Assistance with Life, Work, Family, and Wellbeing
Washing Your Hands
Are you looking for a good way to avoid getting sick this cold and flu season? Try washing your hands.
Frequent hand washing is one of the best ways to protect yourself from a variety of illnesses that can be transmitted through contact with people, animals, food, and contaminated surfaces. When you touch one of these items and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, you may infect yourself with viruses or bacteria.
Your best choice for washing your hands is soap and hot water. Lather your hands and fingers thoroughly with soap for 20 seconds, then rinse for another ten seconds. If this isn’t an option, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers or antimicrobial wipes. To cleanse objects and surfaces, use a bleach-based solution.
While washing your hands frequently is important, it’s key to do so before you:
•Prepare or eat food
•Serve food to others
•Put in or take out your contact lenses
•Blow your nose or cough
•Treat or bandage a cut, scrape, or burn
Minimize the risk of spreading germs by washing your hands after you:
•Use the bathroom
•Change a diaper or help someone else use the bathroom
•Pet or handle animals or their waste
•Blow your nose, cough, sneeze, or touch your hair or face
•Wipe a child’s nose or care for a sick person
•Cook with raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs
•Eat or drink
•Smoke
•Handle objects that may have been touched by others, such as dirty dishes, money, doorknobs, elevator buttons, or gas pumps
•Take out garbage
•Use public transportation
In addition, you can stop the spread of germs by:
•Assigning each family member his or her own hand towel
•Cleaning bathroom and kitchen countertops and sinks regularly
•Getting a flu shot every year
•Eating healthy, exercising, and getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night
The above information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of medical advice.
Long-Term Care
Addressing long-term care issues for an elderly or disabled family member is often difficult. If you aren’t sure where to start, consider sitting down with the elder one-on-one or having a family meeting. Here are some issues you may want to discuss:
•Finances. Talking about money can be awkward, but you’ll be in a much better position to help if you have a thorough understanding of your loved one’s financial picture. Review checking and savings accounts, insurance policies, pensions, and personal assets.
•How to fund care. Both in-home care and care facilities are expensive. Are you or your affected relatives prepared to cover the costs? Does it make sense to allocate assets toward these potential expenses, or is it better to buy long-term care insurance? If the discussion leans toward insurance, what type of policy should you buy?
•Dividing responsibilities. If you are an only child, you may have to shoulder the entire load. If you have brothers and sisters, determine what each sibling can contribute based on family and living situation. For example, if one sibling is taking the lead on caregiving or dealing with a parent’s medical issues, then others could help by contributing financial support or backup care. Make sure that siblings who live far away have a clear understanding of how they can best contribute to parental care responsibilities.
•Respite care. It’s essential that primary caregivers take periodic breaks. What respite care options are available? Make sure all family members understand what situations (child illness, business trip) will require others to cover that person’s responsibilities for a short period of time.
•Put your crisis plan in writing. If your loved one has a health crisis, it may be difficult to think clearly or remember who “owns” different tasks. Create a detailed written plan that lists who will handle each responsibility and how financial expenses will be covered. That way, everyone will know what they are expected to do if a crisis occurs.
LifeMatters offers resources that can assist with developing a long-term care plan. Call 24/7/365.
Source: LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell and Balance
Dollars & Sense:
Finances for the Sandwich Generation
If you are raising children while caring for aging parents, it makes you part of the “Sandwich Generation.” A 2013 Pew Research Center study indicates that nearly half of adults in their forties and fifties face this scenario.
Being part of the Sandwich Generation may result in financial strain. If you are worried about keeping your finances on track while meeting your family responsibilities, try these tips:
•Prioritize your own financial situation. The best way to support others is to stay healthy physically, mentally — and financially. Don’t shortchange your own financial goals, especially saving for retirement. If you don’t have one already, create an emergency fund that covers at least 3-6 months of living expenses. Keep in mind that health concerns in your forties and fifties could impact your ability to work, so having a safety net is key.
•Explore student aid. Don’t raid your retirement accounts to pay a child’s tuition. Take advantage of student aid opportunities (scholarships and grants) and explore student loan options. Determine what percentage of school costs your child will be expected to pay and make sure she or he understands this obligation. Encourage younger children to start saving for college by setting aside a portion of afterschool or summer job earnings.
•Don’t forget the tax impact. If you are financially responsible for your parents or another elderly or disabled relative, you may be able to claim them as dependents on your tax returns. Any medical care costs for dependents may also be tax deductible. Ask your tax advisor if you qualify for the Dependent Care Credit — it’s available to those who pay for child or elder care while working.
•Get estate documents in order. Both you and your parents should have wills and advanced care directives in place. In addition, have a financial power of attorney prepared so you can step in and handle financial matters on your parents’ behalf. Finally, talk with your parents, either individually or together, about their wishes for final arrangements after they pass on.
LifeMatters offers emotional support and practical assistance with Sandwich Generation concerns. Whether you need resources or are simply feeling overwhelmed, LifeMatters can help. Call 24/7/365.
Source: Balance
Maintain and Save
Maintaining the things you own —especially big-ticket items like a car, home, or furniture — is a great way to decrease expenses. These steps could save you a bundle over time:
•Stay on a car maintenance schedule. Read your owner’s manual to find out how often oil changes and other preventative maintenance is recommended. If you receive a recall notice for your vehicle, set up the repair work as soon as possible.
•Check your tires. Make sure the tire pressure is set to the vehicle’s specifications. Have tires rotated and replaced as recommended.
•Follow cleaning instructions. If the tag says “dry clean only,” believe it! Limit your dry cleaning costs by purchasing wash and wear clothing whenever possible.
•Rotate your mattress. If you have a standard mattress and box spring, you’ll get a longer life out of it by rotating it at least twice a year. Try a three-month rotation schedule if your mattress tends to sag.
•Replace filters. Clogged filters can damage your home’s heating and cooling system, so change as recommended. Consider scheduling annual cleaning and maintenance on your furnace and air conditioning unit.
•Maintain your home’s exterior paint. Exterior paint protects surfaces from sun and weather damage. It also seals cracks, prevents leaks, and helps to keep out destructive pests like termites.
For more ideas on how to maintain and save, contact the LifeMatters Financial Consultation Service.
Source: Balance
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