How Assisted Living Can Improve Sleep Habits

Many senior citizens suffer from sleeping problems, but new research indicates that more than half of all seniors report sleeping for 7.5 hours or more per night. This is great evidence that sleeping habits do not necessarily need to change as we age. Sleep is extremely important for people as it helps reduce stress, recharge our immune systems, and keep us mentally healthy. These points are extremely important because as we age, all of these things can become worse, especially when it comes to the immune system. Senior citizens will naturally see their ability to fight off sickness and infections decrease as they get older. Staying healthy should be a big priority and getting the right amount of sleep can help here.

If you suffer from sleeping problems, you might be able to correct them by moving into an assisted living facility. Being in a structured setting can help you stick to your routines more easily, and this includes going to bed at a reasonable hour. When you are in a group of people, it becomes a lot easier to do the little things that will keep you healthy. Assisted living can help you eat healthier, get more sleep, and get more exercise-all of these things will be big steps toward improving your overall health levels. Think about it this way, when all of your friends retire for bedtime, you are more likely to go to bed too.

Assisted living might take a few days to get used to, especially if you have grown accustomed to being on your own for many years. Once you adjust to the changes in your lifestyle, you will most likely be much better off. Assisted living can help you to reduce your stress levels-this might be the root of your sleeping problems. If you don't have to worry about cooking meals, doing laundry, and cleaning up after yourself, you can focus on the things that you really enjoy. Once these stressors are taken care of, you might be able to nod off at a reasonable hour and start getting healthier amounts of sleep.

There are also some mental benefits to living in assisted living, and these also can help with the improving of your sleeping habits. When you are less stressed and around your friends, you are less likely to suffer from depression. Depression has a nasty reputation for ruining sleep habits-it can make you sleep way too much or way too little. Both of these things are unhealthy. But when you are happier, sleep is more likely to come in healthy doses. For these reasons, the mental health benefits created by assisted living are pretty hard to duplicate outside of the facility.

How Premises Liability Law Works

Both private and commercial property owners have a responsibility to keep visitors to their property safe from harm. However, there are countless cases where private guests, customers, and employees suffer serious injuries or death while visiting someone else's property. When such tragedy occurs, the victims may have legal cause to sue for damages in a civil lawsuit.

Slips, trips and falls make up a majority of accidents in general industry, accounting for 15% of accidental deaths according to the United States Department of Labor. Furthermore, slip & fall accidents are the second cause of fatalities next to motor vehicle accidents in work-related deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that each year, one in every three elderly adults age 65 and older falls. These falls can cause moderate to severe injuries including: hip fractures, head trauma, and they can increase the risk of an early death. Falls are a public health problem, in which every state and every town is responsible for preventing dangerous and slippery or uneven surfaces.

The age- old image of an elderly woman slipping on a banana peel in a supermarket might come to mind when thinking about premises liability; however, there are countless ways to get injured while on public or private property. Under premises liability law, all property owners are held responsible for keeping their property safe and to ensure the safety of visitors to their property. This adage applies to both adults and children visiting a private residence or a public building such as a hospital or retail store.

Once one understands the full scope of premises liability, the pieces begin to fall into place. Accidental injuries happen on other people's property every day. People have been known to get injured in homes (as in a swimming pool drowning), on private property, at shopping malls (for example on an escalator), in an office building (elevator accidents), at a water park (drowning due to a defective drain), at an amusement park (suffering an amputation injury or wrongful death from an amusement park accident), at a subway station (slipping down wet stairs), or getting injured on a local city street (tripping on a broken sidewalk due to tree roots). Truthfully, the possibilities are endless. Anyone can get injured anywhere, at any time. When dangerous conditions on the property led to such preventable injuries, the victims may be able to sue the property owner for damages.

Such damages may include coverage for medical expenses, hospital bills, ambulance bills, surgery costs, medication, and physical therapy, lost wages, loss of future earnings, and pain and suffering. Premises liability law could encompass all types of negligence on behalf of the property owner. Failure to provide proper lighting, or appropriate security could fall under premises liability, as would some workplace injuries. Failure to keep the work environment safe can result in worksite accidents for the employees, which can hold employers accountable when such injuries occur.

When the city fails to maintain a roadway or highway, such failure can lead to serious accidents for drivers and their passengers. Pot holes, uneven cement, and overgrown shrubs can lead to serious, life-threatening accidents when they are not properly maintained.

As far as private residences, swimming pools are a common source of serious injuries or death. When visitors, especially young children are involved in a drowning accident, they can suffer from serious life-threatening injuries to death from the accidental submersion.

Premises liability cases are extremely complex and require the assistance of a skilled personal injury attorney. A lawyer can conduct an investigation, hire expert witnesses and collect witness testimony to prove negligence on behalf of the property owner; therefore, they can help the victims obtain full compensation for their damages. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or an accidental death due to a property owner's negligence, then you are urged to contact a skilled and knowledgeable New York premise liability attorney who can clearly explain your rights. You may have cause for a personal injury claim, so contact a personal injury lawyer today!

How To Talk To Parents About Moving To An Assisted Living Facility

As parents age, it is heart-wrenching to see them decline physically and mentally. It is no easy to cope with this situation, but there will come a time when your parents will not be able to live on their own without help and support. While most old people prefer to live in their own homes, in familiar surroundings, it is not always possible. Children, family and friends will not always be around to help them. Hence, to avoid this situation, it is often necessary to speak to parents and convince them about moving to an assisted living facility.

You should speak to your parents about assisted living long before it becomes a necessity. Make sure that you have a mature dialogue with them without hurting their sentiments. When your parents are lucid and able to have a discussion, you can get their opinion on this subject. You can even find out what their desire is as they age and grow old.

When you are discussing estate planning with your parents, you can try broaching the topic of assisted living. It will make it much easier and your parents will not misunderstand you. Discuss the pros and cons of this type of living and see the reaction. If your parents are open to it, the same can be included into their will when they are planning their estate. This way when the time comes, you will have all the necessary documents to shift to an assisted living facility.

Try to air your concerns about them living alone without help. Usually, parents try to allay their children's fears and are more conducive to talking about these fears. This will allow them to be more open to discussing about assisted living and will not make them feel as though you are trying to wash your hands off them.

Make sure that you do not try to force your parents into deciding what you want. Instead allow them to speak out their mind too. Get their opinion about different living arrangements and try to work out one that best suits their needs as well as yours. If your parents are willing to make changes, such as installing grab bars in the bathroom, having non-skid flooring, changing the lighting to high wattage lighting and having a chair lift to help them go up and down the stairs, there may be no need for them to move to an assisted living facility immediately. They can prolong their stay at home.

Accidents Caused by Road Construction

When you are driving your car, you have the responsibility to watch out for road construction and slow down. But what happens when road construction is improperly marked, or set up in such a way that it makes it very easy to get into a collision while driving through the construction zone. When this happens, the responsibility can fall squarely upon the shoulders of the highway department that was doing construction on the road and they can be liable for damages to your car, medical bills and other expenses that you incurred as a result of the accident.

The United States Bureau of Labor reports that there were over 2,000 transportation accidents in 2008 and some of these happened in construction zones. In fact, the accident rate is so high that our state has instituted the Slow For The Cone Zone campaign to keep roadways safer. Some of these accidents are not the fault of the drivers - who were acting responsibly - but were the fault of misplaced signs, flaggers not paying attention or placement of road work equipment that was bound to cause an accident.

Construction zones must be properly maintained in order for vehicles to know which way they are to proceed, the exact speed that they need to go, and when the construction zone comes to an end so that they do not increase their speed too early. Flaggers need to give clear, recognizable signals to drivers and be in communication with other flaggers, if there are any, at the other end of the road. In addition, signs must be clearly posted, cones must be placed correctly and the construction zone must be marked out clearly so that drivers know where it begins and ends.

If these factors are not all in place, then communication breaks down between the driver of the vehicle and the construction workers at the site. This leads to cars getting too close to missing roadways, edges where guardrails are not present, or getting in the way of construction vehicles and equipment which can cause an accident. If the flaggers are not doing their jobs, then drivers may find that they are in the path of the stream of cars coming from the other direction. This can lead to a dangerous and sometimes deadly scenario for the car in question.

If a road construction crew or highway department does not fulfill their obligation to alert you to the presence of construction equipment and work zones, and you get into an accident as a result of the construction area then you should contact attorney a car accident and personal injury attorney, so that you might be able to receive compensation for the injuries that you suffered, or are perhaps still suffering, as well as receiving money for the towing, storage and repair of your car, and the medical bills that were a result of the accident.

