Author : Marilyn Ellis

The other day, while driving, I passed a very elderly woman being taken for a stroll in her wheelchair by her caregiver It was obvious that the woman was well cared for physically – hair coiffed and warmly dressed and tucked in a blanket In a residential neighborhood with no senior community within walking distance, it was clear that she either lived at home or with family I was glad to see that she looked so well

However, a part of me wondered what her elder years were really like? Was this really the best option for her and others like her? How was it impacting her family? I struggle with this all the time

As we continue to live longer and medical science keeps us fairly ambulatory, it is not fair to expect families to assume the burden of elder care as did their predecessors Yes, in the “olden days”, you kept your parents at home But they didn’t live as long as they do now Both partners didn’t have to work full time Daughters and daughters in law didn’t work outside the home and grandkids didn’t have so many after school activities Dads didn’t travel as much and were home most nights Families weren’t transferred far away,across county and neighbors helped out And guess what, the grown kids weren’t elders themselves!!! Grandma and Grandpa weren’t hooked up to oxygen tanks and Iv’s They died much earlier and probably with more dignity too

“Nowadays”, unlike the “olden days”, the care did not fall on just one grown child, which is most always the case now It’s time to look at some new response models for what is happening now – a model that addresses modern issues and is compassionate for all concerned I want seniors to have meaningful lives But I also want their familiies to stop feeling guilty about what they can and cannot do to help them

Experts tell us that most seniors would rather stay at home or live with family than move to a senior community or assisted living I understand what losing their home and their independence would mean to them But this is the 21st Century and what worked before may not work now

Sometimes the issue is truly financial – either by circumstance or by choice Downsizing and moving to senior communities is expensive The senior and their family simply can’t afford outside care or the senior doesn’t want to spend the money on themselves The senior’s home may not have the equity that was hoped for to pay for their care The issue is very complicated and filled with emotion and complex family dynamics

Here are some things I would like you to consider Deciding on staying at home when a senior is clearly unable to be alone, will require some in house care – either live in, daily or weekly visits Even when the senior lives with family, it is likely that both adults in the home work full time and someone will have to be hired to come in Caregivers can be from an agency (which can be good) or “someone somebody knows” Let me tell you what this can mean The caregiver may have minimal training English speaking may be minimal They may just bring meals or do light housekeeping, check vital signs or medications and/or perhaps help with bathing or personal care They may take the seniors for a walk (like the lucky lady I saw) or maybe not Conversation will often be minimal and sometimes disrespectful “baby talk” “Shall we eat our dinner now,Sweetie?” The senior will spend most of their time in front of the TV or napping This might alleviate the worries of the family members,knowing their loved one is “safe”, but what about the quality of life for the senior?

Travel with me now to an independent or assisted living community They look nothing like the smelly and depressing horrors of the mid 20th century – the kind of places that terrify our seniors because they remember their own parents or grandparents being sent there to waste away and die

Senior communities, whether independent living, assisted or memory (Dimentia and Alzheimer’s) care are homelike, clean (no smells) buzzing with energy and things to do Except for memory care residents, all have the option of spending the day in their apartments or gathering with other residents for meals, movies, lectures, field trips, shopping trips and parties Who would want to stay in their apartments? There are book groups, political discussions, travel slide shows and special lectures There are cocktail hours, often with piano music in the lobby Many have private dining rooms where visiting families can gather for a meal together – at a beautifully appointed formal dining room – just like home Every resident is accounted for daily and “call buttons” are installed by the bed and in the bathrooms, should residents need unexpected help If you don’t show up for a meal, the community director will check up on you If you need to see a doctor, they will take you and make sure you make your appointments and checkups

Understand, what you are agreeing to when your beloved senior says they want to stay at home or live with you Undeniable statistics show that caring for a failing adult shortens the life of the caregiver and can seriously impair the quality of life for everyone concerned Please be realistic It’s not a problem to diaper a baby Try diapering or lifting, dressing and bathing an uncooperative 200 lb adult You can’t spank your parent for running out into the street or playing with matches Baby locks on doors and handles won’t work for memory impaired adults who might be stronger than you

It can be a very thankless job even when you read or hear of a caregiver (who feels guilty about feeling secretly angry and overwhelmed) tells you they are “glad” they did it I’ve been working with seniors and their families for many years and I only personally know of one case where that was true (and then I still think the daughter sacrificed too much of her personal life)

Even with home care,it takes more than installing grab bars in the tub A senior needs to stay connected to the world AND the family members need a break too It’s a 24/7 very demanding,frustrating, thankless, lonely job

Don’t be afraid to look at this problem head on and don’t let what was done in “the olden days” influence deciding what is best for you “Nowadays”

Marilyn Ellis, Author, Speaker, Professional Organizer, Senior Move Manager and Business Development Coach, loves working with senior clients and their families. She also coaches individuals and companies on how to grow their senior service businesses. For three FREE reports on how to become part of the growing senior care industry, visit her website at http://www.movemomanddad.com .

