Health Archives - Amsterdam Mamas

Domestic Violence in the Netherlands: Resources and Support

Editorial Team — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 07:08:37 +0000

Protect yourself by asking for information and assistance from professional help workers and organisations, so you are able to make the right decision for yourself and your children. Inform your general practitioner (huisarts) of your situation, and when possible ask for a referral to your local social work team (sociaal wijkteam) or the domestic abuse helpline Veiligthuis.

To talk to someone about domestic violence

Websites are in Dutch and English.

Veiligthuis (National Domestic Violence, Child Abuse & Elderly Abuse Hotline):
tel. 0800 2000 (24/7 free number)
Blijf Groep (North Holland domestic violence shelter group):
tel. 020 611 6022
Stichting Korrelatie (for help with relationship problems):
tel. 0900 1450
The primary aid line for help after sexual violence:
tel. 020 613 0245

Organisations that provide information and support

In English.

Amsterdam Mamas:
email community@amsterdam-mamas.nl
Kezban Foundation:
tel. 06-12 50 7996, email info@stichtingkezban.nl

For undocumented individuals and asylum seekers

ASKV/Steunpunt Vluchtelingen

For violent partners or family members, there is a programme for behavioural change where he/she can learn to control their aggression. In some cases, the victims of domestic violence find that once their partner joins such a group, the violence at home decreases. Addresses of such therapy and self-help groups are available from Veiligthuis, Blijf Groep, social workers, and women’s centres. For undocumented individuals and refugees, contacts at refugee organisations are available.

Create an Emergency Plan

An emergency plan can help you prepare for what to do in a violent situation.

Step by Step:

Create a network of supportive friends and/or family who can offer temporary help when you need it. Inform trusted individuals (social worker, friend, etc) of what is happening to you, and ask them to keep in touch with you at certain points of the day for updates on your safety. Create a follow-up plan in case you don’t respond. They can also call the police (112) for you when you are unable to during a physical assault or in an abusive situation.
Ask for help to arrange a shelter for yourself and your children that the offender does not know about. If at first it is impossible for you all to go to one address, arrange several alternative shelters and care providers for your child/ren. Various independent organisations have information about the different shelters available.
Prepare an emergency bag or suitcase which contains clothes, mobile phone, emergency money, transport pass/es, and other items that you will need immediately should the situation become so bad that you have to leave home in a hurry. At a time like that, you might not even have time to dress yourself or your children properly. Keep the suitcase well hidden in a strategic but easily accessible place in the house or at a trusted friend or neighbour’s place.
Gather important official documents such as passports, marriage certificate, birth certificates, your residence permit, bank cards, bank statements, diplomas, proof of residence, and a list of important telephone numbers and addresses. Keep them with your emergency bag, or with someone safe outside the home where you can collect them once you’ve left.
Slowly move your valuable personal possessions to a location unknown to your partner, such as a secure storage facility or spread out with friends. This prevents your partner from destroying your possessions and makes it easier to collect your property at a later time if you are unable to go back to your home.
Keep records, in any form, of everything connected in any way to the violence. Keep sms/e-mail/viber/WhatsApp, etc. messages, audio/video recordings, medical records, police statements, and court details and photos. Make copies of all important documents and have someone else keep them for you or uploaded to a secure cloud account that only you can access. You could need any or all of these later as proof of the violence.
After you have left, turn off location tracking on your electronic devices and do not under any circumstances give the offender or their friends or relatives any details of your whereabouts. Be extremely vigilant. Always inform someone you trust where you are going and what time you plan to be back. Always take as many safety precautions as possible.
Use the law and the regulations designed to protect you. Call the police (112). If necessary, seek a restraining order. If the case goes to court, request a lawyer to support you at all the hearings. Go through every legal procedure possible to convince the offender of their responsibility for their actions and to protect yourself. Do not allow yourself to be intimidated.
If you have shared custody of a child, stay in the country until you have gained permission from authorities to leave. Under the Hague Convention, a parent who takes a child out of the country without the permission of the other parent can be charged with child abduction, even the reason is due to domestic violence.
If you have limited Dutch reading/speaking/comprehension skills, seek help from an organisation that speaks your language or where the services of an interpreter are available. Always carry the telephone number of an interpreting centre in the area, or take someone with you who you trust completely and who can interpret for you. Courts provide a free translator – just remind your lawyer to request one for you. There is also a paid translation service (verbal and written) called Tok Telefoon: tel. 088 255 5222.

Report Abuse

If you need immediate help, call the police: dial 112. They are authorised to intervene in situations to keep you and your child/ren safe and secure.

The police are part of emergency services that can respond to situations such as psychological and physical abuse. When they come to your home due to you or your neighbour’s call, they will approach the offender about his/her behaviour and discuss what happens next. In some situations, a temporary restraining order is given to the offender. This means that he/she may not enter the house for a short period of time.

In cases of serious violence, the police can prosecute, in which case the offender will probably be taken to court.

You can also go to the police at any time. They will listen to you and explain what they can do. You can bring charges (via an aangifte police report), or you can report the incident to be recorded in the police records without pressing charges (an aanmelden police report). If you do decide to bring charges, they will ask for proof of evidence such as photos of bruises or wounds, medical records, or statements from witnesses.

You can also file anonymously (anoniem melden) through Meld Misdaad Anoniem: tel. 0800-7000 (weekdays: 8:00-24:00; weekend: 9:00-17:00).

If you have a dependent visa status, you are entitled to an individual residence permit if you separate or divorce due to domestic abuse. You will not have to leave the Netherlands.

Changing The Narrative: Advocating For Your Kids

Stephanie Ernst-Milner — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 18:58:52 +0000

Navigating the Dutch medical system can be challenging at the best of times. Stephanie Ernst-Milner shares the lessons learnt from her journey of advocating for her children when they needed more than a smile and paracetamol.

No doubt, all of us transplants to the Netherlands are familiar with the differences between how your home country’s medical system works and your experience with the Dutch medical system. There can be vast disparities; often, these are frustrating and tiring as you mold your comfort zones and past experiences into a completely different world.

My experience is similar to many. However, the addition of my twins born with a rare disease created something that resembles a cross between a nightmare and a comedy act.

In The Beginning

You might be familiar with my first article, A Mother’s Story: Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, in which I shared the story of discovering the eerie parallels between my twins and the Wikkelkinderen of Muidersloot: two sets of red and white twins, born 400 years apart, with surprising similarities and yet very different outcomes.

My girls, born in 2013, have Twin Anemia Polycythemia Sequence (TAPS), a rare disease affecting monochorionic twins (twins who share the same placenta in utero). One of the biggest problems we faced is that this disease was only identified 15 years ago. While there is much research on it, we are still finding new long-term effects on children.

