10 Tips on How to Pack a Self Storage

Once you have leased a self-storage unit the next step is to pack it right. Sit down calmly and make a list of what you want to store in the self-storage unit. Mark against each object when you are likely to need it. This will provide a kind of guideline on where to place objects you may need to retrieve fairly soon. The advantage of this exercise is that objects you are likely to need can be stored in front or at the top so that you can take it out easily.

Here are a few packing tips you may find useful:

1. Pack in boxes that are tough, water resistant, and of more or less uniform size. The trick is to stack heavier things at the bottom followed by lighter ones, and at the top stack fragile breakables.

2. If you are opting for a large unit then you can leave space between the furniture and boxes so that accessibility is maintained.

3. Fill all boxes to the brim and use old sheets, towels, and newspapers as packing. When boxes are half or three fourths full they will collapse when other boxes are placed on them.

4. Treat all metal objects with rust protectors and things like books with boric powder or tobacco leaves to protect them from insect attack. Look up preservation of books and follow the instructions.

5. To secure valuable things ensure they are put right at the back or at the very bottom. This makes it hard for thieves to take things away.

6. If you are required to provide your own locks then choose a padlock that is of quality and hard to open with a hair clip.

7. Put down de humidifiers and allow for air to circulate inside the locker. Lay down plastic sheeting on the floor of the unit and places the boxes on a wooden pallet this will keep boxes from suffering water related damage.

8. Leave the doors of all appliances ajar this prevents fungal growth. Use the space in appliances to store small things.

9. Refrain from storing any inflammables in the unit. Read the safety manual thoroughly before placing objects in the unit.

10. Maintain a diary and record which boxes are placed where and what each box contains. Stick labels on each box with a coding that matches your list. Never mark the contents on the label. Never say “painting by Monet,” on top of a box, will you just be asking for trouble.

Most companies charge extra for packing the units. So, if you want to make a saving then be prepared to do the packing yourself. Use the space efficiently, experts recommend that you fill the unit completely.

Take the advice of the storage unit staff. Since they deal with units daily they can offer you valuable advice. Always value the goods correctly this will ensure that you get sufficient insurance cover.

Observe all the rules of the units and always register at the reception when you access the self-storage unit. This procedure helps maintain safety and security.

Aaron Brooks is a freelance writer for http://www.1888movingcompanies.com, the premier website to find help on Moving including topics on moving companies search, compare movers, moving insurance, auto transport, moving tips and more. He also freelances for the premier Car Rental Site http://www.1866carrental.com

[tags]moving companies search, compare movers, moving insurance, auto transport, moving tips[/tags]

About Winter Sports Travel Insurance

As the days grow shorter and summer becomes a memory, many of us will be turning our thoughts towards planning a winter vacation, especially one involving winter sports such as skiing. Travel insurance is an often overlooked part of holiday planning, but if you plan on taking part in sporting activites then it really is essential.

A normal travel insurance policy will probably not be up to the standard you need for winter sports, and if things go wrong you could be left facing a huge bill. So what features should you be looking for in a policy?

- Injury Cover

No matter how accomplished a skiier you are, hurtling down a mountain is always going to be more risky than simply lying on a beach working on a tan. And if you do have an accident, a mountainside isn’t the easiest place for medical services to reach. If you’re unlucky enough to need a mountain rescue or airlift to hospital, you’ll be facing a bill running into the thousands even before you get medical attention. This sort of expense is likely to be specifically excluded on a standard insurance policy, but will be an integral part of almost any winter sports cover.

- Equipment

Most winter sports require expensive equipment, and where there are valuables there’s always the chance of theft. Your insurance should provide enough cover to fully replace your equipment with brand new items if necessary, right there at the resort. Even if you plan to hire your equipment, the hire company will probably require insurance - and your own policy is likely to be cheaper than the standard one they’ll try to sell you.

- Liability

Even the best skiiers or snowboarders can be involved in an accident in which someone else gets injured. Whether or not an accident is your fault, you could end up being taken to court and this is usually a long and expensive process. A decent insurance policy will cover costs from any legal proceedings and / or compensation payments.

