Tips Guides

If you are considering moving into a new home in the near future, you may want to consider building your own home. Whether you decide to hire a builder or manage the project yourself as an owner builder, you may want to consider using Universal Design techniques to improve the living conditions for the elderly members of your family, as well as plan for your own future in the home.

If building your home as an owner builder, you will have complete control over the design methods and all of the details. If you hire a builder, you’ll want to make sure he is familiar with the different Universal Design concepts.

So, what is Universal Design?

Because of Universal Design, different family members with different needs can all enjoy the same home. And that home will be there for all its inhabitants even when their needs change. So, whether you’re old or young, perfectly healthy or ill, a home built with Universal Design standards will fit the family’s needs.

Here are some features that are common in Universal Design:

1. Entries to the home without steps or stairs:

This feature is perfect for disable family members or elderly family members. But, it is also a great feature for everyone else as well. Likewise, the main rooms can be designed without any stairs leading into them. Many owner builders who are designing their new homes are using this very method, especially if they are planning to stay in their home well into the future.

2. Major rooms located on the first floor:

It’s more popular than ever to have the master bedroom located on the main floor. Universal design takes it a step farther by having all the major rooms - bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. - on the main floor to avoid stairs.

3. Doorways and hallways widened to allow for wheelchairs:

Universal design doorways are widened to 32″ - 36″ to accommodate wheelchairs. This is perfect for the elderly, but it also makes it easier for the entire family to move larger items in and out of the home. Hallways should be 36″ - 42″ wide. Stock home designs won’t have these adjustments. So, hire a builder who is familiar with these concepts, or design your own home as an owner builder to get the details the way you want them.

3. Extra floor space:

This concept obviously benefits the entire family. Everyone can use more space to roam, whether it’s a family member in a wheelchair or not.

4. Closets designed with adjustable brackets:

Owner builders and smart general contractors are designing homes with closets that have adjustable brackets to allow you to move clothing rods and shelves to different heights. Thus, a closet will adjust and grow along with a child, as well as be useful to you in your later years if you start using a wheelchair. Universal Design is about ensuring your home will adapt to your family’s changing needs.

5. Floors and bathtubs with non-slip surfaces:

Properly surfaced floors and tubs will help everyone in the family stay on their feet and prevent injury. This is a perfect example of how Universal Design is not just for the elderly or disabled. Likewise, you may want to consider installing handrails or grab bars in the bathrooms.

6. Rocker light switches and lever door handles:

People with disabilities, arthritic hands, or with poor hand strength will benefit from easy-to-use light switches and door handles. However, everyone in the home will like them, especially when your hands are full and can’t grab a standard door knob.

All of the above features are simple examples of Universal Design techniques that benefit the disabled or elderly. But, it’s also very easy to see how the entire family will enjoy these changes.

It’s also easy to see why people are building their homes using Universal Design features. Owner builders who are managing their own home design and construction will have full control over the details of the new home. More and more owner builders are turning to Universal Design as a way to care for every member of their family, not just the elderly.

Chris Esposito’s Owner Builder 101 program provides owner builder construction loans nationwide for those who want to manage the planning and construction of their new home. Visit www.OwnerBuilder101.com to get more info. Or call Owner Builder 101 at (877) 876-3688.

For those of us who have never had a baby, raising a new child might not seem like that much of a big deal. But if you plan on having a child anytime soon, you’re in for a really rude awakening! While babies can be a real blessing and a wonderful addition to the life of you and your spouse, they also bring many new, demanding responsibilities that many parents just aren’t ready for. If you can’t already tell from the sheer number of people who enter their toddlers into beautiful baby contests, most parents seem to think that their little one is the most special, unique child ever to be born. And while all babies are truly special, they also come with special needs that you need to brief yourself on before becoming a parent.

