Tanpola Articles Directory

There are plenty of baby products on the market, many full of chemicals and artificial colors and perfumes to make them look and smell better. These chemicals tend to be harsh on delicate skin and parents in the know usually prefer organic baby skin care products such as organic baby balms.

Organic baby balms should be completely made of natural ingredients that are chemical free. Each ingredient has a specific purpose and it’s a good idea to understand which ingredient does what for your baby’s skin so you can choose the perfect organic baby balm for his or her skin.

Organic Baby Balm Ingredients

Beeswax: This ingredient is one of the most commonly used in baby balms. It’s a natural ingredient that smells heavenly and also works to seal and protect delicate skin. When used with moisturizing ingredients, it helps to seal them in, maximizing the moisturizing potential of any baby balm.

Calendula: This Mediterranean flower is a very useful natural ingredient. Used on its own, it can eliminate pain and when used in organic baby balms, calendula reduces inflammation and promotes healing. It also reduces the itching of insect bites.

Chamomile: A natural antiseptic, chamomile is soothing and great for use on sensitive skin. It boosts natural cell regeneration and helps reduce rashes and swelling. This herb is particularly useful in baby skin care products meant to treat diaper rashes.

Coconut Oil: An amazing oil that originates from the meat of the coconut, this natural ingredient has anti-fungal, antibacterial and antiseptic properties that make it a very useful ingredient in organic baby balms.

Lavender: This aromatic herb is well known for its soporific effect on people and a little of its essence added to an organic baby balm will help calm and soothe a fussy baby and promote sleep.

Olive Oil: This natural moisturizer is just as healthy when applied to the skin as it is ingested. Rich in Vitamin E, olive oil helps promote healing and minimizes scarring. It is also excellent for treating skin problems like eczema and dandruff.

Shea Butter: An organic, heavy duty moisturizer, shea butter is also useful for protecting little faces from the wind and sun. It also promotes healing of small cuts and rashes, such as diaper rashes and can be used to prevent and treat blemishes and scars. Shea butter is also used to help reverse skin damage caused by harsh chemicals and can really soothe tender baby skin.

Zinc Oxide: One of the most common ingredients in diaper rash cream, zinc oxide eases inflammation and works as a natural astringent on the skin. It’s gentle healing action is very useful for rashes and sores. It is also a natural sun block.

Organic baby balms are the natural way to treat your baby’s skin. Not all of the above ingredients will be used in every balm, as each is specifically formulated to serve a purpose. For example, a healing balm might contain olive oil, zinc oxide and calendula, while a moisturizing balm would be more likely to have beeswax and shea butter in it.

The simpler organic baby skin products are, the less likely your child will have a reaction to any of the ingredients. Most baby balms have just 4-6 ingredients and all are recognizable, as opposed to chemical laden versions.

Look for an organic baby balm that has the ingredients needed for your baby’s particular skin type. Each ingredient will do a specific job and combined, they are dynamite for treating dry infant skin.

Providing a variety of natural baby skin care products made from pure, gentle, organic plant oils and extracts that soothe and calm the delicate skin of babies and children.
http://www.saffronrouge.com/baby-care

Unique wedding favors are often thought to be nothing more than a part of the wedding decorations, but they are more than just a gift for the guest. These wedding table decorations impact the mood and feel of the venue as well as the wedding decor. These seemingly simple gifts can also demonstrate the personalities and interests of the bride and groom. Here are a few of the things that should be thought about when choosing the perfect wedding favor.

An Introduction To The Couple

A great way to make an impression on the wedding guests is with unique wedding favors. Rather than focusing on how expensive a favor should be in order to look impressive, it is important to think about what the gift reveals about the bride and groom. For instance, a decorative picture frame with a photo of the smiling couple will tell the guests that the couple cherishes friends and family relations. The giving of a beautifully accented potted plant can demonstrate growth and life and even shows the couples creativeness and originality. Regardless of what sort of gift is chosen, the wedding table decorations should match the couple’s personality in order for it to be memorable.