In addiiton to the lack of awareness about TAPS, it’s also confused with the better known Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (which I wrote about in my first article) and mistakenly called a form of it.

When my girls were born, we were told quite honestly (ah, Dutch honesty! ) that there wasn’t enough information about TAPS. They thought it was probably a mild disease.

(Stephanie’s daughters. Photo supplied by Stephanie and used with permission)

It’ll Be Okay

We enrolled in long-term follow-ups for the girls, and we received support from our local hospital. Things went pretty smoothly, but we started noticing the girls had some challenges.

We noticed the girls wouldn’t make eye contact, and their meltdowns just didn’t feel typical for 2-year-olds.

We’d raise these concerns at appointments with our local team and asked if it was possibly related to prematurity. We’d been pacified that since they’d been delivered safely, there was nothing to worry about. “Het komt goed, meisje. Don’t worry, mommy; once they go to school, it will be ok.”

We created many strategies to help with tantrums and meltdowns and enrolled the girls in peuterspeelzaal. This helped a bit, but we also noticed that our one girl had a significant speech delay. We mentioned this and were told: “Oh, don’t worry about it. She’s a twin, she’s premature, and she’s bilingual – it will sort itself out when they go to school!”

This was something that we’d heard over and over, and we started to believe it. After all, the firm belief was that the danger was over now they were born; we felt reassured that the system was watching the girls.

I’d reached out for help so many times, and yet it felt like no one had listened

Starting School

When the girls started school, it became apparent they were a bit behind. Thanks to a fantastic teacher in the school, we immediately got a referral to school-based speech therapy. Within six months, one of my girls’ language skills went from below to above average. Still, her sister stayed in speech therapy for the next three years.

We started to ask more questions and were always told that they just needed time. Things seemed to get better, and we kept working at home. But the lack of eye contact and short attention spans were something we were still concerned about.

At age 5, they had a checkup with the GGD, and my twin in speech therapy failed a hearing test. It was dismissed as her not paying attention to the instructions, but this was not followed up. They also had some fine motor skill issues, but it was felt that this would fix itself.

Around this time, I had a meeting with the researchers on the girls’ case and was told there was a possibility that donor twins had hearing problems. I took this information back to the GGD and said that maybe we should recheck her hearing. I was told it wasn’t necessary.

A Bombshell

In 2018, the long-term effects of TAPS were published and sent shockwaves around the world when it was discovered that it had a high risk of developmental delays and deafness. Equally shocking was that at our 5-year research checkup, the girls consistently showed that they’d been affected by this rare disease.

At this stage, the GGD suddenly became interested in our case but was extremely unhelpful. Rather than assisting us with the concerns we’d had for the past few years, it seemed they wanted to class the girls as problematic and put the blame on us!

I became distraught by this. I felt so defeated – I’d reached out for help so many times, and yet it felt like no one had listened – and now this was all my fault?

What I have learned is that you need to be firm and assertive. Stand your ground about issues, and be calm.

I went home and cried for a few days. I’ll be honest; it was gutting. But then I started reviewing the records I’d kept for the girls and realized some inconsistencies. They’d never received a hearing test or an eye test – perhaps a fault of so many interested parties in their case, and I started writing a letter that changed everything.

I calmly requested a hearing check for my donor twin and a referral to the eye clinic to check their eyesight (yes, this had also been neglected). I also asked for a referral for an assessment for ADHD. I provided phone numbers of researchers, papers to support my requests, and references back to appointments we’d previously had where I’d been dismissed in my concerns. It was crucial to get the best possible care for my girls to be their best.

Although we did encounter some issues with people not wanting to work with such a rare disease, the letter worked. We got hearing tests, eye tests, and a referral to our local KinderKliniek (children’s clinic).

Naming the Beast

Finally, in December 2020, we learned that our twins were on the autistic spectrum and a Developmental Coordination Disorder. Both girls also have poor vision, requiring glasses full time. Still, the most significant relief is that despite ongoing speech issues, my donor twin has a full hearing range.

The most frustrating part of the whole journey was feeling dismissed when I raised concerns. This was especially when my girls did not feel the narrative and the rarity of their disease. I did not feel listened to and was made to feel like an overprotective and paranoid parent.

What I have learned is that you need to be firm and assertive. Stand your ground about issues, and be calm.

My Survival Tips:

Document everything: Make a note of what is spoken about at appointments in your agenda (even Google calendar – just put it in the notes section.
Stay calm: It’s easy to flip out and scream at the system – but staying calm, reinforcing your concerns, and providing evidence work.
Know your rights: You are absolutely entitled to a second opinion, even if it feels like they won’t give it to you. If you have a good relationship with your family doctor, you can also approach them for referrals.
Rare diseases: Provide evidence for your needs and requests. A great way to do this is to connect with patient organizations and advocacy groups.
Take care of your mental health: As parents, this is a big one – we are focused on our kids and want the best for them, which means we do not prioritize ourselves. You are just as important, so seek the help you need, a counselor, a cup of tea and a chat, or even respite.
Some days are harder: You will have days when it feels like you are banging your head against a wall. It’s okay to cry, to scream, to throw things around on these days. But also remember – a setback is only that – a speedbump in a long journey. Take a day off, be human, and start the next step.
Don’t give up but accept your limitations: It can be a frustrating and lonely journey, and many people will not understand why you’re battling so hard. Changing the world is a slow process, and it doesn’t happen as fast as we want at times. You’re a superhero – just take it easy.

Getting a diagnosis can be challenging. Not being in your home country, language limitations, and unfamiliarity with the system can make it more difficult. Remember, though, you’re not alone; you can definitely get the help you need if you’re persistent.

Photo Credit: Banner image by Josue Michel. Laptop/book by Nick Morrison. . All royalty-free stock images curated via Unsplash. Photo of Stephanie’s daughters – supplied by author and used with permission.

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Small and Beautiful: Manageable Intentions for 2021

Anastasia Drost — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 15:11:51 +0000

Winter of 2021 looks like it will be long and locked down. It’s hard to start something new when you are mostly confined to your house, but there are ways. Here are a few small but impactful suggestions for improving your body, mind, and soul.

During a global pandemic, with all of its attendant uncertainty, it is perhaps kinder to switch from New Years Resolutions to New Years Intentions. We have all learned this past year how your plans can get dashed with one press conference. However, there are things one can do, even at home, even during a pandemic. Perhaps visiting the Taj Mahal or Machu Pichu is out for the time being but here are some other, smaller, things that might be possible:

Learn Dutch!

First ask yourself whether it is worth your effort to learn Dutch – here are 5 Questions to Ask Yourself before doing so.

