Mature Living Leinster

PROMOTING A HEALTHY & POSITIVE LIFESTYLE March 2014

FOR THE OLDER, BOLDER INDIVIDUAL IN LEINSTER

Gardening with Leonie Cornelius

Best dressed at the Academy Awards

Best fitness program for seniors

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Contents

www.matureliving.ie

March 2014

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W

e are well into March and it is great ot see the stretch in the days along with the good weather. Everywhere one goes both young and old are out either walking, running or cycling. After all the rain and dark evenings it is a welcome sight.

Since launching our Mature Living magazine in Leinster we have received a very positive response. Quiet a number of groups have been in contact with the office for bulk deliveries each month. If you would like to guarantee your copy contact us at the numbers listed below.

In this months issue we have a one on one with Duncan Stewart. The award-winning architect and ecological design and energy specialist is probably one of Ireland’s most liked TV personalities. This, no doubt, also accounts for the jump in the ratings for his popular Eco Eye TV programme, which now screens at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evenings on RTE 1. With 745,000 viewers per programme on average, it has become even more popular than the Late Late.

This issue also sees Leonie Cornelius begin her gardening column with us. Over the coming months she will be giving tips on all things to do the garden.Clebrate the arrival of spring by creating a stunning planting combination in an unusual planter..

As more middle aged workers retrain for a second career, a new generation of apprentices is competing for work. We talk to a some of them who tell us what it is like to go back to training after years away from it.

Belvedere, a Georgian house sited above Lough ennell, near Mullingar is a place devoted to the loveliest of lake views.It has long been known for its beautiful gardens, woods and park, and to add to its interest, there is a dark tale of jealousy from the 18th century to engage the imagination.In this issue James McConnell and John Curran capture the splendour of this unique place. Check out the beautiful photos of the breathtaking gardens.

Maintaining healthy eating habits is important at every age, but for seniors who live alone, getting proper daily nutrition poses some unique challenges.

In addition to being solely responsible for the task of regular shopping, meal planning and meal preparation, seniors living alone face emotional challenges when it comes to mealtime.

Eating alone can result in eating poorly or sometimes not at all.

Inside we offer some helpful advice on how to overcome some of these hurdles.

In addition we have our usual array of articles and features, plus some exciting competitions.

Once again if you wish to contact us or find out how to receive a copy each month contact our Subscription Department at 07191-54538 or e-mail info@matureliving.ie.

Seamus Casey - Editor

LAST MONTH’S COMPETITION WINNERS Congratulations to last months competition winner who won a breakaway to the Clarion Hotel Sligo was B Bradley of Edenderry, Co Offaly

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

News Duncan Stewart: Floods are a wakeup call The Best dressed at the 2014 Academy Awards What does retirement mean?

Your over 50? Great, you’re hired Over-50’s on the gap year trail Beautiful Belverdere Exercise & Longevity The Bands of our Showband era The history of the Gramophone Late-life divorce Wine Guide Food and Drink Competition: Maldron Hotel Portlaoise Puzzle Page Gardening with Leonie Cornelius Pets Corner Iran - one of the world’s oldest empires Reiki for Seniors Astro Agony Company Focus Services Directory

4 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 27 30 31 34 33 34 36 38 39 44 45 46

Published by: Benbulben Publishing Limited PO Box 41, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford Tel/Fax: 053-9270857 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

Hearing Awareness Week Patients given shock therapy without their consent

H

earing Awareness Week 2014, supported by Ireland’s premier hearing health company Hidden Hearing will run from Monday, 7th to Friday, 11th April. The week-long initiative will start with a free Hearing and Health Event in the Gresham Hotel, Dublin on Monday 7th April. Hosted by broadcaster Joe Duffy, the event is a unique opportunity to find out if you are suffering from hearing loss and do something positive about it. On the day, members of the public can avail of free hearing and health checks and Hidden Hearing’s Medical Advisor, Dr Nina Byrnes will be on hand to meet and greet attendees.

The Hearing and Health Event includes:

• Free on site hearing tests and screening by top hearing audiologists • Free ear wax removal available • Oticon product demonstrations • Free blood pressure check • Free foot gait scan • Free diabetes check • Free prize draw to win a Kindle Joining Hidden Hearing on the day are the Irish Deaf Society, Irish Heart Foundation, Arthritis Ireland and Friends of the Elderly. With a nationwide branch and clinic network of over 65 locations, Hidden Hearing has over 30 years’ experience helping tens of thousands of people enjoy better hearing. As part of Hearing Awareness Week, the clinics will host ‘Walk in Wednesday’ on the

9th April, offering a free drop in service where members of the public can call in to talk to Hidden Hearing’s qualified audiologists or avail of a free hearing screening and a trial of the latest invisible hearing aids.

Hidden Hearing will be offering 20% off for this day only.

Register today for the free Hearing Awareness event on the 7th April (Gresham Hotel, Dublin)and be in with a chance to win a free Kindle - via freephone 1800 370 000 or online at http://www.hiddenhearing .ie/free-hearingawareness-event. Places are limited and filling up fast, so make sure you book your place today or log onto www.hiddenhearing.ie to avail of the 20% off.

Cancer main reason for insurance claims Cancer remains the main cause of claims for life insurance and serious illness cover claims, according to the Irish Life company.

It accounted for 44% of life assurance claims and

58% of specified illness cover claims to Irish Life in 2013.

Heart-related conditions accounted for 16% of life insurance claims and 22% of illness cover claims.

Breast and prostate

Page 4 Mature Living March 2014

cancer were the main types of cancer claims made to Irish Life in 2013.

Breast cancer accounted for over 50% of all specified illness cover claims to the company last year. Prostate cancer represented 34% of specified illness cover claims for men.

Cancer accounted for more than half of life insurance claims for women and 41% for men.

Under serious illness policies, insurance companies pay out a cash sum for certain specified conditions.

According to Irish Life, these sums can be as high as six figures in some cases of serious illness cover.

E

LECTRIC shock treatment was given to 27 psychiatric patients in one year without their permission, a new report has revealed.

They were among 244 people who were given electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) during the year, including one 92-year-old patient, the 2012 report of state watchdog the Mental Health Commission showed.

The therapy involves passing electric currents through the brain intentionally triggering a seizure, and it often works when other treatments are unsuccessful.

Although safer than in the past, it still causes side effects such as memory loss.

A large proportion of the programmes were administered by the private St Patrick's Hospital and St John of God Hospital in Dublin. Waterford Regional Hospital also recorded high usage.

John Saunders, chairman of the commission, expressed concern at the high numbers of patients who are still being given the treatment without their consent – including one person who was unaware it was being administered because of their illness.

"It is our view that it should not be possible to administer the treatment to a patient who is

unwilling to receive it," he said.

He said 311 programmes were administered to 244 patients during 2012, a fall of 6.3pc on 2011. Patients who received it ranged in age from 24 to 92 and more women (62.7pc) than men (37.3pc) were given the therapy.

More than a third of the patients had a complete recovery afterwards and another third showed significant improvement.

Around 17.4pc showed moderate improvement but there was no change or

deterioration for 7.4pc.

The report showed that there were 1,403 occasions when staff resorted to seclusion of a patient. The use of seclusion decreased for the fifth year in a row, with a 16.6pc fall compared with 2011.

Most episodes of seclusion lasted less than eight hours but a small number were for longer than three days. Over half of those placed in seclusion were between 18 and 39 while 10 of the patients were children.

SECLUSION St Joseph's Intellectual Disability Service recorded the highest number of episodes of seclusion (231) in 2012, involving 15 individual patients.

There were a total of 3,063 recorded occasions of physical restraint of a patient in 52 centres. St Vincent's Hospital in Fairview, Dublin, reported the highest number of episodes.

Mr Saunders said that while progress has been made on seclusion and restraint he "would like to see that number reduced further".

"These are emergency measures and should only be used in exceptional circumstances and only when in the best interests of the patient," he added.

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Trade & Tourism Show 2014 Set For Galway On 8 April 2014 Active Retirement Ireland’s hugely popular annual Trade & Tourism Show 2014 is coming to Galway on 8 April 2014, and over 2,000 people expected to attend during the day.

This year the event will take place in a fabulous Radisson Blu hotel from 10am to 6pm. Highly acclaimed Galway native Garry Hynes, the founder and director of Druid Theatre Company, will open the show.

Now in its fifth year the Trade & Tourism Show continues to provide great, informative and fun-filled day out for ARI members and the general public. Attendees can expect over 80 exhibitors from various businesses from all over Ireland, a number of workshops ranging from gardening to genealogy, a cookery demonstration with celebrity chef Gary O’Hanlon and a fabulous fashion show.

Get information on products and services from small and large Irish companies, participate in free workshops and demonstrations and don’t forget about our fabulous and hugely popular Fashion Show, modelling the lasts fashion from Anthony Ryans.

• Over 80 Exhibitors • Free Workshops • Fashion Show • Health Check-ups • Demonstrations • Fun Day Out

This is a FREE show for all ARI members and the general public, so feel free to come along and bring your friends.

Date: Tuesday, 8 April 2014 Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel, Galway Admission: Free Getting There: Situated near Train and Bus stations and only a few minutes’ walk from the Eyre Square.

News

Blood test can predict Alzheimer's

A

blood test that can predict whether a healthy person will develop Alzheimer's disease within three years has been discovered by US scientists.

The test is more than 90% accurate and it can also predict if a person will develop mild cognitive impairment, which can be a warning sign for dementia, including Alzheimer's.

The test focuses on 10 lipids (blood fats) and the scientists believe it could be ready for clinical use in as little as two year's time. This marks the first known published report on blood-based biomarkers in the period before Alzheimer's develops.

"Our novel blood test offers the potential to identify people at risk for progressive cognitive decline and can change how patients, their families and treating physicians plan for and manage the disorder," said Prof Howard Federoff of Georgetown University Medical Center.

Alzheimer's disease affects over 35 million people worldwide and some 35,000 people in Ireland. There is currently no cure or effective treatment for the condition.

According to Prof Federoff, a lot of studies have focused on slowing down or reversing the progression of the disease, however none of these have worked.

He believes this may be because such treatments were evaluated too late into the disease's progression. He said that the ‘pre-clinical state of the disease offers a

window of opportunity for timely diseasemodifying intervention'.

"Biomarkers such as ours that define this asymptomatic period are critical for successful development and application of these therapeutics," Prof Federoff noted.

The scientists' research included 525 healthy people aged 70 and older. All provided blood samples at the beginning of the study and at different periods throughout a five-year period.

During this time, 74 people met the criteria for mild Alzheimer's or a condition known as amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Loss of memory is a major element of aMCI. Further tests and analyses led to the discovery of a panel of 10 lipids which appeared to play a crucial role in those affected by the conditions.

"The lipid panel was able to distinguish with 90% accuracy these two distinct groups - cognitively normal participants who would progress to mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease within two to three years, and those who would remain normal in the near future," Dr Federoff said. He insisted that these findings are a ‘major step towards the commercialisation of a pre-clinical disease biomarker test'. This test could in the future be used for ‘large-scale screening to identify at-risk individuals', he added.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, Nature Medicine.

The SVP help with nightmares – so that dreams become possible…

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has been operating in Ireland for 170 years.

It is Ireland's largest volunteer lead organisation, with a proud tradition of fighting for social justice for the members of our society who are unable to do so for themselves.

We are motivated in what we do by our belief that we can make a difference to the lives of thousands of people in Ireland.

What do we do?

We offer support and friendship, promote self-sufficiency and work towards Social Justice.

It is not enough to provide short term material support. Those we assist are also helped to achieve self-sufficiency in the longer term and the sense of selfworth this provides.

We cover a large range of voluntary

work in the community: • Home Visitation • Holiday Homes for Children, Teenagers and the Elderly.

• Education, Childcare and Community Resource Centres • Job Creation • Social Housing • Vincents Shops • Prison Visits and Prison Visitor Centres • Stella Maris Seafarers Club • Youth Clubs Why do we need you?

We are continually looking to recruit new volunteers to assist in the projects listed above. We need your help to help people in need.

If you would like to find out more, get involved with SVP or make a donation, please visit www.svp.ie or call 018550022.

SALES EXECUTIVE REQUIRED

To sell advertising space in Mature Living Leinster Edition The ideal candidate will:

• Have good negotiation skills • A good phone manner • Ability to learn and work within deadlines • Persistent, self-motivated, enthusiastic, resilient, tenacious, patient and flexible • Well organised, ability to plan, work under pressure, target oriented/goal driven • Able to build relationships with current and potential clients

Excellent remuneration for the right person, email: seamus@matureliving.ie or call 085-2498067

Confusion over type 1 and 2 diabetes

T

ype 1 diabetes is not related to lifestyle factors and cannot be prevented or reversed, Diabetes Ireland has said.

According to the charity, there is widespread confusion among members of the public over the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

"To set the record straight, type1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, not related to weight or a sedentary lifestyle and it's not preventable or reversible. It is most commonly diagnosed in childhood. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes is associated with poor lifestyle behaviours and diet, being overweight, being sedentary and usually develops when one is over 45 years of age," explained Dr Anna Clarke of Diabetes Ireland.

The charity noted that type 2 diabetes tends to get a lot of media coverage. However, this has left many people with type 1 diabetes ‘feeling invisible, overlooked or blamed by an unknowing public for causing their own condition'.

"The current media focus on obesity and its relationship with type 2 diabetes is leading to discrimination against people with type 1 diabetes who are wrongly perceived as having contributed to the onset of their own lifelong condition," Dr Clarke pointed out.

She said that the parents of children with type 1 diabetes are particularly concerned about this confusion.

"When a person who only knows about type 2 diabetes hears that your child has been di-

Page 6 Mature Living March 2014

agnosed with diabetes they frequently don't realise that your child has type 1. They link diabetes with a poor diet and lack of exercise. Some people's lack of understanding leads them to believe that the reason your child has diabetes is due to poor diet and lifestyle in the home. This is very hurtful and totally wrong," said Charlotte, a parent in Cork.

Dr Clarke added that while people who are not aware of these conditions ‘can be excused for missing the distinction between the two', policy makers and the media must be better informed.

"There are up to 19,000 people with type 1 diabetes in Ireland their condition deserves recognition as distinct from type 2 diabetes."

News

Muiris Prenderville, Founder Member of Active Retirement Ireland, Dies Aged 96

F

ounding member Active retirement Ireland Muiris Prenderville passed away recently at the age of 96.

A native of Castlemartyr, Co. Cork and an inter-county footballer for the rebel county, Muiris embodied positive ageing and activity throughout his life. A founder member of St. Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh GAA club in his adopted home of North Dublin, Muiris carried on representing the GAA after his playing days in a variety of different capacities.

Muiris was a founder member of Blanchardstown Active Retirement

Association (BARA) and the writer of the first constitution of the Federation of Active Retirement Associations (FARA), the national organisation that would later become Active Retirement Ireland.

Muiris's commitment to active ageing went beyond his involvement with his Active Retirement Association. He set up an intergenerational initiative called AGE-LINK to bridge the gap between young and old in his community.

At the age of 92, Muiris was honoured with an All-Ireland Inspirational Life Award for his commitment to active ageing in

Ireland. He said on receipt of the award, "I have been promoting positive ageing for people in Ireland a long time now and I still believe it is vital to remain active and involved with friends and continue to contribute to your community, regardless of age!" Muiris also won a special award for his Irish Language poetry in the Active Retirement Prose and Poetry Competition.

He will be fondly remembered and missed and his legacy, in the form of Active Retirement Ireland, will live on in his spirit.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Muiris Prenderville 1918-2014.

Eye exams essential to detect glaucoma Eye doctors are reminding people that the only way the serious eye disease, glaucoma, can be detected is through routine eye examinations.

An estimated 3% of Irish people over the age of 50 have glaucoma. If caught early enough, the condition can be treated, however it is usually

symptomless in its early stages. At a late stage, it becomes irreversible, resulting in vision loss and blindness.

"The importance of having a regular routine eye exam to help prevent avoidable glaucomarelated vision loss cannot be over-emphasised. With early diagnosis and careful

Page 8 Mature Living March 2014

regular observation and treatment, damage can usually be kept to a minimum, and good vision can be enjoyed indefinitely," said Dr Aoife Doyle, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon and glaucoma specialist at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin.

She noted that with glaucoma, vision loss is gradual, so those affected are often unaware they have a problem ‘until their sight has been compromised'.

"It's crucial that people remember that once vision is lost to glaucoma, it cannot be restored,' she commented.

The best way to detect glaucoma is through routine eye examinations.

The test to detect it is

non-invasive and provides a result immediately.

Dr Doyle made her comments to coincide with World Glaucoma Week, which took place earlier this month. She noted that those most at risk from the condition are people over the age of 60, those with a family history of the disease and individuals of Hispanic and African descent.

The Irish College of Ophthalmologists recommends that all adults have a ‘baseline, comprehensive dilated eye exam' by the age of 40, as this is the time when early signs may begin.

For those aged 60 and older, the college recommends having a comprehensive eye exam every one to two years.

Key questions on Government’s health reforms

T

he Government is due to publish a White Paper on the introduction of Universal Health Insurance(UHI) shortly.

Minister James Reilly has promised that the publication of the White Paper will be followed by a public consultation. This is the time when citizens will have an opportunity to speak up and have our say on UHI, the most far-reaching reform of the Irish health system ever.

These health reforms will have an effect on every single man, woman and child in the country. If the reforms work, the outcome will be a single tier system of healthcare to which everyone will have access on the basis of need and to which people will contribute on the basis of ability to pay. Universal access to healthcare on the basis of need would be a prize of incalculable value and a legacy that our children and grandchildren would thank us for. However, if the Government gets the health reforms wrong, the negative consequences will be felt by all of us.

That is why it is vital that people take advantage of the coming public consultation to set the agenda on health reform by asking our political leaders some searching questions. Here are four of my recommended questions and the reasons why they are important: 1. Are we designing healthcare for citizens or for customers?

Healthcare for citizens is about providing a service.

Healthcare for customers is about selling a commodity.

2. What will happen to children with disabilities, adults with chronic illnesses and older people who are sick and frail if community rated health insurance is replaced with risk rated health insurance?

According to news reports, Ireland’s community rated health insurance will be replaced by risk rated health insurance as part of the reforms. Under community rating, health insurance is available to everyone at the same price regardless of age or health status. Risk rated health insurance costs more if you are older, have a chronic illness or a disability.