Enhance The Decor Of The Wedding

Unique wedding favors need to match the rest of the wedding decor while still being noticeable. In order to achieve this, the wedding favor needs to match the theme and style of the wedding while also harmonizing with the colors chosen. A tropical potted plant is the ideal wedding favor for a tropical themed wedding. These wedding table decorations carry on the theme and works well with both a formal and casual wedding. To fit it into the wedding’s color scheme, add colored ribbon or tulle fabric.

In addition to looking great on their own, unique wedding favors can also serve a function. These items can be arranged together in the center of the tables to create a focal point. For a romantic wedding, candles and confetti can be used to enhance the effect of the decoration or they can be added directly to the guest’s gifts. A wedding favor can also work as the place cards for the tables by adding a card with each guest’s name.

Priceless Mementos

After the wedding, the guests will take the unique wedding favors home with them. For this reason, the favor will act as a reminder of the special day as well as the bride and groom. Personalized party favors are one of the greatest ways to achieve this. Since the date of the wedding and the names of the couple appear on the gift, the guest will remember where the gift came from and look back on the event for years to come. Last but not least, these wedding table decorations allow the bride and groom to thank each and every guest who attends the wedding.

Unique wedding favors play an important role in wedding, and are not just another part of the decorations. These wedding table decorations enhance the feeling and mood of the wedding venue, but they also act as a message to the guests. The ideal choice for a wedding favor should match the couple as well as the wedding ceremony.

Dakota Bressler is an author for The Wedding Greenhouse (http://www.theweddinggreenhouse.com), an leading producer of indoor tropical plants and live wedding table decorations. They also provide unique wedding favors and other live wedding decor. (http://www.theweddinggreenhouse.com/shop/index.php)

Relocating your home is a stressful endeavor usually strewn with individual little challenges along the way. If you are hiring a professional mover to assist you, it is essential to choose a moving company that will make the process easier, not harder. In this respect, a big national moving company will serve you better than a locally based mover. Not only can you be assured of a competitive price, you will have peace of mind knowing your possessions will arrive intact, on time, and end up in the right place.

Since the Household Goods Transportation Act came into effect in 1983, the moving industry has become more and more seedy and represents an area where the consumer must be wary and cautious in order to guard against being taken advantage. Since there is more competition in the moving industry than ever before, most companies will do anything they can to offer the lowest possible price. Moreover, small, local movers will be apt to try to scam a hapless individual whose belongings can be held for a ransom. One common scam is the low-ball (and ultimately inaccurate) estimate.

A non-binding estimate can be a useful tool for a local moving company to make a sucker out of their latest client. An estimate is given, but, on loading the truck, it is discovered that the individual who is relocating has more stuff that was originally expected. Since it is already in the company’s truck, the person will have little choice but to pay to get his kidnapped possessions delivered to his new home.

National movers, since they have generally designed their pricing structures to assure the moving company makes a modest profit while still keeping their prices competitive. Moreover, a national moving company has less to gain from a scam, since their reputation on the national scene will suffer if it is known they give inaccurate quotes.

Local companies usually work on smaller budgets, so any extra money they can squeeze out of a particular job is worth it. Also, local moving companies are usually owned and operated by an individual who is directly influenced by the company’s financial gains, whereas a national company has salaried employees who are far more impartial and disinterested in the profit margin and more interested in doing a quick and efficient job.

As they are large and serve a great many consumers across the country, a national moving company will have better equipment and will be able to attract skilled employees who are happy with their level of pay. This ensures the people and tools that are handling your possessions will be less likely to damage or steal them in comparison to a local company, which will often buy one dolly and never replace it and service the trucks as sparingly as possible.

Finally, national moving companies tend to have the best insurance policies; designed to ensure that your possessions are safe. The most important aspect of relocating is ensuring that your furniture will get to its destination intact and on time, as anyone who has gone through a bad move is well aware of.

Particularly when it comes to inter-state or international moves, a national company is the safest route as they are expected to track their trucks movements and only an immaculate service record will keep up the moving company’s reputation. It is not that local companies do not want to deliver good service. But quite often, they cannot guarantee the same level of security as a national moving company can.

