Mature Living Leinster

PROMOTING A HEALTHY & POSITIVE LIFESTYLE Sep / Oct 2015

FOR THE OLDER, BOLDER INDIVIDUAL IN LEINSTER The ten best places to retire abroad

All about the Freshmen (1962-1980)

When your twentysomething hasn’t grown up...

Cleaning out a deceased loved one’s closet:

ISSN 2009-700X (PRINT) ISSN 2009-8359 (ONLINE)

3 NIGHTS LUXURIOUS BREAK AT THE MOUNT FALCON HOTEL IN COUNTY MAYO

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September / October 2015 A 12

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S we put the finishing touches to this month’s edition there are some hints of an Indian Summer with a few precious days without rain . . . though most of the tourists have gone and it’s “back to school time”. The Gaelic football season is also coming to a close with just two teams left to do battle for glory at months’ end, the hurling decider having gone Kikenny’s way.

Through wet and stormy weather, comedian Brendan Grace has endured with his inimitable “funny-man” show, the format of which hasn’t changed much for over 40 years now – proof that an ability to make people laugh at ordinary things and events is a natural gift and not one that can be manufactured or altered to suit evolving tastes. Tara King discovers why performing means so much to Brendan after all those years as he speaks passionately about his art and other events which have influenced his life. Information on some of his activities while a teenager may also interest many readers.

Those of you planning for retirement may be interested to explore some of the best places in the world to retire to. You may also wish to read about the ill-effects of a sedentary lifestyle and the necessity to “get moving” in order to live longer. Travel will, also, of course, form part of the retirees’ schedule and we include what we consider to be the top ten travel destinations.

Health matters come into focus in this edition, also, with conditions like angina, gout and even ingrown toenails discussed and we present some of the best foods to help retain healthy eyes – another necessary as we grow older. There is also the fear of the onset of dementia and we explore how dogs, who by their nature love routine, can be used to help restore a measure of regularity to the lives of dementia-sufferers. Our section on alternative therapies is also worth reading.

We deal with a relatively new phenomenon . . . a kind of extended adolescence, whereby many young people remain at home longer, remain unemployed longer before they secure employment and remain in the “emerging adulthood” state for much too long. Many worry in case their children may never secure employment. There may be positives to it all, of course and the reality that somebody in their late 20s is in a better position to face the world that those six to eight years younger.

There are many other articles and features in this issue, including the ten best haircut suggestions for women, some timely motoring advice and even some advice from an Agony Angel. If you’re lucky, of course, you may win a weekend of luxury at the fabulous Mount Falcon Castle Estate, close to Ballina in County Mayo.

Finally, let’s hope a solution can be found to the current political impasse in Northern Ireland. Peace has meant so much to all our lives over the past ten years and we pray that it will prevail.

We look forward to talking with you again next month . . . .

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

News ‘It’s a Funny old world’ Brendan Grace The 10 Best Haircuts for Women in their 50’s Cleaning out a deceased loved one’s closet When your twentysomething hasn’t grown up...

Queen of the blooms with Leonie Cornelius What is alternative medicine?

The Best foods for healthy eyes The 10 best places to retire abroad Top ten travel destinations Take the troubles away from adventure travelling Cooking Get moving to live longer Competition The Bands of our Showbands era Motoring News Agony Angel Hotel Guide Technology Services Directory Dating Classifieds

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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

Creative Exchanges 'I can't tell you the difference it has made to me. I am seeing my role in an entirely new light' - Participant, Creative Exchanges, IMMA, Dublin 2013 study and personal project work is required in order to successfully complete the course.

Next Course The next Creative Exchanges course will take place in the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin 8, over seven days: Session 1 - Friday 23rd October Session 2 - Saturday 24th October Session 3 - Saturday 31st October Session 4 - Thursday 5th November Session 5 - Saturday 14th November Session 6 - Thursday 19th November Session 7 - Saturday 5th December The cost of the course is €650. To apply please fill in the application form and send it back to us by September 25. For more information contact ciaran.mckinney@ageandopportunity.ie About the programme Creative Exchanges is a course for anyone leading creative activities with older people in care settings.

Participants develop the skills needed to plan and facilitate arts activities for older people in either residential or day care settings. The course brings together practitioners from different arts disciplines and others with related expertise to discuss different approaches and to lead participants in arts activity.

Creative Exchanges programme has won the Allianz Community Prize at Allianz Business to Arts Awards 2014.

Find out more about it here.

Creative Exchanges can provide: An understanding of the value of

creative activity, particularly in a care setting Practical skills to carry out creative activities with people in residential and day care settings Experience of taking part in arts based workshops QQI accreditation Age & Opportunity's Creative Exchanges programme is fully validated by QQI under the new Common Awards System at Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

The course is delivered during seven full days over a three month period and leads to a component award in Arts and the Community 6N3585. A significant amount of self-directed

What the course covers Creative Exchanges covers topics such as: Working creatively with people who have dementia Planning activity work Exploring music-based activities Delivering drama-related activity Working with the visual arts The course appeals to activities coordinators, to those working in a residential or day care setting or to artists interested in engaging with older people in a care setting.

Find out more about Creative Exchanges by contacting us on 01 805 7709 or emailing education@ageandopportunity.ie.

Check also Arts & Health case study about the programme.

Active Retirement Ireland Welcomes Free Travel Assurances

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ctive Retirement Ireland has welcomed a statement from the Department of Social Protection on behalf of the Tánaiste that the Free Travel Scheme will not be subject to restrictions in the future. A spokesperson for the Tánaiste said that the scheme will not be "undermined" in any way.

Her office was responding to reports in today's Irish Times that a number of State transport providers want some rush hour travel restrictions introduced on the scheme. Around a quarter of the country's population uses the programme, which is currently under review, however funding has been frozen for the past five years. Peter Kavanagh, Information & Networking Officer for ARI, said, "Peak-time restrictions were removed a decade ago because of the congestion they caused in our hospitals. It doesn't make economic sense for the Government to revisit that sort of short-term policy. The funding for

the scheme has not grown in line with the eligible population, so it's time for the Government to do a

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A weekend of fine food and wine in a fun atmosphere

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he 39th Kinsale Gourmet Festival takes place from 9-11 October 2015, promising a weekend of fine food and wine in a fun atmosphere. The Festival is hosted

by Kinsale’s eleven Good Food Circle restaurants, which go to great lengths to display the talent of their chefs, and their beautifully presented food.

The emphasis is on locally-sourced ingredients from sea and land, accompanied by carefully selected wines. The United States Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin O'Malley, will be a guest in Kinsale for Friday and Saturday's Good Food Circle events.

Kinsale Gourmet Festival has many regular visitors from overseas, including the United States and Canada. There are still some tickets left for Friday evening’s opening event, a champagne reception, courtesy of Laurent Perrier, and a 5course 'Taste of West Cork' dinner in a Good Food Circle restaurant of your choice. Meanwhile, everyone is welcome to the 'Cork Heat' of the AllIreland Chowder Cook-Off on Friday afternoon, sponsored by Clóna.

Acton’s Hotel is the venue for the Cork Heat of the All-Ireland ChowderCook off at 3pm on Friday 9 October.

The €5 admission fee includes the chance to win a €100 gift voucher from the Kinsale Good Food Circle, as well as a tasting sample of each chef's chowder, and free samples from specialised local brewers of craft

beers and cider makers. Some outstanding chefs are expected to compete, including the very popular winner of last year's Cork Heat, The Cornstore. An entertaining afternoon is guaranteed, as the chefs display their skills with seafood, sharing their secret ingredients, as they compete to produce the tastiest chowder. The winning chef will represent Cork at the 6th All-Ireland Chowder Cook-Off, which will take place in Kinsale in April 2016, when chefs compete for the coveted title of All Ireland Chowder Champion. The winners of the All-Ireland chowder event will subsequently travel to Newport, Rhode Island to show off their skills.

Friday evening continues with a champagne reception at 6.30pm at the Trident Hotel, courtesy of Laurent Perrier, with guest of honour Simon Coveney, Minister for the Marine.

Members of Kinsale’s Good Food Circle restaurants, will greet guests with luxurious canapés from their own kitchens. Tickets are excellent value at €55 for the opening reception and a 5-course 'Taste of West Cork' dinner in a restaurant of your choice. Ingredients include Clóna Dairy Cream & Butter, Kilbrittain Lamb, Courcey Beef, Skeaghamore Duck, Christy Hurley’s Prawns, Ballinaclashet Mussels, Horizon Farm Salad & Beets, Coolea, Milleens, Gubbeen & Durrus Cheeses, to name but a few. Contact the

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Saturday’s Mad Hatter’s Taste of Kinsale, sponsored by Musgrave MarketPlace, is an escorted 'foodie walking tour', in a fun atmosphere, as people show off their colourful headgear and fancy dress costumes (inspired by the Mad Hatter).

Participants follow Alice, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Fieldmouse to four venues for a dazzling lunchtime spread of the finest food from Kinsale's Good Food Circle restaurants. Prizes will be awarded for hats and costumes in various categories, including one from Kinsale’s own hat shop and milliner, Hattitude. The Mad Hatters assemble at Acton’s Hotel at 11.30am for a sparkling send-off, sponsored by Christys Wines & Spirits and will meet up again at The White Lady to end the afternoon with dancing to live music from Crazy Chester. On the trail they will experience food delights from festival sponsors Clona, Horizon Farm, Haven Shellfish, Ballymaloe Relishes, and beverages from Barry Fitzwilliam, Christys, Blacks of Kinsale, Gleeson, Stonewell and Tindal.

The Festival concludes on Sunday with the 4-course Fruits de Mer Luncheon, sponsored by Pallas Foods and Bewley’s, including lobster, crab, prawns and other delights from the sea. Rugby fans can watch the France vs Ireland World Cup Match, and there will be dancing to live music from Lady and the Tramps.

Last year €14,500 was raised for Action Breast Cancer at the Charity Auction and there will be more a amazing prizes to bid for this year.

Participating restaurants in this year’s Festival are Restaurant d’Antibes@The White House, Blue Haven, Crackpots, Finns' Table, Fishy Fishy, Jim Edwards, Man Friday, Pier One@the Trident Hotel, Toddies at The Bulman, Sidney’s@Actons Hotel and The White Lady. Book your tickets through the website or the Festival Office, where you can also buy a 3-day ticket to all events.

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Sutton Golf Club get creative to embrace Senior Golfers I s your age affecting your enjoyment of competitive golf? Worried that you can’t shoot your age, let alone a score? Want to enjoy the feeling of winning again, who doesn’t ?.

Well at Sutton Golf Club we’ve come up with a fun alternative to encourage older members to stay active by introducing a Longetivity Prize.....

The ‘Longevity Prize’ will take account of a player’s

age as well as their handicap and a ‘Triple Bogey Max’ will also apply. This means that a player with a handicap of say 25 who is 75 years of age will have a ‘Longevity Handicap’ of 100 for 18 holes. You just subtract your ‘Longevity Handicap’ from your Gross Score to get your ‘Longevity Score’. So, the older you are the more strokes you receive. If a player feels they are not up to playing

18 holes and wishes to play just 9 holes they will still qualify for this unique competition. Their 18 hole ‘ Longevity Handicap’ is just halved and their 9 hole ‘Longevity Score’ will just be doubled. It’s easy !!

In addition, because quite often it is due to just one or two ‘bad’ holes that a good score is ruined, a ‘Triple Bogey Max’ will apply to each hole. This means that the most a

The ‘Longevity Trophy’ being presented by the Donor Mr. Paul Tierney (Centre) to Club Captain Tim Nyhan and Michael Green 2015 Chairman of the Sutton Golf Club Weekday Men Members Committee.

player can have on any hole is three over par. So, bye! bye! to those annoying 9’s and 10’s. or “I’m Out’s”.

The ‘Longevity Prize Competition’ is just a great fun competition.

As an additional incentive to come out and play, a ‘Longevity Trophy’ will be awarded to the player with the best 4 ‘Longevity Scores’ over the course of the Weekday Men Members competitions.

An impressive ‘Longevity Trophy’ and three replica’s for 2015, 2016 and 2017 have been donated for the competition by a full member of Sutton Golf Club Mr. Paul Tierney. The trophy is in memory of Paul’s wife who passed away within the last year. The trophy will be known as ‘The Phyl Tierney Memorial Perpetual Trophy’ So! don’t let age be a barrier to your enjoyment of the game of golf. The Longevity Prize is intended to encourage you to continue to play and give you the ongoing hope of arriving in the “Winners Enclosure.”

For further details or if you are interested in developing this in your own club contact Michael Green at 087 2642659.

The Go For Life Small Grant Scheme From Age & Opportunity And The Irish Sports Council Is Now Open!

T

he Go for Life Small Grant Scheme from Age & Opportunity and the Irish Sports Council is now open!

The Small Grant Scheme is a joint initiative between Age & Opportunity’s Go for Life programme and the Irish Sports Council. Grants are available to all eligible local clubs, groups and organisations that promote increased participation in recreational sport or physical activity for older people as a main element of their activities. A total of 300,000 will be available in grants in 2015. This year grants will be between 250 and 700. To apply fill in the application form on their website and return it by 12 noon on Friday, 25 September 2015.

Overall aim The National Grant Scheme aims to assist in the implementation of locallydeveloped, well-planned

initiatives designed to increase participation in recreational sport and physical activity by older people. In particular, the scheme is aimed at: supporting the work of Go for Life including the network of PALs (Physical Activity Leaders) and the development of Go for Life Games and other initiatives; assisting local clubs/organisations to enhance existing opportunities for their members in recreational sport and physical activity; assisting local clubs/organisations to start new initiatives geared at involving older people in recreational sport and physical activity.

Who can apply?

Grants are available to all eligible local clubs, groups and organisations that promote increased participation in recreational sport or physical activity for

older people as a main element of their activities.

Commercial, statutory or umbrella bodies, or their agents, are not eligible for funding under this grant scheme. One exception to this are Local Sports Partnerships who are eligible to apply. Day centres completely funded and directed by statutory bodies, such as the HSE, are not eligible. Grants are

made available for sport or physical activity for older people and the overall membership of applicants must be such that older people will be the beneficiaries of the grant monies. Funding for sports clubs will not be considered unless the application specifically relates to older people. Only one application per group will be considered.

Opening of Mount Carmel Community Hospital Minister for Primary and Social Care Kathleen Lynch T.D officially opened Mount Carmel Community Hospital in Churchtown, Dublin this month. Mount Carmel provides the Dublin Area with a public dedicated Community Hospital, greatly enhancing the provision of services for older people.

The HSE purchased Mount Carmel in August 2014 at a capital cost of €11m. The facility has since been redeveloped to support both the Acute Hospitals and Community Services in Dublin providing a range of Short Stay Community Beds including Step Down/Step Up Beds, Assessment Beds, Transitional Care Beds and Rehabilitation Beds.

Minister Lynch said “This is a very welcome development in Dublin. It means that people who no longer need to be in an acute hospital but who, for a variety of reasons, cannot immediately go home or to residential care are looked after in a more appropriate environment. Acute hospitals are geared towards acute care. This community hospital can provide non acute services, in a calmer and more holistic way”.

Oh sure, blame Popo and Gonggong New research finds that the childhood obesity pandemic in China is the fault of – wait for it, grandparents.

A study by the University of Birmingham shows that grandparents tend to indulge, overfeed and protect grandchildren in their care from physical chores, thus increasing their risk of obesity. The underlying motive for the action of grandparents is affection for their treasured grandchild and stems from their personal experiences, misunderstanding and poor recognition of the adverse health effects of childhood obesity.

As a result, Chinese children who are mainly cared for by their grandparents are more than twice as likely to be overweight or obese, compared with those who are mainly looked after by their parents or other adults. Children who are mainly cared for by a grandparent also consume unhealthy snacks and drinks more frequently.

The study was conducted in the southern Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Hechi.

In China, grandparents often live in threegeneration households and are key providers of child care. Childcare provided through grandparents is a growing social trend across the world and, in China, around half of urban families have grandparents involved in the care of children, said study co-author Peymane Adab, professor of public health at the University of Birmingham and co-author of the study.

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Feature with Tara King

Page 10 Mature Living

TARA King speaks with Ireland’s best-loved entertainer, Brendan Grace about some of his memories, particularly of the “funnier side of life” as he saw it back then, his health and recollections of absent friends.

N

OT even if you tried could you make up some of the things that have happened to legendary entertainer Brendan Grace throughout his life. In fact, when Brendan’s aunt first read his autobiography, Amuzing Grace, her first response was one of shock…that he wasn’t in prison!

“My Aunt Wyn couldn’t believe what we got up to when we were in the Gingermen,” Brendan laughs, referring to the first band he was a member of.

Their most notable antic involved ‘renting’ a car from Dan Dooley Car Hire whenever they had a gig down the country.

“Well, let’s just say we preferred to ‘borrow’ rather than ‘rent’!”Brendan explains.

“Back then, if someone returned a rental car after hours, they would park it outside the garage and drop the keys into the letterbox, so one day I attached a magnet to some string and slipped it into the letter box to see if the keys

would stick. Sure enough they did! This became a Friday night routine for us. We would take a car and drive to wherever our gig was. The garage would be closed for the weekend, and so the staff were never aware that one of their cars had been ‘borrowed’. We weren’t joyriders though! We only used the car to get to the gigs. We always disconnected the speedometer too so that the person who had previously hired it was not charged for the mileage. Before returning it, we would also replace whatever petrol we had used. Would you believe this went on for two years and not once did we get caught out?”

Ironically, Brendan is now close friends with the Dooley’s!“After I became friends with the Dooley’s, I told them all about how much I used to love their cars during my band days! They’ve since thoroughly forgiven me” he adds.

As we hit on to the subject of friends, Derek Davis’s name

comes up. He and Brendan had been good friends for years right up until Derek’s sudden passing last May. “I first got a call from Billy Crosby telling me that Derek was in a coma, and that things weren’t looking good,” Brendan begins. “When he told me shortly afterwards that Derek had passed away, I was speechless. I just couldn’t believe it. I still can’t. There was nothing to suggest he was unwell. In fact, he and I were due to be on stage together in June for a two-night fundraising event in Kinsale. It was going to be an entertainment night to benefit the Kinsale Lions Club.

Derek was going to be the compere, and then myself, Paddy Cole, Joe Mac, and Billy Crosby would provide the entertainment.”

Like Brendan, Derek was a cookery enthusiast, and it was this mutual passion that led to them discussing the prospect of someday embarking upon a cookery-related project.

Brendan explains, “Although we hadn’t decided exactly what it was we were going to do, we had come up with a name for it.

There was a famous show called Two Fat Ladies, so Derek and I always said we would call ours Two Big Guys. We had planned

to do something with that, but we were never free at the same time so it never came to pass.”

