Saturday, January 11, 2014

Do You Need a License to Sell Organic Skincare Products?

In 2004, American cosmetic buyers indicated that 66% of them use organic make up products. The market for these products has also risen from $190 million to $318 over a five year period. Because of these numbers, organic cosmetics are becoming more mainstream and can be found in well known stores all over the country. This promising trend underlines current attitudes regarding green causes and a desire to lead healthier lifestyles.

As manufacturer grows to meet the demand, they look fro more outlets to sell their products.

This opens the door for individuals who wish to start a small home business pedaling organic merchandise. For these entrepreneurs, the prospect of providing customers with products that are moving like hotcakes is alluring but how does one get started and is a license necessary to market these items?

Legal Licensing

The answer to this can be a bit tricky. Although the organic cosmetic industry is a bit unregulated, selling any item, no matter what it is made of, is not. If you wish to start a business you will need to obtain a license - the kind of license may depend on the way you structure your business.

Brick and Mortar businesses

Dermatologists, cosmetologists, aestheticians, makeup artists and health care professionals will most often already have a license. In many cases these licenses will allow them to sell beauty products from their offices. If your expertise falls within these parameters, you should check and see if you need a specialty license to advertise and traffic organic beauty products. Laws may differ from state to state but chances are you will be okay if you already have a license in the beauty trades.

Online and Home based

For individuals with no formal health and beauty certification, a license to hawk organic products may be necessary. This is because anyone who starts a business has to be licensed. Once again, laws may differ from state to state, so check with their local governmental agency about what may be required regarding the purchase of a business license.

You may find that some laws are written to where you may not need a business license if you only sale a certain amount of product a month or annually. In some instances, an individual can own a sole proprietorship but may not necessarily have to have a license.

When you call the commerce related government agency in your city, be sure to ask in depth questions that cover all of these bases.

There's money to be made

The organic cosmetic industry is not only an exciting one to enter into, it can be quite lucrative, in fact; experts postulate that natural and organic cosmetics sales will reach $6.6 billion by 2010. This figure can be very enticing, just be sure that you have what it takes to make your cosmetic business work. Although the company will more than likely provide you with the merchandise you will need to get started, you will have to work to build your clientele and partake in the billions that can be made in the coming years.

Venture capital

The main thing that keeps people from starting their own business is the assumption that they do not have the money to begin. The wonderful thing about a cosmetic business however, is that it often doesn't take a lot of money to start, in fact, in some instances, it may only require a initial willingness to receive the product.

Once again, if you are interested in investing in an sophytoorganics.com/shop/storefront/index.php/sophyto-products organic skincare products business, contact the company you are interested in working with and have them send you information about their set up.

With the right mindset, you should be able to excel at an organic cosmetic business and make a significant amount of money to boot!








Clinical organic skincare products made in the UK can help you maintain a youthful healthy look. Choose from sophytoorganics.com organic skin care products such as cleansers, moisturizers, serums and more.

How Can We Trust the Rating Agencies Now?

Part of the Global Economic crisis' cause was the fact that rating agencies were stamping real estate bundled CDOs as triple-A rated, when they were much closer to junk. Question is who was watching the watchers - answer; No Body, who wasn't in the ballpark and I guarantee you he's not on first base. And where were those wonderful regulators? Who knows, probably at some party sponsored by Bernie Madoff for all I know.

Remember when Enron collapsed? What a scandal indeed, off balance sheet books, and it took down one of the largest companies by market cap in the US. Who was watching the watchers like Arthur Anderson; No Body, well then obviously "No Body" scored the winning run and went home for the season, because if you will recall we got that ridiculous bill; Sarbanes Oxley so that this sort of thing could never happen again; Never, indeed!

So, I ask the question; how can We trust the Rating Agencies now? We can't "trust nobody!" regardless of where they are doing the rating, what they are rating, or where the rating agency is based. By the way, what's up with Moody's breaking their promises on EU downgrades? They threw a hardball at Ireland, that's going to hurt them. Moody's and other rating agencies promised they wouldn't rate anymore EU sovereign debt for six months, what happened?

Meanwhile, China downgrades the US treasuries, which I agree should be, but they upgraded Chinese debt, CONVENIENTLY, as China's AG Bank was going for their IPO, and now we have the Chinese reducing US Treasuries by 3.6% for what Chinese debt? Give me a break, look at all those bad loans they have carefully removed off the books, let's talk reality and transparency. I guess the Chinese have learned from our banks and treasury tricks. They are buying into themselves to get a boost, and in doing so putting far too much trust on nobody.








Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. WorldThinkTank.net WorldThinkTank.net. Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.

Practical Homeschooling Tips - When In Need Of Receiving Home Schooling Tax Credits

Wouldn't we like to know about the available home schooling tax benefits? Home schooling lessons could turn out to be expensive. Traditional schoolteachers are liable to receive tax credits from federal governments but is it the same case for home schoolteachers? As usual, home schoolteachers it seems do not find the same favor with those making the laws. Let us find out whether home schoolteachers come in the tax credit category.

Teachers are liable to received tax benefits of $200 against federal taxes. That surely is a wonderful law, but only if you are teaching at a private or public school. But here's where the party ends, parents teaching their own children do not have access to similar benefits of tax credits. The law is clear in this context that you should be working in an accredited school (federal agencies check for either W2 or 1099) and this checks for unpaid, out of classroom supplies pocket expenses budget.

In case you do not have direct employment by a school and you are a home schoolteacher, and as it is in most cases that the school isn't an accredited one either. Then sorry to say but you come under any such category that qualifies to receive any such tax credits. Do not make any attempts to gain the same thinking you will go scoot free. The IRS is like a police and they know home schoolers are after this thing. It makes for you being caught and then you made to pay the taxes back.

For those people having kids with extra needs then such parents can take tax credits advantages. Those kids having some small leaning problems to not qualify, such tax credits are meant for those kids who have severe problems that make them highly dependent on others for even there basic needs. Children who cannot do without health care assistance, who need specialized caretaker teachers and who have other special needs come in this category.

There are few variations in the tax credits, in case your child suffers from muscular dystrophy, severe autism, downs syndrome or other disabilities like deafness or blindness, then application for tax credit should be granted. This should come, as a relief to most as providing these kids with proper care is a humongous task. Such credits are applicable for medical as well as home school cost as well.

Apart for these credits there are a few more that can be received from the state to a home school. For this you need to verify the tax code of your state before you apply for tax credits. One sure way to qualify for tax credit is by opening a 529 account for your child's post secondary education or college education.

North Carolina allows you to pay less in 529 contributions till $7500 for the financial year of 2007. Find out if the state you live has some other benefits as well. Credits are for parents as well as grandparents so do check for information. 529 accounts is not limited to just home schools but even grandparents or for that matter anyone having a child can have such an account.

If you look at the broad picture then home schools find it tough to receive tax credits. Of it all very small sum is there to get so be sure to take the guidance of a professional to secure your tax credits.








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Accounts Receivable Financing - Get a Job

Until the early 1900's staffing agencies, also known as employment agencies, generally did not exist. Communities were smaller, and because there was no telephone or internet, people communicated face to face. People in small towns knew each other and hiring was based on that personal knowledge. One of the first staffing agencies was created in 1906 in response to the enormous calamity of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. With an entire city of people displaced, there was an urgent need to hire workers on a mass scale to re-establish businesses that had been destroyed by the earthquake and fire, and to rebuild the city. Out of this urgent need to match workers to jobs the staffing agency industry was born.

Today the staffing industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. There are many staffing companies with more than $1 Billion in sales; the number of companies with over $100 Million in sales grew in 2006. According to the American Staffing Association, "America's staffing companies employed an average of 2.96 million temporary and contract workers per day in 2006...and they added an average of 52,000 jobs per day in 2006".

Why are staffing agencies so popular? In a word, it's because of flexibility. Staffing agencies help workers to find work when they want, and they help business hire workers when they are needed. Staffing agencies provide workers to fill in when regular workers are absent, to provide extra help during busy times such as Christmas, and to work on special projects. The variety of jobs provided by staffing agencies is enormous.

A partial listing of staffing agency jobs include the fields of engineering, aviation, environmental services, architecture, administrative services, automotive services, energy, manufacturing, construction, mortgage banking, contact centers, science, health care, secretarial, manual labor, accounting, finance, executive recruitment, temporary staffing and student employment. One staffing agency specializes in administrative staffing by Microsoft Office Certified Professionals.

Most parents encourage their children to go to college and learn something that will help them get a job after they graduate. After four or more years of college, many graduates would prefer to take some time off to see the world, or just find themselves. In the movie, Back to School, Rodney Dangerfield was cast as a parent who goes back to school primarily to get his son to stay in school so his son can get an education and a job. Rodney is invited to give the college commencement address. ''It's a jungle out there,'' he says. ''So my advice is don't go. Live at home. Let your parents worry about it.'' Perhaps this is the sociological reason for the growth of staffing agencies to provide people with jobs.

