Why you Never Stop Marketing, No matter what

 

When business is booming or you are expecting a busy season, it makes sense to invest more resources in marketing your business.

 

But what happens when sales are not as high? Do you keep on sustaining your marketing efforts? Do you scale down or stop altogether?

 

Cutting down marketing costs seems less painful because it does not involve firing anyone.

 

During recessions, you can fall back on your loyal customers to give you some cash flow and maybe even open up some new revenue streams.

 

At this time, you have to be careful to discern which marketing costs are absolutely necessary and which you can do without.

 

You don't want to hurt your business further instead of saving it. Continuing to spend money on marketing that doesn't add to your bottom line is a waste.

 

On the other hand, if your effort to save on marketing ends up costing you money, then you are sabotaging your own survival.

 

A strong brand that consumers find familiar and trustworthy is more likely to survive in the long run.

 

Take a market downturn as an opportunity to get rid of any advertising spending that is yielding low returns on investment. It is not a good time to hang on to less effective advertising tactics.

 

It is also a time to look for more efficient and innovative ways of meeting the needs of your customers.

 

Going Digital

There is no evidence that online sales alone can carry a company. But what we have seen from 2008 and 2020 is that online sales generally stay high during downturns.

 

In the recession of 2008, online spending only went down by 2% compared to a drastic drop in overall spending. From the 2020 experience, Amazon has not only made more money but has also become even more powerful (if you can imagine that), from the pandemic of 2020 that has left so many people out of work.

 

The fact that Amazon is scaling up at a time when most other retailers are cutting down is proof that online sales are not as badly affected as offline sales.

 

Adjust your Goals

Obviously, not every business is going to grow during an economic downturn. The goal, as some have thoughtfully opined, may be to just survive. Growth is a bonus.

 

For others, the goal might be just to avoid firing people. Some businesses are celebrating because they are making 70% of their usual profits at a time when others are doing far worse.

Stay Agile

When the economy is down, there are new challenges and new opportunities for business. Don’t just ride it out passively in hopes that you will survive the storm. It puts you in an extremely vulnerable position where you are more likely to become a victim of change.

 

Taking a proactive approach to your marketing may be the difference between making it or not making it.

 

Anticipate different scenarios and ensure that your team is prepared for all of them.

 

Understand your Customer

With all the upheaval that is going around, there is a chance that the needs and wants and motivations of your customers have also changed. This means that any time you invest in understanding your customer afresh is not in vain.

Why Hydration Matters so much, and how to tell whether Someone is Dehydrated

 

https://veritascare.co.uk/hydration-is-important-old-age-2/

Water as a source of Nutrition

We all know that water keeps us hydrated and alive. But we often forget that water feeds us because it carries important nutrients. 

 

Besides its normal function of keeping us alive by facilitating the regeneration of body cells, water does so much more. Here are just some of the functions of water in the body:

 

• Calcium - water is one of the sources of calcium for the body. 
• Calcium - water provides copper which has antioxidant properties
• Magnesium - water provides magnesium which is crucial for the health of the cardiovascular system and strong bones
• Potassium - we get our potassium from water. Potassium facilitates biochemical processes like blood clotting
• Selenium - Selenium is an important nutrient for a healthy immune system. It is also an antioxidant
• Sodium - sodium helps to balance the concentration of water within and outside of the cells. WE lose sodium when we sweat too much.

 

The human body can go for more than three weeks without food but no more than 3-4 days without water. This shows just how important water is for the health of our bodies.

 

The body of an adult is up to 65% water. The amount of water your body can hold varies depending on your age, fitness level, and age.  Because your body holds so much water, you have to stay hydrated to function as you should. 

 

How to Know for Sure if you are Dehydrated

Losing water happens naturally as we go through our days, but healthy individuals drink fluids and eat food that replaces the water they are losing. 

 

When you are losing more than you are taking in, you are dehydrated and this loss of water makes it difficult for your body to function as it should. 

