Adult Diaper Rash - How to Reduce the Redness and Heal the Skin

It is difficult for an adult to deal with the need to wear diapers. Often, problems of incontinence are kept a secret from family members for a while. Once this is out in the open with family members, the next hurdle can be how to deal with adult diaper rash. Not everyone gets diaper rash, but depending on one's illness, lifestyle , allergies and hygiene this problem can occur. If one is in bed most of the day this can also complicate the problem.

One can wear diapers as an adult both due to bed wetting, urinary incontinence, urinary infections, leakage and fecal incontinence. If one is in an assisted living facility or nursing home, the staff should be taking care of this problem. An adult diaper rash can be small pimples, larger sores or red patches.

It's important to frequently change the diaper because the skin gets irritated by urine and fecal material and this leads to a rash often. Ideally it is best to change the diaper as soon after it is soiled as possible. However, due to one's sleep routines, degree of disability, hours of hired help and other factors this isn't always possible. If there is a rash, frequent changing of the diaper, stronger diaper materials that absorb dampness plus applying effective lotions on the skin are important to heal the skin.

At the assisted living facility I work at, one client complained of her diaper being too tight on her body. It is important to be sure that it is adjusted properly. If the diaper is tight and the body heats up then this can make the problem more severe. Urine is acidic and having this trapped is not healthy. If you are taking care of someone or hire help, be sure that they let the body dry off when the diaper is removed. Be aware when you are wiping whether there is an issue with the alcohol in some wipes.

Over the counter diaper rashes are effective. Some people prefer Vitamin A and D ointments and others find applying dry cornstarch useful for drying up the red diaper rash and sores. Check for allergies as well as certain foods can create a rash in the sensitive areas of the body.

Be sensitive to the adult your are helping with the issue. There is often a sense of shame. Assure the person that it is very common and not to beat themselves up about it. Show your care and use humor to diffuse a negative mood so you can uplift the person in your life.

Getting Your First Job As a New Nurse - Hope and Hints for Graduate Nurses

How do you get that first job at nursing? It can be so daunting, sending in application after application, always applying and hearing little back.Keep at it! I have been a nurse for 30 years, and it is a wonderful and versatile career. Stay open to education as you progress in your career - but first you have to get that first job.

When I started nursing school hospitals were begging for nurses. I even saw a hospital offering the use of a car in exchange for nurses who made contracts. When I graduated that had changed. That time it was because of a change in insurance - there were new "diagnostic related groupings" as a way of diagnosing and getting reimbursed and hospitals responded by freezing jobs. I have also worked in Canada, and experienced a period of time where they were experiencing layoffs. It was very hard for nurses, especially as they might have worked many years in a specialty like labor and delivery to be forced to go to another area. During that time it was almost impossible for new nurses. Two years later, both situations had turned around again - but getting that first job can still be tough. It is highly probable that changes in national health care will open up jobs to nurses, but for right now - how to get that first job is the major challenge. Here are some helpful hints:

• Consider a nationwide search. Some states are more open than others - California new grads are having a particularly hard time, but just over the border in Arizona or New Mexico it is much better. The South and the Midwest are doing well also. I helped some of my Canadian nurses consider relocating to the States, as the cultures and language are so similar. (Although I did have to retake my boards in Canada, and the situation might be the same in the US - dependent on the States.


• Open to other kinds of facilities such as nursing homes, doctors offices and home health agencies.


• If you are still in school, try hard to get into a hospital or nursing home that you would be interested in working at as a Medical Secretary or Certified Nursing Assistant. The skills that you develop in these professions translate directly into nursing and you make yourself seen by doing these jobs.


• Don't get stuck into believing that just because the Internet exists there are no ways to use personal contact! Go to any nursing event that remotely interests you - even if you don't feel qualified to be in the room. Try to contact the head nurse of an area that interests you directly - even if you are just able to volunteer.


• Look into hospitals that offer internships.


• Consider enlisting in the military. There are sweet deals for nurses here. However, they much prefer BSN nurses, so talk to your recruiter to make sure you are getting all the details. They are available nationwide.


• If at all possible get a union job. Ralph Nader once said that the California Nurses Union is the strongest union in the United States, and other states are unionized as well. If you have a choice, a unionized job will give you the strongest protection.


• Don't give up! Every nurse had to start somewhere - and you will find that first job.

Comparing a Nursing Home to Day Care Centers - Which One Is Better For Your Parent?

Finding proper elderly care may lead to arguments and misunderstanding among families. To avoid having this problem in your own home, it is time to look closely at what a nursing home and day care for seniors have to offer.

What is a nursing home? Is it the same as a retirement home?

This is a facility for the elderly who need supervised medical attention on a daily basis. The similarity between retirement homes and nursing homes is both houses elderly people. This is, however, where the commonalities end. A retirement home can be for the elderly who do not need medical supervision. In fact, some retirement homes can have active members who enjoy physical activities such as golf, tennis and so on.

A nursing home is comparable to a hospital minus perhaps the operating room. Medical equipment and examination rooms are in place so patients can have the best health possible. Such residences have at least one physician and a reliable nursing staff to assist and care for patients. These facilities also have cleaning personnel to make sure everything remains tidy.

Is this the same as a hospice inn?

No, it's not. Hospice inns are institutions for the critically ill with no or very little chances of recovery. Nursing homes, on the other hand, are for those who may have medical conditions but are not on the verge of death. When a patient signs up for this arrangement, the home's staff should give proper care so patients can remain relatively healthy.

What are these facilities like?

It really depends on the facility. In the past, many homes projected a hospital-like appearance. These homes were mostly inside buildings exhibiting white or other neutral colors. Activities inside were sometimes limited and patients had to observe strict rules.

Today, many homes offer a truly home-like ambience. These places now have clean and spacious function rooms where patients can socialize. The design and layout of other common areas, such as the dining room and entertainment halls, are now modern. These rooms further help patients adjust to their new residential life and mingle with others.

What are senior day care centers?

Senior day care centers are facilities that hold the same working hours as most workplaces. The primary goal of these centers is to provide efficient elderly supervision within those hours. Clients for such centers often include people who need someone to take care of their elderly during the day while they are at work.

Much like other centers, these places also have qualified staff to look after the elderly. Clients leave them at the place before going to work, and pick them up after eight hours or so. Some centers offer services for transportation and medical monitoring. This means, they can pick up an elderly, provide care in their facility, and return them home at the end of the day.

Fun activities are provided in these centers to keep the patients busy. Some also provide physical, occupational and speech therapy. They may also arrange parties and outings.

Which one should families choose?

Before deciding whether senior day care centers or nursing homes will be best, assess your parents' condition first. Their health can be the prime indicator which institution to choose. Evaluate your insurance policy as well to know whether you can afford any extra expenses.

Hi-Tech Elderly Home Care Helps Make Nursing Homes a Thing of the Past

It's something my sister and I have heard ever since we were young, and somehow, my father and my mother completely agreed on this too - when they were too old to live independently (and I don't really think they expected the day would actually come), we were not to send them to a nursing home. Instead, we were to think of some kind of a pain-free euthanasia method to dispatch them. Yes, that's gruesome, but the way they said it, it seemed like it was the nursing home that was gruesome, and what they were suggesting was in fact a humane alternative. But now that they are both closing on 90 and their health is failing from a number of diseases that we all get as we live out our geriatric years, I've had to investigate the options to nursing home care. I didn't have a choice - If I did convince them to go to one, they would probably run away or something. The thing is, technology now has made elderly home care completely possible by remote control. There are ways to go off to work and still be sure that your parents haven't slipped and fallen, that they have had their exercise, that they've remembered to eat. Of course, it's the Internet and several high-tech devices that make this possible.

Perhaps the devices and the abilities listed below seem like just some more high-tech wizardry on the market - more stuff on the crowded shelves at the stores; you have to understand that nothing could be farther from the truth. Assisted-living, nursing homes and old-age homes have been ways to put our elderly relatives out to pasture for about a century now. This no longer has to be done. With these elderly home care devices, your parents can live with you; your children and their grandparents can get to know each other, and life will be much kinder to all concerned without wrecking anyone's worklife. If this isn't a revolution, what is?