According to MSN Encarta, the word job is a "noun and a verb:

noun (plural jobs) Definition: 1. paid occupation: an activity such as a trade or profession that somebody does regularly for pay, or a paid position doing this

She's got a new job.

2. task: something that remains to be done or dealt with

I have a couple jobs to do this afternoon.

several jobs around the house

3. assignment: an individual piece of work of a particular nature

We managed to complete the job in under a week.

4. function: the role that somebody or something fulfills

It's her job to look after the finances.

5. difficulty: something that is difficult to accomplish

I had quite a job getting it to start.

6. quality of work done: a completed piece of work of a particular quality

They did a very good job on the exterior.

7. particular kind of object: a particular kind of object, especially a manufactured item ( informal )

one of those big four-wheel-drive jobs

8. crime: a criminal act, especially a robbery ( informal )

a bank job

9. computer programming task: a computer programming task run as a single application or unit"

All of the nouns, with the exception of crime, relate to what staffing agencies provide. As a verb, with the exception of a jobber who deals in wholesale merchandise, most of the definitions relate to what staffing agencies do:

"verb (past and past participle jobbed, present participle jobobing, 3rd person present singular jobs) Definition:

1. intransitive verb work occasionally: to take occasional or casual work

He jobs as a gardener from time to time...

2. transitive verb distribute work to others: to subcontract portions of contract work to others

job out the plumbing work on the house"

It would be unusual for most staffing agencies to provide a songwriter or an artist to a business. This is a pity because there are so many songwriters and artists that need jobs. One of the greatest vocal rock and roll songs ever written was called Get A Job by the Silhouettes. It was recorded in the late 1950's. It was a number one hit on the pop charts and it sold over one million copies. The song was written by Richard Lewis after he completed his military service. When he came home he had no work and his mother told him to "Get A Job" and this inspired him to write the song.

The lyrics are:

"CHORUS

Sha na na na, sha na na na na(repeat 4x)

Yip dip dip dip dip dip, bum bum bum bum bum bum

Sha na na na, sha na na na na

Well, from about the time every morning when she wakes me up and cries,"Get a job!"

Well, after breakfast every day, she throws a polish on my way and never fails to say
(bass)Get a job

REPEAT CHORUS

Oh, oh, and when I get the paper

I read it through and through

And my girl never fails to see

If there is any work for me

BRIDGE

And when I go back to my house

I hear my woman's mouth

Preachin' and a-cryin', tell me that I'm lying 'bout a job"

Whoa-ooh-oh, and when I get the paper

I read it through and through

And my girl never fails to see

If there is any work for me"

If Mr. Lewis had other marketable skills he might have joined the legions of people working for the staffing agency industry. One of the biggest concerns of a growing staffing agency is cash flow. To grow into a multimillion dollar business, it takes a considerable amount of cash. Payroll obligations must be met every two weeks to pay staffing agency employees, but the actual employers (i.e. the companies that are using the staffing agency people) may take 30 to 60 days to pay their bills. Accounts receivable financing can provide staffing agencies with virtually unlimited cash for growth. The main requirement is to have staffing agency employees working for creditworthy businesses.

This financing technique can accelerate cash flow for exponential growth because the cash for the invoices is available immediately every time an employer is billed for services rendered. Commercial finance companies are the primary providers of accounts receivable financing for staffing agencies; some banks are involved in financing larger, multi-million dollar transactions that are low risk. As a general rule, banks will not provide accounts receivable financing for a staffing agency that is a start-up or for one that is growing very rapidly in the early years of their business.

The bottom line: if you need to get a job, a staffing agency may be an excellent choice to find work on your terms; if you need cash flow to grow a staffing agency, accounts receivable financing may be an excellent choice for financing growth without bank terms.

Copyright © 2007 Gregg Financial Services








Mr. Elberg is a licensed attorney and licensed real estate broker. Gregg Financial Services is a full service brokerage for commercial finance companies and banks that fund B2B businesses. Mr. Elberg arranges funding from $25,000 to $50 million per month at competitive pricing, and works to reduce your financing costs as your company grows.

For more information about GFS, please visit our website: greggfinancialservices.com greggfinancialservices.com

Buying a Home Directly From an Owner

Real Estate Agents are not necessary when it comes to selling or buying a property, they are simply middle men in a process that you could well take care of directly. About a fifth of all home sales are concluded directly between a purchaser and the owner of a property. There is no difficulty in this provided you utilize the services of experts to assist where necessary.

The first thing that you need to determine is how much you can afford and in which areas you would like to live? It is not always possible to have your dream home on a limited budget and you have to think of factors such as distance from work or schools as well. Travelling costs can be expensive and should be taken into account as you may need to purchase another vehicle or rely on public transport. Generally when working on a tight budget, it's best to settle for a property in a good area that may need a bit of work as opposed to a neat house in a bad area. There are Affordability Calculators on most bank Websites that you can use to determine roughly how much of a bond repayment you can afford. Most banks prefer you to put down at least a 10% deposit, you should also note that there are transfer and bond registration costs to be paid to a Property Transfer Attorney. These rates are usually standard in accordance with the value of the property that you are purchasing and the cost can be obtained by calling any suitable Transfer Attorney's offices.

You can apply to a bank or Bond Originator for a Bond Pre-approval so that you have an idea of the price range that you can afford to shop in. There is simply no point in looking at properties that are out of your price range although it must be noted that most property owners would grudgingly consider offers that are up to10% lower that their asking price, more than this and you are likely to meet with real opposition. Arming yourself with a Bond Pre-approval document is almost like having cash available and this could impress a seller enough to make them consider an offer from you more seriously.

There are many private property Websites that allow for you to search for homes for sale by owners. These Sites are your best source for dealing directly with a seller. Many of the larger private property Websites also allow for Agent advertised listings but these are usually clearly indicated as being the listings from a Real Estate Agency or group. When you arrange to see a property by either e-mailing or calling the owner directly then you must realize that the owner has emotional attachment to the property and in many instances he has created his dream home over the years. You will need to look past all the obvious features that are pointed out to you in order to see if the property has potential to meet your needs.

Before submitting an offer on a private property it is best to do some more homework regarding the value of the property. Again, there are Websites that offer online valuation reports based on a 'Comparative Market Analysis' of similar properties sold in the area, usually there is a small fee to be paid for this but it is well worth it. Even though such reports are used by Realtors as well, they usually only draw a comparison from the averages of properties sold in the area. They take building and stand size into account but not improvements. Some properties that have not been maintained would need to be priced below 'market average' whereas other properties that have been renovated and have a new kitchen and bathrooms, for instance may be priced above market average. It is seldom that a property should sell for more than 15% above the area average for similar sized properties. In cases where a property may be priced way above average you must be cautious as the owner could have over-invested for the area. If you have any reason to doubt the value of a home based on a market related report then it is best to use the services of a professional Property Appraiser.

It is probably best to have a verbal agreement with the seller on a possible offer for his property before you both go along to a Transfer Attorney. The Attorney will have the necessary 'Offer to Purchase' documents and go over any legal issues with you. Make sure that any special conditions are covered in the documentation such as the seller's agreement to carry out certain repairs or to leave certain furnishings on the property.

Be sure to check over any building plans for the property to ensure that all building regulations have been met for any additions or alterations to the property. Have the property professionally inspected from foundations to roof. If the inspection report shows that there is rising damp, for instance, then you can re-negotiate with the seller to lower the price to compensate for the necessary damp proofing repairs. The seller could also arrange to do repairs at his own expense as part of the Agreement.

Once an agreement has been reached and an Offer submitted then you can either submit bond applications to a few banks of your choice or you could give this to a Bond Originator who will do this for you. Bond Originators usually negotiate the best interest rates for you via the various banks but you can also do this yourself. Once you have settled on a bank of your choice that have granted you a home loan (in principle) then they will send an Appraiser to the property to ensure that there is value in the property for your application to be finalized. This is reassuring as a bank will never provide a loan for a property that they determine is over-valued. In a case where the bank has rejected a loan for a property the seller must be contacted so that he can reconsider his expectations and given the option to drop his asking price for the sale to proceed.

The Transfer Attorney will tend to all the legal paperwork and contact you should they require additional documentation, payment or endorsement of paperwork from you.








Propertymix ( propertymix.co.za propertymix.co.za ) is a search and advertising Website for holiday accommodation, residential property or property related businesses in South Africa.

This Site offers a section of full online info and advice for private property owners and investors who may be considering selling or renting out their own properties. The info covers Marketing of property right through to completion of an 'Offer to Purchase' or 'Lease Agreement' document.