3. Why is the Government confident that a reform model based on a competitive health insurance market with multiple private insurance providers will be efficient and fair?

The Minister for Health is reported to favour the Dutch UHI model based on a competitive market with multiple private insurers. Irish experience of a competitive private health insurance market does not inspire confidence. The price of premiums has rocketed; younger subscribers have exited from the market in large numbers; and private insurance providers have maximized confusion for customers, launching almost 300 insurance plans onto the market, making comparison of benefits virtually impossible for individuals.

4. Why has the average cost of private health insurance premiums here increased by 10 % per annum since 2008?

Government must be able to explain clearly why health insurance premiums are increasing in price at alarming rates. If Government cannot explain, we cannot be confident that Government can control future costs in a UHI market with multiple private insurers. And no, this is not all about ageing! According to the HIA, just 3% of the annual increase in premium cost is associated with ageing. That leaves a 7% annual cost increase unexplained.

Will the promised reforms give us fairer health system with universal access for all, or will one set of inequalities be replaced with another? I’ll make up my mind when I hear the answers to the key questions above.

Meanwhile, to read more about Universal Healthcare, go to: http://bit.ly/1cRKzOu ; and to join a discussion on the issues, visit my blog at: www.patriciaconboy.com or follow me on Twitter: @PatriciaConboy1.

Feature by Gerry Walsh

By Gerry Walsh

I

F there’s one thing that becomes apparent after speaking for just a few minutes with Duncan Stewart it’s his sincerity and passion for what he does. The award-winning architect and ecological design and energy specialist is probably one of Ireland’s most liked TV personalities. This, no doubt, also accounts for the jump in the ratings for his popular Eco Eye TV programme, which now screens at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evenings on RTE 1. With 745,000 viewers per programme on average, it has become even more popular than the Late Late.

With hand on heart he can say that he has never received a complaint about the programme. People are waking up to the fact that climate change is now a big issue and we have taken the environment for granted for too long. He also lives by example; he cycles to work each day to his office at Earth Horizon Productions Ltd. which he set up in 1997.

Currently, Duncan lives in Dublin with his Swedish wife, Agneta. He has five children, ranging from 31 to 21. His son, Marcus, who is 6’6” (and plays rugby) works with him as a producer; his daughter, Tanya, works as a presenter. Another son, who has a Masters in Rural Development, works in Upsala,

Swedan, while his younger son is studying engineering in Trinity College.

Born in Clonmel 66 years ago, Duncan was one of a family of six. His father was an army officer and as part of the nomadic lifestyle (as he put it) he moved to Dublin on transfer when Duncan was six. His mother was a creative person who actually wrote two books and a total of 300 songs. His earlier (Primary) education was at Loretta Primary School, Clonmel (from 4 – 6) and from then until the age of 17 he attended Colaiste Mhuire Irish Language College in Parnell Square. He later attended the School of Architecture in UCD and qualified with a Bachelor of Architecture at the age of 22.

He also has a Diploma in Arbitration Law from the Dublin Institute of Technology, Bolton Street.

Even in those days Duncan was making waves. He was VicePresident of USI and involved in arts festivals and protests on many issues of the day; a notable one was when part of the Grand Canal was threatened with closure to make way for a motorway. He was also animated about the way Georgian Dublin was being raped by developers.

After spending short periods working abroad in Vienna and Amsterdam he came back to lecture in the School of Architecture, DIT, Bolton Street at the age of 23 and spent over 20 years lecturing there. During those early years he carried out extensive research on

Page 10 Mature Living March 2014

Sustainable Energy in Building Design. But the 1973 Oil Crisis was a wake-up call for him and he felt that the focus of architectural teaching was all wrong. We were locked into fossil fuels for our heating systems and oil burners were being installed in houses everywhere.

With colleagues Owen Lewis (UCD) and engineer and mentor John Cash, he started to pioneer solar energy systems. They began to develop the techniques and the new generation of students responded well to the concept. While there may have been some interest in the alternatives and a movement towards design for energy efficiency at that time when the price of oil dropped people went back to it again.

He felt the alternative solution was TV programmes.

Householders were not being provided with the appropriate information so he set about to rectify this. RTE turned down their request for programming, but they managed to get funding from other state agencies, including Coillte. So, “Our House” was born (1990), followed later by “About the House” By now, Duncan had established his own production company and produced many other programmes and documentaries. One such production was “Dublin City Past and Future”, highlighting the changing face of Dublin and the problem of urban sprawl. The “Wood from the Trees” series examined forests in Ireland and

Europe and dealt with the ecology of forests, the uses we make of wood and the woodlands as a habitat for wildlife. There was also “The State We’re In” series and, of course, the popular “Eco Eye”, which is now in its twelfth year.

When I asked Duncan for his views on what is happening in Ireland now in terms of climate change his response was unequivocal. “Make no mistake, it IS happening, it’s real and it’s caused by ourselves, primarily because of our use of fossil fuels. Worldwide, we have reached the point where atmospheric concentration of CO2 has reached 400 parts per million, which is frightening considering the level was between 180 and 280 for the last 500,000 years. So, we’re 40% above the maximum level experienced for that period and

the level we’re at now was not there for more than 3 million years.

“As the number of middleclass in the population grows we are consuming more carbonintensive fossil fuels with greater emissions. Here in Ireland 94% of our energy needs comes from oil, gas, coal and peat, with only 6% coming from renewables. We have the highest greenhouse gas emission levels in Europe and we import 90% of our energy fuels at a cost of €6.5 billion per year.

“We will experience more and more flooding. We are changing our climate and increasing our temperature levels. There has been an 0.8°C rise in global mean surface temperature since 1900. Look at what’s happening to ice in the artic and the changing global weather conditions.

In Australia, temperature levels have been breaking all records. South west US has been experiencing draughts while there have been incredible freezing temperatures in the North and North East. This unpredictable weather is due to climate change, all caused by humans. By the end of the century, if nothing is done this can reach +4°C or +6°C, with catastrophic consequences.

“The Copenhagen Accord, 2009, failed to deliver an agreement on global warming, primarily due to the stubbornness of the US and China. It was agreed to hold to a maximum of a +2°C rise in global temperatures – even that is dangerous, according to science.

“We are in denial, because of the power wielded by the fossil fuel industry who are very vocal and spend billions discrediting climate change which is accelerating all the time. The World Bank, in a Report, “+4°C – turn down the Heat” in 2012 predicted a +4°C change this century. This level of climate change would mean there is no future for our children and grandchildren and the change will be irreversible and selfperpetuating.”

While Duncan is alarmed at the level of self-destruction taking place he appreciates how difficult it will be to control it.

The fossil fuel industry wants to maintain its position and there is employment, pension funds and other related industries dependent on it. According to the Grantham Institute of Climate Change (2013) there was $4 trillion of share value investment in reserves of oil, gas or coal in 2012. 4/5 of that will be unburnable stranded assets if we are to achieve the +2°C target. We will use only one-fifth of what we will have

expended and investors will have lost a fortune.

“In Ireland, reality is hitting us very quickly. 50,000 households can’t get home insurance because of the propensity to flooding. These numbers will grow massively in the next few years. We have to assess and prepare. Our government and politicians generally are not taking the matter seriously enough as there are no votes in climate change, but it will have a major impact on our children’s futures.

“Somehow, we’ll have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, wean off fossil fuels and reduce flights abroad, if possible. We have to, somehow, plan for the future. Studies have not been done to examine the choices. The recent pylon controversy is an example, though wind is our lifeline. We have inefficient power plants.

We will spend €65bn over the next ten years on oil, gas and coal imports.”

Duncan admits he is fortunate to be alive after an accident close to the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl 10 years ago. He had not been given access to the exclusion zone, but decided to take a risk and brought in a TV camera also. He took a fall and was unconscious for three days, had all ribs on his left side broken and suffered a punctured lung. He had no blood left but received excellent treatment from medical people who travelled into a small town near Belarus. He had been working as an architect with the Chernobyl Children’s Orphanages project.

The accident was a wake-up call for him also. Having survived the ordeal he felt committed to giving more back to society.

He likes to keep fit and cycles each day. He also goes to the gym twice a week and swims afterwards. He is not a fanatic

when it comes to eating, but likes to eat good food and sometimes forages in nature with berries and shellfish.

In terms of relaxation, Duncan is not into reading novels. He reads material close to his area of interest and he likes to invent things – like board games and three-dimensional structures like off-shore floating wind turbines. His spare time is precious. He is in a lot of pain at times and the busier he finds himself the better. Musically, he plays the clarinet, though he says he probably bores people with it at times. He likes traditional Irish music, jazz and classical. He wouldn’t appreciate a lot of art or architecture and is critical of his own profession in so many ways.

Duncan is a spiritual person and he admires people who are

not shy about exposing their spirituality. He dislikes those who push their own brand of spirituality at others. Religion has led to major wars. In places like Northern Ireland it was used as an excuse for sectarianism.

Religion, in its essence should help bring people together rather than divide them.

Ireland as a country has incredible potential. It has a small population with an educated youth, but many are fearful for their futures. The free market approach to economics is the main problem; the young feel disenfranchised and not provided with a fair chance. We have incredible natural resources – wind. biomass, solar, resources entrapped in the ocean, wave energy. It is a difficult time but Duncan feels we are on the cusp of positive change.

It’s already happening but it will manifest itself in the next few years. Currently at national level just 2% of our food is produced locally, compared with 40% in France and Austria. 60 – 70% of our food is imported by the food chains. 90% of our vegetables (worth €900m.) are imported each year and total food imports has reached €5bn.

The future is in small cooperatives which are beginning to mushroom in towns and villages across Ireland. These must be supported.

Only 6% of our energy is locally produced and our imported energy costs are €2,500 per year for every person in the country. If all this could be addressed it is easy to see the potential for employment and the opportunities to be created for our young people.

The government needs to see the future and get committed.

The bottom up approach needs

top down support. He has concerns for his children’s and grandchildren’s futures. While he is positive by nature his knowledge of what is happening convinces him that without major change we could be heading for a catastrophe. By 2050 the world’s population (now 7.5 bn.) will have reached 9.5 billion. Resources are under pressure but people want more.

China’s and India’s middle-class will have increased three-fold by then. Everybody wants our lifestyle. With those additional people flying, driving and burning fuels in homes the emissions will increase threefold in these countries.

Those of you who may be prompted into some action as a result of reading all this and wish to find out what will be featured in upcoming Eco Eye programmes should click onto www.earthhorizons.ie. The next issue (on Tuesday night) will feature Eco health, how lifestyle and exercise governs our health. It also deals with the issue of drugs and medicines and how anti-bodies and toxins pollute our environment, rivers and lakes. The following Tuesday highlights water in Ireland, including pollution levels, with some filming in Boyle (Roscommon) where “boil” notices are still very common.

While speaking to Duncan last week I was most impressed with his honesty and in-depth knowledge of the issues he was dealing with. I don’t think he was taking the alarmist approach; the science is there to back up everything he spoke about. We can only hope that enough people in power take note of the warnings and work towards achieving a consensus on how to save our planet.

Page 11 Mature Living March 2014

Fashion

Oscars’ Winning Ladies The Best Dressed at The 2014 Academy Awards

This year’s Academy Awards will be known as the night the mums almost eclipsed some of the stars on the red carpet. Academy Award winners Jared Leto (for Best Supporting Actor) and Matthew McConaughey (for Best Actor) both brought their mothers as dates to the Oscars last month. And despite their mega-watt off-springs at their sides, the ladies held their own sartorially. But, there were other Golden Girls that ruled the night as well. We list the winning Zoomer-rific looks that wowed us on the red carpet.

Meryl Streep, 64 wearing Lanvin This cream and black outfit might have been simple but offered classic and timeless glamour.

Glenn Close, 66 in Zac Posen Not one for making extreme fashion statements, the actress kept it simply classic in a mermaid style gown and matching shrug jacket.

Goldie Hawn, 68 in Versace And then there are those that wish to flaunt arms, shoulders, bosom and all! And why not if your body is in terrific shape? The ageless blond bombshell showed off her incredible figure in a gown that was sexy without being tawdry.

June Squibb, 84 Julia Roberts, 46 in Givenchy Julia stepped up her fashion game and opted for one of the hottest labels out of Paris. The navy lace gown looked modern but perfectly suited Robert’s classic beauty.

in Tadashi Shoji A gown with a matching jacket seems to be a god-send for women of a certain age who wish to cover their arms for a formal occasion.

And this sparkly gown and jacket combo does that beautifully without being too matronly.

Sandra Bullock, 49 in Alexander McQueen The star channelled old world Hollywood glam with her ball gown and cascading waves of hair.

Bette Midler, 68 in Reem Acra The diva was one of the very few who wore prints or patterns on the red carpet. And the form-fitting, red, lacy gown showed off the saucy singer’s svelte shape.

Liza Minnelli, 67 Despite host Ellen DeGeneres referring to her as ‘Sir’, there wasn’t anything masculine about Minnelli’s cobalt blue silky pajama look. She looked chic and comfortable–and added a touch of rebellion with a matching streak of blue in her hair.

Retirement by Carol Passemard

What does Retirement Mean? dreams”. I closed my book and got on with my life.

Sure enough in September 2007 we went to stay in Clifden and started to search the estate agents. Having been given the details of one house by 2 agents I just had a feeling that we needed to go and view it.

As we entered the house we both knew this was it! A 6 bedroomed bed & breakfast that we could do something to and make it 3 bedrooms! By January 2008 it was ours.

So this was the first stage of our working towards our retirement….

As we fast track to November 2010 we moved in to our new home just outside Clifden: off the Sky Road with every room except the kitchen facing southwards, close to a community, very near to putting a boat in the water home with 3 bedrooms and a sea view.

W

e were blissfully happy in our Yorkshire farmhouse nestled into the Pennines in England. We had spent years gutting and creating a wonderful home for ourselves but we knew it was not to last forever. As we were nearing our ‘autumn years’ we decided to start looking for where to go next. We had already agreed that the most important thing to us was to be near the sea. Our grown up families were living all over England and Ireland so we could choose where we wanted to go.

We used to spend our weekends visiting places along the South and West coasts of the UK to see if any of them felt good for us but nothing really ticked the right boxes for us – although at that stage we didn’t know what those boxes were.

Then in mid 2000 I was taken ill and found myself in hospital.

I had just completed my master practitioner course on Creating your Future™ techniques and was booked in to do the trainers training and all that had to be postponed much to my great disappointment. This was not meant to happen!

We had also booked a yachting holiday in the Caribbean – that too was cancelled. So my husband suggested we go to Ireland, stay with our daughter and grandchildren for a couple of

days and then travel down the west coast, stopping in a few places on the way.

We were lucky the weather was glorious and we had a fantastic time.

On our return to Yorkshire my husband suggested we go back to that place ‘Clifden’ where we had stayed one night and take a week’s break there in the autumn. Again we had a wonderful time.

Much to my amazement my husband then suggested that maybe it would be a nice place to live? Initially I was shocked but as I got more used to the idea it seemed rather exciting!

I had continued with my Creating your Future™ training and was well equipped with tools and techniques so we chose to try them out and test them to see if they really worked for us. We wanted to create the sort of place we would like to live. We talked about what was really important to us in finding a new home and the list came up very simply as the following: • Big skies (we had those in Yorkshire) • South facing (light was important to us) • Sea view (not found in the Pennines!)

• Close to a community • A place we could do something to and ensure we had 3 bedrooms

Page 14 Mature Living March 2014

• Near to where we could put a boat in the water.

So in January 2007, I sat down (as I always did) to write down my goals for the coming year.

With the values we had agreed together very much focused in my mind. I wrote: by the end of September 2007 “we have found the house of our

Due to the recession we had been put in a situation where our business had to be reduced in size and we had to close our management consultancy office in Yorkshire. This meant we were able to advance our dream of retiring to Clifden by 18 months because we could then work from here using the internet and take control of the office commitments ourselves.

That is what we are still successfully doing.

So where are we now in relation to retiring?

We have established a great network of friends in this wonderful community that we chose to become part of. We

have become involved in some of the local charitable organizations and using the expertise we have developed over a life time of working and in particular through having our own management consultancy for the past 26 years we support & assist others either in the giving of our time or, from my husband’s point of view, helping organisations apply for grants.

I continue to run, on a part time basis, my successful Breakthrough Retreat coaching business encouraging and inspiring others to make the most of their lives by acknowledging what’s really important to them and aim for those far reaching goals that when you are committed have a strong chance of coming true!

Even if there are a few obstacles put in along the way.

Our next steps are to ensure we achieve a balance between getting too involved and enjoying the wonders of the beaches, golf, sailing, yoga classes, walking. My husband has also chosen to master the art of bread making which for him requires a great deal of reading about different techniques either from books or on the internet and then taking over in the kitchen!

As Anatole France said: “To accomplish great things, we must not only act but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.”

For more information on group courses, 1:1 coaching please contact: Carol Passemard Mobile: 087 141 3026 www.breakthroughretreat.com

L&B Home Care Serviced 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

Home Care Provider to HSE

Employment

You're over 50? Great, you’re hired As more middle-aged workers retrain for a second career, a new generation of apprentices is competing for work

Alan Sugar

at this later stage in life.”

For Simon Carty, that was a feeling too close for comfort when he was made redundant from his role in IT development for a bank in 2010.

“It was a troubling time,” says the father of twin 12-yearold boys whose wife Claire is a teaching assistant at a primary school. Now he is in the third and final year of a Fetac course.

work, even taking an exam in between helping to coordinate the clear-up of the wreckage caused by the recent floods.

“I believe you are never too old to learn anything,” she says.

“There are opportunities everywhere. It is about planning your day, knowing you have certain things to do and fitting the learning around that in your free time.”

“Ninety-nine per cent of the students are in their midtwenties or younger,” says the 45-year-old. “In fact, I’m the oldest student in my class. In my opinion you can treat it in one of two ways: either by saying, 'I’m over the hill and I’m going to keep my distance’, or by saying, 'In for a penny, in for a pound’. This is a whole new chapter and it keeps me young, too.”

Ms McDonald finishes her apprenticeship next year and admits: “It’s a long old haul.”

But at the end, her plan is to gain a promotion to become a project manager. Like many in her position, she is determined to cast off traditional stereotypes about age and succeed in her new career.

It is a business mantra one hears again and again from the new generation of apprentices.

