PowerOptions option trading

PowerOptions is good for anyone like me that has no idea what to look for in stocks but would like to learn. After I spent some time looking around their website I was able to find articles on options trading for things like "Warning Signs That Tell You When To Dump A Stock". Providing toll-free customer support and a complete suite of educational materials, PowerOptions can help you figure out the options trading game.

Their patented SmartSearchXL® technology, not available anywhere else, will help you find, compare, analyze, and make money on stock option trading. Find out about the iron condor and other strategies by visiting their website. You can get a free 14-day trial of PowerOptions, access to their online User Guide, toll-free support, and their PowerOptions Performance Guarantee. Just visit the PowerOptions website at the link above to find out more.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Caregivers Resources

I found this while I was pinging around, but have not had a chance to look it over very well so it goes here for further investigation at a later date.

The Caregivers Resources at National Caregivers Library. They bill themselves as "one of the most extensive online libraries for caregivers that exist today."

It definitely looks like a site that deserves a closer look later on, so I want to be able to find it again to see if it is something I want to create a link from FamilyCaregiver.info to.

Physical Therapy: Range of Motion

The volume on this is really really soft, so you will need to turn up your computer sound to hear what she is saying. These arm circle exercises are part of the range of motion part of physical therapy and will help to keep the shoulder joints in good condition for dressing and bating and other tasks. If the care recipient is paralyzed on one side you can gently move the arm for them, to keep the shoulder joint from locking up, just be careful and consult a physical therapist on the proper procedure before you try.

This is one of the exercises I learned to do with my dad after his stroke.

Service Network moving company matching system

One of the factors of becoming a full-time family caregiver for one or both of your parents is that quite often either you or your parents needs to move. It can be difficult to coordinate moving someone across the hallway, when it comes to moving across the state or even across the country you want to be sure that you can find reputable movers that can help you move with the least amount of headaches.

Service Network hopes to be able to help you with that by use of their moving company matching system website. This website is a network of moving companies that you can search for a Cheap Moving Company to help you with your moving needs while still being assured that the company you hire is fully licensed and insured. Moving companies are required to pass an application process and must meet a number of qualifying factors to be eligible for acceptance by Service Network's moving company matching system. And Service Network even has a dispute resolution center on the site, so you can get any problems that might occur during the move settled easily.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

The Jump and Run Effect

One of the things that you quickly learn when you are a caregiver is that you have to jump and run when you are needed. It has got to be such second nature for me that if I hear my mom or dad say something that even sounds vaguely like they want me to show up, I abandon what I am up to and go to see what they need. Thankfully I have developed a little bit of an understanding on which calls are urgent and which I can likely delay a minute or two on, so I can usually finish typing in a thought before I run, but there are times, like a few minutes ago, when I just take off like a bolt and when I get back in here I have no idea what I was going to talk about. So, you get this post instead and a small bit of a warning; If you find yourself in the role of a family caregiver, watch out for those "drop everything and run" moments. Once you assume the responsibility of caregiver it puts anything you are doing second place to the needs of your care recipient.

My Friendship Rose

I took a photograph of the rose that is in bloom out in the yard and made up a friendship picture with it. Isn't this a lovely rose? That light purplish tint is natural to the rose, not an effect of the lighting. I told mom that I want to plant the entire yard in these roses next year. It just opened up into such a perfect rose with a color that when seen for real is just breathtaking.

Click picture to see it full size. If you want to borrow it please save it to your own server and provide a link back to one of my sites. Thank you. It would be really kewl if you could ask others to please do the same if they borrow it. Thanks!

Shop online for major appliances in your area

Family caregivers know time is a valuable thing. When you need a new appliance you don't want to spend hour after hour looking through one local stores after another just to find out what is available in your area. Then you have to go back home to do research on them and decide which one to buy, only to make another trip out to the store to make the purchase.

I like the Krillion website, which makes it easy to shop online based on major manufacturing brands or the kind of appliance that you are looking for. You just type the appliance type or brand name, or a combination such as Whirlpool Ovens, into the search bar at the top of the screen. Then type your city, state and zip code into the next section (pull down menu that will hold the information for you if you want to search different cities). And finally hit the search button. It's that fast and easy to find what is available in your area.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Grandparents Day and the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007

Went to check up on H.R.1161, the bill that is intended to amend title II of the Social Security Act to credit caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service.

The bill is caught up in the Subcommittee on Social Security as of March 7th. I can see this bill falling out the same way that H.R. 175: Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005 did. Dead in committee.

We need to poke them people, send them a card and ask them to please support bills like this. If we don't they will never care about it. Maybe a letter writing campaign in November for National Family Caregiver Month? I had meant to suggest one for Mother's Day and Father's Day but forgot about it, my friend suggested looking up when Grandparents day is and everyone send them a card then. Maybe have your kids send in a card on Grandparents day asking congress to please help family caregivers care for grammas and grampas?

"President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. For 2007, Grandparents Day falls on Sept. 9th.." - source: grandparents-day.com


H.R.1161
Title: To amend title II of the Social Security Act to credit prospectively individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service.
Sponsor: Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] (introduced 2/16/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 3/7/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Today's My Dad's Birthday

Today is my dad's birthday, so we're planning on probably going somewhere for a picnic. Beautiful sunny day for it, There are some vague clouds out there but nothing that looks like it is going to be a problem. If we go I plan to take along my camera, get some good scenery pictures. I am not really a person photographer, I prefer to take pictures of the scenery. If we end up up in Hatcher Pass that is a lovely place to take nice scenic pictures. My scheme right now, since my camera don't have a very large memory built into it and I don't have a spare card for it, is to see if I can load the program onto my laptop before we leave so I can take the laptop with me and when my camera is full I can turn the laptop on and download things to it. Should work good I think.

Know an expecting mother? Check out The Nest Baby Shop

Babies are a little treasure that deserve to be doted upon. I have a niece that is expecting her second child in a few more months here. It is not always easy to find something that is just right for a baby, I have shopped for a lot of baby things over the years (aunt and great aunt to a *lot* of kids, then there are the kids of friends I have had over the years - it means a lot of baby stuff shopping.)

Anyway, I know it can be hard to find something special that stands out and is not just a carbon copy of things every other baby in the nursery has, which is why I like the things that they have over at The Nest Baby Shop. They have some unique personalized baby gifts, many items that include free personalization.

The Nest Baby Shop has baby shower supplies too. Fun stuff to make the party memorable such as invitations, games and favors. And they are not just for expecting mothers either, they have stuff for babies up to three years old, so if you know someone that is having a party for a little one this is a great way to find something special for that too.



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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Looking for ideas for caregiver films

I want some assistance from anyone that has ideas to share. I want to create some stop motion films that characterize family caregiving. Does anyone have any suggestions on what would be good film-able snapshots of being a caregiver? I was thinking I would try to do some stop motion for range of motion type exercises and so forth, but I'm open to any suggestions that anyone might have. I want to create a series of films that I can upload to FamilyCaregiver.info when I get it finished. Thanks!

Got me some One-A-Day vitamins

I got me some vitamins when I was in town the other day. The One-A-Day All-Day Energy multivitamins. I have been taking them for just two days so far, but they seem to be starting to help a little. It's going to take probably a week I assume before I actually see any difference from when I wasn't taking them, but I seem to be doing better in focusing and getting out to do things.

I had got my mom some of the women's 50+ vitamins, but I haven't asked her yet how she's doing on them.

Gold Coins as an Investment

If you have been looking for a lasting investment you truly should look into investing in precious metals. Metals such as gold and silver have value that is proven to last. Throughout the history of mankind gold has been highly prized for use as decoration and as a valuable investment.

One of the best ways to invest in gold is in gold coins purchased from a coin dealer. Having a U.S. monetary value, gold coins such as the U.S. Gold American Eagle coins are a beautiful investment for your future or the future of a loved one.

Visit the Monex Deposit Company website (at the link above) to find out more about the current value of gold and options for investing in precious metals.




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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

White begonia from yard

I went out walking around the yard yesterday taking pictures of the flowers we have out there for my new Alaska Yard and Garden website I am working on. I was really happy when I managed to get a good shot (after several dozen tries) of the white begonia. This flower is on the porch and was by far the hardest to get a good picture of because it kept blurring to all white. I finally got it though and I am happy with the results.