While the Site does assist private property owners, it also allows Realtors and property related business owners to advertise their services and local properties as well.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Home Care for the Elderly Keeps Them Safer and Happier

Every generation has the responsibility to care for their elderly parents. Over the last 50 years the way that is being accomplished has changed. As life expectancy figures climb more children move far away from their parents homes, families are finding this responsibility challenging.

How do you care for loved ones who are still able to get around but need help with certain activities? Some elderly people need help with shopping, medication, meals, doctor appointments and other various tasks. Many are not ready for a full-time nursing home but still have trouble safely living at home.

It isn't easy to find the appropriate level of care for those who have a moderate to low-level of activity but who are more likely to be injured while cooking or bathing. Those who don't drive anymore but still like to shop and visit friends, feel more comfortable with assistance during their outings.

There are agencies that are focusing on these specific needs and are doing really wonderful things for their clients. By grouping them together and assigning a certified caregiver or registered nurse to assess and organize all their needs and schedules at one time, they can cut costs for the client and still provide the help they need to live safely and independently at home.

Statistics say that slip and fall accidents as well as mistakes with medications are reduced when elderly patients have regular home health visits. What a great feeling for family members to know that their loved ones are being cared for by trained professionals.

Typically a home health agency will provide one aide or nurse per patient. This is not cost-effective and does not provide opportunities for socialization.. Sharing caregivers is one way to make sure each patient receives affordable, consistent, quality care. What a great idea to have two or more patients who live close to each other, share an aide and the cost. This is a unique and positive way for those who are often alone, to meet make new friends.

When a professional caregiver visits the home they look for potential hazards and safety issues that could harm those with trouble seeing, hearing, or walking. They make sure healthy meals are available and prepared at the proper times. If there are special diet needs which is often the case, they see to it that those are abided by.

The benefits of allowing an elderly or physically challenged person to live independently at home instead of in some kind of hospital environment have been researched and documented. They feel happier, healthier, and less anxious. They have fewer accidents in the home and generally live longer, better quality lives.

When the time comes to care for elderly parents, it's worth the extra effort it may take to find the appropriate agency that has caring, highly trained staff and nurses who are able to handle all that is required when your loved one says, "I don't want to go to a nursing home".








Michele Farkas, RN BSN

How to Find a Suitable Nanny Referral Agency

In the current modern world where nuclear families are a common and both the partners are typically professionally engaged it has become a challenge for many of them to properly look after their children. Here arises the need of a nanny or babysitter, a person who looks after children. A nanny provides basic childcare including watching, feeding, bathing, provides one-on-one attention and also encourages the mental and physical development of children. A nanny lets a busy family concentrate on their work without being concerned during the work day about the health and safety of their kids.

Selecting a nanny is an important task which needs be done carefully. Security of children is the first concern for parents so choosing a perfect nanny is very important. Selecting a nanny on you can be hectic and time consuming. Most importantly, it may not give positive results as it is a complicated process. Selecting a perfect nanny requires a lot of expertise and professionalism, so the safest option to hire a nanny is through nanny referral agencies.

Of late, nanny care or babysitting has been successful in evolving as a regular profession. This has led to the evolution of many agencies which act as professional consultants for providing nannies and caregivers based on your requirements. As it is a question of your loved ones, you should never compromise on the standards of nanny referral agency. In order to get the best service, parents should shortlist the agencies based on the below factors:

Reputation and experience
While choosing a nanny referral agency the basic and the foremost thing you need to check for is its experience in the field. There are always choices when it comes to selecting an agency, but it is important to go for a reputed agency as its reputation speaks for its experience, knowledge, service, successful placements and credibility in the field. A company having a good amount of experience in the field suggests that it has been successful in providing valued services to the customers based on their requirements. Hence, opting for an experienced firm would help in getting the best nanny according to your defined needs.

Screening process
The screening process is an important factor which decides the quality of service provided by the agency. Generally, while screening a candidate the agency should check for details such as, accuracy of the details mentioned in application form (like name, address, contact number, etc.), behavioral and historical background of the candidate, general and technical knowledge about the job, previous experience (if any, then check for reviews), and last but not the least, check for criminal record or any offenses (such as breaking road safety rules, involved in agitations, etc.) of the candidate. An agency with a strong interviewing, evaluation and screening process helps families find a safe nanny to fulfill their in-home care needs.

Fees and refund policies
The fees quoted by referral agencies may vary from one to another. Parents should check with the agency on what basis the fees are determined. They will have to make confirmation that the agency would not demand for additional fees after the final fee has been paid. It is also necessary to be aware of the replacement or credit policy of the agency. Some agencies provide a 30 day replacement period while others offer up to 6 months should a parent be dissatisfied with the nannies performance.

Training programs for nannies
An agency provides resources for a training program and additional certification for nannies and caregivers may be a good option for the parents. Nanny care today is not restricted to just looking after the daily routine of the child. A well-qualified nanny who can provide pre-school education to the baby, who is also able to handle emergency situations such as sudden downfall of child, accidents at home, and any unexpected events which may prove dangerous to the baby is a great benefit for any family. Agencies providing these resources are considered to provide well qualified professionals in the industry.

Professional affiliations
Agencies having professional affiliations or memberships with national associations can be considered to be secure, reliable, experienced, and the best in the field. Some of the important associations are the International Nanny Association (INA), Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustLine, etc.

Nanny referral agencies help parents significantly in choosing qualified and reliable nannies, thus making the job of choosing the best nanny a lot easier. You should select a nanny referral agency based on the above mentioned aspects, your own requirements, and above all, the wellbeing of your children.








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Travel Agencies - For a Comfortable Business Travel

There are a lot of things that one has to take care of while going on for a business trip to a foreign destination, more so when it is one's first business travel. To make it convenient and comfortable, it is better that one hires the services of a travel agency. They will take care of all your requirements. There are a large number of travelling agencies in Australia who can fulfil all your travelling needs.

Some of the benefits of hiring travel agencies for the business trips are discussed below.

Since business trips are very different from the leisurely trips these need more meticulous planning and execution. These are more serious in nature and any loophole in the planning may lead to huge losses. Taking care of both the business deal and the business travelling details is not easy for a person. Therefore it is better to hire a travelling agency which understands these things and therefore give utmost attention to each detail.

These travelling agencies will look into all the details of your business trip and plan accordingly, right from the start of your journey to the last moment of your stay as well as getting back to your home destination.

For people who travel frequently for business purposes must go for travelling agencies specializing in the business tours. These agencies have a lot of experience in this field. They can provide you the best of services at very low rates.

From business air travel booking, travel.happinesslifetime.com hotel booking to meeting arrangements, everything is done by the travelling agency.

These agencies have a lot of experience in handling these business trips and therefore know each and every requirement of a business trip. This is the reason why you can rely on their services.

These agencies understand that businessmen travel frequently on business trips. Therefore to attract more travellers they give discounts on frequent basis. They have a lot of alluring business tour packages to suit the needs of all types of business travellers. These packages help you save a lot of your money but this does not mean that they compromise on services. These discounted packages provide you affordable business tickets, comfortable stay, fine dining options and the best arrangements for meetings and conferences.

You can also take your family along with you on the business trips. These travelling agencies can include all the facilities for the family members also. So your business trip can easily be turned into a family vacation.

They can in fact provide you with packages which have the business trip combined with sight seeing. After your work for the day is over you can indulge in a lot of pleasure activities also. The sight seeing will include visits to all the popular attractions of that place. There are many travelling agencies which provide these two in one services. There is always a lot of ample time between business meetings and work. This time can easily be utilized for sight seeing and pleasure activities.

Hiring the services of these travelling agencies will help you save a lot of your time, money and energy and you will have a comfortable trip without a doubt.








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Home Care - Tips to Select Home Care Agencies for Your Elderly in Ireland

When your parents become older, you will face incalculable challenges in your daily life that is the reason people choose a caregiver support to give their elderly best care at the home as they become older.

When you are searching for full-time home caregiver so that he/she can be a part of your family, recruit a reliable and faithful and qualified caregiver for your elderly from well established care agencies. It is very essential that caregivers must be well qualified, experienced and passed the process by the standards of caregiver agencies.

If you are looking for the home care service provider in Dublin, you will found that you are not biased with any caregiver agency. Whenever you are in process to hire a caregiver, see the below aspects which you have to consider:-

Primarily, it's crucial to affirm that your selected agency is excellently substantiated and has a good acclaim. Ascertain whether the agency is acclaimed by industry professionals of HSE - Health Service Executive or IPHCA - Irish Private Home Care Association and have a look into the recruitment process of the home help service providers; how they recruit and train the caregivers. More the transparent of the recruitment and training procedure, less you will need to take care of your elderly.

Secondly, observe for home care service provider that offers a broad range of services which includes home care, elderly care, home help, Dementia care, Alzheimer's care, palliative care, respite care. A good agency always advises you and discusses the issues with your elderly so that caregiver can support and understand your loved ones. Service providers always provide you the right care giver who is most suitable according to your needs.