He adds, “Then of course, not long after Derek’s passing, we lost Paulo Tulio as well which was another shock. He was a man I had always wanted to meet. I always looked forward to hearing his slot on Sean Moncrieff’s show on Newstalk because you just knew from listening to him that he was a man who knew his stuff. He also had a lovely way about him.

When you hear about people passing away so suddenly like that, your own mortality really hits home. Every day I wake up, I consider it a joy to be alive.”

Health is not something Brendan takes for granted. Ever since being diagnosed with diabetes, he has actively improved his diet and lifestyle, and as a result, the condition is now under control.

“My health is great these days thank God,” he smiles. “I had a bad fall and had to undergo knee surgery about 6 weeks ago, but other than that, my general health is good. My 3 young grandsons, Aidan, James and Patrick, are all very conscious of their intake of sugar so they keep me on the straight and narrow. To be honest though, it’s talking

about sweets that I love most. I could happily talk about sweets for hours on end, especially the ones we used to enjoy years ago as kids.”

Indeed Brendan could keep an entire concert hall entertained with his stories of yesteryear.

Vivid memories are as free flowing as the laughs they inspire. When it comes to sweets, he recalls how he and his friends used to enjoy a type of sweet called Lucky Lumps, which was famous for having a three pence coin hidden inside it - “The coin wasn’t even wrapped in foil!”

And if you thought that was a little shady on the hygiene side of things, wait until you hear about the chewing gum!

“At the time, there was a chewing gum called Long John Silver, which had the most amazing burst of orange flavour.

Sometimes, my classmate Brendan Fassnidge, whose family owned a sweet shop, would bring in a few of these chewing gums to share amongst the class, but before passing them around, he would chew them for an hour to extract the flavour, so really, the chewing gum was only “on loan” to you!

I hate to admit it but I can still remember being one of the borrowers!”

Page 11 Mature Living

Crisps are a weakness for most of us, but for Brendan, they nearly caused him to be arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking.

Before the name Bottler Escobar sticks, he clarifies the story.“A friend of mine, Mick Kinnelly, worked for King Crisps and, as I loved their flavour, I would buy bags of crisp seasoning from him because it tasted delicious on homemade crisps,” he explains. “When I first moved to America, I decided to bring the crisp seasoning with me in a few zip lock bags. The thing is, the seasoning was a white powder, and as I was going through customs, the airport official saw the bags and was sure it was cocaine. He just looked at the bags of white powder and then looked at me, and I knew from the expression on his face what he was thinking! All I could say to him was, ‘You probably won’t believe me but it’s crisp seasoning!’ In the end, he let me through with it!”

Brendan now has big plans to create a radio and TV show based around his nostalgic interest.

“I’m discussing the idea with a few TV people at the moment and it’s something I will most definitely be doing” he explains.“I am an avid nostalgic and I love reminiscing. Whether it’s the sweets we had as kids or the various television programmes and advertisements that were broadcast years ago, I could talk about them all for hours. I want to do something on that topic for radio as well, ideally with George Hook because I think he is a brilliant broadcaster.”

Reminiscences and anecdotes from his own childhood are equally as entertaining as they are nostalgic.They also reflect a very different Ireland to the one we have today.

“Whenever we would get the bus to my father’s home place in Wicklow for Christmas, my sister’s pram would be tied to the roof of the bus, while up at the front, there would be about ten cardboard boxes full of dayold chicks ready for delivery.

You’d never see that nowadays!” he laughs. “One Christmas Eve, just hours before we were to set off, I remember my mother was in an awful panic. Myda was a very popular barman and every Christmas, the punters would give him a token of good will, usually a naggin of whiskey. We were supposed to be heading off the following morning but Ma was worried that if da stayed up enjoying too many of his “tokens of good will,” we would be late for our trip. She told our neighbour Peggy about it, who in turn devised a brilliant plan to disarm da of his whiskey. As soon as she heard him arrive

Page 12 Mature Living

home singing, Peggy approached him and told him she had a toothache. Now, whiskey was da’s cure for everything so, as expected, he took a bottle from his pocket and told her to knock it back. Ten minutes later, Peggy approached him again. Da of course was absolutely hammered and sure he greeted her as though it were the first time he had seen her all day.

She told him about her tooth problem again and of course, he handed her another bottle of whiskey. This went on and on until every naggin of whiskey was out from his pockets and in behind Peggy’s couch! The following morning, Peggy called in on her way to mass to wish us a happy Christmas before we left for Wicklow. Da had no recollection of the night before, and after some chat, he says to her, ‘Jaysus Peggy d’you know what happened me last night? I had a couple of bottles of whiskey and the effin’ taxi man must have robbed me!’

The year ahead is set to be a busy one for Ireland’s bestloved entertainer. This September, his son Bradley will marry his high school sweetheart in Florida.

Afterwards, Brendan will embark upon a major tour of Australia and New Zealand before returning to Ireland for several Christmas shows. His wife, Eileen, is still her husband’s biggest supporter, accompanying him to most of his shows.

Brendan continues to sell out venues wherever he goes, and as for signs of him slowing down, there are none! He’s busier than ever.

“People often wonder if I get tired by the whole thing, but the truth is, I love what I do. I love meeting people and I enjoy nothing more than making them smile! I love being on the road. I used to spend as much time on the road with my tour manager, Brian, as I did at home with Eileen, so much so, that when Brian was a smoker, Eileen gave him a Zippo lighter inscribed with the message: “To my husband’s other wife, happy Christmas!” I’m a bigamist... I’m married to Eileen, but I’m also married to my job!”

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FASHION

The 10 Best Haircuts for Women in Their 50s

These hairstyles are glossy. They're flattering. They're cool. The best haircuts to get in your 50s happen to be short, medium-length, and long cuts you'd want at any age (with a few strategic tweaks here and there). We promise, there's not a single matronly style in the bunch.

WISPY PIXIE Sharon Stone

SPIKY & SHORT Angela Bassett

CENTER-PARTED LOB Michelle Obama Obama's longer, more modern take on the traditional bob is First Lady conservative without being stuffy or aging. Have your stylist cut the back a tiny bit shorter than the front, with long, angled layers around your face.

COLLARBONE-LENGTH Michelle Pfeiffer If your hair is naturally wavy, this cut is going to work in your favor. It's what I like to call the no-layer cut. What does she mean by that? There are "invisible layers" cut into the hair that are so subtle, they're barely noticeable in the finished style. They give the look some softness and keep it from looking too perfect, overdone, or dated.

Some supershort haircuts look severe and harsh—two adjectives not usually associated with the fountain of youth.

That's why this soft cut is so appealing.

There's just the right amount of wispiness, so it's a little messy with a modern edge .

It's also versatile: I like that it's a little longer around the ears; it gives her the choice to style it a little shaggier, or she can tuck it behind her ears.

Angela Bassett's short haircut is the anti-short short haircut: There is absolutely nothing predictable about it. This cut works on all hair textures, and it's going to draw attention to your eyes, but also to everything else—your ears, your nose, your jawline. Adding a short, side-swept fringe can make it a little more wearable—and looks really cool—but it's still going to be a daring cut.

THE BOB Jodie Foster

WAY LOB Madonna

MID LENGTH Julia Louis-Dreyfus Low-maintenance ladies, listen up: This is a really great length because it sort of styles itself. It's automatically going to have movement because it's going to break on your shoulders. It's also a great way to transition your way out of a bob.

LONG(ISH) Julianne Moore I always admire how Julianne Moore makes this length work—it's long without overdoing it. The key is that her cut is really clean and defined, which looks sophisticated.If you have fine or medium hair, ask your stylist for delineated layers from your collarbone down, with blunt ends

LONG WAVES Andie MacDowell Voluminous hair looks youthful (duh). But you might be surprised that it's not all about the roots. The fullness is concentrated toward the bottom, so [her hair] looks thicker. I think a lot of women obsess about getting height at the crown, but this is actually more youthful.

Jodie Foster, congratulations on your Lifetime Achievement Award—and also, on achieving the perfect bob. The A-line shape and length make this bob so stylish. It's ideal for fine or thinning hair (it gives limp hair instant shape) but also works on medium hair. (Just stay away if your hair is thick—it'll look too puffy.) Ask your stylist to cut blunt ends with a razor. That gives you a softer line than scissors, which tend to make bobs look like a broom.

Remember when collarbone-length hair was old-fashioned? Here's one really good clue that that's not true anymore: Madonna is wearing it. Her long, textured bob and loose waves are so much cooler than that oldschool shoulder-length hair that's smooth and voluminous and coiffed.

She has lots of uneven, piecey layers, which make this cut work —but go easy on them if you have fine hair.

CRAZY-LONG WAVES Demi Moore Moore's nearly waist-length hair is really, really long (and also kind of risky) no matter how old you are. The key to pulling it off and making it look youthful? It's all about the health and thickness of your hair. If your hair wouldn't naturally grow this long try extensions.

O

ver 10 years ago, Helen Lambe had a vision of creating a holistic venue that housed a variety of therapists and classes, encompassing holistic, medical and sports orientated worlds.

Jump to the present day and the Dublin Holistic Centre is a reality.

We are Ireland’s largest holistic centre, encompassing around 60 individual businesses all self-employed and working together under an umbrella venue.

Helen contributes this success to having a great team of professional practitioners combined with a strong holistic ethos to actually help our clients.

Classes such as Tai Chi, Yoga and Qi Gong can be beneficial by using gentle movements that release tension and get the joints moving with ease. Stretching and breathing bring fresh nutrients to tired muscles and areas that may have been sedentary for a while.

Modalities such as Acupuncture, Bowen Technique, Osteopathy and Lymphatic Drainage for example, can alleviate ailments such as shingles, arthritis, back pain, rheumatism – and many other age related illnesses.

The secret is in finding out what works for you as an individual.

Introducing Osteopathy; Osteopathy focuses on the musculoskeletal framework of the body which can affect the circulatory, lymphatic and neuronal pathways to any part of the body and can therefore affect any aspect of your health.

Problems such as sciatica, chronic back pain, knee or hip problems and osteoarthritis can be alleviated with osteopathy. Karen Crookes, our resident Osteopath, has been with the Centre for nearly 3 years and is both a registered nurse and registered osteopath.

The Dublin Holistic Centre is located on South William Street in a beautiful 3 storey Georgian building. If you would like to find out more we are here to listen and advise, you simply have to make the next step.

Contact us at: Reception: 01-6330063 info@dublinholisticcentre.com or on www.dublinholisticcentre.com Check out the next issue of Mature Living where I will explore what other recommendations we have for mature readers.

Bella McCormack is the Manager at the Dublin Holistic Centre and a practising Massage Therapist.

Clean and Tidy

Cleaning Out a Deceased Loved One’s Closet:

12 Tips to Make the Process a Little easier

P

reparation and pacing can help make the unbearable task of sorting a deceased loved one’s belongings possible.

Before you begin the process, you will want to gather your supplies. Plenty of boxes labeled “Keep,” “Discard/Trash,” and “Donate,” permanent markers, gloves, and garbage bags. You will want to ask friends to come and support and help you with this important and difficult step of the grieving process. You will need to clear a long afternoon, setting aside time for breaks and assembling snacks and beverages before you begin. You will want to have a good night’s sleep the night before. Take a deep breath. You will survive this.

Regardless of how well you

Page 16 Mature Living

prepare, cleaning out a deceased loved one’s home, bedroom, or even closet ranks among life’s most stressful experiences. It may be many months before you are emotionally ready to tackle the project. The amount of time needed between the death and an ability to decide what to do with the belongings varies based on so many factors, including the relationship of the loss. A grandson will likely have an easier time cleaning out a beloved grandmother’s pantry than a mother would sorting through her son’s childhood stuffed animals. Remember that just as each relationship is unique, so is each grief journey.

Don’t let others judge you for how long (or short) the time period is before you feel ready

to take on this task A friend was recently telling me about her experience cleaning out her mother’s home. She felt like every time she donated one of her mother’s possessions, her pots, pans and books, she was losing another piece of her. Then she opened the quilt chest at the end of her mother’s bed and saw all of the beautiful quilts her mother and grandmother had spent years sewing together over the years.

She was overcome with memories of the two of them sitting together sewing on the front porch on late summer afternoons, as she sat at their sides learning stitches by making doll clothes. She realized that her mother was truly, permanently gone, whether or not she saved her

sweaters or glasses, and that the irreplaceable things she possessed were the memories.

She urges others that if there are no external pressures, such as needing to sell a house, wait until you feel strong enough, and ready to part with at least some of the items.

Below are some tips to help smooth the process, and hopefully create order and harmony during a stressful, heartbreaking time: Choose a place of honour to hold or display the treasured objects you keep to remember your loved one, and discard those things that aren’t either immediately useful or sentimentally important.

As you sort, clearly label the bags or boxes to donate, and set them obviously aside. Do

not let the boxes become mingled with keepsakes, or you may feel compelled to resort everything again, to make sure nothing is lost. Stick with the OHIO rule (“Only Handle It Once”).

It is not your job to find the perfect new home for every book, boot, or tennis racket. If a relative or close friend has requested something particular, or you think of an obvious new home, try to mail it that same day. If you haven’t sent the item after a week, think about donating it. Trust that the universe will find the right person who needs the items you donate.

Decide how much room you have in your own home, and set concrete limits of how much to keep, such as “20 books, one

set of dishes, six items of clothing.” By creating limits in specific categories, it will be easier to choose what is most important and hopefully not become overwhelmed with sheer quantities. This is especially true for collections — choose your favourite three of Grandma’s ceramic cats, don’t feel like you must keep all 258 kitties just because she loved them.

Tackle the project in steps.

Don’t try to do it all at once, or after eight hours you may be exhausted and traumatized and still not done, and reluctant to try again. This closet, room, or home full of things took a lifetime to gather and can’t be packed up in one day.

Do not feel guilty about discarding or donating things.

The important things to keep are your memories. The rest of the “stuff” served your loved one well, and it is not your responsibility to keep it forever and ever. Your loved one filled his or her home with objects that were pretty or useful to him or her. If they are not pretty or useful to you, donate them without guilt.

Take pictures of items you want to remember but that are not practical to keep.

Start with the items that are easiest to discard, to create momentum and clear space. Go through the house with a garbage bag and discard old socks and underwear, lidless Tupperware, soap and Q-tips, magazines and opened food items. If something is broken or stained, throw it away.

As you sort, put all papers in one box or bin to sort later.

Don’t stop and evaluate every greeting card, play program or receipt. You can download a scanner app to your phone to make electronic copies of papers you don’t need to keep physical copies of (But of course always keep paper versions of official records like birth certificates, military discharge papers, or deeds).

As you think about items to weed or to keep, reflect on the cost of keeping the items, and set limits. What is the cost to your own psychic wellbeing to fill your home with a relative’s belongings? What is the financial cost of keeping a storage unit to maintain a home’s worth of belongings, going unused? What is the time cost and physical toll of reshuffling your own storage space, and filling garages, attics, and sheds with boxes of things? Sometimes people decide to store boxes and boxes of things because they cannot bear to sort through it presently — ask yourself, “If not now, when?” before investing in storing items.

Items may not be worth as much as you think they are. The dining room table and chairs where you and Nana and Mo=um and Dad spent every Christmas may be irreplaceable to you, but be prepared to let it go if the goal is to clear out the house.

Sometimes families are unwilling to sell an antique dresser for €500 when they wanted and expected €700, and end up spending €1,500 on storage costs (at €100/month) before giving it away in exasperation.

Create a timeframe to finish the entire project. Clearing a house may take several months of weekends. You don’t want to be too rushed, but you also don’t want to let things stagnate. Plan four-hour blocks of time, with a reward at the end of it (maybe a manicure, movie, or dinner out with friends).

Your memories of your loved ones and relationships with family are more important than things, so choose only those belongings that have sentimental value to you. Pick your battles wisely when two relatives want the same item.

Try to choose things to keep that you want to display in your home, or keep in a keepsake box, perhaps in a Memory Corner with photos.

A survey found that after 50, people become increasingly less likely to give away or sell things they don’t need. And yet at least half of them admit they own too much.

“We tend to hang onto things longer as we age,” says Colette Robin, a professional organizer and coach in Dublin. “It’s all those memories.”

But there are consequences.

At minimum, it means more stuff to sort through when you downsize. If your house clutter reaches an embarrassing level, you may be reluctant to let repairmen inside or host family gatherings. There are even safety considerations: one of Robin’s senior clients experienced a special little epiphany when she tripped and fell over the junk in her house. She lay on the floor, waiting for help – and staring at the book of organizing tips she’d bought long ago.

Want to pare back possessions before it’s too late? “It’s really a change in mindset,” says Robin.

Instead of dwelling on the past, “think about your lifestyle going into the future.” If you’re no longer hitting the slopes because you spend every winter down south, do you really need your ski equipment? If you don’t wear four-inch heels anymore, why should six pairs of them live in your closet?

use? A single mum on a fixed income may be thrilled to take them.

The Warning Signs What if you’re constantly buying items you never need and saving things your neighbours throw out? Are you distressed at the idea of being parted from your possessions, even if they have little value? Is there no room to sleep in your bedroom or to use the second bathroom?

These are all signs you may have crossed the line from packrat to hoarder. Hoarding can be triggered by a traumatic event, like a divorce, or may be part of another disorder, like depression.

If these characteristics sound like you, don’t wait. The most successful approach involves working with a psychologist-and-organizer team, so both emotional and environmental issues can be dealt with.

There is help, says Robin, once you reach out.

“The earlier you get involved, the higher the chances you can change your behaviour.”

You may be clinging to these items because of what they represent. “They become memorabilia,” says Robin. You can keep the memories – in digital photos and scrapbooks – without taking up so much square footage.

You can let things go a lot more easily if you imagine someone out there without much, says Robin. “People think that if they let things go, they’ll go in the garbage – but there are many places that need things.” Your grandmother’s rocking chair can be handed down to a niece or nephew who’s just starting out. Got more bath towels than you can actually

Page 17 Mature Living

Try to celebrate the new lifestage of emerging adulthood

M

ost people would agree, the road to adulthood is longer than it has ever been before, by any measure.Young people stay in school longer, live at home longer, marry later, become parents later and find their first job later. In fact, the transition to adulthood lasts so long some suggest that it constitutes a new life stage between adolescence and young adulthood, called "emerging adulthood," lasting from age 18 to 29.

Many parents may find themselves puzzled and dismayed at how long their kids are taking to become adults, though. We sought to capture the anxiety that many parents feel in the title of a recent book, a parents’ guide to emerging adulthood called When Will My Grown-Up Kid Grow Up? For most parents, their biggest fear as they watch their children go through emerging adulthood is that it will never end, or at least that it will go on far too long.

They see their twentysomething children undecided about which path to take, or declaring a path decisively and then abandoning it abruptly a few months later, and they worry,

"God, won't this kid ever get it together?"

