Going to the airport is definitely exciting since you get to fly off to a new exotic location and update your social media about it. However, while this is definitely fun, we think that a UK staycation is a much better option. The UK is truly an amazing place to explore and it has too many castles, beaches, pubs etc to explore which makes leaving the country for a vacation completely unnecessary.

1. If you love exotic beaches, then the UK has tons of beaches that will definitely keep you happy. Some of these include Barra in Scotland, Holywell Bay in Cornwall etc.
2. Culturally speaking, Britain has so many different things to experience such as classical music at Battle Proms, looking at Shakespeare at the Cornwall Minack Theatre etc.
3. There are many different types of hotels and places you can stay at which can be as wacky and strange as you want, extremely luxurious, historical or quaint, such as Ty Gwilym Holiday Cottages. Also, you may think that these places are expensive, but that’s not true, many of them are surprisingly affordable.
4. History lovers can visit sites such as the Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, the Tower of London, Hadrian’s wall and much more. You can view some of the most famous and historical landmarks right in the UK.
5. If you love visiting festivals, then there are numerous ones all through the year that are internationally known. Music lovers can go to Glastonbury, theatre lovers can visit Edinburgh, Hay is great for book lovers etc. These festivals are truly amazing events and definitely more enjoyable than any California festival!
6. There are lots of strange and interesting customs that you can view and even take part in. Some of these include dancing around a maypole or even making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. Britain is filled with lots of strange customs that are really fun to take part in.
7. If you want to get more involved in nature, then you don’t need to go abroad to go camping. In the UK there are numerous amazing camping spots and they are much more interesting and cheaper than other camping spots in other countries.
8. Having a drink in a pub may seem like a normal activity, however, that’s not so in the UK. There are hundreds of odd and quirky pubs that you’ll surely love such as the John Lennon pub that is in Liverpool. There is also the newly opened Croker’s Folly pub where you can hang out with friends or make new ones.
9. In the event that you don’t want to feel like you’re staying at home for your vacation, then you should think about going to a luxury spa resort in the UK. There are many to choose from and you’ll definitely feel like you’re someone else in the world.
10. If you want to stay in the inner city, there are many retreats available there as well. You can enjoy the UK’s beautiful hills and forest while staying in places such as the Chiswick house in west London, Horniman Museum and Gardens etc.
11. There are a lot of beautiful sights to see during walks. Some of the most beautiful places to go for a walk include North Wales, Snowdonia, the Peak District, Northumberland etc. You definitely don’t need to leave the UK in order to visit somewhere beautiful.
12. If you’re a lover of great food, then there are so many options in the UK. You can enjoy fish and chips at the Whitby Quayside which is the UK’s best place to buy fish and chips since 2014. However, if you prefer something more cultured and nuanced, there are literally hundreds of amazing restaurants and ethnic takeways that are never very far away.
13. Lastly, if you’re a lover of adventure, there is as much adventure as you can handle in the UK. For example, you can go scuba diving in Plymouth, skiing in Scotland, skydiving n Devon and much more. So, be sure to pack what you need and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime!

Becoming a community support worker is a wonderful idea for several reasons. You would have an opportunity to start a career where you would get to work with other people and help them. You could take on all kinds of opportunities. Working in this field has its advantages, even if it takes time to get your foot in the door. Before you get started, you should know of all the good reasons to take on a support worker job.

The Job Is Satisfying

Working in the industry is ideal because it is such a rewarding job to have. Most of the community support workers create wonderful relationships with different people. They feel a sense of achievement when they know they have made a difference in the lives of other people who could really benefit from the services that are provided to them.

You Can Change Lives For The Better

When you work as a community support worker, you can change the lives of different people for the better. You are supporting members of the community and helping them out in different ways. When you can help other people, it is going to make you feel good about yourself. You will enjoy the life you live even more.

It Gives You a Sense of Purpose

Because the work you will do can make such a difference, you might suddenly have a greater sense of purpose. The work you do is appreciated by others. There are people who will depend on the work you do each day and that is something that can genuinely make a difference in your life.

You Will Always Have New Things to Do

When you are providing support to a client, you are visiting the client’s home instead of working in a traditional office. You will always have new things to do because the tasks required of you will vary from client to client. It is possible to help your clients with different tasks that they might need help with, along with helping them set some personal goals for themselves. Community support workers are often matched with people that share some of the same interests to make the job even more enjoyable.

You Can Have a Lot Of Fun

The job itself is quite fun. Most people that work as community support workers have a great time. You will have an opportunity to work with a lot of different people while learning more about them and hearing about their personal stories. It is always interesting to learn about what other people have been through.

You Will Have More Flexibility

There is even a possibility that you will get to work the hours that are best for you. Some people want to take on full-time positions while others are looking to work part-time around their busy schedules. No matter your schedule, positions may be available for you to take on.