Last but not the least, Main objective of top elder care agencies is to search for best caregivers across Ireland or in any particular county and recruit and train them to the industry standards.

It is very important to find a suitable person for your elderly and selecting an industry recognized care agency can help you to feel, you have chosen the best care for your loved once. So make sure that you have done homework before opting for a home care service agency.








Author is an online marketer in the Ireland based company. He loves to write on different topics. Now he is sharing information on bluebirdcare.ie Home Care. Please visit bluebirdcare.ie for more information about home care and elderly care services.

Assisted Living - A Brief History and Definition

Assisted living residences are sometimes referred to as assisted living facilities (ALFs). They supervise or assist with activities of daily living (ADLs). In addition, the residence frequently coordinates with third party healthcare and service providers on the resident's behalf.

Examples of assistance might include the administration or supervision of prescribed medication, or personal care services provided by a trained staff person or outside service provider.

Assisted living emerged in the 1990's as the next step of continuing care for people who cannot live independently in a private residence, but who also do not require the 24-hour medical care provided by a nursing home. Many senior living providers promote the Assisted Living designation as a philosophy of care and services that foster independence and dignity. The costs associated with this enhanced level of care can vary widely based on geography, services, and need.

There is no nationally recognized definition of assisted living. Assisted Living facilities are regulated and licensed at the state level. More than two-thirds of the states use the licensure term "assisted living." Other terms intended to relay this same level of care include Residential Care Home, Assisted Care Living Facilities, and Personal Care Homes. Each state licensing agency has its own definition of the term it uses to describe assisted living. 

When performing preliminary research or trying to find a retirement home online, the search term "assisted living" is generally accepted and will yield significant results from both the search engines and the senior living community. Remember to be aware of the fact that the term may be generally accepted, but the definition and service restrictions may vary significantly.








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Silver Linings on the Jobs Market

The worldwide recession is responsible for huge numbers of job losses daily and there's currently little sign of things easing. In the USA The International Labour Organization (ILO) is predicting 20 million job losses by the end of 2009, mostly in construction, real estate, financial services and the automobile sector. In China over 20 million workers have lost their jobs since Christmas.

Whilst no sector is immune from the negative effects of the global downturn there are areas of employment with better job prospects than others and in fact some business sectors - mobile technology for example is actually thriving. If you are looking for a new challenge in 2009 you might want to consider focusing your efforts on areas that might offer the best potential opportunities in landing an interesting and rewarding position.

o Security - Homeland security, national and international intelligence services hold rich employment pickings currently with no signs of any imminent slackening in demand for those holding appropriate skills. Analysis, languages and admin for example. Government pledges to increase police numbers also offer opportunities in law enforcement, customs and other public service type roles.

o Healthcare and welfare - Spending on social housing remains high, for personnel ranging from accountants to construction workers. There is also a continuing need for healthcare professionals, social care workers and teachers. Opportunities for skilled nurses, doctors, psychologists and psychotherapists, analysts, caregivers, medical assistants, physical therapists, home health aides, medical records staff and health information technicians may even grow during the recession. Such is the current shortage of social workers that the Local Government Association (LGA) is urging recently retired social workers to return to the profession in a bid to solve staff shortages.

o Financial and Legal Professions- Skilled professionals in the claims and compensation sectors as well as cost saving, or those dealing with bankruptcies, and contractual disputes. Auditors and procurement managers, purchasing specialists, internal auditors and senior finance interims are in demand and as more companies review their business models so consultants, managers, lawyers and bankers with expertise in making businesses leaner during a downturn are proving invaluable.

o Environmental Sector - While many commentators have in the past dismissed green as a 'nice to have' luxury, it's now becoming a business essential as many organisations now have 'kilowatt budgets' alongside traditional monetary ones. New Green jobs, including renewable energy specialists and energy efficiency advisers offer plenty of employment opportunities with renewable expertise the best skill to have. Energy efficiency advisers, employed by cost-cutting and green-conscious companies alike, are also in demand as the UK tries to reduce its dependence on gas and oil from overseas.

o IT - Telecoms and technology - Many technology and telecoms maintenance professionals will keep their jobs as companies think about upkeep rather then upgrades. Some IT areas are robust and even experiencing growth: Here's a list of the top 10 most secure IT sectors according to businessreviewonline.com

o Virtualisation

o Open source

o Green IT

o Cloud computing (and SaaS)

o Data loss prevention

o Mobile computing

o Integration & BPM

o Information management & search

o Business activity monitoring (BA)

o Social networking & online collaboration tools

o Underwriting - Demand for all classes of underwriters amongst the insurance companies is still strong, since evaluating potential clients is key to managing risk. Interestingly Admiral whose Confused.com website accounts for more than 15 per cent of all new motor premiums in Britain has recently announced record profits and plans for expansion into the U.S market.

o Engineering -There's continuing strong demand for qualified engineers in construction, project management and civil engineering, in particular for work related to the 2012 Olympics.








Brandon Milliard is a freelance author and has the vast knowledge in gotorecruitment.co.uk/banking/cmd/m/all-skills/office-locator/all-locations/all-names/1 Banking Recruitment Agencies and Engineering Recruitment Agency. For more information on Recruitment Agencies he suggests you to visit: gotorecruitment.co.uk gotorecruitment.co.uk

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Recycle at Home - 5 Ways to Reduce Your Footprint

We're all familiar with the three R's: reduce, reuse and recycle. But how much of these three things are you really doing at home on a daily basis?

While reducing, reusing and recycling are all very important, recycling is something that many people may not know how to do properly and efficiently. Below are five simple ways to get started on reducing your waste contribution to the planet.

Do your research. Before you do anything to start recycling more, make sure you find out what materials are accepted for recycling at your local recycling center. You can find the nearest facility by visiting Earth911.com.
Properly dispose of paper and cardboard products. From newspapers to old mail and grocery lists, paper products comprise the largest portion of our municipal waste stream. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that easily recognizable paper products, such as writing paper or paper towels, can be made into many other products like masking tape, paper money, bandages, coffee filters, lamp shades and more. You can do your part in making sure your paper products are used for these purposes by recycling them.
Recycle your plastic products. Like paper, plastic can also be reused for many purposes. Plastic bottles can be taken to your local grocery store recycling center. If you use plastic grocery sacks when you go shopping, those can also be recycled. However, reusable bags are much more eco-friendly than using plastic bags each time you purchase something.
Reuse your glass products. Old glass bottles and jars can serve many other purposes when reused. For example, an old glass coke bottle can become a flower vase, and an old glass jelly jar can be used as a pencil holder. If you do want to dispose of your used glass, however, be sure to do it the right way: separate your container glass by color. You can usually leave the labels on the glass, but make sure you keep other glass materials like light bulbs and mirrors separate from container glass.
Metals and electronic goods should be disposed of with care. Metals can be of value to recycling facilities, so make sure to recycle food cans, aluminum cans, aluminum foil and other similar metals. When it comes to electronics - such as old computers - reusing those products is the most environmentally-friendly thing you can do. Whether reselling them or giving them away, keeping them from ending up in a landfill is always a good idea.








Jennifer Griffin is a writer for GreeningDetroit.com GreeningDetroit.com, an online directory of green products and services. She writes various news articles pertaining to green events happening in the metro Detroit region. She also writes for the company's greeningdetroit.com/community/grassroots-blog Green Grassroots Blog, in which she writes about people, companies and organizations in Michigan that are "going green." Jennifer is currently pursuing a degree in Journalism and English from Wayne State University, and she is also a contributing writer for WSU's student newspaper, The South End.

Home Care Explained - Everything You Need to Know About Home Care

Homecare - Who needs it?

Everyone needs care at some point in their lives; from little babies to centenarians and everyone in between. Most of the time when we need care, our families and friends provide it. However some people require more care than family and friends are able to provide. Often in these instances the person requiring the care (care recipient) may be a new mother, have a disability, be frail aged, have a severe illness or a mental health issue. Depending on the needs of the person, particular home care supports will be put in place to assist them to live or manage at home. Many people who receive home care would need to live in a nursing home, hospital or institution if that support was not available. Other terms such as 'home health care' and 'domiciliary care' are often used interchangeably with home care - but can refer also to care provided by a health professional.

Homecare - What is it?

There is a wide range of services and supports that fall under the banner of home care. In short, the type of care provided is what the person is unable to do for themselves. Listed below are some of the main ones with a brief description:

? Personal Care - Refers to all care that addresses the personal hygiene of the care recipient. Personal care support can include; assistance to shower or bath, to dress, to use the toilet, to change continence aids, to shave, apply lotions and cosmetics, brush hair and brush teeth.

