Whether your friend or family member is newly diagnosed or in the midst of treatment, she’s unlikely to be wowed by vague offers or having to do your thinking for you. She has enough on her mind; she has cancer. She may not want that tuna casserole or to hear about what treatment your Aunt Phyllis had either.
So how can you help? There is no one-size-fits-all answer. That’s why we turned to survivors for our list of support dos and don’ts. Our patient-generated advice is sorted into three stages — Diagnosis, Surgery & Treatment, andRecovery — identified by Maureen Broderick, a licensed clinical social worker who has worked with cancer patients and run cancer support groups. Here’s what you need to know.
Learn To Listen
“One of the most important ways a friend supported me was by listening to me as I decided what to do,” says Orinda, Calif. writer Victoria Irwin, 57, who had a lumpectomy and radiation earlier this year. “When I was in decision-making mode, it’s all I could think about or talk about. My friend listened to me over and over again. I think she learned more than she ever wanted to, and she helped me formulate the questions I needed to ask at doctor’s appointments,” she says. “She didn’t give advice, but acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. That listening was the most helpful thing she could have done.”
Be An Advocate
A year after having a stroke, New Jersey homemaker Florence Tweel, 55, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her first concern was her children, who were 12 and 15.
“I needed all of my strength to focus on how I was going to get through this and tell my children,” Tweel says. “I was lucky to have a friend, Linda, who went with me to every appointment. She wouldn’t let me out of her sight. It wasn’t my job to understand anything that was being told to me medically because she took notes on it and we’d go back to her husband, who is a doctor, to get advice.” Linda’s support gave Tweel the energy to be at her best with her family and get the treatment she needed. “She was a Godsend,” she says.
Follow Online
A great way to help a breast cancer patient is to visit their page on a site like Mylifeline.org, Caringbridge.org, Lotsahelpinghands.com, or Carepages.com(or help them set one up if they don’t have one). Such sites let people (or friends or family) build private or public communities where patient updates and schedules can be shared, says Broderick.
People can ask for and get the kind of help they really want and need. Survivor Anne Steele, 51, Hermosa Beach, California, who had chemo, a lumpectomy, and radiation, for example, liked having companions with her during chemo while Victoria Irwin, who spent her chemo time in solitary pursuits like reading, preferred to save friends’ graciousness for another time.
Read more here.
Scurich Insurance Services has proudly served the Monterey Bay area since 1924. Scurich will take care of all of your insurance needs. Are you a business owner, did you get a new car or maybe you are looking to protect your family in the event of a tragedy? Give us a call, we can help!
We are located at:
Scurich Insurance Services
320 East Lake Avenue, PO Box 1170
Watsonville, CA 95077-1170
Office: 1-831-722-3541
Toll Free: 1-800-320-3666
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Information provided by: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/07/how-to-help-breast-cancer-patients_n_4031150.html
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The farming and ranching industries are undergoing a transformation, with innovative technologies being developed to improve the way agricultural enterprises are managed. Over the course of the last two years, a number of iPhone iPad agriculture apps have been introduced with features like field mapping, planting calculations, spray logs, and soil sampling tools.
More than 2.2 million farms currently operate in the U.S., according to recent statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency, and yet the industry has traditionally been slow to adopt technologies meant to improve workflows and business operations. By taking the technology that professionals in the agricultural community have been using on their desktop computers for years, and making them accessible on mobile devices, online app vendors are making it easier for farmers to get more work done during peak growing seasons.
Here are our picks for the very best iPhone iPad agriculture apps currently available for iOS users.
Connected Farm for the iPhone/iPad
Change the way you use GPS for field mapping and scouting applications in agriculture. Trimble’s Connected Farm™ app uses your phone’s GPS for mapping field boundaries, locate irrigation pivots, marking flags, and entering scouting information for points, lines, and polygon areas. Scouting attributes include an extensive list of weeds, insects and diseases, and allows you to log the severity of a problem, crop conditions, and more. Photos can be captured and integrated with your scouting attributes.
Price: Free
Mobile Farm Manager for the iPhone/iPad
John Deere Mobile Farm Manager enables instant on-the-go access to all your agronomic data. You can view any map and any report from any year. View historical applications. Analyze historical reports. Use your iPhone® or iPad® GPS to track your position within your fields. Generate grid zones and perform soil sampling tasks and more! Download Mobile Farm Manager today to discover for yourself how you can drive higher levels of productivity and efficiency in your operation.
