Who Can Claim Compensation For Work Related Back Injuries?

Injuries to the lower back, mainly muscle strains and lumbar sprains, account for more days off work in the UK than anything apart from the common cold. The latest Health and Safety Executive figures for 2009/10 show that 23.4 million days were lost due to work related ill health, and previous surveys indicate that around a fifth of the workers affected will have originally sustained back` injuries leading to acute or chronic back conditions. Construction, factory, warehouse and production line workers are particularly susceptible to back` injuries at work. These injuries may be the result of a workplace accident, or be caused by years of cumulative bending and lifting. There is also a high incidence of long-term back conditions among delivery drivers, nurses, care workers and gardeners. No industry is immune however, and a high percentage of back 1injuries occur among office workers performing everyday tasks such as moving desks or filing cabinets and carrying folders.

The most common cause of back2 injuries at work is manual handling, which encompasses heavy or repetitive lifting, as well as pulling, pushing, carrying and holding. Often workers will not have received training in safe lifting and carrying techniques, and injuries may result from a failure to bend the knees properly while lifting, or carrying a weight too far away from the body. Detailed regulations and guidance for employers in these areas are included in the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. Cumulative back` injuries may be caused by repetitive tasks, such as bending or crouching, as well as by posture and work station ergonomics. Those working on computers for example may spend long hours hunched over a screen, placing the spine in an unnatural stress position. Other contributory factors to back injuries in the workplace include a lack of adequate breaks, stress, pressure, fatigue and excessive heat, cold or dampness.

Minor back injuries normally involve strains or sprains to ligaments supporting the spine. Herniated (prolapsed) discs are another relatively minor though extremely painful type of back injury, where the inner part of the disc bulges out through a weakness in the outer disc and presses on spinal nerves. Fractured vertebrae are treated far more seriously as they have the potential to cause long-term conditions such as osteoarthritis. Damage to the spinal cord may also result from a severe fracture, and this can have devastating consequences due to the role played by the spinal cord in transmitting messages from the brain to the body and controlling sensation and movement.

Employers have a duty of care to provide employees with a safe workplace and working practises. They are required to avoid manual handling operations wherever a suitable alternative exists, and fully risk assess such tasks. Workers must also be properly trained in safe lifting techniques. The amount of compensation awarded for back- injuries in the workplace will depend on pain, suffering and the recovery time of an injured person. Damages will also be awarded for financial losses associated with an injury, including time off work and the ongoing costs of medical treatment. The highest awards will involve severe long-term conditions such as paralysis, or an injured person's inability to continue in a highly paid job. Specialist firms of solicitors will offer the best advice regarding back -injuries at work and will usually represent injured clients on a no win no fee basis, meaning there will be nothing to pay whether or not a claim is successful.

Retirement In Diaspora: Are You Preparing For It? Feedback From Nigerians - Part 2

The feedback received provided insight you might find useful. The reader must know that this information is not scientific and has not been put through in-depth statistical models or evaluations. Please do your own research before adopting any of these suggestions from fellow Nigerians.

In the previous Ezine article fellow Nigerians were asked to share their plans and preparations for "The Big R," retirement. Many responded, and thanks to everyone who took the time to write.

James (last name withheld) wrote: While we struggle to live up to expectation, (Not that I know who's expectation) a lot is wasted on things without tangible future value. I have often seen that mansion in the village as a waste of valuable money but we did not grow up with the culture of investing for the future." Children are often our retirement. We need education if we don't want to become a burden to the kids or start packing in preparation for a final trip to the village as we head towards retirement.

Some Nigerians who implied or expressed that they are domiciled in Europe took the stance that the governments there will take care of their retirement, and therefore they did not have to worry about saving additional funds. "Those in Europe and Scandinavia may not have much to share, as their retirements are relatively better secured as long as they have had active working lives and have paid into the better managed retirement purse - unlike the American 401K," remarked a reader called Ayookun.

While some readers who responded have totally lost faith in Nigeria for various reasons, there are more people whose belief in Nigeria is rock solid. Those who have written Nigeria off as a place to retire or invest for retirement cite common complaints of Nigerians overseas: swindling by family and once-trusted friends in Nigeria; and terrible governance. In their experience, they have been pitched great investment ideas, only to be taken to the cleaners once their hard earned money is sent to Nigeria. Jabolondon wrote this about an uncle who was duped when he invested for retirement in Nigeria: "He appointed his brother as "Project Manager" and, since 1994, has diligently repatriated funds for the project. Fast forward to today. His house is one level of concrete blocks in a rubbish-strewn site. His brother, meanwhile, is the proud owner-landlord of a block of 4 x 4 plush apartments."

This has been a serious and perennial compliant of many Nigerians working overseas. It is quite detrimental to all parties in obvious ways: the person who is cheated not only loses his scarce retirement investment, but may inadvertently ignite eternal family feuds that do no good. Those overseas who hear these (often exaggerated) stories are dissuaded from investing or planning to retire in Nigeria. The person doing the cheating loses too, because ori otu mgba a bughi ezi - he who eats all the food at once starves once the food in his stomach digests.

However, for every five respondents who have had enough of Nigeria and don't intend to retire there, there are eleven that urge a second look. The latter group espouses the benefits of investing in Nigeria as a retirement vehicle. One prolific commentator named Patcho made a point that is very appealing to most Nigerians in Diaspora. He stated, "Eventually when retirement age comes, I'll like to retreat to my village because I want to walk around, feeling the soil barefooted in my compound and welcoming visitors who did not need to call or write me before they knocked."

Using the money Patcho said he sent home over the years, his relatives in Nigeria have helped him amass real estate holdings around his home town. Wouldn't it be great for most of us, both in Nigeria and overseas, to have the realistic option of retiring in our villages in peace and security; bringing our retirement funds to enjoy and to help further develop Nigeria?

Cajetan Nwagbara has this edited recommendation: "Go to any city in Nigeria, and buy a parcel of land. Develop it, build at least 12 flats, and rent them for N25,000 each flat per month. One can conveniently live on N300,000 income, if one has a personal house and a decent car." It is a good idea. Frankly, a retiree in a medium- to low-cost part of America can survive on $2,000 (plus Social Security income) if the Nigerian funds can be religiously sent here and the person is in relatively good health and has no mortgage on the home in the States.

Valteena summed it up this way: "Haba!!! onyeije Naija can't be that bad for you to want to erase it off completely. I beg no erase. Nigeria may yet go better." That was in response to Onyeije who wrote as if Nigeria should be wiped off the map. He said " I am just waiting for my parents to join their ancestors, then I [will] erase and obliterate that name NIGERIA from all available lexicon."

Those are heartfelt words from someone who obviously loves Nigeria but is deeply disappointed in what Nigeria has become. It is a sentiment discreetly shared by many Nigerians, especially those in Diaspora. These Nigerians resent the leadership at home who fostered the conditions that forced them to abandon their familiar environment and reside overseas, even as many who wish to leave Nigeria look up to those abroad as the lucky ones.

The mention of retirement homes in the previous article sent shockwaves to most readers. Studies show there are many great retirement homes all over the western world, but most of them also come with hefty price tags. From the feedback, it was obvious that the prospect of going to any nursing home is too hot or raw for most Nigerians abroad to deal with. Truth be told, many of us have to get serious with retirement and estate planning and funding if we are to avoid the dreaded poor nursing home dilemma.

The original article was written to awaken and bring to forefront the importance of retiring with dignity, and the need to save the necessary funds to achieve this golden age goal. You need quite a lot of money to do that, so stop wasting and start saving as if your life depends on it - because it just might.

Many of us have children, and children everywhere love their parents as much as children anywhere. Let's not lose that point in this whole healthy discussion. However, we have not come this far, worked this hard, and weathered so many storms to depend on anyone else, including our wonderful and loving children. We should spare them the worry of our finances. We should be leaving estates for them to cushion their lives, not saddling them with the financial hardship of caring for us in our old age.

Rokijola has an outside-the-box, albeit utopian, solution: "One option will be to have retirement homes in America that cater to Nigerians, and have sister retirements homes in Nigeria. These retirement homes can be operated something similar to time-share holiday homes. The greatest challenge will be managing healthcare needs, which is a given with old age."

That is one great idea, especially if restaurants serving authentic Nigerian foods are located on the premises like those near Highway 59 and Bissonnette in Houston, Texas. That area is the closest you can be to Aba, Calabar, Benin, Owerri, Jos, or Lagos without leaving America. The only food better or even close would be home cooked meal prepared by one's spouse. Sorry to digress, I just want to give a shoutout to those Houston restaurateurs; none of whom I know personally.

F. Scopion made elaborate and logical points, taking into account inflation, deflation (which is more serious), low interest income, American 401K plans, and Roth IRAs, as well as global and long-term (30-year) views. F. Scopion wrote: "Best bang for your buck, and almost the only sane option left, is to invest in an emerging economy. A lot of savvy middle class Americans are already investing in BRIC [Brazil, Russia, India, and China] countries using financial instruments. Some even travel there to buy real estate. Nigeria isn't on the list yet, because its financial system is still too opaque. My point? Investing in property in Nigeria is more than just a good idea: there is no earthly reason why you shouldn't do it, if you can. I can assure you that well-to-do Americans would jump at that chance".

