with you.

Nuisance calls Nuisance calls and messages can be annoying, frustrating and quite frightening. But there are some simple things that you can do to protect yourself.

5 ways to protect yourself: Register with the Telephone Preference Service – it's free and it allows you to opt out of any unsolicited live telesales calls.

If someone rings you and asks for financial information over the phone such as your account details or PIN number, then don’t provide it.

Talk to your phone provider to see what privacy services and call-blocking products are available, although be aware, you may need to pay for some of these services.

If the nuisance call is a live telesales call, an automated marketing message, or a SPAM text message, complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. You can also report spam texts to your mobile network operator.

Scams through the post Sometimes it's difficult to spot the difference between scam mail and offers from legitimate companies.

If you receive something you think may be a scam, don’t respond. Talk about it to someone you trust such as a friend or family member Watch out for these common direct mail scams: Lotteries/prize draws You may receive a letter congratulating you on winning a cash prize. Usually you’ll be given a number to call, but if you do, you’ll be asked to pay a fee before the prize is ‘released’. But you won’t receive any prize, and you may be asked to pay further increasing fees or to call a premium rate number.

Don’t respond to these letters.

A genuine lottery won’t ever ask you to pay a fee to collect your winnings.

Psychics and clairvoyants Psychics and clairvoyants may claim to have seen something in your future and ask for money to disclose what it is.

Don’t respond – although the

Page 54 Mature Living

letter may look as if you’ve been specially chosen, this type of letter is sent out in millions and is a scam.

Pyramid schemes Pyramid schemes can take the form of chain letters or selling schemes. You may be encouraged to send money to the person who has contacted you, either through the promise of great rewards, or by threats about what might happen if the chain is broken.

Don’t join the scheme - if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Pyramid schemes often involve overpriced products of no real value.

Disregard any threats, they’re meaningless and intended to scare you into responding.

Hard luck stories With these types of stories, the fraudster may claim to have lost all of their money in unfortunate circumstances or that they need money for an operation, and will ask you for money.

These stories are fake. Don’t respond, even to say no, as this will encourage the fraudster to keep contacting you.

Bogus job offers These usually involve an offer of work to do at home if you first send a registration fee. You may even receive an offer of an interview over the telephone.

Legitimate employment agencies mustn’t charge you a registration fee.

Advance fee fraud You may receive a request to help transfer money out of another country in return for a substantial reward. Often the letter will appear to be from a Government official or lawyer.

If you respond you’ll be asked to pay various fees or you may be asked for your bank details.

In fact there is no money to transfer and the fraudsters will use your details to try and steal the money in your account.

Do not reply to the letter and never send your bank or personal details. Often these kinds of scam letters are badly written. If you see spelling mistakes and bad grammar, this is a good indication that it’s a scam.

Breakaways

The Luxury Glenlo Abbey

A

Manor to which you can become accustomed...

Galway’s 5 star luxury hotel, Glenlo Abbey, is

the ideal choice for your breakaway in Galway, with unrivalled personal service it is the perfect place for either

relaxation or an activities based holiday.

The wildness of Connemara is right on our doorstep and the

vibrancy of Galway City is only minutes away.

The ideal location for exploring the West of Ireland - With its superb dining options. including the River Room Restaurant overlooking the estate, the Oak Cellar Bar, and three elegant Receptions Rooms, where guests can enjoy a relaxing drink, afternoon tea, or take time out to relax and read the newspapers.

And the PULLMAN RESTAURANT ABOARD THE ORIENT EXPRESS, a 66 seater restaurant comprising of 2 of the original carriages from the Orient Express is a “must”

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa

O

ffering one of the best locations in and around Dublin, Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa has become known as one of the finest new hotels in Ireland. The best of both worlds allow you to easily access all that Dublin city centre and surrounding shopping has to offer and yet the tranquillity of Dunboyne Village is on the doorstep.

Seiod Spa has 18 treatment rooms and a luxurious hydrotherapy pool.

The Terrace Lounge is a delightful conservatory area overlooking the magnificent gardens and is a perfect setting to unwind with a pre-dinner drink.

The 2AA Rosette Award Winning Restaurant – The Ivy, where the journey through your taste buds takes over and for wine lovers a special treat is in store. Any visit to Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa would be incomplete without a visit to the Sadlier Bar, where locals gather and mingle with

guests in a friendly festive setting.

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa features 145 oversized modern guest rooms; 2 junior suites featuring separate bedrooms and living room areas and two presidential suites that must be seen to be believed.

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa – a must visit hotel with great service and stunning facilities. Visit www.dunboynecastlehotel.com and see the amazing special offers.