Secondly, don’t be afraid! (especially of those hard g’s!) Learning Dutch is Child’s Play has some easy strategies for tackling this tongue twister of a language.

If you choose to move forward, you can learn or improve your Dutch by attending online classes at one of the Amsterdam Mamas’ community favorite language schools – they suit all levels and purposes. If official classes are not your thing, here is a list of the 16 best TV programs to help your Dutch organized by proficiency level – from kids cartoons to discussion of current events.

Stay Active and Improve Your Physical Fitness!

Personal Trainers: Here is an updated list of the Amsterdam Mamas’ Community’s favorite personal trainers if you would like one-on-one or small group classes to reach your fitness goals. Alternatively or additionally, all of the finalists in the Amsterdam Mamas Recommends Awards Best Workout Studio offer online (and sometimes free introductory) classes.

Do Nothing!

Did you know there is an actual Dutch verb that means “to do nothing”? Niksen. It is not the same as being bored or restless; it is not getting a massage. Niksen is settling into a guilt free space of, well, not doing anything. A Polish journalist based in the Netherlands caused a media frenzy with her book and New York Times article about ‘niksen’.

Here is our review of Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing. Maybe you will want to explore this very Dutch practice in your New Year.

Best wishes to all of the Amsterdam Mamas’ Community for a lighter, brighter, and happier 2021 from the Amsterdam Mamas Editorial Team.

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Of Mice and Kind Men: To Catch a Mouse (Humanely)

Tasneem Hatimbhai — Tue, 25 May 2021 19:50:51 +0000

An Amsterdam Mama recently had unwanted furry house guests, to whom she wanted to show the door. Humanely. Is this even possible with mice?

We live in what is considered a young neighbourhood of the city. The houses are newer, windows are double glazed, heating is by block, and energy consumption is more efficient. A younger home also means being exempt from unwanted guests of the rodent kind. Until recently, that is.

For those wondering, we live in the Oostelijke Havengebied, also called the Eastern Docklands. The neighbourhood was built in the mid-to the late 90s as a high-density, low-rise residential neighbourhood, where homes replaced warehouses that stored grain, cotton, sugar, coal, and other commodities that were shipped into the city. I imagine that a few decades ago, rats and mice must have been flourishing in the hood, especially if one considers the mountains of sugar that were stored here. Luckily, the little critters were driven away when the new homes were built, resulting in many happy rodent-free years. Alas, that came to an end in November last year – 8 months into the lockdown.

Our mouse-counters started when different family members per chanced the little chap scuttling past on many occasions. We ignored the mouse for the first few weeks after the initial sightings, mainly because it did not really bother us. We did make an effort to move, cover, and secure all loose food items, but not much else because we are essentially a lazy bunch. However, when the sightings continued, and I started noticing tiny black mouse droppings lying around, I decided our little houseguest overstayed its welcome.

The list of possibilities to get rid of Mr (or Mrs) Mouse included borrowing the neighbour’s cat. Still, we did not want to see the entrails of the little chap after the feline got it. Sticky rat paper seemed horribly cruel, as once caught, the mouse has to be drowned with the paper. And then the guillotine type mouse catcher; such a gory and horribly medieval way to trap a mouse!

Unable to find a solution, I passed the problem over to my kinder, calmer, and generally far more generous husband, who, after some research, found a mouse-friendly trap on bol.com

This little contraption is a long plastic tube with a weight-sensitive door that slides into place once the mouse is in the tube. The mousetrap was delivered with tiny cups of Fairtrade and organic hazelnut paste to lure the mouse and an instruction manual on treating the mouse gently and humanely. Once the mouse is caught in the trap, it gets very panicky, so you should cover the trap with a tea towel and carefully lift it without making too many sudden or jerky movements. Then, it is recommended that it is best to release the mouse into a neighbourhood garden or field, not too close to your home, lest it finds its way back.

And so, for several days and nights, we positioned the mouse traps, with the opened cup of hazelnut paste, in different places where the mouse had been spotted. The mouse was not a fan of the organic hazelnut bait.

So after about a week, my kind husband replaced the hazelnut paste with some ontbijtkoek smeared with peanut butter… and voila! Within a day, the mouse ran straight into the tube. It was ever so gently delivered to a green, bushy area about 500m from our home. I should mention that the mouse was only bid adieu after it was photographed (without a flash), shown to the kids and me to explain, again, how it was only a harmless, cute field mouse, not a monster, and that every time I screamed, I immensely stressed it out!

Lesson not learnt, I hoped that was the end of the mouse episode in our lives, but it seems our ‘new’ homes are now old, for last week we had another mouse visitor. Better prepared and far more adept, we whipped out the mousetrap, set it up with a Medjool date (owing to it being Ramzan time) smeared with peanut butter, and quickly caught the greedy little guy. He, too, was released into the same green space, and my husband imagines that Mouse 1 and Mouse 2 are now merrily setting up a tiny home of their own…hopefully, far enough from ours.

Handy Resources:

If you are worried about mice or their bigger, more aggressive cousins, rats, be sure to read this article

Reporting of pests and vermin indoors and outdoors:

Online form Melding Openbare Ruimte (in Dutch).

Call the City of Amsterdam’s information line: 14 020

For advice about pests and vermin, as well as tips on getting rid of them (rodents, birds, insects) in and around your home, garden, or business premises, you can call or send an e-mail to the Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD Amsterdam) at dpb@ggd.amsterdam.nl or call 020 555 5600.

Photo Credit: Banner by Kong Jun, cat photo by Lodewijk Hertog, field mouse photo by M att Seymour. All on Unsplash.

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Book Review: Owl Magic: Your Guide Through Challenging Times

Anastasia Drost — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 18:49:51 +0000

The last year has been challenging, to say the least. The pandemic’s impact on the world and on ourselves is still not fully known. Owl Magic, Your Guide Through Challenging Times by longtime Amsterdam Mamas contributor Mary Petiet, does not resist this truth. It embraces it! Can we find transformational magic in challenging times?

I start this review off with a disclosure: Mary Petiet and I have worked together at Amsterdam Mamas, and I consider her a friend. I have put off reviewing this book partially for this reason, and partially because I have been in pandemic survival mode, like everyone else. However, I gifted my yoga guide with a copy and she told me a few weeks ago how powerful she found it. So, inspired by her objective reaction, I decided to plunge in. After all, if “Times of change are the times of greatest transformation” why not be a part of it? I could stand some transformation.

What Is Owl Magic?

Owl Magic, Your Guide Through Challenging Times is described on its cover as a “… toolbox of simple anxiety-busting strategies designed to reveal your hidden power.”

