A Monkey with Long Sticks

>> Dec 9, 2013

It’s a quick shot –captured from a car. I saw a monkey crossing the street using long sticks that called egrang here. I had no chance to see the trainer / owner, the monkey was ‘walking’ alone. It’s my first time to see a monkey doing it. I felt sorry for the critter. Was the monkey happy doing it? Too dangerous, I think.

Can you see it? Is the man waiting across the street is the owner?

The monkey seen in Bandung (West Java, Indonesia) last Sunday when we visited the city. In Jakarta (capital city of Indonesia) any monkey show has been prohibited. Sorry for unclear pics.

My late entry for Camera Critters and brand new

Saturday's Critters

Family Gathering

Happy Monday! My weekend was nice; we attended a family gathering in Bandung (West Java, Indonesia). Surprisingly, my SIL who lives in Surabaya (East Java) could come as she will have a business meeting this Monday. She and her husband -my brother who works and lives in Jakarta- has arrived since Saturday afternoon. We all left early in Sunday morning as we also wanted to visit and fetch my SIL who lives in Bandung first.

A few photos taken at the event

It took about two hours car drive –from Bogor city- to reach my brother’s home in Bandung but we faced bad traffic jam during the way to the family gathering at a cousin’s place. It’s a family gathering of our big family from my father’s side. I saw that some relatives couldn’t attend but it’s still an enjoyable moment. Old and young people were getting together in warm and friendly ambiance, nice!

There's a cafe near the event place. I saw a blue car at a parking spot. A cute classic VW beetle in blue!

Blue Monday

Having Your Elderly Relatives Cared for at Care Homes

>> Dec 8, 2013

It’s a sad fact of life but the number of elderly people put in care homes surges after Christmas. Recent research shows there’s usually a forty percent increase in the number of enquiries made about aged care homes during January which is thought to be due to families spending time with their aged relatives over the holiday season and realising that specialised care must be sought for them.

Many adult children have no idea how infirm their elderly parents are until the holiday season when they realise that caring for them could be an overburden they can’t manage. According to Martin Green of the English Community Care Association, “This phenomenon often results from the fact that people have been in contact with their relatives over the Christmas period and then they realise that they’re not able to manage because of illness or confusion.”

A forty percent increase in January is a massive surge in enquiries and it highlights the importance of providing suitable care for the elderly, either at home with their adult children or in a care home like Peverel Court Care in Buckinghamshire if adult children are unable to care for their elderly parents.

When should you consider having your elderly relatives cared for in a facility?

It’s a tough decision having your parents cared for in a care facility and one you shouldn’t take lightly. If you’re in a position in which you can care for your parents at home and doing so won’t overburden you, it’s a wonderful thing to be able to take care of your parents during their twilight years and if you have children of your own, then the time you spend together as a family will be even more special.

Unfortunately, however, this isn’t always the case and depending on your elderly parents’ condition this can prove unfeasible. Some conditions, like Alzheimer’s for example, require constant care and attention and even for someone who doesn’t work and has the time to stay at home with them this often proves difficult to manage.

One option, and one that’s worth looking into before you start making enquiries about elderly care facilities and homes, is hiring a care giver so your elderly parents can remain in their own home or stay with you for as long as possible. This is an option worth exploring because it can extend the time they remain somewhat independent and make it easier for you to visit and spend time with them. Moreover, it might also work out to be more affordable, which is something you’ll need to think of because there is money involved, and often a substantial amount.

Selecting a care facility for your elderly relatives

If you’ve decided there are no alternatives remaining besides having your elderly parents cared for in a facility there are a number of criteria you’ll need to look for in an aged care facility. Although there are far too many to list here, the following list will provide you with a basic understanding of the criteria that you’ll need to take into account when assessing the suitability of an aged care home.

- A good location close to your residence and facilities (cafes, parks and shops)

- A high standard of cleanliness and hygiene at the home

- Comfortable accommodation and adequate facilities

If you find there are no alternatives remaining and you’re sure that having your elderly parents cared for in a home is the best option, take a look at a reputable website to download a checklist of the criteria that you should look for in an aged care facility.

About the Author:

Peverel Court Care in Buckinghamshire is a leading company in residential and nursing homes. They aim to provide only the best facilities, accommodation and service to their residents.

Helping a Family Member to Quit Smoking

>> Dec 7, 2013

It’s understandably distressing watching a family member or friend smoking their lives away though there are ways to help family and friends quit smoking without them hating you for it.

Often the worst thing you can do when trying to help a family member or friend quit smoking is pester them to quit. Chances are they’re well aware of the fact that their habit is potentially life threatening though when you point this out you’re not creating an awareness of the perils of smoking but rather coming across as an annoyance; one that probably makes them want another cigarette.

Smokers need to make the decision to quit themselves and whilst it might help them to understand that you’re troubled by their habit the decision to quit smoking must be theirs.

What you can do to help them quit

There are a number of approaches that you can take to help someone quit smoking but you have to remember that the decision to quit is theirs not yours. Ex-smokers often come across as preachy, which is behaviour to avoid, as is exhibiting negative emotions intended to alert them to your distaste for their habit – emphasis must be placed on the positive aspects of quitting.

It can be difficult to broach the subject in a positive way but you’ll find there are always angles you can take to let them know that you’re there for them and when they want your help they’ve got it. This is important because smokers need to be ready to quit, it isn’t something that can be forced upon them.

Dos and don’ts

To help a family member or friend kick the habit there are a number of dos and don’ts to adhere to. Here’s five of each.

Dos:

- Respect that it’s their decision to quit not yours

- See things from their point of view – quitting isn’t easy

- Make your home a smoke free area and remove all signs of smoking

- Ask them how they’re going and if there’s anything you can help them with

- Celebrate their efforts as often as possible to motivate them

Don’ts

- Nag or pester them to quit – you’ll do more harm than good

- Doubt their ability to kick the habit – your support is crucial

- Be afraid to ask them how they’re going or if they need help

- Offer advice other than that you’ve learnt from personal experience

- Fault them if they fail, with your encouragement they can try again

Tapering off or using alternatives

Everyone handles the quitting process differently and whilst some are able to quit by going cold turkey and never look back, others need to take a different approach, like tapering off or using alternatives. The tapering off method has been found by many to be beneficial because they needn’t worry about instant withdrawals and they can reduce their habit over time for however long it takes.

Using alternatives has also been found by many to be an excellent way of quitting, like using nicotine gum or switching to an electric cigarette so as to cease smoking but stave off withdrawals. Like the tapering off method, alternatives have also been found effective by many smokers trying to quit though the addiction to nicotine still remains. An effective approach in this regard is to switch to an alternative like nicotine gum or e-cigs and then slowly taper off the habit for as long as it takes, which could be a while but it’s still a better alternative than continuing to smoke and putting oneself and those around them at risk.

About the Author:

NUCIG is one of the UK's leading providers of electric cigarette kits of good quality. They also have a large selection of refills or e-liquids along with accessories on their website.