Home Care Agencies|Home Health Agencies|Home Health Care: 2013-06-02

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Home Modifications Or Improvements

Two thirds of those who made home modifications believe those improvements will allow them to live in their homes longer than they would have been able otherwise, most for another ten years or more. The reasons most often cited by respondents for not making home improvements were the inability to make the changes themselves (37%) and not being able to afford the modifications (37%).

Improvement

Some improvements never pay off: swimming pools, elaborate gardens, chic paint colors. If your home improvement project results from an accident or natural disaster that is covered by insurance, check with your insurance company to determine the extent of coverage before signing a contract to have the damages repaired. When a government agency issues a permit for home improvement work, it will inspect the work when that work has reached a certain stage to make sure it complies with various codes and regulations.

All agreements and oral promises regarding a home improvement project should be put in writing to protect both the customer and the contractor. Cancellation Rights: When you sign a home improvement contract in your home and in the presence of a contractor or contractor's representative, you have three business days in which to change your mind and cancel the contract. You can save a lot of money by buying all sorts of home improvement products online as well. They even have a home improvement outlet with all sorts of deals where you can get a lot of tools and equipment for a steal.

Improvements

How do you determine your medical expenses, if any, for the amounts you pay for these types of improvements or special equipment installed in your home. You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay for special equipment installed in a home, or for improvements, if their main purpose is medical care for you, your spouse, or your dependent. The cost of permanent improvements that increase the value of your property may be partly included as a medical expense.

The cost of the improvement is reduced by the increase in the value of your property. If the value of your property is not increased by the improvement, the entire cost is included as a medical expense. Certain improvements made to accommodate a home to your disabled condition, or that of your spouse or your dependents who live with you, do not usually increase the value of the home and the cost can be included in full as medical expenses. A capital improvement is something that adds value to your home, prolongs its life or adapts it to new uses. Fixing a gutter, painting a room, or replacing a window pane are repairs rather than improvements. In the past, it was critical for homeowners to save receipts for anything that could qualify as an improvement.

Improvements reduce energy costs and enhance comfort. If you are planning on making repairs or improvements to your home it is important to know how to pick the best contractor, and choose the financing that's right for you.

Clarisse Brown is a successful Webmaster and publisher of ImprovingYourHomeNow.com [ImprovingYourHomeNow.com]. She provides more information about home and home improvement issues [ImprovingYourHomeNow.com] that you can research in your pajamas on her website.

Information on Nursing Jobs

There are plenty of available jobs for nurses everywhere and the salaries and benefits offered continue to rise. Many nursing agencies are even offering job openings abroad with extraordinary assignments, promising rates, and also free accommodation. Included in the nursing jobs is to provide services from home care to long term care of people of all ages.

Another growing field in nursing is the Institutional Nursing of schools/colleges. Another is the Travel Nursing where it is only offered to young nurses (below forty years old) maybe because of the nature of the work.

There are a lot of health care organizations which offer travel nursing job programs. The programs offer weekly or sometimes monthly assignments for the nurses. To overcome the problem of shortage of nurses in different cities of California, it has widened different avenues for the jobs.

One way to find a nursing job is to browse the internet. You will know the different job types available in other areas even without going there. In travel nursing, aside from competitive pay, free lodging, and insurance, there are also other benefits you can enjoy. You will be given the opportunity to visit the other parts of the country, experience other cultures, and meet different people.

Recently, home nursing jobs have become one of the fastest growing professions. Although there is sufficient job opening for travel nurses, you must first do a solid homework before applying. With different types of jobs, the contract nursing becomes one of the most favoured careers.

For those who find enjoyment in travelling to different places, travel and part time nursing are best suited for the. However, with the changing time, it is a must that you carefully study the trends of nursing job to be successful.

Nowadays, a lot of nursing agencies are offering opportunities of having nursing jobs. They are offering different jobs with different specialization based from the need of the employers worldwide. If it is a home nursing job, the nurse must learn to associate with the patients including their family.

There is a wide variety of a good travel nursing jobs. These jobs offer high pay and you will also enjoy flexible time schedules. There are a lot of good opportunities which await travel nursing and it is more promising than a regular job for nurse.

Now, if you want to try travel nursing job and eager enough to learn and adjust to different environments, a good career is ahead of you.

For More Information See: How to startanursinghome.com start a nursing agency business visit startanursinghome.com startanursinghome.com

A Top Internet Home Based Business - How to Choose

Check out all the facets of an internet home based business before making the decision to get involved in the business directly. Usually there are several, even numerous options in any of the major home business opportunity categories. There are certain common factors that should be reviewed, no matter what the market niche is. You will be checking whether it's a good company professionally and financially, but you should also consider whether the company profile and ideals fit satisfactorily with your own personality. There will also be financial factors to review, especially if there is a fee to become part of the business opportunity.

Lasting Power of the Business

In choosing an internet home based business, it's a good idea to try to determine if the type of business is likely to be around in a few months or a few years. You can't always tell for sure, but there is a problem with getting into a field that is fast disappearing from view due to changing technology or because of other reasons. Surveys are a good example of a long term business. Transcription of documents related to health and legal issues are also positive choices for long term job security.

History of Professional Dealings

You always want to pick an internet home based business that has a history of ethical and professional dealings with its workers, whether on site or at home workers. The company should have a good reputation with its customers, as well. Check the online information about companies through the use of your favorite internet search engine or through professional agencies that make a business of reviewing and taking action on complaints about the company. Online forums regarding the niche market in which you are interested are another way to learn about the company you are considering as an employer or agent.

How Large is Your Investment

The cost to you to participate in a specific internet home based business is another factor that should enter into your decision about which company to go with. Many companies that recruit for home based workers do not charge any fee at all. Others provide listings that you can access for a monthly fee or sometimes just a single set up fee. The listing services sometimes provide other services to the home workers such as a clearing house for payment. Others are more specialized and can provide training in a specific field that you want to enter.

Is the Business a Good Personality Fit?

Ensuring that you choose an internet home based business that is suitable for your personality is important. You are more likely to stick with a job that is fun for you. Fortunately, there are many variations so you can choose between options such as difficulty of the work, length of time to complete a project, level of creativity and imagination required or other factors that enter into the nature of the specific job. Review the job characteristics carefully before making your decision and you are more likely to make a suitable choice.

In order to answer these and other questions about goodinternetmoney.com How To Make Money From Home options, you can check out the valuable information available at goodinternetmoney.com goodinternetmoney.com as well as learning to Make Money At Home.

My Spouse Has to Go Into a Nursing Home - How Much Can I Keep?

Most people know that in order to qualify for Medicaid coverage of a long-term stay in a nursing home, the nursing home resident cannot own more than $2,000 in cash or other "countable" assets. But if you're married, and one spouse is going into a nursing home and the other is remaining "in the community" (i.e., continuing to reside at home), how much can the so-called "Community Spouse" retain? That amount is determined by a combination of both federal and state Medicaid laws. (Note that for these purposes it doesn't matter whether assets are titled in the sole name of the nursing home spouse, the Community Spouse, or jointly in both names.)

The basic rule is that the Community Spouse can retain 50% of all of the countable assets of both spouses, based on what they own when the other spouse first enters the nursing home for a continuous period of at least 30 days.

Most of the states only permit the at-home spouse to protect one-half of the total amount of the couple's assets, up to $109,560, but with a minimum of $21,912. So if the couple's total assets are under $21,912, the Community Spouse can retain it all; if their total assets are between $21,912 and twice that amount (i.e., $43,824), the Community Spouse retains $21,912; if between $43,824 and $219,120, the Community Spouse retains half; and if over $219,120, the Community Spouse is limited to protecting $109,560.

Here are some additional examples:

Examples:

1. Assume a couple has total assets of $30,000. Half of that is $15,000, which is less than the "floor" amount, so the at-home spouse can protect $21,912; the balance must be "spent down" before the nursing home spouse can qualify for Medicaid.

2. If the couple's assets total $100,000, then the Community Spouse can protect the full 50% amount: $50,000.

3. If the couple's assets total $300,000, the Community Spouse's protected amount is limited to $109,560.

States following the above rule are known as "50% states." However, the most lenient states ("100% states") permit the at-home spouse to retain 100% of the couple's combined assets, but never more than $109,560. So if the couple's total assets are, say $150,000, the Community Spouse can protect not just 50% ($75,000) but $109,560. (The $109,560 figure changes annually, to keep up with inflation; this is the 2009 amount.)

In all states, once the Community Spouse's share is set aside, the nursing home spouse can keep up to $2,000 in cash, but the balance of the couple's assets must be eliminated somehow before the nursing home spouse can qualify for Medicaid.

So what do you do with the "excess" assets over the limits discussed above? The state Medicaid administration department will tell you that you must "spend down" the excess assets, and if it's a small amount, that's certainly the simplest way to qualify.

Another alternative is for the couple to simply give away the excess, but that will cause a period of disqualification from Medicaid eligibility for the nursing home spouse.

The couple could convert some or all of the excess from "countable" to "non-countable," e.g., buying a new car, improving the house, purchasing a Medicaid annuity, etc.

Finally, many of these options are quite technical and require the skills and advice of an experienced elder law attorney. Unless you're an attorney "in the trenches" on a daily basis, it's easy to miss a recent state Regulation or Agency Letter and make a mistake that will wind up costing you $1,000s!