“Times of change are the times of greatest transformation” – Mary Petiet

How does it attempt to do this? Inspired by the owl, with its distinctive physical and mythological qualities, Owl Magic present the reader with a new way of seeing their times and their lives. It is a unique blend of comfort and challenge. Petiet makes the case that the challenges and sufferings of this pandemic are not unique in the history of the world; the human world has turned upside down before. In such tumultuous times, old patterns are replaced with new ones, and the relationships between people and power, societal and personal, also change.

Thus the challenge Owl Magic issues, gently, is how we can use this time in our own lives to change our outworn personal patterns, and to tap into our own personal power centers.

Different aspects of the owl serve as the inspiration for each chapter:

Wisdom and Connection
Retelling Your Stories
Transform Through Turmoil
Assume Abundance
Face Your Fear
Plant the Seeds for Future Growth
Become the Hero of Your Story
Renewal

Each of the chapters contains a concise and accessible exploration of its theme. Some philosophy, history, and feminist theory provide a framework for the practical guidance which follows:

1) A specific yoga posture connected to the theme of each chapter is suggested and carefully explained. The postures, or asanas, are simple and basic – nothing that requires any training: Owl, Mountain, Warrior, Tree, etc. These postures take on a new life when you understand they are manifesting a psychological reality as much as a physical one.

2) After the yoga posture is a guided meditation: an interior journey within your own imagination, yet following a specific path. The mediations are creative, lovely, and relaxing. At first I found myself wishing they were audios so I didn’t have to keep opening my eyes to read the next instructions, but I got around this eventually by reading them thoroughly beforehand and committing them to memory.

3) Finally, the chapters end with writing prompts: several questions or instructions for personal journaling. The prompts are not threatening and are normally open-ended, such as:

What kind of energy are you putting out?
Retell your most important stories.
What is the hardest gift you have ever given?
Make a list of all the things you fear.
If you met the Earth Mother, what would you tell her?

Owl Magic is a book best savoured over time rather than done quickly. It would be a wonderful basis for an individual or small group weekend retreat, but it could also serve really well if taken one chapter per week, or per month as desired. It depends on how deep you want to dive, the pace you want to go.

I don’t share all of Petiet’s perspectives on history, religion, women, or owls (!) and this gave me pause, but I was relieved that Owl Magic is in no way a diatribe. It is rather a quiet and compassionate invitation to self-reflection, growth, and capacity building – psychological, spiritual, and physical. And while it may feel particularly pertinent now, during this pandemic, our lives will continue to have their share of these challenging times and Owl Magic can be like an old and trusted friend, visited as often as needed.

Owl Magic: Your Guide Through Challenging Times can be ordered online from Bol, Amazon, and Sea Crow Press.

Amsterdam Mamas received a free copy of this book in exchange for our honest review.

Photo Credit: Sea Crow Press

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Long-COVID? What Is It?

Annick Noirfalisse — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 12:55:51 +0000

When Annick Noirfalisse’s daughter was still struggling with symptoms four months after being diagnosed with COVID-19, she became curious about the post COVID-19 syndrome also known as ‘Long-COVID’. Here she shares what she has learned about Long-COVID and offers a few suggestions on resources in the Netherlands.

My daughter was one of the last ones in her high school to catch the virus, before the school shut down. Fortunately, her COVID-19 symptoms were quite mild. What we didnt know then is that her complaints would turn into something else and last for so long. We didn’t know there would be so little either we or her doctor could do for her. We were told to come back if her symptoms didn’t improve in a month. After there was no change in three months, we returned and still nothing was offered. We were advised to wait and see.

Now, four months after testing positive for Covid-19, her sense of smell and taste have not fully returned (anosmia). In fact, it seems to be distorted (parosmia). Orange and lavender smell awful, and a few things smell like burnt wood. The deep cough also returned, which our doctor said would improve. We are still waiting.

What is Long-COVID?

There is no agreement on the definition of Long-COVID but in the UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) defined it as:

Signs and symptoms that develop during or after an infection consistent with COVID-19, continuing for more than 12 weeks and unexplained by an alternative diagnosis.

According to the literature, the symptoms can even last up to a year and affect young adults and children without underlying chronic medical conditions.

Recognition of this post-COVID-19 condition is growing, but more research is needed according to the World Health Organization, which calls on decision-makers to support patients, as 1 in 10 report symptoms of Long-COVID-19 after 12 weeks. An interesting update about the long term effect of COVID-19 was presented by the WHO in September 2020.

According to some studies, between 10 to 35% of COVID 19 patients, who had symptoms ranging from mild to severe struggle with Long-COVID.

The Royal Dutch Medical Association estimated until end 2020 that 10% of mild to severe COVID-19 symptoms would evolve into a Long-COVID exceeding three months, though some clinicians think that estimate is probably too low.

“It is, however, a lot more” says Xavier Falières, a French anaesthesiologist who has been working at the Albert Schweitzer Ziekenhuis in Dordrecht for twenty years. “I do not know what the reality is, and to what extent we are not redefining the syndrome, with so many new clinical signs we are going to include more and more patients. Is it an adaptation of the virus that would kill fewer people?” he wonders. Still, he remains cautious, “We shouldn’t create a disease from scratch, in which everyone who’s had COVID recognises himself . Far be it from me to deny that there are some long COVID syndromes that are handicapping, but 30% of the 1.25 million cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases (i.e. 375,000 cases) in the Netherlands? I have a bit of a hard time [believing that]. It should not become like the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome of the 80s and 90s, which saw thousands of people permanently incapacitated, receiving allowances without any proof of [having] the disease, [though] the syndrome has since been much better defined with strict criteria and the number of cases has strongly diminished”.

Reports of the so-called Long-COVID are rising but little is known about the prevalence, risk factors or whether it is possible to predict a protracted course early in the disease. Long-COVID was more likely with increasing age, body mass index, and being female, reported Nature Medicine.

A new national study from Radboud University Medical Center, in Nijmegen, is investigating paramedical recovery care for Long-COVID patients to understand the illness better and form a more accurate picture of its prevalence.

Long-COVID: Signs and symptoms that develop during or after an infection consistent with Covid-19, continuing for more than 12 weeks and unexplained by an alternative diagnosis.

Possible Symptoms

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Long-COVID has wide-ranging symptoms:

fatigue
cough
congestion or shortness of breath
loss of smell (anosmia) and taste
distorted smells (parosmia)
headache
body aches
diarrhea
nausea
chest or abdominal pain

Psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety, brain fog and other rarer symptoms such as hair loss can also be added to the list. Some patients have presented with up to 13 symptoms.

Treatment

Current Situation in the Netherlands

“There is no scientific evidence available concerning the optimal aftercare for post-COVID patients,” acknowledges the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG). There is still insufficient knowledge regarding the extent of long-term damage to the lungs, heart, blood vessels, or brain. Moreover, there are indications of an increased risk of thromboembolic complications in the acute and recovery phase.

