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Tough Times: How to Help a Child Cope

May 9, 2020 by

If you could, you’d surround your child in bubble wrap, never let them get hurt, take away all the possible sources of pain, and give them a lifetime of rainbows and candy sprinkles. Of course, you can’t do that – not even close! But there are plenty of steps you can take to make sure your kids get through life’s tough times with their confidence, optimism, and sense of humor intact. Read on to learn a few tips and tricks for comforting a child when things get rough, without coddling them.

Don’t Be a Pollyanna

One of the most important things you can to do prepare your children for life’s troubles is to acknowledge them. Don’t pretend that everything is OK if it’s not. Teach children that facing problems head on is always a better strategy than hiding under the covers and hoping the boogeymen go away. 

Talk Things Through

Encourage your kids to talk about what they’re feeling. Whether it’s the coronavirus pandemic that’s bugging them, the recent death of a pet, conflicted emotions about becoming a sibling, or anything else, help them tell you what they feel. Rather than grilling them, though, find ways to subtly show that you are listening when they are ready to talk.

Teach Healthy Coping Skills

If you routinely reach for that bottle or wine or bar of chocolate when you are upset, your child will learn to numb her own feelings with food, alcohol, drugs, or other destructive, unhealthy ways to cope. Here are some ideas for healthy coping skills that the whole family can all rely on:

  • Aerobic exercise like a walk or bike ride
  • Meditation or a calming yoga routine
  • Deep breathing exercises
  • Drawing, painting, or doing a craft
  • Taking a bubble bath
  • Talking to a friend or family member
  • Doing an act of kindness for a neighbor or stranger
  • Snuggling and spending quiet time together
  • Gardening or just getting some fresh air
  • Listening to your favorite music and maybe dancing it out!

Help Them Sleep

You know that sleep can be hard to come by when you’re stressed. The same is true for your kids, so give them a helping hand. An extra bedtime story, some lavender essential oil, a white-noise app, a snuggly stuffed animal to cuddle, a soft nightlight, or a gentle backrub as they drift off can all help a child to sleep.

Watch for Signs of Trauma

Think your kids are too young to get stressed out and feel traumatized? Think again. According to the San Diego personal injury lawyers at https://www.thebarnesfirm.com/contact-us/san-diego-personal-injury-attorney, who deal with families in the aftermath of accidents, trauma can happen to anyone, especially if someone is injured in an accident they couldn’t control. If your child shows symptoms of PTSD during a crisis or after an accident, seek out professional help. 

Such signs can include withdrawing, acting out, changes in personality or mood, violent or destructive behavior, or regressing to behavior they’ve otherwise outgrown, such as bedwetting or wanting their binkie back.

Cut Them Some Slack

Do you and your spouse ever let housework slide when you’re worried or overwhelmed? Ever order a pizza or Chinese takeout on a bad day when cooking from scratch is just too much? Cut your kids some slack too. It can make a world of difference. Don’t do this too often; kids need routine even more than usual during difficult days, and chores are a part of that. But it will be OK if they skip picking up their toys now and then or let the dinner dishes wait until tomorrow.

Have as Much Fun as You Can

Lastly, just because you’re dealing with something heavy doesn’t mean you can’t cut loose, laugh, and have a little fun. Heck, make that as much fun as possible! Watch a goofy comedy together, start a (gentle) pillow fight, play games, or just make silly faces at each other until you all start laughing. It will do you all a world of good!Giving your children coping skills and resilience to get through when the going gets rough is one of the best lessons you can teach them. Share your stress-busting strategies and family togetherness tips in the comments!




How To Make Sure Water Is Safe To Drink During Emergencies

April 1, 2020 by

When an emergency happens, water can get contaminated with germs. Since we are dealing with a worldwide coronavirus pandemic, we all need to learn how to protect ourselves and the people we love. 

The best thing that you can do during an emergency is to use bottled water. This is always the safest possible choice. When it is not available, consider the following methods. 

safe water

Boiling Water

When safe bottled water is not available, all the water you consume needs to be boiled. This is a sure way to kill most organisms that cause diseases, like parasites, bacteria, and viruses. 

As you might know, boiled water has a very flat taste. This can be improved by simply pouring it from a container to the next. Then, let the water stand. Alternatively, a pinch of salt can be added for every quart of boiled water. 