So step away from the dinosaur, Lord Sugar, Britain’s middleaged are waiting to be hired.

Lynn McDonald from Mayo, 50, combines studying with her Daniel Day-Lewis

T

here is an episode of the BBC spin-off Young Apprentice in which Lord Sugar invites his precocious charges to the Natural History Museum. Standing against a backdrop of a dinosaur skeleton, Lord Sugar explains to his young audience that the over-fifties have a lot of leisure time and a lot of disposable income – spending more than £260 billion a year.

What he neglected to mention to the bright-eyed 16- and 17year-old wannabe apprentices lined up in front of him, is that the middle-aged are coming for their jobs, too.

Far from wasting away in armchairs browsing catalogues for electric pie makers and camera-equipped bird boxes (two of the items the young apprentices thought would sell to the over-fifties), Britain’s middle-aged are signing up to become apprentices themselves on an unprecedented scale.

New government figures show that in the past year more than 34,000 people aged over 50 have started an apprenticeship, with more than a third finding jobs in business, administration and law. Matthew Hancock, the

skills minister, told the country’s middle-aged that if they want to change careers they should take up apprenticeships to “get and hold down skilled jobs”. Many in the autumn of their careers are heeding his advice, ripping up the rules of retirement and starting again.

Sometimes, the career change can be dramatic. Admittedly 55year-old Daniel Day-Lewis’s decision, after winning his third Best Actor Oscar last year, to retreat to his Wicklow farmhouse to begin a five-year apprenticeship in stonemasonry and wood turning, is down to luxury of choice rather than necessity. But there are many over-fifties embarking on similarly adventurous changes.

No doubt better health and increased life expectancy plays a major part in the generational shift. After all, it is estimated that by 2020 a third of Irelands workforce will be over 50. But apprenticeships are also rescuing many from the fear of being left on the scrapheap.

Currently in the UK more than 425,000 people aged over 50 are unemployed – the highest rate in any age group – with half

Page 14 Mature Living March 2014

of them out of work for 12 months or more.

In the past year, 11,790 people aged over 50 have found work through apprenticeships in health care and public services.

And here in Ireland more and more are taking the same route.

Laureen O Neill from Tuam , who turns 60 in May, says it has transformed her life. After leaving her previous job working in health centre to care for her dying father in the final two years of his life, she worried she would never get back into work.

Now she is studying for qualifications in business administration while working at a care home.

“I left school with nothing but the group cert and worked all my life to bring up my 32-yearold daughter. But after two years out of employment I thought, 'I am never going to be able to get back into a job as a 57-year-old’.

“This apprenticeship has been absolutely super. It gives you a great background and insight into your work. I would definitely recommend it for an older person. It is lovely to feel you are still learning something

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Travel

Over-50s on the gap year trail as they follow in the footsteps of their globetrotting children

T

hailand’s capital has elbowed London aside as a magnet for international visitors. With 15.98 million heads on pillows, it’s topped MasterCard’s 132-city Global Destination Cities Index for 2013. Travel + Leisure readers have also ranked Bangkok tops on that magazine’s World’s Best City list for the fourth year in a row, and we agree. After all, it is your first stop connection en

route to Thai vacation spots Phuket, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui, so why not pause after the long flight?

For years they have been havens for adventurous young travellers and gap year students, many seeking to escape the watchful eye of their parents.

But if they wanted their elders to stay away, it seems globe-trotting youngsters

Page 18 Mature Living March 2012

shouldn’t have been so enthusiastic about their chosen holiday destinations.

For backpackers’ favourites such as Thailand are now attracting a growing number of older visitors – inspired by their children’s exciting experiences.

One in ten over-50s has been on holiday to a country they hadn’t previously considered visiting after their children returned home raving about it,

according to research commissioned by a leading travel agent. The study found that more than half of those over 50 plan to travel the world once they retire.

And while 44 per cent of them are jealous of the travelling younger people do now, almost as many – four in ten – are taking the opportunity in their autumn years to visit destinations they had never dreamt of going to when they themselves were young.

The study of 5,000 people, including almost 1,000 over-50s, found four in ten older holidaymakers are opting for an adventure-filled break, taking part in every excursion and activity they can squeeze into their trip And as they do so, the report found that the older generation are turning their backs on previous favourites such as the Canary Islands, mainland Spain and Portugal.

Almost one in ten even admitted to booking a holiday to a particular destination in the hope of appearing younger or more adventurous than they really are.

Getting older no longer means relaxing and taking it easy as it seems the older generation is more adventurous than ever.

‘Parents and grandparents are now listening to experiences of

their children or grandchildren after returning from their holidays and dream of doing the same thing.

'But rather than sitting back and soaking up the stories through their young relatives, over-50s are now booking similar trips themselves so they have their own adventurous tales to tell.

‘We’ve seen a rise in the number of over-50s booking trips to far-flung destinations once their children have left home and an increase in longduration holidays, with some booking 21- and 42-night packages.

‘It seems that travelling the world is no longer reserved for school leavers or college students.’

TOP TEN DESTINATIONS FOR OVER-50S Australia Canada New Zealand U.S. Caribbean Italy Seychelles Ireland Florida Maldives

Bangkok for a day

H

ere is how to spend an easy 24 hours in this exotic, bustling metropolis.

1 Go directly to Bangkok’s Grand Palace Exquisite seems too puny a word for this regal complex.

Lavish applications of gold and mother-of-pearl glimmer on rooftops, in cool temples and on mythical statues throughout its almost 220,000 square metres.

At the Wat Phra Kaew within the compound, pay respects to the Emerald Buddha, the country’s most revered image,

then marvel at the temple’s sixmetre-high, 800-metre-long murals adapted from the Ramayana, an ancient Hindu epic. In the nearby Wat Pho, a quest for good luck makes music as you file past the 46-metrelong reclining Buddha (Thailand’s largest). Coins dropped by fortune-seekers into the 108 bronze bowls in the corridor behind the figure create the heavenly sound. www.tourismthailand.org/Wher e-to-Go/Bangkok 2 Stay – and eat too.

You won’t want to leave the serene and stylish Metropolitan Bangkok Hotel once you’ve dined there at Nahm. Chef David Thompson gives traditional Thai food a sophisticated update – nervy, given that he’s Australian-born.

His talent earned a Michelin star for Thai cooking at his nowclosed Nahm London base, and he’s out to prove that local Thais will love his grub, too. www.comohotels.com/metropol itanbangkok

China Town

3 Wind up by winding down They’ll bend you out of shape, but a rigorous two-hour Thai massage at RarinJinda Wellness Spa in the Grande Centre Point Hotel in Bangkok will leave you feeling limber and refreshed.

Following the sens – lines of energy flowing through the body – a determined therapist

sequentially applies firm and rhythmic pressure to muscle tissue using hands, elbows or feet and also leverages you into yoga-like postures. This challenging but deeply relaxing process relieves stiffness and pain, and improves flexibility.

Practitioners also believe it balances energy flow.

Page 19 Mature Living March 2014

By James Mc Connell and John Curran • Photos by James Mc Connell

Belvedere, a Georgian house sited high above Lough Ennell, near Mullingar, is a place devoted to the loveliest of lake views.

I

t has long been known for its beautiful gardens, woods and park, and to add to its interest, there is a dark tale of jealousy from the 18th century to engage the imagination.

Robert Rochfort built Belvedere House around 1740 to a design

by William Castle. His younger brother George lived in a large mansion at Tudenham, a little further down the lake shore.

The story goes that an affair of the heart ensued between Robert's wife and her brotherin-law, George. Tudenham was easily visible from Belvedere.

Robert, so that his wife could not even see across there, had a huge sham ruin built to screen out the view of her lover’s house. The unfortunate wife was kept prisoner until Robert died, when she was released by

their children, emerging from her ordeal as though from a time-capsule, wearing the fashionable clothes of a previous era. The Jealous Wall, as it came to be known, is one of the most celebrated and spectacular follies in Ireland. It is ironic that Belvedere, built to celebrate wonderful views, had also to have an antidote to deny these long vistas, the foundation of its charm.

At Belvedere, there are many great viewing points: the front door or the drawing-room window, the splendid terraces designed for exactly that purpose, and the gothick follies in the park itself. Although it is devoted to beautiful views Belvedere does not require that you remain immobile to appreciate them. Paths entice

Page 20 Mature Living March 2014

you to move through Belvedere so that it can reveal its delights to you.

Belvedere House and Gardens was bequeathed by Rex Beaumont to Westmeath County Council, and they have maintained it since as a public recreation amenity. Beaumont had himself inherited Belvedere from Charles Howard-Bury who had travelled in the Himalayas, China and Central Asia and collected seeds there, which on his return were propagated to become the foundation of a famous plant collection at Belvedere, which included rhododendron, primula, iris, anemone, and polygonum. The microclimate of his inherited garden was equally suitable for these exotica as for kitchen garden produce.

Feature

When the garden was restored by Westmeath County Council, remnants of HowardBury’s plant collection were recorded and preserved as a guide for the new plantings it undertook. Now sections of the walled garden are devoted to plants of Himalayan and Chinese origin; it is instructive to see how many now familiar garden plants are actually native to those far-eastern territories.

In the restoration, formal rose gardens have been planted,

enclosed between box hedges which echo the enclosure of the brick walls, with displays of pink, cream and white roses.

Climbing roses such as ‘Guinee’ an opulent red from 1938 and pink, ever-favoured ‘Albertine’ from 1920 maintain a discreet presence against the walls.

The pale and profuse rosa ‘Lady Hillingdon’ covers a summer house. A slender Chusan palm tree, native of the Himalayas, towers above everything but the garden walls

themselves. Belvedere is strong on herbaceous borders, and has collections of geranium, primula and deutzia.

Belvedere is beautiful in all seasons of the year. In springtime there is the cherry blossom and musky royal fritillary to seek out. In summer there are the roses, the velvet green of trees and the shrieks of the blue jay. In autumn the woodland walks reveal the bronze and gold of falling leaves. The frosty breath of winter purifies the views and the silvery Westmeath light plays delicately on the house and its heraldic lions.

Whether you are alone or in company the gardens of Belvedere are just right for relaxation because of their wide appeal. Flower arrangers might see the potential of the herbaceous flowers and perennials and may even become motivated to set about growing some of these themselves at home. A cook might gauge the quantities of blackcurrants and raspberries produced by a given number of bushes or canes, and discover a ready-made list of useful varieties. ‘Ben Conran’ and ‘Malling Jewel’ are the blackcurrant and raspberry varieties growing in Belvedere that just might make a jam maker into a gardener, too.

And those of us who are gardeners already can see for ourselves varieties not previously known to us in the herbaceous borders and in the collection of shrubs and roses, and plant associations that are inspiring and practical.

We can learn about gardening technique by observing the methods through which effects

are achieved, like the metal edges defining the boundaries of lawns and paths, or how plants are supported against the walls and in the borders.

Lingering in the walled garden is a great pleasure for those who love gardens to have both form and content. In the space of forty paces you can admire a French rose and a Himalayan shrub, vivid crocosmia or multicoloured carp circling the lily-pond.

Belvedere is particularly good for accommodating children's needs with those of adults. The Jealous Wall now has a new use, screening the visitor centre, with its restaurant and shops, and the slides and swings of the playground from view. For the very young and the very old the large grounds are still accessible, as a vintage-style tram tour is available.

At Belvedere, many types of gardener have left their mark.

The formal terraces are an architect’s conception of a garden, the park an arborist’s, and the walled garden a plantsman’s.

Originally built as a place of entertainment and retreat, a convenient place from which to fish the lake, Belvedere is still where to come for a little peace and quiet. Whether you are a gardener or not Belvedere is always interesting, a refuge for those who just need time off the beaten track.

About the authorsJames Mc Connell is a gardener and garden design consultant and winner of RTE’S Supergarden 2010.

John Curran is an artist, designer and writer.

Page 21 Mature Living March 2014

Fitness

Outdoor Fitness T

his month we are going to look at some ways to get the very most out of your time spent exercising. Let’s face it; there are very few people who actually enjoy the act of exercising. It is hard work (at least, it should be!), it takes up your free time and often it can be a number of weeks before the results are obvious! What people do enjoy about exercising are the benefits that are gained when effort and commitment is put into their workouts. This is why it is a very good idea to learn how to get the most out of your time spent exercising – the less time you have to spend working out, the more likely you are to do it!

First off, and most importantly, planning! It seems a simple concept but you would be amazed how many people don’t have any idea what they will do before they begin their workout. The first thing I do when designing a programme for a client is to determine a goal or goals which must be 2 things: specific and timed. “I want to lose weight.” No good.

It must have an end date otherwise I guarantee you will stop exercising in a couple of weeks. It is very difficult to

motivate yourself unless there is an end in sight. “I want to lose one inch from my waist by Joanne’s wedding in October.”

Perfect! Now our specific goal has a timescale. By the time Joanne’s wedding has come around you start again and say “OK, now I want to be able to run a 10k

by Christmas” This gives you something to aim for and also something to say you achieved afterwards.

Next decide how much time you can dedicate to a workout. If it’s an hour, half an hour or only ten minutes then so be it.

If your goal is weight loss, you need to do 20-30 minutes of vigorous cardio exercise per day. Everyone’s situation is going to be different but this is a general rule of thumb. Cardio is any exercise that raises your heart rate and gets you sweating e.g. walking, jogging, swimming, cycling. You also want to include some resistance training. Resistance training is anything that works the muscles e.g. sit-ups, press ups, lunges.

Outdoor gyms are becoming so popular because they make it easier to exercise.

The various machines allow you to do your cardio and your resistance exercises, all set away from the stuffy, often uncomfortable atmosphere in a traditional gym. Next month we will look at some more ways to maximise results from your workout. Until then try to put into practice some of the techniques outlined above and see how they can help you to get to where you want to be!If you would like an outdoor gym installed in your area, you can talk to your local councillor or community development groups! There are grants and funding available all the time for these projects and it just takes someone to get the ball rolling! It could be you!

Machine of the Month:

The Fitness Rider

Function: This is cardiovascular piece of equipment. It works all joints and muscles and provides excellent all over toning. We recommend spending between 5 and 15 minutes at the beginning and end of each workout.

Method: Sit down on the seat and grip rubber handles. Place feet on pedals. Pull arms towards chest and press feet out. Revert to original position.

Bike Your Way to a Better Body

C

ycling is a great way to see the outdoors, take in the fresh air, or simply get around town. It’s also an efficient way to burn excess calories, shed body fat and improve cardiovascular health. Depending on your body weight and the intensity of your ride, you will probably burn some where between 400 and 500 calories on a one hour bicycling trip.

The motion of cycling, especially uphill and high intensity cycling, is a great way to develop muscle and burn fat. As both the large (quadriceps and hamstring) and small (calf) muscles of the legs work, they become stronger and more developed. The beauty of developing more muscle is that it not only makes the body look leaner and stronger, but it raises the resting metabolic rate. The higher your resting metabolic rate, the more calories you burn even at rest. So eight hours after your bike ride, sitting on your

couch, you’re still burning extra calories!

Bicycling also works to strengthen the core region of the body, the abdominal and back muscles. A strong “core” is essential for good balance and posture, and beneficial for activities of daily living such as lifting groceries, carrying children and doing yard work.

Cycling for Weight Loss If weight loss is your objective, cycling can be very beneficial. A gradual weight loss of approximately one pound a week is a wise goal. Gradual weight loss helps to maintain muscle tissue (remember sitting on the couch burning calories?) and will greatly increase your chance of long term success. People who lose a great deal of weight quickly, often through deprivation-type diets, are very likely to regain the pounds within the first year.

Eliminating or burning 3500 calories will result in a weight loss

Page 22 Mature Living March 2014

of one pound. Assuming that you burn approximately 500 calories on a one hour bicycle ride, a daily ride would equal a one pound weight loss after just one week!

One side note about lifestyle changes: they are best made one at a time. If daily physical activity is a new part of your life, deny the urge to make too many other changes until the daily activity is established. Oftentimes people attempt to reform themselves in dramatic and unrealistic ways and the outcome is doomed for failure. (Consider some of your past New Year’s resolutions.) In other words, it is probably not a good idea to start exercising, give up sugar, caffeine and cigarettes all at the same time.

Better Eating = Better Cycling = Better Body Once you have established a regular cycling routine and are reaping the benefits of feeling stronger and healthier, you may

want to make some small dietary changes. The key to a healthy diet is increasing whole foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other foods that are naturally whole and unprocessed) and knocking out the less healthy portions of your diet. Eating a diet rich with fruits, vegetables

and whole grains will support the loss of extra pounds while fueling your body on cycling excursions.

In time, cycling will help you to feel stronger, leaner and more positive about your body. If you continue with daily activity and healthful eating, a better body is a sure thing.

Fitness by James O Neill

Best Fitness Program For Seniors Pick an exercise program you will stick with

I

asked my doctor what fitness program was best, especially for the over-50 crowd. He gave me a very droll and honest answer: "The best fitness program is the one you will stick with."

I couldn't help but think how true this is. No matter how much you spend or how good the program is, if it is not one

you will stick to, it does you no good.

So how do you find the fitness program you'll stick to? Let's look at how your expectations, abilities, and attitude affect how well you stick to the fitness program that is right for you.

Expectations The first thing you need to look

at is your expectations. What do you want from your fitness program?

If you set your expectations too high, you may be setting yourself up for failure. FOr example, I have a friend who is a triathlete and trains very hard. She also realizes that, at age 57, she probably will not come in first. Her goal for her

first event was to finish. As she has improved and competed in more events, she continues to challenge herself to improve her performance each time.

It is best to start slowly and build up to a goal. For example, if you plan on starting a walking program, start slowly, one block at a time.

Abilities You need to choose a fitness program that is within your physical abilities. If you have medical problems that preclude certain activities, you need to eliminate them as choices for exercise. If you have had knee or hip replacement, running may be out of the question, but walking could be a perfect alternative. Perhaps you are very limited in your mobility, or even confined to a wheelchair.

Look for a fitness program that is low impact and can be done from a chair or wheelchair. Look for a program called "sit and be fit" or any similar programs.

Attitude Why you want to start a fitness program can be just as important as actually starting the program. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, then you probably have the right attitude. If you are trying to impress someone or doing it because everyone else is, you may be setting yourself up to fail.

Best Bets For Fitness After 60 Walking Walking is a great exercise for

beginners. It is low impact, easily done almost anywhere, and does not require any special equipment other than wellfitting shoes.