Parents are usually ready to focus again on their own lives by the time their kids reach the 20s and feel their patience and wallets are being exhausted as another year passes and their emerging adult is still emerging, still on the way to an everreceding adulthood.

The downside of the longer road to adulthood is pretty obvious to most people: more anxiety on the part of emerging adults, as they struggle to find their place in the world and make many wrong turns on the way and more anxiety and expense for parents, as they end up supporting their kids (emotionally and financially) for a lot longer than they had expected.

But there is an upside to a later entry to adulthood, too. Here are some reasons to be glad if your kid is meandering through his or her 20s instead of settling down early.

Better Choices Perhaps most importantly, the extended years of emerging adulthood enhance the likelihood that young people will make good choices in love and work. The 28-year-old is a

lot better prepared to make the choice of a marriage partner than the 18-year-old or the 22year-old, having had far more years of experience with relationships and gained far more cognitive and emotional maturity.

The 28-year-old can also make a wiser choice of a career path than the 18-year-old or the 22year-old, having had more time to get a good education and gain a better sense of what his or her abilities, goals and opportunities are.

Sometimes, 18- or 22-year-olds are unusually mature and can make wise choices in love and work at a young age. But overall, the prospects of choosing well are enhanced by waiting until at least the late 20s.

More Prepared for Parenthood Experiencing emerging adulthood also makes young people better parents — eventually.

Marriage is challenging and building a career is challenging but, as all parents know, there is nothing quite so formidably challenging as having the responsibility of caring for a child.

Especially in their early years,

children stretch us to the limit of our physical endurance, our stress tolerance and our financial resources. There is no doubt that the 28-year-old is better prepared for these demands than the 18- or 22year-old.

You Only Live Once (YOLO) Another reason for parents to celebrate the new life stage of emerging adulthood is that it gives their children a window of opportunity to have experiences they couldn't have had at younger ages and most likely won’t have the chance for once they've taken on enduring adult responsibilities. They can take a shot at that musical career, volunteer for a service project in a developing country or just move to Sydney or New York City to hang out and have fun for a year while waiting tables or making lattes.

These episodes of adventure make parents nervous sometimes. "Your wee darling could be going to college, or doing an internship, or starting to make progress in a career or… something!"

That may be true, but as one of the parents in an online survey observed, "Why not prolong youth? It's already so fleeting."

Besides, most young people today have a likelihood of living to 80 or 90, so why not take advantage of their longer life span?

One Last Chance for Family Time Emerging adulthood should be embraced as one last chance for

Page 18 Mature Living

parents and children to be close before the children become true grown-ups, preoccupied with the demands of career building, spouses and child care. True, there are things you won't miss, like urgent text messages at 3 a.m., persistent needs for cash and jarring announcements of a need to move back home for a while.

Not a few parents may find themselves thinking wryly on such occasions, "How can I miss you if you won't go away?"

But miss them you will.

This boomer generation of parents wanted to be closer to their children than they had been to their own parents, and they succeeded, by and large.

Most parents today can talk to their 20-something children as friends, about topics they never would have dreamed broaching with their own parents. The long transition of emerging adulthood allows parents to enjoy the fruits of all those strenuous child-raising years from infancy through adolescence. It won't be long until you are no longer receiving their 3 a.m. text messages.

Instead, you'll be wondering why they haven't answered the text you sent three days ago.

They'll fall in love, they'll find a partner who will become that person they rely on for support and nurturance every day, instead of you. It happens to almost everyone.

So enjoy this special closeness one last time, and try to lay a foundation of love and mutual trust that will endure in the decades to come.

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QUEEN OF THE BLOOMS Article & Photographs by Leonie Cornelius

This garden has been thoughtfully laid out making it an incredibly rewarding place to wander around in. Small discoveries can be made at every corner here, from tiny miniature sculptures nestled in planting, to a solitary pot containing some naturally grown moss and placed in a frame of plants. Even the gates and the swing have been custom made by Annette’s husband from stems of silver birch.

Colour is striking and abundant here, with areas of subtle pastels giving way to sudden striking dots of bold red. Purple verbenas spire into the sky alongside native Foxgloves, given shade by

parchment thin covered birch stems, a satisfying contrast of strong colour and a subtle woodland feel.

Each area of planting seems to have been carefully considered- the white Philadelphus ‘Belle Etoile’, giving a strong scented contrast to dusty pink self seeded poppies and purple Verbena. The Rose area too is impressive, there are countless varieties here that seem to almost flow into each other. Shrub roses of massive pink mesh with masses of whites covering a pergola.

G

arden Designer and TV presenter Leonie Cornelius explores the beautiful gardens by Annette Coleman of Sligo Garden Flowers.

If you’ve ever visited the Drumcliffe Market on a Saturday then you are sure to have noticed the flower arrangements by Annette Coleman of Sligo Garden Flowers.

Annette, a talented plantswoman, is responsible for many beautiful tabletop creations in cafes around out area. On a sunny day in July, Annette invited me out to have a look at her garden, which is located in Castlegal, County Sligo.

Driving over snaking country roads, some of which almost feel like they turn back on themselves, it feels like it’s easy to get lost on the way out to the gardens. I knew I was in the right place though, as soon as I saw the pretty gate painted in a delicate green, with masses of roses in every colour in the background. Walking into Annette’s space is like entering a dreamworld of floral scent and beauty.

Page 20 Mature Living

Some of Annettes Favourite flowers for arrangement:

Cornflower This plant is so dazzlingly blue it almost looks like it has been dyed blue! I love the Annette uses them in a very simple bunch of only that one flower. Beautiful.

Sweet Pea Everyone knows this plant for its incredibly soapy sweet smell and Annette tells me this is always a firm favourite.

Achillea there are so many colour varieties of Achillea making it a great addition to any arrangement. The cushion like shape really fills out a bunch.

Annette’s growing area is placed stragetically towards the back of a pretty green and lilac shed, and contains many of the flowers she uses for her arrangements. With so many flowers to choose from, it is no wonder that each bunch of flowers she has is unique. Even the pots, sprayed in subtle pastels are unique and are perfect for the display of the flower arrangements.

With this amount of thought and planning evident, the garden could be at risk of becoming almost too perfect but thankfully Annette loves a certain wild element to her space. Pointing out self-seeded poppies here and there, it is obvious that she enjoys the added elements of surprise that nature can bring and even welcomes it in her garden. This is what makes the garden even more special. The little areas where nature is allowed to blend with her vision, making it feel like the garden has always been here.

After spending some time in the garden taking photographs of the wonderful schemes, I am starting to see that Annette’s business of flower arrangement is a true testament of someone making their passion their work. The unique style of the garden can be seen in the arrangements that Annette creates every week for the markets and for special commissions.

Annette is part of the Secret Garden of Sligo. For enquiries on her garden, flowers and special commissions go to her website: www.sligogardenflowers.ie

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Therapies

T

he term Alternative Medicine means any form of medicine that is outside the mainstream of western medicine or conventional medicine as practiced a majority of doctors today. This term is loosely used to over all forms of medicine except allopathy. In 1973, the Medical

Faculty of the University of Rome convened the first World Congress of Alternative Medicines and the provisional program contained no less than 135 therapies. Alternative medicine exists in all cultures to some degree and terms such as traditional medicine, indigenous medicine or folk

medicine etc. are used to describe such practices. These medicines date back hundred or even thousands of years depending on the country and culture concerned. There are more than 100 systems of alternative medicines still in practice all over the world.

Every country, region or area

has its own traditional system of health and medical cares such as for the Chinese it is acupuncture, for the French, magnetic healing; for the Germans, Heilpraxis; for the English, Herbalism; for India, Ayurveda with Siddha being widely practice in the southern part of the country; for Japan,

Shiatsu etc. The most popular forms of alternative medicine are Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Yoga, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Magneto therapy, Shiatsu, Herbalism, Meditation, Aromatherapy, Bach Flower Remedies, Chromo therapy, Diet therapy, Hydropathy and Reiki.

Over the next three editions of Mature Living we will be explaining different therapies each month

Acupressure Similar to acupuncture, but using finger pressure rather than fine needles on specific points along the body to treat ailments such as tension and stress, aches and pains, menstrual cramps, arthritis.

Acupuncture Fine needles are inserted at specific points to stimulate, disperse, and regulate the flow of vital energy, and restore a healthy energy balance. In addition to pain relief, acupuncture is also used to improve well being and treat acute, chronic, and degenerative conditions in children and adults.

Aromatherapy Using "essential oils" distilled from plants, aromatherapy treats emotional disorders such as stress and anxiety as well as a wide range of other ailments. Oils are massaged into the skin in diluted form, inhaled, or placed

in baths. Aromatherapy is often used in conjunction with massage therapy, acupuncture, reflexology, herbology, chiropractic, and other holistic treatments.

Astrology Astrology is a humanistic attempt at trying to understand the cycles that we share with the forces in the Universe.

The planets have corresponding rulership to certain vitamins, minerals, cell salts, herbs, metals, colors and parts of the body. Through the chart, one can look to see what natal health conditions exist. Through these precepts, we can then look at the present and into the future to see what areas of our lives are being affected and potentially how we can head off ill health and promote wellness.

Atlas Orthogonal Atlas Orthogonal is a chiropractic program to evaluate and correct

subluxation based on scientific and biomechanical procedures.

By incorporating the latest advancements in scientific technology, chiropractors can calculate, in precise detail, the vectors specific to an individual subluxation pattern, and program their instrument with the specific correction vectors to deliver the adjustment without any manipulation at all.

Ayurvedic Medicine Practiced in India for more than 5,000 years, ayurvedic tradition holds that illness is a state of imbalance among the body's systems that can be detected through such diagnostic procedures as reading the pulse and observing the tongue.

Nutrition counseling, massage, natural medications, meditation, and other modalities are used to address a broad spectrum of ailments.

Auricular Therapy Ancient Egyptian writings state that pain can be relieved by

stimulating certain points on the ear. In the 1800's, several publications indicated that there were several techniques of cauterization and manipulation of the ears to aid certain disorders. Many benefits can be achieved by massaging and palpating specific points on the ear.

Alexander Technique The Alexander Technique is a method that works to change (movement) habits in our everyday activities. It is a simple and practical method for improving ease and freedom of movement, balance, support and coordination. The technique teaches the use of the appropriate amount of effort for a particular activity, giving you more energy for all your activities. It is not a series of treatments or exercises, but rather a reeducation of the mind and body.

Autogenic Training It is a century-old European method for achieving relaxation based upon passive concentration and body awareness of specific sensations. Its effectiveness has been shown in relieving many stress-related disorders including anxiety, tension, insomnia, and examination stress. Persons with chronic medical conditions ranging from migraine, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure, to thyroid disease and many other conditions have also been shown to benefit from the practice of autogenic training.

Page 22 Mature Living

Anthroposophical Medicine Anthroposophical Medicine involves an internationally organized group of people who think that Rudolf Steiner (an Austrian physician, 1861-1925) found the ultimate truth - the anthroposophy. Steiner said: By anthroposophy, I mean a scientific investigation of the spiritual world which will bring to light the weaknessess and half-truths not only of science but also of modern mysticism. It is a method which, before attempting to investigate the spiritual worlds, first develops psychic powers not normally used in daily life or in current scientific research.

Auto-Urine Therapy This practice comes from Yoga and is the use of one's own urine as food, medicine, restorative, transforming agent and immune system booster. It is sometimes called 'Your Own Doctor'.

Holotropic Breathwork It is a simple yet powerful technique for self-exploration and healing, based on combined insights from modern consciousness research, depth psychology and perennial spiritual practices.

The method activates nonordinary states of consciousness which mobilize the spontaneous healing potential of the psyche.

Sustained effective breathing, evocative music, focussed energy work and mandala drawing are components of this

recipient. Proponents claim that the recipient's body automatically transports the injected cells to the target organs, where they supposedly strengthen them and regenerate their structure.

The organs and glands used in cell treatment include brain, pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, thymus, liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, heart, ovary, testis, and parotid. Several different types of cell or cell extract can be given simultaneously -- some practitioners routinely give up to 20 or more at once.

subjective journey. 'Holotropic' literally means 'moving towards wholeness'.

Biofeedback A method of monitoring minute metabolic changes in one's own body with the aid of sensitive machines.

The technique is used especially for stress-related conditions such as asthma, migraines, insomnia, and high blood pressure. Clients learn to make subtle adjustments to move toward a more balanced internal state by consciously visualizing, relaxing, or imagining while observing light, sound, or metered feedback.

various procedures in which processed tissue from animal embryos, foetuses or organs, is injected or taken orally.

Products are obtained from specific organs or tissues said to correspond with the unhealthy organs or tissues of the

Chromotherapay or Colour Therapy The use of colour ( usually in the form of coloured light) to produce beneficial or healing effects.

Colon Therapy The therapeutic goals of colon therapy are to balance body chemistry, eliminate waste, and restore proper tissue and organ function. Colon therapy releases toxins, cleans the blood, stimulates the immune system, and aids in restoring the pH balance in the body.

Colon Therapy, also known as colonics, is believed to relieve a wide range of symptoms related to colon dysfunction.

Chelation Therapy Chelation therapy is a series of intravenous injections of the synthetic amino acid EDTA, designed to detoxify the body.

It is also often used to treat arteriosclerosis. Most frequently, this is administered in an osteopathic or medical doctor's office.

Chinese (Oriental) Medicine Oriental medical practitioners are trained to use a variety of ancient and modern therapeutic methods - including acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, heat therapy, and nutritional and lifestyle counseling - to treat a broad range of both chronic and acute illnesses.

Chiropractic The chiropractic views the spine as the backbone of human health: misalignments of the vertebrae caused by poor posture or trauma cause

pressure on the spinal nerve roots, leading to diminished function and illness. Through manipulation or adjustment of the spine, treatment seeks to analyze and correct these misalignments.

Colonics A colonic is a colon irrigation, the irrigation of the large intestine with sanitized, filtered water under gentle pressure to wash out or detoxify it of stagnated fecal material; it is a full intestinal enema.

Counseling/Psychotherapy This broad category covers a range of practitioners, from career counselors to psychotherapies who treat depression, stress, addiction, and emotional issues. Formats can vary from individual counseling to group therapy.

Some therapists may also incorporate bodywork, ritual, energy healing, and other alternative modalities as part of their practice.

Continued in next month’s Mature Living Magazine

Bach Flower Remedies A system of herbal remedies devised by Edward Bach, these floral remedies can supposedly alter the disharmonies of personality and emotional state that trouble us all from time to time. These remedies are mostly aimed at curing emotional states rather than physical ones.

Cellular Therapy Cellular therapy also called live cell therapy, cellular suspensions, glandular therapy, fresh cell therapy, siccacell therapy, embryonic cell therapy, and organotherapy -- refers to

Trish Willams Ayurveda Specialising in Champissage Indian Head Massage and Kansa Vatki Foot Massage

www.trishwilliamsayurveda.com

Mobile Service available Dublin and Wicklow • Ph: 085-8417665 Arklow, The Arklow Natural Healing Centre, 8 St Mary’s Terrace, Arklow (Next to library in Arklow) Ph: (01) 9034210 – Allow phone to ring to get answer phone

Page 23 Mature Living

Health Matters

THE Best foods for healthy eyes

Eat fatty fish at least once a week? The right kinds of fruits and vegetables? Find out how to lower your risk of serious vision loss from advanced age-related macular degeneration. the freshest, most colourful veggies and fruits you can find — think red, dark green, orange or yellow. Some top foods for your peepers include carrots, corn, kiwi, pumpkin, yellow squash, red grapes, tomatoes, spinach, kale, collard greens and green peas.

Nuts are another source of omega-3 fatty acids — and they also contain copper, which it thought to play a role in preventing age-related eye diseases.

T

he health benefits of oily fish have been widely reported including reduced risk for heart disease, depression and certain kinds of cancers. Eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids has also long been thought to be good for maintaining eye health.

Now new research from Johns Hopkins University backs up previous studies showing that fatty fish-eaters tend to have lower rates of advanced agerelated macular degeneration (AMD) — a condition where vision becomes increasingly blurry and distorted due to damage to part of retina. This can impair basic daily activities such as reading, driving or even recognizing faces.

While there is no cure for AMD, there are some treatments and lifestyle changes that can help to prevent serious vision loss.

The study, published in the journal Ophthalmology, indicates that omega-3 fatty acids — found in oily fish such as salmon, albacore tuna and mackerel — may affect the development or progression of AMD. Researchers looked at data from 2,520 adults aged 65 to 84

Page 24 Mature Living

who underwent eye exams and completed detailed dietary questionnaires. And while they found no clear relationship between participants’ reported fish intake and the risk of AMD, there was a link between higher intake of omega-3-rich fish and the odds of having advanced AMD, the most serious stage of the condition.

In fact, participants who ate one or more servings of such fish on a weekly basis were 60 per cent less likely to have advanced AMD than those who averaged less than a serving per week. However, the relationship between participant’s fish intake and the risk of AMD — as opposed to advanced AMD — was less clear.

The study took into account known risk factors such as gender, race and smoking habits, which have been previously connected with AMD. (Women face a greater risk of AMD than men, whites are at greater risk than African Americans and smokers face a higher risk than non-smokers.)

“While the current research indicates that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of late AMD in some patients, more research is still

necessary,” study leader Bonnielin K. Swenor from Johns Hopkins University told Reuters.

The fact that the study was “cross-sectional” — meaning it analyzed participants at one point in time rather than following them over time – means that its difficult to know for sure if the participants’ reported diet habits preceded the development of the eye disease.

Foods for healthy eyes In addition to fatty fish, there is growing evidence that fresh fruits and dark green, leafy vegetables — foods rich in vitamins C and E, selenium, and carotenoids (including beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin) — may delay or reduce the severity of AMD To reap the most health benefits, select

Foods to avoid A high-fat, high-cholesterol diet is not only bad for your heart, but it can lead to fatty plaque deposits in the macular vessels — which can hamper blood flow and increase the risk of AMD. Similar to guidelines for cardiovascular health, experts recommend maintaining a diet low in fat to keep your eyes healthy. Research has also shown that consuming red meat 10 times a week or more puts you at a 47 per cent higher risk for macular degeneration.

Vitamins and supplements A high-dose formulation of antioxidants

and zinc can significantly reduce the risk of advanced AMD and its associated vision loss, according to The National Eye Institute’s Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). This is often recommended for people with intermediate AMD in one or both eyes.Because there can be harmful side effects, including urinary tract problems, to highdose supplements, be sure to consult with your doctor before taking supplements. Also keep in mind that some vitamins and supplements can interfere with some prescription medications.

Other preventative measures Experts also recommend making other healthy lifestyle choices to help prevent AMD: • Smoking. If you smoke, quit.

Studies have shown that people who smoke may be 3-4 times more likely to have AMD. • Exercise. Not only can physical activity reduce risk for AMD, but it may also slow progression of the disease.