 

You can become dehydrated for any of the following reasons:

• Not drinking enough water
• Diarrhea
• Frequent urination
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Kidney ailments
• Medication and its side effects
• Excess sweating

 

Symptoms of Hydration

• Headaches
• Arm or leg cramp
• Nausea
• Fainting
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Dry skin and mouth
• Low blood pressure

 

Lesser-Known Signs of Dehydration

• Loose skin which does not bounce back after you pinch it
• Extreme thirst
• Yellow urine or little urination
• Faster than usual heart rate
• Sunken eyes

 

Why Seniors are More Likely to be Dehydrated

Older people don’t feel the sensation of thirst as keenly as younger people, but their bodies are just as likely to get hydrated. This means that they are more likely to get dehydrated as evidenced by the fact that dehydration is one of the frequently occurring reasons for individuals older than 65 to be hospitalized. 

 

Seniors just don’t feel thirsty enough and this makes them vulnerable to dehydration. This means that carers and family members have to watch out for the symptoms of dehydration as well as the causes of dehydration and make sure that the seniors in their lives stay well hydrated. 

 

Why Preventing Dehydration in the Elderly is so Important

While it is possible to help a dehydrated senior, it is still far better to protect them from becoming dehydrated in the first place. 

 

Whenever you suspect that an older person might be dehydrated, you must seek medical intervention immediately because a glass of water alone may not be enough to address more severe symptoms like a quickening heart rate or stomach cramps.

 

Because preventing dehydration in the elderly is so important, here is how we can get the older people we care about to consume more water:

 

• Offer water-rich foods like Juicy Fruit or Soups
• Provide a water bottle within reach
• Add fruit slices, lemon, or cucumber slices to water to make it more palatable
• See that they consume water gradually throughout the day and not all at once
• Minimize intake of alcohol or caffeine which have diuretic effects

 

Watch Out for Heatwaves

Seniors are more vulnerable to dehydration because their aging bodies start to lose their natural power to maintain body temperature regardless of environmental factors.

 

Seniors also don't sweat as much as younger people and they, therefore, struggle to keep their body temperature cool when it is hot. This makes them vulnerable to overheating.

 

On hot days, seniors are in danger of being exposed to heatstrokes and heat exhaustion, both of which are an imminent risk when they are exposed to high temperatures. 

 

How to Protect Older People from Dehydration on a Hot Day

 

• Provide plenty of fluids for them to drink
• Keep them out of the sun when it is at its peak. Schedule walks in the early morning or evening. 
• Provide light and loose-fitting clothing in lighter colors that reflect more heat instead of absorbing it.
• Discourage energy drinks, tea, alcohol coffee, and soda among other caffeinated drinks
• Arm them with wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen to protect them from sunburn that does not allow their bodies to cool down as they should

 

If an older person reports weakness or dizziness when it is hot, immediately take them indoors or to a shaded area. 

Immediately provide water to replace lost fluids and use a damp towel to lower their body temperature. 

If the symptoms worsen or do not reflect any change in an hour, seek medical intervention. 

 

What is the Cost of a Care Home?

 

https://veritascare.co.uk/how-much-does-a-care-home-cost/

People go through a lot of challenges as they age, especially when their health is in decline. They have unique needs and find it hard to fulfill simple, everyday activities. 

 

Often, you are not in a position to provide all the support that they need, and in such a situation, it only makes sense to get professional care. 

 

Many people will go straight to care homes when they are looking for care for senior family members. Care homes have been there since the 1940s, and they are seen by many as the most viable options. 

 

While this thinking is understandable, the truth is that care homes are neither the most affordable nor the only viable option. 

 

When you take into account the psychological and mental cost of committing family members to care, the choice is easy. 

 

The Standards of Care in Care Homes

The most important concern is always the well-being and comfort of your family. The right care choice can make a huge difference.

 

It can be complicated when you have a loved one living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, and you are struggling to meet the care needs of your loved ones. Care homes may promise to provide a solution for them but this is not always the case. 

 

The British Geriatric Society published a report saying that 41% of care home patients living with dementia were not receiving specialized health services to meet their medical needs. 

 

When elders who are suffering from dementia are constantly overstimulated may experience a deterioration in their mental health. 

 

Thrusting an elder into a new environment surrounded by strangers can cause confusion and stress. It is harder to give them a familiar routine and environment because carers change regularly. 

 

Care homes run strictly on schedule. Fiercely independent individuals may resent this loss of freedom that they had when they lived independently at home. Nursing home life means not only living by someone else's schedule but also sharing spaces with other people, something that some elders may not necessarily appreciate.

