Quick tip

I wanted to share this link about using canning seals as an anti-slip solution for small carpets. It was something that my Nana did and can still be useful even in this day and age.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/prevent-rugs-from-slipping-wit-160357

Quick Tip for Colds

A tiny amount of Vapor Rub (sore bought or homemade)  under the nose can help with the problems of a runny nose and the soreness that comes from blowing your nose all the time when you have a bad cold. The eucalyptus and menthol (or peppermint if homemade) in the rub help with the congestion, can ease a runny nose and are anti-inflammatory, antiviral and healing to skin.  The base of the rub, whether from the store or homemade, helps with the skin irritation from tissues from blowing your nose so frequently by moisturising and protecting the skin.

I've done this for myself a great many times and it does seem to help. I will say that Vapor Rub does sting when you first apply it but it fades after a bit especially the next time you blow your nose. Also try not to apply too much as the aromas can make the eyes water and sting if you apply too much.

Quick Tip - Using your Smartphone Camera for Labels

Original Images: www.freedigitalphotos.net

Take a picture of your medicine bottle labels with your smartphone's camera. This way you can use the zoom function to easily read the instructions on the label. This is also useful for reading ingredient labels and menus.

Quick Tip: Gift Cards

This idea was given to me by my friend Carol who happens to spend a fair bit of time in hospitals: Get gift cards for the coffee or sandwich shop that is usually in the lobby of hospitals ( Tim Horton's, Second Cup, Timothy's, Subway) for the caregiver or for the patient if they're mobile. This will allow the caregiver or patient not have to worry about money for getting coffees (or tea) while they hanging around the hospital and can also provide a change in food instead of that boring hospital food.

Quick Tip

Image: Praisaeng/freedigitalphotos.net

Use lavender essential oil to remove adhesive residue on skin from bandages, I.V. lines or cardiac monitor stickers. Just put a few drops (you should need no more than 5 drops) of the essential oil on a cotton ball or pad and gently wipe over the residue and the residue should come off easily. Wash the area gently afterwards with a mild soap and a soft washcloth to remove any remaining adhesive. 

The advantage of using lavender is that it promotes healing of the skin and closed wounds, is antibacterial and promotes relaxation.

 Obviously you should not use lavender essential oil if you are allergic to it or on open wounds. 

Quick Tip

Image: Google Search

When making tuna, salmon or chicken salad for sandwiches, make it in a smallish food container  ( like Tupperware). That way if you don't use all the salad it is easier to put in the fridge for later and doesn't dirty an extra dish.

Quick Tip: New Year's Resolutions

The New Year has begun and you've made your resolutions but how do you keep them? The easiest way is to remember that any habit takes 28 days to become ingrained. It is also important to break down any goal into smaller steps. 

Image from Pinterest

If, for example, your New Year's resolution is to get into a sexy bathing suit by the summer, you could start with improving your diet first for the first month, then work on exercise for the second month and relaxation for the third month. You can also further break down each

month into goals such as working on menu planning or increasing fiber in your diet for the first month, start exercising 10 minutes a day and increasing that time by 5 minutes each week for the second month and start meditating for 5 minutes a day, increasing that time by 5 minutes a week for the third month and so on. However you want to achieve your goal and break it up is up to you but just begin with one small change for 28 days.

No matter your resolution, just take it one day at a time and you will reach your goals!

Quick Tip - Lamp Timers

If you or your loved one likes to read in bed before sleeping, get yourself a timer for the lamp nearest to them (or you) and set it to go off one hour after you want the sleep time to be. Also, have the timer be a minimum of 6 hours before you have to wake (more is way better). 

Image from Google Search Images

The advantage I've found with this is that, if you fall asleep before your light goes off, you are still getting the benefits of a darkened room (proven to improve mood, stress levels and fairly recently to help prevent Alzheimer's and behavioural problems in children) because your light isn't on all night and as an added benefit you also you don't waste electricity. 

Other advantages are that these timers usually have a "turn on" time and when they do you can also set it for the time you want to get up. I found that if I set mine for about one a.m. and 7 a.m. I could still do my studying, watch TV, have a bit of down time and generally read a bit in bed before I had to start again (I try to get to bed between 11 p.m. and midnight). 

One strange thing I found is that now that I personally use a lamp timer, I sleep better and I also have such a regular sleep pattern that I usually wake before my alarm clock, which can sometimes suck especially on weekends.