- Closure of Piste

If bad weather (or warm weather!) means that the pistes are closed and you can’t ski, your policy should pay you compensation to cover the costs of any pre-booked lessons or lift fees, and many will even include a payment simply to cover the inconvenience of not being able to ski.

- Off Piste

A final point to note is that a standard winter sports policy will probably only cover you for accidents that occur when skiing on designated pistes. If you plan to go off-piste, then make sure your insurance will cover this - you’ll probably have to pay a supplement.

As with most kinds of insurance, paying out for travel insurance can seem like a waste of money. However, if you find yourself caught up in an accident on the mountainside then the costs involved can be truly frightening and you’ll be glad you took the time to arrange adequate cover in advance!

Nick Hunt is a contributing writer for 1Stop Personal Finance, where you can read more about winter sports insurance in the travel insurance section of the site.

[tags]travel,insurance,winter,sports,skiing[/tags]

Life Insurance Providing Little Protection from Terrorism

Recent statements by the City of London Police Commissioner James Hart that future terrorist attacks in London’s financial centre are, “a matter of when, rather than if”, will increase already serious concerns over issues of personal and business financial protection.

Mr Hart’s statement pointed out that, “if you want to hurt the government, hurt people at the same time, and you want to cause maximum disruption…where better to hit than at the financial centre?”

Mr Hart also echoed a report by the insurer Axa which warned that just under 50% of small firms do not have a plan in place to ensure that their business could survive should they be hit by an emergency or disaster. Axa highlighted that many businesses, especially in the South East danger zone, are not even covered against general risks such as fire and flood, which have a much greater chance of hitting a business than the now high profile terrorism threats.

The research carried out by Axa found that almost one in five small to medium-sized firms had been hit by some form of disaster and about 5% of them took more than a year to get their businesses back on track. Any company that does not have cover against potential future disasters could stand to lose large sums of money, or even go out of business, if the Commissioners warnings go unheeded.

Emergency services workers are also experiencing additional worries about their financial protection in light of the terrorist attacks. Somerset fire-fighters have recently temporarily called off threatened industrial action amid claims they may not be insured for dealing with terrorism. In a postal ballot, Union members had previously overwhelmingly voted in favour of taking some form of industrial action short of a strike, such as refusing to train on specialist equipment which can be used in response to terrorist incidents. The actions have been called off pending a report due next month from a working party which has been set up with the Somerset Fire and Rescue Service to study the fire-fighters’ personal insurance.

Adrian Woollaston, of the Somerset branch of the Fire Brigade Union said: “Somerset fire crews want our employers to address our very real concerns and this gives an opportunity for them to do so.”

The fears experienced by the fire-fighters revolve around exclusions which added to many group life insurance policies that prevent pay-outs being made should the policy holder be injured or killed as a result of a terrorist attack.

The Association of British Insurers has sought to reassure emergency workers who may die as an indirect consequence of terrorist events by stating, “exclusions do not generally apply on stand-alone life assurance policies, regardless of the occupation of the policyholder”, however, they also indicate that “other personal insurance cover” such as personal accident, mortgage protection, income protection and critical illness cover are usually subject to exclusions.

This would mean that many existing insurance policies held by emergency workers to protect their future and that of their family, such as mortgage payment protection, may not provide any cover in the event of a terrorist attack.

Searching through all the available insurance policies using information sites like Moneyfacts or Moneynet can go some way to helping by providing guide information and price comparisons, but more needs to be done.

Sam Oestreicher of Unison said, “We are asking all insurance companies to look at their policies and if they have such exclusion clauses to drop them”.

Carefully checking through the various complicated clauses inherent in financial policies is something many consumers prefer to ignore, but as the fire-fighters are currently finding out, it is vitally important in order to ensure the protection is there.

Useful Resources:

Insurance information Association of British Insurers

Insurance comparisons - Moneynet

Bio:

Richard lives in Edinburgh, occasionally writing for the personal finance blog Cashzilla, and reciting Vogon poetry.

[tags]insurance, life insurance, mortgage, mortgage payment protection, terrorism exclusion[/tags]

Tips for Selling Life Insurance Q&A Tactics

The insurance agent shakes hands with the potential client, sits down, smiles and says, “I have a product here that I believe to be the best life insurance package I have ever seen. In all of my years in the insurance business, I have never been so impressed with a product. I’d like to tell you all about it.”

