Nursing Home Abuse - Emotional Abuse

Of the thousands of suspected cases of nursing home abuse that occur each year, many incidents are in the form of emotional abuse. Victims of emotional abuse may show no physical signs of abuse and may be unwilling to report the suffering that they have endured.

In many cases, it is up to the family of the abused elderly individual to report instances of abuse, regardless of how these forms of abuse occur. Detecting emotional abuse may be a difficult task for many people, but there are certain signs that many emotionally abused individuals show.

Usually, emotional abuse victims are:

• Emotionally distant


• Stricken with unexplained health ailments


• Reluctant to speak about their experiences in the home

Since these signs may be difficult to detect, it is important to talk with the individual and learn if he or she has been subjected to:

• Humiliation


• Intimidation


• Isolation

Individuals who have suffered these acts at the hands of their caretakers deserve to be rescued from these conditions. Families can often do this simply by reporting offenses to the nursing home administration or to a legal authority.

In retirement homes, there may be a number of reasons for emotional abuse. In most cases, this form of abuse in any setting is use to assert dominance and coerce individuals into acting a certain way. It is likely that the reasons are not much different in nursing homes.

Regardless of why it occurs, abuse in any form is simply unacceptable, especially in nursing homes. Families of suspected abuse victims are advised to speak with a lawyer about how to handle the situation in the best legal manner as well as to gain information about seeking financial compensation for their loved ones' suffering.

Laid Off and Loving It - How to Recover From Job Loss

After a 30 year career in the airline industry, I was told I was no longer needed. As a baby boomer, this was a very scary situation. I immediately accepted another job, and even though it was an excellent job and the pay was considerably more than with the Airline, I found that I just did not want to leave my future in the hands of others. I started a journey of learning how others had found financial freedom and independence by working from home.

Of course not everyone will choose my path, but I truly believe what is required is the same, regardless of the choice to change careers or to become an entrepreneur. I learned some valuable information that assisted me in becoming an Entrepreneur and living a life of freedom without an employer. I would like to share some of these lessons with you today.

When we find ourselves at a crossroad, sometimes we realize we had nothing to do with the destination. Life truly does "happen" but it is how we respond that is important. Especially when something like a lay-off or a firing or even being fired can be something that brings up a host of negative emotion, It is important to respond from the inner self, not from fear, disbelief, anger, or any negative feelings.

It is very important to realize things truly do happen for a reason and when the response is not in the proper framework then the door to greater things may not appear for you. You must have an open mind and be alert to the opportunities available.

In addition to being open minded, it is hugely important to accept the responsibility for where you are. You probably did not ask to be fired or laid off, but you DID make decisions which put you where you were and opened the door for the end result.

Once you have accepted responsibility then take a very long look at what you truly want to have. If it is another job, then you must know exactly what job you want. You must be able to see yourself in that position, see yourself going to the job and being at the job.

Take time to develop and get personally involved in your goals. You must get very excited about what you want to create. And, if you cannot get emotional and excited about something, YOU WILL NEVER HAVE IT! So take the time to decide what you want and make it something very exciting.

Another very important component is the decision to have what you desire. Making a decision is nothing to take lightly. When you make a REAL decision, all other options are off the table. The only option is the goal. But you must make a decision to have what you truly want. It is not necessary to "try" to figure out how to have it, it is only important at this point to make the decision to have it.

I have only briefly covered these concepts today, but would very much recommend you continue to research these methods. Life truly can be exceptional, regardless of what your past holds. But when you apply these simple concepts along with others, you might be amazed at what happens in your life.

Funeral Homes: What Can They Do for You?

A funeral home is a business that offers a variety of burial and funeral services intended to help families dispose of their loved one's remains in the manner of their choosing. There are a considerable number of goods and services offered by a funeral home, but not all will be selected by individual families. Each family is unique, each death is unique, and therefore each funeral service is unique. The type of goods and services chosen by the family will also be unique, depending on the wishes of the family and/or of the deceased. Families can customize the funeral service according to their needs, choosing from a range of services that best honor their loved one's memory.

The death of a loved one is a difficult time for families, and many people are unsure about the process of planning a funeral. Typically, the family will work closely with a funeral director, who will ensure that their loved one's funeral services are planned in accordance with their wishes. The funeral director can help them choose the best services to honor their loved one in the most solemn, memorable and dignified way possible. Below are just some of the many services available at most funeral homes:

Retrieval and Embalming of the Body: The funeral home is responsible for retrieving the corpse from the place of death (hospital, house, nursing home, etc.) and transporting it to the funeral home. It is in the funeral home where the body will be prepared for proper disposition. The funeral director will explain all of the available options to the family, and help them in making the right choices for their loved one, including whether there will be a viewing of the body or whether the body is to be embalmed before the burial. If the body is to be cremated, the funeral home is responsible for transporting the body to the crematorium, if they do not operate one on-site, and retrieving the remains after the procedure.

Preparation and Handling of the Body: Funeral home staff are responsible for handling the body with the utmost dignity and respect at all times while your loved one is being prepared for the funeral. This includes not only washing and embalming of the body, but also preparing the body for viewing. Funeral home staff will perform such services as dressing the body, hairdressing, putting on makeup for a life-like look, and placing the body inside the casket for viewing and burial. The family needs to be assured that the deceased person will be handled with the utmost care and respect during this process.

Processing of Paperwork: Documentation upon the death of a loved one can be overwhelming to grieving family members. Death certificates, special permits, and authorizations are just some of the paperwork that needs to be completed and filed for the deceased. The funeral director will gather information from the family to prepare the necessary paperwork, and ensure that all the paperwork is filled out and duly filed with the appropriate authorities. As many members of the family may want a copy of a death certificate, the funeral home must secure the correct number of certified copies of the death certificate to be given to the requesting parties. It is also the responsibility of the funeral home to transmit obituaries to newspapers and other news media so that relatives, colleagues, and friends of the deceased will be aware of the planned funeral service.

Funeral Planning and Concierge Services: The funeral director will help the family decide upon the details of the funeral service, and ensure that all funeral details are carried out according to the family's wishes. This includes arrangements for the where the funeral will be held, where the memorial service will be held, and whether the body or cremated remains will be buried, scattered, or disposed of by some other method. The funeral home will also assist the family in ordering the flowers needed during the service, the casket or urn to house their loved one, and other arrangements for the funeral service. Most funeral homes also offer a car service to pick up relatives at the airport and a concierge service to make hotel and restaurant reservations for the incoming family members.

Funeral homes provide a range of services that can help a grieving family make the right choices when planning their loved one's funeral. It is important for funeral directors and staff to offer compassionate care and understanding to the grieving family.

Assisted Living Centers Make the Golden Years Fun!

An assisted living facility can provide the best in care and services to your loved ones as they age. These facilities make independent living not only possible, but enjoyable as well. Senior living has never been better at one of these terrific assisted living facilities!

Assisted living facilities provide round the clock care for your loved one by trained professionals, with medical care provided during regular hours and for emergencies. Caring nurse and staff can assist with activities of daily living including medications, bathing and grooming, and other things. In most circumstances, residents have their own spacious studio or 1-bedroom apartment in which to live. These often resemble college dorm rooms!

The goal of these facilities, is to make your loved one feel as much at home as possible. Many of the facilities will have on-site beauty parlors and provide assistance with transportation needs. In order to promote healthy and social lifestyles, senior centers feature a large common area for socializing, reading, watching televisions, and other activities. A dining hall will also serve three nutritious meals each day.

The average assisted living facility resident is 86 years of age. Both male and female residents opt for these type of living arrangements when living alone is no longer feasible yet they are still independent. Female patients living in these communities are slightly higher than males.

Choosing an assisted living facility is a great way to ensure the senior years will be truly golden. Your loved one will always have special friends and staff by their side with planned activities and plenty of social interactions and outings. Carefully look at several facilities to select the facility you are most comfortable with to make the transition easier for everyone. There are both small and large facilities and several centers located in most U.S.cities.

Great Benefit for Annuity Owners - Nursing Home Waiver

Almost all newer annuity contracts have a provision in them to allow access to all or most of your funds in the event of a need for a nursing home. The greatest fear of most senior adults is being confined to a nursing home and not being able to live in dignity. Annuity products have a rider that allows for access to your funds to finance this need and almost no one knows they have it in their contract.

