Assisted Living - Planning the Move With Your Elderly Parents

Talking to an elderly parent or loved one about the eventual need for assisted living can be difficult. This article gives 7 tips for discussing and planning for your loved one's needs, in a way that respects their opinions and honors their feelings. In following these guidelines, you should pave the way for a smooth transition for your loved one, from independence to assisted living.

1. Begin this conversation well before a crucial need for assisted living arises. Make a plan, with steps to take when certain things happen, such as when they can no longer bathe or dress unassisted, or remember to take medications, or when they begin to have trouble balancing and have fallen. Make a list of these events and responses, and come to an agreement with your parent that when these events occur, the plan will be put into action.

2. When making your plan, include visits to assisted living homes. Some homes allow day care, so that your parent can spend time at the home, participating in activities, and meeting residents and caregivers. Engage your parent, and let them be a part of the decision as much as possible. They will feel empowered and when it comes time to move, less resistant because they have been included in the decision making.

3. Include siblings in the planning discussion, and come to an agreement so that there aren't conflicting messages. When the time comes to act, disagreements between siblings can send a conflicting message to the parent, which creates anything but a smooth transition.

4. Consider your parent's perspective. The elderly don't always view a move as in their best interest. They want to feel that they are still independent and in control of their lives. Moving out of their home can feel as if their world is shrinking; that they are at the end of life, and at the mercy of strangers.

5. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Dialogue with your elderly parents and offer options rather than advice. Listen to their concerns and ideas, and don't impose your values on them. Then express your concerns, and then listen. Don't fill any silence with your solutions. This is a highly charged topic and can feel emotionally heart-breaking. Give them time to respond.

6. Give your parents respect, and be gentle with them, as this is not an easy decision, made lightly. They have lived a long time, have experienced and learned much, and probably have made numerous sacrifices raising you and giving you the life you have. While we envision old age to be a rewarding time, it is also a time of loss. As we age we lose health and vitality, mobility and control, loved ones, independence, to name a few things.

7. Reassure your parents. Let them know you will always be a part of their lives, and that you are there to watch out for them like they have watched out for you. Help them gently transition from independence to reliance on you. Demonstrate they can trust your judgment, by listening and valuing their opinions, and respecting and honoring what they have done for you. As they embark on this stage of their journey, be conscious of their emotional needs and concerns, and assure them you will always be there for them.

Things to Check When Looking for Senior Home Care or In Home Care Providers

The coming of age of baby boomers has drawn more attention to home-based senior care services. For many it is the difference between remaining in the comfort of their homes and having to relocate to a senior care facility. These days, senior home care services bring health care and assisted living services to millions of individuals suffering from mobility issues, chronic medical conditions, physical disabilities, terminal illnesses, and dementia in a variety of forms.

Inviting an elder care or senior care worker into a loved one's home is a major step and should be considered in depth. Ensuring that your loved one is treated with kindness and respect is only the beginning; however, finding just the right care provider requires patience and an idea of what you are looking for in a provider. Here are some guidelines that should be considered when selecting a senior and elder care services.

Proper Licensing

It is important to be sure that and senior care service is licensed properly. Each state has particular regulations in place to monitor home health care agencies; current licensing of a senior care service means that the agency has passed all associated inspections, is adhering to necessary regulations, and is meeting with all state and federal guidelines required. A list of senior and elder care services can be obtained through your state's Department of Health.

Accurate Servicing

It is important to ensure that the senior care service you select can meet all of your needs so that you do not have to rely on multiple services or become frustrated about a lack of service. Although most home healthcare providers give potential clients a list of available services, not all senior and elder care providers are the same. It is important to be detailed in the type of service you require when interviewing prospective service providers; if they do not outright state a service that you need, s simple question or request for accommodation may be all that is needed.

Hours

Be sure to clarify the service hours that are available. Some individuals may need overnight care which requires a senior or elder care service that operates on a 24/7 basis. Also, check to see if your necessary schedule would be performed by a single person or several people over the course of shifts.

Emergency Policy

Emergencies and accident happen; when they do you want to be sure to immediate care given. People need to feel comfortable that their senior care service along with the individuals involved act quickly, responsibly, and calmly. A competent elder and senior care provider will have policies and procedures in place in the event of an emergency. You can request a copy of these procedures at any time from service providers.

Care Plan

When searching for a senior care provider, look for one that has an active interest in what their patient and families are saying. A senior care service that interacts with their clients and values their input can help craft a care plan that will best suit all involved. The plan should detail the client's treatment, the administration of the treatment, what service will be provides, how those services will be delivered, and how often the care plan should be re-evaluated.

Method of Payment

The method of payment for senior and elder care services is an important consideration when selecting your provider. Most home health care providers accept Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, group insurance, military benefits, and workers compensation; however, should a loved one not be covered by any of these, arrangements for private payment will need to be made.

Do Your Research

By all means, do your research. Once you have gathered a list of potential providers pull as much information about them as you can. Local agencies, word-of-mouth, and state agencies will all have information regarding regulation violations, complaints, and other favorable and unfavorable intel. Background checks can also be performed on agencies through a variety of services, usually for a nominal fee.

How to Evaluate Assisted Living Facilities for Alzheimer's and Dementia Patients

One of the most difficult decisions you will ever face is whether it is time for someone you love to enter an assisted living facility. Perhaps at first an adult day care center will suffice. Supervision and activities are available while you are at work. However, at some point, it is likely full-time care will become necessary.

Alzheimer's and dementia patients have very special needs that not every assisted living facility can deliver. There are state certified facilities that only provide care for Alzheimer's and related dementia patients

These facilities will have an additional state certification and typically have increased criteria for both staff and management. Make certain the facility has both a provider or license number and a certification number issued by the state to provide specialized Alzheimer's care. In fact, advertising as a specialized Alzheimer's facility is prohibited unless compliance with these requirements can be demonstrated.

Once you are ready to begin the process of evaluating a facility for assisted living or long-term care start by asking these questions:

1. Is the facility is licensed and accredited to provide special care to Alzheimer's patients?

2. Are the qualifications and training of the staff and management focused on providing this type of care? In addition, ask about the ratio of staff to residents. Typically if there is one staff member per six residents quality care should result.

3. Are the buildings and premises secure? This is vital as short-term memory loss is typical with Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

4. Are the rooms spacious? While the public areas may be elaborate the room space should be adequate to decorate with photos of loved ones and mementos from home.

5. Is the facility clean and well equipped? Your loved one needs to feel at home simply because this will be their home.

6. Are there a wide variety of special programs offered? It is essential that Alzheimer's patients receive constant stimulation.

7. What about medical care? Do doctors make regular visits? Is the facility associated with a hospital? Is there a doctor on call?

8. Are the current residents actively participating in activities? Do they appear comfortable and content? Try to visit with relatives of current residents. They can be an invaluable resource in making your decision.

9. How much access will family members have to the facility? Can we spend private time with our loved one? Can we take our relative on day trips?

10. How much will this cost? What is covered and what is extra? What about long-term care and Medicaid? Make sure you get the information in writing and, if it looks confusing, have the contract reviewed by an attorney.

This is not going to be an easy decision. After all, the patient s being displaced and moved to a new "home". Just remember you have their best interest at heart and are trying to find the best solution to a very difficult situation. The Assisted Living Facility you choose will be "home" for a number of years and will need to provide the special care that an Alzheimer's patient requires.

Few and Far Between: A Look at Women in the Mechanics Industry

We don't have to look too far back into our history books to see that women have made incredible strides in the workforce. Not even fifty years ago women were still fighting to be given fair consideration for positions traditionally held by men. Today, women represent a good portion of most employment industries, including medical, legal, financial and business. According to a census report by Statistics Canada, women made up 47.3% of the entire Canadian workforce in 2006. This percentage rose slightly to 47.5% in 2011, illustrating that women continue to hold a near equal balance as men in the workforce at large.

But when we move from a general to a more specific perspective, we will notice that gender equality does not carry into every industry. There is no denying that jobs in certain industries will be filled more by one gender than the other. For example, in 2011 women made up more than two-thirds of the entire education industry, which includes both administrator and educator positions.

However, there is an even more alarming difference in gender representation in the mechanics industry. Currently, women hold less than 2% of all mechanist positions. In fact, it isn't only in mechanics where women fall short on the employee head count. A 2011 Statistics Canada study shows that women make up 7.4% of positions held in Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations. The data is most certainly surprising, and I don't think any of us thought that this wide of a disparity continues to exist today.

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact reason why women are so under-represented in the mechanics trade. We need to be weary of jumping to the assumption that the industry as a whole is guilty of sexism. I don't think this is the case at all. While sexism is an ongoing battle that both women and men have to face in the workforce, I don't think it makes for a sufficient explanation. There are other realities that must be considered, including the very fact that women are just not applying for these positions. Again, this does not suffice as a complete explanation, but women's preference for trades other than mechanics needs to be included in the examination of the existing gender disparities.