Bike Riding Riding a bike is a skill most of us learned as a child. It is a great cardiovascular exercise and can be done almost anywhere.

Running If your knees are up to it, running is a great fitness activity.

Like all new activities, it is best to start slowly and build up endurance.

Perhaps running with a friend will help keep you motivated.

How to Keep Up Motivation If you are a very social person who needs a lot of encouragement, running or walking may not be your best fitness options.

Perhaps an aerobics class or golf would be more stimulating. Do it with a friend and challenge each other to keep going.

Regardless of what fitness program you're following, keep track of your progress. Keep a chart on the refrigerator with your progress towards your goals.

Keep a picture of yourself there to remind yourself why you are doing this. Remember to reward yourself when you reach a goal.

Take a vacation, spend a day at the spa, or buy a new outfit -whatever it takes to keep you motivated.

Page 23 Mature Living March 2014

Memories

T

The Bands of our Showband Era

Article and Photos courtesy of Gerry Gallagher www.irish-showbands.com

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

Maisie McDaniel B orn Mary Anne McDaniel, "Maisie" was one of the earliest female superstars of the Irish entertainment industry. At the height of her fame, Maisie was a regular guest on Irish TV, had hit records and was one of the most recognizable faces in Ireland.

Maisie began her career Maisie began her careerwinning prizes at singing competitions around Ireland. She became a celebrity when she won a major ballad competition in Swinford, Co. Mayo and turned professional under the watchful eye of manager, George O'Reilly. By 1963/64 Maisie had turned professional and was playing the ballroom circuit with her own group, The Fendermen.

Maisie's earliest recordings were typical girl pop vocals on the UK Fontana label, but it was George who suggested Maisie move to country and western music and she never looked back. However, even though she was a major star, appearing on (R)TE's Jamboree programme and Maureen Potter radio show, the Fendermen were dwarfed by the powerhouse lineups of showbands like Brendan Bowyer and the Royal, Butch

Moore and The Capitol, and Dickie Rock and the Miami.

In late 1964, her manager, George O'Reilly, decided it was time for Maisie to hit the showband circuit. She was to front the new Nevada showband, who had achieved only moderate success with Brian O'Brien as their lead singer. On St. Stephen's Night, 1964, the band debuted in the Premier Ballroom in Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Within weeks, the band was seen as one of the best lineups in the country, but Maisie's role in their success was to be short lived.

On January 21, 1965, tragedy struck when she was seriously injured (breaking her hip) in an accident as a passenger in a car driven by showband entrepreneur, Oliver Barry. She was off the road, out of the Nevada and hospitalized for several months after the accident. And because of the accident, Maisie missed her chance to represent Ireland at Eurovision and was replaced by Dickie Rock in the National Song Contest.

After recuperating on her farm in Tullyhill, outside Sligo, Maisie decided to take a break from show business and in May, 1965 she

In 1970, Maisie McDaniel and husband, Fintan Stanley (behind Maisie) joined with former Cadet, Gregory in the Nashville Ramblers.

Page 24 Mature Living March 2014

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 married ace accordion player Fintan Stanley.

Fintan and Maisie went to England for several years, playing the cabaret scene there, but were enticed back to Ireland in 1969 when she was offered the chance to be part of a new Telefis Eireann show, Hoot-nanny, which was hosted by Shay Healy (who would later write Johnny Logan's Eurovision smash in 1980, What's Another Year).

The show was a huge success and as a result, she and Fintan formed a five piece group called the Ramblers which originally included Des Moore (brother of Butch) on guitar. The re-launch of Maisie also included a unique "package" which manager George O'Reilly put together which also included the Paragon Showband, along with Maisie and the Ramblers.

In the March 6th, 1970 issue of Spotlight it was reported that the five piece group was expanding to six with the addition of the Cadets former front man, Gregory Donaghy with his first appearance set for at Easter Sunday. With the move, the band was renamed the Nashville Ramblers and they released a duet single, Okie From Muskogee which featured both Maisie and Gregory.

Although there seemed to be a glut of country bands hitting the road around this time, The Nashville Ramblers were being touted as one of the up and coming bands on the scene, mostly because of Maisie's earlier successes.

The band toured England and also appeared on the BBC Show, Country Meets Folk, as well as recording a spot for Larry Cunningham's Show on RTE. With their single doing relatively well, the band's reputation was growing, but in August, an article in Spotlight reported that Maisie would be leaving the band temporarily because of a threatened miscarriage. Gregory took over fronting the band and manager George O'Reilly said Maisie would be back and sing until about three months before the birth. A week later, the band announced Terry Mahon (formerly with Jim Farley's Tophatters), would be replacing Maisie, although it was still reported to be temporary.

Said Fintan, "Her doctor says everything is fine, but she may rest a little longer than the couple of weeks indicated earlier."

Although it had initially seemed that in 1970 the band was destined for great things,

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 to civilian life, or scattering to two or three new bands.

For such a small country, it is difficult to comprehend the sheer

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 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...

Top singles - 1966

in the October 2nd issue of Spotlight, an article announced Maisie "Won't Be Back."

The article also reported that Fintan had left the band as well. This would be Maisie's final flirtation with the showband circuit as she and Fintan settled down to life in Sligo and played the cabaret and lounge scene in and around the Northwest of Ireland. Maisie was permanently replaced by Terry Mahon, who had played with Jim Farley's Band.

Eventually Gregory formed his own trio before emigrating to Canada around 1974.

In the early seventies, Fintan and Maisie played the cabaret circuit and in 1973, an article in the Sligo Champion reported that Maisie had decided it was time to release another single, but that never happened.

Maisie did give birth though, in early 1973, to her and Fintan's only child, Lisa. Throughout

the 1970's, Maisie and Fintan continued to play the local cabaret scene on and off, but never made a commitment to the entertainment scene as before, preferring a quiet life in rural County Sligo. Eventually Fintan and Maisie split up and Fintan emigrated to the United States where he still lives today in Massachusetts.

However, in 1985, Maisie came out of her semi retirement and went into Greenfields Studios in County Galway to record an album of her former hits.

Sadly, Maisie passed away at her home in Sligo on June 28, 2008. She had retired from performing for many years, although her legacy as one of Ireland's premier female vocalists of the early 1960's lives on in her daughter, Lisa, who released a CD of Maisie's hits in late 2009.

1. Dermot O'Brien & Clubmen - The Merry Ploughboy (Envoy) 2. Johnny McEvoy - Mursheen Durkin (Pye) 3. Larry Cunningham & Mighty Avons - There's That Smile Again/ Lovely Leitrim (King) 4. Dickie Rock & Miami - Come Back To Stay (Pye) 5. Ludlows - The Sea Around Us (Pye) 6. Joe Dolan & Drifters - Pretty Brown Eyes (Pye) 7. Pat Smith & Johnny Flynn Showband - Black and Tan Gun (Emerald) 8. Gregory & Cadets - More Than Yesterday (Pye) 9. Charlie Matthews & Royal Showband - Somewhere My Love (HMV) 10. Larry Cunningham & Mighty Avons - Snowflake (king) 11. Doc Carroll & Royal Blues - Old Man Trouble (Parlophone) 12. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - It Doesn't Matter Any More (pye) 13. Joe Dolan & Drifters - Aching Breaking Heart (Pye) 14. Johnstons - Travelling People (Pye) 15. Larry Cunningham & Mighty Avons - Among the Wicklow Hills (King) 16. Sean Dunphy & Hoedowners - Showball Crazy (Pye) 17. Murty Quinn & Miami - One Kiss For Old Time Sake (Pye) 18. Sonny Knowles & Pacific - No One Knows (Pye) 19. Dermot O'Brien & Clubmen - I'll Walk the Line (Envoy) 20. Brendan Bowyer & Royal Showband - I Can't Get You Out of My Heart (HMV) 21. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - Together Again (Pye) 22. Dickie Rock & Miami - Darling I Love You (Pye) 23. Sonny, Sean & Pacific - I Only Came To Dance With You (Pye) 24. Houston Wells & Premier Aces - Above and Beyond (Parlophone) Page 25 Mature Living March 2014

Memories

T

The Bands of our Showband Era

Article and Photos courtesy of Gerry Gallagher www.irish-showbands.com

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

Maisie McDaniel B orn Mary Anne McDaniel, "Maisie" was one of the earliest female superstars of the Irish entertainment industry. At the height of her fame, Maisie was a regular guest on Irish TV, had hit records and was one of the most recognizable faces in Ireland.

Maisie began her career Maisie began her careerwinning prizes at singing competitions around Ireland. She became a celebrity when she won a major ballad competition in Swinford, Co. Mayo and turned professional under the watchful eye of manager, George O'Reilly. By 1963/64 Maisie had turned professional and was playing the ballroom circuit with her own group, The Fendermen.

Maisie's earliest recordings were typical girl pop vocals on the UK Fontana label, but it was George who suggested Maisie move to country and western music and she never looked back. However, even though she was a major star, appearing on (R)TE's Jamboree programme and Maureen Potter radio show, the Fendermen were dwarfed by the powerhouse lineups of showbands like Brendan Bowyer and the Royal, Butch

Moore and The Capitol, and Dickie Rock and the Miami.

In late 1964, her manager, George O'Reilly, decided it was time for Maisie to hit the showband circuit. She was to front the new Nevada showband, who had achieved only moderate success with Brian O'Brien as their lead singer. On St. Stephen's Night, 1964, the band debuted in the Premier Ballroom in Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Within weeks, the band was seen as one of the best lineups in the country, but Maisie's role in their success was to be short lived.

On January 21, 1965, tragedy struck when she was seriously injured (breaking her hip) in an accident as a passenger in a car driven by showband entrepreneur, Oliver Barry. She was off the road, out of the Nevada and hospitalized for several months after the accident. And because of the accident, Maisie missed her chance to represent Ireland at Eurovision and was replaced by Dickie Rock in the National Song Contest.

After recuperating on her farm in Tullyhill, outside Sligo, Maisie decided to take a break from show business and in May, 1965 she

In 1970, Maisie McDaniel and husband, Fintan Stanley (behind Maisie) joined with former Cadet, Gregory in the Nashville Ramblers.

Page 24 Mature Living March 2014

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 married ace accordion player Fintan Stanley.

Fintan and Maisie went to England for several years, playing the cabaret scene there, but were enticed back to Ireland in 1969 when she was offered the chance to be part of a new Telefis Eireann show, Hoot-nanny, which was hosted by Shay Healy (who would later write Johnny Logan's Eurovision smash in 1980, What's Another Year).

The show was a huge success and as a result, she and Fintan formed a five piece group called the Ramblers which originally included Des Moore (brother of Butch) on guitar. The re-launch of Maisie also included a unique "package" which manager George O'Reilly put together which also included the Paragon Showband, along with Maisie and the Ramblers.

In the March 6th, 1970 issue of Spotlight it was reported that the five piece group was expanding to six with the addition of the Cadets former front man, Gregory Donaghy with his first appearance set for at Easter Sunday. With the move, the band was renamed the Nashville Ramblers and they released a duet single, Okie From Muskogee which featured both Maisie and Gregory.

Although there seemed to be a glut of country bands hitting the road around this time, The Nashville Ramblers were being touted as one of the up and coming bands on the scene, mostly because of Maisie's earlier successes.

The band toured England and also appeared on the BBC Show, Country Meets Folk, as well as recording a spot for Larry Cunningham's Show on RTE. With their single doing relatively well, the band's reputation was growing, but in August, an article in Spotlight reported that Maisie would be leaving the band temporarily because of a threatened miscarriage. Gregory took over fronting the band and manager George O'Reilly said Maisie would be back and sing until about three months before the birth. A week later, the band announced Terry Mahon (formerly with Jim Farley's Tophatters), would be replacing Maisie, although it was still reported to be temporary.

Said Fintan, "Her doctor says everything is fine, but she may rest a little longer than the couple of weeks indicated earlier."

Although it had initially seemed that in 1970 the band was destined for great things,

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 to civilian life, or scattering to two or three new bands.

For such a small country, it is difficult to comprehend the sheer

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 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...

Top singles - 1966

in the October 2nd issue of Spotlight, an article announced Maisie "Won't Be Back."

The article also reported that Fintan had left the band as well. This would be Maisie's final flirtation with the showband circuit as she and Fintan settled down to life in Sligo and played the cabaret and lounge scene in and around the Northwest of Ireland. Maisie was permanently replaced by Terry Mahon, who had played with Jim Farley's Band.

Eventually Gregory formed his own trio before emigrating to Canada around 1974.

In the early seventies, Fintan and Maisie played the cabaret circuit and in 1973, an article in the Sligo Champion reported that Maisie had decided it was time to release another single, but that never happened.

Maisie did give birth though, in early 1973, to her and Fintan's only child, Lisa. Throughout

the 1970's, Maisie and Fintan continued to play the local cabaret scene on and off, but never made a commitment to the entertainment scene as before, preferring a quiet life in rural County Sligo. Eventually Fintan and Maisie split up and Fintan emigrated to the United States where he still lives today in Massachusetts.

However, in 1985, Maisie came out of her semi retirement and went into Greenfields Studios in County Galway to record an album of her former hits.

Sadly, Maisie passed away at her home in Sligo on June 28, 2008. She had retired from performing for many years, although her legacy as one of Ireland's premier female vocalists of the early 1960's lives on in her daughter, Lisa, who released a CD of Maisie's hits in late 2009.

1. Dermot O'Brien & Clubmen - The Merry Ploughboy (Envoy) 2. Johnny McEvoy - Mursheen Durkin (Pye) 3. Larry Cunningham & Mighty Avons - There's That Smile Again/ Lovely Leitrim (King) 4. Dickie Rock & Miami - Come Back To Stay (Pye) 5. Ludlows - The Sea Around Us (Pye) 6. Joe Dolan & Drifters - Pretty Brown Eyes (Pye) 7. Pat Smith & Johnny Flynn Showband - Black and Tan Gun (Emerald) 8. Gregory & Cadets - More Than Yesterday (Pye) 9. Charlie Matthews & Royal Showband - Somewhere My Love (HMV) 10. Larry Cunningham & Mighty Avons - Snowflake (king) 11. Doc Carroll & Royal Blues - Old Man Trouble (Parlophone) 12. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - It Doesn't Matter Any More (pye) 13. Joe Dolan & Drifters - Aching Breaking Heart (Pye) 14. Johnstons - Travelling People (Pye) 15. Larry Cunningham & Mighty Avons - Among the Wicklow Hills (King) 16. Sean Dunphy & Hoedowners - Showball Crazy (Pye) 17. Murty Quinn & Miami - One Kiss For Old Time Sake (Pye) 18. Sonny Knowles & Pacific - No One Knows (Pye) 19. Dermot O'Brien & Clubmen - I'll Walk the Line (Envoy) 20. Brendan Bowyer & Royal Showband - I Can't Get You Out of My Heart (HMV) 21. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - Together Again (Pye) 22. Dickie Rock & Miami - Darling I Love You (Pye) 23. Sonny, Sean & Pacific - I Only Came To Dance With You (Pye) 24. Houston Wells & Premier Aces - Above and Beyond (Parlophone) Page 25 Mature Living March 2014

Feature by Larina James

A Trip through the history of the Gramophone course a myriad of improvements have been made since that momentous occasion.

Alexander Graham Bell was responsible for a lot of this research and work during the 1880’s. At the start of the 20th century a German immigrant to the U.S.A, Emile Berliner introduced the Gramophone record. (and as such is responsible for the many boxes of records which Jenny and I are searching through today).

In 1889 Berliner visited Germany and the first machine was produced which came to be known as the Gramophone. By 1898 a London branch of Berliner’s business came to Covent Garden, it was known as the “Gramophone Company” and it purchased the trademark “His Master’s voice” which came to be known and loved throughout the world. The iconic image of the dog Nipper has become a familiar sight in all record outlets. The name originated in 1899 and was abbreviated to HMV which we are all familiar with. Nipper was pictured listening to a wind up Gramophone, in that original painting it was a Phonograph Cylinder. The painting was by

M

usic in all its various forms and permutations has been with us down through the ages. It has evolved and changed enormously over the years, so also has the various means by which music has come to be recorded and played. This thought came to me most forcibly recently when a trip down “music memory lane” turned out to be a real labour of love.

When we think of music in the 21st century we tend to think of mp3s, compact disc, the cassette, u tube for music video, I tunes and Spotify for our downloads, etc.. The massive change that has occurred in this area really came to the fore-front as I flicked through what can only be described as a “mountain” of records, singles, LP’s and old 78’s.

It is a wet and windy Sunday evening in January and I am spending an inordinate amount of time engrossed in a job that was really only supposed to be slotted into the customary “hour or two” but has descended into an afternoon of nostalgia, reminiscence and an

array of long lost stories prompted by a music note or the name of an artist. My friend Jenny and I have decided to clear out a room which has been neglected for too long, in the process of this we come across a Gramophone and the aforementioned records.

One of the biggest passions in my life is music and during the 1980’s I began to purchase a lot of music and at that time we were the proud owners of the cassette recorder and cassette tape. We felt this was the epitome of cool back then and the cassette tape although lacking the clarity of the soon to arrive compact disc and other digital formats, still served its purpose.

This Gramophone that we have taken from the attic has quiet a fascinating history and its genesis can be traced back to the mid 1800’s. Back in 1877 the Gramophone which was also known as the Phonograph was indeed in its infancy and Thomas Edison started the history of recorded sound and indeed the reproduction of same. A stylus or needle was used to reproduce the sound onto a rotating disc and of

Page 26 Mature Living March 2014

English artist Francis Barraud, the dog was a fox terrier belonging to Francis brother Mark and when Mark passed away a recording of his voice was preserved so today we can still see Nipper listening to “his masters voice”.

Various formats for records continued to be manufactured throughout this period and by 1887 Berliner introduced a flat disc rather than the cylinder that had gone before. A diameter of ten inches became the new format, the rotational speed was between 75 and 80 revolutions per minute, 78 became the standard, hence the term the old “78’s”. These became the norm for a long period of time and started off as single sided but by 1923 double sided records had arrived. 78’s by then were standard and remained so up until 1948 when 12inch long playing vinyl was introduced.