According to the NHG, long-term complaints are a real issue and we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. This issue is also on the RIVM’s (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) agenda.

Where Can You Seek Treatment?

Your general practitioner will refer you or your child to a specialist if symptoms persist. For further advice on a post-Covid referral and ambulant revalidation in case of multiple complaints, see the guidelines of the Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap (NHG).

In Amsterdam, there is a post-COVID clinic (Corona Nazorg Poli) at UMC in the AMC location. Again, you would need a referral from a specialist or a general practitioner to access it. This multidisciplinary clinic, which plans to work with OLVG, has a specialist team of pulmonologists, infectious diseases specialists, vascular doctors, cardiologists, physiotherapists, and dieticians.

Resources

Insurance

Anyone presenting with chronic complaints after a COVID-19 infection has a right to care covered by their basic insurance: convalescent paramedical care, which includes physiotherapy, ergotherapy, dietary advice, and speech therapy. Ask for a referral from your general practitioner or specialist. It is neither necessary to have been tested positive for COVID-19, nor to have been hospitalized.

The Zorgwijzer website has received thousands of reactions from long-Covid sufferers, which may help answer your questions on healthcare insurance further.

For more advice on COVID-19 infection aftercare, consult the Dutch College of General Practitioners (Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap – NHG).

Support

C-Support nazorg COVID-19 looks broadly at the consequences of the disease. The aftercare advisor does not offer medical care, however, they can discuss your medical-related questions concerning corona and your work, income, and psychosocial consequences.
St Antonius Ziekenhuis in Utrecht offers some valuable advice on recovery from Covid-19 (in Dutch).
The World Health Organization wrote a practical guide on “Support for rehabilitation self-management after Covid-19-related illness.”
Survivor Corps is a not-for-profit, grassroots movement educating and mobilizing COVID-19 survivors, connecting them with the medical, scientific, and academic research community, to help stem the tide of the pandemic and assist in national recovery.
Long-Covid Kids is a website available in 11 languages including French, German, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Polish, and Portuguese. You can also find them on Facebook under ‘Long-Covid Kids – Parents Support Group.’
Reuk- en smaakverlies na COVID-19 is a Facebook group for people who have lost their senses of taste and smell (anosmia).
Corona patiënten met langdurige klachten is a Facebook group for people struggling with the long-term effects of Covid-19.
Association Anosmie has a 12 weeks free olfactory training protocol for the loss of smell.

Looking Forward

In a policy brief from the World Health Organization published on February 25th, In the wake of the pandemic: preparing for Long-COVID, the authors recognize that many people struggle to recover from acute infection. They often suffer from disabling symptoms lasting weeks, months, or even longer.

The WHO brief highlights areas where policy-makers can take action to meet the challenge of post-Covid conditions, such as creating appropriate services, including rehabilitation and online support tools, addressing employment rights, sick pay policies, and access to disability benefits, involving patients to foster self-care and self-help, and shaping awareness of post-COVID conditions.

Fortunately, there is hope. Some Long-COVID sufferers have reported that their symptoms disappear after their vaccinations according to the Washington Post. However, more research is needed as it is too early to say whether vaccinations have an unequivocally beneficial effect on Long-COVID sufferers.

Only time will tell.

Photo credit: Banner by Adam Nieśiouruk. In-text images by Richárd Ecsedi , Engin Akyurt and Diana Polekina. All royalty-free images curated via Unsplash

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2020: The Year of Living … Domestically

Audrey Coggins — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 14:04:51 +0000

2020 was a year we will never forget. Amsterdam Mama and regular contributor Audrey Coggins shares her funny, poignant take on a year to remember … or forget.

Firstly, 2020, you suck.

I just realised: 2020 in Cantonese is “easy nothing, easy nothing”. So perhaps I should have known. But it’s sucked. Every area of our lives have been curtailed.

Except the home.

Unlike in my home country, Australia, here in Amsterdam houses are rare and costly, so apartments and flats are the norm for Amsterdam-dwellers. Most of us live in apartments less than 120 sq metre. To add to this coziness, the initial lockdown for COVID19 in March meant that overnight, working from home (WFH) was instated. Schools were closed, mandated to run online.

So, suddenly (word not used for drama!) all members of the family were confined to spend all day, everyday in these small apartments. Save for walks and runs and exercise, suddenly (again, not dramatic use!) we had to learn to survive and thrive in very close quarters.

Gezellig! (irony)

Now, Dec 2020, we’re back to hard lockdown due to alarming, unrelenting, COVID19 cases here in the Netherlands. Parks, museums, schools, shopping outlets, cafes, restaurants, gyms, childcare facilities, places of worship, offices… all closed.

2020, you suck.

Circumstances in my childhood drove me, as an adult, to create a warm and safe haven in my home space. Since independence from my parents, I have moved and lived in 13 homes. This current Amsterdam apartment is my 14th. And here too, despite the hodge-podge of landlord-furniture and our own curated pieces from Australia, I still strive to create that haven, for me and my loved ones.

My home, my haven for myself, is no longer. Thank you very much, you beast of a 2020. I no longer have the 6-7 hours daily during the week to myself, to potter around #ultimatehomebody. My beloved husband and two daughters are here. All day. Everyday. 2020 has tested that haven-home like nothing else.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always relished the evenings, when everyone comes home to gather for dinner at our dining table. For years, my soul felt complete when the husband returned from work and both my daughters were home, with me, behind locked doors, safe from the evils out there, and the wallabies waiting to pounce. Beastly creatures (koalas, kangaroos, wombats) and cuddly things (snakes and cane toads) were kept out – occasionally a spider dared enter – but mostly, when the four of us are eating at the dining table, I felt complete.

2020, you were difficult to like.

All day:

“I’m hungry.”

“What can I eat?”

“I only do gluten free.”

“I’m lactose intolerant.”

“I need chocolate.”

“Can I have something to eat?”

“I want something warm—we’re not eating cold/sandwiches.”

“What’s for lunch?”

“What’s for dinner?”

“I am so bored, what’s in the fridge?”

“There’s nothing to eat!”

“There’s nothing in the fridge!!!!”

All day. Everyday. Three people, excluding me.

2020, you were the year the dishwasher ran at least twice a day.

2020, you were the Year of the Rat Netflix.

(Call me a bad parent. Call me a bad language teacher. But I think there is merit to little children watching good kids’ TV. Both my daughters have wide vocabularies—neither I nor my husband know anything about the types of unicorns that exist. They have learned to speak from Dora, Peppa Pig, Sarah & Duck, The Wiggles, Bob the Builder etc. My youngest, 6, learned a lot of Dutch from Ruby Regenboog. My oldest, 14, learned all about vampires, boyfriends and a healthy sex life from Netfix.)

