Home Instead Senior Care is calling on older people across Westmeath to ‘age loudly’ in 2014 with the launch of their new edition of Senior Citizen: The Essential Guidebook, a survival guide to ageing in Ireland.
Owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Westmeath, Teresa O’Reilly, was joined by Ireland Rugby coach Joe Schmidt this week to launch the guide for 2014. Home Instead have an office based in Mullingar that covers counties Westmeath, Longford, and Offaly.
Supported by Age Action, the HSE, and Nursing Homes Ireland, the 2014 edition of this free guidebook encourages older people to take personal responsibility for their future.
So how do you ‘age loudly’? Do you want to learn how to Skype your grandchildren living abroad but feel embarrassed about joining a computer class? Are you feeling a bit under the weather but fear going to the GP for a check-up? Are you finding it difficult living alone but are too proud to ask for help? Or perhaps you feel overwhelmed at the thought of getting your legal affairs in order? If you ‘Age Loudly’ you will be proactive in making such decisions and plan now for active and healthy ageing.
Teresa O’Reilly of Westmeath Home Instead Senior Care said, “The Central Statistics Office predicts that, over the next 30 years, the number of people over the age of 65 will double and the number over 80 will quadruple. Our ageing population is certainly one of humanity’s greatest triumphs. But it is also one of our greatest challenges with increased economic and social demands on our country, in terms of our funding for quality health and social services, increased cost of living, changes to family and community settings with increased emigration, social isolation, and so on.”
The guidebook highlights key areas such as diet, exercise, socialisation, understanding your benefits and entitlements - your medical condition if you have one, appointing a power of attorney, and considering your preferred care options for later life.
“Arming yourself with this knowledge will help Ireland create a very much needed culture of care planning, and we believe this is the key foundation to successful ageing,” says Teresa.
Senior Citizen: The Essential Guidebook 2014 is out now with 40,000 free copies available from Home Instead Senior Care offices. To order a free copy call Home Instead Senior Care in Mullingar on (044 ) 9385260. Alternatively read it online or download a pdf at homeinstead.ie