The term L.P. became an integral part of the language in the same way that the compact disc is now known as the C.D. I previously referred to the cassette tape and cassette recorder which I was introduced to during the 1980’s but the

vinyl L.P. largely dominated the scene until the advent of the C.D. As Jenny and I wade through boxes of these old records, some indeed badly scratched and worn, time and time again we find a list of long forgotten names, a small example follows: Sean Nolan Dublin orchestra, Fergus Sherlock and his orchestra, John Howard on the violin, Patrick J. Touhey, Tenor John Torney, Violin Soloist Dan Richardson, Michael O’Higgins Baritone, an organ solo by Reginald Dickson recorded at Blackpool tower and from the Midlands Patrick Scanlon, Baritone, from Athlone.

So much has changed during the last century, not least that of music and how we listen to it but it all began from those humble beginnings and if we stop to think about it we should all be truly grateful to those true pioneers for their efforts, not forgetting the lovely Nipper of course. With that in mind it is time to put away all this memorabilia, Jenny and I, a bit dusty, full of respect for what has gone before and with a much tidier room.

Dating & Relationships

Late-life divorce “In general, my findings supported the AARP survey in that the greater percentage of divorces among the longmarried are initiated by women,” she writes. “Most of them stressed the positive and told me they were ‘pleased’, ‘satisfied,’ or ‘downright happy’ with their lives (after divorcing).”

Many of the men she spoke to, however, appeared to have been blindsided, further dispelling the myth that it is usually the woman who is left behind or traded in for a younger model. Both men and women, however, who wanted new companionship after divorce easily found it, Blair says, adding that she was surprised at the courage many showed as they left the supposed security of being married twenty to sixty plus years. “To them, divorce meant not failure and shame, but opportunity,” she says.

I

t might be more common than you think. Why some older couples are calling it quits after decades of marriage.

Back when Al and Tipper Gore announced they were separating after 40 years of marriage, the news came as a surprise to many. But some experts say this may be indicative of a growing trend: as life span increases — along with the acceptability of divorce — more older couples are saying, “Enough.”

While the divorce rate among long-married couples is not as high as for newlyweds or parents overwhelmed with raising children, it is becoming more commonplace for people to call it quits after investing 30 or 40 years or more in a relationship.

“Staying in exactly the right relationship to one another is a very hard thing to maintain every decade,” Pepper Schwartz, professor of sociology at the University of Washington, told CNN. “People think you only get closer over time, but that’s not necessarily true.”

Schwartz, who is also a relationship expert for the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP), believes that a longer life span may be one reason some long-married couples are deciding to divorce.

While previously, many older couples sought to avoid the

turmoil of such a disruption so late in life, a longer life expectancy — and with it, the hope of finding a new, more fulfilling relationship – may lead more people to choose divorce.

“Half a century ago, an unhappy couple in their mid-60s might have stayed together because they thought it wasn’t worth divorcing if they had only a few years left to live,” Schwartz writes in an article on the AARP website. “Now, 65year-olds can easily envision at least 20 more active years — and they don’t want them to be loveless, or full of frustration or disappointment.”

The dissolution of a long-term marriage is often less of a sudden blow-up than a result of many years of decline. “It’s more like a balloon that has been seeping air for a long time,” Schwartz says. “After a while, it’s totally deflated.”

Divorce, once viewed as a social taboo, has over the years become more acceptable and easier to attain — which could be another reason why more long-term couples find themselves drifting toward divorce.

Women often the instigators It may be that more women than men are making the decision to leave their marriages. An AARP survey of 1,147 people aged 40 to 79 — all of whom divorced between

their forties and sixties — found that women initiated divorce more often than men.

The most common reasons cited for choosing to divorce include abuse (emotional and physical), a difference in values or lifestyle, and infidelity. When asked of their hopes for a better life after divorce, both men and women mentioned ‘freedom,’ ‘identity’ and a need for ‘fulfillment.’

And while many reported divorce to be an emotionally devastating experience (including bouts of depression and loneliness), three in four surveyed said they believed it was the right decision in the end, despite their feelings of fear beforehand and stress afterward. And many who said they left their marriages to find love or companionship were eventually able to find it, the survey found.

Not failure, but opportunity In her book Calling It Quits: Late-Life Divorce and Starting Over, author Diedre Blair also explores some of the reasons why more older, long-married couples are electing for divorce.

It is, she says, not just an American phenomenon, but also a global one.

Blair’s research also indicates that more women than men are disenchanted with their marriages and are looking for more ‘freedom’ or ‘control’.

AVOID THESE MISTAKES WHEN GOING THROUGH A DIVORCE It is a fact that a growing number of marriages end in divorce – the bulk in their first year of marriage or empty-nest period. And going through the process has been likened to dealing with a death.

Many women who find themselves newly single have no idea which way to turn and many are in such a desperate state they may make mistakes they will regret later on.

All leading experts advise women to avoid making these top five mistakes when going through a separation and divorce.

1. Don’t be a superhero: it’s okay and normal to express a

wide mix of feelings, from anger, sadness and depression to relief, exhaustion and guilt.

Like a death, it’s critical to grieve the loss of your marriage before you can go on. The process can’t be hurried.

2.Don’t rush into a relationship: don’t even think about starting up with someone new for at least a year. Fresh out of a failed relationship, you’re fragile, lonely and vulnerable.

Wait until you’re clear-headed and on solid footing. The first healthy relationship you need to develop is with yourself.

3.Don’t involve the kids: never talk to your children about the failure of your marriage and their father’s flaws. Remember that your ex is not the enemy.

You must eventually respect him as your parenting-team partner.

The separation process will be difficult for your kids, but handled properly, might help them better manage other life challenges later on.

4.Don’t make rash decisions: avoid doing anything impulsive because you’re hurting. You will likely regret it almost immediately. This includes such actions as spending the night with your ex or slamming him in front of your children.

5.Don’t neglect yourself: anyone going through a separation and divorce needs Herculean strength and the secret to obtaining it is by taking care of yourself – both emotionally and physically. Join a gym, book a hair or massage appointment, access support resources and consider seeing an experienced family therapist.

Page 27 Mature Living March 2014

Breakaways ...With so much to choose from, what better way to spend a day or so than at the beautiful Royal Marine Hotel…

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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…

Guarantee Your Copy of THE MAGAZINE FOR THE OLDER, BOLDER INDIVIDUAL

for just €35 per year!

M

ature Living is full to the brim with information on events, finance, travel, pets, food and drink, health, hobbies and much much more! For just €35 (to cover postage and admin costs) you can have Mature Living delivered to your door. Mature Living is published once per month and a subscription covers 12 months. Complete the form below. You can pay by cheque or Postal Order made payable to IBS Publications I would llike to subscribe to Mature Living Magazine for 12 issues.

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Alternatively, you can pay via telephone using your credit or debit card. Simply call us on 071-9154538 with your details.

Cut out this form and send it to us at: Leinster Subscriptions, Mature Living Magazine, Office 3, Unit 7, NW Business Park, Collooney, Co. Sligo

Page 28 Mature Living March 2014

Breakaways

Enjoy the beautiful views of the untouched countryside of Mayo

Join us here at Knock House Hotel and enjoy the beautiful views of the untouched countryside of County Mayo. It is a haven of peace and the perfect setting for a relaxing break. Located just 20 minutes from “Ireland West Airport Knock” and 10 minutes from Claremorris Train Station. Take up our 4 Day special Offer for February and March of €199 includes 4 Nights B&B and 4 Evening Meals.

During your break with us we cater to your every need , and it’s a lovely opportunity to make friends and mix with like- minded people. Enjoy our Four Seasons Restaurant which overlooks a beautiful garden and captures the magnificent spire of the Basilica. Over the years it has earned an enviable reputation of food, wine & service.

Knock House Hotel is within minutes of wonderful attractions including Knock Marian Shrine and Museum. Within a short drive; Fr Peyton Memorial, Museum of Country Life (Turlough ), Foxford Woollen Mills and the Western Greenway Cycling Route, and within an hour’s drive, Kylemore Abbey, Michael Davitt Museum and Ceide Fields. Local outdoor activities include hiking and walking, golf, horse riding and angling.

Enniscrone Beach is within a 40 min drive where you can swim, surf or enjoy a seaweed bath.

To book this wonderful deal please call Karen on 0949388088

Special Offer From Knock House Hotel 4 Nights Bed,Breakfast and 4 Evening meals February and March €199 When you call to book Quote : Mature Living PHONE KAREN NOW! *This offer is exclusive to Mature Living Readers and can not be used in conjunc"on with any other offers. *Subject to availability *Terms and Condi"ons apply

Knock House Hotel, Knock, Co Mayo www.knockhousehotel.ie • info@knockhousehotel.ie Tel: 094 9388088 • Fax: 094 9388044

Sligo Park Hotel and Leisure Club HOTEL & LEISURE CLUB

Over 55’s Special Offer 3 B&B + 3 Dinners From

€150pps

4 and 5 Night Breaks also Available

Subject to Availability Available on Selected Dates

Pearse Road, Sligo • Tel: 071 919 0400

www.sligoparkhotel.com • Email: Sligo@leehotels.com

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warm welcome awaits you at the fourstar Sligo Park Hotel and Leisure Club, On the outskirts of Sligo Town in the Heart of Yeats’ Country set in quiet parkland and surrounded by some of the most scenic countryside in Ireland ranging from the majestic Benbulben to the gentle waters of Lough Gill. In the heart of Yeats’ country for over 40 years, the Sligo Park Hotel is a well established favourite.

Relax in the spacious lobby; take a stroll into town or venture to the nearby ancient sites including Carrowmore, Slish Wood, Dooney Rock & Knocknarea or an abundance of woodland retreats.

Wherever your interests lie, Sligo is sure to have something to offer.

Stroll along Atlantic shores taking in some stunning scenery. Why not try your hand at pottery, take a walk up Knocknarea mountain or go surfing in Strandhill?

After a days exploring, sit back and relax in the jacuzzi before savouring the atmosphere of the Rathanna bar and Garden Terrace and enjoying the creative delights in the Hazelwood Restaurant.

Sligo is surprising !

Visit the stunning Leitrim countryside 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.

O

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 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

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

Please mention Mature Living Leinster when booking

To Book Call 071-9640100 or email reservations@loughallenhotel.com

WINE GUIDE Mobility

with The Wine Buff, Tobergal Lane, The Italian Quarter Tel: 071 9140020 • www.thewinebuff.com Email: joe@thewinebuff.com

Our red wine for May is 2011 BACCICHETTO REFOSCO Aromas of chocolate covered currants and plums with a follow through to a round fruity-yet-dry medium body with excellent depth and vibrancy. Finishes with a long, tangy raspberry and spice fade.

Refosco dal peduncolo rosso (Red Uncle of Refosco) has been cultivated in the northeast of Italy since ancient times, it is a sub variety of the Refosco grape and derives its name from the red vine stems. The grape was well known through the ages in Italy the Roman writer Pliny the Elder praised the wine produced from the Refosco grape.

The vineyard is situated in the more southern part of the Friuli region, between the inlets of the River Stella in the village of

Borgo Titiano near Precenicco. Vittorino Baccichetto founded the business with his wife Anita, and they passed down to their sons Paolo and Alessandro all the sense of duty and respect for their antique traditions: experience built up over time and work and healthy love for the land. During a short stay in Lignano, Ernest Hemingway, accompanied by his friend and driver Adamo De Simon, stopped in the laoca; village of Borgo Titiano, where he became inebriated by the good wine and while he was contemplating he decided to leave this declaration to the Baccichetto family: Wine is one of the most civilised things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection.

The tiny region of Friuli lies in the northwest of Italy, wedged between the wine region of Veneto and borders Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. Here, cool Alpine air, locally called "ronchi" sweeps down through the terraced vineyards ideal for developing fruity and refreshing white wines.

Friuli has built a glowing reputation in Italy and

abroad for white wines.

The Friulan style in whites favours the exquisitely fresh and fruity, with delicate fragrance and flavour that expresses clear varietal character. Many producers consider their whites to be too pure and linear to benefit from wood ageing.

Our white wine for April is 2011 GRAVETTE CHARDONNAY Bright straw-yellow in colour with a hint of green.

Aromas of ripe fruit (white peach, apricot), toast and white flowers. Smooth and lush on the palate.

Try with fish pie and fish cakes (especially salmon fish cakes), chicken, pork or pasta in a creamy sauce, chicken, ham or cheesebased salads.

The agriculture raisonnee (reasoned struggle) is the rule of the property. The ground is rotivated in the winter and in the summer they aerate the soil by

tearing out the weeds by plough, hoe and other traditional tools.

Traditional tools are used to mimic the past but also they are the most efficient for these lands. This form of agriculture is the owner’s philosophy “The man who lives on his land and breathes it every day, can feel the life in it”. An occurrence (e.g. bugs, insects or climate event) that may damage a plant or a number of plants is treated with the objective of protecting the balance of the entire vineyard.

This philosophy has been practiced even before chemical concerns, nowadays there are numerous studies analysing the side effects of treatment products. Some of treatments are unavoidably made with certified products in very small quantities. In addition, it would be a shame to use products that are not adapted to the vineyard, where diseases are rare, the mistral blows often and helps keep the vineyard free of pests. In fact our main enemy is the grape worm. Trellising and thinning out the leaves curb the risk. It happens on average every ten years when humidity causes disease, but because we

Rib Rack Swag Style

By Dale Barber of The Swagman Bar, Sligo Estimated Cooking Time: 2 hours Ingredients 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 full racks pork ribs 1/2 cup Jack Daniel’s glaze Method Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Combine all seasonings in a small bowl.

After boiling ribs for 2 hours and allowing to cool , Sprinkle on both sides of each rack of ribs with mixture

Grill the ribs for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until grill marks form.

Immediately after removing the ribs from the grill, brush with Jack Daniel’s glaze again and serve with extra glaze on the side.

Jack Daniel’s Glaze Ingredients 1 head of garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil 2/3 cup water

Preheat grill to high heat.

Page 30 Mature Living March 2014

1 cup pineapples juice 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 1/3 cups dark brown sugar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons minced white onion 3 tablespoon Jack Daniel’s 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Method Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Remove the excess papery skin from the garlic, but leave enough so that the cloves stay together.

Put the garlic into a small casserole dish or baking pan, drizzle the olive oil over it, and cover it with a lid or foil. Bake for 1 hour.

Combine the water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and place over

use minimum treatment small amounts cure the plants easily.

The history of Languedoc wines can be traced to the first vineyards planted along the coast near Narbonne by the early Greeks in the fifth century BC. Along with parts of Provence, these are the oldest planted vineyards in France. The region of Languedoc has belonged to France since the thirteenth century and the Roussillon was acquired from Spain in the mid-seventeenth century. The two regions were joined as one administrative region in the late 1980s.

From the 4th century through the 18th and early 19th centuries, the Languedoc had a reputation for producing high quality wine. In Paris during the 14th century, wines from the St. Chinian area were prescribed in hospitals for their "healing powers". During the advent of the Industrial Age in the late 19th century, production shifted towards mass produced le gros rouge — cheap red wine that could satisfy the growing work force. The use of highly prolific grape varieties produced high yields and thin wines, which were normally

medium/high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is just simmering. Squeeze the sides of the head of garlic until pastry roasted garlic is squeezed out.

Measure 2 teaspoons into the

blended with red wine from Algeria to give them more body.

The phylloxera epidemic in the 19th century severely affected the Languedoc wine industry, killing off many of the higher quality Vitis vinifera that were susceptible to the louse.

American rootstock that was naturally resistant to phylloxera did not take well to the limestone soil on the hillside. In place of these vines, acres of the lower quality Aramon, Alicante Bouschet and Carignan were planted.

Despite the general reputation as a mass producer, parts of the Languedoc wine industry are experiencing commercial success due to outside investment and an increased focus on quality.

Sales have been improved by many vineyards that concentrate on creating a good brand name rather than relying on the sometimes infamous regional designations.

Some vineyards have adopted the youngest batch of AOC classifications developed in the late 1990s, while other vineyards eschew designated blends entirely and are instead shifting toward bottling single varietal wines.

saucepan and whisk to combine.

Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and stir. Let the mixture simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by about half and is thick and syrupy. Make sure it doesn’t boil over. Makes about 1 to 2 cups

Food and Drink

Chinese Chicken Salad C

vinegar 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tsp grated fresh ginger Crunchy Noodles 1 (3oz/85g) package ramen noodles, crushed 3/4 cup slivered almonds 1 tbsp melted butter 2 cups snow peas, trimmed and cut on the diagonal 2 cups peeled and grated carrots 1 1/2 cups corn kernels 12 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

hinese chicken salad wasn’t the glorious creation of a steamed-out Shanghai kitchen – it came from big box, suburban restaurant chains that keep you waiting hours to eat their gooey food. That doesn’t mean we don’t like them but let’s just say this, our homemade healthful rendition – a towering salad topped with peanuty chicken, crunchy baked noodles and golden almonds tossed in a sweet hoisin dressing – beats a trip to the mall any day.

Ingredients Peanut Butter Chicken 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cubed 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp sesame oil 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger Hoisin Peanut Dressing 6 tbsp hoisin sauce 1/4 cup rice

Directions 1) For the chicken, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 11×9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place cubed chicken in baking dish.

2) In a small bowl, whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil and ginger. Pour sauce over cubed chicken and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before adding to salad.

3) For the dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk hoisin, rice vinegar, brown sugar, peanut butter, sesame oil and ginger. Set aside.

4) For the crunchy noodles, preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, toss ramen noodles, slivered almonds and melted butter until evenly coated. Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes or until toasted.

Remove from the oven and cool.

5) Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add snow peas, turn off heat and cover saucepan for 3 minutes. Drain snow peas and rinse under cold water to prevent further cooking. Drain and set aside.

6) On a large platter, top shredded lettuce with snow peas, carrots and corn. Pile cooked chicken in the center of the platter. Scatter noodle and

almond mixture on top of the lettuce, vegetables and chicken.

Drizzle with salad dressing and serve.

Serves 8

Easy and cheesy Broccoli Souffle Ingredients 1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 1/2 cups broccoli florets (1 large head of broccoli) 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup flour 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 6 large egg yolks 6 large egg whites 1/2 tsp cream of tartar Directions 1) Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat the bottom (not the sides) of a 2-quart soufflé dish with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on the bottom of the dish and shake to coat.

Set aside.

2) Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add broccoli, turn heat to low and cook 2-3 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain well and chop florets into smaller pieces.

Set aside.

3) In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add flour, whisking constantly until smooth, 1 minute. Slowly pour in milk and continue whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Add salt and Dijon mustard, continuing to stir until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and broccoli.