Job Security Is Offered

The demand for community support workers is there and is only expected to increase over time. Because there is such a demand for these kinds of workers, you can enjoy having more job security with plenty of options offered to you.

You Will Keep Learning

When you work in this type of industry, there is always something new to learn. Not only will you take in a lot of valuable information by going through the training process, but you will even get to learn new things from the people you are going to work with and help during your time as a community support worker.

You Can Progress as You Go Along

If you want a job where you can continuously learn new things and climb the ladder to take on different positions where you can earn even more, becoming a community support worker is a fantastic idea. You can turn this job into a successful career that you will have for years to come. It is possible to gain new skills that you did not have before while going through training. As you gain new skills and experience, you can potentially become a senior support worker or even someone who works as a manager.

Greece holds a special place in my heart. Each summer I dream of going away to this place. Greece has great summer weather, especially considering how damp and cold UK summers can get, has a rich history, is relaxed and stunning, everything I have been looking for in the perfect holiday destination for a family. Furthermore, the cost of living is affordable and it’s actually closer to home.

With 227 islands and islets being inhabited, Greece is home to around 6,000. We are yet to visit any Greek island twice even after going to a number of them over the years.

I feel that I experience the Mediterranean as it was meant to be whenever I visit Greece. This is exactly how the south of France and Italy must have been back in the 50s I imagine. Unlike no other Mediterranean destinations where people have to deal with congested beaches, restaurants and roads during the busy summer season, Greece has a traditional and timeless feel.

Locating a peaceful picturesque marina with a number of simple taverns and some colourful wooden boats is quite easy even though some parts of the country are full of hotels and resorts, such as the Ikos Andalusia Hotel.

Unspoilt & Timeless

Old fashioned and untouched, this is what most of Greece feels like. You will find old women wearing all black sitting over laced mats and adult males playing backgammon throughout the day as you walk around local villages. With everyone taking a nap, some villages have a ghost town feel when you stroll around in the afternoon.

Greece is the perfect holiday destination for families. The relaxed environment ensures that the entire family enjoys a laid back experience, while kids, who are simply adored, get a warm reception from all the people they meet.

In our family, everyone finds Greek cuisine irresistible. Sharing the fun to eat, healthy and delicious food together is always an enjoyable experience. Each day, we eat loads of vegetables, salads and fish during our time on Greek islands. From thinly sliced or fried octopus in olive oil, whitebait and anchovies to calamari, red mullet and sardines we will gladly eat through of these tasty dishes.

From grilled feta cheese, cheese and spinach pies, Greek salad, stuffed vine leaves, fish, dips – taramasalata and houmous – and stuffed tomatoes and peppers to courgette flowers, we usually order various dishes for the entire table and then sample each. We always try to sample each, even though everyone has a favourite, and it’s all surprisingly tasty.

We tend to socialize a lot more when we eat together like this. We interact with each other more when sharing food. Everyone enjoys the experience even more as we engage with each other.

A Rich Past

Any child will be fascinated by the interesting stories of ancient Greek mythology and all their gods. On even the tiniest islands, you will find temples devoted to one of the many Greek goddesses or gods as history takes a life of its own in Greece.

Tour Olympia, where the first Olympic Games were held; go atop the Acropolis to take in views of the Parthenon temple in Athens; check out the very spot where the fight between Theseus and the Minotaur took place in Crete’s Minoan palace or head over to the home of the centaurs, Mount Pelion.

You will always get more for your money in Greece. It is possible for you to pay as low as 45 Euros when dining out as a family of 4, and enjoy lower accommodation costs at charming boutique hotels than you would in say France or Italy.

You can get affordable flight tickets if you book early, and most foreigners don’t even need to pay anything for a visa. As you can see, there’s nothing holding you back, so go for it!

As technology and the lifestyles change, the world must keep up with those changes. This can mean a number of things for those that live in long-stay apartments.

Living With Tech Or Not?

Many homes and apartments are getting introduced to smart technologies. As the future fast approaches, homes are seeing the introduction of automated monitoring for ovens, bathtubs, and general heating and cooling. In addition, we can see robots that have the ability to monitor our pets as well as vacuum the floors in our homes. Technology has also enabled the customization of home decor. It is quite possible now to decorate the home with digital pictures as well as having digital butlers suggest various tailored activities.

However, have we reached the peak of possible technology? We may soon find that this digital invasion leads to a backlash. The team at House of Fisher have recently begun to see a demand for tech-free spaces that may lead to tech-free buildings in the future. We may find that face-to-face interaction becomes more of a priority as the digital world overrides every component in our daily lives.

Modular Living

While the overall size for an apartment seems to be smaller, consumers still expect to have the same amount of amenities, if not more. With the advent of modular and moveable apartment designs it is quite possible to have a living area, full kitchen and bedroom in just under 20 m².