 

How much Care Homes Cost

Care homes for seniors can be expensive, and you have to take into consideration how much they cost. Care homes are generally perceived as cheaper, though their costs can be higher or lower depending on where they are located. 

 

The health of the elder and their health care requirements may also influence the cost of a care home. Depending on the situation, care homes are not necessarily affordable, they can be expensive in fact. 

 

Care homes become more expensive when considering the added expense of nursing care. If your elder needs dementia care, for example, you may have to pay more than £1,000 a week for specialized care.

 

The location of a care home will impact its cost. If you happen to live in an expensive area like London’t South East, you will have to pay more for your loved one’s care than you would in a different location. 

 

But even in a cheaper location like the North West, you will still pay at least £ 800. Having your loved ones nearby allows you to visit them more often. 

 

Assuming you are prepared to pay all the costs of a care home - which can run into £50,000 a year - you may still find yourself struggling to find a place in a care home for your elder. If you happen to live in a 'care desert,' you will find that options are limited.

 

Live-in Care is Better than a Care Home

Live-in care is much better than a care home because it gives the elder a sense of comfort, stability, familiarity, and independence by allowing them to remain in their own home. 

 

The familiarity of home is comforting for most elders. It is even more comforting for those who suffer from Dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

 

LIve-in care also allows the elder to benefit from one-on-one care from highly skilled carers who are also compassionate and approved by you. We go by the unique individual needs of your loved one in our choice of a carer. 

 

Carers spend all their days with their clients. They develop a close bond and a trusting relationship. Live-in carers are also in a position to offer psychosocial support to your elder. 

 

They keep them active by engaging in physically and mentally challenging activities to help them maintain a positive attitude and a sharp mind in their old age. 

 

Most companies charge a maximum of £900 a week for live-in care. We provide the best care for your elders at reasonable rates. 

 

We know how important they are to you and we provide them with domestic support, companionship, and assistance to them. 

How do you Protect Elderly People from Covid-19?

 

 

The coronavirus is still spreading rapidly across the country and we still need to take precautions to protect our most vulnerable from the potentially deadly virus. 

 

The NHS recently published a document detailing an extensive list of guidelines for protecting the most vulnerable from contracting the coronavirus. 

 

More than 1.5 people in the UK have received a warning to start shielding themselves to stay safe from the virus.

 

The elderly are among the 1.5 million. If you are elderly yourself or you have older people in your family, read on:

 

Who are the most Vulnerable?

The most vulnerable people are the ones who are already living with underlying health conditions that predispose them to more severe symptoms should they contract the coronavirus. 

 

Older people often experience deteriorating health conditions and they are more vulnerable to developing chronic illnesses. 

 

The people who have the highest risk of dying or contracting more severe symptoms are already well identified, thanks to the chief medical officer:

• Lung cancer patients, people who are in chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• People who are living with bone marrow or blood cancer
• People in immunotherapy or undergoing treatments that may suppress the immune system
• People who are undergoing cystic fibrosis, COPD, severe asthma, and other severe respiratory conditions 
• People who have metabolic conditions or who are under immunosuppressive treatments
• Pregnant women who have heart disease

 

How Shielding Works

Shielding the most vulnerable people should keep them away from any face-to-face interaction with other people for not less than 12 weeks. They must never at any point come into contact with people who are experiencing known symptoms of coronavirus.

 

When you are shielding yourself, you don’t leave your house and you stay out of social gatherings and avoid going out to shop. 

 

The same rules have to apply to anyone who lives with the person under shielding. This means that family members and everyone else in the household will obey the rules for 12 weeks.

 

Besides, you have to limit visits by outsiders to the home, whether they are showing symptoms of Covid-19. Remember that the majority of healthy people who have been exposed to the coronavirus only exhibit mild symptoms.

 

This means that many people who have the virus don't know it.

 

If you end up with a temperature higher than 37.8 °C or prolonged cough, consult our exhaustive Covid-19 guide for the elderly, their carers, and their families.

 

Protecting yourself from Covid-19

Remember that even when an elderly person is actively shielding, they still need to go by standard measures for controlling the spread of Covid-19.

