Family Ever After Blog

Family Ever After Blog

Archives for January 2019

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How to keep your independence as a senior

If you want to lead an independent life as you age, continue reading to discover a few simple yet effective tips on how to keep your independence for as long as possible!

How to keep your independence as a senior:

Consider installing a stairlift in your home

If you live in a home which boasts multiple levels, it’s well worth installing a stairlift in your home, as stairlifts can help you maintain your independence. Having a stairlift you’ll be able to travel from your first floor to your second floor, without any difficulty, which will make it far easier to remain living independently in your home. This also helps you avoid having to move in with your family members or into a retirement village or home.

Place handrails up around your home

If you’re not as mobile as you used to be it’s a great idea to place handrails up around key areas of your home. As an example, you may want to place handrails in your primary bathroom in order to avoid falling when you get in and out of your shower or bath. Or you may want to place handrails in your hallway, to make walking from your bedroom to your lounge an easier process.

Consider purchasing a medical alert device aimed at seniors

If you are set on continuing to live at home, it’s a smart idea to purchase a medical alert device such as a medical alert necklace or bracelet, which will allow you to call an ambulance in the case of an emergency. As an example, if you suffer a nasty fall, you’ll be able to call an ambulance, with the touch of a button, without having to get up off the floor.

As a bonus, by choosing to purchase a medical alert device your family members will also enjoy peace of mind that you’ll be able to call for help, in an emergency!

Ensure to visit your doctor for regular check-ups

If you want to be able to live in your own home for as long as possible it’s also a great idea to visit your doctor for regular check-ups so that any medical issues which may affect your health can be diagnosed and treated effectively as soon as possible. Which will ensure that your health won’t deteriorate rapidly and that you’ll be able to lead an independent life for as long as possible.

Make sure to visit your local optometrist at least once a year

If you want to continue to drive yourself from a to b, it’s well worth visiting your optometrist on a regular basis, to make sure that your glasses’ lenses are the right match for your current eyesight. As if you continue to wear the same old glasses for years, whilst your eyes are deteriorating due to age, you may find it difficult to complete your daily tasks such as cooking, getting around your home and driving.

If you follow the tips listed above, you should have no trouble continuing to lead a normal independent life, for as long as possible.

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Moduleo Floors an Excellent Alternative to Laminate

If you’re in the process of revamping your home and are looking to replace your home’s flooring, you may want to consider opting for modern moduleo floors or checking out Lifestyle Flooring UK for alternative options.

Moduleo Floors an Excellent Alternative to Laminate: Key Reasons to Opt For Moduleo Flooring

1. You’ll be able to selection wood look and stone look options

If you love the look of solid wood flooring or stone flooring but can’t justify the high cost of wood flooring options and stone flooring options, it’s well worth considering moduleo flooring. As there are a wide array of wood look options and stone look options which look and feel like the real thing but are a whole lot cheaper than real wood or stone flooring options.

So if you’d like to purchase flooring which looks more expensive than laminate and which gives the same look as solid hardwood floors or stone floors, it’s well worth seriously considering opting for moduleo flooring.

2. Moduleo flooring is made to be durable

If you want to install a flooring option which will look just as great as it does 5 years after you fit it as the day you fit in into your home, there’s no need to look any further. As moduleo flooring is known to be extremely durable and can withstand the weight of heavy furniture as well as heavy traffic and excitable pets such as cats and dogs.

As an added bonus, as Moduleo flooring is so resistant to wear and tear, you won’t have to worry about your flooring developing scratches, scuffs or nasty dents. That will ruin the look of your home’s flooring!

3. Moduleo flooring is just as easy to clean as laminate flooring options

In fact, while you may need to use laminate specific cleaners on laminate flooring, you can use virtually any type of flooring cleaner to clean moduleo flooring. Just remember never to use flooring wax on your floors as while wood flooring may need to be waxed a few times per year, moduleo flooring never needs to be waxed.

4. Moduleo flooring is waterproof unlike laminate flooring

One reason why most individuals shy away from using laminate flooring in their bathrooms and kitchens is that laminate flooring is not waterproof. However, as most types of moduleo flooring have been designed to be waterproof, you’ll be able to use moduleo flooring in areas of your home which are prone to getting wet. Like your bathrooms and kitchen.

