Category Archives: Anything & Everything

Jun6

Designing Your Own Custom T-Shirts

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Designing Your Own Custom T-Shirts

Designing a few custom t-shirts can be a great way to promote your brand, represent your favorite local club, or just have some unique articles of clothing in your wardrobe. Regardless of what purpose you’ll be using your custom shirts for, there are some particulars you’ll want to consider beforehand. Here’s what you should be keeping in mind:

What’s Your Goal?

You might think a t-shirt is just a t-shirt, but it pays to think about your goals before jumping into your design phase. If you’re going to be marketing your custom shirts as a sale item, you’ll want to craft them with that purpose in mind. Techie has a great write-up that covers how you can craft shirts that will sell well, with some choice tips being that you should concentrate on basic colors (like black) and simple designs.

If you’re going to be using your shirts to market your brand, as part of a unifying outfit for an organization, or just for your own enjoyment, however, you can experiment more with colors, font choices, patterns, and the like. The more personal to yourself you intend the final product to be, the more leeway you’ll have in this regard.

What About Your Design?

No matter your goals, you’re going to want whatever shirt you design to be high quality. If you have a measure of graphic design talent yourself, you can get to work devising your t-shirt art, remembering to keep in mind some of the best practices for doing so. Both 99designs and Creative Bloq have excellent guides that can set you on the right track. Above all else, you’ll want to take the tone and personality you’re trying to convey into account:

“You want to make sure your t-shirt design communicates clearly…Is your brand playful or serious? Edgy or conservative? Luxurious or affordable? A focused t-shirt design can answer all of these questions at a glance.”

You can convey a great deal of information with the right graphics. Do your research if you’re going for any sort of symbolism, and don’t go too “on-the-nose” if you’re trying to attempt something humorous. Remember: the small details matter, but subtlety and simplicity will help you win the day when it comes to designing the best t-shirt you possibly can.

Now, if you aren’t particularly savvy when it comes to design, but still have some ideas that you think would look amazing printed, you might have to turn to a third party to help bring your vision to life. Companies like The Teehive (and others) are generally regarded as specialists when it comes to putting designs onto clothing. Normally, working with such a business to complete your designs grants a few options.

You could, for instance, select one of the designs that they have available, applying subtle (or sweeping) customizations to make them more personal and applicable to your brand.

This might be a good option if you don’t need anything overly-distinct, but if you have something more innovative in mind, a better option would be to work with a designer directly. You could describe your idea to them and they would use your input to draft something that fits what you’re going for.

If you decide to go the third-party route, remember that the tried-and-true wisdom on selecting the right graphic designer to work with you is always applicable in such scenarios, and you should probably prioritize quality and professionalism over pricing in most situations.

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Chillin’

What About Getting Your Shirts Printed?

Unless you’ve got a screenprinting business set up in your back office, you’ll need to turn to the pros for this final step. Again, there are plenty of companies that can assist — from your local print shops to bigger names like The Teehive — and a skilled touch is exactly what you’ll need to bring your shirts to life. Just remember, there are plenty of options when it comes to t-shirt fabrics, weights, sizes, labeling, etc. that will affect the look of your end product and total costs. Make sure you take all of these into consideration to ensure that you end up with custom t-shirts that make you satisfied.

Wrapping Up:

Going the custom t-shirt route for your brand, club, or personal enjoyment has its intricacies but, when done right, it can be a worthwhile endeavor. Keep some of these tips and considerations in mind and, above all else, you should try to create something that speaks to you — just a bit of thought in this regard will go a long way in ensuring the best quality.

Featured Image By: Pexels

May1

The Art Of Simple Living

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The Art Of Simple Living

With the world in somewhat uncertain times, and things like the fuel, food, and the cost of living rising, budgets are getting more and more stretched. So while this is going on, many people are looking to cut back in different aspects of their lives. In essence, they have been looking to live a more simplistic life, that can lead to being happy and healthy, in spite of all that is going on around them.

