Introducing older people to the wonders of SKYPE

Just before Christmas I heard of an interesting project to demonstrate the benefits of SKYPE  to residents of local retirement homes.

As Diane Atkinson of Cressida (www.cressidasolutions.com) explains: “ We take our laptops into local retirement homes to show the residents how wonderful SKYPE  is.  We do all the hard work, the retired person just sits in front of the laptop at the appointed time, they do not touch the laptop, they do not need to learn how to use it, we do it all and they just sit and talk to relatives and friends anywhere in the world. 

We have such fun practising with them, having them SKYPE other residents in different rooms and pretending they are in Australia (last time we did it, as well as discussing the weather in Australia, the talk was about Barbies and mankinis!!)  It is such a laugh.

We know from experience that elderly people love talking to their relatives and seeing them on screen is such a treat for them. Certainly with grandchildren, it’s probably the only way they will communicate! 

It is also easier for relatives and friends far away to see their loved ones.  Perhaps due to work commitments or family they cannot visit every week, so this is a way for them to see their loved ones and by seeing them can detect things that cannot be seen speaking over a phone line.” 

The project is not without its challenges, however, Diane has told me that it can be difficult to get hold of the details (email addresses/SKYPE name/phone numbers) of the relatives far away, who would benefit from this service. Also with the time difference, there are three different time slots, mornings to speak to Australians etc, evenings to speak to UK/European working people and Sunday afternoons to speak with Americans etc.. 

I think this is a really worthwhile project. Most retirement homes have someone who comes in every week to help residents use their own computer; this is a service for those who do not own a computer and have no wish to learn how to use one, but are able to video link with their relatives and friends.  Not only are older people being encouraged to use technology and get on line, but most importantly it sounds like good fun for everyone involved.

For more information about SKYPE, CLICK HERE

Bringing childhood memories to life with Spoken Memoirs

Last year I wrote about Lewes-based Sarah Hitchings and her business, Spoken Memoirs which records personal life histories using high quality digital equipment to create a broadcast quality CD.

This Christmas I finally got to see an example of Sarah’s work with the publication of my father’s childhood memories covering the years between 1941 and 1954.

In addtion to two CDs of Sarah’s interview with my father, there is also a written transcipt illustrated with some precious family photographs.

Whilst none of the material is new to me, many of the stories having been told to us throughout our lives, it is fascinating to read them all together as one narrative.  The verbatim quotes in the transcript also capture my father’s voice perfectly.

The finished result is an extraordinary record for the family to keep for future generations. How amazing to be able to read the words and hear the voice of one’s ancestor!

There are many ways of capturing and storing memories via digital archives and social media but Spoken Memoirs make the whole process really easy and by using taped interviews, ensure that the final memoir is as coherent and comprehensive as possible.

For more information about Spoken Memoirs, visit  www.spokenmemoirs.co.uk

12 gifts ideas to help someone make a fresh start in 2012

Our fantastic  Move It or Lose It! chair-based exercise DVD has been featured on the It’s in the Stars blog as a great gift idea to help someone make a fresh start this year.

“12. If your parents or grandparents have become less mobile or a loved one is temporarily incapacitated, help them get fitter with the Move It or Lose It DVD of chair-based exercise.”

To see the post in full, visit http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com/12-gifts-to-help-someone-make-a-fresh-start-in-2012/

Happy Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!

Happy Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year 2012 to all our friends and customers.

Image courtesy of  Caitlin Aldrich-Wincer

More photos from the Collyer’s “Designing for the Future” Prize Giving

Last week we announced the winners of our latest “Designing for the Future“ competition at Collyer’s Sixth Form College in Horsham, West Sussex.

This popular competition, which is now in its second year, encourages young designers to think about the challenges that an ageing population presents – and to create innovative, attractive and aspirational designs that allow people to continue to live enjoyable, active and independent lives as they get older.

The winning design by Collyer’s AS level student, Alex Francis is an ergonomic handle designed to hold a number of shopping bags with a unique reminder ring which makes sure you never leave your bags behind again. 

The runners up were no less ingenious. Mike Davies designed a vibrating pillow alarm clock ideal for deaf people and also considerate spouses not wanting to wake their partner; Isabelle Parker devised an elegant heated back support and Sam Hammant came up with toast tweezers – perfect for extracting annoying pieces of toast stuck in the toaster.  Aston Cheesman’s design was a clever chair port with adjustable tray table and Ben Palmer took the idea of long handled back brushes a stage further with his shower aid which is pre-loaded with shower gel. 

