Saturday, September 21, 2013

Translations Can Help You Expand abroad and Enjoy the Fruits of Globalization While You Stay at Home

If you haven't yet thought of going global and having

your data translated into other languages, now is the time

to jump right in, as a matter of urgency, because there has

never been such a huge amount of opportunities in the history

of Humankind.

This is also the fastest and most cost-effective way to boost

your income, build global networks, and/or construct alliances

and collaborations.

This will propel you way ahead of all your monolingual competitors.

And it works for all types of businesses, even SMALL businesses -

no need to be Microsoft or Coca Cola to start expanding abroad!

It is now possible to find excellent translators on the

Internet and then expand and globalize without having a

single representative in a foreign country.

All you have to do is have your website translated and localized,

then make arrangements to have email support for your foreign

customers or clients translated on an ongoing basis.

For human rights organizations, peace movements, charities,

etc. translations can also help you with fundraising or

promotional work, lobbying with donors, diplomatic missions,

and the press, which will no doubt give extraordinary

momentum to your campaigns.

But maybe you have been wondering how to go about it.

Yes, trying to find the right translation service, or

to choose between different offers can be an extremely

frustrating exercise.

If you are not careful in how you select your translation

service provider, you may well find yourself in the

following situation: you receive a poorly translated document,

long after the deadline you set has expired, and you are

expected to pay for this disaster "with an arm and a leg",

truly a typical case of "adding insult to injury" - or

"losing three times in a row"!

First, are you going to choose a Translation Agency or a

Freelance Translator? There is no obvious answer to this

question.

Now, here is a fact for you: gigantic translation agencies

(some have thousands of translators and work in hundreds of

languages) carry huge overheads, which must necessarily be

passed on to you. You can easily understand why their rates

may seem exorbitant.

Besides, such a vast, unwieldy mass of translators,

interpreters, languages, administrative staff, accountants,

secretaries, project managers, hardware, software etc. is

understandably hard to put to productive and efficient work.

They do lots of different things, they try to be all things

to all people. (I know what I am talking about because I have

worked with quite a few of them!)

Inspite of all this, some big translation agencies do a good

job of it and I'd heartily recommend them to anyone if I was

not convinced that small-sized translation businesses deliver

a better service, are more flexible, more "user-friendly" and

far easier to deal with, if only because they must "do a good

job or close".

There are quite a few of them who can produce seamless

translations at a reasonable rate, while scrupulously complying

with your deadlines - all this in a friendly, humane atmosphere of

one-to-one partnership. Here we can really say "small is beautiful"

Now that you know the advantages of resorting to the services of

a translator, and a good one, our advice is: choose wisely before

it's too late!

A.M.Sall - author, translator, marketing and globalization consultant








In a career spanning over 30 years, veteran translator A.M.Sall has translated literally 100's of documents and 10,000,000's of words for 100's of different clients! A.M.Sall helps you break out of your monolingual cage and swiftly conquer the global marketplace at translationtrophy.com translationtrophy.com/

The Importance of Completing End of Life Paperwork

Does your family and health care provider know what your wishes are for your health future if you should become unable to share them with others? Have you written it down and given it to your doctor? I would highly recommend that everyone, regardless of age, prepare these documents and keep them at hand. A friend was talking about Advance Directives with someone the other day, and asked her if she had one, and her reply was, "Well, I'm only 70 years old. I don't need one."

I believe that people of all ages, but especially 50 and up, need to have at least two documents in their portfolio-an Advance Directive and a Durable Power of Attorney. Big words for simple, easy-to-prepare documents. The Advance Directive (or Living Will) is a statement of what measures you would want if you were unable to make health care decisions for yourself, such as feeding tubes, artificial hydration, and ventilation. If you would want your life saved at all costs, regardless of your prognosis, then this document would indicate that choice. If you would not, then those wishes would be made clearly known.

The Durable Power of Attorney appoints someone of your choice to be allowed to make medical decisions for you if you cannot. This can be a spouse, adult child, friend, or parent.

Both of these documents can be prepared easily in the comfort of your own home and do not need to be notarized. They only need to be witnessed and signed by two parties who are not related to you. Most states have official forms that are fairly easy to read and understand and should be available at any doctor's office or hospital. Another form is called Five Wishes and this Advance Directive and Durable Power of Attorney for health care is valid in most states in the US. Additionally, any home health or hospice agency keeps a supply of Advance Directives on hand at all times. After you fill out the document, be sure to make plenty of copies. Keep several on hand after giving copies to your family members, your doctor, and your hospital. Depending on the individual form, you may have to have it notarized or witnessed by at least two impartial parties, such as a friend.

Another document I highly recommend is an ethical will. This is a letter to those you love, expressing all that you wish them to know in your absence. It can be whatever you want it to be-a chronicle of your life, a statement of your values, poetry, a list of accomplishments that you're most proud of, what you'd do if you had it to do all over, advice to young family members, and so forth. The ethical will is truly a beautiful way to share your inmost thoughts, beliefs, and memories with your loved ones. Don't put completing these important documents off!








Paula Schneider, MPH, RN, BSN, CHPN

5 Common Mistakes Made by People With Aging Parents

Calling from the hospital to find suitable care after a medical crisis has already occurred. If your parents are elderly, even if they are still in relatively good health, be PROACTIVE! Have a plan, even if it's not totally complete. If you're already in crisis mode, and calling from the hospital, you're apt to end up choosing the first place that's available. That may not be the best place for your loved one, or your pocketbook.
Shying away from discussing alternative living arrangements for your parents well before they become necessary. Again, be PROACTIVE! Bring up the topic when emotions are calm. Introduce the idea that someday, a different style of daily living may become necessary for their health and well being. Remember, it doesn't have to be a nursing home. Today, there are many alternatives. But do get their wishes and ideas on the subject.
Being in the dark as far as your parents' financial situation. What kind of insurance coverage do they have? Is there long-term insurance that might cover in-home care or care in a nursing facility should it become necessary? What are the terms and conditions? If there is no insurance, what are their financial resources? Many parents don't want to discuss this, but if they don't, they run the risk of costly mistakes, of one sort or another when a crisis does occur.
Jumping to the conclusion that a nursing home or assisted living facility is the only answer. Not so! There are many different levels of care available, including in-home agencies that allow your parents to remain in their own home, which is usually the first choice.
Not knowing what level of care is required. Carefully evaluate how much care your parents need. This way you won't end up paying for costly services that really aren't desired or necessary.








Article written by Heavenly Helpers Case Manager, Amy Weisser. Heavenly Helpers Senior Home Care was first created in 2004 by Theanna Zika. Her vision was to "raise the bar" on the quality of existing home care for seniors. Heavenly Helpers is an independent, non medical home care agency proudly serving the St. Louis, Missouri Metro area. While our office is located in the heart of Webster Groves, we provide care throughout St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson County.

For more information, please visit us at heavenlyhelpers.net heavenlyhelpers.net/

Hiring Home Help For Aging Parents

When it comes to caregiving assistance for aging parents, there are many questions that usually follow. What assistance is needed? Will it be few hours per day, a few hours per week, or is it full time 24 hour assistance that we need? For families wanting to proceed on their own, there are a number of considerations.

What type of care is required? Differences between caregivers can vary from those of a registered nurse, a registered practical nurse, a personal support worker or a companion. Understanding your specific level of need and what the caregiver is trained to do and is legally able to do (i.e. such as administering medications) which may vary from Province to Province or may be defined within the caregiver's Scope of Practice (for RN's and RPN's) as well as cost factors, need to be understood and considered.

What are the needs of the family of aging parents? These needs can usually broken down to three basic needs: In-home respite care during the day only; care away from the home during working hours which may include participation in an adult day program; or 24-hour full time care over a weekend or longer.

Hire a happinesslifetime.com home health care agency or hire privately? Understanding the advantages of each option is vital. Several considerations inform the decision making process including ensuring references, experience and qualifications are in place; insurance coverage; illness coverage for the caregiver in the event they should get sick; billing format and practices; confidentiality; are the services tax deductible; and record-keeping, among others.

What overnight care solutions are available? If overnight care is required for aging parents, should someone move into the home or should the loved one be moved into a facility. If eligible, the Provincial Ministry of Health may be able to provide respite care in a long term facility. If not available, short stays are often available at many retirement residences and daily costs and amount of personal care varies.

What is the cost of care? In some cases, local community agencies may be able to provide minimal assistance of a few hours per week of a Personal Support Worker at no cost. For Personal Support Workers hired through and agency, hourly costs vary and there may be a minimum time requirement.

What role does personality play? While professional care is a foremost consideration ensuring personality matches is also important in the selection process. Ensure more than once candidate is interviewed, speak to other families of aging parents and get references, and suggest an afternoon trial to assess engagement between caregiver, family and the senior in the home.

What information should your provide the caregiver? Facilitating a quick and effective transition into the caregiver responsibility can be made that much easier by providing personal information such as how the older person prefers to be addressed; food likes or dislikes; allergies; whether they prefer companionship at mealtime; activities they like or dislike; areas of required assistance; best and worst times of days and other like considerations.

How do you find a caregiver? If hiring through an agency, there are several home happinesslifetime.com care agencies in most communities. They are listed in the phone book and seniors directories. You can also speak to a Geriatric Care Manager about reputable agencies in the community. They can also assist with screening candidates to ensure a good match is made.