• Watch your numbers. This includes controlling your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

• Adequate protection. Protect your eyes and be sure to wear sunglasses, especially in strong sunlight.

Health Matters

A Spoonful of organisation helps keep you safe & healthy

D

RUGS and medicines and food supplements have become a vital part of our lives . . . and as we grow older perhaps we begin to lose track of what is prescribed for what, or indeed, what the shape of a particular drug is . . . as some change shape over time anyway.

Have you noticed that the contents of your medicine cabinet seem to expand over the years. And on more than one occasion, have you not found yourself standing in front of the

ever-growing collection of vials wondering, have I or haven’t I? You may also need some prompting mechanism to ensure you DO take those vital drugs or supplements each day.

The more pills we require, the more room for error. And although, yes, to err is human, when it comes to pharmaceuticals, mistakes can have serious consequences.

A GP from Ballina, who treats people regularly in their homes (Yes, he makes house calls),

believes that when it comes to taking medication, vigilance is crucial.“Medication blunders will happen,” he says, “but they can be minimized.”

Below is a list of his suggestions: • Keep a detailed inventory of all medicines –name, dosage and how/when it is to be taken (morning/evenings, with/without food, etc.). List all prescription/non-prescription, vitamins, herbals, nutritional supplements and over-thecounter drugs. Include other medical information such as emergency contacts, drug allergies, previous hospitalizations and insurance information. Update on a regular basis.

• Keep a copy at home and another in your purse or wallet.

Should you have to go to the emergency room or have an accident, having it with you could save your life.

• Go over the list with your GP. It is a good idea to make an appointment for that reason

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The local GP says: “Communication between you and healthcare professionals is so important. You should understand why the drug is recommended, how and when to take it and the consequences of not taking it as prescribed. Ask questions. Expect answers.”

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• Always follow instructions. (If you are to continue until the medicine is gone, don’t stop taking it as soon as you feel better, or because you don’t notice immediate results.)

• Read the directions on the label carefully, heeding warnings such as stay out of sunlight, take with food, etc.

• If you are discharged from the hospital with new medication orders, ask why changes were made before leaving. Often one medicine is substituted for another simply because the hospital pharmacy doesn’t carry a particular formulary.

• If you have concerns about how a medicine is making you feel, don’t simply stop taking it.

Contact your physician.

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• Make certain you understand why your medications have been prescribed, that they are compatible with one another and that the reasons for taking them are still valid. (Just because you have been on a drug for years doesn’t necessarily mean you still need it, or that it can’t be administered in a simpler way.)

• Don’t rely solely on your memory. Use a calendar, paper or electronic, to remind you to take your medicine, and also to let yourself know what you have already taken.

• Pre-sort two-week’s worth at a time into a pill container with compartments for each day. If you have morning and evening medication, use two of them, clearly marked DAY and NIGHT. (Purchase different colors and use a marker to write across the top of each.)

• Develop a relationship with your pharmacist. Having all your prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy increases the possibility of identifying possible adverse interactions.

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Travel

5. United States Heathcare is expensive here – and insurance costs pensioners more because of the greater risk of making a claim – but house prices tend to be much lower. Other attractions include cheap petrol and a generally favourable climate. It's also home to perhaps the most diverse culture and geography of anywhere on this list – it's a place that never fails to surprise.

M

any people nearing pension age may be giving thoughts to retiring abroad. Cheaper and more convenient air travel has made the world smaller – so you no longer need to say farewell to your family forever if

you relocate overseas. But taxes do not end at Knock and pensioners on a fixed income need to be sure that all the financial aspects of becoming an expatriate have been taken into consideration.

With these pros and cons in mind we try to identify the 10 top places to retire overseas.

Factors taken into account included house prices, health care costs, average temperature, rainfall and hours of

sunshine – as well as grocery bills, crime rates and taxation.

Obviously, personal preference and family ties will affect which location appeals most, but here are Castle's top 10 countries to retire overseas.

1. Malta As one of the smallest states in the world, Malta is also one of the most densely populated countries on earth – for good reason, too. With more than 3,100 hours of sunshine a year, an average temperature of 19C and English as a first language for most people, it's no surprise that many Irish are beginning to flock to the Mediterranean archipelago. An interest in history would help residents here, but its small size could become a problem over the longer term.

6. Australia Booming demand for commodities in recent years have boosted the Australian dollar to levels that can make euro-denominated pensioners wince. But more Irish have already headed to this Commonwealth nation, making it the second largest expat community of the countries surveyed. Property doesn't come cheap, yet low tax and cheap health care have convinced people to make the long trip south.

7. Thailand Pensioners seeking a new way of life may find it in Thailand, whether it's from the bustling cities, grand temples, stunning cuisine or friendly locals. Cheap property and petrol costs can be enjoyed by the 41,000 expats currently living there, which is just one of the bonuses of living in this beautiful, culture-rich nation in south-east Asia.

2. Portugal Forming one quarter of the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal is famed for its rich history, good health care and wonderful weather. Sharing time zones with Ireland, pensioners will also find it remarkably cheap to live here. For example, it's around three times cheaper to buy property in Portugal than in France. It also has the third largest European expat community after Spain and France.

8. Jamaica The fifth-largest country in the Caribbean is an island paradise that includes many jaw-dropping landscapes, friendly communities, and stunning flora and fauna. The English-speaking nation is also remarkably warm, averaging 27C a year, while offering some of the lowest property prices out of the countries surveyed. However, poverty and crime in some areas may deter many potential expats.

3. Spain Despite rising numbers of Irish returning from Spain because of falling house prices, planning permission disputes and currency fluctuations, this country has the largest expat community in Europe as well as the lowest crime rate of all countries surveyed. With beautiful cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, the rolling countryside of Catalonia, historic Unesco-protected areas like Toledo and islands including Tenerife, Ibiza and Menorca, there's plenty of choice – but also plenty of places to avoid; such as half-empty coastal developments which may never sell.

9. Morocco A combination of Roman, Islamic and European influences can still be seen in phenomenal cities such as Marrakesh, Casablanca and Tangier. Low rainfall and a temperate climate make Morocco worthy of consideration in any expat's shortlist – even if very few have made the move so far. Difficulties experienced by some when buying or selling property – and other issues with local bureaucrats – may explain why this option remains too exotic for most expats.

4. Barbados This island member of the Commonwealth has all you would expect from the Caribbean: sun, sea, sand and friendliness. The English language is a huge bonus, although its main selling points include virtually free health care, low property tax and an average temperature of 26C.

10. Greece Yes, really. While the economic crisis remains dire, this country continues to offer a relaxed lifestyle for many who have already made their pile. As the birthplace of democracy, Greece has evolved into a visually spectacular nation that offers great weather, readily available health care and – believe it or not – a low crime rate. Just make sure the locals don't mistake you for a German.

Travel

5. United States Heathcare is expensive here – and insurance costs pensioners more because of the greater risk of making a claim – but house prices tend to be much lower. Other attractions include cheap petrol and a generally favourable climate. It's also home to perhaps the most diverse culture and geography of anywhere on this list – it's a place that never fails to surprise.

M

any people nearing pension age may be giving thoughts to retiring abroad. Cheaper and more convenient air travel has made the world smaller – so you no longer need to say farewell to your family forever if

you relocate overseas. But taxes do not end at Knock and pensioners on a fixed income need to be sure that all the financial aspects of becoming an expatriate have been taken into consideration.

With these pros and cons in mind we try to identify the 10 top places to retire overseas.

Factors taken into account included house prices, health care costs, average temperature, rainfall and hours of

sunshine – as well as grocery bills, crime rates and taxation.

Obviously, personal preference and family ties will affect which location appeals most, but here are Castle's top 10 countries to retire overseas.

1. Malta As one of the smallest states in the world, Malta is also one of the most densely populated countries on earth – for good reason, too. With more than 3,100 hours of sunshine a year, an average temperature of 19C and English as a first language for most people, it's no surprise that many Irish are beginning to flock to the Mediterranean archipelago. An interest in history would help residents here, but its small size could become a problem over the longer term.

6. Australia Booming demand for commodities in recent years have boosted the Australian dollar to levels that can make euro-denominated pensioners wince. But more Irish have already headed to this Commonwealth nation, making it the second largest expat community of the countries surveyed. Property doesn't come cheap, yet low tax and cheap health care have convinced people to make the long trip south.

7. Thailand Pensioners seeking a new way of life may find it in Thailand, whether it's from the bustling cities, grand temples, stunning cuisine or friendly locals. Cheap property and petrol costs can be enjoyed by the 41,000 expats currently living there, which is just one of the bonuses of living in this beautiful, culture-rich nation in south-east Asia.

2. Portugal Forming one quarter of the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal is famed for its rich history, good health care and wonderful weather. Sharing time zones with Ireland, pensioners will also find it remarkably cheap to live here. For example, it's around three times cheaper to buy property in Portugal than in France. It also has the third largest European expat community after Spain and France.

8. Jamaica The fifth-largest country in the Caribbean is an island paradise that includes many jaw-dropping landscapes, friendly communities, and stunning flora and fauna. The English-speaking nation is also remarkably warm, averaging 27C a year, while offering some of the lowest property prices out of the countries surveyed. However, poverty and crime in some areas may deter many potential expats.

3. Spain Despite rising numbers of Irish returning from Spain because of falling house prices, planning permission disputes and currency fluctuations, this country has the largest expat community in Europe as well as the lowest crime rate of all countries surveyed. With beautiful cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, the rolling countryside of Catalonia, historic Unesco-protected areas like Toledo and islands including Tenerife, Ibiza and Menorca, there's plenty of choice – but also plenty of places to avoid; such as half-empty coastal developments which may never sell.

9. Morocco A combination of Roman, Islamic and European influences can still be seen in phenomenal cities such as Marrakesh, Casablanca and Tangier. Low rainfall and a temperate climate make Morocco worthy of consideration in any expat's shortlist – even if very few have made the move so far. Difficulties experienced by some when buying or selling property – and other issues with local bureaucrats – may explain why this option remains too exotic for most expats.

4. Barbados This island member of the Commonwealth has all you would expect from the Caribbean: sun, sea, sand and friendliness. The English language is a huge bonus, although its main selling points include virtually free health care, low property tax and an average temperature of 26C.

10. Greece Yes, really. While the economic crisis remains dire, this country continues to offer a relaxed lifestyle for many who have already made their pile. As the birthplace of democracy, Greece has evolved into a visually spectacular nation that offers great weather, readily available health care and – believe it or not – a low crime rate. Just make sure the locals don't mistake you for a German.

Travel

Top ten Travel Destinations Scotland

Brazil

Brazil Travel guides publisher Lonely Planet named Brazil - as the top tourist destination for 2014. As per the tourism ministry in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro and S찾o Paulo are two of the most visited destinations in the country.

This country is the belle of the ball with the FIFA World Cup followed by the 2016 Summer Olympics two years later, dodging the recession.

Denmark Lonely Planet has rated Denmark as the best tourist destination to visit with one's family as it is built for kids, especially the Legoland amusement park. "Copenhagen is home to Tivoli, a fairy tale of a central amusement park that dates to 1843. There is lots of free music, nightly fireworks and surprisingly good food," states the travel guide. As per the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) more than 8.7 million people visited the country in 2010.

value. Secondly, India is a hub to all the ingredients for a special trip with elephants, palaces, castles, trains, beaches, jungles and wildlife parks and nature.

The travel guide has anointed the state of Sikkim as the best region in the world to travel to, while Kerela is the tourist destination to help keep everyone in the family happy.

Ecuador This South American country has reportedly boosted its advertising budget by 73 percent in an attempt to divert the attention from its rival Brazil.

There are several shopping package deals coming up that combine airfare, lodging, meals and excursions.

The travel website, Travelzoo, has Equador among the top five 'Wow Deal Destinations', which is certain to offer values beyond an ordinary trip.

USA Be it dirt cheap Jersey Shore or yahooing cowboy country of Texas, there's something about the US that makes you feel as though real life has morphed into cinematography.

Do not forget the New York City and its big yellow taxis or iconic buildings. According to the World Bank statistics, the US has been the second most visited country by foreign tourists with Times Square in Manhattan, New York City attracting 35 million visitors yearly.

India "The chaos, colour and brilliance of India make it a thrilling choice for family travel," states Lonely Planet. There are two excellent reasons to plan the next trip to 'Incredible India'. Firstly, the fall of the rupee against dollar that could give you the best travel

USA

Scotland Scotland is among the top three destinations to visit around the world with Glasgow hosting the XX Commonwealth Games next year in summer.

The country's National Tourism Organisation has given a multimillion-pound facelift to Glasgow for the Games with new sports venues, improved transport links.

The Scotland government will also be observing the 'Year of Homecoming' to welcome the Scottish diaspora back to the country by celebrating its heritage, food and drink.

Australia Leaving Melbourne and Sydney behind, Adelaide has been named as one of the world's top 10 cities to visit ifor being transformed into the perfect host city. Even the Kimberley has been spotted as one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world with its

Japan

giant gorges and scenic coast roads.

Sweden With its food, culture and scary urban legends, Sweden is among the top 10 countries for an eventful year. This Nordic country is home to a number of World Heritage Sites.

"Thanks to the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson, most people have a sense of what Sweden's like, even in the far north - cold, beautiful and a bit scary," says Lonely Planet.

With its fresh pop-culture persona, northern city of Ume책 was the European Capital of Culture for 2014.

Latvia The culture capital of Riga was among the top 10 cities best for travelling in 2014. "Today, with two decades of freedom (and a renewed status as Latvia's capital) under its belt, the city is

reclaiming its rightful title as the cosmopolitan cornerstone of the Baltic," as stated by travel guide Lonely Planet.

Under the Soviet Union, the city of Riga was smothered into obscurity, however, since past few years, 'hipster-chic cafes have spread like wildfire'.

Japan Japan's Hokuriku, on Honsh큰's west coast, is among the top destinations that would inspire the traveler through its cultural riches and captivate with its natural beauty.

"Bordered by the Sea of Japan and the magnificent Japan Alps, Hokuriku is saturated with culture, history and striking natural beauty," says Lonely Planet.

The travel guide also crowns the city of Kanazawa as the 'king' of scenic beauty on the east coast of the country,

The Travel Wild Atlantic Way

Take the troubles away from adventure travelling

R

ound-the-world travel is not just for people taking a year out from studying.

Adventure travel is becoming more popular than ever with the over 50s, as empty nesters begin to enjoy making their own choices and strive to tick off items from their ‘I’ve always wanted to…’ list.

Whether you are travelling alone or with others, once you have bought your ticket the thought of travelling can suddenly feel very daunting. Here are some top tips and advice to help fully prepare you, so that you can be confident you’ll have the trip of a lifetime.

Swot up Read as much as you can about your destinations, this way you will know more about what to expect and how to prepare yourself. It will also mean that you are less likely to miss seeing what you want. Use trusted websites for accurate information. For instance, G Adventures has a travel guide section with information for all the popular travelling destinations, including cultural and historical information, places to see, and festivals and events. It also has practical information worth reviewing on topics such as health issues, weather information and pre departure practicalities.

Supplement information from trusted websites with advice from other travellers where you can directly ask about others’

experiences. Forums can be great for getting a feel for places, but it is best to double check factual information with additional sources.

Make it easy to keep in contact Get yourself and your family Skype accounts. Skype is a cheap way to make calls abroad, and with a webcam you can also see each other (perfect for showing off the great tan you’ll have).

Bring hard copies of pictures of your family. These are more accessible and will feel more real than looking at digital versions online if you happen to miss those you’ve left behind.

If you enjoy writing, you may want to set yourself up with a blogging platform. Wordpress accounts are easy to set up, or there are travel specific ones such as Trip Journal, Travellers Point or TravelPod which allows

you to map your journey. While you are at home with easy access to the internet, play with the design until you are happy and let people know the address, so as soon as you leave you can begin recording your experiences.

Choose a photo upload site, like Flickr, so you can upload pictures as you go – it will not only show everyone what you are up to, but it acts as a good backup should anything happen to your camera. You can also upload photos to Facebook, however, the quality is fairly low so Flickr may be a better option if you want to print them in the future.

If you have a planned itinerary, leave a copy at home so friends and relatives can feel safe knowing where you are. Mark times when you think contacting them may be difficult so they don’t worry if you don’t get in touch for a while.

It is also a good idea to leave photocopies of your passport and plane tickets with an emergency contact. You should also consider providing your country’s embassy with a copy of your planned itinerary and contact information.

Get street wise It may sound geeky, but buy a money pouch. They really come in handy when you don’t have a safe place to keep your money.

If you can get one that is fairly

big but you are still able to sleep with, it will be useful in keeping your valuables safe overnight if the hostel has no locker.

Make sure you have different ways of accessing money. With most banks you can withdraw funds no matter where you are in the world, but it is a good idea to have a back-up way of withdrawing money (for instance travellers’ cheques). Keep them in separate places, this way, if you lose one, you always have the other.

If you do get stranded without money, you can always have relatives transfer you some through Western Union, as long as you have ID with you, so remember to keep your emergency contact’s details handy just in case if you get stuck.

Get company If you are still worried about travelling, surround yourself with like-minded people. Group travel and tours are a fantastic way to travel where the organisation of getting from A to B, arranging accommodation and visiting highlights is all sorted for you. Many people feel much safer travelling in groups and long-lasting friendships can often be made with like-minded travellers. Research adventure travel tour operators to find a company that suits you and your needs.

Food and Drink

Experience DeliciousCaribbean flavours at home!

Prep:25 mins Cook:10 mins Serve chunky salmon fillets with a spicy Caribbean honey glaze on a homemade coleslaw with cabbage, red pepper, mango and coriander

removed, thinly sliced 1 firm but ripe mango, skin removed, thinly sliced 1 red pepper, thinly sliced 6 spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle small bunch coriander, leaves picked

Ingredients 2 heaped tbsp Jamaican jerk paste 2 tbsp clear honey 4 salmon fillets juice 2 limes ½ red cabbage, core

Method Heat the grill to mediumhigh. Mix the jerk paste and 1 tbsp honey together in a bowl. Place the salmon fillets on a foil-lined baking tray and

Ready in about 5 mins Start your day the super healthy way with this Tropical Breakfast smoothie.

Ingredients 3 passion fruits 1 banana, chopped 1 small mango, peeled, stoned and chopped

brush all over with the sauce. Cook on the top shelf for 8-10 mins or until just cooked through (move the tray down a shelf if the salmon starts getting too caramelised).

Meanwhile, put the remaining honey, lime juice and some seasoning in a large bowl and mix together. Add the red cabbage, mango, pepper, spring onions and coriander, and toss through the dressing.

Serve the salmon on a pile of the slaw.

300ml orange juice ice cubes Method Scoop the pulp of the passion fruits into a blender and add the banana, mango and orange juice. PurĂŠe until smooth and drink immediately, topped with ice cubes.