Harbour Hotel, Galway

T

he Harbour Hotel is the ideal venue to experience the

excitement and vibrancy of Galway. The Harbour Hotel deliver the

complete experience with their City Centre waterfront location is

right in the heart of the Galway City with ample car parking space, and unrivalled hospitality, it couldn’t be easier.

Just a 3 minute stroll from our hotel will take you to Eyre Square and the city centre, including Shop Street and the bustling bars & cafés of Quay Street. Meander along the cultured streets and enjoy the pace of life unique to the West of Ireland. You are assured of a very warm welcome upon arrival.

Our team will welcome you to our modern, comfortable, family owned hotel and take excellent care of you throughout your stay.

Breakaways

Active Breaks at The Villa Rose Boutique Hotel and V-Spa

Ballybofey, the Villa Rose is an ideal base to tour around or stay put and relax for the week, read the complimentary morning papers or book in for a relaxing spa treatment. If Group Active Retirement Breaks or Dancing for Pleasure is what you are into then call Leona on 074-9132266 today to request the 50+ Active & Dancing Brochure 2015.

Spring Midweek Breaks

1 B&B + Dinner €49pps • 2 B&B + 2 Dinners €99pps 3 B&B + 2 Dinners €139pps

*Includes 2-course Dinner, Refreshments on Arrival Complimentary Spa Session & 20% Vouchers for McElhinney's Dept Store

Dancing Holidays

4 Night Ballroom Break, Feb 22-26th €239pp 3 Night Ballroom Break, May 4th - 7th €185pp 4 Night Sequence Break, May 10th - 14th €239pp Call us for an Active & Dancing Brochure Today!

G

et away from it all and experience a relaxing midweek stay at the 4 star Donegal hotel with 3 nights B&B and 2 Evening Meals (2-course), complimentary refreshments on arrival and spa thermal session for only €139pps from Sunday Thursday this Spring. The Forge bar hosts live music every Sunday night. Treat yourself to some retail therapy at McElhinneys Department Store where you can avail of 20% off as a Villa Rose Guest.

Set in the heart of Donegal in the busy town of

Spring & Summer Group Rates Available - Contact Leona for more info.

4 Star, Family Owned, Town Centre hotel

Reservations: 074-9132266

Ballybofey, Co Donegal Email: reservations@villarose.net • www.villarose.ie

Active Retirement breaks in the beautiful costal town of Donegal

T

he Abbey Hotel is located on the main square of the beautiful coastal town of Donegal. The small harbour town lies at the heart of Co. Donegal making it the ideal place to explorer the north west. The superior 3-star Hotel is right next to Donegal Castle, Donegal Bay Waterbus, Craft

village, Donegal railway and heritage centre, and a short distance from Salthill gardens, 2 blue flag beaches and some of Donegal’s top walking and hiking trails.

Comfortable bedrooms each feature a flat-screen TV, telephone and individual private bathroom. Most rooms also overlook Donegal Bay and the River Eske.

The award winning Market House restaurant has a menu of excellent international cuisine. Guests

can dine in a room full of character, and drink from the wide selection of wines.

The Eas Dun Bar, with its unique 2-tier interior design, offers regular live entertainment and music almost every night of the year.

Guests have complimentary use of the leisure centre facilities next door, including a pool, spa bath, steam room and gym.

During your visit hotel offers complementary parking, free Wi-Fi in all rooms throughout the hotel and a voucher of Tea/Coffee and scone. No single room supplement Thursday to Sunday. For weekend rates please contact reception.

Active Retirement Breaks 2015 Febr!ar" 2015

2 Nights B&B & 2 Dinners - €109pps 3 Nights B&B & 3 Dinners - €154pps 4 Nights B&B & 4 Dinners - €199pps

March & April 2015

2 Nights B&B & 2 Dinners - €119pps 3 Nights B&B & 3 Dinners - €159pps 4 Nights B&B & 4 Dinners - €199pps Abbey Hotel, Donegal Town, Co. Donegal • Tel: 074-9721014 Email: oisin@abbeyhoteldonegal.com

www.abbeyhoteldonegal.com

...With so much to choose from, what better way to spend a day or so than at the beautiful Royal Marine Hotel…

A

short drive along the South East coast will bring you to Dun Laoghaire, where overlooking the bay you will find the Royal Marine Hotel. Steeped in history, and a favorite with the locals, this landmark hotel is an impressive sight on the Dun Laoghaire skyline. A hotel has stood here since 1828. Many celebrities, and even royalty have passed through its doors over the decades. In 2004 this magnificent old building closed for restoration, a painstaking labour of love by the present owners.