The salesman knows the ins and outs of his offering and no one who listened in on his sales pitch could doubt his love and support of the insurance product for even a split-second. What happens when he concludes his impassioned pitch? More often than not, nothing happens. No policy is written. No sale is made.

In the office across the street, an agent meets with potential client. After pleasantries are explained, he asks “So, what do you want from all of this? What are the things you’d like life insurance to accomplish for you? He listens attentively to the prospect’s answers, asking follow-up questions for clarification and to elicit more information to help him understand the prospect’s needs and wants.

As the conversation progresses, the agent gets to know his potential client better. He is able to establish a rapport with the person and can determine what might be appealing. The agent, who has been noting fact after fact during the interview, is able to then explain exactly what can be done to best meet the needs of the prospect. Yes, he pitches his life insurance product, but he does so based upon the expressed interests and concerns of the potential client. What happens when he finishes? More often than not, a new policy is written. A sale is made and agent will find himself with yet another commission.

These two examples reveal the power of using a “question and answer” (Q&A) approach to selling life insurance. Those who sell life insurance using methods rich in listening and questioning invariably outperform agents whose focus in on their own opinions and expertise. In addition to helping to establish great agent-client rapport, Q&A tactics are a powerful strategy for selling life insurance for two reasons.

Initially, it keeps the focus on the one thing that must always be front and center in any sales situation: the buyer. Instead of creating a product focus, the Q&A methods allow those selling life insurance to keep the meeting’s attention directed to the buyer. People, by nature, consider themselves and their interests of paramount importance. This method allows the insurance agent to make sure the meeting unfolds in a manner that will interest and motivate a potential buyer.

Secondly, the technique provides the seller with a great deal of valuable information. Those selling life insurance with Q&A techniques find themselves armed with client-specific responses to frequent purchase objections. They are also able to better explain the policy and its advantages in ways that are meaningful to the prospective client. An insurance agent can also make sure they are offering a product that truly meets the unique needs of the prospect.

Even the most well delivered product-centered sales pitch can fall on deaf ears. Prospects long to be at the forefront and are far more likely to be motivated to purchase life insurance if the agent focuses attention on their specific needs. Methods that make use of significant Q&A to sell life insurance put clients on center stage and motivate them to purchase policies.

Evan C. Davis works in Medicare customer service and is the webmaster and owner of Easy Insurance Finder. Find out about cheap term life quotes online and low cost term life premiums at http://www.easy-insurance-finder.com

[tags]selling life insurance,insurance business,insurance policy,[/tags]

Short-Term Income Protection Insurance Added to Life Policy

Nowadays we are living in an environment that revolves around unemployment, which is increasing the health risk around the world. The stress elevation for lack of work has driving millions to despair and poor health. To frost the cake the environment is polluted with harmful chemicals and other pollutants that are claiming many lives. If the matter is bad enough, we must consider the car accident increase, driving and drinking incidents, and other related incidents that are claiming lives. Thus, another area of problem in this crazy system of things is cutbacks in employment, or illnesses that force a person out of work temporary. This is where Short-Term Income Protection Insurance comes in handy.

When a person has family and becomes ill, not only does the sick person need support, but also the family often requires relief. Short-term income protection is an added coverage to life insurance and provides extra cash to cover the family’s needs when one spouse is ill.

If one member of the family is ill, the family will need to continue living, which will include expenses such as groceries, bills, household goods, and so forth. The family may need cash to get back and forth to the hospital to visit their loved one. Therefore, having the extra hand can help. Insurance companies can offer the “basic sick and Incapacity” coverage, but the polices offer less for more. Short-term income protection plans however, can provide relief by offering “tax-free income” to families up to a year. This will help cover costs when you are out of work temporarily, or else if you are ill with a short-term illness.