Idi-ogi made a rather extreme appeal against retiring overseas but softened it by suggesting investment in Nigerian real estate. He wrote this: "Retiring abroad is not as rosy as it may first appear. When I lived in England, my wife carried out a survey involving old retired people. She met an elderly Nigerian whose wife had returned to Nigeria while he stayed in Manchester. This gentleman was unkempt and disheveled. He was malnourished because his meals were pushed over the door with no opportunity for him to make his choice known. Same for his other supplies. The workers simply left things at the door and notified him by knocking on the door. By the time he opened the door, they have disappeared into thin air."

"Investing in real estate is the way to go. The return on investment is far better in places such as Lagos and Port-Harcourt. The drawback is that there is very little opportunity to finance the huge amount of money needed. A similar investment in the US will yield minimal returns at this time, but may be easier to finance with good credit rating," he concluded,

I also receive responses that were either too personal to publish or the emailer did not want me to quote them or use their names. Those responses made me think this topic has deeper roots than I first thought. Brothers and sisters, retiring in poverty is hellish. Retirement planning and funding is neither a husband's thing or a wife's thing; it is a family jewel. One has to think about one's self and spouse first. When you REALLY need them, you cannot Western-Union back the funds you should have saved and invested in your working years.

It might be prudent to diversify and not put all your retirement eggs in one basket by investing only in Nigeria or solely in your base overseas, or in emerging markets. Those governing Nigeria should capitalize on the pull of funds held overseas by both Nigerians inside and outside the country by making conditions more attractive for these Nigerians and their funds to come home to roost.

Finally, retirement is something positive to look forward to. While it will take a long time planning and acting to achieve good results, excessive stress over saving for tomorrow could rob you of the joy and blessing of treasuring today. And too much stress might cause an untimely end that makes retirement a moot point! So thanks again to those whose responses made this article possible, and I wish all of us success as we continue preparing for retirement in prosperity, not in abject poverty.

At Home Care Services for Bedridden Seniors

Caring for a bedridden loved one can be both physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting for families. Fortunately, the personal and professional care they need can be provided by an at home care services agency with the experience and expertise for caring for a bedridden senior.

Homecare services are often the ideal answer when care has become too taxing on the family and moving their loved one to a sterile nursing home isn't an option. At home care services provide bedridden seniors with a higher level of care and comfort in a familiar setting to minimize the depression that often accompanies a sudden lack of mobility.

Of course, seniors who are confined to their bed pose significant challenges as well. In addition to other non-medical at home care services, such as bathing, cooking, managing medications, and running errands, caregivers must be even more diligent to prevent bedsores. Since bedsores form easily on the body's pressure points, such as the spine, buttocks, hips, and elbows, it's important for caregivers to frequently change the senior's position in bed. An at home care services agency can also assist with stretching and moving joints to decrease the possibility of bedsores, prevent joint stiffness, and promote circulation.

There are several factors to consider when caring for seniors who are confined to their beds, including hygiene, comfort, and keeping the bed clean.

Hygiene:
Hygiene is an important part of at home care services for bedridden seniors. They should be given a bed bath every day to clean, refresh, and relax. Baths also improve circulation, which is a vital component of preventing bedsores. In addition to assisting with brushing their teeth or cleaning their dentures, at home care services also include brushing their hair, shaving them, and clipping their fingernails and toenails. Paying attention to bedridden seniors' hygiene and appearance improves morale because they typically feel better when they look better.

Comfort:
When seniors are confined to their bed, ensuring comfort is job number one for an at home care services agency. It provides support for seniors' back and joints to avoid straining, and their arms and legs are comfortably positioned in the bed as well. Several pillows support their head, neck, and back and, if necessary, a brace is installed at their feet so they don't slide down the bed. When changing positions, the caregiver carefully guides their movements to comfortably resituate them.

Bed Maintenance:
Maintaining the bed is another critical part of at home care services for bedridden seniors. Bed linen should be changed regularly to prevent germs and, of course, whenever linens become soiled. Home caregivers ensure that the mattress is firm and protected with a waterproof cover, and they turn the mattress over on a weekly basis to prevent premature wear on one side.

Meals and Activities:
An at home care services agency makes mealtime social and ensures the senior stays engaged. In addition to adhering to the senior's specialized diet, caregivers keep him or her occupied with conversation, reading materials, television, radio, card games, puzzles, and visitors.

If your senior loved one is bedridden but can still stay in the comfort of his or her own home with some professional assistance, homecare services can provide the care he or she needs and allow you to rest easier. Learn more about at home care services by visiting http://www.CambrianHomecare.com or calling 877.422.2270.

Nursing Homes: Elder Abuse On The Rise - One Way To Protect Your Parents

This will not come as a surprise to anybody but baby boomers are reaching retirement age so rapidly that supporting social programs cannot possibly keep up. A baby boomer reaches age 65 every 10 seconds. Seniors over the age of 65 will soon be a bigger proportion of the population than those under 65. That's a scary statistic!

This also places stress on nursing homes and long-term care facilities with a double whammy. Not only is there a shortage of beds for the patients but there's also a shortage of qualified staff to care for them. These shortages lead to all kinds of shortcuts and abuses. The home healthcare industry is booming as a result of those shortages. They don't have enough people either so there are shortcuts in the hiring process there also.

Elder abuse can be manifested in many ways-from the withholding of necessary medications to verbal and physical abuse. Even psychological abuse is present. A study not long ago showed that 60% of all nursing homes had some kind of elder abuse and that 90% of all healthcare facilities employed a convicted felon-some even more than one.

And that kind of abuse happens in regulated industries of nursing homes. Can you imagine what goes on in home healthcare?

Alzheimer patients or dementia patients may be unable to verbalize what is going on in either their care facility or at home. That leads people to believe that they can get away with just about anything. That's why some states have legalized the use of hidden cameras and spy cameras in long-term care facilities and nursing homes. Texas was the first. That way the adult children of patients can keep an eye on what's going on. And to be honest, it's about the only way that elder abuse can be caught.

Hidden cameras or spy cameras are hidden inside objects that are very common and will fit into just about any setting so no one would suspect they are being recorded. As you can see Covert Spy Cameras can look like just about anything you can imagine. The most effective ones have DVR's built right in and use an SD card to record color images for easy recording and playback.

Almost all of the hidden cameras and spy cameras feature motion activated recording to eliminate dead recording time. This allows you to get longer effective recording times.

A hidden camera or spy camera is one way, maybe the only way, to protect your parents from elder abuse.

The Qualities of a Good Personal Injury Attorney

Any good attorney has many good qualities. They may or may not be the attributes an outside layman would consider important. Here is a list of important qualities of a good personal injury attorney.

1. Intelligence. It goes almost without stating that any good attorney must be intelligent. A large portion of winning any case is out smarting your opponent. Personal injury law is filled with complex issues and an attorney must be intelligent to fairly evaluate and handle those issues. Thus, a good attorney must be intelligent.

2. Diligence. A good personal injury should be diligent. It isn't enough for an attorney to be smarter than the opponent. Instead, the attorney must also out work the opponent. A good attorney will timely respond to issues and diligently move the case forward quickly by investigating every material factual and legal issue about a personal injury case.

3. Legal Research. The law is the attorney's sword and shield in battle; however, the law is expansive and well beyond the memory capacity of any attorney. As such it is imperative for every attorney to be good at conducting legal research. Out smarting and out working the opponent is useless if an attorney is not on top of the law applicable to the case they are handling. This requires regular and competent legal research.

4. Writing. Many aspects of a personal injury claim are handled in writing. Ordinary examples include settlement demands, settlement agreements, pleadings, motions, and appeals. An effective attorney must constantly provide capable and persuasive written documents. As such, in order to be a good advocate, must be a good writer.

5. Speaking. The portions of a personal injury claim which are not handled in writing are handled verbally. Important examples include settlement negotiations, motion hearings, trial, and appellate arguments. These speaking engagements must be forceful and persuasive to say the least. Thus, in order to be a good advocate, an attorney must also be a capable and persuasive speaker.

6. Marketing. As with any business, an attorney must be good at marketing themselves and their firm. It doesn't matter if you are the best attorney on the planet if you have no clients. There are many aspects to marketing. Attorneys market intelligence, experience, recognition, results, appearance, and numerous other qualities. A good attorney must find their niche and market their qualities.

The foregoing are just a few of the important qualities of a good personal injury attorney.

Preventing Falls in a Nursing Home

Each year, long-term care facilities with an average census of 100 elderly residents, report 100 to 200 falls per year. Of those that fall, 1,800 will die. Those who don't die as a result of the fall sustain serious injuries have limited ambulation and their quality of life is significantly reduced.

The causes of these falls are termed risk factors. The top five risk factors that contribute to falls in nursing homes are osteoporosis, lack of physical activity, impaired vision, medications, and environmental hazards. In addition, lack of knowledge and fall prevention contributes to the higher incidence of falls in long-term care facilities.

Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become very porous, less resistant to stress and more prone to fractures. This decrease in bone density contributes to falls and can results in injuries. To prevent this condition, it is recommended that long term care facility residents eat and drink sufficient calcium rich products, get sufficient vitamin D and do regular weight bearing exercises.