Situated in an elevated site on 4 acres overlooking Dublin Bay, the hotel has stunning views that on a clear day stretch as far away as Howth; and yet is still only a short journey from down-town Dublin. The original hotel has been extensively but sympathetically renovated with precise attention to detail.

And it is just this same attention to detail, we extend to you as our guest – whether overnight or simply joining us for a drink in our bar or dining in our restaurant.

The large bay windows and high ceilings of the Bay Lounge highlight the grandeur and historic feel that is central to the hotel style. Lavishly furnished it is a comfortable and ideal venue to meet friends and family for coffee, lunch or perhaps to enjoy the age-old tradition of afternoon tea whilst overlooking the gardens, with spectacular views of the harbour. Our resident pianist completes the ambience every Saturday afternoon.

Or perhaps dine in relaxed style in our Dún Bistro where the delights of the Restaurant are matched only by the professional friendly service and stunning views over the harbour. Serving an Early Bird Menu, Table d’hote

and a la Carte Menus.

Try out lively Hardy’s Bar for a local drink (named after the famous actors and world famous partners Laurel & Hardy who stayed in the original Royal Marine Hotel). Food served every day until 10pm. Live music every Saturday night.

The Pier Health Club offers state-of-the-art cardio and resistance equipment, free weight area and a luxury 18 metre swimming pool. We are proud to offer our members a spacious, relaxed and welcoming environment in which to exercise. Or simply retreat into the hushed tranquillity of the sansanaSpa (the only Failté Ireland ‘comprehensive’ spa in Dublin) and choose pampering delights from our extensive treatment menu.

With so much to choose from, what better way to spend a day or so than at the beautifully restored Royal Marine Hotel…

Join us at the 3-star Knock House Hotel and enjoy the beautiful countryside in the heart of County Mayo.

W

ith 68 comfortable, spacious rooms, our Hotel is a haven of peace and tranquility, the perfect setting for a relaxing break. Located adjacent to the famous Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Knock, we are a 20 minute drive from Ireland West Airport Knock and just 10 minutes from Claremorris Train Station.

Knock House Hotel is ideally positioned to visit Turlough House and Museum of Country Life, Westport House and Croagh Patrick, which are all within a 45 minute drive. And of course, Knock Museum is on our doorstep, capturing the unique and compelling story of the Apparition of 1879 and the fifteen ordinary people who witnessed this extraordinary event. Visitors can read original hand-written letters by people cured at Knock and listen to pilgrims sharing stories and memories of Knock. The Apparition is also set in the context of life at that time, from living in the thatched house to working in the forge.

During your break, we are happy to cater for your every need and it gives you an opportunity to make new friends and mix with like minded people. We have 6 bedrooms specially equipped for those with limited mobility. Enjoy fine dining in the Four Seasons Restaurant which overlooks a beautiful

garden and captures the magnificent spire of the Basilica.

We have earned a great reputation over the years for our food, wine and service. Lunches, snacks, hot and cold beverages available all day in our beautiful limestone Lounge.

To book your stay and avail of our special rates, please call Karen on 094 93 88088.

Visit the stunning Leitrim countryside be rounded off with a lavish evening meal It is an ideal wedding venue or conference centre.

The central location of the hotel in Leitrim facilitates tours and visits to the surrounding unspoiled countryside. The location facilitates visits to the many nearby lakes that comprise the Leitrim countryside and shopping in nearby Sligo or Enniskillen A visit to Lough Allen hotel & Spa in Drumshanbo is a must and there are packages to suit any budget.

Drumshanbo • Co Leitrim www.loughallenhotel.com

Mid Week 2 Nights B&B Offer 2 Nights B&B for 2 people Only €99 Available Sun-Thur Only...€49.50pps

O

Please mention Mature Living Leinster when booking

ne of the best places to base a home holiday or a week-end break is, undoubtedly, the Lough Allen Hotel in County Leitrim. Situated on the shores of Lough Allen, only 14 km from the bustling town of Carrick on Shannon, it is only a short walk to the town of Drumshanbo.

The hotel has offerings to compare with the top hotels in Ireland and also has the stunning Leitrim countryside. Spa treatments, leisure centre and a sumptuous candlelight dinner are all part of what’s on offer for an unforgettable break. A family re-union can

To Book Call 071-9640100 or email reservations@loughallenhotel.com

Why choose a Hotel when you can have the Luxury of a Resort

P

4 nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

€199 pp

5th Night B&B FREE

Offer Available Selected Dates Only – Call for Details

INCLUDES: Full complimentary daily and nightly entertainment program Transfers local Bus & Train Station Use of the leisure centre facilities