4) In a small bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks. While constantly

whisking, add a small amount of the warm cheese mixture to the yolks. Once combined, add the rest of the yolks to the remaining cheese mixture, whisking briskly to mix. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool slightly.

5) Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Lightly fold half of the egg whites into the cheese sauce. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites taking care not to overmix. Carefully pour batter into prepared soufflé dish.

Bake 50- 55 minutes until puffy and golden brown. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes W hen life gives you pink lemonade, make these incredible Pink Lemonade Cupcakes. Yes, we’ve amended the age-old adage and made life all-thesweeter with these sweet and tart pink lemonade-flavored cupcakes and frosted. Not only are they so perfectly pretty but they’re also so easy to make. Trust us, everyone will be tickled pink when they get their hands (and mouths) on these delicious cupcakes.

Ingredients Pink Lemonade Cupcakes 2½ cups flour 1 tbsp lemon zest 1½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp kosher salt ¾ cup butter, softened 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract ½ cup pink lemonade

concentrate 1 cup buttermilk Pink Lemonade Frosting 1(8oz) package cream cheese ½ cup butter, room temperature 2 tbsp frozen pink lemonade concentrate 5 cups icing sugar Dab of pink food coloring, to desired color Directions 1) For the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350F. Line 22 muffin cups with paper liners and coat with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine flour, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

2) Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla and pink lemonade concentrate. On

low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to mixer, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined. Fill prepared muffin cups with ¾ full with batter. Bake 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

3) For the pink lemonade frosting, in an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until well combined.

On low speed, add pink lemonade concentrate, icing sugar and pink food coloring.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 30 seconds more on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.

Yield: 22 cupcakes

Page 31 Mature Living March 2014

Just off junction 17 of the M7 motorway, only 5 minute’s drive from Portlaoise town centre and O'Moore Park

WIN a 2 nights stay

including Breakfast and an Evening meal.

The Maldron Hotel Portlaoise boasts a 20-metre pool, free Wi-Fi, free parking and a gym. Bedrooms have en suite bathrooms with power showers and satellite TVs.

Rooms also include hair dryers and tea/coffee making facilities for guests.

DVD players can be requested.

Surrounded by beautiful countryside, The Maldron Hotel is close to wellknown walking routes and the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Portlaoise Golf Club is within a 2-minute drive.

Guests have full use of the Club Vitae Health & Fitness Club, with its relaxing hot tub, steam room, and sauna. The Body & Soul treatment rooms offer a range of massages and various beauty treatments.

At Maldron’s theatre-style Stir Restaurant you can see the chefs at work. The bar has free Wi-Fi and shows all major sporting events.

ww.maldronhotelportlaoise.com

Maldron Hotel Portlaoise, Abbeyleix Rd, Portlaoise, Co.Laois • Tel: 057 8695900

Puzzles

WIN!

â‚Ź20

To be in with a chance of winning, simply solve the puzzle in the usual way, and then send your completed crossword along with your name, address and telephone number to us at the address below!

Puzzle Competition, Mature Living Leinster Magazine, Unit 7 NW Business Park, Collooney, Co. Sligo

Closing Date is April 3rd 2014, Terms and Conditions Apply

Answers on page 42

Evergreen Spring planter

Feature Gardening Article - Words & Photography: Leonie Cornelius

easy to grow grass which has that amazing blue tint to its feathery foliage. Then come the feature plants. There are some amazing daffodils around at the moment which are deliciously scented and I have chosen some here to grow out of the planter and give floating spots of colour and scent.

C

elebrate the arrival of spring by creating a stunning planting combination in an unusual planter.

Spring has finally sprung, and wow do we need it! With my garden still fast asleep, only a few Croci raising their slender head, I decided it was time to brighten my patio up a bit. Creating a planter made from recycled scaffolding is easy and cheap too!

The materials cost next to nothing and the lick of lilac paint gives it that ‘shabby chic’ look that works so well with planting. The choice of planting ensures a good mix of evergreen and colour, for a great looking planter all year round.

GET THE LOOK Chosen Plants What you want to do here is create a look that echoes nature slightly and with the subtle chosen colour scheme of blue, lilac and white/green, the planting should have different heights and textures.

The Helleborus here provide the structure.

These plants are beautiful evergreen structural plants that are amongst my favourite for their shiny foliage and subtle winter flowers. The texture is provided by a staple, a Festuca Glauca, a versatile and

Page 34 Mature Living March 2014

Scaffolding Planter One of the things I love to do is to transform old and useless materials into something fresh and beautiful. Making a planter from scaffolding is not only easy but also a sustainable way of reusing something that may otherwise be thrown away. This planter is approximately 1mx1m and is made from about 4 scaffolding planks which cost about €2-€6 each. All you need are the planks, a saw, a few decking screws and you can create your own. Finish it off with a coat of your favourite outdoor timber paint and a liner to protect the patio.

PLANTS Helleborus Niger This beautiful evegreen plant is an amazing addition to any border of container. Shiny green leaves and subtle flowers in winter and early Spring make this plant a very rewarding one to grow.

Festuca Glauca A beautifully textured grass with a bluegreen foliage that is a great contrast the light greens and whites of the flowers.

Narcissus ‘Bridal Crown’ These are a beautiful addition to the planter and the scent is incredible!

Leonie Cornelius is an award winning garden designer who runs her own business-BLUME design house, in County Leitrim. You can catch her as the TV Mentor for the new Supergarden Show on RTE. contact: www.blume.ie, info@blume.ie

Gardening Feature Article Telephone: 046-9546007

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Pets Corner

MARKREE CASTLE Collooney, Co Sligo

Pads for Paws designer homes designed and built for your pets Pads for Paws are designer of pet homes designed and built for your pets with their comfort and personality in mind. pet’s home will make it much easier to encourage your pet to live in it.

Pet Friendly Hotel Casual Castle Comfort 10% B&B discount to Mature Living Readers

Telephone: 071-9167800 www.markreecastle.ie

Custom Insulated Pet Homes

www.designerpethomes.com Telephone: 086-8314389 E: info@designerpethomes.com

T

heir insulated pet homes are uniquely made so that your pet is kept cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather.

The kennels are so well insulated that your pet’s own body heat can keep them warm in harsh winters.

They are light, durable and come with a range of options.

All kennels are custom designed and are built to suit your pets personality, size and needs. In fact they can even be designed to look like a miniature version of your own house, right down to the dormer

windows and brickwork.

They also build duplex houses for two pets so you can have separate homes in the same house! If there’s any ideas you have, just ask. All of the Designer pet homes are handmade in Ireland. They are made by Pat Daly, a farmer and builder. Pat has worked with animals since childhood and has a great love for them. He has a number of pets himself. Pat also has years of experience building quality homes all over Ireland. A well built and comfortable dog house, cat house, bird house or other

The Process: Design: Pat designs the home according to the spec provided by the client. This will take into account the type and size of the animal, the location of the house, the ‘personality’ of the pet, the owner’s home and any other requirements the owner may wish for.All homes are built with care and patience. Only the finest of materials are used. As much as is possible they use environmentallyfriendly products .

Pet Benefits Designer Pet Homes are different to your normal doghouse, cathouse or pet house. Some of the benefits they offer include: • All homes are insulated • Made by pet lovers!

• All homes are durable • Homes are light and easy to relocate/transport • Our homes are ecofriendly • non-chewable doghouses also an option • can be delivered in an easy-to-assemble flat-pack Delivery is available nationwide and for further details designerpethomes.com or telephone 086 8314389

Lay your beloved pet to rest with dig"it# and care

Our lovingly craſted pet burial caskets, handmade in Count# Offaly, will allow you to bur# your t&easured pet with dig"it# and care. Our caskets come in a range of sizes to suit all pets 'om the smallest bird or hamster, to a large dog.

Each casket is cloth-lined inside and finished with a personalised nameplate. The caskets are also available for use with an Ur".

Tel: 090 6454538 • 087 2376111 • 087 9332039 paul@petcoffin.ie • www.petcoffin.ie

Pets Corner

First Aid app for Cats & Dogs H ave we got an app for the hypochondriac canine or feline! It’s the PetTech PetSaver, a veritable Dr. Google for dogs and cats.

Or for their owners who may want to know: Can I do CPR on my Yorkie?

How do I check to see if everything about my cat is normal?

Will a Lindt bar stolen from my backpack be toxic for my retriever?

You can get answers to questions like these about dogs and cats on the app for Apple and Android phones and tablets. There’s advice about common pet situations and a guide to early warning signs for preventive care. It’s a snout-to-tail assessment.

There are also guidelines for dealing with emergency situations and optimal caring for your pet on a daily basis.

And yes, you can do CPR on your Yorkie. Or your Bernese Mountain Dog. Size specific CPR techniques are included.

Also yes, chocolate can be toxic, depending on the size of the dog, cocoa content of the chocolate and amount consumed — information is available with the app.

Sadly, but helpfully, there’s also advice for how to deal with one of life’s great traumas: the end of life of a beloved pet.

Of course, if it’s a goldfish and you find it floating upside down, you already know what to do. And it’s not CPR.

Nature & Nurture Pet Store - promoting a healthy & happy lifestyle for your pets

A

t Nature & Nurture Pet Store, we promote a healthy & happy lifestyle for dogs, cats, rabbits, fish and all our household & garden wildlife animals. We sell a wide selection of natural, tasty and healthy pet food free from artificial additives and preservatives. We believe when you feed your pet good food, not only will your pet be happier but also healthier. A healthy pet has a longer life with less vet visits. In fact, The Irish Times Gloss magazine described the pet food we sell as so good “You might be tempted to tuck in yourself”.

We stock pet accessories that are both stylish and practical as well as toys that are not only fun but that can actually aid in pet training and benefit behaviour at different stages of a pets development. We are big into enrichment feeding as in thinking outside the food bowl.

We embrace the motto “Ditch the Dish”. After all the food bowl is a human thing, so when pets can have fun and work for their food they get to act out natural behaviours, are stimulated and happy. We have lots

of toys and ideas to help pet owners with this. We at Nature & Nurture Pet Store believe in the traditional old style shopping experience, maintaining old store values and greeting you with an apron and a smile. While we really care about your shopping experience, at the end of the day your pet comes first with us! While you are greeted with a welcoming hello your pet will be welcomed with a treat. We are part of the community and a place where you can come in for a chat, get sound advice or recommendations.

Our aim is to make sure ALL our customers leave with a smile.

After an interview by Andrea Hayes on her Saturday show on Sunshine FM, Jesse and I were asked to come back once a month to share our tips, knowledge and thoughts on different pet care topics. Tune in on Saturday 22nd March to hear our next interview and get to hear a little about whom we are or you can pop into our store in Glenageary on the roundabout.

We have a sign on our door ‘They call me the crazy pet lady like it’s a

bad thing’, while we are crazy for pets we believe in the best care for all pets and within every pet owners budget. Customers have commented that they have been pleasantly surprised by the value in-store and are always giving other pet owners our recommendations.

You will love us and so will your dog and there’s nothing crazy about that. Visit our website www.naturenurturepetstore.com or call us today on 01-201-3910 for details of our great offers for your pets!

Specialising in natural petcare products Positive training products for your pets Enrichment feeding Fish / Fish food and products Fantastic wildlife products section Unit 7, Glenageary Shopping Centre, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Tel: 01-201-3910 info@naturenurturepetstore.com www.naturenurturepetstore.com

Hollybarn Dog & Puppy Training

Ireland’tse F a vo u r i s h o p et P e n i l n O Free Nationwide Delivery Big Brands - Small Prices!

• Toilet Training / Lead Work • Sit / Lie / Stay / Barking • Running Away / Recall • Jumping on People & Furniture • Chasing Everything • Chewing / Digging / Play Biting • Separation Anxiety • Noise Phobia / Socialisation • Aggressive Behaviour • In House Boarding / Kennels • One to One / Residential

087 782 3957 • www.hollybarndogtraining.com Page 37 Mature Living March 2014

Feature

Iran - one of the world’s oldest empires

Two shepherds lead Palangan's flock of communally-owned sheep out to pasture.

By Ann Marie McMahon Counselling Psychologist and Author

I

ran, the correct name since 1935 of the country long referred to as Persia is one of the world’s oldest empires.

Persia is derived from the word Fars, the name of the southern province (in the neighbourhood of Shiraz) which was the cradle of the Persian Empire.

While we associate Iran with conflict and war we tend to think of Persia in a more romantic way with roses and flowers. In fact they are one and the same.

To visit Iran is an assault on the senses and at the same time an intellectual stimulus to savour Persian culture of philosophy, poetry, architecture, horticulture and history.

Iran is a huge country almost four times the size of France with a population of 77 million.

It boasts a great infrastructure despite wars and invasions.

There are plenty of internal flights bringing you to Isfahan, Shiraz, Kerman to name but a few.

Iran experiences great extremes of climate. While winters bring forth the snow the summers are hot and humid so the best time to go is in Spring or Autumn.

On a recent visit was aware of the enormous changes since my first visit twenty years ago.

Tehran is a hive of activity with a

young population (almost twelve million in Teheran alone) wanting to grow and connect with the Western world. While technology has taken the country by storm they now have shoppingmals and cafes. As women shed the chadors in favour of modern

dress they drape their stylish scarf more on their shoulder than their head.

Iranian women know how to dress from head to toe. They were high heels and put on make-up like experts. The young male Iranian look like Colin

Palangan Village, in the mountains near the Iraq border.

Page 38 Mature Living March 2014

Farrell look-alikes with their gelled hair and gorgeous eyes.

This time round I spent most of my time in the main city due to weather difficulties flying to Isfahan and Shiraz.

Tehran is a thriving city today.

It has a great metro system and is surrounded by the wonderful Albourz Mountains where young people like to go to at the weekends. I visited the Shah’s palace which remains open to visitors and is remarkable in its size and beautiful furniture and carpets. I also went to the Malid Tower, their communication centre which is an architect’s dream with a revolving restaurant at the top.

While Tehran thrives its every increasing population must be housed and as a result there are high rising apartments not to mention huge traffic.

Due to the increase in traffic (petrol is only 20 cents a gallon) there is a huge problem with pollution which must be tackled to avoid serious health issues.

Ideally Iranians would love to live outside the city to witness the magnificent landscapes and architecture. On previous visits I went to Isfahan.

Isfahan was at one time the ancient capital of Persia.

It is a sight you will never forget. Compared with other Iranian regions Isfahan is very relaxed and has the greatest concentration of monuments.

In fact Isfahan is a monument of the Safavid period with a large number of elements that are reminiscent of the glory and splendour of Islamic and Persian civilizations. In the city of Isfahan the wide boulevards are lined with leafy trees. And then of course you must see the Imam square one of the largest in the world lined with shops, cafes bazaar and historical mosques and palaces. The square is quite simply majestic and Iranians are always delighted to engage with you and delighted that you have visited their country.

Iranian people are not only beautiful but extremely courteous and they will go out of their way to assist you and I personally have experienced enormous generosity in shops, bazaars and hotels.

On previous occasions I have gone to Kerman,Bam,Kish Island (their Florida).I still have plenty to see and I shall remain forever entranced and dazzled by a country not only rich in oil and gas but equally rich in ancient history and customs.

Therapies

Complimentary Therapies: Reiki for Seniors

W

hen you have a sore throat, you may take a spoonful of honey or a lozenge. If you are anemic, you may add an iron tablet to your routine, after you speak to your doctor. However, what can you do when your spirit needs healing?

There are many complementary therapies that have been nurturing people's souls for thousands of years all over the world. The successes of these therapies cannot always be measured in numbers or visible outcomes but in the feelings that patients experience after sharing in them.

It's not an "either-or" situation between conventional medicine and complementary healing.

Your elderly loved one may be using medicine to control blood pressure or to keep diabetes in check.

However, if yours opens his or her mind to different therapies, they may add to an overall sense of well-being.

What is Reiki?

One such complementary therapy is Reiki. This technique uses the energy in a person's own body to regain a spiritual balance.

The word Reiki is a combination of two Japanese words. The word, "Rei" means "higher power," and the word "Ki" refers to "life force energy." Doctor Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist, began this form of channeling energy as a way to heal the body and mind in the 1800s.

Examples of how Reiki can help include feelings of amazing relaxation and peace. This type of stress reduction can then make it possible for physical symptoms to lessen.

A session of Reiki usually lasts anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes, but each

person is different, so a session can be longer or shorter. Most Reiki treatments are done in a room with a soothing atmosphere. Dimmed lights or candles and quiet music are often the norm.

The practitioner will usually place their hands on the chakras of the body, one at a time. Each person has seven major chakras and many minor ones. Chakras are invisible energy vortexes. When raised, a chakra accepts new, healing energy. By the way, these are the same points on the body that are used in yoga.

Depending on the Reiki practitioner, sometimes the hands rest gently on the chakras. Sometimes they are just above them.

However, there is never any massaging or manipulation during a session. There is also no touching of private areas.

Because of its simplicity, effectiveness and versatility, Reiki is a therapy that has found

favor with many elderly people worldwide. All types of imbalances and pains can be managed by proper Reiki techniques.

Receiving Reiki will not only provide a level of energy and relaxation, but it may also address the emotional nourishment the elderly need - all through the simple act of touch. Mainstream medicine does not have an answer for all diseases.

Economic considerations and side-effects of conventional medicines also drive the elderly, towards exploring complementary therapies that address their well

being and are compatible with the medical treatment. Some elderly people are lonely- many live without a partner and family near by. The lack of touch contributes to physical decline and weakens the immune system. Seniors reported feeling safe, loved and grounded when receiving Reiki energy. Many hospitals, physician offices, medical clinics, universities and schools of medicine are researching, developing and implementing departments or divisions encompassing Reiki therapy methods.

Diadems Angel Light

I offer you insight in any area of your life from love life to finances, family life and work.

There is not an area of life where I have not been able to help and give what has often proven to be invaluable insights.

www.susanhughesmedium.com email: diademsangelight@gmail.com

Offering holistic therapy: Reiki treatments, Reiki workshops, Autogenic Training workshops and Mindfulness Meditation classes in the heart of Dublin and Dun Laoghaire.

Both clinics are conveniently located close to main bus routes and train stations.

Melanie Pelka is a certified and experienced Reiki therapist/teacher, Autogenic Training therapist/teacher and Mindfulness Meditation practitioner/teacher.