? Domestic Assistance - refers to all housekeeping and cleaning tasks. Services can include; cleaning the house, doing the dishes and laundry.

? Transportation- This can be driving the person to appointments and can also include accompanying them if required.

? Shopping- This can involve driving the person to the store and assisting them to do their own shopping, or the home care worker can do the shopping with a list.

? Respite- This type of support involves remaining with the care recipient while the usual carer has a break.

? Nursing Care- refers to the home care that needs to be provided by a registered nurse. Can include: medication monitoring, wound dressing, injections and nursing assessments.

? Case management - Case management involves a comprehensive assessment and the development of a care plan in conjunction with a case manager. Case management can be short or long term depending on the needs and requirements of the care recipient.

? Social Support - refers to services that focus of the social needs of the client. This type of service can include companionship, visiting and community access.

Homecare - Who pays?

Depending on the country you live in there may be government funded programs that assist in paying home care costs. Some health insurance can cover some of these costs - check with your insurer for more information.

There is also a wide variety of lifestylehomeservices.com.au home care agencies that can provide you with a home care worker for a fee.

Homecare - Who provides it?

In most instances friends and family of the care recipient are able to provide them with home care. However in those cases where family and friends cannot do so, or where the care recipient prefers; a professional care giver will provide the care. Professional care givers can also be referred to as: support workers, carers, community workers, personal care aides and assistants and nursing assistants. The terminology will vary between countries. The level of skill and qualifications required for professional care work will also vary depending on country. It's best to check with your care provider to find out the minimum requirements in your area.








If you or someone you care for requires home care in Sydney don't hesitate to contact Lifestyle Home Services at lifestylehomeservices.com.au lifestylehomeservices.com.au

For information and referral to government funded home care services in NSW Australia please contact Catholic Community Services on 1800 225 474.

Checking Your Home for Radon

Before checking your home for radon levels, you have to learn about radon first and its effect on human beings. What is radon in the first place? Radon is a radioactive gas that can cause cancer. In fact, it has been identified as the second major cause of lung cancer in the US. This is invisible to the naked eye and it is odorless too, making it difficult to detect.

What are the sources of radon?

Our planet is filled of radioactive elements. Most of them are buried under the Earth's surface. Once these elements decay, they produce Radon. One of the richest radioactive elements in the planet is Uranium, which can last as long as the life of our planet. As this decay, it produces Radon, thus it will always be present. Although it is normally found underneath the Earth's surface, it can find its way to your home and expose you to dangerous risks.

How to check your home for Radon?

This makes it essential that you check your home. But how are you going to do that? To check your home properly, you need to gather as much information you can. The US Environmental Protection Agency can present you with the essential information about this. You can also check out the web site of the Radon Information Center.

You can check the level of radon in your house using a kit available in the market. The kit comes with instructions on how to use it. Make sure that you use a kit that passes the guidelines set by the EPA to ensure that it will deliver reliable results. After using the kit, you will be asked to seal it. Follow the directions carefully as instructed in the kit. You will need to send it to the designated laboratory to be analyzed. Kits normally comes with pre-address envelops for the lab. There are kits that are intended for long-term use. You can invest in them if you live in an area known for high levels of radon.

You can also high a professional to check your home. These professionals are trained to make sure that your home is properly examined. Before you hire one, check their portfolio first. How long have they been testing homes and what do their clients say about them.

Reducing Radon levels:

Discovering radon in your home puts you at risk. This is why you always have to exert efforts to reduce that. No particular level of radon has been identified as safe. However, reducing its level will surely reduce the risks as well.

There are various known ways to reduce radon. You can use a vent pipe system and fan or a soil suction system. However, you have to keep in mind that the method you will use will depend on the kind of house you have as well as other relevant factors. You can test your home using short-term radon kits. If it reports a high radon level, then run the test again or use a long-term kit. However, the best thing you can do is to look for a Certified Radon mitigation contractor.

Radon is a serious threat to your health. This is why you have to check your home regularly for radon levels and apply ways to reduce it.








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Homecare Agencies - How to Work With Or For a Healthcare Provider

There is a growing demand for in-home health care services for seniors in the United States. Full-service homehappinesslifetime.com care agencies provide the necessary structure to connect private nurses and caregivers with individuals or families who need a little extra help at home. Understanding how these agencies work opens doors for nurses and specialists interested in a successful career in private homecare, and also generates a straightforward avenue for seniors or their loved ones to locate and hire reliable professionals.

Relying on Full-Service Homehappinesslifetime.com care Agencies

If you find yourself in a situation where you need help caring for an aging parent, a homecare agency can help you make some important decisions. A few aspects you will need to consider are: affordability, level of family involvement, caregiver reputation, and professionalism.

Paying for specialized homecare is not cheap. Some seniors are fortunate enough to have saved the necessary funds to cover their medical tests, continued care, and supplies, but this is not always the case. Determine what your budget is, and talk to a representative at a homecare agency to find a solution that meets your needs. You may find that weekly visits are sufficient for a few years and that you can provide the remaining care for your loved ones, but as time progresses, you will need more and more help from specialized individuals with medical training that exceeds the routine care you could provide on your own.

How involved can your family be? Are all the adults in your family working full-time, or can someone be around to assist the elderly family members during the day? Are your aging parents still mobile? Can they be left unsupervised for 8-to-10 hours at a time? Perhaps a high-school aged grandchild can commit to checking in after school, preparing meals, or supervising medication schedules. The more time and attention that your family can provide, the less you will need to rely on an outside employee.

Finally, the greatest benefit of hiring a caregiver through a homecare agency is that strict screening and background checks guarantee that you are hiring a high-quality professional. These employees are likely to have lots of experience and a long-standing reputation within the industry.

Seeking Employment with a Homecare Agency

Full-service homehappinesslifetime.com care agencies are a two-way street. The ultimate success of these providers depends on having a reliable database of experienced nurses and homecare practitioners. If you are a nursing school student, or already hold a position as a nursing staff, you may consider the personal rewards and benefits that come with working in the private health care sector.

You will have more scheduling flexibility when you pursue a job in senior homecare services. Most seniors need only limited help around the house as they age, and jobs are available that amount to only a few afternoons a week. As your clients put in the effort to retain their independence, you will work on the sidelines to provide the necessary support. The beauty is that you will develop strong professional relationships that can lead to long-term positions with these clients. You can increase the frequency with which you visit these individuals and modify your services to reflect any changes in their activity levels and health needs. Helping these seniors to age gracefully while maintaining a high quality of life is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have in the healthcare profession.








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Introduction to Long Term Care Insurance

According to the Decennial Census in 2000, the population of Americans aged 65 and above will have ballooned to over 70 million by 2030. This is alarming for thousands of uninsured baby boomers who have no option but rely on their old spouse and children for care.

The publicly-funded Medicare is said to be America's saving grace on elder care, but Medicare undermines such role. Although billions have been allocated on Medicare, the program is bent on its promise of providing affordable and continuous long term care services to low and middle-income groups. Medicare does not guarantee excellent services, and, otherwise, provide second-rate or rather "poor" programs for the elderly.

What is the best time to purchase long term care policy?

Your age determines the cost of the LTC policy. Most insurance companies offer cheaper policies to those who purchase the policy at younger age. Thus, the younger you are, the cheaper the premiums you'll get. But, keep in mind that you will be paying the premiums for longer time before you receive the benefits.

Most insurers don't sell long term care policies to people over 85 and with pre-existing medical condition such as heart disease and dementia. This is reasonable because chronically ill people will not be able to pay for the premiums and they will be needing extensive care in the future. Only credible insurance companies offer policies to healthy individuals who will make most of the benefits in the future.

Significant Policy Features

The most critical factor is determining the set of conditions that triggers the flow of the benefit coverage. All policies must have comprehensive eligibility requirements or rules to abide before the policyholder starts paying for the premiums.

The type or level of care should be also considered in the policy. Bathing is one the most important activities of daily living (ADLs). This benefit begins when you are no longer capable of performing activities without assistance.

However, in some states, a good long term care policy shall include all levels of care from custodial to personal care provided in various types of settings. The types of settings are as follows:

Adult Day Care - This facility provides specialized care or activities for the elderly and the handicapped. Some adult day care offers excellent environment for elders with Alzheimer's or dementia. It normally operates under the social or health care model to provide skilled recreational activities and care for the elders.

Assisted living facilities - This kind of facility provides assistance including personal care to the elders through the help of healthcare providers. The services include administration of medication and individual care for seniors who can no longer do activities independently. The 24-hour monitoring of the trained staff ensures health and safety of the residents.

Facility Care Services - This provides skilled nursing care, occupational therapy, and others through the assistance of qualified health aides. This facility is good for ill and frail individuals who need 24-hour supervision.