If hiring privately, a referral from a friend or family is usually the preferred route. Note however that if someone's previous experience has been looking after children, it is not the same as caring for an older adult.

Also consider joining a support group for caregivers which can provide an excellent forum for discussion and individual support to assist you in this journey.








About eldercaring.ca

Elder Caring Inc. eldercaring.ca eldercaring.ca is a group of experts with backgrounds in Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Gerontology. As working professionals in the field, all of our team members have many years of experience in working with the disabled, the elderly, and their families. The company has team members and representatives across Canada.

Eldercare Solutions For the Sandwich Generation

Ava has flute lessons at 4:00. Dad has a doctor's appointment at 5:00. And you have no clue what you're going to whip up for dinner. As a member of the sandwich generation-those who care for both their children as well as their aging parents-you're in a unique situation. You'll feel stress in your mind, your body, and even your pocketbook. This guide will help you assemble an eldercare solutions team that can make you feel a little less sandwiched.

Non-medical in-home care

In-home care providers are a favorite solution for many children caring for aging parents. These companies offer a wide variety of services designed to enhance to help your parent in the tasks of everyday living. Professional in-home care can provide assistance with bathing or toileting. They can also perform light housekeeping, such as changing linens or unloading groceries. What's more, these companies offer companion eldercare solutions services. That means Dad has someone to play checkers with while you're at a day-long conference.

Adult day care and other senior activities

From day trips to the local tourist trap to water aerobics, you can find a number of local services to keep Mom or Dad active. Church groups and social service agencies are two good sources for activity-related eldercare solutions. Your local agency on aging can also provide a list of resources for you to contact.

Family and Friends

Many of us have a circle of family and friends-and when it comes to caring for aging parents, it's important to tap into that resource. Have a family meeting to decide how each person can help. Maybe your retired Aunt can become Mom's taxi service. Perhaps your spouse can take over cooking one night a week. Teens can take on responsibility, too, by picking up prescriptions or taking over one of your typical household chores.

Even if your family consists simply of you and your aging parent, you can still find solutions to make your life less stressful. For instance, ask a neighbor to watch a movie with Dad while you slip away for dinner. If help with household stuff will help make caring for aging parents easier, ask a church youth group if they'd be willing to trim the fire bushes. Have a neighbor with a ladder? Exchange a home-cooked meal for clean gutters.

Professional Services

Caring for aging parents comes with a price tag, especially if you're part of the sandwich generation. Experts estimate it costs more than $16,000 a year to pay for child care and elder care. That's why it's important to enlist the help of professionals who can help guide you through the numbers. Consult a financial advisor who has experience in eldercare solutions.

Remember to ask your parents about getting legal advice regarding living wills and medical powers of attorney. Putting these documents into place now, when your parent is still relatively health, can save the family future heartache and conflict when a serious illness strikes.

Don't let the stress of raising children and caring for aging parents take its toll on your life. By planning and finding the right kind of help, you can find an eldercare solution you and your aging parent can live with.








Gregory Weldy is an expert on guiding families through the challenges of caring for an BestElderCareAtHome.com aging parent. He has written an amazing Free report, "Prevent nursing home nightmares: Caring for aging parents." To claim you FREE copy, visit: BestElderCareAtHome.com BestElderCareAtHome.com

The Five Laws of Buying Foreclosure Homes

1. Above all else, do your research. Buying a foreclosure can get you some great deals, but not all foreclosure properties guarantee savings. You have to be willing to search out the properties with the best chance for potential savings by fully examining them. Be sure to call auction or sales trustees and get all the information you can about the home before you make any decisions. Often times there may be certain things wrong with the home that a listing will not show.

2. Before you decide to pursue a foreclosure you see listed, make sure it's being sold through a method that suits your needs and abilities. There are a lot of different kinds of foreclosures out there, from bank owned homes to pre-foreclosure properties, and choosing the right method of purchase is often just as important as choosing the right property. Some methods offer advantages that others don't, and depending on your personal situation, others may present disadvantages. For example, pre-foreclosure homes, though they offer great deals, usually require more work. There is often a lot of cat-and-mouse phone calling involved, a great deal of bargaining, and also plenty of face-to-face meeting time to work out and close deals. If this sort of commitment is impossible for you, you'd probably be wise to consider a different type of foreclosure. You want to make sure you maximize your chances of getting the best deal possible, and putting in only half the effort required, whether you're buying pre-foreclosures of government homes, won't get you the kind of savings you want.

3. Perform a title search. Often times neither listings nor trustees can tell you the whole story. Sometimes foreclosed homes come with additional liens held against them by tax collectors or utilities companies. A full title search will reveal if any such liens exist. Either consult a titling agency locally or find one online. It only requires a simple phone call, but the results could save you thousands of dollars.

4. Get an independent appraisal. Most listings come with appraisal values, or if not, they are usually provided by the trustee of the sale or the local Sheriff's office, but get one of your own just to make sure. Hire an unaffiliated, independent appraiser to inspect the house and give you an idea of its real market value, just to be sure.

5. If you have doubts, inspect the home yourself. There's really no better way to understand what you're buying than to actually see it. This may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many people try to buy foreclosure homes based on listings alone. Inspecting a home foreclosure can give you an idea of its true condition, as well as allow you to make estimates about any repairs that will need to be done, or any maintenance you'll need to take care of before it's habitable. These costs all factor into your overhead when you buy them home, so be sure to calculate them exactly. If you feel the need, arrange to have a contractor join you and provide an estimate on any repairs.

The more you know about a foreclosure, the better you can calculate how much its true value is after factoring in costs and approximate market values. Remember, there is a lot out there these days, so don't be afraid to search out the best potential values. Follow these steps to make sure you're making a decision to buy based on the best available information, and you'll greatly increase your chances of making a smart investment.








Article by John Buguela from ForeclosureDeals.com Web site. To learn the secrets of buying foreclosuredeals.com/content/foreclosure_homes.htm foreclosure homes and finding your dream house or your next profitable real estate investment, click here now: foreclosuredeals.com foreclosuredeals.com

Friday, September 20, 2013

How to Become a Health Care Administrator

Once you learn how to become a health care administrator and take the necessary steps to enter the specific career of your choice, there will be a world of job opportunities at your fingertips. Health care administrators and managers make up a huge portion of the workforce in consulting firms, insurance organizations, hospitals, public health agencies, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other medically-related organizations. As a healthcare administrator you will be able to carry out long-term goals, create and implement policy, manage personnel, oversee both capital and operating budgets and more. So how do you enter these important professions?

The first step to becoming a health care administrator is earning a college degree. You will need to earn at least a bachelor's degree in business, gerontology, health sciences, public administration or social services. There are also master's degree programs that are very useful for these careers, such as the MBA in Healthcare Management.

The degree does not guarantee a job, though, so you'll need to get some experience. If you can find work in a healthcare facility, nursing home, social services organization, home health care company or hospice center in any capacity, from nursing to administration, you will be a better job candidate once you finish school. Some jobs will even require several years of entry-level experience or at least one year of administrative or clinical management experience before you can apply. Healthcare administration jobs in nursing and rehabilitation centers also require passage of the state and national Nursing Home Administrator licensing examination. Background checks are standard in these occupations as well.

As a healthcare administrator you may have to earn continuing education credits to remain employed. If your job requires any sort of professional license, you can assume you will need to apply for this license as a term of employment. All this hard work should pay off, though. Salaries vary depending on experience, location, specific job title and the type of organization you work for, but you can expect to be compensated well. While an office manager might only start off earning around $30,000, the average salary for this job reaches $65,000, and hospital administrators can earn as much as $130,000 with diligence and advancement.








Find detailed information about top healthdegreesu.com allied health schools which are offering healthdegreesu.com/programs/page.php?disc=health-care-administration&st=1 health care administration degree programs in USA and Canada at HealthDegreesU.com. Choose the best health care school for you and start your path to a rewarding career.

Insurance Agency - Explore 5 Types of Coverage You May Need

Whether it's coverage for your health or your home, you need to contact a reputable insurance agency that can assist you in getting the protection that's right for you. This is especially true if you have little ones and want the best coverage possible when it comes to their health.

Car

One of the most popular reasons to contact an insurance agency is to protect yourself as well as anyone else that may be involved in a car accident. Getting in a fender bender is no fun for anyone. And if you are not protected, then you will not only have to worry about your vehicle repairs and hospital bills, you also have to worry about the other party's expenses if it is found out that you're at fault. Also, it's illegal in most places to drive around without proper protection, so you're putting yourself in a position where you can get in trouble with the law also.

Home

Buying a home is a dream come true for so many people. Yet, if something were to happen, such as a fire, or other issue, then you will want to safeguard your property. A reputable insurance agency can set you up with the proper protection so that you aren't left out in the cold if something happens to your home. Also, you can get coverage that protects your valuables as well. Although some memories and keepsakes cannot be replaced, it's a good feeling to know that you may be able to replace some other items.

Health

Things like dental visits, regular health checkups and an array of other visits can be really costly if you don't have coverage. Getting what you need from an insurance agency is necessary in order for you and your family to get the healthcare you need without paying an arm and a leg. Many companies will comparison shop for you to ensure you get the deal that's right for you.