Phillips Lifeline is a unit of the electronics giant that services the elderly home care market. The Lifeline is a Panic Button pendant that can be worn by a person; when an emergency occurs, they can press the button on the pendant, and right away, Philips will send emergency doctors home and call the designated person. Even better, they have an AutoAlert system that can detect falls on its own and call the doctor is in. The service costs $50 a month.

What do you do in a case where you fear that grandma is perhaps too ill to contact you? What if an elderly person suffers a stroke and can't press a button? The alternative is a system that costs about $1000 a month. An elderly home care company called GrandCare installs custom sensors everywhere your parents are likely to go in the home. They will put a sensor in the shower so that they'll know if mom has fallen down; there will be one next to the toilet to make sure she isn't having trouble getting up. There'll be one on her bed to make sure she gets up at the right time, and there will be one on every door to the house to alert you when she goes out.

How about the pill taking regimen that every elderly person needs to have help with? There are typically a dozen kinds of medicine; how can they ever remember all of that without personal help from you? That's where the Philips Medication Dispensing Service comes in. You can stock it up with 60 doses of pills, and the machine will speak out when it's time to take them. If the pills aren't taken after a reminder, the device will get on the phone and alert you. The service costs $75 a month. Or consider the ActiveCare Personal Assistance Link; it's a basic cell phone that also has GPS and a fall detector. If an elderly person has fallen, the device will right away call for help, with GP{S coordinates.

In the future, elderly home care promises to get even better. They will put sensors on a walking stick or on the shoes to help remind a person that there is not enough exercise they've had.

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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

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

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


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


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


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


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

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

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

America's Top 200 Attributes

Technology and Industrialism

1. A phone system that works virtually all of the time
2. Electricity and running water
3. Toilets and toilet paper
4. Easy access to the Internet
5. Email
6. Instant messaging
7. Skype and video chat services for long-distance communication
8. Social networking sites
9. Cell phones and text messaging
10. Shops with free Wi-Fi
11. Digital cameras
12. Central heating and cooling
13. ATMs
14. Washing machines and dryers
15. Food blenders
16. Microwaves
17. Target and Wal-Mart
18. Coffeemakers
19. TiVo and DVR
20. Ability to pay bills online
21. Google
22. YouTube
23. Digital cameras

Capitalism (In flux)

24. The stability of currency
25. The entrepreneurial spirit
26. The stock market, yes, even now
27. Self-employment opportunities galore
28. A diverse job market
29. Mail and delivery services
30. Free interstate commerce

Transportation

31. Airports that are usually well-functioning
32. The interstate highway system
33. Highway rest areas
34. Low gasoline prices (compared to Europe)
35. Public transportation
36. U.S. passports
37. Car and truck dealerships
38. Taxis

Health and Diet

39. The variety of foods available
40. Availability of locally grown produce
41. Foods from all around the world
42. Farmers' Markets
43. Health clubs, gyms, and exercise equipment
44. The vitamin industry
45. WebMD (www.WebMD.com)
46. Organic supermarkets
47. Increasing crop yields
48. Cookbooks
49. DVDs and TV channels dedicated to health, diet, and exercise
50. Availability of flu shots
51. Standards for immunizations
52. Dental and orthodontic care
53. Variety of specialized care available
54. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities

Freedom and Equality

55. The Constitution and its amendments
56. The peaceful transference of power
57. Religious freedom
58. The right to peaceful assembly
59. Freedom of expression
60. Traditional presidential pardons
61. Freedom of speech
62. Freedom of the press
63. Democracy and the right to vote
64. Accessible polls for voting
65. Diversity
66. Social mobility

Access to Information and Education

67. Elementary, middle, and high schools
68. The variety of DVDs, CDs, digital programs, and books available
69. CSPAN
70. Debates on live television
71. Public libraries
72. Business, law, and medical schools, etc.
73. Endowments and scholarship programs
74. Major daily newspapers
75. Live television news
76. Instantly up-to-date online news
77. How-to and do-it-yourself blogs and websites
78. Wikipedia
79. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and reference books on all topics
80. The community college system
81. Online higher education programs
82. A&E, TLC, and History Channel productions
83. PTA
84. Public museums
85. Standards for literacy

Charity

86. The Red Cross
87. Telethons
88. Per capita contributions to charity organizations
89. The United Way
90. Relief organizations
91. Civic participation and volunteerism
92. Homeless shelters
93. Big brother/big sister programs
94. Goodwill, thrift stores, and consignment shops
95. Senior discounts
96. Foster homes
97. Adoption agencies
98. Meals on Wheels
99. Foundations for cancer research
100. National months of awareness for a variety of issues
101. YMCA and YWCA
102. Salvation Army

Safety and Protection

103. Emergency operating rooms
104. Clean water
105. Air that's safe to breathe
106. Maternity wards
107. Emergency response systems
108. Ambulances and emergency rooms
109. Free clinics
110. Urgent care centers
111. The U.S. Department of Defense
112. Clean, safe streets and highways
113. Traffic lights, well-marked road signs and lanes
114. Copyright laws
115. Restaurant and food sanitation standards
116. The FDA
117. Free public restrooms
118. The watchdog aspect of the press
119. The system of juris prudence (usually)
120. Daycare centers
121. Seatbelts and airbags
122. The Armed Forces
123. The police force
124. The fire department
125. Neighborhood watch programs
126. Adopt-a-street and adopt-a-waterway programs
127. Pets on leashes (usually)
128. Trash and recycling pick-up

Traditions and Ceremonies

129. Cookouts and barbecues
130. Graduation ceremonies
131. Family farms
132. Family reunions
133. Baby and wedding showers
134. Easter egg hunts
135. Trick or treat-ing
136. Exchanging Christmas gifts
137. Memorial Day, Labor Day
138. Thanksgiving
139. 4th of July celebrations and fireworks
140. The Times Square New Year's Eve celebration and ball drop

Entertainment

141. Theme parks
142. State fairs
143. Rock and roll music
144. Country music
145. Disney World, Disney Land
146. Universal Studios
147. Sea World
148. Variety in music
149. Magazines for every interest
150. Mp3 players
151. Little Leagues
152. Talk Radio
153. Award shows
154. Major League Baseball
155. National Football League
156. National Hockey League
157. Major League Soccer
158. Professional golf, tennis, and other sports
159. College sports
160. Comedians
161. Public recreation facilities
162. Hiking, walking, and biking trails
163. Zoos
164. Aviaries
165. Aquariums
166. Sport camps
167. Podcasts and webcasts
168. Venues for music and the dramatic arts
169. Cultural festivals
170. Arts festivals, music festivals
171. Ski resorts

Sites and Attractions

172. The national park system
173. The reclamation of lakes and waterways
174. Safe campgrounds
175. The beaches
176. The mountain ranges
177. Varied geography, even within states
178. Variety of sizes of towns and cities
179. The Grand Canyon
180. Mt. Rushmore
181. Nashville, Tennessee
182. Chicago
183. Hawaii
184. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
185. Niagra Falls, New York

Organizations and Institutions

186. The American Dental Association
187. Senior communities
188. Scouting organizations
189. Colleges and universities
190. American Association of Retired Persons
191. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
192. American Medical Association
193. American Bar Association

Historical Landmarks

194. Washington, D.C.
195. Jamestown
196. Alaska
197. New York City
198. Boston
199. College towns
200. Gettysburg

The Incompetent Doctor, And How to Protect Yourself

Two nurses who lost their hospital jobs and endured criminal prosecution after reporting a physician to the Texas Medical Board over patient safety concerns will receive $375,000 each in a settlement of a federal lawsuit they had filed against their former employer, the physician, and other parties [Lowes, 2010].

Every physician in California has a recurring nightmare of finding their name on the monthly "discipline" list of the California medical board, the regulator of doctors in the state. The report includes a brief description of the offense, and the punishment. Of the 30 or so actions reported, about 90% are related to alcohol or drugs, usually resulting in probation and rehabilitation. A few offenses are related to fraud, with the remaining punishments due to incompetence, usually so egregious as to be frightening.

In reality, these problems are the tip of an iceberg. For every action taken, who knows how many are not reported, or don't rise to the level of discipline? Some result in malpractice suits, but these rarely result in physician suspension or retraining.

The article quoted above illustrates how difficult it can be to report and discipline even one bad physician. Two nurses risked their careers by complaining about what appears to be clear incompetence. That doctor used his friendship and influence with the hospital administrator and local officials to both avoid the charges and to get the nurses fired from their jobs.

