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As an autism tourist, I was about to take a tour and enter a virtual world. This new place, courtesy of a blacked-out van, was immediately unnerving. Visually it felt like the floor was escaping from me. Suddenly vulnerable. Unsteady on my feet…as if the ground was uneven and I would fall…it was my vision showing me a blurry, off-kilter world…so I held onto a door handle.
I was taken by the hands and led into a dark room, where green, red and blue dots of light raced around the place. A screen showed a clock loudly tick-tocking, a tap slowly drip dropping, a vacuum cleaner sucking out the quiet from the room.
I had been told to sit down and watch the screen in this darkened room but even the chair was hard and unwelcoming, with its strange ridges. The woman in the corner watched as I scrutinised the images on the screen. I had been told to wait for instructions.
‘Baby powder and fresh bread’- a strange perfume
A few instructions came occasionally spliced inbetween much banging, splashing and tick-tocking. Most of the time, my senses were under attack. An onslaught of sounds, sights, textures and smells closed in. Baby powder, coffee and fresh bread wafted in the air making a strange perfume. I felt overwhelmed. A little anxious. I wanted to get up but the woman told me to sit down again, and again, to listen to what seemed like an army of unwanted guests.
Sporadically came five or six basic instructions. I could recall: ‘Write your mother’s maiden name on the blue post-it note’; ‘spell out the word autism on the wooden blocks’; ‘find seven green tiddlywinks’; ‘find the five of spades’.
To read more about this unique explanation about Autism – click here.
Instead of resting, older people should be exercising and keeping physically active, according to doctors.
A report in the British Medical Journal has called for a change in the current thinking that exercise is only for the young.
Older people need to take responsibility for their health and cut down the need for social care by keeping fit, say doctors.
Scarlett McNally, an orthopaedic surgeon and lead author of the report, said: “Social care can be preventable because the risk of disease, disability, dementia and frailty can be reduced.
“We need individuals to understand how to get active every day and to help their friends and family to be active. We need national and local organisations to build activity and active travel into our environments and to demand improvements. The improvements are quick.”
For more information on this story – click here
Half of older people experience mental health problems, but many feel they have to keep a stiff upper lip and soldier on rather than seek help.
According to YouGov’s research, depression is both the most common and most treatable mental illness in old age, which affects nearly eight million people aged 55 and over in the UK.
To mark World Mental Health Day, national charity Age UK is joining forces with NHS England to encourage older people to seek help and is calling on GPs to spot the warning signs earlier.
Caroline Abrahams, Age UK director, said: “In recent years there’s been nothing short of a cultural revolution in our willingness to be open about mental ill health, but it’s one that may well have left many older people behind. They grew up in an era when there was a real stigma associated with mental illness so for many these attitudes are deeply ingrained and still driving their behaviour today.”
’Feeling depressed or anxious is just something they have to put up with’
To view more of this story visit the Homecare.co.uk website
Companionship services for the elderly in Hastings
It saddens me to read the statistics about loneliness amongst our Senior Citizens and makes me passionate about promoting not just our Companionship Service but the local Community Groups working to provide activities and events that will enable people to come together and socialise.
One example of this was evident when I went along to The Isabel Blackman Centre on Thursday 28th September to support their Community Cake Sale. The cake and tea was appreciated, delicious and free, with cakes on sale to take home with you.
The organisers/staff/volunteers I spoke with were friendly and welcoming. The Country style singers ‘The Blue Bayou’ were just right for the occasion, with Rod working the stage and entertaining the visitors like a true professional, supported by carol who was charming and sung beautifully.
Mostly I enjoyed seeing the elderly visitors happy and participating. I look forward to returning, the event is held on the last Thursday of every month.
Anyone interested in supporting their events or volunteering please follow the link:
https://www.escis.org.uk/advice/older-people-counselling-and-advice-advice/isabel-blackman-centr