Life

No one knows what life will bring and if death happens, you will want to know that your loved ones are taken care of. A good insurance agency can offer you life insurance at a reasonable cost. There are various plans available, yet there is something for everyone. Things like debt, bills, mortgages and more will all be things to deal with if someone passes away unexpectedly. Be sure to protect yourself and get peace of mind by getting proper coverage.

Title

Numerous people don't quite realize that when they purchase a piece of property, they are really buying the title. The title to the property is what you need to prove that you own the piece of property. Yet, if something is wrong and there are certain hazards or issues that affect the title to your property, then your dreams of owning a home can be at risk. Going to an insurance agency for title insurance is a smart move. This way, if something unexpected pops up, you'll be protected and you won't be at risk of losing your home.








An allianceinsuranceeaston.com Easton PA insurance agency might be the type of protection your family needs to stay safe. To learn more visit: allianceinsuranceeaston.com allianceinsuranceeaston.com.

Learn How to Get Up to 22% Equity on a Bank Owned Home With Government Grant Money

On July 1st the state of Arizona Housing Department received 38 million in funding to provide assistance to qualified buyers of foreclosed properties throughout Maricopa county.  IMPORTANT: 38 million will go quickly, in about 3 months or so this money will be depleted so now is a great time to see if you qualify for this program.  The program requires 3% down of which 2% can come from an approved source. So only 1% is required from the borrows funds.  For now, here are the basics on the program and how it works.

Qualifications:

The household must have a gross income (total income before taxes, health care costs, social security, etc.) of no greater than 120 percent of the average median income for the county they want to purchase a foreclosed house in.  We can send you the table upon request but an example would be a household size of 4 must have an income at or below $79,100 annually.  A household of 2 must have an annually combined income of $63,250 or less.

You must attend and complete an 8 hour home buyer education class provided by one of the ADOH participating home buyer counseling agencies.  The property must be your primary residence, and your debt to income ratios must be at or below 31/43.

Eligible Properties:

Only foreclosed properties that are one-unit detached single family homes, or condos and townhomes and the property must be vacant at the time of listing.

ADOH Loan Terms:

22 percent of purchase price and all loans are forgivable after a period of time based on the amount of the loan.

5 years for assistance of $15,000 or less, 10 years for assistance of $15,000-$40,000 and 15 years for assistance of more than $40,000.








About the Author:

Dave Zajdzinski invites you to take advantage of the Z Team's powerful Multiple Listing Service (MLS) map search to find and view properties in Arizona at findnewhomesaz.com findnewhomesaz.com/.

Please send any comments or questions to

Discount Florida Vacation Rentals

Discount Florida vacation rentals are a good way to save on rentals and one can use the savings to splurge on leisure activities that are the core of any vacation. There are several agencies that advertise discount Florida vacation rentals. Some agencies even offer discount vacation rental deals that range up to 60%.

One can look up owner direct vacation rentals to check the prices being charged for different types of vacation rentals. This is a good source for prices as most owner direct rentals are priced very competitively.

While looking around for Florida discount vacation rentals, tourists should read the whole offer carefully. The use of different terms like "late availability" prices and "deep-discount prices" might lead a person to assume that the prices mentioned are the lowest. However, some amount of market research is advisable.

Genuine discount vacation rentals can be availed during off season. The other slots when discounts are offered depends on pure luck as during season vacation rentals are usually booked months in advance. When there is a sizeable gap between two bookings, these days are then offered at discount prices. This is done to optimize the utilization of the property.

While opting for discount Florida rentals do take into account the amenities offered at such rentals. Lack of amenities could be a reason for low prices. In such a scenario you will have to spend outside for certain amenities. Add that estimated cost to your rental and then analyze whether the discount rental is really worth it. At times you can get several amenities under one roof and the cost could come to the same. The convenience would be an added benefit.

A good way of sizing up a discount rental is recommendations by known person. This way you will get to know what others pay. This information will be indicative of whether the discount Florida rental that you are considering is really at discount prices or not.








WetPluto.com/Florida-Vacation-Home-Rentals.html Florida Vacation Rentals provides detailed information on Florida Vacation Rentals, Florida Vacation Home Rentals, Florida Keys Vacation Rentals, Florida Beach Vacation Rentals and more. Florida Vacation Rentals is affiliated with Florida Vacation Homes [e-FloridaVacations.com].

The Future of America's Homecare Workers & Quality of Care For Our Aging Population

The New York Times recently published an article, Caring for the Caregivers, and while I read the piece, I merely shook my head a few times thinking about the implications in the article and what I know from my perspective in the elder care industry. First thing I learned in this business is that when it is acceptable people would want to age in place, meaning live in their homes with whatever help, be it homecare and/or technology, they need for as long as they can. America's aging population is increasing and there is also an ongoing shortage of homecare aides to help this burgeoning group do what they want, which is to stay comfortably in their own homes.

But, as the article pointed out:

"According to the Labor Department, personal and home care aides are expected to be the second fastest-growing occupation in the United States from 2006-2016, increasing by 51 percent, slightly behind the expected growth in systems and data communications analysts. "

And who exactly are these people who come into the home to care for your parents? The NY Times article points it out succinctly, " most home care aides are women, low income and minority, and many of them are immigrants. " And although some of the states have taken steps to give them basic labor protections, most of these women work for agencies that under the existing federal guidelines are allowed to mark them as companions, leaving them with no rights to overtime and minimum wages. This is not to say all agencies take advantage of this fact, there are lots of agencies that have realized the efficiency of low-staff turnover and treating their workers accordingly. This sector of healthcare is growing rapidly and yet many of its workers are not protected. And they should be, because they are the backbone of the aging in place movement; the ones supporting and tending to the needs of our elders in their homes. So what's being done about this issue?

Right now, the Service Employees International Union is working to unionize homecare workers in every state. Washington and Montana have unionized homecare workers, while here in California, in-fighting is still ongoing between unions. Many have voiced the opinion that new legislation has to be passed by the Labor Department to offer greater federal protection for homecare workers. I believe this is the best way to keep these workers safe. (Yep, that's a nudge, President Obama, but I do realize you are very busy these days.) In the end, it all circles back to quality of care. Happy, well-paid, well-trained workers who work for agencies with low turnover are, and will always be, the ones delivering the highest quality of long term care to our mothers, fathers and possible even us one day.








Please visit the Gilbert Guide for the very best in gilbertguide.com Seniort Home Care and for more information about gilbertguide.com Senior Care.

Enjoy a Career As a Medical Transcriptionist

Medical billing and coding is one of the fastest growing areas of employment within the health care industry. Individuals that are trained and certified in these areas are not only indispensable in this industry, but are also in high demand by every variety of health care provider. As a result, these individuals can be assured of excellent benefits, such as salary and job security.

Individuals trained in medical billing and coding may have a variety of titles assigned to them. One of the most common titles is that of medical transcriptionist. Essentially, the job of a medical transcriptionist involves the summarizing of every doctor visit or subsequent action as a result of said doctor visit. The transcriber will interpret diagnoses, procedures, and treatments into a series of established five-digit codes, which are a part of the Current Procedural Terminology, or CPT, system. These codes are what will be shown on all patient records, bills, or insurance claims, as a shorthand that records all activities, and ensures that the correct parties will receive compensation for their services.

Due to the diversity of work that may be assigned, and the great variance in potential workplaces, a medical transcription salary can vary greatly from one position to another. Additional factors that will influence starting salaries include the level of training and/or certification obtained by the individual, the number of years that the individual has been affiliated with a particular office or association, and whether the work is part-time or full time.

Given all of the above factors, a medical transcription salary may range from eight dollars an hour to twenty-five dollars an hour. This salary range is greatly dependent on the type and importance of work that is completed. In addition to medical transcription salary ranges however, there are a great number of additional factors that should be considered when investigating such a career. These include the ability to get hired, and job security.

Due to the nature of their work, individuals involved with medical billing and coding are always in high demand in workplaces. Opportunities for employment are available wherever health care services are provided, including, but not limited to, hospitals, primary care physicians, rehabilitation centers, dentists' offices, nursing homes, and insurance agencies. Once hired and adjusted to the general atmosphere and procedures of the given office, a medical transcriptionist becomes an essential part of that workplace environment, and employers will be grateful to have someone with a good knowledge of the inner workings of their organization in that essential position.








The author has spent a lot of time learning about medicalbillingguides.com/data-entry-services medical billing and other related topics. Read more about medicalbillingguides.com medical billing guides at Shawn's website.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

The Global Economy and The Cyprus Property Market

We are experiencing a unique and an unprecedented economic situation, which has so far affected most countries and at this point of time we do not have signs on whether the situation will improve or it will worsen. Living in a global economy, no country will be exempted, although it will depend on the extent of its negative effect from country to country.

Usually, Cyprus so far has been lucky enough to override economic and other crisis, based on the misfortunes of others. So the 1974 invasion was followed by an influx of the Lebanese as a result of their civil war, with millions of investments in Cyprus, the oil boom that followed in the 1980's had again helped Cyprus due to the influx of millions of petrol dollars, including the creation of an Arab based demand for real estate, the Yugoslavia civil war has had a similar effect, whereas the Russia revolution of the Yeltsin era, has added to the island's good future.