Although the nurses eventually prevailed in court, the doctor has remained in practice, although he under investigation.

How can society in general, and your family in particular, make sure your physician is doing a good job?

Physician groups and hospital staffs do a much better job policing themselves than state medical boards. In large groups, physicians have substantial ethical, financial, and legal incentives to monitor, evaluate and improve the care they are giving. Excluding the impaired or incompetent doctor makes very good sense.

One of the few beneficial aspects of Obamacare is that it contains financial incentives to force physicians to form groups, which will be far more effective than bureaucracies and review boards in improving quality.

In the meantime, you can probably protect yourself and your family by using doctors who are affiliated with larger groups and larger hospitals. Although there are exceptions, it is far less likely an impaired or incompetent doctor will be practicing with others. Counter-intuitive as it might seem, avoiding the local "Marcus Welby" practitioner may be the key to insuring good care. Nurses in Texas Whistleblower Case Settle for $750,000.

Reference:

Robert Lowes, "Nurses in Texas Whistleblower Case Settle for $750,000," Medscape Medical News, August 12, 2010.

Choosing the Best Nursing Home

The fastest growing career in present time is nursing. The number of nurses as well as nursing students from all over the world is increasing. There are so many available jobs for nurses whether registered, licensed practical or volunteer nurses.

Gerontology is one of the fields which makes the demand for nurses really high. This basically deals with people as they progress from the middle age group to older. This involves all behaviors such as physical condition, mental and social skills of people as they grow older. Through these, special care can now be provided for older people. There are certain programs devices in order to cater to the needs they have. Nursing jobs in relation to gerontology also vary. There are jobs in nursing homes, continuing care retirement community and rehabilitation facilities.

Nursing homes require the assistance of nurses at all times. The elderly need surveillance in what they do, and although they need assistance in what they do, there are some things which they can do alone. Basically, the main job of nurses in nursing homes deals with the medical needs of their residents. They need to ensure the health of the residents. The nurses consult with a doctor depending on the condition of the resident. They take care of the routines involving assurance of medical care of the residents. If ever there are emergencies, they must be available and alert.

Continuing care retirement community (CCRC) are like nursing home but different. Sounds confusing? In this type of community, the elderly are still under the care of nurses, but they can still enjoy being independent, living in their own apartments, doing what they want to do with a varying recreational services. Nurses are sort of the managers of this place, they work like head nurses in hospitals.

Rehabilitation Services, as the name suggests, involves the recovery of patients. These do not give long-term services unlike other nursing homes. Cost of the services are high when it comes to these rehabilitation centers so once the patient is recovering, it will be checked of he is ready for discharge. Nurses are needed here for assistance, as a part of the recovery process of the patients. Other jobs are open here for physical therapists and occupational therapists.

With a wide range of careers available when it to nurses, it is so hard to say that the demand will decline in the near future. It has even been predicted that in the future, that the need for nurses in nursing homes will continue increasing to more than 50%. Along with this, there is also an increase in nursing homes in the world.

Living our busy lives, there are some things which we cannot do and often times, it involves our loved ones. It is undeniable that our older relatives need special care, both physically and emotionally. As much as we want to be there for them, there are times when we cannot. We then make no other decision but to leave them. Instead of leaving them all alone at home, with no one to take care of them, we are left with one choice - to send them to nursing homes. Sending them to nursing homes means that we are entrusting their lives to other people without us being there. This is a hard decision to make since there are a lot of factors which need to be considered. Of course, who can blame us? We want the best for the people we love.

The number one priority that people look for in a nursing home is the quality of the services they can bring. We need to be sure that the care that they are giving our loved ones. Checking the quality of care they give, staff members and available facilities will really help. The staff members must be well- trained when it comes to their job. They must have undergone professional training.

They must be friendly and win the hearts of the elderly. A good relationship which is built with them will make the work a lot easier. Facilities need to be checked, the more updated the facilities the better. The environment must be suitable for their needs. Make sure that the place is clean and that they are conducive to promoting a healthier lifestyle. You need to check on these things when picking a nursing home. You can tour around the place, talk to the people there and ask all the questions that you need to ask. Besides from all of this, you must take into consideration if there are any special needs your relative has. You can request for certain staff or facilities if needed.

Most people would want to place their relatives in new nursing homes. They may seem beautiful with modern equipment available which can cater to their needs. But do not underestimate older nursing homes even if they have older facilities. They still have veterans working for them, their staff members have longer work experience which makes them more knowledgeable in this line of work. They would know what to do when something comes up.

Leaving your relatives in the care of others can lead you to worry about their safety and other issues. In this case, do not worry about their safety. The law required nursing homes to have a Resident's Bill of Rights. It is like a constitution within the nursing home. There are certain issued tackled in here. As people, they also have rights to protect. In nursing homes, these are given to them. These include the rights they have when it comes to their physical conditions especially health concerns. There are also rights when it comes to their privacy, legal concerns, control visits. You also need to consider this, and check if you agree with their principles.

All the decision lies in you and your relative, whatever is comfortable for them and for you. There are a lot of things to consider when making this decision. There are different nursing homes available. You just need to narrow down your choices and all is set in making a decision. Remember, choose what is best for them, that is the best way that we can show how much we love them.

Assisted Living Seniors Are Happy

Studies have shown that assisted living seniors are happier and live longer than others who live alone or with estranged families. It is a simple truth that when you have attentive care and pleasant company you tend to overcome the pitfalls of ageing more successfully.

Independence Is Encouraged

In the US alone, over seventy thousand such facilities exist as single independent units and branches, providing care under government regulations since its organized beginning in the 1990s. In an attempt to provide a healthier, safer and a more dignified existence, these facilities provide round the clock trained staff, house keeping services and medical assistance. However, they also encourage independence because it is observed that lesser reliance on assistance goes a long way in boosting the morale of elders.

Assisted living seniors typically live in complexes where there are others like them. The facility also is designed in such a manner that it is slightly more than a home and a little less than a full fledged hospital. So even though wheel chairs and gurneys may be a common place in such facilities, it definitely not meant to function like a full fledged hospital. Typically these are places that provide enough assistance to ensure a better quality life, without taking away the independence. It is important that we make this distinction.

Some may need care to perform function like eating, washing, dressing up but nothing more than that. They will not need an intensive nursing effort. These are places where assisted living seniors are known to help each other and live in a community fashion. It is here that the psychological benefits on these assisted living seniors are more apparent.

Remember that well designed social interaction programs to improve general mood can come only from a trained professional and not from you. Though there are others who are less fortunate and might require greater medical attention, but that is a different story.

Encouraging Social Interaction

Most facilities organize trips and visits as a part of their social agenda. Visits from local schools and volunteers also add to quality interaction. Some arrange it as a part of their services while others might have restrictions about visitors. Ask a few questions regarding this might help in the long run. For example, a few assisted living seniors find it depressing if they cannot have their pets with them. So make sure you ask the right questions before choosing a facility. If all else works out, then rest assured the facility you have selected will always make your loved ones happy. It is not without proof that people say that assisted living seniors are a happier lot.

Senior Assisted Living Facilities Are Exactly What Some Baby Boomers Need For Personal Care

When it is time to find a place to live after retirement, many baby boomers may find themselves in need of staying in one of the many available senior assisted living assisted facilities. These are a relatively new type of senior living residence where the people who live there do not need 24 hour a day nursing care.

Assisted living facilities are more along the lines of a plea where the seniors can get a little bit of help, but not a lot of help. Sometimes, all somebody needs to get them through the day is a bit of help in the morning getting dressed. Or maybe some extra help in cleaning up the apartment or making some meals.

But not the kind of care that comes with living in a nursing home kind of facility like one of the skilled nursing facilities. These places are where the staff is on duty all the time and skilled nurses or doctors are always available. It is kind of like a hospital, except that the people live there, instead of recover there from an accident or illness.

There are also senior living facilities where no care is need at all for the residents and these are more like residential developments where all the homes are owned by people who are 55 and up instead of a mix of ages.

Assisted living facilities are a fairly new innovation in senior housing care. They represent a kind of middle ground between the complete independence of the active senior retirement community and the skilled nursing setup. The assisted care places aim to provide baby boomers with just the amount of extra help they need to live a wonderful life. And not give them so much care that they become dependent on the staff to take care of them.