? 2009 by K. Gabriel Heiser

Attorney K. Gabriel Heiser has devoted his entire legal practice to Medicaid planning, elder law, and estate planning for 25 years.

NOTE: For more information on this topic and other Medicaid planning techniques, see MedicaidSecrets.com MedicaidSecrets.com, which describes the annually updated 275-page book written by attorney Heiser, "How to Protect Your Family's Assets from Devastating Nursing Home Costs: Medicaid Secrets." You don't have to go broke to get Medicaid to pay your nursing home bills, you just have to know the rules and planning techniques. For the first time ever, you can learn the inside secrets of high-priced estate planning and elder law attorneys, in attorney Heiser's consumer-oriented book.

In Home Babysitters Locator - Conduct Your Search Now!

Considering hiring a babysitter? In Home Babysitters Locator is the fastest way to access a nationwide database of babysitters looking for caregiver positions. While there are lots of ways to find a childcare provider for your children, you'll find this service the fastest and easiest. Carefully read this short overview to learn on the benefits of using a web-based babysitter placement agency.

Using a Web-based search tool

Online nanny placers such as In Home Babysitters Locator provide parents the opportunity to significantly shorten the search process and obtain fast, accurate results. How does it work? A simple, friendly Web-based mechanism enables you to seek the person you need by providing you a list of suitable candidates residing near you. Moreover, a professional placer tool will also be able to help you in other important aspects of hiring a mother helper such as - how to run a babysitter background check, how to ultimately screen the best babysitter for you and also provide tips on how to establish an optimal working relationship between both sides.

Web-based matching services: The advantages

Why is this solution the most effective one for parents? There are several reasons:

(1) Ideal for parents who need to find the best babysitter for their children in minimum time.

(2) Enables parents to manage the search themselves, thereby saving them precious time.

(3) Provides a hassle-free, effective solution for busy parents with limited time to search for and find a babysitter.

Bottom line

Using the services of an online family babysitter matcher such as In Home Babysitters Locator is an excellent solution for parents who wish to find a trustworthy babysitter - fast. In addition to finding a babysitter, an online placement agency is such an effective solution because it enables managing the seeking and screening process online, in your own free time. If you want to easily find a babysitter online, we recommend following the above article content before you move forward.

If you wish to learn more about online-nanny.com In Home Babysitters Locator

Visit: online-nanny.com online-nanny.com

? 2009 Gill Lavi.

Fighting For My Mother

Something happened today that had my blood pressure raising. My 78 year old Mother sat down to pay her bills, she does this every two weeks like clockwork and keeps meticulous records, quite frankly because as she has gotten older, more and more businesses try to take advantage of her. She opened what she thought was her water bill and it turned out to be a warrant for her arrest! The city of Flower Mound, TX sent her a post card type notice about two months ago saying it was time to get her dog rabies shots again.

She called them to inform them that she no longer owned that dog due to her health problems. The lady on the phone just said okay, no problem. Mom was just in the hospital recently for problems relating to her congestive heart disease. Her blood pressure has been very erratic the past few weeks.

My Mother has been a widow since the age of 42. She still had two teenagers at home. She has always been so vivacious and full of life. Until two years ago she could run circles around me. Then she had to have a hip replaced, and because she has had phlebitis for so many years she also had to have a vienacava filter implanted to prevent blood clots.Less than a month after that, she was in physical therapy and they kept insisting she work out harder. Then her old appendectomy scar tore open and ruptured all across her abdomen. Another surgery . Four days after that, unknown to us, they recalled the Patch they had inserted in her abdomen. Turns out it was killing people.

Mother returned to her surgeon about a month later and told him the pain was intolerable. Knowing about the recall, her surgeon told her that she wasn't 25 anymore and she would just have to learn to grow old. About a year later we heard about the Patch Recall. At least the excruciating pain was explained.

A new surgeon (at a different hospital) explained how the patches had something like a wire around them to keep them straight and in place. The wire-thing* was sometimes protruding from the patch and perforating peoples intestines, sometimes resulting in death. At the very least extreme pain for the rest of their life. However, Mom didn't have much of a muscle wall there anymore and trying to remove the Patch was a case of damned if you don't and damned if you do. Her chance of surviving was about 50%.

So she lives with the pain on a daily basis. At the same time all of this has been happening, she had found out that there was a tax loop for Senior Citizens in our state of Texas, that she could defer paying taxes on her home until she sold it. She met with the County Commissioner, got it in writing and sent a copy to her mortgage company. For a while they accepted it. Then they decided they felt she needed to pay the taxes anyway. So they tried to back charge her for it and raised her house payment again. She spent a couple of months , with the support of the county commissioner and the state attorney general backing her up, fighting it with the mortgage company, City Mortgage.

In the mean time, City Mortgage reported to the Credit Companies, that she was delinquent in her payments. Suddenly all her other accounts raised her percentage rates and therefore her payments. She went from perfect credit to distressed credit almost overnight. Finally it was straightened out with the mortgage company. The Big Credit Bureaus are a different matter. It is such a mess now, she doesn't think she can get it worked out in her lifetime.

It just seems to me, that we need better protection for our Senior Citizens - Our Parents. Too many companies/people purposely take advantage of them.

Before an Animal Control agency CAN ISSUE A WARRANT OF ARREST FOR SOMEONE, for something like being 2 months late getting their pet rabies shots, shouldn't they look the person up? See how old they are and try a - oh I don't know - a phone call? I just don't think an arrest warrant should be issued for a Senior Citizen without some kind of rules. These are our Parents I'm talking about, or our Grand Parents. I don't appreciate the mistreatment of a 78 year old woman, with several medical problems, including heart trouble. Especially over a dogs vaccinations, a dog she had to give up several months before.

It seems like she cannot get by even one month without some kind of unnecessary and unjustified harassment. I would love to hear your comments and concerns. I don't really like writing when it seems like it's just a lot of complaining. However this is an important issue and we are not famous Authors -yet. So if we can get some discussion going, maybe someone can make a difference or offer up some good ideas.

All the Best, K.T. Banks

* Not certain it is an actual wire, however the results are the same.

K.T. Banks is a pen name we use. We are a husband and wife writing team. We have just published our first mystery novel, 'Stand and Protect' and the second one is almost finished. Don't hate us, but we feel that we have the family thing figured out. Besides our good relationships with our children, we have a great marriage.

Despite many ups and downs financially, we are still madly in love. Once we came into a lot of money, and through mostly our own ignorance, we lost everything after a while.

Sometimes we have in-law problems. We've had to deal with death in the family. Our 18 year old lost his best friend in a car crash about 6 months ago. That was really hard to deal with. I have anxiety problems from a childhood experience.

And yet we are always there for each other. We're in this together and learning how to compromise is huge.

So, while we really enjoy writing novels together. We like this avenue to try to help others that may need it. A happy family life is one of the greatest blessings you can have.

You can read about our novels at KT-Banks.com KT-Banks.com or email us at
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Water Filtration System For Your Home

Many of you may not realize how important it is to install a water filtration system in your home. It seems easier to buy bottled and less expensive on the short term. Some of you may even drink straight from the tap.

Well, if you are going to drink bottled water, you may as well drink tap-water, because they are in reality the same thing. Bottling companies are not required to provide something "safer than" the stuff that runs through your faucet. Perhaps, some of them do. The Environmental Protection Agency suggests that you call up the bottling company and ask them what type of water filtration system they use. If they do not use a sub-micron particle filter, then microbial cysts may be floating around in your bottle. In case, you don't know what any of that means, "cyst" refers to the oocyst stage of life of a microscopic organism, such as a parasite or protozoan. Only a sub-micron water filtration system will remove them. If ingested, the tiny creatures grow inside the intestine causing illness. In people with poorly developed or compromised immune systems, they can cause death.

The EPA sets standards for public water supplies. The Food and Drug Administration sets the standards for bottled waters. Both government organizations want you to realize that there is always a possibility of contamination. You read about E coli contamination of tomatoes, broccoli, spinach and other food stuff. You are always careful to wash your fruits and vegetables. But, without a water filtration system on your tap, you can be the source of contamination. Not because of E coli, but because of cysts. The public water filtration system in your local area will make an effort to warn you if E coli are present. That type of contamination can occur after flooding. The only solution in that instance is to boil. Boiling removes bacteria and other living organisms. It does not remove chemical contaminants like benzene, BPA and phthalate. All of those contaminants have been found in bottled waters. Any of them can make you sick. Chlorine is a fairly common problem for most people. It's the reason that a lot of people stop drinking from their faucets. But, you are just as likely to find chlorine in a bottle.

We bought a cheap store brand once, before we got our own water filtration system. The stuff in the bottle tasted just like pool water. Companies are only required to meet FDA standards if they are shipping across state lines.

So, if you have to buy bottled, read the label. If you are recovering from chemotherapy or have another illness that affects the strength of your immune system, always call the company and ask about their water filtration system. If you buy a point of use or personal system, make sure that it is certified to remove cysts and chemicals, as well. We all have to make efforts to protect our present and future health. Those traces of chemical contaminants that the EPA says not to worry about, may be more dangerous than anyone thought. Researchers are showing that long term exposure to low levels of toxins leads to a variety of chronic and life threatening illnesses. That's why you need a water filtration system for your home.

