Home Instead Senior Care - Exeter And East Devon

Medications play such a significant role in people's lives but are often looked over. Do you have a clear idea what your loved ones are taking? Would you be able to confidently express it to a medical professional during an emergency situation?
I know a situation like this is the last thing you want to think about, however, it's important to be prepared. Even if your loved ones are on a single medication, there should be clear documentation of the storage, dosage, who it was prescribed by and by when.
In the UK, GPs will provide an annual review of medication. If your loved one's prescriptions change more frequently, check if your GP can provide a more regular review. This is an excellent opportunity to do a clean up of old medications and get a new list printed out and stored safely.

Sleep. We all do it, but many of us don’t do it well.
When you're caring for a loved one or a client, getting a good night's sleep is essential to stay happy, healthy and focussed. Here are our top tips to get a better night's sleep.
1. Block out any light.
... Artificial light after dark can send wake-up messages to the brain which can either prevent you from sleeping or disturb your sleep pattern. You can buy a little roll of black electrical tape to cover any minor lights that may be coming from technology in the room, such as digital clocks or plug sockets. These minor lights may seem small, but can have a significant impact on your sleeping patterns.
2. Set the right temperature.
I prefer to keep things nice and cool, with a warm cosy blanket. For your older loved one, I would ask their doctor what they recommend the best temperature is for sleeping, but for most people between 16 and 20 degrees provides the best nights sleep.
3. Limit your caffeine intake
Many of us love a nice cuppa before bed, however drinks such as coffee and tea are stimulants and should ideally be limited for 6 hours before you sleep. Try swapping your regular tea or coffee for a fruit tea or decaffeinated coffee and see if this helps you sleep better! 😴
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Guess who’s enjoying chocolates and wine this weekend.... it’s Ella Petitt our fabulous office admin! Ella supports the office with all manner of administration tasks, she’s always happy, smiling and willing! We’ll miss her hugely when she leaves to go to university, thank you for everything you do Ella 💜💐🍾

Our Director, Mark McGlade and Registered Manager, Laura-Jane Grant enjoyed a full day of HR Management and Practise at Home Instead Senior Care UK this week. After an early flight to Manchester and a full day at National Office it looks as though the working day ended perfectly with Caroline Kanso!

You know those little raised bumps on our pavements?
It turns out they have a fascinating language of their own.
For visually impaired pedestrians, a variety of tactile markings and patterns help them navigate our towns and cities.
... For example, these raised circular bumps mean a dropped curb before a crossing.
Horizontal stripes? There are stairs or obstacles ahead of you. Verticle stripes: the path is safe.
Circular dots that aren't aligned? There is a train or gap ahead!
Visually impaired people rely on these patterns, however, councils outside of London seem to be moving towards aesthetic considerations. They’re changing the colours to darker greys, so it blends in more.
Interested to learn more? Watch this fascinating video on YouTube: https://goo.gl/ksQIEi
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What a lovely video featuring Dee, a Home Instead CAREGiver who works for the Company in Solihull 💜💐

This sounds a very interesting event at the Budleigh HUB this weekend...

We’re full of admiration for Ivy and her yoga skills and enthusiasm - age is just a number!

Her thumbs up and smile made my day! Proof that age is just a number 💪
https://goo.gl/UenfdV

The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you. ☺️❤️

To our amazing office and community staff - Happy Valentine's Day, thank you for everything you do for one another and our clients! Together, we are outstanding!

Happy Valentines Day everyone!
From the bottom of our heart, thank you to all our CAREGivers and staff who give so much to others. You are all incredible!
💜"When you LOVE what you do, you never work a day in your life" 💜

Lovely film clip here x

This headline is also front page of the physical Journal, the newspaper that comes free through the door locally!

How do you take care of your self to feel your best?
I like to wind down my day with a hot chamomile tea which includes benefits such as slowing or preventing osteoporosis, reducing inflammation, and helping with sleep & relaxation. Now...back to my drink 👏👏

Lovely story from a CAREGiver this week:
"I was visiting my clients today- both in their 90s. We were getting ready to leave and visit the shops when Harry went to see if his wife was all ready. With a tear in his eye, he looks at his wife and turns to me and says "isn't she beautiful". They have been married for 63 years." 💜

This week we've spent a good deal of time around people affected by Parkinson's Disease. With Parkinson's UK accredited trainers and staff its a disease which is close to our hearts. Did you realise that whilst the disease has one name, people are affected in hundreds of different ways. Watch Michael J Fox as he meets the many different faces of Parkinson's, Michael was just 29 when he was diagnosed with the disease.