When you notice that the water is cloudy, you should filter it through a paper towel, coffee filter or clean cloth. Draw off only clear water and bring it to a rolling boil for a period of at least one minute. Boiled water needs to cool down and you have to then store it inside clean sanitized containers that have tight covers. 

Using Disinfectants

Small quantities of water that is filtered can be made by the use of chemical disinfectants. This includes unscented household chlorine bleach, which is dangerous if improperly used so you have to be extremely careful. Disinfectants can easily kill disease-causing viruses, bacteria but should never be considered as being full-proof. 

In order to disinfect the water with the use of iodine or chlorine tablets, simply follow the instructions offered by the manufacturer. When you use unscented liquid chlorine bleach, look at the active ingredient. Usually, there is around 5% sodium hypochlorite present. Use the internet to find the appropriate bleach amount to add to water. Always respect that. Use a teaspoon, metric measure or medicine dropper and be sure that the mixture was properly stirred. The water has to sit for a minimum of half of an hour before use. 

Using Filters

You can so easily contact Fix It Right Plumbers in Melbourne or specialists in your area in order to install filters in your home or you can even do it yourself. There are also many portable filters that are capable of removing many parasites like Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Choose a water filter that has small pores so that parasites can be removed. Just remember that most of these filters cannot remove harmful viruses and bacteria. 

Always carefully follow the instructions of the manufacturer when you buy the water filter. Also, after you filter, add a good disinfectant, like chlorine dioxide, chlorine or iodine. This is needed to kill the remaining bacteria and most viruses. 

Using Distillation

Last but not least, you can also make your water safe to drink through distillation. This process basically involves boiling water and then collecting steam inside a container to eventually become water again. The process is very simple and literally anyone can do it.




Shielding Your Children from Bad News Can Destroy Them

March 23, 2020 by

“Most things are good, and they are the strongest things, but there are evil things too, and you are not doing a child a favor by trying to shield him from reality. The important thing is to teach a child that good can always triumph over evil.” 

– Walt Disney

As parents, we want to shield our children from the horrors of the world. We would like to have them believe that the world is all rainbows and cupcakes. Many parents go way over to keep pretending that the world is as peachy as they tell their children it is.

protect kids

While we might do everything in our power to shield our children from the dark side of the world, they will eventually come face to face with it. They will be unprepared because we raised them in denial.

The older they get, the difficult it becomes to process new things. It is like realizing whatever they have believed in has all been a fairytale, a lie. They stress out trying to understand the new reality. They often don’t understand it, or if they do, it breaks their spirit.

Not the Gory Stuff

Nobody is telling you to expose your children to the really dark side of everything wrong with the world. That will ruin their little minds anyway. No, what I am saying is to not shield them from something that is very common, and they are going to have to face it in their lives at one point or another.

Things like death, kidnapping, mental health issues, relationship problems between the parents, violence, sexual harassment, etc. are usually hidden from children. We need to expose them to the basics of these things so that they know to identify the patterns if any of these things happen to them.

Balance it Out

When you introduce them to a new horror and teach them how to be safe and how to tackle the situation if need be, make sure to balance it out with something good that the world has to offer.

Children are very impressionable, and if we keep showing them the bad side of the world, they are going to grow up thinking that the world is bad. Remind your children that human nature has a lot of good in it as well. 

Talk to them about the generosity of the global community while you tell them about the dangers of cybercrimes. Use positive sides of things to balance out the negative. This is a good way to help them not lose their innocence and a positive view of the world, but still, be ready to take anything head-on.

Final Thoughts

Yes, the thought of your precious child knowing about the harsh realities makes you squirm, but it is for their own good. While talking about the positive impact of humans may not seem like a big thing, but it can be a source of great comfort when they learn about the big bad wolf.

It is our job to prepare the children for the future, for their adult life. We can’t do that by painting a picture of a world that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Show them the reality but teach them to see the silver lining in every storm.




4 Things to Consider When Choosing a Nursing Home for Your Aging Parents

March 16, 2020 by

 Age turns on everyone at some point, including your beloved parents. Before you know it, you might be considering a home for your parents where they can get the 24/7 help and support they need. This is a difficult decision, and it must be fully considered if you want your parents to have the best experience. 

