Me and my trusty steed Shylo will be undertaking a two day 70 mile endurance ride across the Leicestershire/Derbyshire countryside at the end of August.
I will be accompanied by riding novice Priory Care Homes Regional Manager Elizabeth McConnell. We will take it in turns to ride Shylo, a nine-year-old Welsh Cob, for an hour at a time while the other walks alongside.
The aim is to raise at least £5,000 for Action on Elder Abuse, a charity that aims to prevent the abuse of older people by raising awareness; encouraging education; promoting research; and collecting and circulating information.
Protecting vulnerable members of society is crucial and the charity Action on Elder Abuse does sterling work to ensure that older people are treated with dignity, respect and kindness
I thought an endurance ride was an unusual way to raise money for what is a worthy cause.
Dr Dan Nightingale, the Priory Group’s Head of Dementia Services
Monday, 21 June 2010
Friday, 18 June 2010
Parental advice to help children cope with exam stress
Here's a checklist to help parents prevent their children falling victim to exam stress.
Youngsters all over the country are currently gearing up for a taxing time as they sit tests in their chosen subjects in the coming weeks.
The telltale signs of exam stress that parents should look out for in their children include:
1 Disrupted sleep pattern
2 Becoming increasingly emotional - anger, tearfulness, anxiety or depression
3 Difficulty concentrating
4 Becoming negative and lacking confidence
5 Headaches, general aches and pains
6 Loss of appetite
7 Becoming overly-focused on revision to the exclusion of other activities
Feeling a bit nervous about exams and adrenaline kicking in is a natural response which can in fact help make people more focused and more alert.
However, it is when this escalates into acute fear and anxiety that it can start hindering a child’s ability to cope, have an adverse impact on their health and affect their ability to revise.
Parents can assist by adopting a range of approaches to help their children handle the pressures of studying for exams.”
1 Help their children plan a weekly revision schedule in advance so that everything doesn't build up at the last minute. Advise them to include plenty of contingency time in case subjects take longer to revise than initially planned. It is important they avoid last minute 'cramming', as this creates particularly high levels of stress, anxiety and even panic attacks.
2 Make sure their children schedule in time for themselves. They should make specific “appointments' within their revision timetables when they leave their books and study to one side and concentrate on their well-being. They should switch off for a while by meeting with friends, doing some exercise or some other pastime or hobby they particularly enjoy.
3 Having enough sleep is one of the most vital elements of staying physically and psychologically sharp. Youngsters studying for exams should aim for regular bed times and wake-up times. Parents should be vigilant for any disruption in sleep, particularly early-morning wakening or difficulty getting off to sleep. This could be a warning sign of stress building up.
4 Encourage their children to share their thoughts. Revising for exams can be difficult for anyone. If they’re finding things tough, opening up and talking it through with family, friends, or teachers can help.
5 Spur their children on to believe in themselves. Performance coaches for top athletes have long-known that in order to achieve success, we have to believe in our own abilities. Suggest that your children imagine getting the marks they want, in the subjects they want. This includes imagining how good that feels. They should hold on to that feeling of success and accomplishment and keep it with them as they revise.
6 Get help early. If parents think their children are starting to feel that the process of exams and revision is too much to cope with and this is affecting their health, then seek help sooner rather than later. The family GP or their school/college should be able to put parents in touch with counsellors or specialist providers who can rapidly get their children back on the road to recovery.
Dr Ian Drever, Priory Woking
Youngsters all over the country are currently gearing up for a taxing time as they sit tests in their chosen subjects in the coming weeks.
The telltale signs of exam stress that parents should look out for in their children include:
1 Disrupted sleep pattern
2 Becoming increasingly emotional - anger, tearfulness, anxiety or depression
3 Difficulty concentrating
4 Becoming negative and lacking confidence
5 Headaches, general aches and pains
6 Loss of appetite
7 Becoming overly-focused on revision to the exclusion of other activities
Feeling a bit nervous about exams and adrenaline kicking in is a natural response which can in fact help make people more focused and more alert.
However, it is when this escalates into acute fear and anxiety that it can start hindering a child’s ability to cope, have an adverse impact on their health and affect their ability to revise.
Parents can assist by adopting a range of approaches to help their children handle the pressures of studying for exams.”
1 Help their children plan a weekly revision schedule in advance so that everything doesn't build up at the last minute. Advise them to include plenty of contingency time in case subjects take longer to revise than initially planned. It is important they avoid last minute 'cramming', as this creates particularly high levels of stress, anxiety and even panic attacks.
