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How To Recover From A Catastrophic Accident

How To Recover From A Catastrophic Accident

Posted by on Jul 30, 2021 in Disability | 0 comments

A serious accident can be a devastating occurrence that causes a person a great deal of physical pain and emotional stress. Although a major accident may indeed be a life-altering experience, you must remember that you still have the rest of your life to live. Here are a few tips to help guide you along in your recovery process.

Maintain a positive outlook

It is not uncommon for an individual to suffer from low self-esteem immediately following a catastrophic accident. However, one of the keys to getting your life back on track is to avoid being in a negative emotional state for too long. You must first accept the fact that you were seriously hurt in an accident. After you are able to come to grips with reality, you will then be able to gradually regain your confidence and realize your self-worth again. Envision yourself enjoying a fulfilling life in the future without any unfavorable thoughts.

Have patience

While there is nothing wrong with striving for a speedy recovery, the road to recovery may not always be easy. Often times, there will be a few bumps and roadblocks along the way. This is why you must have a great deal of patience when recuperating from a major accident. It takes a combination of a lot of hard work and dedication to heal your injuries. Expecting a very fast recovery could lead to a lot of frustration and anger.

Lean on family & friends for support

Although your recovery depends heavily on your determination and perseverance, there is nothing wrong with leaning on others to help motivate you. Not only might you need their physical help, but the love from your family and friends will also boost your spirit. In times of darkness, having a great support group is very important. Even if you pride yourself on being independent, the encouraging words of a loyal friend could inspire you to keep pushing on.

Stay informed and educated

It is of the utmost importance that you become knowledgeable about your injuries or condition. Although the doctors and therapists will be help you to recovery from a catastrophic accident, you are ultimately the final decision maker. There are plenty of scholarly health journals that are readily available on the web and in the library. This will help you to stay informed on all of the latest medical procedures and studies that relate to your particular circumstance.

Seek advice from others who were in similar accidents

Along the way, you are likely to run across a few people that were in a similar accident as you. Ask them about the steps that they took to recover. They may be able to give you some important advice and recommendations to help your recovery go a lot smoother. Perhaps the best example of overcoming a horrific accident can be found in this video. The protagonist, Charlie Morecraft, sustained a catastrophic burn injury and he ultimately lost everything. He lost his job, his wife, his skin (literally from the burn), and any hope of a “normal” life. Watch Charlie’s story, you will see how he overcame everything and is now a world-renowned speaker, author and leader.

A significant accident does not have to end your life forever. We hope the above tips have helped you see that.

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How To Ensure Safety During A Construction Project

Posted by on Jul 30, 2021 in Community Housing | 0 comments

Construction projects can be some of the most dangerous workplaces anywhere. With heavy machinery and powerful tools in use, it’s extremely easy for something to go wrong if there is a lack of concern for safety. Here are some important tips to keep in mind during your construction project to help keep you and your workers safe.

1. Use the equipment properly.

One of the greatest causes of injuries during a construction project is misuses of the tools. Always make sure you follow the correct procedure for safe use of each tool. When getting on and off construction equipment, move carefully - and never jump off the equipment to save time. Carelessness or laziness in operating these machines can cause severe damage.

2. Keep bystanders away.

It’s surprising how many people will gather to watch construction happening. It’s fine and isn’t distracting, as long as it’s from a safe distance. Too often, however, the group grows and begins to crowd the machine. This makes it no longer a safe environment. Foremen working on the ground will need to enforce a safe distance between the observers and the machinery.

3. Be prepared for slopes.

When operating heavy construction machinery on slopes, it can be a whole different story. Driving up and down the slopes with a heavy load requires extra caution, especially if there is any kind of unusual surface condition. Know your machine’s limits on slopes and don’t push past those limits to get the job done faster.

4. Watch out for underground and overhead obstructions.

No matter where you’re working, you’re likely to find water lines, gas lines, sewer lines, and electrical lines all around you. Make sure these lines are well marked before you begin construction. Even after they are marked, use caution, as it is not at all unusual for marking errors to occur. You may even have to resort to hand digging when you know you are near a line. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, though - an encounter with an electrical line can be extremely dangerous.