Appointments in Dun Laoghaire and Dublin 4 • Mobile: 087 1319891 E: info@dublinreiki.com • W: www.dublinreiki.com Page 39 Mature Living March 2014

Health

When Pain Interrupts Your Sleep W

hether it’s from a sore lower back or throbbing tooth, pain is hard enough to deal with in the light of day. But pain at night that robs you of your much-needed sleep can be downright exhausting.

“An individual simply cannot get comfortable to fall asleep due to the discomfort of pain,” says Frank. J. Falco, MD, who specializes in pain management and sleep problems. Plus, pain causes anxiety, which disrupts sleep even more.

In addition to preventing a person from falling asleep, pain also results in difficulty staying asleep. And once pain keeps you awake one night, it is likely to do the same thing again and again. Pain-related insomnia gets worse over time.

If pain keeps you up, take comfort in knowing you are not alone. According to the National Sleep Foundation, two out of three people with chronic pain have trouble sleeping.

Many types of pain can interrupt sleep, from the chronic pain of arthritis to the acute pain that follows surgery.

“But no matter what the cause, it is the intensity and quality of the pain, not necessarily the type, that determines the impact on a person’s quality of life, including sleep,” says Falco.

The Relationship Between Pain and Sleep “Pain is a sensation you feel when nerves are stimulated to an intense degree,” says Tracey Marks, MD and author of Master Your Sleep: Proven Methods Simplified. “This stimulation activates the brain, which keeps you awake.”

Some of the ways pain causes insomnia include the following: Pain at night disrupts sleep architecture. “You need a certain amount of each stage of sleep to feel rested and for proper memory,” Marks says.

These stages include light sleep, deep sleep, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. “We normally go through four to six cycles of these stages per night. But if pain wakes you up, you spend too much time in light sleep,” she explains. This reduced sleep -- in particular, shortened REM - may increase sensitivity to pain.

Pain affects sleep position.

Certain types of pain, such as arthritis pain and orthopedic pain, may prevent you from getting comfortable at night, says Marks. The medical director of adult sleep services says joint and muscle pain usually results in problems

staying asleep (called sleep maintenance insomnia) rather than falling asleep (called sleep onset insomnia).

Sleep deprivation makes you more sensitive to pain. A study in the April 2009 issue of Sleep Journal showed that normal, healthy individuals are more sensitive to pain when they are low on rest. The reasons why aren’t known for sure. “Some research studies show that sleep deprivation causes increased production of inflammatory chemicals in the body called cytokines,” Marks says.

Pain medications interrupt sleep. Unfortunately, some of the medications prescribed for pain, such as codeine and morphine, can cause insomnia.

These opioid pain medications can cause apnea, brief pauses in breathing, during sleep.

“Therefore, people who take these kinds of medications for chronic pain are at a higher risk for sleep problems,” Falco says.

People with chronic pain may have trouble exercising. Lack of exercise leads to weight gain.

Excess weight then restricts exercise, which leads to more pounds gained. “This vicious cycle can lead to sleep apnea, which prevents a restful night’s sleep,” Falco says.

Different Types of Pain According to the National Sleep Foundation, the types of pain that most commonly cause insomnia are back pain; headaches; and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome, which causes pain around the ears and jaw muscles. Muscoloskeletal pain, including arthritis and fibromyalgia, can also cause sleep problems. Cancer pain, resulting from the disease itself and treatment, also leads to trouble sleeping. Pain that follows surgery can also prevent much-needed rest.

As Falco points out, current research shows that there are more commonalities than differences between types of pain when it comes to insomnia.

A few of the nuances researchers have identified include the following: The intense nature of pain after surgery and other acute pain seems to affect both the length and quality of sleep.

Chronic arthritis pain appears to interfere with circadian rhythms. A recent Japanese study found a relationship between a person’s body clock and arthritis symptoms. More specifically, researchers discovered that certain genes affecting circadian rhythms may activate a molecule that sparks

Page 40 Mature Living March 2014

inflammation in people with arthritis. The relationship between this molecule, called TNF-alpha, and circadian rhythms may explain why people with arthritis have worse joint pain in the morning.

In people with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes joint and muscle pain, there are constant bursts of “awake” brain activity which prevents deep sleep. In a study published in the Journal of Rheumatology, people with fibromyalgia had two times as many awakenings per hour as people without the disease.

Managing Pain That Steals Your Sleep The first step is to reduce the pain, Falco says. “Pain control reduces anxiety and depression, improves sleep, and makes for better overall quality of life.”

Falco adds that people with pain and sleep problems should undergo a diagnostic sleep study.

When it comes to medications, tell your doctor about the sleep problems you’re having as a result of your pain. Then follow his or her orders. Painkillers and/or sleeping pills can work for some people, but they should only be used under the supervision of a doctor.

And in terms of pain that follows surgery, banking up on sleep a few weeks beforehand may help. “People don’t intuitively think they need to rest up for surgery; but they really should as it can help with pain control,” Marks says.

Research has shown that people who get enough rest before surgery require less pain medication afterward.

Once the surgery has taken place, narcotic pain medications can make the first few nights of sleep more restful. “Try to time your last dose around the time you go to bed so it will last through the night,” Marks says.

How to Get the Sleep You Need Calm yourself with meditation and other relaxation techniques. When done effectively, as little as 10 minutes of daily meditation can help your mind ignore the pain, Marks says. There are many different types of meditation, including guided meditation, tai chi, and yoga. But you can also improvise. “Use deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or focus on an object or scene,” Marks says.

Gentle massage is also beneficial for both insomnia and chronic pain. In a study published in the InternationalJournal of Neuroscience, participants who had two 30-minute massages a week for five weeks experienced better sleep and less lower back pain.

Exercise the right way. Regular exercise can improve both pain and sleep issues, Falco says.

However, activity within three hours of bedtime can keep you up, so the earlier in the day you work out, the better. For pain, the best exercise is moderate

and low-impact. Try walking, yoga, or swimming.

Additional tips for improving sleep include: Forgo daytime naps or limit yourself to a brief 10- to 20minute nap in the afternoon.

Take a warm bath or shower before bed to wind down.

Lull yourself to sleep with relaxation CDs that play a babbling brook, gentle waves, or other soothing sounds.

Remove all light-producing appliances from your bedroom, including the TV; if you must have them, choose ones that emit red rather than blue light.

Abstain from alcohol in the evening; it may help you fall asleep, but the effects of a cocktail quickly backfire, disrupting sleep cycles a few hours into the night.

Run a fan or other non-specific white noise machine in your bedroom to dampen street or other sounds.

Avoid caffeine, which disrupts sleep patterns; if you must have a caffeine boost, enjoy it before noon.

Do not exercise or eat within three hours of going to bed.

If pain is preventing you from getting a good night sleep, it’s time to see a doctor.

There are a number of treatments available, including medication, physical therapy, and talk therapy. Consider tracking your sleep habits in a sleep journal. This simple tool can give your doctor valuable information about your quality of sleep and how many hours you log each night.

Health

4 Convenient Steps To Healthier Eating For Seniors mealtime. Eating alone can result in eating poorly or sometimes not at all.

A recent study conducted by Home Instead titled Craving Companionship reports that, of the 37 per cent of seniors ages 75 and older who live alone, nearly one-half have at least four warning signs of poor nutritional health. Realities like these are especially worrisome for family caregivers who strive to help their senior loved ones make good nutritional choices.

Here are four convenient steps you can take to address these unique challenges and promote good nutrition.

1. Keep the refrigerator clean. Cleaning out the refrigerator regularly may not sound convenient, but the result can significantly impact mealtime prep and nutrition. An over-packed refrigerator not only makes it difficult to find the ingredients you need, it can also be a breeding ground for foodborne illness. Keeping the fridge free of outdated items can make mealtime easier and healthier.

M

aintaining healthy eating habits is important at every age, but for seniors who live alone, getting proper

daily nutrition poses some unique challenges.

In addition to being solely responsible for the task of

regular shopping, meal planning and meal preparation, seniors living alone face emotional challenges when it comes to

2. Replace convenience foods. The Craving Companionship study reports that over half (58 per cent) of seniors who eat alone rely heavily on pre-made or

convenience foods rather than self-prepared, healthful foods.

Combat “convenience eating” by providing quick solutions that are as healthy as they are easy.

Keep snacks such as yogurt, fruit and nuts handy for betweenmealtime cravings. For heartier mealtime alternatives, try easyto-prepare items like oatmeal, frozen vegetables and eggs.

3. Stick to the perimeter of the supermarket. Shorten grocery trips and kick-start a healthier diet by shopping the outer aisles of the supermarket. Fruits, vegetables, dairy and other fresh food items tend to be located around the perimeter of the store. Focusing your grocery list on these items will not only increase the nutritional value of your diet, it will shorten your shopping trip and save you time as well.

4. Ask for help. Living alone does not have to mean going it alone, even when it comes to grocery shopping and mealtime.

Whether keeping a kitchen of healthy choices is a struggle or merely an inconvenience, inhome services can help.

Consider professional nonmedical in-home care services or assistance with grocery shopping, meal preparation and more.

High Carbs equals Brain drain F rench epicure Anthelme Brillat-Savarin famously declared, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”

Et mon Dieu, a diet heavy on tea and toast wouldn’t have impressed him. Its tilt toward carbohydrates positively worries researchers at the renowned Mayo Clinic.

For close to four years, they studied the diets of 1,233 cognitively normal people aged 70 to 89.

Unfortunately, carbohydrate consumption may go up when some elderly people lose their partners. Money may be an issue, so they opt for cheaper, often carb-laden foods. Without someone else to cook for or if they have mobility issues, they settle for easy-to-prepare foods – and toast can be made and eaten easily any time of day. Dental problems or fading senses of smell and taste (possibly brought on by medications) can also make other foods less inviting.

Because a high-carbohydrate diet seems to be associated with cognitive impairment, the scientists looked at the percentage of protein, carbohydrates and fats consumed. During the study, 200 of the participants developed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. MCI falls between normal cognitive losses of aging and the illness of dementia, so the findings

gave researchers pause. “We found those who had the highest carbohydrate intake … had a high risk of developing cognitive impairment in the future, compared to those with the lowest intake,” the lead researcher for the study, Dr. Rosebud Roberts, says. “The simple sugars are probably contributing to the increased risk we see in people, with a high proportion of energy derived from carbohydrates.”

Protein and fat are needed for healthy nerve cell membranes; fats are also needed for the myelin sheath that transmits impulses along those cells. But protein and fat intake may become proportionately lower as carbohydrate intake increases.

This imbalance may also affect glucose and insulin metabolism and even disrupt amyloid and tau metabolism (signature elements of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain). But it turns out that what’s good for the heart is also good for the brain: exercise and consumption of a Mediterranean-like diet, with complex carbohydrates (such as whole grains), fish, little red meat, lots of vegetables and fruit, some nuts and mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Making an effort to maintain brain health is smart at any age.

Page 41 Mature Living March 2014

Motoring

Opel Rocks

VW Caddy recalled

V

R

ocking up to the Geneva Motor Show is Opel's urban minicrossover, the Adam Rocks.The latest edition to Opel's Adam range was previewed as a concept at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, and after receiving a rapturous reception, the production model is poised to make a show debut a year later.

Compared with other members of the Adam family, Rocks is taller, wider and tougher in appearance, while also offering a full-length, electric, folding canvas roof.

Adam Rocks' new crossover body style is supported by a chassis that is raised 15mm with a wider stance.

Agile parkour athletes, who move

from one place to another, negotiating urban obstacles in between, were the inspiration for this sporty crossover concept. Parts of the chassis system have been modified or re-tuned, including dampers, springs, the rear suspension geometry and steering.

The higher, wider looks are matched by a choice of 17-inch or 18-inch alloy wheels. These can be further personalised with new wheel clips in 'Wild' design and different colours that are unique to Rocks. Protective, anthracitecoloured cladding is wrapped tightly around the Adam Rocks, giving it a tough, muscular look. The front trapezoidal grille, with a chrome central brand bar, is embedded in the cladding,

Truck back!

M ore than half of truck drivers in Europe have problems with back, neck and shoulder pain, according to a study by Volvo Trucks.

New Volvo Dynamic Steering makes it possible to control a truck with minimal effort - and reduces the risk of injury for the driver.

Long days behind the wheel cause many truck drivers to feel pain in their upper back. Henrik Gustafsson, aged 27, is one of them.

Five years ago, when driving longhaul transport to Norway, he developed a problem with a muscle behind his left shoulder.

Gustafsson stopped driving long-haul because of this and started driving timber in the forest with his father. He also took up weight training, but the problem did not disappear completely.

However, a year-and-a-half ago Gustafsson was given the opportunity to drive the new Volvo FH, equipped with Volvo Dynamic Steering, in field tests. Since then his back has felt much better.

"The difference now is that I don't have to be on edge and drive in a guarded way. With Volvo Dynamic Steering the truck is very stable," he said.

Page 42 Mature Living March 2014

The problems associated with industrial injuries have long been recognised. In a study by Volvo Trucks involving 160 truck drivers in Europe, over half had problems with back, shoulder and neck pain. In the study, conducted in 2011 and 2012, the majority of participants were men who drove long-haul operations.

Peter Bark, who conducts research on health and safety issues at the Transport Research Institute explained why: "Tightening muscles in the arms and

while contrasting, satin chrome 'boomerang' elements frame the front fog lamps/indicator housings and the reversing/fog lamps at the rear.

An integrated rear roof spoiler and LED daytime running lights also come as standard. Silver skid plates front and rear and a bold chrome exhaust complete the exterior design.

New exterior paint colours will be introduced with Adam Rocks, starting with the vibrant yellow Goldbusters.

Rocks is the first model to feature Opel's all-new, 1.0-litre, Ecotec Direct Injection Turbo three-cylinder engine.

Opel says it raises the bar for threecylinder engine refinement, with up to 115hp and 166nm.

neck, together with repetitive movements, put a large strain on certain muscle groups.

"Tensing the shoulders also leads to fatigue, which can then spread to the back of the neck". The new Volvo Dynamic Steering greatly reduces the movements of the steering wheel, which would otherwise be created by uneven roads. It not only makes steering easier and more comfortable for the driver, it also impacts less on the muscles and joints in the long term.

olkswagen AG says that as part of its continuous vehicle field observation, Quality Assurance has detected defects on Caddy models. The ball pins, which attach the tailgate gaspressure dampers to the vehicle, may be pre-damaged on the third-generation of Caddy models fitted with tailgates and built since 2003.

To prevent the tailgate from dropping down unexpectedly if the ball pin becomes detached, a new mount for the gas-pressure damper will be fitted as a precaution and as part of a worldwide recall. This recall affects a total number of 589,000 Caddy models (523 vehicles in Ireland) that were built between November 2003 and January 2013 and are fitted with tailgates (not with folding doors fixed to the sides). VW says the vehicle owners affected will be informed.

Travel Technology

5 technologies to thank the 1950s for three resistors and one capacitor, a far cry from the tiny chip of today that can hold 125 million transistors.

FIRST CHIP- It's hard to believe that this innocuous design changed the face of computing forever

T

he decade that brought us microchips, modems and more Considered as one of the most conservative decades in recent memory the 1950s were a time when technology underwent a dramatic evolution.

It was less than a decade after the second World War and science was in its element; technology that had only been postulated and pondered was suddenly becoming reality.

The microchip, the modem and the personal computer popped into existence and changed the world. It sounds dramatic but can you imagine if the microchip did not exist today?

Say goodbye to your iPhone.

In this decade, two men solved the integrated circuit puzzle and now corporate giants like Intel, IBM and Toshiba are galloping head first towards 0.01nm technology.

How much have these technologies changed since they began?

resemblance to its modern equivalent. Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments and Robert Noyce of the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation (he also co-founded Intel) are credited as being cofounders of the first integrated circuit, in spite of the fact that their creations were six months apart.

Where Jack Kilby managed to develop the first working model in 1958, Robert Noyce's version had some necessary improvements – such as the use of silicon instead of germanium and interconnecting the components efficiently. The first commercially viable microchips were released by the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation in 1961 and were about the size of your baby finger.

They consisted of one transistor,

2. The first stored program computer This brings us to the very first stored program computer, EDSAC. While sitting just outside the boundaries of the 1950s in that it delivered its very first computation in 1949, it was in the 1950s that modifications to this computer made history.

The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC) was one of the first British computers and the LEO 1 (Lyons Electronic Office 1), built by J. Lyons and Co, was the first computer used for business applications devised on the EDSAC model.

EDSAC used mercury delay lines for memory and derated vacuum tubes for logic.

Information was input using 5hole punched tape and output was spat out by a teleprinter.

David Wheeler, the man who received the first ever Computer Science PhD, invented the subroutine with EDSAC and co-wrote the first book on programming in 1951.

However, the best part, in 1952 A S Douglas created OXO, noughts and crosses, for the EDSAC with graphical output to a cathode ray tube. This is believed to have been the world's first video game to use a digital graphic display. It's a far cry from the gaming laptop of today. Or home PC. Or desktop.

1. The first microchip/integrated circuit Looking a lot like the slightly dishevelled uncle that gets drunk at family parties, the first microchip bears little

NOT A NETBOOK- EDSAC is about the size of a small house, with tubes that are over five feet long

FIRST MODEM- Suddenly your old 56k dial-up modem doesn't seem so ancient any more

Then and Now Pictured left: In this illustration by Daniel Colladon, water emerges from a short spout and falls through the open air in a fountain, with the device on the left directing a beam of light into the water tank and creating a light fountain. Right: NOW- A modern TOSLINK fibre optic cable with a laser directed into one end producing light out of the other 3 The first mass-produced modems The development of the digital modem was initially driven by the demands of SAGE (SemiAutomatic Ground Environment) – the air defence system in the United States.

Used to connect terminals across various radar sites, airbases and command-andcontrol centres, these modems were the first to be mass produced and to use the Bell 101 dataset standard. They ran on dedicated telephone lines, sending data over the PSTN (public switched telephone network) and were very similar to the Bell 101, 110 baud modems.

AT&T's Bell Labs was instrumental in the creation of the precursor to the modern modem and launched the Bell 103 in 1962 – the first modem with full-duplex transmission and a speed of 300 bauds.

The modem has evolved rapidly over the past five decades reaching a point where our grandchildren probably won't even know what a dial-up modem is...