Begonias are one of my mom's favorite flowers. The shelves this one is on are actually filled with a wide variety of begonias in various colors.

My Dad's Birthday is fast approaching - it's tomorrow!

Tomorrow is my dad's birthday. We have plans to take him out for a drive around for his birthday, out somewhere for a nice picnic. I'll have to set my DVD recorder, don't want to miss Burn Notice when it premiers the 28th. I'm sure that my dad'll enjoy that series, and I really want to check it out too.

I still have not got dad anything for his birthday, but I have no idea what to get him. It's frustrating. You would think that I would have a good idea what he would like/need, but nope, I have been drawing blanks all month. Maybe I can download him a few books on tape from the Internet and burn them to CD for him to listen to in his radio/DVD player... hmmm...

Building Sandcastles in Cyberspace

I went out to the Beaches website and played with their castle builder a little while ago (okay, a few hours ago - I got lost and was having fun and ended up building a huge castle LOL). Check out my creation -

I was having a great time just playing with the watering can to erase parts of sections and creating whole new castle variations. Only problem is, I can't find the link back to where my creation is stored. ::sigh:: Of course, that just meant that I for to play in the sand some more and you can tell that broke my little heart. LOL

I went back and made another castle, here it is...

(click for better view)

Getting more extravagant and playing with the colors and flag colorations for dimensional effects. This has got to be one of the kewlest of the Flash toys that I have found online, and building Sandcastles is the perfect distraction for a summer afternoon and to get you in the mood for a nice beach side vacation.

Oh! And when your picture is saving, make sure that you try to click on the beach ball. (You'll see what I mean.)

My only wish is that you could find castles you had made before or use someone else's as a e-card. I can't find the page for 3 Kingdoms Castle again. ::pouts:: The add ons can not be shifted around or changed in size either, I wanted to make the starfish smaller and step the flags down in size as they went back on the Phantasy Castle. Ah well, it still looks cool and I had a great time making them. Go check it out, it's kewl!

June 21st and summer rolls in on a storm

It was an interesting thing last night and I am still trying to decide if it was a good omen or a bad omen. Summer kicked off with a huge thunder and lightning storm rolling through here. We got some of the most impressive flashes of lightning I have seen this side of the Washington/Canada border. It started up around 11 PM and ran through to around two in the morning. Now I am trying to decide if starting summer off with a summer storm is a good omen or a bad omen.

:::shakes head to get rid of the image of a girl in a gingham dress clutching a terrier asking the storm "Are you a good omen or a bad omen?":::

Anyway! It is beautiful and sunny out there today, which is odd. Since the 16th we have had days start out as beautiful as can be and by evening a thunderstorm has rolled in. The other night I was out on my ATV and had to race straight into a huge black thunderhead trying to get home before the storm reached me. I'm scared of lightning, so that was one wild ride.

I took some video of the lightning last night, I'll see if there are any decent flashes on the camera later and load them up if there are. While I was filming one of them lightning flashes took out the power, so from about midnight to 1:45 we had no power.

The cancer that every woman should know more about

There has been a new website set up to provide information about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options of cervical cancer. The fifth most common cancer in women worldwide, there are approximately 471,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

Check out the Cervical cancer and HPV information at Cervicalcancer.org for more information about the risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer.

This form of cancer is more common in women age 40+ and seems to be more pronounced as age is progressed. Another recognized cause is poor diet - something that many family caregivers suffer from as a result of being too busy caring for others to properly see to their own health needs.

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HPV stands for 'human papilloma virus' and is a a main risk factor for cervical cancer.

Early morning wake-up calls

I was woke up at 6 this morning by my dad, yes that is six a.m., because the radio had apparently said that it was one in the afternoon. All I can figure is that he had been only about half listening to something that said it was going to come on at one this afternoon and misunderstood what they meant. I got him a second clock that now sits on his nightstand so he can confirm the time in the future rather than thinking he slept in really late. There is a clock above his bed, but it's on the left side of him so he can't really see it well laying on the bed. This one on the nightstand should work better.

Burn Notice, new original series on USA June 28th

Okay, I don't watch very much television, you all know my favorite show by now I am sure, but my dad and I may just have a new series to watch. The USA Network has one called Burn Notice coming out on my dad's birthday that I think just looks kewl. It's about a CIA operative that gets fired, well, if you check out the previews at the official page for USA Network's Burn Notice you can see what the basic idea of the series is. Basically CIA agents are not just fired, they are 'burned'.

Michael Westen, played by Jeffery Donovan, is out on assignment when he gets a "Burn Notice", which pretty much means that no one will touch him because someone has told all the other intelligence agencies that he is unreliable. This is not good. It also makes it hard to find work since he wants to keep trying to find out who burned him and why, so he turns to the only job that lets him make use of his skills. Private investigator.

That could make for a very kewl series if they do it right. I also can't wait to see Bruce Campbell in action again. Love that guy's stuff and he's apparently going to have a regular role in this series as the guy watching over Michael for the Feds.

My creative little mind has, of course, been working overtime on just what a former spy would do to get the job done as a PI while trying to lay low and not draw attention to himself. When my friend and I was talking this over last night as we talked about the show such things came up in snickered discussion about fake glasses and newspapers and such, but really, anyone that watched TV when Mac was on knows that a man can do damn near anything if he has the proper thought processes, a pencil, a stick of chewing gum and a roll of Duct tape. Right?

I could go into explanations on how someone makes an air powered dart gun using a can of compressed air for removing dust from keyboards, a strip of paper and a needle, but we really don't want the kiddies trying that trick out, do we? Fire extinguishers are a tried and true fictional staple of the makeshift weapon for immobilizing a person without killing them. I'm a horrible muse abusing person, so I have trouble thinking of non-lethal ways to deal with people, but then, my mom always told me that my grandfather said if a man's worth pointing a gun at he's worth shooting and if he's worth shooting he's worth killing.

There are things other than weapons that spies turned PI's would need, though. How about being able to disguise one of them fancy digital lock picking systems you see on TV as a cellular phone or PDA? Maybe get a beeper that is a one shot tranquilizer or ohhh... build a small needle with truth serum into a lock / alarm fob deal for car keys. Just press one button to disarm a safety on it, then the other button to release the needle? Diabetic test needle things would work great for that as well. He could just carry around a little case of what are normally insulin injections but instead they are assorted stuff like truth serum or acids to melt out a lock or whatever.

Okay, enough of that, LOL, what more serious sort of things might a spy have up his sleeve when he is most likely investigating things like cheating spouses and insurance fraud?

He would of course need ways to collect fingerprints and take covert pictures. Both of them are easy enough. You can get a fingerprint using powdered pencil lead or talcum powder and a bit of scotch tape. Cameras can be disguised as anything now days.

Okay, I'll shut up about Burn Notice now and go back to reading over the website, I want to find out more about what Bruce Campbell's role in that series is, (they have an interview with him on the site! I want to watch that). You go check it out when you have a few minutes to spare, and at least watch the premier on June 28th (yup, that's my Dad's birthday lol), 10/9c on USA. It should be a good series, and I think my dad'll love it, so I definitely need to put it on for him that night.

Got some gold for my birthday

For my birthday a few days ago me and mom and dad went went up into Hatcher Pass with my sister, played around in the public gold mining area for a little while (until my sister's dog came back with porcupine quills in him) then had to head back home. Ah well, there was a nasty thunderstorm up there and I am scared of lightning, so I guess it's just as well we headed back early.

I did manage to find a tiny bit of gold dust and some flour gold though. Well... you need a microscope to see most of it, but hey, I got some Alaskan gold for my birthday so I am not about to complain lol. Granted, I had to go out and pan it out of the stream myself, but it's gold.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

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I got this over at Photobucket and it just looked so perfect for saying happy father's day that I snagged it for my blogs. I have no idea who to credit for this picture, so if anyone knows the original source please let me know. Thanks.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Just thought I'd get a little festive here for my birthday.

::tosses confetti at the blog::

Take a summer vacation with the whole family - and see a wedding too!

It is so easy when you are a caregiver to loose track of time and neglect things that you have been meaning to do. Things like getting out and taking the kids on a vacation. You can still get out this summer and enjoy a vacation in Orlando Florida.