Escape to Breaffy House Resort to Relax, Unwind and Revive To Book: Call us now on 094 90 22033 or email to reservations@breaffyhouseresort.ie Bookings on line www.breaffyhouseresort.com Page 42 Mature Living February 2014

lanning a relaxing break away, the ideal location is Breaffy House Resort which is located in the heart of Co. Mayo. Set on 90 acres of gardens and rolling woodland. The House dates back to 1890, retaining some of its original Country House atmosphere whilst offering all of the luxury of a modern day hotel. The Resort is renowned for its warm welcoming staff with an excellent range of facilities. The Resort includes Spa, Leisure Centre with 20 metre pool, Sauna and Jacuzzi. The Resort offers deluxe rooms which include a range of suites, superior, standard rooms with all the facilities that your guests would require – direct dial telephone, multichannel colour T.V., radio, hairdryer, trouser press and tea/coffee making facilities.

This year we have put together an amazing offer of 4 nights Dinner B&B and 5th night B&B FREE when you book our Golden Breaks package. This offer includes 3 course dinner each night in the Mulberry Restaurant and breakfast each morning, along with 5th Night Bed & Breakfast free. Transfers can be

arranged from local bus and train stations based on minimum numbers. Complimentary on site parking should you wish to drive. We have chosen a selection of arrival dates each month which means we can provide in-house activities such as wine tasting, table tennis, bowling, grow your own garden and pottery painting. This is the ideal location to explore Mayo.

The Hotel is just 20 mins away from the scenic town of Westport. All guests have complimentary use of the swimming pool, sauna, seam room, Jacuzzi, and gym. You may also take part in one of our many classes, which include Aqua Aerobics, Over 55’s workout and the increasing popular Zumba. If you fancy some pampering, enjoy some time out in Breaffy Spa. Which offers a range of facial, body and massage treatments to leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Enjoy a hearty breakfast at leisure between 7:30am –10:30am each morning and Dinner each between 6:30pm – 8:45pm. The Mulberry Bar serves food for 12-9pm each day for snacks, light bites and main courses.

Services Directory

CHIMNEY

PROBLEMS FREEFONE: 1800 200 510

Relining, Repairing, Rebuilding Normally no opening of walls , Free Insurance Quotes, National Guild of Master Craftsman

Creating the perfect personalised momento of those we dearly miss

NATIONWIDE SERVICE

Oil Kits Supplied and Fitted, Stoves and Ranges Fitted

Declan 087-9974893

For a consultation in our comfortable surroundings, please pop in to our shop Upstairs at JT Office Supplies, Ballina, Co. Mayo.

Tel: 086 7792771

Westport Foot Clinic

Westport, Co. Mayo

Chiropodist: Martin Mc Nally Tel: 087 222 6260

DEAD AND WORN-OUT ANIMALS

• Free 24/7 Call out service • Free Surveys • Discreet soloutions • Regular Inspections • Senior Citizen Discounts West Pest is an expert pest control company based in the West of Ireland but covering all areas. We cater for domestic, commercial and agricultural customers. We deal with all pests including: Rats, Mice, Wasps, Bees, Flies, Ants, Cockroaches, Fleas, Bedbugs, Pigeons and other Wild Birds.

We will respond to any emergency within an hour.

Tel: 089-461-2664 info@westpest.ie • www.westpest.ie

Middleton Travel Middleton Travel Sligo - People on the move

We can cater for all your trips: • Family Outings • Airport Transfers • The Races • Golfing Trips • Sporting Trips • Stag & Hen Parties • Corporate Events • Office Parties Middleton Travel, 11 The Elms, Woodtown Lodge, Sligo Tel: 071-9162890 • Francie: 086-8143464 Keith: 087-2918668 Email: middletontravel@eircom.net www.middletontravelsligo.com

TREACY COACHES BALLINA • Traditional Tin Smiths • Copper • Aluminium • Zinc • Stainless Steel • Lead • Titanium • Natural Slate • Ornamentation

Contact: Tom Rogers Strokestown, Co. Roscommon SAME DAY COLLECTION SERVICE SERVICING LEITRIM & SLIGO FARMERS FOR OVER 20 YEARS

071-9634783 / 9633344 Only Licensed Knackers Yard & Service in NorthWest Lowest Prices and Daily Collection Guaranteed

All forms of cladding & roofing in tradition standing seam and batten roll in Copper, Zinc, Aluminium Stainless steel and Lead Sheet.

Specialist flashing kits for chimneys,dormers, box gutter valleys and pitched valleys for slated roofs.

Design, layout and detailing services for both commercial and private projects.

Welding and fabricating of Stainless Steel and aluminium.

