Tuesday, February 28, 2023

When to Consider Moving Your Elderly Relative to a Residential Home

Many seniors would rather spend the rest of their days at home than within a residential home. However, for yoursenior’s health, it is not always the right decision to stay living independently. As such, if you are struggling with the decision of whether to move your elderly person into a residential home, here is when you should consider rethinking theirliving options again. 


• When They Are Struggling to Stay Independent 

One of the greatest reasons why people decide to move into a residential home is because they are struggling to stay independent. If you have modified their house and still find that they are finding it difficult to complete simple tasks, such as washing, cooking and cleaning, you should consider whether it is the right time to sell their home. This is especially the case if they do not have the extra support they need from friends or relatives, or if they have started to need more constant support than home help can offer you. However, first, you might investigate home adaptations such as stair lifts that could allow your senior to stay put. 


• When Their Health is Declining 

As your senior gets older, they may begin to develop more health issues that may make it hard for them to live well and enjoy life. As such, if their health is impacting their mobility and cognitive function, you should consider whether it might be time to move them into a residential home. This is especially the case if their health is expected to worsen or if the nursing home in question has expert staff and facilities that could help them to live alongside their health issue, such as dementia care. As such, if their health is buckling, you should consider looking at the nursing homes near you. For instance, at bailyhouse.co.uk, they can offer your loved onespacious and modern rooms with en-suites that can give them the facilities that they need to thrive while offering themsupport for their health condition. This will then ensure that you do not have to constantly worry about the decline of their health and how they can handle this at home. Before you do this, though, you might look into home alarms and other devices that could improve their health and help them to look after it at home. 


• When Their Home Has Become Dangerous 

Sometimes, the home that they love and have always felt safe in can start to become dangerous to your senior. This is especially the case if they have a condition such as dementia. For instance, you might start to find that they have more slip-and-fall accidents, or that they trip more easily on rugs and on your stairs. As such, if their home has started to present hazards to them and if you have started to worry about their safety when living at home, you should consider looking at residential homes that have been designed specifically with seniors and those with health conditions in mind. In these homes, they will also be able to get instant medical care if they find that they slip or have an accident.




Photo Credit

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-black-jacket-wearing-black-headphones-3831645/

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Books I've Read So Far In 2023

 


All but one book was from the Amazon First Reads thanks to being part of Amazon Prime.



The Seat Filler by Sariah Wilson
354 Pages
Started January 15 
Ended January 19

Synopsis:

The movie star and the dog groomer are one kiss away from the perfect love story. That’s the hiccup in a warm and witty romance by the bestselling author of Roommaid.

The meet-cute award goes to dog groomer Juliet Nolan. It’s one of Hollywood’s biggest nights when she volunteers as a seat filler and winds up next to movie heartthrob Noah freaking Douglas. Tongue tied and toes curling in her pink Converse, she pretends that she doesn’t have a clue who he is. It’s the only way to keep from swooning.

She’s pretty and unpretentious, loves his dog, and is not a worshipping fan. No way Noah’s giving up on her, even if his affectionate pursuit comes with a bump: Juliet has a pathological fear of kissing and the disappointments that follow. What odds does romance have without that momentous, stupendous, once-in-a-lifetime first smooch? Patient, empathetic, and carrying personal burdens of his own, Noah suggests a remedy: they rehearse.

The lessons begin. The guards come down. But there’s another hitch they weren’t betting on. As for that cue-the-orchestra-and-roll-credits happy ending? It might take more than practice to make it perfect.


The 411:


Movie Star Noah and dog groomer Juliet meet at an awards show where she is a seat filler and he is her childhood crush. She tells him she has never heard of him because she sees him as pompous. I loved the characters and couldn't wait to get back to reading when I wasn't. 


I loved the way they met and how she was every girl getting to live out her dream of meeting and having her star crush fall in love with her. I enjoyed how they got to know each other. It's a fairytale romance and I was 100% there for it. 