Premiere Van Lines is a national moving company that services all of Canada and some areas in the US. They have special units for each location; Calgary movers, Vancouver movers, Toronto movers and more.
http://www.premierevanlines.com

Birth certificates are one of the primary ways of establishing identity and are necessary for obtaining passports, drivers licenses, and much more.

These documents are known as vital records and include information such as the birth name, the date and time of birth, the sex of the child, the place and or location of birth, the names and occupations of the parents of the child, the birth weight and length of the child, the date of birth registration, the name of the informant registering the birth, and a birth registration number.

While this document in and of itself is not considered proof of identity, it is a way to establish identity, and if often used in conjunction with a state issued drivers license or photo ID for these purposes. In the United States, there are two different types of birth certificates, long forms and short forms.

Long forms are exact photo copies of original birth records and usually include information about the parents of the child, including address, race, and other statistics.. Long forms also include the signature of the doctor who delivered the child.

Many states now use Electronic Birth Registration Systems, which virtually eliminate the need for long form hard copies, but these forms are still in use in some form or another in almost every state, even those that have gone paperless, so to speak.

Short forms are also known as computer certifications and are abridged versions of long form certificates that are generally easier to obtain. This is because while a long form is a copy of the actual certificate, a short form is a verification of the existence of the certificate.

Additional short forms include wallet sized short forms, which provide basic information, and commemorative certificates, which are often given out by hospitals as keepsakes, and, depending on individual state and country regulations, are not always considered valid certificates of birth.

If you need to obtain a copy of your birth certificate, or the birth certificate of your child, you should check into the specific rules and regulations of the state where the birth occurred. There are many companies that specialize in locating birth certificates for a small fee, but again, there are still rules and regulations in effect as to who has the authority to access and obtain them.

For genealogy purposes, some states allow anyone to obtain the birth records of individuals who have been deceased for seventy five years or more. The good news is that with a little research and information, birth certificates can be obtained for almost anyone.

Express Birth Records is a privately owned company created to assist the public in ordering certified copies of vital records (Birth Certificates, Death Certificates, Marriage and Divorce Certificates). For more information please visit “http://www.expressbirthrecords.com/about_birth.html”

Making the decision to place an aging parent or grandparent in an assisted living center in Prescott Arizona is difficult. With so many stories circulating on the news and rumors of abuse occurring in assisted living centers around the country, anyone would naturally be concerned.

But you know it’s time to consider placement when safety is in question and a person’s ability to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) are severely impaired: getting in or out of bed or a chair, using the toilet, bathing or showering, dressing, and eating.

When fears that an elderly person may leave the stove on, get lost, fall down stairs or get hurt in any way, and family helpers or in-home caregivers are not an option, it is time to find an assisted living center in Prescott Arizona.

There are certain steps you can take to make sure the assisted living center in Prescott Arizona you choose is a safe and healthy environment for your loved one. It’s best to start the discussion of assisted living options early, prior to illness, to discover what your loved one’s wishes really are.

Consider a “multi-level” assisted living center in Prescott Arizona that offers senior apartments, increasing levels of assistance, all the way to full skilled nursing and dementia care. This way, as more services are needed another potentially traumatizing move is not necessary.

Consider buying a comprehensive Long-term Care Insurance policy prior to illness, which would cover the cost of the long-term care in an assisted living center in Prescott Arizona.

Consult an Elder Law Attorney to get Durable Power of Attorney for Health and Financial in place, so if your loved one becomes incapacitated, you can make decisions for them. Realize that without the DPOA it is very hard to move someone out of their home against their will, which can occur when trying to reason with someone who is starting to get dementia.

Become familiar with the services of your assisted living center in Prescott Arizona ahead of time: senior centers, Adult Day Care and Adult Day HEATH Care centers (for those with dementia), multi-level assisted living facilities, skilled/nursing homes and those with full dementia care, and your local Alzheimer’s Association at 800-272-3900.

Try a facility out by using it for a short-term respite stay so all the little details can be evaluated prior to full time placement and commitment.

Unfortunately, sometimes we wait until it’s too late to research assisted living center in Prescott Arizona. Most people place loved ones in an assisted living center in Prescott Arizona after a crisis such as a stroke or broken hip, often after a hospital stay, when 24-hour care is needed for patient safety in a skilled facility.

