Getting Your Affairs in Order: A Guide to Living WillsWritten by Larry Denton
Living wills--sometimes referred to as "health care directives"--are for adults of all ages, not just elderly. Some of most recognized court cases concerning "right to die" issue have involved people in their 20s and 30s--people like Karen Quinlan and Terri Schiavo. Living wills are essential documents for conscientious parents and spouses. Why leave your family in a constant state of worry and confusion when a legal document can specify your personal desires pertaining to end of your life.There are many good reasons to record your wishes about "end-of-life" medical care: you might be too ill or incapacitated to express yourself when time comes; your family may disagree about what to do, leaving doctors in a difficult situation and more likely to keep you on life support; you can personally make difficult decision of whether or not to use life support; finally, most living wills include legal protection for doctors and hospitals, so they will not be sued for honoring your requests. Everyone knows they should get their "important papers" organized and in order. The problem often lies in fact that term "important papers" may be different for every family. Items such as: sources of income, Social Security and Medicare information, life insurance information, location of deeds and important legal papers (birth certificates,etc.), location of personal items such as jewelry and family treasures, name and number of your checking and savings accounts should all be included in a list of "important papers." As of 2004, about 25 percent of all American adults have a living will which specifies medical treatment people do or do not wish if they become terminally ill or incapacitated. All 50 states recognize living wills and a second legal document known as durable medical power of attorney. Although different states have different rules for what living rules should cover, all states allow you to decline aggressive life support if you're close to death, without affecting your right to get pain relief medications or other "comfort care." Refusing medical treatment is not considered suicide, since it is not illegal or immoral to let nature run its course.
| | Do I Need a Security Alarm System? A Guide to Security Systems.Written by Larry Denton
It is debatable whether an alarm security system decreases chances of a burglary. In theory, if a burglar knows that a house is equipped with such a system, he or she might move on to another home. Even if burglar does break in, burglar has a tendency to stay a shorter amount of time knowing an alarm has gone off. This may decrease number of items stolen or extent of damage inflicted. The most important aspect of any security system is balance--it does no good to make your windows burglar-proof when your doors can be easily opened with a pry bar. Choosing an alarm system and an alarm company can be confusing and technology quite complicated.Modern electronics has improved our quality of life in many ways. For example, electronic alarm systems, once available to only wealthiest, have become very popular in last decade. The rising popularity is well earned since those systems are now both affordable and effective. When combined with other safety measures, they can make your home or business relatively secure. However, if you rely exclusively on an alarm system, you will still remain vulnerable. Professional burglars know how to silence or incapacitate even most sophisticated alarm systems. Fortunately, most home and car burglars are not really professionals and they can be deterred by correct use of an alarm system that has been correctly installed and maintained. Most alarm systems rely on a combination of contacts placed at doors and windows and motion sensors. Motion sensors, however, do not detect someone until they have already entered house. Therefore, motion sensors should NOT be used as primary means of detection. It is best that all exterior potential points of entry have contacts that sense when they are open. Glass breakage sensors are also available and high recommended by most alarm companies. There are two primary types of system available--monitored and unmonitored. Monitored systems contact a monitoring company by telephone, if security system senses an intrusion and is not deactivated within 45 seconds. The monitoring company receives message, determines nature of alarm and verifies it--usually by placing a call to home or business. If they do not receive proper password, or no one answers, they call police who respond as quickly as possible.
|