The statistics a few years ago claimed that 28 percentage of the population were out of jobs because of some short-term medical reason, related to health problems, incident or accident. Another 9 percentage were also out of work temporary as a result of illness, incident or accident. The statistics claim that since “80 families” alone in the UK have lost their home due to inaccurate cash to pay the bills, that insurance policies are essential to prevent homeless situations. It makes sense to get the coverage now and worry about the rest later. None of us can predict when a fatal illness will claim our life, or else a short-term illness will sit us down, forcing us to stop work for a short time. Therefore, you may want to consider Short-term Income Protection coverage, coupled with Life Insurance.

Critical Illness Coverage has a plan integrated in the policies that will also cover policyholders; however, many plans may not cover short-term illnesses. Since the plan is designed to cover long-term illnesses, you may not have the cash available when you are out of work temporary. In addition, you may want to review your Life Insurance Policy, since few will often short-term coverage. It makes no sense to take out an extra policy if you already have the coverage. However, it makes sense to purchase Life and Short-term Income Protection, rather than taking out one or the other. This is because Short-term Income Protection plans and Life Insurance coverage is often cheaper in pairs.

Furthermore, you will need to checkout the insurances available to make sure you get your money’s worth. Some companies offer less for more, while few companies will give you what you deserve. You may even want to take out Life, Short-term Income and Critical Illness coverage, since the Critical Illness plans will make a way out when health is going down hill. The Short-term is just as it says, short. Therefore, you may have short-term income protection for maybe a year at the most, but after that, you will have a deduction in your insurance since this plan will be removed. The Critical Illness coverage will last a lifetime if you so choose to purchase a lifetime policy. The plan covers more than or up to ‘20′ diseases and illnesses, offering a large sum of cash if you should fall ill permanently. Finally, the statistics found that millions of people everyday believes that illness only attacks everyone else. If this is you, then you are possibly setting your self up for failure.

Authored by Michael Bens. For more great information about all forms of insurance visit our free online insurance publication the Gabae Insurance Source to find the information you’re looking for!

Also you can check out Gabae Insurance Articles to find the articles you’re looking for!

[tags]insurance,short term income protection,life insurance,life insurance income protection[/tags]

The Best Way To Find Cheap Life Insurance

In today’s market the cheapest and simplest life insurance is term life insurance. Term insurance is especially cheap if you are young, and in good health, in this case your premium may be as low as ten or fifteen dollars a month for $200,000 worth of coverage. Although term insurance is more temporary than some people may like, it does offer a reasonable amount of coverage at a monthly premium most people can afford.

You’ll get the best deal if you figure out what type of policy will fit your needs. Generally the death benefit should cover five to ten times your annual salary. Life insurance needs are based on the needs of your survivors, so there are other things to consider when determining how much the death benefit should be; for example if you have a child that has disabilities or special needs you may need to increase the amount that will be received in the death benefit to accommodate their needs if you do pass away. You will want to ask yourself questions like; if I pass away how long will the family need to be covered financially before other sources of income can be found? Will any of the children be pursuing higher education and need financial assistance? Is my home paid for? Are there other major debts? How much will the funeral cost? Will my spouse be able to retire? If you do not have dependents, or if you do not have any debts to pay off, you may consider getting a plan that covers only funeral expenses. Making sure you get just enough coverage will ensure that you are not paying for extra money that is not needed.

The next decision to make is to decide if you want renewable term life insurance or level term insurance. With renewable term you have the right to renew the policy (rates may be higher) regardless of the state of your health. This is a major advantage because it allows a person to still have life insurance even if their health would disqualify them from getting any other insurance. With renewable term insurance it is possible to switch a policy to another company if they have lower rates, but you may want to be careful with this practice, some companies do not like to take on people who have a history of changing business often. Level term provides the same premium throughout the life of the policy whether rates go up or down.

Now that you have decided how much you need and what type of term insurance you want, it will make it much easier to shop around for the best deal.

Chris Simons is a prolific freelance writer. You are welcomed to visit http://life-insurance.cyberinformer.com, for more information on Cheap Life Insurance

[tags]cheap life insurance,term life insurance,universal life insurance,affordable life insurance,[/tags]

Online Term Life Insurance Quotes - How To Get The Best Policy And Save Money Using The Internet

These days you do not have to go through the lengthy process of phoning life insurance companies to get quotes. You can conveniently get all you need with just a few clicks of your computer mouse. Given the simple and high speed Internet access we have these days, you can get online term life insurance quotes within five to ten minutes.