Nursing Home Negligence

Caring for an elderly family member can be an extremely difficult for the average family. Most families simply do not have the necessary time or the expertise to help an elderly individual with his or her health needs. In these cases, many families turn to nursing home facilities to care for them. Taking a loved one to a nursing facility is not a decision that is made lightly; families have to trust that their elderly relatives will be well cared for by dependable, experienced health professionals. Unfortunately, sometimes nursing home residents are neglected or even abused, which can cause serious physical and emotional harm.

Types of Negligence

Some nursing homes are not the positive, well-kept places that they appear to be at first glance. Nursing staff may not give their elderly residents the attention that they need, or worse, may intentionally abuse them. Below is a list of some of the types of negligence or abuse that may occur in a retirement home:

• 
  Physical Abuse
  


• 
  Psychological Abuse
  


• 
  Sexual Abuse
  


• 
  Theft and Fraud
  


• 
  Malnutrition
  


• 
  Bed Sores
  

While it can be difficult to catch a staff member in the act of abuse or neglect, there are warning signs that a family can watch for. Any sudden personality changes in a loved one, particularly sudden withdrawal or depression, could be hints that something is not right at the home. Likewise, if an elderly resident shows repeated signs of physical abuse such as bruising, concealed scrapes, or bed sores, he or she may be a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect.

For More Information

If you have a loved one in a retirement home and suspect the staff of abuse or neglect, consider consulting with an attorney to discuss your legal options.

The Benefits of Being a CNA

Most of the individuals that have found themselves becoming interested in a health care industry profession will do research on the various certified nursing assistant (CNA) programs offered in their local area. CNAs are generally the first line of contact between patients and the hospital/health care facility staff, and are working under the supervision of the nurse to provide adequate patient care and give the nurse vital information regarding the patient's condition.

Most of a CNA's tasks are related to hygiene and personal care for the patient, including giving hem baths, grooming patients, helping them with feeding, assistance in going to the restroom, keeping abreast of their vital signs and health condition, patient transport via wheelchairs and gurneys, and keeping a written record of all relevant patient information. Emotionally, the CNA will be responsible for interacting with the patient and providing support professionally and socially during the patient's stay in the health care organization.

It's not uncommon for the majority of CNAs to see the job as a temporary placeholder to a future career goal as a registered nurse (RN), and their time as a CNA can open several doors. Many hospitals who mark a impressive trait in their CNAs will sponsor their educational efforts in becoming an RN, and the CNA role is a vital element of hands-on experience in the work field towards the successful completion of major nursing programs.

One of the biggest draws towards a CNA career is the fact that the profession doesn't require any prerequisites to enter (aside from a predisposition towards helping patients during their stay in a health care organization) as long as they carry a high school diploma or GED. Most CNA training programs are offered at various health care organizations, and local community colleges, and are completed after a college semester (or in most cases weeks before a full semester's term is over). Covering studies in anatomy and physiology, the nursing basics, control of infectious diseases, and nutritional courses the CNA student will obtain a certificate upon passing the final exam, and can then register as a certified CNA with the NAHC (National Association for Home Care)

CNAs make anywhere from $23,000 and $30,000 in yearly salaries when first starting out. As their experience and skill sets grow, and depending on the health care organization they work in, the salaries will grow from there. With job opportunities in hospitals, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, private home patient care environments, and mental health care institutions the CNA is in high demand with a variety of locations. It's a great way to get one's foot in the door of the consistently growing health care industry, and is one of the few jobs today expected to increase in demand significantly over the next decade.

The Must-Have Traits of a Pharmacy Technician

Job opportunities for pharmacy technicians are increasing. The reason for this is that pharmaceutical services are expanding and scientific advancements are continuing. Also, pharmacists are having a more active role in providing direct patient care. As a result, pharmacy techs are taking over some of the duties performed by pharmacists. However, they will still work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Another reason pharmacy tech career is booming is the fact that people in the US are living longer resulting in an increasing demand for health care services. And because many companies are exploring new medical treatments, pharmacists need qualified technicians to assist them in handling some of their obligations. If you are considering a career as a PT, you should strongly consider certification.

Required traits

Not all individuals can work as a pharmacy technician. There are certain skills required to get a job in this position. The following are the required traits you must have to qualify for this position:

-Excellent communication skills

-A team player

-Can follow exact directions easily

-Highly organized

-Mentally alert

-Physically fit

-Able to interact with different types of people

-Compassionate with the health care needs of the patients

How to work as a pharmacy tech?

Job opportunities are high if you have obtained formal training and certification. If you are really interested to pursue a career in this field, you should have an experience in this area. You should improve your written and verbal communication skills. Your mathematics skills should be strong enough for pharmacy computations. It is also ideal to obtain health related courses.

Understanding the duties required

-Receiving prescription requests

-Labeling bottles

-Counting bottles

You are also tasked to deliver the requested medicine after the licensed pharmacist has already checked its accuracy. Apart from that, you are also required to keep patients' records, maintain storage of stock and perform other administrative duties.

Required Training

The career of pharmacy technicians is very lucrative. However, those who underwent formal training are the ones who can enjoy higher salary rates. A formal education program for PT's can be taken within 2 years. The education training programs will cover subject areas such as:

-Pharmaceutical calculations

-Pharmaceutical record-keeping

-Pharmaceutical terminology

-Pharmacy law and ethics

-Pharmaceutical techniques

Depending on the school that offers pharmacy technician education programs, you can have the opportunity to gain actual experience working as a pharmacy technician.

In terms of work locations, pharmacy technicians work in a clean, safe environment. You can work in a retail or mail-order pharmacy, nursing homes, and assisted-living facilities. You can also apply to work in grocery stores and department stores that offer pharmacy-related services.

Who Can Claim Compensation For Work Related Back Injuries?

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

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

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

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

Slow Death Inside Of Nursing Homes

Slow murders and quick murders inside of nursing homes:

Please note there is an extremely important update to this article, at the end of the article. If you are any way involved in living in or visiting a nursing home or rehabilitation and care center, or if you have friends, relatives or co-workers inside of one of these places, it is vitally important that you read this complete article and the ultra-important update at the end of the article.

What is happening inside of our nursing homes and inside of our physical rehabilitation centers today would shock the average person. Right now, today, while you sit in your comfortable home reading this, someone your age, someone of your background is suffering at the hands of unscrupulous staff in nursing homes and in physical rehabilitation and care centers right in your own city.

Just recently a friend of mine from across the country called me to tell me that her mom was put into a hospital due to bedsores. The home-health care agency that was in charge of trying to help her and keeping her safe, neglected to turn her or move her every two hours and as a result of that neglect, this woman was hospitalized when the bedsores got so bad they were life-threatening. Would you think that a sore could be life-threatening.? Yes, and this is especially so to seniors, fragile , ill people and to disabled people. This woman recently died. And she died not from illness, but from needing to be hospitalized due to horrible bedsores.

What permits this to go on? Sometimes it is indifference but most times what permits the abuses to go on is that people are not aware that this is happening. This article brings it to light, brings it to your attention and begs your participation in changing things for better and asks you to take small steps to save a life today.

As you are reading this, pause for just one moment and let me ask you this question: Are you one of those people who do not or will not believe that people are being treated so horribly in America? If you are, give yourself and everyone else the benefit of the doubt and read the article that is listed inside this link near the bottom of the page. Also, if you know any doctors, ask them if they would put ANY family members inside of a nursing home. You will have your answer there.

One of the biggest reasons that residents get more unhealthy and sometimes die in nursing homes is due to bedsores. And usually bedsores are a direct result from lack of care, lack of good nursing home management and supervision and under-staffing of rehabilitation and care centers. In other words, the management in these places is so lacking and so inexperienced at keeping people healthy, that they do not keep proper track of how often patients are moved and changed from side to side. Once residents are allowed to lay still for hours at a time, these patients develop sores, which most times never heal. Most times, these sores can be life-threatening. How? If a resident has diabetes or other serious physical ailments, these sores can cause the patient to be more unhealthy and unhealthy to the point where they can reach near death. And the horrible truth is that ALL of these sores are totally unnecessary and totally avoidable. All the rehab and care centers and nursing homes have to do is to turn patients and move patients every two hours and document such moves. However the bad rehab and care centers and bad nursing homes just let the patients rot immobile until they develop sores.