GG Roofing, The Grove, Kilmovee, Co. Mayo 087 2437259/094 Boyle,Phone: Co. Roscommon Telephone:9649296 071-9670010 Email: info@ggroofing.ie Email Us: info@pureflowers.ie••www.ggroofing.ie www.pureflowers.ie

Daily Service to SLIGO departs Ballina at 7.30am and departs SLIGO IT at 5.15pm Monday to Friday * We Accept Travel Passes *

Enquiries tel: 096-22563

Services Directory KSC PAVING & DECKING CENTRE, BALLINA

WHEELIE BIN SERVICE SKIP HIRE (All Sizes)

096-32500 www.loftusrecycling.com

• PATIO SLAB • BRICK PAVING • FENCING • COLOURED CHIPPING • DESIGN • SUPPLY •FIT

STONEWORKS

• WISHING WELLS • GARDEN WALLS • FISH PONDS • STONE ROCKERIES • BUILD • SUPPLY • DESIGN

Call Martin on 086-0316833

COFFEE HOUSE & ART GALLERY

Harmony Hill, Sligo Tel: 071-91-45810 Tolan Street, Ballina Tel: 096-24763 www.tegre.ie

East Brothers GARDEN MACHINERY

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

Emmet St, Ballina, Co. Mayo Tel: 096-70669 Anytime

Email: info@ballinafuneralhome.ie Website: www.ballinafuneralhome.ie

GRAVE CARE

• COLOURED CHIPPINGS • SLABS • BARK • FANCY BRICKWORK • SUPPLY • FIT • MAINTENANCE FREE

Meet You Here FREE CONSULTATION IN YOUR HOME OR OUR SHOWROOMS.

McGowan's

Phone: 071-9162140 Market House, Market Yard, Sligo www.sligofuneralhome.ie info@sligofuneralhome.ie

All Services Provided Authorised representative of Horizon Funeral Planning Talk to us today for help and advice in your Pre-Need arangements

Shane McDonagh Tree Surgery and Agri Contractor

Open for Homemade Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Coffee and Drinks Professional & amateur artists display their work at the ‘Meet You Here’ Coffee House - These pieces are also for sale at an affordable price.

We also retail special gifts for that special someone.

Cathedral Street, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon Open 8am - 5pm • Tel: 087-7095874 Winner Of Best Causual Dining In Rosscommon

• Tree Pruning / Reduction • Tree Removal & Hedge Maintenance • Stump Grinding and Log Splitting Fully Insured

Tel: 087-2116836

PROPERTY & GARDEN SERVICES Covering the Connacht area Sit Happenz will travel outside of Connacht www.sithappenz.wix.com/sithappez

• Petrol Chainsaws for Property Maintenance • Chainsaws for Agriculture and Horticulture • Electric / Cordless Chainsaws

BOYLE, CO. ROSCOMMON

Tel/Fax: 071-9662710 • Mobile: 086-2427554

Gazebos & Garden Sheds Built, fencing, grass and hedge cutting, carpentry, flooring, doors, power-washing, painting interior and exterior, gardens cleared, etc

All home and garden jobs

Call: 086-861-5781

In home dog training service. Teaching puppies & old dogs new tricks.

Sit Happenz is a professional in home dog training provided by Cer!fied Animal Behavior Consultant Ashlee Dolan, CABC. Call or e-mail today: Ashlee Dolan

Phone: 085 194 6653

sithappenz@thedoghousemail.com

Services Directory

PADRAIG RUANE Heating & Plumbing

Contact John Foy on M: 085-8893518 • T: 071-9164532

"We don’t just treat, we solve the problem" Sligo Pest Control has over 12 years experience in treating domestic and commercial pests.

Pests treated include mice, rats, bed bugs, flies, fleas, wasps and bees, woodworm and birds.

We are fully qualified, fully insured and can supply references if required.

Eyecare for your Family Market Cross , Sligo | T: 071 91 38775 Manorhamilton | T: 071 98 55444 Carrick-on-Shannon | T: 071 9671850 Open Mon-Sat 9.30am - 5.30pm

www.mcpartlanopticians.ie mcpartlanopticians@gmail.com

Western Mobility Stairlifts Straight & Curved

• Oil & Solid Fuel Central Heating • Domestic Solar Systems • Hot Water Heating • Ground Source Heat Pumps • Air to Water Heat Pumps • Installation of Wood Pellet stoves

Tel: 071 9130497 Mob: 087 2654493

Doni Feeney Painting & Decorating

GET A FREE QUOTE CALL 086 2461115

• Platform Lifts • Level Access Showers • Walk in baths

Stonemasonry Services Construction Restoration Memorials 086-1953006 / 096-30003

Free no obligation survey

LO CALL 1890-253038 Mobile: 087-7783633

From single rooms to complete house or commercial refurbishments we have it covered so if you require Professional and Efficient pain"ng and decora"ng come to Doni Feeney Pain"ng and Decora"ng today!