But what is simple living and how can you apply it in your life? In short, it is about living with the things that you need to survive and to make you happy; it is living a life without excess. We can so often confuse what our real needs are with the things that we want. Things like cable TV or processed fast foods are not necessary for living, but we often think that we need them. It might be easy to think that these kinds of things will help to make your life easier or better, but in many instances, this isn’t the case. So if this sounds like a type of living that you’d like to start embracing, here are some practical ways that you can bring simple living in at home:

Declutter:

One of the best things that you can do to start off with is decluttering. Whether that be looking for somewhere that does skip bin hire and throwing things out that you don’t need (or selling them) or decluttering your personal life, it can all help to give you some much-needed clarity. When you have a home that is filled with only the things you need, and not full of excess, it is a good place to start. It clears your mind and can actually be good for you.

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Decluttering is key!

Establishing Wants And Needs:

As has been described, it is a great thing to distinguish between the wants and needs in your life. This can stop you from overspending and stop you from filling your life with excess. So get back to basics; what do you need in your life? If you write things down and make a list, it will help you to know the areas that you need to cut back on. Many people spend more than they think about, especially for things like socializing. Grabbing a coffee here or going for a drink there can all add up. Are they essential in your life, though?

One Step At A Time:

It is important to not give up everything all at the same time, especially if there are certain aspects of your life that are really essential to you. Being able to go the gym may be a vital part of your mental health and wellbeing, so that could stay in there. Some people enjoy going out to eat. While you could still do this, you could just get a main course, rather than a three-course meal, for instance. You’re just going for what you need to sustain you, and not wasting money or calories on excess.

Simple living is an amazing way to bring clarity into your life as well as saving some extra moolah!

Apr18

Learn To Live For Today And Plan For Tomorrow

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Learn To Live For Today And Plan For Tomorrow

We all walk a fine line with our finances. We don’t want to spend our time doing nothing, we want to enjoy ourselves and experience life’s little luxuries from trips away to fun purchases. If you constantly favor saving over spending, you’re going to have a pretty boring life. At the same time, though, we have to prepare for tomorrow. We need to think about making sure that we are going to be financially secure ten days, ten months, or even ten years from now.

It seems that we are under constant pressure to plan for tomorrow. Just look at the housing market. As soon as you hit your twenties, there will be people around you, telling you to buy a home. A home gives you some form of financial security sure, but it also ties down your finances. Now, for years, you’ll need to fit in mortgage repayments into your budget. These can be incredibly expensive and will make paying for those luxuries that you love just that little bit harder. As such, it might be wise to not buy a home until you have the income where you can easily cover this cost and still live a full life. Or, simply prepare to accept the fact that, at least for a short time, you won’t be able to afford those fancy trips or that new car. You can learn more about whether you can afford to buy property on www.cnbc.com.

The lesson here, is that it’s a balancing act. It’s about balancing what you need with what you want. It’s about balancing what you must spend with what you’d love to purchase. It’s about planning for the future while still enjoying the present so that one day you’ll be able to look back at the past with no regrets. So, let’s explore some of the ways you can do this, and we can start by thinking about budgeting:

How Should You Budget?

Budgeting is actually easier than a lot of people realize. You need to start by working out exactly what you make per month. This is the total amount you have to play with, and it should include all of your incomes. So, if you have a side hustle, make sure that this is counted. Unless you would rather see that as extra money.

Don’t forget about cryptocurrency too, which certainly counts towards your income. More and more people are turning to bitcoin and the like to make more money. Does the concept of cryptocurrency go over your head? You’re not alone! Check out this Reddit best cryptocurrency guide to learn more about cryptocurrency exchanges.