Price: Free
Spray Lite for the iPhone/iPad
Whether you are a owner operator, contractor or a large corporation Spray App will streamline information from the field back to the office instantly. This Lite version of Spray has a number of restrictions, the most important of which being you can only Preview one spray application at a time.
Price: Free
Extreme Beans for the iPhone/iPad
This application allows soy bean farmers to calculate the amount of soybeans to plant per acre in order to generate the highest yield.
Price: Free
AgFleet for the iPhone/iPad
AgFleet, developed by ZedX Inc., is a powerful decision-support system used to manage the productivity of more than 15 million acres of agricultural land in North America and continues to meet the ever-changing needs of growers, dealers, and other professionals in the precision agriculture space.
Price: Free
Weed Manager PLUS for the iPhone/iPad
Featuring a mobile version of the Crop PHD tool, this app delivers accurate weed management recommendations for your region, a tank mixing tool and a measurement conversion calculator for commercial farmers.
Price: Free
Farm At Hand for the iPhone/iPad
Farm At Hand is the latest innovation in farm management software and products. What makes Farm At Hand different? It is completely mobile. Have access to review and update any information at any time.
Price: Free
AgStudio MAP for the iPhone/iPad
AgStudio MAP is a field boundary and soil sampling application designed to integrate directly with MapShots AgStudio precision agronomy software.
Price: Free
MRTN/Nitrogen Application Calculator for the iPhone/iPad
The Maximum Return To Nitrogen (MRTN) calculations combine the agronomics of nitrogen rate research and the realities of economic fluctuations to provide a customized nitrogen rate.
Price: Free
Scurich Insurance Services has proudly served the Monterey Bay area since 1924. Scurich will take care of all of your insurance needs. Are you a business owner, did you get a new car or maybe you are looking to protect your family in the event of a tragedy? Give us a call, we can help!
We are located at:
Scurich Insurance Services
320 East Lake Avenue, PO Box 1170
Watsonville, CA 95077-1170
Office: 1-831-722-3541
Toll Free: 1-800-320-3666
Website | Facebook | Blog | LinkedIn
Information provided by: http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/best-iphone-ipad-agriculture-apps-203850442.html
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“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”-Mother Theresa
Studies suggest that smiling, forced or not, can have a positive effect on your mood, decrease stress levels, and even make everyone around you feel better. Here are 9 surprising benefits of smiling that will really give you something to smile about.
1. Smiling is Contagious
Because of complex brain activity that occurs when you see someone smiling, smiles are contagious. Studies report that just seeing one person smiling activates the area of your brain that controls your facial movement, which leads to a grin.
Because of complex brain activity that occurs when you see someone smiling, smiles are contagious. Studies report that just seeing one person smiling activates the area of your brain that controls your facial movement, which leads to a grin.
2. You’ll Decrease Stress and Anxiety
It’s not easy to keep smiling in stressful situations, but studies report that doing exactly that has health benefits. When recovering from a stressful situation, study participants who were smiling had lower heart rates than those with a neutral facial expression.
3. Smiling Releases Endorphins
Smiling decreases stress and anxiety by releasing endorphins, chemicals that makes you happier. Endorphins are the same chemicals you get from working out or running, resulting in what is known as a runner’s high.
4. You’ll Be More Attractive
A smile suggests that you’re personable, easy going, and empathetic. In fact, a study in the European Journal of Social Psychology found that smiling actually makes you more attractive to those you smile at.
5. Smiling Strengthens Your Immune System
Smiling even makes your immune system stronger by making your body produce white blood cells to help fight illnesses. One study found that hospitalized children who were visited by story-tellers and puppeteers who made them smile and laugh had higher white blood cell counts than those children who weren’t visited.
6. You’ll Be Friendlier
Studies have found that people are more willing to engage socially with others who are smiling. A smile is an inviting facial expression that tells people you are willing to talk and interact with them.
7. Smiling Will Make You More Comfortable
Our natural tendency is to stick to things that are familiar, but smiling decreases this need. A study found that smiling can make you more comfortable in situations you would otherwise feel awkward in.
8. You’ll Be More Trustworthy
Trusting doesn’t come easily to many, but smiling at someone may help. Participants in a University of Pittsburgh study rated people who smiled as more trustworthy than people with non-smiling facial expressions.
9. You’ll Be a Better Leader
If you’re in a position of power, or want to be, smiling may be the key to your success. A group of researchers from The University of Montpellier discovered that smiling is a more effective leadership technique than having great management responsibilities.