5. Protect yourself.

Never skimp on the protective gear when you’re working on a construction project. Even if you are doing your job perfectly and cautiously, others around you may not be, and it is always better to be prepared for an accident. If the project requires gloves, goggles, helmets, boots, jackets, or ear plugs, use them when and as intended.

6. Provide proper training of construction crews.

One of the easiest ways to prevent injuries is to make sure everyone on the job site is trained on safety protocol. All fork operators should get their forklift certification now - not tomorrow, now! All workers should be shown how to use any necessary hand tools, back safety belts, and personal protective equipment. Also, there needs to be a standard of 100% compliance to safe practices while on the job site.

If everyone working on the construction project is willing to follow safety procedures such as these, you’ll be able to finish the project quickly and safely.

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Why Laws Are Necessary To Protect The Underprivileged

Posted by on Jul 30, 2021 in Political/Legal | 0 comments

It is without a doubt that we live in a society where there are extreme inequalities that exist between the poor and the rich. We still live in a country where many racial minorities still facing discrimination in many arenas of life. Whether it be employment, housing, education or banking; many who come from underprivileged backgrounds face mounting barriers that prevent them from being prosperous. Here is a quick overview of why we need laws in order to protect the underprivileged.

Housing

Many people, especially in larger metropolitan areas, have difficulties finding affordable housing. Although major cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are well renown cities - many of these city residents can’t afford to live there. As a result, the Federal Government through the Department of Housing and Urban Development provides millions of dollars in housing assistance. Ironically, even with housing vouchers, such as the popular section 8 program - many landlords often discriminate against these voucher holders. They are often demonized as vagrants, drug users and criminals. Luckily, it is against federal law to deny someone housing through income discrimination.

Employment

It is no secret that the United States has had a history of racism. For many racial minorities like African Americans, finding suitable employment opportunities was difficult because many employers would not hire Blacks simply because of their race. Since the 60s, Congress has passed wide sweeping legislation making it a crime for employers to deny someone employment on the basis of their race, income status, gender, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. This is especially important since many racial minorities are underprivileged and live in undeserved neighborhoods and communities. These laws help minorities get a chance to find jobs that pay decent wages.

Education

Many children who live in undeserved inner city communities often find themselves going to poor-performing neighborhood schools that don’t have the same quality of resources compared to their more affluent suburban counterparts. Although there are many federal laws on the book that try to help rectify the inequalities that exist in the public education system; many states unfortunately still rely on antiquated and unjust tax redistribution systems that don’t pump enough financial resources into rural and inner city schools that most poor and underprivileged children are more likely to attend. While many states have begun the process of reforming this system - some like Illinois still rely on this. Many education activists are working night and day to lobby lawmakers to change these tax laws that prevent resources from being distributed in a fair fashion.

Banking

One of the biggest reasons why the economy crashed back in 2007 was due in part to predatory lenders taking advantage of poor people. The sub-prime mortgage crisis mainly affected lower income and blue collar households. Many of these individuals were sold loan products that contained ballooning interest rates. However, the original loan documents that were signed by many people contained clauses, stipulations and other requirements that were hard to understand. The Frank-Dodd Act, recently passed on Congress, took the necessary steps to fight predatory lending and prevent banks from financial redlining individuals who live in undeserved and underprivileged communities.

Obviously, more can be done to help fight the rising tide of income inequality and poverty in the country. However, ultimately it is up to the people to petition their local, state and federal lawmakers to pass laws that will shield the poor from the dirty and discriminatory practices of big business.

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Why Government Provided Financial Aid Is Critical

Posted by on Jul 30, 2021 in Public Policy | 0 comments

Many people can’t afford to attend college to get a degree, yet many employers require a college degree in order to hire an employee. In order for those who can’t afford to attend college to be able to earn a degree, some government financial assistance is necessary.