Lastly, women may feel somewhat inhibited to mechanics because of how male-dominated the industry has been for so long. The only way to overcome this is for women to simply apply themselves to the trade. There are trade schools across the country, and women are just as eligible to apply as men are. Further, most trade schools or vocational colleges will offer apprenticeship programs, meaning students will be working while studying, thereby increasing their chances of employment upon graduation.

One might think that the only options available would be an auto mechanic apprenticeship, however, there are many different types of mechanist jobs with corresponding apprenticeship programs. Here are just a few, complete with a snap shot of topics that are covered:

Automotive Service Educational Program

- Engines & Body Control System

- Steering & Suspension

- Driveline Auto Transaxles

- Diesel Engines and Electronics Controls

- Air Bag Systems

General Mechanist

- Benchwork Techniques

- Surface Grinding Technology

- Milling Technology

- Metallurgy

- Engineering Drawings

Truck and Coach Technician

- Engine Systems

- Electrical Systems

- Fuel Systems

- Drive Train Systems

- Brake Systems

Industrial Technician

- Machine Techy

- Workshop Techy

- Rigging & Hoisting

- Drawings & Schematics

- Welding & Fabric

We can only hope that in time women will represent a bigger percentage of the mechanics industry.

Improve Your Assisted Living Marketing Plan by Adding Integration

Don't Think Piecemeal

Even a growing market (like assisted living) is effected by the down economy. In this type of environment, those with a more effective marketing plan will attract a larger share of the available move-ins. Those with weak plans will suffer. So its critical to hone and strengthen your plan. One way to do this is to weave integration into the strategy.

What do I mean by integration? The commonly designed marketing plan is designed to be piecemeal...elements of the plan are treated independently and executed separately. For example, a marketing director will visit professionals in the community and hand out their brochure to "earn?" referrals. When the visit is over, they may send a thank you card and set their calendar for the next visit. (After all, it is the visiting part of their plan.) But they will seldom think about interviewing the professional while they are there and including that professional's expertise in an advertisement for their facility or on their website.

If they would, they would acquire valuable content (along with its credibility) for their ad and/or website. At the same time, they would also be building a stronger relationship that can turn a professional into an ally, and even a key referral source. And the new information on their website would help them to serve their community. This one effort would inject continuity and synergy into their plan, making it more dynamic and effective. The end result, more people take notice, are attracted and are referred. That leads to move-ins.

Flow From One Element To Another

There are seven key elements to any assisted living marketing plan are:

1. Referral Source Development


2. Advertising


3. Community Outreach & Inreach


4. Public Relations


5. Visits & Tours


6. Inquiry and Family Member "Keep In Touch"


7. Website & Internet

When executed well, each element can lead to move-ins. However, when organized as a team, each one can become more powerful and increase their results. For example, what is shown on a tour of the facility will be remembered and trusted more if it has already been seen on the company website. When a variation is also seen on a community bulletin board or in a follow-up mailing, the trust level increases even more. (FYI - Trust is critical to the assisted living selling process.)

Place The Website In The Center Of The Plan

The website is commonly thought of as an extended brochure and an independent element. Big mistake! It should be the hub of all marketing. Most (if not all) strategies should either start on the website or lead back to the website. Some should do both. The dynamics of the added continuity and synergy, as well as the use of technology the market has come to expect, result in a more effective plan. In addition, the staff can save a lot of time on the creative process and may even lower the expenses of execution. Here is an example of what I mean.

• Visit and interview a local professional who serves seniors and/or caregivers...


• That leads to adding their information and a sample of their expertise to the "Support Services" page on your website...


• That leads to including that sample of their expertise in an advertisement in the local newspaper for your community outreach event...


• That leads to the community outreach event that involves the same referral source...


• That leads to a news story released to the local media outlets...


• The event is also added as an "Activity Scrapbook" entry on your website...


• The Scrapbook entry is easily converted into a new, quick, printed in-house handout...


• That leads to follow-up mailings and e-mails to event attendees, family members and referral sources...


• And the new handout is also added to community bulletin boards you have set up.

This one strategy blends together six of the seven key marketing plan elements - referral source development, advertising, community outreach or inreach, public relations, inquiry "keep in touch" and the website. It can also share copy, design elements and photos which saves time and money. Note: Of course, to do this effectively and efficiently, their must be systems in place that take advantage of technology.

Put Me In Coach

Adding integration is similar to managing a team sport. You have to recognize and understand the individual players at your disposal (marketing elements and people), then blend them into a cohesive unit that performs better as a team than as individuals. When designing a plan, you should look at your list of key elements, then weave (at least) some of them into each campaign. They could work together or they lead to one another. The goals of this integrated team include:

• Creating added credibility.


• Building trust faster with the help of continuity and synergy.


• Providing tools to those would like to promote you.


• Saving time and/or saving money.


• Attracting more inquiries.


• Providing more incentive to offer referrals to your facility.


• Improving inquiry/tour/move-in ratios.

This concept of integration is not new, but it is underutilized. A big reason why is that it demands an organized leader who sees things differently, has the ability to blend the positive attributes of people and marketing elements, and works within a company culture that allows change to what has been done in the past. Is it worth the effort and the change? I believe it provides a marketing advantage that should not be overlooked or underestimated. An assisted living company that utilizes integration properly will come out of this down economy with added market share and will be well positioned for growth in better times.

The Responsibilities of a Clinical Nurse

There is no doubt that a hospital-related job can be very daunting and straining. If you are a registered nurse, you would be working in a clinic-like environment. These nurses are now also popularly known as the clinical nurse or nurse practitioners. If you are one of them, you are surely flexible when it comes to the tasks that you should do. Those who have the right qualifications can work on different clinical nurse jobs, various specializations, and several types of clinics at the same time.

Some of the duties of a clinical nurse may be in the field of mental health, midwifery, pediatrics, and even in the nursing department as well. And with every field, they would get specific titles like maternity nurse or nurse staff assistant. However, these are just some of the simple clinical nurse jobs. If you can shoulder more stressful and delicate responsibilities, you can also be a part of the emergency room or even be situated at the surgical section as well. Most of the registered nurses who are competent enough can be seen at the ICU or Intensive Care Unit too. There are some hospitals that transfer their senior nurses as the administrative or general staff nurse in the facility since they can't do most of the intense jobs as they age.

Even though there are already thousands of health care workers particularly in the clinical field of nursing, there is still a great demand for these registered nurses all over the world. If you are not just after the salary and your main goal is to give care to the patients, this can be the ideal job for you.

Remember that the duties and responsibilities of a clinical nurse are beyond what is written in the job description. You must also have the heart to help people to stay on this profession.

Top Ten Senior Care in Highest Demand

If you'd like to get into an industry that is truly recession-proof, well there really is no such thing. But if you are looking for options that are resistant to the recession, senior care jobs are never bad options. There are many different hospice jobs, home health jobs, assisted living jobs, and nursing home jobs out there; the tricky part is narrowing your focus down to one of them. A great way to narrow down your focus is by checking out the following list of the ten most in-demand senior care jobs.

1. LPN or LVN (Licensed Practicing Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Licensed Vocation Nurse) - Since they don't require as much education, LPN jobs are great options for those who want to get started right away. Instead of needing four years of school, most LPN jobs only require about a year of it. In that way, they are convenient options to consider.

2. RN (Registered Nurse) - Although you will need more education to qualify as an RN, you will also be able to demand higher pay. Out of the many different assisted living jobs that are out there, an RN job is among the most flexible. Additionally, you are one step closer to your BSN or BSBN, which is also a highly needed role. And as an RN or BSN, many other doors will open to positions like Director of Nursing, Quality Assurance, Compliance, Patient Advocate, Care Manager, etc.

3. Physical Therapist (PT) - Many nursing home facilities keep physical therapists on hand so that residents can enjoy as many benefits as possible. And most Home Health companies have their census limited because they just can't find enough physical therapists. If physical therapy is interesting to you, this could be the perfect match.

4. Occupational Therapist (OT) - In order to help seniors get the most out of life, many home health, skilled nursing, and assisted living facilities keep occupational therapists on staff. This is a great option if you enjoy working closely with others on an ongoing basis.

5. Speech Therapist (ST, SLP, Speech Language Pathologist) - Speech therapy is critical for most nursing homes and home healthcare companies, especially among those who have patients that have suffered from strokes and other health issues. Helping someone overcome such an impediment can be highly rewarding.

6. Administrator (Branch Manager) - If being in charge of the whole shebang sounds good to you, a nursing home administrator job or home health branch manager is a natural choice. Keep in mind, though, that you'll need extensive education in order to qualify.

7. Quality Assurance (QA, QC, Risk Manager, Compliance) - Also known as a risk manager, the person who handles the quality assurance for a nursing home basically ensures that all regulations and codes are being followed. As a healthcare facility with Medicare patients, home health providers and nursing homes must adhere to many regulations.

8. Case Manager - Nursing homes and home health agencies aren't always the last stops for people. Sometimes, they want to get back on their own again. As a case manager, you could help people regain their independence in a practical way.

9. Maintenance Director - Unlike other nursing home jobs or assisted living jobs, this one doesn't really involve patient care - at least, not directly. However, you'd be charged with making sure that the facility itself is in good working order and really need to be a master of numerous trades.

