How to Find the Best Day-Care Services

These days, it is essential to find a good day care service for your children, especially if both parents work (as most of us do!). Finding the best day care service, one that is high-quality and professional and meets your kids exact needs can be difficult at the best of times.

Often times you will be confronted with several options. Picking between them can seem like a daunting task. How do you make a decision? How can you be sure that you have made the right decision? We're talking about your childrens safety and well being here, so you don't want to make any mistakes.

You've come to the right place because in this article I am going to discuss exactly how you should find and pick the best day-care services for your children.

The absolute first thing you should do is make a list of all the child-care services in your area. Look to see if your community has an R&R, that stands for resource and referral (sometimes they are called I&R for information and referral service). These places usually compile extensive information on child care services for a given area. Find them in your local phone book.

If your area doesn't have an R&R, then check with your states child care licensing agency. This is usually going to be the Department of Human Services, or the Department of Social Services, or the Department of Health, and they can help you in your search.

If you strike out at both of these places, then just start asking around. Talk to other parents in the area, talk to your friends and family members, and if you go to church, talk to the people there. Sometimes churches keep a registry of child care services that you can look at.

Another place to look is the local YMCA if your area has one of those. Often they have reference material on local child care services that they can share with you.

Obviously, the quality of the child care is most important to you when choosing between facilities. But other things to consider are cost, hours of operation, and location. You don't want to pick a facility that is far from your home, and you don't want to choose one that is not open when you need it to be open to cope with your specific work schedule and that of your spouses as well.

Before selecting a child care center, be sure to drop in without telling them in advance. You should absolutely feel free to do this. Unannounced visits allow you to see the place as it actually is, and not how they want you to see it. Do the children seem happy? Do the kids seem busy?

Find out what kind of training and experience the staff has. Are there enough staff working there that your kid will get personal attention? There should be!

Is the facility clean, well lit, and safe looking? Are there safety and emergency equipment available in case something goes wrong? Is there a lot of play equipment and toys and things of this nature?

So there you have it, hopefully this little article has given you a good head start towards finding and choosing a day-care service for your children.

Jason has been writing articles online for over thirteen years. When not writing about health or fitness, Jason runs a wildly popular silverwarepro.com silverware web site where he reviews silverwarepro.com/hampton_silverware.cgi hampton silverware for your dining needs.

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What Makes the Homeowners Insurance Rates Rise?

The Texas Department of Insurance, one of the state's largest insurers, hiked homeowners insurance rates by around three-times on May 29, 2010. The customers would now have to pay 35%, instead of the 13% they were paying till May. Various Dallas-based homeowners will suffer due to this decision.

Homeowners insurance is a type of muti-line insurance that offers coverage not only for the building but also the contents of the home. Personal liability or personal insurance can also be covered under this plan. Insurance rates differ from company to company and various criteria are used for determining the rates.

Factors Used for Determining Homeowners Insurance Rates

* Nature of Construction: If your house is a framed one, you are likely to pay more for your home insurance. Insurance for brick houses is usually less expensive.

* Age of the House: If your house is newly-built, you could get lower rates and could also become eligible for certain discounts. However, people with older houses have to update their homes with certain facilities in order to get discounts.

* Coverage Amount: The coverage will also decide the rate of the premium you are required to pay for home insurance.

* Fire protection services: The distance of fire services from your house also determines the premium rate.

Amount of deductibles: The higher the deductibles, the lower will be the premium rate and vice versa.

* Homeowners Insurance: What Makes the Rates Rise?

Sometimes despite careful analysis of the above factors, the customer is unable to lower his premium. Although there might be factors that are beyond a customer's control, there are others that can be monitored to ensure lower premium rates, such as:

* Filing minimal claims

It is preferable to pay for minor damages than to claim for every small bit of repair and renovation. This is because multiple claims are likely to increase the premium, while most insurers reward for the length of time that no claims are filed. Leave the filing of claims for major repair work.

* Pay taxes on time

The late payment of taxes will have a two-fold negative effect. On the one hand, you will suffer from an additional tax fee, while on the other, your insurance rates will go up. An insurer will consider your late tax payment as a risk factor and would consider raising the premium to compensate.

* Claims on your house

Even if you have not filed too many claims, it might be possible that the previous owner of the house had been filing multiple claims. Any house with a history of multiple claims is considered as an unsafe property and you will be penalized for this in the form of a higher premium.

* Low credit ratings

Your credit score and credit history, which can easily be accessed from any one of the three credit rating agencies in the US, play a crucial role in an insurer's decision regarding your policy. Find out what affects your and work to improve it before seeking insurance. Your credit scores are likely to suffer due to various reasons like not paying your bills regularly.

For in-depth information on the various insurance plans and on getting a good deal, homeinsurance.org

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Home Mortgage Refinance Loan: Your FICO Score & Mortgage Refinancing

Your FICO Credit score is used by mortgage companies to determine how much of a risk you are for a greeneasylife.com/refinancing home mortgage refinance loan. The lower your score, the more you will pay when mortgage refinancing. There are ways to improve your credit before applying and save money on your greeneasylife.com/refinancing home mortgage refinance loan. Here are tips to help you polish your FICO score and qualify for a better mortgage refinancing interest rate.

FICO stands for "Fair Isaac Corporation," named for the company that calculates your score. Fair Isaac evaluates the contents of your credit reports and assigns a numerical value to your credit worthiness. Because there are three companies that maintain records, you will have three FICO scores, one for each credit agency. Before you consider mortgage refinancing it is important to request credit reports from each credit reporting agency and carefully review your records for errors.

Any adverse information found in your credit reports will damage your FICO scores. Other factors that affect your FICO score include the length of time you have been using credit, the amount of available credit vs. your debts, negative credit information in your file, collections, any write-offs or bad debt. If you find mistakes in your credit history it is important to dispute the error and allow enough time for the correction to raise your FICO score before applying for a greeneasylife.com/refinancing home mortgage refinance loan.

How to Improve Your FICO Score before Mortgage Refinancing

Improving your credit score takes time, there is no quick fix; however, there are steps you can take to raise your score. First, make sure you are paying all of your bills on time as 35% of your FICO score is based on your payment history. Fair Isaac also bases 30% of your FICO score on the amount of your debts and your available credit limit. The remaining factors include 15% based on the length of your credit history, 10% on the amount of recent inquires, and 10% on the type of credit accounts you use.

The items you can control prior to mortgage refinancing include paying your bills on time, maintaining low balances on your credit cards, and paying off negative information found in your credit reports. The more time you have to devote to improving your credit score, the more you can boost your FICO Score. If you are a homeowner with poor credit you want to devote at least six months to improving your FICO score before applying for a greeneasylife.com/refinancing home mortgage refinance loan. You can learn more about your credit and how it affects mortgage refinancing by registering for a free mortgage tutorial.