2 Make sure their children schedule in time for themselves. They should make specific “appointments' within their revision timetables when they leave their books and study to one side and concentrate on their well-being. They should switch off for a while by meeting with friends, doing some exercise or some other pastime or hobby they particularly enjoy.
3 Having enough sleep is one of the most vital elements of staying physically and psychologically sharp. Youngsters studying for exams should aim for regular bed times and wake-up times. Parents should be vigilant for any disruption in sleep, particularly early-morning wakening or difficulty getting off to sleep. This could be a warning sign of stress building up.
4 Encourage their children to share their thoughts. Revising for exams can be difficult for anyone. If they’re finding things tough, opening up and talking it through with family, friends, or teachers can help.
5 Spur their children on to believe in themselves. Performance coaches for top athletes have long-known that in order to achieve success, we have to believe in our own abilities. Suggest that your children imagine getting the marks they want, in the subjects they want. This includes imagining how good that feels. They should hold on to that feeling of success and accomplishment and keep it with them as they revise.
6 Get help early. If parents think their children are starting to feel that the process of exams and revision is too much to cope with and this is affecting their health, then seek help sooner rather than later. The family GP or their school/college should be able to put parents in touch with counsellors or specialist providers who can rapidly get their children back on the road to recovery.
Dr Ian Drever, Priory Woking
Thursday, 17 June 2010
Do you remember when, as youngsters, we listened to proper records? They were produced on vinyl and span around on a record player. None of these rickety CD’s whose box breaks upon opening the damned thing for the first time!
Can you remember your very first record? I can – it was called Swing Low Sweet Chariot and I think it was by Dolly Parton. I can just hear the voice of the youth of today ‘Swing what? Dolly who?’
Can you remember going in to cafes and choosing a record on the Juke Box? Again, I can remember this, and I believe they still exist in some public houses (those who know me will support my claim that I never frequent such places!).
So, if I’m writing about the care and support of older members of our society, why am I harping on about records, vinyl, juke boxes and good old Dolly Parton?
The answer is quite simple. I am trying to explain why there is an obvious lack of respect, dignity and value directed to such elders. I mean, let’s think about it for a moment:
How did we make the transition from listening to music through a box we call a record player to a box we call a computer?
Well, it didn’t happen overnight, though to some of us it may well appear that way. In fact the transition was gradual, and it just happens to be that the same can be said about the way we treat the most vulnerable yet most valuable members of our society.
We can start by considering the family – values, traditions and lifestyles. I was a 60’s child and, unlike all my childhood friends and peers, I was an only one, as were my parents. So, even as an exception to the extended family, my nuclear upbringing still involved respecting my elders, my teachers, the village bobby and, of course my parents.
I think about what I did for amusement and entertainment, and it inevitably involved playing outside and mainly with a football. Television was something of a luxury and toys weren’t half as advanced as they are today. I remember having a Macano set, and not knowing what the Hell to do with it. Well, I wouldn’t would I? Even today, at the grand old age of 45, those around me get very nervous if I so much as look at a hammer or lift the bonnet of my car!
My point here is that I had to play out. The alternative was to stay inside and read a book or write a story, or poem. Things I loved, and still love, to do. I would always help the old lady across the road and remember one time being asked by someone to climb through her window so I could open her door and let her in – she had forgotten her key. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there are some youngsters out there today that would do the very same.
My point is that modern day technology is taking people away from society. In the modern age, we can survive without even leaving the house! We can shop online; we can do our banking on line; we can work from home; we can use machines to solve problems from spelling a word to working out pi – not only do we not have to think much anymore, but we don’t have to interact with other human beings much either. So, what impact does this have on caring for older people?
It appears that, not only are we a society of ‘techno reliants’ we are also much more of a nuclear family these days. I believe this is one factor that leads to the lack of respect for older people; I believe another to be the fact our younger generation have no respect for themselves, or each other. We can see this from the behaviour of many school pupils, and the lack of respect for their teachers. I am sure there are numerous other factors too, but, for the sake of this paper and its limitations, I shall focus on respect.
If the younger generation is deprived of vital socialization in mainstream community, respect for the older generation cannot possibly develop outside the family circle. Youngsters are kept indoors more than they have ever been before. Some parents fear for the safety of their young ones, others may find it easier to provide kids with a computer, play station, X box and other solitary interactive gadgets – let’s face it, we adults are overworked, over-stretched and, quite frankly, knackered at the end of a long day!