There were times I had to remind myself that the main characters weren't teens. The conversation seemed juvenile at times. 








A Year At The French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey
380 pages
Started January 20 
Ended January 28

Synopsis:

Escape to France with this warm, witty romantic read.

After ten years of loyal service Lily Butterworth has been made redundant. Like any clever woman, she knows the cure to redundancy is a little too much wine and her best friend.

Only the next morning, Lily has more than a hangover . . . she has a whole new house – in France!

Seeing this as an opportunity instead of a disaster, she’s excited about finally moving to France, just as she and her husband always dreamed of. However, Lily is in for another surprise. Despite planning to move there for over 20 years, her husband never actually intended to go.

So begins a year in France, alone, renovating the gorgeous old farmhouse that is held together by wallpaper and wishes.

Will a year at the French farmhouse be just what Lily needs? Or could it be the previous owner, Frederique, that is the answer to Lily’s dreams?

The 411:

When Lily gets let go from her 10 year position, she sees it as an opportunity to move to France. She and her husband have talked about it for years so why not go a little early? There is only one problem, her husband never intended on going. 

She buys a house sight unseen while drunk and surprises herself and him the next morning. He decides not to go and she decides it is now or never. 

She renovates the house, makes friends and gets slowly past the fact that her husband had lied to her for years but is this really what she needs?

I loved the first few chapters and was very invested in it. The separation seemed so selfish to me at times. I felt like they gave up on each other so quickly. The French parts that I couldn't read and had to skip over annoyed me. I hate skipping but I refuse to attempt any other language. I was thinking okay, just get through this book but then things changed!!!! I really enjoyed the main character's rebirth and ability to change her life even though it wasn't what she originally wanted and was swamped with roadblocks at every turn. She just kept her head up and kept doing what she intended making it work for her.

While the ending was expected but there were times, I thought I was wrong which kept me reading (a sign of a good author).

Loved it!






Movie Star by Jessica Simpson
28 Pages
Started January 28, 2023
Ended January 28, 2023

Synopsis

A short and true story about a world-famous actor and a fantasy Hollywood romance gone wrong by Jessica Simpson, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Open Book.

In 2006, after the end of her marriage to the first man she ever loved, Jessica Simpson wonders who she really is. Exploring what she truly wants in a relationship, Jessica begins dating again. This time her only vow is not to leap for the fairy tale. Don’t overthink. Just enjoy the moment. But when an A-list childhood crush invites her on a romantic getaway, it’s impossible for Jessica not to swoon.

In this introspective and funny confessional—one she never thought she’d share—Jessica confronts the limits of her experience and her sense of self as she’s nearly swept right off her feet.


The 411:

A short, true story Jessica Simpson and how her Hollywood and the actors we all swoon over really aren't worthy. 

At the end of her marriage to Nick the first man she ever loved Jessica wonders who she is. It was a fun read watching her figure out what she wants from herself and her relationships. It was funny and confessional. I was reveted and wish there was more.  I have since read that the man she discusses was Mark Wahlberg but I don't know. Interesting anyway.




The Chemistry of Love by Sariah Wilson
347 Pages
Started January 28, 2023
Ended February 7, 2023

Synopsis:

True love requires a little research and development in a funny, heart-racing romance by Sariah Wilson, the bestselling author of The Paid Bridesmaid.

How can Anna Ellis, a geeky, brilliant, and hopelessly smitten cosmetic chemist possibly win over Craig Kimball, the man of her dreams—who also happens to be her boss? The answer is Craig’s empathetic (and handsome) CEO half brother, Marco. The makeup mogul knows Craig for the ridiculously competitive rival he is. Whatever Marco has, Craig wants. That can be Anna, if she’s game to play.