People who are in the baby boomer generation of folks often find this kind of care situation very appealing. Its not that people who are boomers now consider themselves to be any less independent than when they were sitting in at the university office buildings. It's just that they have gotten to a place in their lives when it really helps to have someone available to help out.

Assisted senior living facilities are found in all the states in the US and are easy to find out more information about simply by logging onto the internet and doing a little bit of searching around. That is one of the things that makes living in this generation so wonderful.

Hiring Home Help For Seniors

At some point in the caregiving journey, most caregivers will feel they need help in providing care. You can enlist the help of family or friends, find some help from your local health system, or you can hire someone. If you are hiring someone you will most likely be hiring what is called a home health aide. Other names may be a companion, home care worker, Nurse's Aide or Care Aide.

There are three reasons for hiring caregivers:

1.Help with what are called the " Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)." These include shopping, housekeeping, laundry, and and meal preparation.
2. Help with "Activities of Daily Living (ADL)." These are personal care needs, such as dressing, bathing, toilet help, and mobility.
3.Companionship and monitoring.

Caregivers can be hired through an agency or privately. Some advantages to an agency are that caregivers are pre-trained and screened, their benefits are paid for, and there is back-up in case they don't show up. They have a supervisor who should be monitoring the care they provide. One disadvantage is the caregiver receives only a portion of the money that you pay. A second is loyalty may be more to the agency than to you.

Caregivers hired from agencies have various levels of training. These can correspond to the complexity of tasks they will be required to do. For companionship or housekeeping, you will not need a trained care aide. When you get into personal care tasks, you will. If you require medical tasks you might need a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Registered Nurse (RN). Make sure the caregiver's skills correspond to your needs.

You can find Home Care or Home Health agencies in the phone book or on line. You can ask your local health department, or the ombudsman, or even contact your local Alzheimer's Society.

If you use an agency find out about the agency's background. How long have they been in business. Who owns it? What kind of training does the agency owner have? Have there been lawsuits, or problems with it? Are they members of the Better Business Bureau? You might want to get references from them.

Some points on which to be clear with an agency:

1. What tasks you wish the caregiver to do--cooking, housekeeping, personal care, or others.
2. What kind of training will the caregiver have.
3. What kind of supervision will the agency do.
4. Ask for the same caregiver each week.
5. The skills you want--proficiency in English, or some one who is talkative, or someone who is experienced with the condition.
6. What you want to do if the caregiver days fall on a holiday, or if the caregiver has an emergency or can't make it. Do you want a replacement?
7. Do you want the caregiver to have a car?
8. Interview the caregiver first. This will cost you money, but you will be able to determine if the fit is good or not. Do not be afraid to say no if you do not think the person is appropriate..
9. Do not be afraid to interview caregivers from a couple of agencies. You do not owe loyalty to a company.

If you wish to hire a caregiver privately, you can find one online through a listing service such as Elderpost, a website specifically developed for caregivers, seniors, and providers of care and products. You can put an ad in a local newspaper, or again, ask the Alzheimer's Society. Adult Day Care centres often know of people, as may a nursing home.

Wherever the caregiver comes from, you should be monitoring what the caregiver is doing, or even if the caregiver is even showing up. They should sign in each time they come, and there should be some record of what they have done. You should go to the home while they are there and watch what they do and how they are doing it. Pay attention to the way they are interacting with your loved one/client. More important, watch to see how they are reacting to the caregiver.

Be sure to ask your loved on how they feel about the caregiver. He or she might not like anyone, or not like anyone coming into their home, but they may give you real clues as to what is happening when you are not there. Be aware of signs of abuse, emotional, physical, or financial.

You should be able to notice some improvement or changes from having a caregiver, which will correspond to the goals or reason for which they were hired. Is your loved one/client cleaner? Gaining weight? More animated? Are medications being taken at the rate they should be?

Finally--remember that is you do not like a home caregiver that you have hired, or that comes in, you can fire them or look for another agency. Try to work it out with the agency, but if you are not happy, you can walk.

Coping With the Burden of Caring for a Senior

Greater longevity of life and rising nursing facility costs are forcing many into elder care situations they aren't prepared to deal with. After all, it's a tough job, it often involves living with another adult which changes the lifestyles of both, and it entails making critical decisions about a loved one's health and care. No matter how much you love your parents, it's going to add more burdens onto your already-overtaxed shoulders in order to care for them in old age. In some cases this situation works out well; however, for many, it can seem like the straw that's breaking the camel's back unless they learn some coping strategies to help them.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. This doesn't mean trying to dump the burden onto someone else, but it's not a sign of weakness to ask another friend or relative to stay with Mom for awhile in order for you to take a little time off to indulge yourself. If you don't ask any one individual to do this very often, they'll be glad to help, and you'll feel much more energized and ready to go on.

Be sure to keep in touch with your loved one's medical caregivers. Know exactly what he or she is able to do and what they should be doing for themselves. Some seniors will try and do more than they should just because it's what they've done all their lives. Others, though, will try and take advantage of the situation by wanting you to do more and more for them. Years ago my grandmother lived with my parents. When it got to the point that Grandma was expecting my mother to lift her in and out of the tub and attend to her other personal needs, Mother had to insist that Grandma be put into a nursing facility. Mother was damaging her own health trying to care for Grandma, and that wasn't the best case scenario for either of them, especially since Grandma could have done the things herself.

Try to find appropriate activities for your loved one to participate in order to keep them occupied. If there is a senior citizen's center in your community, check into the types of activities they offer. Even if he or she objects to going at first, as soon as they begin making friends and enjoying themselves again, the objections will cease. Remember, though, that this isn't adult day care. You can't expect the center staff to shoulder nursing tasks or to become full-time caregivers. Talk to the person about what he or she likes to do if you don't already know, and supply them with materials so that they can work on hobbies they enjoy.

Why Do People Need Disability Insurance?

Many people do not realize what would happen if they become disabled and lose their ability to work. Statistics show that approximately 43 percent of individuals between the ages 35 and 65 will become disabled for 90 days or more. If you lose your ability to work and make a living, disability insurance will help you pay your bills, save for retirement, and make your mortgage loan payments. This type of coverage will replace up to 60 percent of your gross income in case you become disabled. Supplemental plans will cover 70 to 80 percent of your salary.

This type of insurance is specifically designed for working men and women. Since accidents and illnesses occur when you expect the least, collecting disability benefits will help you maintain your standard of living and pay for ongoing expenses. Studies have shown that over 30 million Americans between the ages of 21 and 64 are unable to work because of a long-term illness or injury. In order to receive disability benefits, you need to be a benefit-eligible employee or have a disabling condition that qualifies for benefits.

Long term insurance provides coverage for catastrophic illness or injury. This type of policy kicks in once your short-term disability plan runs out. Insurance companies offer policies that vary in the length of payout. Some of these insurance plans will pay out for up to 10 years, while others will pay out benefits until age 65.

As its name suggests, short term disability insurance offers coverage for a limited period of time. The average duration of benefits is six months. The number of weeks you are eligible for disability benefits depends in how many years you worked for your current employer. Hawaii, Rhode Island, California, New York, and New Jersey require employers to provide short-term disability insurance. Short term policies usually have waiting periods ranging from 0 to 14 days. If you purchase long term disability insurance, you will have to wait 30 to 720 days before receiving any benefits. Long term coverage is typically more expensive that short term disability insurance because it covers extended health care at home, assisted-living facilities, or nursing homes.

If you are self employed, consider buying an individual plan. Many companies provide disability insurance online. All you need to do is to search for a well established insurance website and then complete a brief form with relevant details such as your age, gender, health condition, occupation, and income. Based on the information provided, you will receive disability insurance quotes from several companies. After choosing three to five quotes, compare them side-by-side. Select a policy that offers comprehensive coverage at reasonable rates. Keep in mind that many insurance providers offer discounts of up to 40 percent for buying coverage through their websites.

A Desk Job Like No Other: Hospital Administrators

In order for medical professionals to be able to do their jobs as effectively and efficiently as possible, the hospital depends on a large group of administrators to facilitate the complex and often chaotic atmosphere of the hospital. You may want to run right into an emergency room and jump right onto the examination table, but you wouldn't want other patients doing this when it is finally your turn. Hospitals need organization, and there are many exciting careers to be had in this field.