Now, I am afraid, the situation is quite different and more difficult. Cyprus has not, as yet felt the full affects of the situation, no one has lost his job and the only noticeable affects at this point of time in the drop of the stock exchange values. This globally uncertain situation however has caused demand especially from abroad to be reduced drastically. Cyprus real estate demand comprises of approximately 80% locals and 20% foreign. As such and bearing in mind the large percentage of the foreign market, the local market is affected positively or negatively depending on the economies of the countries whose nationals buy in Cyprus. Out of the total foreign demand, approximately 70% comes from Britain, 10% from Russia and the rest from other European countries. With the dependence of the market on the U.K. and with the prevailing state of the U.K. economy, it is evident that demand from this market source has been reduced considerably. So we notice that in those localities that the Brits are interested at (Paphos and Famagusta area primarily and to a lesser extent Larnaca and Limassol) there is a considerable drop of interest. For Paphos the reduction in demand and sales prices is around 25% for apartments and 20% for villas, whereas for the Famagusta area the reduction is 25% for apartments and 10% villas. For the Larnaca region the reduction is 10% across the board other than apartments at Oroklini -25%. Limassol has not experienced any noticeable reduction at this point to time, primarily because the Russian market is quite active there (approximately 80% of the Russian demand directs itself for this town and the rest 20% all over) and because Limassol is experiencing heavy infrastructure investment and development. The new seaside sports ground, the promenade works, the land reclamation, the old fishing port conversion, the new marina and the location of the new technical university, are all factors, which have helped the Limassol market. It is, of course, a matter of time. If the situation that exists at the moment continues for another 6-9 months, I would expect a direct price reduction for Paphos/Paralimni around 30% and for the Larnaca region 18%, whereas Limassol will also feel the pitch at around 10% in certain areas. Nicosia market, which is Cypriot demand based, is not expected to be affected more than 12%-15% (price reduction).

The Cyprus real estate market is more sensitive for the routine projects, which have no competitive edge against other market alternatives and for which there is ample supply. So routine flats in individual blocks or in projects with a common pool not in attractive localities, will be affected more than others. On the other hand beach property will sustain their market since the available supply is fast reducing and we are running out of beach!! Beach prices have shot from EUR8.500/sq.mts. to EUR15.000/sq.mts. within one year (we refer to beach villas of good quality in the Limassol area). Beach property at Larnaca and Protaras are expected to sustain their existing prices of around EUR6.000-EUR8.000/sq.mts. (beach villas).

What is more worrying is the number of resales (property bought and the buyers due to the situation back home sell them at discount prices) that it is fast increasing. Most resales are from the British market and it is not uncommon to offer their property with a discount of 20%-30% from their pre-crisis situation values. The large reduction is encouraged by the increase in value of Euro vis-à-vis the sterling, so the effective reduction may not be more than 10%-15%. Again referring to the British demand, the mainly British based cowboys-illegal estate agents, who charge 15% commission and who organize inspection trips etc, have passed on this high commission level to their buyers (through the developer). As such numerous people have bought property at inflated prices in excess of 10% and without having the right to choose. Perhaps we will have the time to exchange some information how this scam was planed and is organized and how some of these international crooked estate agency firms suddenly left the island with the downturn of the market, whereas other have gone into a voluntary liquidation (obviously so that no (one can chase them). So their clients are now left stranded in the desert during a period of no demand with nowhere to turn and with very little advice. Most of their staff has left and the bosses are nowhere to be found, whereas as the British legal system is at the moment, they bear no responsibility towards their clients.

A basic criterion in the worsening or not of this situation, is the strength and support of the local banks who are financing developers and buyers. It appears that local banks have a solid foundation and their loans are covered by a 20%-25% buyer's contribution (in contrast to the 100%-110% loans in U.S.A. and some European countries). At the same time, locals, who are very much attached to their land/property, will most unlikely offer their property at substantially reduced prices. A Cypriot very rarely sells under pressure (they either withdraw their property from the market or you may even notice that some of them increase the prices), whereas local banks will not/cannot take speedy action on a mortgage foreclosure. So whereas in U.S. a mortgaged property can be sold within 3-5 months, in the U.K. 5-6 months, in Greece 9 months, in Cyprus the system is such that it will most likely take 6-9 years, whereas if it relates to the main residence, it will extend to 12-15 years (see Pieris example that it took 40 years). So, this inefficient system causes, in such occasions, luckily for Cyprus a technical reduction in the supply, which will help towards the minimization of property prices reduction.

The Cypriot economy depends basically on the tourist industry with a foreign currency of EUR2 bil. foreign exchange, the building industry with a EUR1.3 bil. foreign sales and the offshore Cos with a foreign income of around EUR600 mil. So if this situation continues and in addition to the real estate there is a sharp reduction in the nos and spending power of tourists, it will affect the economy substantially. If the reduction of the foreign demand reaches 50%, it will produce a loss of 10% of the total market and based on a prediction of a local demand drop of 20%, it may cause the reduction in the property prices of around 20%-30%. This refers basically to residential (routine projects) and residential land. It is worthy to note that the Office and Commercial market is quite active and especially in Nicosia and Limassol, demand is improving. Again it is a matter of timing and how the financial year 2009 will behave. Predictions are predictions and must be studied as such, since the situation is very flu and it changes from day to day. A careful watch must be directed towards the Russian market, which is quite active in Cyprus and which so far has not shown signs of a reduction. On the contrary with the state of the European Banks there in hope that Russia deposits in Cyprus will increase. On the other hand oil prices are going down and the Russian stock market is having a down turn and these signs must be monitored.

In concluding I would like to say that we do not expect that local property values will reach the U.K.'s price reduction of 25% (commercial properties) and the 15%-20% for residential, but some ill affects will certainly reach us. Again on a positive note local banks are not known for their aggressiveness so the pressure placed on the clients will not cause them necessarily to rush and sell.

A logical question is then shall I buy now or wait next year when prices will be reduced further? A difficult question to answer, since if on the one hand you find something you like now, but you give it a miss, because you expect the prices will drop further next year, the property might not be there by the time you decide. On the other hand if you are not particular, then perhaps, waiting for another 6 months may be a good move. In my estimation, based on international analyst economic expectations, that prices will reach the bottom by mid 2009 prior to the tourist season and from there on they will be on the path of improvement.

On a positive note we are all aware of the anxiety that people have for their bank deposits. If you are really worried that your money deposits will be gone and as an alternative of buying a safe and keep your money in house, buy property since at least it will not go anywhere and sometime in the future prices will recover. Real estate might drop in price, but then, as you know, the real estate market is a cycle, so at least you have a hope to reduce your loss in the future.








Mr Antonis Loizou FRICS, the Managing Partner of Antonis Loizou & Associates, a professional service provider based in Cyprus with offices in Romania and Russia.

Mr Loizou has practiced in the UK and Cyprus for over 30 years, has a long track record of providing advice on complex real estate projects, writes regularly in the financial press, and is involved in the highest levels of the Cyprus government influencing policy.

Home Care For The Elderly

You may need a helping hand, but consider your needs do not merit going into a residential care home. Perhaps you are recovering from illness or find that cleaning your home, or shopping is becoming harder to manage on your own. You may already have a regular carer who is going on holiday. If you are a couple, one may be struggling to look after the other or perhaps you are both experiencing difficulties in coping. Many carers are not professionals, but everyday people looking after their wives, husbands, parents, friends or relatives. Sometimes they will need advice, practical help or just a break How to find the home care you need. Help is available from many sources. This includes your local Social Services department, GP, local voluntary organizations for the elderly, independent, care and nursing agencies and the United Kingdom Home Care association.

Types of home care

· Having your home adapted with handrails, stair lifts, bath aids etc, to make your home safer and your life easier.

· A home help to help prepare meals, do housework and shopping for you.

· A door-to-door transport service.

· Personal alarm systems, which give 24-hour emergency cover, if you need help.

· Pop in services, someone to assist with that small, but essential task, like changing a light bulb.

· Meals on wheels who can deliver a cooked meal, directly to your table.

· Help with personal care, like bathing, dressing and going to the toilet.

· Night sitters and sleepers, if you need reassurance throughout the night.

· A live in service, which offers you 24-hour care and companionship.

Your local Social Services department can carry out a carer's assessment and may also be able to help out with respite care. Many residential care homes also offer respite care.

Choosing home care

It is really important that you feel comfortable with your home carer. You will have more choice if you are funding your care yourself, rather than through the local authority. However it's still important to use a reputable agency and make sure they vet their staff. Ask about their code of practice, the service they provide and what qualifications and training the carer has.

Make sure they able to provide the specific care you need, check their charges, including any extras, and ask what happens if you have a problem with a carer or if one is ill or on holiday. You will also need to know if there is a complaints procedure.

Remember you local authority can help by making an assessment of your needs and compiling a care plan. They have a legal duty to provide you with suitable care at home, though charges and the levels of care may differ, according to the area you live in. If they cannot help, they will be able to suggest other organizations that can and will also be able to advise you about any benefits you are entitled to claim. If you need a great deal of care, you may find it less expensive in a nursing or residential home.








Crantock Lodge Residential Home:- Crantock Lodge offers residential, respite and day care for the elderly. Situated in Newquay, Cornwall, in the south west of England. It offer 10 rooms - 5 of which have sea views.

Website: crantocklodgeresidentialhome.netfirms.com crantocklodgeresidentialhome.netfirms.com

Questions You Must Answer Before You Buy Homes For Sale

If you want to find the best homes for sale there are questions you must answer to find them successfully. You may say that you have the money to purchase a house, but is money everything for you to purchase the best house for you and your family?