Just check out OrlandoFunTickets.com and all of the discounted tickets they have, things like Walt Disney World Ticket's and tickets to Universal Studios as well as other great attractions and dinner shows.

OrlandoFunTickets.com guarantees that they will have the lowest prices and you can get Disney tickets for different days and for from one to ten days. You can truly plan your Disney vacation your way to allow you and your family to enjoy your vacation the way that you want to.

Check out the other great attractions as well, there are a lot of different theme parks and dinner shows to choose from. So get out there and take a break as you take the family on the vacation of a lifetime this summer!

Be sure you check out Tony N Tina's Wedding too, the dinner show that makes you a guest at a wedding. True family fun for everyone in the family.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Revamping sites

I'm working on some things that should be good additions to the Family CARE website, I'll let you know when I get them worked out and ready for viewing. They should be good if they work how I want them too. I'll be revamping all my websites and blogs over the next week or two, so if you have any suggestions for things that you would like to see included or expanded please let me know either here in a comment or by e-mail at: sandra [at] phantascene [dot] com Thanks!

Family Caregiver - Use of community resources

In 2005 the Western Journal of Nursing Research published an article on the usage of community resources by family caregivers of loved ones with dementia. The results should be no surprise to anyone that is a caregiver.

Taking data from the National Caregiver Training Project,Karen M. Robinson (University of Louisville, School of Nursing), Kathleen C. Buckwalter (University of Iowa), and David Reed (University of Iowa, College of Nursing) separated the spouse and adult child caregivers into two groups based on the amount of resources that were used each week. They determined that 64% of the caregivers did not use professional services. 79% did not use respite services. And 65% did not use other services.

If the caregiver was a spouse the odds if them turning to community resources was even less than for adult children.

The study also stated that resource use was also related to the care recipient's problems with activities of daily living and frequency of memory and behavioral problems, but the study was not clear on if the effect was increased use or decreased likelihood of use. As a caregiver I an make a very good guess that they mean there was a significant decrease in the likelihood of the caregiver turning to community resources in a case where the care recipient needs help with more than one or two activities of daily living and/or with the increase of memory and behavioral problems.

If anyone knows of a more recent study on this I would love to hear about it, or a study on care recipients that are not affected by dementia. Thanks.

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Robinson, Karen M., Buckwalter, Kathleen C., Reed, David
Predictors of Use of Services Among Dementia Caregivers
West J Nurs Res 2005 27: 126-140

2006 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award recognizes Capella student's contributions to cyber security

A master's degree student studying education with an emphasis on enrollment management at capella university, Tammy Alexander is the director for information assurance and cyber security training at Fountainhead College of Technology in Knoxville, Tenn. She is also the recipient of the 2006 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award.

The award publicly recognizes individuals or organizations efforts to make a difference in their communities through working to deter violence and drugs and was presented to Alexander for her contributions to cyber security, the law enforcement community and Infragard - a FBI program that aims to improve and extend information sharing between private industry and the government, particularly the FBI, when it comes to critical national infrastructures.

"Critical infrastructures are those physical and cyber-based systems essential to the minimum operations of the economy and government. These systems are so vital, that their incapacity or destruction would have a debilitating impact on the defense or economic security of the United States." - President William J. Clinton, 1998

About Capella University
Founded in 1993, Capella University is an accredited* online university that offers graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology, and bachelor’s degree programs in business and information technology. Within those areas, Capella currently offers 82 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 16 certificate programs. The online university currently serves more than 17,900 students from all 50 states and 56 countries. It is committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth. Capella University is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company, headquartered in Minneapolis. For more information, please visit capella.edu or call 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552).


* Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), ncahlc.org.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Family Caregiver - Nursing Home Placement of Relative With Dementia

If you have been a regular reader of my blog here, then you know that I am not a fan of placement of care recipients in nursing home environments. There are times, however, when it might be the only option and because of that knowledge my interest was caught by a 2004 study in the Journals of Gerontology titled "Family Caregiver Satisfaction With the Nursing Home After Placement of a Relative With Dementia"

The study examined the satisfaction of the family caregiver after placement of the care recipient Alzheimer disease or a related dementia in a nursing home.

The study involved 285 family caregivers and the determination was reached that "If family satisfaction is to be achieved, family presence in a nursing home needs to give caregivers a sense of positive involvement and influence over the care of their relative." Otherwise, the study determined that "Only one caregiver characteristic (work participation) and one organizational resource (rural/urban location) predict satisfaction."

I might be biased by my own experiences with nursing homes, but what I'm getting from that is that caregivers that place their loved one in a nursing home are only likely to be satisfied with the nursing home in the case of their ability to return to work and only if the nursing home is in a rural area which would likely provide a more relaxed and stress reduced experience for both the caregiver and the care recipient. Family caregivers also want to feel like they are still part of the caregiving process and have the ability to assist with the needs of their loved one.

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Tornatore, Jane B., Grant, Leslie A.
Family Caregiver Satisfaction With the Nursing Home After Placement of a Relative With Dementia
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2004 59: S80-88

Power Glove Heart Rate Monitor

Check this out! It is a glove that monitors heart rate for exercising. Now, while this thing has so-so reviews for use as an exercise tool, I am thinking it might work good as a way to keep tabs on a care recipient's heart rate.

You can get these for men or women, or save buy buying one of each.

Situations where you have a normally bed resting or low exercise care recipient out on a excursion or something and want to keep an eye on their heart rate for how they are faring on the outing maybe?

I'm sure that anyone that has a need for monitoring their or a care recipient's heart rate has already come up with a lot of other reasons, so I'll just hush up and go find something else to look at. Just figured I would call this to you all's attention.

Another view of the glove -

Student at Capella University Receives 2006 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award

In February the Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation presented the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award to Tammy Alexander for her significant contributions to cyber security, Infragard, and the law enforcement community.

A master's degree student at capella university, Alexander is studying education with an emphasis on enrollment management. As the director for information assurance and cyber security training at Fountainhead College of Technology in Knoxville, Tenn., Alexander's responsibilities include developing and conducting cyber security awareness lectures and workshops. She is also Vice President on the Board of Advisors for the Infragard Knoxville Members Alliance, a FBI program that aims to improve and extend information sharing between private industry and the government, particularly the FBI, when it comes to critical national infrastructures.

About Capella University
Founded in 1993, Capella University is an accredited* online university that offers graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology, and bachelor’s degree programs in business and information technology. Within those areas, Capella currently offers 82 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 16 certificate programs. The online university currently serves more than 17,900 students from all 50 states and 56 countries. It is committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth. Capella University is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company, headquartered in Minneapolis. For more information, please visit capella.edu or call 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552).


* Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), ncahlc.org.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Type 2 diabetes causes 50% faster muscle loss in legs of elderly

Do you, or your care recipient have type two diabetes?

If so then you might be interested in knowing that it is not just you (or them) that is having trouble with things like walking for very long or getting up even short flights of stairs.

A study on seniors with (type 1 and 2) diabetes, and those without it, was conducted and the results of the study printed in Diabetes Care. The study determine that older adults with type 2 diabetes have an accelerated loss of leg muscles strength and quality as compared to those without diabetes. They detected no difference between those with and without diabetes in the strength and quality of muscles in the arms.

What this means is that if you, or your care recipient, has no trouble with getting up to go do something but then finds that they have to sit down and just have no more strength, or while shopping are constantly looking for a bench to sit on, then it might be because of type two diabetes effecting the muscles in your (or their) legs.

The study was conducted on 1,840 older adults aged 70–79 years. The leg and arm muscle mass and strength was examined at baseline and then again three years later.

Dr. Seok Won Park, the lead investigator on the study, told Reuters Health:

elderly adults with diabetes lose leg muscle strength about 50 percent faster than their peers without diabetes.

I will be keeping an eye on this subject, since my mom has type two diabetes and has problems with reduced strength in her leg muscles. Keep an eye out here for additional information on this as I locate it. (I'll file it all under 'Diabetes'.)

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Sources:
Reuters Health

Seok Won Park, Bret H. Goodpaster, Elsa S. Strotmeyer, Lewis H. Kuller, Robert Broudeau, Candace Kammerer, Nathalie de Rekeneire, Tamara B. Harris, Ann V. Schwartz, Frances A. Tylavsky, Yong-wook Cho, Anne B. Newman, and for the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study
Accelerated Loss of Skeletal Muscle Strength in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: The Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study
Diabetes Care 30: 1507-1512; published online before print as 10.2337/dc06-2537

Eldercare Locator

The Eldercare Locator is a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging that is designed to help you find the assistance that you need.