Another risk factor that contributes to falls in the elderly is a lack of physical activity which can result in poor muscle tone, decreased strength and loss of bone mass and flexibility. All of these deficits can contribute to falls. Prevention tips include regular exercise designed to increase muscle and bone strength such as with physical and occupational therapy and restorative services. Also, residents should always wear proper fitting shoes with low heels or rubber soles.

A person with a visual impairment also has a greater risk of falling. Age related vision diseases increase the risk for falls. Cataracts and glaucoma alter the resident's depth perception, visual acuity and may cause glares. This may hinder the resident's ability to navigate safely around their environment. To prevent this, residents of long term care facilities should have annual eye examinations to determine the extent of the age related eye disease, and what modifications should be implemented to make their environment safer. Some of these modifications for visually impaired residents can include installation of grab bars and handrails, clean eyeglasses on a regular basis, and maintain clutter free environments.

Medications are often overlooked as risk factors for falls but medications are often one of the most influential risk factors of falls in the elderly. Sedatives, anti depressants and anti- psychotic drugs can contribute to falls because they reduce mental alertness, worsen balance and gait, and can cause the blood pressure to drop while standing. Medical staff can prevent this by being aware of all of the side effects of residents' medications, encourage physician's to use the lowest dose possible, have anti-psychotic medications reviewed and attempt trial reductions and eliminations of these types of medications.

New guidelines have been released by the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatric Society in regards to fall prevention measures. This is the first time an update has been made by AGS in ten years. The new guidelines state that all interventions for preventing falls should include some type of exercise. New guidelines also state that assessment of a person's fall risk should include a thorough foot exam. The foot exam should include assessment of a person's footwear as well. Both are imperative to obtaining safe mobility. The assessment should also include the person's fear of falling and his/her ability to complete activities of daily living. Other recommendations in the new guidelines are as follows: physical therapy, adapting the environment to the person at risk, cataract surgery as indicated and medication reduction.

Finally, environmental hazards cause at least one third of all falls in the elderly. The most common cause is a resident tripping over an object. Other causes can be poor lighting and unsteady furniture. Staff should conduct routine room rounds to ensure there is adequate lighting, including night lights, as well as reducing all clutter and checking stability of furniture.

It is a known fact that the risks of falls increases with age. Even though most falls do not result in death, they can result in serious injuries as well as have a profound psychological impact on the resident. The key is prevention. Fall prevention in long term care facilities has to be a combination of medication monitoring, rehabilitation to increase physical strength and wellness, and environmental changes. In addition, fall prevention includes assessing residents after falls to address future risk factors, educating the staff of potential risk factors, and providing a safe environment for the residents.

Caring For Elders - Elder Proofing the Home

Did you know that it's estimated that 1/3 to 1/2 of all home accidents could be prevented if various modifications and repairs were made? It's true and especially so with elderly folks. With a little effort, a keen eye for hazards and the drive to ensure your elder is as safe as possible, you'll be able to rest easy knowing you've made your elder's living space as safe as possible.

The best way to get started in elder proofing your home or the home of your elder and doubling or even tripling the chances of keeping your elder out of harms way is by completing a hazard survey. To do things right, you'll want to cover all the bases - both inside and outside of your elder's apartment or house.

When surveying the inside of your elder's residence, go from room to room looking for things that could be a danger. Things like area rugs, loose bathroom tiles, beds that are too high or low or obstacles on the floor or counters to name just a few potential problem areas. Get rid of rugs that aren't secured to the floor. Even areas that you feel are just fine can present significant danger to an older person. Consider that even something as a coffee table or an unsturdy shelf can present major challenges to someone who isn't as steady on their feet as they used to be. Be sure to remove all low standing coffee tables and ottomans, along with any other objects on the floor such as baskets and footstools. Don't allow your elder to talk you into keeping these items - it's critical for their safety to have them removed.

Stairways are another area that should be viewed as a potential trouble spot. Sure, they've never been an issue in the past, but now they can become a major issue. Ensure they are well lit and have some sort of gripping treads on them if they aren't carpeted.

Other areas to consider are:

1. Improve the lighting both inside and outside of the home or apartment.

2. Determine the fate of small animals such as dogs or cats. Weigh safety concerns against the companionship the animals provide.

3. Purchase and put an automatic pill dispenser into service.

4. Install turntable shelves in cabinets and set up plastic turntables on shelves that are already in place.

5. Purchase a reaching device for those hard to reach items in the cupboards. NEVER allow your elder to climb up and down a ladder or step stool.

When reviewing your elder's home for potential hazards, remember that accidents can happen even after you've done your best to elder proof their home. But by taking the steps outlined above, you'll make your elder's home much safer for them and will greatly reduce the chance of accidents happening.

How to Get Your Student Loan Dismissed

If you have many student loans to eventually pay, and you are skilled in a particular field, then your loans could be dismissed by the government and won't have to be paid off. These particular fields change annually, and are usually selected according to the supply and demand of professionals in that field.

For example, special education teachers are exempt from paying their loans if they are employed in that field for at least a year. Another good example is the nursing field. There is a very large demand for nurses these days, many more than the supply could fill.

For that matter, many different types of teachers could qualify for dismissal of their loans. Also orderlies and nurse assistants. The health care industry is in high demand for experts in many different fields.

To apply for getting a student loan dismissed, the applicant can get a form from their loan administrator. The loan office will also need proof from the college and/or workplace that they indeed are pursuing the particular field.

So if you are working and still in school, you could be eligible to pay off all your loans, subsidized or not. You need to check with your loan officers first however.

Loan providers have lists of jobs that are in demand where loans can be paid off by the government. Those jobs such as special education teachers and nurses are of great value to the government, so they are quite willing to pay for their education.

If you feel you may be eligible for release of your loan obligations, please contact your loan office right away. It costs nothing to check, and could be worth thousands towards your education.

Insurance Jobs in the Health Care Field

Insurance jobs in the health care field are widely spread over the newest and most innovative companies. In fact, some of the best and most hotly desired jobs for RN and LPN's are freelance jobs in the insurance industry. It's growing rapidly and there are a great many jobs which are available to RN's, LPN's and even to nursing assistance or to lab technicians.

Many insurance companies these days want their own nursing staff to help to review care plans, hospital care, to do insurance physicals and questionnaires and even to assist in administrating the insurance forms and divisions. These nursing professionals help to determine the kind of care that is necessary and what level of care may be paid for by the insurance company. They also help to decide what care is palliative and which will be helpful to the client.

Today RN nurses are managers of individual cases, as well as help to plan for long term care of the patients that are covered by their insurance. RN case management insurance jobs are one of the top paying insurance company jobs in the health care field. Not only do these positions pay remarkably well, but they also permit you to work from home in many cases, or to work your own set hours so that you can work around your schedule.

Caseload management isn't really a factor in the insurance jobs in nursing such as it would be in home health or hospital care nursing. Typically you will not have to attend to more patients than you can handle as you might in another nursing facility, and given the lucrative pay of the hospital nursing, there is no shortage of insurance jobs nurses to deal with on a day to day basis.

LPNs are eligible for health care case management, as well as to offer insurance physicals, to do home visits and to assist in other areas of client care determination. In fact, some insurance companies do not offer physicals through a doctor or hospital, but ask that their own staff do the insurance physicals on all of their clients. This is a cost savings for the insurance company as well as for the patient.

Insurance jobs in healthcare may also hire other health care workers including social workers, and even home health assistants. These positions require various training and skills, but each will also require that the nurse or nursing assistant has long-term training that is ongoing, for so many continuing educational credits each year.

If you're interested in a great deal more autonomy, in working your own hours and in working as a paid consultant to insurance companies, insurance jobs are available to you in the health care field. Each has different requirements, but most will pay far more than you may expect to make in nursing home or in hospital or physician's office nursing.

You are required to have your RN, LPN, or nursing assistant certification in your state of practice and to maintain continuing education credits to remain current in your licensure, as well as to be graduated from an accredited school of nursing or nursing assistance in order to apply.

Potential and Requirements of a Nursing Home Administrator's Job

Looking out for a nursing home administrator job? Keep in mind that it's not going to be 'smooth sailing' all through. It can turn out to be a decently remunerated employment opportunity and the chances of getting into a good health care organization are also good because as you will see, the turnover in this profession is quite high. This is solely due to the greater demands in this field. In fact you can rightly call it a 24hr responsibility resting on your shoulders.

First of all there is the need for adequate qualification on your side to ensure that you get the position of a nursing administrator. Of course graduation is a must in addition to a degree in health care administration plus some experience of working in a medical environment is a must. A thorough understanding of medical coding and terminology is an essential factor. Some countries require you to take a test and obtain a certificate before they take you in for a Nursing home administrator job.

The nursing administrator is vested with numerous responsibilities covering almost areas of management in the organization. Right from providing counseling services to clients as well as staff, he/she is expected to run the institution within budgetary constraints, see to the staff training and patient welfare programs and fulfill the role of a supervisor in totality. All the staff recruitment is done by the administrator. Cleanliness, upkeep and maintenance of the nursing home come under his/her duties and patient grievances and suggestions are to be handled as well.

Most of the inmates of the nursing home are likely to be there for long term care, therefore the administrator sees to it that their stay is rendered comfortable and pleasant and charts interesting programs for them to stimulate and motivate their unsettled minds. Occupational therapy, physiotherapy, consultation with a psychologists etc are activities that can provide some alternate indulgence for the inmates.