Then, subtract all of the costs that you are aware of. This includes bills, rent, mortgage repayments as well as an average food cost. So, you might budget fifty a week or more for food. Now, the amount you have left should be halved. Half of this must go into savings. Set yourself a goal to save each month and put this as a direct debit on your account. Just like a tax, it will leave your account at the end of each month. This cuts out the choice of hanging onto it and spending it. Congratulations, you’ve just made a smart choice on how to prepare for your future.

The other money you can spend however you like. Put it towards your holiday, use it for presents or nights out. Maybe an evening at the casino or playing online games at home with friends? Learning how progressive jackpots work can most definitely help to increase your spending money!

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Budgeting is key!

Play With The Numbers:

This is where you need to start cutting costs on things that you need so you can afford things you want. An example of this would be something like energy bills. We all have to pay energy bills, but they should be more manageable if you can go a little more green. Make changes to your home to save energy, and you’ll have a little extra to spend each month. It won’t be much, but it will make a difference. Since you have already set a target, add that to your spending budget for now.

You can also think about boosting your income. What you’re looking for here is a passive income. There’s no point in taking on a second income to enjoy your spare time if you’re going to end up with no time to spare. There are various options for passive incomes from the stock market to property or even looking into cryptocurrency. Research a few and find out which one will benefit and suit you the most. There are plenty of resources available for gaining a better understanding of cryptocurrency like how to YouTube videos or step by step websites. Comprehensive guides can be most helpful and sites of those from local experts or bitcoin trader deutschland will give you a run through of how cryptocurrency works.

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Flickr Image

Preparing For Disaster:

Of course, your budget is based on your income. Any hit to your income will kill both your spending budget and your savings. Worse still, it might mean that you have to use your savings to cover expenses that you can no longer afford. You can see how this would be an issue. Suddenly, you don’t have any money in your account for the future. This is where great budgeting advice that is found on www.lifehacker.com comes in handy. But how do you handle this situation?

You have to prepare for any disaster that can be foreseen. You’re probably thinking, wait a minute – unexpected costs can’t be foreseen. That’s why they’re unexpected. It’s not true. You might not expect to develop a disability, but you can forsee that it’s a possibility so you should plan for it. Anyone could develop a disability. You might be involved in a car accident, you could fall at work, or it may even develop due to biological causes. Since it could happen, you should plan for it. According to www.insurestat.com, doctors should definitely do this because anyone working in the medical field who develops a disability will probably be unable to work. As such, they should protect their income. You can protect your income with disability insurance and guarantee that you are always on roughly the same level of pay. Regardless of whether you can work or not.

This isn’t the only disaster you need to prepare for. You have to consider the worst-case scenarios that could impact your finances. Medical bills, for instance, are one of the greatest causes of debt in the USA today. You can plan for this by buying into the right health coverage plan that provides everything you might need.

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Insurance is a must.

Don’t Always Wait For Tomorrow:

Tomorrow doesn’t always come. Or rather, you can miss too many tomorrow’s and before you know it you’ve run out of time to do what you want. This may sound morbid, but you could die tomorrow. So, you might constantly be putting off that holiday to a point where you can easily afford it and when you’ll still have savings. But what if that day never comes? Most people do live their lives on an average, basic income. They never reach that 100K a year paycheck, and yes you can wait until retirement and use your 401K. But, after you’ve retired, you might not have the energy or the health to do everything you wanted. Don’t let life pass you by while you wait around for the right moment to do something.

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 #justdoit

Live For What You Love:

Finally, you need to make sure that you’re not spending your hard earned money on things that you don’t want and that you don’t need. This happens all of the time. We’ve already mentioned one example, and that’s property. Buying a home can be right for some people. But, if you are still moving around and haven’t settled, it’s just a waste of money and adds plenty of stress to your life that you don’t need. Instead, you should continue to rent. While it might be dead money, it can be far cheaper than purchasing a home that you may never pay off.