There are many things that go into making the transition more comfortable for your parents, but one of the best things you can do is choose a nursing home that fits their needs. Unfortunately, not all nursing homes are created equally.

parents at home

Most nursing homes are under or improperly staffed. Reports of abuse, neglect, and oversight abound throughout the U.S. In Illinois, for example, about 41.5 percent of the 723 licensed nursing homes are considered “below average” in their standard of care, according to a report on nursing home negligence.

This is unacceptable for your parents. If you’re unable to care for them, the next best thing is a nursing home that will treat them as if they’re family with the highest standard of care possible. 

Here are a few things to look for in the nursing homes you’re considering.

1. Location

Ideally, you’ll find a nursing home within 20 miles of where you live. If it’s in your neighborhood, that’s even better, so you’ll be able to connect with your aging parents more often. This is not only ideal for your parents’ morale, but you’ll also be close enough to keep tabs on the home and the standard of care. 

The location should not be the only consideration, however. It’s better to choose a fantastic home 30 miles away than one with a bad reputation in your neighborhood. It will make visits slightly more challenging, but you can rest assured that your parents are being treated well.

2. Consider the Amenities 

The amenities in nursing homes vary significantly. Some offer only basic medical care while others are like an all-inclusive resort with gourmet food, activities, classes, and more for your elderly parents to enjoy on the daily.

Of course, the all-inclusive-style facilities will be more expensive, and you’ll have a hard time getting government grants or funding for them. But if money is no object, these nursing homes are the cream of the crop. 

Otherwise, look for a facility in your price range with a good reputation and a few extra amenities like private quarters, assisted living software , chef-prepared meals, and on-site activities. These small things will drastically improve your parents’ quality of life. 

3. Look at the Staff

Most of the problems with nursing homes arise because of problems with individual staff members. There are many issues you can identify from the start to help your parents avoid an abusive or uncomfortable encounter in the home. 

First, look at the staffing ratio. Most nursing homes publish their staffing ratio online according to state law. It might shock you to learn some of the ratios in nursing homes throughout the country. According to Nurse.org, the average RNA and CNA ratios are as follows:

  • 32:1 nurse and 16:1 CNA – Ohio
  • 44:1 nurse and 44:2 CNA – Tennessee
  • 50:2 nurse and 15:3 CNA – New York
  • 66:2 nurse and 66:4 CNA – Illinois
  • 50:1 nurse and 30:1 CNA – Georgia
  • 60:1 nurse and 60:3-4 CNA – Nebraska

This is simply not enough staff to provide the care needed for a large facility. Many nurses report being in charge of 40 patients in one night, which spreads them too thin. Even the best nurses are likely to make a mistake in this environment. 

You’ll also want to examine the staff turnover rates. If the nursing home has a high turnover, it likely means the nurses are being overworked in challenging conditions. 

4. Hold Interviews 

When you’ve completed your research and narrowed your final options, interview a managerial representative. Prepare detailed questions to help you get a sense of how the facility does business and their ideal standard of care. 

Lisa Esposito, a staff writer for U.S. News, suggests several questions to ask before putting your parents in a certain home. Among her list include:

  • How much time do your aids spend with the residents daily? 
  • What services do you have? 
  • What are the results of your nursing home surveys? 
  • How do you prevent bedsores? 
  • How do you avoid infections? 
  • How do you promote diversity? 

The answers to these questions can be telling. A good nursing home will adequately answer all questions, while a poorly managed nursing home will fail the test or potentially refuse an interview altogether. 

You simply can’t be too careful when putting your aging parents in a home. There are many wonderful options out there; do your due diligence to put your parents in the best one.




Things to Look for in a New Primary Care Doctor

March 12, 2020 by

Due to the aging population and various technological advances, the healthcare industry is one that investors should closely monitor. With all the advancements, it is amazing what the medical field is producing and it might be time to learn more about healthcare etf.  Most importantly, doctors have special skills that are helping their patients with many problems and getting them back out to live their lives with health and comfort. 

doctor

While you are doing your research on the financial end, looking for a good doctor is of utmost importance. When it comes to who knows you and your body the best, one of the top people on the list should be your primary care doctor. If your doctor that you go to right now does not make you feel comfortable or take the time to listen to and really get to know you, then you are really missing out on a very important healthcare relationship. This means that it may be time to start looking for a new primary care doctor for you and your family so that you feel as though you are being heard and that your doctor is taking care of all your physical and mental needs when you go in.