For a long time insurance companies have been looked on as insensitive and having all that small print in the contract. But this addition to annuity contracts provides an enormous benefit. And guess what...? There is no extra charge. The benefit is built into the pricing and crediting rate of your annuity!

The language that determines if this benefit is available to you is very straight forward. In the event you are placed in a nursing home for a period of six months and meet the other simple standards which a doctor will attest, the rider comes into effect.

One other benefit that annuities provide is the forfeiture of surrender fees at death. In the event the annuitant passed away prior to the end of a surrender period the full account value of the annuity is paid to the beneficiary. There are a few companies who do not provide this benefit so it is important to ask and to fully understand how the death benefit is calculated. Occasionally contracts are issued with a front end premium bonus and to protect itself the insurance company will require the policy to be kept for the entire surrender period.

These contacts are rare and can be avoided by asking questions prior to purchase. Always be informed prior to purchasing an annuity.

Finding Ways to Finance Senior Nursing Care

It's no secret that the huge baby boom generation is rapidly approaching its retirement years with thousands hitting age 65 each day. In addition, the recession and high unemployment rates of the last few years have rendered many of them less financially secure than they had originally planned to be. Now they are facing retirement with reduced savings and the possibility of cuts in social security and medicare looming in their faces, and they're nervous about what they're going to do should a time come when they need outside help in caring for their own needs. This is a legitimate concern, because nursing home care can be a costly proposition. How are they going to pay for the assistance they need when that time arrives?

People who are counting on Medicare to foot all of their bills for nursing care are in for a rude awakening. If a person is hospitalized for serious health issues, Medicare will only pay $114 per day for the first 20 days of inpatient care. If the person carries a Medicare supplement, Medicare will pay for an additional 80 days as co-payor with the supplemental insurance, for time which may include a transfer from hospital to nursing home care. Coverage of any kind does not kick in unless the patient spends at least 3 days in the hospital or requires some type of skilled care. Therefore, counting on Medicare and Medicare supplements for nursing care is not the best choice.

Medicaid is another option that people can try to qualify for in order to fund extended care. In fact, in the recent past, Medicaid covered 46.3% of the revenue received by nursing facilities in the United States. At the same time, it seldom funds those needing home care, a situation that state legislatures are working to remedy. Home care is definitely less costly than nursing home care. People who would like to be evaluated for home care must spend 90 days being observed in a nursing facility. In addition, they can only have total assets of $2000 in order to qualify. Sadly, seniors have beggared themselves in the effort to qualify for Medicaid assistance.

Private insurance is often the best option for funding nursing care provided the individual involved can afford the premiums which are often quite steep. The federal government has attempted to promote programs that will enable people to carry the expense of their own long term care rather than place the burden on the already-strapped Medicare and Medicaid systems. As a result, states now offer their citizens long-term care plans which are medically underwritten and then either accepted or refused by an insurance company. Costs are based on the individual's age and medical condition.

Long term nursing care for our senior citizens is a problem that we will all need to share now that our government has frittered away the funding for such programs which these citizens have been paying into throughout their lifetimes. It is definitely a problem without a ready solution.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Automotive Service Educational Program

- Engines & Body Control System

- Steering & Suspension

- Driveline Auto Transaxles

- Diesel Engines and Electronics Controls

- Air Bag Systems

General Mechanist

- Benchwork Techniques

- Surface Grinding Technology

- Milling Technology

- Metallurgy

- Engineering Drawings

Truck and Coach Technician

- Engine Systems

- Electrical Systems

- Fuel Systems

- Drive Train Systems

- Brake Systems

Industrial Technician

- Machine Techy

- Workshop Techy

- Rigging & Hoisting

- Drawings & Schematics

- Welding & Fabric

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

Average Personal Injury Settlements

Average personal injury settlements are the amounts of the personal injury claim which are offered to the plaintiff from the insurance or the defendant for the loss and the damages occurred. At an average the settlements of personal injury claims are determined entirely by various factors related with the personal injury.

Personal injury settlements are the claims regarding libel, slander, malicious prosecution, false arrest, bodily injury, sickness, disease, or death caused by any person. The loss in the social and family activities also can be claimed for the settlements. Most cases allow an immediate settlement, which depends on the type of the injury. Medical malpractice, defective products, automobile or bus accidents, animal bites, and nursing home abuse are a few of the major claims which can be done.

Average personal injury settlements are offered to the plaintiff on certain factors. For example, if the loss amount is much more than $10,000 then there is an opportunity to defer some of your payments for more than three years of time. Sometimes the injured party feels more secured with steady payments from a structured settlement; the injured party may not feel comfortable with managing large sums of money all at once. That would call for a structured personal injury settlement.

Average amounts from personal injury settlements would depend on various factors like the severity of the injury, duration for the treatment, damage done in the permanent tissue, resulted damage, amount of work missed, how much pay was lost, how it affected the person's ability and lifestyle, and how much the ability to work is lost. Most of the cases result in settlement amounts for pain and suffering, ranging around $900 to $115,000. In general, with the help of the attorney you can recover the amount for the damages incurred in your personal injury. All the major settlement amounts would be offered to you, entirely depending on the factors that are specified.

Certified Nursing Assistant Job Requirements - Understand Your Career

Deciding to become a certified nursing assistant may be the best career move you will ever have if you simply cannot decide whether working as a registered nurse or another member of the medical team. Aside from only months to 2 years to complete, becoming a nursing assistant gives you an eye view of what it's like to work in a hospital setting and taking care of patients personally.

Should you find working as a certified nursing assistant be the right career move for you, then you are off to a lucrative and personally rewarding job experience. Learning all about becoming a nursing assistant is looking at the different job requirements of a CNA. A nursing assistant is a member of the medical team and a primary care giver for patients and clients. Here are the most common job requirements:

1. You will work side by side medical experts, nurses and doctors as all of you take care of the patients well being. You will follow orders given to you and render them in a courteous and professional manner keeping in mind total quality care for patients and clients. Simple orders like giving patients sponge baths to lower fever, giving an enema to prepare for procedures, assisting in bedside treatments for patients, etc are just regular demands of being a nursing assistant.

2. Aside from following orders from nurses and doctors, you have tasks that are regularly done by nursing assistants which are included in his daily work. You will replace bed linens daily, replace patient's gowns, assist patients especially bed ridden clients in personal care, providing clean towels, blankets and pillow sheets and making sure that patients eat their meals provided by the hospital dietary. It is also your personal duty to provide patients with the best comfortable stay as they are confined in the hospital. Some patients may need more than physical care or treatment and you as a nursing assistant may be the only person to provide personal comfort and friendship as the patient struggles with his illness.

3. You will also assist patients as they are transported to different areas of the hospital for diagnostic procedures like CT scan, MRIs, colonoscopy, surgery and many more. You will carry patient's charts and endorse them to receiving personnel and make sure patient is comfortable as you leave him for the examination. If you are asked to stay, you may assist in the procedure as well.

4. You may also be asked to join patient's family and other members of the medical team as a patient is transported to another medical center or multispecialty clinic for further treatment. You may be asked to carry lifesaving equipment like IV lines, oxygen tanks and many more. Some nursing assistants may take extra units and become a member of a quick response team or join an ambulance team. You may assist EMTs in transporting patients, lifting equipment and even giving life saving measures like CPR and first aid.

5. You will assist patients as they are prepared for surgery by prepping the surgical area, briefing the patients on when not to eat and drink and even just by comforting patients who are anxious about surgery. You may also be asked to transport patients to the surgical suite and endorse him together with other members of the medical team. Post surgery, CNAs may be trained to measure patient's intake and output and even his vital signs (respiration, pulse, temperature and blood pressure) should the nurse or doctor need to evaluate the patient closely. A nursing assistant must know the important emergency signs and when to call for immediate medical attention for patients post surgery.

6. If you are a nursing assistant assigned in a maternity ward or in the nursery, you may have different tasks is a typical day. Certified nursing assistants in these areas need to be knowledgeable in skills and behavior in taking care of mothers and newborns. Mothers are assisted from labor to delivery as well as when she goes to the nursery to breastfeed or when the baby is taken to the bedside for breastfeeding. You will have to bathe, feed, change, burp and clean newborns as they stay temporarily in the nursery and even when they are placed near the bedside. A nursing assistant should always be ready for first time mothers who may ask questions on how to hold their newborn, how to feed, change and even how to pacify their newborns. It's a unique experience to become a part of a mother's early days in caring for her baby and nursing assistants are fortunate to be a part of this experience as well.