You can use the easy to navigate Eldercare Search to help you in locating resources in your area, or you can call toll-free and speak with an Eldercare Locator information specialist at 1-800-677-1116 between 9a.m. and 8p.m. (ET) Monday thru Friday.

Capella student presented the 2006 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award

Since 1990 the Federal Bureau of Investigation has awarded The FBI Director's Community Leadership Award to individuals or organizations as a way to publicly recognize the achievements of the individual or organization's efforts to make a difference in their communities through working to deter violence and drugs.

The Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation presented the 2006 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award to Tammy Alexander for her significant contributions to cyber security, Infragard, and the law enforcement community. (Infragard is a FBI program that aims to improve and extend information sharing between private industry and the government, particularly the FBI, when it comes to critical national infrastructures.)

Alexander is a master's degree student at capella university, an online university, where she is studying education with an emphasis on enrollment management. The director for information assurance and cyber security training at Fountainhead College of Technology in Knoxville, Tenn., Alexander's responsibilities include developing and conducting cyber security awareness lectures and workshops.


About Capella University
Founded in 1993, Capella University is an accredited* online university that offers graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology, and bachelor’s degree programs in business and information technology. Within those areas, Capella currently offers 82 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 16 certificate programs. The online university currently serves more than 17,900 students from all 50 states and 56 countries. It is committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth. Capella University is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company, headquartered in Minneapolis. For more information, please visit capella.edu or call 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552).


* Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), ncahlc.org.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Milk cancels out tea's heart-healthy benefits

I was reading through my June issue of Shape magazine and found an entry in the Eat Right News section where they say that adding milk to English Breakfast tea can cancel out the tea's heart-healthy benefits. This is according to a study by Verena Stangl, MD.

Shape magazine quoted the European Heart Journal as the source of their information, so I went on a search and located the article online to check what it says myself.

The article, which appeared in the European Heart Journal, was first received by the Journal in September of 2006 and Published in January 2007.

The study is credited to: Mario Lorenz, Nicoline Jochmann, Amélie von Krosigk, Peter Martus, Gert Baumann, Karl Stangl and Verena Stangl. With Stangel listed as the corresponding author.

The study included 16 women who drank either freshly brewed black tea, black tea with 10% skimmed milk, or boiled water as control.

The flow-mediated dilation* was found to be significantly improved when black tea was consumed as compared to plain boiled water, however the "addition of milk completely blunted the effects of tea".

Additional tests supported the findings, leaving the conclusion that milk counteracts tea's health effects on vascular function.

The study determined the cause was the caseins in the milk, which they determined likely formed complexes with the catechins in the tea.


Source:
Mario Lorenz , Nicoline Jochmann , Amélie von Krosigk , Peter Martus , Gert Baumann , Karl Stangl , and Verena Stangl
Addition of milk prevents vascular protective effects of tea
European Heart Journal Advance Access published on January 2, 2007, DOI 10.1093/eurheartj/ehl442.
Eur Heart J 28: 219-223.
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*I assume that meaning the flow of blood through the blood vessels??? I'm not a doctor, so not sure.

Better View of Angled Measure Cups

Well, mean old Blogger won't let me add a picture to that last post for some reason, so here is a better view of those measuring cups.

Angled Measure Cups are a great idea for seniors

I hate to have to crouch down to see where the level in my measuring cup is, even thinking a few times to put a small shelf at eye level to cure the problem. I just found the perfect solution though, and can see where it would be perfect for anyone that has trouble bending down to check the measure or that has a problem holding a measure cup steady to lift it and check it.

The angled measuring cup allows you to read them from above. You can buy a set of three from Amazon for under $20 (4 cup, 2 cup and 1 cup measures), or just buy a single one if all you need is a one cup measure, they're under $6 at Amazon.

Bonus I like is the easy grip handle, making it even better for or anyone that might have trouble gripping the handle on the cup.

They are plastic and dishwasher safe, they are not intended for microwave use.

South Boston Real Estate

Becoming a full-time family caregiver brings about changes. One of those changes is in where you and or your care recipient live. Whether you are looking to sell your parent's home, sell your own home to move in with your parents in their home, and buy a larger home... the list goes on. And if your looking for any of this in the South Boston area, then the Seaport Realty Group would like for you to have them on your list as well.

They are a proven leader in sales and listings in the south boston real estate community, and have been in business there since early in 2002. The team of talented and experienced professionals at Seaport Realty Group have more than 50+ years of combined real estate sales experience and they are a full service, independent realty company. The experience that their Realtors have has helped them to achieve top ranking in sales since 2003 based on MLS and LINK statistics.

Located in the heart of South Boston’s main retail district, the Seaport Realty Group is a recognized leader that provides real estate brokerage service throughout the greater Boston region. The coverage area for the Seaport Realty Group includes: the communities of South Boston, Dorchester, the Seaport District, South End, Back Bay, Waterfront, as well as the surrounding towns of Quincy and Milton.

Right now the real estate industry is changing, getting more sophisticated and challenging as it continues to grow. Both buyers and sellers can benefit by having a professional that understands the industry and is in a position to stay ahead of the game. And Seaport Realty Group understands that the Internet is now the most powerful tool for homebuyers and sellers, that is why their website provides a comprehensive suite of on-line home buying and selling tools to help inform and guide buyers and sellers through their real estate transactions.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Yo Yo diet strikes back

Between helping my parents and working and this and that and the other thing I have been snacking on munchies all week and not getting enough actual exercise. The result? I put on 4 pounds from what I had a few weeks ago. :-( Still within my "I am okay with this weight" range though, so that at least makes me happy. I need to get back into regular exercises and such though, get that weight off and lose the rest I want to lose.

Roses and lilacs in the yard, oh my!

I got my mom's red climbing rose planted finally. It is next to the porch where it can climb up the supports for the porch roof and spread out along the edge of the porch. Should be beautiful there once it is all finished growing in.

The little yard is now circled by roses and lilacs either planted or awaiting planting. I can't wait until the roses start to bloom. The lilacs, unfortunately, I'll have to wait a few years on. Mom and me plan to get ones in bloom as soon as we can.

"But I don't have time to earn my degree"

When asked what advice she would give to anyone that was thinking they had no time to earn an advanced degree through Capella University, Capella student Dr. Carla Thomas said, "With the online environment you can move around your time if you're good with time management."

A busy family physician in Anniston, Alabama, Dr. Thomas also advises anyone considering attending online classes, but uncertain they have the time to devote, to not worry about getting an A+ on every paper. The important thing to work for is to understand what the teacher is trying to get you to see. Dedicate enough of your free time to understanding the subject and you will have plenty of time to attend online courses to earn your degree.

More from Dr. Thomas can be found on the capella university podcast - Inside Online Education, which is available through iTunes subscription or from the Capella website (capella.edu), RSS feed at capellacommons.com/rss/.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

E-Mail scam targeting elderly (defined by scammer as 40+)

E-Mail scam targeting elderly (which the scammer defines as anyone over 40), and claiming to be from the Texas Lottery Commission and that the recipient will get "250,000 pounds" from the Texas Lottery's unclaimed prize fund.

The AARP has an article on this at their website and advises readers to be suspicious: "Lottery ticket purchasers are anonymous."

There are a lot of these kinds of scams out there, but this is the first one I have seen targeting the elderly in particular.

Read the full article here.

New Alzheimer's Drugs offer "genuine, tangible, quantifiable hope" in mild to moderate Alzheimer's

AARP's website today is announcing that there is a new generation of drug that scientists are expected to announce final test results for soon.

AARP says that one expert calls the new medicines; "genuine, tangible, quantifiable hope" for people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's.

In the article on AARP.org, Sam Gandy, M.D., chair of the National Medical and Scientific Advisory Council of the Alzheimer's Association and director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences in Philadelphia, says, "Within three years, it's all but certain we'll have disease-modifying drugs that fundamentally change the nature of Alzheimer's."

The first new drug that test results are expected for is Alzhemed, from Neurochem.