There are intelligent people in all social classes from all income levels. Government assisted financial aid can help these people to get college degrees so that their intelligence can be used for better purposes that benefits more human beings. Many great scientists, researchers, and doctors got where they are with the help of government assisted financial aid programs. As the old saying goes, the mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Colleges and universities are increasing their tuition across the country. As they do, even less people are going to be able to afford the cost of an education. So many more people will need to receive some form of government assisted financial aid package to be able to attend college.

Without government assisted financial aid, only the wealthy will be able to attend college and earn the degrees necessary to obtain financially meaningful employment. It will increase the disparity between the social classes by keeping the lower classes in service sector employment at minimum wage or close to it. There are a limited number of service sector employment opportunities, which will lead to high unemployment rates.

Those with service sector employment may not be able to financially make ends meet. This is especially true if they have families to support as well. Some of these workers will have to take on two or three jobs. There are many problems inherent with this. For one thing, if one person takes more than one job, that is another person or more that might be left with no job, as there are still a limited number of service sector jobs.

Another problem lies with families. Single parent households may require the parent to have more than one job to make ends meet. This leaves the need to pay for child care, which might require obtaining another job. Or, in the alternative, more children could be left alone without any adult supervision. This leads to more problems in and of itself.

In addition to government funded financial aid programs there are certain funding that comes from private sources. A whole host of scholarship programs do exist such as scholarships for poor people, scholarships for minorities, and scholarships for women. We believe it is a governments job to keep these funding sources liquid and that anyone how wants an education should have one.

Offering paid education can help place some of these people in higher level jobs and at higher salaries. This is helpful to the overall economy, unemployment rates, and families as well. Those with families may be able to make ends meet with just one job, while also being able to afford adequate child care. Those with children that can get a degree and a higher paying job might be able to spend more time with their children, hopefully giving proper parental guidance and helping to positively influence the values of the next generation. The government can help its citizens by providing financial aid to all of those who truly wish to attend college and earn a degree for a better quality of life.

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Why Public Housing Is Necessary In A Civilized Society

Posted by on Jul 30, 2021 in Political/Legal | 0 comments

Everyone has the right to a roof over their head. When it is cold, no one should have to suffer from hypothermia because they are stuck outside. When it is raining, no one should have to get wet because they have nowhere to get shelter. In a civilized society, it is important that everyone has access to some form of housing.

Homelessness Creates Hopelessness

If you have ever had to work outside on a cold day or walk a long distance on a cold night, you know how difficult it can be. Imagine having to deal with a cold night on a park bench because you have nowhere to go. Imagine further that no one cares that you are starving and cold. To most people, the homeless are a burden and an eyesore. That doesn’t do much to help your morale or make you believe that you can be something.

Homelessness Is Not Always A Choice

There is a segment of society that believes those who are on the streets chose to be on the streets. In reality, many homeless people suffer from an illness or lost all their savings due to the poor economy. Anyone who is sick should have mercy shown to them in the from of a bed and at least one meal a day. People who are willing to work should be given a place to stay while they get back on their feet.

Could You Turn Away A Single Parent Looking To Start Over?

A battered woman who has left her husband and has nowhere to go should not be forced to turn to a life on the streets. That creates a situation where she may turn to prostitution or selling drugs to survive. If she has a safe place for herself and her child can look ahead to getting a job to support herself while she gets her life back to normal.

Not Everyone Can Afford Housing On Their Own

What would you do if you suddenly became disabled and could no longer work. How long would you be able keep your house or apartment before your savings ran out? What happens if your children or grandchildren decide that you are too much of a burden to have you or you don’t have any family left at all? Where you would turn to get help? The best answer is that you would turn to public housing or some other form of public assistance to keep the housing that you have now.

Each life is worth living with dignity. For many, they are not able to afford the basic necessity of a roof over their head. While the homeless are typically labeled as stupid or lazy, most of them are good people who have fallen on hard times. If a society is to call itself developed and civilized, it must always be able to provide for the needs of the sick, the poor and the downtrodden.

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