A great deal of patience and discipline is required in carrying out a nursing home administrator job. Every management will run a background check on the applicant before qualifying him for the position because a person with 'questionable' reputation may not be suitable to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the job. Work experience in a hospital environment and a clean conduct certificate can certainly qualify an applicant.

Mostly, the nursing administrator will be expected to board at the nursing home or else in close proximity since the demands of the job are such that he might have to be summoned at odd hours. Therefore only those who can afford to contribute such hours need take up such a job.

The Role Of A Pediatric Nurse Practitioner In Child Health Care

If you are a registered nurse (RN) who enjoys working with children, then training to become a pediatric nurse practitioner could be the perfect career move.

Advanced training in pediatrics means that you will be qualified to provide specialized nursing care to infants, young children and adolescents. This includes nursing and healthcare such as physical examinations, diagnosing injuries and identifying common childhood illnesses.

As a pediatric nurse practitioner (NP) you are required to oversee laboratory and diagnostic tests including blood tests and x-rays for children. You'll be fully trained to perform immunization on children against common childhood diseases and provide counseling for children affected by juvenile diabetes and other common illnesses.

You'll also be called upon to offer advice and practical answers for common childhood complaints and development issues like toilet training, child temper tantrums, ear infections, head lice, biting issues, asthma, allergies, urinary infections, respiratory infections and the hundreds of other healthcare problems common among children. Along with the extremely serious childhood illnesses like leukemia and childhood cancer.

In your role as a specialized childcare nurse, you will be required to perform medical examinations of the child including such things as taking urine samples, taking their blood pressure, making requests for laboratory tests and checking that the child's heart and lungs are functioning properly.

One of the key requirements of a being childcare nurse is the ability to communicate clearly and confidently to children and their parents. It is often left up to the child's nurse to answer difficult questions, provide child healthcare education and child healthcare counseling to both young children and their families.

You will be required to meet with the families of young children to discuss their treatment and recovery. Fully understanding the child's medical condition is vitally important so you will be required to get their correct and proper medical information, medical records and healthcare history.

Today's pediatric nurse practitioner is required to perform under enormous pressure in numerous healthcare situations. This includes hospitals with specialized children's wards, community or private hospitals, schools, daycare centers and other specialist child care clinics.

When you work in this field, you are dealing day-today with young and vulnerable patients. Children have special healthcare needs and often require specialized medical treatment. The role of the pediatric nurse practitioner is to provide them and their families with the right treatment and support so that their child quickly gets on the road to recovery.

The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP), local hospitals or nursing schools are all places that you can get information from if you are interested in furthering your nursing career in this exciting field of medicine.

Stress - Understanding Its Effects on the Elderly

Stress is a normal part of everyday life. While young people are more resilient in dealing with the negative impact of stress, senior citizens can have a tougher time negotiating the physical effects stress can have on the body. In some ways, stress in small doses can be beneficiary in the sense that it serves to motivate us. But as we get older and our bodies become more sensitive to our environment, doing all we can to eliminate stress from our daily life becomes more important. Incidences of heart disease, infection, and depression become much more prevalent as we age and it's widely known that the psychological effects of stress play a direct role in the strength of the body's immune system. There are many activities and programs of which seniors can take advantage of that are directly designed to alleviate stress. Some of these programs can be found in local recreational or senior citizen assisted living facilities.

Let's take a moment to review some of the possible symptoms that stress can bring on:

Chest pain can no doubt be one of the most alarming symptoms. This is because it can mislead you to think you are having a heart attack. Regardless of whether you think this is true or not, immediate medical attention should be sought out if chest pain persists for any elongated period of time.

Shortness of breath can be another disturbing symptom. One effective way to deal with this sensation is to remind yourself that your lungs are actually getting enough air, and to simply sit down and control your breathing in a slower and relaxed pace.

Dryness of the mouth is another common symptom but probably the least threatening. Keeping regularly hydrated and with pure and healthy liquid sources is a quick and easy solution.

A persistent weakness in the legs and arms can also be result of stress. This is most likely due to the fact that stress can cause changes in blood oxygen and muscle tension. Light exercise is another quick and easy fix, not to mention the additional attributes that go along with physical activity. Visiting the gym on a regular basis in your local fitness center or senior facility, is a great way to stay ahead of the curve should this symptom be an issue.

Having a better understanding of how these symptoms affect your body will be the first step in taking back control of your life from stress. Read reviews on Dre Beats!

Eating Right in Assisted Living

Everyone knows that eating right is an important part of healthy living. Following through with a healthy diet day in and day out is a different story, though. Many people have good intentions about changing their eating lifestyle, but not a lot of these people actually stick to their plan for an extended period of time. Luckily, there are some steps you can take when you live in an assisted living facility to improve your eating habits.

The first thing you will want to do is to establish a written diet plan. You need to do this for a number of reasons-both to help guide the assisted living staff and to help establish guidelines for yourself. Writing down the foods you wish to eat also serves another purpose: it will make sure that you are more likely to stick with a diet plan. The simple act of writing down your foods actually makes you more apt to follow it by increasing your investment into the particular diet that you plan.

Once you have a written plan, you need to go over it with the staff of your facility. This ensures that everyone is on the same page. You will be able to specify exactly how strict your diet should be, too. For some people, a special diet is a necessity, whether because of diabetes, Celiac disease, or morbid obesity. For others, a special diet is not as mandatory, but is adhered to because of the good health benefits that accompany it. Here, you can establish how your diet should function. You can even pencil in tentative "cheat" meals, if you wish. For some people, these are not necessary, but for others, they can actually help with the overall adherence to the diet. Not everyone is blessed with the discipline that it takes to stick to a strict diet and these cheat days are necessary for their sanity. There's no doubt that a diet can be very difficult to stick with.

After this, you let the assisted living staff do the work for you. The great thing about living in assisted living is that they will prepare your meals for you. This eliminates a lot of the difficulty that arises when you must get your own food ready. In this instance, it's sometimes a lot easier just to go with processed, already prepared foods. When you don't have to do the work, your diet will become much easier to stay with.

The benefits of a good diet cannot be overstated. This will help you stay healthier, it can potentially reduce the amount you will pay for healthcare, and it can increase your life expectancy. With so many great benefits, it's a wonder that more people don't take advantage of a good diet.

Physical Nursing Assessment

Physical nursing assessment is a systematic and organized approach in the techniques which requires a trusted relationship between the patient and nurse. A trusted relationship between both nurse and the patient is required because it can reduce the stress experienced by the patient while examining him/her physically exposed. If the nurse explains the things that is to be done physically and the reason for the physical examination, then the patient naturally get relaxed and cooperate with the nurse for the examination. Even though physical assessment enables the nurse to identify the condition more accurately, the focus is more on the responses of the patient to actual problems.

Physical nursing assessment is the initial step of the process as it provides basic foundation for the care plan in which the observations of a nurse is important in the estimation, intervention as well as evaluation phases. Both subjective as well as objective findings are included in this assessment. Objective findings are taken from physical examination and subjective findings are taken from health history as well as reviews of body systems. Subjective findings are relevant only when the patient is affected and some of the examples for subjective data are worrying, itching and pain. Objective findings are the findings of the observer or tested according to the accepted standards. Some of the examples of objective data are discoloration of the skin, reading of blood pressure and emotional outburst of the patient like crying.

Physical nursing assessment is used to get both mental and physical data of the patient. This kind of assessment helps the nurse to diagnose the problem accurately and thereby possible to plan the patient care. It helps the health care professionals to solve the problems identified. In order to obtain a more accurate evaluation of the patient, the nurse has to establish a good rapport with the patient. It is essential to explain the procedure of physical examination to the patient well before performing the examination. The nurse should obtain the verbal consent of the patient for the physical assessment.

The physical data of the patient should be confidential and the nurse should choose a place where other people cannot see or overhear the patient. The nurse should inform the patient that who all will see the recorded data. Avoid circumstances of unnecessary exposure of the patient by ensuring privacy of the patient by closing the doors and by draping the body using clothes. Special instructions should be communicated with the patient. Physical nursing assessment is performed by using certain basic techniques such as inspection, palpation, auscultation and percussion. Inspection is performed by visual examination and palpation means examining the patient by touching the body of the patient. Listening to the sounds produced by the body is known as auscultation. Percussion means tapping the body of the patient with fingers.

How A Spy Camera Can Detect Elder Abuse

As our population gets older more and more of our senior citizens are faced with the dilemma of where to live in their final years. Many of them are not quite ready for a nursing home but they require a significant amount of attention and help.

The home healthcare industry as well as nursing homes and assisted living facilities as you can imagine are absolutely booming cross the country. In the next five years alone it's estimated that an additional 20 million seniors will be candidates for some kind of assisted living care. That is going to require not only a lot facilities but also a lot of personnel to take care of the seniors.

There is already a shortage of personnel. And because there's a shortage of facilities all that does is drive the cost of those facilities up making home healthcare for some the only option. No matter what your financial situation assisted living, nursing home or home healthcare; it is very expensive.

And because of the shortage of personnel the industry is fraught with unqualified people, who more than likely are underpaid and looking for a free ride. It has been estimated that 40% of all home healthcare facilities report some kind of elder abuse. In home healthcare it is even worse.