We were delighted to be joined at the prize giving not only by the Principal Dr Jackie Johnston, staff, students and parents but also Sean McCrumlish, Chief Officer of Age UK Horsham who came to look at the projects and speak to the students about their designs for older people.

This competition is a group effort and a big thank you goes to  Kate Sharp (Faculty leader – Arts and Communications) and Hari Atkins (Subject Leader – Product Design, Materials) who skillfully steered an impressive 85 students through the project and selected the final 20 who presented their designs to the judging panel.

It has not been a great week for education in the UK, with the integrity of our public examination systems being called into question, but occasions like this remind us of  the talent and creativity amongst our young people and also the passion and determination of those who teach them.

West Sussex County Times features our student design competition

Nice coverage here of our “Designing for the Future” design competition with Collyer’s Sixth Form College from West Sussex County Times who have supported us since we launched. Horsham in Sussex is one of the fastest ageing populations in the UK with the number of people over 65 set to increase by an astonishing 60% between now and 2026.

Our winner, Alex Francis designed an ergonomic shopping bag handle with a clever reminder ring which ensures you never lose your shopping!

More details of the competition HERE.

Ergonomic shopping bag handle with reminder ring wins this year’s Collyer’s ‘Designing for the Future’ competition

An ergonomic shopping bag handle which stops you forgetting your shopping has won first prize in this year’s “Designing for the Future” competition run by The Future Perfect Company and The College of Richard Collyer in Horsham, Sussex.

This popular competition, which is now in its second year, encourages young designers to think about the challenges that an ageing population presents – and to create innovative, attractive and aspirational designs that allow people to continue to live enjoyable, active and independent lives as they get older.

The winning design by Collyer’s AS level student, Alex Francis is an ergonomic handle designed to hold a number of shopping bags with a unique reminder ring which makes sure you never leave your bags behind again. 

The runners up were no less ingenious. Mike Davies designed a vibrating pillow alarm clock ideal for deaf people and also considerate spouses not wanting to wake their partner; Isabelle Parker devised an elegant heated back support and Sam Hammant came up with toast tweezers – perfect for extracting annoying pieces of toast stuck in the toaster.  Aston Cheesman’s design was a clever chair port with adjustable tray table and Ben Palmer took the idea of long handled back brushes a stage further with his shower aid which is pre-loaded with shower gel. 

Says Philippa Aldrich, founder of The Future Perfect Company :” We are delighted to be running this competition for a second year with Collyer’s and their excellent Arts faculty.  With design education under threat, we think it is very important to be supporting young designers in this way, particularly when their creativity and skills will be essential to us all as we get older. The Horsham district has one of the fastest ageing populations in the UK and there is a real need for designers to think about the challenges that will bring.  Alex’s shopping bag handle allows you to carry more than one shopping bag comfortably. And the reminder ring makes sure you never leave your shopping behind. Although designed with older people in mind, this product has universal appeal and would be really useful for Christmas shopping!”

Judge Craig Barrow commented “The students showed a high quality of research and development within their chosen areas of work producing a wide range of ideas and interesting concepts. Congratulations to the winners.” 

The competition was open to Collyer’s students on the GCE Advanced Subsidiary Product Design course and is integrated into that course. Last year the exam board congratulated the College on using this live brief.

The judges included Denise Stephens (co-founder of online design community Enabled by Design), Craig Barrow (former winner of the “Designing for the Future” competition at University of Brighton), and Philippa Aldrich (founder of The Future Perfect Company). Tutors Kate Sharp (Faculty leader – Arts and Communications) and Hari Atkins (Subject Leader – Product Design, Materials) acted as advisors to the judging panel.

Perfect age-friendly Christmas gift ideas for Mums, Dads and Grandparents

£10 and under

The perfect gift for the seasoned traveller, these Travel Notes are designed to be just the right size, small enough to tuck into a pocket but large enough to include notes, photos and keepsakes.

Make light work of peeling all those vegetables this Christmas. Known as The King of Peelers, this OXO Good Grips potato peeler is simply the best peeler you will ever try! The OXO Good Grips range was originally designed with arthritis in mind and all the tools are very comfortable and easy to use. 

Or  treat someone special to a Weekend Pamper kit from the Green People . The ultimate organic spa experience, perfect for more mature skin.

Under £20

For the golfer in your life, the Bionic Golf Glove is the only golf glove to be designed by an orthopaedic hand surgeon.  Promising longer distance and greater accuracy these gloves are made of top-grade cabretta leather to make them feel like a second skin.