However, before you start your online search for the best insurance policy, there are a few simple tips that may help make the process more effective and hassle free, thus making sure that you get the best type of life insurance for your needs.

The companies’ reputation is the first thing you will need to bear in mind while you are searching for a term life insurance policy online. You need to have your insurance life quote from a company that has a good track record, as this will tell you that you are most likely to get a good premium rate, service and customer support. All you need to do is to search the Better Business Bureau for the life insurance company you are considering to get a quote from. If the company has good ratings, this will give you the confidence that the company you will be dealing with provides high quality services and customer support. You wouldn’t want to deal with a company that had a bad record, even if they were to offer you a good premium for your insurance.

You will also need to check with Standard & Poor’s to check into the companies financial standings. This is because you need to get the best online term life insurance quote from a company that will be in business for the long term, and thus able to meet your policy’s claims if or when they become due.

Once you are satisfied about the background, financial standing and reputation of the life insurance companies you are considering to get your policy from, you can them move on to getting online term life insurance quotes. All this information will enable you to make the right decision about the best company to get your most suitable term life insurance policy from.

What Is A Term Life Insurance Policy?

As the name suggests, term life insurance basically provides pure insurance protection for a specific period of time, such as five years, ten, and 20 years. At the end of the term period, the policy expires with no accumulated cash value, and no benefits are payable, with the death benefit being only paid if you die during the term period.

Generally, premiums on term life insurance tend to be low, but they increase substantially as your age increases. Due to this fact, term life insurance is the most economical when purchased at a younger age and when the term is longer.

4 Key Ways To Get The Best Online Term Life Insurance Quotes Are As Follows:

1. You may be able to get a lower premium for your insurance if you have lowered your cholesterol, lost weight or quit smoking. This tends to means a new bill of health, which is perceived as reduced risk from the insurance company’s point of view.

2. If you pay for your term insurance with automatic debit, you may be able to get a discount. Your automatic payments means less administrative costs for the insurance company, and this in turn is passed onto you.

3. You will need to decide on the amount of term life insurance before you start to shop around. Most companies have effective savings rates at $250,000, $500,000 and $1 million. By rounding up the amount to any of these coverage points, this can help you save money. As an example if you are considering $225,000 coverage, it may be better to round up to $250,000.

4. Shop for and compare at least three major insurance companies and get several online term life insurance quotes to see what you will pay on your premiums before you commit yourself to signing up.

Getting online term life insurance quotes can be a very effective and convenient way to save you both time and money when shopping for term life insurance.

As long as you do your part of deciding the amount you want for your term life insurance coverage, checking the insurance companies’ history, and taking some time to understand the terms of the policy, you will be able to select the best online term life insurance quote that suits your needs.

Dean Shainin offers free online life insurance quotes. For more information, articles, news, tools and valuable resources on life insurance, visit this site: http://life-insurance.deans-knowledgebase.com

Get free valuable online tips for saving money from his: Term Life Insurance Online website.

[tags]online term life insurance quotes,online life insurance quotes,cheap life insurance quote,insurance[/tags]

The Top Ten Reasons Why People Need Long Term Care Insurance

10. The government isn’t going to pay for long-term care at home, in a nursing home, or in an assisted living center. Medicare pays 100% of long-term care for 20 days and all but $95.00 per day for the next 80 days–after that nothing. However Medicare only pays for skilled care and most long term care is not skilled care.

9. The national average cost for nursing homes is approximately $105.00 per day. Assisted living ranges anywhere from $50 - $90 per day. If you live on the Eastern Seaboard you can easily spend $50,000 to $80,000 for a year’s stay in a nursing home. These costs are perfectly capable of wiping out a lifetime of savings-not to mention the emotional effect long-term care has on a family.

8. A Harvard University study showed that 69% of single people and 34% of married couples would exhaust their assets after 13 weeks in a nursing home. 13 Weeks = 91 days!.

7. At age 65, a woman has a one out of two chance of spending some time in a nursing home. A man has a one out of three chance. In the case of men, mortality catches up with morbidity.