So what are you supposed to do to protect your aging parents?

The best thing you can do to protect your folks in an assisted living facility, long term care facility or in a home health care situation is get a spy camera to keep an eye on them and their caregiver to detect any abuse or theft which is very common.

A well placed spy camera can detect any kind of elder abuse in a nursing home or home healthcare situation. It is an extra set of eyes on your loved ones when you can't be there.

When are you getting one?

How to Find an Assisted Living Facility

In an Assisted Living facility, support is provided to individuals that still wish to live as independently as possible but also need a hand with certain daily life activities. Housekeeping, dressing, laundry, transportation and taking medications are a few examples; there are many ways in which assistance is generally provided. Prepare a list of specific daily life activities that you would like assistance with and inquire about the services offered by each residence that you are considering.

Do an Online Search
The term 'Assisted Living' refers more to the type of care than the type of facility and for that reason, a website search will be helpful in the process of narrowing down your options. Assisted Living facilities may be available in a single family home or an apartment building or an entire community. There are many online databases that you may use to search by location, city, province or postal code.

Quality of Care and Level of Service
The provinces vary in the level of services provided under the Assisted Living umbrella so look into whether the provincial government has established regulation or if there is a standard that assisted living providers are accountable to.

In the province of Ontario, look for ORCA - Ontario Retirement Communities Association. In the absence of government regulation, ORCA has set standards of excellence in order to receive accreditation as an ORCA residence. In being accredited the facility demonstrates their commitment to providing a high quality of service to residents, staff and the public. Complete information may be found on the ORCA website.

British Columbia is the first province in Canada to regulate assisted living residences and an Assisted Living Registrar protects the health and safety of seniors in Assisted Living residences under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. More information about the Assisted Living Act may be found on the BC Government website.

Location and Amenities
Location will be important when choosing an Assisted Living residence and in your web search you will see many community planners have already thought of that with regard to amenities. You may want to be in the heart of the city where you're close to dining and shopping or you may rather live in a quiet community in a more rural setting. Being close to family may also be important to you so make a list of your location preferences to help in your decision-making process.

Visiting and Questions to Ask
Most seniors' communities welcome visitors; look beyond the physical structure and esthetics and arrange to visit for an afternoon or even as an overnight guest. In doing so, you'll get a better feel for the community and have the opportunity to ask questions. Take a list of questions with you on your visit; here are some suggestions of things to keep in mind:

• Talk with the residents about their feelings and opinions of the community and collect references from them as well; you may want to call family members for their feedback.

• Arrange for a dinnertime visit and ask for a tour of the kitchen and also for a menu.

• Inquire about safety standards and look at stairwells and less traveled areas of the building for maintenance and cleanliness.

• Ask about the activities available and whether there's a social director on staff, ask for a calendar or a newsletter that you can take with you.

• Ask about admission requirements and application paperwork.

• Ask about the daily or monthly rates and whether there are costs for additional services like cable and telephone.

• Inquire about the average rates over the last 5-year period and about how frequently they expect to increase the rates. How much advance notice must you
give if you decide to move?

Consider Hiring an Advisor or Consultant
There are many things to consider in making the move to an Assisted Living community and an advisor or consultant can help in covering all bases. This is a big step and the most important consideration should be given to ensuring your comfort and safety. Gather all the information you can with the focus on making this period of transition as smooth as possible.

What Are The HIPAA Regulations For Nursing Homes And Nurses

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) recognizes nursing homes as covered entities where protected information of patients is stored and transmitted electronically. Adequate steps need to be taken by these organizations to safeguard the confidential medical information of patients. This will ensure that no unauthorized access to this information takes place.

The security and privacy rules of HIPAA need to be followed and this will ensure that the health care information of patients is not accessed by anyone other than the patient and the physician. The privacy rules of HIPAA stipulate that written permission should be provided by the patient for access of their medical records.

Apart from doctors, nurses play a critical role in the treatment process of a patient and this puts them into direct contact with the confidential information of patients. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act recognize nurses too as covered entities and they must take all steps to ensure that the medical records are safeguarded.

There are usually hundreds of records of patients that are transmitted electronically and if there are not enough safeguards, there are chances that this might be misused.

Top 5 HIPAA Regulations For Nurses And Nursing Homes

1. Nurses usually have access to medical charts of patients, treatment plans, prescriptions, lab reports and any other information that is crucial for the treatment of patients. They will not only be accessing this information but also transmitting and storing them electronically and this would mean that they have to follow all the compliance rules of HIPAA.


2. If a nurse wants access to any specific medical record they should have a valid reason for that and would require permission from the patient.


3. The protected information of the patient should not be disclosed to anyone by the nurses. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act prohibit any such disclosure and there are stringent penalties imposed if there is any violation.


4. HIPAA also prohibit nurses from passing any unauthorized information to insurance companies. If a patient is denied any medical care due to the result of information been passed by the nurses to the insurance companies then the nurses might even lose their job.


5. Even school nurses who are working in universities or other educational institutions will be covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This will mean that they will need to comply with all the provisions of HIPAA.

The protected information of patients is not just transmitted and stored electronically but it is also maintained as physical records. These physical records must be kept in a safe and secure place so that any unauthorized access is prevented.

All nursing homes and nurses who have access to the protected information of patients will need to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. There should be guidelines within the organization that lay down rules and regulations on how this confidential information is used and accessed. There should also be compliance reviews that should be conducted by these organizations so that checks and counter checks can be put into place.

The Average Salary of a Registered Nurse

Employment location or setting affects the salary of a Registered Nurse. RNs are employed by different health care facilities like hospices, homes, hospitals, clinics and schools.

How much does a registered nurse receive on the average?

In a week, RNs work for 40 hours or 2080 hours a year. Median salary is known to be $30.04 per hour. The nurse salary bracket shows the lower 10% to receive $20.20 an hour and the upper 10% to receive $41.97 + an hour.

The highest earning registered nurse takes home $85,000 a year while the lowest paid gets $37,000 a year.

The Employment Details of Registered Nurses

Approximately, 2,340,000 RNs are employed in the US and half of them are working in hospitals. 204,000 of these nurses found work in private clinics. Nursing homes employ about 104,000 nurses and about 100,000 works as traveling nurses or have jobs in employment agencies. The home health care sectors have 114,000 registered nurses employed.

Salaries of nurses being registered employed by either the private or public sectors are lower than those who are self-employed. Examples are traveling nurses who take short term employment contracts but are paid higher. Housing, bonuses and travel allowance are additional incentives travel nurses receive. Some traveling nurses work for nursing employment agencies, some work independently.

Nurses working as legal consultants and educators or are employed in other health-care related businesses receive higher RN salaries than the average.

The employer, size of business and other factors also affect an RN's benefits not only an RN's salary.

The benefits of RNs include:

• Paid time off -nurses being registered are allowed 2 weeks' worth of accumulated paid vacation. The benefit's value increases in accordance to her ability to earn higher. 2 weeks paid time off is equivalent to $2403.00
• Paid sick leave - employees get sick from time to time thus this benefit. A lot of employers grant their employees one week worth of sick time a year which can be converted to $1200.00.
• Paid Holiday Time Off - There are about 6 paid holidays in a year. This means an extra 48 hours paid without work that may be worth $1441.92 for those getting average registered nurse salary.
• SS contribution - most don't consider this a benefit as 6.7% of their salary goes to social security but employers are required to contribute roughly the same amount for the employee's SS. The average RN's salary is $30.04 an hour and annual contribution will be worth $4186.37. Add to this your employer's contribution which should be about the same amount.

A registered nurses compensation package may include Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance, Retirement Plans, Education benefits and Employee Health benefits

Holiday Gifts For Nursing Home Residents

The holiday season is again approaching. Every year, as the calendar inches closer to the Big Day, the dilemma of what to give someone in a nursing home resurfaces. Birthdays and Mother's Day/Father's Day bring up the same questions. It's challenging to find the right gift for someone in a nursing home.

Take this list with you when you shop for any occasion. Pick up one or two items for simple gifts, or bundle several together in a decorative container for a custom gift basket that is certain to delight your favorite nursing home resident.

Entertainment:

Subscriptions on meaningful topics. Sports magazines, news magazines, womens' publications, the local newspaper, large print digests

Large print fiction or non-fiction books

Large print crossword or word-find books

CDs of favorite music from the 30s, 40s or 50s

DVDs of favorite television shows or movies

A radio, CD player, CD player or even a new television

Games such as checkers, chess, parcheesi, pokeno, dominoes and card decks

Photo album with dates and names clearly labeled

Clothing and Toiletries:

Sweat suits, cardigan sweaters, robes and pajamas. Look for items that have stretchy fabrics and loose arms so that they are easy to get on and off

Slippers or shoes with backs and rubber soles

Hand or body lotion

Facial tissues with lotion

Brush and comb with long handles for those with limited arm mobility

Hands-free pedestal mirror

Electric razor

Gift certificate for the nursing home gift shop or beauty/barber shop

For The Room:

Framed family photographs

New afghan or lap robe

Large number clock

Small lockbox for securing personal treasures

Earphones for television or radio

Large number amplified phone

New large print calendar with important dates marked

Large print address book with addresses and phone numbers already written in

Greeting cards for all occasions and stamps

For loved ones in a nursing home avoid highly fragranced gifts such as cologne, perfume or after shave. These can be annoying to other residents even if your loved one enjoys them. Residents with dementia may accidentally swallow these, too.