Hospital Switchboard

Great hospitals function best when they run on smooth and quick communication. Messages are constantly relayed from internal departments, emergency calls, EMS services, and various other operators. Responsibilities include knowing how to prioritize calls, pages and messages, dealing with patients over the phone, and managing the operational patchwork of the hospital's internal phone system. This job is kind of like a telephone operator in a high-paced action movie, but in this case, lives might really be on the line.

Patient Registration

Another position taught as part of a medical office assistant program is patient registration. This employee will deal more face-to- face with people and thus not only needs to have excellent patience inside, but to maintain a cool and sympathetic demeanor on the outside as well. Tasks in this position include taking patient details, scheduling appointments, writing the doctor's scheduled visit list, and regulating patient visits from family and friends. This person is often the face of the hospital.

Morgue Attendant

This may sound like a very morbid job, but that does not mean that it is unsuitable for someone motivated to work in the healthcare industry. Nonetheless, it is an important role and requires a serious and organized individual. The morgue attendant should also be sympathetic, as they will sometimes have to deal with bereaved friends and families.

Hospital Cashier

Many people have worked as cashiers in part-time jobs, which they got with little or no experience. Working in such a capacity in a hospital is not all that different, except that it requires medical office assistant training. This person works with numbers just as much as with people. Their duties may include taking payments, administering the paperwork for medical insurance plans, handling remittances for patient accounts, and helping with any other administrative billing accounts.

Desk work does not have to be boring, and more importantly, it can be an important contribution to an industry as vital as the healthcare industry. The hospital as a place of employment isn't for everyone, but if you are up to the challenges involved, it can be wonderfully gratifying.

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

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

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

Feeling Vulnerable

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

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

Action Steps

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Copyright 2012 by Harriet Hodgson

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.

Exceptional Caring Through Assisted Living

There is a visible increase in the baby boomers living alone and along with them have increased the services of assisted living. With age and retirement, the first choice of many is to stay independently and some are forced to do so but today there is nothing to worry about. If you have decided to move out of the family and live independently you still have someone to take care of you. Assisted living can come as the best choice for the aging citizens by providing them much needed health care services as well as hospitality services under a single roof. It becomes much more of a family support to the seniors.

Seniors living on their own can at times fail to understand the additional care that they would require and at this tender age special care is needed. Here we are not talking about any religiously fixed services, under assisted living a wide range of health care support services are provided like offering meals, monitoring diet, home maintenance, laundry, managing appointments and most importantly the personal care service. Through this service you get to find someone who can take care of all your needs plus the professionals chosen to be with you are completely trained and offer professed services.

These services are meant to give you the liberty to be on your own, however, at the back of you mind you can be completely free that someone is there to take care of you. Assisted living is an ideal solution for people suffering with Alzheimer or dementia, though used interchangeably but there is a slight difference between the two. People suffering with any of these cannot take proper care of themselves yet they are at times left alone. This is where assisted living is of great help; this disease has to do with the memory loss and family members at times take it as a trouble to deal with such people.

Such baby boomers need extra care for which they are assisted by highly trained staff who offer them personal care with understanding and compassion. Security and well being of such people is quite important as they wouldn't even know where to go and what to do. Through assisted living you can stay relaxed that your parents or someone elderly of your family is under 24 hour medical assistance and would never be missing their meals or medicines.

Children have to leave their parents alone mostly because of unavoidable reasons, they have to be at work and earn their living. For them leaving their beloved in someone else's supervision can be a difficult decision but you need to understand that it for the good. Rather than leaving them all alone you can get them help from someone who is skilled and would be taking care of all their needs. Assisted living could be one of your best decisions in life as it's a guarantee of complete care, love and security.

Online Medical Assistant Programs - Overview

Online medical assistant programs involve a mixture of online virtual classroom instruction coupled with on-site clinical experiences at a nearby healthcare facility. These programs teach aspiring medical assistants the skills and knowledge needed to work in the field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs Overview

Courses

The information that makes up these programs is taught through video conferencing, discussion boards and email, via an online e-learning platform. These courses teach students how to administer injections, take vital signs and how to assist with a range of basic medical procedures, in order to prepare them for the clinical duties they will be required to carry out when working in the profession. Administrative skills are also taught, including: patient chart preparation, appointment scheduling and medical coding. Again, so aspiring med assistants are well prepared to carry out these tasks when they have found employment.

A single online course typically takes just eight weeks to complete. This is because these courses often provide the foundation needed to take an associate's degree in medical assisting. In addition to online study, students are able to acquire practical experience through clinical training, provided by local associated medical centers.

Training

Typically, online training courses take approximately ten months to complete. The courses are designed for individuals who want to start their careers as soon as possible, by equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to hold entry-level positions in clinics, hospitals and medical offices. Common coursework includes: medical office management, medical ethical and legal guidelines as well as basic laboratory and diagnostic procedures.

While classroom learning is accomplished through email, video lectures, discussion boards and live chat, clinical training is completed at an administrator approved health care facility, under the supervision of a licensed health care professional.

Certification

Upon successful completion of the course, many training programs award students with an associate's degree or diploma. Completion of the course also means that the eligibility criteria to sit certifying exams have been met, which are offered by the NCMA, AAMA and AMT. However, this is only the case if an institution's online medical assistant program has been accredited.

This information can be found out by contacting the CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs) or the ABHES (Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools).

While aspiring medical assistants are able to apply for the certification exam online, the exam must be taken at an approved site, in person.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities are expected to grow at a rapid rate. This is thanks to medical technology constantly improving, and the increased need of health care for an aging population - both of which require an increase of medical assistants to meet demand. Therefore, if you are thinking of starting a career in the health care industry, you should certainly research all the online medical assistant programs available to find one that meets your needs and future career goals.

Legal Nurse Certification - A Lucrative Opportunity For Registered Nurses

The demand for legal nursing consultants will continue to grow in the coming years as the health care system increases its reliance on experts with vast knowledge about medical-legal issues and proceedings. A career as a legal nurse consultant is rapidly becoming one of the most lucrative jobs in the country with an average salary of $120 per hour of consultation, generating an average annual income of approximately $80,000.

Many nurses are seriously considering a career as legal nurse consultant because it gives them the opportunity to practice their profession in an entirely different setting. A career as a legal nursing consultant is perfect for registered nurses who want to venture into other nursing specialties apart from bedside care. Legal nurse consultants are given the chance to work in legal corporations, government agencies, and insurance companies. Some legal nurse consultants have the option to be self-employed consultants while they continue to work in bedside care settings.

To become a legal nurse consultant, a nurse must first be a current licensed registered nurse in the state or country. Prospective students who are interested in becoming a registered nurse must complete all nursing prerequisites with satisfactory grades to be considered for admission in the nursing program. Registered nursing programs offer associate degrees (ADN or ASN) that are usually completed in two years. An associate degree in nursing can be obtained in community and junior colleges and in technical-vocational schools. A bachelor degree (BSN) in nursing is conferred to students who completed 4 years of nursing education in universities or in 4-year colleges. ADN and BSN graduates of schools accredited by the Nursing League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc. are all eligible to sit in the state registered nursing licensure examination.

To practice as a consultant, the experienced registered nurse does not necessarily need a certification. However, as the responsibilities of legal nurse consultants in legal and hospital settings become more intense, the majority of employers prefer certified consultants. Certification increases the chances of better job opportunities, career advances, and higher salary wages. A certification demonstrates the nurse's comprehensive knowledge on medical-legal proceedings and the health care system.

Current registered and licensed nurses are deemed qualified to practice legal nursing consultation if one of the following requirements is fulfilled:

a. Successful completion of a legal nursing consultant program in an accredited educational institution. The legal nursing consultant program must have a minimum of 90 days of formal lecture.
b. Certification will be granted to individuals who are currently practicing as a legal nurse consultant with at least 1,000 hours of work within the last 3 years.
c. Recertification will be granted to individuals if continuing education was completed with 50 hours of coursework within the last 3 years.

Please note that the American Association of League of Nursing Consultants will not grant certification for current certificate holders that are certified by another organization.

Assisted Living on Long Island - 7 Reasons Long Island is the Greatest Place to Retire!

Long Island is a beautiful, fun filled place to spend your retired years: With miles of beaches, hundreds of places to go shopping and enough good food to go around! The following are a number of reasons that make Long Island the greatest place to retire!