The downside to modular apartment design is it can be vastly expensive. There has been no verdict on whether the benefits of modular living outweigh the complexity or the cost. However, many consumers find that a co-living model which offers simple sleeping pods with easy access to communal living space through co-working and co-living areas is a better solution.

Green Living

The pressure for environmental change is only going to increase in the future through legislation and consumer demands. With this in mind, environmentally friendly materials will become more readily available. Some apartments are including carpets that convert carbon into oxygen as well as porous building materials that enable the growth of green walls and moss.

Food packaging will be nearly eliminated for grocery shopping and on-site food production. In addition, energy can be produced and stored on-site through the use of solar panels and smart windows, as well as being produced kinetically through the use of gym equipment. In time, there are going to be some aspects of our modern life that will need to be challenged as to whether they are truly essential needs – such as air-conditioning as a standard amenity in the northern hemisphere.

Sleep Tech

By the year 2020, solutions for insomnia are expected to be an $80 billion industry. Machines will have the ability to monitor sleeping patterns as well as enhance the quality of sleep through lighting and sound waves. Smart beds will be able to regulate the body’s temperature. Digital butlers will be able to send reminders to exercise, sleep, and hydrate.

However, before we get lost into this feature of technology, it is absolutely essential to remember the fundamentals that are needed for a good night’s sleep: the right mattress, the right acoustics, and the right amount of lighting.

Light and sound from technology may actually disturb your sleep patterns. A technology blackout may be a more positive solution for some consumers.

Virtual Reality

In the future,  virtual reality may be more than just entertainment, as it may create a sense of place within neighbourhoods and communities. Would it be possible for virtual space to replicate a residential lounge?

It may be possible that VR will have the ability to enhance design and research. Hans Meyer, the co-founder of Zoku, has already been using virtual reality to create room prototypes with consumer groups.

Revolution Versus Evolution

As new technology becomes available it creates the opportunity for hospitality leaders around the globe to improve their products. While these will generally be embraced there is still a note that must be observed.

The industry needs to be mindful of their consumers as well as any possible backlash due to technology overload. This type of technology should only be used if it is going to enhance the overall consumer experience. Due to this, we can expect an incremental change in technology as opposed to a dramatic shift.

While there will be large innovations that move trends forward these will still be based upon small incremental changes over time.

Over the last 200 years, UK’s life expectancy has doubled. Consequently, about 16% of our population is aged 65 and above. Furthermore, among our senior citizens, today we have a greater number of people aged 85 and above.

While a greater life expectancy is generally great, it can also prove to be troublesome for many people. For some people, they do not live a healthy life across the added years. This negatively affects the quality of life among our senior citizens.

For instance:

• The physical changes that our bodies undergo as we age can affect and change the way we feel and think about food. These seemingly natural changes can prevent seniors from taking a healthy diet. Furthermore, these changes can alter our appetite, making one think he or she is full and, therefore, eating less.
• As you might appreciate, good nutrition, as well as regular physical activities, play an integral role in protecting people from age-related conditions and ailments, especially cardiovascular diseases and cognitive decline. They also play a role in protecting one’s bone and joints and oral and dental health. As we age, people tend to slow down and take up less physically engaging activities, which can have a negative impact on your life.

Ageing and Healthy Eating: the Myths

To help you understand what happens as you age, we will debunk top 10 myths regarding ageing and eating a healthy diet.

1. You Will Experience Stomach Shrinkage As You Age

This is a very common and popular misconception about ageing. Many people think that as they age, their stomach gets smaller, hence why they take less food. While your capacity to eat food and appetite might change over time, your stomach does not change.

2. You Should Eat Less As You Age

The vast majority of people think that they should eat less as they age reasoning that their energy requirements diminish as they age. This is not necessarily true. Whilst our metabolism does slow down with age, eating quality food in the right might amount plays a huge role in protecting and fuelling the body. It is the key to ageing well.

3. Weight Loss Is Always Healthy

Among the masses, losing weight is almost universally considered as healthy. However, this is not the case as we get older. In fact, Gabriel’s Angels suggest extreme dieting and sudden weight loss must be avoided as we age unless advised by a dietician or a GP.

4. Eat Only When You Feel Like It

As we age, your body alters in very many ways. As such, you should expect the usual triggers such as hunger or feeling full to change. However, you should know that extreme losses of appetites is not normal and could be a sign of underlying problems.

5. You Should Eat a Low-Fat Diet to Stay Healthy

Contrary to what many people think, a low-fat diet is not necessarily the best diet nor is it the best dietary approach, especially for the elderly. We need fat as a source of energy. Some senior citizens need a healthy supply of fat to maintain a healthy diet.