Keane’s Garage TEL: 086-0563130 Roll-R-Doors, Derryhillagh, Castlehill, Ballina, Co. Mayo

Tel: 096-51382 • Mob: 086-1650132 info@rollrdoors.ie • www.rollrdoors.ie

Roll-R-Doors offer a full range of Domestic and Industrial Garage Doors and Accessories. Specialising in both replacement and removal of old doors with new garage doors and installation of new garage doors, Give Roll-RDoors a call on 086 165 0132 to see what we can do for your projects needs.

MERCEDES SERVICE • Full dealer service facilities • Full Mechanical Repairs • Star Diagnostic Service

Get the same service as your main dealer at a fraction of the price!

Quality, Affordable Homecare In Your Community Providing dedicated homecare across the West, Northwest and Midlands since 1996

• Home Help • Light Housekeeping • Care of the Elderly • Overnight Care • Meal Prepara"on• Personal Care • Companionship • Respite Care Why se#le for a franchise when you can choose a local, proven homecare service?

Choose RHS Home Services - World Class, Quality Homecare in Your Community For Your Free No Obliga"on Consulta"on Call Us Now:

Urlaur, Killkelly, Co, Mayo Tel: 094-9649006 - www.keanesgarage.com

Roscommon: 09066-25988 Galway: 091 388785 Mayo: 09493 82156 www.rhshomeservices.ie

Services Directory

GS

PADRAIG BURKE CONTRACTS Funeral Directors GORDON SHERLOCK

Specialists in tarmac & asphalt driveways Telephone: 071-91-30070 • Mob: 087-2969872

www.sligotarmac.com

Rosebank, Attyrory, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co. Leitrim

WE ARE THERE FOR YOU TO PROVIDE EXCELLENCE IN FUNERAL CARE WHEN YOU AND YOUR FAMILY NEED IT MOST.

Specialising in laying tarmacadam, asphalt and stone mastick asphalt.

From small household driveways to tennis courts, large industrial areas, farm roads, estates, car parks and more

• 25 years of experience in the Tarmacadam business • Free Advice and quotations • Fully insured

TEL: 096-72652 BOB: 087-9852827 • GERRY: 086-8581961

We are confident that our workmanship wil impress anyone, we can count on our past customers to verify our professionalism and attention to the finest detail.

WARNING!!!

Upto 80% of Heat Generated by an Open Fire and almost 20% of Heat from your Central Hea!ng System escapes up an open Chimney!

Prevent this wastage!

SLIGO Buying a Stove???

Talk to Terry first • Free Survey Available • Solid Fuel Stoves • Gas Fires

PHONE: 087-2066910 / 071-9197925

www.terrysstoves.com terrysstoves@gmail.com

ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRE "Our mission is to provide a dedicated centre of excellence delivering a quality client centred approach with compassion and dignity while respecting the values and beliefs of all our clients" Who can come to the Centre?

Anyone who is concerned about their own or someone else's alcohol, gambling or substance use. A doctor's referral is not necessary.

What does treatment envolve?

We offer a 4 week programme. Addiction is a life threatening condition which can be effectively treated through timely intervention. We know that although recovery is a difficult and complex process - change is achievable with the help of highly trained professional staff and with feedback from other recovering addicts, and those concerned about recovery.

Gulladoo Centre, Cornafest, Co. Leitrim

Tel: 049-4339605 Mob: 086-8638842 Email: info@gulladoocentre.com

All Services Provided

Authorised Representative of Horizon Funeral Planning

Tel: 087-9385571 / 071-9621343

email: padraigburkefuneraldirectors@gmail.com

Drumkeerin Stone www.ap-motors.eu

Unit 2, Ardnaree, Ballina, Co. Mayo

• • • • • •

Servicing 5% Discoun Panel Beating t Tracking • Parts Light Setting NCT Preparation Valeting • Recovery with th is Advert

Ariel Dym 096-70993 • 086-8978395

CHIMNEY REPAIRS IRELAND • 20 year guarantee • 25 years experience • Relining and rebuilding • Smoke and soot problems solved • Free estimates • Free assistance with insurance claims Tel : Office 1800 283067 / 087-7997671

www.chimneyrepairs.ie

Golden Gravel Suitable for Driveways, Paths, Flowerbeds etc.

Available in 6mm,14mm,20mm and 30mm stone mulch.

Building sand and Golden blinding.

Supplied in ton bags or bulk loads.

Na!onwide delivery available.

Tel: 086-8142496 Is sport an important part of your life? Does your vision allow you to maximise your sporting potential?