1. With lots of ocean front and lake edge real estate, Long Island has very fresh and clean air. Away from the noise, stress, and busy streets of New York City, you can enjoy calm lazy days uninterrupted. Go for a walk along the water's edge, enjoy a book on your patio, and invite a few friends over for a game of cards. The weather is beautiful and your days will be equally gorgeous.

2. There are a large number of retired seniors living on Long Island: Meaning you won't be alone! There will be lots of people your age who share your interests. There are also a lot of places that hold senior activities like bingo, cards, dance classes, craft groups, senior citizen trips, and senior aerobics. You may be retired, but you'll never be bored!

3. Living on Long Island means you're close to just about everything you could possibly want or need. For example, retiring at an Assisted Living Facility in beautiful Lake Ronkonkoma, you are only an hour and a half away from the stunning Montauk Point! Montauk is a great place for a day trip: Pack a picnic lunch, bring your walking shoes, and enjoy the view! It's also only an hour and twenty minutes from Orient Point, where you can catch a ferry over to Connecticut for a weekend vacation. Dropping you off in New London, you are minutes from Mystic, a great little town filled with nice affordable accommodations, lots of shopping, and great food. You can also head over to Mohegan Sun for more shopping, a little gambling, and amazing shows and concerts! And even closer than all that is New York City, which is about an hour away (depending where you are on L.I). And with a train station near by, the trip is a breeze! I don't think I need to tell you about the plethora of places to go, things to see, and stuff to do in the city!

4. Long Island is home to some of the most beautiful beaches around! With miles of sandy shoreline, rolling waves, and clean warm air what's not to love? Plus, the sunsets are beautiful too! Long Island also gives you the choice of two shore lines. The South Shore, which is your typical sandy bottom kind of beach, and the North Shore, which is covered in rocks, stones, and even larger boulders. (Honestly, it's a rock collectors dream come true!) Not to mention, some of Long Island's beaches are placed on the top 10 list of best beaches in America!

5. There are lots of great places to eat scattered all over the island. Plus, Long Island is home to some of the best pizza and bagels in the country! With plenty of fast food establishments, delis, cafes, diners and fine restaurants, there is always something to satisfy your taste buds!

6. Long Island is also home to lots of great wildlife. With places like the protected Pine Barrens and wildlife refuges like the one located in Quogue. There are miles of trails to hike and animals to spy! A great place for bird watcher enthusiasts, photographers, and wildlife lovers of all types!

7. Still not convinced? Look at it this way... many people choose Long Island as their vacation destination, and extremely wealthy celebrities own homes in the Hamptons. If it's worth vacationing to, it's definitely worth living! You can make other people's vacations your life!

What You Need To Know About Residential Care Homes, Nursing Homes, And Long Term Care

Residential care homes are divided into two groups, depending upon the level of care they provide. Services include a room, meals and supervision, but no nursing services for older adults whose limitations prevent them from living alone. The benefits provided are for people who have no serious medical conditions, but who can no longer manage in their own home. Most care facilities are independently owned and operated.

Care

For elderly people suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other kinds of dementia, a smaller care facility can be ideal, because an elderly person still has the ability to carry on as normal a life as possible. Quality of supervision can vary greatly among residential care homes. These typically serve residents who live together and receive care from live-in carers ideal for frail adults who can benefit from more individual attention. Services provided vary considerably, so it is important to assess the needs of the future resident, deciding if they need 24 hour attention, for example. Many homes provide care until the end of a life, and help residents feel like they are living in their own house. Before making a decision, ask about care facilities, for example how do they deal with incontinence? Usually assistance is given with bathing, grooming and incontinence. Overall costs can be much less than full time domiciliary supervision.

Costs

The costs of residential care homes vary widely, as can the quality of services. Although prices vary greatly from £2,200 to £4500 plus per month, but can be as low as £1500 each month. Single payment insurance policies can pay for long term care fees increasing at say 5% annually for life. It may well be that the resident can afford all the costs personally or with help from family members. In this instance, you will be able to begin your quest for the most suitable long term care.

Private homes are not contracted to the NHS or local authority social services. Just as every house is different, care facilities are not all styled the same.

Conclusion

It is essential to thoroughly vet your shortlist of homes. Usually the larger well known groups are a cautious option, although there are individually owned properties that provide a wonderful personalized friendly service. More articles to follow about care fees planning, benefits and legal issues.

A Brief on Nursing Home Administrator Jobs

As the names suggests, a Nursing Home Administrator is a person who administers the daily running of a nursing home right from ensuring the good health and well-being of the residents to managing the employees, billing and ensuring that the nursing home maintains and sticks to the states health care requirements. These are also known as long- term care facility are residential homes for people who need support with their daily tasks.

What does it take to become a professional Nursing Home Administrator? You'll need to have a bachelor`s degree like a degree in Health care Administration. In addition to a bachelor's degree, you need to take classes in business, health care, medical coding and medical terminology. The more the knowledge you have of the medical world, the better the chances of getting through an interview. Once you have obtained your degree in health administration, check with your state licensing requirements because some states require you to take a test before they certify you as a Nursing Home Administrator.

Since this job can be stressful, the turnover rates are higher and you hold a brighter chance to get a job. This job involves handling volumes of people and, therefore, you need to have patience In addition to being open and friendly. You also need to be organized as you would be involved in a number of planning activities. The job also requires you to be adept at managing your stress levels due to the voluminous work.

There are four different of administrator jobs - individual counseling and intake evaluation, managing and organizing programs, supervising staff, and managing a budget. Clients are usually referred to a long-term care centre either by a hospital, doctor or a social worker. Counseling and support is required at this stage for a smooth transition of clients from the hospital to a nursing home. In some cases this transition may be due to an injury or diminished mental clarity. This requires the nursing home administrator to ease the anxiety of the client and his/her family. Another important role of the Administrator is to manage and organize programs for the residents that are physically or mentally stimulating and inspiring. To achieve this goal, one can hire recreation or occupational therapists.

The third role involves managing the staff which involves a plethora of activities like includes posting job descriptions, reviewing resumes of the applicants, interviewing applicants, and hiring new staff. All new hires need to undergo an induction program where they are introduced to the company policy, standards, procedures etc. The Administrator is also responsible for the discipline of the staff and can terminate them if they violate the rules and regulations.

Managing the budget is an important job of the Nursing Home Administrator which involves keeping a tab and record of the daily expenses, any additional expenses if incurred.

All these four jobs indicate the volume of work involved in this role. Though stressful, yet it is very promising.

Caregiver Versus Personal Attendant - Wages and Benefits

Are you a caregiver or a personal attendant who works in a private household or home? As a household worker either as a caregiver or personal attendant, are you entitled to minimum wage? Over-time pay? Other benefits?

If hired directly by an individual or family, your benefits are different from one who is hired by a private firm or agency and governed by general employment laws: applicable federal and state statutes.

A live-in employee as opposed to a live-out employee is subject to special work rules discussed below.

A caregiver or "care custodian" is defined by Section 15610.17 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code as:

"... an administrator or an employee of...public or private facilities or agencies, or persons providing care or services for elders or dependent adults, including members of the support staff and maintenance staff."

A "personal attendant" is not entitled to overtime compensation, unless: (1.) he or she is a live-in employee; or (2.) he or she does general household work (cleaning, cooking, feeding, dressing, or supervising) that exceeds 20% of the total work time; or (3.) he or she does nurse-like duties (checking pulse, taking temperature, giving medication) more than 20% of the total work time.

In these three instances, the household worker is no longer considered a "personal attendant" and is entitled to overtime pay. Otherwise, light house keeping and cooking chores qualify as work exempt from overtime compensation.

Personal Attendant As Defined In CA IWC Wage Order 15:

Section 2(J) of the California Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) Wage Order No. 15-2001 defines "personal attendant" as follows:

"'Personal attendant' includes baby sitters and means any person employed by a private householder or by any third party employer recognized in the health care industry to work in a private household, to supervise, feed or dress a child or person who by reason of advanced age, physical disability, or mental deficiency needs supervision. The status of 'personal attendant' shall apply when no significant amount of work other than the foregoing is required."