How do they get away with doing that? Here is what they do. They allow the patient to rot in bed, bringing breakfast and other meals to the room, not encouraging the patient to come out to the dining room. Then once they rot in bed, they begin to be able to not move or turn themselves. This happens over time to patients in these bad centers. Once they cannot move themselves, they are getting worse, more unhealthy and sometimes die due to ulcers and bedsores.

Injury happens; patients may need amputations due to bedsores if they develop into gangrene. And then the cycle goes over and over until the person dies. And the bad rehab and care centers get away with this action. And today, they are getting away with it over and over and over. How? They are getting away with it because many patients have no visitor that can see what the place is doing to the resident. And the really bad places try their best to stop the other patients from having visitors. What can you do about this?

You can help also by reading ALL the articles that talk about negligence and malpractice inside nursing homes. Print these articles here and have them circulated inside of libraries and other stores that give you permission to put these articles out there. If you are store owner, kindly post this article on your bulletin board and pass it around the colleges and other schools. Thank you for saving lives. If you work in a nursing home, I urge you to copy this and bring it inside the nursing home and circulate it amongst family members and visitors. Please spread the word. You can do this anonymously. Leave it in bathrooms in a safe place. Place one in peoples' rooms , of course with their permission. But spread this word about what is happening inside of these bad rehab and care centers and nursing homes. Pass the world, just like they passed the word about concentration camps, spread it person to person, business to business. Thank you, read more here.

Please check the email box at the top and circulate this to all your friends.

The average person would wince if they knew the truth. The truth is that each and every day, there are nursing homes and physical rehabilitation and care centers that make people sick. Instead of helping the patients get better, they allow them to vegetate. When elder care abuse occurs in the nursing home or physical rehabilitation and care centers across the nation, that abuse is more apt to be "covered up" because there are entire teams of people to do the covering up. In other words, something happens inside of a rehabilitation and care center or nursing home; it happens at "one level" -- for example, inside a patient's room or in the bathroom or other solitary places, and only that staff person sees what that staff person is doing or has done.

Once this abuse is "discovered" within the physical rehabilitation center or nursing home -it is the nursing home's "job" to see that this abuse is not 'let out " to the public. After all, the staff, in reality is there to protect the nursing home's image and to protect the nursing home's finances and future FIRST -before they are there to protect the patients. Anyone who has been behind the scenes and inside of nursing homes can see that in most places or in lots of nursing homes --the staff does just that - protects staff and the corporation from social and financial losses.

One of the worst abuses that some rehabilitation and care centers commit are those abuses where they permit patients (who are able) to recline in bed all day just because it is easier for the staff to do that. Patients who come into the center in fair condition begin to lose muscle because they are permitted to recline in bed for many long hours during the day and night. These abuses are intolerable yet they still exist today in some centers and nursing homes.

Wheelchairs as Restraints: Another of the worst abuses in bad nursing homes is when they use wheelchairs as restraints. Wheelchairs are supposed to make residents lives easier and happier. They are not supposed to be used as restraints, but in the bad nursing homes and in the bad rehabilitation and care centers, the wheelchairs are restraints. Most of the residents on their long term care floor are basically prisoners and they wait for hours to go to the bathroom even though they are fully aware they have to go and they tell residents they have to go.

Most times, in these offending rehab centers, the residents are forced to wear diapers even if they do not want to wear a diaper. Would you want to wear a diaper if you did not need to wear one? No. But in the offending rehab centers, the residents are forced to wear them. Their other choice is to sit in their wet, cold clothing for hours and hours (because no staff brings them to the bathroom). The staff keeps the residents in wheelchairs and diapers as a matter of control, and as a matter of less work for them. (If a resident has no clean clothes, the resident (bound to his wheelchair cannot come out of the room and stays isolated in there). Once they are bound to their room, the staff has less work. That is one less resident that they have to care for. So watch out for places that use the wheelchair as restraints, because most likely they will use diapers for their convenience, even though some patients do not need nor do they want to be in diapers.

Discern: What is the difference between a place that is using wheelchairs as restraints and one that uses wheelchairs only when necessary? Look around. Go into many of the homes to visit. If you see tons of people in wheelchairs, just sitting around for hours (not for minutes), then you know that place is using wheelchairs as restraints. They make the people in wheelchairs wait and wait and wait and wait for ordinary living things like having meals or going to the bathroom. The good place that uses wheelchairs only when necessary has residents in wheelchairs too, except the residents do not have to wait for hours and hours to go to the bathroom. The waiting time is cut down, yet in the offending places, the waiting time is prolonged until no human being could wait that long.

Good verses Bad: That is the difference. And you will know as soon as you walk in whether the home really cares for residents or whether the home is just out to make money no matter what the residents feel like or look like. In the offending homes it is all about money. In the good homes, it is all about making residents and families comfortable. No one is making a blanket statement against all nursing home. However, the people who work inside of these nursing homes and care centers are well aware of what is happening. . This article is about the ones that are lacking in care, lacking in respect and about the ones that are daily breaking the law and on a daily basis violating the residents, patients and visitors' rights. There have been cases where staff inside of physical rehabilitation centers and nursing homes have purposely covered-up wrong-doings to protect their own jobs and to continue to collect money from insurance for the benefit of the corporations that owned the rehab centers and nursing homes.

Now, here's the news breakers that you might want to notice:

Inside some Nursing Homes and Physical Rehabilitation and Care Centers:

• There are some residents and patients who have to wait an HOUR or more or sometimes two hours in order to go to the bathroom. Sometimes when residents complain about the treatment or complain about the lack of care, the residents are punished for speaking out. This is why you will not hear the complaints of the residents who are presently inside these nursing homes and physical rehabilitation and care centers.
  
  


• There are some residents who are emotionally forced into wearing diapers because the staff lets them wait so long to go to the bathroom and the residents know this and thus they have to wear diapers against their will OR they have to sit in wet clothing for hours because no one can or will take them to the bathroom when they NEED to go to the bathroom
  
  


• There are sometimes walls of people in wheelchairs in the corridors. Some residents are put in 'recliner-type' wheelchairs which they cannot move. Some sit for hours and hours in a corridor with no one around. They are left in these chairs unattended, unable to move, unable to get out of the chair; they sit and just hope that someone passes by. Then, when and if they are permitted to have visitors, the place changes "atmosphere" and the staff makes it appear as if these residents are actually getting attention and care.
  
  


• There are some residents who are very afraid to speak up or to complain about these places because they have to be there all alone with the staff and SOMETIMES there are some staff who will retaliate against residents who complain about anything that happens behind the closed doors of these facilities. Speaking out is a punishable offense (though it is not legal, it still happens). Patients and residents are being punished for speaking out. Visitors and family members are being punished for speaking out. And this is the very reason why society needs to continue to speak out - for the protection of residents all over the United States of America and all over the world.
  
  


• There is a majority of staff --against a small amount of family members, so when it comes to complaining to staff, when family complains "verbally" , those complaints are and will be ignored; and when family complains in writing, those families are retaliated against and the facilities illegally stop visitors on false trumped up charges.

These are just a few of the horrible things that happen inside of some physical rehabilitation and care centers and some nursing homes , today and every day, or every other day. Yet, none of this is put in the newspapers. None of this is made public because families and residents and patients are afraid of further retaliation. So, where does the buck stop? Who can help these residents and families. What can you do about these horrible injustices? How can we help those people inside of nursing homes and inside of physical rehabilitation centers?So, how do you help change lives? How do you change the system that is damaging many seniors and disabled individuals? How can you look inside of a nursing home and or rehabilitation and care center and bring care to those that might not be receiving care? You can help and you can help today. YOU, yes YOU -- can make a big difference in this world today.Read and learn how you can help in this world today, help residents, help patients and help save a life today!

Beginning steps:

• Get together with your local community organizations and or churches or synagogues
  
  


• BRING this to their attention, and ask that a committee be formed. Have that committee arrange to go inside of nursing homes and into physical rehabilitation and care centers. Have them write and or call and ask for permission to bring visitors and programs inside of the facilities.
  
  


• Organize holiday concerts or programs that you can bring in during regular days, weekdays and weekends into any of these residences.
  
  


• Approach your local nursing homes and rehab centers and tell them that you want to help the residents become connected on the internet so they can contact their families which are usually in other states or countries.
  