10. Director of Nursing (DON, Director of Wellness) - How do you move up after becoming an RN? By becoming a director of nursing! This rewarding yet challenging job is a natural progression for those who are passionate about this line of work.

Understanding How the Medical Negligence Claims Cases Proceed

People trust their doctors. There are many people who religiously follow the advices of their doctors and cannot imagine their physicians performing actions negligently. Unfortunately, their worst nightmares come true when these learned professionals whom they trust act negligently. The medical negligence solicitors provide legal solutions to the victims of clinical malpractice. If you take a close look at how they deal with these cases and ensure compensatory benefits for their clients, you can understand how the clinical negligence claims cases proceed.

The essential components of a clinical negligence lawsuit

The victimized patient or the claimant has to prove that the physician under whose treatment he was trying to recover from his ailment owed a 'Duty of Care' to him. He has to prove that the physician was inattentive in his work which resulted in his injuries. In order to gain compensation payout, one has to prove the 'liability' and 'causation' before the court. These two crucial components are defined here below:

• Liability: The claimant has to prove that the doctor or his assistant performed in such manner which is not expected from any average professional in that field.

• Causation: The claimant has to prove that the injury that resulted from the clinical malpractice would not have occurred otherwise. The job of a compensation claim lawyer is to prove that the negligent action of the doctor or the medical staff was the only reason of the accident, and no other reasons were involved.

The loss of earnings of the medical negligence victims is also taken in account. The present and future loss of income, changes in lifestyle and emotional sufferings are collectively bracketed as 'quantum'.

Proving the liability

How do the medical negligence lawyers prove the liability of the physicians at fault? Generally references are taken from two previously awarded compensation claim cases. In a 1957 Bolam vs. Friern Hospital Management Committee case, it was recognized by the court that a physician is not negligent if he practices according to the norms or standards. On the other hand, if a doctor is found responsible for a patient suffering, he will only be indicted if it is found that he did not act in accordance with the standard practices. On the other hand, Bolitho v. City and Hackney Health Authority 1997 case is also considered a framework for proving the liability of the negligent doctors. The medical negligence solicitors draw reference from the verdict of the case which stated that if the management of a hospital has acted unreasonably, it proves that the body (or the management) did not act responsibly. These two medical negligence cases help the solicitors to prove the liability of the doctors.

The lawsuit filing procedure

• Reputable medical negligence claims management companies or the SRA certified solicitors dutifully adhere to the standard procedure of filing a claim. The standard procedure as follows:

• The claimant has to send a 'Letter of Claim' to the hospital authority or the individual practitioner under whose treatment he was.

• He has to state the particulars of claim and negligence in this letter.

• After receiving these documents, the defendant's lawyer has to fend for his client.

• All the reports will be assessed by the court.

To conclude, if someone becomes a victim of the medical negligence, he has to prepare all the pertinent documents first. He also needs to find an expert solicitor for representing himself in the court.

5 Frequently Asked Questions About Universal and Accessible Bathroom and Shower Design Remodeling

Do you worry when your Mom, Dad, loved one or friend uses their bathroom? Is this space too small, unsafe and difficult to use due to challenges they have with mobility or vision? If so - you're not alone. The good news is the population in our country is aging - the challenging news is the aging process often does not come without physical, visual or cognitive changes.

Fortunately if you do the right home modifications to the bathroom and shower areas you can improve safety, style and allow them to continue with the independent living lifestyle they desire. The key - using accessible design and universal design remodeling principles to get the project done right. This article will explore frequently asked questions about these two design approaches.

Question 1 - What is the difference between these two design approaches? - Universal design is focused on creating a bath and shower area that can be used by people of all abilities without the need for special changes or a specialized design. Accessible design addresses the specific needs of a person who has a disability. Basically universal is design for everyone - accessible is focused on a specific person(s).

Question 2 - What features should I consider to increase the safety and function of the bathroom, bathtub or shower areas? - The most common bathroom remodeling improvements and modifications include:

• Convert a tub to a walk in or roll in shower (preferably with a low curb or threshold) - This is an excellent safety solution for someone with mobility challenges.


• Add a walk in bathtub - Walk in tubs provide many therapeutic benefits and are easier to enter than stepping over the rail of a standard tub.


• Replace an existing toilet with a comfort height unit- If you have an aging parent or loved one who needs to transfer from a walker or wheelchair to a toilet a comfort height unit will make this process much easier - in addition this type of toilet is easier and more comfortable for others as well.


• Roll under sinkswith lever type faucets near the front - this design makes it easier for everyone (from grandparents to grandchildren) to use the sink.


• Wider doors (34 - 36") that swing out-This modification makes it much easier to provide assistance or leave the bathroom in the case of a fall.


• Install grab bars and handrails inside the shower, tub and near the toilet- Grab bars are a sound, cost effective safety measure when properly installed.


• Move the light switch down to 48" and the electrical outlets up to 15" - This will allow everyone (from those in a seated or standing position) to turn on the lights or plug things in.

Question 3 - Is it cheaper to perform home modification remodeling on an existing home, purchase a new home or move to an assisted living facility? - There is no hard and fast rule on this, but in most cases aging parents and those with disabilities overwhelmingly prefer to stay in existing homes they are comfortable in. Most existing homes (and new homes built for that matter) are not built to accommodate a wide variety of homeowners whose abilities might change during their years in the home. They were built for the "average" user and to keep initial building costs down. Assisted living facilities are very expensive on a year by year basis. In today's economy especially (with lower current resale values) home modification remodeling can be a cost effective and comfortable way to help an aging parent or person with a disability enjoy an independent lifestyle in familiar surroundings.

Question 4 - I want this room to look decorative and functional, not institutional, how do I do this? - Fortunately the products used in universal and accessible design can be stylish and functional if you do your research. Here's some ideas to consider:

• Walk in and roll in showerscan be contemporary and sleek. Hire a contractor who is familiar with selecting the right shower base, using the right types of wall backer boards and tiles.


• Add a sturdy and stylish glass block shower wall - This feature will add style and provides much more support than standard glass shower wall enclosures.


• Purchase an acrylic walk in bath tub - these come in high style design with numerous therapeutic and chromatherapy features.


• Select comfort height toilets, barrier free showers and bathtubs with transfer stations- Major manufacturers like Kohler and Delta have really beefed up their offerings in these areas.


• Install decorative grab bars- These units are now even made of materials like acrylic or decorative finishes to match your plumbing fixtures.

Question 5 - Who can help me with this project?- The reality is most people are not construction experts and are not familiar with the newest products and installation techniques to make accessible and universal design solutions work in an existing home. There are two excellent places to get assistance. First consider an occupational therapist (health care provider) who can evaluate your home and make recommendations on modifications to make it easier for a loved one to get around. Second look for a home improvement and remodeling contractor with specific expertise in aging in place remodeling - they should have specific training and knowledge about construction techniques and the latest products for your bathroom.

Now that you're equipped with these 5 frequently asked questions about universal and accessible bathroom design and remodeling you're ready to begin to not only improve the function and safety of a bath/shower space - but also to improve the style of the bath as well.

Nursing Home Sexual Abuse

When you and your family must make the difficult decision to place your elderly family member in a nursing home when he or she can no longer care for themselves, you may be worried about how well they will be taken care of in their new home. Though many nursing homes provide a safe, professional environments, others may not. Unfortunately, abuse can occur in several different forms. Arguably, one of the worst forms of abuse that can occur in a nursing home is in the form of sexual abuse, or unwanted sexual coercion without consent.

Because residents of assisted living facilities are usually in a more vulnerable position, they are especially at risk for this form of physical and psychological harm. The individuals that commit these awful atrocities should be held accountable for their actions in a court of law. However, the only way to make sure justice is served in the most favorable way possible is by hiring an experienced lawyer to represent your case.

It is important to understand what exactly constitutes this form of abuse. To clarify, sexual abuse can take the following forms:

• Rape


• Inappropriate touching


• Taking sexually explicit photos


• Sexual harassment


• Any other form of sexual coercion

If you or someone you love has been a victim of sexual abuse of any nature, it is important to seek the help of an attorney right away. These actions should not go unpunished, so it is imperative to begin the process immediately. Sexual abuse should never be tolerated, especially in an assisted living facility. It is likely that if your family member is experience this, others are too. Standing up for their rights is similar to standing up for all of the victims that this individual has harmed, past, present and future.

Keep Seniors Happy and Comfortable With Elderly Care Facilities

As people grow older and reach mid sixties, their capacity to take care of themselves becomes goes down. Elderly people mostly have impaired mobility, low energy and less thinking power. It makes living independently more difficult.

Caring for aging and sick parents and elderly members of the family becomes too taxing for adult children and leads to lot of friction at home. Parents and elderly people, who are supposed to get more support and care during this stage of their lives, feel neglected. The option to provide parents, specifically if they are sick, adult home care resolves such issues.

For seniors who prefer living at home instead of availing elderly care facilities at nursing homes, adult home care is the best available solution. Adult home care is customizable to meet specific needs of a person for specific situation. It is a wonderful way of providing occasional assistance or 24-hour care. This eliminates shifting to a place outside your home.