7. If you are a certified nursing assistant in a nursing home, you may also have unique duties such as caring for seniors as they feed themselves, dress up, bathe and even ambulate. Although not all seniors in a nursing home require close personal supervision, a nursing assistant must exhibit a helpful nature for seniors to become comfortable and trust him in their care. Nursing assistants may also work with seniors in their own private residences; there are even CNAs that have become close friends and have developed lasting relationships with their employers allowing them to travel with their employers and seek further education sponsored by their benefactors.

8. Certified nursing assistants may also work with other types of patients that require special medical attention like post operative patients, children with learning disabilities, individuals with behavioral problems and clients who need physical therapy or other rehabilitative procedures. He may be employed by the hospital or specialty clinics or he may work on his own.

Certified nursing assistants duties may differ from one state to another or from one country to another so it pays to make ample research on these before you decide to take up CNA training and certification. You may also need to look up certification requirements and training entry-level requirements as well so you may start to prepare for CNA training as soon as possible.

Home Based Business - Healthcare Products Are Always in Demand

A home based business that caters to healthcare needs can achieve strong growth. The growth of personalized healthcare and round the clock medical services has not been impacted by recession.

Healthcare offers high business potential as it can render wellness products and services to millions of people. It can provide financial security through a successful business model.

Demand for Medical Services:

The current healthcare system is under tremendous stress to meet the increasing demands for primary geriatric care. A high percentage of the baby boomer generation is expected to head to retirement this decade. The increasing preference for primary care at home among the elderly has further pushed up demand for medical services. It is said that more than 10 million people in developed nations are to become seniors by the year 2020.

The medical expertise provided can vary from non medical for assisted living services. Non medical services provide assistance for comfortable stay at home for the seniors. An assisted living facility provides passage for shift in stay for those unable to live at homes. The profit margins with the above business opportunity are growing tremendously.

Healthcare Products and Profits:

Healthcare products of home based business can extend beyond vitamin supplements. Antiaging products, calorie drinks and cosmetics find strong appeal with the health conscious population. Natural health beverages with ayurvedic products that work against stress and general ailments are popular. Certain healthcare companies offer opportunities for executives and franchises to sell their product.

Low cost home based business can be initiated by taking advantage of the opportunities offered by many such companies. Product information can be gained for a nominal amount through coaching centres and teleconferences.

Business and Marketing Potentials:

Neighbourhood networking can help identify the potential distributors for healthcare products and you can strategically join hands with them and earn regular commissions. Sales training and lead generation skills can be learnt though business training programs offered by product companies.

An independent distributor program can be undertaken for wellness products which are developed by professionals. Enrolment as a dealer for new calorie drinks and herbal products can negate the difficulty of working in a saturated environment.

Dealers can promote and place orders for their products from home though a provided back office URL. Consumers can place orders through the dealer's website to earn reward points and bonuses with discounts. Marketing needs of a healthcare business can be attended through distribution of wellness information, press release and educational data.

Dealing With Nursing Home Abuse

People are oftentimes too inclined to rely on anyone with medical certification. This is sometimes the most persuasive way for truly disgraceful people to hide the abuse they visit on others. Senior abuse is far too often seen and some of its manifestations can be fatal. It doesn't always take forms that are easy to detect. A few of the warnings of nursing home negligence that may shock you include:

• Sudden change of personality or cognitive function


• Problems with memory and emotional fits that are not typical for the victim


• Deep depressions and a disinterest in visitors


• Nervousness and anxiety that are not normal for the individual


• Dirty fingernails, toenails and teeth


• Poor hygiene

The insidious element about nursing home negligence is that many of its symptoms are very corresponding to those of advanced, age-related illnesses. The fundamental key to detecting them is that they tend to be somewhat alarming. Oftentimes, elder abuse results in something feeling alarming about your loved one; you may not be able to say what, but something is not right. It is important to consider all the evidence rather than just looking for one tell-tale sign of abuse or negligence.

The mental issues associated with elder abuse normally include depression, anxiety, and a near catatonia. These mental illnesses oftentimes are the aftermath of an elder being over-medicated. Nursing homes with unqualified and immoral people on staff will sometimes do this to simply make caring for the patients less of a hassle. If you believe your loved one is over-medicated and you're not getting anywhere with the staff, you may want to try an outside doctor to get immediate relief. You should also consider that over-medicated is simply a nicer term for overdosed, and that should clarify to you exactly how dangerous nursing home mistreatment can be. The sooner you seek help, the better.

Nursing home abuse lawyers have the kind of expertise available that enables them to help you in ways you probably hadn't considered. If your loved one is in a dangerous situation, it is critical to get them out of the facility as soon as possible. Due to the fact that nursing homes are medical facilities, incompetent staff members with a medical certification to back up their stupidity and callousness can be extremely dangerous. If this has happened to your loved ones, you may be able to get financial compensation for what they've been put through.

Choosing the Appropriate Senior Care Facility For Your Loved One

Does the responsibility of finding the ideal type of care for an elderly parent rest on your shoulders? If it does, it may seem to be a daunting task. You have to work through the horror stories about nursing home care, the innumerable different types of facilities available, and the cost. When you're working and have your own family to think about, there may not be enough hours in the day to decide on the appropriate care option. Each facility you consider needs to be researched and interviewed in order to determine where your parent would receive the best care and be the happiest. Even then, you're bound to have some doubts. Knowing what to look for will help simplify the situation for you.

Care services need to be adequate to give your loved one the specialized care that is needed. For instance, some centers have staff who are trained to care for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia. The training they have received has emphasized the need for patience and compassion while teaching them how best to care for those who have failing cognitive senses. Make sure that any facility your are considering has licensed, insured personnel, including registered nurses who are available 24 hours a day. A home that doesn't offer requisite services can be crossed off of your list.

Seniors today have a number of care options that weren't available until recent years. Assisted living facilities have been available to the well-to-do for a long time, but now many more people can afford to live in them and avail themselves of the services. Not every senior needs actual nursing care. Assisted living offers each person exactly what they need. Many older folks don't need care at all, but it gives them peace of mind to know that help is available if they experience problems. These centers offer them companionship with people their own age as well as a variety of social activities designed to help them build friendships. It is an ideal situation for many senior citizens.

Other types of shared housing include an independent living community, a skilled nursing facility, or a residential care home. All of these options are based on the concept of shared housing, and if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Moving from a house into one of them means that the senior no longer has to worry about such things as lawn upkeep, snow removal, navigating stairs, and routine home maintenance. Although most of the people who live there need little special care, just removing some of these responsibilities from them can make them feel much more carefree again. In addition, there is no need for your loved one to feel lonely when living in an active community such as these offer.

Elder Care Facilities: The Difference Between a Retirement Home and a Nursing Home

If you are faced with the challenge of choosing elderly care accommodation, either for your own care needs, or for an aged parent or relative, then you may need some help to differentiate between the types of elder care facilities available to you. There are some important differences between types of residential care for seniors.

Nursing Home

A nursing home, otherwise referred to as a skilled nursing facility (SNF), offers specialist medical healthcare and full-time nursing care by licensed nurses as well as general personal care. A nursing home has qualified nurses on the premises at all times to ensure adequate medical care can be administered. A registered nursing home will also have a licensed medical physician on staff, who will oversee patient treatment.

Nursing homes are often a required step for senior care following a hospital stay, where 24-7 nursing treatment, is still necessary. A place in a skilled nursing facility may also be the best option if your elderly parent has a degenerative medical condition that is going to require progressive treatment.

Retirement Home

A retirement home, or assisted living community, will not offer the same level of medical healthcare as a nursing home. These types of facilities more often cater to providing general personal and custodial care. Care assistants will help residents with things like dressing, bathing, toileting and moving around. A retirement home is a very social environment, where many activities are available to help keep an old person stimulated. Companionship can play a major role in a retirement home, where elders who have been living alone, have the opportunity to have company. The retirement home will not provide 24-7 medical healthcare treatment, but often will oversee the administration of routine medications, and will have licensed physician to call upon should the need arise.

A retirement home, residential home or assisted living facility is therefore more suited to an elderly person who is still fairly active and not suffering from any condition that requires specific daily medical treatment.

The important thing to consider if you are faced with the decision of choosing a care home for your loved one, is not just their needs now, but how stressful it could be to have to move them again should their condition worsen.