To get your free mortgage tutorial visit RefiAdvisor.com using the link below.

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6 Key Tips For Monitoring Your Elder's Care While in a Nursing Home

After you've moved your elder into a long term care facility such as a nursing home, your main function will go from one who provides day to day care to that of an advocate. It will be important that you become aware of exactly what quality nursing home care is. Without an understanding of exactly what should be happening, it will be difficult to know that your elder is getting the care they need and deserve.

Based on my past experiences, I want to pass along 6 key tips to you for monitoring and evaluating your elder's care while they are in a long term care facility.

1. Discuss any concerns you or your elder has with the care being provided with the appropriate staff members.

Should there be concerns with care being provided from a nurse's aid, director of nursing or a physical therapist, you'll want to take these concerns directly to the administrator of the facility. Be sure you approach this person in a calm and organized manner. If you go in angry or condescending, you may not get too far. If you are pleasant and approach things in a professional manner, you're much more likely to get much more action.

2. Be sure that a Comprehensive Assessment is done

By law, a nursing home is required to conduct a Comprehensive Assessment on every new patient within two weeks of being admitted. This assessment includes an evaluation of skin condition, mobility, nutritional and medical status as well as any daily habits the elder has. This assessment is revised anytime there have been significant changes - or at the very least, every three months.

3. Understand The Nursing Home Residents Rights

The facility should give you a copy of these rights upon your elder's admission. If you didn't get one, be sure to ask for it.

4. Be sure to document any concerns

Keep notes on any conversations you have with any staff or administration regarding any issues that arise. Be sure to note any efforts you have made to get a problem resolved, including any contact you've had with state or local agencies. Take photos if you suspect injuries due to neglect.

5. Connect with an ombudsman

Long term care ombudsmen are advocates for the elderly. They don't have any enforcement powers, but they are experienced and are trained to look into and resolve any number of problems that rise in nursing home and long term care facilities.

6. Bring up community concerns you may have at family council meetings

Most facilities hold monthly meetings. If yours doesn't, speak with the social worker assigned to your elder, a social service employee or the administrator about starting a family council group and holding monthly meetings.

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Real Men Don't

In the past if a parent needed care from a family member the first person that was contacted was the female in the family. Whether it be the oldest daughter, the closest daughter, or a sister. It used to be that when men said, 'I'll always take care of my mother", it meant, "I will get someone (else) to do that". Our society as a whole, often has viewed care giving as an essentially female role. Women still do provide the bulk of family care, especially personal bathing and dressing tasks. Many women within larger families complain that brothers don't do as much as they think they should do. Males, when they do take on that care giving role, often feel unprepared and become socially isolated, and less likely to ask for help.

But things are changing, like it or not. Today, more and more men are taking on that role. The Alzheimer's Association and the National Alliance for Care Giving estimate that men make up nearly 40 percent of family care providers now, up from 19 percent in a 1996 study by the Alzheimer's Association. About 17 million men are caring for an adult.

With the number of people needing care and the fact that female boomers are often working themselves, many men have no choice but to take on the care giving role. In the past we saw a movement in fathers stepping up and staying at home and taking care of babies. Now we are more and more seeing sons step up and take care of fathers and mothers. But it's very new and awkward to many men. They are not linked in to the "lifelines" that have been established mostly in the networks of females that have been sharing stories of similar experiences for years. Due to this, it becomes very stressful. Men can't talk about it. They feel cut off.

Men used to boast about their accomplishments as breadwinners or fathers. Now, some men worry about the conflict between caring for their parents and these other more common roles. Caring for a parent raises the question of "What kind of human being am I?"

As a caregiver, it is important, male or female, to reach out for much needed support. It is not an easy job. You not only need support and guidance based on what medical condition you are dealing with, but emotional and physical help for yourself as well. Working men need not be embarrassed to reach out to available employee-assistance programs. While they might feel that their employer thinks less of them as they deal with these issues away from work, the programs are there to help them not only be more productive at work but to help them as a human being as well.

For men or women who work, the new role of care giving may mean giving up their self-image as experts, and enter a lifestyle of many unknowns. It is, after all, not easy to know what to do to help your loved one, or how to provide the right help. Care giving is not an easy job.

Men should reach out to community agencies to find support groups. Issues raised in male caregiver support groups are very different than ones raised in female support groups. Home Helpers often employs male caregivers and has had great success! We encourage you to call us for any support you might need at home. We are here to help!

Home Helpers provides non-medical personal care services similar to what is often provided by family members. Our services are designed to help people maintain their independence and avoid isolation. We provide up to 24 hour care to clients in their residential home or in a facility. To learn more about our services or to ask for our free newsletter, call our office at 513-754-1182 or 859-801-1510, or view our website at homehelpers.cc homehelpers.cc.

Nursing Jobs - Where Culture Meets Style

Nursing jobs in London attract large numbers of qualified nurses who are willing to undertake available positions within the healthcare industry and medical field. Not only do people of all nationalities from all over the world look to relocate to London, so too do individuals from surrounding local areas. It is undisputed that London is a city that possesses a certain wonder to it, with its historical background combined with modern day architectural design and offerings. Juxtaposed alongside this architecturally sound city, London is the financial capital of the world that is consistently in the forefront of the latest cultural, technological and educational offerings.

For nurses that are relocating to London to fill nursing jobs from overseas, the process can at first seem daunting. There are many steps that need to be completed to ensure that all legalities are met and satisfied in order to begin work successfully. It is widely known and accepted that in order to successfully be appointed to a nursing job in London one must be a registered nurse in the United Kingdom. Certain recruitment agencies that specialise within the medical field offer nursing positions for internationally trained and recognised nurses, and can assist with each stage of the application and subsequent relocation to London.

Recently, general nursing was removed from the United Kingdom's occupational shortage list, which creates greater difficulty for foreign nurses who do not hold a specialised position within the nursing profession to obtain work and nursing registration permits within the United Kingdom. However, once a foreign individual holds a nursing registration permit they are then able to actively seek out nursing in London employment opportunities and work unsupervised within that position.

For interested candidates who already reside near or in London with appropriate registration, who are actively seeking a nursing job within the city, there is varied employment. As London is a sprawling metropolitan city, many nurses from various specialities are required and are highly sought after. Employment positions exist that require specialised training in midwifery, mental health care, private care, hospice care, paediatrics, home care and primary care.