At Deirdre Cooke Opticians, we carry a wide range of sports eyewear, the majority of which can be fitted with your prescription so no excuses for not improving your game!

We carry frames and eyewear suitable for: •Cycling •Swimming • Skiing • Diving • Football• Fishing • Shooting • Golfing • Contact Lenses • Just to name a few...

We also carry Maui Jim Sunglasses which are polarised for UV protection, and where suitable, you can be fitted with contact lenses for unhindered movement and freedom, without glasses getting in the way.

Feature Article Services Directory

Professional Relationship Counselling Couples & Individuals Fees Based on Personal circumstances

Ballina 096-21478 accordballina@eircom.net

Castlebar 094-9022214 N5 Moneen Business Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo Tel: 094-9026373 • Fax: 094-9024353 Email: info@walterdonoghue.com www.walterdonoghue.com

We offer you a unique and friendly approach to campervan hire, with us you get to join a community of camper nuts and share your adventure with all your friends.

With Facebug you get to hire a chilled out VW T4 camper with all the usual comforts plus Wifi to check your email, catch up on work or connect to your social networks and a streaming webcam to share your journey with your friends.

We like to keep it simple so campers cost.... €110.00 per day or €700.00 per week which includes insurance

Call us on 085­850­5555 Email: info@facebugcampers.com www.facebugcampers.com

accordcbar@eircom.net

Charlestown 094-9254944 accordcharlestown@eircom.net

• Water Analysis • Water Filtration • Water Softening • Well Drilling • Pump Supplied and Fitted • Rain Water Collection & Purification • Sewage Treatment Systems IN THE BUSINESS FOR OVER 25 YEARS

Email: waterteck@eircom.net Website: www.waterteck.com Phone: 086-8072249 071-9658976

GIBLIN STONE ...everlasting

Choosing a memorial for a loved one is a very personal thing.

Quality • Experience • Service

Addic!on Treatment Centre

Foxford, Co. Mayo

Call in confidence: 094"9256888 Email: hopehouse#eircom.net www.hopehouse.ie

Rehabilitation Cent!e specialising in the t!eat"ent of alcohol, dr#gs, GRANITE COUNTERS gambling and other dependencies. & FIREPLACES IN MARBLE, GRANITE ALSO AVAILABLE, CALL US TODAY FOR DETAILS

Church Street, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo Phone: James 087 9061833 • Brian 086 1957788

www.giblinstone.com

Hope House... “where recover$ begins” 2014

HEAR Ltd.

HEARING CLINIC Gerard Feeney BSC, MSHAA, MISHAA, MIHS Hearing Aid Consulta!on will a"end:

Matt O’Flaherty Chemists, William Street, Galway. Tel: 091- 556664 Furniture recovering and restoration including covering of chairs, 3 piece suites, headboards, car seats and boat seats.

Hotel and Bar seating, Office furniture and other Contract / Commercial furniture.

Repair of sails, tents and other outdoor gear for sports and leisure.

We provide a service of Colour consultancy and Interior advice.

We retail upholstery fabrics and essentials.

Collection and delivery can be arranged at a small fee, depending on distance.

Boradruma, Snugboro, Castlebar • Tel: 094 9023532 / 086 8350608 Open Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm Visit us online at www.boradrumaupholstery.ie

Mc Sharry's Pharmacy, Golden Island, Athlone, Co. Westmeath Tel: 090-6474799 Hayes & Hayes Pharmacy, St. Brendans Street, Portumna. Tel: 090-9741025 Stauntons Pharmacy, Main Street, Castlebar Tel: 094-9024045 Appointment Necessary FREE HEARING TEST, CONSULTATION AND ADVICE Latest Digital Technology Available.

PRSI Grants of up to 50% per aid may apply.

Repairs to all makes of hearing aids.

Services Directory

Aluminium & PVC Repairs TANK CLEAN To windows, doors and patio doors

Boyle, Co. Roscommon • Septic Tanks Emptied

Expert patio door repairs!

Pre-Cast Sewage Treatment Units Septic Tanks & Rainwater Tanks Supplied & Fitted New Percolation Areas & Polishing Filters Installed All Work to EPA Standard Permit No. 13-11160-01

• Rollers • Tracks • Hinges • Door Realignment • Locks • Multilocking systems etc Over 20 years experience servicing Irish windows and doors. Fully insured GLASS PARTS ETC REPLACED

Call today for a site visit - David Regan: 087-9125128 • Boyle, Co. Roscommon

Brendan Gormley: 071-9183860 / 087-2562669

PADRAIC CRYAN STONE WORK Based in Roscommon, Padraic Cryan Stone & Blockwork Services is an Irish company with over 16 years experience in the Irish Construc!on Industry that prides itself on exceeding customer expecta!ons and delivering all work on budget and within the agreed !meframe.