Indeed, the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) has historically adopted the standard used in the federal regulations, 29 C.F.R. 552.6 on "companionship services," to wit:

"...(T)he term 'companionship services' shall mean those services which provide fellowship, care, and protection for a person who, because of advanced age or physical or mental infirmity, cannot care for his or her own needs. Such services may include household work related to the care of the aged or infirm person such as meal preparation, bed making, washing of clothes, and other similar services. They may also include the performance of general household work: Provided, however, that such work is incidental, i.e., does not exceed 20 percent of the total weekly hours worked."

Federal regulations, 29 C.F.R 552.6, supra, further clarifies that:

"The term 'companionship services' does not include services related to the care and protection of the aged or infirm that require and are performed by trained personnel, such as registered or practical nurse."

Thus, the acceptable duties of a "personal attendant" involve activities of daily living such as getting in or out of bed, showering, bathing, using a toilet. A "personal attendant's" duties of "supervising" would include assistance in obtaining medical care, preparing meals, shopping for personal items or groceries, using a telephone, even managing money.

As long as any general housekeeping duties performed do not exceed 20% of the weekly working time spent by a "personal attendant," he or she is exempted from the protections of California Wage Order No. 15-2001 such as overtime compensation, etc., except for minimum wage. But prior to 2001, a classification as "personal attendant" also excluded minimum wage in California.

This overtime compensation exemption also applies to "personal attendants" as well as other household workers such as caregivers, spending 20% or less of their working time doing general household work, who are employed by an agency and sent to private households to work.

Benefits Of Household Workers:

A. Minimum Wage:

The state minimum wage covers all employees, including household workers (live-in employees, caregivers, and "personal attendants") but excluding legitimate independent contractors. The current California minimum wage is $8.00 per hour since January 1, 2008, a 6.7% increase over the previous $7.50 minimum wage.

There are several factors that determine whether a person is an independent contractor or not. But the primary factor is control by the employer of the means, manner and outcome of the job. An independent contractor runs his or her own household services business, has his or her tools and materials, and controls the manner and outcome of the job.

Independent contractors are not covered by minimum wage and overtime compensation statutes.

B. Overtime Pay:

Household workers who are not live-in employees, as well as "personal attendants" who do general household work that exceeds 20% of their weekly working time, are entitled to overtime compensation, consisting of one and one half times their regular rate of pay for working more than eight (8) hours in a day, or more than (40) hours in a week.

Live-in employees must be paid one and one half times the regular rate for all hours worked over twelve (12) hours (instead of over eight (8) hours) in one work day for five (5) workdays. On the sixth and seventh day, live-in employees must be paid double the regular rate for all hours worked over (9) hours per day. See California IWC Wage Order No. 15-2001 3(A)-(B) (8 Cal Code Regs. 11150(3)(A)-(B)).

Under federal law, 29 U.S.C. 213(a)(15), "any employee employed on a casual basis in domestic service employment to provide babysitting services or any employee employed in domestic service employment to provide companionship services for individuals who (because of age or infirmity) are unable to care for themselves" is granted exemptions from minimum wage and overtime pay.

C. Other Benefits Of Household Workers:

1. Hours And Days Of Work:

A live-in employee is entitled to at least twelve (12) consecutive hours free of duty during each workday of twenty-four (24) hours, and the total span of hours for a day of work should not exceed twelve (12) hours, except that: (a) the employee must have at least three (3) hours free of duty during the 12 hours span of work; and (b) the employee required or permitted to work during scheduled off-duty hours or during the 12 consecutive off-duty hours must be paid one and one-half times the regular rate of pay for all such hours worked. See California IWC Wage Order No. 15-2001 3(A).

Moreover, no live-in employee shall be required to work more than five (5) days in any one workweek without a day off of not less than 24 consecutive hours except in an emergency. See California IWC Wage Order No. 15-2001 3(B).

2. Rest And Meal Periods:

Household workers are entitled to a ten-minute paid rest break for every four (4) hours of work under California IWC Wage Order No. 15-2001 12(A), and a thirty-minute meal period of every five (5) hours worked, just like others kinds of employees, under California IWC Wage Order No. 15-2001 11(A).

Otherwise, the employer shall pay the employee one (1) hour of pay at regular rate for each workday that the rest period, or the meal period is not provided. See California IWC Wage Order No. 15-2001 12(B), 11(D). But "personal attendants" are not granted rest and meal periods.

3. Meal And Housing Deductions From Wages:

The employer may subtract meal and housing credits from the employee's paycheck if: (a) the employee actually uses the meals and is provided with housing; (b) meals and housing are used as salary to comply with the minimum wage; and (c) the employee executes a voluntary, written agreement, crediting meals and housing towards minimum wage.

Meal credit may be deducted as follows: breakfast - $2.45; lunch - $3.35, and dinner - $4.50. Housing may also be credited at $31.75 per week for a room ($26.20 if shared). See California IWC Wage Order No. 15 - 2001 10(C).

In summary, whether you are a caregiver or a "personal attendant" entitled to particular wages and benefits in California or in other states depends on whether the general household work you do exceeds 20% of your total work time.

(The Author, Roman P. Mosqueda, practices wage and hour law in California.

This article is not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is formed with the reader. For specific labor law issues, consult a competent attorney.)

Stay Out of Nursing Homes - They Are Bad For Your Health

Statistics don't lie, as the old saying goes. If that is true then you could easily come to the conclusion that nursing or retirement homes are bad for your health. The majority of folks who go to these intensive care facilities live less than 2 years.

Most of us would hope that is the case if we end up in a nursing home. Personally, I'd like to check out on the day I was admitted!

I'm not referring to assisted living facilities. These are where you normally have your own apartment or town home, nurses stop by to check on you, and other safety features are built in. Those type of projects actually have fairly good records where longevity is concerned.

What we are focusing on in this article are those places where all manner of human decency are taken from you. Granted, some of us get so bad that we (humankind) have not yet come up with much of an alternative. However, there are some things you can do to greatly reduce your chances of ending up in a place like that!

First of all, take as good of care of yourself as possible. Get up and move around. Don't overdo it, but be active, and your golden years will be much better! Look into natural and alternative supplements that can add quality to your life (one such supplement now getting great reviews, even by many in the medical profession is Resveratrol).

The other thing you can do is to invest in a good Long-Term Care (LTC) policy. In my opinion the good ones are those that will even pay a family member to live with you in your home and take care of you. Many times when older folks get in bad health, they expect their children to put their own lives on hold and come back home to take care of them. Many of us would be willing to do that, if we could somehow keep an income in the process. A good LTC plan can do just that!

I used to write a LTC plan that offered all your money back in ten years if you did not use any benefits. I now have a few clients who have received cash back after a decade. Most of them kept the LTC plan in force. I hope they make it another ten years! These type of plans may no longer be available, but check with your agent to be sure.

Another thing that statistics show can add to a long life is to have a good income in your retirement years. Those with more money tend to live longer. Perhaps this is because they are more active (with travel etc.). Maybe it is because they have more to live for, or perhaps it is because they can afford better health care? Whatever the reason, statistics show that you can live a lot better in your "Golden" years with a little planning!

Do Americans Despise Our Elderly?

A woman from Riverside, California was arrested for elder abuse. She had left her mother outdoors for days facing the elements. The mother was found on a chaise lounge, soaked in urine, covered with feces, and bleeding with bedsores when transported to an Orange County hospital. The 47-year-old daughter was arraigned on felony charges.

In another story, three siblings from Aurora, Illinois were charged with criminal abuse punishable by up to a ten-year prison sentence. Photos of the mother taken at the hospital indicated a three-inch-deep open wound on her tailbone and a right leg that was black from spreading gangrene. The leg had to be amputated. According to the Senior Services Associates, it is estimated that possibly about 76,000 Illinois residents over age 60 are abused or neglected in some manner. However, only about 8,000 victims are reported to the Elder Abuse and Neglect Program annually. Surely such estimates are similar in many other states.

Attitudes have been gradually changing toward the elderly in America for a number of decades. During the 1950s teen icons emerged such as James Dean, Elvis Presley, and others. More and more, television and other media began featuring young actors and less elderly ones. The economy fed increasingly into the quest for the younger markets.