Interested candidates should meet with revered healthcare and medical recruitment agencies with years of experience in recruiting candidates into positions that best meet their individual needs and requirements. Recruitment agencies within the industry work to ensure that placements are achieved as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

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How To Evaluate A Website Or Company

The word Website appears first in the title of this article because, especially in the

home based business and network marketing industries, you will often be dealing

with an individual Webpage or Website as opposed to a large company. That Website

might be the independent representative page of a representative, or it could be an

independently developed page operated by an entrepreneur.

Even if you are looking at a Webpage that is owned by a company, often you will

have to go no further in the evaluation process to rule out a particular Website or

opportunity. Then, only if the Website passes your tests, do you go on to evaluate

the company and opportunity.

Please realize, also, that this article does not really address the issues involved in

evaluating the opportunity side of a company, or fully evaluating the company and

opportunity combined. On the Homepage of ABCIncome.com appears a 13-point

criteria developed out of two decades of experience with evaluating business

opportunities. The version on the Homepage is only an overview, but a more

complete version of what to look for will appear soon in the form of a new article.

One other point before we really get started, is that this article is not concerned with

aesthetic issues. Granted, there are certain, “generally accepted Web design

practices,” some of which will be talked about here. However, just because a

Website uses a certain type of graphics, or perhaps a wild color scheme (or a boring

one), doesn’t mean that it can’t offer good content or opportunities. There are just

too many factors having to do with personal preference for these to be considered a

major factor for the purpose of this article.

Ok, with that said, here are some of the things that you should be looking for when

evaluating a Website or a company:

1. Is the MAIN Website directly accessible via a URL (Web address) that reasonably

makes sense?

Some Websites, most notably those that are questionable, will

occasionally set up even their main URL so that it isn’t very intuitive or accessible for

the general public. For instance, normally a Website name might look something like

this:

[evaluateawebsite.com]

Or [evaluateawebsite.com/index.htm]

Or [evaluateawebsite.com/main.asp]

On the other hand, if something isn’t quite right it might look something like this:

[evaluateawebsite.com/prelaunch/]

Or [evaluateawebsite.com/comingsoon/]

Or [evaluateawebsite.com/invitationonly/]

Let me immediately point out that simply because a URL ends with a name similar to

one of the examples above that doesn’t mean that the Website isn’t legitimate. If,

for instance, you are reading this article directly on the Website of ABCIncome.com

instead of in my email newsletter, then it ends with a name that is tacked onto the

main Web address of ABCIncome.com. It’s pretty standard practice in the industry to

add forward slashes and additional directories, folders, and/or page names to the

right of the main URL.

However, IF you cannot erase those extra characters to the right and directly access

the Website with just the portion that ends in .com, or .net, or .biz, or .ws, etc., that

may be cause for concern. Many Websites direct visitors to pages that aren’t the

main Homepage. However, if you can’t get to the Website’s main Homepage, again,

that may be cause for suspicion. business.educationeasy.net Business Websites are all about marketing a

product or service, so any normal Website owner would typically want to make sure

that their Homepage is accessible to any and all visitors.

2. What kind of contact options are provided? Email, Contact Form, telephone

number, etc.?

If there are no contact options, unless there is a VERY good reason, such as that the

site is undergoing construction or maintenance, consider it to be a big RED Flag!

If the site offers a way for you to purchase something, but there are no contact

options (until after purchase, you hope), then absolutely consider it a BIG RED Flag!

In general, the more contact options, the better. I would feel the most comfortable,

for instance, dealing with Website where an email address or contact form, and a

phone number, and a street address are provided. I would feel least comfortable

with a Website where only an email address and nothing else is provided.

Remember also that you can, or should, view Websites owned by individuals slightly

differently than Websites owned by a company. Any legitimate, reputable company,

for instance, should offer at least some contact information, again, the more the

better. However, it is not uncommon for Websites owned and managed by

individuals to feature less contact information. Especially if it is owned by a home

based business person; he or she might not be comfortable publishing their home

street address or phone number on the Web, for instance.

In rare cases with certain types of replicating Websites (where many representatives

have the same type of Website) the user may not have the option of providing more

contact details. But, again, that’s rare. These days even most Websites aimed at

individual users allow the user to add and update their contact information.

Even a P.O. Box is better than no address at all. Here again, whether dealing with a

giant company or an individual, it is not uncommon for companies or individuals to

use P.O. Boxes to more efficiently handle their mail.

True, some unscrupulous operators hide behind P.O. Boxes. However, they are a

much smaller percentage in comparison to legitimate users. The main reason is

that, especially after 9/11, in order to apply for and use a P.O. Box or address

service the applicant has to provide various kinds of information, including a real

street address, and proof of identity, etc.

Some Websites provide only an instant chat username as a means of contact. Here

also, usually to be considered a red flag.

Because scam artists know that providing a means of contact considerably increases

the credibility of a Website, one of the cleverest tactics to watch out for is a site that

provides a “Live Chat” or “Live Support” or “Live Customer Service” option, etc., but

it is never really staffed!

The above tactic is often combined with the additional tactic of the site claiming to

be located in a part of the World that just happens not to be open for business

during regular business hours in busy parts of the World such as the USA and

Canada.

I saw that tactic employed by a scam Website claiming to be located in the UK. It

offered, “Live Support,” but noted that they operated according to UK time, which,

conveniently, meant that by the time that most people in the USA and Canada got

out of work and visited their Website, it was too late to make contact due to it being

after hours in the UK. In reality, the site’s “Live Support” option was never staffed,

but most visitors never caught on due to the cleverness of the scheme.

3. After checking the items above I usually look for an “About Page.”

Here again a

Website run by an individual might not have one. However, the best companies,

whether large or small, will almost always have at least one page if not more

devoted to information about the company. Sometimes information about the

company’s management is provided as well.

These pages also go by names such as, “Company info.,” “Our Company,” or just,

“Company,” etc.

The About page can often tell you a lot about a company, including how long they

claim to have been in business. In general, the longer the better!

4. Does the Website feature any certifications, affiliations, or rankings, backed by

reputable and unbiased 3rd party organizations such as The Better Business Bureau,

Chamber of Commerce, Dun & Bradstreet, TRUSTe, Alexa, DSA (Direct Selling

Association), etc.?

Though none of the above organizations endorse or guarantee companies,

membership in and/or certification by a respected 3rd party organization can go a

long way toward giving you greater peace of mind that a company or individual is

legitimate and trustworthy.

Something that people don’t commonly know about the Better Business Bureau is

that they can establish a file and keep records on ANY company or individual

whether they are a member or not. The difference is, however, that a company who

is not a member has not agreed to the terms of the Better Business Bureau, cannot

display their logos, and has no way to really showcase a good record if they have

one.

