Grandparents nowadays are not like those kinds that society is used to. They are people who are more youthful, and they have more money from working so hard before retirement. They can easily spend their pension on buying anything they want. They can even buy special packages for the favorite grandchild.

Grandparents nowadays make up a new group of consumers. For this reason, businessmen have realized the need to tap their market. Recent market research has grouped these senior citizens into four groups: the traditionalists, the makers, the achievers, and the thinkers. You should be able to identify the group your grandparents belong to so you can buy them the perfect gift.

 “Traditionalist” grandparents are the type that are home-oriented, and they prefer tried and tested activities. A traditional grandmother would likely be happy with a shawl or a pearl necklace. Better yet, you can give a traditional grandmother some new silverware for her dining collection. On the other hand, a new fishing rod or a bestselling book is a good gift to give to the traditional grandfather.

The second group is the “makers” and they are more active than the “traditionalists”. They are independent and free spirited. If your grandparents are likely to be part of this group, you can choose to give them a travel voucher to Bali or to an island getaway. You can also give them clothes in the style of the season.

Grandparents who are “achievers” are the type who value relationships and social status. Their buying behavior is often influenced by their peers. For grandparents who are “achievers”, you will need to get a gift that is the in-thing and kind of bordering on the expensive side. Take note of the classy and elegant brands, and you’re good to go.

The last group of grandparents is the “thinkers”. They are intellectually active and globally oriented. They are so in touch with doing civic work for mankind that you can just donate to an environmental group in their name and they will highly appreciate it. If you want to give them something material, try to give a gift that will rouse their highly intellectual minds.

With the holidays fast approaching this knowledge can prove to be useful.  Another great gift idea for all of your elderly loved ones is a personal medical alert system.  We have a system that can save a great deal of money (no monthly fees or contracts).  Our medical alert pendant systems have twice the area coverage of the famous Life Alert and cost half as much.  Our systems are also waterproof so they may be used in the bath and shower, where most slips and fall occur.

Grandparents dote on their grandchildren so much that they should be given the best gifts, too. Remember, too, that your presence is the most important thing for them, more than the gifts that you give them, so it is best if you will give them the gifts personally. Savor the occasions that let you show them how much you love them by the gifts that you give.

Here are some ways you can support anybody who is balancing being a caregiver and a career person.

Short Term Care

The Family and Medical Leave Act will allow three months of leave with pay for caring for an elder and/or ailing relative.

Medium to Long Term Care

Care for the Elder.  Check with another sibling if you can share caring for the elder, either for part of the day or otherwise.  Engage adult day-care services so that while you are at work, the elder is looked after.  Employ a caregiver who will step in to help when you are at work or managing other responsibilities at home.

The 40-70 campaign revolves around reconstructing conversations between seniors and children. They include a guide of conversation starters regarding vulnerable areas.

There are online resources, which provide information on eldercare, eldercare services and products like http://www.agenet.com

Community resources in the locality where you live will also be helpful.

Manage the Job

Discuss with your employer so that even the employer empathizes, and you can work out some mutually suitable arrangement. Communicate that you are committed to the job.

Request flex-time so that your job responsibility can be managed as and when you are free from giving care.

Check if you can telecommute and work from home.

Get to know about the care-giving policy of the organization.

Where specific benefits can ease your stress tremendously without affecting productivity, you could also speak to the HR department and request for the same.

Family and Yourself

Discuss and involve your family in sharing responsibility around the house, and bring up all physical, emotional or social issues and resolve them so that family peace is not disrupted.

Plan on new needs and different ways to meet them. Keep activities for the day stuck in a visible place so that whoever is free can always lend a hand in closure.

Where there are children at home who require personal care, look for alternative support – babysitters, daycare or more support from spouse or elder siblings

Ensure that you still keep time aside for spouse and children.

Take time out for yourself – relaxation and enjoyment. You should not feel burnt out or harbor negative feelings that you’re being used.

The crucial point to remember is that while balancing your work and care giving at home, you must retain your own time and ensure that you manage to keep your head above your worries – it will help you manage all your responsibilities better.

Our medical alert system can provide a great deal of comfort while you are away from your elder in need of care.

Don’t feel bad, it’s a natural question. After all, cell phones are great for calling for help in all sorts of situations, whether we need a neighbor to lend us a hand, our children to come visit, or the police to come in an emergency.