Finding the right doctor is one of the most important relationships you can have for your physical and mental well-being and your overall general health. Below are a few things to look for when you start the process of looking for a new primary care doctor.

Ask friends and family for recommendations

Going straight to Google and searching for a new doctor can be very overwhelming as there are probably dozens of options right there in your local area alone. In order to get a real feel for a great family healthcare doctor, ask the people that you trust first. Talk to your close friends and your family members and ask them where they go and if they are satisfied. You will probably get a great list of doctors from this technique alone, but it is important to remember that not everyone looks for the same things that you do. The perfect doctor for your friends may not be the perfect doctor for you, and that is okay.

Find someone who is close to you

Your new primary care doctor is going to be the person you go to see for regularly scheduled health visits and the person you have to go too when you are feeling not so great. For this reason, you want to go to someone who is near to you and easy to access so you do not have to drive too far when you are feeling under the weather. A conveniently located doctor also means that you will be more likely to keep your wellness appointments so you stay healthy as you should.

After getting recommendations, do your own research

This is an important step that a lot of people miss. Many people get a great recommendation and go into a new office totally blind. This should not be something you do. After you get your list of possible new doctors for your family to go see, it is important to do your own research on each person. Make sure that the doctor is board-certified, go through your insurance and ask them to do a quality check for you, and use Medicare.gov to your advantage by looking up a certain doctor to see how high they are rated for quality.

Ask a doctor about their care philosophy

During your very first doctor visit, it is important to make sure that you ask your doctor about his or her philosophy when it comes to treating their patients. For example, you may be a person that likes to get medicine for everything so you can get better as fast as possible and be back to normal in no time, while the doctor you are visiting prefers a more natural and holistic approach to treating patients or vice versa. This could mean that you will clash on what you believe the best type of treatment for your body is and you may be better off with a different doctor who aligns him or herself more with your beliefs. This is important information to consider when deciding to stick with a new doctor or to continue on your search.

Ultimately, it comes down to listening to and trusting your gut. Your instincts will tell you right off the bat if this new doctor is really listening to you and taking into account all of your family’s needs and concerns or if he is trying to rush you out of the door. It is critical that you feel a bond of trust so that you can feel comfortable asking questions and speaking up when you think something is wrong.




Essential First Aid for Parents

February 19, 2020 by

As a parent, you have to be prepared for your child to injure themselves. Children often run around and don’t consider the danger of potential hazards. It’s all apart of being a child and it is good if you, as a parent, can handle any small injuries on your own. When treated properly you can prevent scarring and quicken the healing process. It is also good for you to have some basic knowledge in case of an emergency, being able to act quickly could save their life. 

first aid

This article is designed to give you a rough guide. If you want to learn more about first aid, such as how to use a defibrillator, then you may be able to find a class local to you. The Boston scientific defibrillator lawsuit has resulted in defibrillators being made better. 

Choking

If your baby is choking, then you should pick them up and place them along your forearm or knee. You should place their head downwards to allow gravity to help relieve the obstruction. You then need to apply firm blows on their back which will help to force the object out. For a video guide, click here. If this doesn’t work, then turn them over and apply blows to their chest. 

For a child older than twelve months, you will need to do the same thing but instead of lying them down stand them up and get them to lean forward before hitting their back. If this does not work then grab them under the ribs and pull up firmly. 

It may be difficult for you to hit your child, however, if they are not breathing then you need to get the object out. While you do what you can, get someone else to phone an ambulance. 

Burn

Burns are common amongst young children. You should run a burn under cold water for ten minutes or more to take away all of the heat. Then cover the area with cling film to keep it clean. The cling film will also stop the air from hitting it which can cause pain. 

Febrile seizure

Seizures are common in children because they cannot regulate their body temperatures well. Their skin will become hot, their eyes might roll back and they will twitch and clench their firsts and arch their back. 

This can be scary but the best way to handle it to cool them down. Open a window – cool them down gradually to avoid shock. 

