Posted by Rosie on October 8, 2008
As baby boomers many of us are care givers for family members. This is an insightful article from James O. Armstrong.
Following is part one of an interview with Phyllis Slater, owner of Slater Solutions LLC. Ms. Slater has devoted years to providing coaching and concierge services to the working caregiver and aging parent. Visit Phyllis Slater’s website at EldercareConcierge.Blogspot.com.
Q. Why did you become a caregiver?
A. At 23 years of age my first husband became ill at the same time I became pregnant. I was to become a caregiver to two people. This challenge has made me sensitive to the stress of being a caregiver. There was a limited support system available at that time. Today, the best support systems are for those who are low income.
Q. Where does a person go to become a caregiver?
A. Check with the Area Agency on Aging or government aging services. They can provide information about which jobs require certification, bonding, and extensive training. Non-medical in-home care requires very little schooling.
Q. Are there classes that people take?
A. Colleges offer courses for a variety of caregiving careers. Hospitals have their classes and requirements. The Internet is a great source of research for this. However, decide what area you would enjoy working in and contact the appropriate companies in that field to see what they require.
Check out Center for Caregiver Training at Caregiving101.org. And, there is Educational Resources for the Family and Professional Caregiver at Medifecta.com. I have never used them, so it would be up to individuals to learn more.
Q. What is the income for the professional caregiver?
A. It depends on the field of caregiving that is desired. An in-home care worker earns between $15 to $21 dollars an hour. Many times they work for a client only four hours a day or once a week. In-home care companies usually do not provide health coverage but pay for the bonding and background checks. Each state has a different law about this. Naturally, an insurance specialist, lawyer, and financial planner can earn whatever the market allows.
Q. Where can a family caregiver get funds to pay for professional services?
A. From…
* Family
* Medicare
* Medicaid
* Reverse Mortgages
* Long Term Care Insurance
* Financial Planning
Some Senior Centers have volunteers to assist with non-medical care.
Q. Tell us about you.
A. Eight years ago, I left 25 years of working as an administrative assistant and word processor for Human Resources, to start my own business. I was concerned about the challenges of the working caregiver generation. They will face situations our parents did not.
Two years ago, I was diagnosed with a vision challenge that to date has no cure and am considered legally blind. To date I remain independent and able to assist others outside of the home. However, planning for the future, I had adjusted how to assist others by offering on-line support 24/7 anywhere in the United States.
The key is to face reality and make changes before needing to. I refuse to give up my passion to make life easier for the working caregiver and praise their efforts. My first step was to write a book [CALMING THE CHAOS: Life Raft for the Working Caregiver] to be used as a tool only. It talks about all the information you will learn during this interview in an easy to read, large print guide. Once a caregiver understands what services to look for and why, the next step is finding a professional caregiver.
Posted by Rosie on October 7, 2008
I saw this on Twitter and wanted to share with all my readers. This is, indeed, good online juice for baby boomers online. I think it is a good investment of time to really probe deep into all that Google has to offer. It is a gold mine of information.
Special thanks to Mind of Micheal dot com.
Posted by Rosie on October 4, 2008
Testing and tracking is one of the most important thing we can do in business. If you are doing any kind of online business it is important to know what is working, what is not working and why. David Bullock is an expert in testing and tracking and provides a wealth of information that should be seen by any baby boomer in business.
Posted by Rosie on October 3, 2008
Our guest blogger today is a life coach. His clear perspective on coaching will make you wonder not only if you need one but could you be one? Something to think about.
Unleash The Person Inside You, With A Life Coach
By Donell EdwardsEach of us has another person hidden inside and eager to get out, an alter ego willing to take calculated risks in order to achieve a fuller and more rewarding life.
But most of us are too afraid to leave our comfort zones, so we refuse to let our alter egos surface, and continue to settle for mediocrity or “good enough, “when we could have so much more.
Most of us would rather sit on the couch night after night watching re-runs instead of taking the necessary steps to get ahead in life, such as going back to college for that advanced degree, or investing in personal development tapes or seminars.
It’s totally up to each one of us to decide which type of person we want to be, and you have to answer that question for yourself. You’re either satisfied with the status quo, or–to borrow an old Army slogan, “You want to be all that you can be.”