Tito DiPietro is passionate about healthy nutrition, healthy life style and the health benefits of purified drinking water. Visit his site now: aquafaire.com aquafaire.com

Friday, June 7, 2013

Are Registered Nurse Jobs For You?

Registered nurses are people that enjoy helping others in many different ways with their medical needs. They work as a team with the patient's doctors, while at the same time helping their families emotionally. It is their responsibility to record the patient's medical information, and do a number of other things that their specific registered nurses jobs require.

From 2006 through 2016, there will be a 23 percent growth in nursing jobs, according to statistics. There isn't any other occupation with that high of growth rate. The need for more registered nurses grows daily.

There are three different ways to become a registered nurse. There are courses taking two to four years to complete, depending on where you study. The longest course is offered by colleges or universities. The shortest course is offered by Community or Junior colleges. Both hospitals and Community colleges offer courses for three years. Most wages are determined by the amount of time a nurse has studied. Four year courses allow nurses to work in administrative positions.

There is a wide open field of nursing jobs available for registered nurses. They can work in jobs in outpatient clinics, doctor's offices, home care, in large corporations, in health departments and as travel nurses. There are many different types of jobs that registered nurses can choose from.

Government statistics show that the yearly average salary for RNs is $63,000. They make $30. 00 an hour. A registered nurse can find jobs with yearly salaries of less than $40,000 on up to $95,000. The difference in salaries depends on the amount of schooling, any specialization they might have and what kind of job it is.

There are three main types of health areas where the majority of nurses work. Most people would guess that hospitals are one, but they aren't. Nearly 40 percent of the registered nurses have jobs in doctor's offices.

Registered nurses prefer jobs in private doctor's offices. They like working 8 hour shifts during the day. They never have to work at night or on weekends or holidays. These jobs are the most relaxing jobs in the nursing field. As a result the starting salary is usually less than those in hospitals.

The second area is in home care nursing. They hire as many nurses as doctor's offices do. This area is more difficult because the nurses work days, nights, weekends and holidays. They have to be able to work by themselves and be dependable. In home care nursing, the nurses work with the patients in their own homes. They may have to drive considerable distances.

The third area that provides a large number of registered nursing jobs is outpatient care facilities. Outpatient care deals with patients who don't need to be hospitalized, but that need medical attention. Some of these facilities deal with just certain kinds of health problems such as dialysis or surgery. They provide the care a patient needs without him requiring hospitalization.

Registered nurses jobs are different from the jobs in other professions. They provide a wide variety of areas a nurse can choose from. Nurses can, also, choose to specialize in many different areas. In the health field, the registered nurse profession is growing faster than any other health profession.

Health care job agency is offering career opportunities in the medical industry across United States.
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Heart Attacks and Home Defibrillators

Heart Attacks are not just something that happens to "older people". Approximately 22% of sudden deaths for people between 1 and 21 years of age are due to cardiac arrest. In 2008, the American Red Cross issued an advisory change recommending automated external defibrillation for victims as young as newborn.

Regarding women, in the American Heart Association's 2008 public policy statement on the topic, the health agency wrote: "The coronary heart disease death rate for younger women ages 35 to 44 increased annually between 1997 and 2002. Cardiovascular disease now kills more women than the next five causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. However, the perception persists that heart disease is just a "mans disease"...

Most victims of sudden cardiac arrest had no warning signs. The majority of sudden cardiac arrest victims were asymptomatic, meaning these victims were not at heightened risk for a heart attack. In fact, more women are struck without warning than men.

Here are a few facts to think about:

* About 75 percent to 80 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home.

* Approximately 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital.

* Brain death starts to occur four to six minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest if no CPR and defibrillation occurs during that time.

* If CPR is not provided, a sudden cardiac arrest victims chances of survival fall 7 percent to 10 percent for every minute of delay until application of external defibrillation.

* If CPR and external defibrillation are not provided within minutes of collapse, resuscitation is almost impossible.

* Approximately 310,000 of all annual adult coronary heart disease deaths in the United States are suffered outside the hospital setting.

So how do you survive a Cardiac Arrest away from the hospital? First make sure that family members are trained in First Aid and CPR with home defibrillator training and that they recognize these Cardiac Chain of Survival points:

? Early recognition of the emergency and early access to EMS

? Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

? Early external defibrillation

? Early advanced medical care

Besides CPR SCA usually require external defibrillation, each minute defibrillation is delayed reduces the victims chance of survival by about 10 percent. So you can see the importance of public use AEDs and the home defibrillator. Having an automatic external defibrillator available within the first few minutes of a heart attack and having proper CPR is crucial to the survival of the victim.

Robert Taylor is a heart attack survivor as a result of timely CPR and the external defibrillator. Knowing the importance of the home defibrillator he has a web site dedicated to home-defibrillator.net reviews and sales of the home defibrillator.

What Mortgage Can You Get? See Where You Stand on the Credit Score Scale

When applying for a mortgage, one of the fist things you want to do is see what your mortgage credit score is. By seeing where you stand on the credit score scale, you can see what kind of mortgage you can get approved for.

What you may be surprised to see s that the rating system is different today than it was just not too long ago. Banks have stricter standards and are being forced to be more cautious with who they lend their money too. That's putting many people in very tough positions.

In the past a score in the 680 range would allow you to get one of the best mortgage rates. Today, however, you may have trouble finding someone to lend you money being in the fair to good range. The good news is those that prepare ahead of time can prevent any hesitation from the banks by polishing up their credit rating.

When was the last time you checked your personal rating? If it has been more than 3 months, it is recommended by professional advisers to review this information again to make sure there are no mistakes, fraudulent activity or other errors that could be negatively hurting your score.

If you take care of these by notifying the reporting agencies about any suspicious activity with your credit, you can boost your score and get the greeneasylife.com mortgage loan you need. You can get your score online for free, and by doing so you'll receive tips on how to instantly increase your rating and get it where it needs to be.

See what mortgage you can get approve for by checking your thecreditfix.info personal credit score and see where you stand on the credit score scale.

View your thecreditfix.info free credit score.

What is a Bad Credit Home Equity Line of Credit?

A bad credit score can make it increasingly difficult for a homeowner to successfully apply for and get a home equity line of credit. A low score is usually an indication of not being able to pay all your bills on time, being in default on current or old loans, or to much outstanding debt which shows potential lenders a bad debt to income ratio.

So just what is a credit score you may ask? It is a value that is obtained through a variety of calculations based on your current financial situation that returns a score between 300 to 850. It was created by the Fair Isaac Corporation to help lenders determine the interest rate that will be charged to homeowners applying for home greeneasylife.com equity loans.

If you have a low credit score you will pay a higher interest rate. If your credit score is above 700 you have a much better chance of obtaining a line of credit with a competitive interest rate. Lenders will also use your credit score to determine whether or not you are a good candidate for a loan in the first place. This score can also be used to determine how much credit they will extend to you.

There are three different credit agencies in the United States, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. They are the primary agencies responsible for calculating credit score with each of them scoring a little bit different. If you have low credit you can ask for a free copy of your credit report from all three agencies. This will allow you to see what the problems are and what you can do about it.

Raising your credit score to receive more favorable terms on a home equity line of credit can be done with a little time and patience. Once you have your credit report the first thing you need to look for are false claims of money you owe. If you can prove that you have mistakes on your report you can start to raise your score.

Another way to boost your credit score is to be caught up on all your current payments and pay down as much debt as you can. The more unencumbered credit you have the higher your score. This does not mean to get more credit but to take care of the credit you do have. A score of 640 or less is a sign of bad credit to most lenders and will require you to take action to correct the problem.

Surveys show that nearly 80% of all credit reports contain mistakes of some sort. This is why it is important to check your credit report from all three agencies at least once a year. Doing so can save you thousands of dollars in interest.

Getting a bad credit home equity line of credit is possible, but the interest rate and terms of repayment will not be favorable to you. It is much better to try and raise your credit score before applying for any type of loan for the simple fact that you want to keep as much money in your pocket instead of your lenders.

To learn more about home equity loans and lines of credit please visit the website home-equity-loan.home-choices-net.com Home Equity Loans by Clicking Here.

What Is A Retirement Community & What To Look For To Find The Best Fit

Retirement Communities/Independent Living Facilities are most appropriate for seniors who can manage their health care needs on their own or with assistance from family in an apartment type setting. Independent Living does not offer health care services or assistance, but may offer a monthly meal plan, housekeeping, social activities, and transportation. Some communities will partner with an In-happinesslifetime.com Home Care agency to provide some services to residents. Services may include Medication Management, Bathing and Grooming Assistance, or Incontinence care. If additional care services are being provided, at some point the cost of the apartment and care will equate that of an Assisted Living Community. Some Independent Facilities are located on a campus where other levels of care are offered should one need them in the future.

Independent Living costs range from $1000-$2500 per month, depending on apartment size, amenities, and meal plan. Some Independent Facilities will provide one to two meals per day and may offer a meal plan if a resident prefers to cook occasionally.

Only private pay is accepted at Independent Facilities. Medicaid does not cover housing costs for Independent living. Long Term happinesslifetime.com Care Insurance typically does not cover Independent Living, but may cover the cost of outside in-home care services.