One of the most promising is Flurizan, from Myriad Genetics, and its tests should be completed within the next 18 months.

Today, 5.1 million people in the United States have the disease. One in eight people age 65 and older now has Alzheimer's; half of those 85 and older have it.

Read the full story

What does Capella University have to offer a successful doctor that graduated from not only Yale, but Harvard as well?

The ability to do homework at two in the morning.

That is just one of the reasons that students from Capella University give as their reason for liking Capella on the new Capella University podcast - Inside Online Education.

The doctor that likes to do her homework at two in the morning is Dr. Carla Thomas. Dr. Thomas attended both Yale, where she earned her undergraduate degree, and Harvard, where she earned her MD, before she chose capella university as the place to earn her PhD in healthcare administration.

You can find out more about Dr. Thomas, and other students that have chosen Capella, on the Inside Online Education podcasts from Capella University.

Featuring interviews with students, faculty and staff members, the podcasts are available through iTunes subscription or from the Capella website (capella.edu), RSS feed at capellacommons.com/rss/.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Drug Safety Information: Acetaminophen

A very common drug that I am guessing every caregiver comes into contact with on at least a bi-weekly basis is the good old acetaminophen pill - aka Tylenol, Excedrin, etc... so, here's some things you may not have thought about concerning this medication.

IMPORTANT DRUG SAFETY INFORMATION

GENERIC NAME: acetaminophen
(a set a mee' noe fen)

BRAND NAMES: Acephen®, Allerest®, Anacin®, Axocet®, Bupap®, Capital® and Codeine, Duradrin®, Endocet®, Excedrin®, FeverAll®, Genapap®, Genebs®, Goody's®, Liquiprin® Drops, Midol®, Midrin®, Ornex®, Pamprin®, Percogesic®, Phrenilin®, Premsyn PMS®, Roxicet®, Sedapap®, Sinarest®, Sine-Off®, Sinutab®, Sominex®, Tylenol®, Tylox®, Ultracet®, Vanquish®, Wygesic®
SIDE EFFECTS:

While low in most side effects, there is at least one serious side effect that should be kept in mind, and that is liver damage due to large doses, chronic use or concomitant use with alcohol or other drugs that also damage the liver.

HEALTH CONCERNS:

Acetaminophen is excreted in breast milk in small quantities. However, acetaminophen use by the nursing mother appears to be safe.

Acetaminophen relieves pain by elevating the pain threshold, that is, by requiring a greater amount of pain to develop before it is felt by a person. I listed this note under health concerns because of the concerns I have in keeping careful track of any pains that my parents might experience.

INTERACTIONS:

The potential for acetaminophen to harm the liver is increased when it is combined with alcohol or drugs that also harm the liver.

Drugs that increase the action of liver enzymes that metabolize acetaminophen (e.g. carbamazepine, isoniazid, rifampin) may decrease the action of acetaminophen.

WHAT THE CAREGIVER NEEDS TO KNOW:

Before having any laboratory test done you should tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you, or your care recipient, are taking acetaminophen.

Acetaminophen relieves pain in mild arthritis but if the pain is not due to inflammation, acetaminophen is as effective as aspirin.

IMPORTANT WARNING: From SafeMedication.com -

[Posted 01/12/2007] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) article describing three deaths in U.S. infants aged less than 12 months associated with cough and cold medications. These medications were determined by medical examiners or coroners to be the underlying cause of death. The cases described in this report underscore the need for clinicians to use caution when prescribing and caregivers to use caution when administering cough and cold medications to children aged less than 2 years. For more information visit the FDA website at: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2007/safety07.htm#coughcold and http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5601a1.htm.

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SOURCES: (one or more of the following web sites may have been consulted in the research for this drug)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
MedlinePlus
MedicineNet.com
SafeMedication.com
Wikipedia.org

Drug Safety Information: ACE inhibitors

Okay, my first post is not specifically a drug, more like a classification of drugs. The ACE inhibitors. These are something that I keep hearing about and my dad has been on them a few times, so I decided to look into them. Here's what I found.

IMPORTANT DRUG SAFETY INFORMATION

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors

GENERIC NAME: ACE inhibitor

BRAND NAMES:
captopril (Capoten), benazepril (Lotensin), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril) fosinopril (Monopril), ramipril (Altace), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), moexipril (Univasc), and trandolapril (Mavik).

SIDE EFFECTS:
One of the side effects is coughing - it may take up to a month for coughing to subside.

The most serious, but rare, side effects of ACE inhibitors are kidney failure, allergic reactions, a decrease in white blood cells, and swelling of tissues (angioedema).

HEALTH CONCERNS:
Individuals who are pregnant and those that have severe kidney problems should usually not take ACE inhibitors.

INTERACTIONS:
They have few interactions with other drugs

excessive blood potassium levels may result if ACE inhibitors are taken in conjunction with potassium supplements, salt substitutes (which often contain potassium), or other drugs that increase the body's potassium.

ACE inhibitors may increase the blood concentration of lithium (Eskalith) and lead to an increase in side effects from lithium.

WHAT THE CAREGIVER NEEDS TO KNOW:
Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen, indomethacin, and naproxen may reduce the effects of ACE inhibitors; however, there is no conclusive evidence that this interaction, if it exists, is important.

ACE inhibitors case the muscles surrounding blood vessels to relax and the blood vessels enlarge, or dilate, which reduces the blood pressure.
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SOURCES: (one or more of the following web sites may have been consulted in the research for this drug)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
MedlinePlus
MedicineNet.com
SafeMedication.com
Wikipedia.org

1408 Movie is looking like a must see for ghost story fans

The new movie that is coming out staring John Cusack has caught my attention, and I would dearly love to get a chance to get out and see the film. Or at least I hope I get a chance to get out and see it. Being a full-time caregiver and having to rely on others for transportation most of the time I only rarely get to go to the movies, but this is one that I am going to at the very least buy as soon as it hits DVD. My dad loves Stephen King stories (has a whole shelf behind me of Stephen King novels), and me... well, I love John Cusack. ;-)

Still, I think that this 1408 Movie is something that we will greatly enjoy, and since my dad can't go to a theater I will be getting him a copy of it when it hits DVD. Written by Stephen King, starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson... how can a movie like that go wrong?

And I love a good ghost story. I don't like them gratuitous violence and gore flicks, but a nice "BOO!" movie is good. Something to make you think and wonder.

I love the scene in the trailer where Mike Enslin (Cusack's character) calling out for help over his computer and asks his wife if she called the cops and she says, "They're in 1408, the room's empty."

Although I have never had an experience like Enslin, and I never want to, I do believe in ghosts. I've seen them. Years ago there were two ghosts that we would see occasionally on our property. A man and a woman, just walking through and never at the same time. There was also what my dad described as a cat ghost that he felt often hopping up on the end of the bed and walking slowly up his legs and settling onto his chest when he was trying to sleep. For a long time I worried he was having heart troubles was the cause of the feeling of weight on his chest - then I had reason to sleep exactly where he always slept and felt the cat ghost myself. It really is a weight about that of a small cat that I could feel leap up onto the end of the bed and timidly walk up until it laid down on my chest. The weirdest experience I have ever felt.

But enough about ghost cats and wandering people crossing the yard. I want to see the 1408 Movie when it comes out, maybe I can convince my nephews to go see it with me, they like scary type movies. They keep trying to get me to watch scary type movies. Wonder what people will be up to around here when it's released June 22... Check out the following trailer from DimensionFilms to see just how good this movie looks.

Drug Interactions Examined

Anyone hear anything about this? The premier episode of The Learning Channel’s new program, “Mystery Medicine,” which aired their first episode entitled “Brain on Fire/Killer in the Bottle” on May 30, had pharmacist Phil Johnston, Pharm.D. on there and showed how he helped find a previously unknown food-drug interaction.

The interaction caused tremors and nausea in a transplant patient at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where Johnston was assistant director for education and research. According to the press release I read from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), Johnston discovered that an ingredient in a citrus-flavored soft drink was causing tremors and nausea that the patient was suffering from.

It has been long known that certain foods can interact with certain drugs and cause potentially dangerous side effects. Coumadin is one medication that I know of that has a long list of foods that you can not take with it because of the high vitamin K content in the foods.