This practical Gardening Journal is the perfect place to make notes as the seasons change and record future plans  with its colourful loose-leaf section and storage pockets.

Keen gardeners might also like our OXO Good Grips tools which are designed to give maxmimum strength for minimum effort. OXO Good Grip’s pruners have a hardened, steel cutting blade with non-stick coating, and soft, comfortable, non-slip grips to maximize cutting strength and power.

Or how about one of our colourful handmade double handled mugs?  The unusual two handled design makes holding them a delight and is particularly comforting when you are feeling under the weather or just wanting to relax

Or for those keen on researching family history, this lovely Family Tree file  comes complete with keepsake box.

Under £50

Our gorgeous Typhoon shopping trolleys are sure to cut a dash on any high street.  Let this smart shopping trolley take the strain with its fully insulated cooler bag and, two spacious side pockets for additional storage and a drawstring and Velcro fastening to keep items safely tucked away.

Or how about the versatile Trabasack, part bag, part table? So much smarter than the average laptray. Perfect for picnic lunches or using the iPad, crafting or even eating breakfast in bed.

As featured in Design Week and brimming with character, our best selling handmade doublehandled teapot, has a helpful second handle by the spout, making it easier to pour. 

Under £100

Treat someone special with our ever popular Healthy Back Bags in gorgeous soft leather. Style with comfort, these bags manage to combine practicality with elegance, whilst taking the strain off your back.

Over £100

Any Christmas gift  list would not be complete with an Alex Table Lamp. See life more clearly with the ultimate in reading comfort. Perfect for reading the Sunday papers.

A chilling story about unscrupulous companies preying on older people

I heard a worrying story today about unscrupulous companies preying on vulnerable older people.

My friend, a lady in her 90s, received a phone call from someone wanting to visit her to discuss a “change in terms for her care alarm”. She agreed a time but feeling a little uneasy asked her daughter to be present.

At the appointed time, a tall man arrived and asked first to use the toilet which was slightly odd. Then he came into the sitting room and asked if he might have a cup of tea. At this point, my friend’s daughter was getting rather suspicious and started quizzing him about the company he represented. It transpired that he did not work for the company which supplied my friend’s current care alarm but a rival company and he was there to persuade her to switch contracts.

Feeling not a little discomforted, my friend’s daughter asked the salesman to leave.

My friend’s daughter has notified the appropriate authorities but the damage is done.  Both my friend and her daughter have been shaken by this whole espisode.

What struck me was that this is not a dramatic tale in that (fortunately) nothing was stolen and no-one was attacked.  But these sort of insidious and underhand sales tactics can badly undermine a person’s confidence and there is something so cynical about directing them at our vulnerable older people who are often too polite to say no.

iHUS – an instant granny annex

Need extra space for a carer, a granny annex or simply just a downstairs bathroom or wetroom but can’t face the upheaval of re-configuring your home or building an extension? At Naidex South this year, I came upon a solution – the pre-fabricated iHUS.  

By chance, Grand Designs on Channel 4 last night was all about pre-fabs. Kevin McCloud went to visit Alan Dawson who had built much of his house in his workshop before transporting it to site.   

The iHus follows similar principles to the Grand Designs pre-fab but is much quicker to build. The whole unit is put together in the factory and then simply winched into place. I am told that standard installation time including groundworks is just 2 weeks. 

An iHUS can be of any size, with a range of different bespoke finishing touches, inside and out, and with as little or as many rooms as are needed.  The units can be manufactured  to any finish and specificaiton, from roofing styles to the number of plug sockets. And most importantly the exterior can be finished to match your home. 

Planning permission is usually required. 

When you want to move, you can either leave the iHUS in place (it is an accredited extension that exceeds British Standards) or take it with you. 

iHUS was founded by Trevor Smeaton and Mark Smith who believe they have found a gap in the market by combining high quality accommodation for older and disabled people with an innovative approach which enables families to stay together comfortably. They work with a team of occupational therapists and design and adaptations experts to make sure they understand the needs of their customers – not many builders do that!

I think the iHUS is a great idea with huge potential and could be the solution for lots of hard pressed families wondering how they are going to cope with multi-generational caring.

For an example of how installation of an iHUS has worked for one family and some more photos, read Chantal and Chris’ story here:http://www.ihusaccess.com/chantal-and-chris-say-thank-you-ihus

For more information, visit www.ihusaccess.com