Nursing facilities - Most of these types are certified by the state and federal government agencies to provide custodial and nursing care to the residents. The services offered here are perfect for those who need daily care. However, many patients use nursing homes for short rehabilitative care after an acute illness or injury.

Always determine the type of services and facilities covered under your long term care your policy. It's best to ask your insurance agent to understand more of the terms and conditions of the policy.

Another important feature not to overlook at is the waiver of premium. It allows you to discontinue paying the premiums during the time you are receiving the benefits. Overview the policy to see the important regulations on this feature, including the requirement to stay in nursing home for certain period of around 60 to 90 days before your premiums are waived.

Most of all make sure that your policy has guaranteed "non-forfeiture" benefit to protect the incurred policy benefits even if you drop the policy or let it lapse. This benefit somehow increases your premiums.

All long term care policies today are guaranteed renewable. You should know what your insurance company rules out on this feature to avoid unwanted expenses and disputes in the future.








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Mortgage Refinancing: Mistakes in Your Credit Reports Will Damage Your Mortgage Interest Rate

There are three credit bureaus maintaining your credit records that do not share information with each other. If you haven't carefully reviewed your records prior to applying for a new greeneasylife.com mortgage loan, mistakes in these files could cost you thousands of dollars in a higher greeneasylife.com/LoanCalculator mortgage interest rate. Here are several tips to help you stay on top of your credit and avoid costly mistakes when refinancing your greeneasylife.com mortgage loan.

The three credit agencies collect data and report on your credit when asked. Because these credit bureaus do not share information it is possible to have a mistake in one file and not the other two. Credit bureaus are not required to tell you about errors; it is your responsibility to make sure the information in your credit reports is accurate. The three credit bureaus you need to concern yourself with are Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union.

Before applying for a new mortgage it is extremely important to request copies of your credit reports from all three credit agencies and carefully review these records for errors. If you find a mistake contact the credit bureau and inform them of the error. Recent changes in credit reporting laws make it easy to request credit reports from all three credit bureaus. All you need to do is visit the website annualcreidtreport.com annualcreidtreport.com and you can print a credit report from all three credit bureaus at no cost to you.

You can learn more about your mortgage refinancing options, including expensive mistakes to avoid with a free mortgage tutorial.








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Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Learning Disabilities and Dementia - Using the Mental Capacity Act to Enhance Person Centred Care

Staff who work in Learning Disabilities and Dementia care settings could face imprisonment if they allow their residents to engage in sexual activity. The warning emerged from a recent annual conference of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Many Learning Disabilities and Dementia care settings strive to provide patient-centred care which may include affording the residents the right to have sexual relations. This warning appears to suggest that once a person with Learning Disabilities or Dementia is admitted into residential care then they are deemed to lack capacity to consent to sexual relations. So what is the way found?

The Mental Capacity Act may provide staff in residential care settings with the opportunity to determine whether or not a resident has the capacity to consent to a sexual relationship. However, the sad truth is that the majority of staff in residential care settings have not received training in the application of the Mental Health Capacity Act and therefore lack the confidence to use it for the benefits of their clients.

There is also a pressing need to clarify how staff can accommodate sexual activity among residents with Learning Disabilities and Dementia while protecting against abuse.

Two important points emerge from this article:

1. That staff need training in the application of the Mental Capacity Act.

2. That staff need training in Prevention of Adult Abuse

The above training needs to take a multi-agency approach as staff in residential care settings cannot be expected to make decisions about residents' capacity to consent to sexual activity in isolation.








Sifiso Ndlovu is the Manager and Training Consultant of Steven Lodge, a care home in the UK for people with Learning Disabilities. She has a special interest in dementia care and has presented her work at several International Dementia Conferences.

Please feel free to comment on my articles and visit the link to the site of Steven Lodge.
stevenlodge.co.uk stevenlodge.co.uk

Occupational Therapy Travel Jobs

Occupational therapy professionals treat patients of all age groups, with physical, mental, social and emotional disabilities. An occupational therapist assists disabled people to improve their movements and restore their lost functions. Occupational therapists make use of computer programs to improve the memory, decision making, problem solving, abstract-reasoning, and perceptual skills of the patients. They provide help in improving certain skills like time management, anger management, and stress management. For people who like traveling a lot, travel jobs is an ideal choice.

To acquire travel occupational therapy jobs one must at least have a bachelor's degree in from an accredited institute. Individuals seeking a career in travel occupational therapy should have strong interpersonal skills, empathy, integrity, and excellent communication skills. A considerable amount of patience is also essential for doing this job.

Occupational therapy traveling jobs are lucrative career options for professionals who enjoy exploring new places. One can search for opportunities online. There are several recruitment agencies that offer travel jobs in a variety of medical settings including hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers, acute care facilities, long term care centers, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, home health agencies, educational institutions and private practices. The salary may vary depending on their specializations, experience, and preferred location.

Occupational therapists on travel assignment usually receive numerous benefits such as:

* Competitive wages

* Paid homes

* Travel allowances

* Medical, dental insurance

* Assistance in licensing and immigration processing

* Continuing education

* Completion bonuses

* 401(k) retirement plan

With a significant shortage in the number of experienced and talented occupational therapists, the demand for travel occupational therapists is increasing, so are the opportunities in travel jobs. With travel occupational therapy jobs one can earn more money and enjoy excellent benefits that are not available for permanent jobs in specific locations.








John Stephen is a recruitment consultant. Are you searching for a highly rewarding therakare.com/traveling-occupational-therapy-jobs.html occupational therapy travel job
therakare.com TheraKare is here to help you. We always maintain a long list of therakare.com/healthcare-jobs.html healthcare job openings available over the country.

LGN Travel Card: Get Packing - Travel and Tourism Take Off

Great News! Travel and Tourism are BACK!

Entrepreneur Magazine's Dec. 2010 Issue did a feature article on trends for 2011 which noted that as the economy moves into recovery and traveling trends pick up again, demand is expected to increase and fuel industry revenue.

And driving this new growth will be Internet technology as consumers choose online travel agencies for flexibility and efficiency.

A senior research analyst for the firm IBISWorld projected the following growth:

International travel is expected to jump 5.5% to 94.7 million US dollars.

Domestic travel is anticipated to rise 1.2% to 627.4 million dollars

Hotel revenue is forecast to increase 4,4%

Travel related agencies will bring in 3.3% more income totaling 12 billion dollars.

The article goes on to say that "while this trend will effectively eliminate many smaller brick-and-mortar establishments, profitability for online industry operators is expected to grow." Looking at my small rural college town I have seen evidence of this over the past several years.

If you are looking to get started in a home business that is Travel related, or want to explore the benefits that you will gain, here are a few recommended qualities to look for:

destinations travel accommodations for up to a week the ability to save 50% (or more) when booking your vacation no strings attached, no expiration dates, easily transferable

a simple and easy way for you to book top rate international and domestic travel and vacation resort destinations
travel accommodations for up to a week
the ability to save 50% (or more) when booking your vacation
no strings attached, no expiration dates, easily transferable

Take care to look for a company and business that has a proven track record in this area already. Whether you become an associate or a customer, you want to make sure that you can contact the people behind the business (responsive executive, associate, customer and technical support).

Is there transparency? Is the executive leadership identifiable? Can you contact them and are they responsive?

How about your team leader and sponsor? While it's a bonus if they have prior business experience, be sure to look for someone who is a strong and motivated leader that has the ability to help you grow your business and team.

From a business perspective, the type and quality of marketing training and promotional (marketing) systems will be THE difference in your success (or lack thereof). But ultimately the thing you need most for success is YOU. Make no mistake, as with anything in life, nothing in life will happen unless YOU make it happen. Having great support and an awesome product just makes it easier.

No matter where you are in the world, travel will continue to be a hot industry. NOW is an especially great time to capitalize on the growing opportunities and trends that are forecast.

You can read more about projected travel trends at ibisworld.com/industry/default.aspx?indid=1481 IBISW.








To learn more about my recommended home business top pick for travel visit MichelleEWard.com MichelleEWard.com.

Michelle (M.E.) Ward is a fun-loving and successful entrepreneur, music instructor, musician and network marketer. She provides network marketers with expert easy-to-use business building tips and strategies through her site BetterMarketingOnline and the ZenMarketer's Group.

Estate Agents - What Should You Look For When You Want to Sell Your Home?

Just what do you look for choosing an estate agent with so many around it is very difficult to decide just who should sell your home. Maybe some of the following tips will help.

When you are buying a house you will probably search the area where you want to live and visit estate agents, which are based nearby. However there is no need to feel obliged to sell your property through the same agent that you are buying from.

It's a good idea to check out for a local presence, you know, looking in the local papers, personal recommendation and agents with a large number of sold signs rather than for sale signs.