Food items can be difficult because of dietary restrictions. If you are certain your loved one will be able to enjoy them, remember to avoid anything that might be difficult to eat with dentures, such as caramels.

If the person you are shopping for has a roommate who gets few visitors (or none at all) consider "adopting" him or her. A little something from you may be the only recognition this lonely person gets on an important day.

Do your best to deliver your gifts in person. Most nursing home residents appreciate visits much more than gifts of things.

Church of Christ - Let's Take Hell!

I was once a Member of the Duncanville, Texas Church of Christ where
I was baptized. Charles Hodge, a well-known preacher, was the minister
during the 8 years I attended there. I learned a great deal from "Hodge,"
who always had a pocket filled with candy for the kids every Sunday.

Over the years, as I've gone about teaching a Bible Study called "Jesus Said,"
of all the attendees from all the denominations who have taken part in
this series, it has always been Members of the Church of Christ that
have always had the best handle on the Scriptures, especially among the
young people. I was always secretly quite proud of that fact.

My reason for writing this message is simple: I want people in the
Church of Christ to be made aware that there's more!

When I was diagnosed with a hereditary spinal disease at age 28, I
became desperate. I began asking many people of various Christian
flavors to pray for me. It was only when I permitted those who
believed in the laying on of hands and anointing with oil to do so that
I began to experience results. These days, my doctor says I have a
"textbook spine." I'm 47 as I write after having been told I would be
immobilized by the time I was fifty. In fact, on New Year's Eve 2001,
I moved to Stephenville, Texas to be closer to my children so that I
could get help washing clothes, carrying groceries, etc. I had no job,
knew no one, but quit a good-paying job and relocated out of
desperation.

These days, I travel in different circles. I am a staunch supporter of
the burgeoning House Church movement and I write and speak in
homes in regard to this topic. I am also a Non-denominational
Workplace Chaplain, traveling to ten Nursing Home facilities
throughout the state, responsible for the spiritual growth of over 500
employees throughout North Central Texas.

One afternoon, while returning home from a day at my firm's Grand Saline,
Texas facility, I received a call from a man in Washington State. He
prefaced his conversation by stating that he was a Member of the Church
of Christ and, after reading something I had written online, felt that he
should call me. He related a story of how, as his mother lay dying in
ICU ten years ago, two women came by asking if they could pray for
and anoint her with oil. Her physician had just warned the family that
their family's beloved matriarch would not make it through the night.
Reluctantly - but out of desperation - the man's father decided to allow
the two women to pray. The next day, fully expecting that his mother
had expired during the evening, he walked up behind the physician who
turned around, smiled broadly, hugged him "like a long-lost brother,"
and tearfully exclaimed, "She's gonna live!"

Ten years later, she's still alive.

My personal contention is that the fullness of the Holy Spirit is
available to everyone with the faith to step out and submit themselves
to Him for Kingdom use. In Luke 11:9-13, Jesus encourages us with
these words, "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek
and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For
everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who
knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you fathers, if your son
asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg,
will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how
to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father
in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

I have found that those who dare to ask are the individuals who
understand that, whether God chooses to heal a person through their
ministry or not, whether the prophetic utterance one dares to speak is
true, whether one's Word of Knowledge is appropriate or not, the
worst that can happen is that they completely miss God. The one being
prayed for may die. The one they prophesied over may have no
witness whatsoever to what was said. Oh, well...in those cases, the
one who stepped out in faith is now stronger for having exercised
their faith muscles. In those moments when they DO experience what
co-laboring with God is all about, their faith and confidence grow
and, well...watch out, devil!

The best that could happen? Isn't it obvious? Sick people will be healed,
people will be amazed and put their trust in God, a prophetic word will
edify, exhort and comfort, just like all New Testament prophecy is
SUPPOSED to, etc.

But if all of us choose to do NOTHING, guess what will happen?

NOTHING!

Romans 8:11 tells us that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead
dwells within us. Let Him out! Work WITH God. In 1 Corinthians 3:9,
the apostle Paul reminds us, "...we are God’s fellow workers; you are
God’s field, you are God’s building."

Release the healing virtues of the Lord Jesus Christ into someone's
sick body.

Declare peace into a chaotic situation.

Take authority over the demons in control of someone's life.

Go on...I dare ya! More importantly, God dares ya. So does Satan. Far
too often, God's people are bound with fear. We're afraid of looking
stupid. What if the sick person dies? What if they ridicule us? "I'm no
prophet," one might say to themselves, "...who do I think I am anyway?"
With that kind of logic, what if a baseball player never swings his bat
for fear of striking out? What if he DOES swing and belts a home run?

In Philippians 1:20, Paul writes, "According to my earnest expectations
and [my] hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but [that] with all
BOLDNESS, as always, [so] now also Christ shall be magnified in my
body, whether [it be] by life, or by death." Paul was not merely HOPING
to glorify God with his actions; he EXPECTED that God would use him
whenever he stepped out in faith. He was "fully persuaded" (Rom 4:21)
that God had power to do what He said He would do.

Are WE fully persuaded?

Are YOU?

Recently, I was inspired by an article I'd read about persecuted Chinese
Christians who will go into an area and actually ask to see the most
sickly person in town. Their God-ordained strategy? When this person
is healed, others will come to believe.

So, armed with the confidence which that article had inspired, while
visiting another facility, I asked to see the sickest person there. I was
directed to a man named Curtis who, I was told, was dying. I was
informed that he was a lifelong member of the Church of Christ and his
family was there with him. After speaking words of faith and
encouragement to his relatives, testifying to the healing power of God
in my own life and in the lives of others I know, the family agreed to
allow me to lay hands upon their beloved Curtis and pray. In fact, at my
request, they encircled his bed and laid hands upon him with me. There
were tears as I prayed and hugs and expressions of gratitude as I left
Curtis in God's hands.

God's presence was in that room. No, Curtis didn't get up and walk.
Not at that moment anyway. Let's face it, even the Ten Lepers were
healed "as they went" while the woman with the issue of blood was
healed instantly and a blind man needed prayer twice. Jesus couldn't
do much in His own hometown and had to clear the room of faithless
people in order to raise Jairus's daughter back to life. Curtis is in his
80's and, as his sister told me, "he knows his Lord." Perhaps it's time
for him to go home where he will experience the healing of all healings.
That's between him and "his Lord."

That was 15 days ago today. I just received an eMail from the Nursing
Home Administrator. It read, "Curtis is doing very well!"

The day after ministering to Curtis, I was asked to come and minister
at the local hospital to the father of one of our employees, a man in his
80's who, I was told, was dying. His name was Clarence. Again, the
family was a Church of Christ clan. Again, by the time I finished
sharing testimonies of healing with them, their faith had risen to the
level of attacking Hell with squirt guns. Soon, we were all in ICU -
all ten of us - laying hands on Clarence, their patriarch, family
members hugging, crying, comforting, and agreeing with me in prayer
as I spoke life and healing to our sedated brother in Christ. Two other
family members requested prayer afterward as well.

Though his vitals actually improved the next day, he remained in ICU
seven days later. But that family experienced God that day. No doubt!
They experienced peace. Their focus was redirected to what - WHO -
is the most important person in the Universe. God was there. It was
glorious. Even the menfolk were crying and gave me bear hugs when I
left. One family member has informed me that our encounter has inspired
much God-centered conversation and questions about life, death and
Divine healing.

I'm no healing evangelist. No Benny Hinn. I don't claim to be a "Faith
Healer" or any such thing. I'm just an average "Joe Christian" who
can't find anywhere in Scripture where Jesus commands His followers
to "pray for the sick." No, what I DO find is where He instructs us to
"HEAL THE SICK." When we know the Healer, it's pretty safe to say
all I need is (A) the Faith and (B) the opportunities. Whatever happens
next is, frankly, between them and God.

I could go on and on with testimonies of this nature. Some, by human
standards, were apparent, immediate "successes" and others appeared
to be dismal failures. For example, within a few days of each other,
two women - one in her 90s - got up out of their wheel chairs last month
when I prayed in Jesus' Name. One hadn't walked in ten years! Some
folks are healed, others aren't. Some I've prayed for require additional
prayer while others have actually died. In every case, somebody is
tremendously blessed and has an encounter with the Spirit of Christ -
each and EVERY time!

Whether it's healing prayer, prophetic words, the description of a
vision God might give us, I have learned that the worst thing that can
happen is that we look plain foolish whenever we dare to step out of
our comfort zones. Well, shucks! I guess I'll perpetually be marked as a
fool for Christ, the One who stepped out of His comfort zone for all our
sakes in the first place. Even in the most "foolish" of instances, people
will be blessed as we release the Spirit of Christ from within us...
something we should all do more often, even on a moment-to-moment
basis in day-to-day family life (a great place to practice, by the way).

I am convinced that it all comes down to Obedience and Availability.
Pray when the opportunity arises and minister in the way that God
instructs you to minister. Be available from the time you get out of bed
every day. Watch as God provides Divine Appointments - even if by
eMail or telephone or in an office setting. You just may find that God
will give you a brand new reason for getting up in the morning!