At home, elderly people require companionship at a time when their children are working out, or have families of their own. Senior Care providers not only take care of house keeping and preparation of meals but also provide companionship.

Elderly care facilities provided by the senior care or adult home care providers include managing legal transactions, doing shopping and groceries, taking seniors to community centres for community activities and so forth. In case of medical emergency, the care taker takes the elderly person to the hospital for treatment.

Senior care providers also take care of daily things like giving baths, assisting senior with the toilet, giving them medicine.

Benefits of home care can be summarized as follows:

• Seniors are able to make productive use of their time.


• Seniors get help to meet people and establish friendships.


• They can keep fit by taking regular walk in the park with assistance of care taker.


• Seniors remain mentally alert since care taker reads to them and explains TV sitcoms if their hearing is impaired.


• Through care taker, seniors can remain in touch with family and friends.


• Although it costs more to get senior care, but the benefits of home care are far higher than its cash value.


• With adult home care, one can go to work or take business out of country without worrying about parents or elderly members of family.

Senior care is available for both temporary as well as full time assistance. Full time care is usually split into 3 shifts of 8 hours each. You can also get specialized senior care plan for Alzheimer patients. This non-medical care can prove to be a lifesaver for your loved one for living at home, for as long as possible.

Acquisition of Nursing Homes Through a Non-Recourse Loan

There's a variation involving how properties are bought versus how nursing households are bought. Though the two these deals come beneath the broad type of purchasing home (genuine estate), the terms and costs of lending are governed by absolutely unique laws in every single case due to the fact homes are individual qualities which comes under the classification of domestic investments by folks, even though invest in of any industrial house - for whatever the objective - arrives underneath the purview of industrial lending charges. For example, when a person wishes to make use of the avenue of non-recourse lending for your obtain of a home, it is possible for him to make use of his IRAs so as to ameliorate his borrowing capability. A lot of people do that. Nevertheless, a businessman investing in expansion of his organization cannot do the identical matter.

Still it is feasible to make use of a Non-recourse financial loan to acquire nursing houses by utilizing the piece of home alone as collateral for securing the mortgage. Hypothecation is strategy of employing the house as collateral. It is most normally understood by borrowers as 'mortgage'. Although the idea itself is acquainted, it's important to have the quotes for hypothecation before getting into the cope having a lender as the charges and phrases of mortgaging property range in accordance with form of offer and also the guidelines in the jurisdiction.

Along with acquiring house by means of non-recourse personal loan, there is also a provision to implement residence via lease. The most common actions for getting hospital amenities, nursing properties and recuperation facilities is via the triple-net lease. On this, the lessee or the tenant is anticipated to shell out for maintenance, making insurance coverage together with all of the taxes applicable, as well as the lease hire. Most industrial buildings appear less than this classification of leasing, as are some home residences.

When seeking to acquire nursing houses as a result of non-recourse loan, you will find particular advantages which the buyer/borrower ought to hold in mind - for these are strengths which other creating proprietors would not be able to avail on their own of: Nursing properties and assisted residing loans are thought of on the basis of size and sort of building and according to these parameters, a possible purchaser can get estimates earlier than settling for any cope. The Housing and Urban Improvement (HUD) division which is the proponent of loans for these properties very first considers whether or not the premises are profit or non-profit oriented. With many other factors such as building, renovation or acquisition made the decision upon, quotes could be obtained for that bank loan.

How Using Simplicity And Efficiency In Senior Living Marketing Is Essential For Success

There are many challenges when advertising senior housing in today's environment. Not only do you face increasing competition, overcoming obstacles and finding out if the potential resident is a good fit for your community, but you're dealing with an aging audience whose senses and mind are not as sharp as they once were. Every communication your community has with seniors needs to keep this in mind.

Imagine this scenario. A 70 year old widowed woman living at home who is starting to have trouble taking care of their daily tasks. She stubborn and thinks she can take care of herself forever, but her family is worried about what her future holds.

She is starting to find that daily living is getting harder. Tasks like laundry, cooking, cleaning, yard work, and bathing. She is slowing down, but home life is not. Plus her vision and is going, and her mind is starting to slip a little.

Now imagine she opens her mail and sees a brochure that reads like the one described below: Headline: Experience Life In Abundance. Subhead [in small print]: Experience healthy living. Picture: An elderly woman smiling in a garden.

What is this woman supposed to think when she sees the outside of this brochure? Is she going to become more abundant? Will she become healthier? If she sits in her garden will she then enjoy abundance?

The ad can cause confusion amongst readers. If your senior living ad is ambiguous in anyway, you're reducing response before you even mail or place the ad.

It is crucial to use simple and easy to comprehend messages in your senior housing advertisements. When you do this, your ad becomes more efficient, and efficiency allows the greatest amount of seniors and caregivers to comprehend the ad.

Eight ways to increase power with seniors in your advertising: 1. Use Short Paragraphs

Big bulky paragraphs can overwhelm seniors and divert them away from reading. When you breakup the paragraphs the copy becomes more inviting to seniors and is easier on their eyes. You also separate thoughts and have the content flow more natural.

2. Use Short Sentences

Short sentences allow for the greatest understanding in an advertisement. Having long sentences confuses seniors and forces them to over think just to understand your message.

3. Use Short Words

Using short words is another way to cast the net as far as possible. The advertising legend John Caple's writes of a story about a publisher wanting to know the secret to a popular children's history book. The publisher questioned the author and the author said he had given the book to a ten year old to cross out words he did not understand.

4. Use A Large Readable Font

Most seniors have trouble reading and require glasses. Use a readable font and make it large. Do not force extra effort upon your readers. Comprehension and understanding is only possible when seniors and their adult children can see your ad.

5. Give A Good Call To Action

Once you have a senior's attention, then give them an action to take. Is it to call for an appointment, discover more online, return a reply card, etc…

6. Read Aloud

Read you senior housing ad aloud and make sure it sounds conversational. If your ad sounds funny and notice a pause or stumble at certain areas then these are areas you can improve upon. You can take this a step further by recording yourself reading the ad. When you play it back you'll be able to give it a further analysis.

7. Give To A Senior To Read

You can give your ad to a senior at your community and get great feedback. Do they understand the ad? Do they know what action to take after reading it? Do they find anything confusing, uninteresting, or boring in the ad? If they find something, then you know you need to work on it.

8. Multiple Ways To Contact

Give seniors and their adult children every way to contact you as possible. Phone, email, reply card, website address. People have their reasons for not wanting to use one way over the other. Maybe they just want to learn more and want to see the website, or maybe they want to speak to someone right away. Giving options gets a greater response.

A great way to test if you have an easy to comprehend ad is to keep your reading level low. In Microsoft word there is a function to check the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of your ad. This is when you do a spelling and grammar check. If you keep the reading level below a 7.5 then you ad will be understood by a wide range of people and increase response.

Your ad is not a dissertation and it isn't a place for beautiful poetry. The main purpose is to get a response and have someone take a next step. Not everyone out there is at the same intelligence, reading comprehension level, and can perceive things differently than they were intended. Making your senior living marketing easy to understand allows the most readers to comprehend your message.

When you place an ad or direct mail piece your ad is going to get seen by a specific number of seniors and caregivers. Your goal is to cast the widest net possible and connect with those who would be a great fit for your community or service. Having an ad that is simple and efficient ensures that when you cast the net you bring in the biggest catch possible.

Options for Caring for the Elderly

If you have an elderly parent or loved one, you may be wrestling with issues surrounding their care and well-being. Transportation, housekeeping, personal care, medical attention and companionship are just a few of the aspects of aging that children are concerned about. Addressing these concerns can have different cost, care, family and social consequences. While change can be viewed negatively and met with resistance, it should not be viewed with dread. Choosing the right option can result in a significant improvement in your senior's health, security, happiness and well- being. It can alleviate a significant emotional and financial strain on the entire family. Here are some options on types of elderly care available today:

1. Independent Senior Living - Apartment style living with minimal care but with a number of on-site services such as food preparation, transportation and community activities Seniors are fully independent, but don't have the burdens that caring for a house or an apartment require when living on their own. The biggest attraction of this feature is that seniors can enjoy friendship and activities in a community environment. While seniors who would use this option are probably capable of living on their own, the community atmosphere, the extra security and convenience make this a very attractive option. Insurance does not cover Independent Senior Living Facilities.

2. Home Health Care - The elderly can have a good amount of independence and continue to live an active high quality with a good home care option. Assistance is provided at the senior's residence. The services can range from full 24 hour care by trained medical personal to a couple hours a day of specific care. Assistance with transportation, home care, personal care and respite care for the family caregivers are some of the services provided. You will need to do some research to determine what types of services are covered by your insurance options.

3. Assisted Living - This option offers apartment style living with a higher level of care and monitoring than an independent living facility. These facilities assist the elderly with their daily needs, including food, laundry, and other living necessities to further their quality of life. Socialization is also part of the assisted living environment. Most assistant living facilities are private pay.

