Close

Tag Archive for: solutions for living

by

Solutions for Managing Passwords

Online security experts recommend creating strong passwords with a mix of special characters, numbers and letters which are different for each application you use.  However, remembering one simple password is often hard enough!  Especially for applications you don’t use often, it is recommended you keep a log of each password so you can easily retrieve it when needed.  This is particularly helpful for seniors, or anyone dealing with cognitive issues, who may have difficulty remembering passwords, or have trusted family members and/or caregivers who may need access to these.

Use our printable Password Keeper to record these important online passwords and user names, and keep it in a safe place for future use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more helpful tools please visit our Printable Resources Page.

by

Back to School: OT’s Help Kids Succeed in the Classroom

As it’s back to school time we wanted to shed some light on the awesome work Occupational Therapists do to help children succeed in the school system.  From helping with IEP’s, to modifying the classroom environment, an Occupational Therapist can help to enhance the learning experience based on the individual needs of the child they are working with.  Learn more about how OT’s help kids in schools in the following care of the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists. 

OSOT:  How can I benefit from OT?  Succeed at School

by

Work Smarter — Not Harder!

Energy is like a currency, we only have so much of it and need to spend it wisely throughout our day. Conserving energy during small tasks throughout the day helps to save needed energy for important, meaningful daily activities.

Physical, psychological, and emotional difficulties can make everyday tasks like cooking, cleaning, or working seem nearly impossible due to the level of energy required to perform them.

If energy is a precious resource to you or someone you care about, the tips included in the following OT-V Episode, Conserving Energy Everyday, will help you conserve as much energy as possible throughout your day.

 


You can also try our printable energy conservation planner to help you plan your daily, weekly or monthly activities for optimal conservation of energy.

 

by

Summer Safety for Pets

We have posted previous on our blog about Summer Health Hazards for you and your family, but what about Fido?  Summer can be a wonderful time for pets, but it’s important to think about their safety during the warm weather months.  The following from Health Magazine provides some summer safety tips for dogs.  Check it out to be sure to protect your family pets.

Health Magazine:    5 Summer Safety Tips Every Dog Owner Should Know

Also remember that it is not safe, and not legal, to leave a pet in the car unattended.  Learn more about the dangers and what to do if you see a dog in distress from the No Hot Pets campaign.

by

Ticks and Lyme Disease — What you Need to Know

In Ontario, the number of ticks and the instances of Lyme disease are on the rise.  Many feel this is due to climate change, but whatever the reason, more than ever it’s important to protect and educate yourself about ticks and Lyme disease.  The following from the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation is a fantastic resource on prevention, tick identification, safe tick removal, and more.  Awareness is key to protect yourself and your loved ones.

The Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation:  Lyme Prevention

by

Safe Fun in the Sun

Summer is here and with more time spent outdoors and the UV index at its highest it is extremely important to protect yourself.  Proper clothing, sun hats, and shade all help, but many health experts feel the best way to protect ourselves is by regular use of sunscreen.  But how do you know which sunscreen is best and which sunscreens can actually do more harm than good?  Many of the sunscreens we use contain harmful chemicals and though they protect you from the sun’s harmful rays, may actually be harmful in other ways.

Check out the Environmental Working Group’s “Guide to Sunscreens” which annually rates over 1800 different sunscreens available consumers.   Visit the website and see how your favourite brand stacks up.

EWG’s 11th Annual Guide to Sunscreens 

 

by

The Secrets to Successfully Managing Your Time

Time is precious.  As we all try to cram more into our days, weeks, and nights we are creating unsustainable expectations for ourselves and for those that rely on each of us to get stuff done.  Whether working on a specific project or working to keep home, family and career running smoothly, the tips in the following infographic “Secrets to Successfully Managing Your Time” can help you to stay organized, stay focused and get things done!

 

by

Wash Your Car – Save a Life!

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Previously posted February 2014

Working in auto insurance makes me slightly paranoid about issues of vehicle safety.  Ideally, it would be great if car accidents could become extinct and people could go about their business without running the risk of becoming injured in their travels, but currently these remain one of the main causes of adult and child injury, death and disability.  May is National Car Care Month and maximizing car safety should be on the top of everyone’s list year-round.

Years ago, in the middle of winter, I was driving home from seeing a client at night.  I was on back roads that were not lit.  My headlights were on, but I could barely see the road in front of me.  I struggled with this, assuming I had a headlight out, and managed to get to a gas station.  There, I investigated the problem and realized my headlights were just covered in the road sludge so common in Ontario winters.  I cleaned up my headlights with a window squeegee and voila!  I could see again

Prior to this, the thought of washing my headlights never occurred to me.  Why would it?  Unless you encounter a problem, this is not something I remember being taught in driver’s ed, nor something my parents mentioned to look for as I was learning to drive.  Some things we just learn in life the hard way – hoping to not be hurt in the process.

I remember when cars started to be manufactured to have headlights on automatically and all the time.  I said to my brother “I don’t get why headlights should be on during the day, they won’t help a driver to see better” and he responded with “it is so other people can see you better”, I am sure adding a brotherly “dummy” in there too.

The other day I was reminded of these lessons again.  It was a sunny day, but the roads had been a mess a few days prior.  I was driving in the right lane and needed to change into the left lane to make an upcoming left turn.  I glanced in my dirty side mirror and my rear mirror which was looking out my dirty back window, and I didn’t see anyone.  I checked my side mirror again, and noticed something that looked odd.  I focused more clearly and realized that there was another car to the left of me after all.  This was a black car, covered in the grey muck from the roads.  The lights weren’t on, and what struck me was how much this car was essentially the color of the road.   The road was a grey, dirt covered mess, and this car blended right in.  Had the lights been on, or the car clean, I would have spotted this easily.

Really, both these issues with visibility when driving – to see and be seen – could be tackled with a simple car wash.  Even if this seems futile with changing weather conditions, the short-term benefits are immense.  A clean car is easier for others to see, gives you better visibility when the windows and side mirrors are clear, and washes your headlights to make sure these are most effective.  Besides, of course, the other benefits of washing road salt and dirt from your paint job.  Many gas stations have a quick car wash adjacent to the pump, and allow you to pay at the pump for convenience.  Or, some car washes are even a drive-thru format and you don’t even have to leave your car.  In the end, when it comes to road and driving safety, the added expense of giving your car a rinse could be “priceless”.

by

Spring Cleaning 101

It’s Spring and for many of us that means “spring cleaning” time!  Spring cleaning is a great chance to deep clean some of the things you don’t do on a weekly or monthly basis.  Download our free printable Spring Cleaning Checklist for a list of those items we may often overlook to ensure you get a deep clean this spring, leaving you feeling fresh and ready for the beautiful season ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For additional helpful tools and checklists please visit our Printable Resources Page.