What are the advantages of a Retirement Community?

* Nutritious Meals, Activities, and Housekeeping offered

* Maintain Independence in a social setting

* No upkeep or utilities to manage (except personal phone and cable)

What should I look for when searching for a Retirement Community?

1. I personally prefer retirement communities to be adjacent to another level of care, most commonly, an assisted living or residential care facility. If a move occurs in the future, it is much easier to move across the courtyard instead of the other side of town.

2. What amenities are offered? Are the activities varied? Is an exercise program offered?

3. If your loved one is driving, is there reserved and covered parking available for residents?

4. Are pets allowed? Is smoking allowed on campus?

5. How involved is the management staff in the lives of the residents? Will they notify you if they see changes in your loved one?

6. How often are meals served? Is there a flexible meal plan option? Is the cost of meals included in the overall price?

7. How is the food? Invite yourself for lunch (most will offer)- observe staff interacting with the residents. Is there a social atmosphere in the dining room or are residents keeping to themselves. Do residents seem happy? Do the staff know the residents by name? The dining room is a great indication of the "mood" of the building.

8. How does the physical building look? Is it well kept? Are repairs needed? Ask about the maintenance response time. How available are they for minor repairs for the resident apartments (light bulbs, hanging pictures, etc...)?

When is it time to transition to higher level of care?

First, I would suggest that if a resident requires care to begin with, a retirement community will only be a temporary solution. If a resident has lived in a retirement community and is requiring more supervision, can't safely manage daily activities, and requires frequent checks from staff, a higher level of care is needed.

Amie Clark, Founder, The Senior List (theseniorlist.com theseniorlist.com).

Amie has worked as a medical social worker for the past 10 years of her career. She is a strong advocate for seniors and is well known as resource for seniors and their families who are navigating the maze of long term care.

You can contact her directly at: BlogThis!Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest

Thursday, June 6, 2013

How to Protect Your Family From Radon Gas

Number one cause of cancer

It's common knowledge that smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer and it makes sense. With all the chemicals flowing through the lungs consistently each and every day, the chemicals cause regular cells to mutate into cancer cells and then they spread throughout the body.

Radon causes lung cancer

The same principle follows with the second leading cause of lung cancer, which is radon gas. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) radon kills 21,000 people by way of lung cancer each year. About 2,900 of those people were not even smokers. Radon can also be found naturally in drinking water, which is another way it enters our bodies.

Radon gas can be found everywhere naturally. But it's especially found in enclosed spaces like mines, homes, and basements. It's a gas no human can smell or see, which makes it dangerous because there's no way to know for sure that you have a radon problem just by smelling it or looking for it. To put this into perspective of how dangerous radon gas can be to your health, the third leading cause of lung cancer is second-hand smoke.

The most threatening side effect of radon gas is lung cancer. It is the only physical malady proven to be linked to radon exposure. According to the EPA, smokers have an even higher risk of getting lung cancer when exposed to radon because they have more carcinogens passing through their lungs at a consistent rate.

Since the gas permeates our lives quite literally, we are constantly breathing it in and out with each breath. The gas is both inside and outside as it comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in our soil and water. Radon is a form of radiation, which may be why it affects us like other radiation forms do. Since the gas is all around us, we have to be vigilant about watching the gas levels in the spaces we inhabit.

The quick fix

Testing for radon levels is the easiest way to find out if you have radon gas in your office or home. Testing kits can be found at hardware stores or online and you can set them up. You will need to follow the instructions very carefully so test results are not skewed however.

Another option is to have a radon mitigation contractor do a radon reading at your home to see what levels of the gas are present. This is a great value because the contractor can also tell you how to best keep radon out of your home or office. Whether your test results come back with high levels or low levels, they can give you tips on how to best protect yourself and family from the gas. If you do end up needing a radon mitigation system, a certified radon contractor will be able to complete the job correctly. Doing it yourself could save you money initially but the chances are high that at some point a contractor will need to come in to get the radon levels as low as possible.

The radon reading catch

The EPA recommends that buildings with 4 pCi/L (pico Curies per Liter) or more take action and have the building mitigated for radon. The difficulty with this is that many people then think levels lower than 4pCi/L are safe.

The reality is though, is that even at a level of 1.3 oCi/L in a building, 2 out of 1,000 people may still get lung cancer. As a country we still do not understood enough about radon and the risk it poses to each of us. This means the best way to protect ourselves is to go on the offensive against radon.

The take home message here is, radon can still harm you, even with only small amounts. This isn't being written as a scare tactic, but to make people aware of what radon can do, so they can protect themselves and their family.

To test your home or office for radon gas, find a professional who does nationalradondefense.com radon gas testing today.

Marianne Snyder writes about home improvement topics like energy efficiency, basement waterproofing and crawl space repair.

Choose the Business That You Want

Starting up a small business can be very challenging. But for those who don't have a career or for individuals who want to become their own boss, it is an exciting opportunity. A good plan is needed if you want to ensure success.

First, you must identify the perfect business opportunity. The business environment is quite strained and finding a good opportunity may be difficult. Even if you find one, it will take a lot of courage on your part to pursue such a business opportunity. However, if you're determined to make changes, starting your own small business is the best answer.

Starting out from scratch can be very costly. For instance, if you're planning to hire some employees and have an office space, it is a huge investment. If you can't afford a large business, you can tie up with an existing business. By choosing this alternative, you should conduct your own research.

It will involve studying the trends in the business industry. You should analyze the demand for certain products, it's income potential and the work involved in running the business. Getting to know the company is also another concern that you should attend to. There are many business opportunities online that allow you to connect with established companies. Have you heard about affiliate marketing and MLM? Check them out if you want to work from home.

You must be motivated, hardworking, and ready to face challenges. It's natural to have questions when you're just about to start a business. Always think positive and make use of all the help you can get.

Look up to those individuals who were successful in starting up their own businesses. Through careful planning, you too can achieve success. Here are helpful tips for you to follow:

1. Choose the business that you want to undertake. In the process, you should ask these questions: is there a potential market for the business? Can you make a profit from it? Is the competition intense in that particular marketplace?

2. Again, as mentioned earlier, research is vital. If you want to avoid making costly mistakes, you must determine if your business can fill a certain place or niche. What kind of products or service are you going to offer? Is your business idea practical or not? Can your business create a demand in the market?

After carefully considering some factors, you can now assess if your business is going to be feasible. If it is, you should answer the following questions:

1. What skills does your business require? Do you have enough experience?

2. What is your business legal structure?

3. Will you need financing? What kind?

4. Where is the location of your business?

For those who want to start up a small home-based business, there are also important things to consider. Do you have enough home space? Can you run your business successfully at home? Can you handle all the business affairs on your own? You must be self motivated if you want to enter in a home-based business.

Now, its time to create your business.educationeasy.net business plan. If you live in the US, you can consult SBA (Small Business Association). The organization can help you in planning a small business and in financing it as well. If you find it hard to manage the business, the organization can also provide helpful resources. SBA provides several services such as free business courses online. If you sign up for the courses, you will learn how to write business.educationeasy.net business plans and how to raise the needed capital.

Check out the SCORE program by SBA. This business course is free and you can also find informative sections on state and federal agencies. You can also find links that you can use for your business. You can visit the official website of SBA in your city or town or you can call this number 1-800-827-5722.

Many people dream of starting their own small business but very few are able to achieve it. Always keep in mind that careful planning and intensive research is required. If you can do this right you're on your way to success. This is the best time to start a small business.

Douglas Spencer, simplifies personal growth by helping you step-by-step how to create and live a life that works well and feels great! He aims to help people 4lifesuccess.info achieve greater awareness! in living and experiencing life. To evolve human consciousness to higher levels. To change lives and to create possibility. To revolutionize the way we understand

The Essence of What is.

Get a Better Mortgage Interest Rate by Improving Your Credit Score

Most people haven't seen their recent credit report and do not know what it contains. People generally know their overall credit rating as good vs. bad but few know specific details. To ensure your credit reports are accurate you should request a credit report every year from each of the three credit reporting agencies and check the reports carefully for errors.

Recent legislation in the United States requires each of the three credit reporting agencies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report once each year. You can request these reports from the website annualcreditreport.com annualcreditreport.com

If you find errors on your credit report you must dispute them with the individual credit agencies. Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union all have procedures in place for disputing errors on their credit histories.

You can improve your credit score by reducing your debt-to-income ratio. The debt-to-income ratio is simply the ratio of your total debt to your annual income. You can improve this ratio by paying down the balances on your credit cards and closing the accounts. The fewer open accounts you have with credit cards the better your overall credit score will be.

Pay your bills on time. Do not start shopping for a mortgage until you have at least 90 days of on-time payments on your credit history. Mortgage lenders look at your repayment history to determine if you will make your mortgage payments on time.

A history of late payments will hurt you.

Finally, keep the number of credit inquires on your file to an absolute minimum. Too many inquires on your credit report can hurt your credit score. When shopping for a greeneasylife.com mortgage loan always ask for "No Obligation" quotes from lenders to prevent the lender from accessing your credit history until you are ready to apply for the mortgage.

By taking the time to clean up your credit report and dispute any errors at least 90 days prior to applying for a mortgage you will improve your ability to receive the lowest interest rate possible.