2020, you suck.

But … this year, the 14 year old has learned to cook her lunches—fried rice. From scratch. She’s even been trained to wash up after herself in the kitchen.

2020, you were tough.

But … this year, the 14 year old has come to appreciate that her parents do actually know about life and relationships. Prior to COVID19, the 14 year old considered us to be irrelevant in all that is current. She even learnt that her parents had been amongst the pioneers to use hip acronyms like BRB and BBL and TTYL nearly 2.5 decades ago.

This year, the 14 year old has had more heart to heart chats with me about her friends, her heart, her studies, her teachers, her clothes, her nails… than since she was 8.

2020, you drove us stir-crazy.

But … this year, my family and I have learned to be relatively content to be around each other 2/47.

This is … a feat. Our family are historically cave-people. We like our solitude. In Australia, we were in our rambling house had with many, many corners where we could to isolate ourselves from each other. Now, we are in close quarters.

We have learned to truly appreciate …headphones!

Picture this: The 7 year old is watching some child’s program on repeat on Netflix, I am learning how to watercolour via Youtube, my husband is having a conference call, and my older daughter is listening to the latest whatever-group. All in the same room.

2020, this is the year bloody CookieSwirlC drove us mental with her high-pitched voice and a billion toys that instantly made my 6 year old’s blood boil with envy.

2020 has seen me drink 200000 cups of home made tea. Our favourite cafes sit silent, fairy-lights twinkling sadly and chairs on tables. Ghost-villages courtesy of COVID19.

2020 has brought the postal and delivery staff nationwide to its knees, as we learn to tame the crazy at home with online purchases. Behold the toy that acts, walks and demands like a real puppy and its postal van companion and the polyester-blend scarf that doubles as a t-shirt and evening wear. I recall looking at wonder at the video selling the rolling pin with special cutouts of little children playing in the grass, for those special cookies I would no doubt make, as featured in the video. Now it is languishing away in the drawer, narry a use.

2020 has seen the recycling plants worldwide go into overdrive, rushing to meet the needs of a world that has gone online-order postal. Our local paper recycling bins are always full to overflow.

2020 has seen nature given a chance to recover, to heal and gain traction over human greed.

2020 has seen the demise of so many small businesses—and equally, the rise of new small businesses specially catering to COVID19-wrought situations.

2020 has seen the demise of so many relationships. Sure, this is an ebb-and-flow phenomenon today, but the enforced close-quarters scenario has not been beneficial for everyone.

But this has been the year that I’ve come to appreciate that my home truly is a haven for us and our loved ones. We have laughed more than ever this year. We have cried more than ever this year. We have bickered. We have hugged. We have cuddled. We have had long “leave me alone” baths. We have had vacuum-cleaner-complaints. We have had laundry exhaustion. We have enjoyed cooking and baking together.

In finally leaving 2020, I cannot help but look back and see the relationships in my little family tighten. A few new friendships built here, over the 2.5 years we have been in the Netherlands, have strengthened—even forged in fire and brimstone. I also have a new appreciation for walking and walking, just to get away from the mundanity of life.

I realise that this isn’t the case for soooo many families who are going through some genuinely difficult times with relationships, children, mental and physical health issues. I realise that my complaints are largely external and so many here in Amsterdam and beyond are having internal situations that are way more painful, more traumatic and serious. I don’t discount that—and if you knew me personally, you’d know how much it breaks my heart. This year hasn’t been easy for me or my close, loved ones in a few ways, but I’ve chosen to keep this article… more flippant than in real life. I pray the coming year for you brings some relief, and some rest.

2021, I regard you with a fair amount of trepidation.

2021, don’t be 2020.

Please. Aim higher, 2021. Kick COVID19 in its butt!

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Rats! Do You Have Them? Here’s Help!

Annick Noirfalisse — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 23:47:51 +0000

All these picturesque canals come with a price … rats! Amsterdam has more than its share of these smart but nasty critters. Here’s some info and resources to help you identify a problem and get help.

I recently learned a creepy fact: if the tiles on your street’s pavement start sagging, it often means there are rats (or even a rat nest) underneath. If you see this, it’s a good idea to check the ventilation grids of your building, and make sure they are solid and narrow enough to be rat proof. If you happen to have a car, park it just a little bit further away, to prevent the rats from crawling under your car and gnawing your engine.

What Are They?

But let’s get down to a few facts: what are we looking at exactly?

In Amsterdam, the most common rat is the brown rat. It is also called the city rat, the sewage rat, or the water rat, because it can also swim. Its body size is about 20 to 30 cm, and the tail adds an extra 15 cm. Quite something!

Rats move fast and reproduce fast. According to a lady living in the South East of Amsterdam interviewed on the Stop de Rat website, ten rats can produce no less than 65.000 rats in a half year! Sixty five thousand. Not a typo.

Where Are They?

The main culprit of a rat nuisance? Leftover food. Rubbish left on the street is very bad. Most places in Amsterdam have underground containers, but some people put their rubbish next to them. It’s a big problem for the city.

As for the size of the Amsterdam rat population, there are no estimates. “Monitoring/census programs of rat populations cost a lot of labour and money and are rarely done in any city in the world because of that,” explains Annet Les, spokesperson for the GGD in Amsterdam.

The locations where people see rats around their home are monitored and mapped by the GGD’s researchers; number trends give guidance to the management of the GGD’s neighbourhood specific reduction program.

In 2018, there were 2600 reported locations where rats were spotted and nuisance was experienced. This number dropped to 2500 locations in 2019, but jumped up again in 2020 with 3100 locations, according to the GGD:

“The increase in 2020 was expected, because of the amount of waste: the number of waste complaints more than doubled during the lockdown. During the lockdown, people are probably more concerned about their own environment as well”, explains Annet Les.

What’s Being Done?

Amsterdam has a number of citywide programs, as well as locally focused short interventions to reduce trash on the streets. There is also a big program to reduce the number of trash bags that are placed aside the underground trash containers. Stickers in Dutch and in English are placed on the bins and hotspots are monitored by the city’s trash service.

The Dutch newspaper Het Parool reported in August of last year that officials in Amsterdam handed no less than 2,411 fines in the preceding month, to people caught dumping rubbish next to bins. Dumpers face a fine of EUR 95.

There are also neighbourhood specific projects to reduce food waste, using bread containers to collect old bread and worm hotels to collect other organic waste.

Locally, a ban on feeding birds on specific locations along canals and squares has also been put into place. House owners can get advice on how to adjust their house to deter rats or birds nesting in it. Besides advice and help from the city council, many local groups have participation projects in order to have a clean neighbourhood or a communal greenspace.