All Anna and Marco have to do is pretend they’re falling in love and let the rumors begin. If the experiment in attraction works, a jealous Craig will swoop in and give Anna her happily ever after—if it weren’t for one hitch in the plan. There’s more to Marco than meets the eye. With every fake date, Anna’s feelings are starting to become dizzyingly real.

Blame it on chemistry. It’s unpredictable, exciting, and occasionally combustible. If Anna and Marco are really falling in love, who are they to argue with science?


The 411:


Anna is a budding cosmetic chemist and in love with her boss Craig. She is bursting with good ideas all which are shot down by her manager. She quits because Craig tells her that there is no fraternizing on the job and she wants to woo him and get him to love her and her ideas. 


Anna is a nerd and I loved her. She invites herself to the company party to approach her crush. His engagement announcement sends her running for the nearest bathroom to sob where she meets Craig's brother and CEO of the company Mark.  She and Mark decide to start a fake romance to help her get Craig and the story starts!


You complete know that these two will end up together but that's fine I was still invested. As I got to know the characters I wondered what Mark saw in Anna and what Anna saw in Craig but it works. 


I enjoyed all the chemistry talk as Anna describes what her body is feeling and enjoyed all the pop culture references. Fun Read!





Twisted Love by Ana Huang

352 Pages

Started February 8, 2023

Ended February 19, 2023


Synopsis:


He has a heart of ice...but for her, he'd burn the world.

Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can't escape.

Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.

But when he's forced to look after his best friend's sister, he starts to feel something in his chest:

A crack.

A melt.

A fire that could end his world as he knew it.

***

Ava Chen is a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can't remember.

But despite her broken past, she's never stopped seeing the beauty in the world...including the heart beneath the icy exterior of a man she shouldn't want.

Her brother's best friend.

Her neighbor.

Her savior and her downfall.

Theirs is a love that was never supposed to happen-but when it does, it unleashes secrets that could destroy them both...and everything they hold dear.

Twisted Love is a brother's best friend/opposites attract romance with a hint of suspense. It's book one in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.

WARNING: This book contains a jealous/possessive antihero, explicit sexual content, and profanity. Recommended for 18+

The 411:

I was told I had to read this by a friend and that I would want to read the whole series. I didn't have that same feeling. 

Ava's brother asks his friend Alex to watch her while he is away. She has had a crush on him for years so you already know where this is going. He is an attractive, wild, icy man who no one will mess with. The woman want him and men are afraid of him. 

I would have preferred the sexual tension to be drawn out longer. The characters were good but I hated to relationship. Ava and her friends were what every girl should have in her life I just wish she leaned on them more than Alex. Their 0-100 emotional feelings was too quick but perhaps I am not the demographic. I really liked their banter and how you can see they know each other for a long time but hated the possessive alpha "you touched what is mine" bullshit. 

Alex tells Ava he hates everything but her bothered me. Why is her brother even friends with this guy? He is toxic. 

At times it was really cheesy, then redeemed itself then cringy. I had many emotions but none were what the book intended. The silly little mystery twist made me crazy, the plot was cliche and the romance totally toxic, Ava needs therapy and Alex is a psycho she should stay far away from but I'm old. Maybe if I had read this book in my 30s I would have loved it because a lot of people do.


The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman

Short Story

Started February 20, 2023

Ended February 21, 2023

Synopsis

An Amazon Charts bestseller

From New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman comes a heartfelt short story about family, independence, and finding your place in the world.

Isabel Gibson has all but perfected the art of forgetting. She’s a New Yorker now, with nothing left to tie her to Brinkley’s Island, Maine. Her parents are gone, the family bookstore is all but bankrupt, and her sister, Sophie, will probably never speak to her again.

But when a mysterious letter arrives in her mailbox, Isabel feels herself drawn to the past. After years of fighting for her independence, she dreads the thought of going back to the island. What she finds there may forever alter her path—and change everything she thought she knew about her family, her home, and herself.