4. Inventing optical fibre The concept of fibre optics was first conceived of by Daniel Colladon and Jacques Babinet in the 1840s when they demonstrated light flowing along fountains of water (see image).

However, it was in the 1950s, over 100 years later, when fibre optics underwent a surge in development. Physicists Narinder Singh Kapany and Harold H Hopkins from the UK and Abraham van Heel from Holland simultaneously announced the creation of imaging bundles in 1954.

While these weren't very good, they did kick-start development. It was Kapany who coined the term fibre

optics in 1956 but it was van Heel who discovered that, by covering the bare fibre/glass/plastic with a transparent cladding, contamination and crosstalk were greatly reduced.

Then, in the late 1950s, Lawrence Curtiss improved on this even further by introducing glass clad fibres. The invention of the laser in 1960 heralded steady advancement in fibre optic communications, with the semiconductor laser, developed in 1962, still being the most widely used today.

5. The first credit card So you have the personal computer, the modem, the sparkly optical fibre that makes your communications fly and the microchip that changed the world.

How can you afford them? Why not splash out on the very first credit card. The Diners Club card was first to market but as it was exclusively for restaurant dining and expected full payment each month it wasn't quite the real thing.

So American Express' first in 1958 takes the title. American Express' clever new toy offered you the staggered payments and free-range shopping we know today. Compare this pictured piece of paper with the laminated, inked, embossed and magnetically coded cards of today...

FIRST CREDIT CARD- The difference that 50 years and a lot less trust can make

Page 43 Mature Living March 2014

Mystical Guidance

Astro Agony with Fiona Faery - Psychic Medium

Need help? Psychic Medium Fiona Faery, provides psychic and spiritual guidance for your life.

Tune into Fiona on The Late Lunch at www.lmfm.ie on the first Friday of every month for her live call in show.

Fiona is based in Dundalk, Co. Louth where she gives private one to one sittings.

Add Fiona Faery on Facebook or call 086-3736143, if you would like to book a private sitting.

NEW LOVE

Q

Hi Fiona, I was just wondering when is a good man coming into my life?

Maureen. Dundalk, Co. Louth

A

Firstly, I see a summer ahead of fun and enjoying being single. I see good friends around you and laughter, I can see your confidence going from strength to strength. There are old issues being brought up and confidence being gained. There will be a period of getting to know each other as it will be slow to be getting of the ground. I feel this chap has been hurt before or is quite weary. This man will bring a lot of healing into your life. There is a deepening of trust and a committed relationship.

October spells being in a relationship. Slowly and steadily will pave the way for a fantastic relationship, you may need to let the walls down and give this guy a chance. You won't regret it! All my love, Fiona.

Q A

IS MY EX FOR ME?

Hi Fiona, Is my ex for me ? I cant get over him and I really am trying to move on. I went on dates with other guys and just cant get him out of my head.

Valerie, Co. Dublin

Hi Valerie I feel a very strong soul mate connection with between you and your ex, however, this does not feel like this man will be you life partner. I do not feel he will change his habits or personality and in sense you seek a deeper emotional connection. I also feel you keep being drawn back to him time and time again. There is a second gentleman on your cards,through a friend and there is a very strong past relationship connection to this man. There will be a strong emotional connection between you both and he comes in late summer/august. I feel your ex and you where brought together for healing, ultimately, to show you how you deserve to be loved. The decision is yours! Lots of Faery love, Fiona

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS

Q

Dear Fiona I Would love to know what new business type Opportunities lie ahead for me for this year ?

Deirdre - Dundalk Co. Louth

A

Deirdre I see two very different paths for you this year, I feel you won't leave your job but you will under go a part time course of study. The healers card has jumped into your spread which will indicate further training as a reiki practitioner or I.E.T instructor.

I can see you working with semi-precious stones and sewing them into fabric

pieces. I feel this is more labour of love as it is quite time consuming. You will not launch your own business this year but I feel you will gain an insight into yourself and true potential. I feel you are truly stepping into your own power, and as you do so, like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, everything begins to fall in place. You have started to listen and follow your intuition. The worm has turned! This year will see you strike out with a new found sense of independence.

Synchronicity will play a large role in your life.

Trust your heart and follow your dreams.

I see in you A heart that's true Even if you don't see it I do.

I see in you A soul that's old Who's weary of A world that's cold I see in you A powerful light That will guide others In darkest night I see in you Courage & integrity To face your fears Where most would flee I see in you What you've yet to be How I wish You could see What I see.... ŠFiona Faery

WILL I GET MY DREAM JOB

Q

Hi Fiona, my question is I have finished my course and have applied to HSE regarding a job. Do I have a good chance of getting the job? This is really my dream job.

Carmel. Co. Donegal

A

Dear Carmel The answer is yes! I feel you have the right qualifications and skill set which will qualify you for this position. The Divine timing card has appeared, which means a delay on the actual offer itself. I feel you will receive an email or letter in the next three weeks, but there is a few months wait before there is an actual position available. I do feel stress connected with you concerning your finances but see a strong an supportive partner by your side offering support and advice. I also see two interviews connected with this position. I feel after your first interview you will have a very good gut feeling. Month of July will offer up some very good prospects and surprises too! Best of luck! Fiona

Crystal Of the Month - Healing properties of Amethyst

T

he word amethyst comes from the Greek meaning "without drunkenness" and amethyst is believed to protect one from poison.

The amethyst is known as the Bishop's Stone and is still worn

by Catholic Bishops.

The amethyst symbolizes piety, humility, sincerity and spiritual wisdom. It is thought the amethyst

is the perfect stone to symbolize The Age of Aquarius.

Amethyst is a gemstone often worn by healers, as it has the power to focus energy. A healer will usually wear several pieces of jewelry with amethysts set in silver, especially an amethyst necklace.

The person to be healed will have an Amethyst to hold while the healing is

being done. The healer will place another piece of Amethyst on the area of the body in need of healing, the heart or lungs usually.

Amethyst is used for problems in the blood and in breathing problems. Amethyst crystal clusters are used to keep the air and life force in the home clean and positive.

It is used as a dream

stone and to help insomnia. Put an amethyst under your pillow to bring about pleasant dreams, or rub it across your forehead to offer relief from a headache.

Amethyst clusters, points or several tumbled Amethysts placed in a window that receives sun most of the day are very beneficial to use in healing and to heal

negativity in the home. Place Amethyst clusters, points or several tumbled Amethysts in moonlight and everyone in the home will be feeling calmer.

Using an Amethyst as a meditation focus will increase the positive spiritual feelings. Amethyst helps overcome fears and cravings. It also helps relieve headaches.

Send all your questions into Fiona - fiona@matureliving.ie

Puzzles Focus Company

LVP Renewables is an Irish, family owned and Run Company based in Dublin

W

ith over 1000 installations nationwide, LVP Renewables customers know that they are the specialists in Thermodynamic Solar Panels.

Customers in this market look for: • Solar panels that save them money on their heating bills • Solar Panels that can provide 100% of their hot water 24 Hours per day • Solar Panels that work day and night in the wind and rain • Solar Panels that have low maintenance overheads LVP Renewables Panels provide all the above and in addition require no supplement from Gas or Oil and in addition they can install and commission a complete system in just one day.

About Thermodynamic Solar Panels: • Environmentally Friendly • Heat Is Captured Under The Form Of Solar Radiation, Environment Temperature, rain, Wind And Even Snow • The Heat Produced On Cooler Days, Even Nights Is Sufficient To achieve The Water Temperature Desired • The Solar Panel Is Light, Discreet And Versatile in Terms Of Where To Put It. • 3rd Generation Thermodynamic Solar Energy • Solar Hot Water Up To 55 Degrees Available 24 Hours Per Day • Almost Non-Existent Maintenance

Testimonial: There are four people mainly in our house, sometimes five and we have constant hot water. We had to heat our water with oil prior to getting the panels so were constantly having to buy oil. We have not bought oil since. My best friends parents are now looking into getting the same system in and some people at work are thinking of getting them as I am constantly praising them.

Brilliant, professional, reliable, kind, friendly, superb. Just some of the words that come into my head to describe the company, it’s workers and the product. Thanks so much Nicole and William, Co. Tipperary (Installed May 2013 Testimonial: Install: June 2010 I am very happy with the new system. It is 12 months since we installed the LVP panel and tank, and since then I have had no need to use oil at ALL, even though we had a very harsh and cold winter.

Every day through the winter, we had a full tank of hot water and didn’t once run out. The engineer and plumber were in and out of the house in approx. 8 hours and left the place as they got it. A totally professional job Update: August 2012: The system has operated very well for us in harsh winter conditionswe have always had hot water. We have found the after sales service to be very good and efficient. We would gladly recommend LVP to anyone.— Jason Stack

COMPANY

Focus Home Safe Home Working with the Community for the Community

K

athleen O’Brien and Teresa Balfe are two ladies in the Dublin area who for a long number of years have worked on a voluntary basis ensuring that the security needs of older people living in the Community are met by the Community. Both these ladies have been instrumental in installing thousands of Pendant Alarms through the Seniors Alert Grant Scheme, for people over 65 years of age.

Kathleen runs a senior citizens group in north Dublin and has a heart for older people. “Sure I am no spring chicken myself at this stage, but I would like to think that when I need help it will be there for me too.

It is I believe the right of all older people to live their life with the dignity and respect they have earned throughout their life. I have

seen some very sad cases in my day but thank God I have always been able to call on Home Safe Home. No matter what the need was they were on site immediately to help out. As a non-profit organisation they have a heart for the older person and for the community group, unlike commercial companies they are not driven by target sales. I would safely say that the installation of the 24 hour Monitored Pendant Alarms installed for our older people have definitely saved lives. Communities have become safer for older people but we must continue to ensure that this remains the case and remain vigilant and prompt in meeting the security needs of older people.

Teresa Balfe is also involved in her local area and runs a Neighbourhood

Watch group in Dublin 12, “my phone rings on a daily basis for all sorts of requests for older people in need. We do all that we can to help through the Seniors Alert grant scheme but there are times that a vulnerable person may not qualify for a grant due to the Senior Alert Scheme age restriction of 65 years old.

This is where Home Safe Home offers an invaluable service to the community as they have their own donation scheme for vulnerable people in need and have offered many units to my group for sick people under the age of 65 who may have severe mobility problems and are therefore quite afraid living alone in case of an emergency. Where now with the press of a button on their pendant they can have help arrive instantly.

Irish Stairlifts and Bathrooms Irish Stairlifts and Bathroomse have over 15 years experience and a deep knowledge of the HOME MOBILITY market, with today's technology, there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to access your house,negotiate your steps and be able to bathe with comfort. We offer FREE advise to anybody who wishes to avail of it.

them to offer a starlift solution to match almost any budget.

STAIRLIFTS Their stairlifts have a wide range of features which means that they can be adapted to meet the most challenging of installations. Having such a wide range of features available also allows

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY You can call to their showroom and try out the vast range of Stairlifts for yourself.

QUALITY COUNTS The stairlifts are built to the highest engineering standards and their design is driven by the principles of safety, simplicity, durability and accessibility. (All the stairlifts adhere to stringent international safety guidelines).

MOBILITY SHOWER ROOMS Level Access shower

facilities can be installed in upstairs and downstairs situations, our installation teams are fully trained and specialise in this area of expertise. The whole Shower area and walls are tanked/ sealed to ensure it is water tight, and the installation usually takes between 36 days. Irish Stairlifts have over 15 years of valuable experience in this field!

All of the shower room work carries a 5 year warranty against leakage Can I choose my Tiles?

Yes Irish Stairlifts and Bathrooms will give you an extensive choice of tiles to choose from so

that you can pick the colours and style that you desire.

How do I arrange a quote?

Just call them and we will make an appointment to discuss your needs

contact your house insurers, prior to any works taking place within your home. If you don't and something goes wrong, your house cover

could be rendered redundant.

Find out more at www.irishstairlifts.ie For a FREE quote or advise call 1850818500

RAMPS and RAILS Irish Stairlifts and Bathrooms also build ramps, steps and railings to allow access to your home that much easier.

INSURANCE Yes they are fully insured - €13million Employee Liability and €6.5million Public Liability'.

Note: You should always

Page 45 Mature Living March 2014

Services Directory

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"

Fit Radiator Panels & Improve the comfort of your home, and reduce the heating bill up to 30% nior unt for Se vert o c is d % 25 ith this ad Citizens w

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

Martin Quinn MIAAAC Accredited Professionally Qualified Counsellor Available for Private Consultations

An Average 4 Bedroom cost approx €300.

Fitting time 2 hours approx

Gulladoo Centre, Cornafest, Co. Leitrim, Telephone: 049-4339605 Mobile: 086-8638842 Email: info@gulladoocentre.com

Coolarane, Athenry, Co. Galway • Ph: 091-797131 or 087-4172228 • Email: energysavingsystems@eircom.net

Energy Saving Systems.

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

CHIMNEY FIRE RELINE • REBUILD • REPAIR

National Guild Of Master Craftsmen CALL PAT: 087 250 0636 091 789 836 CALL GABRIEL: 087 226 6236 093 287 75

• All Work Certified • Minimum Disruption • 30 Years Experience • Nationwide Service

info.damchimney@gmail.com

Damaged Chimney Repair Contractors

• Help at the touch of a button • Built-in GPS technology for location • Receive as many calls from your friends or loved ones • 24/7 Monitoring 7 Days a week • Low Battery Alerts • Power on off alerts • Receive as many text messages from your friends or loved ones

Also Offering a range of Telecare Sensors that can help you in your home

I offer you insight in any area of your life from love life to Tel/Fax:family 048-66386338 • dgwindows@btinternet.com finances, life and work.

There is not an area of life where I have not been able to help and give what has often proven to be invaluable insights.

Visit www.dg-upvcwindows.com

• Monitored Smoke Alarms • Monitored Carbon Dioxide or Gas Detectors • Bogus Caller Alarms • Fall Detectors • Minute Watch

MULTIPURPOSE GARDEN SHEDS & GARAGES All the main supports of our garages are constructed of heavy duty box section steel for strength and durability and are hot dipped galvanised for longer Life.

Our Units are built to withstand the harshest weather conditions.The sheeting is hot dipped galvanised and pvc coated to the colour of your choice.

• 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

“You tell us the size you want and we will price on that exact size” Sheds delivered & Erected Nationwide For no extra cost

SPECIAL OFFERS

3M X 3M (10’ X 10’)...............................................€850 2M X 2M (7’ X 7’)...................................................€750 2.5M X 1.8M (8’ X 6’)...................................€450 6M X 9M (20’ X 30’).............................................€3900 CALL US TODAY FOR MORE SPECIALS!

Contact: Ray Lynch Corlis, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon Clare Office - Contact Eugene at the Indoor Market - 085-2188506 Phone: 086-8943034 or 094-9621938 AGENTS REQUIRED

Services Directory

Alarm Security in Dublin ESTABLISHED IN 1977

INDEPENDENT LIVING WITH PEACE OF MIND

Expert representatives based all over Ireland operating from our Cork & Dublin offices.

Client assessment and joint surveys with occupational therapists.

• ACCESS LIFTS • STAIR LIFTS • BATHING SOLUTIONS • MOVING & HANDLING Acorn Business Campus, Mahon Ind. Park, Blackrock, Cork

Tel: 021-4614221 Mob: 086 - 8343533

Visit us online @ www.abbeymobility.com

• 24 Hour Monitoring • Medical Alert • Panic Alert • Smoke and Gas 24 Hour Detection • Covering the South Dublin Area

Call us today on 01-2840000 www.alarmsecurity.ie • info@alarmsecurity.ie

Working with the Community for the Community Grant information available T: 01-4130556 • ercommunitycare@eircom.net

Bawnogue Enterprise Centre, Clondalkin, Dublin 22

Smoke Alarms

Medical Alarms

Emergency Pendants

Carbon Monoxide Detectors DUBLIN WOMAN 56 would like to meet a good man for friendship and companionship and fun. I am great company, independent, single, just stuck in rut at present, can you dig me out? If you can just get in touch and we can meet and see. Replies with a box number 1042 at the usual address SLIGO LADY 50 BUT LOOKS 10 YEARS YOUNGER Would like to meet nice, respectable, loving, genuine, honest man for fun and dancing and see what happens. Replies with a box number 1023 at the usual address.

SHY SLIGO LADY

lakes cinema, concerts and DVDS, Music etc. Would like to hear from a Gent 60+ with similar interests for a friendship maybe leading to a relationship Replies with a box number 998 at the usual address.

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 with a blank stamped envelope to Box number 1012 at the usual address.

GENTLEMAN WIDOWER 54 yrs. Landscape gardener W.L.T.M. female professional, not

FREE DATING* CLASSIFIED

married. In the northwest for friendship and craic. 6ft 1', blue eyes, hair salt & pepper. Looking for lady 40 -47yrs. Longtime relationship. Replies with a blank stamped envelope to Box number 975 at the usual address.

SLIGO MAN WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM LADIES age 50 years onwards, my age is 55 years, friendship and romance. Replies with a box number 1011 at the usual address.

YOUNG AT HEART LADY in mid - 60’s. w.l.t.m. genuine gentleman foor friendship. well travelled, enjoys dancing, gent of similar age. Replies with a blank

stamped envelope to Box number 965 at the usual address.

GENTLEMAN, 50’S Many hobbies, gardening, cooking, walking, wildlife, swimming, would like to meet a kind, genuine, female for companionship and romance. Replies with a blank stamped envelope to Box number 1022 at the usual address.

To Reply to Any Box number, simply place your letter in a Blank, Stamped Envelope and then send this into us at: Dating Section, Mature Living Magazine, Office 3, Unit 7, NW Business Park, Collooney, Co.Sligo.

WRITE YOUR ADVERT HERE:

NO. OF ISSUES TO APPEAR IN (MAX 2) : SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE FOR OFFICE USE ONLY AND WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED. These details MUST be completed for all adverts NAME:

(MAX 30 WORDS) - *Phone numbers will not be included in these adverts.

ADDRESS: Post the completed form to Mature Living Magazine, NW Business Park, Collooney, Co. Sligo

TELEPHONE NUMBER: EMAIL:

STRICTLY PRIVATE ADVERTISERS ONLY - BUSINESSES CAN CALL 071-9154538 AND SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR FRIENDLY SALES REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT OUR EXCELLENT RATES. Please tick if you do not wish to avail of offers and information we may offer from time to time

Page 47 Mature Living March 2014