  


• BRING as many visitors as you can bring in to visit these patients and residents, (Ask permission from relatives and then sign in at the security desk of the nursing home. Tell them what you are there for and they should lead you to where you are due).
  
  

Why You Would Want to Help:

Here is what we observed while visiting a physical rehabilitation and care center in the United States:

• Have you ever noticed that when the supervisors knew that visitors would be coming into the place, there seemed to be a 'mysterious' burst of extra employees and extra care and extra attention to residents while the visitors where inside the building. On ordinary days, when there usually was a lack of care or negligence due to lack of staff or missing staff or staff that just wasn't there or staff that was overworked -- that was the situation, but somehow , when the visitors were inside the building, there was an abundance (compared to regular days) of staff and everyone "seemed" to be attentive to residents and nicer to residents because they were putting on the "show' for the public.
  
  


• Have you ever noticed that once the visitors left the building (most visitors left even though there were many hours of visiting hours left , so one or two visitors remained), that the staff mysteriously got 'busy' somewhere else, and that is the time when residents were forced to wait one or two hours to be brought to the bathroom. If a resident needed a bathroom while a visitor is present, somehow that resident was able to get to the bathroom (while witnesses were there), but once all the visitors left -- the residents went back to having lack of care and to some possible negligence and or malpractice.
  
  


• One family member even overheard that one resident simply walked out of the rehabilitation center and the staff was not even aware that she was missing until she had gone miles from the place. No one noticed that this lady was missing! Imagine that? They were so busy doing other things, that they didn't have time to keep an eye out for a patient who obviously needed to be watched and cared for.
  
  


• Family members have told me that sometimes the staff made certain residents 'cry', that these residents were not crying when the visitors were there (there are witnesses when visitors come into these places). And no staff wants a resident crying or complaining while the visitors are present.
  
  


• Some have noticed that in some places, supervisors and administrators lie right to the faces of family. We noticed that most of the staff diligently covers up what happens as soon as they want to cover it up. We noticed many things that we cannot type here. But trust that it is all true.

If you visit and stay long enough inside some facilities, you will see that some facilities are guilty of lack of care -- at the minimum and guilty of more than that probably to this very day. Inside some nursing homes and inside some physical rehabilitation centers some residents are totally helpless and can not find anyone to complain to. effectively to (Even though the law provides avenues of complaints and even though the law provides departments and organizations that residents "CAN" complain to) Some of the residents are totally helpless and cannot safely and healthily make legitimate complaints about lack of care , so they remain there in their sad situation. The residents know that they have to stay there and that it is not easy or almost impossible to get out of there, so they are stuck with their complaints and stuck with their situations until visitors come to see them.

Help Save Lives and Help Change Lives Forever, try these:

• Ask your co-workers to form a team that will visit individual residents in places like these. Contact the caregivers and family members of the residents and tell them that you would like to begin visits to that nursing home and ask their permission to visit their family members who reside in those places.
  
  


• Ask your boss to begin a program where you work that will enable your workers to visit people inside of nursing homes.
  
  


• If you know Geraldo Rivera or if you know any other journalists or media people personally, ask them to help uncover the injustices that are happening on a daily basis throughout nursing homes in Staten Island, NY, and all along the east and west coast. Ask anyone you know that has finances or community backing to help you begin to organize groups of people that will legally go into nursing homes to visit people. Contact us if you need names of nursing homes that can use your help in saving lives.
  
  


• Advertise and seek out voluntary lawyers and legal professionals to help families deal with the red tape that some of the offending nursing homes and physical rehab centers dish out to families and residents who make legitimate complaints.
  
  


• IF you know anyone who does radio shows or tv shows, ask them for free time to talk about the abuse that happens inside of nursing homes, and ask them to put a call out to lawyers and to other professionals who will help to work for social change inside of nursing homes.
  
  


• ASK everyone you know to go and visit inside of nursing homes whenever and where ever possible. (always check with the families first and always obtain permission.
  
  


• Go through your community and ask all families who have people inside of these facilities if you have permission to write to these seniors. Donate stamps and envelopes to seniors and write back and forth to them. Keep them connected. This is extremely important. Ask the families if you can telephone these seniors or disabled individuals and then do that once you gain permission.
  
  


• If you are phoning someone at a nursing home and they never answer the pay phone, document that fully. Document how many times the phones ring and document how many hours or days or weeks it takes you to actually reach the resident.
  
  


• All of the above information will be quite helpful at Congressional and public hearings when they come up. You can save lives and you can change conditions. Please help in all these community projects.
  
  


• Write to us to share your ideas about what you or your organization are doing to help things get better. Share your information . You can help.
  
  

BY doing any and all of these things you will help change the conditions inside of nursing homes. Here's another way you can help. Be in contact with residents inside of these places. Reach out to isolated patients via email and via telephone calls. Contact is what changes things inside of nursing homes and inside of physical rehab and care centers. Contact someone today to begin your own project.

Here are people to contact:

1. Contact your Senator or your Congressman to ask for public hearings regarding the conditions inside of nursing homes and rehab centers. (When discussing the problems inside of nursing homes be sure to emphasize that you are speaking about physical rehabilitation and care centers also. These problems are not only restricted to nursing homes). When speaking of the issues, remember to use that wording "rehabilitation and care centers" or rehabilitation centers. This will make your investigations and reports more complete than if you just speak about nursing homes.
   
   


2. Contact any of your local community organizations and ask for help in changing conditions "behind the walls" of nursing homes. Go to your local community leaders and ask them where you can go to for help. Reach out to everyone you know in your neighborhood and ask for referrals. You will find the right person to help if you just keep asking as many people as you can ask.
   
   


3. Contact other families in your communities. Contact them through PTA meetings and contact them through business improvement meetings and contact them through various meetings that happen in your community. Once you contact them ask EVERYONE to participate in some way to help isolated nursing home residents. Ask some to write letters to Congress or to the Mayor. Ask others to contact patients' families and ask permission to visit. Ask the professionals, doctors, nurses and lawyers to come forth and say the truth about what happens behind the closed doors of those places. You can do it. You can help!
   
   


4. If you know a lawyer, or a professional worker, enlist them to help in this campaign against nursing home and physical rehabilitation centers abuses and malpractices.
   
   

Some simple ways you can help: First, Believe!

In order to help, you must believe. You will hear some incredible stories and they are true stories. You need to be able to listen to them and then to assure the patients or residents that you do believe what they are saying. This is some of the most valuable help that you can give someone -- first, believe. You can help by believing the resident. Once inside these places, when residents complain to their families about the mistreatment or lack of care, the first thing that some families respond with is 'disbelief" . After all, who would want to believe that PAID staff is not caring for their relatives. Who would want to believe that they put their relatives in a place that is possibly mistreating the relatives.

The best way you can help is believing the words of the residents when they complain that the nursing home staff is giving them lack of care or giving them abuse., believe them. Do not think that they are making up stories. Believe them. They are in no position to make up stories. They do not want to complain. They are afraid to complain about staff . So believe them. They feel safer complaining when you are there visiting them. So that's why they mention it to you. And then once you leave , they are left to stay there. So believe them. Take them at their word. That's how you can help. There are things happening inside of those centers that should not happen, yet they are there to witness it , and when you do not believe their words, when you doubt them, you take their hearts and dispose of them. So believe them. If someone is complaining to you about conditions inside of a facility, go and ask your Pastor, Priest or Rabbi how the community and how the church can help the residents. Please reach out to these people who need help. You can save a life today!

Handling the red tape of refusals:

• Diligently document times, dates, days, places and the people that you speak with. Put all your requests in writing to help document. For example, write a very friendly letter stating that you want to come in and entertain or be with residents as part of your community project or school project. Tell them when you would like to visit (and try to arrange these projects during times when there are no visiting hours). When the facility refuses to let you entertain the residents or visit with residents, later ask to do the same - visiting- during regular visiting hours.
  
  


• Document each and every request for each and every visit to each facility. Note the name and time and date of your request - and the name of the person that you speak with. Focus on one facility at a time. You can begin with those in the largest cities and work to those out in the country. We need help sending visitors into East Coast cities - those nursing homes that seem the hardest-hit. If there is any facility who refuses to cooperate , or any that seem to be hiding something, it would appear that those would be the ones needing the most help and the most visitors. (Connect with your lawyers and investigators in your own cities to see what kinds of help you can receive).Obtain permissions from any of the families and from any of the residents and patients that you wish to visit. And do this all year round. Visitors are needed every single day of the year, and especially on weekends.
  