Many old people try to resist being placed in a nursing home as they feel it signifies their demise! However, nursing homes can be very homely and caring places for those seniors who do need around-the-clock care.

Homecare Services Versus Nursing Homes

Most seniors would prefer to stay in their homes rather than go to a nursing home. The surroundings are more familiar and comfortable at home. They may have friends or a religious community that they're connected to, and are worried about losing those connections. It can be hard for seniors to live on their own, however; particularly if they have health problems and need supervisory care. So you have two main choices in services-either enroll them in a nursing home, or hire a homecare service to be a live-in assistant to your beloved senior.

In a nursing home, doctors and nurses work together and provide constant care. From serious health concerns to the everyday struggles of bathing, eating, dressing, and toileting, they have experience in all matters. Another benefit of nursing homes is that they can connect seniors to other people their own age-with a shared background and similar experiences. This is a great opportunity for them to meet new friends, and to stay socially interactive. Nursing homes are a particularly good option for seniors who are having a very difficult time handling their everyday tasks, or need constant medical supervision.

Homecare service is another option in senior care. In this instance, a senior would be able to stay at their home while being attended to on a regular basis by a homecare services professional. These people have healthcare expertise, and can provide any health supervisory care that the senior may need, as well as assisting with bathing, dressing, eating, etc, plus providing just plain companionship. Homecare services are an especially good option if the senior already has a strong social network close to his/her home, does not have too serious of health concerns, and is of sound mind.

Whether you choose homecare services or a nursing home, make sure that both you and the senior that you love are comfortable with the decision, and that it is the best possible solution for your unique circumstances.

Assisted Living Discrimination

It is against the law to discriminate based solely upon physical discrimination. This leads to many assisted living and senior living facilities having troublesome situations. With the average age of residents on the increase, more and more people are opting to age in place. In other words, there are fewer people moving from home to home. This has created a few problems. For starters, not all assisted living facilities are equipped to handle severe disabilities. In this instance, keeping an individual with excessive disabilities becomes a safety issue. Transferring this resident to a more appropriate home is okay in this instance.

But this situation is not always the rule. For example, a Virginia senior living facility recently came under fire because they did not allow certain disabled residents to eat in their dining hall. This particular senior living facility limited its main dining hall to independent living residents only and did not allow assisted living or nursing home residents to eat here. This measure was put in place in order to prevent disabled people from ruining the "image" of the dining area.

This led to claims of discrimination against the home. Courts have mostly sided with the residents in these instances. Sadly, this is not the first time something like this has occurred. There have been many other homes across the nation that have limited wheelchairs and walkers from parts of their facilities. Courts have largely decided that trying to hold onto a "non-disabled" image is not lawful and that these homes need to allow disabled people access.

The problem here is a matter of definition. If a home clearly does not have the available resources to help out disabled people, these folk need to be placed in a home or facility where they can get the help and assistance that they need. But blatantly not allowing disabled people into areas of the facility because they are disabled is a different story. This is unlawful and needs to be stopped.

Homes need to explicitly detail what services they provide and which they do not. By having this information available freely, a lot of problems can be avoided for assisted living facilities. The tendency with many homes is to be as inclusive as possible in order to have as inviting of a service as possible. Unfortunately, this doesn't always work out. Overextending services can lead to a decline in the overall quality of care being provided. It can also be detrimental to the health of the disabled residents if the care they receive is not entirely adequate. By having clearly defined roles, a home can be better suited to a certain group of people. But blatant discrimination is never an appropriate answer to "help" the quality of care that others are receiving.

Assisted Living Communities Help Baby Boomers Get The Extra Care They Require

In the 21st century, the number of assisted living communities being built is on the rise. This is a really good thing because every year, as more and more baby boomers retire; the need for this kind of intermediate care facility is growing.

It used to be that the only care option when you retired was retirement home. These were also called nursing homes, but they used to be the kind of place where nobody ever got nursed back to good health. They were simply places where the seniors were sent. Kind of like boarding schools, except nobody got to go home on spring break.

Those days are behind us now and today's nursing homes are a much different type of place. Full of people who are very dedicated to caring for the senior population. That is a fabulous improvement.

Another improvement has been the establishment of other types of retirement communities besides nursing homes. There are active adult communities where all the people who live there are very active and spend a lot of time playing golf or swimming or otherwise living very active lives.

And in the middle between the round the clock kind of care in a nursing home and one of the senior retirement communities are the assisted living communities for seniors. These places are for people who just need a little help with the things they need to do during the day.

According to some sources, the residents of assisted living facilities need help with an average of 3 activities of daily living during the day. These might include things like help getting washed and dressed in the morning, or having meals prepared, getting assistance with cleaning the house or even having medications administered.

Nothing too serious, just a little help with getting some important things taken care of. Usually the assisted living places have residents that are a little bit older than the average baby boomer, but this is not a rule by any stretch of the imagination. Residence in one of these places is based solely on the amount of care that you need.

If you or your loved ones are baby boomers, age 55 or so, and need some help with the daily morning routine, washing up, and getting dressed for the day, but don't really need constant supervision, then it could very well be that living in one of the many fine and modern assisted living communities might suit you perfectly.

Take a couple of minutes to visit some websites and find out more about assisted living. It might prove to be the ideal sort of residential arrangement.

Whose Insurance Pays If You Fall At A Friend's Home?

It happens! You're visiting a friend or a relative and you take a nasty fall and hurt yourself. This is when the question of liability arises and you, as the injured party, wonder if you can recover the costs associated with your injuries from the homeowner or renter. Although you may be hesitant to pursue a claim against a homeowner or renter, especially if that person is a friend or family member, it is important to know that the majority of the time their insurance company is responsible for handling and paying out the claim. Below are the general questions that I get when someone injures themselves as a guest at somebody's home.

Q: I fell inside of a house where I was a guest and broke my leg. Can I recover the costs associated with the injuries including time off of work?

A: The recover depends upon who is negligent for the cause injury. What caused your fall? Was it the result of the homeowner's negligence (a wet floor, broken steps, no banister on the stairs, unlit stairway, ice on the porch or walk way) or were you doing something inappropriate and potentially harmful to yourself?

Q: How do I know if the owner of the property was negligent?

A: There are a number of factors which dictate whether a homeowner was negligent or not. Here is the basic explanation of who is negligent or not: a property owner has a duty to maintain his/her property in a reasonably safe condition to ensure others are protected from dangers or defects that could cause injury. If a homeowner fails to do something like repair a broken step in a staircase and someone falls through the step, they may be liable for that person's injury. Another good indicator that the owner was negligent would be a code violation on the premise which could be as simple as a missing staircase banister or unlit entry way.

Q: If I am visiting someone who is a renter, and am hurt, can I recover the costs associated with the injuries including time off of work?

A: It depends who on is responsible for maintaining the premises, If the owner of the property is responsible for maintaining the premises then chances are they have the insurance associated with someone becoming injured on their property. Potentially both the renter and the landlord could be responsible.

The Difference Between A Nursing Home And Assisted Living Facility

A lot of people are getting confused with nursing home and assisted living facility. They are actually very different establishments but they also have similarities as well as differences. For one, both are very in demand right now. Many elderly people are seeking residences in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. This is because they are sure that they will be properly taken care of in either facility. Let us now take a look at the main differences between these two facilities.

Care Options
This is actually one of the most important differences between nursing home and assisted living facility. In a nursing home, patients are under constant medical supervision. People who opt to be in this type of facility are often very sick and in need of regular medical assistance. Residents in these facilities are often incapable of caring for themselves. They are not anymore able to leave the facility on their own because of physical and or mental incapability. Elderly patients cannot anymore carry out normal daily and routine personal activities such as bathing, eating and the like.

On the other hand, patients or residents in assisted living facilities also require a certain degree of medical attention. Nevertheless, they are able to properly take care of themselves. They can still perform some personal daily tasks such as bathing, cooking and eating. Their physical and mental health is still manageable compared to patients or residents in nursing facilities.

Facilities Available
When it comes to facilities, nursing homes and assisted living practically have the same types of available services except for some differences with regards to patient's or residence's freedom. Nursing home facilities are your typical average facility with cafeteria, room sharing (depending on the condition of the residents) nurses and nurses aides, common activity hall and many others that you may already be familiar with. Assisted living on the other hand can range from an entire house turned into a bed and breakfast type of facility. I can also appear like a small hotel or apartelle (apartment hotel) with professional medical assistance from time to time or as may be required by the patient. These facilities can vary from state to state depending on the law requirement of that state.