4. Nursing Homes - Around the clock care is provided in a skilled nursing environment. Many of the seniors' medical needs such as medication, diet, lab work and mental health are addressed in a skilled nursing facility. Personal care, hygiene, rehabilitation and other needs are part of the service. Often times specific illnesses can be treated in specialized units. Nursing home facilities may offer other amenities such scheduled activities, socialization and entertainment. Facilities vary in what type of payment programs are accepted so make sure you find out this information in advance.

5. Adult Day Care - This program is for the senior who wish to continue living at their home, but need a place where they can get meals and various personal and medical care services during the day. Some adult day cares offer a number of recreational programs that provided socialization and entertainment. Facilities vary in what type of payment programs are accepted so make sure you find out this information in advance.

6. Group Homes - Group homes are best suited for seniors who are physically self-sufficient and who are comfortable living in a family home type of setting. Group homes vary in how much assistance that are able to offer. If other services such as nursing or medical care are needed, outside agencies can be contracted to provide care at the group home. Facilities vary in what types of payment they will accept so make sure to obtain this information in advance.

In summary, there are plenty of viable options to consider, with a little research and consultation, one should be able to find the ideal solution that offers the best ways to meet the physical, financial and emotional needs of your elderly loved one.

What Do New Jersey Hotels and Motels Have To Do To Ensure Guests' Safety?

Whether you travel for vacation or for work, most of the time, you will be staying over night at a hotel or motel. Your hotel room becomes your home for the length of your stay. Because the room is your "home" away from home, you want to feel safe and secure. So what does the hotel have to do to ensure safety?

Under New Jersey law, innkeepers are simply required to take reasonable steps to prevent accidents and injuries to persons who are lawfully on their property. This is the case in security or negligent security situations. Assaults, sexual assaults, robberies and other physical attacks may be caused by inadequate security, improper lighting or design of the building or other such inadequate conditions of the premises.

If criminal activity is foreseeable, the innkeeper must take reasonable steps to make its premises safe for guests to prevent injuries. If innkeepers do not do that, they can be responsible for injuries their guests sustain as a result of an assault by a third-party on the premises, and even in a guest room.

In a New Jersey case, a guest of a resort was sexually assaulted in her room by a former employee of the resort. On the evening of the attack, the former employee was seen on the premises by security guards. The resort knew that this former employee was bitter about being fired. The security guards tried to find the former employee but were unsuccessful. Furthermore, several weeks before the attack, two other disgruntled former employees broke into guest rooms to steal a number of things. In a situation like this the resort can be found responsible for the guest's injuries from the sexual assault because the criminal activity was foreseeable. The Resort knew about the prior criminal activities because of disgruntled former employees. Grossman v. Club Med Sales, 273 N.J. Super. 42 (1994).

Another example of when hotels can be held responsible for injuries to their guests if a guest gets hurt as a result of a fight or brawl at the hotel. If the hotel or motel hears or knows of loud, violent activities on its premises, it has a duty to intervene. If a fight breaks out in the pool area and the hotel knows about it, it has to intervene either by stopping the fight or calling the police or both. The hotel cannot just sit back and do nothing. Nebel v. Avichal Enterprises, 704 F. Supp. 570 (1989).

With the above in mind, it's not enough to rely on the hotel to ensure your safety. As the traveler, you must be security conscious and can ask the hotel some questions before you make your reservation:

1. Does the hotel have round-the-clock security personnel?
2. Does the hotel require guests to present a government issued photo ID when registering?
3. Does the hotel restrict access to guest-room floors to those staying there?

The more you know about the Hotel or Motel is one of the best ways you can ensure peace of mind.

The Benefits of Choosing an Excellent Nursing Home for Your Aged Parent

The thought of being not able to take care of your aging parents may sometimes lead to stressful scenarios. Most people have their own families to care and work for. It is not easy to leave from work to take care of senile parents. If you can relate to this situation, you must realize this early, the importance of assistance from a nursing home. Whether you like it or not, time will come that you would need to consider this option.

We are lucky today because there are facilities providing care and attention to adults. We call these nursing homes adult day care centers. These facilities can be the solution for people who cannot manage to provide full-time assistance to their elderly parents. Through this type of nursing home, you can have the peace of mind that your loved ones are getting the proper care and attention from professionals.

There are several types of day care centers today. Most basic services include assistance in therapies, medications, and meals. With the guidance and monitoring of professionals, you are assured your parent is safe. In addition, you can let him/her have a productive and socially active living through educational and social activities. Some homes offer classes on music, art, gardening, and computer. These activities help the elders utilize their time meaningfully while socializing with fellow seniors.

Moreover, you can drop your elderly parent on the day care center as you drive to work and then pick him/her on your way home. You can also find some day care centers providing transportation services if you cannot attend to it.

Most of these facilities have specialized services for different conditions that senior people suffer from. They provide health and therapeutic services for those with serious health conditions. Some even have partnerships with other assisted living centers, health care agencies, and even educational institutions. You may also choose facilities that feature on-site services of optometrists, dentists, podiatrists, as well as physical and occupational therapists. There are even some homes with spa and salon services.

Looking for a nursing home for your elderly parent may be difficult but necessary. With this in mind, you need to be patient in searching for the facility that can provide utmost care and attention for your aging loved one. Your priority is the safety and wellness of your senior parent; you must look for an excellent facility. The best way to do this is to take some time visiting facilities. Check if the place is clean and comfortable. Make sure they have trained and caring nurses, dieticians, and instructors, all under the supervision of healthcare professionals. You can also get a clue of the type of the service they offer when you observe the seniors living in the place. If they look happy and healthy, then it is a good sign. It is also wise to look for a nursing center with rehabilitation programs if your loved one has recently gone through an injury, surgery, or other illnesses.

Start your search for a good nursing home as early as you can. Make sure your loved one will have a happier, healthier, and more productive lifestyle on the facility.

Dignified Living - Assisted Living Facilities

Assisted living is a term usually used in conjunction with senior citizen homes. It includes assistance with the daily activities of life, helping residents with administration of medication or personal care by trained staff, and monitoring of activities to make sure that the residents are safe and taken care of. This can be true for anyone who is not able to do his or her daily life activities but it is usually the provided for - senior citizens, mentally and physically challenged, and the people who are suffering from a chronic disease that make them dependent on others. It is actually a philosophy of provision of care and services in order to enable them to lead a dignified life.

Assisted, living facilities are licensed at the state level. Assisted care living facility, Personal care homes, and Old people's homes are some of the names used for such facilities. Such facilities are a way to make sure that a standard of care and concern will be provided to the people who cannot do so for themselves.

Assisted living facilities cannot be compared or equated with Nursing Homes for there are mark differences between the two.

o Nursing homes employ licensed medical professionals such as nurses, doctors and paramedical staff, who provide medical services to its residents. Non-medical staff usually provides assisted-living facilities and if they have licensed medical practitioners on their staff, then their responsibilities are usually limited to providing routine medical services.
o There is greater preference over privacy and personal care in assisted living facilities.

There are about one million Americans staying in assisted, living facilities. Thereby, much emphasis is on such assisted-living facilities rather than Nursing Homes.

A typical assisted living facility is usually a renovated Victorian house or school that has large and spacious areas where all residents can dine together, have a recreational and social activity that helps in bonding everyone as one big family and not feel the absence of their loved ones.

Some of the services provided in assisted, living facilities are preparation and serving of timely meals, laundry and ironing of personal clothing and linens, administration of medication, supervision of outdoor and indoor activities, reading and engaging in hobbies that interest the residents so as to keep the zeal for living ignited in them.

While looking for an assisted-living facility, one should consider what would be best for their particular circumstances. For most people, cost and location are the number one deciding factors. Second comes the reputation of the place. Is the staff well trained? Is it a licensed facility and is it safe?

Most of the assisted, living facilities are opened both for monitory and non-monitory means. A few are opened in order to make profits while others are opened as a social services or a charity that works for a cause. Before the legalization of such facilities, they were all privately owned. But, fortunately the requirement of licensure have regularized and improved the quality of services provided in most assisted living facilities.

No one wants to be dependent on others for the basic and everyday activities of life. Life circumstances beyond one's control can force one to lead a dependent life. However, one still has the ability to choose a dignified assisted life over a completely dependent and disgraceful living.

Assisted living facilities provide one with this choice - a choice to be able to do what one can and at the same time get assistance for what one must.

Precisely What Is a Personal Shopper - How to Make Cash As a Personal Shopper

Earning money as a personal shopper is a really profitable internet based business that could make you some major moolah. Your clientele can range from the aging seniors, active business owners or the disabled. You might be asking, what is a personal shopper. The personal shopping profession is quietly developing thanks in part to the fact that several people are self-employed, doing work for cash and at special hours. Once you followed many of these recommendations you could find yourself making a very nice living shopping for other folks.

In recent years, a personal shopper was something just for the stars in Hollywood, not the every day worker in small town USA. These days personal shopping finds its way into every town in the united states. Whether the stressful professional who has absolutely no time to shop, or perhaps the family with both mom and dad doing work fulltime, a shopper may fill a gap and complete an easy task that will reap some considerable money.