The 411

Short story and flowed nicely. Isabel and Sophie have been estranged for years. Sophie's is a widow with a daughter and struggling to keep the family bookstore afloat. Isabel is living life in the city and finds herself suddenly single. She receives a letter from her niece calling her home. Will it be forever?

It was a sweet story. I loved it. Two estranged sisters. One niece! A dog! A Bookstore. How could this not work?! Loved it!


Mothered by Zoje Stage

317 Pages

Started February 22, 2023

Ended February 24, 2023

Synopsis:

From the USA Today bestselling author of the international sensation Baby Teeth comes a claustrophobic psychological thriller about one woman’s nightmarish spiral while quarantined with her mother.

Grace isn’t exactly thrilled when her newly widowed mother, Jackie, asks to move in with her. They’ve never had a great relationship, and Grace likes her space—especially now that she’s stuck at home during a pandemic. Then again, she needs help with the mortgage after losing her job. And maybe it’ll be a chance for them to bond—or at least give each other a hand.

But living with Mother isn’t for everyone. Good intentions turn bad soon after Jackie moves in. Old wounds fester; new ones open. Grace starts having nightmares about her disabled twin sister, who died when they were kids. And Jackie discovers that Grace secretly catfishes people online—a hobby Jackie thinks is unforgivable.

When Jackie makes an earth-shattering accusation against her, Grace sees it as an act of revenge, and it sends her spiraling into a sleep-deprived madness. As the walls close in, the ghosts of Grace’s past collide with a new but familiar threat: Mom.


The 411:

Pandemic story about a daughter, Grace and her Mother Jackie forced to shelter down. Jackie is alone after her husband dies and Grace is struggling to pay the bills. She has loved her independence and taking mom in will be difficult. Grace had a twin who was severely disabled and has many nightmares about her and her mother. She never felt love, had a manipulative sister and a traumatic childhood. Things aren't easy for Grace and about to get harder.

Grace has a secret. She catfishes people as a hobby feeling like she is helping others. Jackie has secrets too! 

The book was interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great premise. Had me guessing and uneasy throughout the book. Twists and turns! Recommend. 


Five Winters by Kitty Johnson

408 Pages

Started February 24, 2023

Ended February 26, 2023

Synopsis

A bighearted novel about motherhood, friendship, moving on, and love of all kinds.

Ever since Beth Bailey was a girl, she’s been in love with her best friend’s older brother, Mark. She’s continued to hold out hope that maybe, someday, he’ll love her back. But now Beth is thirty-five years old, and on the day of Mark’s wedding to another woman, she finally accepts the wake-up call she needs to move on.

Beth’s dream of marrying her first love may be over, but her other biggest desire is still within reach: becoming a mother. Having lost her own parents very young, there’s nothing Beth wants more in life, and nothing she’ll stop at to make her wish come true.

Over the course of five years, and with unexpected twists along the way, Beth will come to startling realizations about family, friendship, the meaning of love, and most importantly, herself on the winding path to happiness and, she hopes, to motherhood.


The 411:


Beth has a crush on her best friend's brother Mark since she was 12. She has been part of their family since losing her parents at a young age. Now at 35 and single at Mark's wedding to Grace she meets Jaimie. Her age is weighing on her as she has always wanted kids and Jaimie is nice and has two daughters. He also doesn't want any more kids.


Beth, Mark and Rosie (Beth's best friend and Mark's sister) are likeable. We get to know all the characters in the span of 5 years. I couldn't see what Mark saw in Grace. I didn't like how mean Grace was to Beth knowing they are like family. Once again I am left wondering what anyone sees in anyone. Mark likes Grace who is an obvious bitch and Beth likes Mark who is obviously flawed because he likes Grace. Meh!


The book was a quick read. Enjoyable even though I wanted to slap Beth once in a while for not standing up for herself to Grace but I loved that she knew what she wanted and left Jaimie deciding that she wanted children. 


In the end it was predictable but enjoyed learning about each character over the years.