  


• If you are in a position of political power, think about your own relatives who someday might wind up in a nursing home or rehab center. If you think you can avoid this malpractice by sending them to a good fancy home, you are mistaken. What affects one person affects all people. Please help spread the world.

For some interesting readings and reviews about nursing homes and about hospitals, check this site Please send visitors into your local rehab care centers and nursing homes today. They need as many visitors as possible. If you are a family member of a resident, ask all of your friends, relatives, co-workers and others to visit the patient. The more visitors, the better; have visitors taking turns, shifts and that will best protect the resident. I know it is hard to do this, but wherever possible, do it, and you will help better the quality of care inside of that particular rehabilitation and care center by sending more visitors inside the walls of that place.Please contact us and keep in touch so we can all benefit from your ideas and suggestions on these matters. Be sure to read part two of this article which is being posted as you read this. I need to hear from you. You can help improve conditions inside of nursing homes even if your nursing home stay was more than a year ago or five years ago. Your comments are so important to everyone. Kindly let me hear from you. Thank you.

Last note: You can see some more news about nursing homes at this video website. I am not affiliated with this website but find that the information is vital to the safety of people all over the world. If you have a family member inside a nursing home or if you are inside one yourself, you need to watch this video link

Updated May 18, 2008

The Accumulation Phase Is the Missing Link

With respect to income and retirement planning, there are 3 phases of life. The introduction phase, the accumulation phase, and the preservation phase. The second phase, the accumulation phase, is the phase of life where you accumulate funds to retire (working years of life), pay off as much debt as possible, and try to achieve the best quality of life you can. This is the phase that is destroying the American dream of retirement.

Most of us grew up with the illusion that if you get an education, you'll work for a great company and enjoy a comfortable retirement. Those days are over. Education (the introduction phase) still is a vital step in preparing for your career path; however, working your entire life in exchange for a pension plan is an envied dream to most Americans today, and nothing more. Unless you are a government employee, the odds of having a guaranteed income stream throughout retirement is out the window. This is why the planning process must be revamped when discussing the accumulation phase. You simply are not able to work for 30 years, get a gold watch, and have a check coming in month in month out. Today, the accumulation phase of life requires a calculated approach depending on your financial goals.

The odds of an individual under the age of 45 receiving social security starting (earliest) at the age of 62 is highly unlikely. With the amount of baby boomers set to retire in the next 15 years, the social security well will run dry. When you take into consideration that most retirement strategies today are deferred compensation plans which are market linked, the scenario can become quite concerning. Most deferred compensation plans have either broke even over the last decade, or have lost value. So in order for one to get back on track, they are likely to have to double the historic return in a global recession; a highly unlikely probability. So what is the solution to this dilemma? Financial guarantees.

There are products today specifically designed to provide an income stream for life with all of the flexibility above and beyond the traditional pension plan. Many IRAs, 401ks, and other pre tax dollar investments have been converted into specialized products that can guarantee an income stream for life. Informed Americans are converting their deferred compensation plan into these vehicles simply because their need for an income stream during retirement greatly outweighs the burden of hedging against risk in a global recession. The truth is most IRAs in retirement are used as an additional income stream or are passed on to loved ones as a legacy.

Let's take a closer look at how lifetime guarantees are helping protect against the absence of both the traditional pension plan and social security. Assume John is 50 years old and has been in the workforce (accumulation phase) for 25 years. Since the age of 25, he has been maxing out his 401k contribution each and every year. Three years ago John was laid off and started a new job with a lower salary soon after. Since his current employer is not matching his 401k he sees no incentive to roll it over to that product, not to mention he cannot afford to with the reduction of income. John has not done well on his return over the last 10 years, and was lucky to break even. Today the balance on his old 401k is $150,000. John does not have a pension and wants to retire at the age of 65. His sole objective is to provide an income stream for his retirement years, as he knows he is behind in his planning and does not have a pension plan. Furthermore, he realizes that counting on social security to be available 12 years from now (at the soonest) is pretty much hit or miss. For these reasons, John explores a lifetime income approach. If John were to roll over his 401k into a traditional IRA and utilize financial guarantees, he would be eligible for an income stream of over $1,650 per month starting at the age of 65 without adding one more penny to his account. This income stream would be guaranteed for life, regardless of any future market conditions. As an added benefit, if John were to ever become sick or have to go into assisted living, he would have instant access to all of his cash value without penalty.

There are many Americans that have very similar circumstances to John. The number one fear in retirement today is the fear of running out of money. Just 10 years ago the number one fear in retirement was the fear of death, as it was for several decades before. As financial times change, so do retirement trends. The financial crisis has caused many people to exit market strategies in exchange for an income stream guaranteed for life; especially without having a pension or being able to receive social security.

Americans for the most part do not have a contingency plan in place. Unfortunately, there has not been enough of an emphasis on the importance of income planning. In a global recession, priorities are placed in short term solutions aimed at the current state of the economy, failing to address long term goals. The financial goals are concentrated to the economy as a whole, and rarely dedicated to financial guarantees in retirement. With the Federal stimulus and the struggling economy, the individual has an inherent responsibility to plan for their future income outside the recommendations of a financial planner. Knowledge is the key. The more avenues you explore with respect to retirement planning the more likely you are to achieve your financial goals.

Patience Of The Registered Nurse

Choosing a line of profession as a registered nurse has its rewards as well as consequence. Looking on the bright side, the ability to help the ailing and injured on a healing journey towards full recovery is certainly reward enough. Despite hardship, lack of rest and constant stress in having to juggle the needs of patients versus physicians, the joy of relieved parents whose child has just pulled through a dire condition is worth the effort in any nursing experience.

As doctors treat the patients in a methodical manner, they tend to be less than humane in their action. This is not to put down any individuals in the business of saving lives as all acknowledge that the average man needs medical attention some time in his life. To impart the soft touch, registered nurses often take on the role as they face the patient and kin on a more regular basis. In the course of observing the patient's progress, these professionals do their part in educating their charges on what is needed to expedite healing as well as promote a better chance of full recovery.

These individuals also serve as a stabilizing force as junior as well as senior physicians may experience momentary lapses in the face of a difficult situation. Drawing on their vast pool of nursing experience, a comforting word helps to put all at ease as nerves and blood pressures calm down. Nurses who work in intensive care as well as trauma units obviously work on maintaining their composure as frenzy easily leads to errors.

In the wake of constant exposure to health risks, registered nurses practice utmost levels of hygiene at all times. Contraction and spread of germs across a ward or clinic easily brings disaster on the establishment as well as the neighborhood. By taking the knowledge to schools, seminars and community meetings, this group of selfless individuals helps to make the world a healthier place.

An Overview of Certified Nursing Assistants

Nurses are classified into various categories like Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Registered Nurse (RN) or Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). They help patients under the supervision of an LPN and generally work in places like nursing homes, day care centers, nursing homes, assisted living places and personal homes. Although they perform and execute all the duties of a nursing assistant, there are some procedures that a CNA cannot perform owing to legal limitations.

Job Profile

The general job profile is to assist the patients under the supervision of a licensed or registered nurse. However, the responsibilities vary according to the place of work and area. Sometimes, they act as coordinators between numerous patients and the registered nurses. In other words, they act as a link between registered nurses and patients. They look after most of the patients' needs and keep a tab on their (patients') health. They gather all relevant information on the patient's health and report it to the registered nurse. Often, their workload makes their lifestyle hectic, fast paced and demanding. However, with a deep-set compassion towards suffering fellow human beings and the desire to help them is the driving force. Such feelings help the nurses see through their difficult days.

Training

Medical facilities, Red Cross, online schools and community colleges offer these courses. Such courses offered by institutions provide rigorous practical as well as theoretical training. They also enlighten you on the laws abiding the certified nursing assistants. If you want an on the job training, that is possible in clinics and hospitals. However, these are very rare and hard to find since normally clinics do not give trainings. Doing so is a huge responsibility on the clinic. At the end of the course, the CNAs must take an exam to become qualified nursing assistants.

Scope

Normally, nurses want to move up in their medical careers. Therefore, there is a constant demand for CNAs. In other words, it is easy to get a job as a certified nursing assistant since people who start their career from this point move to higher positions. The demand for CNAs is high especially in medical institutions and centers for assisted living of the elderly.