Today, Mother's Day, I received an email from a man in west Texas.
Apparently, his House Church group - all self-professing Church of
Christ "refugees" - are looking for direction and purpose for meeting.
He asked if I would come and my wife and I have agreed to do so.
Ironically, the House Church movement among those from the Church
of Christ in Texas is spreading rapidly. I'm thrilled to assist in that revival.

This verse of Scripture has been floating around in my spirit for weeks:
2 Corinthians 2:14 (New Life Version) "We thank God for the power
Christ has given us. He leads us and makes us win in everything. He
speaks through us wherever we go. The Good News is like a sweet smell
to those who hear it."

Amen?

UPDATE: Remember Clarence, the Church of Christ man in the local hospital?
Well, they took him off his respirator Friday morning. The Dr's thinking was
that he would either breathe on his own or he would die. Well, I visited the
hospital Friday night. He's breathing on his own, his vitals are good, he was
sitting up in bed and trying to talk, devouring ice chips. We prayed for him
again and he shook my hand twice and thanked me. The countenance of the
entire family in the waiting room had changed as well. It was a wonderful
atmosphere! All glory to God!

On Saturday afternoon, they moved him to a regular hospital room. The family
is ecstatic. Last week, when his daughter asked - just in case he didn't make it -
if I would officiate his funeral, I replied, "Sure, ask me again in ten years."

On Monday, Clarence was discharged from the hospital. Glory to God!

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

A servant of God

[http://www.YourTown4Jesus.org]

NOW, FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO AT LEAST 5 OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR CHURCH.
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Top Reasons to Enlist the Help of a Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer

When someone that is near and dear to you is not physically or mentally sound enough to live on their own, it can be a hard choice to put them into a nursing facility. You want to make sure that you research facilities thoroughly to find one that will care for your loved one properly and give them the attention and healthcare that they need. Even with doing extensive investigation, you can still end up finding out that your family member has been a victim of neglect or abuse in a nursing home. If this is the case, then you need to get help from a nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer.

Reasons You Should Hire a Professional Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer

• You cannot fight against large companies in the healthcare and insurance industries all by yourself.

A large company will have a staff of lawyers who are dedicated to getting them out of any situation. You cannot feasibly stand up to their knowledge of the laws and expertise in litigation all by yourself. Hiring a qualified nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer to research and present your case for you is the best way to ensure that you and your family member will have the best chance at getting the compensation that you need.

• A lawyer can help you to side step a long trial and get the other party to settle.

A trial can take weeks and even months of your time and is often subjective. Avoiding a trial and settling out of court is the best case scenario in most abuse situations and can lead to the most amount of compensation awarded. When you hire a professional attorney to work out a deal on your behalf, you can cut the process time in half and avoid any unnecessary court house trips, so that you and your family can resume normal life.

• You send a message to the company that they cannot do this to other people.

When you stand up and fight for your rights and your family member's rights, you are showing these large healthcare and insurance companies that they cannot bully you or anyone else. A nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer will send a powerful message to all of these companies that everyone has a voice and deserves to be treated with respect and decency. Do not let large companies get away with neglecting or harming people you love; hire an attorney to show them that you cannot be taken advantage of.

Thai Yoga Bodywork

Lotus Palm: The Mindfulness of Touch

One of the ancient healing arts of traditional Thai medicine (along with herbal medicine and spiritual meditation), Thai massage is a full-body massage, performed on a floor mat, with both parties in loose, comfortable clothes. It incorporates t'ai chi moves, rhythmic motion, palming and thumbing along sen lines (energy lines), gentle stretching and the conscious use of breath. The practitioner uses her hands, feet, arms and legs to guide the recipient through various yoga postures, while remaining focused on their own body-center. This combination of movements and focused awareness creates a slow, flowing "dance" around the recipient's body.

"Thai massage is a well-respected and proven healing art that's quickly gaining popularity in the West because of its meditative approach and its application of yoga's well-established benefits," said Kam Thye Chow, founder of Lotus Palm, one of the first North American schools of Thai massage, located in Montreal, Canada.

Chow, originally from Malaysia, has taught classes worldwide and written books on the practice of t'ai chi and massage. He views Thai massage as having far-reaching applications, and refers to the technique more accurately as Thai Yoga Bodywork because of its varied influences and appeal. "Yoga practitioners are finding it adds a whole new dimension, complementary to their practice. Nurses, physiotherapists and massage therapists are adding to their training with this technique. Also, the gentle opening and stretching of the body provided by the massage has improved the performance of athletes, martial artists and dancers," said Chow.

Thai massage has been described as assisted Hatha yoga. During a session, the practitioner pays careful attention to the recipient's level of flexibility and breath as they gently move the individual into different poses. Each pose is designed to open up the body and allow energy to flow freely along the sen lines (72,000 of which have been mapped out, although 10 major ones are focused on in Thai massage). This "opening" increases joint mobility and flexibility, improves circulation, tonifies organs, and relieves muscular and emotional tension.

Energy in Motion

Working the energy lines is the basis of Thai massage. Thai medicine is based on the belief there is an intrinsic life force or energy (prana) that circulates within the body. To create health and vitality, it is essential to allow this energy to circulate freely. When prana is blocked or restricted, sickness or disease results which can manifest physically, emotionally or even spiritually. The main purpose of Thai massage is to clear such blockages and allow energy to flow along the sen. Although not based on the Chinese meridian system, the sen line system is very similar.

By working the body physically and energetically, Thai massage produces a highly therapeutic effect that helps relieve common conditions such as low back pain, arthritis, headaches, digestive difficulties, menstrual and menopausal problems and stress-related conditions, as well as provide an overall sense of relaxation which helps people to deal better with emotional issues.

Though very dynamic, Thai massage is deeply relaxing, enabling the body and mind to rebalance naturally. As with any yoga practice, blood and lymph circulation are increased and internal organs are stimulated, all helping to strengthen the immune system, rebalance the endocrine system and clear toxins from the body. In addition, the variety of stretching and joint isolation exercises helps to increase joint mobility and flexibility. Since the technique respects each person's body type and level of flexibility, Thai massage is ideal for many individuals.

Synchronizing Movement and Breath

The stretching and energy line work in Thai massage is important in helping to lengthen muscles and make them more flexible, supple and less prone to injury, while joints benefit from a greater range of motion. Stretching also increases capillary density, thereby helping to address ischemia and promoting the release of lactic acid. This is particularly important in our culture that tends to emphasize more aggressive muscle movements resulting in the production of large quantities of lactic acid in the muscle fibers. In addition, studies have shown that stretching can raise the temperature of a tendon, which can have a protective effect via increased skeletal muscle tensile strength. The stretching in Thai bodywork also releases endorphins, further promoting a relaxation response.

Conscious use of breath has been proven to reduce both physical and emotional tension. In Thai bodywork, practitioners learn how to make clients more aware of how they use their breath and of areas of tension where the breath is impeded. As well, practitioners themselves are trained in how to use their own breath to facilitate transitions between postures, work with different body types, and to calm and synchronize their breath with the client's for deeper concentration and awareness.

Thai bodywork's emphasis on body awareness has also helped practitioners avoid many of the injuries common to bodyworkers today. Since the massage focuses on both the practitioner's and client's body, it allows for a session that places comfort and safety first. The importance of self-care is emphasized and integrated with the notion of creating a smooth, flowing session incorporating natural transitions that avoid straining either the practitioner's or the client's body. These transitions, based on the practice of t'ai chi, are essential to what Chow refers to as the "dance" of Thai massage -- the flowing movement and regular breath, the sense of moving from one's center and using one's weight vs. strength to avoid joint pain or injury. In this way, Thai bodywork respects the body's natural rhythms -- both external and internal.

The Lotus Palm Tradition

To understand where Thai massage is today, we return once again to its origins -- specifically, to the founder of Thai massage, Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, a personal physician of the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago. Thai massage, in fact, developed within the environment of Buddhist temples, reflecting the spirit of metta (unconditional love and compassion) and vipassana (moment-to-moment awareness). As a practical application of these two forms of meditation, Thai massage emphasizes that, in its deepest essence, the massage is a meditative healing experience for both the recipient and the practitioner. Sessions in Jivaka's time were known to last several hours as part of a regular, spiritual practice.

Chow saw the importance of bringing the practice of Thai massage back to these more spiritual roots, though he also understood the need to develop a form of massage specifically adapted to Western bodies and needs.

"In Asia, people are generally smaller, more flexible and often squat or sit cross-legged on the floor," he explained. "Also, people in Thailand spend a lot of their working time in fields or doing some other form of manual labor. For this reason, Thai massage there focuses 75 percent on the lower body and legs. In the West, people sit more, and their bodies are generally taller and heavier. In addition, they spend more time at desks and computers. Also, because of the nature of our lives in North America, lengthier yoga-massage sessions are no longer practical." Chow decided that Thai massage in the West would need to divide its focus equally: 50 percent on the lower body and 50 percent on the upper body, within a 60- to 90-minute session, vs. the typical two-hour (or longer) sessions in Thailand.

"When I first came to North America, one of my teachers told me that any session less than two hours could not be called Thai massage," Chow said. But, after practicing and teaching in the West for five years, I've realized that it's better to teach an art that people can practice. It's the quality of the massage that matters, not the quantity."