Freedom
You can already conclude that when it comes to this aspect, residents or patients in assisted living facilities have more freedom to roam around and do their own things than nursing home patients. This is because the physical and mental health conditions of residents in assisted living facilities are healthier. They can drive themselves around. Some are even employed outside. They just opt to live in this type of facility for convenience and safety as well.

Privacy
Just Like with the freedom aspect you can also easily understand that there is definitely more privacy in an assisted living facility. The rooms are more spacious and are more personalized. The former are actually living very independently compared with the latter. They are designed to give comfort, freedom, independence while being monitored health wise. While nursing homes are the complete opposite of what was mentioned about assisted living facilities.

Assisted living facilities and nursing homes are readily accessible nationwide. There are already so many facilities to choose from. All you have to do is choose that one that is best suited for you. If you are a relative of somebody who needs to be admitted in a nursing home then make sure you assess and check out available services to ensure your loved one will be properly cared for.

Understanding Elder Law and Nursing Home Issues: Rights of the Elderly

It's never an easy decision to place a parent or loved one in a nursing home, but in many cases it is the best possible solution for an elderly relative who wants to maintain some degree of independence but who can't live on his own. Many of today's facilities are respected places that provide exceptional care, but there is always the chance that your parent could end up as the victim of abuse or neglect. If this is the case that you're facing, learn when to contact litigation attorneys for help.

Elder Law Protects Nursing Home Residents

Fortunately, the government has put various elder law reforms into place as a means of protecting residents and their families. One of the most comprehensive is the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Law, which outlines the rights of residents, including:

• The availability of resources and services for the highest level of functioning

• Freedom from unnecessary restraints, including physical restraint or the use of drugs unless they are prescribed by a doctor for a limited and specific period of time

• Privacy, including privacy for visits and telephone conversations

• You have the right to have and use your own personal effects as long as they don't interfere with the rights or the safety of others

• The right to be notified in advance of any change in roommate or change in living arrangements such as being moved to a new room

• The right to consult with an elder law representative

• The opportunity to manage finances and have access to your own money

• The ability to set your own schedule for sleeping and rising, eating, choosing your own clothing, and other daily activities

• The right to leave at any time

• Freedom from coercion, intimidation or fear of reprisal from employees

There are additional rights outlined in the regulation that could pertain to your loved one. An elder law attorney can go into these with you in more detail and help you select a facility that conforms to all aspects of the Reform Law.

When Is A Litigation Attorney Needed?

If you suspect that your family member is the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, you should immediately begin monitoring his activities closely. Keep track of his health, level of alertness and needs on a daily basis, including how and when staff members respond to those needs. If you believe that there is a problem, request a meeting with the director of the facility and clearly outline your concerns. The director should be able to resolve the issue to your satisfaction, but if you don't feel things have changed, contact the ombudsperson assigned to the nursing home. This is a patient advocate assigned by the state to handle these kinds of disputes.

If the situation still isn't resolved to your satisfaction, you should consult with a litigation attorney versed in elder law issues. While you may be able to resolve the problem without going to court, it is best to work with a litigation attorney so that your loved one is represented by a lawyer who can effectively make a case in the event you do have to sue the facility.

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What is the Difference Between Medicare and Medicaid?

For those of us that are new to this stuff, the terms Medicare and Medicaid can be confusing. Some folks have one and some folks have the other. Still other people are eligible for both programs. The differences are described below and will help you know which one you need to apply for and where to go to apply for it.

Medicare
This is a federal program that is primarily for the following groups of people:

• Individuals over the age of 65.


• Anybody of any age that suffers from renal (kidney) failure or disease.


• Anybody who is medically or physically unable to work.

Because this is a federally controlled program, the application is available at your local Social Security office. The different coverages are called:

• Part A (Hospital Insurance) - Covers care in hospitals, hospice, nursing home facility care and home health care.


• Part B (Medical insurance) - Covers outpatient services, home health care services and products as well as doctor's services and preventative services.


• Part C (Private insurance) - This is for insurance like HMOs or PPOs that are provided by private insurance companies approved by Medicare. These are also called Medicare Advanatage or MA plans and include all Part A and Part B coverage.


• Part D (Prescription insurance) - Helps cover the cost of prescription drugs and may assist in lowering costs later.

Medicaid
Medicaid is a state controlled program that is primarily for low income individuals and families. The following groups of people are eligible for Medicaid coverage:

• Women who are pregnant


• Persons beneath the age of 19


• Persons above the age of 65


• Anybody who is blind, physically disabled or requires nursing home care.

You can apply for Medicaid at your state's Medicaid agency.

Dual eligibility
Some people are eligible for both programs. Medicare can be utilized as gap insurance for uncovered Medicaid expenses. You will need to apply for each program separately at the appropriate places. Each will need to know about the other, so be honest and give all information that is asked for.

In the area of nursing facility care, both programs have coverage listed. Medicare Part A covers nursing home care and Medicaid has provisions as well. This can help a great deal with the costs incurred by caregivers. If you have your own insurance, the costs may all be deferred and negated through the process. No guarantee on that, but it could happen.

Call your state's Medicaid agency and your local Social Security office for more details and see if you are dually eligible. Whether you need assisted living services or home health care services, you may be able to get it paid for by these programs; at least in part, anyway.

How Technology Is Improving Education

These changes have been more profound with the development of technology. Just like other sectors of the society, technology has impacted the education sector. The impact has majorly bordered on the positive. An example of technological impact in the education sector has reared itself in the case of Maths online. This is an Internet application that allows people to undertake mathematical exercises.

The case of Maths online is just but one of the numerous ways that technology is transforming the educational landscape. This digital phenomenon has widened its tentacles to all the other fields of the education sector in varied ways.

How technology is improving education

Many educational institutions have opened themselves to the idea of technology. Such schools have realised that technology is key in improving the delivery of education services. As such, technology has positively affected various strategies in the classroom. These include:

Demonstration and simulation

In the past, sandpits and cardboard boxes were the first thing that came to mind when talking about simulation. These teaching aids have been replaced with technological products, which have readily earned the approval of teachers. This has been evident in the case of Maths online where learners interact with graphical teaching aids like graphs, bar charts and videos among others.

Learners have developed an affinity for SMART boards and computers because these materials help them to understand various concepts. Imathsn the normal classroom setting, such concepts would sound gibberish to these consumers of education. Technology has simplified the process of demonstrating certain concepts to students. Without technology, students have a hard time grasping these concepts physically. Concepts that were hitherto invisible to the real eye have become clearly conceivable to students thanks to the digital components.

Assessment

Teachers have benefited from the existence of technology since they can assess the progress of their students easier. A case in point is Maths online, which enables teachers to analyse the progress of learners and correct them when they are going wrong. The application has step-by-step instructions that enhance real-time assessment. This has accorded teachers with the chance to correct learners instantly. Moreover, they can intervene in the welfare of struggling learners and help them to improve on their grasp of concepts. The fact that teachers can assess students owes credence to technology. Efficient assessment of students has enabled teachers to tailor their teaching strategies in line with their students' educational needs.

Epistemic games and e-books

Technology has also assisted the education sector with efficient learning materials in the shape of epistemic games and learning materials. This has had the desired effect of unlocking the immense potential in various learners. Such learning materials allow people to share and store information. The learners are only too happy to interact with these digital learning materials. This is because they are spared from their usual heavy luggage consisting of numerous text books. This is reflective of Maths online, where students only need an Internet connection and a computer. Other than that, there is no need to carry loads of mathematical learning materials. There is no doubt that e-books have provided the education sector with a spark of innovativeness. Learners no longer have to miss out on great opportunities such as, visualizations, models or simulations.

Global learning

The benefits of technology in the educational sector have also manifested themselves through global learning. Here, learners have been able to exchange ideas with their fellow learners from other countries. Also, technology has enhanced language lessons by enabling people from different cultural backgrounds to learn about each other's language. This has been possible thanks to the existence of videoconferencing. This technology has enhanced social interaction while allowing learners to gain exposure to other people's cultures. Thanks to language exchange, global learning has become simplified. Learners need not make trips to other countries to learn a particular language.

What If Your Insurance Denies a Personal Injury Claim?