6. Medicaid kicks in only after a person’s assets and dignity are gone. In many states the eligibility threshold for single people is $1,500 in assets. After all Medicaid is WELFARE.

5. Children would like to help, but children often have children of their own. They certainly can’t quit their jobs to care for their parents.

4. Health rarely improves with age.

3. People can’t buy long-term care coverage at crisis time or when they are ready to use it.

2. American’s have access to the best health care in the world, if they can pay for it.

1. Most People want to choose where they go instead of having to go where they are taken, and if independence is important to them, they will need to have either a big estate or adequate insurance.

Information quoted directly from:

* A Shopper’s Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance , National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

* Long Term Care Companion Consumer Guide, Transamerica Occidental Life.

Matt McWilliams is one of the co-founders of HometownQuotes.Com, an online insurance quotes web site. He is originally from Pinebluff, NC and attended Middle Tennessee State University. He is considered an expert in the field of online insurance shopping and finding new ways to help consumers save money on their insurance. For more information visit http://www.hometownquotes.com

[tags]insurance quotes, long term care insurance, long term care insurance quotes[/tags]

Keep Your Independence, Check Out Storage Options

Human beings are a consumer society and over time most of us tend to become pack rats and have more things than we will ever need. Often we exceed our living or working spaces and then comes the dilemma, “How do I handle clutter.” So, it is when we expand or move that we consider storage. Unlike many years ago today you have the option of retaining your independence by using a storage facility instead of requesting family or friends to store things for you.

There are many choices: you could opt for using a traditional storage warehouse or self-storage or mini storage facilities where you will be given the key to the facility or be the only one who can operate the unit. And, storage can be either long-term storage or storage in transit.

Storage in transit is used when you need to store your household or office furniture and other objects before moving into new premises. You must ensure that the “storage-in-transit” is mentioned in your agreement with the mover. Find out where and by whom the goods will be stored and ensure that the documentation for storage-in-transit is in good order. The time frame for storage-in-transit is between 30-180 days.

If you are considering long term storage you must choose the unit with care.

Choose a location that suits your needs. If you do not plan on using the storage unit often then it does not matter where the facility is located. But if you even think that you may need to access the unit often then you will need to choose a facility that is commutable from where you reside or work.

Determine the size of the unit. You will need. According to experts it is best to choose a smaller unit and pack it from floor to ceiling. You will then pay only for the space used. If you need to store just a few things then ask for mini-storage units. Units generally are of size: 5×10;10×10;10×20; and 10×30. Ask how many things each size will hold. Size 10×20 is known to hold all the contents of a two bedroom house.

When finding out details ask about climate control, pest control, security, and storage access. Some facilities have timings while others allow 24/7 access.

Chose a unit that is suitable for the good you intend to store. If you are going to store antiques, carpets, books, or documents then you need climate controlled units.

Tips:

Negotiate your cost. Many self-storage facilities offer discounts on pre-payment or long term lease.

Ensure that Insurance is in operation and ask about insuring the goods in your unit. Many storage facilities either offer advice in this regard or have tie-ups with insurance companies.

Verify the ownership of the units and their reputation. Find out how long they have been in business and if there are any complaints against them with the fair business bureau.

When packing use weather proof packing. Protect breakables by providing sufficient padding and ensuring that the boxes containing breakables are clearly labeled as fragile and stored at the very top.

Select a storage space with care and you will be able to store your things without tensions and keep your independence.

Aaron Brooks is a freelance writer for http://www.1888movingcompanies.com, the premier website to find help on Moving including topics on moving companies search, compare movers, moving insurance, auto transport, moving tips and more. His article profile can be found at the premier Article Submission Directory http://www.1888articles.com

[tags]moving companies search, compare movers, moving insurance, auto transport, moving tips[/tags]

DISABILITY and Relationships = COMMUNICATIONS

One of the most difficult areas facing those of us with a disability, and/or those of us living with a chronic illness, is COMMUNICATION!! We have to communicate with others - family, medical care, friends, strangers, etc. AND, they have to be able to communicate with us. So, the better we can communicate with others, the better off we will be in soliciting, receiving, and giving help. AND, if you are like me, you were raised to GIVE help, not to get it! You were the caregiver; being on the receiving end is very hard to do.