Prep:10 mins Cook:10 mins Try this tropical treat when you want to end a meal on a sweet note without too much effort or too many calories.

Ingredients zest and juice 1 lime 2 tbsp clear honey 2 pinches ground cinnamon few gratings whole nutmeg 2 tsp icing sugar, sifted 200g very low-fat fromage frais 2 tsp butter 1 fresh pineapple, cut into 8 long wedges, skin and core removed.

Method Mix the lime juice and half the lime zest with 1 tbsp honey, a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Set this sauce aside. Stir the icing sugar and a pinch of cinnamon into the fromage frais.

Heat the butter and remaining honey in a non-stick frying pan until melted. Add the pineapple and cook over a high heat for 8 mins, turning regularly until caramelised. Pour in the spiced lime sauce and bubble for a few secs, tossing the pineapple to glaze in the sauce.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with the remaining lime zest and accompanied by a dollop of the cinnamon fromage frais

Food and Drink

Prep:25 mins Cook:45 mins Plus overnight marinating The Jamaican marinade has many versions, but we like ours super spicy with a dash of soy and served with coconut basmati!

Ingredients 12 chicken thighs, bone in 1 lime, halved

hot sauce, to serve (optional) For the jerk marinade 1 big bunch spring onions, roughly chopped thumb-sized piece ginger, roughly chopped 3 garlic cloves ½ a small onion 3 scotch bonnet chillies, deseeded if you want less heat ½ tsp dried thyme, or 1 tbsp thyme leaves

juice 1 lime 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp vegetable oil 3 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp ground allspice For the rice & peas 200g basmati rice 400g can coconut milk 1 bunch spring onions, sliced 2 large thyme sprigs 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tsp ground allspice 2 x 410g cans kidney beans, drained Method To make the jerk marinade, combine all the ingredients in a food processor along with 1 tsp salt, and blend to a purée. If you’re having trouble getting it to blend, just keep turning off the blender, stirring the mixture, and trying again. Eventually it will start to blend up – don’t be tempted to add water, as you want a thick paste.

Taste the jerk mixture for seasoning – it should taste pretty salty, but not unpleasantly, puckering salty. You can now throw in more chillies if it’s not spicy enough for you. If it tastes too salty and sour, try adding in a bit more brown sugar until the mixture tastes well balanced.

Make a few slashes in the chicken thighs

Prep:50 mins Cook:45 mins Serve your vegetable curry Caribbean style, flavoured with thyme, jerk seasoning and red peppers - great with rice and peas Ingredients 2 onions, 1 diced, 1 roughly chopped 2 tbsp sunflower oil 50g ginger, roughly chopped small bunch coriander, leaves and stalks separated 3 tbsp jerk seasoning 2 thyme sprigs 400g can chopped tomatoes 4 tbsp red wine vinegar 3 tbsp demerara sugar 2 vegetable stock cubes, crumbled 1kg sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 2 x 400g cans black beans, rinsed and drained 450g jar roasted red peppers, cut into thick slices Method Gently soften the diced onion in the sunflower oil in a big pan or casserole.

Meanwhile, whizz together the roughly chopped onion, ginger, coriander stalks and jerk seasoning with a hand-held blender. Add to the softened onion and fry until fragrant.

Stir in the thyme, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and stock cubes with 600ml water and bring to a simmer.

Simmer for 10 mins, then drop in the sweet potatoes and simmer for 10 mins more. Stir in the beans, peppers and some seasoning, and simmer for another 5 mins until the potatoes are almost tender. Cool and chill for up to 2 days.

To serve, gently heat through on the hob. Roughly chop most of the coriander leaves and stir in, then serve scattered with the remaining leaves.

Prep:5 mins - 10 mins Cook:30 mins Some like it hot, so sizzle your ribs with BBQ sauce!

Ingredients 4 x 500g packs pork spare ribs 1 bunch of spring onions, roughly chopped (green stems and all) 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, seeded and finely chopped

and pour the marinade over the meat, rubbing it into all the crevices. Cover and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge. If you want to barbecue your chicken, get the coals burning 1 hr or so before you’re ready to cook. Authentic jerked meats are not exactly grilled as we think of grilling, but sort of smokegrilled. To get a more authentic jerk experience, add some wood chips to your barbecue, and cook your chicken over slow, indirect heat for 30 mins. To cook in the oven, heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the chicken pieces in a roasting tin with the lime halves and cook for 45 mins until tender and cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice & peas. Rinse the rice in plenty of cold water, then tip it into a large saucepan with all the remaining ingredients except the kidney beans.

Season with salt, add 300ml cold water and set over a high heat. Once the rice begins to boil, turn it down to a medium heat, cover and cook for 10 mins.

Add the beans to the rice, then cover with a lid. Leave off the heat for 5 mins until all the liquid is absorbed. Squeeze the roasted lime over the chicken and serve with the rice & peas, and some hot sauce if you like it really spicy.

4 6 6 6 6 6 1

garlic cloves, roughly chopped tbsp Appleton rum tbsp demerara sugar tbsp dark soy sauce tbsp clear honey tsp Dijon mustard tsp ground allspice

Method Tip the ribs into a big bowl (not a metal one) and throw in the spring onions, chilli and garlic. Now spoon all the remaining ingredients over the ribs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Get your hands in the bowl and turn the ribs over and over again until they’re coated in the sauce. (You can keep the ribs uncooked – tightly covered – in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for several months.)

Cook the ribs over a moderate barbecue for 20-30 minutes depending on their size, turning them over frequently and brushing with sauce each time. The turning and brushing is important, so that all four sides of each rib get encrusted with the sauce, which builds up like a lacquer. If you have any leftover sauce at the end, heat it up in a pan and pour it over the ribs just before serving.

Health and Wellbeing

R

egular exercise equals longevity. It’s not rocket science but it has been scientifically proven.

According to Donald M. Vickery, MD, author of Live Young, Think Young, Be Young … At Any Age, “We need to become more aware of how sedentary we have become and how that is affecting us.” Adaptation to disuse is relentless, he adds. “It undermines our stamina and strength, and it makes us feel stiff and sluggish. Our body is designed to be active every day; we feel better when we are active.” And the simple rewards of it all. Vickery goes on to explain, “When we use our muscles or exercise our heart and lungs or stretch, it feels so good afterward. It is simply the best thing we can do for ourselves.”

So think active, says the good doctor.

A little goes a long way This is one of the most overlooked rules for reversing physical disuse. Every little bit of movement helps. Moderation is really the key because it can become a habit. Adaptations occur daily – so the key is being active daily. Just walking a little more, stretching a little, doing a few push-ups for upper body strength and doing some knee bends for lower body strength can make such a difference.

Use a strategy, rather than an exercise prescription, to become more active.

There are many different exercise prescriptions for losing

weight, building muscle, improving your 10K run time and so on. We’re not endorsing any specific program but rather a strategy for life that leads to a new way of thinking about using your body and being active. The strategy is based on this set of rules. It is about self-managing how you use your body, using it more and in different ways and focusing on the positive effects. A specific exercise program can be part of your strategy, but that is not the primary focus.

Have long-term goals for both health and fitness Health and fitness are both improved when we become more active or begin an exercise program. It’s never one or the other; health and fitness are linked to the same set of positive adaptations that make our body function more efficiently. Disuse undermines both health and fitness. Health and fitness have different measures and goals: health is related to the three megacauses [constricted circulation, metabolic madness and insidious inflammation] and disease processes, and fitness is about functioning, reserve capacity and quality of life. Take steps to improve both, knowing that whatever you do for one will help the other.

Seize the NEAT opportunities – adopt the principle of every opportunity.

Increasing non-exercise activity costs little in time or money or change. It’s an attitude about being active. As such it is the key

to our new way of thinking: embracing the concept that any increase in activity has health benefits. The “principle of every opportunity” means grasping every opportunity to be a little more active. Think active. And remember that starting an exercise program doesn’t give you a free pass to become less active in other parts of your life.

NEAT [non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or all movement other than planned exercise]

burns more calories and has health benefits beyond exercise.

Reducing inactivity is an easy way to become more active Differences in NEAT are largely a matter of time spent sitting or lying down. We sit more than ever, especially those who commute to desk jobs. Become aware of this time and find ways to break it up – this is the first step toward reducing inactivity.

We’ve become less active in other ways too – activities that we used to do but have given up (e.g., skiing, playing basketball), chores that we used to do but now hire out (e.g., cleaning gutters, painting the house), time spent on the computer, watching TV, driving and so on.

Pay attention to your posture and breathing.

How we stand, sit, walk, and breathe are habits that we develop over time. This is the heart of “use determines function.” Think of all of these functions in an old, frail person – the slumping posture, the slow gait, the shallow breathing. They are all adaptations to a manner of use. Become aware of how you hold your body and how you are breathing in everything you do, whenever you think about it. This helps you focus on the present

Page 32 Mature Living

moment, which really is all we can control. Think tall, head pulled upward (as if on a string), shoulders back, abs slightly pulled in. Think deeper, slower breathing, feeling your stomach and ribs expand as your lungs fill completely. Make these habits.

The more you do them consciously, the sooner they will become subconscious behaviors.

Feel the sensation of relaxation and increased energy that result Walk with a purpose Our usual walking gait slows with age. This is another hallmark of “aging.” A slower “normal” walking gait usually means more weakness, less capacity and an increased risk for disability and disease. Remember that our goal is strength. A simple way to promote strength is to walk like a younger person, sort of like you’re late for a meeting.

Combine walking with a purpose with deeper breathing and a taller, stronger posture.

Endurance, flexibility, strength … and the greatest of these is strength Anyone over age 50 grew up in the age of aerobics. There is no doubt that aerobic exercise is vital for cardiovascular health.

However, a funny thing happened on the way to the 21st century.

The greatest challenges and opportunities switched to increasing strength, a proposition endorsed by no less an expert than Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the father of aerobics. This is not to say that endurance activities are no longer of value – quite the contrary. It only emphasizes the increasing importance of maintaining muscle mass and the vitality of muscle cells as we age.

Disuse raises havoc with them, just as they thrive on increased use. Increasing overall strength is the key to a healthy metabolism, well-functioning joints, strong bones, and a greater capacity for work and fun. All of these are essential for a high quality of life in later years.

Distraction is the name of the game The great enemies of exercise are discomfort and boredom. Fun is the ideal solution, but distraction is probably a more practical and useful goal on a daily basis. Diverting your attention away from the discomfort and boredom of exercise is the most successful approach to these problems.

Depending on the type of exercise you’re doing, reading, watching TV, listening to music or an audio book and having a partner to visit with are all effective ways to distract you and keep you going

Safety does not depend on your doctor There is usually no need for a physical examination before increasing exercise or NEAT, assuming you take a very gradual approach. There are a few exceptions, however: • If you have no idea what your health status is. • If you’re having symptoms that you do not completely understand. • If you have other health concerns, have advanced disease or take multiple medications.

In these cases, it makes sense to talk to your doctor about your plans to see whether you should take any special precautions, especially if you’re thinking about a specific exercise program. However, there’s seldom a need for an exercise stress test just to see whether you can safely become more active. There is more risk in remaining inactive than in becoming more active. Just don’t try to do too much too soon.

Safety in exercise is best assured by following the self-managing approach – allowing your body to adapt to reasonable, simple goals of gradually increasing activity Find activities that you enjoy or at least distractions that you enjoy There are dozens of ways to become more active. Don’t listen to the “experts” who advocate one specific program. The “do it

my way” approach is not supported by data and doesn’t make good common sense either.

We’re all different and we all ‘have different interests and preferences. More variety is better. It provides a wider range of stimuli to more muscle cells as well as brain cells, bone cells, and others. Ultimately, we do the things we enjoy, so the key is finding something you enjoy or at least distractions that you look forward to Listen to your body It is more important to do what feels right than to do what someone else thinks you should do. Coax your body into becoming more active rather than push it. If you allow your body to adapt gradually, you will get to the point where it will crave movement and stretching when you have been inactive for a while. Your body is meant to move; when it is awakened from its sedentary slumber, it will recall the good feelings of movement. Listen to your body – when you feel stiffness, it needs stretching; when you feel fatigue, it needs oxygen or aerobic exercise; when you feel weak, your muscles need strengthening; when you feel the pain of injury or the discomfort of illness, you need rest.

“Not enough time” is the No. 1 excuse for not being more active.

There’s a good reason for that – poor time management. Time for exercise or activity is easy to put off. Allocating time for exercise, however, becomes easier when we realize the payoffs – more energy and greater productivity, which actually saves time in the long run. We’re able to accomplish more in less time, so we end up with more quality time. Besides, it doesn’t require a great time commitment to get great results. However, if you can’t get over the time barrier, focus on increasing NEAT. We all have time for that Don’t let the monitoring mess get to you.

We’ve got to measure progress because it keeps us going.

Without progress, motivation fades. The question is what to measure. That depends on your priorities. If your goal is just to become more active, then measure your steps with a pedometer or the time you spend in certain activities (both active and inactive). If lowering blood pressure is a priority, then monitor it at home. If losing fat is the goal, then waist circumference, BMI or pants size can be measured. If fitness is the goal, then use measures of endurance and cardiovascular efficiency (e.g., heart rate, time and distance walked), strength (e.g., resistance, repetitions) and flexibility (e.g., stretching distance). A few simple measures will help you stay on track. And, they can show you how quickly you adapt to disuse when you become inactive for any reason.

Time management is easier than you thought

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

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

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Q. Dear Anthony, I am 52 years old, married and have children and grandchildren. My reason for writing to you is this. There is a blot on my copy book in the form of my younger sister. My other two sisters are great and we get on well together. But my youngest sister can be very demanding and abusive to me, my sisters and elderly parents especially if we voice or own opinion and don’t see things her way. My Mother and Father who are both in their late 70’s would be the ones most on the receiving end of her abusive behaviours when they try to help her or when she visits .

When the relationship with her partner recently ended, these behaviours escalated because my parents voiced their concerns the way she was handling the break up. I tried to speak to my sister about the way she treated my parents and how she shouts all of us sisters down. She no longer speaks to me now and is avoiding me and does not attend any family occasions if I‘m there. This has now added even more distress and upset to my parents than they were feeling already. To be honest, I really don’t want to speak to her again as she adds nothing positive to my life. But for the sake of my parents I feel I need to do something to help. What should I do?

Carol

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A.Carol, To begin with I suspect these defensive behaviours go way back and the only reason she uses them is that they worked in the past and were left unchallenged.

Family members probably tolerated or colluded with them albeit unconsciously in order to minimize further trouble or threat in the family. In effect what’s being said is ‘oh God, don’t say anything you’ll only start her off’ ‘you’ll only make things worse’ ‘you know what she’s like’.

This is not conflict but drama. Mature resolution of conflict was rarely modelled in most of our experiences from family, teachers, managers or leaders. You have tried already to communicate with your sister about the way she behaves towards your parents and the rest of the family.

The fact is that it is not within your parents, your siblings or your power to bring about change within your young sister. You see communication is not about getting through to others but about getting through to yourself first. To know where you truly are on a matter and that you’re deserving of respect by not allowing anyone to demean your presence no matter how much they are angry about something. By being ‘solid’ within yourself with this inner communication, you can be much more effective in supporting your parents and siblings. It servers neither your parents or your sister to pretend. It’s important to be ‘real’ in relationship, to speak ‘your truth’. This way I’m sure will create the opportunity for your sister to come out from behind her defences and share what’s truly at the heart of her troubling behaviours.

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Health Matters

Symptoms With moderate to severe vaginal atrophy, you may experience the following vaginal and urinary signs and symptoms:

Vaginal Atrophy

I

s your vagina going through troublesome changes? If it was, would you be aware of it? Would you speak about it to anyone? Would you talk to your partner, lover, husband, or even your doctor about it?

Although, almost 1 in 2 postmenopausal women suffer from Vaginal Atrophy, we would rather speak of flatulence, bad breath, incontinence and hemorrhoids than utter these two words. Vaginal Atrophy gets 250,000 Google hits compared to ED (Erectile Dysfunction) which has 34,000,000!

Vaginal Atrophy is a silent symptom of menopause that is defined as the thinning and inflammation of the vaginal wall that generally impacts women in their menopausal journey. VA occurs when there is a reduction in levels of estrogens which are produced by the ovaries. Estrogens are responsible for maintaining the structure and function of the vaginal wall, elasticity of the tissues around the vagina, and production of vaginal fluid.

More than likely, since most of our mothers never sat us down and had a conversation about what to expect when you are expecting menopause, chances are she never uttered the words Vaginal Atrophy either. It is time to break the taboo and bust open up the conversation about the lining of our vaginas, because Vaginal Atrophy impacts all areas of a woman’s life and affects the people who love us, tool!!

Most women don’t even know what VA is, nor understand that it is a chronic problem that requires ongoing treatment and IS treatable.

What are the symptoms of VA? vaginal dryness, pain or bleeding in connection with sex (dyspareunia) itching soreness or irritation painful or burning urination incontinence (involuntary urination) pain when touching the vagina If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, it could impact many facets or your life such as: sexual intimacy having a loving relationship with a partner overall quality of life feeling healthy feeling attractive feeling fit exercising traveling participating in outdoor activities If this is the case, why are women suffering in silence? don’t realize that VA is a common consequence of low estrogen levels do not think there is help for sexual and

Page 36 Mature Living

vaginal health issues are unaware of the treatment options find short term solutions for relief instead of treating the underlying problem believe that menopausal symptoms end when the hot flashes stop It makes total sense that VA is going to affect your relationships, health, and over all feeling of wellbeing! According to the data from the Closer Study, 35 percent of women reported they do not feel sexually attractive anymore and 31 percent had lost confidence in themselves as a sexual partner. Women who experience VA often feel isolated and alone which resulted in 24 percent reporting that they felt emotionally distant from their partners.

So what can be done 1. Be sure you have a good specialist that is going to be your partner in this menopause business.

2. Ask for: A pelvic exam to examine the pelvic organs; look at the vagina and the cervix. A Pap test to take a sample of cells from the cervix. Get your vaginal secretions and the acid level in your vagina checked. A urine sample might need to be included, if you are experiencing unusual urgency or a leaky bladder.

3. Talk with your specialist about the various options –systemic hormone therapy, creams, vaginal ring, vaginal tablets etc. Listen to the facts and then together evaluate what is best for your individual needs. One of the options available is local estrogen therapy (LET). I know that many women have completely closed off their minds to anything related to hormone therapy. It is interesting to note that this CLOSER global research did find that compared with other countries surveyed, 77% of US women were most likely to use lubricating gels and creams, and are the least likely to use hormone therapy, despite the advantages shown in the survey among those who sought treatment. Of U.S. women who had tried local estrogen therapy (LET), 56% of women and 57% of their partners reported that sex was less painful, and almost 40% reported that sex was more satisfying for themselves and their partners. Since the use of LET, 34% of women and 54% of men look forward to having sex after using local estrogen therapy.