What happens when you are involved in a car accident or some other type of injury and the insurance company that you file a claim with denies your claim. This means that you are stuck with all of the medical bills, repair bills and many other expenses that come from being injured and a lot of these expenses can go on for a very long time. If your insurance company denies your personal injury claim there may be a legitimate reason, but they may also have made a mistake in denying your claim and if you believe this to be the case you should contact a personal injury attorney right away.

Let us explore why an insurance company might deny your claim. The most common reason that an insurance company denies a claim like this is because it is not covered in the policy. This may be a very legitimate denial but it is not necessarily the end of the road. Depending upon the situation there may be legal loopholes that will allow you to collect regardless of the policy not necessarily covering that type of injury or accident. This is why an attorney knowledgeable about insurance and personal injury is so important.

Even if the insurance company in question has sent you a letter that offers a certain amount of compensation for the injury you should talk to an attorney before you accept it, because it will likely be much lower than the amount that they will be willing to pay. This is particularly true in the case of extensive injuries where the compensation amount is extremely high. The first offer you get from the insurance company will certainly not be the highest that they are willing to pay and you should get what is fair for the injury that you sustained.

What you should be aware of is that it is the job of the insurance claims adjustor to try to limit the liability of the insurance company, or to prove that the company has no liability at all. This is why you should never admit that an accident or injury is your fault when talking to an insurance claims adjustor or to the police. If the claims adjustor cannot prove that the injury was not covered by the policy, or cannot find another way to dismiss your claim they will make you an offer. Once again, this offer is usually lower than what they are truly willing to pay.

If you are denied a personal injury claim and you believe you were entitled to the compensation you need to contact a personal injury attorney right away. The law may limit the amount of time that you have to file a claim so contact an attorney right away. The office of Ledger & Associates has more than a decade of experience dealing with claims like these and you can consult with a professional free-of-charge to decide whether or not you should proceed with your case.

Home Care Services Are Available For Every Senior's Needs

An elderly friend lives alone in a lovely apartment, but she's gotten to the point where she just isn't able to take care of things the way she used to. At 90, she finds that she needs a bit of assistance to maintain her home, but she's still unwilling to move into a nursing facility. Instead, she has opted for the new big trend in elder care service which is home care. She has a woman who comes into her home one day every two weeks to clean house, buy groceries, and do the laundry. Other than those chores, my friend is able to take care of herself, but home care allows her to stay in her apartment on her own.

It's no wonder that home care has become the biggest thing in elder care these days. The services are available from trained personnel who can deliver exactly what any individual needs. The various categories of home care include:

1. Homemaker care - this is exactly what it says. It means someone to come into the home to take care of household duties. Much like the woman who cares for my friend, it can mean someone to do light housekeeping, change the bed, do the laundry, and shop for groceries.

2. Personal care services - this service will include personal grooming such as bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, and toileting.

3. Meal services - means someone to come into the home, work out the menus, buy the food, and cook. This can be on a daily basis or less often as needed.

4. Home health care - involves care for those individuals who need simple medical care in their homes. These services could include dividing daily medicine doses, making sure the person takes their prescribed doses, and ordering and picking up prescriptions. It could also include temporary care for someone with a broken limb or a person who's just been released from the hospital and might include such things as taking vital signs or changing dressings.

5. Skilled health care - this type of care is given by experienced professionals. It might be an LPN, an RN, or some type of therapist. These caregivers allow the senior to stay in their own home while receiving the care they require and eliminates the need for extended hospital stays and rehabilitation facilities.

There are better options available for seniors these days that doesn't include putting them away in nursing facilities. If this is the type of assistance you need to stay healthy and remain in your own home, you should definitely check into it. Try the yellow pages or search online to find local agencies that will help put you in touch with the right people.

Do Not Be Deceived By 'Elder Abuse' Attorneys And Their Agendas

Phony "Elder Abuse" Attorneys, And The Real Agenda!

The end of life has many challenges, and we don't know how, or when our parents will leave us. It can be fast, or a long goodbye. The personality of the person is magnified ten times in dementia cases like Alzheimers. However, we families usually stick together, fighting, arguing, and trying to make the chaos work, so our parent is loved through the process. Then we enter the last stage of the game, and we can't hold it together anymore, so it's time for assisted living, a nursing home or a live-in caretaker. The parent can't pretend it's alright; then the opportunist steps in to make the end a disaster, it takes only one jealous or vindictive family member, who wants to strip the one chosen to be legal representative of their power. They call daily planting evil seeds in the fragile mind of the parent, or begin an association with an attorney, who gathers financial information from the one who feels slighted.

It's emotionally hard, for people who have a parent with dementia; paranoid delusions or even cancer to cope. Finances are not something they should have to worry about protecting, if their parents have prepared for that time of life. Nowadays there is so much greed out there, it all has to be protected ahead of time. A general durable power of attorney isn't enough anymore. There are trusts and other documents, but attorneys are learning how to break into it all, and raid the savings. It is going to take a group of concerned citizens to bring this to the lawmakers, and have some strict guidelines, before family members have to turn their loved one's future over to a strange legal parasite.

When a person is coming down that last stretch of life, and death is on the horizon, in some form or other the vultures come. We see those black birds circling in the south over dead animals, and we call them buzzards, cause they eat the last pieces of flesh from the roadkill. The buzzards can be jealous family members, who didn't like how the Will was made, or a greedy lawyer who saw a financial opportunity. There are those attorneys, who claim to protect the older family members through 'elder law', when actually only a few really do that, very few.

It's become easier than ambulance chasing, because the money is just lying there for the taking. We need new laws that make it harder for attorney opportunists, by requiring that medical records be reviewed, tests be made for competency to make changes to durable powers of attorney, and at least two or three witnesses be used, before an attorney can challenge what the parent chose as a caretaker, or take over a families finances, or take guardianship of the elderly. Families must fight back, and seek Congress's help in tightening laws that allow this type of fleecing, through claims that they are protecting, when there is not any real abuse at all. Please read the website below, and sign the petition for better laws.

Most of those vultures want the money for themselves, through big charges for paying a few bills. Why work hard, when you can rip off families, whose sweat has saved a nestegg for the grandchildren. Law Firms just let grandma or grandpa's paranoid delusions and dementia beliefs give them an excuse to forbid them to see the daughter or son, while getting the right to pay their bills, and skim large sums off for that new boat or lake lot. Whole court systems are set up to have the "newly declared incompetents" placed under a friend's (attorney) guardianship, and of course no one in the family is qualified to pay those bills, it wouldn't be right. Years of savings drained in just a few months, while the family is restricted from even visiting their loved one, it keeps the truth from getting out about the actual time the legal thief spent milking your parent's savings. What do they care, as Medicaid will pick up the tab, when it's all gone.

These lawyers and groups all pat each other on the back, and speak about their charity work, and how many patients they have protected. No one talks about what they charged the poor suckers! Many are tied in with doctors or PAs who treat Alzheimers, and then they can refer the ones, who are having delusions and suspicions about their children or caretakers. It doesn't take hardly anything to destroy a family already dealing with those type of dementias. After all the accusations and feeding into their parents fears and suspicions, it is almost a relief for the child to be done with it emotionally, even if the money was taken.

The attorney who claims to have developed a 'rapport' with Grandma, who has Alzheimers and paranoid delusions, is either insane, lying, or planning one helluva heist of Grandma's funds. I used to be suspicious of DSS, but at least the money is going for Grandma's care, and not for the new million dollar house at the lake, or a Mercedes. You can check the tax bills in your county, under the attorney's name and see what cars, houses and lots they have amassed doing such grand work.

The parent can't remember taking your name off the bank account, and thinks the woman at the bank is lying. Then another jealous family member gets her to a lawyer, under the guise of help, and Grandma signs a paper relieving the trusted family member, who has spent several years trying to take care of a person with a dementia disease, of their ability to handle their parents affairs anymore. The parent can't remember all the work, travel, gas and time the child has spent trying to help them. The lawyer takes away the heirs ability to visit, because Grandma or Grandpa have delusions, and in one swift move of a pen, the lawyer opportunists gets control. They don't want anyone to find out what is really going on, so they forbid the children to visit, it wouldn't be good to upset the parent.

The cocktail parties and meetings with awards would astound your Grandpa, if he were alive, as he amassed the money, working 10 hours a day, which is paying for those lavish events. Grandpa wanted to take care of the woman who cooked, cleaned, and changed the diapers of their five children, and ten grandchildren. He wanted those bright young grandchildren to go to college without debt. Grandpa never expected, in Grandma's Alzheimers, some lawyer would be using his money as an allowance, to their spoiled neurotic child....a drug addicted teenager, or to a trophy wife, who doesn't need another pair of Italian shoes. Or to a female attorney with too many lake lots, and not enough sense.