Here is the problem with cell phones. First of all, nobody carries their cell phone on them around the house. The first thing we do when we walk in the door is plug our cell phone into its charger.  Second, the batteries can and will run out.

Let’s break these down into steps.

1. You don’t always carry your cell phone around the house.

It’s true that your cell phone is a wonderful emergency device, if you have it with you. But do you have it with you all the time? If you’re like most people, you charge your cell phone when you get home. Now we all know that medical emergencies can and will happen anywhere at any time! If your cell phone is not on your body, IT WON’T DO YOU ANY GOOD. You mind as well depend on your regular home phone for help.  And we all know this doesn’t work. Works great if you fall right next to it and can reach it without moving, but if you break your hip on the stair landing and can’t get to the phone, it’s useless.

2. Cell phone batteries can and will run low.

Unlike a medical alert pendant, cell phone batteries are subject to constant use and often run low. When you’re recharging the batteries on your cell phone it is physically impossible to carry with you. Medical alert pendants are designed with batteries that last for months and months (it helps that they hardly ever have to send a signal…). That way they’re always there when you need them.

So for safety around the house, particularly if you’re an independent senior or if you’re trying to keep a parent or elderly friend safe, there’s nothing quite as effective as a medical alert pendant from Guardian Alert.  Unlike LifeAlert, our medical alert pendant systems are water resistant, and do not have any monthly bills or contracts.

Oh, here’s another reason. If you get hurt, will you be able to think clearly and remember the phone numbers you want to dial? It is a known fact that people cannot remember the number 911 in an emergency.  When stress and shock kick in the body can do some strange things.  Are your fingers going to work the way you want them to? Wouldn’t it be much easier simply to press a button and know that help will be on the way?

But the cell phone is great for situations when you’re away from your home. Medical alert pendants only work in and around your home.

Do you have any new Pyrex dishes in your cooking utensil collection? This is a must read.  I Checked at Wal-Mart and all the warnings are there. 
 
About 5:30 PM there was a loud bang from the oven.  Sylvia opened the oven door and the Pyrex dish had shattered into a million pieces. Our roast beef dinner was peppered with small shards of very sharp glass.  Normally, I am quick to inform Sylvia she did something stupid. However, this time she was nowhere near the stove when it blew.  I shoveled the glass and the now mashed potatoes into a bucket with two putty knives.  I then sucked the remains with the shop vac.  I let everything cool down and then scrubbed the oven with Simple Green and some hot soapy water.  It took over an hour to clean up the mess.  Upon completion I ran the oven empty to see if the temperature controller was working okay.  I suspected the oven got too hot and the dish simply blew.  This was not the case however.  The oven came up to temperature and cycled normally.   We threw a disgusting frozen pizza in the oven and it cooked okay.

What is going on?

I ran a Google search on exploding Pyrex dishes and got ten million hits.
Exploding Pyrex is very common.

Here is the story.

A long, long time ago in a country we all know and love was a company named Corning.  They made Pyrex dishes.  The material they used is called borosilicate glass.  This stuff is indestructible.  But like everything else, the Bottom Liners had a great idea:  sell the technology to another company.  The Chinese discovered that using soda lime glass was almost as good as borosilicate glass and a lot cheaper.   Today, Wal-Mart is the largest distributor of Pyrex products.  Corning not only sold the technology to a company called World Kitchen, they also sold the rights to the original Pyrex logo.  The consumer will never know the difference.

Now it seems people are getting hurt using soda lime Pyrex.  We were lucky because the dish broke while the oven was closed and the damage was limited to the oven cavity.  Others have been less fortunate.  Some dishes explode when they are lifted from the heating rack in the oven with devastating results.  Some people are heavily scarred.  World Kitchen is in denial.  They say that the dishes are another brand, not theirs.  Contrary to their denials the victims usually have more than one of these dishes and the Pyrex logo is clearly visible..

If you buy a Pyrex dish beware.  The label on the front says oven safe, freezer safe, microwave safe.  The instructions on the back tell another story.  You cannot move a soda lime Pyrex dish from the freezer to the oven and expect it to survive.  The fine print goes on and on about what you are not allowed to do with the Pyrex dish.  The fine print has prevented World Kitchen from being sued because they have warned the consumer that their Pyrex dishes are junk from the get go.  And they are the same price as the original Corning dishes. 