4. Communicate with your partner.

When communication shuts down completely, everyone suffers, so it is important to keep talking. Don’t be embarrassed – be open and honest. This will strengthen your relationships not hinder them.

Vaginal dryness Vaginal burning Vaginal discharge Genital itching Burning with urination Urgency with urination More urinary tract infections Urinary incontinence Light bleeding after intercourse Discomfort with intercourse Decreased vaginal lubrication during sexual activity Shortening and tightening of the vaginal canal When to see a doctor By some estimates, nearly half of postmenopausal women experience vaginal atrophy, although few seek treatment. Many women resign themselves to the symptoms or are embarrassed to discuss them with their doctor.

Make an appointment to see your doctor if you experience painful intercourse that's not resolved by using a vaginal moisturizer (Replens, Vagisil Feminine Moisturizer, others) or water-based lubricant (glycerinfree versions of Astroglide, K-Y Intrigue, others) or if you have vaginal symptoms, such as unusual bleeding, discharge, burning or soreness.

Causes Vaginal atrophy is caused by a decrease in estrogen production. Less estrogen makes your vaginal tissues thinner, drier, less elastic and more fragile.

A drop in estrogen levels and vaginal atrophy may occur: After menopause During the years leading up to menopause (perimenopause) During breast-feeding After surgical removal of both ovaries (surgical menopause) After pelvic radiation therapy for cancer After chemotherapy for cancer As a side effect of breast cancer hormonal treatment Vaginal atrophy due to menopause may begin to bother you during the years leading up to menopause, or it may not become a problem until several years into menopause. Although the condition is common, not all menopausal women develop vaginal atrophy. Regular sexual activity, with or without a partner, can help you maintain healthy vaginal tissues.

Risk factors Certain factors may contribute to vaginal atrophy, such as: Smoking. Cigarette smoking affects your blood circulation, resulting in the vagina and other tissues not getting enough oxygen. Smoking also reduces the effects of naturally occurring estrogens in your body. In addition, women who smoke typically experience an earlier menopause.

No vaginal births. Researchers have observed that women who have never given birth vaginally are more likely to develop vaginal atrophy than women who have had vaginal deliveries.

No sexual activity. Sexual activity, with or without a partner, increases blood flow and makes your tissues more elastic.

Pets

Dementia Assistance Dogs

W

e can’t find our glasses, our car keys or the right word. We forget an appointment. We’re unable to bring to mind the name of a long-ago best friend. Many of us jokingly refer to these as “senior moments,” but the humor is only skin-deep.

Underneath is the niggling worry that dementia—the term for a set of symptoms signaling a decline in mental abilities severe enough to interfere with

our daily lives—lurks. This fear is fed by a sobering statistic: according to the Institute for Dementia Research and Prevention, in the U.S., at least 5 million individuals suffer from age-related dementias (Alzheimer’s disease accounts for roughly 70 percent of the total). These numbers will continue to rise as the population ages.

Severe memory loss is no laughing matter. The brain, a

mysterious and complex organ, is, among other things, the repository of the very essence of who we are: our memories.

Generally speaking, memory breaks down into three broad categories: sensory, short-term and long-term. Things as dissimilar as childhood recollections and how to walk, hold a spoon or comb our hair reside in our memory As damaged nerve cells (neurons) cease to function, they take much of this information with them. This is where dogs come in.

Dogs love routine. People with dementia have difficulty with routine, everyday activities. Roughly a dozen years ago, two people had the idea to put them together.

When Israeli social worker Daphna Golan-Shemesh met professional dog trainer Yariv Ben-Yosef, they chatted about their respective occupations. As Ben-Yosef recalled, “It was clear to us that Daphna’s expertise in Alzheimer’s and my expertise with dogs could result in something new.” Together, Golan-Shemesh and Ben-Yosef pioneered the idea of training dogs to help those with dementia to not only feel better but also, to assist with daily activities.

Fast-forward to early 2012, when Alzheimer’s Scotland secured funding to study the possibility that specially trained service dogs could benefit people in the early stages of dementia. Four students at the Glasgow School of Art developed the initial concept as a service design project in

response to the Design Council’s 2011 Living Well with Dementia Challenge. Focused on “finding practical solutions to social problems,” the competition required entrants to “design and develop products and services that rethink living with dementia, and launch them as real initiatives.” The Dementia Dog project grew from this call to action.

Dementia Dog is a collaborative effort, with Alzheimer’s Scotland, Dogs for the Disabled, Guide Dogs Scotland and the Glasgow School of Art pooling their respective areas of expertise.

Last year, the research phase was completed, and the group is now in the early stages of a small-scale pilot program. As noted on the Dementia Dog website, the program “aims to prove that dogs can help people with dementia maintain their waking, sleeping and eating routine … improve confidence, keep them active and engaged … as well as provide a constant companion who will reassure them when they face new and unfamiliar situations.”

They are also developing programs for two more assistive functions: intervention dogs, trained to help the client with specifically identified tasks, and facility dogs, who enhance the emotional well being of those living in residential care.

The program’s dogs receive instruction at the Guide Dogs’ Forfar Training School. After 18 months’ work, the first two dementia service dogs—Kaspa, a Lab, and Oscar, a Golden Retriever—were certified last

year, and two more dogs are currently being trained.

As noted in the program statement, the dogs help their people with core needs: support for daily living (exercise, balance, alerting to hazards, environmental safety), reminders (prompts to take medication), “soft” support (companionship, a bridge to social interaction, confidence building), and physical and emotional anchoring (staying with their person while the partner/caregiver shops, or helping their person feel safe and secure when alone).

The dogs are also trained to provide another critical service: getting their people home safely. The dogs’ collars are fitted with a GPS unit, and if the person doesn’t give the “home” command, the device helps families or law enforcement zero in on the pair’s location. Unlike guide dogs for the blind, dementia dogs operate at the end of a six-foot leash, which allows them to most effectively steer their people in the appropriate direction. This service dog program taps into our almost primal love for dogs in a very personal way. The dogs of our present, the dogs of our past: their names and quirks and the bone-deep understanding of their nonjudgmental and unconditional love often stay with us when much else has been lost. A person living with dementia may not be able to recall what she had for breakfast or where she lives, but the dogs she loved? That’s another story.

The Best Dogs for People Over Fifty Would you buy a certain car just because you turned 50, or wear only purple hats? Then why would you base your choice of a canine companion on age? Instead, consider your personality and lifestyle, and choose a dog that fits -- like to like, birds of a feather and so on.

peak of their careers and still spending all day in the office or on the job. Maybe you'd like to skip the teething and housebreaking by choosing an older dog through a rescue service or a shelter. It's more like making a new friend than raising another child.

September Song There can be a great May-December relationship between a senior human and a young puppy, but there's more to it than puppy love. Will you have the time and energy to devote to a pup? If you're already retired, that's one thing ... but many over-50s are right at the

On the Road Again The best dog for any age is one that matches your physical abilities. If you're a senior marathon runner, by all means get a dog that enjoys roadwork, such as a vizsla or a dalmatian.

If once around the block is enough for you, choose something smaller and more mellow,

along the lines of a cavalier King Charles spaniel or a Chihuahua. If you crave a big dog, but one with low exercise needs, look to the saint Bernard or chow chow.

I Feel Pretty If glamour is your goal and you have the resources (personal or financial) to maintain it, go for a groomer's delight -- a poodle, a shih tzu, a Yorkie in full coat.

All of these can be kept in practical styles, but still require professional attention. If you're more into wash-and-wear, think low-maintenance and low-shedding short coat, found in the miniature pinscher (aka min

pin), the beagle and -- surprise -- the retired and rescued racing greyhound.

Family Ties Grandchildren can be hard on a dog, especially when they're at the puppy stage themselves.

Not many dogs enjoy having their eyes poked and their ears pulled, so if you're a dedicated granny with child-care responsibilities, you need a tolerant, easy-going dog. Toy breeds aren't usually good with toddlers but can be fine with older kids. Pugs and bulldogs are on the small side and known to be mellow, Australian shepherds are playful and big enough to

hold their own, and Newfoundlands are the original canine nanny. Golden retrievers, however, are a favorite on lists of child-friendly breeds.

Plan Ahead Depressing as it may seem, at 50-plus you have to think that your dog might outlive you, or at least your ability to take care of him. Consult friends and family about a chain of custody should this prospect loom over both your declining years. You might even consider making financial provisions in your will to prevent your buddy from landing in less than comfortable circumstances.

Page 37 Mature Living

Health Matters

What is gout?

G

out is a rheumatic condition that predominantly affects middle-aged men. It is ten times more common in men than in women. The most common site for an attack of gout is the joint at the base of the big toe. An acute attack of gout can be extremely painful.

"The joint at the base of the big toe is the commonest site for an acute attack of gout."

What causes it?

Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid in the blood. This results in the formation of sodium urate crystals in the joints. Uric acid itself if a byproduct of the breakdown of certain types of waste products.

In the vast majority of people, it is eliminated from the body during urination. However, among those who are susceptible to gout, the uric acid builds up in the bloodstream and deposits itself in crystal form in the joints.

The crystals cause irritation within the joint giving rise to the acute inflammation we recognise as gout.

Are there different types of gout?

There are two different types of gout: Primary hyperuricaemia refers to an increased level of uric acid in the blood. This type of gout is usually caused by a hereditary abnormality in the kidneys, which renders the body incapable of excreting uric acid fast enough.

Secondary hyeruricaemia is the more common form of gout seen in most doctors' surgeries.

It can be a result of some other medical condition. It can also be caused by diuretics (fluid tablets) or alcohol. Some people experience gout when they eat certain foods.

is important to point out that most of the people who develop this condition will not go on to develop gout.

The first symptom of gout is usually extreme pain in the big toe. The joint at the base of the big toe becomes swollen and the overlying skin becomes shiny and purple. The toe becomes very tender and sufferers find that they are unable to wear a shoe on the affected foot or even tolerate the weight of bed sheets at night.

The first attack of gout will usually subside after about a week and about 10% of people will never again experience gout. The remainder may experience attacks with increasing frequency and each subsequent attack can be of longer duration. Repeated attacks of gout over several years can cause arthritic damage to the joint.

While gout most often affects the big toe it can also attack other joints. The knee can

sometimes be affected.

If gout is left untreated, the sodium urate crystals will eventually collect under the surface of the skin and will manifest themselves as small bumps near the joints, or more commonly on the outer side of the ear. These bumps are known as Tophi and occasionally they rupture and discharge a yellowish, chalky material.

How is it diagnosed?

Gout is usually diagnosed on the basis of the history of the attack and the physical signs. In order to rule out other rheumatic conditions, your GP will probably take a blood sample to measure the concentration of uric acid in the bloodstream.

treated on a regular basis. In some cases, surgery may be required to correct a chronic ingrown toenail.

If an ingrown toenail is not treated it can lead to a number of complications. Infection could spread beyond the nail area and involve the toe or even extend into the foot. This could have important implications if the person was a diabetic or suffered from circulatory problems in the feet. The nail could have to be permanently removed if any infection spread to the root of

the nail. Even if no infection is present, the toe can become permanently deformed. Anyone with an infected ingrown toenail should attend their doctor or chiropodist and not ignore the condition.

How is it treated?

Gout is usually treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Painkillers that lack antiinflammatory activity will not give adequate relief since the joint inflammation is the actual trigger factor for the pain. Most

attacks of gout will subside within a week. Once the inflammation has disappeared the medication can be discontinued.

If a person suffers from frequent recurrences of gout they may need long term medication in order to keep the levels of uric acid within normal limits.

They may also need to modify their lifestyle. These measures might include: avoiding foods which experience has taught may trigger an attack of gout. Generally these foods are high in protein and contain chemicals known as purines. The list includes anchovies, sardines and any foods based on offal such as kidneys and liver. weight reduction if you are overweight. reducing alcohol consumption. drinking lots of water in order to wash out the urinary system.

Excessive levels of uric acid in the kidneys can lead to the formation of 'calculi' or kidney stones.

What are the symptoms?

Gout does not develop overnight. There is a latent period of about seven years during which the concentration of uric acid in the bloodstream gradually increases. This latent period is referred to as 'asymptomatic hyperuricaemia', which simply means high uric acid levels without symptoms. It

Ingrown toenails

W

hat are ingrown toenails?

Ingrown toenails are simply nails that grow back into the flesh of the toe, causing pain and discomfort. They often become infected, though there can be pain without infection or infection without pain.

Symptoms of ingrown toenails include pain along the margin of the nail, sensitivity to any pressure at the affected area and any sign of infection, such as pus or bleeding.

How are they caused?

Page 38 Mature Living

Ingrown toenails occur when the nail grows abnormally into the skin of the toe. This can be caused by overly tight socks or shoes, trimming the toenail incorrectly, or by a deformity in the nail itself.

How can they be treated?

Your doctor or chiropodist can trim a small sliver from the nail to relieve pressure and possibly remove some of any calloused skin than may have built up around the nail. Any infection will also have to be drained and treated. If the nail repeatedly grows in, it may need to be

No one with an infected ingrown toenail should ignore the condition.

What should I do to prevent ingrown toenails?

Toenails should always be cut straight across, slightly beyond the end of the toe itself.

Cutting toenails incorrectly is

one of the main causes of ingrown toenails. It is also best to avoid shoes and socks that are too tight, as poorly fitting footwear can cause a range of foot maladies, such as bunions and corns as well as ingrown toenails.

If you have an ingrown toenail, soaking it in warm water a number of times a day will keep the area clean and soften the nail, thereby easing the pain somewhat. If the toenail is infected it should be treated by a doctor or chiropodist as soon as possible.

What is angina?

occur following only a small amount of physical effort or at rest – and symptoms tend to be more severe.

A

ngina (or angina pectoris) is a recurring feeling of heaviness, pain or discomfort in the chest, which occurs when the heart isn’t getting enough oxygen. This pain can sometimes spread to other areas between the belly button and the jaw, such as the arms.

What causes angina?

Angina is usually caused by atherosclerosis (a narrowing of the arteries which supply blood to the heart).

The heart is responsible for pumping blood around the entire body, however it also needs its own blood supply. It gets this blood supply through the coronary arteries. If these arteries become narrow, the heart can’t get enough blood (and therefore oxygen) during exercise or exertion, such as running for a bus. Angina is like a warning system telling a person to stop what they are doing as the heart is not getting enough oxygen and therefore cannot cope.

Any condition which causes the heart to need more blood, or which reduces the blood supply, can also cause angina. Examples of this include high blood pressure and anaemia.

Angina can also be triggered by stress, extreme cold and heavy

meals.

What are the symptoms of angina?

Symptoms may include: A heavy or constricting feeling in the chest. This pain or discomfort can spread anywhere between the belly button and the jaw, including to the shoulder, arm, elbow or hand (usually on the left side) The type of pain caused by angina is continuous, not stabbing Breathlessness, especially following exercise Nausea or dizziness.

In most cases, these symptoms occur due to some sort of exertion or psychological stress.

If you suffer from angina you may find it gets worse during cold weather.

Can a person get angina when they are at rest?

Yes. While angina is normally associated with some sort of exercise or exertion, there is a form of it that occurs almost always when a person is at rest.

It is called variant angina pectoris, or Prinzmetal’s angina.

This type of angina can be extremely painful for the sufferer.

Some people may also experience ‘unstable angina’ – which means that pain may

Does an angina attack always follow the same pattern?

It depends what type of angina you have. With stable angina (the most common form), there is a specific pattern. The angina usually comes on after overexertion or extreme psychological stress, and the symptoms usually disappear after a few minutes of rest.

With unstable angina, there is no specific pattern. It can occur during times of rest, as well as times of over-exertion and can last 20 minutes or more.

Unstable angina is caused by a narrowing of the arteries over a very short period. It is a very serious condition.

prescribed other medication to help prevent angina over the long-term. These may include beta-blockers, nitrates or calcium-channel blockers.

Surgery may sometimes be recommended for severe angina.

How can I prevent angina?

Since angina is usually caused by atherosclerosis, reducing your risk factors associated with this will help to prevent angina.

The risk factors associated with

atherosclerosis are high blood pressure, a high cholesterol level, smoking, obesity, stress and lack of exercise. By eliminating these risk factors, you will greatly lower the chances of getting atherosclerosis or angina. These measures will also help if you already have angina.

Try to eat healthily and avoid saturated fats. Give up smoking. Take regular exercise.

If you are overweight or obese, try to lose weight.

What should I do if I suspect I have angina?

Go to your doctor immediately for advice and treatment. Do not ignore the symptoms as they are probably indicating something more serious that needs immediate attention.

Angina can be a warning sign that you are at increased risk of having a heart attack.

How is angina treated?

Your doctor will conduct a thorough examination, including checking your blood pressure, listening to your heart and chest and checking other physical signs. Other tests may also be advised, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) at rest and following exercise.

Your doctor may give you a spray or tablets of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), which is very effective at giving rapid relief from the pain associated with angina. You may also be

Page 39 Mature Living

The Bands of our Showband Era Memories

T

here were hundreds of them. Irish bands of every size, description and musical genre travelling the roads and borheens of Ireland. They travelled the length and breadth of the country from the 1950's through the mid 1980's.

Although "officially" the term showband was coined in the late fifties and was used to describe bands that played a wide variety of music and usually included a "show" during the night, the term was gradually applied to all the bands that played in the 1960's. As the Irish music scene splintered in the late sixties into pop, country bands, the term was dropped but we still find it the best overall description of the bands of the "ballroom" era. In the early days, they travelled in whatever they could find...bread vans, hearses, and even cars (roof racks

and all). In later years, many (if not most) of them travelled in converted Ford Transit vans (like the one pictured right) that were normally used for delivery services. After a couple of windows were popped into the centre panels, a row or two of old airplane seats were installed and the band was ready to travel "in style." Although style was a matter of opinion...if you're stuck in the back of a van on a cold and rainy winter's night, it may seem like "a long way to Tipperary," but it's even further to Castletownbere, Co. Cork! It will be impossible to list all the bands that played the dance halls, ballrooms, marquees, parochial halls, community centres, hotels, and town halls across Ireland but each month we are planning to feature a band from the west with the help of Gerry Gallagher and www.irish-showbands.com . Apart from a few who enjoy near mythical status (such as the Royal Showband and a handful of others), most bands came together, played for a few years and then either reinvented themselves, changed their name, or just disappeared, their members either returning

All editorial and photographs are kindly supplied by Gerry Gallagher from www.irish-shownbands.com Over the years Gerry has built up what can only be describe as the definitive guide to the showband era. I would like to thank Gerry for allowing us to reproduce the articles and photos in Mature Living. If you would like to know more about your favourite band or who was number one in a particular year visit www.irish-showbands.com

to civilian life, or scattering to two or three new bands. For such a small country, it is difficult to comprehend the sheer number of bands that the country produced. Almost as hard to imagine, is the number of dance halls that once dotted the countryside, many out in the "middle of nowhere."

