Issues to Consider When a Family Member Dies

A death in the family, especially if completely unexpected, can come as quite a shock to the rest of the family members. While the deceased is remembered and commemorated through a variety of functions, including a funeral and possible wake, the affairs of the deceased must also be addressed. There's always the unsettling and sometimes complex issue of properly distributing the deceased's assets. If the individual had planned ahead, they would have created a will, and signed it in front of witnesses, preferably at a solicitor's office, so that it would retain full validity after their death. If however, they did not have a will, the process for distributing their assets is slightly different and potentially more complicated.

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Whether a will exists or not, the initial process for those individuals that are going to take charge of collecting and dispersing the deceased's possessions and assets remains pretty much the same. They have to be appointed by the High Court, who will grant them the official legal authority, using what is known as a Grant of Representation. Once this is granted, they will be known as the Personal Representatives of the deceased's estate, and will be able to act with full authority. But to get to that point, they will first have to fill out a number of probate forms at the local Probate Registry Office.

There Are Locations Nationwide

Understandably, the principal Probate Registry office is located in London, at the First Avenue House. However, one does not necessarily have to travel to London from across the country to obtain the forms and submit them. There are many Probate Registry offices located in England's major cities:

ü  The Probate Registry of Birmingham District is located at the Priory Courts

ü  The Probate Registry of Bristol District is to be found at the Civil Justice Centre

ü  The Probate Registry of Ipswich District is to be found on the ground floor at 8 Arcade Street

ü  The Probate Registry of Leeds District is located at 31 York Place

ü  The Probate Registry of Liverpool District can be found at the Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts in Derby Square

ü  The Probate Registry of Manchester District is located on the ground floor of the Civil Justice Centre

ü  The Probate Registry of Oxford District can be found at the Oxford Combined Courts Building

ü  The Probate Registry of Winchester District is located on the fourth floor of Cromwell House

ü  The Probate Registry of Wales, which serves the entire country, is located on the third floor of the Cardiff Magistrates Court in Cardiff

Any Personal Representative will have a variety of forms to fill out, depending on the circumstances surrounding the person they're representing. There is some basic information that will always be required, such as the number of surviving relatives and their relationship to the deceased, as well as a complete list of all their assets and a comprehensive description of their entire estate.

It's a Good Idea to Get Some Professional Advice

Probate forms can be complex and confusing for those who have never filled them out before. It's not a bad idea to get some professional advice in the matter; it's a smart move to make the entire process as smooth and error-free as possible.

Mike is a US-based lifestyle writer covering the latest trends in modern society, and all of its implications, including probate forms. He writes on a freelance basis for many of the major lifestyle blogs.

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Protecting Your Eyes with Contacts

Contacts have served as an advanced method of vision enhancement for generations. The first pair of wearable contacts were invented by F. E. Muller, a German glassblower, in 1887. Although his contacts did work to help correct the vision, they were large and uncomfortable, able to be worn for only a short amount of time.

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Over the years, doctors and scientists worked to develop a contact lens which could be worn more comfortably and which would work overall more effectively.  Contacts are now one of the most popular ways to enhance a patient's vision as well as having become a popular cosmetic item. What many people don't realize, however, is that these lenses can also offer added protection for the eye itself. 

How Contacts Protect the Eye

For a long time, people thought that that the humble contact offered nothing more than a cosmetically appealing alternative to traditional glasses. But a 1992 study published in the Journal of the Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists found that contacts actually offered increased safety for patients who wore them.

The researchers studied the use of various kinds of lenses, both hard and soft, and studied how they affected the overall safety of the wearer. Research focused on hard lenses found that the material made eyes resistant to splash injuries. Soft lenses, which are more comfortable than their hard lens counterparts, were found to disperse toxic gas away from the eye and back into the air.

Overall, the research for both types of lenses also found that the saline solution used to wet and store the lenses also gave added benefit to patients. Although the findings of this study could not be applied universally to all toxic chemicals and gasses, determining that the contacts were able to help and did not exacerbate injuries made them more attractive to a greater number of people overall. 

Daily Protection and the Patient Responsibility

Of course, most people don't worry too much about exposing their eye to acidic or caustic chemicals.  But even in everyday use, contact lens wearers can still choose a lens which protects their eyes. Lenses now are designed to help block harmful UV rays. This form of routine care and protection can help to mitigate the potential side effects of exposure.

Any new patient will need to take the time to understand how long their own contacts can be worn as well as understanding how to clean them. Some patients benefit more from disposable contacts while others prefer the value and economy of longer wear contacts regardless of additional care and cleaning needs.  Ophthalmologists are able to determine the best style and kind of lens for each patient depending on their vision needs, as well as their personal lifestyle.

Contacts have been developed with the needs of patient in mind since their inception.  Although originally developed as a simple alternative to glasses, contacts are now seen as a vision correction tool in their own right.  As they work to enhance the patient's vision, they also offer added protection, particularly in regards to daily protection from UV rays. 

Kelly McCloskey is a freelance writer who enjoys researching a wide variety of subjects. She has written on a number of consumer advice topics, including articles which focus on contact lens options.

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An Adult Crane Fly

My husband took pictures of this crane fly for me. It looks scary but won’t harm. Adult crane flies don’t prey on mosquitoes and don’t bite humans. Adults feed on nectar or they don’t feed at all. They reach

adult stage only to mate and die.

(source:wikipedia)

CameraCritters

 

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