One interesting awareness-raising project is the Stop de Rat in Amsterdam initiative. With short educational films in Dutch commissioned by the municipality of Amsterdam and made in various neighbourhoods of the city by the residents themselves, Stop de Rat raises awareness of the consequences of having too many rats. It also stimulates local residents to broach the “rat topic” between each other, think about how they can change their behaviours and come up with solutions. Of interest to parents of young children: it points out that feeding the ducks… is also feeding the rats!

Help

Help with pest control :

Reporting of pests and vermin indoors and outdoors:

Online form Melding Openbare Ruimte (in Dutch).
Call the City of Amsterdam’s information line: 14 020

Getting Advice:

For advice about pests and vermin, as well as tips on getting rid of them (rodents, birds, insects) in and around your home, garden, or business premises, you can call or send an e-mail to the Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD Amsterdam) at dpb@ggd.amsterdam.nl or call 020 555 5600.

Rat treatment is only free for private individuals living in Amsterdam. It’s not free for companies. Poison is also not allowed in public areas.

To Report Full or Damaged Containers:

Call the City of Amsterdam’s information line on 14 020 (please note the number on the bin or its location)

Rat Nuisance Prevention Advice from the GGD:

Do not leave any food in and around your home and in the public space
Do not buy more food than necessary and make good use of the freezer for food leftovers
Keep your waste at home in waste bins that can close well
Never put your rubbish next to the waste containers on the street but directly in them
Close the openings in your outside walls, ventilation grids, doors and windows which do not close well, visibly defective sewage as well as defective rainwater drainage
Prune the shrubs mostly at the bottom and along façades
Only feed the birds with natural food and in such small quantities that they can eat it all in one go

Photo Credit: Annick Noirfalisse

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Healing Loneliness in a Pandemic

Annick Noirfalisse — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 14:22:51 +0000

Feelings of loneliness have skyrocketed during the coronavirus lockdowns. This two part article explores how one Amsterdammer equipped herself with tools to heal loneliness and help others do so as well.

Searching on the Internet how to help neighbours during the pandemic, I stumbled on the Burennetwerk. Founded in 2012, this non-profit organisation aims to connect people with neighbours in need of help, such as taking them on walks around the block, keeping company, or helping with grocery shopping.

I signed up for walks and within a few weeks, was matched with an elderly lady only 10 minutes away by bike from me. We made an appointment to meet and on the day of our first meeting, per the instructions from Burennetwerk, I waited for her outside, wearing a mask and keeping my distance… but I was invited to come inside and sit down for a chat! Mrs B, an energetic and strong-willed elderly lady from Bonnaire, was keen to get to know me. It only took a few minutes for us to understand each other, despite my mask and French accent and her Bonnaire tinged Dutch accent. She was visibly delighted to have company.

“There are so many old people who are alone in the Netherlands… Life is hard and evenings are so lonely!”, she sighs.

This remarkable woman came to the Netherlands 30 years ago with her husband, following their 6 sons, who were already studying here. She worked as a cleaner and really liked her job. Tragedy has hit her life multiple times: losing a son to cancer and then later her husband to a disease (both of their portraits are in the living room, close to her television, which she watches all day long). She was living in the Bijlmer in 1992 and witnessed the Netherlands’ worst air disaster there – the crash of a Boeing 747 into an apartment building that killed 43 people. Traumatised by what she saw, Mrs. B was relocated by the Municipality of Amsterdam to her present home. Although she feels well looked after in the Netherlands, the older she gets, and especially since the coronavirus pandemic, the lonelier she feels. “There are so many old people who are alone in the Netherlands…. Life is hard and evenings are so lonely!”, she sighs.

Her sons try to come during weekends, however they all have families and live far away. She is on a waiting list to move to an elderly home, in the hope of having more company. “Please pray for me that I get a place, in the name of Jesus!”, she says while looking at her ceiling, in search of a divine intervention.

I walked with her for a few weeks. Then she fell in her shower and can’t go outside anymore and has a difficult time pushing her walker. Most of the time, she doesn’t feel like eating. She feels too lonely. I’ve brought some cookies and try to cheer her up. Next week, we’ll try to walk again. And a few weeks later, we’ll try to cross the road to the Aldi and get chocolates together. She likes that idea. It makes her smile.

If you are interested in volunteering to help out people in your neighbourhood in some way, please contact the Burrennetwerk. Volunteers can specify in their profile how far they want to travel and in which language they want to help. For social help, it’s easier if one can speak a few Dutch words. For practical help, English is totally fine.

Collective Loneliness : The Disaster of the 21st century?

Fresh from her experience with Mrs. B, Annick Noirfalisse participated in an online Brainwash festival, “Collective Loneliness” to learn about loneliness in modern society and ways to combat it.

We are continuously connected to each other, yet we are lonelier than ever. Why is that so?

According to Paul Verhaeghe, psychologist and Professor at the University of Ghent in Belgium, interviewed during the online Brainwash festival on “Collective Loneliness” in Amsterdam, loneliness has arisen from the way our society is organised, as well as increased social distrust.

“[Our competitive] system makes us sick. And that’s not an ideological argument, it’s evolutionary biology.” ~ Professor Paul Verhaeghe

“Competition with others begins at school, with the culture of tests and performance. Kids in Belgium and in the Netherlands are tested very early on, on their capacities and talents. That’s how the rat race is installed.”

Professor Verhaeghe reminds us we are social animals and we live in groups, “…[Our competitive] system makes us sick. And that’s not an ideological argument, it’s evolutionary biology”.

Competition also can create an unhealthy relationship with our bodies. “Our bodies have to be perfect; we have to be young and sexy. It’s not a good intimate relationship; it’s a competitive relationship. We always have to do better. It’s never good enough.”

The psychologist faults how we use social media for our collective loneliness, and not only social media itself. He also points out that we are in a historical transition, as evidenced by the breakdown of the nuclear family. We are in a gradual transition towards new forms of coexistence and as of now there are no clear answers. This also contributes to loneliness.

“Now, when people reach out to me for therapy, they openly say “I feel lonely” and that, for me, is a win. As long as we are not in denial, things will start feeling better soon.” ~ Vassia Sarantopoulou

So what can one do to fight loneliness? Here are a few tips:

1. Get to know your body. Listen to it, be kind towards it, and enjoy it. “If you feel good about yourself, it will be easier to make the step towards others and build relationships. The risk of solitude will then be a bit less” says Professor Verhaeghe.

2. Join a helpful social project with a few people at the local level, to regain a sense of purpose. Volunteering can start as locally as…with your next-door neighbour. “A big problem is that people are not seen by their neighbours”, says Jasmijn van Katwijk, Communications Manager of Burennetwerk.