Plenty of people have too much on their own plate, a personal shopper may search for bargains, look for that perfect present or maybe shop so the client may avoid the burden associated with going to the swarmed malls. Start out your adventure as a personal shopper for free, doing it for friends and family. Get yourself a feel for your business and get some comments from your friends and family. Make note of the problems they've got and concentrate on solving them. Make note of all the good feedback you get and begin using these comments as the groundwork for the new endeavor. Take all the positive feedback and create a web-site which highlights these facets of your small business for new clients to discover.

Now that you've got an understanding for precisely what is a personal shopper, have some suggestions to base your small business on, go to your desktop computer and make a few flyers and send out them to your local senior citizen assisted living facilities and communities. The elderly like to shop but no longer have a car to do the shopping. You'll be able to shop for their groceries, their clothing and in many cases their drugs. You would be astonished at the amount of additional work you can pick up if you merely be on the lookout for the business opportunities. A lot of aging adults in addition to you purchasing their things, many even pay a fee for you to do their routine laundry. If you found many customers and do all of the laundry on a specific day, you'll be surprised how quickly your small business will certainly bloom.

Easing the Transition From Independent to Assisted Living: Six Action Steps to Take

Moving is stressful for everyone, but it's really stressful for those who are thinking about moving to a long-term care facility. I helped my mother and father-in-law make this transition and the process was as hard on me as it was on them.

Would your loved one benefit from long-term care? Are you thinking of making this transition yourself? Instead of avoiding the idea, you may face it head-on. Or as novelist John Steinbeck wrote, "It is in the nature of man as he grows older... to protect against change, particularly change for the better." Even of the pros outweigh the cons, however,you may still feel vulnerable.

Feeling Vulnerable

According to the National Care Planning Council, this approach provides a "homelike environment for people needing or anticipating help with activities of daily living or incidental activities of daily living... This quote comes from a website article, "About Assisted Living."

After you've decided to move you may change your mind. That happened to my mother. I found a beautiful apartment for her and she was excited about moving. Then she called one day and announced, "I'm not coming." I talked with her for 45 minutes, described the apartment and the advantages of Assisted Living. Thankfully, she agreed to move from Florida to Minnesota.

Action Steps

These steps will make it easier for all concerned. If nothing else, they will help to relieve stress because they are proactive.

1. Be careful about self-talk. In his book, Feeling Good, David D. Burns, MD describes the power of negative thinking. "The negative thoughts that flood your mind are the actual cause of your self-defeating emotions," he explains. That's bad enough, but it's easy to slip into what he calls "All-or-Nothing-Thinking," which may lead to unrealistic expectations. When you talk to yourself, emphasize the positives.

2. Do your homework. Find out who owns and operates the facility? What is its reputation? Does it meet health/safety standards? Could you afford to live there? What are the extra charges? Gather as much information as possible and keep it in a separate file.

3. Visit several times. One visit can give you a false impression, so try to visit several times. Get to know the place and the people. My mother visited the high-rise, toured the facility, and several apartments. These visits gave her an idea of what to expect. She was very pleased when she received a welcome bouquet on moving day.

4. Talk with residents. When you visit, talk with as many residents as possible. What do they like best? Is the food good? One of my friends, for example, loves the food service program. "I'm thrilled that I don't have to cook anymore!" she explained. She went on to say that the food didn't taste like the food she used to fix, but "it's good."

5. Start a journal. Expressing your thoughts with written words is one of the best action steps of all. Kathleen Adams, MA, author of Journal to the Self, describes her journal as a 79-cent therapist, available 24 hours a day. "I can tell this therapist absolutely anything," she declares. Writing will clarify your feelings, and nudge you in the direction you need to go.

6. Find out about activities. It's important to stay involved. Judith Viorst writes about involvement in Necessary Losses. "It is easier to grow old if we are neither bored or boring, if we have people and projects we care about, if we are open and flexible and mature enough to submit -- when we need to submit -- to immutable losses."

Moving to Assisted Living may not be easy, but in the long run, it may be the best decision. There's more living to do!

Copyright 2012 by Harriet Hodgson

Signs of Elderly Theft

Placing your elderly family member in an assisted living facility or retirement facility can be a challenging decision for a family to make. Whether your family member requires care that you are unable to give or they live away from anyone who could provide them with care, an elderly care facility may be the best option for your family. Though this decision may be in the best interest of an elderly family member, there are real risks that should be considered and acknowledged when making this decision. Theft and fraud does occur to elderly adults and often by a close caretaker or assisted living facility employee.

The National Research Council Panel to Review Risk and Prevalence of Elder Abuse and Neglect has reported that over 1 million elderly adults have suffered abuse or have been exploited by a caregiver. This shocking number includes a number of different types of abuse, one of which is theft and fraud. Cases of elderly theft can even be as extreme as involving kidnapping and other threatening behavior. Though this is not the norm in a elderly care facility, it is something to inquire about when visiting any facility.

Elderly fraud can be prevented if a family is aware of suspicious behavior by their elderly family member. This may come in the form of sudden, unexpected changes in bank account access or transfers of funds. This may also include a change in a will or other important document. Any checks that are written as "loans" or "gifts" may also indicate irregular financial behavior.

For more information on what you can do in a case of elderly theft, please visit the website of the San Antonio nursing home abuse lawyers at Stouwie & Mayo.

Retirement House Plans: Age-In-Place Design Elements to Consider

Multi-generational house plans are increasingly popular because lengthening life expectancy is allowing more of us to stay in our homes longer, rather than being shuffled off to a nursing home. Fortunately, these "retirement house plans" are also ideal for more youthful age groups. A few carefully designed features establish universal access for every individual. If you'd like your floor plans to serve as home plans for seniors as well, meditate on the following gathering of age-in-place design ingredients.

Common Characteristics of Age-In-Place Home Plans

1. Counters at multiple levels, or which may be adjusted in height, so people of all heights and those in wheelchairs can use them. (Age-in-place adjustments should include wheelchair users, since many of us must transition to wheelchairs as we get on in years.)

2. Anti-slip surfaces, to decrease the chances of taking a nasty tumble.

3. Single-story house plans. As we age, it becomes increasingly difficult to ascend and descend stairs. Once we shift to using walkers and wheelchairs, stairs become an impossibility.

4. Shelving Accessories, such as Pullout Gliders. Arthritis makes it hard for seniors to reach into deep cabinets. But in truth, people of all ages prefer pullout and pull-down shelving solutions - they make it much easier to organize and access cabinet contents.

5. Grip Bars in the bath and wherever a fall might happen, or where a person might need assistance in standing.

6. Elevators in Homes with Multiple Levels. This allows older people to easily access upper and lower stories.

7. Less than 5 Pounds Required. As we grow long in the tooth, our strength tends to fade. To adjust multi-generational house plans for this tendency, home designers make sure that nothing requires more than five pounds of force to operate.

8. Lever-style door handles are a good idea in home plans for seniors, since arthritis can make it difficult to perform twisting actions.

9. Total Wheelchair Access, particularly in bathrooms. To allow wheelchairs to enter, retirement house plans often incorporate walk-in tubs and lip-free showers. Moreover, there must be at least 60" by 60" of space in all living areas, so as to allow a wheelchair to turn. Lastly, it's smart to put a fold-down seat in the shower, to allow older people to rest as needed.

10. Lever Faucets. As with doorknobs, faucets in retirement home plans should be in the lever style, which is easier for those with arthritis to control.

11. Windows and Blinds that Operate Via Remote Control. Especially conscientious house plans for seniors will include remote-control functions for hard-to-reach elements.

12. Open Designs, which feature combined common rooms and minimize unnecessary walls. Open house plans for seniors might include a shared living/kitchen/dining area, which will allow more room for wheelchair users to maneuver. Moreover, open floor plans endow multi-generational house plans with increased visibility and more lines-of-sight. That way, occupants can monitor their environment by sight, rather than by sound. (Again, one's sense of hearing tends to deteriorate with age.)

13. Strong, Effective Lighting. To limit eyestrain and enable those with waning eyesight to carry out task work, home plans for seniors should feature bright task lighting near each comfortable chair and work area.

To double-check that your retirement house plans are truly universal in design, compare them against the ADA standards, sometimes referred to as ANSI A117.1.

Retirement Home: Living Assistance For Retirees

Worried about finding an assisted living for your aging parents? If yes, opt for a retirement home where retirees are provided a supervised peaceful lifestyle. The ailing retirees wanting a strong support fits best at such places, where they can minimize their miseries. Now, if you wish to offer peaceful lifestyle assistance to your parents, then plan for them a secured future. Such communities and homes offers suitable assistance in providing active life arranges amenities and forwards personal care through the medium of trained staff.

Seniors incapable of living independently fits well into a retirement home. The multi-residential facility for housing is mainly intended at assisting the senior citizens. At such homes, the retirees are provided personal care. Apart from residing in an apartment-styled home, the senior citizens are forwarded assistance in the face of trained staff caring to bath and dress the seniors. This sort of assistance living simplifies life for the seniors who often can't carry daily-works by themselves.