What to do?

If you own borosilicate Pyrex dishes no fear.  They have to be more than 25 years old to be sure they are indeed Corning dishes.  I am not sure if the old Pyrex dishes have anything stamped in them that indicate they are made by Corning.  You may continue to use the soda lime dishes for holding stuff.  Just do not attempt to roast or microwave with them as the hazard is very clear.

The reason the soda lime dishes let go is that over time they develop micro-cracks.  Once a few micro-cracks are present and once some liquid finds its way into the cracks you have the bomb situation.  The liquid is like shoving a crowbar in the dish and pulling it apart.  Super heated liquids expand rapidly and it is the super heated liquids that force the soda lime glass to shatter into tens of thousands of shards.

Since Corning no longer makes Pyrex and Sylvia proudly holds a large collection of the soda lime Pyrex, we decided that one bomb in the kitchen is enough.  The Pyrex dishes will go bye-bye in this week’s trash.  I do not know what we will use for cake and pie dishes going forward.  If you have some suggestions we are listening.

We strongly urge you not to use the soda lime Pyrex for the oven, stovetop or microwave.  The slightest invisible crack is all it takes to have a mess and a possible injury.

As to World Kitchen:   them and their cheap dishes.  In case you are wondering:  World Kitchen is not a USA company.

We suggest you go to www.truthorfiction.com and search Pyrex dishes to see their findings after you.

I wanted to post this article to show that people are not happy with Life Alert.  I have been researching medical alert systems for a while now and found the Guardian Alert 911 system.  With this system you will pay a one time low purchase price and never pay another dollar for the system ever.  NO CONTRACTS OR MONTHLY FEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A few recent complaints … Please note that all of the following complaints and comments were found on Google and are not associated at all with the publisher of this post or blog.

Luel of Durant, OK March 24, 2009

My 93 year old mother fell in her kitchen and when she activated the pendant button, nothing happened. She dragged herself to the living room, pulled down the phone and called me. I in turn called 911 and emergency personnel from the ambulance service and fire department were dispatched to her home. She had sustained two broken bones in her forearm at the wrist. Later when I contacted Life Alert that their product did not work, they offered to reduce the monthly amount, but did not seem to understand that it wasn’t the money I was upset about, it was the fact that the device did not work as advertised. When I read the number off the back of the pendant to the person who answered the phone, his words were, That’s a really old number, you’ve had that one for a while. You’d think their own records would indicate older pendants when they had gone to a new model. I’m disgusted with the whole bunch. I had the service installed in Aug. of 2005, and she needed help in Feb. 2009. They never sent a new pendant in all that time, even though they said the base unit would pick up the signal if it was weak and automatically send a new one to replace it. That never happened. I have written them for a refund of at least part of the rent. We’ll see what happens. Thanks for letting me vent!

Rob of Marion, TX March 15, 2009

My mother just had an angina attack and drove herself to the hospital, 2 stents later she is back on her feet. I was thinking about getting life alert The web site makes you call!! big negative and then I came across the complaints web site about life alert. They need to realize these are real people (mothers,fathers,brothers,sisters)from what i read it is like buy items at walmart and trying to return defect item it doesn’t seem like a company really interested in helping. I think I do not want to get involved with a company that cant even have a web site with all of there details (prices ,contracts,rules and policies) Something stinks here!!

Mark of Gladstone, NJ March 2, 2009

life alert contacted me saying they had an emergency installation by e-mail for e. neibling at 12pm est. they said they were not going to pay me because i didn’t wait for them to call me back. i had a customer later that day so i did th installion. the son in law rigged it all wrong so i fixed it properiy. they owe me 50.00 dollar plus mileage 60 miles round trip. mrs neibling was very happy i came out and explained how the unit worked because nobody every explained it to her. I NEED TO GET PAYED I WENT OUT OF MY WAY. PLUS E. NEIBLING WAS BLIND AND THE COMPANY (LIFE ALERT) DID NOT KNOW. THE SYSTEM WAS UNDER THE END TABLE. I PUT IT ON THE TABLE AND SHOW HER PHYSICIAL WHERE THE HELP BUTTON WAS AND TOLD HER TO WEAR THE NECKLACE ALL THE TIME IN CASE SHE FELL. NOT ONLY DID I FIX THE UNIT AND EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO MRS NEIBLING I SAVED THEM FROM A POSSIBLE LAWSUIT