3. Give it time. advises Vassia Sarantopoulou, head psychologist and founder of AntiLoneliness. No acquaintance becomes a friend within a day. “We all come from relationships where we have been hurt and rejected, so we all need some time in order to trust again. Be creative – think out of the box. Everything is possible. We just need to stop the negative, demotivating, self-sabotaging thoughts that get in the way.”

4. Normalise loneliness. “It’s a normal feeling”, says Vassia. It’s meant to be felt by us, human beings, and it signals the absence of something important: connection. The feeling of loneliness bears a healthy message: we need to bring connection back to our lives.

5. Recognise the negative thinking behind loneliness and reverse it. “One should understand that thoughts such as ‘Nobody likes me’, ‘I am not important’, etc., will lead to more isolation, and we need to question and dispute these thoughts. A therapist may help a lot with this”, Vassia says. Sometimes people are ashamed of loneliness. This stigma has been changing recently as it affects everyone: teenagers, young adults, single parents, divorcees, grieving people, expats…Loneliness is everywhere. “Now, when people reach out to me for therapy, they openly say “I feel lonely” and that, for me, is a win. As long as we are not in denial, things will start feeling better soon.”

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5 Ways to Make Your Home Merry and Bright This Holiday Season

Verena Roffe-Vidal — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 14:13:51 +0000

The Holidays are arriving and here are 5 ways to bring lightness and cheer into your home and neighbourhood. Happy Holidays!

The kids have started the countdown to Christmas. More and more decorations can be seen in the street. Now is the time to decorate your house front to feel welcome and cosy every time you come home… and make sure that Sinterklaas will find his way to you!

Here are some simple ideas to brighten the dark days and add a smile to you, your family, and everyone passing by your home!

1) Frame Your Window Front with a Christmas Garland

A decorated garland with lights is definitely an eyecatcher and will make your kids happy, every time they come home. The safest and most durable way to do this, is to install weather-resistant yet very discreet wire. Such a simple structure will allow you to fix seasonal decoration and serve a climbing support for roses or other climbing plants.

Natural pine branches do look very nice … in the beginning, but are expensive and will lose their needles fairly quickly. Christmas garlands in artificial pine can be re-used every year and can be bought in various lengths and varieties in most garden centres like Tuincentrum Osdorp, Het Oosten in Aalsmeer or any Praxis or Gamma.

LED garlands for outdoors in any length and colours can be found at garden centres or Action for example. Their cable is so thin that you can connect it through the window on an indoor plug.

You can let your imagination and creativity run wild when decorating the garland. Just be careful if using any glass items; the wind can break them.

2) Decorate a Wreath with Your Kids and Attach It to Your Front Door

This time of year you will find nice evergreen or pine cone at your local florist or at the market that you can decorate together with your kids. On Albert Cuyp market at “Jan De Grote Kleinvakman” you will find ribbons in all varieties and colours with which to decorate your wreath or attach it to your front door, or to hang in your windows or balcony.

3) Transform your Front Door into a Giant Present:

Tie a bow around your front door. You can use a very large ribbon, but even better is to buy some inexpensive fabric (for example party fabric or tulle). There are many fabric shops on Albert Cuyp market, one of our favourite places is N&N Stoffen. Bring the kids, choose your fabric, and grab an oliebol to get you in the holiday spirit!

4) Place a Welcoming Planted Pot Next to Your Entrance

It is always nice to have some flowers in your entrance. Ideal are pots of approx. 50-80 cm high. An easy way to have beautiful plants is to fill the pot with hydrokorrels and plant seasonal flowers or green plants, and perhaps even a small Christmas tree? Why not?

5) Install Planted Window Boxes with Seasonal Easy Care Flowers

For a long lasting welcoming house front, it is always nice to have beautiful flowers and plants in your windows.

Windows boxes can look untidy and not in harmony with the architecture of your house. That is why we recommend installing a fitted weather-resistant wooden plank. They need to be painted in the official Amsterdam colours (Amsterdam white or Amsterdam green). Perfectly integrated into your façade, they allow you to be totally flexible and change the plants and flowers in your window in every season or whenever you fancy.

Which plants are beautiful at the moment?

Skimmia: the absolute die-hard and available in all sizes. This evergreen plant typically has white or red flowers, some have nice red berries.
Cyclamen: exist in beautiful colours from white over red to pink. Tolerate shadow very well, do not like to have wet feet.
Hellbore: several varieties with white flowers, some special varieties with pink to dark red flowers. Flourishing all winter, give more flowers when you pick out the fainted flowers. While they like humid grounds, they do not like to stand in the water.
Primroses and pansies add happy colours to your garden, even in winter, but prefer a sunny place.
Decorative green plants in various shades: hebe, helichrysum, small conifers…

The post 5 Ways to Make Your Home Merry and Bright This Holiday Season appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

Health Archives - Amsterdam Mamas

Domestic Violence in the Netherlands: Resources and Support

To talk to someone about domestic violence

Organisations that provide information and support

For undocumented individuals and asylum seekers

Create an Emergency Plan

Report Abuse

Further Reading and Listening

Changing The Narrative: Advocating For Your Kids

In The Beginning

It’ll Be Okay

Starting School

A Bombshell

Naming the Beast

My Survival Tips:

Small and Beautiful: Manageable Intentions for 2021

Learn Dutch!

Stay Active and Improve Your Physical Fitness!

Do Nothing!

Of Mice and Kind Men: To Catch a Mouse (Humanely)

Handy Resources:

Reporting of pests and vermin indoors and outdoors:

Book Review: Owl Magic: Your Guide Through Challenging Times

What Is Owl Magic?

Long-COVID? What Is It?

What is Long-COVID?

There is no agreement on the definition of Long-COVID but in the UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) defined it as:

Possible Symptoms

Treatment

Current Situation in the Netherlands

Where Can You Seek Treatment?

Resources

Insurance

Support

​​Looking Forward

2020: The Year of Living … Domestically

Rats! Do You Have Them? Here’s Help!

What Are They?

Where Are They?

What’s Being Done?

Help

Help with pest control :

Getting Advice:

To Report Full or Damaged Containers:

Rat Nuisance Prevention Advice from the GGD:

Healing Loneliness in a Pandemic

Collective Loneliness : The Disaster of the 21st century?

5 Ways to Make Your Home Merry and Bright This Holiday Season

1) Frame Your Window Front with a Christmas Garland

2) Decorate a Wreath with Your Kids and Attach It to Your Front Door

3) Transform your Front Door into a Giant Present:

4) Place a Welcoming Planted Pot Next to Your Entrance

5) Install Planted Window Boxes with Seasonal Easy Care Flowers

Looking Forward