 

A carer should make sure that the elderly person always does the following:

• Handwashing with soap for 20 seconds or more. They have to repeat this before they eat, after they sneeze, after they cough, and after they blow their noses.
• Using a tissue or elbow to cover their mouths when they sneeze. They must not use their hands for this.
• Keeping their hands away from their face and not touching their nose, mouth, and eyes.

 

How Carers for the Elderly aid in Shielding

• When you hire a carer for a senior or someone who is otherwise vulnerable, you increase their quality of life and improve their chances of staying stronger and healthier in this pandemic.

 

Carers are on call 24 hours and they come equipped with training on the NHS and WHO hygiene standards. 

 

• Caregivers for the elderly will take extra measures to protect seniors from the virus. They disinfect high touch surfaces routinely, wear personal protective equipment, and adequately educate the elder and provide much-needed companionship to boost psychosocial wellness, which is a necessity to cope with the separation necessitated by social distancing.
• Caregivers remain in contact with vulnerable people 24/7. They stay at home to ensure that they do not contract the virus elsewhere. You can support them as a family member by supplying groceries and delivering prescribed drugs from the pharmacy. 

What is the Cost of a Live-in Carer?

Elderly care is a basic need for many families, and you need a comfortable and safe solution. If you are in the process of thinking through your options, you will find that there are other options beyond care homes. 

 

Look into the benefits of round-the-clock live-in care. It is a lot more affordable than most people realize and gives your elder a much higher quality of life.

 

Many people ask the question: What is the cost of a live-in carer? Read on to figure out how much it might cost you. 

 

Choosing Between a Care Home and Home Care

Getting a full-time carer for your loved one offers far more advantages than disadvantages. Your elder will have the opportunity to continue enjoying the comfort and familiarity of home while enjoying a higher degree of independence. Live-in carers offer the most suitable care by far. 

 

When it comes to residential care homes, there is no assurance of good quality care. As the years have gone by, we have witnessed increasingly poorer and poorer standards of care in these facilities.

 

They do not offer consistent care and their services are not necessarily suited for the individual needs of an elder. 

 

The high costs of care homes can be shocking for families. Care homes within the UK require anything from £800 each week or higher. Some of them also charge disturbed night allowances and other such fees.

 

The Cost of Live-in Carers in the UK

We are an agency that provides self-managed live-in care to our clients in the UK. Our cost-effective elder care solutions provide 24-hour care at a reasonable rate. Clients should bear in mind that the cost of full-time carers varies from one case to another. 

 

What factors affect the cost of live-in care?

 

• We make this decision in consideration of the specific care needs of your loved ones: shopping, personal care, mobility assistance, night duties, etc. These specifics determine the overall cost.
• Number of patients under care: The cost of caring for a couple will be higher than that for an individual because of more labor involved. We often provide support to elderly couples living at home. 
• Medical conditions - Patients who are living with certain medical conditions may need carers with more specific skills. Even though we train our staff to handle charges with various medical conditions, we do charge more for more specialized care. 

 

When do you Require Two Carers?

There is nothing more precious than getting to grow old with the one you love. Care homes, however, do not allow married couples to live together.

 

With live-in home care, you can have a couple living together in their own home while enjoying round-the-clock care in a familiar environment. 

 

Carers provide the couple with emotional support, help with medicine, mobility assistance, shopping, as well as cleaning, and other needs. 

 

We assess the requirements of the couple before we advise you on whether or not you may require two carers.

 

If you find that your elder is active during the night and needs constant support during the night, it may necessitate including a second carer because the night-time responsibilities will be as heavy as day-time responsibilities. 

 

Couples who need a greater deal of attention for example with mobility and who use hoist equipment among other equipment, help with toileting, dressing, washing, as well as domestic support. 

 

Figuring out Live-in Care Costs

We are committed to fully caring for elderly people within their own homes. We rely on our principles and values to guide us as we carry out our work. 

 

Our mission is to consistently find ways to make live-in care more affordable while still employing trustworthy and qualified carers. We do this by working with carers from Poland who are considered some of the best in Europe. 

 

If you want to know the exact cost of a live-in caregiver, contact us to request a quote. Once you fill in your information, simply wait for our consultant to call you with the answers to your questions.