There are many transactions that can easily be closed once you have the money to pay for the item. You may spend without giving it a lot of thought in the process. But do you notice the way you buy a pair of shoes? It will take several fits before you find the right now doesn't it? When you go to a boutique you will first look for the design that will fit you. Once you like the texture you will decide the color that will blend with your skin tone. Afterward you will check if it is the right size for your feet. You don't just open the door of the boutiques and tell the sales clerk to wrap the shoe that you saw of the first shelf.

The same thing happens when you buy a home. When you talk to a real estate agency you will ask about different things before you finally settle in a house. There are many homes for sale and due to its enormity sometimes you would lose a certain criteria to use in choosing the perfect place for you. But it is advisable that you ask yourself these questions:

Shall I be happy in this new home?

The answer to this question may be hard to find since happiness is subjective. The mere fact that the house has a great architectural design does not necessarily imply that you will be happy there. Contentment will be attained if you get what you really look for in the homes for sale. It will happen if you like the location. Do you appreciate the fact that it is located in the rural area where the trees dance in the morning due to the gentle hush of the wind? If the air is fresh yet you need to be in the city due to your work you will not appreciate the distance of the house from the city.

Is it safe to stay here?

Have you checked the recent crime rates in the place you intend to buy a house? If there are many headlines that report about accidents and crimes happening around the said location it is advisable that you look for another place. You will not be safe in a place that you are a stranger too especially if the residents thereof are not even safe.

Select a fresh and breezy place to cool your mind and build a happy family. A home must be a space for you to develop confidence in life and not a site where you will endure hardships. Let the four corners of your house assure you that life is a great adventure you will always appreciate. Homes for sale should be bliss so be careful to pick the best one.








Expert propmatch.com.sg/new-property New Property Opinions by Property Portal Propmatch with the best advice on how to buy Residential Property and find your ideal propmatch.com.sg/property-agent Property Agent.

Five Tips For Loan Applications

The 'credit crunch' and the general nervousness of the financial markets has meant that lenders are more careful about lending money. Many have had their fingers burnt and will now take a much closer look at loan applications than they might have in the past. If you're thinking about a taking out a loan, maybe through a comparison website, you will want to make your application as appealing as possible to avoid rejection. Here are five tips that will improve your chances of having your loan application approved.

You only get one chance to create a good first impression. Make sure that you present yourself and your application in as plausible a manner as possible. Look the part if you have to meet the loan provider or bank face to face. Be punctual, be polite and do your best to show that you are a safe and reliable option. Likewise, conduct any correspondence maturely and sensibly. The loan provider holds all the cards. You need to do your best to impress upon them that their money is safe with you.

Check your credit rating. There are various criteria that the loan provider will be looking at to establish whether they will lend you money or not and they will build a picture of your loan-worthiness through your credit report. The stronger your credit history the more likely you are to succeed in your application. Check your credit rating to make sure that it is both up to date and accurate. There are numerous agencies who for a small fee can check your status. Now is the time to sort out any errors or misinformation that may impact on your loan application.

If your credit history comes out with a question mark against your name, (maybe you have CCJs against you or you have a record of missing loan repayments) you could find that your application is rejected or that any loan will be offered at a higher interest rate.

Make sure that you're on top of your existing loans. Don't let your current commitments interfere with your application for a new loan. Are you on the electoral register at your current address? Is borrowing against your credit cards and overdrafts under control? Also consider the new repayments. Will you be able to manage additional repayments in the event of the loan being approved?

Keep you loan application within reason. Applying for unrealistic amounts of credit will set alarm bells ringing. How does the amount you are applying for relate to your income? There is no point for you or your loan provider to agree an amount that you stand little chance of being able to pay back. Sensible loan applications are treated seriously, the others simply go in the bin.

Don't apply too often. Each application for a loan or any other form of credit is recorded. If you keep getting either refused credit or keep going back to borrow more and more over a short period of time your applications will be flagged up and your chances of securing the loan will diminish. It looks suspicious and suggests that maybe you aren't careful with your money or that there are underlying reasons that you are being repeatedly refused. Manage your financial situation, manage your financial information and manage your loan applications diligently if you want your loan application to be successful.








Applying for loans can achieve more success if good advice is followed. Mark offers assistance on how people can evaluate loans, tescocompare.com/car.shtml compare car insurance quotes and why home owners should tescocompare.com/home.shtml compare home insurance quotes to find protection for their belongings.

Steps For Repairing Your Bad Credit

Bad credit is not an unchangeable problem. But it is one that can have a great impact on your life. If you have bad credit you may find it difficult to do the important things in your life like buy a home or finance your education. Having good credit is a very important thing.

Recovering bad credit is very possible, but it is important to understand how to go about it. Here we will discuss ways to repair your credit, increase your credit scores and get yourself back on track financially.

Know What Is In Your Credit Report

Before you can repair your credit you need to know exactly what is being reported. You need to review a copy of your credit report so that you can check for any errors and see what types of things are being reported.

Get Rid Of Credit Card Debt

There is nothing worse than credit card debt and it is difficult to get out from under. If you are ready to improve your credit scores one of the first steps is to stop using your credit cards and to get rid of them. It would be great to set the goal of using your credit cards only when necessary. But this does not work for most people. Most people have to get rid of their credit cards to get out from under this debt.

Work hard to pay off all of your credit cards. Do not simply pay the minimum amount required. The interest will continue to accumulate and it will take years for you to pay the balance in full. Tackling one card at a time pay as much as possible toward your credit card debt until the balances reach zero.

Things to Watch For

You may feel that your problems are much greater than what you can handle on your own. You may need outside help to repair your credit. However, there are a few things you need to watch out for. Some people will try to take advantage of your credit problems.

There are many agencies that offer credit repair services free of charge. If a company is charging a high fee you might want to question their motives. Also, a legitimate company will start off by explaining to you the legal rights that you have as well as the steps that you can take on your own to repair your company. You should be careful with any company that fails to tell you these things.








How would you like to come up with some extra cash to help debtreductionacademy.com wipe out credit card debt starting today? Visit the Debt Reduction Academy website, where you can sign up to receive your free 5 day mini course "Operation Money-Find: How To Find Money To Start Paying Off Your Debt This Month". Go get your copy now at debtreductionacademy.com/minicourse.php debtreductionacademy.com/minicourse.php

The Eight Biggest Mistakes Buyers Make in Real Estate (and How to Avoid Them)

We see ourselves as advisors. With buyers, our role is to help clients find, negotiate, and purchase properties while avoiding critical mistakes in the process.

Recently we interviewed people from our team as well as our colleagues at Boulder Creative Housing. We also reviewed some of what we've learned in real estate here in Boulder and from our real estate experience on Nantucket.

The result is the Eight Biggest Buyer Mistakes and How to Avoid Them. As always, feel free to contact us with any comments or questions. You can also reach me at 303.746.6896.

The Eight Biggest Buyer Mistakes

(and How to Avoid Them)

Mistake #8. Skipping due diligence on location and community.

From the time it takes to commute to the quality of neighborhood schools, a lot of things can affect the enjoyment of your home that has little to do with the house itself. Will your property be impacted by the new transit oriented developments in Boulder and along the tech corridor?

Where is the nearest grocery store, post office, gas station, and city park? Is there a landfill or factory nearby that might affect the air or water quality? How close is the nearest EPA Toxic Waste Superfund site? Have you looked into the megan's law database for Colorado or contacted local authorities to check whether registered sex offenders might live nearby?

You can do a lot of research online, but community character is nearly impossible to accurately determine from a website. Yes, there are many resources on the Internet including this blog and a list of links and other resources we've collected. But that's not enough.

Before buying a home, you should invest the time to walk the neighborhood, talk to the neighbors, visit local schools, time your commute to work, and more. This kind of information is extremely valuable and may require several visits to the community. And it's well worth it if you want to be happy long term with the choice you're making.

Mistake #7. Not getting a building inspection.

Even if you are an expert carpenter with many years in the trades, we recommend a professional building inspection. In some cases (like established neighborhoods with mature trees between the house and the street which may be prone to root intrusions) we also recommend a sewer inspection with fiber optics/remote cameras. If there are signs of water damage or moisture in the home, we'll recommend a mold inspection as well. The upfront costs for inspection can start as low as $250 and it's cheap peace of mind.

Mistake #6. Overpaying for a property.

In Boulder and surrounding communities, many buyers are from out of state and compared to their home city, our local real estate can look like a tremendous bargain. Often sellers will toss out a high price to gauge the market. This also sometimes happens because the sellers chose a agent based on the highest comparative market analysis, and they'll need some time to adjust to market reality.

Smart shoppers will ask their agent for a list of compables before viewing homes and for more specific comparables before putting in an offer. Even unrealistic sellers have been known to come back to reality when confronted with well documented comparable sales. What else has sold in the past few months that is similar to this property? What is currently on the market that matches this property's characteristics?

Only put in an offer after reviewing comparables and knowing the market. This step can save you thousands of dollars. It's also something a good buyers' agent should be able to prepare for you.

Mistake #5. Compromising on your property requirements.

