Lifestyle

Tips for Helping Aging Parents Without Taking Over

Published

2 months ago

June 25, 2022

Parents are often the first people to know when something is wrong with their children. As they age, parents may find that they need help themselves and it’s their children that should be the first to step in and offer support. Your parents have done a lot for you and now, as they age, there’s a lot you can do for them.

Assistance

One way to provide support to your aging parent is by offering practical assistance with tasks such as grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning. Offer to come around once a day or once every few days to help with the vacuuming and dusting. If you live close by, you could drop meals off every evening and offer to take out the trash. Grocery shopping isn’t always easy for seniors so offer to tag along and help with pushing the cart. It’s these little things that will make a big difference without overstepping when help is not needed.

Emotional Support

When it comes to our aging parents, we want to do everything we can to make them feel comfortable and loved. This may mean being a shoulder to cry on during tough times or simply offering a listening ear. It’s important that we take the time to listen to our parents and understand what they’re going through. Never judge and always try and make your loved one feel appreciated. Getting older is a challenging time so be sensitive and let them know that you’ll always be there.

Give Them Their Independence

We all love being independent and it’s a very sad day when that is taken away from us. Help your parent keep their independence for longer by installing home safety devices that are specifically targeted to this market. Options include a medical alert system, a smoke alarm, door sensors, and a CCTV system. Another option is to install a home elevator that will make getting around much easier. The home elevator costs are relatively low and the installation of an elevator will future-proof their home for years to come. It will also add a tremendous amount of value to the property. All of these changes will help your loved one maintain their freedom for longer. Going into an aged care facility won’t even by an option as they’ll be safe and secure in their own homes and, as an added bonus, you’ll have peace of mind that all is ok too. It’s a win-win.

Help with Bills and Other Expenses

If your mom or dad is struggling to pay the bills, try your best to help them out. There are government schemes like the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) that offer assistance. These programs can provide a regular monthly payment to help cover rent, groceries, and other necessary household expenses. Another option is to seek out private charities or foundations that offer support to families in need. There are also many organizations that provide grants so be sure to look into the options.

Lifestyle

Dangerous Dog Attack Lawsuits: What You Need to Know

Published

3 days ago

August 13, 2022

Michelle Langton

Dogs are the most widely kept pets and are usually referred to as man’s best friend. While this is true, they can get aggressive when their animal instincts kick in or feel threatened.

When addressing the question of dog aggression, Jenna Stregowski, a Georgia-based veterinarian, states most dog bites happen when they feel threatened in some way. It is the legal and ethical responsibility of a dog owner or keeper to ensure that their canine does not pose a danger to other people.

Dog Bite Liability

Some states operate on “strict liability” under which the dog’s owner is liable for injuries caused by their dog irrespective of whether their actions contributed to the dog’s aggression or not. Under strict liability, the dog owner is responsible for dog bites even if they did not know or have a reason to know that the dog would be aggressive.

In other states, like Texas, a dog owner is only liable for a dog bite if they knew or were in a reasonable position to know that the dog was potentially dangerous. Whatever the law is in your state, if a dog bites you, you should consider speaking to a dog attack lawyer to review your chances of filing a claim.

Health Comes First

Dog bites can be very dangerous and could result in infections that can be fatal if not addressed. Therefore, seek medical attention first. Besides ensuring your health is taken care of, medical records are a critical piece of evidence if you intend to file a claim.

Dog attacks will often have similar characteristics, such as teeth marks and scratches that are easily distinguishable from other types of injuries. Capturing them in pictures or video using your phone camera can help give your lawyer the evidence required to build a strong case.

Report Your Injuries and File Your Lawsuit on Time

You may need to make a police report or file a report with animal control following a dog bite. Upon reporting, the police and animal control will investigate the incident and produce reports that are essential items of evidence in a dog bite lawsuit.

If you intend to file a dangerous dog attack lawsuit, it is crucial to understand the statute of limitations for dog attack injuries in the state where the injury occurred. After the statute of limitations expires, you may lose your right to compensation.

Settlements and Exemptions

“While you may have a right to compensation after a dog attack, it is also important to understand that there are limitations to your rights. If your actions provoked the dog’s aggression or if the attack happened while you were trespassing, you may not have a right to compensation,” says Attorney Lin McCraw from the McCraw Law Group.

The value of dog bite settlements can be significantly large. This is especially true if the attack was against a child or results in disfigurement. Ideally, fair compensation should cover all economic, non-economic, and punitive damages if applicable.

However, getting fair compensation calls for working with a dog bite lawyer. Statistics show that working with a skilled attorney can improve the chances of a fair outcome by many times over what you would likely receive otherwise.