Homestyle Gossip

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most devastating things that can affect the elderly. It is a non-reversible, organic process and sufferers need a special level of treatment and understanding.

However, dementia–type symptoms may be indicative of another, less serious disorder, such as depression or a reaction to medication. So how do you know if your loved one needs Alzheimer’s care? Here are some of the warning signs:

1. Forgetting how to do activities they previously performed easily.
2. Doing things and then forgetting they’ve done them – even when it’s pointed out that they’ve done it.
3. Constant spates of short memory loss. We all get forgetful from time to time, so this on its own doesn’t signify dementia care is needed.
4. Non-recognition of previously familiar faces, or referencing events from long ago as if they were fresh in the memory.
5. Asking the same questions again and again, or repeating a story they’ve already told.
6. Placing things out of context – inappropriate dress, keys in the milk jug etc.
7. Disorientation or getting lost in familiar surroundings.
8. Deterioration in personal or home care.

If you think your loved one may need specialised Alzheimer’s care, it’s important you seek medical advice at the earliest opportunity, so a formal diagnosis can be made. Alzheimer’s sufferers can often go on to lead relatively normal lives, and may not a dementia care home to begin with. However, the earlier they are diagnosed, the less traumatic it is for all concerned.

With the recent problems with the housing market, many homeowners have opted for redecorating their existing homes instead of looking for new properties. However, as house prices are continually falling, there is a resistance to perform renovations that can’t be taken with homeowners when they eventually do leave.

Renovations such as extensions, conservatories and a new kitchen are being left in favour of new furniture, curtains and electrical appliances.

When redecorating the living room, the choice of sofas is the most important aspect as it will decide the style for the rest of the room. In most homes, the sofa is the largest piece of furniture in the living room, so getting it right is a must. You need to decide whether you want it fabric or leather, how many seats, how many armchairs and of course what colour.

You could also opt for a grander style of sofa, such as one of the many corner sofas that are available. Corner sofas can really dominate a room, and they will dictate the sort of furniture that can be included in the room because of their size and positioning.

The choice of material is also of paramount importance because whether you opt for one of the many material sofas or leather sofas will affect your decision on other styles in the room, such as the type of carpet that you want and the material and pattern used for your curtains.

Once you have decided on your sofa, the rest of your room will fall into place.

No matter how hard we try, we can never stop our children from growing up; it’s a part of life. One of the things many children can’t wait to do is to drive a car, but they usually have to wait until they are 17 for that. However, when you collect Airmiles, they don’t have to wait that long at all, as you can use them to get free days out for your children on driving course activities.

Some of the free activities and days out available with Airmiles include a children’s rally driving experience and a ‘first drive’ experience, where children can drive a real car for the very first time. On the first drive experience, children get to drive a car, such as a new BMW Mini, on a special circuit (that is very safe, so don’t worry) under the watchful eye of a trained instructor. It’s one of the best free days out you could choose for your child, and they’ll thank you forever – especially when the experience stands them in good stead when they come to learn to drive.

Other free days out (yes, that’s free days out not cheap days out) for children include the rally driver experience, where children as young as 12 get to drive a real rally car on a rally circuit. Don’t worry, there’s a minimum height restriction so your child can reach the pedals. When you’re collecting and using Airmiles, free activities like this won’t cost you a penny.

If you’re not into driving activities, other free activities include paintball days out, a spy camp for amateur James Bonds and a make-up consultation day for children who prefer a bit of pampering.

The bed is a statement item in any home but if you want to push the boundaries why not try some of the following statement bed ideas:

The Wrought Canopy Bed

A contemporary piece for the garden for ultimate relaxation

The James Bond Bed - you may have trouble finding a mattress to suit!

A Circular Bed – Circular mattresses could become popular!

Why not try something different for the bedroom!

British taste in style is a somewhat acquired taste, like with the Japanese;

As a matter of fact, London is one of the only places in the world where you can punk, gothic and posh in the same area. Even your grandma could have her hair dyed pink and it wouldn’t shock anyone.
With this said, London is considered one of the trendiest and fashionable cities in the world.
So thumbs up to fashion but how does the British sense of style tally up against other areas of aesthetic appreciation? Home decor for instance? Let’s be honest, not as well. Exhibit A: The Royal Family