This is where the American Dream goes at the end of life for 20% of the elderly, into the pockets of greedy opportunists lawyers, who claim to be helping your parent with the 'elder abuse' going on in the family. Nine times out of ten the actual abuse is being done by the attorney, and it's the caretaker and family members, who get fleeced of their inheritance! Grandma/Grandpa are confused, and hurt because their child no longer visits, and doesn't remember any of the circumstances that caused them to be banned from coming. Many don't even know the papers they are signing, and what that is going to mean to them, and their heirs. In their distorted, diseased view they are still protecting their nestegg, but it is being stolen with each conversation with the attorney. The bloodsuckers are charging that parent for every minute spent talking, and overcharging for every bill paid, while pretending to care.

If this happens to you or someone you know, then please report it to the Alzheimer's Association, Bar Association, Your Congressman/woman, and DSS. Do NOT take this sitting down, and be sure to sign the petition going to congress at Care.com. Send your story to them, and publish it on websites for others to read, and remember that new laws will stop some of the real abuse to family relationships, and help others to keep the monies earned by hard work and protect their parents intentions, when they were in their right minds. We do want to stop real 'elder abuse', that is happening in nursing homes, and families, but there is something else going on that needs to be stopped as well....opportunist attorneys!

What Is a Letter of Protection?

Many times, victims of an accidental injury, such as a car accident, do not have health insurance or the funds to pay a doctor for treatment of their injuries. That issue alone will prompt the injured person to contact a lawyer to represent them in their case. But that still doesn't necessarily resolve the issue of getting the client under the care of a doctor. Under these circumstances, an attorney may choose to issue a "letter of protection," also referred to as an "LOP."

An LOP basically provides that the treating doctor will get paid out of any recovery from the client's case so long as the doctor agrees not to seek collection of the medical bill until the case is concluded. Once the case is concluded, then the doctor will get paid from the proceeds of the settlement. But what if there is no settlement? Technically speaking, the client still owes the doctor. But because the vast majority of cases settle out of court, this is not necessarily a major initial concern.

Your lawyer might also insist on certain conditions before issuing an LOP to a doctor. For instance, the lawyer may insist that the doctor provide all final treatment and billing records free of any copying charges, or that the doctor will not bill any other insurance while the LOP is in effect. Sometimes, an LOP might even provide that the doctor will agree to give testimony in a deposition or at trial free of any expert witness fees.

There are, however, some other practical problems with LOPs. First, if your case goes to trial, the issue of the LOP may come out. If it does, then the jury may think that the doctor and lawyer are working together to bolster the client's case. Likewise, the jury might think that the medical treatment was incurred for the sole purpose of building up an injury case.

Second, insurance adjusters usually look negatively on LOP doctors. The adjusters tend to believe that LOP doctors inflate their bills in order to help the lawyer get higher settlements. On the contrary, what usually ends up happening is that the insurance adjusters will make even lower settlement offers knowing that the doctor has already figured in a reduction of their outstanding bill.

Third, if there is a settlement, your lawyer had better be confident that the doctor will negotiate the outstanding balance in order to help conclude a settlement. If you reach a settlement and the doctor plays hardball, then you might have a stalemate in getting the settlement finalized.

Whether or not your lawyer should issue an LOP in your case depends on various circumstances. Once you meet and consult with your lawyer, a decision can be made at that time whether or not an LOP is the best option for you.

The Elderly and Assisted Living

The benefits of assisted living for the elderly is the specialized assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, putting on support stockings, medication management, ensuring that they have nutritionally balanced meals by providing meals in a communal dining room and providing trained nurses.

Other benefits of assisted living are weekly housekeeping, often a hair salon is available or at least the services of a hairdresser and a manicurist as well as someone who will cut their toe nails, a grocery store and a weekly linen service. Additionally, their health, safety and well-being are closely monitored.

There is also organized recreation in many facilities offering such things as movie nights, pub nights, bus trips, weekly entertainment, celebrations for Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas, etc. There are also often card games, knitting groups, crossword puzzle gatherings and other outlets available so that seniors will not be lonely or feel isolated. It is an opportunity to make new friends and talk to others which may have been lacking when they were living on their own. Often pets are welcome too as was the case where my mother lived.

Most assisted living facilities offer self-contained private units. My mother had a large studio apartment with a small kitchenette with cupboards, sink, counter space, a fridge and a microwave. It was all she needed since meals were offered. And she had a separate bathroom large enough to accommodate using her walker. The common area where she lived had a piano which converted to a player piano for those who couldn't play. Often various people would gather around the piano and sing.

Assisted living facilities are ideal for those who are no longer able to live independently but do not require the care that a nursing home offers. According to statistics, the average age of residents is eighty-seven years, women outnumber men three to one and the average length of stay is approximately twenty-eight months. Often after this period of time it is necessary for them to move on to the next level of care. In some facilities the various levels of care are in either the same building or in an attached one so there isn't a huge adjustment for them to make when they are moved.

My mother enjoyed the time she spent at this facility. It was obvious even to her family members that those who worked there were there because they enjoyed working with the elderly. They went well above and beyond in their care for the seniors.

Assisted living is an excellent solution to the care of your aging parent. There is no worry as there is when they are living alone that they will fall and there is no one there to look after them.

Senior Citizens and Cell Phones

As I speak to more operators and administrators of independent and assisted living facilities in regards to their telephone infrastructure strategy. It is clear that they are no longer providing telephone service as a standard amenity in their homes. This is for two main reasons; First they don't want to have the hassle of billing like they are a phone company. Also, with all the phone options available today, senior citizens are also taking advantage of cable telephone, VoIP and cellular options. In fact, much like their grandchildren seniors in retirement communities are choosing to only use cellular service instead of having a landline or both. When I first started my sales career fifteen years ago middle aged people would come in and complain about how complicated the cutting edge bag phone and flip phones were. I sometimes laugh at this now because comparing those phones to the Palms, Blackberrys and iPhones of today is like comparing telegraph to the touch tone phone. However, companies like Jitterbug Cellular Phones are focusing on the senior citizen niche and making simple cell phones because not everyone needs a computer in their pocket.

The Jitterbug J, may be the perfect option for seniors wanting independence or who are living in independent and assisted living facilities. It can give their families who are always worried about eldercare, peace of mind, because they know it's a phone simple enough for their elderly parents to use. We will look at what makes this generation of phone different?

The Jitterbug J, "the phone for everyone," starts with a large bright color display that uses a large easy to read font with clarity. The keypad has large roomy backlit buttons that are laid out for easy dialing for the elderly. The earphone eliminates background noise, has a dial tone similar to landlines similar to landlines when you open the phone with a powerful speaker. The phone eliminates confusing menus and only requires a yes or a no. They offer 24/7 U.S. based customer service and operators who can update the phone book, connect calls and provide directory assistance.

The rate plans start at $14.99 per month and offer upgrades like the Jitterbug Complete Care Bundle. The bundle provides roadside assistance, handset replacement and Jitterbug LiveNurse through a partnership with FONEMED. LiveNurse gives loved ones 24/7 access to registered nurses in English or Spanish. They can assist in connecting them to a large pre-recorded health information library with current information on a variety of topics. The nurses can also help document a users personal health history.

With technology simplified, better customer service, and cheap and easy billing, it's no wonder more seniors are using cell phones with assistive technologies for safety and security.

Hearing Center Assisted Living Devices

If you are struggling to hear sounds that surround you, a hearing center is your best resource for information and equipment to help solve your problems. Most aids can be worn all the time and help amplify noises and sounds. While this works in a variety of different circumstances and environments, it is not always a perfect solution. There are times when other equipment, including assisted living devices, can provide a service that traditional aids cannot.

Alerting Devices

What happens when an emergency takes place at home and a person cannot hear the traditional sounds and signals that something is wrong? Most people do not wear their aids while they sleep for fear of damaging them. For those that have severe issues being able to hear without their aids, there are fire alarms and smoke detectors that have a visual cue in addition to the noises they make. This means that even if you cannot hear the alarm going off, you can see that there is an emergency and it needs to be addressed.