However, even if a company is not listed with the BBB, IF they’ve been around for a

while and you can verify that fact, at least the BBB may have on file any negative

complaints that have been filed.

I must stress, however, this really applies only if the company that you are doing

business with has been around for a considerable length of time, and you can verify

it. That’s because a common tactic of scam artists is to start a new company, take

people’s money, and then simply close their doors, start another new company, and

repeat the process all over again. Thus, if they are not a BBB member, they may very

well have taken advantage of many unsuspecting victims, but simply haven’t been

around long enough for complaints to have reached the BBB yet. That’s why it is a

requirement that when a business or individual applies for membership they must

have been in business for at least 6 months to a year, and, further, the BBB goes as

far back as 3 years in their files to see if there have been any past complaints before

granting membership.

Unscrupulous companies that try to evade detection by closing their doors and then

opening up again under a new name are often detected in the BBB’s database. So, if

you know that a company previously operated under a different name it would be a

good idea to check to see if any complaints were filed against the company under

its previous name(s).

5. WHOIS and Alexa are tools that you can use in combination to further develop a

profile and picture of what a Website is all about.

Alexa ( alexa.com alexa.com/ ) allows you to track various data about a Website’s

activity, perhaps how long the site has been around, and maybe who owns it.

Alexa can be a great tool, but you have to be very careful if you aren’t familiar with

what all of the various pieces of information mean. For instance, just because a

Website has a high Alexa rating doesn’t mean it’s credible.

There are enough people who love money enough to jump onboard any scheme or

scam even if it seems too good to be true that unscrupulous Websites have often

been able to achieve high Alexa ratings. The thing to watch for is most of the traffic

being generated by the people who are jumping onboard the scheme and

advertising the site, as opposed to the Website climbing up in the rankings on its

own merits.

Again, it may take you a while before you are able to interpret and read the data to

be able to discern such things. However, one potential clue that “might” be a tip off

is when you see a Website appear out of the blue and all of a sudden it has a high

Alexa rating. Maybe it’s ranked at #77,000, for instance, but it’s only been on the

charts for a few weeks or months. Not always, but, especially if you are utilizing the

other methods discussed here, you may be able to determine that such a brief and

rapid change in ranking is a red flag for that particular Website.

You also have to realize that Websites and the companies and individuals behind

them are separate entities. For instance, Sears Roebuck had obviously already been

around a long, long time before they ever had a Website. And even companies or

individuals that have a Website sometimes add new ones, etc. So, if a company or

individual says they’ve been around for a while, but their Website hasn’t been

around as long, that isn’t necessarily a red flag as long as you can verify the

information.

As for WHOIS, there are numerous WHOIS servers that you can use. Many in fact.

However, three of the best known and most popular are:

InterNIC

internic.net internic.net/

VeriSign

registrar.verisign-grs.com/whois registrar.verisign-grs.com/whois/

and Network Solutions

networksolutions.com/en_US/whois networksolutions.com/en_US/whois/

WHOIS is a special database that lets you find out about a Website by typing in the

domain name (the Website address). Among the things that you may be able to find

out are out how long the Website has been around, who owns it, and where that

company or individual is actually located.

Earlier I mentioned a scam Website that claimed to be in the UK. Well, using the

same kinds of methods that I’m telling you about here I quickly found all kinds of

red flags. One of the biggest was that when I ran a WHOIS query the result came

back that the site owners were not really in the UK as they claimed to be, but were

actually registered on the offshore island of Belize, a common tactic of, and a HUGE

red flag characteristic of scam operations.

Another thing to watch for are private registrations by companies or individuals who

are obviously advertising as doing business with the public. Private registrations are

those where the real identity of the Website’s owner is not revealed. That’s fine if

someone just wants privacy. However, companies doing business with the public are

by their very nature doing business with the public! Therefore, it really makes no

sense, in most cases, for someone to file a private registration. It can be a red flag

that makes one wonder, who really owns this Website, and why don’t they show

themselves?

6. Dun & Bradstreet and similar business intelligence and credit reporting agencies,

most notably Hoovers, are also excellent options if you really want to find out more

about a company.

From Microsoft to Motorola, Dun & Bradstreet (also known as

D&B) is THE industry’s most respected credit reporting and business intelligence

source for that kind of information.

Unlike most of the other resources mentioned in this article, D&B primarily focuses

on large companies like the Fortune 500, or larger “small” businesses. So, many, if

not most individuals and small businesses will not be listed. Additionally, these

services require a fee, which can be substantial in order for you to pull a report on a

company, unless you have a subscription, which also involves a fair amount of cost.

You can, however, run limited queries at no cost that may be helpful to you.

7. One last point to consider is one that most people never give much thought to

when evaluating a Website or a company, and that is the payment methods they

accept.

Limited payment method acceptance (the inability to accept online payment) may be

a red flag when dealing with all but the smallest companies or individuals.

The bottom line is that the more payment methods a site is able to offer the greater

the convenience for the customer, which equates to more sales. Therefore, no

established company would want to be without the ability to accept multiple forms

of payment, unless, of course, something is wrong.

This article is already lengthy, and space simply does not permit going into detail

about the different types of payment processors. However, in general, a Website

that accepts payment via a secure merchant shopping cart of its own has probably

passed the most rigorous application, credit check, and background verification

process. With a third party processor, such as 2Checkout, ClickBank, or PayPal, this

is less so, but still applicable.

If a company or individual can’t qualify for an account with one of the above

processors that can often be a red flag and a sign of either credit and/or financial

problems, or even fraudulent activity. If a company has had problems that could

explain why they can’t accept common forms of payment. An online Website saying

that it can only accept payment in the form of a money order, cashier’s check, etc.,

should probably be viewed with suspicion.

Also, if a Website features StormPay as the only payment option, and not also

PayPal, that too can be a red flag. That’s because StormPay has much less stringent

application and maintenance requirements than PayPal. So, a Website who HAD an

account with one of the most respected payment processing company accounts like

those described above, but then got into trouble and had their account banned or

terminated, may still be able to get a StormPay account. Certainly not all StormPay

accounts fall into this category, but, again, if it’s the only payment method

accepted, it may be cause for concern.

Likewise, a Website offering as it’s only means of conducting transactions the e-

gold service, may also be cause for concern and even a red flag. e-gold is an

alternative service that allows companies and people to use gold instead of dollars

as a means of conducting transactions. Though e-gold is a legitimate service that

continues to grow and is accepted by many reputable merchants, it is often used by

scam artists for obvious reasons.