Ultimately, you have to live your life in a way that makes sense for you and financial purchases should be part of that decision. Some people spend their whole life traveling around the world, work by freelancing, and never once think about settling down into a comfortable routine. This site, www.justonewayticket.com, has some great advice on spending your life traveling. Could this be the lifestyle of your dreams? Perhaps! And as long as you have a plan for tomorrow, you can live however you want to today.

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#goals

Featured Image By: Maxpixel

Apr13

Mastering The Art Of Giving A Thoughtful Gift

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Gift buying can be very stressful, whether it’s for birthdays, Christmas, Easter, or the other hundreds of events that seem to take place each year. It’s not that you don’t want to give gifts to the people you love – it’s that choosing gifts for so many different occasions and so many different people can be exhausting and overwhelming. You don’t want to disappoint anybody, but it can often be hard to think of any good ideas. Obviously, your loved ones will say it’s the thought that counts, but that’s the problem – there are no “thoughts” in your head. Until you read this article, of course!

A day out:

One of the best gifts that you can give to a loved one is a day out together. Spending time together is a gift in itself, as cheesy as that might sound. Obviously, you shouldn’t say “I am the present” because that might seem a little as if you forgot to buy a present for the person in question (Plus, you don’t want to sound bigheaded!). But, a day out is certainly one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give somebody if you do it correctly. Think about that person’s favorite place in the world and take them there. If their favorite place is too far away – like a vacation destination in Europe, for example, fear not! Assemble a care package of gifts europe themed and it will spoil them with mementos and a reminder of their happy place.

A personalized gift:

Adding a customized touch to a present tells the person that you made or bought this thing especially for them. This will definitely make an impact on the person for whom you buy the gift, because it lets them know that you put some thought into the present. You could view here if you wanted to get a custom phone case for a friend. You could get a photo of the pair of you printed on it. You could even create a personalized piece of artwork for someone if you have creative ability. Of course, think about what they might like but think outside of the box too! A proud pet parent would love a Dog Mug with their four-legged friend’s picture on it. An exercise enthusiast could get great use out of a personalized duffle bag. As we’ve discussed throughout this article, a gift doesn’t have to be expensive – it just has to be thoughtful. A customized present definitely shows that you’ve put thought into it.

Food (candy and other treats usually work best):

If you’re really panicking about birthdays that are just around the corner, then food is always a safe bet. Everybody loves food of some kind, so just think about the preferences of the person in question and go wild. Whether it’s a Christmas gift, birthday gift, or even a baby shower gift, food is the type of present that works for any occasion you can imagine. Obviously, you’ll need to make sure it’s presented nicely; get some gift wrap, a bow, and perhaps a nice plate (depending on what it is, of course).

Food is a simple gift, but it’s one that is guaranteed to succeed if you know the person well. Of course, it should be an exciting piece of food – a few apples might not be very exciting unless they’re a fruit fanatic. If they’re a fan of sweet treats, however, then those always make the perfect gift. You could even bake your own treats for the person in question. The homemade touch adds some personal flavor to the gift. As mentioned in the previous point, personalized gifts are always very well received.

Drink related gifts also tend to be very well received. Perhaps you could do a smoothie kit with a blender and recipe book? Or maybe your giftee appreciates a drink or two over the weekend. If so, you could check out the Bourbon Boujee Buddy Bottle Bundle or a similar package gift with their favorite alcoholic beverage. The beauty of food and drink presents is that they are sure to be used and your giftee will think of you when they do so.

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Yummm!

A nostalgic gift:

If you really want to tug at somebody’s heartstrings, then you should opt for the nostalgic angle when you buy them a present. Show them that you not only remember the recent good times you’ve shared together but the good times you’ve shared over the years. Perhaps one of your parents has a birthday coming up. You could buy them a copy of a board game that you used to play together when you were little. Maybe it was lost somewhere along the line, so it’ll be a sweet gesture to give your parents a new version. Or maybe you could find some old photographs of you and your childhood friend – reminding them that you’ve always been close friends and you always will be.

