12 Tips For Your Home Alone Parents

Scenario1: Sharmin, 30, working in a well reputed MNC, had to attend an important conference for three days in another city. However, although she wanted to make the best of the opportunity, she could not attend the conference as her parents were alone at home and she found it difficult to leave them and go.

Scenario 2: Rahul, 32, lives with his parents, both of who are retired from work, and remain at home for most of the time. He is working for an export-import firm, and travels most of the time. But he manages to attend his tours and business trips smoothly and his parents too, are confident of staying alone back home for the time he is not there with them.

How can something that has been so difficult for Sharmin, be easy for Rahul? Well, it all requires a little thinking and planning, nothing more. While Sharmin, did not apply her mind as to how she could make her parents self-dependent in taking care of themselves, Rahul on the other hand took a note of all the important things that his parents would require and the things they would need to take care of.

Here’s a brief list of the things you can do, so that just like Rahul, you too can ensure the safety of your parents for all the time you would venture out of the house:

1) Medicine medicines

First and foremost, check whether your parent’s medicines are well stocked. In case there is shortage, it is better to get them in advance.

2) First Aid Kit

The first aid kit is very essential and should always be kept handy. Tell your parents where the kit is kept and also explain to them ways in which they can treat simple injuries.

3) Health Insurance Card

The health insurance card must be kept handy as well and you need to inform your parents that in case of an emergency they can easily get access to the hospital available to them with the help of the card.

4) Kitchen Safety

Remind your mother to always turn off the valve of the gas cylinder after cooking is over as this will ensure their safety. Also, ensure that there are enough groceries at home before you leave the house. Give cash to your maid so that she can get things from the market which may be required in your absence. If your parents are suffering from diabetics or high blood pressure, it is advisable to dispose off things like ice creams, sweets, salty namkeens etc.

5) Bathroom Safety

Make sure there are slip resistant mats outside the bathroom and toilet, in order to prevent someone from slipping or losing balance. Replace them in advance, in case they are not in good condition.

6) Lights

If you leave behind a maid in the house who would look after your parents, give him/her standing instructions on the do’s and dont’s. Firstly, tell your maid to keep a bottle of water near your parent’s bed at all times, so that they can help themselves whenever they are thirsty. Secondly, ask your maid to keep a bulb switched on throughout the night in order to prevent mishaps. And before leaving, you personally check if all the lights in the kitchen, hallway, bathroom and bedroom are working properly.

7) Emergency Numbers

Write down all the emergency numbers on a big sheet of paper and stick it next to the telephone or on your parents’ bedroom wall.

8) Using a Mobile

Encourage your parents to learn the basic operations of a mobile phone so that they do not have to depend on others to make important calls. You can also set all the emergency numbers on speed dial to make it easier for them.

9) Peep Hole

Also ask your parents to first take a look at the visitor on the door through the peep hole when the doorbell rings. This way they can ignore strangers and salesmen.

10) Use ‘Post Its’

As parents in old age generally tend to forget things, use ‘post its’ as reminders with short messages asking them to turn off the gas valve, take medicines etc.

11) Alarms

Remember to set recurring alarms on the mobile phone so as to remind them that its time to take medicines.

12) Inform your Friend

A friend in need is a friend indeed! Inform your neighbours and closest buddies that your parents would be alone at home for the time you will be travelling and that they can drop in once in a while to check on them. You can also inform the security guard in your apartment to keep a check.

Apart from doing the above things, remember

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off

How to Work From Home and Parent My Kids

work force. Many times this formula evolved to provide for families to keep up with the modern life style. Some, particularly mothers, find it an intrusion on their other drive to parent full-time. Catch 22, let’s say.

Then there are the “lucky ones”, those who have found a home based venture that pays well enough, using the in between hours, to justify not doing 35 hours each week for someone else.

Over a hundred years ago, communities ran with the aid of the “cottage industry” that is business run from the home. The arts and craft suited well with the making of clothes, other woven creations etc and many other items that provided for a community.

Next the factory evolved for larger production and large employment and I imagine we left the home to join the production. Life styles changed.

The idea of work-from-home now is a highly desirable concept, to allow the partner to produce an income while fully parenting. The savings in costs in day care and before and after school care are significant, the cost of transport reduced and parent power enhanced.

The trend I promote here is the “wellness industry”. Right round the world, particularly the aging population just want to look good, feel good and live longer. The next trillion dollar industry is the wellness industry according to Paul Zane Pilzer, a predictor of trend shifts.

Now when that industry and the home based concept come together there is a formula for assisting each other to increase lifestyle without the problems traditional business presents.

Some twenty percent of the world’s production is distributed through the modern-day version of the cottage industry. Not in the production but in the marketing and distribution.

The home computer provides the communication, marketing, training and sales model. What was word-of-mouth is now spread via the internet and various forms of voice, text and other written and verbal communication.

Incomes generated by this model vary from “hobby incomes” to provide the little extras and buffer financial stress to full day-job incomes. Even financial freedom for those with that goal and who operate consistently, offering value to others.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off