GRPMAX, L.L.C. was founded by CEO Phil Covington in 1979 and is the parent company of abcincome.com ABCIncome.Com. GRPMAX specializes in developing Uniquely Innovative Technologies & Solutions™ and has worked with clients ranging from small business, to government, to the Fortune 500. Specifically, GRPMAX creates solutions that automate processes that previously required human staffing and interaction. Mr. Covington's interest in the home business field started in the 1980s and developed out of relationships with some of the industry's most talented and highest earning individuals, during which time he has actively pursued the creation of the ultimate home business passive income solution.

Debt Consolidation - Handle With Care

Run Away From Hype

You will surely see, mostly on Internet, lots of hype announcing debt consolidation. Obviously, every company or agency claims to be the best in the market and it generally is only the hype that is best. You should prefer the quieter ones, which rely totally on their names and reputation, to seek advice on your debt consolidation.

The Actual Consolidation

This can be done in two main ways, with some variations. One of them is when most of your debt is generated by your multiple credit cards. You are likely to come across a credit card company or even one of your own, offering a 0% interest consolidation card. This means that the balance accumulated in the other cards will be transferred to the 0% interest one.

This process has a trick, though. What they do charge you is a fee for transferring the balance from one card to another. Find out the fees first, do your math and you'll know where you stand.

Debt Consolidation Agency

The other option is a debt consolidation agency, to do things for you, for a fee or the interest of a loan, naturally. Their services are to manage all your debt, negotiate write-offs for a prompt payment and/or grant you a loan. As with the credit cards, there are agencies that lure you in through the front door of a house that has no rooms. Get what I mean?

What They Do

Agencies can grant you a loan whose amount will be determined by the total sum after negotiating and getting write-offs, or make the payments individually, when your payments to the agency reach a determined sum.

The Average Debt

On average an American family has around $10,000 distributed among several debts, bills and expenses, which make it difficult to remember to pay each one, let alone on time. One single late payment can leave a smudge on your credit report and it cannot be blotted out so easily.

So, all in all, a well-performed badcreditloanswizard.com/free-debt-consolidation-services.html debt consolidation is a healthy option to avoid losing control of your payments and, most of all, to stop the vicious circle of spending unnecessarily. It concentrates all your debt into one single payment, which is easy to make and to remember. Meanwhile, your debts have been paid with the product of the loan.

Types Of Debt Consolidation Loan

Typically, there are secured and ungreeneasylife.com secured loans. Ungreeneasylife.com secured loans will have a higher interest and it will be a good thing to analyze the convenience of this option very carefully. A secured loan will have collateral, typically your home, which can get you a much lower interest rate.

However, if you are a homeowner, you might do well in taking a home greeneasylife.com equity loan to pay off your debt and negotiate it yourself, if you deem yourself fit to do so. Two well-coordinated negotiators, especially if they are a couple, will be able to put enough pressure on the creditor to grant you a discount for a prompt payment. However, too much pressure will backfire on you, spoiling the negotiation.

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Jessica Peterson writes yourloanservices.com/article finance articles for yourloanservices.com Yourloanservices.com where she shares her knowledge about how to get money for a starting-up business, consolidating any kind of debt, repairing a home even with a bad credit history and more.

Pet Supplies, Dog Supplies and Pet Adoption - A Primer

Pet adoption is how people try to care for animals that have been abandoned, neglected, abused, lost or otherwise are homeless. If new homes aren't found for them there are government agencies that will take them into a shelter. But once the animal is unclaimed for a certain amount of time or is of a certain age or with medical problems, they will be euthanized.

This solution does not sit well with many animal-lovers and the people who work with animals. There are now a new generation of "shelters" devoted to caring for these marginalized animals. There are many pet adoption organizations that make it their jobs to find homes for lost and abandoned pets without euthanasia being an option at all. A lot of them work together with large pet supply stores in order to reach a wider audience and find homes for all the animals that need them.

Stores like PetCo and PetSmart sell pet supplies and dog supplies, but they also use Petfinder to bring animals and people together. Petfinder claims to have brokered 12 million adoptions since 1995. They have a function where you can learn about the animal you want to adopt before you adopt it. You can also use it to find other adoption groups in your area, and search for pets that are available for adoption.

At Petfinder, you can search for pets in the following animal categories: barn yard, bird, cat, dog, horse, pig, rabbit, reptile, and small & furry. The service will tell you what is available in your exact area.

Best Friends is an organization devoted to rescue and "no-kill," as it is called. They are a non-profit group working with other non-profit groups to offer medical assistance, foster homes and adoption services. It was started in 1998 by two women who had previous volunteer experience with animal care and rescue. They saw there was a need for animal lovers to band together to provide care and homes for any animals that need it.

Animals who wind up at Best Friends have usually been abused, abandoned or neglected and are in serious need of medical attention. Best Friends makes that happen and then finds the animal a home where they can be safe and feel loved.

Whichever service from which you choose to adopt, it is important to be sure you are ready for the love and commitment it takes to own a pet. They should not be viewed as just play things that need to be disposed of when they bore us. They are (arguably) sentient beings and deserve a safe home free from abuse. You don't have to have any moral qualifications when buying a pet, but it's a good concept to consider before spending money on an animal and pet supplies or dog supplies - if you're not able to commit to providing for the animal (health care, food, play time) then perhaps owning a pet isn't the best idea.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background also includes teaching, pet care, and recreation. For more of her useful articles on pets, please visit pet-mart.com Pet Supplies, supplier of information about pet care, pet accessories, and more.

What Living on the Streets Is Like

Life on the streets

Homelessness is living on the streets, on a friend's couch, in your car and anywhere that makes you transitional. Some people end up that way because life gets too hard and giving up seems to be the easiest option. There are agencies out there but you think they might be too busy to help. You should be able to take care of yourself, why would someone want to help you?

When you're a kid on the streets, it's a lot more fun. You don't need to take responsibility and you can run amok. If it gets cold or you're hungry, give the police some trouble and you end up soaking in the luxuries of juvenile detention, which in some Australian places are more like a summer camp than a penitentiary built to doll out punishment.

According to ACTnow.com.au, 105,000 Australians are homeless on any given night!

But what does it feel like?

The cold passage of Forrest Chase's General Post Office drips cold water from the dark clouds, setting in like depression. The chilly gusts of wind penetrate my clothes. Hunger rumbles through my stomach as I watch some litter dancing in the wind. The alcohol I rely on makes my body shiver as I yearn for more to dull the stages of hanging out, my body weak and idle. I have no possessions, no blankets, just the things I see and feel. I yearn for the summer, the bright sunshine burning heat through my clothes and soaking me with happiness. Life becomes joyous when it's warm and happy, no time for depression. It's drink after drink with regular street feeds and more friends coming out from the hostels, where they've been hibernating through the long winter periods. Camp fires and bottles of bourbon, cheerful atmospheres and nice cool swims in the oceans.