Louie Latour has twenty years of experience in the mortgage industry as a mortgage broker. He is the owner of refiadvisor.com/pblog Mortgages for Dummies, a refiadvisor.com mortgage help site devoted to saving homeowners money with a free guidebook ?Five Things You Need to Know Before Refinancing a Mortgage.? Sign up for your free guide today at: refiadvisor.com refiadvisor.com

5 Effective Steps to Stop the Foreclosure of Your Home

In this write up, we shall be discussing the five most effective steps to stop the foreclosure of your home. Foreclosure, as we all know is a process initiated by your lender, mortgagee or any other agency in lien with the property to possess or sale the said property which was used as collateral during the initial collection of a loan. This foreclosure proceeding can only be initiated when the borrower or mortgagor defaults in a consensually agreed repayment plan. This default in the consensually agreed repayment plan more often than not is as a result of circumstances that were not foreseen when the mortgagor went into the original agreement with the mortgagee. The lender/mortgagee, who is in this business for maximum profit and minimum loss will swiftly swing into the foreclosure machinery as soon as you default in your loan repayment. This will happen most especially if they have considered all other options and determined that a foreclosure action will yield the minimum loss for them. A successful foreclosure action will see you lose your home and I am sure no home owner wants this to happen, so what you should do is to exploit all possible means that will ensure that you prevent or stop the foreclosure from successfully taking place. Now, let's consider these 5 effective steps to stop the foreclosure of your home.

o Ensure that you carefully read all the communications that comes from your lender; start to take action as soon as a foreclosure notice is served you. Time is of essence, so the earlier you start to act the better it is and the more chance of preventing the foreclosure of your home that you will have. It will cost the mortgagee money to fully implement any foreclosure action, so in other words they will prefer a situation where both of you resolve the situation in a way that it will suit both parties.

o You can meet them and iron out a new repayment plan, depending on the circumstances surrounding the foreclosure action, there should be a high possibility for the modification of the original mortgage agreement. Assuming the reason for the default in your repayment is due to a significant decrease in income, then you can get your mortgagee to reduce your monthly loan repayment amount to suit your present financial condition and also possibly reduce the interest rate. Note: For this mortgage modification to take place, you must be able to convince your mortgagee beyond any reasonable doubt that you can sustain the new plan to be fashioned out.

o You can choose to refinance your mortgage, that is, get a second loan from another lender and use it to completely service the remaining amount on the first loan. While entering the second loan agreement, you should be able to strike a deal that suits your present financial situation. This way you can have a fresh start and still retain your home.

o You can ask for reinstatement or forbearance, that is, a situation where your lender agrees to give you a specific period in which you will not have to repay your loan and it will not be considered as loan defaulting. This is the most appropriate option to choose if you are suffering from a temporary financial setback, as soon as you get back on your fit you will be required to pay up the loan arrears and also continue with your scheduled monthly repayment plan.

o You can apply for extension of the law day or sale day. Since you have every legal right as the owner of the property from the judgment day to the law day or sale day, you can easily apply for this day to be extended. You can easily get this done if you come up with any genuine reason such as a plan that will help you to get money to redeem the property within the extension time span.

There are numerous other ways to effectively stop the foreclosure of your house including qualification for foreclosure protection from the government or any of its agencies. However, in my opinion, if you do not qualify for the government or any of its agencies to help you or even qualify for any other program to help you, then you should endeavor to take advantage of the above 5 effective steps to stop the foreclosure of your home.

Have your lenders served you a foreclosure notice or is foreclosure looming because you have defaulted in your agreed monthly loan repayment schedule? There is no need to panic, all you need is to get acquainted with these proven squidoo.com/steps-to-stop-foreclosure steps to stop foreclosure. No matter how far the foreclosure proceeding has gone, you should still exploit these proven squidoo.com/steps-to-stop-foreclosure steps to stop foreclosure

Senior Care Jobs

What opportunities are available for employment in senior care?

Senior care jobs are available in retirement communities, senior home care agencies and nursing homes. Retirement communities employ managers, sales, support and care staff, usually consisting of a Registered Nurse and a few Certified Nursing Aides to support the community. Senior home care agencies employ managers consisting of registered nurses and social workers along with office and field staff including schedulers, recruiters, bookkeepers and receptionists or in-take coordinators. Field staff consists of Certified Nursing Aides, Home Health Aides and Certified Personal Care Assistants (all states in the U.S.A. certify nursing aides and additional senior care certfications vary by state).

What training is required? Some positions do not require training beyond a caring personality. Other positions require experience in that area of expertise. Non-medical senior home care agencies are able to staff companion caregivers in most states. These caregivers receive caregiver training through the senior care agency and the only requirements are dependablility, compassion and experience interacting with seniors.

What certifications are required? Retirement communities and nursing homes usually require caregivers to be certified as a nursing aide. Senior home care agencies are considered non-medical and may require some caregivers who are working in nursing facilities or reimbursed by long-term care insurance to be certified nursing aides or certified home health aides or certified personal care assistants if these certifications are offered in the state where care services are provided.

What are the job duties? The caregiving job duties will consist of: companionship, light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation (and planning), assisting with personal care and safe transfers, exercise coaching, medication monitoring and errands. Mental and physical exercises along with social activities may be included in the senior's plan of care.

How do you become certified as a nursing aide? You should check the certification requirements in your state. Many community colleges offer nursing aide certification programs and some hospitals and nursing homes may also offer the nursing aide certification. You are usually able to obtain certification within 6 to 12 weeks, depending on if you attend a full-time or part-time program. After finishing a certification program, you will be required to take the state exam. Usually your program will provide you with practice tests. Skills learned include proper emotional interaction with the senior, along with how to bathe, transfer and maintain cleanliness in the patient's environment. Feeding tube and colostomy maintenance are also taught.

Are positions full-time or part-time? Both full-time and part-time positions are available as often seniors will only need part-time services in their home when additional care is first needed. Many times senior home care agencies will need to staff morning or afternoon or evening caregivers in order to meet a senior's care needs, which means a wide variety of part-time schedules are available. This makes companion care an attractive opportunity for both seniors and students.

How do you find available senior care positions? It is always a good idea to obtain some experience through volunteering at a senior center, nursing home. Opportunities also exist through associations for age-related diseases such as Parkinson's Disease or Alzheimer's Disease. You may also explore senior caregiving jobs through caregiverlist.com/CaregivingJobs.aspx career centers for caregivers where one application will reach all the senior care companies in your area.

Julie A. Northcutt, CEO of Caregiverlist, Inc., works to connect seniors and their loved ones with quality senior care options and caregivers with employment opportunities and has been working in the senior care industry for more than 10 years. caregiverlist.com caregiverlist.com provides information on elderly care and assists in finding premier senior home care agencies by qualifying your care needs and required services.

How to Get Auditions for Modeling

Modeling is a career path that many people fancy; most people want to be on bill boards, television and have as many people as possible recognize them. But one thing you shouldn't ignore if you are to be a successful model is your appearance. I'll take you through a few hints that may put you across as a serious up coming model before the judges and also agents then later discuss a few avenues you can secure modeling auditions:

1. Always have a smile on your face. It's the simplest and yet the most important thing a model should always have; but then you don't want to overdo it. Too much smiling can also mean that you are nervous and the judges are also keen on this. Furthermore, your smile should not be too wide such that one can even see your molars. A smile like this disfigures your face and brings out and impression that you are faking it, judges would also pick up on that. The last thing you should do is to frown at the auditions; in doing s, you will come out as not interested in the auditions. The question most judges ask frowners is "What did you come to do here if you are not interested? Just go back home!"

2. Measure up to the specifications required. Most modeling agencies usually have specific descriptions of who their ideal model should be. If you don't fit in, it is better to look for another agency in which you may fit; it is advisable not to show up for auditions that don't fit your personality because you may end up embarrassing yourself.

There are two main channels in which one can book for modeling auditions, and it is solely up to the aspiring model to choose which way he will go. They include the following:

i. Modeling agents. These are the ones who would represent you before the organization and their work is to find you a job in the modeling industry. They work in such a way that they receive a commission from you when you manage to secure a modeling career. It is advisable to first look for one before availing yourself before the panel. This is mainly due to factors such as the fact that they usually train the models on details needed to pass the panel test by providing them with a chance to foreplay their abilities in events such as photo shoots and run way walks. In legal cases, they may use their lawyers to represent you in court proceedings. Since they handle all the commercial side of your job, they'll leave you with all the time you require to focus on nothing else but becoming a better model by practicing, researching, networking and so on. On the contrary, there are many false modeling agencies out there that are out to take your money. Some of the indicators you should look for before falling prey to them include demanding up front payment to guarantee you special attention as opposed to other aspiring models. This is unethical as it is bribery, an act that can lock out deserving contestants. Secondly, you may get too many promises that just don't sound right. Modeling agencies are in business and their agenda is to attract as many people as possible; they will therefore try all means necessary to woo potential models with talks like they will get you a contract immediately, they are connected with the worlds' largest model organizations and all their models have made it in the fashion world. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't.

ii. Online application. Some organizations require aspirants to fill out some forms on their websites; and then send them back together with photos and r?sum?s. One advantage of online application is that it saves time which one could have wasted searching for good agents. On the other hand, you should be careful who you give your personal information to, especially if it is via the internet.