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Author : Matt Helphrey

The easel that you use to paint on can make all the difference in the quality of work that you do Paintings and drawings are made much easier if you can find a nice easel that allows you to work at the angle and position that you want and need Here are a few tips to consider when searching for the best easel possible

When searching for the right easel for yourself, you generally will have to select from about two basic designs; either H-frame or tripod

H-frame Easel:

An H-frame easel may be your best choice if you are looking to do professional work as in a studio These easels tend to be much sturdier and won’t move much even with aggressive brush painting

H-frames move up and down by using a ratchet system Simply slide it up and lock it in place when you reach the preferred level

Not all H-frames are the same and some have more options than others They all come in various sizes as well Find one that fits best for where you are going to be using it because some of them will be taller than the ceiling will allow

You’ll need to check for storage capacities too You can get ones that fold up nicely so that you can store them under your bed or in a closet

The most important thing to consider when looking for an H-frame easel is the size of canvas it will fit Know what you are going to need it for and then be sure to ask the retailer how big of a canvas you can put on there

Tripod Easel:

These are the three legged easels that you see everywhere They are more readily available and generally cost less than most H-frames The tripods aren’t as stable and sturdy but you have a bit more mobility You can spin them around in a 360 degree circle, move them up and down, and lock them in at any angle

Other Choices:

Although the tripod and H-frame are the most acquired and desired easels, you can also get other easels as well The table top easel is a popular easel that allows you to do your work on a normal table You can purchase easels for kids, chalk board easels, and even dry erase board easels

Whatever you do, choose the easel that is going to work best for what you need it for Don’t hold back on the amount of money you have to spend to find the right one The wrong fit for what you need is going to affect the quality of work you do and even though you might get one for cheap, you’ll end up either taking it back or throwing it away anyway

Learn more about where to find the best Easels for Sale and where you can find them cheap. You can also read about the advantages of using a Dry Erase Board Easel around the house.

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Author : Stephen Jamieson

You can spend a lot of money on a baby crib There are some amazing designs out there, and some of the more unusual kinds can cost thousands of dollars to buy A baby spends a lot of time in his crib so you want to make sure you get the right one but you don’t have to buy one in a store As an alternative to a store bought one, you can build a crib A self-build crib can be easier than you think and there are advantages

So what are the advantages of a self-build crib? Well firstly there is the cost You can control the cost completely when you build a crib You can even spread the cost and the project over time, although it’s always a good idea to have a home build crib ready early, just in case

Secondly, there is the fact you know your self-build crib will be good quality You may be unsure about trying to build a crib, especially if you don’t have too much experience But there are a lot of places you can get help, including some great woodworking forums on the internet The most important thing you need to make sure of if you do build a crib is safety standards These do change from time to time, so make sure the patterns you use to build a crib are appropriate and up to date You can always make changes to them if you need to bring them to standard You also need to make sure you use the highest quality materials you can, although if you are going to paint the crib rather than stain it, it’s okay to use timber of a slightly lower quality

The third advantage of a self-build crib is the satisfaction of knowing you have made it yourself There’s nothing better than putting the final piece of a project in place and knowing you’ve done a good job If you build a crib, you’ll look at it every day and think “Hey, I did that!” Not only that, but you’ll be able to tell your child that you made it yourself and maybe develop a love for woodworking in your child

If you build a crib yourself you will be able to finish it just how you want to If you’ve seen the hand painted cribs for sale, you’ll know just how much you have to pay for them A self-build crib can be personalized really easy You can sign it with your name and the date, you can write your child’s name on it, you can paint it any design or color you want Imagine how much you’d have to pay to get a custom made crib like that You can build your crib for a fraction of the cost

Another thing you might want to think about is the heirloom aspect of a self-build crib If you buy a standard crib from a store, they’re all the same What’s the point of wanting to hand that down to future generations? But handing down a unique home-build crib to future generations is something for you and your child to be truly proud of

So while you’re looking at all the cribs available why not think about the fact you can build a crib yourself Cost, quality, satisfaction, personalization and an heirloom to be proud of – all great reasons to consider a self-build crib project

Stephen Jamieson has more free information on baby cribs and building your own; if you would like to find out more just visit his blog at =>
http://www.cribplans.net

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Author : Samson Paulotti

A fire in anyone’s home has always proven to be life altering Much as it is one of man’s most effective tool in his day-to-day activities, fire can still take away family members, memories, belongings, and even pets Fire has always been a force greater than man

Fire damage restoration can be a very long and painful task for most people It can even add stress if you are not prepared and do not have any knowledge on how to carry it out