The police come out in force in the summer, like parades of ants, wanting to take control of the streets. Moving us on and closing down squats which have sheltered some of us all winter long. After several move on notices and policies in place to deal with vagrants like us who litter the precious tourist environments, it gets to a point where locking us up is the best thing for us.

The Magistrate with his grey hair and bulky black rimmed glasses, peers down from the high bench. We're at the bottom of society's food chain, fines and middle-class punishments are no use to us. Jail is the only solution.

The cold bars slam home in the small cell, which offers protection against the dangers of society. Three feeds a day with a warm bed and shower. Amidst the hierarchies of armed robbers, prostitutes and drug dealers, the violent thieves who want to punch our head in for our share of cordial. Perhaps it's safer in here but after a few weeks, it's back on the streets and the cycle begins. There's no point in putting my name down for a Homeswest House. It takes 2 years to get anywhere and there's always people jumping the queue, popping out kids left, right and centre. So what do you do?

That's why I call the streets home.

Delphine Jamet has previously lived on the streets.

She is the author of Streetkid In The City and Deep Into Dark, writing about youth homelessness, crime, drugs and police. Download the first chapter of Deep Into Dark at deepintodark.com deepintodark.com

Protect Your Precious Children

Your baby is the most precious thing for you in the World and you want to make sure he or she is safe. You need to go out too and you have your own busy life. You have to do so many things just to survive these days and there are many things that worry parents. On the news you hear of people kidnapping children, or beating them to get them to stop crying. Some child caretakers are really gentle and wonderful people, but how are you supposed to know? Well there are many ways to make sure that you are hiring the right person for the job.

You should generally look for someone with a medium level of experience. If they have too much experience then they are generally too rigid with kids, however you must always check before judging. If you hire someone with very little experience it will be hard for them to know what to do. Make sure you interview people and watch them spend time with your children. They should be interested, prepared and able. It is a good idea to be in the house with them for a day with your child and let them take care of everything. This way you will get to see a glimpse of how it will be when you are gone.

When you are looking for people to interview you should look close to you instead of far. Do not try to hire nanny's from companies and agencies because a lot of the times parents have bad experiences with those people. Try asking your friends if they know people who are available and always try to find someone you know. Always speak with the nanny's references because they will be able to tell you if anything mysterious or strange happened in their house. Just make sure to find someone reliable through something reliable. Do not put your baby's life in the hands of a complete stranger.

The best way to make sure your baby is safe is by using a nanny camera. You can install one of these cameras in your house so you can monitor your child caretaker to make sure that they are not harming your precious baby. You can get all kinds of nanny cameras for home. They make them in convenient items, such as mirrors or clocks. Your nanny will not even know there is a camera there and you can see how he or she treats your baby. Keep your child safe with nanny cameras for home.

Secure securenannycam.com Nanny Cameras For Home is a premier provider of discreet childcare monitoring equipment. It's easier than ever to know what's happening while you're away!

Physical Therapy Jobs in Healthcare

Physical therapy jobs are an excellent career option for those intending to work in the healthcare sector. Job opportunities for physical therapists are expected to grow much faster than those in other healthcare occupations in the United States. There are a wide range of job opportunities in challenging environments for qualified and skilled professionals.

Job Openings in the Best Healthcare Facilities

Physical therapists offer services that help in restoring function, relieving pain, improving mobility, and limiting or preventing constant physical disablement of patients suffering from disease or injury. Physical therapist assistants help physical therapists in providing physical therapy treatments and procedures.

Healthcare staffing agencies across the United States offer committed recruitment services to help physical therapists secure placement in the best healthcare facilities in the nation. Through these agencies, talented professionals can obtain physical therapy jobs in rehabilitation clinics, hospitals, home healthhappinesslifetime.com care agencies, long term care centers, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, physician's offices, acute care clinics and so on.

Opportunities for Domestic and Internationally Trained Therapists

Professionally qualified and trained domestic as well as foreign professionals who satisfying all the requisite criteria can secure temporary, permanent, full time, part time, short term, long term or travel jobs in established facilities. Apart from a good remuneration, they would be entitled to benefits such as:

? Paid housing

? Professional liability insurance

? 401(k) retirement savings plan

? Continuing education programs

? Short-term disability insurance

? Section 125 Cafeteria Plan

? Healthhappinesslifetime.com care insurance

? Travel allowance and completion bonus

? Immigration processing support

To find the proper physical therapy job, the best option would be to make use of the recruitment services offered by experienced healthcare staffing solution providers. Professionals who register with them can get well-placed healthcare jobs in established healthcare facilities.

therakare.com/physical-therapy-jobs.html Physical Therapy Jobs - TheraKare is a full-service therakare.com/medical-staffing-company.html medical staffing firm providing complete support for those seeking physical therapy jobs, occupational therapy jobs, and speech pathology jobs.

Elder Care

In the United States, people live longer and live well for longer periods of time. In fact, persons age 65 and above are the fastest growing sector of the population. Because of this, the area of health care and provider services known as elder care continues to grow.

Elder care encompasses the issues and care concerns of the frail elderly. Frailty is a condition that is characterized by chronic functional impairment in one or more of the six activities of daily living that requires the help of another person. These activities include bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, transferring, and using the bathroom. And since the frail elderly are incapacitated to do such activities, they need elder care services.

Elder Care Services

Elder care services can help improve not only the quality of life for elders but also for caregivers. If you think you need elder care, it is essential that you know the different types of elder care services available. This will help you find elder care services in your area that will help meet your specific needs.

Some of these elder care services that you can look into include home care, adult day care, geriatric care managers, geriatric assessment, daily money management, hospice care, advance directives, and long term happinesslifetime.com care insurance. All these services are in response to the different needs of elderly that is why you have to know your specific needs in order to determine the appropriate elder care service for you.

So, if you want to try any of these services, you can either research or hire elder care service providers privately or go to an elder care agency. You can also search through the yellow page listings for senior services and home care, call the Area Agency on Aging, or ask friends and acquaintances. However, there is one very convenient option that you can choose and that is to go online. You can check various online elder care services providers and contact them if you have queries.

i-ElderCare.com Elder Care provides detailed information on Elder Care, Elder Care Business, Elder Care Attorneys, Elder Care Homes and more. Elder Care is affiliated with WetPluto.com/Independent-Living.html Senior Independent Living.