We ask our clients to take the time to prepare a list of "must have" features in a home. Based on these criteria and their chosen location, we'll set clients up with emailed alerts of modified listings and newly listed properties as they come to market. This is the most efficient way to get listings that fit a client's needs.

Most websites feature property that is days or months old. An MLS driven listing alert system is efficient and, when properly set-up, can save you countless hours cruising the internet.

But browsing the Internet is fun and we'll sometimes have clients call to setup showings for homes found online which don't have all their "must haves" features. If a client happens to fall in love and purchase it, it's likely down the road that the missing "must have" feature will start to bug them.

Just like the jolly guy in the furry red suit. Make a list and check it twice (and then stick with it).

Mistake #4. Not doing your homework on financing.

This mistake can cost your thousands of dollars, cause you to miss on the best properties, and potentially damage your credit rating.

A lot of potential buyers start the process by looking at homes while assuming they can get a loan. Sure, we like window shopping too but it's helpful to do some financial homework. Start by doing the basic math yourself using widely available online mortgage calculators, including the ones we feature on our website (on pages with property's details). You should also familiarize yourself with some financing basics.

Before you start to setup showings and view properties with an agent, it's smart to consult with a reputable lender and confirm your financial plans. You'll find out how much house you can comfortably afford based on currently available loan programs. Importantly, after the initial consultation, good lenders will also be available to provide a prequalification letter matching any offer you might make - a critical element in strengthening an offer.

We always recommend clients check out several lenders and available loans because mortgages are largely commodity products. The right loan for you could be an ARM, a fixed rate mortgage, cross collateralization with another property, or a plain vanilla FRM.

Good lenders can help you find the greeneasylife.com best loan for your specific situation. A lender with access to the best programs can save you thousands of dollars over the life of your loan. Even when putting together an offer, a good lender can help structuring the financing of your offer strategically and even help you present a stronger offer with a lower purchase price.

Sadly, buyers typically do little due diligence with lenders.

Mistake #3. Not seeing past cosmetics and following first impressions.

Sometimes the best deals simply don't show well. Maybe there are obvious visible blemishes or too much clutter. The dishes may not be washed. Walls may need to be painted and doors rehung. Maybe the basement even smells like cat urine.

To point, this week we closed on a house that was at least 10% under market value. When we first saw this house it was a mess. There was mud on all the floors. Boxes were everywhere from the tenant that was evicted. The backyard was filled with junk. And yes, there was actual critter droppings of some sort in one corner of the basement. In a single word, the property was Nasty!

Luckily, my buyers had vision. Through an inspection resolution we negotiated, the whole house was cleaned from top to bottom. There are no leftover tenant belongings. The yard is clean. All the walls freshly painted. The kitchen was even recaulked and the smell is gone. The house looks like its true market value now and the buyer, who I represented, saw beyond all the cosmetic issues and literally saved himself thousands.

Mistake #2. Trying to deal with the seller directly.

The allure of contacting a seller directly is strong and without knowing much about the real estate, I probably would have once been tempted to make this common mistake as well. The idea most people have is that if they call the agent or owner directly, they'll save on the real estate commissions.

Oops. This is not usually how it happens. If the home is listed, the owner will probably refer you to their agent because (by the contract they've made) even if they do all the work, they'll most likely still owe that agent a commission. Although certain sellers FSBO their property, they nearly always offer a buyers agent commission. If you negotiate directly with a FSBO without an agent, they'll try their hardest to pocket the commission themselves. After all, that's why they are FSBOing in the first place. It's not to save you money. Also in this situation, you have no representation or guidance through the process and your earnest money (and more) could be at risk.

In the worst case scenario, call the name off the sign or advertisement and you'll be dealing with a sellers agent. This person doesn't represent you or your interests at all but still collects the buyers/transaction agent and listing agent commission. In this situation too, you have nobody on your side negotiating and watching out for your interests.

Can you save money? Perhaps. It is possible to catch something before it hits the market. And with one notable $4MM exception, my experience is most FSBO sellers have an inflated sense of what their home is worth.

Top executives and others who deal with large transactions nearly always hire agents to negotiate when dealing with personal matters. Why? It's not because they aren't capable of expert negotiation in behalf of their clients or company. They do this kind of thing everyday, but they choose agents to go to bat when their personal interests are involved because negotiating directly in these circumstances rarely results in the best deal. A experienced and professional agent will present your offer in the best possible light and get you a better deal.

Mistake #1. Choosing the wrong agent.

Real estate is a business with low barriers to entry. We often find part-time or inexperienced agents on the other side of the table. Their unprofessionalism and inexperience can cause big mistakes and cost buyers serious money.

Choose a buyers agent with the same standards you would apply to your attorney, CPA, or other advisor. Once you find the right agent, trust them to do their job. Put them to work for you and you may find a good buyers agent is the best deal in real estate.

Want to know how well the local real estate market is holding up? Is Lafayette appreciating faster than Louisville? Ask your buyers agent.

A couple of weeks ago, I took time with client to go over contracts related to her offer. She had rented for 25 years and was becoming a homeowner for the first time. Nervous is an understatement. Because she was also legally blind, I read the buyer agency contract and the contract to purchase the property out loud, carefully explaining each provision, answering her questions, and covering "what if" scenarios. It took well over six hours.

I'm proud to report that because of the extraordinary efforts of our lender partner, despite multiple difficulties including appraisal issues and several mis-steps by the listing agent, my client closed on her house today. On time and below budget.

It's time to raise the bar in real estate. You can help by choosing your agent carefully.

Tags:Boulder, Colorado, Real Estate, Boulder Real Estate, Tips, Strategy, Buyer's Agent.

Note: Our objective is to make this blog one of the best resources on the web for real estate and development in Boulder Colorado and surrounding communities. The ideas and strategies in this blog are the opinion of the writer and subject to business, economic, and competitive uncertainties. The Silver Fern Team does not provide legal, tax, or investment advice and is in no way responsible for investment results derived from this article. One should always conduct due diligence before buying or selling real estate or other investments and consult with a tax, legal, and investment advisor. Like what you've read? Subscribe to this blog and get new posts in your email.








Osman Parvez has expertise in research and analysis. He holds an MBA in Finance and has experience ranging from sell-side equities analysis on Wall Street to the economic and environmental impacts of climate change. Osman's real estate experience was sparked by research and development projects on the island of Nantucket. Osman is a founder of silverfernrealty.com silverfernrealty.com.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Free Home Insurance Quotes - Follow These Tips

As important as having a coverage for your home is, so important also is the need to correctly compare free home insurance quotes. There are things to look closely at when doing this if you would get a satisfactory result. Follow these simple tips and you would get the most from your coverage.

Of course the first thing you would want to consider is the rate offered. You need to be fully aware of what the coverage would cost you with a particular insurer. You need to be sure it is a cost you can handle. Settle this first by finding an insurer that is offering the coverage at an affordable cost then move on to the next point.

That an insurer has offered you an affordable cost is not enough. You need to be sure that the insurance company has the capacity to deliver. Having the capacity to deliver can be tied to their financial strength. Find out an insurers financial strength by getting information from rating companies like AM Best.

After settling the insurance company's financial strength, you need to find out how happy their customers are with their services. This is very important as this would give you a very insight into what you about to get into and if you go ahead or look for another insurer. Such information can be gotten from policy holders if you know any of them. You can also try rating agencies like JD Power or Consumer affairs. There are other sources. Just get the information.

After looking at all these, you should feel right about the insurance company. If after checking out all the above and you still don't feel comfortable with them, you may need to wait and find another.

Be fully satisfied with the insurer and their policy before you go ahead to buy a policy from them.

Compare free home insurance quotes carefully for low rates and adequate coverage from solid insurance companies. You can get free home insurance quotes from quotes comparison sites.








How do I start my quotes comparison?

Here are two very good sites to start getting your quotes.

home.urmostaffordableinsurance.com/quotes.html Affordable Home Insurance
free-home-insurance-quotes.info Free Insurance Quotes

Chimerenka Odimba is the publisher Several finance based sites.

Home Care For Cancer Patients

In home health care can help cancer patients stay in the comfort of their own home while they receive care. The home offers an atmosphere of comfort and security. While hospital stays can contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness, staying at home allows patients to stay connected with family and friends. It has both advantages and disadvantages to the patient and caregivers. Sometimes, in-home care can create new challenges for those involved. It may also bring about changes to relationships or require family members cope with aspects of patient care they would not have seen otherwise. It is important that patients and caregivers prepare for these obstacles.

Care services within the home may be administered by doctors, nurses, home health aides, or even family members. If you are considering this type of care, you should ask your doctor about the patient's specific needs and if they can be met by home care. Get information about the types of home care services the patient will require and discuss these with the people who will be administering care.

Use of a home health care agency is usually necessary when the person has advanced medical needs. Research agencies in your area to find the one that best fits your needs. Most agencies provide home health care aides that can assist with personal care, meal preparation, homemaking, and general health management. Services may also include visits by nurses or social workers and access to medical equipment.

It may also be helpful to hire independent home health care providers, rather than an agency. For people paying out of pocket, using independent home health care providers is usually less expensive than hiring an agency. However, you will have to coordinate payment and scheduling yourself.

There are many public and private sources that help patients pay for home care. It may be helpful to look into benefits provided the government, like Medicare or Medicaid. Some private health or long-term care insurance policies cover the costs of certain home care services. Other organizations, like the American Cancer Society, offer free services to cancer patients and their families.