One of the major reasons why there is such a huge turnover for CNAs is the fact that once a CNA, it is easy to get higher education and become a registered nurse. This is possible owing to the Internet. With the advent of online classes, it is easy to continue studying while working as a can. There are many bachelor degree programs that these nursing assistants opt for to get better paying jobs in the field of medicine.

Salary

Normally, CNAs are paid on hourly basis rather than annual salary. Your pay therefore fluctuates according to the number of hours you work weekly or work on a fulltime basis steadily. Although on an average, the hourly pay is $15, however, it may fluctuate depending on the area and location of work.

On a concluding note, being a certified nursing assistant is a noble profession since you are helping the diseased and distressed. If you have a compassion towards the suffering fellow humans then this is the right field of choice for you.

About Whiplash Injury And Compensation Claims

Whiplash is one of the most common types of injury sustained when road traffic accidents occur. Whiplash is not a life threatening injury, but it can cause pain, discomfort, partial disability and may take a long time to make full recovery depending on the severity of the injury.

Whiplash injury can be described as a range of injuries to the neck. It occurs when the soft tissues in the neck and spine become stretched after the body is subjected to a sudden, forceful jerk, which mostly happens in car accidents, especially rear-end collisions. But, whiplash injuries can also occur as a result of sporting accidents and accidents at the workplace.

Symptoms Of Whiplash

Some of the most common symptoms of whiplash are headaches, stiffness in the neck, reduced neck movement, swelling around the neck area and pain in the shoulders and neck. The symptoms of whiplash usually take few days to fully develop and it may be essential to seek medical attention if you experience these symptoms following a road accident.

Other symptoms of whiplash may include tiredness, blurred vision, dizziness, inability to concentrate, memory loss and ringing in the ears.

In the most severe cases of whiplash injury, the victim may experience anxiety, depression, insomnia, stress and post-traumatic stress disorders.

Whiplash Injury Claim

If you have suffered whiplash injuries in an accident that was not your fault, you may be able to seek whiplash injury compensation. Following a successful whiplash injury claim, you may be eligible to recover compensation for the following:

- Injury, pain and trauma
- Lost income
- Medical expenses
- Prescription costs
- Cost of travelling
- Other financial losses

The best way to deal with a whiplash injury claim is with the help of experienced personal injury lawyers. The injury lawyer you choose to handle your claim can become your legal advisor and help you obtain what you rightfully deserve. Once you appoint an injury lawyer to act on your behalf, he will take care of the entire claims process.

It is quite logical that you shouldn't pay for something that was not your fault. Why should you pay for medical expenses, treatment costs, vehicle repair costs and deal with pain and injuries when it was not your fault? This is the reason it is important to seek legal advice and consider pursuing an injury claim so that you are compensated for all your losses. With the help of expert No Win No Fee injury claim lawyers, you don't even have to worry about funding your claim in any respect.

How Much Do Retirement Communities Cost?

Whether you're getting ready to retire yourself or you're researching for your parents, the cost of retirement communities is probably one of the first things you've thought of. There are a number of things to consider and there's no one right answer to the question 'how much do retirement communities cost?' Here are some of the different housing types and a rough estimate of what it might cost to live in one.

A Senior Active Living Community

A senior active living community is usually the least expensive type of community. Here, seniors can live together in apartments, attached houses or single family detached homes. These neighborhoods usually have a number of on-site amenities, such as fitness centers, golf courses, restaurants, tennis courts, arts and crafts centers, nature preserves and even spas. The price can vary according to the type of amenities, the location and whether residents are expected to rent or purchase a home, condo or apartment. However, it's possible to buy a home for under $70,000 in some areas, which can mean a monthly mortgage payment is truly affordable even for retirees on a budget. Some also have an entrance fee and these average around $1000. This fee can vary based on the location and is typically non-refundable.

A Continuing Care Retirement Community

A continuing care retirement community, also known as a CCRC, offers many of the same amenities, but it also provides three different levels of care: independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing. Residents can choose to live independently, but have the added comfort of knowing that a nursing staff is there to help if necessary. A CCRC may have an expensive one-time entrance fee that can range from $100,000 up to $1 million. Additionally a CCRC may have a monthly fee from $3000-$5000. The fee can vary based on the type of care that is provided -- for instance, someone who lives in the independent living section may have a lower cost than someone who lives in the skilled nursing section.

Senior Apartments

Senior apartments are different than an active living community. These apartments are usually smaller than the condos or houses in an active living neighborhood and they typically don't offer quite as many amenities. While most of the apartments have full kitchens in each unit, it's possible to find a building that offers a dining room, library, laundry services and more right in the building. Many of these are also fitted to accommodate wheelchairs, walkers, scooters and other things that will help residents stay mobile. Some of these apartments may be subsidized according to a resident's income, which can help residents on a budget.

Other Things That Can Affect The Cost Of Retirement Communities

Because the cost of retirement communities can vary wildly according to location, amenities and other variations, these numbers are only a rough estimate. To answer the question, 'how much do retirement communities cost?' it's important to compare like communities so you're getting an apples to apples comparison.

Atlanta Assisted Living - 3 Questions to Ask

Chances are we all will reach a certain stage in life when it is no longer possible for us to live independently, all by ourselves doing laundry, cooking food, dressing, eating, housekeeping, and taking medicines, etc. Some people have already reached that age where they need assistance in doing small little things called the Activities of Daily Living (ADL). At that time, moving to an Atlanta Assisted Living Community might be a good choice.

Atlanta Assisted Living Communities come as a blessing to people who need a little bit of support in performing their daily chores, but are capable enough to live through the day mostly on their own. You need to be very careful when choosing an Assisted Living Community for either yourself or for a loved one. It is good to sift your choices through the following filters.

Question 1: How good is the place?

This should be at the top of your priority list when looking for an Atlanta Assisted Living Community for your family member, because he or she is going to stay there for years to come, if not for his or her entire life. You need to double check the facilities before you send your loved one to one of these facilities.

The obvious things to look for are the kinds and sizes of rooms offered, the heating, sanitation, air circulation, amount of sun-light, and cleanliness, etc. In addition, there are many not-so-obvious factors like the social life in the assisted living home, the kinds of people living there and their levels of ADLs, the level of support offered, and the variety of daily planned activities. All of these things need to be examined before you send your family member there.

Question 2: Who will be there to help when your loved one needs someone?

Although people living in Atlanta Assisted Living Communities do not need the amount of care required by people living in nursing homes, nevertheless, they need some degree of assistance in their daily lives. Examine not only the quality, frequency, and the immediacy of medical and daily care offered by the home, but also examine the quality and behavior of people offering them. Are the people attending your loved one caring enough? Are they friendly? Do they smile often and talk kindly to residents?

You also should talk to the person who will be responsible for meeting any general or specific need (both medical and non-medical) of your family member. The goal is to make sure your loved one gets the care and support he or she requires every time, without any delay or loss in quality, whatsoever.

Question 3: How much will it cost?

Money should not be your consideration when looking for an Atlanta Assisted Living Community for your loved one. However, you still need to know how much money you should put aside every month so that your family member gets all the care he or she requires. Therefore, do not feel guilty when asking this question.

I have been taking all along about Atlanta Assisted Living Communities all through this article, but have you thought why I am emphasizing so much on Atlanta?

Why ATLANTA?

I have been emphasizing so much on Atlanta because of the facility the city provides as well as the cultural makeup of the city, which makes it almost a perfect place for the elderly. Atlanta is home to many good things. It is the home of Coke, the soft drink with which people born in 50's or earlier have a strong emotional connections.

The city is also high on art, culture, music, and theater. The city has famous art galleries like the Center for Puppetry Arts, the Georgia Museum of Contemporary Art, and High Museum of Art that make a field trip from an Atlanta Assisted Living Community an art-treat for your loved one.

Atlanta is also known for classical as well as live music scenes. If the Fox Theater, one of the highest grossing music venues in the world, rules the live music performance, then the Atlanta Ballet, the Atlanta Opera, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Boys Choir, the Atlanta Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra, the New Trinity Baroque, and Georgia Boys Choir are known for their mesmerizing classical music performances.

The downtown area of Atlanta has cultural and historical attractions like the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic site, the Civil War Museum, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Center, Fernbank Science Center, Historic Atlantic Station, the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, the world's largest aquarium, and more.

Entertainment options and amenities located in Atlanta make living in an Atlanta Assisted Living Community one of the best choices for a senior family member of your family to spend his or her life comfortably in peace.