An emergency is not the only time that a person needs to be alerted to something. A local hearing center may offer different types of devices that let someone know when the doorbell is sounded or the phone is ringing. These devices can be a critical part of someone's life when he or she cannot hear well.

Telephone Assistance

A hearing center may offer amplifiers specifically made for a telephone. When a person answers the phone, the voice of the person on the other line is louder in order to make the conversation easier. In severe cases, there are special systems designed to skip over a voice phone call altogether and with the help of a third party, information is transferred from person to person.

Television Assistance

Have you ever walking into someone's house and the television was turned up so loud it made you uncomfortable? When one person struggles to hear his or her favorite television show, the obvious solution is to turn up the volume to make it more understandable. Unfortunately, this causes problems for other people living in the house. A hearing center offers equipment like room loops or infrared transmitters that can make help an individual amplify noises from the television without it disrupting everyone else. These systems often come with headphones.

Group Listening Environment

Often times group settings are very difficult for someone that cannot hear well. There are group listening devices that can help those individuals get the most out of the event or program without affecting the other participants. Many public places, including movie theaters and churches, already take advantage of this technology.

Why Long Term Care Facilities Are Not Safe - Two Reasons

I heard a statistic the other day that made me cringe. We've known this day was coming for a long, long time. But when it gets here, reality sets in. Nearly 30,000 baby boomers a week are reaching retirement age.

When Social Security was put into effect, the average lifespan of an American was 65. Today it is closer to 85. As people live longer and more people enter the golden years of their life, they are looking for a place that they can go and live out their final years.

Nursing homes and assisted-living facilities are the two most common such places. They are not cheap. For that reason another alternative has sprung up and that is home healthcare assisted-living provided by a professional in the home. But for the sake of this article we're talking about nursing homes and assisted-living facilities-long term care facilities.

Because the increased demand for these services for seniors staffing issues come into play. There is a shortage of nurses, nursing assistants and others in this field. As a nurse told me the other day when we are talking about this issue there is not only a shortage of nurses and others in the field, but they are overworked, underpaid and a certain form of lethargy sets in because of the industry in general.

That makes it a prime breeding ground for elder abuse. Employees who feel undervalued, who are overworked and underpaid tend to feel that whatever else they can grab is dutifully theirs no matter whom the source is. So if they have an opportunity to steal they'll do it.

Is a well documented fact that one out of every six people in a long-term care facility suffers some kind of abuse-physical, emotional, verbal or just about any kind of abuse you can imagine. It is a crying shame that our seniors aren't better cared for, but like so many other things in life it's an issue of money.

So that's one reason why long-term care facilities aren't safe. The second reason is that in a Health and Human Services report just recently issued the Inspector General of that agency he found that 90 percent of all long-term care facilities employed someone with criminal record. Sixty percent of the facilities had two or more convicted employees.

The only way that you as a parent can keep an eye on your loved ones in a long-term care facility is to install a hidden camera. A hidden camera will enable used to detect any abuse on your loved ones.

When are you getting one?

Physical Nursing Assessment

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

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

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

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

I Hate It Here, I Feel Like I'm in Prison!

That is always a wonderful thing to hear out of a resident's mouth, especially in the middle of a tour. I am, of course, being sarcastic. However it is pretty common. And rightfully so. We all think we've done our mom a wonderful justice by helping her move into an assisted living where she is getting the care she needs and is safe 24/7. That is always the intention, doing what is best for our loved one. So why would they feel this way? Well there could be many reasons but mostly it's the amount of change and how rapidly it happens.

The truth is they probably do hate it. Nobody ever imagines themselves to "end up" in an assisted living requiring help with caring for themselves. Let alone being cared for by strangers! They are grieving the loss of a home, their independence, their identity and dignity. That's not even mentioning their dream of how their "golden years" would be. I always tell families give them 90 days to adjust, especially if they are resistant at all to moving into assisted living.

The first 30 days you will get phone calls about everything from how awful dinner was to the crazy old man she saw in the hallway. And OH THE NOISE! "I hate it here, get me out of here." There will be complaints about the staff and how they do things or don't do things. It's an adjustment she is going from living alone or with you to living with 70 strangers. If your loved one needs any assistance with care, these first 30 days are so tough. Imagine having a stranger help you toilet, or shower. Of course they hate it. Change is difficult for everyone, but even more so for the elderly.

Usually by day 45 the phone calls to you are less and she is relying on us more for care. By this time mom has gotten to know the care staff and has finally settled in with her table mates. She has made some friends but she still wants to go home. She is "feeling much better now"and believes she can handle things at home again. You see she is doing so much better indeed. So you begin to think maybe going back home isn't such a bad idea. STOP RIGHT THERE. Why do you think she's doing better? Could it be because she is getting three meals a day, her medications are given in a timely consistent manner, and her apartment is being cleaned weekly? That would be a giant YES! Now is a good time to gently remind mom of that and if you need help ask a trusted staff member to help you with that conversation.

By day 90 there is usually no longer discussion about going "home" because she feels she is there. She knows the staff and their routines, she has friends and is involved in activities. Sometimes I even here "why didn't we do this sooner?"

The only time this isn't the case is with loved one's who have some sort of cognitive impairment. Change is particularly hard for people with dementia or the like. I encourage families to try their hardest to recreate the most familiar space to their loved one. Sometimes it's that simple. Sometimes it's a fight tooth and nail and when that happens we have to talk about possible relocation to a secure memory unit, especially if their loved one is going to leave the building to "go home". We never really know the degree of people's dementia or inability to care for themselves until they move into an assisted living. People are really good about hiding their inability to care for themselves or how much they don't remember, especially in their own environments.

In closing, the worst thing you can do for everyone involved is panic and second guess yourself. Remember there are two sides to every story and because she is telling you she hates it here there is a good possibility that she's exaggerating. Also remember she is your mother and she knows how to play the guilt card. She is telling you how she hates is meanwhile she is telling everyone else she loves it. That happens so many times. The best thing you can do is re direct her to call the care staff to take care of her needs. She has to be able to form a relationship of trust with the staff. I am not by any means saying to ignore your mother's complaints. I am just asking you to please don't expect the worst. You too have to trust us or else this relationship is not going to work.

Planning Ahead for Long Term Care Insurance Costs

The expense of insurance can be overwhelming for those who have not planned properly; starting early can help minimize the long term care insurance costs. As there are five types of long term insurance, choosing the type of care you want early can protect you from not having much of a choice down the road. By planning and selecting the type of insurance you receive, as well as when and where you receive it can help minimize your costs and maximize your benefits.

Consider: Partner Discounts

You may not be able to state with complete certainty whether or not your spouse or life partner will be around when you need long term care, especially if you are planning ahead significantly. But if you're married or in a long term relationship, it's worth considering partner discounts when you try to minimize long term care insurance costs. Many companies will offer a discount for partners and if one person needs more than their own benefit period, they can use some of their partner's benefit period.

Consider: Money Pool

With long term care insurance, you pay for a specific amount of money that you can draw from; your benefit term and your daily benefit amount will determine your money pool. Ideally, plan for an estimated amount you would need per day and the length of time you'd like to have access to the money. For example, a person could have a $250 daily benefit and a 6 year benefit period - this would mean they have access to $547,500. If when drawing on the insurance you use less than the daily benefit, the benefit period can be extended. Be aware, when you price long term care insurance costs, that where you live can greatly affect the rates available.

Consider: Inflation Protection

As long term care insurance costs continue to increase, inflation can be a real problem. Depending on the policy, you may have the options of no inflation protection, simple inflation protection, and compound inflation protection. Unless an individual is already a senior citizen, compound inflation protection is usually best since you may not use your benefits for 15, 20, or 30 years down the road. The compounded interest will help offset the increasing costs for your care.

Consider: Type of Coverage

Another decision you'll face is whether you want facility only or comprehensive coverage. Predictably, a facility only policy will cover those services performed while you live in a nursing or assisted living facility or hospice center. Comprehensive coverage will provide for services you receive in a facility as well as those in adult day care and home health care services. For many individuals, comprehensive coverage is a better choice as it allows more freedom. It is usually less expensive to get facility only coverage if you know you'll be in a facility. Some people determine their likelihood of facility living based on factors such as family support, other illness or disabilities, and so on.

Planning for long term care early in life does mean that you are making decisions and estimates with limited information that may change before you have to use your benefits. That said, starting early and having to reevaluate later is a much better plan than simply waiting too long. Earlier planning will help you minimize your long term care insurance costs.