First of all, don’t plan on making any big exciting travel plans for the first few years after your little bundle of joy comes along. Taking a baby along for a special, expensive getaway just isn’t feasible until they’ve gotten old enough to at least enjoy the sights and sounds along with you. And even if you were to happen to win a huge vacation sweepstakes and get a free trip to Europe, how could you possibly bring an infant along with you? That would be unfair to both the baby and you and your spouse. And if you don’t feel comfortable with leaving your little one with a babysitter for a week, you would probably be better off either selling the tickets or giving them away to a family member instead.

Another aspect of having a baby that not many parents anticipate is the feeding activities and scheduling. Babies don’t tend to stay on the same eating clock as adults do, and you won’t find any little ones who are willing to wait until the prescribed breakfast, lunch and dinner schedules that you do. More often than not, your baby would much rather get up in the middle of the night to cry for a bottle, or wait until you and your spouse are in the middle of a nice meal to demand another feeding. In fact, your child probably will turn up his or her nose at pretty much any kind of food you are good at making until they are well into your teens. Even if you are a champion chef who has won numerous recipe contests, you aren’t likely to impress a picky toddler or middle school student much.

So take our word for it that you need to think long and hard about whether or not you are really prepared to have a baby before you take the plunge. While babies are one of the greatest gifts you will ever receive in your life, they require a lot of hard work and dedication that not a lot of new parents ever really expected. You will certainly make a great parent someday, but make sure that day is right before you start trying for an addition to your family.

You can search and share lots of great baby contests online by visiting our free forum today. And don’t forget to check out our forums for vacation sweepstakes and recipe contests.

Parents like a night out. Mom enjoys the Spa with friends. Dad may play cards. Together they may head to dinner and a movie. Any of these activities may require you to hire a babysitter. Here are some safety tips for you when hiring a babysitter. They will give you and your babysitter an extra measure of safety and confidence.

First, choose your babysitter carefully. Babysitting is, in fact, another form of child care. Therefore, choosing a babysitter is just as important as choosing any other type of child care. Carefully and thoughtfully consider anyone as being competent to care for your child while you’re away, even for just a few hours.

Two, make sure your babysitter is at least sixteen years of age. Many younger age teens are competent and responsible. Even if you know a great fifteen year old, it is recommend that your babysitter still 16 years of age. At least in the USA, if anything should go wrong and you are found to have left your child with someone unsuitable which includes someone underage, you could be charged with neglect. Better safe than sorry.

Third, take the time to let your babysitter know your child care expectations before you leave your home. If there are restrictions as to where the sitter takes the child or what activities to do with them, make it all clear. If the phone and any visitors are off limits, be up front and open with the sitter about those off limit restrictions.

Fourth, leave your sitter a handy sheet with the following information on it typed out neatly:

-Write down where you will be and include the address and phone number.
-Write down other important phone numbers such as
-Your own phone number and address
-Your family doctor’s name and phone number
-Poison Control Center phone number
-Trusted Neighbor’s name and phone number
-Friend’s name and phone number

Make sure you also have written down important information about your child, such as
-Age
-Current medications
-Allergies

Let the sitter know of any special problems your child may have, such as an allergy to bee stings, certain foods or household products. Make sure they know the need for medication and at what specific time it is to be given. Make sure the directions are clearly explained and written down.

Show the sitter the location of your first aid kit the location of fire extinguisher and also write these down, too.

Write down basic instructions for a fire:
-Stay calm
-Locate the children
-Stay low to the floor
-Touch closed doors with the back of your hand
-DO NOT open the door if it is hot.
-Quickly and safely exit the house at the nearest exit

Additionally, Show the babysitter where emergency exits, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers are located. Demonstrate how to enable and disable security systems and alarms.

Show the sitter where you keep interior door keys in case your child locks themself inside a room.

Leaving your child, even for a brief time with a sitter so you can enjoy a night out can be an even more enjoyable event when you know your babysitter is not only competent but well prepared for any emergency with your child.