When seeking a valuation try to remember that anyone can present you with a high valuation figure, whether or not you get this is a different matter. Try and decide if the valuation is a result of their knowledge of the area, or are they just telling you what you want to hear. If in doubt ask them to show you comparisons of property that have previous been sold in that area and have been passed by a mortgage surveyor.

Make sure when you instruct an estate agent that you read the small print in their contract, very carefully, or you may find that you are tied to them for a long time. If you receive poor service you may not be able to go else where without paying heavy fees. This also applies if you decide to use multiple agents. You will find that some will demand sole agency only and if you find a buyer privately, you may still be charged their commission fee.

You could always try negotiating a low fee with an estate agent but this is not generally a good idea, as they may not put in the same effort to find a buyer for your home.

There is now a new breed of estate agents, though this is not what they called themselves, its more likely to be a house sale specialist or property expert. They also operate in a much different way, but you will most definitely find one operating in your area, as most have local representatives in every village, town and city through out the whole of the UK, as do aninstantsale.co.uk An Instant Sale whose main office is in Leicester.

A house sale specialist buys freehold, leasehold, commercial or residential and is not worried about where you live or what states of repair or decoration your home is in. they can offer you a fast cash sale, in as little as seven days if that is what you want, but always at a time to suit you. You will not receive the full market value but then this is rarely achieved when you sell through a traditional estate agent. Additionally there are no fees what so ever. Consequently if you are planning on selling your house, or if for any reason you want a quick sale, you may want to investigate this more.








An Instant Sale are house sale specialists and property investors who operate throughout the UK.

For a free, confidential and no obligation offer on your home:

Free phone 0800 9888001 or visit our website at: aninstantsale.co.uk aninstantsale.co.uk

Six Tips to Successfully Hiring and Retaining Direct Care Staff

If you operate a residential program, you already know that hiring the staff to work in those residences is a very difficult. Doesn't make much difference. If it's group homes, homeless shelters, residential treatment centers, half-way houses, nursing homes, or supervised apartments; it's the same challenge. And while some may disagree with me on this, my opinion is that it makes no difference if we are talking about mental health clients, senior citizens, adults with developmental disabilities, children with emotional or behavioral problems or homeless families. Yes, the challenges in working with some of these groups are different than with other groups, but I have spent substantial amounts of time in all of these settings and for the most part, the things that lower the job satisfaction of all direct care staff are the same.

Why is this job such a challenge? In large measure, it's due to the negative characteristics of the work. First it involves 24/7 care. That means that sooner or later you are going to find yourself working when your family and friends are having fun together. Secondly, the pay is low. On the money you earn, you may have trouble living on your own. Depending on the part of the country you live in you may have to reside with family or double-up with friends. Third, sometimes the work is very unpleasant. You're breaking up fights, or being physically or verbally assaulted yourself. You're cleaning and cooking and assisting with personal care, with all that it entails. There's lots of paperwork; everything you do requires documentation. Fourth, and this may be the most powerful of the negative characteristics, direct care work is not respected. When you tell someone that you are a direct care worker or a "behavioral technician" or a "nurse's aide", they're likely to give you a funny look and say something like, "that must be rewarding." Parents don't raise children with the hope that they will be a direct care staff member. It's something you do when you can't get anything else. There are certainly non-financial rewards and they should not be overlooked but it's like sailing. They say sailing is an hour of boredom surrounded by 5 minutes of delightful, broad-reach sailing. As a sailor I know that there is some truth to that because I have been both bored and delighted on the water. And so it is with direct care work: 7.5 hours of difficult, gut wrenching work surrounded by 15 minutes of personal satisfaction that you are doing important work and doing it well. And then tomorrow you do it all over again.

So the challenge is how do we find, select and retain these super people whose hands-on work determines whether our programs are successful or not so successful? The answer comes in two parts. First of all, as counter-intuitive as it may seem, make the jobs harder to get. By making the job harder to get, we add to the importance of the job and add to the sense of self-worth of those who are selected. It is always a mistake to hire someone with a normal temperature because you desperately need coverage. Secondly, make a commitment to the success of every new employee. Here's the recipe - tips to successfully select and retain direct care staff.

1. For the applicants who get through the initial HR screening, those that remain should be given a personality inventory assessment. These instruments have been routinely used in private industry for the last 10 years or so and always increase the likelihood that hired employees will be a good match with the expectations of the organization. The outcomes of these assessments provide information about an applicant that could never come from a more traditional interview. Characteristics will be identified that could not be impacted by training and without the data from the assessment you will not find out about these characteristics until the person is on the job for 6-8 weeks. The challenge for those using these instruments is to trust the outcome. You want the assessment to select the strongest applicant from amongst those being considered.

2. Develop a structured interview process which focuses on the past performance of the applicant. So rather than asking someone what "would they do" you are asking them what "have they done." Questions are developed ahead of time as well as a range of suitable answers to each question. Interviewers can then literally count the number of suitable answers that each candidate gave them. This allows for multiple interviewing to be done and for valid comparisons to be made between the findings of each interview.

3. Make sure job descriptions spell out specifically the outcomes that the organization is looking for from each employee in this job family.

4. Set up a structured plan of onboarding. This goes beyond the initial orientation and may continue for the first 90 days or more of employment. Onboarding programs ensure that the new employee is physically and psychologically comfortable in the new work environment. They can begin actually before the new employee starts with a "we can't wait till you start" note from current employees. On the new employees first several days, he/she will need to know where to park the car, hang the coat, where the rest rooms are; he/she will need someone to have lunch with. After that, onboarding can include, getting to know important people in the organization and learning the unwritten rules. A new employee should never be isolated and left alone for a period of time before they are welcomed into and made to feel comfortable within the work group. The point of onboarding is to make the new employee as productive as possible as quickly as possible.

5. Finally, supervisors need to establish a personal connection with the new employee and intentionally demonstrate their commitment to the success of the new employee. This means that the supervisor has to be a "people person" and fully prepared to provide the support and education the new employee will need to be successful. The problem is that too many supervisors were simply promoted from the direct care ranks themselves and still operate as though they were direct care workers, albeit more highly compensated.

6. Train, train, train. Training and performance improvement should be a part of the culture of your agency. Training is for everyone from the CEO to the janitor. Staff training always increases staff retention.

What we are trying to do here is increase the number of employees who possess the characteristics that the organization wants. Success will mean a lower number of persons who leave voluntarily or involuntarily within the first six months. When this happens, it is a mistake of the hiring system; it's a mis-hire and the financial and program costs of this mistake are huge. A new employee who makes it through the first six months may have a good chance of remaining with the organization for three or four years, or more. Just being able to add a few months on to the average length of employment will save the organization money and allow a much more robust program to emerge.

By Larry Wenger








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Nationwide Modular Homes - A Tradition of Excellence

Working together with Authorized Builders, Nationwide Modular Homes has developed a system to not only market, but build and finish its modular homes for a customer base which includes not only fourteen mid-Atlantic and Gulf Coast states, but the District of Columbia as well.

Nationwide Modular Homes: The Landmark Multihome Collection

One area in which Nationwide Modular Homes has set itself apart from other modular home manufacturers is that of multi-family modular homes, which it has been producing since the company began in 1959. Nationwide will manufacture multi-family homes either from their own plans or to the specifications of builders, and their staff has the pricing and engineering expertise to not only draw up plans for multi-family modular home projects, but to see that they are approved by all pertinent agencies and the every builder has carefully calculated pricing projections. This pricing assistance is a significant help for builders when they are arranging their construction schedules.

Nationwide Modular Homes: The Landmark Multifamily Collection

Nationwide Modular Homes have developed multifamily homes to meet the need of every housing market, from apartments and townhouses to condominiums and even motels. Their Landmark Collection of multi-family modular homes all have been designed with the 2'X 10" floor joists and fire sheathing which meets the rating standards of the local municipal codes. Like all modular homes, Nationwide multi-family homes are manufactured as individual modules to be mounted of pre-poured foundations when they arrive at the construction site.

This efficient manufacturing process means that the multi-family home project builder need only oversee the pouring of the foundation and arrange for a crane to unload the modules onto it when they get to the site. The modules will already be equipped with plumbing, electrical wiring, insulation, and cutouts. The builder simply hires the few subcontractors needed to hook the units up to their water, electrical, and sewage lines, and to finish the unit interiors and exteriors.

The amount of labor actually needed to finish the units is only twenty percent of the of what is involved in constructing a traditional multi-family unit, so the builder has a drastically reduced construction time and will save significantly on the construction loan interest he pays.

Nationwide Modular Homes: Single Family Houses

Nationwide also offers a group of single family home collections to appeal to every possible taste. From cozy vacation cottages and rustic log cabins to the two-story, expansive and luxurious Huntington, Nationwide's modular homes afford home buyers their choice of architectural styles and finishing materials.