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Board games provide hours of fun, too!

Concert tickets:

As you’ve probably gathered by now, the most thoughtful gifts are ones that show you know or care about the person in question. That’s why a concert ticket to see their favorite artist is such a great idea. It combines a few of the things we’ve discussed already. It could be a fun evening out for you and your buddy, but it’s also a thoughtful gift because it shows that you know them well. Plus, the joy of seeing their favorite musician will be a great gift in itself.

Gift buying can be stressful with all of the occasions to present presents for throughout the year. But if you put some thought into it, you’ll be just fine!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Apr13

Appropriate Gifts For All Occasions

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Appropriate Gifts For All Occasions

There are many gifts to give for holidays, birthdays, and the like that are simple for you to buy and appreciated by the recipient. Unfortunately, some of these items leave you feeling like you didn’t buy an actual gift or you are left wondering how to present it to the person. Use the following tips to ensure that you are going to please everyone on your gift list this year:

Gift Cards:

Nothing makes a better gift than gift cards. You don’t have to worry about getting the right size or color, and the recipient can shop for exactly what they want. However, it doesn’t look like much of a gift. Be creative and tuck gift cards into coffee mugs along with candy or chocolates. Purchase a decorative box and slip it inside, or give it inside of a wallet to add some panache to the presentation.

Sweet Treats:

If you love to bake, cookies and cakes are always a welcomed gift. Presentation is everything in these situations. Purchase decorative plates to put them on and wrap the treat in cellophane tied with a ribbon bow. You can also place them in a basket along with a Christmas ornament or one of the Jim Shore figurines from Coppin’s gifts during the holidays.

Food:

Food makes an ideal get well gift, new home gift, or holiday present. If you are giving an entire meal, put it in a picnic basket or carrier that they can keep. You could also present it on a dish or platter that you purchase just for them. Take advantage of aluminum covered, disposable bakeware too. Put all of the containers in an insulated bag tied shut with a big bow.

By taking a simple gift and going one step further with it, you elevate items like gift cards, baked goods, and food to a new level. Anyone would be pleased to receive these gifts, and no one will accuse you of taking the easy way out when it comes to gift giving.

Mar22

Confidence Boosting Secrets You Can’t Deny

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Confidence Boosting Secrets You Can’t Deny

If you are looking to improve the way that you think about yourself, it is a good idea to be aware of the many options there are available for you to do just that. The more that you know about how to boost your confidence, the more likely it is that you will be able to maintain a real sense of it for longer. In this article, we are going to look at some of the secrets to boosting your confidence, which you can’t deny are powerful. Give all of these a go if you want to feel as confident in yourself as possible. You might be surprised at the power that these methods really do hold:

Improve Your Appearance:

People often get confused or upset about the subject of improving your appearance. The fact is, that you don’t need to try and make yourself fit into a typical beauty standard in order to be confident or happy. It’s not about looking in such a way that society wants you to look, or even about trying to attract the opposite sex. It’s all about looking the way that you personally want to look, despite what others might think. For some people, the only thing they want is a breast augmentation. For others, all that is required is to dress differently or slim down a little. Whatever your own idea of beautiful is, follow it with your heart and it will lead you to a place of better self-acceptance in no time.

Go Outside Of Your Comfort Zone:

Probably the single most powerful way to build your confidence is to engage in acts which you find difficult or scary to engage in. In other words, you generally need to go outside of your comfort zone regularly if you are to try and feel as confident in yourself as you would like to. This can be done in a variety of ways. It might be a case of trying to complete a new kind of project – or maybe you just want to get involved in a new sport that you haven’t tried before. Whatever it might be, trying new things and becoming generally more adept at them will make you feel like you can do anything – which is absolutely true. You can.