When the seizure is over, place them on their side and tilt their head back. This is the recovery position. 

Prevent further seizures by keeping them cool and hydrated whilst administrating paracetamol. Hospital is not needed but you may want to take them to put your mind at ease. 

Head bump

Children often bump their heads. Usually, it can be treated with something cold – e.g. frozen peas – and lots of cuddles. However, if they are sick, become drowsy or unbalanced, or their behavior changes then take them to the hospital. Symptoms may not present themselves until hours after the injury. 




3 Easy Date Ideas For New Parents

January 27, 2020 by

Having a newborn to take care of takes a lot of your time. If you are a working parent then it becomes more important to give your spouse some rest when you come back. The mom is going to be exhausted, especially in the beginning months, even when she is on maternity leave.

Usually, the pattern of giving all your free time to the baby continues way after it is needed. People get used to the routine. Yes, you love your baby and want to be there for them and take care of them. But, in wanting to do the best for your child, don’t forget your partner.

Family trip to africa

You guys have entered a new phase of life together. Your bond has changed as well. You have become parents, this means new responsibilities. But, you also need to keep your relationship afresh. Many people need to reconnect after their first child is born.

Take some time out of your busy schedule, and enjoy a quiet date at home when your baby is asleep. You don’t have to do anything fancy. A little effort goes a long way. When you are tired and all you have been doing is feeding and changing diapers, a quiet dinner with each other or a cuddled-up movie night can do wonders to lift your spirit. Here are three easy dates that you can have at home.

1. Fancy Dinner Night With TakeAway

Do you remember when you used to go out for fancy dinners for a date? It might seem like it was an eternity ago. Right now, you might not be able to afford to go to a romantic, fancy dinner, but you can always bring the feeling home.

You must be tired to cook food, and might be banking on getting some of your favorite takeaways. Turn your ordinary, sometimes sad looking, takeaway dinner into a fancy dinner night. Put a tablecloth on your coffee table, serve the takeaway food with fancy cutlery, light a few candles, put on some music – now, you have a perfectly intimate dinner setting without much effort.

2. Have a Laid-Back Evening – Ask Questions

When you are busy, trying to juggle housework and taking care of the baby, office work and taking care of the baby, or all three, meaningful conversation gets lost. Your interactions get limited to things regarding your baby. This isn’t healthy in the long run. You can start feeling disconnected in the long run.

Put on some light music in the background, or just sit in your balcony or backyard. Lookout at the sky, watch the sunset together and just talk. Talk till you see the stars twinkling and it is time for bed. Ask each other questions. 

Talk about your feelings, your work, your doubts and fears about parenthood. Remind each other how much you love each other and appreciate the help. You can have snacks or wine with you, and just enjoy each other’s company.

3. Have a Picnic

You must have noticed that most of the ideas are surrounding eating and spending time together because those are two things that you don’t get to do peacefully.

Lay a blanket out in your backyard when the weather is nice. Do it when the stars are out so that you get a romantic ambiance and your baby is asleep. Prepare a picnic basket with either snacks or a proper dinner, and enjoy your evening together.

Final Thoughts

Even when you are by yourselves, chances are you will be worried about your baby. So, to enjoy your time together in peace, you can keep your baby monitor with you, so that you can check up on your baby as soon as they wake up. While taking care of your baby is important, so is strengthening your bond. Find time in everyday things and turn mundane chores into dates with some creativity.




Taking Care of Elderly Parents and Yourself

January 23, 2020 by

If I can, I’d like to get a little personal with this one. This subject matter is one that strikes at the very core of my heart. You may be asking yourselves, what does she mean by this? Before I begin, I think it’s important for everyone to understand that writing in the second or third person is just not suitable for this topic. What I’m referring to is caring for my elderly mom. 

Elderly Community

As I sit here and try to grasp the words to describe how I feel when I look at my 72-year-old mother, it makes me reminisce about the days when she and I were shopping together or having an argument over which color looks best for a particular dress that I’d chosen. It’s a rather difficult topic to write about because, after all, she is the strongest woman that I know. Now, instead of me going to her for support, she’s needing mine. There are moments when I take time to just weep because I remember those days, but then I stop to think that the example she’s given to me as a strong woman has resonated in my mind and spirit to be that strong woman for her.