In these cases the hospital discharge planner will help with location options for an assisted living center in Prescott Arizona. Call your local Area Agency on Aging or Department of Aging for available options. It needs to be close enough to family for visiting/monitoring often. Ask to speak with the Ombudsman who monitors the facilities in that area to ask if there are any pending/past lawsuits on the places you are considering.

Visit assisted living centers in Prescott Arizona on the weekend and talk to numerous families who have loved ones living there and ask for their opinions. What do they wish they knew before they moved their loved one in, and what they recommend you check into prior to placement?

Ask the administrator the following questions and and get in writing: What is their patient to staff ratio? Are they hiring right now and how many people are needed? What is their usual turnover and retention? What training has their staff had and what on-going education do they get? How many RN’s are on staff? Is there a doctor on staff, or if not, how far away? How many hours of direct care is done? Who is the temporary staffing agency used in an emergency? Have criminal checks been run on all employees? County, State, National? How many years back? Are there any residents with communicable diseases?

Find out if transportation is available to get a paralyzed loved one to the doctor. What is covered and what are considered extra charges? Do they offer support groups for the family? What are their state inspection results? Ask to see them. Are their any liens, complaints of abuse, or citations against the facility?

Observe how the staff treats the residents and how they talk to them, with respect or not, or like they are children. Notice if the residents are cleanly dressed, hair combed.

By following these guidelines you should be able to rest assured that your elderly loved one is in the best hand in his or her assisted living center in Prescott Arizona.

Assisted living centers in Prescott Arizona(http://www.granitegateseniorliving.com/assisted-living) allow senior to age with assistance and dignity. The author Art Gib is a freelance writer.

As we age, our sensory systems gradually start to decline. Because our brain requires a minimal amount of input to remain alert and functioning, sensory loss for older adults puts them at risk for sensory deprivation. Severe sensory impairments, such as in vision or hearing, may result in behavior similar to dementia and psychosis, such as increased disorientation and confusion. Added restrictions, such as confinement to bed or a Geri-chair, increases this risk. With nothing to show the passage of time, or changes in the environment, the sensory deprived person may resort to repetitive problem behaviors (calling out, chanting, rhythmic pounding/rocking) as an attempt to reduce the sense of deprivation and to create internal stimulation/sensations.

This article is the second in a series of three articles that discuss the prominent sensory changes that accompany aging, and considers the necessary behavioral adjustments or accommodations that should be made by professional, paraprofessional, and family caregivers who interact with older adults. Though the medical conditions are not reviewed in depth, the purpose of this article is to introduce many of the behavioral health insights, principles, and approaches that should influence our caregiving roles. This article addresses age-related changes in hearing.

HEARING

A. The changes in hearing that accompany aging include:

1. Presbycusis: a type of hearing loss that is more common in men, especially for high-pitched sounds. Men have more trouble hearing high pitched voices, and have poorer sound discrimination (e.g., for letters s, z, t, f, g). Decline typically begins after age 60, and increases up to 80% for those over age 80;
2. Screening out background noises is a common difficulty.

B. How the hearing impaired can be impacted by caregivers:

1. Raising the volume of our voice also raises pitch of our speech, usually making it harder to understand. Recommended: lower your pitch of voice;
2. Background noise (TV, vacuums, plane flying overhead) interferes with hearing and understanding. Recommended: wait for a quieter time to get our point across;
3. Hearing loss creates more social withdrawal and reduced interaction due to the high level of frustration of the person, and annoyance with others who speak too quietly or indistinctly;
4. When the TV is too low and hard to hear and understand, there is a possibility of friction and bickering with others who are also watching;
5. In many cases of hearing loss, there is an increase in suspiciousness and paranoia, anger and bitterness at the frustrating situation, and helplessness to control the situation. This often contributes to depression and a sense of resignation;
6. There is a tendency for the hearing disabled person to agree with what everyone is saying, just to reduce the frustration and disappointment. Recommendation: ask the person to repeat back what was just said to verify the communication.