Care Giver Selection For Seniors At Home

So the "Aha" moment arrives. Circumstances make you realize two things. 1) I'm not as young as I used to be, and 2.) "Old age ain't for sissies" as the great Bette Davis once said.

Gradually, or sometimes suddenly, it happens... we can't keep up with household chores, we can't see the street signs to drive safely, we give up cooking or we can't walk without holding on to the furniture. And it begins, a nagging fear that we're losing our independence. In fact, loss of independence is the biggest fear among seniors. So what is the typical senior response? Pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and keep on going, of course! Call in the kids to help out! They're supposed to take care of us in our old age, aren't they? Unfortunately, the kids have spouses and children of their own. And they have full time jobs, not to mention they live out of town. It's time for a new strategy.

Many seniors are finding the solution to remaining independent at home lies outside the family circle with paid caregivers. At Seniors at Home, Inc. we find that most seniors find caregivers in two ways.

The old way is to run a classified ad or hire through a temporary service. The senior bears all the "employer" responsibility for this kind of caregiver."

It is my recommendation that seniors ask the following questions of independent caregivers:

1. What client references can you provide?

2. What is your experience/background?

3. Do you have any certificates or training? Is it current?

4. Have you worked with ( Alzheimer's disease, cancer, etc)?

5. What would you do if I had medical emergency?

6. How much notice would I have if you could not come in for a day? Can you arrange your own substitutes?

7. How do I contact you?

8. Are you bonded? Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

9. Do you have liability insurance?

These folks are usually less expensive but there's a lot of risk involved in hiring them. The downside is:

 It's difficult to find the right person.

 You are responsible for performing a criminal background check

 You are responsible for finding a replacement if the caregiver is absent

 You bear the burden for withholding payroll taxes, and providing state mandated worker's compensation coverage.

 You bear the burden for liability problems like theft from or damage to your property. "

The new way is to contract with a Companion Care Agency. These private agencies provide "in-home, non-medical care". The number of agencies is growing quickly to meet the demands of a fast-growing senior population. They provide a wide range of services including light housekeeping, meal preparation, laundry, transportation, shopping & errands, and in many states including California, assistance with personal care. These one on one services can continue should the senior move into assisted living or even a nursing facility or hospital.

Request an Assessment Interview so that we can learn more about your unique situation and share how our caregivers can improve the quality of your life!

"Stay at Home but not alone."

seniors-at-home.net seniors-at-home.net

Tips For Renting Homes in Sacramento

Renting homes is the trend and buying them is becoming a fad. Mortgage rates can be thrice the rental, so renting is the obvious choice. To rent home in Sacramento is no longer a dreaded task. With the World Wide Web being crowded by reliable websites, there is no dearth of information. So if you need apartments or condos, for short term or long term. It is all here.

Tips for choosing homes for rent in Sacramento

While choosing homes for rent in Sacramento you need to keep these pointers in mind. Start of by deciding whether you want to choose a house yourself or hire a renting agency to help you. The agencies have a diverse database and one can start off there. Do not finalize a house online as a site visit is mandatory to avoid disappointments.

Choose a house depending on the size of your pocket. Do not go for high budgets if your credit report is not good. Go for a good but economical location as the budget varies with the size of the house and also the location.

Take care to check that you landlord is not nearing foreclosure. One can do this by checking the online database for Sacramento real estate at or by visiting the county clerk recorder's office. Using the year of filing details and the property owner's name, you can detect the status of the property. You can find the 'notice of default' or 'notice of trustee sale' status.

If you are moving in from a different part of the country, do a quick check on tenant-landlord law for Sacramento, California. Go in for tenant insurance as well. The leases and agreements should be duly prepared and accepted.

Look out for maintenance issues when you rent home in Sacramento, California. It is a better option to get a home with minimal maintenance as a newcomer to the town will sure have difficulties seeking people to fix up their apartments. Alternatively one can also set aside a chunk of the rent money to do the maintenance before moving in, hence budget your needs according to the chosen plan. When checking out the homes for rent in Sacramento [renthomein.com/2010/06/14/rent-home-in/] decide the location or the colony depending on your needs and requirements; also on the accessibility to shopping spots, parks, schools and clinics.

The perfect residential areas in Sacramento

When you rent homes in Sacramento, California look out for the best residential location. Sacramento is a beautiful place and so you have many options. They can be in the tree lined Arden area which is well connected to places you need to visit for daily needs or the Mediterranean style colonies in North Natomas. You can check apartments in downtown Sacramento or get a condo in North Highlands area which has the best shopping spots and parks. Elk grove is another desired spot in Sacramento. Choose the region depending on your need and the money in your purse.

Once all these are done, it is your turn to turn your house into a lovely home. renthomein.com/2010/06/14/how-to-find-homes-for-rent-in-any-city rent home in Sacramento and live in one of the best residential regions in California.

Babysitting Business Idea

As long as human kind will be on this world, babies will have to be born. This being so, a babysitting business enterprise will always be a sure way to earn some great income for any enterprising person. A few years ago, babysitters used to be regarded as low class servants, whose pay was minimal. Modern society has changed all this, and babysitting is just like any other career. It has developed to full-time thriving business which has employed a lot of people.

Baby-sitting is the choice job for most teenagers seeking part-time jobs or some full-time work. The managers for these jobs are teenagers themselves. They normally base their offices in a room at their parent's home premises. They establish babysitting agencies which keeps tabs on the number of babysitters in any given locality. A person who wants to become a babysitter can approach the agencies and enroll for posting if an opportunity arises. In fact, if a mom wants the service of a babysitter, she will only have to approach the agency for one. An individual can also offer the service independently without the help of the agency. The number of people, who depends on babysitters to take care of their young ones, the majority being career moms, has increased tremendously over the years.

This business, just like any other, needs innovativeness so as to impact positively on all who take part in it. You will need unique designed cards to promote and sell your business. There are a variety of methods to do so, as highlighted below:

While designing your business.educationeasy.net business card, include all necessary information. This will aid your prospective clients with an item or a place to refer to whenever need for your service arises from time to time. You should include details concerning your unique agency. Your card should have information in which your future clients can refer to from time to time. This information must be something like a calendar which should be put on one side of your card. This in turn, will force a person to have a reason to draw out your card so that they may check dates. In so doing, it reminds them about your business at all times.

One can also design their card as a referral card. These cards make it easy to introduce your business to prospective clients. On one side, you use it to invite people to events while the other side has information about your services in details.

You can design your card two sided. Use one side for your business side while the other side is something like a billboard advertisement. Just like you find in a billboard, let the card be very eye catching. The text should well laid and simple enough to your future client needs.