Joyce Jackson is a child safety expert, #1 interneational bestselling author, consultant, speaker and trainer. For more information on the A, B, C’s of child safety see The Belly Brain Podcasts.

Their will always be stress for you and your family when it comes to moving and relocating to a whole new place. Typically with all the never ending arrangements you must make beforehand, like getting moving and packing quotes, figuring out who to choose and then giving up your car for transportation, you tend to forget about the little ones. Don’t worry, I have a few tips to help you and your family cope with the transition of moving.

With the normal progression of teenage children trying to gain independence can soon find themselves back in the nest of needing security from mom and dad when it comes to moving and relocating to a new city. Pay extra attention to the fact that for some kids, the home they are moving away from is all they have known so stress and anxiety will be more prominent in those kids than those who move around lot.

Psychologists will always recommend that you pay extra attention to your children’s concerns and apprehension when it comes to moving away. Kids tend to think that goodbye can be forever so help them understand that they can always keep in contact through phone calls and letter witting. Communication has to remain open at all times so small fears don’t fester into big ones.

Never hide anything from your children when it comes to the whole move process. The more open and candid you can be about the change of homes and the change of people can only lead to a better understanding of what all is about to take place in their lives. Kids develop anxiety over changes quickly. They need routine in their daily activity and now all of that is about to turn upside down.

If possible, take your children on a tour of your new town or city and home before the move to acquaint them with their new surroundings. Everyone has a computer nowadays so take advantage of the fact that you can locate your new home via satellite. Show your children where you are now and where they will be soon. Locate where interesting things are like the town zoo or park.

When you are at your new home have your children Create a pen-pal package for your children and their special friends with addressed, stamped envelopes, stickers and markers. For older children, e-mail is a great way to keep in touch. Remember it’s all about keeping that connection with what is so familiar to them. Sadness is expected but keeping the lines of communication open always helps curb the emotional pain of moving away.

Compile favorite photographs from family and friends from the location you are leaving and plan to decorate a door in your child’s room with the photos. You can start a poster board of your favorite things and hobbies of what you used to do from where you once lived and have start a list of what you would like to accomplish where you are at now.

Always shop and compare rates and services from NYC Movers and Movers Seattle as well as Moving tips from DC Movers. Let compaies compete for your business & save money today!

Years ago, people never bothered about long term care or thought about it. As parents aged, they often relied on their children to care for them. Today, most parents do not want to burden their children with their care in their old age. And people are living to a remarkable old age as well. This is one of the reasons why you should consider long term care insurance.

What is long term care insurance?

Long term care insurance allows for you to provide for your own care if you happen to become incapacitated and need long term care. As people get older, there is a 70 percent chance that they will need some sort of long term care in their lives. While part of this care can be covered by Medicare, most of it is not. This is where long term care insurance steps in. It can cover what Medicare does not instead of allowing your care to eat away at your savings.

Who should get long term care insurance?

We never know what the future will bring. It is advisable for you to plan for your future as there is a good chance that you may need long term care. This involves care in a rehabilitation facility as well as an assisted living residence. Most hospitals will send patients to rehabilitation facilities as soon as they are out of danger and Medicare does not cover much of those costs. This is why it is important for anyone to get long term care insurance - to plan for their future.

What type of plans are available?

Your plan will depend on your age and health. You can get a plan that will pay $150 a day for your long term health care for up to four years. One of the best aspects about this type of plan is that the money is drawn out of the pool of money set aside in the plan for your long term care. Many times, people go to rehab and then are back out. When this occurs, you do not have to continue paying and your money stays safe in your plan, ready to be used again if you need it.

You can also get an inflation option on your long term care insurance package as well. As you know, $150 years from now will not be worth as much as $150 today. For a few dollars more a month, you can get an inflation rider on your insurance package.

One way to save money for the long term care insurance package is by getting a higher exclusion period. There are exclusion periods of 30, 60 and 90 days. This is similar to a deductible on auto insurance. The longer the exclusion period, the less expensive the policy.