Looking for tips and information regarding auditions.com auditions? You can join our site to search thousands of auditions.com modeling auditions.

Home Improvement Contractors - What Homeowners Should Know

With home improvement fraud and scams on the rise in the United States, homeowners must take the necessary precautions to avoid becoming victims of "fly by night contractors." For those who still own their properties after seeing the rise in foreclosures across this Nation, it is incumbent on you the homeowner to do the following before you go in search of a Home Improvement Contractor.

Home Improvement Contractors (HIC) in most jurisdictions in the United States is regulated by City, State or County Agencies. For example, in New York City, Nassau and Suffolk County in New York, the Department Of Consumer Affairs regulates the operations of Home Improvement Contractors and Home Improvement Salesmen (HIS). These are representatives or sales people who negotiate contracts on behalf of Home Improvement Contractors (HIC).

There are basically three (3) stages of the home improvement process, namely: The Negotiation Stage; The Contract Stage and The Work In Progress and Completion Stage. In the Negotiation Stage, a homeowner should perform a "due diligence" on prospective Home Improvement Contractors and Home Improvement Salesmen, hereinafter referred to as HIC and HIS respectively. This is where you research and check to see if the HIC is a bona fide and legitimate operator. You start by calling the Agency that regulates HIC and HIS in your area. Ask HIC and HIS for proof of licenses, workmen compensation, general liability insurance, performance bonds, and references.

You should also check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with respect to the reputation of such businesses. Check to see any history of complaints and how they were expedited. Make sure that the HIC/HIS has a physical business address, business telephone, fax, email address, website, etc. Beware of "fly by night contractors" that operate out of their trucks, vans, SUV. It is very important also for you the homeowners to get at least 3-5 free written estimates from HIC and HIS. Some HIC/HIS may charge a reasonable fee depending on the size of the job estimate. For example, those estimates that involves blue prints specifications, plans, zoning, etc. However, you should try and negotiate a free written estimate that expressly state in black and white prices, brand names, colors, designs, start date, completion date, etc. Keep in mind that "word of mouth" is the best recommendation. Get references from HIC/HIS and invest the time to check the jobs and speak to the homeowners directly. Ask questions!

In the Contract Stage, before you sign or execute a contract, make sure that you obtain copies of HIC/HIS licenses, workmen compensation, general liability insurance, performance bond (applicable for large projects), and inquire whether the HIC participates in a Home Improvement Trust Fund. This is a trust fund that the Agency requires HIC to pay into so as to protect homeowners from HIC who takes off before a job is completed. You are required also to make sure that all brand names, styles, colors, any oral promises (some high powered HIC/HIS will promise you the moon to get your signature), along with manufacturer's and labor warranties to be expressly written in your contract. Most importantly, make sure that the HIC/HIS expressly put in writing a start date and completion date, along with giving you your right to cancel (recession rights).

Most contract laws allow you three (3) business days from the date of a contract to withdraw or cancel the contract without any penalty or obligations. So if you gave a deposit to the HIC/HIS, you are entitled to a full refund within a reasonable period of time not to exceed 10 days. Check with your jurisdiction to make sure of this right. With respect to deposits, some HIC/HIS may require a deposit upon the execution of a contract. Be very careful of HIC and HIS who ask for large deposits up front. Beware of HIC and HIS who wants cash or have checks written out to his or her name. Make checks payable to the Business name only. It is advisable to pay using a credit card. If the HIC is a legitimate operator, it is very likely that they accept credit card as a Merchant. However, the Rule is: Do not give a deposit more than what you can afford to lose. In other words, give a very, very small deposit. A bona fide, reputable and legitimate HIC will not ask for a deposit up front. Such HIC has credit accounts with Home Depot, Lowe's, and other suppliers who will not rely on your money/deposit to buy materials.

If you are not financing the work through the HIC or a third party lender, it is recommended that you pay progress payments to the HIC. Progress payments are incremental payments. In other words, you pay as the work progresses. For example, if you are getting a roof job done, you may want to give a percentage down (one third of contract price) only on delivery of materials and start of work. Then you give another one third payment when the roof is completed and the final one third when the construction debris is removed from your property. It is advisable to hold back at least 10 per cent of the total contract price for at least 90 days to ensure that the work was done properly. For those homeowners who wish to finance their projects through the HIC or a third party lender, make sure that you do not sign any blank bank papers. You should also ask the HIC/HIS whether the amount you finance will cause a lien or second mortgage to be placed on your property. Make sure that the bank does a visual inspection of the work before you sign a completion certificate allowing the bank to pay the HIC.

Finally, the Work in Progress and Completion Stage; this is the most crucial stage of the work. The HIC is ready to walk away from your project, but you want to make sure that the work was done in accordance with municipal building codes and all of your manufacturer's warranties, warranty on labor, etc., are given to you in writing. This is where you will be asked by the HIC or HIS to release final payment. If you finance the work, the HIC/HIS will ask you to sign a completion certificate which they will take to the bank to get a release of the funds at your permission. Some banks will do a visual inspection to make sure that the work was done. However, it is very crucial that you make sure that the Municipal Building Inspectors give a green light for your project. In other words, they must sign off on the job stating that all work was done professionally and in accordance with municipal building codes. Some jobs may require a certificate of occupancy (CO).

Make sure that you have this CO in your hands before you release final payments to a HIC/HIS. Last but not least, if the HIC hires Sub Contractors such as an electrician or plumber to do work on your property, make sure that they are paid by the HIC. Failure to pay them may result in the Sub Contractors filing a mechanic's lien against your property. This is legal. While the work is in progress, make sure that the workers are on time on the site. A normal work day for construction workers are from 8:00 am to 6:00 PM. Some industrious workers will work until it gets dark. Beware of workers that show up for a few minutes and take off. There are many HIC who start 20 jobs and cannot finish one. Some HIC take from "Peter to pay Paul" and stall your job in the process. This is why it is crucial that you get a start date and completion date in writing.

If the HIC fail to complete the job within that time, you the homeowner may legally hold back money or charge the HIC for each day that elapsed. If your work is an exterior job that involves ladders, scaffold, etc., make sure that they are erected properly and reasonable standard of care is exercised by the workers. In other words, if a scaffold or ladder fall and injure a neighbor or passerby, they may have a civil claim or lawsuit against you the homeowner. This is why you must ensure that the HIC has proper insurance such as general liability insurance before they start work on your project. If you the homeowner permit the HIC to advertise their companies by erecting a sign on your property, you may request a discount on your contract for such favor.

I hope that this post will help you to select the right Home Improvement Contractor for your project, and most of all, you will not become a victim to the criminals out there who masquerade as Home Improvement Contractors.

Patrick Pearce is Founder, President and CEO for Southeastern Development & Consulting Group, Inc., a Florida Corporation.

Patrick Pearce earned his BA degree from the City University of New York and his law degree (JD) from Hofstra University School of Law in Hempstead, New York.

Patrick Pearce works as a Consulting and In House Attorney with various Law Firms and Government Offices.

Website: [sdcg1.com]

Blogs: [legalconsulting.wordpress.com]

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Temporary Jobs: The Answer To Unemployment

Let's face it. The global recession has upturned numerous lives. People have been laid off and others are still having a hard time finding a job to answer all the expenses that turned from molehills to mountains in mere weeks. If you're still looking for a job and haven't found any companies willing to hire you for permanent positions, there is one solution. You can try to take on temporary jobs.

Otherwise known as freelance, contractual, interim, seasonal or temp employees, these individuals take on temporary jobs or positions in a company to address the need for more workers in a period of time. Most contractual employees can take on part-time or full-time jobs, depending on the needs of the company they work for. The increasing demand for temporary jobs in several fields has even caused a dramatic inflation of agencies that cater solely to those who are interested in taking contractual employment.

One of the most popular seasonal jobs is known as the labor hire, wherein job agencies outsource blue collar workers of various levels of skills to work for a certain company under a premeditated time frame. This is usually the case for construction companies and the agricultural industry where harvesters are hired just in time for harvesting.

Nevertheless, even white collar workers are also turning to temporary jobs for various reasons. One is to gain experience in their chosen field, which is true for people who are in the health industry such as nurses, doctors, physical therapists, dental assistants and radiologic technologists. There are hundreds of hospice units, nursing care homes and hospitals that are looking for temporary workers to suit their needs.

The second is to earn money until they are hired for a permanent position, which is typically true for most workers including copywriters, secretaries, data encoders, assistants and transcription handlers. Nevertheless, there are also contractual jobs available in the food and hotel management industry and in the maintenance industry including waiters or waitresses, janitors, window cleaners and bus boys/girls. Even college undergraduates and college graduates are also encouraged to apply for seasonal jobs in order to gain experience and find a temporary means of earning money.

In the face of an economic downturn, temporary jobs just might be the answer to remedy the increasing rate of unemployment across the country.

drakeintl.com/nz Drake Recruitment has assisted organisations fix wide-ranging human performance problems, staff their organisations efficiently and effectively, and realise targeted objectives since 1951.

The company begins with a business needs analysis that pinpoints specific performance improvement opportunities. This offers insight into how they can provide solutions in the form of drakeintl.com/nz temporary jobs to your organisation's problems and realise its planned goals and objectives.