So let us paint a picture of the traditional British home decor. Over to the left there is a lovely wall hanging plate
providing a reminder of our biggest loss since Robbie decided to leave Take That. Anybody for a cup of tea in an exclusive Prince Charles mug? Milk, and two sugars please.
Come sit and enjoy your tea here on our well-worn brown sofa and enjoy, whilst taking in the sites of this revolutionary design style. Ooh this is going down a right treat, cushty!
So does British sense of style transcend to the home? In the words of Les Dennis “Our survey said…..YES!”
What you call tacky contributes to that homely cosy feel you can’t get anywhere else. Take for example the union jack printed accessories. All over the house, and you are borderline football hooligan, but in proportion you are subtley displaying patriotism whilst being accommodating to guests. Can’t do more British than that can you?
Just remember, it is all about moderation. You don’t want to go crazy and end up with this;

The union jack is the great British symbol, and we all know we are in England with the bad weather and soppy morning attitude. We don’t need it painted on houses to help confirm our location.
Why not the union jack cushion? When you think about it, it can go with everything and pretty much everywhere (on your couch, on a chair, on your shelves or even on your bed!).
It defies design convention and adds that sense of fun and quirkiness to the home. Plus, it gives you something to grip with nerves during England’s inevitable penalty shoot out in the quarter finals of the World Cup.
All this excitement is too much. Where is my prince Charles mug, I need a cuppa!

Christmas 2009 gave us one of the worst winters we’ve ever had in the UK, with seemingly endless snowfall and icy conditions on the roads. The weather meant it was better for many of us to stay indoors, with the fire on and firmly hold on to a nice warm drink, while other people went outside to work or to build snowmen.

So what are the best drinks to enjoy during the winter, while you sit by the fire and look at the thick blanket of white snow on the ground?

In Britain we’re known as a nation of tea drinkers, and that is one stereotype that we’re comfortable with. A good hot cup of tea certainly serves the purpose of keeping your toes warm when it’s too cold to go outside. There are also a wide range of teas available to drink, rather than just the usual brands that you see advertised on TV by monkeys and men with flat caps.

If tea isn’t to your liking, you could always stay indoors with a good, strong coffee. Many people find that a cup (or usually mug) of coffee is the best way to start the day, whether it’s snowing or not.

Perhaps the best drink for staying warm in winter is hot chocolate. A tall mug of hot chocolate, filled with marshmallows and sprinkled with chocolate flakes, is the ideal way to sit out the cold weather. There’s no need to venture outside, so long as you have an ample supply of marshmallows on hand.

We all love a little retro fashion from time to time, and when it comes to nostalgic gifts from days gone by, what could be better than items of clothing, or clothing accessories from a more extravagant and stylish time?

For example, even in nightwear, yesteryear’s fashion was more tasteful and luxurious than it is today. For women, there are dressing gowns from the Victorian era, with their elaborate flowing trains and their lines, or perhaps an even more elaborate Art Nouveau satin kimono. Retro gifts such as these make you realise just how luxurious fashion used to be, as opposed to the styles we see today.

The same can be applied to men’s nightwear, as stylish nightshirts that flow down to the knees can be bought as nostalgic gifts. They can be purchased in tartan or stripes, depending on the inclination of your man.

One of the most extravagant fashion styles of the 20th century was inspired by Art Deco, and as such there are many Art Deco items available that make excellent retro gifts. For example, what woman’s handbag collection would be complete without a 1920’s inspired Art Deco handbag? The twenties decade was known for its style, and 80 years on the fashion is still just as stylish today.

One of the fashion accessories of days gone by that we rarely see today is the handkerchief. Handkerchiefs make excellent retro gifts, and they can be bought to match any outfit – perfect for when a gentlemen needs to offer a lady a clean handkerchief.

Things were always better in the old days. That’s the sentiment that most of us believe, and usually find ourselves telling younger people at some point in our lives, no matter how much we tried to convince ourselves when were younger that we wouldn’t.

Music was better, TV was better; films were better and generally everything was better when we were younger. Of course, that’s not something that is exclusive to people living in this day and age. People have always harked back to seemingly better times, even in ancient Roman literature, references can be found to people yearning for the ‘good old days’.

It’s not the old days that were better, it’s that we were younger and things from those times remind us of how we were. This is why retro gifts are such a great idea. When you give a retro gift to someone, such as an old game that they would have played with when they were a child, or an old fashioned item that they would have had in their home, you’re giving the gift of memories. Nostalgic gifts such as these remind people of simpler times, happy times, and times when they were young and care free and had a lot to look forward to.

We love retro gifts because they remind us of our youth. They remind us of how we used to be and of friends and family members who may no longer be around. Nostalgic gifts offer so much more than just the gifts themselves; they trigger the emotion of nostalgia.