Pick up next months issue for another blast from the blast from the showband era...

All About the Freshmen (1962-1980) The Freshmen in 1968

Page 40 Mature Living

A

lthough definitely one of the earliest "pop bands" the Freshmen, from Ballymena, were different from the rest of the showbands of the early 1960's. Billy Brown, an extremely talented piano and sax player, had been playing since he was twelve. By the time he got to college, he had his first professional gig with the Billy McFarland Band out of Belfast.

Two other members of the McFarland band, bass player Torry McGahey and sax player Maurice Henry became fast friends and they all eventually decided it was time to strike out on their own, although in a 1971 Spotlight interview with Davy McKnight it was reported Tory had been sacked from the band and Billy and Maurice went with him. One way or another, together they formed The Freshmen in early 1962. They recruited the best of musicians, each one a singer in their own right. The original lineup included: Barney McKeon (vocals), Maurice (sax), Torry (bass), Damien McIlroy (guitar), Sean Mahon (trombone), Davy McKnight (drums-who was

training to be a teacher) and Billy (sax and piano).

The band's new sound took Northern Ireland by storm. They were starting out just at the same time as The Beatles and The Beach Boys and they were poised to ride the crest of the "pop" wave in Ireland. Before long, the band attracted the interest of a new manager, Peter Dempsey (band member Maurice Henry had previously handled the band's bookings). Peter ran dances in Andersontown and through this, met Johnny Flynn and made a host of connections in the South...uncharted territory for the Freshmen.

By 1963, they were beginning to make inroads in the South when Barney decided to leave.

The search was on for a replacement and the band recruited Limerick singer, Tommy Drennan. With Tommy out front, the band continued to prosper, garnering rave reviews from the press and the punters. Within a year though, Tommy had grown homesick and returned to Limerick, leaving the band in bit of a bind.

Article and Photos courtesy of Gerry Gallagher www.irish-showbands.com Billy filled in for a time, but eventually they found their ideal front man in Derek McMenamin, a handsome, tall singer whose good looks, charm, and talent rivaled any of the other leading front men of the time.

With Derek in place, the band cut its first record in London during a tour of England in February, 1964, She's The One You Love. Released in summer, the single faded quickly, making little impact. For a time in early 1964, Derek left the band to complete his college education where he was studying to become a teacher. By summer, he had taken his finals and was back with the band. At the end of 1964, the band announced that Derek was changing his last name to Dean and the band also changed its name to Derek and the Freshmen.

In 1965, the band recorded and released more singles. The first, I Stand Alone, failed to make an impression. However, their recording of Yenka was a top ten hit in November 1965.

Over the next two years, the band's reputation and status went from strength to strength.

They became the top Northern Band to play the South and at one point were ranked as the number four showband behind only the Royal, Miami and the Cadets. In August 1966, the band announced that it was changing its name once again and would be known as Derek Dean, Billy and the Freshmen, an obvious nod to Billy's growing influence in the band.

In 1967, the Freshmen were part of the showband elite in Ireland. Oliver Barry took over managing the band in mid-1967 and their record, Papa-Oo-MowMow reached number seven in the Irish charts and stayed in the charts for eight weeks well into 1968. In September, 1968, the band announced a new image...gone were the tailored suits of the showband era and now the band took to the stage in "mod" gear. The move was actually seen as risky. A Spotlight article in the September 7th issue stated, "Ballroom managers were aghast....they felt dancers wouldn't go for it at all."

They started a string of top ten hits and the band was doing extremely well as the money came pouring in. They released Go Granny Go, Number 12 in August 1968, Just to See You Smile, Number 9 in March 1969, and Halfway to Where, Number 10 in April 1970. In the April 26th, 1969 issue of Spotlight, an article reported

Left to right: Derek Dean (vocals), Damien McElroy (guitar), Billy Brown (keyboards/sax), Davy McKnight (drums), Maurice Henry (sax), Torry McGahey (bass) and Sean Mahon (trombone) that the band had claimed to have played before 16,000 dancers over the Easter week and that it must be some kind of record. Things were going well for the Freshmen.

1970 was the year the band released their second album, Peace On Earth. The album was heralded as an artistic masterpiece and is still regarded by many as the greatest Irish pop album ever made. The same year, they performed their "Peace Concert" at the RDS in Dublin which featured noted actor Micheal MacLiammoir as narrator (the role he also played on the album). Amid all the success though, trouble was brewing. The band had become too identified with the Beach Boys sound and as the Beach Boys fortunes' faded, so too did the Freshmen's.

In February, 1971, it was reported in Spotlight that Billy had been sacked by the band.

The article said that Billy had been ill for some time and started missing dates. Billy himself said he had been feeling ill and that his doctor thought it was either his appendix or gallstones, but that he was going into hospital within the week. In the meantime, the band voted to sack the all star singer songwriter and was looking for a replacement. which they found in Ivan Laybourne.

When Billy returned to health, he decided to form his own group, The Billy Brown Superband. He recruited one of the finest lineup of musicians perhaps ever to play the ballroom circuit. Billy was joined by Johnny Brown (bass), Dessie Reynolds (drums), Keith McDonald (sax), Pascal Haverty (sax), Tiger Taylor (guitar), and Mike Nolan (RIP-trumpet). The musicianship was excellent, but the band lacked originality and that "certain" spark, lasting less than a year.

The early seventies saw the Freshmen continue to slip in popularity and earnings.

Following a false start with his superband, Billy teamed up with Mike O'Brien to form Brown and O'Brien in 1972. In February 1972, original member Davy McKnight announced he was leaving the Freshmen to join Clubsound, however it took a couple of months for the band to find a replacement. A follow up article in May announced that Davy had joined the band who had changed their name to Warm Sensation.

The band's lineup was Davy (drums), Eddie McCrudden, Barry McCrudden (keyboards), Harry Hickland (sax), Billy Bingham (guitar) and George Jones (bass).

Although it was rumoured Davy might be replaced by

RTE's Ian McGarry, it was Linsey Lunney (College Boys) who came to the band on drums.

In April, 1972, founder member Maurice Henry left the band to move into management. In a Spotlight interview, Maurice jokingly said, "I've left the Freshmen mainly because of old age." The first act he signed was Cathy and the Fugitives from Mayo and shortly thereafter added the Sounds.

Meanwhile, Brown and O'Brien did not find the magic either and the band went to Canada. However Billy returned on his own and a report in Spotlight on October 12, 1972 claimed he would not be rejoining the Freshmen. Of course, Billy did rejoined the Freshmen after leaving Brown and O'Brien in October, 1972.

He brought guitarist Tiger Taylor with him who replaced original member Damien McIlroy. However, Linsey Lunny left the band around the same time. A blurb in Spotlight reported Damien was leaving the band at the end of September, 1972 and he went to South Africa. A month later in October, keyboard player Ivan Laybourne, reportedly went to Scotland, but ended up joining Damien in South Africa.

Throughout the mid to late seventies, the Freshmen continued to play, ending up as a

six piece and trying to make a living in a scene that was slowly dying and well past its prime.

Around 1978, Torry McGahey left the band, breaking the final remaining link to the original Freshmen lineup. Although Billy Brown had been an original member, he had left the band for several years. By 1980, the Freshmen, one of the greatest components of pop music in Ireland, were finally no more. After almost twenty years the band who had smoothly made the transition from 60's showband to 70's pop group successfully (while staying true to their legacy of producing quality music) called it quits. On the recent series "Little Bit of Showband," Derek recounted the story of a gig in Boyle when only a handful of dancers showed up and the decision was made to finish the band. And with a whimper, it was over...the Freshmen were no more.

In the years after the showband era ended, the late Billy Brown continued to record, write and produce excellent music. His reputation as one of Ireland's most gifted musicians continued to grow, but on June 6, 1999, at the age of only 56, Billy sadly passed away, leaving the Irish music scene without one of the guiding lights that had illuminated the landscape of the showband era.

Page 41 Mature Living

Angelscope for October

with Fiona Faery

F

iona Faery is an Irish Psychic Medium who unites people regularly with their loved ones in spirit & also offers psychic guidance with her Faery oracle card readings. She is a regular on Irish radio & has monthly columns in various publications. Fiona is known for her optimistic no-nonsense approach to life. She teaches workshops on mediumship and helps 'baby' mediums build their confidence & step into their power. Her spiritual poetry has found a home on her Facebook page; Fiona Faery where she posts a daily poem. Her poetry is aimed to motivate & empower, as Fiona believes in helping people connect with their soul purpose. She reads internationally through her website www.fionafaery.ie

Aries Angel of Abundance This is the month to re-access your finances and take Stock of what this year has brought to you.

A great time to plan for 2016, send out C.V’s or start saving, as putting the effort in now will reap the rewards in the year to come.

Lucky Day: 27th of October Lucky colour: Brown

Leo Angel of Truth and Integrity This card is a warning to have all your financial affairs/bills/legal affairs in order. The devil is in the detail so to speak. When you have your facts in order, nobody can knock you of track Lucky Day: 19th of October Lucky colour: Orange

Sagittarious Angel of Celebration If you are looking for a sign, this is it!

This card also signals a YES so apply for that job or ask that special someone out on a date! Lady Luck is shinning on you his month and you shall feel invincible. Your dreams are here for chasing.

Lucky Day: 11th of October Lucky colour: Blue

Taur!s Taurus

Angel of support Taurus, you’re a great one for giving others a shoulder to lean on. It's time you called in those favours. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Your energy will be low this month so pay attention to your gut feelings, get plenty of rest and avoid comfort eating.

Lucky Day: 21st of October Lucky colour: Pink

Virgo Angel of Spiritual Growth We are always learning lessons.

Don't ever ignore your gut instinct as this is your higher self providing you with a direct line with your spirit. If something feels wrong it usually is! Listen to your gut to avoid repeating an old mistake.

Lucky Day: 23rd of October Lucky colour: Yellow

Capricorn Angel of Blessings Count your blessings Capricorn.

This month sees you beginning to prepare for the festive season.

There may be plans put in to place for the Christmas season. Some nice surprises are the way to you in the next 6 weeks. Be grateful for what you have and more blessings shall soon follow!

Lucky Day: 31st of October Lucky colour: Green

Gemini

Cancer

Angel of Playfulness Energy is quite high this month with you, Gemini. You will be feeling quite the social butterfly and expect an invitation to an event/party that will have you out till Dawn. Great time to re connect with old friends, it's a month for connections and for single Gemini's it's time to shine!

Lucky Day: 18th of October Lucky colour: Blue

Angel of New Beginnings As one door closes another often opens, yet, you can't open a new door if you still looking at the past. Time to move on, dream a new dream, make new plans and start looking forward to the future.

Start a new hobby, sign up for a new course the choice is yours.

Lucky Day: 15th of October Lucky colour: White

Libra

Scorpio

Angel of Focus Libra, it's time to get your priorities in order, this month may see health concerns or issues around the body being addressed. Take it slowly, our bodies are always speaking to us. Take the time to sit down and ask what your body requires of you.

Time to slow down.

Lucky Day: 30th of October Lucky colour: Orange

Angel of Answered Prayer This beautiful angel is a sign to you that your prayers have been heard and will be answered in divine timing.

You must release your problem and issue to them and truly let it go. Miracles happen every day, have faith as yours is on its way.

Lucky Day: 12th of October Lucky colour: light Green

Aquarius

Pisces

Angel of Romance For my single Aquarians, this month has a romantic twist with a chance encounter in a supermarket/store that will raise eyebrows. For those coupled up, a nice romantic meal by candlelight will provide some much needed quality time together.

Lucky Day: 21st of October Lucky colour: Purple

Angel of Healing The angel of healing wraps her wings around you providing comfort and support for the life challenge you are currently facing.

Take time out to rest or if your feel drawn near trees or nature, go outside! A good month to plan for the year ahead.

Lucky Day: 17th of October Lucky colour: Green

Fiona Faery gives private 1-to-1 sittings at The Sligo Park Hotel on the last weekend of every month. She is also available for private consultations or One Question readings on her website www.fionafaery.ie You can contact Fiona to Book a Private Reading @ 0863736143

Motoring

Six-door MINI N

ew Clubman has lost its quirky three passengerdoors but the much-loved split rear doors are retained.

Accessibility and everyday usability are enhanced, thanks to four full-sized side-doors.

MINI Clubman's dimensions are now larger. It's also 270mm longer and 73mm wider than the MINI five-door Hatch, with a wheelbase that is 100mm larger.

The boot has a volume of 360 litres, which can be extended to 1,250 litres by folding the rear seats flat.

The latest-generation of MINI

TwinPower Turbo Technology engines have been installed under the bonnet, with three units available from launch – the MINI Cooper Clubman, MINI Cooper D Clubman and MINI Cooper S Clubman.

CO2 emissions are as low as 109g/km, with fuel economy of up to 68.9mpg.

New to the MINI brand is an eight-speed Steptronic transmission, available as an option on the MINI Cooper S Clubman and the MINI Cooper D Clubman.

New MINI Clubman also gets a unique suspension set-up.

Galaxy quest

New Audi A4 launched Two new Audi A4 models will launch in Ireland in November 2015 - the saloon and Avant. Standard equipment is higher and includes xenon headlights, keyless go, Audi drive select and a seven-inch MMI colour display. Dimensions have grown very slightly but weight has been reduced by up to 120kg (depending on the engine).

With the new A4 Audi placed high priority on reducing CO2 emissions.

The new 150hp 2.0 TDI ultra has CO2

The all-new Ford Galaxy arrives in Ireland later this year.

Featuring the latest Ford global design language, the all-new Galaxy offers seven full-size seats.

Switching between seating or load space is easier than ever with a push of a button.

This segment-first feature can be specified to raise the third-row seats electronically.

Comfort is enhanced for front seat passengers with optional massaging Ford Multi-Contour

emissions of 95g!

Powertrains and gearboxes, along with the chassis, have been redeveloped.

The A4 Saloon also has the best drag coefficient in its class at 0.23.

The most powerful TDI in the range will offer an optional 'sport differential' on the rear axle (starting in 2016).

Full Irish equipment and pricing information will be announced in the coming weeks.

Seats.

Integral-link rear suspension offers a smoother, quieter ride.

Ciarán McMahon, Chairman and Managing Director, Ford Ireland, said: "Customers are reassured by its ability to carry seven in firstclass comfort and safety, and to constantly surprise with its unmatched versatility.

"The all-new Galaxy enhances those qualities with improved dynamics, fuel efficiency and refinement – as well as some very useful innovations."

Get the most from your car with these top tips...

With petrol and diesel on the increase it is as important now as it ever was to save on fuel so we have complied 12 ways to save a little 1. To maximise your fuel efficiency,try to change up a gear before you reach 2,500 revs in a petrol car, and 2,000 in a diesel car.

Changing gears like this can help you achieve a 15% fuel saving.

2. Try to anticipate the road ahead as much as you can.

By driving as smoothly as possible – avoiding breaking or accelerating hard – you will save fuel and reduce maintenance costs.

3. Car heaters don't, in general, use up much fuel as they recycle the heat from the

engine. But the opposite is true with air-conditioning. At speeds less than 40mph, opening the window slightly won't really affect fuel use, but air conditioning increases fuel use at all speeds.

4. Modern cars do not need to "warm up" before driving off.

Equally, revving or idling an engine before you move is pointless and just wastes fuel.

Drive away as soon as you start the engine.

However, it can take a car up to 8km before the engine is running at maximum efficiency, meaning short journeys are far more fuel intensive per

decreases rapidly. For example, driving at 85mph uses 40% more fuel than at 70mph (oh, and it's illegal too).

you are motionless for any longer than 10 seconds, it is more fuel efficient to switch the engine off than to idle.

6. Strip any excessive weight from your car – even fuel.

Every 45kg removed from the car can save 1% on fuel. It could be worth experimenting with not filling your tank to the top and instead filling more often.

8. Don't slip into neutral when travelling in the belief you are saving fuel. Choose the appropriate gear for your speed instead.

Modern fuel-injected cars consume proportionately more fuel when in neutral as they perceive the car to be idling.

10. Under-inflated tyres can increase fuel consumption by up to 3%, so check their pressure regularly.

7. The most efficient speed you can travel in a car in terms of achieving the best fuel economy is 55-65mph. Any faster, though, and the fuel efficiency

9. Plan ahead to avoid travelling during the most congested periods of traffic. Stop-start driving is among the most fuel intensive forms of car travel. If

kilometre than long distance journeys.

5. Remove roof racks and boxes when not in use as they cause considerable drag.

11. "Drafting" or slip-streaming behind other vehicles to help save fuel is a technique Formula 1 drivers adopt, but it is highly dangerous and frowned upon by road safety experts. Similarly, switching off the engine whilst moving and coasting to a stop is also deemed to be extremely reckless.

Mystical Guidance Diadem’s Angel Light

Agony

if you have a question you would like an answer or advice, it could be to do with love, finances, family etc. please send it to susan@matureliving.ie

Angel

with Susan Hughes

M

any of my questions this month were about work and new ideas and it brought me to think on how we sometimes get stuck in old ways because of the uncertainty of what may happen if we choose change. With this in mind I have

chosen a card for those of you that I could not answer directly but as the question is similar I can share the general answer.

The card that has come out is great to answer this general question, it says directly to you that if you are miserable in your

LOVING RELATIONSHIP

Q

Dear Susan, I have not been in a loving relationship for about 5 years. I decide to start dating about 2 years ago and have had a few dates but they have all been disastrous because its seems the women I meet are looking for almost immediate commitment. I would like just to be friends for a while and see where it takes us and enjoy the journey. Do you reckon there is someone for me who feels this way too? Regards, Daniel, Carlow

A

Hi Daniel, Firstly well done for getting up and doing something for yourself and not being pushed into something you do not want. Although that said I do know that when you meet the 'right' one' you will know, you will know it in your heart. As I tune into this energy around you I really feel the time is right for you to meet a life long partner, everything looks to me like it will fall into place. Right time right place is coming to mind and I know this relationship I am seeing will bring a depth that you have not had before. I would caution you not to have a list of exactly what this person is to be like as I feel if you do you will miss out on a magnificent romance. She is quite extraordinary and you will be fascinated by her charm as she will be at yours. I wish you well and great enjoyment for these coming months, its going to be fun.

Affirmation card: Soulmate relationship - New romance with a spiritual basis is here for you now. I promise that this is the card that came for you, I did not pick it so wow, great confirmation!!