I am going to be running a series here on Family C.A.R.E. that will look at some drugs and provide some information on the different reactions that they can have to stuff and what you should not be taking when taking them. I've had to call too many doctors over the years on trying to give my dad medication that he could not take with one he was already on. It's scary. So maybe I can help some of my readers out.

Later on I'll move this all to the FamilyCaregiver.info website and into a more easily accessed database setting. For now I want to start collecting the information on these drugs and Capella University and Blogitive are being kind enough to give me enough sponsorship to let me dedicate my time to this project.

2006 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award was presented to a Capella student

Capella University was pleased to announce recently that their student, Ms. Tammy Alexander Director for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity Training at Fountainhead College of Technology in Knoxville, Tennessee, was the recipient of the 2006 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award.

This prestigious award was established by the Director of the FBI in 1990, as a way to publicly recognize the achievements of individuals and organizations actively involved in community crime prevention. The award is given annually to one individual or organization from each of the FBI's 56 field offices.

Tammy Alexander is studying education at capella university, with an emphasis on enrollment management. As Director for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity Training at Fountainhead College of Technology in Knoxville, Tennessee, her responsibilities include developing and conducting cyber security awareness lectures and workshops for the general public, academia, and law enforcement.

Capella University was founded in 1993 and is an accredited online university that offers graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology, and bachelor’s degree programs in business and information technology.

For more information, please visit capella.edu or call 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552).

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Imperia Vodka Hair Competition raises hair and money for breast cancer research

Tricia Nathan was not having a bad hair day when she beat out 40 other contestants to win the Imperia Vodka Hair Competition in Manchester, N.H., this past Saturday.

Winning the $7,500 first place prize for her American flag hairdo and helping to raise money for breast cancer research.

Check out all of the crazy hairdos over at Yahoo News images, the only place I have found so far that has a decent amount of the pictures.

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(AP Photo/Jim Cole)

Article on getting organized

Check out this article Organize your family's essential information in case of an emergency over on LifeHacker. It explains how to organize information so that if something was to happen to you someone else could step in and figure things out until you are up and ready to take control again.

The article is aimed at protecting important paperwork and bank records, but I think I would add in anything pertaining to your care recipient and creating a small booklet that explains their care for someone that has never been around them. I made up a booklet for one of my sisters when she took my dad to Washington for a visit several years back. It not only told her what to expect in being his temporary caregiver, it let me feel more at ease knowing that she would know the things that I knew and hardly ever thought about.

Capella University Podcasts

Being able to take your school work anywhere anytime, is something that is important when you are a caregiver and want to continue your education. You can take classes online through Capella University from the convenience of your home computer and in the comfort of your pajamas.

Want to find out more about the kinds of people that take classes at Capella? Take a look at the new series of podcasts from capella university called Inside Online Education. The podcasts have a running time of roughly 15 minutes each, and showcase what it is like to be a part of the online university through first person points of view with students, faculty and staff.

Find out what it is like from students such as Dr. Carla Thomas, a family physician in Anniston, Alabama, that is pursuing her PhD in healthcare administration at Capella. On the podcast that features her, Dr. Thomas talks about her ambition to one day be the U.S. Surgeon General.

The podcasts are a regular feature and contain first person interviews of Capella students, faculty and staff. Podcasts can be downloaded at the Capella website (capella.edu), via RSS feed at capellacommons.com/rss/ or through subscription from iTunes.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

No time for anything

Finding the time to be a caregiver and still run a home business is an impossibility. I find myself making massive business sacrifices to provide care and am still coming to a balance on what I can and can not find the time to do. It has been a few days since I have found the time to get out into the yard to work for more than a few minutes at a time, and yet I have spent relatively little tome on the computer. I'm not sure where the time is going, maybe I should give up that 3 hours of sleep a night?

Caregivers Articles

The caregivers page is a good place to start when you find yourself in the role of a caregiver. A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health, the Caregivers page has articles on what to expect and how to care for people with various disorders, lifting techniques, hot weather tips, taking care of yourself and much more. A wonderful resource of articles on caregiver issues I highly recommend anyone involved in caregiving, new to it or an old hand, to take a look.

Capella Podcasts

Capella University has a series of podcasts, each roughly 15 minutes in length, that showcases what it is like to be a part of the online university through first person points of view with students, faculty and staff. Called Inside Online Education, the podcasts are a great way to find out more about capella university and the people that are a part of it.

One of the students, Dr. Carla Thomas, a family physician in Anniston, Alabama, is pursuing a PhD in healthcare administration and on the podcast she is featured on she talks about her ambition to one say be the U.S. Surgeon General.

The podcasts are a regular feature and contain first person interviews of Capella students, faculty and staff. Podcasts can be downloaded at the Capella website (capella.edu), via RSS feed at capellacommons.com/rss/ or through subscription from iTunes.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Medline Plus senior health page

The Medline Plus page on senior's health issues is a good place to start looking for information on health issues and concerns for seniors. From what to expect to prevention screening to nutrition and specific conditions, this website is a wonderful resource of articles on senior health issues.

It is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health.

Also see articles in the right sidebar on exercise for seniors, Medicare, and caregivers.

Senior Pet Products

As I was looking around the Internet for senior care information I came across seniorpetproducts.com, a website that is dedicated to helping pet owners care for senior pets. I have had several dogs that have lived longer than usual life spans for their breeds, so I know the value of taking good care of a pet as it ages. Even if you do not purchase anything from their website, this would be a good resource for finding information on ways that you can help a senior pet live a more comfortable life. And since so many care recipients have pets that they have loved for many years, it can quite often become the responsibility of the caregiver to care for the senior pet as well as the aging relative.

Capella University

Have you considered taking courses online? Perhaps you don't think online courses could have anything that would fit in with you with your interests? What, after all, could online education have to do with say an interest in the healthcare profession?

That question might be one that is best answered by Dr. Carla Thomas. Dr. Thomas, a family physician in Anniston, Alabama, is pursuing her PhD in healthcare administration at Capella University. Capella University is a fully online university that offers both graduate and undergraduate degree programs.

Dr. Thomas is just one of the students that you will find featured on the Inside Online Education podcasts from capella university. The podcasts are a regular feature and are each about 15 minutes long with first person interviews of Capella students, faculty and staff.

The podcasts are a regular feature and contain first person interviews of Capella students, faculty and staff. Podcasts can be downloaded at the Capella website (capella.edu), via RSS feed at capellacommons.com/rss/ or through subscription from iTunes.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

AARP for Family Caregivers

AARP is for more than just seniors, they have a lot of information for caregivers as well. You can start with their Family Care page where they have information on things such as housing choices, a free online seminar outlining issues for caregivers and strategies for handling them, a free online seminar designed to help you discuss independent living and long-term care issues with your parents, and a free online seminar to help you figure out how to best help your parents when they need hands-on caregiving.

Home safety checklist

There is a home safety checklist at Caregivers.com that is worth checking over to see how safe a home is when there is a senior living there independently. The checklist has a printable version, so you can look it over and print it out to take along if you are looking for adaptive equipment.

Check out the checklist here: Home Safety Checklist. I would suggest sitting with the list for a few minutes to add anything that might be needed that is not on the list - such as a step for small senior pets to be able to get up onto a bed or sofa?

Capella University Podcasts

Capella University's latest feature for their "Inside Online Education" podcast series focuses on managing the training programs at the Pentagon through its feature of Capella PhD student Carla Chladek. Chladek is a Program Manager for the Joint Staff Training Program at the Pentagon, as part of her job she is responsible for ensuring that the training needs are met for the 2,000 military men and women who support the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

I was reading that roughly 15% of Capella's estimated 17,900 students have some affiliation with the Department of Defense, so it just seems natural that Chladek would be chosen for featuring on the capella university podcast. Chladek is currently pursuing a master’s degree in education at Capella University.

The "Inside Online Education" podcasts feature interviews like that one with Capella students, faculty and staff who share the experience of online education. They are presented in first-person point of view, and are roughly 15 minute long. You can find them at the Capella University website at capella.edu or capellacommons.com, or you can get them via RSS or by subscription from iTunes.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

ICE

ICE, (also I.C.E.) stands for In Case of Emergency. This is a entry that people have been being encouraged to place in their cell phones with information on who is to be contacted in the event of an emergency.