What Is an Adult Family Care Home?

An adult family care home is in the assisted living category of retirement living. The services are the same and they have to abide by the same laws as an assisted living facility. The only difference is that an adult family care home can only have up to 5 residents.

True to the name, these types of homes provide family-style living in a private home. The 5 full time residents are elderly or disabled adults who are not related to the owner of the home. The residents can either share a room with another resident or they can have a room all to themselves.

The owner who lives in the home provides-by way of a contracted nurse or outsourced caregiver- the same services that are provided in a larger assisted living facility and include but are not limited to:

• Social and recreational activities
• Daily health monitoring
• Residential supervision
• Medication disbursement and/or assistance by a nurse or contracted caregiver
• Respite care (short term care of a senior meant to provide relief to a caregiver)
• Transportation arrangement and escorting to doctors' appointments
• Assistance with daily activities like walking, bathing, housekeeping, eating, and moving from one room to another, etc.
• Healthcare planning and organization

Just like and assisted living facility, an adult family care home may contract an independent skilled nurse or employ a skilled nurse to take vital signs such as blood pressure, temperature, respiration and pulse. Keep in mind however, you are allowed to bring in your own home healthcare provider to administer these services.

These homes are licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration and require that residents must be able to perform with assistance, daily activities like bathing, dressing, and eating. The residents are not allowed to live in an AFCH if they are bedridden or if they need 24-hour supervision. They also can not have stage 3 or 4 pressure sores. These are minimum requirements and residents must meet other conditions as outlined in the Florida regulations.
Like a larger assisted living facility, if you end up needing more health care than allowed by law for an adult family care home, you may be asked to move on to a nursing home.

There are pros and cons associated with both assisted living facilities and adult family care homes. It would seem that one of the benefits of living in an AFCH would be that there is more of an intimate family-style atmosphere. In addition to that, these homes are typically more affordable than an assisted living facility.

Once you decide exactly which type of assisted living situation you want your loved one to settle into, it might be a good idea to talk to an elder law attorney. There is usually a bunch of paperwork to fill out before you can move in.

Elder Abuse - One Sure Way to Detect It

The stories about elder abuse keep getting worse and worse. As more of our seniors are retiring, elder care facilities are bursting at the seams. Every year up to 2,000,000 vulnerable elders are abused or neglected. Those are the cases we know about. For every one of those there are five more that are never reported.

Many politicians feel that not enough attention is being given to the problem. They point out that penalties for animal abuse are more severe than for elder abuse.

"It's hard to know because of the secrecy when nursing home residents are cared for at night with some of the staff or the secrecy that occurs behind closed doors in anyone's individual homes," says Iris Freeman of the Center on Elder Justice and Policy at the William Mitchell College of Law.

"Many cases of deprivation occur in such secrecy, in such silence, that by the time the victim is found there has been such disastrous harm that the victim is not likely to live," says Iris.

There was a government survey done not long ago that showed as many as 60% of all long-term care facilities had employees with criminal records.

The home healthcare industry is barely regulated and so the chance for abuse is even greater. With more families opting for hiring their own care workers the opportunities for abuse in a home healthcare setting is much more obvious.

Part of the problem is due to the growth in the nursing home and long-term care industry. Because of that growth there is a higher demand for employees, and quite frankly there just aren't enough qualified ones to go around which leads to shortcuts in the vetting process for employees. Employers feel it's better to have a warm body than a qualified body. Therein lies the problem.

So if you have parents that are in a long-term care facility, nursing home or home healthcare setting, one of the best things you can do is install a motion activated Covert Hidden Camera in their room to keep an eye on them to see what is going on with them. Most hidden cameras have DVRs in them so they can record motion activation and allow you to play back easily on an SD card that's in the DVR. If abuse is detected, you have strong visual evidence that will aid in prosecution.

Often in these cases, especially with Alzheimer's patients, the credibility of the patient is questioned and they are not given much credence. This can be eliminated by having strong visual evidence that only a hidden camera can produce.

Long Term Care Insurance Planning for Nursing Home

Most family members feel disappointed when their parents have to move in a nursing home. This subject is definitely one of the problems the family would try to avoid as much as possible, but no matter how they try to, this situation is inescapable.

The question is why children fear sending their parents in a nursing home. Well, many nursing homes today cost around $80,000, and these figures go upward each year. Imagine how much savings you need to keep your loved one/s in the facility. And don't forget that your loved one might extend his or her stay there for few months or years that would eventually gobble up your savings. Therefore, financial planning is extremely crucial, and buying long term care insurance means a lot when considering nursing home care in the future.

What nursing home care? Why it is expensive? Nursing home care provides various services that can be a combination of personal care and skilled medical services. The extent of level of care depends on the person's needs and/or the request of the physician. Intermediate care is provided to patients with long-term medical condition. Skilled care, on the other hand, is much more costly because it provides 24-hour of health care assistance to the patient.

How do residents pay nursing home expenses? According to survey, a non-profit organization, a third of residents pay out-of-pocket expenses for nursing home care services, while only five percent purchases long term care insurance. Unfortunately, most of those residents fall heavily on either Medicaid Medicare assistance as their last resort, especially for low income families.

Many Americans boldly ignore private long term care insurance, hoping that Medicaid and Medicare will shoulder everything. While everyone seems so attached with Medicaid, please be reminded that this program is very limited in nature. Low income individuals are given priority to receive Medicaid benefits; thus, if you fall in the middle income group, you must meet Medicaid's asset limit. However, if you abide to this, you will just lose your savings for something that is not worth risking for. People with Alzheimer's are generally not covered in Medicaid because this disease is considered as mental disorder. There are also other mental impairment and health disorders that are not covered in Medicaid.

Medicare is another federal program that is available to all American citizens age 65 and older. Like Medicaid, Medicare does not provide modest long term care services because it covers up to 90 days only in selected facilities, particularly in hospitals. Think hundreds of times before jumping in either Medicaid or Medicare to avoid regrets.

As what has been mentioned earlier, very few people purchase long term care insurance because they are misled of the advantages of Medicaid and Medicare. Long term care insurance is the best financial investment intended primarily for long term care because it provides options and flexibility to meet your needs. This allows you to choose your preferred form of care whether at home or in a facility. You have the full control to determine your daily or monthly benefits and how you are going to use them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Important Research Before Choosing A Nursing Home

By following several simple steps you can learn a great deal about the nursing home you are considering for your loved one. There are sources of public information which will help you avoid selecting a facility where residents have been neglected and abused.

Sources of Information About Nursing Homes
Both the State and Federal governments gather information about the quality of care delivered by all licensed nursing homes.

Where to look
Medicare has a website called Nursing Home Compare at medicare.gov/NHCompare and each state's department of health services has a similar website or document center. Information about violations of Federal and State regulations regarding the quality of care at each facility can be found on these databases.

What to look for
Each state's Department of Health Services is required to survey every nursing home in the state at least annually, to determine whether they comply with Federal and State quality of care regulations. You can contact these agencies and inspect their surveys to get a sense of the care your loved one can expect at the facility.

Neglect and Abuse
There are many signs of neglect and abuse you should look for in these records. For example, was the facility cited for any of the following: failing to follow physician's orders, failing to report a change of condition to the patient's physician, a large number of facility acquired pressure ulcers, etc.

Selecting the right Nursing Home
Nursing Home residents deserve quality of care and with a little research you can go a long way in minimizing the risk of neglect and abuse.

Airline Problems - You Can't Avoid Them

These days, there are more and more passengers who are encountering problems with their airlines. In fact, it is very common to encounter individuals who have in fact experienced airline prejudice. These airline complaints are very common nowadays and some of these complaints include mechanical issues, lost luggage, impolite customer service, and a whole lot more.

As a matter of fact, according to statistics, roughly 80% of air passengers world wide have had a bad flight experience. Worse is that this airline problem is getting more pronounced year after year. The airlines are failing to address the problems being raised by their customers. Yet, it should be a priority, of course. The airline problem has become a part of every passenger on every flight.

Whenever you encounter a passenger who has had problems, you'll probably be able to easily relate. If you are going to disregard these minor airline mishaps or even the severe ones, then you are only helping the airlines to do what is not right and to continually mistreat some passengers. It is definitely important for you to take action against the mistreatment of passengers by some airlines in order for you to get things right. One of the main concerns of a lot of passengers is the discrimination of some airliners. In fact, there are instances in which passengers are publicly criticized. For instance, a passenger who is overweight is forced to pay for the amount of two plane tickets in order for him to take his trip. How miserable is that! You know for a fact that it is not right. Thus, taking the proper action is the solution, then.