This blog is seperated into two distinct areas. The first is a way to assist us better communicate what is going on with us, to others. The second part is information designed to literally “hand” to others, so that they know how to communicate with us as an actual “person” and not as a “disease”.

To start off, I found this great website in Australia, designed to “link” folks together who have disabilities and disability needs. The acronym used is “TEAM”. It means: Together, Everyone Achieves More! I love this concept, and thought you might also.

So, how in the world do you document all about YOU?? Well, if you are intending to use the information in obtaining your disability insurances, I recommend the Workbook that we offer at www.disabilitykey.com. The attachments in the Workbook allow you to document your symptoms, and have actual examples of forms and letters that you can use in your process, as well as the actual “How-To” process.

Additionally, I havae found this fantastic website, originating from the State of Washington. It shows you a model of communicating to all about “you”. Unlike the disabilitykey Workbook, it does not provide you with the actual forms. However, if you are computer-savvy enough, you can duplicate the pages yourself. Included are the following sections:

Care Teams
About Me
Diagnoses
Next Steps
Health Log
Medications
Reactions
History
Advanced Directives

I’d add one more section, personally, about family, friends, relatives, etc.

Here’s the link: https://www.sharedcareplan.org/Home/Guest.asp

You now know how important it is to document all the information about YOU. Now you can share it with others. Once documented, all you have to do is update the information, as it changes. In this way, you do not have to rely on memory.

INFORMATION TO GIVE TO OTHERS ON HOW TO TREAT YOU (the person with the disability) as a PERSON, NOT AN ILLNESS

Again, the following information has been gleaned from a variety of sources.

The way a person refers to persons with disabilities shapes his/her beliefs and ideas about that person. Using appropriate terms can foster positive attitudes about persons with disabilities. One of the major improvements in communicating with and about people with disabilities is “people-first” language. People-first language emphasizes the person, not the disability. By placing the person first, the disability is no longer the primary, defining characteristic of an individual but one of several aspects of the whole person.

For example, it is preferred to say, “people with disabilities” instead of “the disabled”; or “Mary has a vision impairment” , or, “Mary is vision-impaired” instead of labeling the person by saying, “Mary is blind.”

An exception to this rule is for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. In general, the deaf community does not like to be referred to as having hearing impairments. It prefers deaf or hard of hearing. Use “hard of hearing” to refer to people who have hearing loss but communicate in spoken language. “People with hearing loss” is also considered acceptable. Many people who are deaf and communicate with sign language consider themselves to be members of a cultural and linguistic minority. They refer to themselves as Deaf with a capital “D” and may be offended by the term “hearing impaired.” Many Deaf do not believe the condition to be an impairment.

If someone has diabetes, they are a person first, with diabetes. Please do not refer to them as “the Diabetic”, unless this is how they wish to be refered to (and you know this because you have asked them ahead of time). I, for example, am a vibrant, wordy person who loves to read and work with people, who happens to have Multiple Sclerosis. It is a condition that I have; it does not define me.

If you don’t know the appropriate words to use, simply ask the person what is preferred.

Lastly, let’s talk about “relationships” in general. If you are dealing with a disability, and/or with managing a chronic illness, it is CRITICAL that you NOT cut yourself off from others. Life is very precious, and, as we discussed in the quality of life blog, living well is and should be, the goal of us all.

If you have any additional questions about communications or disability relationships, please comment and we’ll tap into our collective wisdom!

About Disabilitykey.com & Carolyn Magura:

Disabilitykey.com is a website designed to assist each person in his/her own unique quest to navigate through the difficult and often conflicting and misleading information about coping with disabilities.

Carolyn Magura, noted disability / ADA expert, has written an e-Book documenting the process that allowed her to:

a) continue to work and receive her “full salary” while on Long Term Disability; and

b) become the first person in her State to qualify for Social Security Disability the FIRST TIME, in UNDER 30 DAYS.

Click here to receive Carolyn ’s easy-to-read, easy-to-follow direct guide through this difficult, trying process. If you are disabled, don’t let this disabiling process disable you. Read Carolyns Disability Key Blog.

[tags]health, pain, disability, medicine, insurance, divorce, depression[/tags]