ICE is unlikely to be used by on the scene paramedics when they arrive at an accident, but - provided doctors can match the cell phone to the right person and the cell phone was not lost or damaged in the cause of the accident - the ICE entry allows the hospital to determine within minutes instead of what could be days or hours who the emergency contact for someone is.

Ready to go kit

Keep a "ready to go travel kit" in a convenient location, that way when you are getting ready to go for a drive or to town with your care recipient you don't have to gather the most basic of essentials. Use a backpack or old purse, even a box, and place things in it that would need to be ready to go. Sample items from my ready to go kit:

• A spare dentures container
• A bottle of water and a plastic cup
• Some straws
• Travel sized box of Kleenex
• Snack stuff
  
• A medications list (just in case)
• Small travel pillow

By having these things ready to go it cuts back on the stress of trying to remember what is needed and gives you more time to remember what you need to take for yourself as well.

Capella University Podcasts

I've been talking about the podcasts that Capella University has out. Their "Inside Online Education" podcasts. I think these are a great way to find out about what it is like to attend Capella University.

Currently featured is Capella PhD student Carla Chladek, who I talked about before, she's the woman that is pursuing a master’s degree in education at capella university while working as a Program Manager for the Joint Staff Training Program at the Pentagon.

The podcasts feature interviews with Capella students, faculty and staff who share the experience of online education. Presented in first-person point of view, the podcasts are roughly 15 minute long and can be found at the Capella University website at capella.edu or capellacommons.com, or you can get them via RSS or by subscription from iTunes.



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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Clutter buster

There comes a time when you realize that the housework has begun to win the battle, but I have not yet givin up the war.

I have containers that I keep in each room that is prone to clutter, then whenever I am in a room where there's things out of place I pile them into the bin and pack it around with me putting them where they go until it's empty then set it in a easy to reach place again.

While not a perfect cure, it does help to get the smaller clutter pushed back and I even tend to pick up larger things and relocate them while I'm putting things away.

Wikipedia has ZILCH on family caregiver

:::gaspy!:: Wikipedia has ZILCH on family caregiver and is entertaining suggestions that it be merged with "voluntary caregiver" =-o Noooossssss... family caregiver is much much more than voluntary caregiver and should have its own entry there people! I'll be joining wikipedia tonight so that I can help sort this out and make sure that it is understood what a family caregiver is. I had always just assumed they had good coverage on it. :::sighs:::

Oh, the link...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_caregiver

Capella University

Being a family caregiver to a retired soldier, few things impressed me about Capella University as much as my discover that more than 15% of Capella's more than 17,900 students are affiliated with the Department of Defense.

Students like PhD student Carla Chladek, who is pursuing a master’s degree in education at Capella. Chladek is a Program Manager for the Joint Staff Training Program at the Pentagon and is responsible for ensuring that the training needs are met for the 2,000 military members who support the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

If you want to find out more about capella university I recommend looking at their podcasts "Inside Online Education". You can find these podcasts at the Capella University website at capella.edu or capellacommons.com, or you can get them via RSS or by subscription from iTunes.

The podcasts are a regular feature and have interviews with Capella students, faculty and staff who share the experience of online education. Presented in a first-person point of view these roughly 15 minute long podcasts are a great way to learn more about Capella University and online education.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Notes for my websites

I am using my blogs as a place to collect notes on things that will go onto my websites later on, since the information is going to be of interest to my readers as well as a general rule. I'm going to collect caregiver websites that I want to be revisiting for reading over and personal websites of caregivers, even sites for writers of books on caregiving since I have a writer's bio going over on A Writer's Life.

Right now I want to be able to find this link later on, so here's the first link to be held in the que.

http://www.care-givers.com/
Their first entry on their mission page:

"To provide a safe, nurturing site for all Caregivers with emotional and spiritual support."

I'm tired... can I go to bed now?

This is one of them days where I just want to crawl into a nive hot bath to soak for a few hours, then into my flannel jammies and curl up in my nice warm bed under layers of quilts and comforters.

I'm achy and tired and just feel like sleeping and the overcast day out there is not helping the moods any at all.

I'm gonna try to stay up though, I want to reset my internal clock and if I sleep now I'll be so out of whack I may as well give up on early wake ups. lol

Hawaii Vacation - Hale Nani Loa Maka

Gebhart Properties would like to let you know about the new website that they have launched featuring premiere Hawaii resort and ocean front vacation homes for rent on both the Big Island and Maui.

Hale Nani Loa Maka, is their Kolea Villa. This is a 3 bedroom, 3 bath penthouse that is located at the Waikoloa Beach Resort. Claimed by Gebhart Properties to be one of the finest condominiums in all of Hawaii, the Hale Nani Loa Maka sleeps 6 and has 2,576 square feet of living space. Private elevator access, gourmet kitchen, an extensive collection of Hawaiian art and outstanding views of Anaeho’omalu Bay and Kileaua are just some of the features that make this Hawaii Condo a place of interest.

Browse their Hawaii residential real estate and see for yourself why they say their Hawaii vacation homes are incomparable to others, or call 1-800-545-5151 and book your stay with them today.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information,

Why Family Caregivers are better Caregivers

Still think that a stranger can provide the same care that a family member can? Take a look at what sort of good help strangers can be for the elderly.

KTUU News article

After an 85 year old WWII veteran gave a man a place to live in exchange for care-giving services, the would-be caregiver bilked the senior out of about $34,000, using his personal information and obtaining seven credit cards.

Not exactly the kind of care I want my parents to be getting.

Care of the Elderly conference in September

I was meandering on the Internet and found something that I had not seen before that I want to look into more at a later time. The University of Alaska Southeast Sitka Campus is having a Care of the Elderly conference in September. I want to take another look at it in a few days and see just what is has going on and maybe they will have the topic for 2007 listed by then.

The URL: http://www.uas.alaska.edu/sitka/careofelderly.html

Payday Loan - paid post

It is important for family caregivers to be able to solve any problem that comes at them, and many times those problems are not inclined to wait until finances are just right. There are several options for getting the cash you need when you need it, but there are drawbacks.

Many banks don’t offer quick lending services which leaves many people going to hock shops to get the money they need. That often has the unfortunate side effect of the loss of valuable property for far less than it is worth.

Payday loan companies offer payday loan services to people who often don’t qualify for other forms of credit. It is important to note, however, that payday loans are not intended to be long term options, nor are they for large amounts of money. Common loans are low enough to easily be paid back from the borrower's paycheck.

Research your options and make sure that you are getting the best deal available.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

What is the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007 you ask?

It is a bill that is currently in the House Committee on Ways and Means. The bill seeks to amend title II of the Social Security Act so that it would allow for the act to credit prospectively individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service.

That means that a person could get social security points as if they worked, even though they are not getting paid anything for the work they do.

It's a small step, but a step I think is important for the eventual retirement of so many caregivers.

Raising awareness for H.R. 1161: Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007

I want to start making up some ads that can be put on my sites for raising awareness on family caregivers and hopefully get some attention drawn to H.R. 1161, the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007, before that bill drops out of sight the way H.R. 175, the Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005, did.

Radiator.com

I have been working on cars with my dad for most of my life, helping change the engines in pickups when I was twelve and getting greasy in almost every imaginable mechanical problem. Safe to say that I know a few things about messing with replacing radiators in cars.

Whether you are a grease monkey like me that is looking for informative articles on radiators and cooling systems to help you in installing something like a honda accord radiator, or you would prefer to connect with a certified installation center in your area and let them do it for you, Radiator.com is your full service radiator website.

They are the leading online source of automotive radiators, and maintain an inventory of over 80,000 parts and keep a full stock of Honda and Acura radiators on hand. Honda is currently the largest engine manufacturer in the world, so Radiators.com makes sure they keep those radiators in stock and ready to go.

Order your radiator directly from a distributor, rather than through a retail store or from a shop, and get prices that are much lower than you would pay elsewhere. These are original equipment and quality parts that come equipped with a no hassle lifetime warranty on parts and labor.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

Relaxation Tip - candlelight bath

I am going to spend tonight relaxing in a nice luxuriant candlelit bath. I'll just have to time it so it coincides with the couple of hours of darkness we get. LOL

I love taking baths by candlelight, nice hot water that is just barely cool enough to sink into. Last time I did that it was winter and I opened the window slightly. I could see the steam drifting back and forth along the edge of the water as I lay in the tub. Really neat effect in the gently flickering candlelight, great for relaxing.