As far back as the late 1700s the idea of mandatory retirement law began to spread. This may have initiated a growing implication that the retired elderly are rather useless. As the centuries passed, the senior was not as highly respected or considered as important to society. In fact, with the passage of time they're often viewed today rather as a drain on the family's resources. As people lived longer, they found the support of family and friends declining instead of growing. Living past seventy has become, for some, a rather bleak prospect-- a time of loneliness, financial struggle, and illness. A researcher named Atchley claims that society and the mass media increasingly lump all seniors under one label, subscribing to the idea that the elderly are "unattractive, unintelligent, asexual, unemployable, and senile." One only has to look at the growing array of derogatory terms about the aged to realize how they are often disrespected: old fart, geezer, battle-axe, old goat, gaffer, etc.

This brings us to the hotly debated final days of a senior's life. Physicians might be called the "masters of death:" they've sanitized death for the survivors. The dying person is separated from the family, sometimes in panic mode, receiving intense medical care until the very end. The senior does not know his/her rights in regard to how and where to die. Doctors often go to great lengths to prolong life, even when it is obvious that the dying is comatose, in great pain, no longer able to think or act. Of course, most doctors are simply trying to do what they think is best, what they think the family wants. And we recoil angrily from the opposite reaction of assisted suicide. But couldn't we allow our aged to die with dignity, in a comfortable place, in the presence of those who love them most? Some forms of hospice care definitely seem a step in the right direction.

Perhaps the baby boomer generation will finally help us to view aging and death in a more proper and respectful way. This generation has now begun to retire but many will still be active for decades to come, some continuing to work until well past retirement. They are largely young-minded and perhaps more adventurous than some generations. They are very well-informed regarding their rights. It is likely many of them will manage their last days in the way that is most comfortable and humane for them and their families. Our seniors deserve to live and to die in the way they wish.

Attorney Talks About Nursing Home Abuse

Each year millions of our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family loved ones are victimized by the very people that are entrusted with their care. Nursing home abuse is far more prevalent than most of us would like to think. Exact statistics are very difficult to come by showing the number of citizens aged 65 and older that are exploited, abused, neglected or mistreated each year in the United States but even the most conservative estimates put that number at over one million. Some experts estimate that for every one incidence of elder abuse that is actually reported, there may be as many as five that go unreported. Much like the victims of child abuse, victims of elder abuse may be afraid of reprisals if they report the abuse or may be in a deteriorating mental state and unaware of the abuse that they are suffering. Elder abuse can happen anywhere, in any setting, and be perpetrated by any type of caregiver. Sadly, the nursing homes that we depend on to take care of our elderly loved ones are one of the most common settings for elder abuse.

For most of us, the decision to put an elderly relative in a nursing home is not an easy one. Weeks, months, even years can be spent debating what to do with an aging relative. Many people choose to bring the relative to live with them only to find that they can't give them the attention and security that they need in their twilight years. Taking care of an elderly loved one can be physically, emotionally and financially draining. Even with the best of intentions, many people eventually come to the conclusion that they must put their elderly loved one in the care of a nursing home. The idea, of course, is that they will be safe, secure and comfortable in a nursing home. You have been assured that their health will be monitored on a daily basis, they will be able to interact and socialize with other seniors and all their practical concerns will be attended to by the staff at the nursing home. Ideally, this is how a nursing home works. Sadly, sometimes instead of treating our loved ones with the care and respect they deserve, they are mistreated, neglected and even abused in the nursing home that was entrusted with their care.

So what can you do if you suspect that your loved one has been mistreated, neglected or abused by the staff at a nursing care? There are a number of government agencies that are involved in the regulation and investigation of nursing homes. In California, you can call the Adult Protective Services for the county that your loved one resides in, as well as contacting the California Long Term Care Ombudsman. If you feel that legal action is warranted, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the nursing home for injuries that your loved one has suffered.

Compare Nursing Homes

Finding the best nursing home is easier than you might think. That is assuming there is more than one nursing home in your area so that you have something to compare. The sad part is that the best nursing home is just the one that meets your expectations better than its competitors. That doesn't mean it is a good nursing home, it might even mean that it just isn't the worst.

A good source of information and feedback on local nursing homes is the attending physician for the residents. The staff at the physician' office works closely with the nursing home staff scheduling appointments and transportation, prescribing medication, and treating ailments as well as serious medical conditions. We found the best nursing home for my grandfather from the recommendation of our cardiologist's nurse.

One of the most valuable tools to compare nursing homes is a nursing home report you can get through Check My Nursing Home.com. This report will tell you about complaints against the nursing home, inspections of the nursing home, abuse and neglect cases, and other valuable feedback that potential residents need to be aware of.

This report is definitely a necessity, but the most valuable tool to compare nursing homes is personal interviews with residents, staff members, and family members. Remember when talking to residents and caregivers that we all compare things based on our own perceptions. For example, my grandfather is getting excellent care and unbelievable attention at his nursing home, but thinks he is being abused and neglected because the food is so bad.

Find out what the employees like and don't like about their working environment and employer. The attitude and contentment of the staff will have a direct affect on the care and attention your loved one will receive. Compare nursing homes based on how good of an environment it is for nurses to work in, and you'll get a clearer picture of how good of an environment it is for residents to live in. Ask questions like, "How often do you have to do someone else's work that is not your job?" You'll learn a lot about how work is managed, but most importantly, you'll get a clearer picture of the attitude of the person you are interviewing. Do they have a resentful attitude or a cooperative one? Do they mind helping outside of their job descriptions, or do they see the staff as a team where everyone works together no matter what the task? These keys will give you a good indication of what is going to happen when your loved one needs help going to the potty when the nurse's aide assigned to their room is busy with another resident.

Always ask specific questions to compare programs and care, such as "Tell me about your physical therapy routine, what exercises you do, and how often?" Asking, "How's physical therapy here?" will only provide you with personal opinion. And even if the therapy is excellent--if the resident doesn't like the PT nurse, you're liable to get a negative response. My grandfather hates the resistance bands his physical therapist uses, and really feels stupid sitting there stretching rubber bands. If you asked him what he thought about physical therapy at his nursing home, you are going to get an earful of how it's a useless waste of time. But if you specifically ask him what his physical therapy routine consists of and how often he has physical therapy, you'll get some facts mixed in with the soap box venting.

So to compare nursing homes, visit them personally, ask lots of questions, and interview not only staff, but residents and their families as well. Once you have your choices narrowed down to one or two, order a report on the home to check out what is really happening behind the scenes. And once you've chosen the best nursing home, keep checking on them to make sure the care your loved one receives continues to meet your expectations and their needs.

Independent Assisted Living Retirement Communities - The Perfect Solution for Many

When you go to choose how to spend your retirement years, time should be spent considering where you want to live. As housing takes up a great deal of your income, choices may be limited. Some seniors choose to stay in their own home as long as possible while others prefer to move to a retirement community where they will be surrounded by other seniors who share similar interests. Nursing homes are available for those who need around the clock care. What about those who fall in between and need some help taking care of themselves, but want to remain as independent as possible? Independent assisted living is the perfect solution.

An independent assisted living arrangement is perfect for those who can live on their own for the most part, but do need some help with basic daily activities. Research has shown that those who choose this type of retirement setting do so because they need help with an average of three daily activities. This may be bathing, cooking, cleaning or medication. Once the staff has helped with these activities, the resident then goes on with daily life as he or she would if they lived in their home or an active retirement community. It is like having the best of both worlds. The level of care is based on the needs of each individual resident. It is not one size fits all.

Why so many prefer this option is that it allows for more privacy and independence. The senior will still have his or her own apartment or unit. Staff will only come in during the times when the resident needs help. Otherwise, the resident can spend the rest of the day doing as he or she pleases. As many who find themselves in need of care now grew up very independent, this allows them to maintain that freedom without sacrificing quality care and basic needs.

When choosing an independent assisted living facility, there is one thing that you may wish to consider. If you find that your needs change and that you need more care throughout the day or even continuous care, moving to a new facility could be a hassle. You may wish to find a facility that offers both types of care in the same location. This would make the transition much easier for the resident as well as family members involved in the process. Best of all, staying in the same location may allow for more continuity of care. If a problem arises, the staff in the new section may be able to call on the staff from the old section for advice and guidance. This may not be possible if two facilities are involved.

Take care when choosing an independent assisted living retirement facility or community. Be sure to check the staff and also speak with other residents about the care they have received. Retirement living in any form is not cheap so you want to know you are getting the best possible care for what you can afford. Making a move at this stage of life is not as easy as it used to be so you don't want to have to do this unless absolutely necessary. A thorough vetting before you move in can help to prevent this.