Another factor was that, although Thai massage is readily available in Thailand today for as little as $6 in many massage clinics and there are reputable schools teaching the technique, it is often seen as either a "service" along the lines of hairdressing, or as a thinly-veiled prostitution offering -- neither of which is regulated in any way. The massage clinics operate without specific guidelines, and quality and training varies from clinic to clinic and region to region. The norm in Thailand is to have mass massages in a single clinic with up to 20 recipients being massaged next to one another.

All these factors led Chow to have his school recognized and accredited by a provincial massage federation in Canada, and gave him the impetus to develop the Lotus Palm method, which he teaches throughout North America, to bring Thai massage back to its spiritual origins and basis in traditional healing.

The Lotus Palm training is designed to merge Eastern practices with a Western approach to health and healing, while maintaining high standards of practice. In addition to the basic training, practitioners are encouraged to attend regularly scheduled and supervised workshops to ensure they maintain the massage's proper form and that they are using their own bodies correctly to prevent strain or injury. The Lotus Palm approach also links Thai massage to the ancient Indian healing tradition of Ayurveda, providing a solid philosophical and theoretical basis to the technique itself.

Ayurvedic Roots

Although it is called Thai massage, this bodywork has a therapeutic foundation in the Indian healing tradition of Ayurveda. Ayurveda comes from two Sanskrit words: ayur (life) and veda (knowledge). Together, these concepts refer to harmonious living and form a body of knowledge that acts as a guide to proper maintenance of life, explained Chow.

"The Ayurvedic approach to healing is still practiced in India and Sri Lanka and is receiving more recognition in the West for its ability to treat the body as a whole," he said. "Within Thailand, the Ayurvedic link to traditional Thai massage has been all but lost, and is now reduced to pharmaceutical purposes only. The aspect of massage and bodywork is no longer emphasized. One of the aims of the Lotus Palm method is to bridge the practice of Thai Yoga Bodywork to its Ayurvedic roots. This does not mean that we intend to operate as Ayurvedic doctors, but rather to integrate some general principles within our work." Chow likens this to shiatsu massage, where practitioners draw on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), though they themselves are not TCM doctors.

Ayurveda means "science of life," and Chow said his aim is to simplify the concepts of Ayurveda and apply them within Thai bodywork. "It's a beautiful healing and lifestyle tradition," he said. "It's a mirror of yourself, representing who you are and how you are. Ayurveda strives to bring happiness and balance by addressing all aspects of a person: physical, mental and spiritual. This provides an opportunity and a method for positive change."

Lotus Palm practitioners are trained to create a massage that incorporates an ancient tradition of health and well-being with modern medical knowledge. Practitioners can determine each client's specific constitution and body type based on the Ayurvedic concept of the tridoshas -- vatta, pitta and kapha -- categorizations based on lifestyle, diet, emotional outlook, physical and emotional characteristics, etc., enabling the massage to be customized to each person's needs. Specific yoga exercises are also recommended to the client to further address their dosha requirements.

Meditation of Compassion

Lotus Palm training hails back to Thai massage's Buddhist philosophy, teaching that the massage is a healing meditation where the giver learns to feel the recipient's body as if it was her own. This deep awareness, incorporating the concept of metta and vipassana, reminds us that to touch another is to remember our connection to life itself, to a deeper source of being. This mindfulness and compassion is at the core of Lotus Palm.

"Meditation is the practice of being fully alive in the moment and present to whatever it is we are engaged in," said Chow. "It is essential for the Thai Yoga Bodywork practitioner to be in a meditative state while working. This helps them to be more centered and clear-minded."

To massage with clarity and the intention of kindness and compassion is believed to benefit both the giver and the receiver, allowing the life force to flow unobstructed between both. Such a practice cultivates a discipline of both internal and external awareness. You listen to yourself, you listen with your hands, and you hear the body and spirit in each moment.

Chow regularly leads participants in his classes in a chant: "Om Mane Padme Hum" -- a Tibetan mantra reflecting the spirit behind Thai Yoga Bodywork and the Lotus Palm method. Its translation: "May the jewel in the lotus shine forth this light of love and compassion to unite all existences as one. May all beings be happy."

In that mantra, we are taken back to the wat, to Thai massage's temple origins, and to the sacred nature of this practice: that to touch another is to reconnect to our bodies and to ourselves, to our true essence in the moment. In so doing, we are reminded that this awareness and compassion can be extended beyond a massage session and reach into the moments that constitute our daily lives.

Assisted Living Facility for Individuals With Alzheimer

Alzheimer can be a testing condition, not only for the one suffering from this condition, but also the relatives of the diseased. As the disease progresses, it asks for much more attention and care than a family member can ever offer. In such conditions, memory care assisted living facilities come in as a life saver.

Over 25 million people are known to be affected by Alzheimer disease worldwide. Initially, the symptoms of Alzheimer become apparent when one experiences loss of short term memory, especially for recent happenings. Gradually, it develops into a failure to remember and perform even the normal activities of day to day life.

With the disease progressing, the symptoms start to worsen and manifest them in the below given forms:
• Language breakdown
• Long term memory loss
• Mood swings

In the beginning stages, it is not so much difficult to look after the patient, and usually family members can look after the affected person without facing any major challenges. However, as the diseases progresses to next level, it becomes necessary to get professional care and aid. At this stage, a lot of people find it appropriate, and in the best interest of their loved ones affected by Alzheimer, to choose memory care assisted living facilities. The advantage of the memory care assisted living facilities is that they can offer both residential benefits as well as the much needed medical care.

Such facilities offer the convenience of mitigating the diseases as well as addressing the needs of the patient with patience, compassion and understanding. There are many different memory care assisted living facilities available all around the world.

These facilities comprise of highly trained staff that is expert in dealing with patients with such condition. The environment of these facilities is also specifically designed to provide the patients dealing with memory loss issues, a safe and comfortable haven.

Essential Requirements for People suffering from Alzheimer

The memory loss issues that an Alzheimer patient suffers from damages his/her sense of identity and shrinks his/her feelings of self-esteem. Classically, patients suffering from Alzheimer require:

• Safe, comfortable, familiar and secure surroundings

• Individual care and attention for particular needs

• A understanding, patient, well-trained and compassionate staff

• Encouraging patients to engage in easy and simple activities, for example making breakfast, or engaging them in some sort of creative activities, like painting. Activities like these tend to boost the self-esteem and improve the feeling of efficiency in patients.

• Simple outdoor activities like gardening, walking or simple exercising.

The prerequisites of a good memory care assisted living home

• Hygiene - Cleanliness is extremely necessary, and the premises should have facility for cleaning on a daily basis; you can check this by noticing how well groomed the residents are and what kind of atmosphere prevails in the memory care assisted living facility.

• Trained staff - present round the clock - Presence of compassionate, diligent and hardworking staff is a must. To check on this, you may want to talk to relatives of the patients already living in the facility.

• Activities - The facility should be also offering simple activities of day to day life, while balancing the same with enough rest hours.

• Meals - Meals offered in the facilities should not only be nutritious, healthy and wholesome, but should also have been prepared keeping the needs of patients in mind.

Find a Rewarding Career As a Personal Support Worker

Looking for a fulfilling profession? Enjoy helping people? Then a career as a personal support worker may be right for you. Personal Support Worker Courses (PSW courses) prepare students to provide personal care to the elderly so that they can benefit from a life of physical, emotional and social wellbeing. Workers interact with clients on a daily basis, providing comfort and safety, as well as emotional support.

According to Workopolis and Service Canada, "Personal Support Worker" is already one of the most in-demand health worker positions in the country-and the demand is projected to increase as the Canadian population ages. The PSW diploma training program was developed by the provincial government in order to meet the needs of individuals needling long-term care in public or private facilities.

Numerous community and career colleges in North America offer comprehensive programs in PSW study. Students in these courses will often be given courses which combine Health Care Aide Training, Home Support Worker training (levels I, II and III), Attendant Care Training, and Respite Worker Training into one program. These schools or programs mix classroom learning and practical "hands-on" training, providing students with the knowledge and confidence needed to enter the workplace upon graduation. The net result is qualified, competent graduates, ready to start careers in a variety of settings, including nursing homes, hospitals, private homes, non-profit organizations, agencies, and even self-employment.

Personal Support Workers can expect to participate in a wide variety of activities, including the serving of meals, accompanying patients on outside activities, taking patient's vitals such as pulse and temperature, transporting patients using a wheelchair, managing medical supplies, and operating and cleaning equipment.

PSW courses will often cover the following topics:

• Knowing the needs of your patient


• Roles and responsibilities of a Personal Support Worker


• Development of interpersonal skills


• General safety standards


• Assisting a person with mobility


• Knowing what constitutes abuse


• Managing a household and preparing meals


• The requirements of optimal support


• Care planning


• Assisting clients with personal hygiene


• Assisting a client's family/coping mechanisms


• Cognitive impairment and mental health issues


• Helping a client manage their condition


• Medication assistance and education


• Assisting a client who is terminally ill


• Practicalities of daily living, and the use of specific support devices


• Diagnostic and treatment procedures


• Job placement and search assistance


• Arranged nursing home placement and community placement


• National certification


• CPR and first aid

If you enjoy helping people and enriching their lives and giving them happiness by prolonging their independence, a career as a Personal Support Worker may be a good choice for you.