We provide General Building work from Restora!ons to New Builds, and Stoneworks and are happy to meet you at your convenience and provide you with a quota!on.

Call Padraic on (086) 2867950 today for a FREE no hassle quota!on

Resistant Stove Glass WEST OF IRELAND Heat We can Cut Robax Stove Glass to required WINDOWS & Size & Shape While U Wait....

SCHOTT ROBAX is a DOORS SERVICING heat resistant Ceramic

Repairs to all makes of Windows & Doors, Fogged Units, Hinges & Handles Replaced.

UP FOR A BIT OF CRAIC Mature prof. Lady, good sense of humour is looking for ‘kinda’ handsome, good natured, GSOH, sensible, house trained gent, 65-

ish plus, who likes fun date out, cosy nights in, dancing & singing to a new beginning with a happy ending. Replies with a stamped envelope to Box number 1111 at the address below.

GREEN ACRES Single man, 55, good jobm would like to meet sincere lady, foreign ladies please reply too!

Replies with a stamped envelope to Box number 1101 at the address below.

FREE DATING* CLASSIFIED

We Always have Stove Glass in Stock & can cut it while you wait.

Tel: 087-3542249

DATING CLASSIFIEDS ATTRACTIVE MATURE LADY VISITOR SEEKS MALE DINNER, Lunch Companion for 11th or 12 February next in Sligo. Suitable man will be amusing, single and personable. Please email andreucetti.m@gmail.com with photo

Glass, suitable For 99% of Woodburning Stoves & Fireplaces Robax has an extremely low thermal expansion which allows it not to be effected by extremely high temperatures or sudden temperature changes.

SINGLE MATURE GALWAY MAN GSOH, likes music, dancing, sport, reading, photography, sogs. would like to meet honest sincere carling, n/s woman Replies in a stamped envelope to box number 1150 at the usual address.

NORTHWEST LADY Single, sincere, loves dancing, drama, creativity and adventure travel. N/S 40+ would like to share part of my jorney with you.

Far Finisklin Road, Sligo

Tel: 071­91 61924

sales@sligoglass.com • www.sligoglass.com

Replies with a stamped envelope to box number 1115 HANDSOME 49 SINGLE MAN Own H.A.C. Would like to meet any single or seperated lady 30’s to late 40’s Pretty attractive, honest sincere and understanding. Replies in a stamped envelope to box number 1155 at the usual address.

PRETTY TALL SLIM 60’S Retired nurse many interests, wltm gentleman over 6ft tall to have and to hold for yhe rest of our lives to enjoy ala. Leinster.

Replies in a stamped envelope to box number 1080 at the usual address.

"pride in our work"

SLIGO LADY SEEKING MALE Late 50’s, likes music, dancing, walking and travel. N/S, S/D, profrssional l;ady, loving, caring, and honest. Interested in friendship maybe leading to a relationship. Replies in a stamped envelope to box number.

SINGLE, MATURE, ATTRACTIVE LADY Medium height and build, long brown hair, Interests are reading, history, philosophy, Gaelic, TV, Music, concerts, theatre, walking, travelling, loves animals - especially dogs. Wishes to meet somone like minded. Replies in a stamped envelope to box number 1109 at the usual address.

WRITE YOUR ADVERT HERE:

THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE FOR OFFICE USE ONLY AND WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED. These details MUST be completed for all adverts NAME: ADDRESS:

(MAX 30 WORDS) - *Phone numbers will not be included in these adverts.

Post the completed form to Mature Living Magazine, NW Business Park, Collooney, Co. Sligo

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

STRICTLY PRIVATE ADVERTISERS ONLY - BUSINESSES CAN CALL 071-9154538 AND SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR FRIENDLY SALES REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT OUR EXCELLENT RATES.

Page 63 Mature Living

4 Star, Family-Run, Town Centre Hotel Ballybofey, Count y Donegal - Telephone: 074-9132266

Spring Midweek Breaks 1 B&B + Dinner €49pps 2 B&B + 2 Dinners €99pps 3 B&B + 2 Dinners €139pps *Includes 2-course Dinner, Refreshments on Arrival Complimentary Spa Session & 20% Vouchers for McElhinney's Dept Store

Dancing Holidays

4 Night Ballroom Break, Feb 22-26th €239pp 3 Night Ballroom Break, May 4th - 7th €185pp 4 Night Sequence Break, May 10th - 14th €239pp Call us for an Active & Dancing Brochure Today!

Active Retirement Group Packages available...

Contact Leona for more information on 074-9132266

Email: reservations@villarose.net • Visit us online at www.villarose.ie