The number of people needing dementia care is set to triple by 2040. This means that you, or someone close to you, could well need Alzheimer’s care at some time in the future.
The number of elderly people continues to increase, and with them the need for care homes. Many of these are specialist dementia care properties, staffed by qualified practitioners trained in the care for those with severe Alzheimer’s. However, there are simply not enough of these places in the UK – and with more elderly people than ever showing early signs of Alzheimer’s, the race is on to find a cure for this crippling disease.
Recently, a new Living Well TV campaign was launched to raise awareness of the plight of dementia sufferers, and educate people on ways they can help sufferers to “live well” while suffering from Alzheimer’s. In addition, the Alzheimer’s Society has a constant campaign to raise funds for studies into curing the disease. One of their most successful enterprises was the launch of Alzheimer’s bracelets. A fund-raising ad campaign on TV went viral.
Being educated on the causes and symptoms of dementia goes a long way to preventing or restricting its onset. With funded research, it is hoped that elderly sufferers will be able to live relatively normal lives, relieving the strain on existing dementia care homes and reducing the need for new ones.
“Being good” about Alzheimer’s starts with understanding. The Living Well tag is: “I have dementia – I also have a life.” This says it all. The people in the ads aren’t actors. They’re genuine dementia sufferers – they’re also erudite, intelligent human beings.
These days world record attempts seem to be getting out of hand! However, I did have to laugh when I saw this mattress dominoes world record attempt! The attempt involved 244 people and 244 mattresses! It took place at the Algarve Stadium, Portugal and it was organized by Sao Lourenzo International school.
Airmiles can be collected in all sorts of ways. And for those worried about the environment, there are far more ways to spend them than their famous free flights. Now you can collect them by going green as well. A new scheme means that people who recycle mobile phones can earn Airmiles at the same time.
Mobile recycling is a way we can all help the planet. Phones are constantly being upgraded, and today they are so replace that most end up in landfill sites. Mobile phones and their batteries are packed with harmful chemicals like mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium and toxic flame retardants. This means millions of phones every year are contaminating the environment – and our health. These substances can enter the air as toxic vapours, enter the food chain via animal grazing, and enter the water supply by soil leaching. That’s why it’s imperative we recycle mobile phones in the most effective way possible.
Mobile phone recycling with Airmiles is quick and easy – all it takes is a few clicks of the mouse. Simply log into your Airmiles account and click the link in the “Collect Miles” section. Enter your phone’s make, model and condition to see how many Airmiles you can collect. Then add it to your basket and send your phone to the address given. It’s even a FREEPOST address, so it won’t cost you a penny.
By ignoring the benefits of mobile recycling, we’re endangering both ourselves and our eco-systems. A few simple steps are all it takes to make a difference – and earn up to 750 Airmiles at the same time.
There are plenty of reminders around already, but in case it has still managed to escape your notice, then we should really remind you that Mother’s Day falls on Sunday 14 March this year.
It can often be hard to think of a present for Mum – for a start, she’ll usually insist she’s already got everything she needs. Plus, however do you outdo the present you got for her last year!? You know, the one that took you absolutely ages to find? That’s where thinking outside the box comes into play. Here are some cute ideas for gifts that will make Mum’s day:
- Perfume: Yes, perfume can sometimes be a clichéd gift to give on Mother’s Day. Especially when scent is such a personal thing. So why not give Mum a voucher or take her to a special parfumerie to create her own bespoke fragrance? It will be unique to her, she’ll be able to get exactly what she likes and she will always think of you when she wears it. Perfect!
- Jewellery: Again, jewellery is a personal thing and takes on an especially personal significance when the gift giver is offspring. You’ll want to make sure Mum is touched by the thought you’ve put into selecting her piece of jewellery so do make sure you actually put in the thought! Firstly, think of the jewellery your Mum already wears. Does she always wear rings but never earrings? Does she only ever wear a watch? Think carefully about what kind of jewellery you select, as if she never wears necklaces, then she is unlikely to wear one you give her. (That’s not always true, however.) To put a special touch on it, why not give her a piece of jewellery that has her birth stone in it or get a message engraved? That will show you have gone the extra mile to find something she will really like.
- Nostalgic gifts: There is nothing quite like a retro or nostalgic gift to bring back all those good memories and blasts from the past. You might happen to chance upon a gift at some point that you know would have your Mum reminiscing, but if you’re going to hunt one out, then start by thinking of something she might have told you she cherished as a child. Did she love to play around in her mother’s jewellery box when she was younger? Then maybe find one that fits the same description. Where did she go on her honeymoon? You could get a framed print of a scenic view from that destination.