Mary of Sarasota, FL February 28, 2009

My 89 year old mother has this product and it has not worked for two months. During that time we have tried unsuccessfully to have it repaired. They have sent two filters’ which they said should clear up the problem, but it has gotten worse. Today I tried testing it and after the machine said that it was making an emergency call for several minutes, with no one coming on the line, I hung up. I called and was repeatedly put on hold and twice disconnected. After calling another number and being passed from one person to another and then put on hold again, I hung up. This company is extremely incompetent, as well as over priced for their service. Mom lives alone, and this product offers her no security at all (and none to me either). When we were waiting for more than a week for the first filter to arrive, I asked if they couldn’t overnight it to us and the customer service rep said they don’t have overnight mail! They also told me that the reason she is having a problem is because her phone service is Embarq, and they often have trouble with it…which to me is reason enough to cancel the contract.Fortunately, she has not fallen and needed the service, but if she does you can bet there will be a lawsuit. AT this point, I just want her out of the contract and I will return the machine with pleasure.

Leif of Fort Pierce, FL February 23, 2009

My 90 year old father was also sold the service for a leased 500 box and 49.95 per month bracelet. He now wants to cancel Life Alert and got the same response as many of your complaint letters attest to. He signed a 36 month contract which cannot be broken or cancelled I was told via telephone. The box however can be sent back at our expense via UPS which I believe my father has done but they are still billing him. I am trying to protect my father as his power of attorney advocate but I get the same nasty or completely clueless and unhelpful telemarketing people who suggest other extensions to call at different hours and the same prompts go round & round. This company should be put out of business by a class action suit. I also pleaded that we cannot afford this. I have never heard of a contract that cannot be broken. I was not present when the Life Alert rep came to my 90 year olds father house and signed him up. I also have not seen said contract, only the month past due bills that are adding up.My relationship with my father is heartbreaking he wants to assume his independence by making his own decisions and thinks I am accusing him of incompetency. I spend my time putting out all the fires from several fraudulent entanglements that he has been prey to. Where are the laws and protections for seniors and caregivers?

Richard of Austin, TX February 5, 2009

My mother purchased Life Alert to have the secutory of 24/7 monitoring in her home. Her system is not working and no one is available after 6PM to discuss this with. We pushed the button on her unit several times to try to send an alert and after several minutes with no response cancelled the alert call. I am concerned for her safety. She could have fallen and no one would respond to the alert. When we purchased the system we were told that the monitoring center would receive an alert and speak with her over the phone if there was a fire or if her monitoring button was pushed on the desk unit or her necklace. We were also told that the monitoring center would receive an alert if her system was disconected. Evidently this was not a true statement since there is no response to sending an alert on her system since it is not functioning and must be disconnected from their system. She has been paying for this service several years and has not had any real protecton. I am contacting her credit card to stop payment until this is resolved or the service is cancelled.

P. Blazer of Spring Mills, PA January 28, 2009

I tried to find information about their product, but only rceived the same answer from their sales rep.-We’ll send you a brochure. He refused to answer any questions! That raises a red flag to me if someone isn’t willing to give information out over the phone!

Wanda of Charleston, WV January 4, 2009

i signed, without really understanding a three year contract for life aleert just last month at fifty dollars per month. right afterwards, my oldest son moved in with me so i cant afford this. i am 80 yrs old and only thought i was signing for receipt of equipment. i called to cancel aand the man was real rude and told me i signed for it i pay for it. i am sick over this. i am on so much medication that my mind is not clear all the time and i didnt know what to do. my daughter is typing this for me.l i cant hardly talk on the phone. my daughter is very mad about all of this and is going to contact the attorneys office on monday. she paper work to file a complaint with senator darrell mcgraw on monday of next if we cant resolve this. i am a christian and i am sincere that i cannot afford the extrA EXPENSES plus my son is taking care ofr me now.

