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Archive for the ‘My Opinion’ Category:
Caregiving Directives – Are Your Legal Documents In Order
Between my daughter, Nichole and I, we have been Gladys’ caregivers for the past three years. Even though we stepped into caregiving under unfortunate circumstances, we were glad that Gladys had the foresight to take care of legal documents and directives. In 1993 she had her attorney draw up all the necessary paperwork to give me her Power of Attorney and Health Care Power of Attorney.
In this video Scott Solkoff shares information on: Living Wills, Health Care Power of Attorney, Health Care Surrogates and Do Not Resuscitate Orders.
Related Reading:
Caregiver’s Legal Stuff: Bank Accounts, Pensions, Social Security
Caregivers and Blogging
When I became a caregiver for my sister I decided to set up this blog. Most of my family and friends are not really familiar with blogging so when I mention that I want them to visit my blog I often get this blank stare. I translate that stare to mean “your what?”
Anyway, this is a great medium to share and receive ideas and insight into the caregiving experience. Sooner or later most of us will have to make decisions concerning the care of our elderly parents and relatives.
Yesterday, Michael Martine, who is helping me with my blog, extended an opportunity to new bloggers to Submit Your New Blog Here and Jumpstart Your Blog Traffic.
This is what he is asking people to do:
Increase Your Blog Traffic
If you just started a blog and want a little increase in blog traffic, here’s what you do:
- Leave a comment at the bottom of this post with your blog’s URL in the website field and describe your blog in a short paragraph.
- Subscribe to my RSS feed (it’s all I ask in return for helping you boost your traffic).
- Make sure you also subscribe to the comments on this post so that you get alerted on every new comment.
- Every time a new comment is added, go and visit that blog! This is simply the golden rule at work: do for others as you would have them do for you. You want traffic? Give traffic.
- But here’s where it really gets good: Subscribe to the other blogs’ RSS feeds.
- Stumble a post or two from the other blogs.
- Write a post on your own blog, link to this post so others can participate and write about the new blogs you have found. Link to them.
This is a great opportunity. If you are just getting started, click the link above and take Michael up on his offer if you prefer to open a new browser, his URL is: http://Remarkablogger.com. This is a time sensitive offer, at some point Michael will stop accepting bloggers for this experience.
Gas Prices, Alternate Fuel Sources, Global Warming
Is the price of gas taking your wallet hostage? Have you found yourself riding the bus or organizing carpools? Are you riding your bike to work, packing your lunch and eating left overs? If you answered yes to any of these questions you are not alone.
This week I have been thinking about the high price of gas, the economy and global warming. I remember gas rationing in 1973, it was called the gas embargo. Around the same time scientist began talking about global warming and the greenhouse effect.
During the gas embargo, the government decided to use license plates to decide when we could buy gas. If our tag ended in an even number, we could buy gas on even numbered days. If our license plate ended with an odd number, we could buy gas on odd numbered days. Prices increased, we changed our driving habits and we talked about exploring alternate fuel sources. Fuel efficient cars sold like hot cakes.
We all remember Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Gas prices rose, fuel efficient cars were in demand again and there was talk of alternate fuel sources. But just like 1973, after we became accustomed to the higher prices we went back to our old habits. It was business as usual.
Because of these memories, I have conflicting feelings about current gas prices. The price of gas is too high and it is placing a heavy burden on most Americans. The timing – along with the housing crisis and massive layoffs – is terrible. For me personally, the price of gas increased right after my hours were cut at work, so I am really feeling the increase. However, I believe that if the price of gas goes down, that once again we will return to old habits.
We must become serious about alternate fuel sources but I don’t think we will develop better mass transit, more efficient automobiles or organize carpools unless we are forced to do so. The effects of global warming are evident in this crazy weather that we have experienced over the past few years.
Sometimes we have to make unpleasant sacrifices to achieve a much needed result. What do you think?