So, whatever the reasons, we are where we are. Despite campaigns by the Department of Health, Age UK, Action on Elder Abuse, the Alzheimer’s Society and many other pressure groups, attitudes towards older members of society in the UK remains unacceptable.
The challenge to society is quite simple: change those attitudes to encourage respect. By facilitating relationships between youngsters and older members of society, we can achieve just that.
A very simple and straight forward strategy is to work with schools and local colleges; to establish befriending schemes, to have a real community presence and to participate in that community. By bringing together people of all ages we can close the generation gap, encourage mutual respect, help facilitate human interaction and pull youngsters away from their goggle boxes.
Give it a go. See what happens. Hopefully, the juke box will make a dramatic reappearance!
Dr Daniel J Nightingale
Head of Dementia Services
Care Homes for Older People
Can you remember your very first record? I can – it was called Swing Low Sweet Chariot and I think it was by Dolly Parton. I can just hear the voice of the youth of today ‘Swing what? Dolly who?’
Can you remember going in to cafes and choosing a record on the Juke Box? Again, I can remember this, and I believe they still exist in some public houses (those who know me will support my claim that I never frequent such places!).
So, if I’m writing about the care and support of older members of our society, why am I harping on about records, vinyl, juke boxes and good old Dolly Parton?
The answer is quite simple. I am trying to explain why there is an obvious lack of respect, dignity and value directed to such elders. I mean, let’s think about it for a moment:
How did we make the transition from listening to music through a box we call a record player to a box we call a computer?
Well, it didn’t happen overnight, though to some of us it may well appear that way. In fact the transition was gradual, and it just happens to be that the same can be said about the way we treat the most vulnerable yet most valuable members of our society.
We can start by considering the family – values, traditions and lifestyles. I was a 60’s child and, unlike all my childhood friends and peers, I was an only one, as were my parents. So, even as an exception to the extended family, my nuclear upbringing still involved respecting my elders, my teachers, the village bobby and, of course my parents.
I think about what I did for amusement and entertainment, and it inevitably involved playing outside and mainly with a football. Television was something of a luxury and toys weren’t half as advanced as they are today. I remember having a Macano set, and not knowing what the Hell to do with it. Well, I wouldn’t would I? Even today, at the grand old age of 45, those around me get very nervous if I so much as look at a hammer or lift the bonnet of my car!
My point here is that I had to play out. The alternative was to stay inside and read a book or write a story, or poem. Things I loved, and still love, to do. I would always help the old lady across the road and remember one time being asked by someone to climb through her window so I could open her door and let her in – she had forgotten her key. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there are some youngsters out there today that would do the very same.
My point is that modern day technology is taking people away from society. In the modern age, we can survive without even leaving the house! We can shop online; we can do our banking on line; we can work from home; we can use machines to solve problems from spelling a word to working out pi – not only do we not have to think much anymore, but we don’t have to interact with other human beings much either. So, what impact does this have on caring for older people?
It appears that, not only are we a society of ‘techno reliants’ we are also much more of a nuclear family these days. I believe this is one factor that leads to the lack of respect for older people; I believe another to be the fact our younger generation have no respect for themselves, or each other. We can see this from the behaviour of many school pupils, and the lack of respect for their teachers. I am sure there are numerous other factors too, but, for the sake of this paper and its limitations, I shall focus on respect.
If the younger generation is deprived of vital socialization in mainstream community, respect for the older generation cannot possibly develop outside the family circle. Youngsters are kept indoors more than they have ever been before. Some parents fear for the safety of their young ones, others may find it easier to provide kids with a computer, play station, X box and other solitary interactive gadgets – let’s face it, we adults are overworked, over-stretched and, quite frankly, knackered at the end of a long day!
So, whatever the reasons, we are where we are. Despite campaigns by the Department of Health, Age UK, Action on Elder Abuse, the Alzheimer’s Society and many other pressure groups, attitudes towards older members of society in the UK remains unacceptable.
The challenge to society is quite simple: change those attitudes to encourage respect. By facilitating relationships between youngsters and older members of society, we can achieve just that.
A very simple and straight forward strategy is to work with schools and local colleges; to establish befriending schemes, to have a real community presence and to participate in that community. By bringing together people of all ages we can close the generation gap, encourage mutual respect, help facilitate human interaction and pull youngsters away from their goggle boxes.