It is natural senior citizens have their independent likings and preferences of old-age living. They aim to free themselves from all sorts of hassles. Such lodging solutions is great facility assistance to them in minimizing their trouble-staking stay in today's modern society. So, they naturally prefer such homes which provide personalized facilities and care service which makes them feel special.

Often after retiring, seniors choose to reside in peace. Beneath the same sky, some choose to stay with their children, while other decides upon residing independently under community guidance. Well, most of those who choose to stay separately must select the right Retirement Home. With aging, it is true that health problems tend to get intense. However, such assistance homes provide adequate health and medical facilities to the residents. One can also prefer to choose his/her own independent medical practitioner and services which suits their personal preferences. So, there is less one need to worry about if an authentic community is decided upon.

Now, if you are a retiree and searching for such retiring homes, keep in mind that you select with utmost care. See if it fulfils all your requirements. Often children choose such homes for their parents, under which they must abide by the requirements of their parents. Well, most of such retiring homes are designed in an adequately suitable way to provide a friendly living experience to the residents. The recreational, leisure, accommodating, etc features of such retiring homes for the retirees is always kept safe and secured at first-hand. The kitchens and bathrooms of these homes are kept user-friendly so that the seniors feel it spacious and walk about freely.

Right retirement homes are one which provides comforted yet luxurious living assistance and facilities to the senior citizens. Having to make your post-retirement peaceful, make right choice for yourself. See if the homes are well-equipped with all sorts of daily-usable facilities which guarantee a secured and a healthy living. If you want to stay alone post retirement, select one best for yourself and live the rest of your life at peace and comfort.

Senior Living Community Trends

Senior living communities are relatively new, are responding to constantly changing demands and while even this industry is reacting to the current economic downturn, baby boomers are creating and responding to trends in a variety of ways. A recent survey conducted by Mather LifeWays with Life Services of Illinois in late 2008 revealed some interesting findings. This survey is "significant because there are few published studies that examine trends in programs, amenities, and environments among aging services providers," states Mary Leary, President and CEO, Mather LifeWays.

Independent living is at the top of the list for most seniors and most are serious about technology. That means that senior living communities must offer state-of-the-art systems for computer savvy seniors. Those leaving the workforce today have become accustomed to and very adept at building their careers and a portion of their personal lives around computers. Seniors want services available that will allow them to maintain independence.

New models in Senior Living Communities
The Beacon Hill model, as described in American Association of Retired Persons Magazine is an innovative program that allows residents to stay in their homes and maintain their independence safely and comfortably. Beacon Hill Village in Boston is being embraced by communities with seniors across the nation because of its model as a full-service concierge program dedicated to linking older residents of the neighborhood with anything from a ride to the doctor's office to house painting services to free lectures and exercise classes. Members must live in the neighborhood and pay an annual fee. The Beacon Hills Village program has sparked grassroots movements across the country.

"The New Retirement Survey" released in 2005 by Merrill Lynch focused on how baby boomers, who are quickly approaching retirement age, will have a noticeable impact on all aspects of senior living, including housing. In fact, because baby boomers will fundamentally reinvent retirement by living longer and remaining engaged and employed beyond age 65, the impact will influence all trends in senior living communities. The survey describes the "turning point": 76% of boomers intend to keep working and earning after retiring from their current job and even exploring entirely new careers. This desire to continue working is motivated by earnings and by a desire for "continued mental stimulation and challenge which will motivate them to stay in the game." Naturally, this finding supports the senior living community trend of a desire for further education. Visit the Bernard Osher Foundation to learn about the location of classes and opportunities for lifelong learning offered by this well-regarded foundation.

Trends can also be observed in surveys targeting the operators and owners of these communities. The Mather Lifeways survey describes trends in senior living communities that include wellness and lifelong learning options available as well as environmental considerations, such as green living standards. The survey also found that wireless technology is opening even more opportunities to pursue a wealth of knowledge. Currently, 22% of continuing care retirement communities are now offering Web-based education; however that number is expected to soar to 69% over the next four years, while wellness offerings, including classes and recreation, are projected to grow to 52%, up from 25%. Studies also reveal that 35% of senior living community providers are expected to observe "green" standards in new construction or renovation.

Another study, by Ziegler Capital Markets, queried senior living community owners, explores senior living community trends from a marketing standpoint. The majority of respondents stated that their multi-site organizations have been impacted by the current downturn in the economy. When asked how they intend to react, most said they will offer a variety of discounts on monthly service and entrance fees, which will naturally be attractive to those considering a senior living community. Marketing programs are also focusing more on what their community can offer in response to trends in senior living communities.

Technology, independence, education, health and environmental concerns will undoubtedly keep the newest members of the senior population occupied, challenged and productive for many years.

Whiplash Injury Claims Advice

Whiplash injuries can be sustained as a result of road traffic accidents, falls from heights and sporting accidents. In most cases, they can give rise to whiplash injury claims if the injury occurred due to the negligence of another person. If you have sustained whiplash injuries following a no fault accident, it is important that you seek legal advice and consider making a whiplash injury claim.

Whiplash injuries can be minor or serious. A person suffering from whiplash can recover from the injuries within a matter of weeks or months. In the severe cases, it may take years to make full recovery. Whiplash injuries can also result in permanent disabilities. The amount of compensation that is payable usually depends on the severity of the injury sustained, time it takes to recover, any ongoing symptoms and other losses that you experienced as a result of the injury.

Whiplash injuries can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort. This means that you not be able to carry out work as normal for a period of time or until the injury is healed. If you take considerable time off work, you may have to suffer loss of earnings. This may have an effect on you as well as on your family. For this reason, it is advisable to seek compensation for loss of earnings and other financial losses when you make a whiplash injury claim.

It is quite common that a third party insurer will try to do everything possible to settle a whiplash claim quickly and with minimum compensation. Insurance companies don't really care that you have been hurt or how the injury is affecting your life. They will always try to save as much money as possible. As an injury victim, you have the legal right to recover fair compensation. So don't be fooled when the third party insurers come up to you and make a pre-medical offer.

In most whiplash injury cases, insurance companies offer 瞿1,000.00 to settle the claim. This offer is made before you obtain medical evidence. Insurance companies know very well that you need medical evidence to get your claim valued. Medical reports outline the extent of your injuries, symptoms that you are experiencing and how long you may be suffering from the injury. This evidence is vital when it comes to estimating the value of a whiplash claim. Before you accept any pre-medical offer, it is advisable to seek legal advice and find out how much your claim is likely to be worth. If you don't take this step, you could be obtaining far less compensation than you actually deserve.

Working at a Senior Care Facility Versus Being a Live-In Caretaker

If you've been looking into senior care jobs, you're not alone; many people are interested in assisted living jobs, especially in today's floundering economy. Like many people, you may be struggling with deciding whether to work in a nursing home or as a live-in caretaker. There are pluses and minuses to both scenarios. In order to make the best decision possible, it's smart to weigh the pros and cons of a nursing home job versus a job as a live-in caretaker; highlights are outlined below.

• Leave Your Work at Work - When you're a live-in caretaker, you never really leave work. Sure, you'll have days off - but the vast majority of the time, you'll be living where you earn your pay. With an RN job at a senior care facility or nursing home administrator jobs, your work is finished as soon as you step out the door. In other words, your free time is truly yours when you work in a senior care facility.

• Foster Long-Term Relationships - If you're eager to really get to know your clients, you may feel that a position as a live-in caretaker is the only real way to do so. And it is definitely true that when you become a live-in caregiver, you do truly become a part of the patient's family. However, assisted living jobs also provide many opportunities for getting to know your clients. In fact, you'll be able to interact with a larger variety of people at a senior care facility, which will prepare you for many different situations in the future.

• Hone Your Skills - If accumulating as much experience as possible is important to you, then senior care jobs in senior care facilities should be at the top of your list. An RN job at a nursing home exposes you to many different situations, allowing you to learn many valuable skills. In fact, you're better off accumulating skills through a nursing home job and using them as a live-in caretaker later on. That way, you'll be prepared for just about anything.

• Enjoy Variety - If you're looking for a fast-paced environment, then you should cross being a live-in caretaker off your list. As a live-in caretaker, you are typically focused on one individual so for that reason alone, there will typically be less variables to the caregiver role. Hospice jobs and assisted living jobs involve a lot of interesting and changing situations; each day on the job is completely different from the last. One thing's for sure: You'll never get bored with nursing home jobs.

• Compensation - Because the scope of the roles are different

• Make Connections - Finally, everyone knows how important networking is. With assisted living jobs, you'll be working with many different professionals and creating important connections; this will serve you very well in the future.

Why You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?

A personal injury lawyer represents people who have been psychologically or physically hurt or injured, owing to the carelessness of a third-party. The third-party is not always a person, sometimes it is a company, business, school, government etc. The most frequent personal injuries include car accidents, defective products, negligent service, falls, work related injuries etc. Obviously, most times the carelessness and resulting injuries are not deliberate. However, the guilty party is still legally responsible for the personal injury. If you have recently fallen, been in a car accident, or experienced any other physical or emotional pain and/or suffering, resultant from the carelessness of a third-party, you could be eligible for compensation. However, the laws and regulations around personal injury claims and cases vary according to state. For this reason, you will have to speak to a lawyer, who is accredited to practice in that particular state.