Caring for an elderly parent can be quite stressful. The number of questions you have in your mind can be overwhelming. You want to know when will my mother get back to being that active and spunky person she once was? The more frightening question is will she ever get back to that point? As you come to grips with all of the possible answers, you realize the sobering reality can be a bit much to bear. Not only does it become mentally draining, but it can also be physically draining. While it is an overwhelming task to care for an aging parent, it is not impossible. You are able to manage your own life while taking care of an elderly parent.

Taking Time for Yourself

This seems like such a selfish task, but a task it is. The reason I refer to it as a task is because throughout the day, when you’re caring for your elderly parent, you can become inundated with the tasks that are required for their well-being. In order for you to maintain your own well-being, you have to put a few tasks on the to-do list for yourself. Things such as taking a walk, reading a book, or listening to a cheerful song can make all the difference in giving you the extra strength you need. 

I remember one time when my mother and I left the doctor’s office, I couldn’t get the thought out of my head of her being hooked up to ecg machines and the like. The doctors needed to run several tests to find out why my mother was having problems. The thought of my mother’s heart not working properly, and this image recurring in my mind, made me feel bogged down and depressed. After I got my mother home and got her settled, I politely asked her if she wouldn’t mind if I took a moment to step outside and walk around the neighborhood. That 15-minute walk did wonders for me. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.

Is Hemp an Answer?

Hopefully, this section will make you laugh. I remember having a conversation with my mother and her telling me she was having problems sleeping. I bluntly asked her, while I was laughing, have you considered smoking hemp? She laughed so hard I thought she was going to hurt herself, but she admitted that the thought did cross her mind. She then went on to make it perfectly clear that if she was going to smoke the stuff she wanted the real stuff, you know, the marijuana. 

We continued laughing and began talking about how much fun we had on our most recent Christmas trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina. That was a fun night. If you or your parents are considering CBD or hemp products, it is important to do it under the care of a physician. Considering their fragile state, you don’t want to do anything that would exacerbate an existing problem.

Keep It in Perspective

As mentioned before, caring for an elderly parent can be quite overwhelming. It can consume your life in so many ways; there’s not enough time in the day to mention them all. Understanding your limits can keep you from becoming so overwhelmed. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. During this difficult time in my life, as I watch my mother become fragile and weak, it helps me when I’m able to reach out to my brother and ask him to step in and look over mom while I take a day for myself. This is not being selfish. This is you taking care of you. If you’re not able to take care of yourself, then you won’t be able to effectively take care of your aging parents. There may be some tasks that you feel no one else can do but you, but I have news for you, other people can do the things that you can do. If you ask them, you’ll find they will be glad to chip in whenever you need them.

I hope this information can provide you with some comfort as you continue your care for your most precious jewels—your parents. Make no mistake about it, you can do this. Your parents will appreciate your care and concern as you help them at this time in their lives.




How to Make the Most of Your Golden Years

January 16, 2020 by

After decades of working hard, raising children, and celebrating everything beautiful that makes your life feel full, crossing the threshold into your golden years will feel like the reward you deserve. And what better reward for your tireless years of making things happen than spending the rest of your lifetime enjoying endless relaxation.

Whether you have dreams of cozying up by the Florida coastline or want to see all that the big-wide-world has to offer, making the most of your golden years starts with figuring out what will make those days the most memorable.

Retirement is about indulging in all of the slow-paced life you deserve to life. Now the golden question is: where to begin? Using this guide, we’ll let you in on the best-kept secrets on how to make the most of your golden years.

Pick up a hobby

Hobbies are a great way to channel your passions into something that brings you joy. Whether it’s a group activity or a solo activity, picking up a hobby is an amazing way to spend your down time, open your social circle, and give your brain a break. 

Without a 9-5 job bogging you down or holding you back from scheduling daytime hobbies like surfing or gardening, you’ll have plenty of time to ruminate over how you’ll tackle your next project or skill.