Smile:

It’s a proven fact that smiling regularly boosts endorphins and helps you to feel better about yourself. If you are struggling with any other confidence-boosting method, then a simple and powerful one could be to just smile and relax. Even if you don’t feel like it, giving a great big grin could sometimes be the best thing to do. What’s more, doing it regularly will help you to change what you think of yourself in a profound way, so it’s definitely something that you should try out. You might be amazed at just how much of a difference it makes – and how fast it happens, too. For that reason alone it is something to consider, regardless of whether you have thought to do it before or not.

In this world, confidence is key and boosting it could be the best thing that you do for yourself.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jan25

7,000+ Followers!!!

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7,000+ Followers!!!

Woohoo!!! I just had to write a quick post to thank all of my readers, because I now have over 7,000 followers!! This is a gigantic landmark and I am so proud to be on the better half to 10,000 lifewithlilred followers – so here’s to making that happen. 😀 Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of my friends and followers of lifewithlilred, because this achievement is compliments of each and every one of you!

I’M SO HAPPPPPPPPPPY!!!!!

Jan21

Blogging Tips (Since You Asked!)

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Blogging Tips (Since You Asked!)

Hey! Okay, ever since my post about my 2017 stats, I have been receiving a lot of cries for help in the blogging world for tips and tricks. So, today, I thought that I would share the wealth and give some advice for those who want to see more action on their page. The tricks that are seen below have worked wonders for lifewithlilred and I have already seen an increase in my numbers in this month alone. Let’s get to it!

Write, Write, Write:

You can’t have a blog without content and it is SO important that you keep cranking posts out. In 2017, I posted every single day and that gave me the best stats yet in my almost four years of blogging. Can’t commit to daily posts? Then try and create a schedule and stick to it so that your readers will know which days to come back to see something new.

Branch Out:

I always thought that my page would be strictly a beauty and fashion blog, but one will find that they lose inspiration for content very quickly if they limit themselves to just one or two categories of writing. Try giving other styles of writing and different subjects a go and see the spikes in your stats from your spicy new content.

Interact With The Blogging World:

Bloggers won’t bite, I promise. The blogging community is so fantastic, talented, and welcoming. Explore different blogs, make new friends, and gain insight into literally any topic that you can imagine. I have made countless amazing friends through lifewithlilred and that’s what is most important to me, always. The extra exposure that you can get from interacting with others is just another sweet added bonus of the blogosphere.

Social Media Is Your Friend:

If you have a ton of Facebook friends or followers on Twitter and Instagram, then why not share your blog on your social media? My URL for lifewithlilred is the first thing that people see when they find my personal Facebook page. I never am spammy about my posts or anything like that, but my URL is there for those that want to explore my blog further.

If you have a specific likeable page for your blog on social media, that’s great. I have one, myself, but I pick my battles and I chose to spend more time on my actual WordPress blog rather than trying to get more people to like my lifewithlilred Facebook page. Be picky about what you put your time and energy into and make sure that what you choose is what would benefit your blog the most.

In Conclusion:

Admit it, when you started blogging you thought that it would be a piece of cake. You also might have been a bit shocked to find out that it’s not in the slightest. Blogging is hard work that you really have to dedicate yourself to if you want to see results. Not only that, but it’s a little bit of luck, as well. But, with the tips above, you can make the odds of seeing the fruits of your labor flourish turn more in your favor. Good luck!

What are your blogging tips and tricks? What are your goals for your blog? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pinterest

Jan7

lifewithlilred By The Numbers In 2017

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lifewithlilred By The Numbers In 2017

Hellloooooooo and happy Sunday! With a brand new year upon is, it’s time to explore lifewithlilred By The Numbers In 2017. My blog is my pride and joy, and I am so pleased with the progress that I have made this past year to keep my page running smoothly. As always, thank you to all of my readers and friends who stop by on my page – all of you have helped to make 2017 the best year yet on lifewithlilred! These stats and the progress made since 2016 would be simply impossible without each and every one of you!