Q A

present line of work then change is for you but please think long and hard about where you would like to go next. You need to get that ball in YOUR court and don't wait until someone kicks it your way, go get it! Go for it what ever it may be. Affirmation card

says Blessed Change...a major life change brings you great blessings. We all feel stuck on occasion so it is good to get help where we can. Susan Hughes is a spiritual psychic medium and working with her angelic guides and psychic intuitions she can

provide guidance and hope.

Susan is based in Dublin where she carries out private one to ones. Add Susan Hughes Spiritual Medium on Facebook for information on classes and events or call 087 6771352 if you would like to arrange a private sitting.

NEW WORK ON THE HORIZON?

Dear Susan, I am just wondering if there is a full time job on the horizon for me any time soon? Thanks, Cathy, Dublin

Hi Cathy, There are many in this country and worldwide asking this same question and if I were to answer this purely on an economical foot that answer is yes because things are looking up. However let me look and see what the tarot and my inspirers would like to add. Ah I can see you have been sorely disappointed in the past with this and the card is indicating that you may need a little helping hand, interview skills? cv writing?. I am also being shown that it is perhaps a good idea for you to look at different avenues of work and to step outside what you normally go for. You know the saying its not what you know its who you know?

Seek people that can and will and to not hesitate to ask. Also Cathy if I may be so bold to say to you to be the confident woman you truly are, it is not arrogant to believe in yourself. I am feeling that your intelligence is not being fully utilised so look for employment that will stretch this aspect of you. I am sensing that you have had a few personal disappointments that have impacted on you so push forward and be the strong woman you are. Do not make assumptions but ask so that there is no misunderstandings. Go for it Cathy and good luck COLOUR CARD: Emerald - calm your mind, body and soul. I feel this is letting you know that this is going to work out for you, stay calm and be yourself Dear Susan, I hate my job and have been thinking about leaving it and re training. Can you look at the cards and see if this is a good idea?

Love to you, Chris, Arklow

I HATE MY JOB

Hi Chris, I shuffled the cards and asked for advice for your highest good.The card that has come out is showing me a mentor and an education environment so one would presume that retraining is the answer for you. However with the card comes an cautionary word about making financial

priorities. As I look more into this situation I feel that you ought to make plans and dont make a rash decision about leaving your employment just yet. The reason I say this is because there seems to be a good opportunity for you to change roles within your place of work on a part time basis which will permit re training. I hope this helps you] Affirmation card: Worthiness - Know you deserve to receive good in all ways

I AM NOT VERY LUCKY IN LOVE

Q

Dear Susan, Hi thank you for your help, I m not very lucky in love, I would like to know what to do to improve it? - Agathe, Cavan

A

Hi Agathe, Love is one of those things that we always seem to be seeking, it is thought that to be loved by another will make us whole but I believe that we need to whole entering a relationship. I will always ask in this situation 'do you love you?'. How can you believe and trust

that another soul will love you if you cannot yourself?

The best relationship any of us can have is the one with self where we accept everything as it is and then move forward from that point.

Looking at the cards I have pulled for you I would suggest that more fun and a lighter way of being would help you so much.

I am being shown that when you feel complete in your own self the romantic relationship you are hoping and wishing for will come.

When I hear you ask? Time is an interesting factor and the answer is when you feel you are no longer

incomplete a life partner will appear to bring joy and love in addition to all that is there.

Get out and mingle without conditions on who you are to talk with permitting yourself to have more fun without the pressure of looking for the 'one'. I wish you well on the wonderful journey of self growth you are about to enter, enjoy it.

COLOUR CARD: Lavender - connect to body, mind and soul. I love this for you Agathe, it shows that to work on loving you is the best thing for you right now.

Send all your questions into Susan - susan@matureliving.ie

Breakaways Explore Wicklow, Experience Dublin

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• Afternoon Tea for two on arrival (scone, sandwich, pastry, tea/coffee) • Two nights B&B and 2 course dinner on one evening of your choice • Bottle of House Wine with Dinner • Complimentary morning newspaper • Full use of The Merrill Leisure Club facilities • Concessions for Royal Bingo (one evening) • Bring the grandchildren, up to two children (u12years) share complimentary accommodation.

Complimentary Merrill’s Activity Camp starts July 1st

he Royal Hotel, set in seaside resort of Bray, offers guests the best of both worlds, only a short distance to the heart of Dublin city (30 minutes by DART) and on the border of Wicklow County guests are spoilt for choice with a range of activities, walks and places to visit.

Boasting 128 bedrooms , the hotel offers a choice of standard rooms, the recent addition of over 30 deluxe rooms which are contemporary and spacious in their design & we also have several family rooms to accommodate a family of up to five compliment the make up of our rooms.

The Quinns Bar with its olde world meeting modern day in its décor offers a sumptuous dining with our bar menu and live music every weekend with locally renowned musicians, the Quinns Bar is the perfect place to meet old friends and new.

The Heritage Restaurant serves a selection of carefully chosen Menus to suit all appetites using the finest locally produced ingredients. The Heritage Restaurant is the perfect venue for all occasions from an intimate meal for two to a family celebration.

Our recently refurbished and extended Merrill Leisure Club, exclusive to guests and members comprises of a 14 metre swimming pool, Children’s Pool, Sauna, Jacuzzi. Steam-Room, a fully equipped Gymnasium. The Merrill Beauty Rooms offers special discounts on massage and beauty treatments exclusive to our guests. Merrill’s Activity Camp, which is a complimentary service offers a wide range of activities to children aged 4 years and above.

The camp takes place daily from 10am – 1pm and 6.00pm – 9.00pm each evening, during all school holidays.

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

A

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?

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa

O

ffering one of the best locations in and around Dublin, Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa has become known as one of the finest hotels in Ireland. The best of both worlds allow you to easily access all that Dublin city centre and surrounding shopping has to offer and yet the tranquillity of Dunboyne Village is on the doorstep.

Seiod Spa has 18 treatment rooms and a luxurious hydrotherapy pool.

The Terrace Lounge is a delightful conservatory area overlooking the magnificent gardens and is a perfect setting to unwind with a pre-dinner drink. The 2AA Rosette Award Winning Restaurant – The Ivy, where the journey through your taste buds takes over and for wine lovers a special treat is in store. Any visit to Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa would be incomplete without a visit to the Sadlier Bar, where locals gather and mingle with guests in a

friendly festive setting.

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa features 145 oversized modern guest rooms; 2 junior suites featuring separate bedrooms and living room areas and two presidential suites that must be seen to be believed.

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa – a must visit hotel with great service and stunning facilities.

Visit www.dunboynecastlehotel.com and see the amazing special offers.

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 !

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

A

short drive along the South East coast will bring you to Dun Laoghaire, where overlooking the bay you will find the Royal Marine Hotel. Steeped in history, and a favorite with the locals, this landmark hotel is an impressive sight on the Dun Laoghaire skyline. A hotel has stood here since 1828. Many celebrities, and even royalty have passed through its doors over the decades. In 2004 this magnificent old building closed for restoration, a painstaking labour of love by the present owners.

Situated in an elevated site on 4 acres overlooking Dublin Bay, the hotel has stunning views that on a clear day stretch as far away as Howth; and yet is still only a short journey from down-town Dublin. The original hotel has been extensively but sympathetically renovated with precise attention to detail.

Discover the Mount Falcon Estate, Ballina

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…

Golden Years at Mount Falcon Estate €239 pp

3 nights Bed & Breakfast with 1 Bistro Dinner €25 Spa Credit (valid towards any 1 Hour Message or Facial) Complimentary use of the Estate Golf Driving Range Complimentary use of our leisure centre with 17m heated pool 100 acres of Estate woodlands, walks & river Moy Connaughts Best Restaurant 2013 (RAI)

T

he fascinating history of one of Irelands finest surviving Anglo Irish grand houses awaits visitors to Mount Falcon Estate outside Ballina in County Mayo. After exploring 100 acres of mature forest and walkways, discover the archaeological remains of a 4,500 year old court tomb. A quick stroll around our 3 acre lake with resident ducks and then a few lengths in the 17 m indoor heated swimming pool, relax in our sauna, Jacuzzi and steam room and build up an appetite for traditional afternoon tea; served in opulent lounges in front of roaring open fires. Mount Falcon……something for everyone.

Transfers to local Bus & Train Station on request 10% discount at Foxford Wollen Mills Mayo on our Door Step

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

Active Breaks at The Villa Rose Boutique Hotel and V-Spa

Winter Golden Getaways 2B&B+2Dinners €99pp / 3B&B+2Dinners €139pp Free Tea/Coffee on arrival - Free Spa Session Ballroom Dancing Holiday

4 Nights B&B, 4 Evening Meals Dancing to Live Bands & Tuition €239pp February 22nd - 26th 2015

Group Rates 2015

2 Nights B&B + 2 Dinners €109pp / 3 Nights B&B + 3 Dinners €149pp With Free Spa Thermal Session, Tea/Coffee, Entertainment & Activities Call Group Organiser Leona for more info...

4 Star, Family Owned, Town Centre hotel

Reservations: 074-9132266

Ballybofey, Co Donegal Email: reservations@villarose.net • www.villarose.ie

I

t’s time to get those dancing shoes on and head to the Villa Rose Hotel in Ballybofey, County Donegal for their autumn Ballroom Dancing Holiday. This event takes place over four nights from Monday October 27th and is guaranteed to be an unforgettable week. Priced at €239pp and including 4B&B, 4Dinners dance tuition daily and dancing nightly to live bands, the week is finished off with a champagne reception and Gala Ball for all to enjoy.

Experience a relaxing midweek Getaway at the 4 star Donegal hotel with 3 nights B&B and 2 Evening Meals (2-course) for only €139pps from Sunday Thursday this autumn/winter. The Forge bar hosts live music every Sunday & Wednesday Night. Treat yourself to some retail therapy at McElhinneys Department Store where you can avail of 20% off as a Villa Rose Guest.

The Autumn Active Break is back from Sunday September 28th with 2, 3 or 4 nights to choose form and featuring a range of activities during the day and nightly entertainment to take part in during your stay. Enjoy 3 nights B&B, 3 Evening Meals (4-course) and activities & entertainment for only €159pps, (2

Nights €115pp, 4 Nights €189pp).

Set in the heart of Donegal in the busy town of Ballybofey, the Villa Rose is an ideal base to tour around or stay put and relax for the week, they also have competitive group rates available. Call Leona on 00353749132266 today to receive a 50+ Active & Dancing Brochure.

Travel Technology

A Beginners Guide to Tablet Computers

If you’re the kind of person who finds that technology moves faster than you can keep up, then you maybe feeling slightly in the dark when it comes to tablets.

T

o bring you up to speed, it all began in 2010 when Apple’s iPad came along and lit the touch-paper that lead to the explosion of the tablet market.

What are tablet computers?

The idea of tablets as mobile computers; lighter and more versatile than laptops, has been around for a while, but early tablets were relatively unsuccessful. They were primarily business focussed, and operated only in a niche area of the computer market. In short, they weren’t very much fun.

In early 2010, Apple unveiled the product that would revolutionise the tablet world of computing - the iPad. Their genius stroke was to make the iPad more media focussed than its predecessors, as well as taking into account weight, battery life, and ease of use. It differed by offering a totally

touchscreen desktop, and ran on Apple’s mobile operating system. Most importantly, it remembered to bring the fun.

Fast-forward back to the present, and the variety of tablets on the market today very much follow this trend.

From the iPad (with Retina Display), to the Samsung Galaxy Tab, to the HP Touchpad (to name but a few), they’re light, versatile, and occupy the space halfway between a mobile phone and a laptop, offering the benefits of both mediums.

They’re not only practical, they’re also enjoyable.

Why tablets?

One of the main selling points of tablets is their portability and ease of use. Compared to laptops, which incorporate a keyboard and mousepad setup, the touchscreen of a tablet offers the advantage of onehanded browsing. You can surf

the web while standing on a train, lying in bed, or even while sitting on the proverbial throne. Physical keys are replaced with a virtual keyboard on the screen so you can still type away when necessary. Handwriting recognition software (where available) can also convert letters and characters traced by either your fingers, or a stylus pen.

When it comes to web browsing, there are two ways of getting your tablet connected.

The two options available are a stand-alone tablet or pay monthly tablet. A stand-alone tablet is free of SIM and contract, and will connect to the web via WiFi, meaning you can get online through your home WiFi hub, or free public hotspot. A contract tablet comes with a data bundle on a pay-monthly contract similar to that of a mobile phone, and connects via 3G. Connection capabilities come built in, so unlike laptops, you’ll never have to worry about losing your dongle.

Similar to mobiles, tablets have access to the various app stores which let you purchase and download applications such as word processors, games , etc across the operating systems available. The continued media focus of the tablet means you can download all your favourite applications and games, and then use them while away. The media capabilities don’t stop there, as most app stores also offer a range of music, movies, and also books. Similar to ereaders such as the kindle, you can download a wide selection of titles including both classics and the current bestsellers.

Tablets have also enabled your favourite magazines to go multimedia, with many monthly publications taking advantage of the format and realising iPad editions alongside the more traditional tree-based release.

This is not only more environmentally friendly,it means that articles which are normally accompanied by static images can come alive with video and audio.

Tablets are also great social tools. Contract tablets often come with minute and text

allowances (as well as data), and with easy access to all social network sites, it’s never been easier to stay in touch.

Chose a tablet with an inbuilt cam and you can also use Skype to videocall your nearest and dearest.

Tablet choices Now that you’re up to speed, there’s no need to feel daunted by the huge range of tablets available. The desirability of the tablet has led to a wealth of choice available, and although Apple, the pioneers and trendsetters of the tablet world, still lead the market, there are many other options available in terms of size, spec, and affordability. The iPad 2 refined the existing Apple iPad to create probably the most desirable tablet on the market, although the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 offers a similar quality, alongside a more affordable pricetag. Asus tablets offer impressive cameras, and the Blackberry Playbook boasts a sleek and compact design.

Whatever your needs, there’s a tablet to meet them, and we hope our beginner’s guide has made the tablet world a lot easier to swallow.

Buying a tablet The iPad remains the best fullspec, full-sized tablet there is.

If you want the best tablet on the market, get Apple's iPad Air 2 which features a Retina display. It is a quality device with unsurpassed build quality.

And the iTunes market offers more quality apps than any other platform. But you pay a premium for quality, and you will find that you are pretty much locked into Apple's world when it comes to purchasing music and movies. Apple still sells the first iPad Air at a discounted rate, by the way, and it remains a great tablet.

So if you want an iPad but don't want to pay the full price it is worth checking out. The list of alternative tablets starts with the Nexus 10. G oogle's new Nexus 10 Android tablet has an impressive PLS screen with a resolution of 2560x1600. The Samsung manufactured device is also thinner and lighter than Apple's iPad, runs the latest Android operation system and is €100 less than the iPad. Samsung has two other tablets in the Android tablet market, both are solid competitors: the Galaxy Note 10.1 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. With pen input and a highly customized version of Android 4.0, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 distinguishes itself in a crowded market, but at a similar price to the iPad you'll have to really want pen input before it makes sense to choose the Note. Meanwhile the Tab 2 10.1 is like the iPad and the Nexus 10, only not as good.

Unlike its predecessors, however, it is cheaper. For around €350 it will make all but the most stringent tablet fans happy.

Page 47 Mature Living

Services Directory Puzzles

E&M Window Systems Unit 3A, Stadium Business Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin 15

Telephone: 086-3239679

PVC Back door supplied & fitted

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Bawnogue Enterprise Centre, Clondalkin, Dublin 22

Medical Alarms From Spring to Autumn the classic Galley Cruiser plies the beautiful and smooth three sister rivers for which the South East of Ireland is famous worldwide. Meanwhile, delicious meals, prepared from fresh local produce by our own chefs, are served aboard.

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A1shutters & doors Manufacture & Install all kinds of Garage Doors, Roller Shutters and Industrial Doors

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The Biggest & Best Value Fireplace Showrooms in Ireland

Save €€€s by calling to us • Fireplaces • Stoves • Gas • Oil • Solid Fuel • Electric • Granite Worktop Specialists

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Large Selection of Rise and Recline Chairs and Orthopaedic Chairs Very Competitive Prices on all products Orthopaedic Chairs available in black or brown

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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%

Grave Maintenance Service • Headstones • Grave Maintenance • Grave Renova!ons • Wooden Surrounds

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

BEFORE

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An Average 4 Bedroom cost approx €300.

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

Energy Saving Systems.

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

AFTER

It is important to all of us that the final res!ng places of our loved ones are looked a"er and cared for at all !mes. Due to age, distance, lack of !me or transport, you may not be able to keep family graves and their memorials well looked a"er as you would have wanted.

Grave Maintenance Service Ltd. Unit 4b Eklad Park, Malahide Road Ind Estate, Coolock, Dublin 17 Phone: 01-8904466 • Mobile: 087-2261943 Email: info@gmsireland.ie • www.gmsireland.ie Associate Member of Irish Associa!on of Funeral Directors

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Damaged Chimney Repair Contractors

Axis Business Park, Clara Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

Steel Garden Sheds, Garages & Tegkon Custom Steel Buildings

• Galvanised Steel Frame • PVC Coated Cladding - no painting • Variety of Colours • All Sheds come with a non-drip roof • We can supply a wooden or concrete floor.

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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.

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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.

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BLUE ISLAND Single male mid 50’s, would like to meet single professional lady.

Foreign ladies can reply too!

Replies with a samped envelope to box number 1103 at the address below.

INDEPENDENT DUBLIN LADY (64) Would like to meet an honest, respectable, non smoking gentleman, My interestes are Dancing,

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Replies with a stamped envelope to box number 1060 at the usual address.

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, re-

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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 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.

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ADDRESS: Post the completed form to Mature Living Magazine, NW Business Park, Collooney, Co. Sligo

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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

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RESPECT RELIABILITY SERVICE

The Irish Specialists in Electric Adjustable Beds and High-Low Beds

Electric Adjustable Beds • Recliner Lift / Tilt Chairs • Bed Rental Care to Comfort’s electric adjustable beds can make sleep time and awake time more enjoyable.

We offer Superb Irish Quality Electric Adjustable Beds at an affordable price with the added option of a High-Low mechanism.

Care to Comfort deliver and set up free of charge (by our trained technicians).

At Care to Comfort we make our beds to suit every individual customer to suit their specific needs, the beds can be made to suit the customer’s height, weight and personal choice.

In cases of emergency, if the bed is required urgently, we can supply a bed on loan, until the individual’s bed is ready for delivery.

We treat our clients as customers, and not as patients, and therefore we treat our client’s with the dignity (that they deserve).

Our electric adjustable beds offer our clients a great deal of independence, and therefore helps them retain their dignity.

Visit us to buy your dream bed - Please call us in advance as we are not always in the showroom Unit 3 St.Kieran’s Enterprise Centre, Furze Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18

Telephone: 01-2959000 • www.caretocomfort.ie Hours of business : Monday to Friday 9.30 to 5.00. (Saturday or Sunday by Appointment)