Not sure about what hobbies or activities are most interesting to you? It never hurts to experiment with a few pastimes before settling on the single one that you could never get sick of. Try these retirement-friendly hobbies:

  • Woodworking
  • Sewing
  • Knitting
  • Writing
  • Jewelry-making
  • Dancing
  • Cross-country skiing

Save up

In order to make the most of your retirement, you’ll likely desire some peace of mind in terms of your financial situation. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can stabilize your income and savings without any nagging fear of falling below the poverty line. Even in retirement, there are a number of ways to stabilize your income and savings—no work necessary. 

Consider these fruitful options:

Open up your social circle

social circle

If you’re like most retirees who find transitioning away from the work world to be rather lonesome, there are a number of ways you can keep your social circles intact without any of the desk jockeying. Opening your mind and heart to new people is a great way to keep a zest of something fresh in your life.

For some retirees, joining a lively retirement community is an easy way to surround yourself with people whereas others may choose to join a book club with like-minded retirees. What matters most is the effort you put toward establishing healthy relationships.

Work on finding your happiness

With so much time at your disposal, there’s no time like the present to figure out what makes you happy. Listening to your heart may have been a bit of a cliché when there was money to be made and children to be raised, but your golden years are about you. Focus on engaging your mind, body, and soul and immersing yourself into the thing that spark joy.

  • Learn something new
    • From studying Mandarin to learning how to bake, adding another skill to your already impressive collection of abilities will activate your mind and keep you young.
  • Exercise
    • Staying active is a crucial part of getting older as it helps you keep your mind and body in tip-top shape. Finding a form of exercise that is equal parts fun and challenging is sure to bring a smile to your face every time you do it.
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteering is a great way to utilize your free time as it gets you involved in your community and it leaves you feeling good, knowing you’ve contributed to making the world a better place.

Your golden years are meant to be the happiest and most relaxed of your life. With these tips, you’ll have all of the insight you need to make your retirement years the best yet.




Birth Injury Guide – when to seek Legal Representation

January 10, 2020 by

The birth of a new baby should be a moment that is filled with joy, happiness and excitement for the future. But when the concerns of the mother aren’t listened to and negligence in the delivery room occurs, that’s when things can take a devastating turn. A birth injury, one either inflicted on the mother or the baby is devastating for everyone involved. It can have life changing consequences, and when this event was the fault of the medical team it’s even more distressing. Here we’ll look at some of the most common birth injuries and when to seek legal representation. 

injury

Brain injuries

There are a wide range of birth injuries. Ranging from varying types of cerebral palsy to oxygen deprivation and trauma. Here are some of the most common brain injuries in a birth injury case.

  • A brain injury caused by an undiagnosed infection that has spread to the brain. 
  • Asphyxia – brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen. Often caused by the umbilical cord becoming tangled around the baby’s neck. 
  • Bleeding on the brain
  • A brain injury caused by trauma – possibly caused by improper use of medical equipment such as forceps/ventouse. 

You baby could make a full recovery from an injury such as these or they could have a life long disability. This is determined by the severity of the injury and the area of the brain affected. 

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is an issue that effects the motor skills and muscle movement. And is usually happens before or during your baby’s birth. Your doctor has a duty of care towards you and your baby, which means keeping you both safe and delivering your baby safely is their number one priority. If your baby suffers one of the injuries below that results in cerebral palsy, then they could be negligent and legally accountable. 

  • A catastrophic bleed on the brain
  • Lack of oxygen
  • Fever and undiagnosed infection 
  • Negligence from the medical team
  • Heart attack/stroke

Erb’s Palsy

Sometimes a mother may need help to have her baby, especially if your baby’s shoulder becomes stuck behind your pubic bone – shoulder dystocia. This is when your medical team will intervene and help your baby to be born. Often this will go ahead without issue, however if your baby’s neck is stretched too far then damage can be caused to their nerves resulting in Erb’s Palsy. Erb’s Palsy is a condition where your child’s arm, hand or shoulder is paralysed. Often they will recover, however they will need subsequent medical treatment and even physiotherapy. The common causes of Erb’s Palsy are below:

  • Excessive pulling of the baby’s neck during delivery
  • Pulling on the baby’s feet (breech position)

When to seek legal representation

Considering a legal case is a big step, which is why if you and your baby have suffered due to a negligent medical team you should speak with a lawyer first. If your case is successful then you will be able to secure financial security for your child and their ongoing medical care. It will also highlight the negligence of the team involved and hopefully stop this from happening again. 




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