Before doing any fire damage restoration, you have to get in touch with your insurance agent first If you are living in a rented house or property, you also have to get in touch with the owner Your insurance adjuster should be able to help you with any immediate repairs that you have to do If you are unable to reach these people, get in touch with you any of your area’s fire damage restoration team

If your house has been severely damaged and you have been advised to seek temporary shelter somewhere else, make sure that you remove all your valuables from your house If you would be permanently moving to another area, do not forget to inform authorities as well as banks, water companies, etc

Fire damage restoration in a structurally damaged house would need a permit

When doing fire damage restoration, make sure you wear proper clothing This would include rubber gloves and boots

Check your canned goods as well as those that are in jars If your cans do not have bulges, dents or signs of rust, you can clean them with soap and water If the labels have already come off, use a marker to label them Bulging or dented cans should be disposed immediately

Fruits left inside your freezer can be refrozen if they still smell good Vegetables can be re-frozen f you can still see some ice crystals in them If not, and if they are still in good condition, consume them immediately Otherwise, throwing them out would be better Meat should be cooked thoroughly before being served If they are already emitting a bad smell, dispose them as bacteria can spread quickly in meat

If there are rooms in your house that have not been damaged, seal them off to prevent soot as well as burnt odor from spreading to them

Use plastic to seal off rooms that you are working on Vacuum surfaces thoroughly to ensure that you remove all silt and ashes Air conditioning filters should be changed to prevent smoke or burnt odor from spreading

When cleaning painted walls, tri-sodium phosphate mixed with water has been proven to effectively remove soot and smoke Work should be from the floor going up Fire damage restoration cannot be done on wall-papered walls so you have to get in touch with your local dealer

Since most of your furniture would have been damaged by water used to put out the fire, you might be tempted to let your wooden furniture dry out in the sun Don’t! Wet wood could easily warp when exposed to heat

Do not use strong chemicals when cleaning furniture Flax Soap has been proven to be quite effective in cleaning wood as well as vinyl

Mattresses that have suffered from fire damage should be disposed of It would be very hard for you to remove smoke and odor from them

Locks and hinges should be thoroughly wiped clean To ensure that they could still function, put oil in them as soon as you have removed traces of soot

If you have belongings made of leather, they should be wiped clean using a damp cloth and then drying them up with a clean cloth They should not be exposed to sun or heat Leather books can be dried by placing them their spine with the pages open to keep the latter from wrinkling Alternating drying and pressing will prevent mildew from growing

Corn starch or talc are also good absorbers of water Sprinkle them on damp pages of your books then brush off when the pages have dried

Use baking soda with water to remove odors from your refrigerator Opening a box of baking soda or placing a piece of activated charcoal inside your refrigerator can also help absorb odors

If you feel that you cannot restore some of your belongings on your own, it is always best to call your local fire damage restoration team

Fire can be man’s friend or foe Either way, it should not be something that would take away our life’s joy Being prepared is always the best solution

Samson Paulotti is a disaster article writer for Fire Damage Restoration Chicago and Restoration Resource

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Author : Aydan Corkern

When you have had a flood in your house, you do not really care how it happened at the moment What you do want to know after it has happened is how to get the water removed as quickly as possible It is horrifying to see all of your belongings sitting in however much water that might be all over your floors You know things are being ruined as you stand there and look at it, but you feel helpless as to how to even begin getting it removed

When a home has been flooded because of a natural disaster like extremely heavy rainfall, which can trigger stream or creek flooding near the home, or even worse, a river or lake flood, there is sometimes not a thing you can do at the moment until the water has receded enough to allow a water damage crew to have access to your home This can be a terrible flood because the water that inundates the home will be nasty and filled with debris of all kinds

You might be considered lucky by some of your flood has occurred because of a plumbing issue Plumbing floods can be just as horrifying, but much simpler to clean up There are no toxic chemicals or muddy water to contaminate everything it touches You probably do not have to worry whether or not snakes or other strange creatures have inhabited your house while the water has been present You could feel a little luckier with a plumbing flood, but you probably will not

When a plumbing issue or a natural disaster flood has taken place in your home, you are going to need professional help You can allow your insurance company to find a qualified company for you if they will, but they could leave that decision up to you You should call your insurance agent first once the water has been stopped from a plumbing issue or as soon as you can access your home after a natural disaster flood

If you are responsible for finding a water damage company and there is no local team that you know of, start with the internet if possible You will be able to access services that are nationwide and they will find the best water damage team that is nearest to you and often they can be in your home in an hour or as soon thereafter s possible Even then, when they team arrives you should check their credentials and ask whatever questions you want answered before they begin Make sure you understand the terms and conditions of their service

Aydan Corkern is a writer of many topics, visit some of her sites, like
water damage new york and water damage Connecticut.

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