Airline issues, on the other hand, are normal and you cannot stop them from occurring. Yet, it will be totally wrong when you just keep on disregarding what has happened to you, which will favor the airline, itself. Thus, if you do have an airline complaint, then take the right step immediately, especially if you have the right to get compensated.

If you really want to fight for your right as an air passenger, start now. If your airline problem is that you do not know how and where to start there are a lot of helps and guides that will direct you all the way from the start to the end of your battle. Sue the Airline is an invaluable guide that will help you to easily and efficiently solve your troubles with the airline and help you to get the compensation that you deserve.

8 Great Greek Word Concepts For the Soul

1. Faith or Pistis

This word is about faith; a belief of firm persuasion. It's about a firm conviction. It's a word linked with trust, being true and genuine, and truth (Greek: aletheia). This is the basis of commitment. Commitment or loyalty is such a necessary concept for the soul in life.

2. Courage or Tharseo

This is such a great word to engender empowerment. In the midst of trouble, it means to be of good courage, and to be cheerful despite the impending dire circumstances. It's about confidence and boldness in the face of fear. Closely linked to the Greek: tharreo, (to be confident and courageous), it gives us the ability to believe in our capability and capacity to achieve.

3. Overcome of Nikao

This precedes the next and alludes to it. The Greek root nik is enshrined in 'victory.' To overcome and subdue the enemy (whoever that might be) and come off superior is not the objective unless we're fighting the good fight i.e. upholding the principles of righteousness, justice, and fairness.

4. Patience or Hupomone

Strong's #5281 is used for endurance, perseverance and patience. It is actually two words combined to make a special meaning. It is Huper, as in super, over, beyond, and above,' together with Monos, which means alone, or without accompaniment, singly existent, and only. The full word, hupomone, traditionally means to bear under, or put up with, something 'over me.'

It also therefore seems to me that this word, hupomone, stands for "overcoming oneself." (Over/beyond + me/alone) It is self-mastery. Is that not patient endurance? It is a faithfulness to not give in to the powers of the situations over ourselves. It is bearing with the total pressure over us.

5. Royal or Basileion / Basilikos

This word is about royalty. It's about being above the gossip of the world whilst being intrinsically part of the mesh and grind of it. The word it leads to is Sophia i.e. wisdom. Royals are supposed to be the pillars of wisdom in society. That is to be prudent, learned, philosophical, and enlightened.

If we therefore wish to be wiser, we should try to be more regal in our behaviour. This is not so much about being toffee-nosed; it's more to do with the poise and charisma that comes from a quiet confidence and a "noble reserve of bearing that cannot be mistaken."[1]

6. Living Sacrifice or Zosan Thusian

This, according to Paul, is the way to please God. Think of it as the daily process of dying to one self's often rampant desires and giving that energy to others and to our general existence. It is being consistently altruistic, philanthropic, and humanitarian. This one's linked heavily with faith i.e. commitment.

7. Slow down or Bradus Kato

This word Bradus can mean slow to understand, as well as slow, not hasty. I'm referring to the latter. Kato simply means 'down.' We all tend to try and keep pace with this busy world and that can have the inevitable health impacts. 

Slowing down to smell the flowers regularly is a good life choice. We see a lot more when we choose to walk than we do when we drive a car.  When we slow down we reduce the pressure we self-impose. Decisions are better and our relationships benefit.

8. Thanks or Eucharistia

Oft-quoted is the Cicero, "A thankful heart is the parent of all virtues" contribution. It's the 'grand-daddy' virtue over all others. It's gratitude and cheerfulness. When we're thankful, our lives and all of those around us get better. We don't take things for granted. Grace would be the seal on everything we'd do.

G.K. Chesterton's signature quote was, "Nothing taken for granted, everything received with gratitude, everything passed on with grace." If only we could achieve this. To get close we must set out after it.

Over all these soulful words and concepts we place love, the greatest thing of all.

[All transliteration and interpretation assisted by The New Analytical Greek Lexicon, Wesley J. Perschbacher, Editor, (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990).]

Copyright © 2008, S. J. Wickham.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

[1] Source of quote: A.W. Tozer from Lyle Dorsett, A Passion for God: The Spiritual Journey of A.W. Tozer (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2008), p. 184.

Nursing Home Insurance, Tips for Security

Reaching the age of retirement is a well deserved event that warrants the reward of being able to really experience the greater things in life. But working hard over the span of ones life surely takes a toll on personal health. Because of this, more and more senior citizens will need some sort of aid in their living situations. Data shows that as many as 50 % of our nations elderly are in need of assisted care. In addition, as the amount of individuals needing these programs heightens, so does cost.

Fortunately, there are multiple methods to minimize month to month prices that are not nearly as complex as one may believe. One approach is to utilize the web. The internet has reinvented the buying and selling of goods and services. Therefore, it goes without saying that insurance (like everything else) is more affordable online. Being dubious about this concept is perfectly reasonable, but if bought right, it can cut your insurance costs by as much as 30 %. There are numerous reasons as to why insurance rates are lower from online retailers. Selling insurance internet is highly competitive due to the fact that so many salespersons utilize the web as a selling tool. Therefore, with increasing rivalry comes decreasing costs for potential customers. Next, think about daily operational costs for local lenders, they have supplemental costs like rental fee and office essentials to deal with. An online retailer has marginal operation cost obligations and can as a result sell at a lesser rate.

Another insurance cost slicing approach is to make your monthly payments a routine. You may not think it, but insurance suppliers notice steady payment patterns because they result in a significant amount of savings for the agency. For instance, if you pay your dues on the same day every month then the insurance firm doesn't have to worry about the cost of distributing your statement. The money you save for the agency by paying your bills on time is reprimanded via lower monthly costs.

Last but not least, the sooner you obtain a policy, the less you will have to pay in the future. Even if you are years from pension, it is crucial to note that almost ten percent of Americans, even those as young as 40, need facilitated care. Purchasing insurance earlier on in life is a safeguard for when you are older, as effective money maintenance and costs become more and more hard to overcome as you age.

Elder Abuse And The Effect On Families

Elder mistreatment or senior abuse is the term used by the American Psychological Association to describe the mental, psychological, physical or financial abuse of an elderly person or senior citizen. As aging makes the elderly physically weak and vulnerable to ill treatment, it is imperative that people are educated about the signs of elder abuse.

Significance
Senior abuse can take place in the senior's own home, the caregiver's home, or a nursing facility. As per the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) in the US about 10 per cent of senior citizens are ill-treated, but hardly 20 per cent of these cases get reported. This is the reason that there is very little awareness on this topic.

Features
According to the Helpguide.org, 500,000 cases of elder abuse are reported every year. It has been found that caregivers or other family members are often perpetrators of abuse or are witnesses to the abuse of an elderly person. More often than not caregivers become abusers as they may find the task of looking after an elderly person exhausting, stressful and demanding.

Signs
Senior citizens hardly if ever speak about their abuse or ill-treatment to others. That is why it is all the more imperative that their relatives are aware of the signs of abuse. Some of these signs are strained relationship with the caregiver, weight loss, social withdrawal, inadequate hygiene, and untreated physical injuries, bruises and abrasions. Use of threats, ridicule and abusive language to keep control over an elderly person by a caregiver is another main sign of elder abuse.

Effects
The effects of ill-treatment of an elderly person on their relatives can be seen at two levels. People, who are both caregivers and abusers, are often torn between remorse, regret, anger and guilt. Abusers often feel guilt because they are unable to control their abusive tendencies despite the knowledge that they are wrong. At the second level are the other relatives, who later learn of the abuse after an injury or sometimes death of the elderly person. It is generally a feeling of grief or anger at the mishap.

Prevention
Elderly abuse can be prevented if both the elderly citizens and their family members follow a few preventive measures. The NCEA suggests that senior citizens should ensure that they begin thinking about a health plan early on to prevent incidences of abuse. Furthermore, taking part in social activities in senior centers will prevent social isolation, and reduce the possibility of abuse. At the same time, family members are advised to get involved in the lives of their elderly relatives. It is also advisable that they get educated about elder abuse, so that they are equipped to handle the issue should the need arise.