The Caring Space
thecaringspace.com TheCaringSpace.com

David Crumrine at the Caring Space
We are an organization that connects caregivers and care seekers, providing an easy and affordable resource for families seeking care for friends/loved ones and caregivers seeking employment.

Taking the Keys Away

Experience in our business has shown us that probably the only thing more difficult than persuading an elderly parent to accept home care is convincing a parent it is time to hand over the car keys. I actually had a client once, an elderly gentleman who lived alone, who had had a couple of fender benders over the last 2 years and his children were worried and had tried to get him to give up driving but he would have none of it. Each time they brought it up he became furious. Then, the daughter got a call from the police saying they had found her father sitting in his car, 2 hours from home, out of gas. He was dazed and confused and told the officer he had gotten "lost" driving to the store (5 minutes from his home). The kids had heard enough. They formulated a plan where the children got the car keys and took his car in the middle of the night. The next morning they called him and told him what they had done. He was so furious he called the police and reported them for stealing his vehicle...

Hopefully, if you are facing this situation as well, it won't become as dramatic as this. But the point is-you should be prepared that it can be a very sensitive and potentially explosive subject. Think about it from your parent's side. Driving might be one of the few things they have left where they feel free and independent and "in charge" of their destiny. While that might sound melodramatic, I think it's true. Studies have shown that an elderly person's greatest fear is "losing control". The greatest cause of depression (at any age) is a person feeling as if they have no choice in how things go or no control over aspects of their lives. As seniors age, they increasingly lose control over decisions affecting their life, because well meaning family members feel "they know best". So when an older person gets behind that wheel, if only for a bit, they feel free from all that. They are in charge-they have the choice to go wherever they want with no one nagging at them. And while they will probably only drive 2 blocks to the Post Office, they could, if they desired, keep on driving to unknown destinations. And that just feels great. That car gets them up and out of that house and into the world with everyone else. That car represents a whole lot more to the elderly than we may realize.

Be that as it may, however, there often comes a time when it is downright dangerous for your elderly loved one to continue to drive. And most of the time, it falls on the kids to break the news and enforce the new "law". Over the years, I have seen a lot of different families go about this in a variety of ways. While some lucky ones sail through it, most have an uphill battle on their hands. So here is a bit of advice that might help you during this time:

1. First things first. Start watching and assessing how your loved one is driving. You need to pay attention to the faintest hints of a decline in attention, reaction time, or going too slow on the highway. One of the main things I see in general in older clients when they start to decline is this...syndrome, for lack of a better word, where the senior begins to seem oblivious to what is going on around them as they grip the steering wheel staring straight ahead. They no longer seem to think what they do- pulling out with out looking, driving 40 mph on the freeway, changing lanes without so much of a glance back-has consequences for others. This is what puts them and those around them in danger.

2. One of the reasons a senior stops looking before he pulls out or when changing lanes is because his flexibility no longer permits him to turn his neck and shoulders like he needs to. Ask for your loved one to turn his neck and shoulders each way for you. If he cannot do it, he cannot possibly drive safely.

3. Macular Degeneration, cataracts, loss of peripheral vision and other eye problems can greatly interfere with driving. Insist on an eye exam and encourage the eye doctor to voice his opinion on driving (day or night) based on the results.

4. If it is clear your loved one should not be driving under any circumstances, many experts recommend initially staging an "Intervention" which includes the family, the personal physician, close friends, etc. In my opinion, I think you should start a bit gentler. That could potentially embarrass or anger your loved one and it might not be needed. Start with just the family and have a firm but loving talk. Expect some resistance and or bargaining. Don't argue or debate about whether driving should continue. Firm resolution is required. Give it a couple of days to sink in and then revisit the issue. THEN if you are still getting resistance, I advise doing the Intervention. This lets your loved one know you are serious, the issue is not going away and that things are escalating.

5. There is another idea you can try that actually has an excellent rate of success, especially in Missouri. It is a legal process where a family member can report a driver, believed to be unsafe, for medical and driving re-evaluation and possible license restriction, suspension or revocation. The reporter's identity is kept confidential. In Missouri, statistics show that roughly half of all who receive the notice voluntarily surrender their license. Of the other half who see their physicians, most are deemed unfit to drive and subsequently surrender their license. Visit Medical Fitness to Drive or drivingsafe.org drivingsafe.org/ for more information.

6. It's only fair to try to offer some options for your loved one about how to get around if they can no longer drive. One answer is a happinesslifetime.com home care agency like Heavenly Helpers who assigns a caregiver who can take them anywhere they want to go! Family should certainly attempt to jump in and help in this area as much as possible.








Theanna L. Zika began Heavenly Helpers Senior Home Care in 2004 with a vision to "raise the bar" on the quality of existing home care for seniors. Heavenly Helpers is an independent, non medical home care agency proudly serving the St. Louis, Missouri Metro area. While our office is located in the heart of Webster Groves, we provide care throughout St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson County.

For more information, please visit us at heavenlyhelpers.net heavenlyhelpers.net/

The Drawbacks of Starting Your Own Business

Doesn't it sound awesome to get up at the time you want, skip a long commute to work, be your own boss, and work the hours you want, from your own home?. Doesn't it sound great to have your cat sit on your desk purring because she is so happy, while you work away in your pajamas?

If it sounds too good to be true, because there are drawbacks to working at home, and here they are:

Working from home usually means working alone

You are it. You are the man or the woman who will be shouting, "Show me the money!" to the air. Unless you are making incredibly good money, you won't be able to afford to bring employees on to work for you. You are the one responsible for everything. And that means doing the billing, marketing, writing, selling, cleaning; doing all the work. You may be up all night being ill from the flu, and you may have an important business meeting in the morning you have to go to, because you can't send your co-workers, because there aren't any.

There will not be any socializing at this job.

Considering that you will be working alone, unless you are making a lot of money, there will not be any unnecessary chatter in your office. You won't be working in a small cubicle, but there will not be any Christmas parties, baby showers, happy hours, or coffee breaks with co-workers. You will not be able to share vacation stories, or favorite TV show stories. You will not have anyone to socialize with, and it might become very lonely. For people that are very outgoing, this may present a problem. Unless of course, you have clients to visit and make all of your clients your good friends.

You need to be very self-motivated.

Considering that the business is yours, and you may be the only employee, you need to be very self motivated. There will not be time to play video games, or to shop on line. You may not even have time to have lunch or take a smoking break. This may be a good thing, because you may break your bad smoking habit. And you may lose some unnecessary weight or gain weight from either forgetting to eat, while loading up on junk food.

Health care may become unaffordable.

While working for yourself sounds wonderful, and even romantic, having a health care plan suddenly becomes very expensive. A corporation with hundreds of workers can easily afford to carry an employee health care plan. A one person business,does not have the options and money to benefit from such benefits. In other words, a drawback of working from home it not having health care.

You don't have any co-workers to bounce ideas off of.

Because you are it, you will not have a staff to share ideas with. When you have a plan that needs to be fleshed out, you will have to do all of the research, work and thinking. You may have to hire an outside agency or a friend to do some of the work. Unless you are an ideas oriented, creative person, doing work from home may not be in your best interest.

The taxman cometh.

Another drawback of doing work from home is that the taxman knocks twice on your door. You must pay taxes once for yourself-the employee. And then you have to pay again as the business owner. You will be be paying at least forty percent of your earnings to the government, (in the united States). Get those tax deductions ready.

There are pluses and minuses, to working from home. Consider all of the drawbacks before jumping in and keep your job until you have started your new business. Doing work from home is often times a tougher job, than working for someone else.








Thanks for reading another Kate Johns article. Obtain more helpful, insightful information and life advice at KT1Writes.

Organic Herbs For Cooking, Drinking and Around the Home

Food labeling can be a bit confusing. Words like "natural" and "wholesome" are thrown around with abandon, but really have little meaning in terms of actual standards of quality being met. However, the term "organic" does have a standardized meaning when it is used in food labeling. This also applies to organic herbs, which are available online as dried herbs and bulk herbs. These organic herbs can be used in cooking, as teas and as an ingredient in household and personal care products.

What Does Organic Mean?

Organic herbs have been grown following stringent guidelines in order to assure their quality. Namely, organic herbs must be grown without the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, food additives and antibiotics or genetically modified organisms. The land upon which these bulk herbs are grown must not have had these chemicals used on it for several years prior to the production of organic food. The farmer or company needs to keep detailed records that provide an audit trail concerning how the food crops were grown. Organic food products have to be kept separate from non-organically grown foods to avoid cross contamination, and onsite inspections are performed by governing agencies in order to ensure that the foods being produced by the farmers or companies comply with organic standards. The oversight agencies involved with organic food certification are the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Organic Program. Certification is handled at the state level, by federally recognized private or non-profit agencies. Organic herbs will have a label and symbol stating their organic status as having met these quality guidelines.

Dried Herbs For Cooking

Keeping a variety of dried herbs on hand in your kitchen comes in very handy when the mood to cook strikes. Certain herbs and spices are connected with various cuisines from around the world. Greek cuisine relies on dried herbs such as oregano, lemon rind, mint and spices like garlic to produce wonderful dishes such as dolmathes, or rice-and- meat-stuffed grape leaves, and for seasoning Greek-style leg of lamb. Italian dishes from different regions gain their zest from dried herbs including basil, thyme, bay leaf and spices such as ground black pepper.