2017 Stats:

  • Overall Views: 66,000
  • Followers: 6,730
  • Likes: 27,000
  • Comments: 4,300
  • Countries I’m Read In: 170+

Wow!!! I love how WordPress gives you your stats by the day, month, and year so that you can really track the strides that have been made on your page as time passes. It helps me so much in deciding feasible goals for each month and the entire year. Do I wish that I could get 100,000 views in 2018? Who doesn’t?! But, I would be SO pleased with 75,000 and am going to do everything in my power to make that happen this year. #GOALS

How do you create goals for your blog? What is something about your page that makes you proud? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec20

Looking After Ageing Parents: Day Care VS Companionship

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Looking After Ageing Parents: Day Care VS Companionship

If you’re in the position where you are having to face the daunting reality of looking after your ageing parents, it’s understandable that you might feel like you have the weight of the whole world on your shoulders; not only do you have to manage your own work/life balance, in addition to taking care of your family, you now face increasing pressure to take care of your parent or parents.

Indeed, taking care of elderly parents can be a real struggle; Not only must you find a solution that tends to their medical, physiological, and practical needs but also their social and emotional needs, as well. One would imagine, at this juncture, that all you want to do is take care of your loved ones in their old age, but there’s a limit to how you can protect them from the inevitable pitfalls of ageing. You’ve weighed up the pros and cons of trying to care for them yourself. You’ve been through a thousand Care.com reviews to check if they’d be a good fit for some in-home care. You’re trying to explore every single option you can find to make sure your parents have the support they need. But it can be a losing game. No matter how hard you try, you’re unlikely to be able to take care of the full gamut of your parents needs – but there is an area, that is often overlooked that you can play a vital role in.

This area is that of tending to their emotional and social needs. One of the core problems elderly people face is loneliness – this sense of loneliness can be much more debilitating than any of their physical ailments and it’s totally avoidable. Again, you’re unlikely to be in the position to be a full-time companion, and it’s important that you don’t give yourself a hard time for this… as there are ways of caring for their social needs without you needing to be at their beckon call. This article explores three options that you have available to lighten the load:

Paid Companionship:

It might feel like a strange notion to have to pay someone to offer companionship, but given the level of patience and the complexity of your own emotional experience in looking after an elderly patient; an external companion can provide great relief for both you and your parent. You should check out services like the senior companion program that use senior companions to provide genuine companionship from a place of authentic like-mindedness, people who are truly able to relate with their companion as a peer; rather than a disinterested person intending to make ‘easy’ income.

The important thing when searching for a companion, therefore, is a genuine connection that leads to natural rapport. There are plenty of elderly people that wouldn’t fancy the idea of having a companion, in this way, out of pride or perhaps fear that they don’t want the awkwardness of having to interact with someone they don’t really know or trust; therefore it’s of critical importance you find someone that can relate on their level – and the natural choice would be a similarly aged peer.

Daycare:

There are many daycare options available, where people get to interact with their peers, however something to be mindful of is that just because someone is elderly doesn’t mean that they want to be put on a coach and force fed bingo sessions. It’s important you find a daycare center that is aligned with your parent(s) interests and natural character.

Assisted Living:

Should your loved one need more care than regular pop ins from you or a daycare, you might want to consider assisted living. These spaces are often specific for people who need memory care or have difficulty completing daily household tasks safely. To ensure your parent is receiving the best quality senior care, schedule tours at several different locations. Pay close attention to how the staff behaves and if the residents seem happy and as healthy as they can be. Do be sure to try and visit as frequently as you can to verify that your parents’ needs are being tended to in a loving and timely manner.

In summary, you really want to find something suitable for your parents that naturally aligns with their character. Most people value developing a deep and meaningful friendship with a person rather than several superficial acquaintances; but both options lend themselves to this. The most important thing to remember is that it’s your parent who should be deciding how they spend their time and one of the greatest gifts you can offer is your patience, understanding, and flexibility in meeting their needs rather than your own.

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