Information & Views – Embracing Life Lengthy Studying

Estimated studying time: 7 minutes

The world has modified considerably within the final yr.  This time final yr we launched into a mission to assist individuals undertake voice assistant know-how in order that they may extra simply talk with their family and friends. On the similar time, we began to study extra in regards to the know-how panorama and the numerous boundaries to adoption.  We then began to look at in additional element the potential inside sensible speaker know-how to reinforce their functionality. This analysis and growth work led us to create our Kindspace voice software for Alexa.

On this journey we’ve discovered rather a lot, however there may be at all times extra to study and so we thought it might be good to share right here a few of our discoveries and ideas.  Curating for you fascinating knowledge, analysis and articles on how know-how can be utilized to assist us reside our greatest lives.  The extra that we’ve discovered, the extra we realise that wholesome ageing just isn’t about how outdated you might be however making certain that you’re supporting your physique to age properly, it doesn’t matter what your present age is.  And that what influences our well being is a really complicated combine of things, recommendation must be personalised and any interventions or “nudges” needs to be properly timed to advertise wholesome habits.  That mentioned, it’s by no means too late to make a change and prioritise your self-care.

The opposite actually vital commentary that we’ve made is that there’s an excessive amount of data on the market and it may be troublesome to navigate, significantly if you’re not assured utilizing the web. Additional to this, is that usually information is sensationalised and focuses on detrimental connotations or tries to label individuals and the societal challenges we face.

We like to share the issues we discover fascinating referring to know-how, wellbeing, housing and social care.  Over the past yr we’ve seen a very massive upsurge in articles centred round wellbeing and loneliness particularly.  There are some actually invaluable insights and concepts from the world over and we needed to make it possible for these don’t get misplaced in our social media feeds.  So, to any extent further, this would be the principal place the place we’ll curate content material within the type of a weekly round-up.

On this week’s instalment I’ll present perception into:

• The superb Encourage Makaton Choir live performance.
• My high picks from Psychological Well being Consciousness Week, together with on-line nature meditation periods, new modern video content material which affords peer help and opens up the dialog about psychological well being, how monetary wellbeing impacts psychological well being and the calming impact of animals.
• The influence that our upbringing and schooling has on our longevity and the way properly we age.

The final week was certainly a busy week with it being each Psychological Well being Consciousness Week and Scottish Studying Incapacity Week.

The Encourage Makaton Choir

I had the honour of being a part of the Encourage PTL Makaton Choir efficiency on Tuesday.  This was the fruits of months of observe, and it was superb to see and really feel the vitality from the choir who placed on a tremendous efficiency.  You’ll be able to test it out over on the Encourage YouTube channel. I battle with my motor abilities generally, so difficult myself to study one thing new, so difficult myself to study one thing new has been an ideal expertise.

Get Out in Nature

This yr’s psychological well being consciousness week has seen an explosion within the variety of occasions individuals can take part in, many delivered on-line.  The theme centres across the energy that nature has to appease and heal us.  I grew up subsequent to each the ocean and a stunning deciduous woodland.  I’ve sturdy reminiscences of being in these areas to flee from the world round me and simply soak within the environment, hen tune, rustling leaves, the swoosh of the waves and contemporary odor of the ocean.

I now reside fairly removed from the ocean and so was delighted when Aware Stonehaven held an internet guided meditation on the seashore as a part of their psychological well being consciousness collection of occasions.  You’ll be able to test it out by clicking right here.

Monetary Wellbeing

After I was rising up we didn’t have any cash, the bailiffs had been spherical incessantly to stop stuff.  Cash is the foundation of serious stress and may actually influence on bodily and psychological wellbeing.  Significantly right this moment, when many extra are coping with redundancy, decreased working hours, sick well being and bereavement, I believed I’d share some helpful help hyperlinks.  The primary is from Martin Lewis of the Cash Saving Skilled.  In case you have gotten into debt, this eBook useful resource will assist information you on the best way to enhance your state of affairs.  If you’re in a spot of relative monetary safety, then some recommendation from Deepak Chopra on the best way to discover monetary wellbeing would possibly assist.  On this article he offers a easy train you could attempt to change into extra conscious of your emotions in direction of cash.

Revolutionary Psychological Well being Assist

Staying with the theme of psychological well being there have been a couple of different tales that caught my eye.  We’re actually joyful to see Frog Techniques funding information to assist them increase their psychological well being help platform. Frog’s mission is slightly totally different as they deal with lived expertise and curating and sharing video content material on particular psychological well being points.  I believe this makes it very relatable to individuals when they’re working by their very own points and rather more impactful. The educational is rather more immersive and prone to be acted upon. You’ll be able to learn extra about this story right here.

Remedy Pets

There may be numerous analysis in regards to the calming results that animals can have.  Many people have gotten a brand new pet for firm over the past yr and using specifically skilled remedy pets is proven to be significantly useful for people who find themselves unwell, or have disabilities or who’re aged.  So how about this for a narrative, “Feeling lonely in lockdown? Strive hugging a sheep”.  A farm close to Hattingen in Germany has opened its doorways for individuals to return and meet their sheep and provides them a stroke and a cuddle.  This service is a stunning extension of the tutorial work that the farm additionally does.

Untimely Loss of life Danger Elements

And eventually, Thomas had the chance over the past week to be a part of a Mash-up/Design Dash with Herriot Watt College taking a look at how applied sciences like robotics, synthetic intelligence, the web of issues and 5G can be utilized to help care supply and impartial dwelling.  There was one presentation that basically struck me trying on the analysis into the preventable threat components related to untimely demise.  As you would possibly anticipate our way of life decisions and habits have a robust affect on this.  However the graphic proven within the presentation confirmed that numerous the problems of poor well being in later life truly stem from our stage of schooling once we are younger.  This needs to be one thing that we will do one thing about.  Can we do extra to assist individuals to embrace studying for all times?

If something, this final yr has proven how vital it’s to be adaptable.  Embracing change is tough and coping with detrimental conditions even more durable.  But when we see change as a studying alternative it may actually assist our mindset and permit us to thrive even in adversity. So I’d urge you all to embrace studying, nevertheless small as it is going to hold your thoughts lively, offer you new issues to speak about with family and friends, open up new networks and hopefully even mean you can take pleasure in a couple of additional years of retirement.

We’d like to know what you consider this new format and whether or not you discover it useful.  Our goal is to make content material as accessible as attainable, therefore the audio recording summarising the information as properly.

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