Herbs as Tea

There are many black teas that are founded in herbs such as Camellia sinensis, the leaves of which form the basis for traditional black tea. Green tea, chai tea and herbal teas all make wonderful drinks morning, noon or night that are naturally low calorie and many offer spiciness and sweetness as part of their charm.

You can find many organic herbs from online retailers, who can answer questions and provide you with these quality products.








In this article Anne Harvester writes about starwest-botanicals.com/category/bulk-organic-herbs organic herbs.

Medicaid's 'Cash and Counseling' Allows Pay For Family Caregivers

Mary, a 74-year-old Florida woman, suffered a stroke. She needed help with bathing, dressing, food shopping, meal preparation, laundry and housekeeping. Her state Medicaid plan covered the cost of a home-health care worker to provide those services, but the local agencies were short-staffed and couldn't send helpers on the schedule Anna needed.

So her daughter took time off work to care for Mary. Soon after, Mary and her daughter learned about Cash and Counseling, a non-traditional Medicaid program pioneered by New Jersey, Florida and Arkansas with seed grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Administration on Aging and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 

Cash & Counseling participants may use their Medicaid-provided personal assistance budgets to hire their own personal care aides as well as purchase items or services, including home modifications that help them live independently. By redirecting personal assistance funds from agencies to consumers themselves, Cash & Counseling allows people to hire whomever they want to provide their care and decide for themselves if they would rather hire a home health aide to cook for them, or pay a friend or relative to do it. The services paid for by the state are all part of the elder's authorized Medicaid care plan. What's different is that, in many cases, family members and friends chosen by the elder are providing those services instead of an agency worker.

Today, the grants are available in 12 more states - Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

According to the Cash and Counseling website, the program was created because, "family caregivers are the backbone of the long-term care system, providing millions of hours of care every year for no compensation and frequently at great cost to their own emotional health. They're burned out and exhausted from juggling work, family responsibilities, and caregiving. In addition, many caregivers have to reduce their work hours or even give up their jobs to take care of their loved ones. By supporting caregivers, we're helping them hang in longer, and, hopefully, relieving some of their stress. Keep in mind, that even with Cash & Counseling support, family caregivers are typically paid lower-than-average wages and, in most cases, are paid for only a small fraction of the hours of service they provide."

To apply for the program, elders apply through Medicaid. They are assessed in the same way they would be for traditional agency-provided services. If they choose the Cash and Counseling option, they work with the program's staff to develop an individual budget and care plan.

To learn more about the Cash and Counseling program, visit the website at cashandcounseling.org cashandcounseling.org.

Access the Medicaid website at cms.hhs.gov/home/medicaid.asp cms.hhs.gov/home/medicaid.asp.








For more articles on caring for your agents parents, visit agingcare.com agingcare.com

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Buying South Lyon Homes for Sale Is Easier Today

Buying South Lyon homes for sale is easier today than it had been earlier. There are hundreds of families living in this small Michigan town who enjoy the community feel, the local events and amenities and would prefer to remain in the town for raising their families in a safe environment. If you are planning to purchase your first home or even shift to a larger one from the one you currently own then you should know that there are several great resources available today where you will be able to get all the help you require.

Things to Remember when Purchasing a Home

When you first think about purchasing one of the South Lyon homes you will have to keep a few things in mind. Your budget is one of the most essential factors to consider since the properties that you will select will depend on the budget. You will have to pre-qualify for any property and ensure that it offers all the amenities and comforts that you require in your home. You should be able to afford the property and will have to arrange for financial assistance and mortgage for your home. You will also have to ensure that the structure of the property is in good shape and inspect it carefully to see if it offers you value for money.

Buying A Property is Easier Today

Investing in South Lyon homes for sale is easier today than in the past. Today, the town has a large number of realtors and real estate agencies that would be able to help you find the perfect home for your needs. You will also be able to find several online realtors that specialize in homes in this city. Finding the right realtor will simplify things for you since he/she would be knowledgeable about the town, about its business areas, schools, churches, theaters and all the important amenities. If you are quite new to the town, then the realtor would also be able to guide you when it comes to selecting the right neighborhood. Like any other town, even South Lyon has plenty of neighborhoods and the prices of each property would depend on the kind of neighborhood that you select. If you want safety, selecting a good locality would be very important.

One of the most troubling aspects for purchasing a property is the documentation required. For any investors, knowing which documents would be required and what they would have to arrange for can be a confusing task. However, with the help of some of the online real estate agencies and realtors you will be able to get complete help and guidance for the documentation part for South Lyon homes for sale.








To learn more about miketoomeyhomes.com South Lyon homes for sale and to get professional help in finding your dream home, please visit miketoomeyhomes.com miketoomeyhomes.com/.

Should an Elderly Person Be Sent to a Nursing Home?

A lot of the health problems that an elderly encounters are often times overwhelming to their family. As such, a good home as well as health care service is very important. As most family members have work or other businesses to attend to, it becomes very hard in favour of them to appropriately take care and look after an elderly parent, or grandparent, aunt, or uncle. What's worse is that most elderly people already have grave health concerns that need regular medical awareness. This is as usual where a home care service comes enters the picture.

The ultimate objective of this package is bring back a senior citizen's "golden years" by enabling them to be independent in the best way they can, as well as increase their capacity to interact with the people around them.

At times, it's a bit difficult to decide whether the services given by a home care service would be the best option for your elderly family member. Here are a couple of questions you may enquire yourself to help you figure out whether it's time for you to bring your elderly relative to a home care facility:

o Are you losing valuable moment at work whilst trying to offer your aged family constituent care?

o How do you survey your home care giving alternatives when the family unit in call for care lives distance away?

o How do you give elderly parents who have diverse home care requests the correct care and still assure they stay together?

o How do you get home care giving for an important person who no longer qualifies for visiting nurse services under Medicare?

If you are able to ask one or more of the above questions to yourself, it means that it's time for you to seek advice from a home care facility.

Nurses specializing in Geriatric Management usually run home care facilities. They can provide you with all the information you need regarding home care service. They will also be able to offer you an array of services that are aimed to improve your elderly loved one's on the whole quality of life. Most home care facilities also have websites that indicate most of the information an interested party may need.

Before a home care facility accepts a client, they will first conduct a comprehensive interview with the prospective patient and his or her family. In this interview the client's medical condition and home care needs are assessed. The clients are also advised by the home care facility of services they would benefit from. Examples of these services would be: nursing care, evaluation and decision of problem areas, action recommendations, and review of the patient's medications, and consultations with physicians as well as specialists, and collaboration with other health professionals.

In the United States, choosing the right home care facility for a loved one can be really confusing due to the wide array of nursing homes a person could choose from. This has been a usual problem of people who are thinking of placing their aged loved ones in the care of geriatric facilities. For people who do not understand the situation of a geriatric patient or their families, it may be easy to say that choosing a senior care home is easy because they are all over the country. However, due to the varying services that senior care facilities offer, it is very important that an elderly individual be admitted in a nursing home that can properly respond to his or her health-related needs and over all welfare.

Home care facilities are practically everywhere and most of the time they have the same type of services. What's important is to make sure that your loved one is in good hands. Keep in mind that you should be doing what's best for your elderly loved one's health and well-being.

Are you sending your elderly loved one to a nursing home for the right reasons?

Different people have different reasons for choosing to place their elderly loved ones in the care of nursing homes. Most of them decide to do so because they feel that their relative, friend, or family member will receive ample care and attention in a home care facility. Nevertheless, the most important thing to remember when thinking of getting the services of nursing homes is that there should be a valid reason for making this kind of decision.

The following are a list of well-founded reasons for sending off an elderly to a senior home care. You should be able to come up with a sound decision once you review these rationales.

1. A nursing home can give appropriate health care for the elderly

Unlike placing an elderly in the care of a private nurse or a relative, a senior care facility has a team of medical professionals and the proper medical equipment that can monitor the health of your loved one. Senior care homes have in-house doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, caregivers, and physical therapists, who are always ready to respond to the needs of the nursing home's residents. For instance, caregivers and nurses make sure that the seniors take their medicines regularly, and that they get sufficient rest and sleep. In a senior care home, you can be sure that your elderly loved one is in very capable hands.

2. Nursing homes can closely monitor the patient's diet

As we all know, senior citizens should have a very controlled diet because there are a lot of foods that are no longer healthy for them. If you are taking care of your elderly loved-one at home and there are other people in the house, you might be faced with the dilemma of having to prepare different types of food per meal. This kind of situation can be tedious, time consuming, and costly. Since nursing homes are preparing food for people in the same age group, you can be sure that your loved one is eating food which is suitable for their metabolism, and digestive capacity. Also, if a resident has special dietary needs (ex. Low sodium diet) due to a medical condition, the nursing home can make the necessary arrangements for that patient.

3. Nursing homes can provide the elderly enough attention and care

The most common reason why families or individuals send their elderly loved-ones in nursing homes, is the fact that they do not have enough time to devote to them. This is especially true, if the family or companion of the elderly person has work, school, or children to take care of. Even if they want to give more intimate attention to their elderly loved one, the fact of the matter is, they are unable to. In nursing homes, the family or relatives of a senior citizen is assured that their loved one will receive all the attention and care they need.








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