Could This Drug Cure Depression In Elderly?

While the likes of easy access baths offer elderly people the chance to live their lives as normally as possible, in spite of any medical conditions or pain, there are some issues for this community which aren’t so quick a fix as remodelling a bathroom.

It’s estimated that three per cent of the UK population suffers from depression, and of course the elderly are not immune to this horrible disease. In fact, the elderly can be harder to treat in this regard, as they tend to have more medical problems which could interfere with the medication used according to The Independent.

However, a recent study has found a new solution which is said to be having a ‘truly remarkable’ effect on elderly patients suffering from depression in particular. The drug, Ketamine, is one that is associated with two things in everyday life. Best known as a tranquilliser on prescription, it has also involved into a illegal recreational drug.

The research, carried out by a university in Australia on a group of 16 patients over the age of 60 who have ‘treatment-resistant’ depression, saw 11 out of the 16 see significant improvements in their condition.

On using the controversial drug, Dr Loos, who ran the study, said: “Some people mistakenly think we are inducing a temporary, drug-induced euphoria and people are ‘out of it’, which is why they’re not depressed.”

However, the drugs mind-altering effects take place in the first hour only, and the patients consider this an adverse effect which they did not enjoy. The anti-depressant qualities set in hours later, and are at their peak 20 hours after taking, at which point the mind has settled back to normality.

Top Tips For A Multi-Generational Household

With house prices increasing, more and more people are thinking of new and unconventional ways to get on to the property ladder. Teaming up with family members is one way to combine resources and also enjoy the benefits of extended family life.

Moving in with parents, grandparents or relatives from different generations is not without its challenges, though – take a look at our top tips for creating a multi-generational household setting that caters for everyone’s needs.

 

Your own space

Communal areas are important for creating a cohesive family unit and providing space for everyone to enjoy one another’s company, but equally, a separate space is necessary for those times when you need privacy. Consider the layout of the property and ways to divide large spaces – such as stud walls – or think about adding extra rooms like a conservatory to provide some personal areas.

 

A safe setting

If members of your household are very young, elderly or disabled, safety will be a key focus when planning your property’s layout and furnishings. Easy access baths or showers can transform a hazardous bathroom into a much safer space for older relatives, while fittings like blinds with short instead of dangling strings can make the living room a safer place for toddlers, for example.

 

Schedules and strategies

Different generations often have different habits, so drawing up a schedule can help ensure everyone gets to do what they need to during the day without treading on one another’s toes. If space is at a premium, knowing when members of the household like to use communal areas like the kitchen and bathroom can help ensure family life runs smoothly.

Bathroom Lighting Important For Safety

If you suffer from any kind of mobility issues, you’ll know that the bathroom is a place where you have to be particularly careful. This room in the home can often be where trips and slips occur and you need to do everything possible to minimise the risks if you’re already struggling to get around.

There are many modifications you can make to your bathroom, such as installing easy access baths, grab rails and anti-slip flooring. One area that you may not think too much about, but which could further enhance safety in your bathroom, is lighting.

An article in the Journal-News recently explained how lighting in bathrooms has functional as well as aesthetic purposes.

The publication noted that having a well-lit bathroom can reduce the likelihood of people slipping or tripping on an unseen hazard, so you need to ensure that your lighting is bright enough to properly illuminate the space.

Task lighting, focusing on a mirror, is a common feature in many bathrooms, but the news provider also suggested that having the right level of ambient lighting is important to ensure that the space is usable at any time of the day.

Last month, another US publication suggested that you should start thinking about how to modify your home to help you as you age while you’re still physically able to do everything.

It pointed out that this will help to spread the cost of modifications that can be costly if done all at the same time, as well as give you peace of mind that you’ll be able to stay in your own home for years to come even if your health changes.

Adapting ‘Key’ To Living With Dementia

When you are diagnosed with dementia life can seem to get more difficult, and for many people it’s a scary time where they worry about what will happen next.

One dementia sufferer, who writes a blog about her experiences, recently wrote an article for the Yorkshire Post explaining that adapting to life with dementia is the key to being able to enjoy yourself.

Wendy Mitchell was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 58. Now 61, she has been sharing her experiences of living with the illness with others. One of her top pieces of advice is to stay busy. She explains that being involved with different things is the best way to keep her brain ticking over.

“If you don’t use it, you lose it – even more so with dementia,” she stated. But one of the main messages she shares is that you need to adapt your life to cope with the condition.

“You can still live positively if you accept that changes need to be made to compensate for the bits of your brain no longer working as they did,” she wrote, adding that this is a constant process because the disease will always bring more challenges that need to be solved.

Adapting can be anything from changing your routine to making physical changes to your property, such as by adding easy access baths, to make it easier for you to carry out everyday tasks in your own home.

Earlier this year, president of Alzheimer’s Research UK David Cameron called on the government to allocate more funds for research into dementia, stressing that the money made available to fight this illness should be on a par with that allocated to tackling cancer or strokes

6 Best Essential Oils For Pain Relief

If you’re suffering from arthritis you might be interested in the best easy access baths and showers, to make mobility around bath time a little easier.

For those who do suffer, you may be as interested as us to discover the best essential botanical oils you can use to help relieve the pain of arthritis and joint pain in the bath. With this list from care2.com you’ll be able to find particular oils for different kinds of joint pain and discomfort.

Black pepper

Perfect for healing joint pain, this is a potent oil so make sure you add one or to drop to another sensitive oil before applying to skin.

Lavender

This sweet smelling botanical is perfect if your joint pain keeps you up at night as it’s a great relaxant on the body. Some oils are best diluted but this can be applied neat to palms of your hands or the soles of your feet before bed.

Ginger

This spicy ingredient has some powerful properties, when applied to your skin is gives a pleasant warming sensation and is great for stiffness of fibromyalgia which cause deep muscle pain, painful tender points.

Lemongrass

Not only does this oil have a pleasing smell it’s also great for toning the tissues and tendons in your body which in turn can help joint the joint and relieve pain.

Marjoram

This amazing ingredient is not only for your favourite pasta dishes when its oil is extracted it’s great for apply to areas of muscle ache and can help with bruises and sprains.

Peppermint

Another essential oil with a great scent like lavender, peppermint contains a compound which helps to alleviate inflammation. Make sure when buying peppermint oil you find a good concentrated batch.

Too Few Seats For Elderly Shoppers This Christmas

Elderly people will be gearing up to do their Christmas shopping just as much as anyone else, but they probably will not be looking forward to it due to the fact that there are not enough seats for them to rest on the high street.

 

According to a study by the International Longevity Centre (ILC) – UK, one in five shoppers over the age of 70 are deterred by shopping in town centres because there are not enough places for them to sit down, the Daily Mail reported.

 

Many elderly people who have more mobility problems than younger consumers need to rest more often. However, their needs are not being catered for, particularly at busy times such as during the festive season. Subsequently, the report found older shoppers spend 14.5 per cent less money on the high street than other groups.

 

ILC – UK director David Sinclair was quoted as saying: “More older people means more older consumers and a high street that is increasingly dependent on this group of the population. Catering to their needs makes business sense.”

 

He added that making the high street inviting for those with mobility problems could “unlock the silver pound”.

 

Indeed, the research suggested that failing to cater to those over the age of 50 could cost shops, cafes and eateries £3.8 billion a year.

 

It is not just shopping that elderly people find more difficult and simple daily tasks like having a shower or getting dressed can prove challenging as we age. Easy access baths such as Practical Bathing’s could make all the difference to anyone with mobility problems, and gives householders a bit of their independence and confidence back.