Give it a go. See what happens. Hopefully, the juke box will make a dramatic reappearance!
Dr Daniel J Nightingale
Head of Dementia Services
Care Homes for Older People
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Priory doctor goes for Gold at 2012
Psychiatry registrar Tamsin Lewis has put her medical career on hold to follow her dreams of becoming a triathlon contender in the London 2012 Olympic games.
She has left her post at the Priory Roehampton Hospital in London to train full-time for the Olympic selection process, which takes place later this year.
Tamsin will move into sport professionally with sponsorship from the Priory Group, which will be helping to cover some of the training costs involved.
Tamsin blogs: This has been a massive step for me; I have trained in the medical field for over ten years and have enjoyed my time as a psychiatrist immensely. When I started training for triathlons and winning races I realised that I could become a serious contender in the sport, but if I was going to follow my dreams, I would have to give it 100% of my time and commitment.
I am not saying I won't return to medicine in the future, and I will certainly be studying the links between sport and mental health further, but in order to consider the Olympic selection process I need to train full-time and in countries around the world.
My friends and family have been really supportive, and I'm really looking forward to the future, but most of all I am so grateful to the Priory Group for all the support everyone has given me.
She has left her post at the Priory Roehampton Hospital in London to train full-time for the Olympic selection process, which takes place later this year.
Tamsin will move into sport professionally with sponsorship from the Priory Group, which will be helping to cover some of the training costs involved.
Tamsin blogs: This has been a massive step for me; I have trained in the medical field for over ten years and have enjoyed my time as a psychiatrist immensely. When I started training for triathlons and winning races I realised that I could become a serious contender in the sport, but if I was going to follow my dreams, I would have to give it 100% of my time and commitment.
I am not saying I won't return to medicine in the future, and I will certainly be studying the links between sport and mental health further, but in order to consider the Olympic selection process I need to train full-time and in countries around the world.
My friends and family have been really supportive, and I'm really looking forward to the future, but most of all I am so grateful to the Priory Group for all the support everyone has given me.
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Warning - the World Cup can seriously damage your health!
While most of us are sitting back enjoying the football there are those who take things to extremes.
Becoming obsessed with the football to the detriment of a normal life is one potential snag, as is the temptation to use the tournament as an excust te binge-drink.
Dr Wayne Kampers, consultant at the Priory Altrincham blogs: Many fans will wathc the match at the pub with friends, or at home with a constant supply of cans and bottles. Alcohol consumption is sure to rocket during the World Cup and while most supporters will drink responsibly there will be those that go too far.
Binge drinking is a very serious health and social issue, which could have far reaching consequences if not controlled.
Some studies show that drinking a large amount of alcohol over a short period of time may be significantly worse for your health then drinking small amounts frequently.
Priory Group's own research has found that 23% of adults have a drink to 'cheer up' when they fell a bit low so as well as celebrating victory fans will be drowing their sorrows following a defeat.
Becoming obsessed with the football to the detriment of a normal life is one potential snag, as is the temptation to use the tournament as an excust te binge-drink.
Dr Wayne Kampers, consultant at the Priory Altrincham blogs: Many fans will wathc the match at the pub with friends, or at home with a constant supply of cans and bottles. Alcohol consumption is sure to rocket during the World Cup and while most supporters will drink responsibly there will be those that go too far.
Binge drinking is a very serious health and social issue, which could have far reaching consequences if not controlled.
Some studies show that drinking a large amount of alcohol over a short period of time may be significantly worse for your health then drinking small amounts frequently.
Priory Group's own research has found that 23% of adults have a drink to 'cheer up' when they fell a bit low so as well as celebrating victory fans will be drowing their sorrows following a defeat.
Monday, 14 June 2010
New care home in Norfolk
Priory has announced that it will be opening a new care home for older people, in Watton, Norfolk. There will be 60 or so jobs created in the area, which is brilliant news for local people.
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Priory Group blog
Experts from the Priory Group, the UK’s leading independent provider of acute mental health services, secure and step down services, specialist education, complex care and neuro-rehabilitation will be blogging here on a wide range of subjects.
These will include mental health, addicitions, eating disorders, specialist education including autism and Asperger's syndrome and related topics.
www.priorygroup.com
These will include mental health, addicitions, eating disorders, specialist education including autism and Asperger's syndrome and related topics.
www.priorygroup.com
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