Design the card like a note card or note pad. Let your details appear on top most margins of the pads leaving spaces where people can jot notes. You can also design it in such a way that details of your organization appears on one side of the note pad while the other side is for note taking.

Another great way to advertise your business is to print your cards on lighter papers and tacking them on public notice boards. People will always notice your business this way.

Well, if you follow these simple design methods, you can be assured of a booming babysitting business.

Freddy Ngiam is the Founder & CEO of 1homebusinesshub.com 1homebusinesshub.com

Blame It On the Rain: Protect Your Home With Hurricane, Wind, and Flood Insurance

Choosing the best insurance policies for your home can cause a lot of

confusion. Many homebuyers are not fully educated about the coverage

needed to protect a home or real estate investment. Many difficult

situations can be caused by natural disasters. If you purchase real

estate in or relocate to an area prone to hurricanes or floods it is

important to know you have sufficient coverage. Read your policy

carefully, ask questions and know the facts. Consider all of the options

and get the advice of a real estate or insurance professional you can

trust.

Come Rain Or Come Shine

Hurricane insurance is also referred to as Wind and Hail insurance and

it works to cover the cost of rebuilding your home in the event of

hurricane damages. Knowing the full extent of your coverage is

essential. First choose the best deductible. Homeowners can purchase

Wind and Hail insurance with a deductible based on a percentage of

damages that may occur. This deductible will increase as the amount of

damages increases. The monthly payments are often lower, but the out-

of-pocket expense is higher. Homeowner’s can also purchase

hurricane insurance with a fixed “all peril” deductible. This means

whether you have $2000 of damage or $50,000 you pay the same

deductible. You may pay a higher monthly payment, but in high-risk

areas an “all peril” deductible can save thousands of dollars.

You should also be certain your policy contains specific coverage such

as Loss of Use. This provides funds for you to return to your home and it

can even cover a dwelling on your property while you reconstruct. The

amount you are paid depends the value of your home. Contents

Replacement Cost is another form of coverage that can be beneficial. It

allows you to have your items replaced at the current value. You can

choose to receive cash as well, but the cash value of the items is subject

to depreciation. A Living Expense Clause is another good option for

protection. It provides homeowners with an income while recovering

from hurricane damage and loss.

When The Waters Keep Rising

Flood insurance and hurricane insurance are separate policies. Flood

insurance is a product of the National Flood Insurance Program, which

is part of FEMA. Flood insurance cannot be paid by escrow it must be

paid up front by the insured. According to the official website of the

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), floodsmart.gov floodsmart.gov, flood

insurance covers “structural damage and mechanicals…flood debris

cleanup and floor surfaces like tile and carpeting.” You can purchase

more coverage to insure personal property, such as furniture and

appliances. In order to purchase a flood insurance policy homeowners

and real estate investors must own in a low-risk or high-risk community

that participates in the NFIP. There are three standard Flood Insurance

policy forms offered by the NFIP: the Dwelling Form, the General

Property Form and the Residential Condominium Building Association

Policy form. Each policy is based on how the building is occupied.

When Disaster Strikes

If a natural disaster occurs in your region and many residents suffer

damage by wind or flood there are many options for homeowners in

financial trouble. The US Department of Housing and Urban

Development has a special insurance program that falls under

Section203(h) of the National Housing Act to assist disaster victims.

You can learn more about this program at hud.gov hud.gov. Lenders such

as Freddie Mac and Taylor, Bean & Whitaker also offer special

programs to assist disaster victims. Many lenders have encouraged

mortgage brokers to suspend late fees and delinquency penalties for

hard hit coastal areas. They have also enacted grace periods so

homeowners can refrain from making mortgage payments and avoid

being reported to the Credit Bureau. Also, many states have emergency

management departments that work with FEMA is situations like

Hurricane Katrina. These agencies, like the Virginia Department of

Emergency Management, can be of service to any homeowner in

Virginia living in a region declared a Major Disaster Area by the

President of the United States.

When you invest in real estate it is essential that you understand the

types of insurance coverage that will best protect your property.

Research your region and get advice from the professionals. To learn

more about homeowner’s insurance please visit

vonncannonrealestate.com [vonncannonrealestate.com] and read Dangerous Liaisons: Tips

For Securing Homeowner’s Insurance.

Elaine VonCannon is a REALTOR with RE/Max Capital in Williamsburg, Virginia, and she specializes in retirement and relocation in the Williamsburg area. She is an Accredited Buyer's Representative as well as a Senior Real Estate Specialist. Elaine VonCannon also works with real estate investors and home sellers.

What You Can Do To Better Care For Your Loved Ones, Yourself, Senior Living & Health

As our population ages, a new term has entered our national vocabulary - Caregiver Burnout. It is used primarily in reference to family members who are trying to take care of elderly loved ones, and at the same time meeting the demands of their own family.

To avoid caregiver burnout, it's important to get help before caregiving becomes overwhelming. If you're caring for an older loved one, the American Geriatrics Society's Foundation for Health in Aging offers these suggestions:

Help your loved one help themselves. Doing something as simple as putting a no-slip seat, or
shower chair, in the shower or bath;

installing grab bars in the bathroom and near the bed;

moving kitchen supplies to lower shelves;

or getting easy-grip can openers and other utensils, can make it possible for an older relative to keep doing certain things independently.

Don't take it personally. If the person you are caring for has dementia or other mental or emotional problems, he or she may act out or say hurtful things. Remind yourself that this behavior is a result of the illness. Try not to take it to heart. Ask family, friends and neighbors for assistance. Ask a neighbor to take your mother to the grocery store once a week, or your sister could help make meals for mom on weekends. Explain what needs to be done, but try not to criticize if others don't care for your loved one in exactly the way you would.

The important thing is that his or her needs are met. Take care of yourself. Eating well, exercising, and taking time to relax and enjoy yourself are key to avoiding burnout. By taking care of yourself you'll be able to take better care of your loved one. Talk about it. Talking about your experiences and feelings can make care giving less stressful.

Joining a caregiver support group in your area will give you a chance to share your thoughts, feelings and information with others in similar circumstances. Get information. Learn as much as you can about your loved one's health problems and needs and how these are likely to change over time. This will help you plan and prepare for these changes. Learning about options for care that your loved one may need in the future, such as help from a home aide, or assisted living or nursing home care, can also help you prepare for and feel more secure about their future.

Of course, the internet is a great source of information, along with libraries and local senior agencies. Comfort Keepers is willing to discuss caregiver burnout and other issues of this nature with you.

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