Scurich Insurance Services has proudly served the Monterey Bay area since 1924. Scurich will take care of all of your insurance needs. Are you a business owner, did you get a new car or maybe you are looking to protect your family in the event of a tragedy? Give us a call, we can help!
We are located at:
Scurich Insurance Services
320 East Lake Avenue, PO Box 1170
Watsonville, CA 95077-1170
Office: 1-831-722-3541
Toll Free: 1-800-320-3666
Information Provided by: http://inspiyr.com/9-benefits-of-smiling/
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When people hear the term life insurance or permanent life insurance most people think primarily of death benefits. What about life insurance as a life planning strategy?
It’s been done. People, ordinary people with a dream, made it happen. And not only was their strategy to benefit themselves but it also benefits us today. And just to name a few:
- Walt Disney. In the 1950’s, after his television show became a huge success, he funded (with his life insurance cash value) his dream of a place where parents and kids alike could come and have good, clean fun. That place is called Disneyland.
- In 1939, a young couple had a dream of owning a farm with chickens and turkeys. That couple had borrowed $1,000 off their life insurance policy for a down payment on a farm. With that investment out came Foster Farms. Foster Farms has over 10,000 employees and locations throughout the U.S. That young couple was Max and Verda Foster.
- As a milkman, Ray Kroc was more interested in hamburgers. He contacted the McDonald brothers, Dick and Mac, about a successful hamburger stand he saw in San Bernardino, Ca. The McDonald brothers were interested in franchising nationwide. In 1955, Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald’s in Illinois and by 1961 he bought out the McDonald brothers. Today, McDonald’s is internationally known and there are more than 30,000 locations.
These everyday people took a chance and it changed their lives (and ours too!).
Withdrawing from your life insurance policy early is not without its drawbacks. Depending on your policy outlines, you could face penalties and taxes.
Talk with a Scurich staff member today to see what we can do for you!
Scurich Insurance Services has proudly served the Monterey Bay area since 1924. Scurich will take care of all of your insurance needs. Are you a business owner, did you get a new car or maybe you are looking to protect your family in the event of a tragedy? Give us a call, we can help!
We are located at:
Scurich Insurance Services
320 East Lake Avenue, PO Box 1170
Watsonville, CA 95077-1170
Office: 1-831-722-3541
Toll Free: 1-800-320-3666
statistics by: http://www.lifehealthpro.com/2012/04/06/6-famous-brands-started-or-saved-by-life-insurance?page=2
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Information provided by: Read more at http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2013/08/07/dont-get-swept-away-cars-and-flood-insurance/#K01tpMfW6B8iMqqH.99
July is known for being a peak summer month filled with sunny days, but this year it also turned out to be a notorious month for flash floods across the country.
- On July 3, a flash flood in Lebanon, N.H., forced evacuations and caused an estimated $6.5 million in damage, according to The Associated Press.
- On July 10 in South Pittsburg, Tenn., floodwaters from relentless rain spawned a newborn river that swept through neighborhoods, shops and City Hall, according to a Times Free Press report. The rapids, which came without warning, “hit with the force of an earthquake, tossing cars, killing wildlife and lifting sheets of asphalt the size of trucks,” the report said.
- By July 26, western North Carolina had suffered through four flash floods in the past four months, the last one being the most severe in decades, according to the Charlotte Observer.
- On July 29 in Arizona, things were no better for the 33 passengers on a tour bus outside of Flagstaff as flash flood waters swept the bus hundreds of yards until it flipped on its side on an embankment, according to the AP. Fortunately, passengers escaped with no injuries.
Drivers are advised to avoid driving during a flood if at all possible for a very good reason: According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, nearly half of all deaths during a flood are vehicle-related.
When asked for tips for driving in a flood, Carroll Lachnit, features editor for automotive research site Edmunds.com, says, “Don’t do it.”
Driving tips for flash floods
While the best advice is to stay off the roads, sometimes drivers get caught in an unexpected flood.
“The classic ‘turn around, don’t drown’ statement that gets repeated during every major storm is excellent advice,” says Lachnit. “Never drive through flooded areas. If it’s raining heavily and you’re driving in a familiar location where you know there are vulnerable areas, then you need to avoid them.”
Lachnit says you should never drive beneath an underpass during a heavy rainstorm because they are prone to flooding.
Another tip for driving when flooding begins is to be wary of water levels. “According to FEMA it takes only 1 foot of water to float almost any car,” she says. “Even an SUV can be swept off a bridge (or down a road) in a foot of water. Six inches of water reaches the bottom of most cars, which means you could lose control of your car or wash out into the flood.”
