6 minute read
START to cut back the treats
GO EASY ON TREATS
Let’s go easy on the treats – try to give them to children less often and in small amounts
Children are having more treat foods such as crisps, sugar and biscuits than the recommended amount to keep them healthy. Latest research on treats for the START campaign found that parents and guardians believe that giving them in smaller amounts and less often should help families to cut back and replace them with healthier snacks. Sarah O’Brien, HSE national lead for the Healthy Eating and Active Living programme, explained that the health advice is to limit treat foods to small amounts once or twice a week for
The START campaign is brought to you from safefood, the HSE and Healthy Ireland. The campaign encourages families to take the first step towards a healthier lifestyle for their children by supporting them with one daily win and to persist with the changes, no matter how difficult they become. children over five and no more than once a week for children under five.
“This is so far from the norm in our society and the marketing of these products is so widespread that parents struggle to achieve it,” she said.
“Children, and particularly small children, often need healthy snacks between meals to provide all the nutrients they need for their growing bodies. Simple options such as yoghurt, fruit, popcorn, cheese or peanut butter and crackers are all good choices. Getting children involved in preparing food, organising a healthy eating family challenge or using star charts for younger kids are ways of introducing healthier snacks.”
Parents and guardians also said that by having a discussion with children on the health benefits of cutting back on treats should help them understand and accept having less. This is preferable to just saying no outright. They asked for advice on how to have such discussions with children. Parenting expert and child & adolescent psychotherapist Colman Noctor gave some advice on how to navigate those tricky conversations: Tip one ‘No’ can be a tough word at any age for a child. Small amounts of treats and a few times a week is ok, but it’s important to agree this. By knowing how much and when they can have a treat, you can minimise meltdowns and can give children a feeling of control. Remember, being a parent often involves giving a child what they need as opposed to what they want. Tip two To avoid bargaining in the sweet aisles, agree if you will buy a treat and if so, what type of treat before you go to the shop. It can reduce the ask and help you control the shopping trips. Tip three Children have to learn to regulate their desire as they develop, but they need help with this. Remind yourself that limiting treats is teaching a necessary life skill that will help your child to know when to cut back.
Dr Aileen McGloin, nutritionist with safefood added, “Parents are aware that they need to say no to treats more often but they believe that encouraging treats in moderation feels much more achievable and realistic for them. While healthy eating guidelines don’t include treats as being necessary for good health, if children are eating them, the rule of thumb is ‘small amounts and not every day’.”
Further help and resources VIEW videos with HSE parenting experts, recipes and healthy snack options on www.makeastart.ie. Order hard copies of START publications by searching “Start publications” on www.hse.ie FOLLOW START on Facebook www.facebook.com/safefood.net and Twitter @safefood_net #makeastart
Fair Deal Proceeds of the sale of the main residence
What is Fair Deal? Fair Deal Changes for Farmers and Business owners
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme known as Fair Deal, provides financial support for people who need long term residential care. The amount you pay towards your nursing home fees depends on your income and assets.
Financial assessment and the 3 year cap
If you have little income and assets, you pay less. If you have more, you pay more.
As part of the financial assessment under Fair Deal, you will contribute 7.5% of the value of certain assets each year towards the cost of your care for a maximum of 3 years. This is known as the ‘3-year cap’. Farmers and businesses owners need to apply to have a farm or business included in the 3-year cap. For your application to be successful you need to meet some conditions. These conditions include: Financial assessment and the 3 year cap • You must apply to us to appoint your family successor As part of the financial assessment under Fair Deal, you will contribute 7.5% of the value of certain assets each year towards the cost of your care for a maximum of 3 years. This is known as the ‘3-year cap’. • Your successor will commit to running the farm or business for at least 6 years • Your farm or business must have been actively run by you, your partner or your proposed family successor for at least 3 of the last 5 years • A charge in favour of the HSE will be placed on the chargeable What happens after 3 years? property of a business or farm Your home will automatically be removed from your financial assessment after you have been in care for 3 years. You do not need to do anything. Appointing a family successor
You need to apply to us using the Fair Deal application form to appoint your family successor. Information on who can be a family successor, the conditions to be met and the supporting documents you need to send us is on section 5 of www.hse.ie/nhss
Selling your home while in care
From 20 October 2021 if you choose to sell your home while in nursing home care the net proceeds of the sale can qualify for the 3 year cap and People in care under Fair Deal before 20 October 2021 will be an allowable deduction on your financial assessment. People in care under Fair Deal before 20 October 2021 can still apply for the 3 year cap under the old guidelines (if they have not done so already). This should be done by 20 April 2022.
To qualify under the old guidelines, you will need to provide the following to your local People in care under Fair Deal before 20 October 2021 nursing homes support scheme office: 1. Evidence that you suffered a sudden illness or disability which caused you to need long People in care under Fair Deal before 20 October 2021 who sold their home term nursing home care, and while in nursing home care can apply for the 3 year cap on the net proceeds 2. Evidence that you or your partner was actively engaged in the daily working of the of the sale of their home. To request a review please provide details of the farm or business up until the time of the sudden illness or disability, and sale to your local nursing homes support scheme office. 3. Certification by a family successor that they will continue to work the farm or business.