By the way these timers are sometimes sold on sale during holiday time for things like Christmas/Hanukkah lights and also plant lights for things like African violets. They are usually available in your local hardware store year round.

Quick Tip

I don't know about you, but there are times (way, way too many) where I wake up in the morning and feel as if I have an hangover when I haven't even been drinking. You probably know what I mean, the headache, blurred vision, fatigue, groggy, fuzzy tongue and sometimes nausea. Well I decided to try and figure out why this kept happening to me. What I discovered was that I was probably waking up dehydrated! 

So this is my quick tip: The very first thing upon waking up, without even getting out of bed or very soon thereafter, have a glass or bottle of water. For an added benefit, add some lemon to the water. The lemon will help kickstart your digestion and apparently has an alkalizing effect on the body's Ph balance. Lemon also makes the water taste better. Because you are drinking water the very first thing in the morning, you are also rehydrating yourself before you have your morning caffeine jolt (caffeine is a diuretic) and you are also filling your stomach with something so you'll be less likely to eat too much for breakfast!

I've been doing this for about a week now (though I don't use the lemon myself) and I've found that I wake up faster (it used to take me over an hour feel like I was awake) and those hangover-like symptoms went away really quickly.

Quick Tip

Image from: apartmenttherapy.com

This tip is useful for anyone. Put a power bar inside the bedside table drawer for your electronics. Great for charging  ebook readers, phones or games for your loved one who is in bed. Much easier to reach and the wires are not going to fall on the floor. Just make sure there's enough slack in the plug for the power bar so the drawer can open easily. Also, stick the bar to the bottom of the drawer with either double sided tape or velcro so it doesn't try to escape out the back of the drawer.

Quick Tip

Complements of : Stewart Miles/freedigitalphotos.net

If you are anything like me you have a to do list about a mile long. To keep from freaking out, try to keep today's to do list down to about 5 things. By keeping today's list small, it is easier to do and you know that you are accomplishing something rather than feeling overwhelmed.

Quick Tip

Use a muffin tin or mini muffin tin to make meatloaf, quickbreads or even breakfast egg dishes. This makes them easy to transport for lunches or snacks and the smaller size makes it more likely that the person will eat everything. I did this for my mom while she was undergoing chemo with banana bread and she'd eat 3 mini muffins while she was there. My husband is more likely to eat 2 meatloaf muffins than to eat a slice and I like the fact I can dump them into a container and take them for lunch.

Quick Tip

Try to give yourself and your partner a date nite once a week (or even just yourself). It can be as simple as a bowl of popcorn and a movie on the sofa or just setting the table with your fine china and candles.

Quick Tip

Power of Attorney for Property

Be aware that it make take some time (up to a couple of months) for banks to accept power of attorney for property if you have never had to use them before and they were done a long while ago.  This may be annoying but it is to protect both the bank and the person for whom you have the POA. If the person is capable, update the POA every couple of years or so even though a POA is valid until revoked by the person who made them. (At least in Ontario)

Quick Tip

If it difficult for you and your loved one to get out to the doctor's to get blood work done, ask the medical technician if their lab has someone who can come and do it at your home. There may be a fee (we paid $25) but it is more convenient, more comfortable for your loved one and (at least for us) costs about the same as a taxi ride to the lab.

Quick Tip

Use cooler water when having to wash your hands frequently, it will help keep your skin from drying out and chapping.

Quick Tip

Make sure you are drinking enough water. Water helps prevent fatigue, headaches, chapped lips, can help fight infections and much more.

InfoGraphic authored by WaterCoolers Direct.com Ltd, selling Water Coolers, Fountains and Filters in the UK. To view the original post, see the original Benefits of Drinking Water InfoGraphic

Quick Tip

Make a binder of your favorite take-out menus using transparent binder pockets.  That way they are all in one place and are easy to access.

Quick Tip

Bring a notebook or piece of paper to doctors appointments so that you can write down instructions or any questions you may have. A bit of paper will also allow you to play tic-tac-toe while waiting for your appointment.

Quick Caregiving Tip

Taking medications on time and correctly  improves safety and well-being.  If your loved one has to take medications at certain times of the day, you can usually set up multiple reminders in your phone (or theirs) using either an alarm or calendar alert or even use a digital kitchen timer. There are also Apps available for medication reminders and an advantage of using one of these is that you now have a list of the medications, how to take them, alerts to take them and some will remind you when to get refills.