Let me share a personal experience with you.
There was a time in my life when I experienced severe financial difficulties, and during the winter I would have to walk long distances without a coat. Most of the time I did not feel cold because I had gotten used to being without a coat.
Then one day a friend gave me an overcoat and I was amazed at the warmth and comfort the coat provided. I had convinced myself that I was comfortable until I felt the warmth provided by the overcoat.
Sometimes life is the same way. We choose to ignore the circumstances that limit our growth and development, and convince ourselves that we are satisfied when in reality we are bursting at the seams to let our alter ego out of hiding.
One of the best ways to release your alter ego and to become all that you can be is to work with a life coach. Millions of people have found that working with a life coach allows them to find themselves and to reach their full potential.
Coaches are trained to observe and listen in order to help their clients reach their goals and make significant life changes, both professionally and personally.
According to the International Coach Federation, “Professional coaches provide an ongoing partnership designed to help clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives.”
The late Thomas Leonard, founder of Coach University, which has trained more than 11,000 coaches in 51 countries, noted technological advances and other societal changes have made life coaching more practical and necessary than it might have been in previous years.
“We are now at the stage of human, societal and technological development where each person has not just the possibility to reach his or her own potential, but the probability of doing so if he or she can access the right tools and create a nurturing and challenging personal and professional environment.”
And employing a life coach should be considered an investment and not an expense, the same way getting an advanced degree or attending a professional training seminar in an investment in your career.
Those who have benefited from working with a life coach indicate that the average cost of a life coach is returned many times over, so it’s definitely a wise investment. And because it’s considered a business expense, the cost is totally tax deductible, though you should consult with your tax advisor first.
As a people, Americans have a rich history of finding a way to survive, succeed, and excel. Working with a life coach will help you accomplish your goals and achieve the success you deserve much faster.
Even more importantly, life coaching will help you unleash the creative, dynamic and adventuresome person inside you that you must release in order to reach your full potential.
Donell Edwards is a life coach, speaker, and business consultant. For more information about life coaching go to www.DonellEdwardsEnterprises.com.
Posted by Rosie on
Baby boomers are a large part of the economy in the US. Many do not want to retire but earlyretirement buyouts or attempts to save money by companies are encouraging the trend. An interesting article done in 2007 suggested that the retirement of baby boomers could hurt our economy. Read it here then give your insights.
Posted by Rosie on October 2, 2008
For a long time hubby and I have ignored the invitations to join AARP. But now we welcome the benefits of being a baby boomer. We are no longer in denial. Our cards came in the mail today!
So, I have category called AARP Moments to record those times that remind us, in a humorous way, that we are good , seasoned, and like fine wine baby boomers. Remember this is meant to give us some humor in the midst of the drama. To poke fun at ourselves.
Send me your AARP moments and it will be posted for all to see. Include your site!
What are AARP moments? They are those moments when in our bucket load of experiances held in our heads, we realize that we are true baby boomers. There is no denying it.
Hubby has a one today:
I had an AARP moment when I watched US Marshalls again and it was as if I was seeing it for very first time.
Ray Horner
Posted by Rosie on September 30, 2008
The AOL Career section has a great piece on part time jobs you can do from home. I think this is great news in this economy and for those baby boomers who are retired or just need extra income.
In addition, it is great information for anyone between jobs.
You can check out the part time home based jobs here with resource information.
Posted by Rosie on September 28, 2008
Yes, there are still some things that are free, safe and useful you can download to your computer. Take time to read each section from AOL Switched’s valuable post. Keep a pen next you you.
Read about those safe, free and useful downloads here.
Posted by Rosie on
Read some of the sage advice of a long time coach if you are finding yourself distracted at work. This great advice is also an eye opener for folks working at home.
By: Natalie Gahrmann
Communication technologies were supposed to make working lives run more smoothly but actually prevent people from getting critical tasks accomplished. Interruptions consume 28 percent of the average work day — roughly $650 billion each year. Overall satisfaction for completing a job well is reduced because of distractions and interruptions, causing frustration, anger and stress. It can even take a toll on quality relationships. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Rosie on September 26, 2008
I hate online threats. It is a true invasion of privacy and preys on our fears. Read this insightful post from Switched, AOL’s great tech center, on major online threats.