Rhonda Mae Anderson of Henderson, NV October 3, 2008

I have read many of the stories you have on your website. After having Life Alert for over 6 years, I must say it is the best investment I have ever made. Life Alert has saved my life on 3 separate occasions. Yes that is right! I would not be alive if not for the wonderful people at Life Alert. They have always been nothing but nice and courteous to me. Im sorry if someone else had a different experience, but I must say I think Life Alert is the best and I know my daughter feels much better because i have it also.

Susanne of Timonium, MD September 23, 2008

After reading all the negative things about Life Alert, I tried to call them to get more information. My call was transfered 3 times, then I was told someone would call me back. This is not the kind of service I’d want for my parents. Can you imagine – one of them falls down and is put on hold forever? I will not use Life Alert.

If your loved one is getting older, you may be worried about him passing away. You may be able to ease your mind, one way or the other, by educating yourself about death. Here are some tips on how to recognize the signs of approaching death.

Step 1:
Recognize that dying starts much before a person actually dies. The dying process, for the old-aged, is a long process that happens over time. It doesn’t just happen all at once. It’s an entire journey that ultimately ends with the physical departure of one’s soul or life from one’s body. Here are a few of the milestones that happen during the journey that should inform you of approaching death.

Step 2:
Your family member realizes that death is imminent. A few months before death actually occurs, your family member will begin to accept that he will soon die. He has to accept that he is a mortal being that lives and eventually dies. This can be a very hard understanding for him to come to. But when he does, you may begin to notice him withdrawing somewhat from his surroundings. He may not be as talkative or interested in visitors or family photos or daily events. He will seem more reserved and distant as he begins to understand that he will soon separate from the only life and world he has ever known. In addition to not wanting any emotional stimulation, your dying family member may also begin to eat less. He won’t be as interested in his favorite dinner as he once was, and Aunt Betty’s cookies just won’t have the same appeal to him as they used to. Because he understands that his death is approaching, he may begin to feel he doesn’t need to eat anymore. (And this is partially true – his body won’t need as much nourishment when he is dying as it once did). But don’t worry. Even though you may recognize this sign of approaching death, your loved one is not starving. The body has amazing powers to alter its chemistry to provide for itself. So your loved one definitely isn’t suffering by eating less. It’s just part of the journey of dying.

Step 3:
You’ll notice mental changes closer to his death. One to two weeks before your loved one passes on, you will probably start to notice some mental changes in him. Most noticeably, he will start to sleep a lot more. It is just his body’s natural way of preparing for death. Your family member may also experience mild or extreme cases of disorientation and euphoria as death approaches. Hallucinations are common as well.

Step 4:
His body will start to change. Several days before death occurs, you’ll notice physical changes in your loved one. His overall body temperature will drop, as will his blood pressure. His pulse may become irregular and he may even start to sweat more. In addition, he may start to turn pale and his lips and nails may turn light shades of blue. And don’t be concerned if you notice changes in his breathing patterns either. These are all physical signs of approaching death.

Step 5:
His life may end with a burst of energy. In the final days and hours before the death of your loved one, you may notice that his energy levels have risen again. He may be sprightlier, wanting to see friends and family. And he may even take an interest in Aunt Betty’s cookies again. Usually, this energy burst lasts only a short time.

Eventually, death will come. Your loved one’s hands and feet will look mottled (blotchy). He’ll be unresponsive, and his breathing will be sporadic, at best. In his last dying minutes, although he’ll seem at rest, he will still be able to hear you. When you see these signs, say your goodbyes as death approaches and occurs.

According to statistics, more than 2 million elderly people are subjected to abuse each year. This happens in hospitals, in nursing homes and even in their own homes. What can you do to ensure that your aging loved ones are being treated properly? Here are some tips to help prevent elderly abuse.

Step 1:
Find a good caregiver. More often than not, people who abuse elders do not have close ties to the elderly person. If you can find a caregiver for your elderly loved one whom you trust and with whom you have a history with, there is less likely of a chance that your loved one will be abused by this person. So find a friend, a good nurse, a respite works or another home caregiver that you fully trust to provide for the seniors in your life.  Another good option is to purchase a medical alert system like our Guardian Alert 911 or Freedom alert.

