Blog posts of '2014' 'August'

Ebola virus disease is a serious, usually fatal, disease for which there are no licensed vaccines or treatments. The disease was first identified in Africa in the mid 1970s. It is thought that the Ebola virus has been living harmlessly in fruit bats for many years, building up in this population and spreading to other forest animals including chimpanzees and gorillas. It is likely that the virus makes its way into people after they butcher or handle dead animals contaminated with the virus. The current outbreak which was identified in March 2014 is the most serious case so far. There have been 1,000 recorded deaths from the disease in August 2014 in countries such as Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Yesterday, Tuesday 12th August marked the day of awareness for International Youth Day. The theme of International Youth Day 2014 is “Youth and Mental Health”. The day aims to raise awareness on this important topic as well as highlighting the experiences of brave, young individuals who have chosen to speak out about these issues. International Youth Day creates awareness for overcoming stigma and discrimination to ensure that young people with mental health conditions can lead full and healthy life’s free from isolation and unnecessary shame. They want young people to openly seek the services and support they need.

As we are in the height of summer time in the UK, keeping cool is something we are all trying to achieve. One of the main ways to keep cool in the heat is to take cold showers or baths. About one third of the elderly population over the age of 65 fall each year. Falls can be caused by numerous incidents, but one of the main causes is in abathroom environment. Wet slippery floors, high tub walls to step over and confined spaces can make bathrooms dangerous for just about anyone, let alone the elderly and people with limited mobility.