5. You’ll be able to install your moduleo flooring yourself

One of the key reasons why moduleo flooring is becoming extremely popular is that as it clicks into place, it’s extremely easy to install. Which means that you should be able to install your home’s flooring on your own, over a couple of weekends or with the help of a few of your DIY inclined friends and family members.

So if you’re looking for a stylish, durable, fuss-free flooring option to give your home a revamp, you can’t go wrong opting for moduleo floors over laminate floors.

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Tatiana Kukanova – Tips on Perfecting Your Spanish

Tatiana Kukanova came along at just the right time for me, I had been studying Spanish at a distance university back in the UK when I moved to Mexico. I quickly realized that I needed some additional help so I put out an ad online for a Spanish tutor. Isabel quickly replied and we got started with weekly Skype classes. Isabel Dos Santos helped me incredibly in improving my Spanish and I wanted to share some of her tips with you all today. If you are learning Spanish then Isabel Dos Santos can help you just like she helped me.

Consume Yourself

Isabel Dos Santos always told me that whilst it is uncomfortable, the very best way to improve your Spanish is to immerse yourself in it completely. What this means is to watch a movie purely in Spanish, listen to Spanish music and try to use the knowledge that you have to follow along. If you are living in a Spanish speaking country then Isabel always recommends that you do what you can to put yourself in an uncomfortable position with someone who doesn’t speak Spanish, as this will force you to. The key is to feel uncomfortable because in doing so you will be able to learn far better than you thought.

Daily Testing

Isabel Dos Santos was brilliant in suggesting a new application for me which really worked when it came to vocabulary. What I did was use this each and every day, through the testing feature which really helped me to improve my vocabulary. These daily tests meant that I had some way of still being tested even when I wasn’t speaking with Isabel via Skype.

Just Use It

As Isabel regularly tells me, using a language is like using a muscle, if you fail to exercise it often enough then you will lose it. This was the biggest barrier for me and whilst it was easy to sit and speak with Isabel on Skype, it was far more difficult for me to use the language in the street. As Isabel would often tell me the biggest factor in learning and using a new language is in fact that you use it and that you have the confidence to use it. The more you use it, the more your confidence grows and then the more confident you are to speak, the two help each other.  

Reading

Something which Isabel Dos Santos was keen to stress with me was the importance of reading as well as speaking and listening. To this end she gave me several books to read which were actually aimed at children, in order to help me improve my reading abilities and to learn more vocabulary.

If you are trying to learn and improve your Spanish then I would wholeheartedly recommend that you listen to these tips from Isabel Dos Santos , I can assure you that you will help.

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Turning Point USA – Why We Need More Young Voters

There are more youngsters interested in politics than ever before and political youth groups like Turning Point USA are reporting high figures when it comes to sign ups. Whilst this is of course wonderful news, it isn’t enough and we must work hard as a global community to get more and more young people interested in the world of politics and their role within it. Young people have always been important in terms of voting yet for a great many years we saw declining numbers of young voters. The recent figures are encouraging but here is why it still isn’t enough.

Almost Half

Young voters make up almost half of the entire electorate which of course is a huge proportion of the country. Unfortunately however older voters are still more likely than their younger counterparts to go and make their vote count when election days come around. For any young people who believe that their vote doesn’t make a difference, these are the figures which we need to show them, that in fact it does count and if they all came together then they really could make sure that their vote brings about change.

Diversity

There is a common misconception that the majority of younger voters are liberals but they are in fact the most diverse demographic here. Young voters are passionate about many different political themes and they have shown over the years that they are not unanimously on the right or the left, but rather they have opinions which span the entire political spectrum.

Planning Ahead

Something else which young people must understand is that they are not necessarily voting for now, but for the next four years. If a voter is 20 now then they will be 24 at the end of the Presidency, during that time their situation will change dramatically, they may start a career, they may start a family and their changing situation means a changing attitude and a changing of what is important to them.

Directly Impacted

Young people’s lives are heavily influenced by the government who decide on college fees, childcare support, medicaid, housing prices and job opportunities to name just a few. In fact the reason why we often see so many young people disaffected by politics is because the government doesn’t represent them yet they are still making decisions about their futures. Young people can put an end to this and make their voices heard when it comes to issues which will directly impact them.

