Author: Senior Times

Good news – ‘grey power’ is ending those lurking suspicions, the feeling that it’s  ‘too late,’ that you’re `past it’ or ‘too old’ to try out a new experience, travel off the beaten track, learn new skills, or take on challenges. So, it’s not only never too late, but an ideal time to fulfil that long held ambition, or develop a new on. Lorna Hogg offers a few challenges Learn to read Many older people have developed complex avoidance techniques to hide the fact that they can’t read or write very well. This is becoming increasingly difficult, as so much…

In her latest quest to trace the roots of  celebrated Irish and British literary figures , Lorna Hogg goes on the trail of one of the true giants, Charles Dickens.. When you wish a friend ‘Merry Christmas’,  cheerfully hand over that  seasonal donation, or just look forward to all the traditional celebration, it’s not all due to clever modern advertising. Charles Dickens encompassed both the greeting and goodwill into his  popular novella  A Christmas Carol, which has become part of our modern Christmas celebration. We all know of Dickens’s unforgettable range of characters – Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bill Sykes, the…

According to The Alzeimers Society there are 50,000 dementia caregivers in Ireland  Pat is about to finish his shift at work. He wants to get home in good time before the home help finishes. Pat will prepare dinner for himself and his wife Eileen, and help her to eat. They will try to watch television for a while, but she finds it difficult to concentrate on anything for long. Eileen has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia-she has worsening memory, making it difficult to do many of the things she previously took for granted. Even allowing for her memory problems, her…

They say opposites attract, and that was certainly the case for Mairead Robinson’s parents as she tells their story These days many couples meet each other on-line, while for the previous generation it was usually at a dance or disco. But what about the generation before that, how did they find their partners?  My parents met and married in the late 1940s, a period just after the war when times were really tough.  And yet, against all odds, the English Rose and the Irish Charmer  met and fell in love and got married and settled into their new home in…

New SOS GPS Watch Phone allows you to Locate, Monitor & Communicate with your loved ones via your mobile device A new lightweight device designed to give peace of mind when it comes to the safety of your elderly parents was launched this week.  Called the Liberty Watch from WatchOvers, it’s a watch, a phone and an SOS GPS location device, all in one. The Liberty is a wristwatch that allows you to instantly locate your loved ones via an App on your smart phone, letting you see where they are no matter how far away. It is suitable for the…

“Save Your Breath” Awareness Campaign Urges People to Know the “ABC” of COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – and Safeguard Your Health  It’s the fourth most common cause of death in Ireland after lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. Yet, incredibly, many people with the disease have absolutely no idea that they have it and do not even know what it is. An estimated 380,000 people are thought to have the condition, with numbers alarmingly on the rise. Ireland has amongst the highest rates of death from COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, in Europe, with one person dying…

Lorna Hogg looks at Christmas markets packages on offer this year When it comes to traditional Christmas Markets, Prague and Krakow are always amongst top choices. Along with unspoiled architecture with fairylit stalls, hot spicy snacks, artisan crafts and carols, there is the possibility of a snow sprinkled break. With value deals for under €200, it’s hardly surprising Irish visitors return – and return. Prague  is offered by Click & Go, with a  3 night trip, 4 star hotel 2 adults sharing, B&B double room, with return flights for €199 PPS in December. Krakow is available from €159pp, 3 nights,…

Pat Keenan loved the food, the people and sites in the ‘heel’ of Italy In 1958 Italy came third in the Eurovision Song Contest with a song called Nel blu, dipinto di blu (In the sky, painted blue). It became a worldwide runaway hit as Volare performed by Dean Martin and a slew of others, Louis Armstrong, Cliff Richard, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, all sang their versions. Just 35k south of Bari Airport, near the top of Italy’s heel in Puglia, is Polignano a Mare, a town perched on craggy cliffs high above a very blue Adriatic…

Pauline Bewick celebrated her 80th birthday on 4th September last, a birthday which saw new work being launched at Taylor Galleries, Kildare Street, Dublin. ‘Life, Love and Launch,’ proved to be another major success as Bewick’s themes  through the ages have always proved compelling. She is a constant delight, as artist, sensual woman, wife, mother, grandmother. All of these layers are what make her the individual she undoubtedly is.  She also appeared recently with Ryan Tubridy on The Late Late Show, proving she is as articulate and beautiful as ever. This exhibition is aptly named for an artist who has…

Claire Bourke, who has lived in the French capital for some years, offers a guide to some of its lesser known attractions, centering on her adopted area, Monmartre Monmartre is like a little Paris within Paris, and is Paris’ famous artistic neighbourhood. Forgo the touristic spots, get away from the ‘Amelie’ strip, and discover some secret gems only known to locals. Mingle with Parisians in bustling food markets, visit the small streets that are  a reminder that Montmartre was once quiet countryside and discover a hotel-top bar to watch the sun set over the Eiffel Tower.. Enquire when making your…