C. How changes in hearing affect persons with dementia:

1. Difficulties with comprehension and understanding of communication are further compounded, increasing his or her withdrawal and isolation;
2. The use of hearing aids requires more support and motivation, persistence in the face of unpleasant sounds, and care for the device. Recommendation: remind the dementia person to wear the hearing aid, help him to turn it on, clean and change batteries, and store it safely.

D. Warning signs of changes in functioning due to hearing loss:

1. More avoidance of social situations and withdrawal
2. Less small talk
3. Shorter attention span or tendency to daydream, wander
4. Blank looks
5. Asking you to repeat, making inappropriate responses
6. Arguing or blaming others, more irritability

GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR CAREGIVERS

The following general principles will guide caregiving approaches with older adults who have diminished sensory function. Increased sensitivity and insight to the needs of these individuals improves their quality of life and improves our effectiveness:

1. Observe his or her behavior, and look for cues and signs of pain or discomfort;
2. Help the person work through the emotional impact of the sensory changes, allowing expression, acceptance, and support of the grief and sadness accompanying these losses;
3. Do not try to fix the unpleasantness; acceptance and support goes a longer way toward healing than a quick fix or a patronizing attitude;
4. Reduce excess disability by maximizing whatever functioning is still left, such as proper eyeglass prescriptions, or functioning hearing aids;
5. Consider assistive devices (phone amplifiers, large text books, headphones, and the Braille Institute for a variety of useful visual aids).

Approaches for Impairments in Hearing:

1. Get his attention before speaking to him;
2. Face him or her directly, not from behind;
3. Eliminate as much background noise as possible;
4. Speak slowly and clearly, keeping your hands away from your face, and avoid chewing or eating when talking;
5. Allow an adequate amount of time for a response;
6. Do not talk as if the hearing impaired person is not there;
7. Provide opportunities for interaction that require little conversation e.g., cards, walking, cooking.

Even with normal aging, functioning of our five senses is not like it was when we were younger adults. This article offers caregivers who work with hearing-impaired older adults some insights into the special needs and adjustments that will turn unpleasant, frustrating situations into more caring, helpful, and sensitive interactions. The next article in this series addresses age-related losses in touch, taste, smell, and facial expressiveness, and what steps can be taken by caregivers to support the person experiencing these changes.

Copyright 2008 Concept Healthcare, LLC

Joseph M. Casciani, PhD, is a geropsychologist who has devoted his professional career to working with older adults and their caregivers. His company, Concept Healthcare, http://www.cohealth.org, offers online resources to integrate behavioral health approaches in the health care of older adults.

As we age, our sensory systems gradually lose their sharpness. Because our brain requires a minimal amount of input to remain alert and functioning, sensory loss for older adults puts them at risk for sensory deprivation. Severe sensory impairments, such as in vision or hearing, may result in behavior similar to dementia and psychosis, such as increased disorientation and confusion. Added restrictions, such as confinement to bed or a Geri-chair, increases this risk. With nothing to show the passage of time, or changes in the environment, the sensory deprived person may resort to repetitive problem behaviors (calling out, chanting, rhythmic pounding/rocking) as an attempt to reduce the sense of deprivation and to create internal stimulation/sensations.

This article is the first in a series of three articles that discuss the prominent sensory changes that accompany aging, and considers the necessary behavioral adjustments or accommodations that should be made by professional, paraprofessional, and family caregivers who interact with older adults. Though the medical conditions are not reviewed in depth, the purpose of this article is to introduce many of the behavioral health insights, principles, and approaches that should influence our caregiving roles. This article addresses age-related visual changes.