Step 2:
Make sure the caregiver knows what to expect. Some elderly abuse happens out of frustration. Perhaps the caregiver didn’t know what to expect in terms of the condition of your elderly family member. In general, maybe the caregiver feels that his or her responsibilities are just too much. If the caregiver was overwhelmed with the demands of your loved one’s specific mental, physical and overall medical needs, he or she may have been pushed to abuse your loved one.
To prevent such elderly abuse, arrange for a meeting between your chosen elder caregiver and your older family member’s doctors. Hopefully, this type of communication will bring full understanding to the caregiver about the needs of your elderly family member, thereby preventing elderly abuse. As well, don’t lay any more responsibility on the elder caregiver than is absolutely necessary. Take care of paying bills, running errands and other personal tasks for your elder family member by yourself.

Step 3:
Always touch base with your elderly family member. It doesn’t have to be you, but someone needs to be checking in on your elderly family member at random times, especially when he or she is under the care of someone else. Talk to friends, family members and even neighbors about creating a ‘check-in’ schedule. Perhaps you can check on your loved senior on Tuesday and Thursday, have the neighbors stop by on Monday and Wednesday, and give your sister the responsibility of stopping by your family member’s house on the weekend. Don’t set any specific times. Just ensure that people are always dropping in unannounced at the home or care facility of your aging loved one.
(If you can’t stop by every day, often there are organizations within your own community that will volunteer to do this. The Alzheimer’s association is one such organization that happily stops by the homes of elders to ensure that everything is okay. It’s a great way to prevent elderly abuse.)

Step 4:
Consider day-time care facilities for the elderly. If you can’t be with your elderly family member throughout the day and you aren’t comfortable leaving him or her alone with a caregiver, you do have other options. You can enroll your loved one in something similar to ‘adult day-care’ in your community. Choose one that is run by professional caregivers, social works and doctors. Going with a reputable daytime care facility is an excellent way to prevent elderly abuse.

Two-thirds of assisted living residents in central Maryland were diagnosed with dementia and more than one-quarter of residents had other psychiatric ailments, such as depression, anxiety disorder or psychosis, according to a Johns Hopkins study. “These high rates indicate that many assisted living residents with dementia go undiagnosed and are not adequately treated,” says Adam Rosenblatt, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins and lead author of the report appearing in the October 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatric Association. “This situation contrasts sharply with the goals of the assisted living movement, but it can be alleviated to some degree by providing psychiatric care to residents, ongoing consultation, and specialized nursing staff with training in dementia,” says Rosenblatt. For elderly people unable to live alone, assisted living programs aim to provide a stable residence, maximize quality of life and support their ability to age in place without discharge to a nursing home or hospital. The study, known as the “Maryland Assisted Living Study,” is an ongoing, long-term investigation that aims to obtain a direct estimate of the prevalence of dementia and other psychiatric disorders in assisted living residents and to determine the effect of these disorders on residents. The study was designed to provide information to health providers, policy makers, regulators, the assisted living industry and the general public.

The investigators reviewed health history and psychiatric evaluations in a randomized sample of assisted living residents in 22 (10 large and 12 small) randomly selected assisted living facilities in the city of Baltimore and seven Maryland counties. One hundred ninety-eight volunteers participated in the study. Seventy-five percent were aged 80 years and older and 78 percent were female. Overall rates of dementia and other psychiatric diseases were measured and adequate treatment history reviewed by an expert multidisciplinary panel. The researchers found that two-thirds (67.7 percent) of participants had dementia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Eighty-one percent of those in small facilities (less than 15 beds) and 63 percent in large facilities (more than 15 beds) had dementia. More than one-quarter (26.3 percent) had another psychiatric disorder, such as depression, anxiety disorder or psychosis. Seventy-three percent of dementias were adequately evaluated, but only 52 percent were adequately treated. Of those who had other psychiatric disorders, up to 61 percent were recognized, but only 52 percent were adequately treated. By 1999 approximately 600,000 senior citizens in the United States were residents of assisted living facilities. An additional 1.5 million Americans resided in nursing homes.
Other authors of the report are Quincy Samus, Cynthia Steele, Alva Baker, Michael Harper, Jason Brandt, Peter Rabins and Constantine Lyketsos. The study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.

Click Here to find out more about the Guardian Alert medical alert system systems. These systems can save your life as well as your wallet. No Monthly Fees, No Contracts and No Setup Fees. WOW!