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 folks undertake voice assistant expertise in order that they might extra simply talk with their family and friends. On the identical time, we began to study extra concerning the expertise panorama and the numerous limitations to adoption. We then began to look at in additional element the potential inside sensible speaker expertise to enhance their functionality. This analysis and growth work led us to create our Kindspace voice software for Alexa.
On this journey now we have realized lots, however there’s at all times extra to study and so we thought it will be good to share right here a few of our discoveries and ideas. Curating for you attention-grabbing knowledge, analysis and articles on how expertise can be utilized to assist us dwell our greatest lives. The extra that we’ve realized, the extra we realise that wholesome ageing isn’t about how previous you’re however guaranteeing that you’re supporting your physique to age effectively, 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 effectively 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 essential statement that we’ve made is that there’s an excessive amount of info on the market and it may be troublesome to navigate, notably if you’re not assured utilizing the web. Additional to this, is that always information is sensationalised and focuses on damaging connotations or tries to label folks and the societal challenges we face.
We like to share the issues we discover attention-grabbing regarding expertise, wellbeing, housing and social care. Over the past yr we’ve seen a extremely massive upsurge in articles centred round wellbeing and loneliness particularly. There are some actually helpful insights and concepts from internationally and we wished to be sure that these don’t get misplaced in our social media feeds. So, any more, this would be the fundamental 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 wonderful Encourage Makaton Choir live performance.
- My prime picks from Psychological Well being Consciousness Week, together with on-line nature meditation classes, new progressive video content material which presents peer assist and opens up the dialog about psychological well being, how monetary wellbeing impacts psychological well being and the calming impact of animals.
- The impression that our upbringing and schooling has on our longevity and the way effectively 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 follow, and it was wonderful to see and really feel the power from the choir who placed on a tremendous efficiency. You may test it out over on the Encourage YouTube channel. I wrestle with my motor expertise generally, so difficult myself to study one thing new, so difficult myself to study one thing new has been an excellent expertise.
Get Out in Nature
This yr’s psychological well being consciousness week has seen an explosion within the variety of occasions folks can take part in, many delivered on-line. The theme centres across the energy that nature has to assuage and heal us. I grew up subsequent to each the ocean and a stunning deciduous woodland. I’ve robust reminiscences of being in these areas to flee from the world round me and simply soak within the environment, hen track, rustling leaves, the swoosh of the waves and contemporary scent of the ocean.
I now dwell fairly removed from the ocean and so was delighted when Aware Stonehaven held an internet guided meditation on the seaside as a part of their psychological well being consciousness sequence of occasions. You may test it out by clicking right here.
Monetary Wellbeing
Once I was rising up we didn’t have any cash, the bailiffs had been spherical continuously to stop stuff. Cash is the basis of great stress and might actually impression on bodily and psychological wellbeing. Notably as we speak, when many extra are coping with redundancy, diminished working hours, in poor health well being and bereavement, I believed I’d share some helpful assist hyperlinks. The primary is from Martin Lewis of the Cash Saving Knowledgeable. When you’ve got gotten into debt, this eBook useful resource will assist information you on tips on how to enhance your state of affairs. In case you are in a spot of relative monetary safety, then some recommendation from Deepak Chopra on tips on how to discover monetary wellbeing would possibly assist. On this article he offers a easy train which you can attempt to turn out to be extra conscious of your emotions in direction of cash.
Progressive Psychological Well being Help
Staying with the theme of psychological well being there have been a couple of different tales that caught my eye. We’re actually completely happy to see Frog Programs funding information to assist them broaden their psychological well being assist platform. Frog’s mission is a bit of completely 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 folks when they’re working by their very own points and way more impactful. The training is way more immersive and more likely to be acted upon. You may learn extra about this story right here.
Remedy Pets
There’s loads of analysis concerning the calming results that animals can have. Many people have gotten a brand new pet for firm during the last yr and the usage of specifically skilled remedy pets is proven to be notably helpful for people who find themselves unwell, or have disabilities or who’re aged. So how about this for a narrative, “Feeling lonely in lockdown? Attempt hugging a sheep”. A farm close to Hattingen in Germany has opened its doorways for folks to return and meet their sheep and provides them a stroke and a cuddle. This service is a stunning extension of the academic work that the farm additionally does.
Untimely Demise Threat Elements
And eventually, Thomas had the chance during the last week to be a part of a Mash-up/Design Dash with Herriot Watt College how applied sciences like robotics, synthetic intelligence, the web of issues and 5G can be utilized to assist care supply and impartial residing. There was one presentation that basically struck me wanting on the analysis into the preventable danger components related to untimely loss of life. As you would possibly anticipate our life-style decisions and habits have a powerful affect on this. However the graphic proven within the presentation confirmed that loads of the problems of poor well being in later life truly stem from our degree of schooling once we are younger. This must be one thing that we will do one thing about. Can we do extra to assist folks to embrace studying for all times?
If something, this final yr has proven how essential it’s to be adaptable. Embracing change is tough and coping with damaging conditions even tougher. But when we see change as a studying alternative it will probably 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 can maintain your thoughts energetic, offer you new issues to speak about with family and friends, open up new networks and hopefully even can help you get pleasure from a couple of further years of retirement.
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