Hiring an In-Home Caregiver
Here’s a column in the Logan Daily News in Ohio where someone writes into a Senior Living columnist for advice - a Dear Abby of sorts (FYI, Dear Abby still exists online). This particular question was dealing with tips when hiring an in-home caregiver. There are a few helpful considerations presented in the article that can help define your strategy (i.e., define your needs, using an agency or finding a qualified aide through other means, etc.). There are some pros and cons to these and other considerations, but thinking through them will help you make a better decision.
Need a Good Samaritan? There’s An App for That.
It’s been a while since I posted something from the Good News Network, but its one of my “go-to” resources to get a little inspiration in the middle of often depressing news cycles. This app alerts nearby users to medical emergencies. It’s called the “GoodSAM” app and is being used in Australia. This is not a substitute for first responders, etc., and without proper controls and verification, it could open doors to all kinds of “bad things”, but currently it is helping save thousands of lives. Currently there are over 40,000 trained volunteers in their international alert system and people have responded to over 8,000 calls. I could see something like this playing well in a caregiver space.
Co-Parenting Apps to Help Parents More Effectively Parent Together When Separated / Divorced
Parenting is a challenge regardless of the home life situation, etc. but it can be more difficult to stay on the same page when the nucleus of the family is divided by distance or relationship splits. Keeping each other on the same page can be extremely difficult to do, but here is a list of some apps out there that try to help parents and their kids continue to function more as a “unit” versus a divided household. Admittedly, when emotions are strained, this can be very hard to do, but if committed, technology like this can help make sure both parents are working together for their kids rather than working against each other. Manage schedules, chores, responsibilities and more through these apps.
Bicycle Safety Tips
This article from the Virginia Beach Legal Examiner walks through some helpful things to consider as we enjoy summer weather on the roads - on our bikes. The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NTHSA) estimates around 45,000 bicycle accidents and 800 or so fatalities on bikes happen each year. One pet peeve I have is that I see so many kids riding on the wrong side of the road on their bikes. While I know that it can be unnerving to go with traffic, the likelihood of being seen by a driver and their ability to react to your presence is so much better when biking with traffic AND drivers won’t “have” to veer into oncoming traffic to avoid you. These tips are fairly rudimentary, but are always worth a refresher.
Downsizing / Selling Off Some Old Heirlooms?
Here’s an article about some of the things you should know when looking into appraising the value of the things in your home. If you are like me, you always worry whether or not your haste to de-clutter could be costing you money OR whether or not what you have is just junk. Understanding a little more about the appraisal process will go a long way in helping to make sure your expectations around an estate sale are grounded in reality. One important distinction on terms, an appraisal is a legally accepted opinion whereas an evaluation has no legal standing - think certified appraiser versus pawn shop.
