Over the next few days a series of spooky and potentially scary things are on the horizon:
- The clocks go back 1 hour.
- Halloween
- Bonfire & Fireworks night
Great fun for all the family. Well, most of the family. Each year, our lovely CareGivers work hard to reassure those of our clients who struggle with dates and times, or who live alone and are unnerved by some of the noise and excitement that the rest of us enjoy. We do our best to prepare them for what might otherwise result in great anxiety. So, this week, I thought I’d share some tips on how to help our elderly neighbours and relatives cope with what can be an unsettling few days.
British Summer Time ending, Clocks go back to GMT
The clocks go back 1 hour overnight Saturday/Sunday (30th-31st Oct) this weekend (at 2 am to be precise). For most of us – fantastic – an extra hour of sleep! But for others, potentially very confusing.
While our smartphones automatically adjust to GMT, other devices around the home do not. Our CareGivers will be helping clients all over the area, resetting clocks, watches and timers in things like cookers, microwave ovens, and central heating on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, making sure their clocks are right and all their appointments will happen on time as expected.
Do you have an elderly relative or neighbour who may struggle to reset the time on their clocks, watch and other devices? What about their central heating timers, especially as the winter weather approaches? Perhaps you could offer to stop by and get them all synchronised again?
Halloween
Halloween, on Sunday, October 31st, is a tradition that goes back centuries especially with the Celts, and got its name in the 18th century from the term “hallowed (holy) evening”. It also has roots in ancient beliefs about the end of harvest time and the start of winter. Traditions such as the carving of pumpkins and dressing in costumes started back then, but in the 20th Century, especially in the USA, Halloween become more associated with partying and “trick or treat” fun and pranks.
However, for some in the community, having strangers knocking on their doors dressed as ghosts and witches can be intimidating and distressing. So, if you have young people in your families who enjoy trick or treat, please help them understand the importance of being careful not to scare people who perhaps don’t enjoy it so much! Do remind them to avoid homes that are not displaying pumpkins and spooky decorations.
And, if you have a neighbour who is still concerned about having people knocking on the door when they would sooner be enjoying a quiet night in, simply drop us an email on twyford@rightathome.co.uk and we’ll send an electronic copy of our natty “Please No Trick Or Treat” poster that you can print off for them.
Bonfire Night
Finally, Remember Remember the 5th of November – another very traditional time in British culture when the story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpower Plot is remembered with Bonfires and Fireworks across the land. Coming soon after the spookiness of Halloween, late-night fireworks can not only worry pets (so keep them indoors and comforted) but also elderly people who may be confused by all the commotion. So again, spare a thought for your elderly relatives and neighbours, and be ready to reassure them if they worry about the noise.
Kevin Lancaster
Right at Home Reading & Wokingham District