If you’re on the road and see signs of high water or stranded vehicles, Lachnit says, you should pull over or take a different route. If you see water rising above the bottom of the tires of the car in front of you, that’s an indication to turn around. You can sometimes guess how deep the water is compared with the curb, but you may not know about flood damage to the roadbed underneath.
If your car gets caught in a flash flood and stalls or you lose control, FEMA recommends that you get out if you can before it gets carried downstream.
If it’s too late to climb out and your car is beginning to be submerged, Lachnit says, it’s important not to panic.”Once your car is submerged you should be able to open your doors, so you’re supposed to hold your breath and climb out,” she says. “If you’re caught in a stream of rushing water, point your feet up and downstream so you flow with the water to avoid getting hurt on rocks under the surface.”
In addition to the danger of floodwaters, heavy rainstorms create major visibility problems.
When driving in heavy rain, slow down, put extra space between your car and the car in front of you, and don’t slam on your brakes or make any sudden turns, says Lachnit.
“If you have anti-lock brakes like most cars, don’t pump the brakes,” she says.
All of these tips are meant to prevent an accident or a water-damaged car, but sometimes an event that results in an insurance claim is inevitable. It’s important to have the right car insurance so that you don’t end up financially swept away.
“If you don’t have comprehensive and collision coverage on your car insurance policy, you need to get it before hurricane or flood warnings are given for your area,” says Penny Gusner, a consumer analyst for CarInsurance.com. “Insurance companies can’t add new coverage or write a new insurance policy when a storm warning has been issued.”
Here’s the insurance coverage you could need if you’re caught in a flood:
Comprehensive. “Comprehensive insurance covers any type of damage to your car up to its actual cash value that’s caused by natural events instead of an accident,” says Gusner. “So if your car is damaged by rising water or a flood, you could make a claim with your comprehensive coverage.”
Collision. If you hydroplane during a storm and flip your car or hit something like another car or a tree, collision insurance will pay to repair it or will pay the actual cash value of the car. Gusner says you’ll have to pay your deductible regardless of whether the accident was your fault, someone else’s or caused by the storm.
Rental car reimbursement. “Rental reimbursement coverage is optional and pays you a certain amount of money per day or per week for a rental car to drive while your car is being repaired,” says Gusner. “If you have another car or another way of getting around without your car, then you don’t need it.”
Gap. “If you owe more money on your car than it’s worth, gap insurance will pay the difference,” says Gusner. “For instance, if you owe $15,000 on your car loan but your car is only worth $12,000, gap insurance will reimburse your lender for the extra $3,000.” You can get gap insurance from your regular car insurance provider or from your car financing company, but it’s usually more expensive from your lender.
“Your insurance company expects you to take care of your car, so make sure you don’t cause more damage by driving it after a flood with the check engine light on,” says Gusner.
Scurich Insurance Services has proudly served the Monterey Bay area since 1924. Scurich will take care of all of your insurance needs. Are you a business owner, did you get a new car or maybe you are looking to protect your family in the event of a tragedy? Give us a call, we can help!
We are located at:
Scurich Insurance Services
320 East Lake Avenue, PO Box 1170
Watsonville, CA 95077-1170
Office: 1-831-722-3541
Toll Free: 1-800-320-3666
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Confined spaces (such as storage tanks, ship compartments, pits, silos, wells, sewers, boilers, tunnels and pipelines) can be dangerous places. According to OSHA, accidents in confined areas kill an average of 70 American workers a year and injure hundreds, primarily due to atmospheres that were flammable, toxic, or corrosive.
To make sure that your employees know what they should do – and, just as important, not do – in case they need to deal with confined space emergency – safety experts recommend that they follow these guidelines.
What workers should do:
First, report the situation immediately to your supervisor, who will notify an emergency rescue team. If the people inside can rescue themselves safely, keep in contact with them throughout the procedure, and help them in any way possible without entering the space. If a rescue by an outside party is needed – and you’re trained, equipped, and authorized to do this – go ahead. If the emergency calls for a rescue team, let those inside the space know that help is on the way, keep in touch with them, and wait for the team to arrive.
What workers should not do:
Never let other workers attempt a rescue unless they have the training, equipment, and authorization to do so. Don’t allow anyone except the designated rescue team to enter a confined space in an emergency. Don’t leave the entry point to the confined space until the rescue team arrives.
We’d be happy to work with you on training your workers to deal with a confined space emergency – just give us a call at Scurich Insurance Services!
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