6. Eat More Vegetables

Eating is nutrient-rich vegetable is important as a part of a healthy diet. However, it should be eaten as part of a balanced diet; therefore, it should eat along with a healthy supply of fluids, proteins, and carbohydrates. Do note that as we age, we need a healthy supply of proteins to protect and restore your immune systems, your body organs, the brains, and muscles.

7. You Should Drink Water Only When You Feel Thirsty

Thirst is a trigger to drink water. It is a means your body uses to tell you that you need fluids. If you feel thirsty, and you feel confusion or a headache, chances are that you are dehydrated. Dehydration can negatively impact your kidney function. As such, do not wait to feel thirsty. Drink plenty of water.

8. Meal Supplements are Sufficient to Stay Healthy

This is not true. Our bodies are not capable of living off vitamins and supplement alone. Furthermore, some of the supplements may interact with medication, reducing their efficacy or not working at all. As such, the focus should be on eating a healthy diet.

9. You Must Eat 3 Meals a Day

Staying healthy and ageing well requires you to eat regularly. However, due to appetite changes, eating three full-sized meals might prove to be a huge challenge for many seniors citizens. An alternative to the 3 meals is to eat more frequently but smaller portions.

10. Malnutrition Is Just Another Symptom of Ageing

Malnutrition is a condition that can affect anyone at any age. It is not strictly an age-dependent condition. Moreover, it can affect people of any body size. That being said, you should note due to the changes that you experience as you age, the elderly are more susceptible to malnutrition. As such, do not dismiss malnutrition as part and parcel of ageing.

As you can appreciate, there are many things to consider. It is little wonder that the elderly citizen living alone struggles to eat correctly and stay healthy.

Should you hire a marketing agency or keep everything in-house? This can be a crucial decision to make when it comes to your online marketing. The following is a breakdown of the key differences between hiring an agency and hiring in-house.

Diversification of Skills

Generally speaking, online marketers have a tendency to have specific sets of skills. There are conversion rate specialists, content marketing experts, social media masters, paid search specialists, and so forth.

However, online marketing is much complex for just one individual to have expertise in every aspect.

So when you hire an in-house paid search specialist, you expect that they will do a great job with paid search. However, what if your paid search campaigns are not working out? Then what do you do?

Diversify Your Marketing Efforts

Companies that hire in-house frequently struggle with diversifying their online marketing efforts. Investing in new marketing channels, after all, can be a big risk. So when you hire somebody and things don’t work out then you have created a situation for yourself that is very difficult.

This results in companies frequently end up stuck with just using one marketing channel. Often, the channel isn’t even working very well.

For instance, if you have a really good landing page designer, but you have horrible ads driving the wrong type of traffic to your website, then you might have a hard time achieving good results from your marketing campaigns.

Is This the Fault of your Designer?

No, of course not! However, if your marketing skills are siloed like this, then you probably will not end up achieving the results from your online marketing efforts that you would like to.

On the other hand, if you hire a good brand agency, like Muze Creative then you will have access to a broad range of skills at hand.

For instance, accounting managers are part of marketing teams which include experts that have a broad range of various online marketing specialties: site testing, design, Facebook, AdWords, etc.

Each team member individually is great at the work they do, however, collectively they offer a lot more value compared to what just one person can.

An added bonus is that since every member of the team is working on several different accounts, they have the breadth and depth of experience that provides them with insights that can be applied to new situations and campaigns.

Pay for a Diverse Set of Skills

When looking at this at first glance, it may appear to be more expensive to do things that way. After all, if you cannot afford to hire another individual for diversifying your marketing efforts, then how will you be able to afford to pay a marketing agency to do this for you?

Generally speaking, a majority of companies do not need to have dedicated services of a full-time Facebook account manager, full-time designer, and a full-time AdWords expert. However, they will benefit from each person’s services.

Unfortunately, if you are going to hire in-house, it may be difficult to find a web designer or AdWords expert who would be willing to just work for a couple of hours per week. However, in an agency, one AdWords expert can manage multiple accounts. This will keep her or him busy enough in order for the agency to justify full-time employment, even though one account may not require the person’s full-time talents and work.

As a result, whenever you are working with a marketing agency, you have access to the skills and talents of high-level experts from various specialties without needing to hire them as full-time employees – which for your business is great news.

In-House vs Agency

So in terms of skill diversification, should you hire in-house or go with a marketing agency?

When getting down to it, it comes down to resources. For a bigger company, it might be worth investing in hiring someone in-house in order to further diversify its marketing efforts.

So if you have significant marketing needs that justify a dedicated expert being hired, then you will achieve the best results from someone being hired in order to work full-time in that channel.

For most businesses, however, agencies are an excellent diversification option.

Most companies either can’t afford or need to hire an entire team of dedicated marketers, then working with a marketing agency can be a really good way of broadening your marketing without having to increase your overhead significantly.