It is our responsibility as teachers, tutors and parents, to properly educate our children and young adults on politics and what their role is within it. We must also encourage the youth to form opinions based on what is important to them, and not what they see their fave celeb supporting on social media. If we can politically charge this next generation then we could see some very positive change ahead of us.

If you liked this article, check out more at the Family Every After Blog.

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Jared Seyl – What You Should Know About a Homeowners Insurance Policy

Whilst it may not be a legal requirement every homeowner should have an insurance policy against their home. This insurance can help to protect all assets within the home and the home itself which is vital for any homeowner as accidents and incidents can, and always will, occur. To find out more about what you need to know about this insurance option we spoke to industry expert Jared Seyl. Jared has worked in insurance for over a decade and here are his tips on what you should know.

Valuable Items

If you have specific items within the home which are of a high value then you should always look to get these insured to their full value. Often when you are looking for an insurance policy the high value numbers may not be what you need them to be in terms of protecting your valuable assets so it is an area which deserves your attention. More often than not you will be able to list these individual items on your homeowners policy.

Excess

The excess is what you will pay when making a claim and if you decide to go for an excess which is higher, you will be able to reduce the overall cost of your premium. Of course should something happen in the home then your high excess could cause issues but many people prefer to opt for a high excess and low insurance premium.

Away From Home

An additional coverage which you can opt for that many people enjoy the benefit of is away from home cover. What this basically does it to protect items like cameras, phones and laptops, even when you are not in the house. If you have a child who is at university for example, this coverage can help you to make sure that their possessions are protected.

Keys and Frozen Food

Make sure that you check whether or not your policy covers the theft or the loss of keys as not every insurer does. Equally the coverage options for frozen food is also an important feature and this will cover you if there is a power outage and the food in your freezer is affected.

Contents

When it comes to the contents cover on your homeowner insurance policy you need to make sure that it fits your needs. In order to do this you will have to have a rough idea how much all of the contents in your home are worth. Whatever you do here make sure that you do not underestimate the contents in your home, or you may find that you don’t get all of the money you were expecting should something happen. The best course of action then is to work out what you think your contents are worth and then add an additional $10,000 to cover for miscalculations.

Make sure that you spend time on getting the right policy for you.

 

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5 New Year’s Resolutions for the Entire Family

With every new year comes new motivation to accomplish something in life. Establishing a New Year’s resolution that encourages personal growth is common for everyone. Why not try and start fresh and focus on your individual goals and aspirations in the coming year?

If you are a mother or father, this can be a challenging feat. So much of your focus is directed towards your young ones, and there is often no time left over to worry about your own wellbeing. Being a parent is a wonderful thing, but it is true when they say that your kids become your life.

This, however, does not mean that you can’t set out to achieve goals or better yourself in 2019. There are plenty of things you can do as a family that will bring you closer together. Here are the top 5 New Year’s resolutions for the entire family to accomplish together this year.

Plan your next family vacation together

Getting away with the family once or twice a year is quite possibly the best bonding experience. Whether you head to the same vacation spot every year or you’re looking for a new getaway, try planning out an itinerary together. Ask each of your children what he or she would like to do on vacay, and spend a day focused on that activity.

This also goes for you too, mom and dad. A vacation is not just meant for the kids to enjoy, but also you guys! If possible find childcare one day during vacation and do something you love together. Sign up for a couple’s massage, go sailing, or head out on a date night.

Schedule a weekend outing once a month

During the school and work week, it might feel like family time gets put on hold. Busy schedules that don’t always match up can make it difficult to spend time together. This is why weekends are crucial. Your number one option that will be fun for everyone is to pick a unique activity. Go paintballing, head to the park, or play with baby goats.

Cut back on screen time

Easier said than done, cutting out screen time is the perfect resolution for 2019. We have all become more and more dependent on our smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Lots of parents resort to screens as a distraction for the kiddos (completely understandable at times). Try to get away from this unhealthy habit in the new year.

Volunteer as a team

Volunteering in the local area is something that plenty of families talk about but rarely ever do. The struggles of daily life get in the way, so the prospect of volunteering your valuable time fades away. This year, try to set aside a few hours every and donate your time together, not just your money. It could be an enriching experience for everyone.

Eat together

This resolution might sound cliche, but a family that eats together, stays together. Although family dinners every single night might not be possible, sit down with everyone at least once a week. You could even go a step further and cook the meal together!