You can see exactly how much modularhomesbasic.com/modular-homes/nationwide-modular-homes-50-years-of-excellence nationwide modular homes has to offer to the prospective home buyer by viewing their website at nationwidecustomhomes.com and taking virtual tours of many of thief most popular models.








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Tuesday, January 7, 2014

How to Find Online Help to Repair Your Credit

If you have credit problems and are looking for some help in repairing your credit you have many options available to you on the internet. If you need help writing a credit repair letter or if you need help improving your credit and raising your credit scores you will find exactly what you need online.

One Option - NEG

NEG is an online credit score repair service that helps people improve their credit scores and get their credit back on track. Their program takes 90 days to complete and they have a good reputation for helping restore people to a good credit standing. They guarantee their work 100 percent. If you are not satisfied with the service they provide they refund your money.

Another important feature of the services offered by NEG is their Credit Protection Service which is a protection against identity theft. Identity theft is a growing problem today and it is important to protect yourself. They also have a free credit report sent to you for your review and they make sure that your name is no longer included on the mailing list for the thousands of "pre-approved" offers that go out each day.

Another Option - Fowler and Fowler

Fowler and Fowler is another reputable company that has proven to be successful in helping people restore their credit. They work with businesses and individuals and they give excellent one on one service to their customers. There is no scanning of credit reports and they do not depend solely on technology to provide their service.

This company has a good reputation and they are trustworthy. If you decide to use the services of Fowler and Fowler you can rest assured that you are in good hands and you have nothing to worry about.

These are great companies that can do a lot to help you improve your credit. However, you must be willing to do your part. You must be committed to never put yourself in a bad financial situation again.

Now more than ever is a time to be extremely careful with your credit. It is not a good time to borrow money or use credit cards. Interest rates are climbing. It is important now to use the money you have wisely and avoid unnecessary financing. Make a good budget for yourself and stick to it.

A home, transportation, these are necessities in life. Bad credit can really hurt you when you are trying to make these necessary purchases. It is important to protect your credit and maintain a good credit standing.








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Rehabilitation Therapist Assistant

In the specialized field of rehabilitation therapy, rehabilitation therapist assistant plays a vital role in helping physically challenged individuals acquire skills that will enhance their quality of life.

Typical Duties of Therapy Assistant

Rehabilitation therapy assistants help therapists in implementing high quality rehabilitation services in the fields of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology. In an ethical, caring and sensitive manner, they serve developmentally disabled patients to help regain their physical, social and mental abilities through therapeutic activities and exercises. Other responsibilities of rehabilitation therapist assistants include documenting the patients' progress, assisting in developing and implementing new programs/techniques and assisting in patient screening.

Work Environment

Thus, qualified candidates with or without experience can work with patients in carrying out therapeutic activities under the supervision of rehabilitation therapists in a variety of settings - mental health facilities, community care centers, long term acute care rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, hospitals and institutions - in both rural and urban areas. Candidates with essential requirements can opt for part-time, full-time, temporary, permanent, short term, long term, direct, travel or contract jobs.

Qualifications

In addition to successfully completing a two-year associate's degree or 1-year certificate program from a recognized school or college, candidates must pass a national certification exam. With these educational qualifications, candidates can practice in most states as rehabilitation therapy assistants.

Job Benefits

Depending on qualification and experience, the salary package for therapy assistants may vary. The other benefits include-

o Paid housing

o Completion bonuses

o Travel expenses

o 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan

o Healthhappinesslifetime.com care insurance

o Section 125 Cafeteria Plan

o Professional liability insurance

o Continuing education

o Additional state license

o Short-term disability insurance

o Caner insurance

o Immigration processing (for foreign trained candidates)

o Relocation expenses

Utilize the Services of Recruitment Agencies

In today's healthcare field, a number of rehabilitation therapist assistant vacancies are rising up. To fill these job positions, employers and candidates depend heavily on recruiting service providers, who are committed to bringing together the best medical facilities and top professionals.








TheraKare is a leading recruitment agency offering therakare.com/rehabilitation-therapists-jobs.html rehabilitation therapist jobs for talented candidates. Through us you can find best rehab jobs including therakare.com/occupational-therapist-assistant-jobs.html occupational therapist assistant jobs, physical therapist assistant jobs and more.

Paying For Home Health Care - What Do Medicare and Medigap Cover?

Prescribed only by a physician, home health care is skilled nursing care that aids in the recovery from illness, injury, or surgery in the patient's home. And fortunately for many seniors who are now opting for care at home, Medicare insurance covers most costs related to home health care.

The government, however, has set some limitations on payouts - you are only eligible if you need intermittent care (usually defined as seven days a week or less than eight hours a day over 21 days or less) (1), physical/occupational therapy or speech language pathology; you are homebound; and the home health care agency providing care is approved by your Medicare insurance program.

In addition to medication administration, general supervision, and therapy services, the Medicare home health benefit covers a number of other necessities, including medical aids and supplies to aid in recuperation. On the occasion, though, you may be required to cover some of the costs associated with home health care. But what can you expect to pay out-of-pocket that's not covered by Medicare dollars?

Medicare Insurance: Part A and Part B

Hospital Insurance (Medicare Part A) helps cover the costs of your inpatient care at hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, or religious non-medical health care establishments. Part A can also help cover hospice and home health care services. Individuals aged 65 and older are usually automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and do not have to pay a monthly premium if Medicare taxes were paid while working. If you did not pay taxes, you are still eligible, but you will be required to pay a monthly premium.

Medical Insurance (Medicare Part B) helps cover services such as those offered by your physician and outpatient care. Many seniors maintain their enrollment in Part A, but elect not to use Part B, which requires a monthly premium that is dependent upon income, the requirements of which change yearly. Unfortunately, if you didn't sign up for Part B when you were first eligible for insurance, your premium may be slightly higher (2).

For questions on your Medicare insurance benefits, you should contact 1-800-MEDICARE or read the handbook mailed to you each year entitled "Medicare and You."

What's Covered and What's Not

Medicare insurance pays for physical and occupational therapy and speech language pathology services, counseling, some medical supplies, durable medical equipment (which must meet coverage criteria), as well as general assistance with daily activities which include dressing, bathing, eating, and toileting. For most other medical equipment, Medicare insurance will cover 80% of its cost (3).

However, Medicare will not cover twenty-four hour care at home, meals delivered to your home, and services unrelated to your care such as housekeeping. Of course, as mentioned above, you will be required to pay 20% for medical equipment not fully covered by Medicare insurance such as wheelchairs, walkers, and oxygen tanks (4).

In some cases, your home health care agency may present you with a Home Health Advance Beneficiary Notice (HHABN), which, simply put, means if your agency is ceasing your care services, you will be presented with a written statement outlining the supplies and services the agency believes your Medicare insurance benefits will not cover as well as a detailed explanation of why. Should this situation arise, you do have recourse - the HHABN lists directions on acquiring the final decision on payment issues or filing an appeal if Medicare refuses to cover costs for home health care. In the meantime, you should continue receiving home health care services, but keep in mind that you will be paying for these services out-of-pocket until Medicare accepts your claims and remits past expenses.

Medigap and Other Out-of-Pocket Expenses

Medigap, a supplemental insurance policy, is sold privately and covers the services and supplies not paid for by Medicare insurance. When used in conjunction, Medigap and Medicare can often cover a large majority of the costs of your home health care. Insurance companies offer a variety of different Medigap policies (A through L), but since each one comes with specific benefits, you'll need to compare the highlights closely. Medigap policies vary by cost, and many insurance companies require you to have both Medicare Parts A and B in order to purchase a supplemental plan (5).

For seniors with both Part A and Part B Medicare, your home health care situation is usually covered, save for the 20% out-of-pocket expenses for medical equipment. Just remember to keep track of your Medicare insurance benefits (and Medigap if applicable) by verifying with your physician, home health care agency, and insurance representative. Paying for home health care does not have to cost you an arm and a leg, but do be prepared for the occasional (but necessary) out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Sources

1. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicare and Home Health Care, page 6

2. Medicare website: "Your Medicare Benefits."

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Medicare website: "Medigap (Supplemental Insurance) Policies."








Jill Gilbert is the President and CEO of Gilbert Guide, a comprehensive website helping seniors and their loved ones GilbertGuide.com find a senior care provider along with extensive tools and resources to solve the challenges of aging. She is the author of "Leading by Example," a monthly column in McKnight's Long-Term Care News, the chief industry publication for long-term care providers. Jill has been interviewed for a CBS News special, was a key presenter at the Pennsylvania Assisted Living Association's annual conference, and was recently interviewed on San Francisco TalkBack.

Gilbert Guide was founded on the concept that quality matters, and its primary goal is to educate consumers on a breadth of senior care issues. Visit GilbertGuide.com GilbertGuide.com for a comprehensive provider database, expert advice, and quality assessment tools that help consumers conduct their own "expert" evaluations of providers.