Sunrise

See, this is why I can't sleep upstairs. The sun is coming up at 3:30 in the morning! ::shakes head:: That is so not good when there are times when I can not even get to go to bed until after 2 in the morning. Only way to stay sane is to put heavy blinds on the windows in the summer.

ResponseCom Mailing List

Being a caregiver means finding ways to make money from home. That often means selling stuff through the mail and a lot of the time that means you want a mailing list that is full of proven direct mail responders. You are going to want one that can help you to get a higher response rate and better profitability from your direct mailing campaign, even help you get new business opportunities.

That is what ResponseCom Mailing Lists can do for you. The ResponseCom Mailing List is a proprietary blend of over one hundred demographic and psychographic selects created from decades of tracking, compiling, and optimizing data to create a database of proven direct mail responders. These are people that are looking to buy things similar to the things you want to sell.

And you know that you can trust Martin Worldwide because not only are they one of the leaders in direct marketing, they are one of the only major list providers to guarantee their data integrity in writing.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

Vivid Dreams from Oxycodone (Percocet)

My dad had been prescribed oxycodone (generic form of percocet), but we won't be getting any more of that unless we *HAVE* to. The stuff gives him really bad vivid dreams.

I had thought it was just him, but I did a little research online and it seems to be a common side effect of the stuff that it gives vivid bad (as in nightmare type) dreams when you take it.

So, if you or your care recipient is taking that, or hydrocodone or any similar pills like that, and having vivid dreams, that is probably why.

Open Source

Have you checked into open source programs yet?

If you want to get some nifty programs without having to buy them for a lot of money, check out open source stuff like Open Office and GIMP.

What I love about Open Source is that anyone can modify the programs and release fixes to help make them better for everyone. The programs are totally open and free to modify, even I could fumble around in things and maybe find a way to make something different and then not get in trouble for messing with someone else's stuff. I love it.

Check it out if you have not looked into Open Source yet. A good start is osalt.com which lists open source alternatives to commercial programs.

The Villa Nicoletta - a Caribbean hideaway

How would you like to be able to escape to a place where stress is not allowed to follow?
To escape to a place where you can relax and let the cares and stress of the world pass you buy for a luxurious vacation getaway that you will wish would never end?

CaretBay.com says that the secluded villa known as Villa Nicoletta is a getaway destination where stress is not allowed. And when you look at the information on this lovely sounding villa I know that, like me, you will find that very easy to believe.

I'm ready to go right now. A quiet escape away to secluded St Thomas Villas sounds like the most wonderful of escapes from stress to me. Just give me one moment, I'll pack my suitcase.

I truly would love to go, though, and maybe someday I will.

I can just see me gathering up my friends and making this a getaway destination. The Villa Nicoletta is a 4 bedroom luxury villa that sleeps ten, so it would be a perfect size even if we had unexpected extras on the trip. Nestled atop a 70-foot cliff that overlooks the north shore of the Island of St. Thomas it has three decks on a lovely bi-level villa that looks out onto the aquamarine waters of Caret Bay.

Want to find out more? Visit CaretBay.com for all the information on this Caribbean hideaway.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

Family CARE site: FamilyCaregiver.info

I've been working on my websites, including FamilyCaregiver.info and almost wiped that poor site off the map by accident. =-o

I was trying to get rid of an old parked subdomain copy of it since it has it's own site now and --- ooops!!! removing that sub-domain removed the while site! Yikes! back to the drawing board to figure out where I SNAFUed things.

Rose Garden

Me and mom decided we want to make a rose garden out in the back yard. A beautiful little section with assorted colors of roses planted in it with just enough room to walk between the rose bushes after they have grown in. I've always wanted a pretty little tea garden and that is just what this is to be. It won't be as secluded as I would like, but it will be in an area that will be easy to maintain and can be enjoyed from the back porch.

Florida vacation

Every once in a while a caregiver just needs to get away. I have decided that one of these days I am going to go on a vacation in Florida. I have always wanted to see the Kennedy Space Center and Universal Studios. And you know that I can't go that far and not see Disney World, huh?

Unfortunately all I can make right now are daydreams, but I have been making plenty of them and when I am ready to make plans I know that one of the first places I am checking out will be Thinkflorida. It is a UK based site, but they are not focused solely on the UK market. They have offices in Kissimmee Florida too, and provide full service to anyone looking for all-inclusive information on vacationing in Florida.

I'm thinking to find a nice cozy little Orlando Villa where me and a few of my friends can stay for a weekend or maybe a full week - maybe longer?

Each of Thinkflorida's units is separately featured with 15-20 pictures, floor plans, all amenities and 360 degree tours of all main area’s, inside and out. It's a great way to see the place and decide if it is what you're looking for.


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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

OOAK.biz

As part of the dusting off work that I am doing with my websites, getting them all back up and into working order, I am getting OOAK.biz up and going.

I want to know from anyone that makes OOAK stuff, what you would like to see in a website about running a business creating one of a kind things?

You can leave suggestions in the comments on this post. Thanks!

Magnificent Seven season two on DVD

I'm happy - sortta. The Magnificent Seven, season two, is out on DVD. (Okay, it's been for a while now, I'm waiting to get a little ahead on the finances then I am buying myself a copy of it.) -- anyway, my happiness stems from the length of time I have waited for this DVD.

I got season one when it came out, so now I need this one. It's a shame that CBS canceled the series, particularly after only two seasons. Even so, it's what got me into a position that I met my best friends and another writer and have made several trips to the lower 48.

Oh, and it's also why I am such a fan of Eric Close now. :-D

Those Capella Podcasts

I know that caregivers don't have a lot of time, but did you get a moment to check out the "Inside Online Education" podcast by Capella University yet?

Something that I find interesting is the focus of this week's podcast. It features an interview with Capella University PhD student Carla Chladek. That may not sound very impressive, but let me explain.

Chladek has a job at the Pentagon as a Program Manager for the Joint Staff Training Program, that means that as part of her duties she is responsible for ensuring that the training needs are met for the 2,000 military men and women that support the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Sounding kewler, huh? I know that I was a bit surprised find that someone like Chladek would be pursuing her master's degree in education through an online university.

And that is just one of the stories that you can find in the "Inside Online Education" podcasts from capella university. The podcasts are each about 15 minutes long and feature interviews with students, faculty and staff. They present a first person point of view that shows you each person's personal experiences in online education at Capella University.

If you want to check the podcasts out you can find them at the Capella University website (capella.edu) (look under "About Capella") or by subscription via iTunes.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

Planning to make a sluice box waterfall for the yard

I am working on some plans for a sluice box waterfall fountain to go out in the yard. I want it to be something that me and mom can deposit dirt in and run it through to see if we find any gold.

I'll be sharing the finished plans over on my Alaska Yard and Garden website when I get them finished and can test the thing out for real.

The tricky part is I am trying to lessen how often we'll need to clean out the pond at the end of the sluice box, and how to make that a easier process, but I think it'll make a neat setup and a genuine Alaskan yard decoration.

Dad's viewpoint on what Rush Limbaugh said this morning

I asked my dad what he would say if I told him that a woman could not go to the hardware store and get the materials needed and then build a deck out behind the house all by herself. His answer was immediate and unequivocal: "Bullshit."

::snickering:: I then told him what Rush Limbaugh and the guy that had called in to the show had said about the Lowes commercial and women's ability to do work and stuff. My dad's comment: "I got a little girl that can."

I love my dad. ::snickering:: He's so much smarter than Rush Limbaugh and the average guy out there.

Inside Online Education

Have you seen the Capella University podcast called "Inside Online Education"? It features interviews with students, faculty and staff of the online university.

Each podcast is roughly 15 minutes long, and they present first hand views from the students, faculty and staff of capella university on their experiences with online education.

Check out this week's podcast. It features an interview with Capella PhD student Carla Chladek. She works as a Program Manager for the Joint Staff Training Program at the Pentagon and is pursuing her master's degree in education through Capella University.

If you have thought about taking online classes you should check out "Inside Online Education". The podcasts that are available at the Capella University website (capella.edu) or by subscription via iTunes.

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This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.