Every Thing About Elder Care - What You Must Know

There are many problems that are worthwhile to be regardful of when it comes to the subject of elder care. Caring for an aging parent or friend is a must but can certainly be trying. It is worthy to know that there are many resources and facilities out there that you can use to help you through such a process, of which will be discussed here.

Resources

One of the best elder care resources is ElderCare Resources. They are a capacious online company that is intent on to assisting people who are caring for their elderly loved ones. They agree that this can be a very difficult process and because of this they take every step possible towards ensuring the process is made as easy as possible for you. They feature certified geriatric care managers, elder law attorneys, adult day cares, nursing home care and more.

AGIS is another great option when it comes to elder care. They have worked with a wide range of businesses, government agencies and insurance providers worldwide, and they do not endorse or have any financial interest in any of the providers listed in their search results. They do not accept payment from providers seeking to improve their position in these search results either.

Support Groups

Caring for an aging parent or loved one can clearly present difficult challenges. Elder care support groups may be very helpful to you here, as they give you the chance to meet others who are going through the same thing as you and give you people that you can talk to and share your experiences with.

It is worthy for you to know that you are not alone and that there are many others around the world who have already solved elder care problems just like the ones that are facing you now.

If you are finding it very difficult to the point where it is absolutely unbearable for you to cope, you do always have the option of putting your loved one in a home or at least having someone come into your home to help you care for them. You should never feel bad or ashamed if you are unable to take care of them completely on your own because you do have your own life to worry about.

From daily grind of work, taking care of your partner and children, there are things that you really cannot just leave behind, and so soliciting someone to help you through this may be a necessity rather than a luxury.

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Tips for Home Health Nurse

Home health (HH) nurse is a nurse who assists the patient in their private residence. Usually the patient taken care by the HH nurse is the patient who has the acute or chronic illness. The patient is attached to their home and need the treatment by the professional.

The nurses may perform many tasks starting from the collection of a laboratory specimen to the dressing's changes. Their main focus might be the patient but the interaction with the family's members is also important.

Here are some tips for the home health nurse to keep a good interaction with the family's member also do a great job:

1. Open your mind. You might not be in the controlled environment like hospital anymore, but you must follow the agency's policies, safety rules, and perform procedures correctly. However, if your patient asks you to open your shoes before entering their house, you should respect them and do what they request. It also happens when you meet a surprising situation, for example you meet a gay patient. You should respect your patients no matter how their conditions are.

2. Have a good sense of humor. The patients surely want to have comfortable situation when you treat them. By having the good sense of humor, the treatment process can be enjoyable.

3. Be prepared and be flexible. You can meet many kind situations in your patient's house so you better be ready for any kind situation.

4. Be alert and be safe. You have to be ready for any condition. You may face the danger condition which makes you need to send your patients to the hospital.

5. Keep your skills. Never stop learning. You need to improve your education because the illness also grows as the time goes by. You need to gain more knowledge related to the modern health and medication.

You can improve your knowledge in many ways. You can read the articles, attend the seminars, or take the education online. It is even better if you can continue your study to the advanced degree. You can check nursingdegreeonlines.com/degree-in-nursing-online degree in nursing online to find the advanced education online. Or you can browse nursingdegreeonlines.com nursingdegreeonlines.com to find further information.

Down Payment Scams - the IRS is Hunting

Coming up with the down payment for a home purchase can be a big hurdle. If you are straining to get the money together, be careful because the IRS is targeting down payment scams.

Down Payment Scams - The IRS is Hunting

Charitable organizations do not pay taxes. This occurs when an organization is qualified by the IRS as an exempt charity under section 501c3 of the tax revenue code. While most charitable organizations are legitimate, some are really just business that have strained and bent the rules to gain the tax exempt status. The IRS frowns upon such organizations and usually moves to shut them down.

Currently, the IRS is looking at over 180 tax exempt organizations that provide down payment assistance to homebuyers. Specifically, the IRS is looking at a seller financing strategy that it deems to be questionable. The strategy works where a buyer does not have enough money to make the required down payment demanded by a lender. The seller agrees to give the money to a charitable organization in exchange for a tax deduction. The organization then makes a loan to the buyer for the amount required to fund the down payment. Specific strategies vary, but this is the basic idea.

The IRS views this strategy as an abuse of the charitable donation laws. It also appears to be working with HUD and lenders to identify such transactions because lenders are complaining the strategy is fraudulent. If the lenders knew that the buyer could not meet the down payment threshold, they supposedly would not be issuing the loan. With both the IRS and lender agencies unhappy, this strategy should be avoided at all costs.

At this time, it is unclear how the government agencies will treat the seller and buyer in such a transaction. The IRS appears to be primarily interested in the organizations acting as charitable middlemen. Undoubtedly, sellers will eventually be stripped of relevant tax deduction claims and face a higher audit risk. Any ramifications to the buyer are unclear, but the lenders may look to call loans or demand further security. Any way you cut it, these seller financed down payment strategies should be avoided.

Sergio Haros is with Great Western Mortgage - gwhomeloans.com San Diego mortgage brokers.

Before Entering Real Estate Transactions, Review Relevant Issues Regarding It

A whole lot of aspects have to be considered before you consider buying a home. One is checking the home features. I bet you don't want that in the end run, what you will be buying need repairs. When coming into this entire process of owning a home, you can't really avoid problems. And to ensure the home to be in excellent state, why not take the option to involve in real estate transactions?

At first probably you are already convinced that you will not need a real estate agent's help. However, think again. You will go though holding papers and if you are just alone for that, you will be taking much time than to compare if you have asked for an agents help. Maybe what fears you is the additional expense. Whoa! But that's a misconception. That direct cost is not true. If I am wrong in saying that, then that is because you have allowed it so. Remember that in the first place, you are the boss in that transaction. His/her job will only be as to guiding you towards the step before you own the house. There will be an expense yes, but not direct one. Second reason, you are assured of the legalities. Third, you could have wide choices of home because they have listings for you to see. The search won't anymore be a tedious one for you. And fourth reason, you paper works will lessen. All of those are the job of a real estate agent, so allow them to work in their own field.

So home buyers, how do you find a trusted agent?

It would be a challenge for you to find professional agent. Start to find the right agency and you will find there whom you're looking for. Whether it is a large agency or a small one, what counts here is the individual agent. Their interest and commitment towards working with you matters too. Look for that someone who's experienced for 2 years or more.

Try also searching for the listings online. There are lots of websites that refers for agents. Find time to read testimonials in individual profiles. But also consider those newbie but someone who has various successes in the field.

Referral from your coworkers, neighbors, friends and family is an option. In that way, at least you could listen to them say about their experiences with that certain agent.

Eventually, as you settled to start business with that agent, remember to be familiar with the different processes in the inspection of your papers. Be familiar and have that careful awareness. It's best if you have lawyer of consultant too.

Have that perspective about the home that you really wanted. You should not think alone of what you want for today. Consider the future options. Because you will be dealing with lots of issues financially, think about the walk-through. So before you just close the deal with a that real estate agent, cycle all options and if you think its all sure, that will be that time for you to buy for the house you've been so dreaming of owning.

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Distance Learning Courses

Distance Learning or 'Home Study' has come a long way since Isaac Pitman taught shorthand via correspondence courses in the 1840s. However the huge benefits of studying from home, or from the workplace, remain the same.

First of all, with a Distance Learning course you enjoy the freedom of being able to study in your own time and at your own pace. That's because Distance Learning courses are carefully designed to fit in with your life.

Whether you wish to improve your life, increase your job prospects or simply study a hobby that you are interested in, more and more people are choosing to study from home as it fits in comfortably with their lifestyle.

There are many fully-accredited Distance Learning providers in the UK today (type 'distance learning' 'home study' or 'distance education' into Google.co.uk and you'll find most of them), offering a huge range of interesting, educational courses available for study.

Distance Education courses available for home study can include anything from Airline Training to Art Studies, GCSEs to Book-keeping to Business & Management, Counseling to Child Care and Writing to Web Design. You will find courses on things like Wedding Planning and Event Management, Nail Technician, Animal Care and Behaviour...even courses such as Diet & Exercise, Forensic Science and How to Start Your Own Business. On some vocational courses you may even qualify for a career Development Loan from the government.

But you are not alone when you study from home. Distance Learning providers (or Home Learning agencies as they are sometimes called) employ professional student advisors and fully qualified tutors to mark and help you with your coursework. Most Home Study courses provide learners with an accredited diploma which helps them increase their job prospects, change their lifestyle or even start their own business.

Many Distance Learning providers offer interest free credit schemes to help students spread the cost over a period they can afford. Also look out for special discount offers.

Looking for a better job, a better future, a better life? Then take up a Distance Learning course today and change your life forever!

Course Author
Shaun L Bird
uk-open-learning.com uk-open-learning.com

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Adoption - How to Prepare For a Home Visit During Your Assessment

Hollywood celebrities have played a huge role in popularizing the concept of child adoption all over the United States of America. From Angelina Jolie to Madonna, the list of celebrity adoptive parents is endless. While this has inspired several Americans to go for child adoption, a number of state agencies and government departments have found that there are several adoptive parents who are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with their new role as parents. This in turn has underlined the important role that home studies can play in ascertaining if the prospective parents will prove to be good guardians for their children.

