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The Importance of Good Sleep

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The Importance of Good Sleep for Seniors As we get older, sleep becomes one of the most important foundations of our wellbeing. Yet many seniors find that sleep becomes lighter, shorter, or more disrupted with age. The good news is that improving sleep doesn’t require complicated routines — just a few simple habits and a bit of helpful technology. In this post, I want to explain in everyday language why sleep matters so much, and outline some easy steps to help you sleep better. I’ll also share how the Apple Watch and the AutoSleep app can give you useful insights into your nightly rest. Why Good Sleep Matters Sleep is not just “rest.” It’s the time when the body repairs itself and the brain resets. For seniors, good‑quality sleep supports: Better mood Sharper memory and thinking More energy during the day Stronger immune function Better balance and coordination When sleep is poor, everything feels harder — concentration dips, energy drops, and even small tasks can feel ov...
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Pickleball - The Three Fold Punch

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The "Three-Fold Punch": How Pickleball is Supporting Brain Health Pickleball is no longer just a trend—it has become a vital tool for healthy ageing in the UK. For seniors living with dementia or those at risk, the sport offers a unique "three-fold punch" of physical, cognitive, and social stimulation that traditional exercises often lack. 1. Neurochemical Benefits & Brain Growth Physical activity is one of the most effective ways to slow cognitive decline. In the UK, Chief Medical Officers' guidelines recommend 150 minutes of activity a week, and pickleball makes hitting that target easy.  * Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF): Playing pickleball stimulates the release of BDNF, a protein that acts like "fertiliser" for the brain, encouraging the growth of new neurons and strengthening synaptic connections.  * Increased Blood Flow: The aerobic nature of the game increases blood flow to the prefrontal cortex—the area of the brain responsible fo...
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Helping Seniors Live Happier, Healthy Lives

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My Focus for 2026: Helping Seniors Live Happier, Healthier Lives The start of 2026 has been busier and more unpredictable than I expected. Life rarely sticks to the script, but it has given me something valuable: time to reflect. Last year, my energy went into helping seniors build their digital skills. It was rewarding, meaningful work — and digital confidence will always remain part of what I do. But this year, I want to go deeper. I’ve realised that what truly matters is not just helping seniors use technology, but helping them live happier, healthier, more connected lives. Digital skills will still be woven through everything I do, but they will support a broader mission: senior happiness and wellbeing . To guide this shift, I’ve simplified my thinking into five core drivers — five habits that make life richer, more joyful, and more resilient as we age. 1. Keep Active We all know the saying: use it or lose it . As we get older, staying active becomes essential — not just ph...
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HAVING A PURPOSE: Finding your Ikigai

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My son in law loaned me his copy of Ikigai a few years back and I confess I failed to read it. Finally, because I was working on a few helpful ideas for my granddaughters,  As I read the book I realised why I loved my job as a coach and why by starting my own coaching business after I retired from Nestlé ... effectively I have never retired. Why would I stop doing what I love! Why would I stop following my Ikigai ..... to release the magic in people.  I have found this excellent video that explains Ikigai.  The 10 rules of Ikigai that are covered in the video.
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The Secret Weapon Pickleball Players Over 50 Use to Beat Younger, Fitter Opponents

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The Secret Weapon Pickleball Players Over 50 Use to Beat Younger, Fitter Opponents (And They Never See It Coming) (a great article from Pickleball Nation HQ) Let me tell you something the 20-somethings on the courts don’t understand yet. They train harder, hit harder, and move faster… but they still lose to the silver-haired assassin with a half-eaten granola bar in his pocket. Why? Because after coaching 400+ players and watching every level from basement rec leagues to national championships, I can tell you—pickleball is a thinking man’s game. And the real secret weapon of players over 50? Patience. Cold-blooded, unshakeable patience. Younger players want to end the point in three shots. They swing for winners from the baseline. They attack dinks that weren’t quite attackable. They can’t help themselves. It’s baked into their wiring: hit, chase, dominate. But players over 50—especially the ones who played tennis, racquetball, or just learned how to outwit their boss in office politic...
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6 Pickleball Doubles Strategies New Players MUST Know

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Keeping Fit & Well Our new pickleball group has been running for a month and the players, completely new to the game, are all managing to enjoy playing. Most have mastered the scoring and we are insistent that all servers call the score before they serve, which is a bit of a struggle but necessary. The following video provides a very good summary of the six doubles strategies that are an essential part of the game, but which new players struggle with.  To Summarise the six strategies:- Return & Run - return the serve deep and run up to the kitchen line. When you are both at the kitchen line, this is when you are most dangerous. Stand & Punch - stand in the active position with your paddle up in the air in the ready position to block and punch. Avoiding big backswings in favour of short compact swings. Serve & Stay : beginners have a tendency to serve and then walk into the court. The two bounce rule means that a more experienced player could hit the ball directly ...
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KEEPING FIT & WELL: Pickleball - Consistency - the first three shots

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Keeping Fit & Well This week we are going to start in our warm up session by learning the 3rd shot drop, then apply it to the first three shots.  The 3rd shot drop The first part of the practice will be to get into pairs and just take to learn how to play the 3rd shot drop. The first three shots Shot 1 - Deep Serve  Shot 2 - Deep Return Shot 3 - Drop shot into the kitchen   The aim of this drill is to get all four players up to the non volley zone, and then practice dinking.
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