Personal injury lawyers are those who have studied basic law and are qualified as lawyers, but they have chosen to focus their skills in the part of the law known as Tort law. It is their duty to assist their clients to arrive at positive settlements and agreements with all the relevant parties. If they are incapable of doing so, they have to refer their client to a personal injury attorney, who will be able to represent them and advocate for them in a court of law. Before you employ a personal injury lawyer, you have to know what to look for? Firstly, the lawyer has to pass the bar examination to practice in the United States. In some instances, they also have to pass an ethics examination. The bar exams are different from state to state. However, it is not adequate to just pass the exam. In the United States to be a lawyer, you have to complete 4 years of college, as well as attend a recognized law school. Upon completion of their legal education and training, the lawyers must take several exams in some cases, to qualify for a licence to practice in the state in which they wish to work.

Good lawyers always update themselves on the important changes in the law, so that they can stand for the best interests of their clients. In fact, they have to take regular legal education courses so that they can stay abreast of the legal and non legal changes in their area of work. The duration of these courses is different according to the state in which the lawyer practices. By focusing on just one area of the law, lawyers are able to keep up with the relevant changes. This means that, they become extremely skilled and knowledgeable in the field, in which they practice. To specialize as a lawyer, the lawyer has to be certified through a special program that is recognized by the obligatory bar association in their country.

Once they have done so, they will be recognised as personal injury lawyers by the law and legal community. It is very important that the lawyer you hire to represent in a personal injury case has the necessary qualifications. However, it is also imperative to find out how this works in your state, as some states do not endorse these attorneys. In those states, they are typically referred to as trial lawyers and will have to be certified under that categorization. If you are not sure, you can get in touch with your local bar association to find out, how it works in your state.

How to Make Money As a Medical Student Using a Blog

Did you know you can make decent money from medical blogging? It's true. Hospitals, practitioners, health and wellness centers, and other medical related businesses are looking for medical bloggers. It's one of the hottest areas within the blogging world. People are hungry for information on fitness and nutrition, cancer and other illnesses, and anything that's medical related. They need information that's to the point and not filled with medical lingo. On the flip side, hospitals and other medical facilities are looking for medical writers that understand the terminology to write lengthy articles and reports to use internally and within the medical field.

Medical students you're in demand because of your expertise and hands-on experience. However, don't sell yourself short and except assignments that are $10 or less. You can make a minimum of $.30 per word and as much as $2.00 per word. Use your knowledge and make a living from your medical blog and blogging.

How to Make Money As a Medical Student Using a Blog

Start your own blog. You can start your own blog using a blogging platform such as WordPress, Blogger, Typepad, or some other system. If you're web savvy or know someone that is, you can always have a website built for you and incorporate a blog on it. However, it may be easier to take advantage of the many blogging platforms on the market.

Create a blog that's easy to navigate and user friendly. Select a pleasing color scheme and 'niche' that will attract readers. Learn SEO and incorporate keywords and phrases that will increase web traffic to your site. Use Google AdWords Keyword Tool to research and find your keywords.

Sign up with affiliates. There are many affiliate programs out there. The most popular are CJ, Google Performics, Clickbank, and Linkshare. You can sign up for free and select affiliates that match your 'niche' or specialty. You may want to sign up with affiliates that are specifically for the medical industry. Remember to find ones that match your niche market.

Peruse job sites. You're probably familiar with Craigslist but there are other job sites for freelance writers. Check out 'Freelance Writing Gigs.com and Freelance Writing.com' because you'll find listing for medical bloggers. The website "Writers Write' has a section for medical writers. Also, look at websites that are specifically for the medical industry.

Hospitals and other medical facilities. Inquire at your local hospitals and other medical facilities to see if they need medical writers. You may want to try assisted living and nursing homes as well. Try health and wellness centers because they'll look for medical writers to write on specific topics such as metabolism, heart rates, and other 'wellness' topics.

Become a member of the AMWA. The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) was founded in 1940. It's the most professional organization for writers, editors, and other communicators of medical information. The student membership fee is $55 per year which is a good deal. Visit them at http://www.amwa.org/default.asp?id=1 to learn more.

If you love writing and the medical field, marry your two loves! You can make decent money blogging if you're willing to put in the time and effort fining the opportunities. Write thoughtful blog posts that readers will understand. Avoid using 'medical lingo' unless you're required to do so. Let's face it, medical school isn't cheap and you can use the extra money. Begin a part-time career in medical blogging, and you'll pay off your student loans in no time.

Comparing Medical Alert Systems to Assisted Living Arrangements and Nursing Homes

Age and medical issues can make independent living a challenge for many people, especially those more prone to diseases and injuries caused due to accidents. The sheer range of health problems we face as we age makes it necessary for us to have immediate support and help, especially in the case of emergencies. Assisted living and nursing homes are one alternative, but many of us don't need that kind of round-the-clock care, and want to keep our independence. That's how the concept of medical alert alarms came about, which many feel is a far better option than nursing homes or assisted living.

Understanding Medical Alert Systems Medical alert systems are technologically advanced electronic devices, typically presented in the form of a pendant or a wristwatch that you wear, as well as a connected console with an emergency button. Some of these systems can be personalized in such a way that alarms and alerts can be created depending on an individual's health requirements. For instance, a person could create an alarm for his or her daily medication, as well as for regular checkups. Similarly, the button on the console or on the pendant/wristwatch can be pressed in times of emergency to immediately connect the wearer with a customer service representative who can determine their medical requirements and make sure that help will arrives at their doorstep. Additionally, this medical alarm service can be used to notify next of kin immediately during times of need. What makes the system even more special is the fact that such services can be used 24/7, making the medical alert system a true companion for life.

Comparing Medical Alert Systems with Assisted Living or Nursing Homes Taking care of people with extreme physical or psychological needs can be quite difficult in certain cases. Under such circumstances, nursing homes or assisted living are usually the preferred choices for various reasons. But despite the advantages of using these kinds of services, it is important to realize that they have disadvantages, too, which could prove to be the underlying reason why they don't work for everyone:

- Independence: One of the primary factors to be considered when choosing care services is the level of independence given to the person in question. Most people prefer to be independent and take care of their own needs, unless they have a medical condition that makes it impossible for them to do so. Given this situation, nursing homes can be extremely restrictive for people, even when they claim to offer a lot of independence. Assisted living, similarly, has its own problems Here, the perfect solution is a medical alert system, which allows the individual to live on his/her own while also ensuring complete safety, especially in times of emergency and need.

- Continuity and comfort: Another factor most people deem absolutely necessary is the continuity factor. We all prefer living in a place that is known to us and where we are comfortable. This is usually our own home where we may have lived for years. Opting for a nursing home means taking us away from our zone of comfort, which may not really be advantageous. It's not unheard of for people to experience severe psychological trauma in the face of having to move out of their homes.

- Cost of safety and help: When comparing nursing homes and assisted living with installing a medical alert system, it is obvious that the latter is cheaper than the former. Nursing homes, especially good ones, can cost quite a lot, which is also the case with assisted living facilities. This is largely because the cost of such living is directly proportional to the amount and nature of amenities that the person in question would need to ensure comfortable living. Medical alert alarms, on the other hand, are simple, easy-to-use pieces of electronic equipment that can be rented out from various companies that offer such services. Additionally, the cost of the subscription plans on offer - even the most detailed and complete ones - will be far less than what one would pay for a nursing home or assisted living companion.

- Immediate response: While nursing homes do have round the clock doctors and medical practitioners on their rosters, it is possible that a resident could lose some time in getting immediate care, especially as these professionals may have several people to attend to. Similarly, with assisted living, there may be situations where there is no one present with the elderly 24/7, which could again delay the process of getting help in times of emergency. Under both these circumstances, a delay could lead to a dangerous situation that could easily be avoided with the help of a medical alert alarms. Here, the simple press of a button will connect the wearer to a representative, who in turn can send immediate medical help. Since the distress call is responded to immediately, precious moments are not lost.

- Notification to kin made easy: When someone is in a nursing home or living with assistance, notifying his/her relatives in case of any accident or other emergency can be difficult and confusing, not to mention take a bit of time. This is largely due to the fact that the resident has to wait until the authorities find the necessary information and make that phone call. However, medical alert devices can be set up in such a way that in case of any emergency, the next of kin gets notified immediately. Additionally, such devices offer an individual the chance to personalize his/her emergency and other alert systems to suit his/her needs. This will not only ensure immediacy of medical help, but also enable speedy flow of proper information.

While these factors mentioned above are definitely good reasons for adopting medical alert alarms, the most important factor remains that they are extremely safe and user-friendly. Irrespective of whether the wearer is tech-savvy or not, they can get immediate help with the simple press of a button and even get their queries answered should the need arise. If only everything else in life was so simple.