Long term health care insurance is something for everyone to think about, no matter what health you are in. We never can be sure of what the future holds. It is best to be prepared with long term care insurance.

Ron Subs is a writer and works with Long Term Health Care insurance. He can be reached for more information at
http://www.longtermcareinsurance-guide.com

Mother’s Day is an ideal time to show Mom just how special she is with the thoughtful gift of jewelry. Today’s choices range from both traditional Mother-themed gifts to more unique items chosen with Mom in mind. Whatever your budget, jewelry is a perfect choice for Mother’s Day.

Most are familiar with the more common Mom-themed jewelry, such as rings set with children’s birthstones or jewelry with the words, “Mother” or “Grand Mother” spelled out on them. Delicate Mother’s Day rings can be found with genuine stones set in a variety of metals, in addition to the 14k gold typically seen in the past. One might choose a birthstone band which can be personalized with alternating names and birthstones around the ring. A Mother’s Day necklace might be made of Murano glass beads strung on 14K gold or sterling silver. Another options still might be a family pendant featuring stylized family members holding hands in a circle.

Whether you choose a traditional gift or something more unique, it is a good idea to take a good look at the type of jewelry your Mother wears and consider a few things prior to making your purchase:

1. Does Mom prefer jewelry made with white or yellow metals?
2. Does she like to wear stud earrings or perhaps she prefers short dangles?
3. Has she ever specifically stated interest in a particular type of jewelry?
4. Does she collect vintage jewelry?

If you would like to choose something less traditional for Mom, consider stackable rings, which can be set with one to three birthstones and engraved on each side. Stacked together, the rings can display Mom’s birthstone next to her children’s, or a special friend or spouse.

Exciting new trends in Mother’s jewelry are Mother’s bracelets which can range from those personalized with children’s names to bracelets that resemble a delicate tennis bracelet. Or, choose one that spells the family name with sterling silver beads. Today’s charm bracelets are unique creations that represent the special moments which comprise a woman’s life. Moreover, charm bracelets are an especially winning choice for Mom because they can be expanded each year with a new charm! Each child might choose a special charm for Mom’s bracelet - from charms that represent her favorite pastimes to inspired designs set with semi-precious stones. Some jewelry lines even offer necklaces and earrings that can be matched with a charm bracelet.

Mother’s lockets, depicting Mothers and children, are a sentimental choice, and come with a bonus - a place to display a tiny picture of you as a baby. Lockets may be chosen which feature filigree designs and can be opened to arrange the birthstone crystals of children or grandchildren.

If your Mother does not prefer to wear jewelry, consider a watch. Dressy, casual or sporty - there’s a watch to suit every personality. Buyers can choose from Citizen, Michele, Omega, Baume & Mercier, Tag Heuer, Breitling, and more. Each represents a variety of styles and prices to match your budget.

Vintage costume jewelry may be a good choice for the Mom who likes to make a bold statement with her jewelry. When looking for vintage jewelry, look for quality such as pronged settings, substantial weight, smooth plating, and sparkling stones. Avoid plating that is extremely worn, darkened or cloudy rhinestones, missing parts or stones, and scratched or chipped enamel. These attributes will lower the value of the vintage piece. Ask the dealer you purchase from to provide some background information on the piece you are purchasing. These little tidbits, included on a card with Mom’s gift, make owning the piece even more meaningful.

Perhaps Mom has enough jewelry already. Why not consider a jewelry box providing stylized storage for all of Mom’s treasures? Jewelry boxes come in whimsical and sophisticated designs - from high-gloss lacquered styles to exquisite Mother-of-pearl containers to sculpted wood. Jewelry boxes make their own decorative statement and safely store Mom’s collection.

Lewis Jewelers is proud to carry the full line of Pandora Jewelry. Pandora bracelets, Pandora charms and Pandora beads are only a part of the collection. For more information, contact Lewis Jewelers at 877-88-LEWIS or visit the website.