CHANGES IN VISION THAT ACCOMPANY AGING

A. The changes in vision that accompany aging include:

1. A loss of elasticity of the lens; this means the person is no longer able to focus or accommodate to changes in lighting conditions. (Starting in our 40’s, glasses are needed to see fine print). It also means the older person cannot adjust to sudden changes in lighting, resulting in an uneasiness when leaving a bright room to enter a dark hallway, or finding seats in the dark in recreation rooms, or theater. Going in the reverse direction can be equally difficult: from a dark room to a bright area.
2. Decreased pupil size; the light reaching the retina is reduced, requiring more light to see. This results in the need for lighting 3x to 4x what younger people need to see clearly
3. A loss of transparency; with age, there is a yellowing of the lens in the eyes, making color discrimination more difficult, especially blue and green. Warmer colors, such as reds and yellows are perceived best, explaining why bright colors are preferred.
4. More susceptibility to glare, and longer time is needed to recover from the effects of glare;
5. Eye diseases and disorders, such as cataracts causing a clouding of the lens; glaucoma, resulting from increased pressure of fluids in the eye, damaging the optic nerve and impairing vision. Glaucoma, the number one cause of blindness in U.S., in advanced stages results in yellow halos around images. Macular degeneration may occur, where vision is distorted, and images appear different sizes or different shapes, and are missing a central element. Visual disorders may be secondary to stroke, in which the eye can see the image but the brain cannot interpret the images. Diabetes may result in disrupted blood flow to the retina, causing diabetic retinopathy and a loss of vision, and blindness, in extreme cases.

B. What are the effects of visual loss on the older adult?

1. An increased dependency on others;
2. A sharply reduced quality of life (changes in activities in daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, reduced connection with outside world);
3. And, a fearfulness and reduced tendency to venture outside.

C. What are the effects of vision changes on demented elderly?

1. With the losses in visual acuity, other problems in cognitive functioning are heightened, such as difficulty processing unfamiliar faces and settings;
2. Because the person with dementia already has difficulty learning new behaviors, he or she is less able to learn new habits to compensate for the visual losses (e.g., learning to use visual aids to identify articles of clothing or other possessions;
3. There is likely to be an increased disorientation and confusion, as the search for structure and external cues is strained.

PRINCIPLES FOR CAREGIVERS

The following principles apply to caregiving approaches with older adults who have diminished sensory function. Increased sensitivity and insight to the needs of these individuals improves their quality of life and improves our effectiveness:

1. Observe the behavior of the person, and look for cues and signs of pain or discomfort;
2. Help the person work through the emotional impact of the sensory changes, allowing expression, acceptance, and support of the grief and sadness accompanying these losses;
3. Do not try to fix the unpleasantness; acceptance and support goes a longer way toward healing than a quick fix or a patronizing attitude;
4. Reduce excess disability by maximizing whatever functioning is still left, such as proper eyeglass prescriptions, or functioning hearing aids;
5. Consider assistive devices (phone amplifiers, large text books, headphones, and the Braille Institute for a variety of useful visual aids).

Approaches for impairments in vision:

1. Address the person before you touch him or her, identify yourself, let him or her know when you are leaving, speak normally, and do not shout;
2. Describe his or her surroundings to help orient and familiarize the person to the environment, tell him or her location of belongings, and if things have been moved;
3. Use as much contrast as possible, e.g., red objects on white background is better than black on a gray background, or blue on green background, (consider switch plates on walls, toothbrushes, combs);
4. Avoid moving quickly from a bright room to a darkened room, or v.v. Make sure the visually-impaired person takes the time for the pupils to adapt to the changes in lighting;
5. Introduce yourself every time you come into contact with the person, and explain what you are going to do because there are no visual cues;
6. Help to identify others in their environment with colored clothing, name tags with large print, etc.
7. Clean eyeglasses regularly, provide adequate lighting, and avoid glare;
8. Provide night lights, and arrange furnishings in the environment for safety and ease of mobility.

Even with normal aging, functioning of our five senses is not like it was when we were younger adults. This article offers caregivers who work with visually-impaired older adults some insights into the special needs and adjustments that will turn unpleasant, frustrating situations into more caring, helpful, and sensitive interactions. By integrating these behavioral approaches in the delivery of the health care with older adults, we can favorably impact the management of these conditions.

Copyright 2008 Concept Healthcare, LLC

Joseph M. Casciani, PhD, is a geropsychologist who has devoted his professional career to working with older adults and their caregivers. His company, Concept Healthcare, http://www.cohealth.org, offers online resources to integrate behavioral health approaches in the health care of older adults.