- Humorous gifts: Mum actually does have everything she could ever need. So why not get her something that will make her laugh instead? Humorous gifts are different to gag gifts – make sure you know the difference! (Although, if your Mum would enjoy a gag gift then that’s a different story…) Try to think of what Mum would find funny – even better if it will remind her of a personal joke she shared with you. Obviously, if this gift can double as something that she will find actually useful (a printed oven mitt for instance!) then you’ll be in her good books for sure.
The Internet is a wonderful thing and the sort of invention that we all wish we had when we were at school. Revising for tests and completing homework would have been so much easier with sites like Wikipedia and Google to help us out. Staying in touch with our friends would also have been so much easier had we been able to use Facebook and Twitter.
Of course, with the immediacy that these websites offer comes the inherent dangers also. Safety online is of paramount importance and it’s vital to realise that just because someone claims to be one thing, such as a friend or teenager, they may not necessarily be so.
The instant nature of the Internet also means that you can reach people within seconds, and they can reach you – whether you want them to or not. This has helped in many ways, but has also caused problems with increases of bullying. Online bullying is known as Cyberbullying, and is just as big a problem as bullying at school or on the street. In fact, Cyberbullying can be worse because the bullies can reach you wherever you are.
If someone you do not want to speak to is attempting to bully you online you should block all contact with them. Remove them from Facebook, adjust your privacy settings so they can’t contact you and never contact them. Block them from chat programs such as MSN and Yahoo as well. If you ignore Cyberbullies, they will give up as they will have no way of bullying you. If you have given out any personal details, be sure to tell an adult and change your mobile and email address if need be.
Like tea and hot chocolate, there are many ways to serve coffee, but did you know that over 50 countries actually grow the beans? Only a handful produce them in commercially viable quantities. However, there is a growing number of specialist coffees from smaller producers reaching our shores. They include Jamaican Blue Mountain, Java Estate Kuyumas and Indian Mysore.
All are at the higher end of the market. However, the most expensive coffee in the world is Kopi Luwak. Made from beans that have been eaten and passed by the Asian Palm civet, it is produced in Indonesia, Timor and the Philippines. With a totally different chemical structure to ordinary coffee beans, it has a mild, aromatic flavour.
Brazil and Columbia are the coffee growing nations of the world, producing more beans than anywhere else. Prized for their light, tangy quality, they are ideal for blending. Other Latin producers include Mexico, Guatemala, Panama and Costa Rica. Some of these countries are equally prized for their cocoa beans, used to make hot chocolate.
The coffees of Eastern Africa and the Middle East are like wine: complex and alluring, with copious flavours including citrus fruits, blueberries and spices. Asian coffees, on the other hand, are full-bodied and thick, and are often used to deepen lighter blends.
The coffee of each country has its own distinct characteristics and flavour. Coffee tasters, like tea tasters, are employed by importers to ensure only the best beans reach our shores. These connoisseurs sample each batch as though it were the finest wine. It’s certainly something to think about, when you next reach for a cup.
The “brave new world” of the Art Deco period combined functionality with simplicity, and beauty with elegance. For this reason, retro gifts evoking the Art Deco look of the 1920s and 1930s are eternally popular. Retro clocks, especially, make excellent nostalgic gifts for all age groups. Instantly evocative, but never kitsch, they fit into any interior décor scheme, be it traditional or modern.
Art Deco had a number of influences – a major one being the discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb, in 1922. Egyptian design was a direct influence on the towering pyramid spires of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler building – which in turn influenced interior decor. “Skyscraper” clocks, which took elements of modernist architecture and recreated them in semi-precious materials such as jade, marble and onyx, are just as popular today.
Jazz age retro gifts are characterised by their recreation of materials like Bakelite and chrome – both considered daring and new in the 1930s. Art Deco Bakelite wall and mantle clocks were found everywhere, from public railway stations to film stars’ homes. They varied from simple, round wall clocks to elaborate “Lady” mantle clocks, which combined geometric designs with beautiful and elaborate statuettes in bronze, spelter and pewter.
Statue clocks are especially evocative of the Art Deco period, and make beautiful and unusual retro gifts. The art inspiration came from many sources, including classic Egyptian art and Greek mythology. Although the majority were female, classic male figures like Hercules were also depicted. Modern influences included Hollywood, Olympic gymnasts and jazz music. Statue clocks are among the most evocative and collectible of all nostalgic gifts.