If you are contemplating adoption, it will be useful for you to know what you should expect from such home studies. Home studies that are basically a series of interviews conducted by social workers provide necessary information about the prospective parent. For this, the interview is designed in a way such that adequate information about the prospective parent is obtained. The interview is conducted broadly on these chief accounts. Firstly, the household income is taken into account to verify if the family will be able to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of the child. On the second account, questions regarding your family life and relationships will be asked.

The purpose of asking these questions is to ensure that the child is not entrusted to family that cannot support him either financially or emotionally. You should have an open minded approach while dealing with these questions. You could be asked to divulge details about your relationship with your spouse, your social life, and overall health. Some of these questions may seem intimidating; however, you should know that these questions are asked merely to assess your potential as a parent. Be honest while answering these questions to avert unnecessary problems at a later stage.

Roland Poitevin is a dedicated writer with a passion for business and environmental issues.
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Hiring a Senior Caregiver - Agency Or Hire-Direct Independent Contractor?

When the time comes for a senior to need additional care services in their home or in an assisted living community, you will have the option of hiring a senior home care agency to provide the services or finding an independent caregiver to hire directly.

Which is the right choice?It is far better to hire a quality senior home care agency to provide care services unless you are the rare individual who has adequate insurance coverage along with a care support team of family and friends to help direct and support the independent caregiver and provide back-up care when they need a day off.

Senior care is far different from child care. A family can successfully hire a nanny as an independent contractor to care for their children. This is because the parents are there every morning and every evening to supervise and monitor the care. In addition, the parents make sure the children understand the nanny is in charge. It isn't the same with senior care. There is usually no one else supervising the care. Seniors are older than their caregivers and because of this, sometimes do not choose to easily cooperate. When memory loss and other illnesses are present, the senior can become extremely difficult. They may know they need care but still be emotionally resistant. This creates a problem for the caregiver and for the family.

A senior home care agency solves this issue by providing a supervisor or case manager to manage the care and support the caregiver. They also provide a substitute caregiver when the regular caregiver needs a day off. And even more vital, the senior care agency is available for the caregiver to call when difficult situations arise (the senior won't take their medications, the senior won't take a shower, the senior won't let the caregiver in) or when they have survived a trying day (especially important when caring for seniors with Alzheimer's Disease).

This additional team support manages caregiver burnout and stress. It also prevents the negative situations which can develop when care issues are not addressed by a third party. Unlike child care, senior care involves managing many life issues such as dealing with the death of loved ones, adapting to new medical conditions and coming to terms with the aging process. And just as special training in children's education makes for a better nanny, special training in caring for specific age-related diseases makes for a better caregiver.

Senior home care agencies provide training and supervision for their caregivers. They also create a Care Plan for the daily routine to make sure the correct needs are being addressed. The care manager can also address changes in medical conditions to the family members to make sure the senior has appropriate doctors, medical equipment and other services to make their situation as comfortable as possible.

Another challenge with a direct-hire independent contractor is insurance and tax issues. Most home owner policies are limited in covering employees in the home. There are people who seek out work with seniors who know the opportunities that exist. One senior client my agency began care services for had previously hired an independent contractor caregiver who had been with her for more than a year. The senior was a widow with no family living nearby. Over the course of the year, the caregiver took out credit cards in the seniors name and used them for their own purchases. The invoices went to the financial manager who did not question them. The caregiver took many liberties with the petty cash purchases and the client's care was not their main concern. I have many more stories of starting care after a hire-direct had first been hired. Some families believe they will save money by negotiating a lower hourly fee, but this is rarely the case. Another client my thought they were paying their independent caregiver less than the agency fee but it turned out the caregiver would take $20 every time they ran a grocery store errand and charge the senior an extra fee for laundry and transportation. Many opportunities exist when no active management is involved.

Many people who hire nannies as independent contractors use a nanny agency for some of the same protections a senior home care agency offers. Maria Katris, owner of Nanny Boutique, says "Many clients repeatedly told me the value of using a nanny agency was in the background check, screening of the nanny candidate and access to additional resources such as our tax information. There is simply one more layer of assurance before allowing someone to work in your home with your loved ones. Furthermore, our clients were very aware of the tax liability involved in hiring a domestic employee and did not want to risk their careers by not paying taxes. We aided them in achieving this goal through education and partnership with a domestic employee tax company."

It is important to be cautious of "free" background checks. Usually such checks are just a name and address match to a social security number. If a website is advertising a free background check, be sure there is another fee they are charging to pay for this service as a solid criminal background check will cost at least $15 and a thorough background check will be closer to $100. Caregiverlist.com explains background check laws by state and what is typically included in a check.

A senior home care agency, as an employer of the caregiver, provides insurance protection and takes care of all the payroll taxes, as required by law. Worker's Compensation Insurance will cover on-the-job injuries (they do happen - dog bites, falls, back injuries). As an employee, the caregiver also has added benefits, including being able to collect unemployment benefits if they are laid off, collecting social security benefits when they retire and other agency benefits such as health insurance, training, team support and bonuses. The agency will also carry professional liability insurance and a fidelity bond to cover theft or financial loss.

Julie A. Northcutt, President of caregiverlist.com Caregiverlist.com, works to connect seniors and their loved ones with quality senior care options. Caregiverlist.com provides information on elderly care and assists in finding premier caregiverlist.com/StandardsOfQuality.aspx senior home care agencies by qualifying your care needs and required services.

Who is Your Agent?

The intricacies of the agency relationship are difficult to explain, and sometimes it feels like Abbot and Costello's "Who's on First" skit. By the time I'm finished explaining Realtor® relationships, my clients' heads are spinning like the exorcist, and they have no idea which way is up! When it comes to agency, the primary difficulty is that the definition is always changing, and agents struggle to keep abreast of the changes as well. If agents are unsure who they are working for, it's impossible for the consumer to keep it all straight. This article presents some current thoughts on agency, so read on if you're interested in shedding some light on exactly who is working for you.

The Agent/Broker Relationship

Before you can grasp the agency relationship, you first need to have a handle on the specific responsibilities of an agent. When you are discussing real estate, the two most common terms you will hear are "broker" and "agent." In order to receive an agent's license, agents participate in a designated number of course hours, and then they must pass the real estate salesperson's exam. Then, the agent is free to operate as a Realtor®, but only under the supervision of a broker. As such, an agent cannot be paid directly. In essence, the broker is the top of the food chain.

Individuals who have had experience as agents for a certain number of years may elect to become brokers. They must take a separate broker's exam to become licensed as a broker, and then they may either work individually or under another broker. A broker is able to own, manage, or operate their own brokerage firm without another broker's supervision, and any commission from a real estate transaction is paid to the broker. The agent's cut depends on the agreement between the broker and the agent, which means that the agent answers to and is paid by his or her broker.

The Basics of Agency

In order to implement an agency relationship, a written agreement of some kind must be agreed-upon between the buyer/seller and the agent/broker. Depending on the nature of this relationship, the agent is given authority to represent his/her client in dealing with other agents. Essentially, the agent is working for you as your spokesperson or middle man. After signing an agency agreement, your Realtor® is legally obligated to keep your best interests in mind, protecting and promoting what is best for you. This fact separates an agent from most salespersons, who have a reputation for just being out for themselves. Not only are Realtors® in charge of the paperwork for a transaction, but they have specific responsibilities as well. There is a great deal at stake when you are dealing with such extensive assets, so agents are liable for a number of categories. This liability is why contracts are so extensive and involved, with a number of disclosures and agreements to sign.

The basic responsibilities and fiduciary obligations a Realtor® has toward you are the principal in a transaction are as follows:

* Loyalty: At all times, the Realtor® must act in the best interest of you (the principal), and place your best interests above everyone else's, including his own. This is what I call the Lassie factor.

* Obedience: Realtors® are also obligated to promptly obey all lawful instructions of the principal, lawful being the operative word there. (You can't tell an agent to break into a home for you and expect that they will.)

* Disclosure: Realtors® must inform you of all known, relevant facts. Conversely, the principal has this same obligation to the Realtor and the other parties involved in the transaction.

* Confidentiality: As with many professional occupations, Realtors® are required to protect the principal's secrets, unless keeping this confidence violates the property condition's disclosure requirements. So, the agent can withhold your reason for moving, but must disclose that your home was once used as a nuclear test site.

* Reasonable care & Diligence: A Realtor® must diligently use their knowledge and skills regarding real estate to pursue the principal's interests.

* Accounting: Finally, Realtors® are required to account for all funds and property entrusted to them by the principal.

Hopefully, your head has stopped spinning, and you have a better idea of what agency actually is now. The better you understand the agency relationship, the better able you are to determine the kind of agency relationship you choose to participate in. The most important thing to remember, though, is that agents are there to work for you, and ensure that your life is much easier throughout your real estate transaction.

Justin Renaud is a REALTOR working in the justinrenaud.com Rolla Missouri Real Estate market. He has been working with buyers and sellers full-time for the last three years. His website justinrenaud.com is a resource for buyers, sellers, and homeowners to find helpful advice as well as resources discussing the areas of Rolla, MO and St. James, MO.